Written Answers of 22 May 1995

EMPLOYMENT

  Volunteer Work
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to encourage unemployed people to seek relevant work experience through volunteering. [24448]

  Miss Widdecombe
  We recognise that volunteering can help unemployed people keep in touch with the labour market and contribute to improving their prospects of getting a job. The potential advantages of undertaking voluntary work while unemployed are set out in an Employment Department leaflet entitled "Voluntary Work When You're Unemployed", copies of which are available in the Library. There are special arrangements in the benefit rules for unemployed people undertaking voluntary work. They are allowed 48 hours' notice to be available for work; and voluntary work is taken into account in determining whether someone is actively seeking employment.

  Jobseeker's Allowance
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what trials or pilot schemes of anticipated jobseeker's allowance procedures have been undertaken by his Department; where they have been held; how long they lasted; what they covered; and what were the results. [25575]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The jobseeker's allowance implementation project team is setting up trials of the jobseeker's allowance process in 20 locations throughout England, Scotland and Wales. Three trials, in Newton Abbot, Barnstaple and Exeter, started during April. Other locations where trials are likely to start during June are Bathgate, Alnwick, Jarrow, Middlesbrough, Cheetham Hill, Goole, Porthmadog, Madeley, Halesowen, Norwich, Gabalfa and Victoria Park. Discussions are under way with the Employment Service and the Benefits Agency in other locations where trials might take place.

  The trial offices will simulate the jobseeker's allowance process as closely as possible under existing legislation. Evaluation of the trials will inform development of operational procedures.

PRIME MINISTER

  Nolan Committee
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister what has been the cost to public funds to date of the Nolan committee; what payments or emoluments have been 378
  made to each member of the committee; what are the anticipated on-going costs; and if he will make a statement. [25259]

  The Prime Minister
  I refer my hon. Friend to the Nolan committee's first report, which was published last week and states that the committee's total estimated cost to the end of April 1995 was £317,200.

  Lord Nolan, my right hon. Friend the Member for Bridgwater (Mr. King), the right hon. Member for Bethnal Green and Stepney (Mr. Shore) and Ms Diana Warwick do not receive emoluments for their Nolan committee work as they already receive a salary from other public funds. Other members of the committee were paid a salary of £1,000 per month from November 1994 to April 1995. They are now receiving an attendance fee of £155 per day. Members travel and subsistence expenses are met from public funds.

  The on-going cost of the committee is estimated to be £500,000 a year.

  Deregulation
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister what further action he proposes to take to advance the Government's deregulation initiative. [25801]

  The Prime Minister
  I have established a new ministerial committee to co-ordinate the Government's programme of deregulation and consider how the burden of deregulation on business, charities and individuals can be kept to a minimum. Copies of the terms of reference and membership are in the Library of the House.

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON DEREGULATION (EDD)

  Composition

  President of the Board of Trade (Chairman)

  Lord President of the Council

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Secretary of State for Employment

  Lord Privy Seal

  Chief Secretary to the Treasury

  Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs,

  Department of Trade and Industry

  Other Ministers will be invited to attend as necessary.

  Terms of Reference
  "To co-ordinate the Government's programme of deregulation and to consider how the burden of regulation on businesses, charities and individuals can be kept to a minimum."

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Resignations
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners (1) if he will list the estimates the Commission has been given by the House of Bishops on the estimated number of resignations and claims which will be made to the Ordination of Women (Financial Provisions) Measure 1993 up until the expiry of the Measure;

  (2) what estimates the Church Commission has made of the number of priests who will claim compensation under the Ordination of Women (Financial Provisions) Measure 1993 for each year until the expiry of the Measure.
  379
  Mr. Alison
  The House of Bishops has not itself provided estimates, the Church Commissioners' estimates are their own, following consultation with the Church of England pensions board.

  As at 30 April 1995, 265 clergy eligible for financial assistance under the Measure had resigned and so far have received £3.5 million in resettlement grants and periodic payments. A further 40 clergy have indicated their intention to resign. It is difficult to predict the final number of resignations. However, actual expenditure in 1994 and illustrative costings based on a possible total of 350 resignations are set out in the following table. These reflect the pattern of expenditure to date.

  Illustration of costs for 350 resignations

  Year

  Gross Costs to be met from CC Income £

  Housing Capital (funded by CC) £

  Net for Church£

  Net Housing Capital (funded by (CC) £

  1994

  2,452,000

  5,011,000

  747,000

  5,011,000

  1995

  3,439,000

  4,770,000

  1,872,000

  4,770,000

  1996

  3,216,000

  1,370,000

  1,899,000

  1,370,000

  1997

  2,434,000

  355,000

  1,226,000

  54,000

  1998

  1,731,000

  213,000

  706,000

  (100,000)

  1999

  1,250,000

  111,000

  433,000

  (215,000)

  2000

  890,000

  85,000

  272,000

  (254,000)

  2001

  851,000

  88,000

  412,000

  (264,000)

  2002

  707,000

  91,000

  413,000

  (274,000)

  2003

  625,000

  95,000

  437,000

  (285,000)

  2004

  415,000

  —

  321,000

  (396,000)

  2005

  289,000

  —

  244,000

  (411,000)

  2006

  216,000

  —

  197,000

  (428,000)

  2007

  211,000

  —

  204,000

  (445,000)

  2008

  211,000

  —

  209,000

  (463,000)

  2009

  217,000

  —

  216,000

  (361,000)

  2010

  221,000

  —

  221,000

  (375,000)

  2011

  226,000

  —

  226,000

  (390,000)

  2012

  233,000

  —

  233,000

  (406,000)

  Total

  19,834,000

  12,189,000

  10,488,000

  6,138,000

  Notes:

  (a) The number of resignations shown, 350, is a broad estimate, and the final costs may vary substantially.

  (b) Actual costs based on 232 resignations are shown in respect of 1994. A similar pattern of costs has been assumed for future years.

  (c) The figures make allowance for future increases in house prices and stipends.

  (d) It has been assumed that 50 per cent. of resigners will require housing assistance.

  (e) The net figures take account of such variables as stipends savings—assuming at least a temporary reduction in the payroll— allowance for retirement housing provision which would otherwise have arisen on retirement, and the possibility of some people redeeming loans or leaving rented accommodation once they have obtained alternative employment.

  Clergy (Resignations)
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners what redundancy and other terms are being awarded to clergy who have left the Church of England to join the Roman Catholic Church.

  Mr. Alison
  Clergy who resign from ecclesiastical service and apply for assistance under the Ordination of Women (Financial Provisions) Measure 1993 are entitled to the various payments stipulated by the Measure, irrespective of whether they join another church. Provision is made for periodical payments and a380
  resettlement grant. Additional discretionary payments may be made in cases of hardship, and access is also granted to the Church's housing assistance for the retired ministry scheme. Clergy in receipt of assistance under the Measure are obliged to disclose the income or other benefits derived from any new employment or office, and their periodical payments may be reduced or terminated to take account of this.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library(a) a copy of the paper on the United Kingdom's activities relating to the objectives of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, to which reference was made by Sir Michael Weston in his presentation to main committee I of the non-proliferation treaty conference on 19 April, (b) all other working papers submitted by the United Kingdom delegation to the main and sub-committees, (c) details of responses made by other delegations to United Kingdom submissions and (d) a copy of the final declaration from the conference; and if he will make a statement on the outcome of the non-proliferation treaty review and extension conference.

  Mr. David Davis
  Copies of the paper have been placed in the Library providing information on the activities and views of the United Kingdom on the principal objectives of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, and of our statements to main committees I, II, and III. Copies of the verbatim records of the open debates in the main committees will also be placed in the House Library. It is not our practice to disclose working papers. The conference did not adopt a final declaration. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs made a statement to the House on 16 May,Official Report, columns 151–61.

  China (Nuclear Tests)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to China about the nuclear weapons test conducted in China on 14 May. [24882]

  Mr. David Davis
  We have made no formal representations to the Chinese. We have noted their repeated commitment to abide by a comprehensive test ban treaty and look forward to their active participation in the negotiations on that treaty, which we hope will reach an early conclusion.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what indication the Chinese delegation at the recent nuclear non-proliferation treaty conference in New York gave to the United Kingdom diplomatic delegation of the intention of China to conduct a nuclear weapons test on 14 May. [24881]

  Mr. David Davis
  None.

  Iran (Nuclear Weapons)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent
  381
  information has been provided to Her Majesty's Government by the Government of the United States concerning the technical capability and aspirations of Iran to obtain nuclear weapons. [24883]

  Mr. David Davis
  We remain in close touch with the US Government on this issue. However, it is not our practice to reveal details of confidential exchanges with other Governments. We have grave concerns about the nuclear weapon aspirations of Iran, and we continue to work closely with the United States and our European partners to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

  Staff
  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many posts were lost in(a) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and (b) agencies for which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is responsible, listing the total lost posts agency by agency in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95; and how many posts are proposed to be lost in 1995–96. [25080]

  Mr. Goodlad
  Details of reductions in job slots resulting from efficiency measures taken in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Overseas Development Administration up to 1993–94 have been published annually in the citizens charter White Paper.

  The number of job slots reduced in 1994–95 was: FCO, 1985; ODA, 32; and Natural Resources Institute, 49. The following reductions in 1995–96 have also been identified: FCO, 92; ODA, 50; and NRI, 140.

  There have been no reductions in slots at Wilton Park, the FCO agency, nor are there plans for reductions in 1995–96.

  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes there have been in the numbers of staff employed by(a) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and (b) agencies for which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is responsible, listing the changes in the number of staff agency by agency in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95; and what changes are projected for 1995–96. [25062]

  Mr. Goodlad
  The members of permanent and casual staff employed by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office diplomatic wing and its executive agency and the Overseas Development Administration in 1993–94, projected outturn for 1994–95, and plans for 1995–96 are published in this Department's annual report, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  The breakdown for the Overseas Development Administration and its agency, the Natural Resources Institute, is:

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  ODA

  Civil Service full-time equivalents

  1,190

  1,137

  1,120

  Overtime

  21

  17

  17

  Casuals

  56

  63

  70

  1,267

  1,217

  1,207

  NRI

  Civil Service full-time equivalents

  428

  341

  341

  Overtime

  3

  3

  3

  Casuals

  25

  25

  25

  456

  369

  369

  Immigration
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when a decision is to be taken on the application made by Arshad Iqbal—ref: IMM/C8387—to the post in Islamabad to join his wife in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [25049]

  Mr. Baldry
  I have asked the high commission in Islamabad for details and will arrange for the hon. Member to receive a substantive reply from the migration and visa correspondence unit as soon as possible.

  UN Conference on Women
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the size and membership of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and United Nations Family Planning Association delegations to the UN conference on women to be held in Beijing and of his Department's delegation. [25315]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have no information on the size or composition of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the United Nations Family Planning Association delegations to the fourth world conference on women. On the British delegation, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Lidington) by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Employment on 16 March,Official Report, column 648.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the human rights implications of choosing Beijing as the venue for the UN conference on women; what consideration was given to China's population programme in the choice of venue; what were the reasons for the choice; what representations Her Majesty's Government made to the conference organisers on the issue; and what provision is being made on the agenda to discuss the programme.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Peking was nominated as the venue for the fourth world conference on women in accordance with the United Nations principle of geographical rotation. Population will be discussed in one of the critical areas of concern in the global platform for action.

  Indonesia
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to send a delegation of hon. Members and military experts to East Timor to assess whether British arms including Hawk aircraft are being used against the local civilian population by the Indonesian army. [25168]

  Mr. Goodlad
  None.

  We have closely considered the latest allegations that Hawk aircraft have used to attack villages in East Timor and found no evidence from any source to support them.

  Our embassy staff visit East Timor regularly, as do other western diplomats. The all-party Anglo-Indonesian parliamentary group visited East Timor from 17 to 19 September 1994.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guarantees he
  383
  has received that Scorpion tanks exported to Indonesia will not be used against either Indonesia or East Timorese civilians. [25169]

  Mr. Goodlad
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on 2 March,Official Report, column 716.

  Romania
  Sir John Gorst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made by Her Majesty's Government to promote and sustain the reform process in Romania; and what results have been achieved by the establishment of the Romania information service. [25241]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We continue to support the reform process in Romania through a variety of means including the know-how fund. Romania is now a member of the Council of Europe and has an association agreement with the European Union. We also support financially the Romanian information centre which responds to the needs for advice and support for over 500 British charities and non-governmental organisations working in Romania.

  Charar-e-Sharief Shrine
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the representatives of the Governments of India and Pakistan following the destruction of the holy shrine Charar-e-Sharief; and if he will make a statement. [25249]

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has not had any discussions with the representatives of the Government of India and Pakistan following the destruction of the holy shrine at Charar-e-Sharief.

  Iraq
  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent actions he has taken to ascertain the fate of Kuwaiti military personnel and civilians abducted by the Iraqis; and if he will make a statement. [25389]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We raise this issue at the United Nations at every opportunity and did so most recently when the Security Council reviewed sanctions against Iraq on 12 May. We have made it clear to the Iraqis that the lack of progress to date is unacceptable. We will continue to play a leading role in the tripartite commission and its technical sub-committee set up last December to speed up the review of case files on the detainees.

  Uzbekistan
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of the harassment of Christians in Uzbekistan; and if he will make a statement. [25592]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have received reports of a meeting in Tashkent in April 1994 at which all religious organisations in Uzbekistan were warned against missionary activity, in particular the publishing and distribution of religious literature. We are not aware of any specific cases of harassment of Christians in Uzbekistan.

  Instruments of Torture
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice has been given to his Department to (a) the Secretary of State for Defence and (b) the President of the Board of Trade on the transfer of weapons that can be used for torture overseas. [25674]

  Mr. David Davis
  A wide variety of weapons could conceivably be used for torture. If this Department judged that defence equipment, if transferred, would be likely to be so used, it would advise against the transfer.

ENVIRONMENT

  Mortgage Arrears and Repossessions
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what are the main conclusions of his Department's report on mortgage arrears and repossessions; if he will identify, specifically, all the conclusions which refer to problems associated with the widespread promotion and uptake of private insurance to cover mortgage interest in the event of redundancy; and if he will make a statement; [24846]

  (2) if he will list all the individuals, companies and organisations which were consulted by his officials in preparing their report on mortgage arrears and repossessions; [24845]

  (3) what has been the cost of producing his Department's report on mortgage arrears and repossessions; and if he will be arranging a press conference to publish that report; [24847]

  (4) when he intends to publish the full results of the report undertaken by his Department on mortgage arrears and repossessions; if he intends to circulate that report with an appropriate press release to the media; if he will make it his policy to make copies of that report immediately available through the Vote Office to all right hon. and hon. Members, and if he intends to make a statement in the House on the conclusions of that report; [24844]

  (5) what plans he has to make available to the Secretary of State for Social Security copies of his Department's report on mortgage arrears and repossessions. [24848]

  Mr. Curry
  On 18 May 1995, my Department published the report of a £313,000 study commissioned from the university of Loughborough and the Policy Studies Institute into mortgage arrears, possessions and voluntary surrenders. Copies of the report, entitled "Mortgage arrears and possessions: perspectives from borrowers, lenders and the courts", have been placed in the Library. Copies have been sent to other Government Departments with an interest in the study, the Council of Mortgage Lenders, the Association of British Insurers, the Audit Commission, the Housing Corporation and the local authority associations. Further copies are available from HMSO outlets.

  In the course of the study, the researchers carried out surveys and interviews with representative borrowers, lenders and district judges. The methods used and number of respondents of each type are described on pages 115

  385
  to 121 of the report. The main conclusions of the study are set out in pages 107 to 113 of the report, and those relating to mortgage protection insurance are on pages 60 to 62.

  Radioactive Waste, Milton
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the dumping of low-level radioactive waste on the Milton landfill site; and how many of them were in favour of the proposal to dump low-level radioactive waste on the Milton landfill site. [24816]

  Mr. Atkins
  Low-level radioactive waste from "small users" such as hospitals and research laboratories has been disposed of by "controlled burial" at the Milton landfill site for a number of years. The Department's consultation document, "Review of Radioactive Waste Management Policy: Preliminary Conclusions", published in August 1994, suggested that greater use should be encouraged of controlled burial by radioactive waste producers including the nuclear industry. No proposals were made for specific sites. The conclusions of the radioactive waste review will be published in a White Paper in the summer.

  The Department has received 220 letters opposing the disposal of low-level radioactive waste from the nuclear industry at the Milton site, together with two petitions—one with 766 signatures, the other with five. I also understand that the operators of the Milton site have said that they will not accept radioactive waste from the nuclear industry.

  Water Quality
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance on appraisal, covering environmental, economic and financial costs to industry, he has given to the National Rivers Authority to assist it when it draws up its recommendations for statutory water quality objectives for the pilot rivers; and what arrangements he has made for the appraisals to be made available to the public. [24772]

  Mr. Atkins
  It is for the National Rivers Authority to support its recommendations for statutory water quality objectives with an assessment of the anticipated costs and benefits of achieving them. It is intended that this should form part of the public consultation document on the proposals.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what provisional resources his Department makes available to assist low-income households improve the energy efficiency of their homes. [25145]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Our major energy efficiency programme for low-income households is the home energy efficiency scheme. More than 1 million households have benefited since 1991 from this scheme, which pays grants for basic home insulation measures and energy advice to householders who are over 60, receive an income-related benefit or disability living allowance. We have increased provision for the scheme substantially. During 1995–96, some £100 million will be made available for grants, and a similar sum has been set aside for each of the next two years. Over the next three years, I expect almost 2 million households to benefit from grants.
  386
  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the results of the funding by Midlands Electricity of neighbourhood energy action projects to benefit low-income consumers in the west midlands; and if he will commend the extension of private and voluntary sector partnership to other utilities. [25146]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  More than 20 different projects in the west midlands, ranging in scope from the provision of energy advice to non-English-speaking communities to home improvement programmes building on the energy efficiency measures available under our home energy efficiency scheme, have resulted from Midland Electricity's generous contribution to a partnership with the charity Neighbourhood Energy Action. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State visited one of these projects in the Sparkbrook area of Birmingham on 20 March this year, and was impressed with the energy efficiency improvements for the benefit of low-income households. This initiative is a good example of the kind of partnership between the private and voluntary sectors which many other energy companies have already adopted or are considering.

  Landfill Sites
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment his Department has made of the safety of the United Kingdom's landfill sites. [24992]

  Mr. Atkins
  All landfill sites are required to be licensed by waste regulation authorities in accordance with part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. A waste regulation authority is required to reject an application for a licence unless it is satisfied that the landfill operation will not lead to pollution of the environment, harm to human health or serious detriment to the amenities of the locality. Conditions are attached to licences to ensure that operations do not lead to pollution or harm. Waste regulation authorities should regularly review licences to ensure that the conditions remain appropriate and effective. Authorities have powers to suspend or revoke licences if the licensed activities would cause pollution or harm.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his proposals for the allocation of standard spending assessments to the new unitary authorities created as a result of local government reorganisation in Cleveland. [25220]

  Mr. Curry
  The standard spending assessments for the new unitary authorities in Cleveland will be calculated on the basis of the services which these authorities provide, using the formulae which are applied to all relevant authorities.

  Details of the formulae for 1995–96 are set out in the publication "Standard Spending Assessment Handbook, 1995–96", which is available from the Library. Following the review work which we undertake each year with the local authority associations, we will publish our proposals for 1996–97 in the usual way in December.

  UN Conference on Environment and Development
  Mr. Sheermen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment his Department has made of the progress of our European partners towards satisfying the recommendations of the United Nations conference on environment and development. [24986]

  Mr. Atkins
  The primary responsibility for carrying forward the commitments entered into at the Rio Earth summit lies with individual countries. At the request of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, EU colleagues adopted an action plan to implement the Rio commitments. Progress on meeting these commitments, and reviewing them as appropriate, is discussed at international fora such as the UN Commission on Sustainable Development, and the recent Berlin meeting of parties to the convention on climate change. The European Community's fifth environmental action programme, "Towards Sustainability", is linked closely to the principles and themes of Agenda 21. The UK is contributing fully to the present review of the programme by the European Commission.

  Compulsory Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to ensure housing management services are exempt from compulsory competitive tendering during local government reorganisation and that those authorities with only boundary changes following the review are exempted in the same way as those with structural changes. [25560]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  On 12 December, the Government made regulations—the Local Government Changes for England (Direct Labour and Service Organisations) Regulations 1994—to exempt local authorities undergoing reorganisation from most of the requirements of compulsory competitive tendering. However, the regulations as drafted did not extend to housing management services or to authorities which will undergo functional changes but where the transferor authority has not been abolished. I have now made amendment regulations to rectify these omissions. These are being laid before the House today.

  I have also taken the opportunity in these same amendment regulations to extend the exemption to local authority subject to boundary changes but not structural changes as a result of the implementation of the recommendations of the Local Government Commission made in pursuance of a direction given before the date these regulations were made. I think it only fair that such authorities are treated in a similar way as those that have been restructured. They also will face problems arising from the need to take decisions on appropriate new patterns of service delivery.

  Abandoned Mine Workings
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what resources, capital and revenue have been allocated to the National Rivers Authority, in the current year and in the next three years' projections specifically for clean up operations of ferruginous discharges from abandoned mine workings. [24907]

  Mr. Atkins
  The National Rivers Authority receives an annual block allocation of resources to cover the gap between income and expenditure on its functions other than 388
  flood defence. Subject to ministerial guidance on priorities the amount used to cover clean-up of ferruginous discharges from abandoned mines is a matter for the NRA. The NRA's corporate plan has made provision for £2 million expenditure for clean-up of ferruginous discharges from abandoned mines in 1995–96 and envisages provision of a similar amount in the three following years.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the projects, both proposed and in operation, relating to discharges from abandoned mine workings, for which the National Rivers Authority has applied for resources. [24908]

  Mr. Atkins
  The National Rivers Authority receives an annual block allocation of resources to cover the gap between income and expenditure on its functions other than flood defence. Subject to ministerial guidance on priorities, the use of these resources is a matter for the NRA. Except in the case of Wheal Jane, the NRA has not applied for resources for individual mine-water projects.

  Wading Birds, Cardiff Bay
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with the European Union environment directorate concerning compliance with the undertaking given to create alternative bird reserves to mitigate the loss of wading birds' habitat in Cardiff bay. [25281]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The European Commission was consulted about a review of the options for suitable sites for mitigating measures. The Commission is being kept informed of progress.

  Majority Shareholdings
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those companies in which the holder of his office is a majority shareholder which (a) are currently in existence and (b) have been wound up in the past five years. [25718]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  None.

  National Parks
  Mr. Peter Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State how he intends to respond to the concerns of those who live and work in the national parks that their views should be properly represented in the management of these special areas. [25745]

  Mr. Atkins
  I am well aware of the concerns expressed during the Bill's passage that local people should have greater involvement in the running of the parks and management of parks affairs. We have already made a number of amendments to the Bill to strengthen the part which local people should play in the parks' affairs. These have generally been welcomed, but we have been giving further thought to the membership of the NPAs, so as to ensure that the interests of park residents are properly represented on the new authorities.

  Under the proposals, a third category of membership would be added to the current provisions of the Bill, which allow for two thirds of the members of the new authorities to be appointed by the local authorities—county, district and metropolitan district councils—with land in the parks and one third by the Secretary of State. The new category would be allocated to parishes which lie wholly or partly within the parks.
  389
  It is proposed that the new authorities would be constituted along the following lines:

  i) one half of the members plus 1 to be appointed by local authorities with land in the parks; and

  ii) the remainder to be appointed by the Secretary of State, of whom one half of his members minus 1 would be drawn from the relevant parishes.

  Parish members would be drawn from parishes wholly or partly in the parks, and would be serving parish councillors or, where there is no parish council, chairmen of parish meetings.

  Nominations to the Secretary of State for parish members would be sought from any or all of the following: the National Association of Local Councils, groupings of parishes within the parks or individual parishes. Nominations could also come from other sources, including individuals with an interest in park affairs.

  Parish members would be appointed by the Secretary of State, after consulting the Countryside Commission, as is already the case for his direct appointments, and would be subject to the same provisions as set out in the Bill as regards, for example, attendance, disqualification from holding office, members' interests, allowances, as apply to local authority and other members appointed by the Secretary of State. I have placed a copy of the letter which I have sent to local authorities in the Libraries of the Houses.

  These proposals apply to the English national parks. Because of commitments which have already been made in respect of the membership of the national park board being established under the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, and the circular letters already issued for consultations about establishing Welsh NPAs, the Secretary of State for Wales is proposing to leave unchanged the provisions for membership of the NPAs as they apply in Wales.

  Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the chairmanship of the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee. [25767]

  Mr. Gummer
  Together with my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales, I have today appointed Sir Gordon Beveridge to succeed Sir John Knill as chairman of the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee, when his appointment ends on 31 May. Sir Gordon's appointment is for a three-year term ending on 31 May 1998.

  I have written to Sir John Knill to thank him for the excellent work he has done for the Committee over a period of nearly 10 years, for more than seven of which he has been chairman.

  Sewage Sludge
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made on the Government's response to the recommendations from the review on the current rules on sewage sludge use in agriculture; and if he will make a statement. [25746]

  Mr. Atkins
  Environment and Agriculture Ministers have considered the two reports from the review which examined the soil fertility aspects and the food safety and relevant animal health aspects. We are reassured by their general conclusions on the level of protection afforded by the current rules on sewage sludge use in agriculture.390
  Following consultation with appropriate bodies, we have decided to reduce the advisory limit for zinc in the code of practice on sludge use in agriculture. We shall review the limit again when results from recently commissioned, long-term research become available.

  We have also decided to reduce the advisory limit for cadmium where sewage sludge is applied to grass managed in rotation or grown for conservation. In addition, research will be undertaken to address the review's recommendation on dropping the pH banding for metal limits.

  The water industry has been successful in effectively controlling direct and identifiable metal inputs to sewers, and achieving reductions in metal concentrations in sewage sludge. Trade effluent charges based on the polluter pays principle should lead to continuing improvements in sludge quality. In addition, we expect further reductions in cadmium and mercury concentrations in sewage sludge as we continue implementation of integrated pollution control.

  As recommended, we are also considering the need for controls on heavy metals from other waste materials and products, including animal manures, to protect soil fertility. Results from a study investigating metal inputs to agricultural soils from all sources will shortly be available.

  The decisions we have taken will enable sewage sludge to continue to beneficially recycled to agriculture land, while ensuring that soil microbial processes and human, animal plant health are not put at risk from potentially toxic elements which may be present in sludge.

  British Gas Sites
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the sites formerly owned by British Gas where (a) discussions regarding grant aid have occurred, (b) grant aid has been formally applied for and (c) grant aid has been approved in order to redevelop the sites giving, in each case, the amount of aid involved and including grant aid from (i) his Department and (ii) urban development corporations and other publicly funded bodies. [24599]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Information on the former ownership of sites which have been subject to applications for grant is not readily available. In many cases, the previous landowner is unknown. I will, however, write to the hon. Gentleman with such further information as we can gather.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Public Library Review
  Mr. MacIennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he expects to publish the findings of the public library review and the study of the possibilities for contracting out in public libraries; what proposals he has to consult with local authorities and the Library Association; and if he will make a statement. [24407]
  391
  Mr. Sproat
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement about the public library review that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made on Tuesday 16 May,Official Report, columns 150–51. The separate contracting out study was completed and received by my Department after the Aslib report and we are looking carefully at its findings. We expect to make a further statement in due course.

DEFENCE

  Gulf War Syndrome
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his current policy in respect of the recognition of Gulf war syndrome; and if he will make a statement. [24125]

  Mr. Soames
  No evidence has emerged to support the existence of a medical condition peculiar to those who served in the Gulf which would justify recognition of the term Gulf war syndrome. We will, however, continue to investigate all those with Gulf-related health concerns and all allegations, both scientific and anecdotal, which bear on this issue.

  Former Service Personnel
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met representatives of the Royal British Legion to discuss the establishment of a Ministry for Veterans Affairs as a sub-department of MOD; and if he will make a statement. [24072]

  Mr. Soames
  Following a meeting last November between the Minister of State for Social Security, the Under-Secretary of State for Defence and representatives of the Royal British Legion, it was agreed that many matters relating to the welfare of former service personnel fall within the scope of the Department of Social Security. That Department is now taking the lead on these issues.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will obtain a copy of the United States Department of Energy's plutonium working group report on environmental safety and health vulnerabilities associated with the department's plutonium storage published in November 1994; and if he will evaluate its relevance for the situation at sites and facilities operated by the Atomic Weapons Establishment and British Nuclear Fuels pic on behalf of his Department. [24294]

  Mr. Soames
  My Department's study of the report is currently in progress. The UK's position is, however, different from that of the US in that our holding of fissile materials is broadly in balance with national needs at any given time and is, in the main, embodied in manufactured warheads. The question of managing a substantial reserve stockpile does not, therefore, arise.

  Western European Union
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals were put by the United Kingdom to the meeting of Western European Union Defence and Foreign Affairs Ministers in Lisbon on 15 May. [25292]
  392
  Mr. Soames
  The WEU Ministerial Council met to consider a number of issues, including the contribution that we expect the WEU to make to the 1996 intergovernmental conference to review the provisions of the Maastricht treaty, and the internal development of the WEU itself to provide it with new decision-making and planning mechanisms and structures. The WEU Council also met associate partners to review progress on a study of the new security conditions in Europe. The UK has made a significant contribution to the debate on all these topics, both at the ministerial meeting and in the preceding months. In particular, we have made proposals for the development of the WEU as the defence arm of the European Union, which were set out in the "Memorandum on the UK's approach to the treatment of European defence issues at the 1996 Inter-Governmental Conference", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. WEU Ministers welcomed the UK's contribution in this regard, as noted in the Lisbon declaration, a copy of which will be placed in the Library of the House shortly. The UK has also worked with Italy to develop proposals for a WEU task force for humanitarian missions, which Ministers endorsed at Lisbon.

  Russia
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the recent evaluation of the current military threat posed by Russia made by the Chief of the Defence Staff. [25264]

  Mr. Soames
  Although Russia currently poses no direct military threat to the United Kingdom, it retains immense military forces, both conventional and nuclear; the progress of reform, which we all hope will succeed, will remain an important determinant of our security and defence policies.

  Crown Housing Trust
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 24 January,Official Report, column 192, what amount of performance-related bonus was received by the chief executive of the Crown Housing Trust on the anniversary of his appointment. [25178]

  Mr. Soames
  The chief executive (designate) of the Crown Housing Trust received a total of £19,900 in performance bonus for his service, which was terminated on 31 March 1995.

  Empty Dwellings
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action his Department has taken to reserve all empty MOD dwellings that have been standing empty for six months or more and negotiate their disposal by lease or sale to local authorities of housing associations. [25175]

  Mr. Soames
  The majority of my Department's empty dwellings are not surplus to requirements but are undergoing or awaiting major maintenance work, already allotted to service families due to move in shortly, or form part of the management margin needed to ensure that accommodation is available for entitled service families. Those properties which are surplus are, wherever possible, offered for sale to service personnel through the services' discount scheme to enable them to purchase a home of
  393
  their own. Surplus properties not suitable for this scheme are normally offered in the first instance to housing associations or local authorities before being offered for sale on the open market. In addition, we are planning an enhanced programme of leasing to housing associations or local authorities of properties which are temporarily surplus to requirements but which will be needed again in the long term.

  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many MOD homes in Cheshire are empty; and how many of these homes have been empty for more than six months. [25177]

  Mr. Soames
  As at 31 March, my Department owned 107 empty houses in Cheshire, of which 26 had been empty for more than six months. Many of the vacant properties were either undergoing or awaiting major maintenance work, already allotted to service families due to move in shortly or formed part of the management margin needed to ensure that accommodation is available for entitled service families. Twenty-eight of the 107 empty properties were in the process of being sold.

  US Air Bases
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the UK American air base sites that have been declared surplus to requirement and sold between April 1991 and April 1995; and the total income generated. [25180]

  Mr. Soames
  The only American air base site that has been declared surplus to requirement and sold between April 1991 and April 1995 is RAF Chessington, Surrey. The income generated from this sale is commercial in-confidence between my Department and the purchaser.

  Surplus RAF Sites
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the RAF sites that have been declared surplus to requirement and sold between April 1991 and April 1995; and the total income generated. [25179]

  Mr. Soames
  The RAF sites which were declared surplus to requirement and sold between April 1991 and April 1995 are:

  RAF Chessington, Surrey, formerly UK American air base

  RAF Barnwood, Gloucestershire

  RAF Collaton Cross, Deveon

  RAF Mountbatten, Devon

  RAF Bawdsey, Suffolk

  RAF Ely, Cambridgeshire

  RAF Greatworth, Northamptonshire

  RAF Northcoates, Lincolnshire

  RAF Orfordness, Suffolk

  RAF Jurby Head, Isle of Man

  RAF Bishopscourt, Northern Ireland

  The total income generated from these sales was £18,988,689.

  Bovington
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed at Bovington and Lulworth broken down by types of employee; and whether they live on or off site. [25587]

  Mr. Soames
  There are at present 686 military personnel, about 400 civilian staff and 205 contractors employed at Bovington. Nearly all the military live on 394
  site; and nearly all the civilians live off site. This does not include trainees who come to Bovington for courses, who number around 3,500 a year.

  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of building sufficient facilities for the 3rd Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment at Bovington on land abutting Stanley barracks, by comparison to splitting the regiment between Bovington and Lulworth; and what studies have been carried out to look at these two options. [25585]

  Mr. Soames
  The two options were both examined in the study of the comparative costs of future locations of the 3rd Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment. This work showed that the cost of building facilities at Bovington alone would be about £7 million higher than the costs of splitting the regiment. Moreover, building extra facilities on a green field site at Bovington would disrupt training activity.

  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give a breakdown of the living accommodation at Bovington and Lulworth including the number of vacancies; how much of the accommodation is occupied by people on courses; what other accommodation the MOD owns within a 20-mile radius; and what are the vacancies. [25588]

  Mr. Soames
  At Stanley barracks, Bovington there are 550 bed spaces, 336 of which are for trainees. At present, there are 150 vacancies, although these vary from week to week depending on course loading.

  At Allenby barracks, Bovington there are 567 bed spaces, all of which are occupied.

  At Lulworth, there are 465 bed spaces. There are currently 142 vacancies, but these also vary depending on course loading.

  Within a 20-mile radius of Bovington and Lulworth my Department owns three sites; West Moors petroleum training school which has 30 spare bed spaces and Blandford school of signals which has 121 spare bed spaces. The number of spare bed spaces at both sites depends on course loading and will often reduce to nil. In addition to the above two sites there is a hutted and tented training camp at Wyke Regis. This camp does not possess permanent living accommodation.

  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what training activities are carried out at Bovington camp in areas designated on the Bovington and Lulworth Ordnance Survey map as(a) S1, (b) W1 and (c) W2; how many days per year these activities are carried out; and what is the area of each of these sites. [25584]

  Mr. Soames
  The activities are as follows:

  (a) Recruit driver training, Territorial Army training, and infantry tactics; about 100 days a year; 180 acres.

  (b) Engineer training—bridging and digging, driver training, infantry tactics; 280 days a year; 165 acres.

  (c) Driving circuit used for low level infantry training and the armoured trials and development unit; about 100 days a year; 140 acres.

  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will name the consultants who were employed to advise on the location of the 3rd Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment; what were their terms of reference; if these included calculating the cost of locating the whole of the regiment at Bovington; and if he will publish their report. [25586]
  395
  Mr. Soames
  The consultants were Sawyer Architects of Winchester. Their terms of reference which are set out, required them to consider and comment on the option of locating the 3rd Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment in the Bovington area, taking into account a number of factors.

  Terms of Reference

  (1) All the land and buildings associated with Stanley barracks, Bovington and areas available for development at Lulworth camp for satisfying the statement of requirement. The married quarters are not to be considered as part of the study. Any shortfall in existing buildings is to be costed as a new build, and any shortfall of land is to be addressed with a statement on how this shortfall can be overcome.

  (2) The study is to comment on the adequacy of existing, and future requirements for land, buildings and facilities for single living, eating, sleeping, recreation, administration offices, training and working accommodation and the storage, servicing, maintenance and operation of vehicles and equipment.

  (3) Identify in conjunction with the Defence Land Agent any known or anticipated environmental constraints, planning constraints including any historical listings.

  (4) As a desk study examine information available on ground conditions, ground water table which may have a bearing on the options.

  (5) Any proposed new builds, modernisations, extensions of maintenance projects in planning/design or construction.

  (6) For each option give estimated costs of the annual maintenance for the option as a whole as well as any anticipated major maintenance items, and the year in which you estimated they will occur, over a 60-year period.

  (7) Identify with the client representative the security needs for both the active and passive ie fences, lighting, perimeter intruder defence systems, close circuit television and security of buildings.

  (8) The report should identify, consider and make a brief statement on the implications of the feasibility, planning, costing, phasing and execution of the works with the current or proposed occupants in occupation during the construction of any works identified within the options.

  A number of options were investigated including the cost of locating the whole regiment at Bovington. The consultants' report contains much information that is commercial in-confidence, and will not therefore be published. The conclusions of their report, along with other relevant factors, will, however, be made clear by the Ministry of Defence when a final decision on the future location of the 3rd Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment is made.

  Nuclear-powered Submarines
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 17 May to the hon. Member for Cornwall, South-East (Mr. Hicks),Official Report, column 229, what new nuclear safety practices have been introduced; what improvements need to be made to the Devonport facilities; how much these changes will cost and when they will be completed; how many nuclear-powered submarines will be refitted at Rosyth; when a final decision will be announced; and if he will make a statement. [25694]

  Mr. Freeman
  It is Government policy that naval nuclear reactors are operated with at least as high a regard for safety standards as any other nuclear facility in the UK. Civil practice now requires a wide variety of both manmade and naturally occurring environmental hazards to be considered in the safety assessment of nuclear plant including earthquakes, extremes of wind and temperature 396
  on the environmental side, and aircraft crash, blast and dropped loads on the manmade side. In line with the developments in civil practice, additional assessment techniques have been used in this process including probabilistic risk and statistical analysis techniques.

  We are at present assessing the extent of the improvements required to existing nuclear docking facilities at Devonport. Until the assessment is complete, it would be premature to speculate on cost or time scale. We expect that the assessment will complete during this summer. Decisions will be announced shortly thereafter.

  Regarding docking facilities for nuclear-powered submarines, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to hon. Member for Cornwall, South-East on 17 May, Official Report, column 229.

  Devonport Dockyard
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what geological surveys have been carried out at the Devonport dockyard; when these surveys were carried out; what were the problems identified by the surveys; and how much money it will cost to rectify these problems. [25695]

  Mr. Freeman
  Site investigations, including borehole surveys, and desk studies have been carried out to verify that the nature of the underlying geology is suitable to support the development of nuclear submarine refitting facilities at Devonport dockyard. The site surveys were carried out in 1993, with laboratory testing and desk study work completed predominantly during 1994. The surveys confirmed that the site is underlain by competent rock which will form a suitable foundation for the proposed nuclear installations.

  No significant geological problems have been encountered on site to date.

  Accidental Shootings
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State of Defence how many accidental shootings have occurred in the armed forces in each of the last 10 years; how many of these have resulted in compensation payments to those involved; what was the total amount of these payments; and how many of those accidentally shot in the last 10 years left the armed forces as a result of the shooting. [25566]

  Mr. Soames
  In the time available about 20 cases have been identified, in which compensation has been paid to Army personnel following injuries, in some cases minor injuries, resulting from accidental shooting. The total compensation paid in these cases so far is about £250,000; this includes interim payments. Since 1987, service personnel have had the same legal rights as civilians to seek compensation for injuries at work: any dispute over my Department's liability to pay compensation, or on the amount payable, can be taken to the civil courts.

  Old Sarum Airfield
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who was the successful bidder for the freehold of Old Sarum airfield. [25677]

  Mr. Soames
  The successful bidder for the freehold of Old Sarum airfield was Megastream Ltd., trading as the Old Sarum flying club.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Job Creation
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of British jobs in the United Kingdom and abroad, which have been secured as a result of ODA-funded projects in the most recent period for which figures are available. [23925]

  Mr. Baldry
  An indirect benefit of aid and the economic development promotes, but there is no ready means of assessing how many or at what cost.

  South Africa
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid provision he has made for sport in South African townships. [23927]

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 24 April,Official Report, column 328.

  Poverty Reduction
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures he has taken to ensure that structural adjustment programmes alleviate poverty. [23923]

  Mr. Baldry
  Poverty reduction is at the heart of structural adjustment, which restores the economic growth essential for reducing poverty. Our measures alleviate poverty by promoting a framework which protects the poor and by directing our financial support for these programmes to their specific needs whenever possible.

  Aid (Overseas Jobs)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many overseas jobs in how many countries and at what cost are dependent upon United Kingdom overseas aid; and if he will make a statement. [24301]

  Mr. Baldry
  The primary purpose of UK aid is to improve the welfare of those who live in poorer countries than ourselves. An indirect benefit of aid is that jobs can be created in developing countries. But we have no means of assessing how many or at what cost. Any attempt to produce such figures would be complex, and not particularly meaningful.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Law Reform
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what consideration he is giving to examine the Law Commission's proposals to clarify legislation. [23909]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Careful consideration is given to all such proposals. Recommendations for reform in five Law Commission reports were implemented in the last Session of Parliament, and it is anticipated that at least eight further reports will be implemented this Session, together with seven consolidation and statute law repeal Bills produced by the Law Commission.

  Remand Prisoners
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the number of remand prisoners in England and Wales who had waited more than six months for the commencement of their trial; and what was the number of these who(a) received custodial sentence, (b) received non-custodial sentence and (c) were acquitted or not proceeded with, for the latest date for which information is available. [24374]

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

  Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. Gerald Bermingham, dated 22 May 1995:
  The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, has asked me to reply to your Question about remand prisoners in England and Wales.
  In reply to the first part of your Question, I can tell you that in the year ending 31 March 1995, 3042 remand prisoners waited over 6 months from the date of committal to the Crown Court to the commencement of their trial.
  Information on the sentences of those defendants is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However, you may like to know that in the year ending 31 March 1995, a total of 24812 defendants on remand were committed to the Crown Court for trial. Of these 73.7 per cent received custodial sentences, 18.9 per cent, received non-custodial sentences and 7.4 per cent were acquitted on all counts.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much money has been dispersed by the legal aid fund under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1989; and what is the maximum hourly rate paid to experts with particular reference to animal psychiatrists. [24730]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  No separate records are kept on the specific cost of legal aid for cases relating to the Dangerous Dogs Act. There is no prescribed rate for the use of expert witnesses, but all bills are subject to taxation based on the merits of the case.

  Sukhwinder Kaur
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, further to the letter of the Parliamentary Secretary to the hon. Member for Walsall, North dated 16 May concerning the appeal of Sukhwinder Kaur, for what reason the registration number TH/21452/95 was given to this case by the immigration appellate authority. [25603]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  In accordance with information provided by the immigration appellate authorities, my letter of 16 May explained that Sukhwinder Kaur's appeal had not been received. Subsequent inquiries show that the appeal had been received on 13 April and allocated a reference number on 25 April. I apologise for this error. The computer system used by the appellate authorities is being upgraded and difficulties have been experienced in recent weeks. It is therefore possible that the inaccurate information given in my letter was the result of a manual, but less reliable, search being made for Mrs. Kaur's appeal.
  399
  The progress of the appeal has not been hampered by this error and a hearing date will be offered as soon as Mrs. Kaur's representatives indicate that they are ready.

  Majority Shareholdings
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list those companies in which the holder of his office is a majority shareholder which(a) are currently in existence and (b) have been wound up in the last five years. [25713]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I am not the majority shareholder in any company, nor have I been the majority shareholder in any company wound up in the last five years.

TRANSPORT

  Manchester Metrolink
  Mr. Bryan Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects Manchester Metrolink to be extended to Oldham. [23889]

  Mr. Norris
  The timing of the extension will depend on progress with development of the scheme, the priority attached to it by the Greater Manchester local authorities and the availability of resources.

  Lorry Safety
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will next be meeting BRAKE to discuss lorry safety. [23890]

  Mr. Norris
  I told representatives of the Brake Lorry Safety campaign at my meeting with them on 6 March that I would be prepared to meet them again in approximately six months.

  East London Line
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much of the total planned repair and maintenance work has been carried out to date on the east London line; and what is the latest expected completion date of the works. [23891]

  Mr. Norris
  Good progress has been made on the foundations for the new Jubilee line station at Canada Water, and on upgrading the existing track, signalling, stations, and pumps and drains.

  The final completion date will depend on the outcome of London Underground's application for listed building consent to strengthen and waterproof the Thames tunnel.

  Fare Increases
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the average fare increase between 1985 and 1995. [23892]

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The answer depends on the mode of transport being considered. Between March 1985 and March 1995, the average increase above inflation in rail fares, as measured by the retail prices index, was 2.3 per cent. Bus and coach fares increased by an annual average of 1.9 per cent.

  South Yorkshire Supertram
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will reconsider the method of funding the south Yorkshire supertram so that the expenditure is not caught by the capping rules for local authorities. [23893]

  Mr. Norris
  I have no plans to reconsider the method of funding the south Yorkshire supertram.

  Railway Station Staff
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement regarding the destaffing of British Rail stations in London. [23894]

  Mr. Norris
  Staffing levels are a management matter for the railway industry. Like the Government, it wants passengers to have a good service in a safe and secure environment.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on the needs of disabled people in all modes of transport. [23895]

  Mr. Norris
  We are committed to the development of accessible public transport systems which can provide effective and sustainable transport services for all passengers, including those with disabilities.

  Ferry Safety
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which organisations he intends to consult regarding the report of the International Maritime Organisation's panel of experts inquiring into roll-on roll-off ferry safety. [23898]

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We are already consulting interested parties, and have been since the IMO's panel of experts was set up, through a shadow panel organised by the Marine Safety Agency. The shadow panel includes representatives from the Chamber of Shipping, major UK ferry operators, the Consumers Association and trade unions.

  Further consultation will be carried out once we have fully considered the reaction of the IMO's maritime safety committee to the work of the panel of experts.

  Crossrail
  Mr. Khabra
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the projected timetable for the completion of the crossrail project; and if he will make a statement. [23899]

  Mr. Norris
  The promoters of crossrail continue to prepare their application for powers under the Transport and Works Act 1992 to build crossrail. This is being done in parallel with the study which the promoters are undertaking at my request, with my Department.

  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the implications of studies other than the Montagu committee of public transport in London for the timetable for the deposit of a draft order application in respect of crossrail. [24820]

  Mr. Norris
  The impact of studies other than the crossrail study, which the promoters are undertaking at my request, with my Department, is marginal. In parallel
  401
  with this study, the promoters of crossrail continue to prepare their application for powers under the Transport and Works Act 1992 to build crossrail.

  Sleeper and Motorail Services
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about the withdrawal of sleeper services and motorail services. [23900]

  Mr. Watts
  I have received a number of representations concerning British Rail's plans to withdraw motorail and certain sleeper services.

  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were the passenger loading figures for the Night Scot for stations between Plymouth and Glasgow inclusive, and for the Night West Countryman in the reverse direction, for each quarter in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 and to the latest available date. [25243]

  Mr. Watts
  In 1993–94, 32,000 passengers travelled on the sleeper service between Plymouth and Glasgow and Edinburgh. Figures are not available for each direction, intermediate stations, by quarter or for other years.

  Local Rail Services
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the future funding of local rail services. [23903]

  Mr. Watts
  The Government will continue to provide funding, through the franchising director, to support local rail services. With regard to revenue support for railway passenger services funded by English passenger transport executives, my right hon. Friend intends to replace the current temporary arrangements with an enhancement of the standard spending assessment "bolt on" grant, with effect from 1996–97.

  Road and Rail Building Blight
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made to reduce blight stemming from road and rail building. [23904]

  Mr. Watts
  The 1994 trunk roads programme review which prioritised schemes has reduced blight by removing some schemes from the programme. A review of safeguarding on all schemes in the trunk roads programme will be continued with the aim of reducing blight. Safeguarding directions for the channel tunnel rail link project were issued in December 1994, which effectively reduced blight by removing uncertainty about which land will be required. Considerable effort will be made to minimise the physical impact from construction and operation of the CTRL.

  Rail Freight
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to encourage heavy loads to be transported by rail rather than road. [23906]

  Mr. Watts
  We have already opened up access to the rail network for private sector rail hauliers. In conjunction with the BR board, we are currently progressing plans for the privatisation of the British Rail freight businesses. We also make available capital grants for rail freight facilities 402
  and revenue grants to assist in defraying track access charges levied by Railtrack. For example, a recent freight facilities grant award of £2.6 million to a company based in Derbyshire will secure traffic to rail which would have otherwise gone by road, thereby avoiding an estimated 45,000 lorry journeys per year.

  Vehicle Emissions
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to reduce exhaust emissions from cars and other vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [23907]

  Dr. Mawhinney
  A range of measures has been introduced to reduce vehicle pollution substantially both for new vehicles and by controlling emissions in service. Stringent standards for all new vehicle types which substantially reduce levels of carbon dioxide, hydrocarbon, nitrous oxide and particulates from cars, lorries and buses were introduced from 1993. These promoted the widespread use of catalysts on petrol cars which typically reduce emissions of the main pollutants by 75 to 80 per cent. Diesel cars have to meet the same standards and, additionally, have to comply with a stringent particulate limit. Legislation is already in place for a further tightening which will, in particular, more than halve particulate standards for diesels in 1996. The Government are also playing a leading role in the European Union to secure a further reduction in levels for new vehicles from 2000. These measures will be reinforced by tighter in-service standards for diesel and conventional petrol-engined vehicles from 1 September this year and for catalyst-equipped petrol-engined vehicles from 1 January 1996, together with a continuing intensified roadside enforcement programme to remove the worst offenders from the road.

  Traffic Pollution
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the impact of transport pollution. [23880]

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Vehicle emissions can contribute to global warming and poor local air quality. The Government are pursuing a range of measures to reduce such pollution.

  Road Building, North-east England
  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received about the road building programme in the north-east of England. [23897]

  Mr. Watts
  Recent representations include a petition in respect of the Al Gateshead western bypass proposal. I met a delegation led by Sir Ralph Carr-Ellison on 30 March following which I invited Gateshead metropolitan borough council to work with the Highways Agency in considering a trial of junction closures and the development of a local traffic management scheme.

  London-Tilbury-Southend Rail Services
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the timetable for privatising the London-Tilbury-Southend rail service. [23902]
  403
  Mr. Watts
  The franchising director issued invitations to tender for LTS rail on 17 May. Indicative bids must be submitted by 28 July. Formal tenderers will be selected in September. The franchising director intends to let the franchise by the end of the year.

  Cambridge-St. Ives Railway Line
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he expects that the Cambridge-St. Ives railway line will become fully operational for passenger transport. [23905]

  Mr. Norris
  The Cambridge to St. Ives railway line is currently the subject of a feasibility study by Cambridgeshire county council into the likely use of the line should it be reopened for passenger traffic. It is too early to say whether a viable scheme is likely to emerge, but I have suggested that the county council continue the study work and prepare cost estimates.

  Tolls
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will announce plans to deregulate the tolls of the 10 bridges and ferries that are still subject to statutory controls. [25474]

  Mr. Watts
  I have today published a consultation paper, "Regulation of Tolls at Statutory Undertakings". The paper examines options for replacing the current procedures governing toll revisions of crossing such as private ferry undertakings and private and local authority-owned bridges and tunnels.

  The three main options outlined are continued regulation, but with improvements in the criteria and procedures; partial deregulation, with tolls rising annually up to a prescribed limit; and full deregulation, with undertakings setting their own charges.

  Current procedures are cumbersome and protracted for the 16 private and local authority river crossings that were promoted by statute, and the criteria by which toll revisions have to be judged are unclear and difficult to apply. We are inviting users and operators of the relevant crossings to comment on alternatives to the present system. If some measure of deregulation is the outcome, I envisage consulting further on measures under the Deregulations and Contracting Out Act 1994.

  I have placed a copy of the consultation paper in the Library.

  Bull Bars
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the numbers of vehicles now fitted with front bull bars; what the numbers will be over the next five years if present trends continue; and what affect he expects the increase to have on accident figures in each of the next five years. [25268]

  Mr. Norris
  My reply to the hon. Gentleman on the 30 March,Official Report, columns 786–87, gave the Transport Research Laboratory's estimate of the extra deaths and injuries to vulnerable road users that could result from collisions with vehicles fitted with bull bars. It is estimated that in 1993, on the latest figures available,
  404
  3 per cent, of the vehicle fleet were off-road vehicles and 9 per cent, were delivery vans. The TRL's injury projections were based on 20 per cent, of these vehicles having bull bars.

  Information on trends is not recorded. We cannot therefore estimate the effects of bull bars on future accident figures.

  Mr. Scott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will instigate an investigation into the effect of bull bars in traffic accidents in the Metropolitan police district and publish a report. [25261]

  Mr. Norris
  The Metropolitan police, on their own initiative, are collecting details of traffic accidents involving vehicles fitted with bull bars. We will be analysing the results of this work in due course as part of our wider analysis of the effects of bull bars in accidents.

  Rail Fares
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how much additional grant his Department will provide to London Transport to compensate for loss of revenue as a result of the franchising director's decision to cap British Rail fares; [25088]

  (2) what is the effect on London Transport revenue forecasts of the franchising director's decision to cap British Rail fares in (a) 1996, (b) 1997, (c) 1998, (d) 1999 and (e) 2000. [25087]

  Mr. Norris
  The effect will depend on the future relationship between London Transport and rail fares, and the fares which LT would have charged in the absence of the franchising director's decision. All relevant factors will be taken into account when LT's future funding requirements are considered.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of his recent statements on rail fares upon the(a) Crewe to Holyhead rail line and (b) Wrexham to Birkenhead rail line; and if he will make a statement. [24838]

  Mr. Watts
  The regulation of fares is a matter for the franchising director. Except in passenger transport executive areas, the franchising director will regulate all Saver tickets, unrestricted standard returns where there are no Savers, and all standard weekly season tickets. Prices for these tickets will be capped by the increase in the retail prices index for the next three years, and 1 per cent, per annum below the RPI for the following four years. Regulation will apply to British rail as well as franchised services. PTEs will continue to be able to control fares in their areas.

  Rail Franchises
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 4 May,Official Report, column 255, what plans he has to impose restrictions on (a) the Rahahane Djjomhouriye Eslami Iran, (b) the Socialist People's Libyan Araya Jamihiriya Department of Road Transport and (c) the Iraqi Republic Railways Organisation from bidding to operate rail franchises in Great Britain. [25410]

  Mr. Watts
  The choice of bidders for passenger rail franchises is a matter for the franchising director, but I understand that none of these organisations has expressed any interest in pre-qualification.
  405
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the additional subsidy required for private franchise operators if rail fares are to be raised in line with the retail prices index; and if he make a statement. [23896]

  Mr. Watts
  Level of subsidy will be determined by the tendering process for each franchise. The Government have stated their commitment to continuing to pay subsidy needed to support passenger services, including the effect of the new fares policy.

  Rail Privatisation
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress towards rail privatisation. [23901]

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Restructuring in preparation for privatisation is mostly complete and invitations to tender have issued for the first three franchises and the three rolling stock leasing companies. Sales of BR's support businesses have commenced and sales of the domestic freight businesses are planned this year. Railtrack will be floated in the life of this Parliament.

  Hayes-London Rail Service
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 20 December 1994,Official Report, column 1091, if all rail services on the Hayes (Kent) to London line are operated by Networker trains; and what is the average age of the rolling stock used on this line at peak times. [25147]

  Mr. Watts
  Yes. Two years or less.

  Railtrack (Contaminated Land)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list every contaminated site owned by Railtrack, together with the total area; and what is his estimate of the cost of cleaning it up. [24770]

  Mr. Watts
  This is a matter for Railtrack. Railtrack will be considering the environmental condition of its property as part of the preparations for privatisation.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what survey his Department has carried out of contaminated land owned by Railtrack. [24771]

  Mr. Watts
  My Department has not carried out any surveys, but Railtrack will be considering the environmental condition of its property as part of the preparations for privatisation.

  Shipping Collisions
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the number of collisions between vessels in(a) the North sea, (b) the English channel and (c) St. George's channel in each of the last 10 years. [25574]

  Mr. Norris
  The figures in the table relate to collisions involving one or more UK registered vessels where the location of the accident has been established.

  The figures are given only for the years shown, as information relating to a particular sea area and type of accident can readily be obtained only from the marine accident investigation branch computerised accident database. The database contains data from 1991 onwards only.
  406

  Year

  Collisions

  North Sea

  1991

  14

  1992

  18

  1993

  15

  1994

  7

  1995 to date

  4

  English Channel

  1991

  9

  1992

  6

  1993

  8

  1994

  10

  1995 to date

  2

  St Geore's Channel

  1991

  2

  1992

  2

  1993

  6

  1994

  3

  1995 to date

  2

HEALTH

  Sir Duncan Nichol
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons Sir Duncan Nichol was made redundant. [24440]

  Mr. Sackville
  Sir Duncan Nichol had been seconded to the national health service executive by Mersey regional health authority. At the termination of the secondment arrangement, he was unable to return to his contracted post in Mersey RHA because, through restructuring, it was no longer available. Since there was no alternative employment available to Sir Duncan, the health authority declared him redundant.

  Care for the Elderly
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average cost of keeping an elderly infirm person(a) in hospital and (b) in a residential care home. [24402]

  Mr. Bowis
  The cost per patient week for the geriatric specialty is provisionally estimated at £791.42 in 1993–94, the latest year for which figures are available. This amount does not include expenditure on people over 65 who use acute hospital services or community health services, as such expenditure is not apportioned according to age. In the same year, the average expenditure by local authorities for each supported resident in residential care homes for elderly people was approximately £260 per week. Comparisons of costs between types of care should be treated with caution as dependency levels and other characteristics will vary considerably.

  Immunisation
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been conducted by or on behalf of her Department into damage to the body's immune system caused by immunisation; and what conclusions have been reached. [24562]
  407
  Mr. Sackville
  The Department of Health is not aware of evidence that immunisation causes damage to the immune system.

  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.

  Tobacco Advertising
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the extent to which the Benson and Hedges "Gratis" campaign breaches the voluntary agreement on tobacco advertising in respect of(a) the encouragement of smoking in general, (b) the offering of incentives to smoke more than the average, (c) the linkage of smoking with a healthy life style and (d) the linkage of smoking with children's gifts; what action she intends to take in respect of the campaign; and if she will make a statement. [24662]

  Mr. Sackville
  The content of advertisements is governed by the cigarette code, which forms part of the voluntary agreement. It is for the Advertising Standards Authority to arbitrate on whether the cigarette code has been breached. I understand that a formal complaint about the "Gratis" campaign has been made to the ASA, and it will be conducting an investigation.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which local authorities do not directly manage(a) residential homes for the elderly, (b) residential homes for the mentally ill, (c) residential homes for the physically disabled, (d) residential homes for people with learning disabilities and (e) residential homes for expectant mothers. [24893]

  Mr. Bowis
  Homes are categorised on the basis of their primary function. Homes classified in one client group may also contain residents from other client groups. The absence of a directly managed home does not therefore mean that the authority provides no places for that client group within its own homes.

  The information available at 31 March 1994 shows:

  Local authorities not directly managing residential homes for the elderly are:
  Tameside, Knowsley, City of London, Somerset.

  Local authorities not directly managing residential homes for the mentally ill are:
  Durham, North Tyneside, Barnsley, Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Knowsiey, Warwickshire, Dudley, Sandwell, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Oxfordshire, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, City of London, Barking, Barnet, Bexley, Bromley, Harrow, Havering, Kingston Upon Thames, Merton, Newham, Waltham Forest, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Cornwall, Devon, Gloucestershire, Isles of Scilly.

  Local authorities not directly managing residential homes for the physically disabled are:
  Newcastle Upon Tyne, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland, Humberside, North Yorkshire, Barnsley, Rotherham, Calderdale, Wakefield, Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Trafford, Knowsiey, Sefton, Shropshire, Warwickshire, Sandwell, Solihull, Wolverhampton, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Suffolk, Greenwich, Hackney, Kensington, Lambeth,
  408
  Lewisham, Wandsworth, Westminster, City of London, Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Enfield, Haringey, Harrow, Hillingdon, Kingston Upon Thames, Merton, Newham, Redbridge, Richmond Upon Thames, Sutton, Waltham Forest, Dorset, Isle of Wight, Kent, Wiltshire, Isles of Stilly.

  Local authorities not directly managing residential homes for people with learning disabilities are:
  Manchester, Warwickshire, City of London, Bexley, Redbridge, Isles of Scilly.

  Centrally available information does not separately identify residential homes for expectant mothers.

  Nurseries
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what action she has taken in conjunction with the Department for Education regarding the situation where a deregistered nursery can reopen as an independent school; and if she will make a statement; [25137]

  (2) what are her plans to deal with those who escape the provisions of the Children Act 1989 on registration of nurseries, by registering as an independent school. [25609]

  Mr. Bowis
  If a private nursery school provides full-time education for five or more children of compulsory school age, it must register with the Department for Education, which will monitor the quality of the service being provided.

  My Department works closely with the Department for Education and other relevant organisations to ensure that facilities offering services to young children are of an acceptable standard. We shall continue to keep these arrangements under review.

  Weighted Capitation
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer about weighted capitation of 20 December 1994,Official Report, column 1152, if she will specify the 1995–96 (a) cash allocation, (b) weighted capitation target in cash terms calculated on the basis used for table 8.3 in the Health Committee's first special report of Session 1993–94 on public expenditure, HC617, and (c) weighted capitation target in cash terms on the basis of the modified formula described in annexe 1 of the NHS executive's hospital and community health services revenue resource allocation: weighted capitation formula of October 1994; and if she will list (b) and (c) as percentage of (a). [25002]

  Mr. Sackville
  The table shows:

  (i) 1995–96 hospital and community health services revenue allocations to regional health authorities for resident population.

  (ii) 1995–96 weighted capitation targets for regional health authorities in cash terms using the modified formula.

  (iii) 1995–96 weighted capitation targets as a percentage of revenue allocations.

  1995–96 regional health authority weighted capitation targets on the same basis as used for table 8.3 are not available as there are no operational reasons for these to be calculated.
  409

  Regional health authority

  1995–96 HCHS revenue allocation for resident population £000s

  1995–96 weighted capitation target £000s

  Target as percentage of allocation Percentage

  Northern and Yorkshire

  3,184,616

  3,150,160

  98.92

  Trent

  2,181,505

  2,191,435

  100.46

  Anglia and Oxford

  2,183,496

  2,236,531

  102.43

  North Thames

  3,551,835

  3,499,064

  98.51

  South Thames

  3,330,776

  3,383,899

  101.59

  South and west

  2,953,543

  2,946,094

  99.75

  West Midlands

  2,438,538

  2,399,624

  98.40

  North west

  3,199,588

  3,217,091

  100.55

  England

  23,023,897

  23,023,897

  100.00

  General Practitioner Fundholding
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement about the payment of management allowances to general practitioner fundholders. [25321]

  Mr. Malone
  Payments from management allowances are made to fundholding practices to reimburse the additional costs incurred in directly managing national health service resources on behalf of their patients. Section 15 of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 enables fundholders to receive a sum determined in such manner and by reference to such factors as the Secretary of State may direct. However, our legal advice is that payments by fundholders for the sole purpose of management expenses need to be specified within regulations. This has now been provided for under the National Health Service (Fund-holding Practices) Amendment Regulations 1995. The regulations are in line with guidance previously issued by the NHS executive on this matter, copies of which are routinely placed in the Library. Extra-statutory management allowance payments of this kind, made between 1990–91 and 1994–95, estimated at around £165 million, have now been authorised.

  NHS Accounts
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State if she will list those instances in each of the last three financial years for which accounts have been finalised when a qualified opinion was issued against the final accounts of any NHS body, with the name of the body concerned and the reason for the qualified opinion. [24911]

  Mr. Sackville
  This information will be placed in the Library.

  World Health Organisation
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultations she has had over Government liaison with the World Health Organisation. [23926]

  Mr. Malone
  The Department of Health has lead responsibility for World Health Organisation matters. Departmental officials are in regular and frequent contact 410
  with officials at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Overseas Development Administration throughout the year and particularly in the build-up to meetings of the WHO executive board and the World Health Assembly. These contacts cover the whole range of issues relating to the United Kingdom's input to WHO, including budgetary and programme matters.

  London Ambulance Service
  Sir John Gorst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much extra money will be given to the London ambulance service to be used specifically in the catchment area of Edgware general hospital. [25242]

  Mr. Sackville
  Barnet health authority will fund two additional ambulance crews at a cost of £320,000 a year before the Edgware hospital accident and emergency department closes.

  Edgware General Hospital
  Sir John Gorst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans exist to extend the opening hours of the planned minor accident treatment service unit at Edgware general hospital, once it is in operation, beyond those normally operated. [25240]

  Mr. Sackville
  Such decisions are for the Wellhouse national health service trust and will depend on local circumstances. My hon. Friend may wish to contact the chairman, David Phillips, for details.

  Primary Health Care
  Sir John Gorst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her oral statement of 10 May,Official Report , column 785 , (1) what discussions she has had with the chairmen of the relevant health authorities in connection with the extra £2 million provision to improve primary health care in West Barnet; how these funds are to be administered; and what plans there are for minister to monitor the utilisation of these funds. [25244]

  (2) how much of the extra £2 million to improve primary care in West Barnet will be allocated to fund improvements in the Hendon, North constituency; and how the remainder will be allocated accordingly to neighbouring parliamentary constituencies. [25245]

  Mr. Malone
  It is the responsibility of local health authorities, working in conjunction with others, to assess the needs of their populations and to balance service and spending requirements both in the medium term and on a year to year basis. Following discussion with the chairman and regional director of North Thames regional health authority, criteria have been set by which effective implementation of the changes in north London will be judged and on the importance of maintaining high-quality standards for patients. The chairman of the regional health authority will take this forward with chairmen of the relevant health authorities. Arrangements are in place for regular progress meetings with the regional chairman. The chief executive of the NHS executive will also continue to work closely with the regional director.

  Special Transitional Grants
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those authorities which have not yet submitted audited returns of expenditure of the 1993–94 special transitional grant. [25322]

  Mr. Bowis
  Local authorities are required to submit returns to district auditors who, in turn, submit them to the Department. We could not therefore know whether returns that have not yet been submitted to the Department have or have not been submitted by local authorities to their respective district auditors.

  Majority Shareholdings
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those companies in which the holder of her office is a majority shareholder which(a) are currently in existence and (b) have been wound up in the past five years. [25717]

  Mr. Sackville
  None.

  Breastfeeding
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information she has on commencement levels of breastfeeding in each member state of the European Union; and if she will publish the most recent sets of data available; [25607]

  (2) if she will publish league tables for the different regional health authorities for percentage breastfeeding commencement levels. [25723]

  Mr. Sackville
  Information is not available in the form requested; The five-yearly surveys of infant feeding undertaken by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys on behalf of the United Kingdom Health Departments provide information, on a national basis, on breastfeeding levels in the UK. A copy of the 1990 infant feeding survey is available in the Library. Field work for the 1995 study will start later this year. We do not have information on breastfeeding levels in other member states of the European Union.

EDUCATION

  Conductive Education
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what funding has been provided by her Department to the Foundation for Conductive Education in the past; and what are her future plans for funding in the United Kingdom; [24818]

  (2) what representations she has received regarding funding for the Foundation for Conductive Education in the United Kingdom. [24817]

  Mr. Forth
  The Department has not received any bids for funding from the Foundation for Conductive Education in the United Kingdom, and has not financed the foundation in the past.

  The Department would consider any such representations, with other Government Departments, on their merits. But the statutory responsibility for special educational provision rests in the first instance with local
  412
  education authorities, to be decided in the light of local needs and resources.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for education what funding has been provided from her Department to the Peto Institute in Budapest; and how much funding has been provided over the last three years. [24819]

  Mr. Forth
  The Department for Education provided £600,000 in 1991, as part of an initial Government package totalling £1.75 million. No funding has been provided over the last three years.

  Teacher Numbers
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list the number of licensed teachers in each local authority and funding agency area.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Centrally held information about the number of licensed teachers in post in England on 31 March 1995 is given in the table. On 1 April 1995 responsibility for issuing new licences became the responsibility of the Teacher Training Agency.

  Local authority or funding agency area

  LEA-maintained schools

  Self-governing (grant-maintained) schools

  Avon

  3

  0

  Barking and Dagenham

  14

  0

  Barnet

  8

  3

  Bedfordshire

  21

  3

  Berkshire

  17

  4

  Bexley

  14

  0

  Birmingham

  0

  2

  Bolton

  1

  0

  Bradford

  1

  2

  Brent

  27

  0

  Bromley

  9

  3

  Buckinghamshire

  5

  5

  Calderdale

  2

  2

  Cambridgeshire

  11

  3

  Camden

  9

  2

  Cleveland

  3

  0

  Cornwall

  5

  0

  Coventry

  2

  0

  Croydon

  7

  0

  Cumbria

  7

  0

  Derbyshire

  8

  1

  Devon

  6

  1

  Dorset

  3

  0

  Dudley

  0

  1

  Ealing

  10

  1

  East Sussex

  3

  0

  Enfield

  4

  0

  Essex

  33

  17

  Gloucestershire

  2

  0

  Greenwich

  21

  0

  Hackney

  29

  0

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  4

  3

  Hampshire

  32

  5

  Haringey

  2

  0

  Harrow

  6

  0

  Havering

  4

  0

  Hereford and Worcester

  7

  0

  Hertfordshire

  30

  6

  Hillingdon

  9

  4

  Hounslow

  8

  0

  Islington

  36

  0

  Kensington and Chelsea

  0

  1

  Kent

  40

  13

  Kingston upon Thames

  2

  2

  413

  Local authority or funding agency area

  LEA-maintained schools

  Self-governing (grant-maintained) schools

  Lambeth

  6

  1

  Lancashire

  18

  1

  Leicestershire

  5

  0

  Lewisham

  7

  0

  Lincolnshire

  19

  1

  Liverpool

  0

  2

  Manchester

  1

  0

  Newham

  19

  0

  Norfolk

  3

  4

  Northamptonshire

  23

  2

  Northumberland

  2

  0

  North Yorkshire

  7

  0

  Nottinghamshire

  3

  1

  Oxfordshire

  5

  0

  Redbridge

  15

  1

  Richmond upon Thames

  2

  0

  Rochdale

  3

  0

  Sandwell

  1

  0

  Sefton

  2

  0

  Sheffield

  1

  0

  Shropshire

  5

  1

  Solihull

  2

  0

  Somerset

  6

  0

  Southwark

  6

  0

  Staffordshire

  3

  0

  Stockport

  1

  0

  Suffolk

  9

  0

  Surrey

  21

  7

  Sutton

  4

  1

  Tower Hamlets

  16

  0

  Trafford

  1

  1

  Walsall

  1

  0

  Waltham Forest

  4

  1

  Wandsworth

  9

  0

  Warwickshire

  3

  1

  Westminster

  18

  0

  West Sussex

  8

  0

  Wiltshire

  10

  1

  Jean Monnet Programme
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will publish a list of Jean Monnet projects in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Department has no direct involvement with or responsibility for the Jean Monnet programme, which is wholly administered by the European Commission. However, I understand that the following UK universities have applied successfully to the Commission for funding in 1995:1

  University

  Project

  Bath

  European integration and international business

  European integration and the multinationalisation of European business

  Queen's Belfast

  History of the European integration

  Birmingham

  European co-operation and integration: national European élites and European institution buliding

  Derby

  Party systems in contemporary Europe and European international law

  414

  Univesity

  Project

  The language and politics of identity in Europe

  Dundee

  European energy, environmental and economic law

  Energy and economic regulatory theory and practice in the context of the European single market in energy

  Durham

  Annual Jean Monnet public lecture

  East London

  Patterns of intellectual integration in Europe

  Essex

  European Union law

  Glamorgan

  European law

  European integration and regionalism

  Glasgow

  European politics

  Decision making in the European Union

  Humberside

  European studies minor

  Keele

  European unification

  Kent at Canterbury

  Politics of European integration

  Regional initiative/seminars

  La Sainte Union College Of HE

  European integration: history and institutions

  Leeds Metropolitan

  Economics of the European Union

  Loughborough

  The European Union and negotiation in the new Europe

  Luton

  Western European integration

  Manchester

  Organisation and policy for European RTD

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  Rural development in the European Union

  Oxford Brookes

  The business environment in Europe

  A social anthropological approach to integration

  Paisley

  European integration and public policy

  Introduction to European institutions/introduction to EU policies

  Research into European policies for care of the aged

  European law and European legal order

  Reading

  The international dimension of European integration

  Assessment of the role of the European Parliament in the development of a European foreign and security policy: case of ex-Yugoslavia

  Salford

  European studies

  Southampton

  Economics

  Labour markets and macro-economic institutions and policy

  South Bank

  The history and theory of European integration

  Reform of European Community and European Union institutions

  Strathclyde

  To establish 2 or 3 "Jean Monnet Scholarships in European Law" for students of Scottish universities to attend the LLM

  Surrey

  The evolution of an integrated Europe

  Ulster

  Organisation of Jean Monnet lectures

  University College London

  Teaching materials

  Westminster

  European integration studies

  European business and the environment

  1 The information given has been provided by the European Commission.

  GCSE Study Leave
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will discuss with as many head teachers as possible the practice of releasing GCSE candidates from attendance at school for about three weeks prior to their exams; and if she will make a statement. [24815]

  Mr. Forth
  Following consultation with the head teacher associations and other interested parties, the Department issued guidance on the categorisation of absence to all schools in May 1994. The guidance included advice on study leave. It recommended that it should be normally available for year 11 pupils only, that it should be granted sparingly and that it should not normally exceed a maximum of two weeks.

  Education Authority Reorganisation, Teesside
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will make a statement on the expected provision, quality and accountability of education services in the former Teesside county borough area when services in that area are provided by three education authorities as a result of local government reorganisation. [25217]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Government's aim in reorganising local government is to improve cost-effectiveness and the quality and co-ordination of local services. The role of local education authorities will not change specifically as a result of the reorganisation of local government. It will be for the new LEAs to play their part in ensuring that the education service is run at least as effectively as now.

  University Staff-Student Ratios
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list the average student/lecturer ratio in United Kingdom universities(a) currently, (b) in 1979, (c) in old universities and (d) in the new universities. [25019]

  Mr. Boswell
  Information on the student: staff ratios in former English Universities Funding Council and Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council funded institutions was presented in table G of the Department's annual report, Cm 2810, published in March this year, a copy of which is in the Library. This table provides information for both sectors for the academic years 1990–91 to 1992–93. Information on the same basis for earlier years is not available.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what action she has taken in conjunction with the Department of Health regarding deregistered nurseries reopening as independent schools. [25003]

  Mr. Forth
  Private nursery establishments providing full-time education for five or more pupils of compulsory school age must by law register with the Department as independent schools. The Department works closely with the Department of Health and other relevant agencies to ensure that such establishments meet the statutory requirements for registration and make appropriate provision for pre-school age pupils. If they fail to do so, those establishments may be removed from the register and may not then lawfully operate as independent schools. We continue to keep these arrangements under review.

  Biotechnology Research
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps she is taking to encourage co-operation between United Kingdom industries and universities in biotechnology research. [24993]

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend provides grant to the Higher Education Funding Council for England to support research in universities. The council is allocating some £10 million in 1994–95 and £20 million in 1995–96 to reward co-operation between universities and industry on generic research that may lead to a range of applications. This includes biotechnology research.

  School Transport
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what consultation took place between her Department and the Welsh Office before the issue of her Department's letter of 21 June 1994 and Welsh Office circular 19/95 about home-to-school transport. [25135]

  Mr. Forth
  The Department consulted the Welsh Office about the text of our letter of guidance which issued on 21 January 1994. Circular 19/95, which is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, is based closely on the text of that letter. These documents do not provide an authoritative interpretation of the law; that is a matter for the courts.

  Student Employment
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate her Department has made of the number of(a) undergraduates and (b) postgraduates undertaking paid employment during their studies due to financial hardship. [25024]

  Mr. Boswell
  Information on student employment is not collected by the Department. However, the latest student income and expenditure survey, which looked at full-time undergraduate students, found that 22 per cent, of younger students and 23 per cent, of mature students received some income from paid employment during term time.

  Chief Education Officers, Cleveland
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many chief education officers are currently employed in Cleveland; and how many she expects will be employed when the reorganisation of local government in that county has taken place. [25216]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Under section 88 of the Education Act 1944 each local education authority has to have a chief education officer. Cleveland has one. Following reorganisation, each of the four new LEAs in the Cleveland area will have one.

  Teachers (Early Retirement)
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the total number of teachers for each year over the last 10 years taking early retirement; how many of these retirements were on medical or breakdown grounds; and what was the total annual cost of these retirements. [24937]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The total number of teachers granted early retirement and, of these, the number granted infirmity and premature retirement in each of the years
  417
  1984–85 to 1993–94 is given in table 1. The first year cost to the teachers superannuation scheme of these retirements and the total expenditure by LEAs on pension enhancements and Crombie compensation for each year from 1989–90 to 1993–94 is given in table 2. Figures for the first year cost to the TSS of early retirements for the years 1984–85 to 1988–89 and for the total annual cost to the TSS of all early retirements could be produced only at disproportionate cost. Figures for LEA expenditure on pension enhancements and Crombie compensation for the years 1984–85 to 1988–89 are not available.

  Table 1: Numbers of teachers granted early retirement (England and wales)

  Year

  Total

  Infirmity

  Premature

  1984–85

  13,166

  2,449

  10,717

  1985–86

  12,976

  2,698

  10,278

  1986–87

  11,794

  2,707

  9.087

  1987–88

  10,103

  2,544

  7,559

  1988–89

  15,769

  3,423

  12,346

  1989–90

  16,516

  4,182

  12.334

  1990–91

  16,626

  4,934

  11,692

  1991–92

  14,943

  4,656

  10,287

  1992–93

  17,081

  4,867

  12,214

  1993–94

  17,798

  5,565

  12,233

  Table 2: Costs (in £ million) of early retirements (England and Wales)

  First year cost to TSS

  LEA expenditure

  Year

  Infirmity

  Premature

  PRC and Crombie

  1989–90

  23.7

  71.0

  53.9

  1990–91

  29.7

  71.7

  58.8

  1991–92

  30.9

  68.8

  79.1

  1992–93

  36.4

  90.4

  91.9

  1993–94

  44.8

  95.3

  96.6

  Drug Education Programmes
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment she has made of which drug education programmes in the United Kingdom or elsewhere have resulted in a reduction in drug use. [25174]

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend took into account available research evidence when planning the Department's initiatives to support drug education in schools. The innovative drug education and prevention projects supported under the Department's grants for education support and training programme in 1995–96 will be evaluated. At my right hon. Friend's request, the Office for Standards in Education will undertake a specific study of provision for drug education in schools during the academic year 1995–96 in the light of existing research findings on effective drug education.

  Higher Education Funding Council
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will require the Higher Education Funding Council to reply to Mr. Anthony Murray of Wakefield, following his letter to it of 6 March. [25363]

  Mr. Bos well
  This is a matter for the Higher Education Funding Council for England. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Majority Shareholdings
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list those companies in which the holder of her office is a majority shareholder which(a) are currently in existence and (b) have been wound up in the past five years. [25720]

  Mr. Boswell
  There are no companies, either currently in existence or which have been wound up in the past five years, in which the Secretary of State is or was a majority shareholder. The Student Loans Company Ltd., established in 1989, is owned jointly—50 per cent, each—by the Secretaries of State for Education and for Scotland.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Radiocommunications Agency
  Mr. Lester
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what targets he has set his Department's Radiocommunications Agency for 1995–96. [25864]

  Mr. Heseltine
  I have set my Department's Radiocommunications Agency the following quality of service targets for 1995–96 covering its licensing work and enforcement activities. These are in addition to the target of an overall efficiency improvement of 5 per cent.

  Licensing
  99 per cent, of new aeronautical and aircraft applications and amendments to be processed within three working days of receipt in the agency;
  98 per cent of maritime business radio cases to be processed within one month;
  99 per cent, of new on-site paging applications and amendments to be processed and dispatched within three working days;
  90 per cent, of new private mobile radio applications and amendments that require no international co-ordination to be processed and dispatched within 15 and 20 working days respectively.

  Enforcement
  100 per cent, of safety of life services complaints to be investigated within 24 hours;
  98 per cent of business complaints to be investigated within five working days; and
  98 per cent, of domestic interference complaints to be investigated within one month.
  In addition, I expect the agency's enquiry point to continue to answer 90 per cent, of all calls within 30 seconds and the chief executive to reply within 10 working' days to all letters from Members of Parliament delegated to him for reply.

  Gas Licences
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what date his Department was made aware that the Office of Gas Supply intended to show draft licences under the Gas Bill to independent gas suppliers. [25696]

  Mr. Eggar
  Following a major consultation last year on the introduction of competition into the domestic gas market, the Department and Ofgas followed up the responses received by meeting a number of organisations—both in the industry and consumer groups. In the later stages, DTI and Ofgas discussed draft licence conditions with British Gas and, where appropriate, other parties in the industry. This was necessary to ensure that DTI had a sufficient grasp of the technical issues to
  419
  publish worthwhile draft licences on 20 and 27 March as the basis for parliamentary consideration and wider consultation.

  In addition to the comments made in Committee on the Bill by hon. Members, a variety of parties including the industry, consumer groups and other affected organisations have made detailed comments on the Bill and draft licences to DTI. These will be carefully considered in preparing any Government amendments to the Bill and revising the draft licences.

  Local Government Reorganisation, Cleveland
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the implications for the business community in the Teesside area of the division of Cleveland into four unitary authorities; and what guidance he has issued as to the maintenance of important business support services, such as the Cleveland European advice team. [25223]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The Local Government Commission for England, in its report on the future local government of Cleveland and Durham, recommended that the four new unitary authorities, plus Darlington, should work together in the setting up of a strategic alliance—Tees Valley Development Company—in relation to economic development and other activities. This will include private sector members and has been warmly welcomed by bodies such as the Northern Development Company and the business community on Teesside.

  The future of business support services now lies with the newly created Business Link Teesside and its partners, which began operations on 10 April 1995. Partners include all the local authorities, the TEC, the chamber, NDC, Teesside Small Business Club, university of Teesside, and local development and enterprise agencies.

  VSEL
  Mr Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Garscadden (Mr. Dewar) of 27 March,Official Report, column 408 , when he proposes to announce his decision on the bids for VSEL; and what was the advice of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on those bids. [25364]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade will publish the MMC reports on the proposed acquisitions of VSEL, together with the announcement of any decision which it falls to him to take, as soon as is reasonably practicable. Until then, the advice of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission remains confidential.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he has yet received the draft report of Lord Justice Scott. [23913]

  Mr. Heseltine
  No.

  Sir Richard Scott has not yet finished his report. As the report is written, draft extracts are being circulated by the inquiry to a range of persons referred to in the report for comment.
  420
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken to ensure that Whitehall Departments co-operate fully with Lord Justice Scott to ensure the earliest possible publication of his inquiry report. [23911]

  Mr. Heseltine
  Officials are under instruction to co-operate fully with Sir Richard Scott's inquiry. As I told my hon. Friend the Member for Hazel Grove (Sir T. Arnold) on 11 July 1994,Official Report, column 387 , the timing of the report is a matter for Sir Richard Scott.

  Pergau Dam
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his latest estimate of the United Kingdom contribution to the Pergau dam project. [23918]

  Mr. Needham
  The cost is presently estimated at £233 million, as compared to £255.31 million previously quoted in my answer of 18 April 1994,Official Report, column 360. Some £10 million of the £22 million reduction will be offset by increased costs against other items in Export Credits Guarantee Department's fixed interest support programme.

  Staff
  Ms Hodge
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, (1) how many posts were lost in(a) the Department of Trade and Industry and (b) agencies for which the Department of Trade and Industry is responsible, listing the total lost posts agency by agency in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95; and how many posts are proposed to be lost in 1995–96; [25084]

  (2) what changes there have been in the numbers of staff employed by (a) the Department of Trade and Industry and (b) agencies for which the Department of Trade and Industry is responsible, listing the changes in the number of staff agency by agency in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95; and what changes are proposed for 1995— 96; [25058]

  (3) what changes there have been in the number of staff in employment by grade in (a) his Department and (b) each agency for which his Department is responsible in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95; and what are the projected figures for 1995–96; [25627]

  (4) how many staff of (a) the Department of Trade and Industry and (b) agencies for which the DTI is responsible, were employed on a casual or short-term basis in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95; and what are the projected figures for 1995–96. [25415]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The numbers of permanent and casual staff employed by my Department and each of its executive agencies in 1993–94, projected outturn for 1994–95; and plans for 1995–96 are published in my Department's annual report, Cm 2804, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. No projections broken down by grade are available. Separate numbers are not shown in the report for the Insolvency Service and the National Weights and Measures Laboratory executive agencies. These are included in the report in the numbers for the gross control area. The numbers of permanent and casual staff for these agencies are as follows:
  421

  Man years

  1993–94

  1994–95

  11995–96

  Permanent staff

  Insolvency Service

  1,592.5

  1,548.2

  1,566

  National Weights and Measures Laboratory

  46

  44.5

  46

  Casual Staff

  Insolvency Service

  227

  285

  120

  National Weights and Measures Laboratory

  0.5

  0

  0.5

  1In 1995–96 plans are the MINIS scrutiny. provisional subject to the final outcome of the MINIS scrunity.

  Private Payphones
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will consider ensuring the Office of Telecommunications takes action against owners of private payphones who charge unreasonably high multiples of the standard rate of a telephone call and fail to display a statement of pricing at the phones; [24970]

  (2) if he will ask Oftel to ensure that offenders who have operated payphones with illegally high charges either return their illegal earnings of pay or offer them to local charities; [24969]

  (3) if he will investigate the level of monitoring by Oftel of the pricing practices of operators of private payphones in public houses, garages, clubs, supermarkets and shops. [24971]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  Provision of private payphones has been liberalised so as to encourage their installation, and with great success—an estimated 500,000 payphones are now in place, giving wider access to public telephony than would otherwise be the case. Tariffs of private payphones have never been regulated, but they are required to be displayed. The question of whether Oftel should investigate "illegally high" charges, or pricing practices generally, therefore does not arise. Enforcement of the requirement to display tariffs is a matter for Oftel, which pursues those cases brought to its attention. Oftel is also discussing with representatives of trading standards officers how compliance with this requirement might be improved.

  Companies House
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what checks Companies House carries out of its records before the awarding of government contracts and to the existence of an Inland Revenue interest in the affairs of those companies. [25669]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Companies House carries out checks, relating to compliance with the Companies Act, when requested to do so by Government Departments.

  Any Inland Revenue interest in a company would be confidential to the tax authorities, and such checks by my Department would be precluded on taxpayer privacy grounds.

  Coal Prices
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the change in real terms of the price of coal used in electricity generation over the period 1989 to 1994. [25189]
  422
  Mr. Page
  Between 1989 and 1994 the price of coal used in electricity generation by major power producers fell by 29 per cent, in real terms.

  Gas Prices
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the change in real terms of the price of materials and fuel purchased by the gas supply industry between 1986 and 1994. [25192]

  Mr. Page
  Between 1986 and 1994 the price of gas purchased by the gas supply industry fell by 23 per cent, in real terms.

  Electricity Prices
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the maximum and minimum price of electricity on the pool basis on a monthly basis since privatisation. [25234]

  Mr. Eggar
  The information, expressed in money of the day, is as follows:

  Pool Selling Price

  Date

  Minimum £/MWh

  Maximum £/MWh

  April 1990

  12.37

  37.00

  May 1990

  11.16

  38.15

  June 1990

  9.41

  44.56

  July 1990

  0.00

  32.76

  August 1990

  8.00

  39.97

  September 1990

  10.91

  33.44

  October 1990

  8.00

  65.57

  November 1990

  8.00

  37.35

  December 1990

  12.40

  74.51

  January 1991

  12.26

  51.16

  February 1991

  13.22

  47.79

  March 1991

  14.30

  35.08

  April 1991

  15.74

  60.67

  May 1991

  16.01

  67.57

  June 1991

  15.47

  68.63

  July 1991

  13.50

  34.87

  August 1991

  7.13

  37.05

  September 1991

  5.00

  170.20

  October 1991

  14.90

  145.46

  November 1991

  14.15

  134.26

  December 1991

  16.35

  375.79

  January 1992

  16.95

  115.23

  February 1992

  13.39

  66.59

  March 1992

  16.57

  39.11

  April 1992

  16.68

  35.68

  May 1992

  10.99

  37.40

  June 1992

  17.35

  48.06

  July 1992

  17.43

  43.66

  August 1992

  12.71

  40.41

  September 1992

  17.46

  39.22

  October 1992

  17.44

  117.57

  November 1992

  17.46

  82.22

  December 1992

  17.40

  67.68

  January 1993

  17.41

  67.22

  February 1993

  17.52

  54.22

  March 1993

  17.49

  84.13

  April 1993

  17.57

  86.30

  May 1993

  18.03

  94.09

  June 1993

  16.50

  66.36

  July 1993

  16.50

  125.48

  August 1993

  6.04

  82.12

  September 1993

  17.96

  70.83

  October 1993

  17.97

  74.70

  November 1993

  18.01

  208.60

  December 1993

  17.95

  72.37

  January 1994

  10.67

  63.20

  423

  Pool Selling Price

  Date

  Minimum £/MWh

  Maximum £/MWh

  February 1994

  10.61

  134.52

  March 1994

  10.53

  37.46

  April 1994

  10.56

  66.83

  May 1994

  9.75

  56.51

  June 1994

  9.50

  61.85

  July 1994

  9.50

  60.50

  August 1994

  9.50

  55.19

  September 1994

  9.51

  46.99

  October 1994

  8.07

  213.59

  November 1994

  8.07

  200.67

  December 1994

  8.08

  414.55

  January 1995

  6.74

  724.66

  February 1995

  6.15

  239.25

  March 1995

  6.87

  65.71

  April 1995

  7.23

  841.24

  Source:

  Offer

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the average cost of generation of electricity in 1994 for the United Kingdom's(a) coal power stations, (b) oil power stations, (c) gas power stations, (d) Magnox reactors and (e) advanced gas-cooled reactors. [25274]

  Mr. Eggar
  These are commercial matters for the companies concerned.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans the electricity regulator has to review the pool price paid for base load electricity generation. [25283]

  Mr. Eggar
  This is a matter for Professor Littlechild.

  Electricity Users
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to collate data on the number of large industrial and commercial electricity users committed to buying electricity at pool prices; and if he will make a statement. [25235]

  Mr. Eggar
  All consumers with premises which take more than 100 kW of electricity are now free to contract with the supplier of their choice. The terms that they negotiate, including whether the price to be paid is related to short-term variations in the pool price, are commercial matters between the parties concerned.

  Recycling
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to encourage British industries to develop end products for recycled materials. [25023]

  Mr. Page
  Identifying end markets for recycled materials has been an important feature in the Government's "producer responsibility" dialogue with a range of industrial sectors. Industry recognises the crucial need for demand to be developed ahead of collection. The Government, for their part, have taken a number of steps to stimulate demand, providing support for R and D projects investigating new uses for recovered materials, including glass, rubber and plastics, and arranging for UK standards to be examined with a view to removing unnecessary discrimination against the use of recycled materials.

  Trade Statistics
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the trend of Britain's share of world trade over the last 30 years, per(a) invisibles, (b) visibles and (c) invisibles and visibles combined. [24569]

  Mr. Needham
  The available information is given in the table.

  UK value share of world exports in visibles. Invisibles and both combined.

  (Per cent.)

  visibles

  invisibles

  Visibles and invisibles

  1963

  7.9

  —

  —

  1964

  7.2

  —

  —

  1965

  7.3

  —

  —

  1966

  6.9

  —

  —

  1967

  6.7

  —

  —

  1968

  6.4

  —

  —

  1969

  6.4

  —

  —

  1970

  6.2

  —

  —

  1971

  6.4

  —

  —

  1972

  5.9

  —

  —

  1973

  5.1

  —

  —

  1974

  4.5

  9.5

  5.5

  1975

  5.0

  9.1

  5.8

  1976

  4.6

  8.8

  5.5

  1977

  5.0

  8.3

  5.7

  1978

  5.2

  8.2

  5.9

  1979

  5.3

  8.9

  6.0

  1980

  5.5

  8.7

  6.2

  1981

  5.2

  12.9

  7.3

  1982

  5.3

  13.0

  7.6

  1983

  5.0

  12.1

  7.3

  1984

  4.9

  12.0

  7.1

  1985

  5.7

  11.9

  7.6

  1986

  5.0

  11.1

  7.0

  1987

  5.3

  10.8

  7.1

  1988

  5.2

  11.0

  7.1

  1989

  5.1

  10.9

  7.1

  1990

  5.5

  10.6

  7.3

  1991

  5.4

  9.7

  7.0

  1992

  5.2

  8.6

  6.5

  1993

  4.9

  8.0

  6.0

  Source:

  IMF International Financial Statistics.

  Balance of Payment Statistics Part 2.

  Sound Recordings
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the Government's position with regard to EU directive 92/100 on guaranteeing performers 50 per cent, of the receipts of a recording company when the record is broadcast or used in public; and what reasons underlie the difference in approach between the UK and other member states. [25007]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  Directive 92/100/EEC requires member states to ensure that a single equitable remuneration is paid by users for broadcasting or other communication to the public of sound recordings, and that the remuneration is shared between performers and record producers. It does not specify that performers are to receive a 50 per cent, share of the remuneration. The proposals we have made in the recent consultative draft of regulations to implement the directive aim at flexibility as technical developments increase the ways in which sound recording are communicated to the public, and are intended to ensure that performers receive an equitable
  425
  share, while leaving the precise amount to be agreed between the parties and determined by the Copyright Tribunal in default of agreement. We are aware that performers are dissatisfied with this approach, and will look carefully at the matter again before submitting the legislation to Parliament. Clearly, however, given the various options open to us under the directive, we will also have to consider the views of users and producers on how the legislation should be framed in the UK.

  Nuclear Power
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the load factor at each of Britain's nuclear power stations in the last year for which figures are available. [25272]

  Mr. Eggar
  These are commercial matters for the companies concerned.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many staff were employed at each of Britain's advanced gas-cooled reactor power stations(a) in 1989 and (b) in 1994. [25273]

  Mr. Eggar
  These are matters for Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the licence for the operation of the Sizewell pressurised water reactor and each of Britain's advanced gas-cooled reactors was last issued by the nuclear installations inspectorate; what is the period of the licence; what are the consent conditions; how often inspections are carried out; and what modifications there have been in each licence since first issued. [25287]

  Mr. Eggar
  The table gives the dates on which the current nuclear site licences were granted for the sites listed and the number of times the licences have been varied.

  Site name

  Date licence last granted

  Number of Variations since last licence was granted

  Sizewell

  1 March 1990

  4

  Dungeness

  1 March 1990

  5

  Hinkley Point

  30 July 1993

  5

  Hartlepool

  1 March 1990

  3

  Heysham 1 and 2

  1 March 1990

  5

  Hunterston

  1 March 1990

  5

  Torness

  1 March 1990

  3

  Nuclear site licences are granted to nuclear operators for the sites on which installations are situated and not for the individual facilities such as reactors. For example, the Sizewell B pressurised water reactor is situated on the Sizewell site, for which the last licence was issued on 1 March 1990, as indicated in the table.

  Nuclear site licences may be varied for a number of reasons—for example, the commissioning of full power.
  426
  A complete list of the variations that have been made to each of the site licences listed is not readily available and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

  The Health and Safety Executive grants a nuclear site licence for an indefinite period. The licence can be revoked by the HSE and can also be surrendered by the licensee, who is responsible for the safety of activities on the site. HSE's publication, "Nuclear Site Licences under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (As Amended), Notes for Applicants", sets out the current conditions attached to a licence. A copy of this is in the Library of the House.

  In 1994, on average, HSE's nuclear installations inspectorate inspected each nuclear power station every 2.5 weeks. The operation of each reactor is constrained by HSE using controls, including consents, derived from the conditions attached to the licence.

  Electricity Demand
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what were the United Kingdom's(a) base load and (b) peak electricity demands during 1994. [27276]

  Mr. Eggar
  The simultaneous maximum demand for electricity in the United Kingdom met during the winter 1993–94 was 54.8 GW and during the winter of 1994–95 was 52.4 GW. The lowest demand met in the UK during the year 1994 was 20.2 GW. Base load varies according to season, with the minimum load on the day of maximum winter demand almost twice the minimum load in mid-summer. There is thus no single measurement for base load.

  Nuclear Decommissioning
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the latest projections for the total cost of decommissioning(a) Berkeley and (b) Trawsfyndd nuclear power stations at 1995 prices, and what are the anticipated dates when these costs will accrue. [25280]

  Mr. Eggar
  These are matters for Nuclear Electric plc.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the total amount of money set aside to date by Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear for decommissioning(a) Magnox reactors and (b) advanced gas-cooled reactor power stations. [25275]

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the annual reports and accounts of Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear, available in the Library of the House.

  Sizewell
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the total insurance cover for an accident at the Sizewell pressurised water reactor; and how such risks are insured against. [25290]

  Mr. Eggar
  The insurance of Nuclear Electric's own property and other commercial risks is a matter for the company.

  With regard to insurance cover for third party liability claims resulting from a nuclear occurrence, Nuclear Electric is insured in accordance with the requirements of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965, which reflected international agreements. This requires the operator to take out insurance for £140 million.

  Fossil Fuel Levy
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much has been raised by the non-fossil fuel obligation in each financial year since 1989; and how the total levy proceeds have been distributed. [25286]

  Mr. Eggar
  The fossil fuel levy was introduced on 1 April 1990. The information requested is:

  £ million

  Amount raised

  Payments to:

  Nuclear Electric

  Renewable generators

  1996–91

  1,175

  1,135

  6

  1991–92

  1,324

  1,281

  12

  1992–93

  1,348

  1,291

  29

  1993–94

  1,233

  1,139

  68

  1994–951

  1,204

  1,081

  96

  1Estimate.

  Sources:

  Office of Electricity Regulation, amounts raised, and Non-Fossil Purchasing Agency Ltd. payments.

  The balance of levy receipts is used to finance payments to British Nuclear Fuels pic in respect of nuclear electricity generated by its plant, and to cover certain other costs such as administration costs.

  Electricity Supplies
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what determines which power stations provide base load electricity supply within the pool pricing arrangements. [25278]

  Mr. Eggar
  The order of priority for calling stations to run is determined by the England and Wales grid code and by the pool rules.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if purchases from the French interconnector are to provide base load electricity supply; and if prices are discounted on the basis of the guarantee to run continuously. [25285]

  Mr. Eggar
  The interconnector was built for mutual system support and to trade electricity when one country could supply it more cheaply than the other. Because of low avoidable generation costs at its nuclear plants, Electricite de France has been able to bid into the pool to supply electricity at prices lower than the marginal cost of indigenous fossil-based supplies. As a consequence of the level of EdF's bids, the interconnector has normally supplied base load electricity from France to England.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what percentage of Britain's electricity is provided by companies other than National Power, PowerGen and the nuclear industry; and if he will list the main contributors; [25270]

  (2) what percentage of Britain's electricity supply in 1994 were provided by (a) National Power, (b) PowerGen and (c) advanced gas-cooled reactors. [25271]

  Mr. Eggar
  In the United Kingdom in 1994, provisional data show that 62 per cent, of electricity generated was by the former nationalised industries in Britain—National Power, PowerGen, Scottish Power and Hydro-Electric—26 per cent, by Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear, 7 per cent, by new entrants to generation 428
  and 5 per cent, by other generators, including those generating electricity for their own use. Information about individual generators cannot be provided. Advanced gas-cooled reactors generated 19 per cent, of UK electricity in 1994.

  The new entrants to electricity generation are: Barking Power Ltd., Corby Power Ltd., Elm Energy and Recycling Ltd., Fellside Heat and Power Ltd., Fibropower Ltd., Fibrogen Ltd., Keadby Generation Ltd., Lakeland Power Ltd., Peterborough Power Ltd., Regional Power Ltd., South East London Combined Heat and Power Ltd. and Teesside Power Ltd.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the average price paid by the distribution companies to the generating companies during 1994(a) for base load electricity supply and (b) for electricity supply at peak demand. [25279]

  Mr. Eggar
  Supply companies, rather than distribution companies, purchase electricity from generating companies. The price paid is dependent upon commercially confidential contracts between the parties.

  Nestles-Rowntree Factory, Norwich
  Ms Harman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he plans to meet representatives of the management of Rowntree, trade unions representing employees at Rowntree and other interested parties in relation to the proposed closure of the Nestles-Rowntree factor in Norwich; [24756]

  (2) what discussions his Department has had with the Department of Employment and other Government Departments concerning the proposed closure of the Nestles-Rowntree factory in Norwich and the effect of the closure on the local economy; [24758]

  (3) if he will make a statement on the proposed closure of the Nestles-Rowntree factory in Norwich; [24759]

  (4) how many jobs in total will be lost in Norwich and the surrounding areas as a result of the proposed closure of the Nestles-Rowntree factory in Norwich; [24755]

  (5) what representations he has received regarding the proposed closure of the Nestles-Rowntree factory in Norwich. [24757]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  [holding answers 17 May 7995]: Neither my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade nor my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment has had representations about the proposed closure of the factory. Nor do we have any immediate plans to make a statement on the proposed closure of the factory. The closure decision was taken on purely commercial grounds and is expected to involve the loss of some 900 jobs. We have no plans to meet with the management of Nestle or with the trade unions at the plant. My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade hopes, however, to visit Norwich in the autumn and in the course of his visit expects to hear at first hand more about the impact of the closure and the immediate and longer-term response of the business and other communities in the town. Since the closure announcement was made, the Government office for eastern region, which embraces the Departments of Trade and Industry, of Employment, of the Environment and of Transport, has kept closely in touch with business, local government and

  429
  the training and enterprise council in Norwich and is providing help and advice to the emerging partnership which is addressing economic development and competitiveness in the area.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which non-departmental public bodies within the responsibility of his Department are subject to scrutiny by(a) the ombudsmen, (b) the National Audit Office, (c) the Audit Commission and (d) other monitoring officers; which are covered by citizens charters; in which performance indicators apply; and in which members are liable to surcharge. [23956]

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 15 May 1995]: The information in relation to DTI's executive NDPBs is as follows:

  (a) The Coal Authority

  (b) The NAO's access to DTI's NDPBs is detailed in "Public Bodies 1994" which is available in the Library of the House. The newly created Coal Authority is not listed but is audited by the NAO.

  (c) None.

  (d)

  (i) All DTI's NDPBs are appropriately monitored by the relevant divisions of the Department.

  (ii) All DTI's NDPBs are encouraged to follow citizens charter principals where they are appropriate.

  (iii) DTI's NDPBs are encouraged to introduce performance indicators where they are appropriate. So far, the following bodies have adopted or are soon to adopt indicators:

  Coal Authority—precise indicators to be agreed in 1995–96

  Simpler Trade Procedures Board United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

  National Consumer Council—precise indicators to be agreed in 1995–96

  Gas Consumers Council

  (iv) Although board members of DTI's NDPBs may in certain circumstances be liable for wrongful or negligent actions, individual members are not subject to surcharge of a statutory nature.

  Trading Standards Service
  Mr. Berry
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the applicability of the views attributed to his Department on pages 42 and 43 of "Renewing Local Government" in the English shires to the future of the trading standards service after the proposed division of Berkshire into six unitary authorities. [24547]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  [holding answer 17 May 1995]: The Government remain committed to the continued provision of an effective and efficient trading standards service following the reorganisation of local government. However, responsibility for particular organisational arrangements, including, allocation of resources to provide the necessary services, such as trading standards services, which will best service the needs of their respective communities, is a matter for individual authorities.

  Where they are unable to provide a satisfactory service from their own resources, it is opened to new unitary authorities to enter into voluntary co-operative arrangements with neighbouring authorities. Smaller
  430
  authorities in particular may wish to consider entering into such arrangements. In areas where reorganisation leaves in place a previous provider of the service, new authorities may wish to consider the scope for sharing an existing capability.

  Nigeria
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his reply of 20 January,Official Report, column 759, what is the total amount paid to date by the Export Credits Guarantee Department in respect of defaults on credits to Nigeria; and what sum relates to contracts for defence equipment. [24686]

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 17 May 1995]: From the period 1 April 1980 to 31 March 1994, ECGD paid claims of £1,449 million in respect of capital goods and project business in Nigeria.

  It is not practicable to extract the amounts that relate to contracts for defence equipment in Nigeria.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Social Fund
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the annual social fund allocated to each local office of his Department when the fund was introduced in April 1988. [24463]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information requested is in the Library.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of income support claimants were repaying a social fund loan in(a) Scotland and (b) Britain as a whole at the end of each financial year between 1988–89 and 1994–95. [24464]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The available information is set out in the table. Information on the percentage of income support recipients who are repaying a social fund loan is available only at the end of May of each year. Data are unavailable for May 1993.

  Per cent.

  Year

  Scotland

  Great Britain

  31 May 1989

  14.6

  8.5

  31 May 1990

  15.7

  9.2

  31 May 1991

  17.2

  9.9

  31 May 1992

  18.1

  11.5

  31 May 1994

  17.2

  11.7

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the criteria by which the social fund budget allocations were made to local offices in his Department when the fund was introduced in April 1988. [24465]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information requested is in annexe 3 of the Secretary of State's annual report on the social fund 1988–89, Cm 748, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Majority Shareholdings
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list those companies in which the holder of his office is a majority shareholder which(a) are currently in existence and (b) have been wound up in the past five years. [25708]

  Mr. Hague
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State does not, in his official capacity, hold shares in any company.

  Access Committee for England
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has for the future funding of the Access Committee for England. [23589]

  Mr. Hague
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 16 May,Official Report, column 165, by the Under-Secretary of State for Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis).

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many of the parents with care in the case load of the Child Support Agency are caring for(a) one, (b) two or (c) three or more children; [24830]

  (2) what is the average maintenance requirement assessed by the Child Support Agency in cases where the parent with care is not in receipt of benefit; [24832]

  (3) what proportion of maintenance collected through the Child Support Agency is retained by parents with care; [24834]

  (4) what is the average maintenance assessment made by the Child Support Agency in cases where there is (a) one child, (b) two children and (c) three or more children. [24829]

  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 Tony Ward to Mr. Stephen Timms, dated 18 May 1995:
  In the absence of Miss Chant, the Chief Executive, I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security about parents with care (PWC) who have had child maintenance arranged by the Child Support Agency.
  Information relating to the number of PWCs caring for up to three or more children and the average maintenance payable in such cases is only available in relation to the total number of children in the PWCs household. There will be instances where some of the children in the PWCs household do not qualify for a child maintenance assessment to be carried out by the Agency.
  As at 11 March 1995, 190,700 PWCs cared for one child; 166,500 cared for two children and 97,400 cared for three or more children. The average maintenance assessed for households with one, two, three or more children was £41.62, £45.88 and £42.79 respectively. The average weekly maintenance assessed in cases where the PWCs household was not in receipt of benefit was £61.48. These figures are all estimates taken from a one per cent sample of Agency cases.
  From launch to the end of March 1995, a total of £86.81 million was received and allocated by the Agency. Of this, 36% (£30.88 million) has been paid to PWCs.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of absent parents in the case load of the Child Support Agency has second families. [24833]
  432
  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Miss Ann Chant, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Tony Ward to Mr. Stephen Timms, dated 18 May 1995:
  In the absence of Miss Chant, the Chief Executive, I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the number of absent parents with second families.
  As at 11 March 1995, it is estimated that the absent parents who had returned a maintenance enquiry form, 6.5 percent had second families.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what benefit savings he estimates to have been achieved through the Child Support Agency in(a) 1993— 94 and (b) 1994–95. [24835]

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

  Letter from Tony Ward to Mr. Stephen Timms, dated 18 May 1995:
  In the absence of Miss chant, the Chief Executive, I am replying to your recent parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the benefit savings achieved by the Agency.
  During 1993/94 the Agency achieved £418 million in benefit savings. The estimated figure for 1994/95 is £479.05 million.

  Income-related Benefits
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the total of households in the United Kingdom; and what proportion there are on means-tested benefits; [24607]

  (2) how many pensioner households there are in the United Kingdom; and what proportion there are on means-tested benefits. [24606]

  Mr. Burt
  [holding answer 16 May 1995]: The information requested is not available for households and has therefore been provided for benefit units. A benefit unit is defined as a single person or a couple, with or without children. There may be more than one benefit unit within a household. Information is available only for Great Britain.

  The available information is in the table.

  Benefit units (Great Britain)—totals and proportion receiving an income-related benefit

  Total

  Pensioners

  Benefit units (millions)

  29.5

  8.6

  Proportion of benefit units receiving an income-related benefit

  29 per cent.

  40 per cent.

  Notes:

  1. People may be in receipt of more than one income-related benefit. Overlap between benefits has been taken into account.

  2. Pensioners have been defined as those eligible for the income support pensioner premiums, that is, where the claimant and/or partner are aged 60 or over.

  3. Information is for May 1993, the latest date for which figures are available for all benefits.

  Source:

  Income support annual statistical inquiry, 5 per cent, sample Family credit statistical system, 5 per cent, sample of awards made Disability working allowance statistical system, 100 per cent, count Housing benefit/council tax benefit MIS annual 1 per cent, sample Family expenditure survey

  Jobseeker's Allowance
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received from voluntary organisations regarding the potential effects of the Jobseekers Bill on voluntary work. [24449]

  Miss Widdecombe
  I have been asked to reply.

  Ministers in the Employment Department and the Department of Social Security have received a number of representations from voluntary organisations. As my noble Friend Lord Inglewood indicated during discussion on the Jobseekers Bill in Committee, we will consider the view of the representatives of the voluntary sector before jobseeker's allowance regulations are drafted.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the effect of the Jobseekers Bill on the numbers of people gaining work experience through long-term voluntary work. [24447]

  Miss Widdecombe
  I have been asked to reply.
  434
  People who undertake voluntary work must still be available for employment and must actively seek employment in order to receive unemployment benefit or income support for the unemployed. Current provision in regulations however, allow unemployed people who undertake voluntary work 48 hours' notice to be available to take up an offer of employment. Current provisions also enable a person's voluntary work to be taken into account when considering whether he has met the actively seeking employment condition for receipt of benefit. As my noble Friend Lord Inglewood indicated during discussion of the Jobseekers Bill, we will be following this approach in jobseeker's allowance.

  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what trials or pilot schemes of anticipated jobseeker's allowance procedures have been undertaken by his Department; where they were held; how long they lasted; what they covered; and what were their results. [25575]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Employment.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Hospital Study
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will place in the Library a copy of the complementarity study undertaken in respect of hospitals within the Eastern health and social services board's area. [23051]

  Mr. Moss
  I will write to the hon. Gentleman about this matter.

  Hospital Agency Staff
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the cost of employing agency staff in hospitals covered by the Eastern health and social services board in each of the last four years. [24446]

  Mr. Moss
  The information requested is only available from 1992–93 and is as follows:

  Year

  Total cost (£)

  1992–93

  21,325

  1993–94

  145,048

  1994–95

  2Nil

  Notes:

  1 In 1993–94 two units of management increased their use of agency staff.

  2 By 1994–95 all directly managed units within the Eastern health and social services board were established as health and social services trusts. The board's accounts for 1994–95 remain subject to audit.

  Public Service Offices
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all the public service offices, other than local government offices, and the number of persons employed in such offices, in Armagh district council in(a) January 1992, (b) January 1993, (c) January 1994 and (d) January 1995. [23528]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information requested is listed in the table:

  Office

  January 1992

  January 1993

  January 1994

  January 1995

  Department of Agriculture

  The Mall West, Armagh

  163

  157

  150

  140

  Divisional Veterinary Office, Alexander Road, Armagh

  33

  37

  37

  38

  Newry Road, Armagh

  23

  24

  29

  27

  Manor House, Loughgall

  87

  86

  83

  79

  Cornmarket Street, Tandragee

  Nil

  1

  1

  1

  Kinelowen Street, Keady

  4

  4

  4

  3

  Gosford Forest Park, Markethill

  25

  23

  22

  22

  Department of Finance and Personnel

  Ballynahonemore Road, Armagh

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  1

  436

  Office

  January 1992

  January 1993

  January 1994

  January 1995

  Department of Economic Development

  Training and Employment Agency, Armagh

  14

  14

  13

  14

  Trading Standards Branch, Armagh

  3

  5

  4

  4

  Department of Environment

  Ardmore Road, Armagh1

  31

  31

  23

  19

  Ballynahonemore Road, Armagh1

  28

  26

  26

  19

  Hamiltonsbawn Road, Armagh1

  10

  10

  11

  10

  Dobbin Street, Armagh1

  Nil

  1

  1

  1

  Dobbin Centre, Armagh1

  11

  11

  11

  12

  Roads Service, Cornmarket Street, Tandragee

  10

  9

  9

  5

  Environment Service Markethill Depot

  5

  5

  5

  6

  Water Executive, Ardmore Road, Armagh

  47

  47

  41

  42

  Roads Service, Ballynahonemore Road, Armagh

  92

  85

  79

  48

  Department of Health and Social Services

  Social Security Office, Armagh2

  70

  73

  73

  70

  Notes:

  1Figures apply to non-industrial staff in months of April.

  2Includes Keady community benefit office which is staffed by members from the Armagh Office.

  Department of Agriculture figures for 1992, 1993 and 1994 and estimated.

  Mr. Molyneaux
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all the public service offices, other than local government offices, and the number of persons employed in such offices, in Down district council in(a) January 1992, (b) January 1993, (c) January 1994 and (d) January 1995. [23531]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information requested is listed in the table:

  Office

  January 1992

  January 1993

  January 1994

  January 1995

  Department of Agriculture

  Crown Buildings, Ballynahinch

  2

  2

  4

  3

  Main Street, Newcastle

  6

  6

  6

  6

  Rathkeltair House, Downpatrick

  3

  4

  5

  5

  Castlewellan Forest Park

  53

  58

  55

  52

  The Harbour, Ardglass

  1

  1

  2

  1

  Department of Finance and Personnel

  Valuation and Lands Agency, Downpatrick

  11

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Rathkeltair House, Downpatrick

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  2

  437

  Office

  January 1992

  January 1993

  January 1994

  January 1995

  Department of Economic Development

  Training and Employment Agency, Ballynahinch

  6

  6

  5

  5

  Training and Employment Agency, Downpatrick

  14

  15

  15

  13

  Training and Employment Agency, Newcastle

  4

  6

  5

  5

  Department of Health and Social Services

  Social Security Office, Ballynahinch

  33

  32

  34

  32

  Social Security Office, Downpatrick

  53

  55

  52

  46

  Social Security Office, Newcastle

  53

  55

  52

  46

  Department of Environment

  Castlewellan Demesne1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Ferry Terminal, Strangford1

  2

  2

  2

  2

  Flying Horse Industrial Estate, Downpatrick1

  10

  10

  9

  12

  Cloonag Road, Downpatrick1

  21

  21

  18

  21

  129 Newcastle Road, Seaforde1

  8

  9

  9

  9

  13 Newcastle Road, Seaforde1

  17

  17

  17

  18

  Mourne Countryside Centre, Newcastle1

  2

  2

  2

  2

  Rathkeltair House, Downpatrick1

  200

  207

  203

  187

  Quay Road, Downpatrick1

  3

  3

  3

  3

  Water Executive, Cloonagh Road, Downpatrick

  52

  48

  47

  50

  Roads Service, Castlenavan, Seaforde

  127

  124

  104

  61

  Castlewellan Depot

  11

  12

  10

  10

  Environment Service, Quoile, Quay Road, Downpatrict

  4

  3

  3

  3

  Environment Service, Mourne Countryside Centre, Newcastle

  1

  1

  1

  2

  Note:

  1 Figures apply to non-industrial staff in months of April.

  Department of Agriculture figures for 1992, 1993, 1994, are Estimated

  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the public service offices, other than local government offices, and the number of persons employed in such offices, in(a) Ards, (b)> Castlereagh and (c) North Down borough councils in (i) January 1992, (ii) January 1993, (iii) January 1994 and (iv) January 1995. [23625]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information requested is listed in the table:
  438

  Office

  January1992

  January 1993

  January 1994

  January 1995

  (a)Ards Borough Council Department of Agriculture

  Divisional Veterinary Office, Robert Street, Newtownards

  34

  37

  38

  43

  Portaferry Road, Newtownards

  8

  8

  9

  9

  The Harbour, Portavogie

  1

  2

  2

  2

  Department of Economic Development

  Training and Employment Agency, Newtownards

  18

  17

  15

  14

  Department of Health and Social Services

  Social Security Office, Newtownards

  67

  65

  65

  62

  Department of Environment

  Church Street, Greyabbey1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Jubilee Road, Newtownards1

  26

  27

  25

  28

  Scrabo Country Park, Newtownards

  5

  5

  5

  7

  Roads Service, Jubilee Road, Newtownards

  44

  42

  42

  9

  Environment Service, Church Street, Greyabbey

  11

  11

  9

  9

  Northern Ireland Office

  Prison Service College

  47.5

  75.5

  51.5

  77.5

  Ulster Bank Building, Newtownards

  8

  8

  8

  8

  (b) Castlereagh Borough Council Department of Agriculture

  Houston Road, Crossnacreevy

  35

  36

  35

  35

  Knockbreda Crown Buildings, Belfast

  16

  17

  28

  27

  Belvoir Forest Park

  13

  11

  11

  10

  Department of Economic Development

  Training Centre, Dundonald

  107

  100

  99

  83

  Department of Health and Social Services

  Social Security Office, Knockbreda

  86

  87

  83

  74

  Department of Environment

  Road Service, Newtownbreda

  24

  21

  18

  Nil

  Prince Regent Road, Belfast

  14

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Northern Ireland Office

  HM Young Offenders Centre

  250.5

  240.5

  248.5

  248

  NI Forensic Science Laboratory

  141.51

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  (c) North Down Borough Council Department of Finance and Personnel

  Crown Buildings, Bangor

  29

  29

  27

  29

  439

  Office

  January 1992

  January 1993

  January 1994

  January 1995

  Department of Education

  Rathgael House, Bangor

  674

  684

  572

  480

  Department of Economic Development

  Training and Employment Agency, Bangor

  17

  18

  16

  16

  Department of Health and Social Services

  Social Security Office, Bangor

  80

  83

  76

  71

  Department of Environment

  Crawfordsburn Country Park1

  2

  3

  3

  2

  Crown Buildings, Bangor1

  17

  17

  19

  15

  Green Road Industrial Estate, Conlig1

  33

  32

  33

  30

  N Down Section Office, Balloo Road, Bangor1

  10

  11

  11

  11

  Rathgael House, Bangor1

  10

  10

  11

  10

  Roads Service, Balloo Industrial Estate, Bangor

  42

  40

  36

  57

  Water Executive, Conlig

  63

  56

  65

  59

  Environment Service, Crowfordsburn

  Country Park

  10

  10

  10

  5

  Note:

  1 Figures apply to non-industrial staff in months of April.

  Department of Agriculture figures for 1992, 1993 and 1994 are estimated.

  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all the public service offices, other than local government offices, and the number of persons employed in such offices in Newry and Mourne district council in(a) January 1992, (b) January 1993, (c) January 1994 and (d) January 1995. [23529]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information requested is listed in the table.

  Office

  January 1992

  January 1993

  January 1994

  January 1995

  Department of Agriculture

  Divisional Veterinary Office, Crown Buildings, Newry

  47

  53

  55

  54

  Holts Building, Newry

  11

  12

  15

  17

  Bridge House, Kilkeel

  3

  3

  3

  3

  The Harbour, Kilkeel

  2

  2

  2

  2

  Forest Service, Rostrevor

  16

  14

  15

  14

  The Harbour, Warrenpoint

  3

  3

  1

  Nil

  The Square, Crossmaglen

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Armagh Street, Newtownhamilton

  2

  2

  2

  2

  440

  Office

  January 1992

  January 1993

  January 1994

  January 1995

  Department of Economic Development

  Training and Employment Agency, Kilkeel

  1

  2

  2

  2

  Training and Employment Agency, Newry

  28

  29

  24

  24

  Training Centre, Newry

  48

  53

  48

  41

  Trading Standards Branch, Newry

  2

  2

  2

  2

  Department of Environment

  Cecil Street, Newry1

  19

  16

  15

  15

  Rathfriland Road, Newry1

  10

  10

  10

  11

  Carnbane Industrial Estate, Newry1

  32

  33

  27

  26

  Bank Parade, Newry1

  11

  11

  10

  9

  Roads Service, Newry Road, Rathfriland

  21

  14

  15

  16

  Road Service, Greencastle Street, Kilkeel

  9

  8

  8

  6

  Road Service, Cragganduff, Crossmaglen

  5

  5

  4

  4

  Roads Service, Cecil Street, Newry

  52

  51

  50

  40

  Water Executive, Carnabane Industrial Estate, Newry

  65

  67

  69

  62

  Department of Health and Social Services

  Social Security Office, Kilkeel

  35

  36

  34

  32

  Social Security Office, Newry2

  139

  149

  141

  138

  Child Support Agency, Newry

  Nil

  Nil

  6

  6

  Notes:

  1 Figures apply to non-industrial staff in months of April.

  2Includes Crossmaglen community benefit office which is staffed by members from the Newry office.

  Department of Agriculture figures for 1992, 1993 and 1994 are estimated.

  Mr. Molyneaux
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all the public service offices, other than local government offices, and the number of persons employed in such offices, in Lisburn borough council in(a) January 1992, (b) January 1993, (c) January 1994 and (d) January 1995. [23530]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information requested is listed in the table:

  Office

  January 1992

  January 1993

  January 1994

  January 1995

  Department of Agriculture

  Ravarnet House, Lisburn

  187

  177

  168

  145

  Large Park, Hillsborough

  15

  15

  14

  14

  Batchelor's Walk Lisburn

  9

  10

  10

  9

  Department of Finance and Personnel

  The Sidings, Lisburn

  23

  34

  31

  38

  441

  Office

  January 1992

  January 1993

  January 1994

  January 1995

  Department of Economic Development

  Industrial Science Centre, Lisburn

  100

  110

  117

  122

  Training and Employment Agency, Lisburn

  20

  28

  19

  19

  Training Centre, Lisburn

  43

  41

  37

  30

  Department of Health and Social Services

  Social Security Office, Lisburn

  95

  96

  92

  81

  Department of Environment

  Ballinderry Industrial Estate, Lisburn1

  11

  11

  11

  12

  Benson House, Lisburn1

  16

  17

  15

  13

  Bow House, Lisburn1

  13

  13

  13

  12

  Derryvolgie House, Lisburn1

  23

  23

  22

  22

  Roads Service, Sprucefield, Lisburn

  86

  76

  73

  64

  Environment Service, Station Road, Moira

  35

  35

  34

  31

  Water Executive, Belfast Road, Lisburn

  62

  62

  56

  51

  Northern Ireland Office

  HMP Maze

  1,336

  1,077

  1,059

  1,122.5

  HMP Maghaberry

  670

  664

  655

  647

  Hillsborough Castle

  5.5

  5.5

  5.5

  6.5

  Note:

  1 Figures apply to non-industrial staff in months of April.

  Department of Agriculture figures for 1992, 1993 and 1994 are estimated.

  Table 2.6: Road traffic accidents

  Per 100,000 population

  Per 10,000 vehicles

  Year

  N.Ireland

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  N. Ireland

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  1984

  386

  474

  388

  375

  118

  122

  138

  105

  1985

  371

  455

  402

  364

  123

  116

  141

  99

  1986

  394

  459

  387

  373

  130

  114

  133

  99

  1987

  403

  442

  365

  371

  130

  108

  117

  96

  1988

  440

  455

  375

  391

  139

  106

  114

  97

  1989

  455

  478

  404

  411

  139

  107

  118

  99

  1990

  450

  472

  395

  411

  132

  105

  111

  97

  1991

  385

  427

  372

  375

  111

  96

  103

  90

  1992

  411

  423

  353

  363

  115

  94

  95

  85

  1993

  399

  417

  326

  346

  111

  92

  86

  80

  Table 2.7: Road traffic deaths

  Per 100,000 population

  Per 10,000 vehicles

  Year

  N. Ireland

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  N. Ireland

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  1984

  12.2

  10.1

  11.6

  8.9

  3.7

  2.6

  4.1

  2.5

  1985

  11.4

  9.2

  11.7

  8.7

  3.8

  2.3

  4.1

  2.4

  1986

  15.1

  9.6

  11.7

  8.3

  5.0

  2.4

  4.0

  2.2

  1987

  13.6

  9.2

  10.9

  7.8

  4.4

  2.2

  3.5

  2.0

  1988

  11.3

  9.0

  10.7

  7.9

  3.6

  2.1

  3.2

  2.0

  1989

  11.4

  9.6

  10.9

  8.1

  3.5

  2.2

  3.2

  1.9

  1990

  11.6

  9.2

  10.7

  8.5

  3.4

  2.0

  3.0

  2.0

  1991

  11.6

  8.0

  9.5

  7.9

  3.3

  1.8

  2.6

  1.9

  1992

  9.3

  7.3

  9.0

  7.6

  2.6

  1.6

  2.4

  1.8

  1993

  8.8

  6.7

  7.8

  6.4

  2.4

  1.5

  2.1

  1.5

  Road Safety
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has for improving road safety in Northern Ireland. [24318]

  Mr. Moss
  The Government will publish Northern Ireland's first road safety plan later this year, which is intended to increase the effectiveness of their road casualty reduction measures by providing a more strategic approach to the planning, co-ordination and delivery of road safety activities. Strong emphasis will continue to be placed on road safety education and publicity and on enforcement of traffic law. Increased resources have been provided and further increases planned, for accident remedial measures and traffic calming schemes at locations where accidents are known to occur.

  Northern Ireland's road traffic legislation is being strengthened and brought more closely in line with the rest of the United Kingdom; legislative proposals include the introduction of a penalty points scheme for traffic offences.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what comparison he has made between road safety standards in Northern Ireland and those in the rest of the United Kingdom. [24321]

  Mr. Moss
  Road safety standards, when measured in terms of accident, death and casualty rates, are published annually in "Northern Ireland Transport Statistics". This publication is available from the House of Commons Library. These statistics permit comparisons between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom and are summarised in the tables.
  443

  Table 2.8: Road traffic casualties

  Per 100,000 population

  Per 10,000 vehicles

  Year

  N. Ireland

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  N. Ireland

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  1984

  564

  604

  508

  504

  173

  156

  181

  141

  1985

  554

  586

  531

  492

  184

  149

  187

  134

  1986

  603

  593

  510

  512

  200

  147

  175

  136

  1987

  631

  574

  484

  504

  203

  140

  156

  131

  1988

  695

  592

  499

  531

  219

  138

  152

  132

  1989

  733

  623

  540

  563

  224

  140

  158

  136

  1990

  740

  611

  534

  571

  217

  135

  150

  134

  1991

  644

  562

  496

  521

  185

  126

  137

  125

  1992

  696

  562

  473

  508

  195

  125

  127

  120

  1993

  680

  555

  438

  493

  189

  123

  116

  115

  Source: DOE (NI). RUC, DOE (L), Scottish Office, Welsh Office.

  Play Areas (Safety Surfacing)
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidelines he has issued to local authorities to encourage the provision of safety surfacing on play areas; what special financial provision he has made available to local authorities to encourage and enable them to meet this need; and if he will make a statement. [24088]

  Mr. Ancram
  A handbook, "Playground Safety Guidelines", prepared by the national Children's Play and Recreation Unit, was issued in 1992 to the Association of Local Authorities of Northern Ireland for distribution to local district councils. These guidelines include a section on safety surfacing of play areas.

  No special financial provision has been made available to local authorities for improvement works in this area.

  Foxes
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many fox destruction clubs or societies are registered in Northern Ireland; what is the level of assistance they currently receive; what guidelines he issues on how these clubs and societies destroy foxes;

  Occupational therapists in HSS trusts

  30 September 19941

  30 September 19902

  Trust

  WTE3

  SIP4

  WTE3

  SIP4

  Belfast City Hospital

  16.5

  17

  16.3

  17

  Greenpark Healthcare

  20.8

  22

  25.0

  26

  South and East Belfast

  29.9

  33

  29.4

  31

  Ulster, North Down and Ards

  19.6

  22

  16.1

  20

  Royal Group

  17.0

  17

  16.0

  16

  Mater Infirmorum

  2.0

  2

  3.0

  3

  North and West Belfast

  21.1

  23

  12.8

  14

  Down and Lisburn

  22.3

  26

  16.0

  20

  North Down and Ards

  11.8

  15

  6.2

  9

  Causeway

  12.1

  13

  6.0

  6

  Newry and Mourne

  13.0

  13

  11.0

  11

  Craigavon and Banbridge

  19.9

  23

  3.5

  4

  Craigavon Area Hospital

  —

  —

  13.5

  14

  Notes:

  1 Latest available figures.

  2 Information as requested is not available as trusts were not set up in 1990. However, figures for occupational therapists within the units have been provided for that year.

  3 WTE = Whole-time equivalent.

  4 SIP = Staff in post.
  444
  what guidelines he issues on the numbers of foxes to be destroyed; how the fox population is assessed; and if he will make a statement. [24128]

  Mr. Moss
  There are no fox destruction clubs or societies registered in Northern Ireland, nor is there any mechanism for registering them.

  No scientific monitoring of the fox population in Northern Ireland is carried out.

  Belfast Harbour Commissioners
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what development land is possessed by the port of Belfast. [24319]

  Mr. Moss
  The Belfast Harbour Commissioners currently own 226 acres of commercial development land, the majority of which is on the County Down side of the harbour estate.

  Occupational Therapists
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many occupational therapists are employed in each health and social services trust; and what were the figures five years ago. [24015]

  Mr. Moss
  The information requested is set out in the table.
  445
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many vacant positions exist in respect of occupational therapists in each health and social services trust in Northern Ireland. [24016]

  Mr. Moss
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  Occupational therapists in HSS trusts

  Vacancies1

  Trust

  WTE2

  Belfast City Hospital

  1.0

  Greenpark Healthcare

  2.0

  South and East Belfast

  4.0

  Ulster, North Downs and Ards

  4.0

  Royal Group

  2.0

  Mater Infirmorum

  2.0

  North and West Belfast

  0.5

  Down and Lisburn

  3.5

  North Down and Ards

  2.5

  Causeway

  2.0

  Newry and Mourne

  0.5

  Craigavon and Banbridge

  2.0

  Craigavon Area Hospital

  —

  Notes:

  1 Latest available figures.

  2 WTE = Whole-time equivalent.

  Ports (European Grant Aid)
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what grant ports in Northern Ireland have received or are receiving from the European Union; and whether these would have to be repaid in the event of privatisation. [24317]

  Mr. Moss
  Details of grant paid prior to 1986 are incomplete.

  Details of grant paid to Northern Ireland ports from 1986 to date are as follows:

  Ports

  £

  Belfast Port

  70,388,570

  Londonderry Port

  18,071,419

  Warrenpoint Harbour

  6,841,407

  Larne Harbour

  7,164,729

  Coleraine Harbour

  403,467

  Total

  102,869,592

  In the event of the privatisation of a trust port, the question of repayment of grant aid would be a matter for discussion between the Commission and the Government.

  Northern Ireland Railways
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the involvement of private sector finance in Northern Ireland Railways. [24315]

  Mr. Moss
  The Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, which is the parent company of Northern Ireland Railways, has commissioned a study which will consider the scope for attracting private finance into Northern Ireland Railways's capital programme.

  Housing Associations
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what purposes he requires(a) names
  446
  of children, (b) names of spouse and (c) details of member's hobbies from all members and senior staff of the housing associations in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement about the relevance of these personal details to the performance of all the housing association members and staff involved. [24501]

  Mr. Moss
  The information was sought in order to obtain up-to-date and accurate pen pictures of members and senior staff of housing associations. Such information is already sought routinely by the Department from associations on an ad hoc basis. There is no link whatever between the personal details and performance. The provision of the information is entirely voluntary and will be treated as confidential.

  Craigakulliar Quarry
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will now visit Craigakulliar quarry. [24584]

  Mr. Moss
  I have no plans to do so at present.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the commissioner who heard the inquiry into the planning application to use the Craigakulliar quarry as a dump completed his report; when the other commissioners finished their consideration of that report; when they decided to overturn the recommendations of the commissioner who held the inquiry; and when their decision was(a) first communicated to the officers and town clerk of Coleraine borough council and (b) published. [24588]

  Mr. Moss
  This is a matter for the Planning Appeals Commission. I have asked the chief commissioner to write to the hon. Gentleman.

  National Insurance Numbers
  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many national insurance numbers existing on 31 March were being held as a record following the death of the owner; [24595]

  (2) how many national insurance numbers existing on 31 March 1995 (a) referred to owners living abroad and (b) were cancelled between 1 April 1994 and 31 March 1995; [24596]

  (3) how many national insurance numbers existed in Northern Ireland on 31 March 1995. [24594]

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

  Letter from Alec Wylie to Mr. Clifford Forsythe, dated 18 May 1995:
  I have been asked to reply to your three recent Parliamentary Questions relating to National Insurance numbers.
  I should first explain that all National Insurance records for the United Kingdom are held centrally in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Northern Ireland National Insurance numbers are not held separately from the rest of the United Kingdom. The information you require is not readily available and to disaggregate the National Insurance numbers for Northern Ireland would incur disproportionate costs.
  I can, however, tell you that at July 1994, for the United Kingdom as a whole, there was 8.8 million National Insurance numbers being held as a record following the death of the owner. This can be for a number of reasons including to support payment of a Widow's Pension. At July 1994, again for the United Kingdom as a whole,

  447
  there were 6.1 million National Insurance numbers which referred to owners living abroad.
  Finally, from 1 April 1994 to 31 March 1995, there were 10,421 National Insurance Numbers cancelled in the United Kingdom.
  I am sorry that I cannot provide the information in the format you require but I hope that the information I have given you will be helpful.

  Roman Catholic Council for Maintained Schools
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 9 May,Official Report, column 433, if he will make a statement on the role of the Roman Catholic Council for Maintained Schools [24667]

  Mr. Ancram
  The functions of the Roman Catholic Council for Maintained Schools are set out in part IX of the Education Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  National Lottery Grants
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what occasions he as used his powers under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993 to direct the administrators of lottery grants to withhold grants to groups; and what proposals he has to use these powers in future. [24601]

  Mr. Ancram
  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has not to date used his powers under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993 to prohibit the distribution of money to any group and has at present no proposals to do so.

  Belfast

  Western

  North-Eastern

  South-Eastern

  Southern

  Total

  Maintained

  28,149

  37,149

  20,348

  17,105

  38,789

  141,540

  Voluntary

  15,652

  8,528

  9,234

  7,580

  8,674

  49,668

  Integrated:

  Grant-maintained

  1,050

  918

  512

  1,028

  665

  4,173

  Controlled

  167

  —

  51

  155

  266

  639

  Independent

  100

  65

  109

  552

  117

  943

  Public Health Notices
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many public health notices have been issued by each district council in respect of properties between 1 April 1993 to 31 March 1995; and what were the reasons for such notices. [24745]

  Mr. Moss
  The service of public health notices is a statutory duty of district councils. The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many home improvement grant applications were approved as a result of public health notices issued by each district council in Northern Ireland since 1 April 1993 to 31 March 1995; what were the budgetary amounts allocated; and if each application fulfilled the criteria for unfitness as laid down in the Housing (NI) Order 1992. [24750]

  Mr. Moss
  This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. However, the chief executive has provided in the table, for each district council area, the

  Suicides
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the most recent available percentage suicide rate for employed 18 to 65-year-olds in Northern Ireland. [24555]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Information on the number of employed people who have committed suicide is not available. At death registration, informants are asked for the last occupation rather than the employment status of the deceased.

  Education and Library Boards
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for how many pupils in each education and library board area in Northern Ireland the area board has a responsibility to provide services. [24666]

  Mr. Ancram
  Details of the services provided for pupils by the education and library boards are contained in their annual reports, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Pupil Numbers
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total number of children enrolled in(a) maintained, (b) voluntary, (c) integrated and (d) independent schools in each area board in Northern Ireland. [24668]

  Mr. Ancram
  The information requested is as follows:

  numbers of repairs grants approved on foot of the service of public health notices and the amount of grant paid for the period April 1993 to March 1995. Applications for grant aid resulting from the service of public health notices do not have to fulfil the criteria for unfitness as laid down in the Housing (NI) Order 1992.

  Numbers of repairs grants approved and amount of grant paid, by district council area, between April 1993 and March 1995

  District council

  Repairs grants approved

  Amount of grant paid £

  Belfast

  2,479

  769,492

  Newtownabbey

  23

  13,071

  Carrickfergus

  48

  14,651

  Larne

  12

  2,120

  Ballymena

  6

  3,466

  Moyle

  —

  —

  Antrim

  7

  10,083

  Coleraine

  10

  9,956

  Ballymoney

  4

  3,453

  Derry

  10

  7,277

  Magherafelt

  6

  714

  449

  Numbers of repairs grant, approved and amount of grant paid, by district council area, between April 1993 and March 1995

  District council

  Repairs grants approved

  Amount of grant Paid £

  Strabane

  7

  5,468

  Limavady

  —

  —

  Omagh

  82

  110,809

  Dungannon

  254

  330,486

  Cookstown

  15

  31,519

  Fermanagh

  137

  116,308

  Newry and Mourne

  625

  946,749

  Banbridge

  373

  467,318

  Craigavon

  913

  1,154,827

  Armagh

  951

  1,290,249

  Lisburn

  246

  284,237

  Down

  39

  50,852

  North Down

  157

  140,218

  Castlereagh

  90

  75,810

  Ards

  203

  137,955

  Totals:

  6,697

  5,977,088

  Downpatrick Regeneration Project
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will fill the vacant project officer position in the Downpatrick regeneration project. [24746]

  Mr. Moss
  The Department is actively seeking to fill the vacant post and it is hoped that an appointment will be made shortly.

  Conservation Area Grants
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consultations have taken place about increasing the level of conservation area grants. [24747]

  Mr. Moss
  Consultations about increasing the level of conservation area grants have taken place with the Historic Buildings Council. In the light of these, it was decided that grants should remain unaltered.

  Housing Executive
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to sell off the Housing Executive's stock to the private sector, and if he will make a statement. [24748]

  Mr. Moss
  There are no plans to sell off the Housing Executive's stock to the private sector. The executive, however, does have powers to sell houses to the private sector to complement its own developments or to tenants under its house sales scheme.

  Planning Applications
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consultations took place about the recent price increase in respect of certain planning applications. [24751]

  Mr. Moss
  It is Government policy to achieve full recovery of the costs of processing applications and current planning fees do not meet these costs. The recent increase was designed to close this gap and external consultations were not considered appropriate.

  Disclosure in Criminal Cases
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the consultation paper on disclosure in criminal cases in Northern Ireland; and if the consultation period will conclude after 31 July. [25176]

  Sir John Wheeler
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State published such a paper on 19 May, seeking comments by 31 July.

  Miss Markievicz Gorman
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the shot which wounded Markievicz Gorman was fired before the stolen car in which she was a passenger had passed the Army patrol. [22917]

  Sir John Wheeler
  [holding answer 9 May 1995]: It has not been established at what stage Miss Gorman received her wound.

  Miss Gorman herself did not appear to have realised at what stage she received her injury and in fact became aware that she was injured only after the shooting had stopped and she was removed from the car by Army personnel.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Inquests
  Ms Hoey
  To ask the Attorney-General what criteria he uses when deciding to exercise his discretion under section 13 of the Coroners Act 1988 to grant a fresh inquest. [23914]

  The Solicitor-General
  The Attorney-General considers whether an application to the High Court would have a reasonable prospect of establishing that it is necessary or desirable in the interests of justice for a fresh inquest to be held.

  Private Lee Clegg
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his oral answer of 6 February,Official Report, column 13, what further representations he has received on the case of Private Clegg. [23915]

  The Attorney-General
  The Law Officers have received 42 individual representations since 6 February and two petitions, one bearing 18 names and the other 45.

  Stefan Kiszko Case
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to appeal against the decision of Rochdale's stipendiary magistrate to drop charges of perverting the course of justice in the Stefan Kiszko case against former Superintendent Richard Holland and Mr. Ronald Outteridge; and if he will make a statement. [23916]

  The Solicitor-General
  The Crown Prosecution Service is carefully considering and taking counsel's advice on the possibility of an appeal.

  War Crimes Act 1991
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Attorney-General what recent representations he has received about the workings of the War Crimes Act 1991. [23917]

  The Attorney-General
  With regard to second world war crimes, following initial advice from Treasury counsel, further inquiries are in hand in relation to certain potential defendants. Decisions as to possible prosecutions will be taken as soon as all the relevant evidence has been fully considered and analysed.

  Treasury Counsel
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Attorney-General how many barristers on the panel of Treasury counsel received more than £200,000 in fees from public funds for the latest year for which information is available. [25055]

  The Attorney-General
  There are two Treasury counsel retained for Government civil work. A supplementary panel of counsel is also maintained and used in suitable cases. Both Treasury counsel received more than £200,000 in fees from public funds in the financial year 1994–95.

  There were 14 Treasury counsel based at the central criminal court to represent the Crown in serious criminal cases until Easter 1995, when three resigned having accepted appointments as Her Majesty's counsel. On the information currently available, seven of those received in excess of £200,000 from the Crown Prosecution Service over the same period. However, criminal Treasury counsel are not exclusively retained by the Crown Prosecution Service and may work for other Government Departments and undertake legal aid defence work. Information on fees from those sources can be determined only at disproportionate cost.

  The information referred to is based on payments made inclusive of value added tax.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Attorney-General how many barristers are presently on the panel of the Treasury counsel. [25056]

  The Attorney-General
  There are two Treasury counsel retained for government civil work. A supplementary panel of counsel is also maintained and used in suitable cases.

  There are at present 11 Treasury counsel based at the central criminal court to represent the Crown in serious criminal cases.

  Majority Shareholdings
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list those companies in which the holder of his office is a majority shareholder which (a) are currently in existence and (b) have been wound up in the past five years. [25714]

  The Attorney-General
  There are no companies in which the Attorney-General is a majority shareholder and no such companies have been wound up in the past five years.

  Electro-shock Batons
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement about the outcome of the investigation 452
  by the Crown Prosecution Service relating to British Aerospace and the export of electro-shock batons. [25567]

  The Attorney-General
  The Crown Prosecution Service does not itself conduct investigations. The relevant police investigation is not yet concluded.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Majority Shareholdings
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list those companies in which the holder of his office is a majority shareholder which (a) are currently in existence and (b) have been wound up in the past five years. [25710]

  Mr. David Hunt
  None.

  Parliamentary Council
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the role of the Office of Parliamentary Counsel in relation to(a) public Bills, (b) private Bills and (c) private Members' Bills; how this has changed over the past 20 years, with specific instances; and if he will make a statement. [24132]

  Mr. David Hunt
  Parliamentary counsel are responsible for drafting Government Bills, except common form ones and those relating exclusively to Scotland. Parliamentary counsel advise on all aspects of parliamentary procedure in connection with these Bills. On the instructions of sponsoring Departments, they are responsible for drafting Government amendments and a procedural and other motions.

  The Office is not involved in the production of private Bills. It may, however, provide drafting assistance on private Members' Bills on the instructions of Departments acting with the authority of Ministers.

  There has been no change in the role of the Office of Parliamentary Counsel over the past 20 years.

  Science Budget
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library the Director General of the Research Councils', review of the science budget published at the press briefing on Tuesday 16 May, together with accompanying press releases and press pack; and if he will make a statement. [25688]

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Erewash (Mrs. Knight) on 16 May,Official Report, column 123.

  I have today deposited in the Libraries of the House the press pack issued at the press briefing on 16 May. The text of the director general's review is also available on the Internet through http://www.open.gov.uk/ost/osthome.htm.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. McAIlion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the grade on entry to the civil service of all current permanent secretaries, including
  453
  those officials nominally graded at permanent secretary level. [25067]

  Mr. Horam
  The following list gives details of all current permanent secretaries, including those nominally graded, within the home civil service and their grade on entry to the civil service:

  Name

  Entry grade

  Adye Sir J. A.

  Executive Officer

  Battishill Sir A. M. W.

  Assistant Principal

  Bichard M. G.

  Grade 2

  Brown Sir A. P.

  Principal

  Budd A. P.

  Grade 1A

  Burns Sir T.

  Grade 1A

  Butler Sir F. E. R.

  Assistant Principal

  Caiman K. C.

  Grade 1A

  Chilcot Sir J. A.

  Assistant Principal

  Culpin R. P.

  Assistant Principal

  Davies D. E. N.

  Grade 1A

  Gregson Sir P. L.

  Assistant Principal

  Hart G. A.

  Assistant Principal

  Hillhouse Sir R. R.

  Assistant Principal

  Hosker Sir G. A.

  Legal Assistant

  Jenkins J. C.

  Assistant Parliamentary Counsel

  Langlands A.

  Grade 2

  Lankester Sir T. P.

  Principal

  Legg Sir T. S.

  Legal Assistant

  McIntosh Dr. M. K.

  Grade 1

  Mills Mrs B. J. L.

  Grade 2

  Mottram R. C.

  Assistant Principal

  Mountfield R.

  Assistant Principal

  Packer R. J.

  Inspector of Taxes

  Partridge Sir M. J. A.

  Assistant Principal

  Phillips G. H.

  Assistant Principal

  Rimington J. D.

  Assistant Principal

  Scholar M. C.

  Assistant Principal

  Stewart J. M.

  Assistant Principal

  Strachan Mrs. V. P. M.

  Assistant Principal

  Turnbull A.

  Assistant Principal

  Vereker J. M. M.

  Assistant Principal

  Wicks Sir N. L

  Assistant Principal

  Wilson R. T. J.

  Assistant Principal

  In July, Professor Tim Holt will take up the post of director at the Central Statistical Office. This appointment was made following an open competition. He will join the civil service directly as a grade 1A.

  "Forward Look" 1995
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to publish the "1995 Forward Look of Government Funded Science, Engineering and Technology" and the report of the technology foresight steering group. [25769]

  Mr. David Hunt
  I am today publishing the report of the technology foresight steering group and the "1995 Forward Look of Government Funded Science, Engineering and Technology". Copies of both reports are being placed in the Library and summaries are available from the Vote Office.

  The report on technology foresight is from an independent steering group chaired by the Government's chief scientific adviser, Sir William Stewart. I am grateful to Sir William and his colleagues for their report. This builds on those of the 15 technology foresight sector panels, all of which have already been published by my Department. They have been widely welcomed. The steering group report provides an overarching assessment
  454
  of the broad areas of science, engineering and technology that will help the UK capture national and global markets over the next 10 to 20 years. The report also makes recommendations concerning basic research, skills, finance and regulation.

  The Government will respond vigorously to the steering group and panel reports. Their recommendations will inform policy and priorities in Government, the research councils and universities. My Department, in partnership with the DTI, will also be undertaking a major campaign to spread awareness of foresight findings throughout industry.

  The key to success will be to get industry and the science and engineering base working in partnership to address the opportunities which foresight has identified. To stimulate this, I am announcing today a foresight challenge. This will be financed through an extra £40 million of public money which I will make available over the next three years, for collaborative initiatives which address foresight priorities. The challenge will be based on existing mechanisms for industry/science base collaboration, in particular the successful LINK scheme. It will attract matching funds from industry—making £80 million of new resources. I intend to consult the scientific and business communities about the detailed arrangements for the challenge.

  Further details of the Government's plans for the next stage of the foresight exercise are set out in the 1995 "Forward Look". This report provides an up-to-date statement on the ways in which public funds for science, engineering and technology are being spent throughout Government and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Particular emphasis is given to the ways in which Government Departments and the research councils are refocusing their programmes in support of wealth creation and quality of life in line with the policy objectives of the 1993 White Paper "Realising our Potential".

  Taking account of technology foresight, the Government will continue to work towards a much closer coupling between publicly funded research and development and the wealth-creating private sector, to help deliver the goals of enhanced national prosperity and quality of life.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Food Labelling
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further measures he plans to introduce to ensure that food labelling is truthful and accurate about its impact on animal welfare and the environment; and if he will make a statement. [24065]

  Mrs. Browning
  The Food Safety Act 1990 already requires that food labelling shall neither falsely describe the food nor mislead as to the nature or substance or quality of the food concerned. Statements on food labels concerned with animal welfare must therefore comply with those requirements. I have no plans to introduce any more specific requirements; advice I received from the Independent Food Advisory Committee indicated that it would not be appropriate so to do and there are no proposals at European Community level to introduce any such requirement.

  Foxes
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many fox destruction clubs or societies are registered in England; what is the level of assistance they currently receive; what guidelines he issues on how these clubs and societies destroy foxes; what guidelines he issues on the numbers of foxes to be destroyed; how the fox population is assessed; and if he will make a statement. [24129]

  Mrs. Browning
  Fox destruction clubs or societies are neither required to be registered with nor are they financially assisted by the Ministry and information is not collected on the number of such organisations.

  Responsibility for the control of foxes rests with those who most benefit from such control, that is, individual landowners and occupiers. The actual method of control is also at the discretion of individual landowners and occupiers, provided that the method does not contravene current legislation, such as the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986.

  Plant Labelling
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures are in place to ensure that containerised and container-grown decorative house plants destined for sale in supermarkets which also sell food are clearly labelled with any potential dangers associated with their natural features or pesticide treatments by growers or suppliers; what further measure he plans to introduce; and if he will make a statement. [24160]

  Mrs. Browning
  The risks associated with the sale of potentially hazardous plants by supermarkets and other outlets is a matter which has been considered in a horticultural industry initiative. A voluntary code of practice on handling, retailing and labelling of poisonous plants has been drawn up for adoption. This is a good example of self-regulation. The risk of contamination of food by pesticides used on ornamental plants sold in the same store is extremely small. We have no plans to require growers or suppliers to label plants with the treatments applied.

  Fish Imports
  Mr. Sykes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the economic impact of cheap fish imported from non-EEC countries on the livelihoods of east coast fishermen. [24153]

  Mr. Jack
  No specific assessment has been made in relation to the situation on the east coast of England, but last year's broad-based analysis by the European Commission indicated that underlying structural problems rather than non-EU imports were responsible for the generally depressed state of the fish market within the European Union. The EU market depends increasingly on imports for its supplies and fish processors in particular depend heavily on imported raw material because their needs cannot be met from EU resources.

  Live Animal Exports
  Sir Terence Higgins
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer 456
  of 18 April, Official Report, columns 103–104, regarding the conformity of the vessel Northern Star to the provisions of the Welfare of Animals during Transport Order 1994, by what authority his Department takes the view that point 18 of schedule 3 to the order, which implements EC directive 91/628, does not apply to roll-on roll-off ferries. [24441]

  Mrs. Browning
  My previous answer to which my right hon. Friend refers gave the view which the Department takes when assessing roll-on roll-off ferries for compliance with the law.

  Mr. Olner
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 11 May,Official Report, column 581, when he expects his Department's consideration of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' latest legal advice on the export of live animals to be completed. [24779]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I have now received advice from lawyers on the opinion from Mr. Gerald Barling QC entitled "Welfare of Calves: Lawfulness of Export Restrictions".

  My legal advice in the light of that opinion remains: namely, that a ban on calf exports—whether a blanket ban or a selective ban on exports to certain countries or to rearing units using veal crates—would be at serious risk of successful challenge under European law.

  There are also policy considerations. By far the best outcome, which I believe is achievable, would be EU measures to prohibit the use of the veal crate across Europe. That, I am sure all would agree, would be the best way of achieving a real increase in the sum of animal welfare. A unilateral restriction on exports from the UK—if it could be made to stick—would be only a gesture in terms of animal welfare: continental rearers would carry on using veal crates, and would obtain calves from alternative, more distant, sources from which they would probably be transported in conditions less humane than those we impose on our own exports. There would be no net gain across Europe in animal welfare terms.

  In addition, to attempt to introduce a unilateral ban would be counter-productive in relation not only to the chances of getting a Euro-wide ban, but to the very delicate negotiations on welfare in transit in general. We would have antagonised other member states, some of them at present our allies, and might indeed give them a pretext for declining to take matters further, pending resolution of the legal issues. These are strong reasons for not introducing a ban, even if I thought—as I do not—that I had discretion to do so in legal terms. The fact is that I am still being advised that I do not have that discretion.

  Mr. Barling's opinion does, however, raise an interesting new point in highlighting the fact that the provisions of Community directive 91/629 on the welfare of calves fail to reflect those of appendix C to the recommendation on cattle which the Council of Europe adopted under the European convention for the protection of animals kept for farming purposes. As I have said, this does not alter the legal position in respect of a unilateral ban on calf exports. However, I am, as the House will know, already pressing the Council of Ministers to revise directive 91/629 so as to prohibit the use of the veal crate

  457
  throughout the Community. In support of this aim, I intend drawing Mr. Barling's argumentation over the Council of Europe texts to the Commission's attention. I hope it will see this as a powerful reason for it to make proposals to the Council for the Community's own rules to be brought into line with the rules to which the Community has subscribed in the Council of Europe.

  I believe that the RSPCA—and other animal welfare organisations—can play an important role in our efforts to achieve changes in the Community rules. I am today conveying to it my views in the light of Mr. Barling's opinion, and inviting it to meet me to discuss how matters can now be taken forward.

  Head of EC Tobacco Sector
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the result of the Belgian police investigation into the circumstances surrounding the suicide of the former head of the tobacco sector of the EC. [24867]

  Mr. Jack
  The Belgian police investigated the immediate circumstances surrounding the death of the former head of the tobacco sector of the EC, with the assistance of the Commission, and concluded that he took his own life. They did not carry out a further investigation into the alleged case of fraud. The Commission, from its own internal investigation, passed dossiers of information to the Italian and Greek authorities, and the state prosecutors in Rome and Athens are now pursuing their own inquiries with the full assistance of the Commission's anti-fraud squad.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which non-departmental public bodies within the responsibility of his Department are subject to scrutiny by(a) the ombudsmen, (b) the National Audit Office, (c) the Audit Commission and (d) other monitoring officers, which are covered by citizens charters, in which performance indicators apply, and in which members are liable to surcharge. [23965]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 15 May 1995]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Cannock and Burntwood (Mr. Wright) on 16 May 1995, Official Report, columns 203–204, as regards the role of the ombudsmen and the NAO in relation to the Ministry's executive NDPBs and the applicability of the citizens charter and performance indicators. The ombudsmen and NAO may also scrutinise funding and secretariat support for other NDPBs. The Audit Commission has no role in relation to MAFF's NDPBs, but NDPBs are subject to internal and external audit. The normal legal rules on liability to surcharge apply to board members of NDPBs, whose liability is not limited.

WALES

  Nurses' Pay
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning nurses' pay in Wales. [24336]
  458
  Mr. Richards
  The independent pay review body has recommended a 1 per cent. increase in national salaries to be supplemented by local negotiations on pay which are expected to lead to improvements in total of between 1.5 and 3 per cent. These recommendations have been accepted in full by the Government.

  Some 13 trusts and units in Wales have made offers known—all at the 3 per cent. mark. The remainder are expected to make offers soon.

  Negotiations are still continuing between the management and staff sides of the Nursing and Midwifery Staffs Council to translate the pay review body recommendations into an agreement for promulgation to the service.

  Community Care Charters
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date he intends to issue his consultation paper on community care charters for Wales. [24017]

  Mr. Richards
  We intend to issue our draft framework for community care charters in Wales for consultation within the next few weeks. The new health and local authorities will be asked to have their charters in place by April 1997.

  Unitary Authorities (School Pupils)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales for how many school pupils each of the proposed unitary authorities in Wales will be responsible. [24582]

  Mr. Richards
  The following table shows at January 1994 the number of pupils attending LEA-maintained schools in each unitary authority area. These pupils may not be residents of the unitary authority in which their school is located.

  Number of pupils on roll at January 19941

  Unitary Authority

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Total

  Anglesey

  219

  10,703

  10,922

  Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire

  221

  17,078

  17,299

  Aberconwy and Colwyn

  774

  11,051

  11,825

  Denbighshire

  1,063

  14,201

  15,264

  Flintshire

  1,745

  22,979

  24,724

  Wrexham

  1,694

  18,160

  19,854

  Powys

  32

  18,844

  18,876

  Cardiganshire

  163

  10,445

  10,608

  Pembrokeshire

  549

  18,451

  19,000

  Carmarthenshire

  524

  27,011

  27,535

  Swansea

  3,350

  34,261

  37,611

  Neath and Port Talbot

  2,256

  21,418

  23,674

  Bridgend

  537

  21,917

  22,454

  Vale of Glamorgan

  890

  17,087

  17,977

  Rhondda, Cynon, Taff

  214

  43,027

  43,241

  Merthyr Tydfil

  701

  10,931

  11,632

  Caerphilly

  1,174

  29,224

  30,398

  Blaenau Gwent

  808

  10,967

  11,775

  Torfaen

  935

  15,402

  16,337

  Monmouthshire

  408

  11,554

  11,962

  Newport

  1,588

  22,870

  24,458

  Cardiff

  2,759

  47,616

  50,375

  Wales

  22,604

  455,197

  477,801

  1 Includes pupils on roll at all LEA-maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools

  Suicides
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the most recent available percentage suicide rate for employed 18 to 65-year-olds in Wales. [24556]

  Mr. Richards
  Information on the number of employed people who have been recorded as having committed suicide is not available. At death registration, it is the last occupation rather than employment status of the deceased that is recorded.

  Live Sheep Exports
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many sheep were exported live from Wales in 1980, 1985, 1990 and 1994. [24557]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The number of sheep exported live from Wales in recent years are as follows:

  1980: 86,500

  1985: 18,500

  1990: 128,500

  1994: 242,000

  Abattoirs
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of abattoirs in Wales in 1980, 1985, 1990 and 1994. [24559]

  Mr Gwilym Jones
  Since the beginning of 1993, agriculture departments have been responsible for licensing fresh meat premises including abattoirs; prior to that local authorities had this responsibility. Figures for the numbers of abattoirs before 1993 are derived from records of state veterinary service visits made at the end of each year as set out in the chief veterinary officer's reports for those years. The number of abattoirs operating in Wales was 62 in 1980, 72 in 1985, and 60 in 1990. At the end of 1994, the number of abattoirs licensed by the Welsh office was 40—not 39 as previously advised to the hon. Members for North Cornwall (Mr. Tyler) and for Glanford and Scunthorpe (Mr. Morley).

  Education Funding
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he has taken to ensure increased funding for school budgets in 1996–97; and if he will make a statement. [24850]

  Mr. Richards
  When making its public expenditure decisions for 1996–97, the Government will give careful consideration to the spending needs of unitary authorities, taking account of the views of the Welsh Consultative Council on Local Government Finance.

  Smoking
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what advances his anti-smoking campaigns have achieved; and if he will make a statement on specific results achieved. [25160]

  Mr. Richards
  In Wales there has been an encouraging decrease in the level of smoking prevalence in recent years. Studies carried out by the Health Promotion Authority for Wales show that the percentage of men aged 18 to 64 smoking daily has fallen from 35 per cent, in 1985 to 27 per cent. in 1993. The equivalent change for women of the same age group was from 30 to 25 per cent.

  Countryside Council for Wales
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he held with(a) the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales and (b) local government in Wales, concerning his proposals for the future of the Countryside Council for Wales; and if he will make a statement. [25005]

  Mr. Redwood
  Copies of the Countryside Council for Wales action plan were sent to the local authority associations and to the Campaign for Rural Wales.

  GP Fundholders
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the payment of GP fundholder management allowances.

  Mr. Redwood
  Management allowances are paid to GP fundholders to reimburse the additional costs incurred in directly managing NHS resources on behalf of their patients. Section 15 of the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 enables fundholders to receive a sum determined in such manner and by reference to such factors as the Secretary of State may direct. However, legal advice is that payments by fundolders for the sole purpose of management expenses need to be specified within regulations. This has now been provided for under the NHS (Fundholding Practices) Amendment Regulations 1995, which came into force on 1 April 1995. Extra-statutory management allowance payments of this kind, made between 1990–91 and 1994–95—which are estimated at around £9 million—have now been authorised.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy that nuclear industrial waste will not be disposed of within(a) the boundaries of the Cynon Valley and (b) the boundaries of Mid Glamorgan. [25025]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  There are no sites in the Cynon Valley or in Mid Glamorgan which are authorised by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution for the disposal of radioactive waste from nuclear licensed sites. The Government's overall policy in this area will be set out this summer when the conclusions to their review of radioactive waste management are published.

  Welsh Office Accommodation
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 15 May,Official Report, column 101, if he will list all the accommodation rented by the Welsh Office in Cardiff and elsewhere, indicating the percentage of use in each case and the remaining length of the lease and annual rental. [25167]

  Mr. Redwood
  For reasons of commercial confidentiality, it is Government policy not to disclose information about rent levels for individual properties. The total amount of rent paid in 1994–95 was £4,131,761. Other information requested is given in the following table.
  461

  Welsh Office accommodation on the Common User Estate (CUE)

  Property

  Welsh1 Office occupation (per cent.)

  Tenure

  Lease expiry

  Cathays Park, Crown Building (CP1)

  100.00

  Freehold

  —

  Cathays Park, New Crown Building (CP2)

  69.95

  Freehold

  —

  Government Buildings, Llanishen

  10.80

  Freehold

  —

  Caradog House, Cardiff

  5.53

  Leasehold

  28 September 2000

  Golate House, Cardiff

  100.00

  Leasehold

  29 September 1999

  Bessemer Road, Cardiff

  100.00

  Leasehold

  31 January 1999

  John Williams Building, Cardiff

  74.28

  Leasehold

  23 June 2000

  Southgate House, Cardiff

  4.85

  Leasehold

  22 September 2019

  Brunel House, Cardiff

  56.00

  Leasehold

  24 March 1999

  Ty Nant, Swansea

  2.58

  Freehold

  —

  Pontfaen Road, Lampeter

  20.97

  Freehold

  —

  Picton Terrace, Carmarthen

  53.03

  Freehold

  —

  Jobs Well Lane, Carmarthen

  100.00

  Freehold

  —

  8 Barn Street, Haverfordwest

  43.13

  Freehold

  —

  4 and 5 Hamilton Terrace, Milford Haven

  100.00

  Leasehold

  10 September 1998

  Spa Road East, Llandrindod Wells

  88.87

  Freehold

  —

  Park Street, Newtown

  16.00

  Freehold

  —

  Canal Road, Brecon

  35.81

  Freehold

  —

  Royal Welsh Pavillion Showground, Builth Wells

  100.00

  Leasehold

  31 December 2082

  Y Buarth, Aberystwyth

  100.00

  Leasehold

  24 December 2054

  Bryn Adda, Bangor

  2.20

  Freehold

  —

  Dinerth Road, Colwyn Bay

  33.99

  Freehold

  —

  New Crown Building, Ruthin

  46.35

  Freehold

  —

  Penrallt, Caernarfon

  52.00

  Freehold

  —

  Newry Street, Holyhead

  18.25

  Leasehold

  24 December 2009

  Arran Road, Dolgellau

  1.81

  Freehold

  —

  Chartist Tower, Newport

  1.06

  Leasehold

  23 June 1998

  23 Gold Tops, Newport

  100.00

  Leasehold

  23 June 1997

  14 King Street, Carmarthen

  50.96

  Freehold

  —

  Gwydyr House, Whitehall

  100.00

  Freehold

  —

  1 Represents the amount of accommodation within each of the respective CUE properties occupied by the Welsh Office. Where there is a balance of space it is not the responsibility of the Welsh Office. There is no space currently within Welsh Office occupations which is surplus to its needs.

  Cardiff Bay
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from the World Wide Fund for Nature concerning breaches of faith in relation to the Government's creation of alternative bird reserves to mitigate the loss of wading birds' habitat in Cardiff bay. [25282]

  Mr. Redwood
  The director of the World Wide Fund for Nature (UK) wrote to me on 22 February 1994 seeking a meeting to discuss the progress made on the Cardiff bay barrage scheme and associated bird compensation measures. A meeting involving officials from my Department, Cardiff Bay development corporation and the WWF about the Government's commitment to the undertakings given to Parliament was held on 27 June 1994.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what further progress he has to report on the proposal to spend £5.8 million on the Gwent levels to create bird reserves to mitigate the loss of wading birds from Cardiff bay. [25269]

  Mr. Redwood
  Cardiff Bay development corporation has completed a site options study. This has been considered by a working group comprising representatives from the Countryside Council for Wales, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Land Authority for Wales. More detailed investigations are being undertaken to determine which sites present the best options. These should be completed by September.

  Drug Strategy
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made in the drug strategy for Wales. [25171]

  Mr. Richards
  I hope to publish the Welsh drug and alcohol strategy for consultation in the next few weeks.

  Majority Shareholdings
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those companies in which the holder of his office is a majority shareholder which(a) are currently in existence and (b) have been wound up in the past years. [25704]

  Mr. Redwood
  There are no such companies in either category.

  Deprivation Payments Scheme
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the amended basis for calculating the deprivation index for awarding supplementary payments to GPs in Wales; how many(a) GP practices and (b) individual GPs in each family health services authorty area qualified for supplementary payment under the deprivation payment scheme in 1994–95; and what estimate he has made of the figures for the present year. [25606]
  463
  Mr. Redwood
  The Review Body on Doctors and Dentists Remuneration has recommended that payments under the deprivation payments scheme should be based on the 1991 census Jarman scores. The Government have accepted its recommendation, which will take effect in 1995–96 and is likely to lead to a further £1.2 million being paid to doctors in Wales, an increase of 66 per cent. This excludes the increase due to the upgrading of the payment levels per patient in each of the deprivation bands following the review body's award for 1995–96.

  The number of GP practices and individual GPs with patients in deprived wards at 1 April 1994 is given in the following table:

  FHSA

  GP practices

  GPs

  Clwyd

  19

  45

  Dyfed

  1

  1

  Gwent

  64

  134

  Gwynedd

  28

  70

  Mid Glamorgan

  95

  224

  Powys

  6

  22

  South Glamorgan

  49

  131

  West Glamorgan

  43

  111

  Wales

  305

  738

  As a result of the revision of the scheme, it is not yet possible to make a reliable estimate in respect of the present year.

  Building Process Work
  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales for each piece of work subject to a building process under the auspices of(a) his Department and (b) agencies for which his Department is responsible (i) who the successful bidders were where work was contracted out and (ii) which contracts were won by in-house bidders in (1) 1993–94, (2) 1994–95 and (3) 1995–96. [25546]

  Mr. Redwood
  This information is not held centrally.

TREASURY

  Medals and Decorations
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost of producing the conspicuous gallantry cross medal awarded to Corporal Wayne Mills; and what will be the unit cost of future medals. [25170]

  Mr. Nelson
  The Royal Mint supplied the medal under contract to the Ministry of Defence. The terms on which the Royal Mint supplyies medals to its customers are not disclosed for commercial reasons.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to bring the intrinsic financial value of medals in line with the valour honoured by their award. [25173]

  Mr. Nelson
  None.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 24 April,Official Report, columns 266–67, what are the reasons for the costs of those medals whose cost exceeds £3,000. [25181]

  Mr. Nelson
  The cost of insignia is dictated by the complexity of the design, the materials used and the labour costs.
  464
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to continue recycling the insignia of the Order of the Garter; what is the cost of recycling; and what plans he has to recycle other insignia. [25172]

  Mr. Nelson
  Current practice will continue. The insignia of the Order of the Garter is always returned on the death of a holder, renovated and reissued when another knight is appointed. Renovation costs depend upon its condition on return, but represent a significant saving over replacement by new insignia. All other insignia that are returned—for example, on promotion within the same order—are already also renovated and reissued.

  Majority Shareholdings
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those companies in which the holder of his office is a majority shareholder which(a) are currently in existence and (b) have been wound up in the past five years. [25705]

  Mr. Nelson
  There are no companies in either category.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the yield from 2.5 percentage points on value added tax in each year since 1991–92, showing separately the estimated yields in respect of the United Kingdom and England. [25409]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The estimated revenue yield from an increase of 2.5 percentage points on the standard rate of VAT—£ million—is as follows:

  UK

  England

  1991–92

  5,200

  4,400

  1992–93

  5,800

  4,900

  1993–94

  6,200

  5,200

  1994–95

  5,900

  5,000

  1995–96

  6,300

  5,300

  1996–97

  6,900

  5,900

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimate for VAT receipts in 1995–96; and what it would be if the 1978–79 VAT regime still applied. [25194]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The estimate for VAT receipts in 1995–96 was published in the revised 1995–96 "Financial Statement and Budget Report". Any attempt to estimate under the 1978–79 VAT regime would require the revisiting not only of the legislation as it then stood, but the reinterpretation of many changes in practice since that time. I do not think this would be a meaningful exercise.

  Biodiesel Fuels (Excise Duty)
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to implement section 11 of the Finance Act 1993 dealing with excise duty on biodiesel fuels. [23713]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Section 11 of the Finance Act 1993 provides for excise duty to be charged on fuel substitutes, including biofuels. The necessary commencement order is currently being drafted. The intention is that the order will be made and laid before
  465
  Parliament in accordance with negative procedures, and be subject to the scrutiny of the Statutory Instruments Committee. It is expected to take effect later this year.

  Tax Fraud
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the estimated amount of tax fraud in each year since 1979. [23673]

  Sir George Young
  No official estimates have been made, but the annual yield from the Inland Revenue's counter-evasion and anti-avoidance work rose from £137.9 million in 1979–80 to £1,609.6 million in 1993–94.

  A significant part of this arises from improved targeting of cases and more effective working methods.

  Charitable Donations
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what investigations the Inland Revenue have made into the charitable donations made by(a) the Porter Foundation, (b) G G M Newton Charitable Trust, (c) Robert McAlpine Ltd., (d) the liquidators of London and Paris Property Group plc., (e) Wimpey Group Services Ltd., (f) Regalian Properties plc and (g) Hammerson Group Management Ltd. to the Foundation for Business Responsibilities; what conclusions these have drawn; and what further investigations are planned. [24701]

  Sir George Young
  The tax affairs of all charities, companies and trusts, like those of all taxpayers, are protected by strict rules of confidentiality. The Inland Revenue is unable to provide any information which might breach these rules.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total of the sums paid or which are due to be paid to financial institutions or companies in respect of their services or advice in regard to those privatisations which have been completed or partially completed since 1979 or which are in preparation or under consideration at this time; and what payments have been or are expected to be paid to the seven businesses or institutions which have received the largest share of these payments. [24200]

  Sir George Young
  For the sale costs of privatisations that have been completed, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave at 27 April 1995,Official Report, column 646. Details of disaggregated costs can be found in my replies of 23 March 1995, Official Report, column 287, and 16 May 1995, Official Report, column 108. Sale costs for those privatisations that have yet to be completed will be announced in the normal manner following the completion of each sale. Details of the firms which have been the seven largest recipients of privatisation sale fees are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the cumulative total for privatisation receipts from 1979–80 to 1995–96 in 1995–96 prices. [25196]

  Sir George Young
  Privatisation proceeds from 1979–80 to 1995–96 are expected to total £82.4 billion in 1995–96 prices.

  Forged Currency
  Mr. French
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the fact value of forged currency in currency in circulation in the form of(a) notes and (b) coinage. [24715]

  Mr Nelson
  The Bank of England is not in a position to provide a meaningful estimate of the number of counterfeit notes in circulation. A record is maintained of the number which are received from circulation but the Bank, in common with most note-issuing authorities, does not publish details of the counterfeits it receives. However, despite an increase in counterfeiting over the last few years, counterfeit notes detected still represent only a fraction of 1 per cent, of the total notes in circulation.

  The Royal Mint is not in a position to provide an estimate of the number of counterfeit coins in circulation.

  Improper Financial Advice (Compensation)
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will make a statement on the implications for compensation of investors who have been improperly advised by a firm of its takeover by another; [24752]

  (2) what plans he has for compensation to be paid to investors who have been wrongly advised by financial advisers before the coming into force of the Financial Services Act 1986. [24731]

  Mr. Nelson
  Investors who were given advice which breaches the rules of a regulator under the Financial Services Act 1986 once the relevant provisions of the Act came into force and who suffer loss as a result may be entitled to compensation. This compensation comes either from the firm concerned, or from the investors compensation scheme if the firm defaults. In either case, compensation payments are not affected by any takeover.

  Compensation for wrong advice given before the Financial Services Act came into force is a private matter between the investor and the firm concerned. The Government do not intend to provide for compensation to be paid in respect of loss suffered as a result of bad advice given before the relevant provision of the Act came into force.

  Long-term Investment
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Governor of the Bank of England regarding long-term investment in British industry. [25021]

  Mr. Nelson
  My right hon. and learned Friend and I meet regularly with the Governor to discuss the prospects for inflation and the current state of the economy, including long-term investment in British industry. Recent figures for investment show some very encouraging signs. For example, in the fourth quarter of 1994, manufacturing investment in plant and machinery was over 10 per cent, up on a year earlier.

  Retail Prices Index
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide forecasts of the percentage change on the previous financial year for the retail prices index
  467
  excluding and including mortgage interest payments for 1994–95 and 1995–96. [25198]

  Mr. Nelson
  The November "Financial Statement and Budget Report" forecast that underlying inflation would be 2¼ per cent, in the second quarter of 1995 and 2½ per cent, both in the fourth quarter of 1995 and in the second quarter of 1996. These forecasts will be updated in the summer economic forecast.

  Oil and Gas Revenues
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the cumulative total for Government revenues from oil and gas production from 1979–80 to 1995–96 expressed in 1995–96 prices. [25195]

  Sir George Young
  Total revenues to the Exchequer from North sea oil and gas production from 1979–80 to 1995–96, at 1995–96 prices, are expected to be £128 billion.

  Currency Values
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the tests which he applies in considering whether a currency is overvalued. [25476]

  Mr. Nelson
  The values of currencies are determined in foreign exchange markets. The Government do not have a target for sterling's exchange rate.

  Procurement Strategy
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a statement on the Government's procurement strategy. [25927]

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I am today presenting to Parliament a White Paper entitled "Setting New Standards: A Strategy for Government Procurement", Cm 2840. Copies of the White Paper are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  With the development of the Government's policies for private finance, market testing, contracting out and internal markets, Departments are doing more of their business than ever before through procurement as against in-house provision. The annual spend is now about £40 billion a year and, in addition, purchasing authorities in the national health service internal market spend more than £20 billion. These policies have brought immense benefits to the country. Their full potential has still to be realised. The more procurement there is, the more important it becomes that Government Departments should make a first-class job of it. The Government owe nothing less to citizens, taxpayers and suppliers. Ten years have passed since the Government's first major statement on procurement strategy, in 1984. That statement, which came to be known as the Government's purchasing initiative, was an excellent beginning but much has happened since then. The Government now need a new strategy to carry it forward for the next 10 years and beyond. "Setting New Standards" provides this strategy. Key points from the strategy include:
  A clear objective throughout Government, and at all levels of management, to achieve world-class standards in procurement.
  A broader interpretation of procurement to cover all non-pay, non-transfer expenditure.
  A continuing emphasis on fair competition, as being the cornerstone of good procurement, coupled with constructive co-operation between customers and suppliers.
  468
  Emphasis on integrated procurement processes focused on whole-life costs and benefits, non-short-term lowest price, and on intelligent management of risks.
  A step change in professionalism and skill development among officials with procurement responsibilities.
  A clear pinning of responsibility on contract managers and project sponsors, supported by multi-disciplinary teams.
  An agenda for benchmarking of processes and performance to world standards.
  A new statement of good practice designed to promote fair competition, constructive co-operation between customers and suppliers, and world-class suppliers.

  The objectives of Government procurement are to achieve best value for taxpayers' money and to increase the competitiveness of their suppliers. The strategy set out in "Setting New Standards" is therefore an essential part of the Government's commitment to improved competitiveness, described in "Competitiveness: Forging Ahead", Cm 2867, which my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade is publishing today.

  Civil Service Appointments
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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. [21777]

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 1 May 1995]: The information for the Treasury and the Chancellor of the Exchequer's four agencies is as follows:

  HM Treasury

  Administrative assistant

  Administrative officer

  Permanent

  Casual

  Permanent

  Casual

  Q4 1993

  3

  6

  0

  4

  Q1 1994

  1

  6

  0

  3

  Q2 1994

  1

  0

  0

  2

  Q3 1994

  6

  1

  11

  3

  Q4 1994

  0

  7

  0

  2

  Q1 1995

  0

  6

  0

  0

  Total (52)

  11

  26

  1

  14

  Notes:

  Dates refer to date of taking up post.

  1 Transferred from MOD.

  Central Statistical Office

  Administrative assistant

  Administrative officer

  Permanent

  Casual

  Permanent

  Casual

  Q4 1993

  0

  8

  3

  †11

  Q1 1994

  0

  26

  3

  †18

  Q2 1994

  0

  11

  *2

  †25

  Q3 1994

  *1

  13

  1

  †25

  Q4 1994

  0

  5

  *1

  †19

  Q1 1995

  0

  4

  *1

  †23

  Total (200)

  1

  67

  1

  121

  Notes:

  Dates refer to date of taking up post.

  Includes † 6 fixed-term appointments (1993).

  * 4 transfers (1994).

  † 18 fixed-term appointments (1994).

  * 1 transfer (1995).

  † 17 fixed-term appointments (1995).
  469

  Royal Mint

  Administrative assistant

  Administrative Officer

  Permanent

  Casual

  Permanent

  Casual

  Q4 1993

  14

  1

  0

  3

  Q1 1994

  0

  15

  0

  1

  Q2 1994

  0

  1

  0

  4

  Q3 19942

  0

  0

  3

  1

  Q4 19942

  0

  1

  0

  11

  Q1 19952

  0

  6

  2

  15

  Total (38)

  4

  14

  5

  15

  Notes:

  Dates refer to date of taking up post.

  1Includes 1 transfer, 2 part-time AA (1993)

  1 part-time AA/1 part-time AO (1994)

  1 part-time AO (1995)

  2From 1 August 1994 recruitment is to Royal Mint equivalent grades.

  Paymaster

  Administrative assistant

  Administrative officer

  Permanent

  Casual

  Permanent

  Casual

  Q4 1993

  0

  2.5

  0

  0.5

  Q1 1994

  0

  31

  0

  31

  Q2 1994

  0

  11

  0

  1

  Q3 1994

  0

  24

  0

  0

  Q4 1994

  0

  211

  0

  2

  Q1 19952

  0

  20.51

  0

  0

  Total (78.5)

  0

  72

  0

  6.5

  Notes:

  Dates refer to date of taking up post.

  1 Includes 13 fee paid AA/3 fee paid AO/1 short notice AA contract (1994)

  3 fee-paid AA (1995).

  Valuation Office

  Administrative assistant

  Administrative officer

  Permanent

  Casual

  Permanent

  Casual

  Q4 1993

  34

  172

  1

  6

  Q1 1994

  11

  1157

  0

  111

  Q2 1994

  18

  1508

  0

  32

  Q3 1994

  6

  1170

  0

  113

  Q4 1994

  7

  1146

  0

  118

  Q1 1995

  7

  1204

  2

  110

  Total (1,533)

  83

  1,357

  3

  90

  Notes:

  Dates refer to date of taking up post.

  1 Includes 465 fixed-term appointment AA/31 fixed-term appointment AO (1994).

  47 fixed-term appointment AA/4 fixed-term appointment AO (1995).

  Income Tax
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish estimates of the revenue cost of (i) allowances set against income tax and (ii) reliefs set against income tax for(a) the top 1 per cent, of taxpayers, (b) the top 5 per cent., (c) the top 10 per cent., (d) the top 25 per cent., (e) the top 50 per cent., (f) the top 70 per cent, and (g) all taxpayers. [23348]

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 9 May 1995]: Estimated full-year revenue costs at 1995–96 income levels are in the table. Separate costings have been produced for allowances and reliefs. The combined cost of both allowances and reliefs would be greater than the
  470
  sum of the individual figures. Since 1979, income tax rates have been lowered and real incomes have increased by 40 per cent.

  Cost of Allowances and Reliefs

  Group of taxpayers

  Allowances £ billion

  Reliefs £ billion

  Top 1 per cent.

  0.4

  0.7

  Top 5 per cent.

  2.1

  1.9

  Top 10 per cent.

  4.1

  2.9

  Top 25 per cent.

  8.3

  4.6

  Top 50 per cent.

  15.0

  6.5

  Top 70 per cent.

  20.3

  7.3

  All taxpayers

  27.8

  7.7

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the increase in income tax in 1995–96 compared with the 1992–93 indexed regime broken down into the top 1 per cent., top 5 per cent., top 10 per cent., top 50 per cent, and bottom 50 per cent., showing the total increase and the average loss. [23351]

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 9 May 1995]: Provisional estimates are given in the table. These figures reflect a larger working population and the fact that more people are better off—real incomes have grown by 40 per cent, since 1979—both largely due to economic growth.

  Total increase and average increase in 1995–96 compared with 1992–93 indexed regime.

  Group of taxpayers

  Total increase in income tax £million

  Average increase in income tax £

  Top 1 per cent.

  190

  740

  Top 5 per cent.

  910

  710

  Top 10 per cent.

  1,540

  600

  Top 50 per cent.

  3,390

  260

  Bottom 50 per cent.

  1,120

  90

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update his answer to the hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson), of 1 July 1993,Official Report, columns 598–600, providing estimates for 1995–96 and 1996–97 of the revenue yield of introducing upper limits for tax allowances and reliefs, and the number of individuals affected. [23522]

  Sir George Young [holding answer 9 May 1995]: Since the married couple's allowance and mortgage interest relief are now given at a rate of 15 per cent., the terms of the original question are no longer meaningful.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate, on the same basis as in his answer to the hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson) of 30 November 1993,Official Report, columns 385–86, (a) the total income, earned and unearned, (b) the total national insurance contributions and (c) the total income tax paid by (i) the top 1 per cent., (ii) the top 5 per cent., (iii) the top 10 per cent., (iv) the bottom 50 per cent, and (v) all taxpayers in 1983–84, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1995–96. [24370]
  471
  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 16 May 1995]: Final estimates for 1992–93 and provisional estimates for 1993–94 to 1995–96 based on a projection of the 1992–93 survey of personal incomes are given in the table. The estimates of total income relate to income subject to tax and exclude non-taxable income such as certain social security benefits. These figures reflect a larger working population and the fact that more people are better off—real incomes have grown by 40 per cent, since 1979—both largely due to economic growth.

  Quantile group of taxpayers Per cent.

  Total income £ million

  Income tax liability £ million

  Employees' and self-employed national insurance contributions £ million

  1992–93

  Top 1

  29,300

  9,500

  300

  Top 5

  72,000

  19,800

  1,600

  Top 10

  108,100

  26,500

  3,100

  Bottom 50

  96,900

  8,000

  4,000

  All taxpayers

  373,700

  60,700

  16,300

  1993–94

  Top 1

  30,000

  9,800

  300

  Top 5

  74,300

  20,500

  1,700

  Top 10

  111,700

  27,600

  3,400

  Bottom 50

  97,300

  8,200

  3,900

  All taxpayers

  382,800

  63,200

  17,200

  1994–95

  Top 1

  31,800

  10,700

  400

  Top 5

  78,300

  22,600

  1,900

  Top 10

  117,500

  30,400

  3,900

  Bottom 50

  99,400

  9,000

  4,400

  All taxpayers

  398,500

  69,000

  19,900

  1995–96

  Top 1

  33,700

  11,400

  400

  Top 5

  82,700

  24,100

  2,000

  Top 10

  124,400

  32,700

  4,100

  Bottom 50

  104,300

  9,800

  4,500

  All taxpayers

  420,900

  74,600

  20,800

  Gross Domestic Product
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has of the total gross domestic product for 2000–01. [25676]

  Mr. Aitken
  For projections of growth in total gross domestic product up to 1999–2000, I refer the hon. Member to the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1995–96", table 3A.2, a copy of which can be found in the House Library.

  PA Consulting Group
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidelines he has issued to other Government Departments in relation to the use of PA Consulting Group, pending the outcome of the tax compliance inquiries by the special compliance office of the Inland Revenue; and if he will make a statement. [23869]

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 15 May 1995]: The tax affairs of this company are, like those of all taxpayers, protected by strict rules of confidentiality.
  472
  Analyses for the earlier years are not available, but extensive analyses of the distribution of income and income tax are published as follows:

  Year

  Publication

  1983–84

  The Survey of Personal Incomes 1983–84

  1984–85

  The Survey of Personal Incomes 1984–85

  1985–86

  Inland Revenue Statistics 1988

  1986–87

  Inland Revenue Statistics 1989

  1987–88

  Inland Revenue Statistics 1990

  1988–89

  Inland Revenue Statistics 1991

SCOTLAND

  Agricultural Colleges
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the development, funding and future of the Scottish agricultural colleges. [24085]

  Sir Hector Monro
  The three former Scottish agricultural colleges at Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Auchincruive were merged into a single Scottish Agricultural College in 1990. The administrative and financial relationship between the college and the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department is set out in a memorandum of understanding, which recognises that the board of the college is solely responsible for the conduct of its business. It also places a requirement on the college, in line with the Government's policy, to find an increasing proportion of its funding from sources other than SOAFD, and I have no plans to change the present policy. In 1995–96 the grant in aid from SOAFD to the college will be £19.7 million.

  Drug Dealers
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what powers are available to local authorities, housing associations, housing co-operatives and the private rented sector to evict people convicted of drug dealing and drug-related offences; what plans has he to introduce further measures; and if he will make a statement. [24093]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 8 March 1995,Official Report, column 227.

  I have no plans to introduce further measures specifically in relation to people convicted of drug dealing and drug-related offences, but I am issuing a consultation paper to local authorities and other bodies seeking their views on the introduction of probationary tenancies to help to deal with anti-social behaviour more generally.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what measures he plans to introduce to support the chief constable and officers of Strathclyde police in their efforts to bring drug dealers, money lenders and professional intimidators to justice; and if he will make a statement; [24133]

  (2) what further measures he plans to deal with drug dealing and illegal money lending; what plans he has to introduce any pilot measures in the Paisley area; and if he will make a statement. [24058]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Decisions about tackling drug dealing and illegal money lending and about bringing professional intimidators to justice are operational matters for the police. My right hon. Friend will continue to seek to ensure that the police have adequate resources and equipment to tackle the full range of policing requirements for which they have responsibility.

  Braille Ballot Papers
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to introduce Braille ballot papers for local elections in Scotland. [24109]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There are no plans to do so.

  Buses
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to introduce measures to ensure that deregulated bus companies are required to provide local services until at least 10 pm; and if he will make a statement. [24057]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to introduce measures to regulate service provision. It is for bus operators to decide, on the basis of commercial viability, which services will be provided. Local authorities may, however, subsidise routes which

  Local Authority1

  Scottish Homes2

  Housing Associations3

  Housing Co-operative3

  Private Rented4

  Owner Occupied4

  Owner Occupied4

  (i) Renfrew

  27,524

  4,391

  2,262

  0

  2,088

  42,221

  (ii) Eastwood

  1,602

  10

  95

  0

  654

  20,475

  474
  they consider are socially necessary, including off-peak and late-night services.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the impact of deregulated bus services in Scotland, particularly in relation to evening and late-night services; and if he will make a statement. [24056]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  An independent study of the effect of privatisation and deregulation on the former Scottish Bus Group companies was commissioned by the Scottish Office from the transport operations research group at Newcastle university. The TORG report was published in 1993 and concluded that deregulation of the bus industry in Scotland has stimulated competition, increased efficiency and made more cost-effective the provision of socially necessary services, including off-peak and late-night services.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest assessment of the impact that the provisions of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1994 will have on the occupation of office buildings in each Scottish region post-1996; what assessment he has made of the effect on property prices in each region; and if he will make a statement. [24061]

  Mr. Kynoch
  My right hon. Friend will be issuing shortly for comment a draft property transfer order which will set down broad guidelines for the transfer of property to the new councils. Only when the councils work through that process will it be possible for them to assess the extent of surplus property and possible ramifications for the property market.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of compulsory redundancies during the transition from the current local government structure in Scotland to the new unitary authorities; and if he will make a statement. [24094]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The Government have not made forecasts about the number of compulsory redundancies arising from the move to single-tier councils. Decisions on management of the local authority work force and new staffing structures will be the responsibility of the new councils, but the Government hope that most, if not all, changes can be managed by means of early retirements, voluntary severance and the retraining of existing employees.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) local authority, (b) Scottish Homes, (c) housing association, (d) housing co-operative, (e) private sector rented and (f) owner-occupied homes, are contained within the boundaries of (i) Renfrew district and (ii) Eastwood district; and how many will be contained within the boundaries of the new unitary authorities of (1) Renfrewshire and (2) East Renfrewshire, based upon current figures. [24095]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The available information is set out in the table:
  475

  Local Authority1

  Scottish Homes2

  Housing Associations3

  Housing Co-operative3

  Private Rented4

  Owner Occupied4

  (1)Renfrewshire

  24,410

  3,339,

  2.020

  0

  1,967

  36,920

  (2)East Renfrewshire

  4,716

  1,062

  337

  0

  775

  25,776

  Notes:

  1 Source: The Scottish Office. Estimates at 30 September 1995.

  2 Source: Scottish Homes. Figures at 1 May 1995. Estimates for Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire calculated using breakdown in 1991 census of population.

  3 Source: Scottish Homes. Figures at 31 March 1995. Estimates for Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire calculated using breakdown in 1991 census of population.

  4 Estimates based on 1991 census of population.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest estimate of the number of job losses created by the provisions of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1994; and if he will make a statement. [24098]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The Government have estimated that the move to single-tier local authorities will result in a reduction in posts in a range between 220 and 1,800. The eventual number of jobs in the unitary councils will, however, depend on decisions taken by them in the light of the services to be provided.

  Railway Stations (Disabled Access)
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet representatives of ScotRail, Railtrack and Strathclyde regional council to discuss the provision of disabled access to (a) Johnstpne High station, (b) Gilmour Street station in Paisley and (c) Milliken Park station in Johnstone; and if he will make a statement. [24121]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to meet representatives of the organisations listed to discuss the specific issue of disabled access to stations in Paisley and Johnstone. I understand however that plans have been advanced to provide disabled access to Gilmour Street station and further improvements at Milliken Park. Johnstone High station already has disabled access facilities.

  Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance he has issued to health boards in Scotland relating to the diagnosis, recognition and treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis; and if he will make a statement. [24075]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  As a matter of principle, the Government do not issue clinical guidance, since that is the responsibility of the medical profession.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will support the campaign to make the people of Scotland more aware of myalgic encephalomyelitis, if he will increase official recognition of the disease; and if he will make a statement. [24099]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  We recognise myalgic encephalomyelitis as a potentially debilitating and distressing complex, and would support informed efforts to raise awareness of the condition, which is increasingly being referred to as chronic fatigue syndrome.

  We have awarded the ME Association a three-year core grant under the National Health Service (Scotland) Act
  476
  1978. One of the association's main aims is to increase public awareness of the condition.

  Paisley Pattern Design
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet the chairman of Scottish Enterprise to discuss the potential of the Paisley pattern design in the economic regeneration of Renfrewshire; and if he will make a statement. [24135]

  Mr. Kynoch
  My right hon. Friend meets the chairman of Scottish Enterprise regularly to discuss a range of issues.

  Local economic initiatives generally fall to be pursued by the local enterprise companies. While my right hon. Friend is aware of the planned initiative by Renfrewshire Enterprise and Renfrew district council to promote for economic development purposes the link between the Paisley pattern design and the town of Paisley, he has no plans at present to discuss these with the chairman of Scottish Enterprise.

  Construction Industry
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what policy his Department has put to the working groups on the Latham report as to the desirability of a single exclusive register for public sector work. [24357]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Office Environment Department has expressed no policy view to the working groups as to the desirability of an exclusive register. It is participating in the Capita Management Consultancy Ltd. study and will consider the results before reaching conclusions.

  Flood Prevention
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will introduce a flood prevention Bill for Scotland. [24067]

  Sir Hector Monro
  There are no plans to introduce such a Bill. The powers available to local authorities under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961 are already sufficient to enable authorities to act in the public interest.

  Johnstone
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will visit Johnstone to assess the success of the multi-agency investment in Houston square in the town's main shopping centre; if he will also visit derelict buildings in high street, Johnstone, to assess how this multi-agency approach to investment could be extended; and if he will make a statement. [24071]
  477
  Mr. Kynoch
  My right hon. Friend has no immediate plans to visit Johnstone. He is aware, however, of the Houston square project in Johnstone which is due to be completed shortly and has been financed by Renfrewshire Enterprise, Renfrew district council and the European Commission. The need for further investment in Johnstone is, in the first instance, a matter for the local agencies concerned.

  Law Reform
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will introduce a bill which brings forward further measures to outlaw and punish (a) illegal intimidation and harassing of potential witnesses, (b) illegal possession of shotguns, (c) illicit drugs dealing and (d) illegal money lending. [24131]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to introduce such a Bill.

  A combination of Scots common law offences and a wide range of statutory measures ensures that all these activities are already illegal. The maximum penalties available for these common law and statutory offences enable the courts to punish severely those who are convicted of serious offences.

  Illegal Money Lending
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what are the maximum penalties for those convicted of illegal money lending; what plans he has to stiffen the maximum sentences; and if he will make a statement. [24091]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The penalties would depend upon the specific charges brought and proved and whether the case was prosecuted summarily or on indictment. These are matters for my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Advocate.

  Solicitor-General for Scotland
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what parliamentary facilities are available to a Solicitor-General for Scotland who is not a member of either House of Parliament; if a holder of this position in such circumstances benefits from the use of a ministerial car; what is his annual salary; how it relates to ministerial salaries, how it is voted by each House; and if he will make a statement. [24115]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The privileges accorded to the Solicitor-General for Scotland, when not a member of the House of Commons, are as follows:

  (a) Access to the Members' Lobby

  (b) Admission to a seat under the Gallery

  (c) Access to:

  (i) The Strangers Dining Room

  (ii) The Churchill Room

  (iii) The Strangers' Bar;

  A holder of this position has the use of a ministerial car shared with the Lord Advocate.

  The salary of the Solicitor-General for Scotland with effect from 1 January 1995 is £47,697. It is a ministerial salary which is voted as part of the total expenditure of the Crown Office, Procurator Fiscal Service and Lord Advocate's Department.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the(a) name and (b) period of
  478
  office of Solicitors-General for Scotland since 1965 who have been members of neither House of Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [24114]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is as follows:

  Name

  Period for which Solicitor-General not a member of either House

  Henry Stephen Wilson

  1965–67

  Ewan George Francis Stewart

  1967–70

  David William Robert Brand

  1970–72

  William Ian Stewart

  1972–74

  John Herbert McCluskey

  1974–76

  Peter Lovat Fraser

  1987–89

  Alan Ferguson Rodger

  1989–92

  Thomas Cordner Dawson

  1992–95

  Donald Sage Mackay

  1995–

  Ombudsman
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how hon. Members and individual members of the public should refer cases involving Scottish Homes and housing associations for consideration by the appropriate ombudsman. [24078]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Details of how hon. Members and individual members of the public refer cases to the parliamentary ombudsman, the local government ombudsman and the housing association ombudsman are set out in information leaflets which give guidance on the procedure to be followed when lodging complaints, including those against Scottish Homes and housing associations. Copies of these leaflets are available in the House of Commons Library.

  Windyhill Farm, Elderslie
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current position on the proposal by Scottish Aggregates to turn Windyhill farm, Elderslie into a quarry; and if he will make a statement. [24086]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The Reporter is presently considering comments received from parties in regard to part 1 of her report containing the summary of evidence and her findings of fact. The revised part 1 will shortly be re-circulated to parties. Thereafter, the Reporter will complete her report with recommendations and submit it to my right hon. Friend. A decision on this application is expected in late summer.

  Polling Station Ramps
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest estimate of the amount expended in the 1995 local elections in Scotland on the provision of temporary ramps for access to polling stations; what assessment was made of the comparative cost and cost benefit of providing permanent ramps instead; and if he will make a statement. [24110]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Grants are not made towards the cost of temporary ramps for use at local government elections. However, grants are available towards the cost of temporary ramps to be used at parliamentary and European parliamentary elections. A
  479
  total of £11,914 has been paid in the last three financial years. Temporary ramps purchased for parliamentary and European parliamentary elections can be made available for local government elections and for other purposes by arrangement with the returning officer. Grants are not available towards the cost of building permanent ramps.

  Foxes
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many fox destruction clubs or societies are registered in Scotland; what is the level of assistance they currently receive; what guidelines he issues on how these societies destroy foxes; what guidelines he has issued on the number of foxes to be destroyed; how the fox population is assessed; and if he will make a statement. [24126]

  Sir Hector Monro
  Grants are paid to 29 societies or clubs throughout Scotland to meet 50 per cent. of the approved cost of carrying out systematic fox control within a clearly defined area of adequate size. Grants amounting to £68,000 were paid in 1994–95. Records are not kept of clubs not in receipt of grant.

  Foxes may be killed legally by shooting, snaring or cage trapping followed by humane dispatch. The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department does not advise on the number of foxes to be destroyed. The fox is not an endangered species and there is no reason to engage in regular surveys.

  Scottish Council for Spastics Centre
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will visit the residential centre operated by the Scottish Council for Spastics at Wallace court in Elderslie to assess the value of such initiatives. [24134]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to visit the centre. However, the Government fully recognise the contribution made by the council in meeting the care needs of people with cerebral palsy and other disabled people with similar needs.

  Argyll and Clyde Health Board
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many complaints were received by Argyll and Clyde health board in each year since 1980 until the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [24159]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not available for the full period requested. Information about complaints has been collected centrally since January 1993. The number of complaints received by Argyll and Clyde health board for the period 1 January 1993 to 31 March 1994 and the nine months to 31 December 1994 is as follows:1 January 1993–31 March 1994: 263
  1 April 1994–31 December 1994: 75

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which facilities, units and buildings within the area of Argyll and Clyde health board have not been transferred to NHS trusts; which of these are seeking, or are likely to seek, trust status within the next year; and if he will make a statement. [24124]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There are no remaining facilities which the Argyll and Clyde health 480
  board either requires or intends to transfer to NHS trusts in its area.

  Play Areas (Safety Surfacing)
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidelines he has issued to local authorities to encourage the provision of safety surfacing on play areas; what special financial provision he has made available to local authorities to encourage and enable them to meet this need; and if he will make a statement. [24090]

  Mr. Kynoch
  My right hon. Friend has not issued any guidelines on the provision of safety surfacing for play areas. However, local authorities should be aware of the new British standard on impact-absorbing playground surfaces which came into effect on 31 August 1989. On the question of special financial provision, there are no plans to target resources in this way. Local authorities have complete freedom to determine their own priorities from within the total resources available to them. It is therefore for individual local authorities to consider whether safety surfacing of play areas is a priority and, if so, to direct the necessary resources towards it.

  Dykebar Hospital, Paisley
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last discusses the future of Dykebar hospital, Paisley with representatives of(a) Argyll and Clyde health board and (b) Renfrewshire Healthcare trust; and if he will make a statement. [24106]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My noble and learned Friend the Minister of State meets the chairmen of health boards and NHS trusts in Scotland from time to time when he discusses a range of matters.

  The future of Dykebar hospital will be considered in the context of Argyll and Clyde health board's community care plan which is still in preparation. Once finished, the plan will be subject to extensive public consultation.

  Security Companies
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to introduce a licensing scheme for security companies; and if he will make a statement. [24157]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has no immediate plans to do so, but he will be considering the position on the publication of the report of the Home Affairs Select Committee inquiry into the private security industry in England and Wales. This report is expected shortly.

  NHS Acute Beds
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last discussed with any member or official of the Greater Glasgow health board the acute bed strategy; what changes he suggested; and if he will make a statement. [24040]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right Friend has been kept informed by the health board as its strategy has developed. Public consultation on the acute elements of the board's strategy ended on 30 April; consultation on the maternity services elements is still under way. I expect
  481
  the health board to submit its proposals formally for my right hon. Friend's consideration once it has considered the response to the consultation exercise.

  Mortgage Repossessions
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many court actions relating to mortgage repossessions in Paisley were heard in Paisley sheriff court in each year since 1980; and if he will make a statement. [24068]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Comprehensive information is not available in the form requested, but 206 such actions were initiated at Paisley sheriff court in 1994 and decrees in absence were granted in 188 actions at the court during the same 12-month period.

  Operation Dragon
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on Operation Dragon in Strathclyde. [24084]

  Lord James Douglas Hamiliton
  My right hon. Friend fully supports the chief constable of Strathclyde police in mounting of Operation Dragon which is well organised and well resourced. The objective of the operation is to curb the recent outbreak of violent crime and to enable the police to identify and arrest those responsible. A number of arrests have been made and the police have recovered a number of shotguns and ammunition, handguns and replica handguns. The operation is continuing.

  Temazepam
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the maximum penalities for those convicted of the illegal dealing in the drug temazepam; what plans he has to stiffen such sentences; and if he will make a statement. [24092]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Offences under Sections 4(3) and 5(3) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 in relation to the supply of, or intent to supply, class C drugs, including temazepam, carry a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment and/or a fine of up to £2,500 when tried on indictment.

  The maximum fine for these offences was increased from £500 to £2,500 as recently as February of this year, when the relevant section of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 came into effect. There are no present plans to increase further the maximum penalties available to the courts for such offences.

  Returning Officers
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the amount paid or payable to each returning officer in Scotland at the 1995 local elections; what out-of-pocket expenses had to be met from these payments; what was the level of payment to each other grade involved in these elections; and if he will make a statement. [24108]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not collected centrally. Returning officers' fees and expenses and other costs relating to the conduct of local government elections are met by the local authority. A total of £5 million was, however, made available 482
  exceptionally by the Scottish Office to regional councils to cover the cost of the elections to the shadow councils in April.

  Scottish Homes
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current and specific remit of the national housing agency, Scottish Homes. [24116]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Housing (Scotland) Act 1988 established Scottish Homes and gave it a wide range of functions and powers to promote housing in Scotland. Scottish Homes' current aim, which reflects the Government's objective for housing in Scotland and is endorsed by my right hon. Friend, is to ensure the quality of housing and variety of housing options available in Scotland are substantially improved. It has six specific main objectives to achieve this aim. These were set out in Scottish Homes' recently published strategic plan for the period up to 1997–98.

  Electricity Prices
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his oral statement of 9 May,Official Report, column 565, if he will break down into its constituent parts the components of his forecast of an 8 per cent. fall in electricity prices in Scotland with particular reference to savings accruing from the ending of the nuclear premium. [24146]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The premium element in the price which Scottish Nuclear receives for its output from Scottish Power and Hydro-Electric under the nuclear energy agreement began to reduce in 1994–95. It was due to end entirely in 1998–99. The Government have now decided that the remaining element of the premium will not continue until 1998; instead it will be ended at the point of privatising Scottish Nuclear's two advanced gas-cooled reactor stations. It is proposed that changes will be made in the supply price control to ensure that the savings to Scottish Power and Hydro-Electric will be passed through to Scottish franchise customers. The Office of Electricity Regulation has calculated that the removal of the premium between 1994–95 and 1996–97 will result in franchise electricity prices in Scotland reducing by around 8 per cent. in real terms over that period.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the net effect on electricity bills per household in Scotland of the premature abolition of the nuclear premium under the Government's plans to privatise the nuclear industry. [24502]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The premium element in the price which Scottish Nuclear receives for its output from Scottish Power and Hydro-Electric under the nuclear energy agreement began to reduce in 1994–95. It was due to end entirely in 1998–99. The Government have now decided that the remaining element of the premium will not continue until 1998 but will be ended at the point of privatising Scottish Nuclear's two AGR stations. At that time, changes will be made in the supply price control to ensure that the resultant savings to Scottish Power and Hydro-Electric are passed through to Scottish franchise customers. The Office of Electricity Regulation has
  483
  calculated that the removal of the premium between 1994–95 and 1996–97 will result in franchise electricity prices in Scotland reducing by around 8 per cent. in real terms over that period, of which around 3 to 4 per cent. will be delivered in 1996–97.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Derek Bentley
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will review the release dates set by his predecessors for papers in the Derek Bentley case to conform fully with subsequent legal rulings on the obligations of the Home Office to disclose information; [24910]

  (2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the report submitted to his Department by the investigating officer on behalf of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis regarding inconsistencies in the evidence, including evidence not available to the court or the public, relating to the case of Derek Bentley. [24936]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question of 18 May, at columns 363–64.

  Probation Services, Mid Glamorgan
  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of the newly formed unitary authorities will have responsibility for the provision of probation services currently provided by officers of Mid Glamorgan county council in(a) the Rhymney Valley, (b) Merthyr, (c) Aberdare and (d) Porth (e) Bridgend. [25050]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Local authorities contribute to the costs of, but do not have responsibility for, the provision of probation services. Such services are provided by probation committees. The Mid Glamorgan probation committee is responsible for the provision of services in its area. On 16 May, our intention to make changes to the Mid Glamorgan probation area was announced, and I refer the hon. Member to the answer

  Table 7.3: Receptions into prison in default of payment of a fine: by period and sex, 1974–84

  Number of persons

  Period imposed in default

  1974

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  Males

  Up to and including 1 week

  1,000

  1,032

  1,015

  1,526

  3,606

  3,624

  3,210

  3,670

  4,052

  3,726

  3,576

  Over 1 week up to and including 2 weeks

  1,875

  1,751

  1,705

  1,660

  2,937

  3,101

  2,731

  3,801

  4,468

  4,183

  4,480

  Over 2 weeks up to and including 1 month

  3,487

  3,669

  3,646

  3,371

  4,494

  5,208

  5,011

  7,425

  9,283

  9,086

  8,154

  Over 1 month up to and including 2 months

  3,215

  3,749

  4,208

  4,113

  2,710

  2,689

  2,629

  3,583

  3,867

  3,517

  3,099

  Over 2 months up to and including 3 months

  1,959

  2,799

  3,645

  3,617

  1,304

  948

  927

  1,063

  1,070

  966

  684

  Over 3 months up to and including 6 months

  516

  717

  903

  838

  467

  484

  434

  474

  391

  406

  258

  Over 6 months

  62

  85

  73

  59

  29

  38

  34

  30

  37

  36

  24

  Total

  12,114

  13,802

  15,195

  15,184

  15,547

  16,092

  14,976

  20,046

  23,168

  21,920

  20,275

  Females

  Up to and including 1 week

  71

  41

  55

  89

  249

  223

  230

  214

  252

  289

  439

  Over 1 week up to and including 2 weeks

  87

  112

  106

  144

  213

  263

  236

  287

  323

  314

  376

  Over 2 weeks up to and including 1 month

  233

  262

  247

  273

  280

  306

  331

  425

  530

  499

  485

  Over 1 month up to and including 2 months

  64

  122

  184

  188

  100

  119

  123

  136

  157

  165

  149

  Over 2 months up to and including 3 months

  44

  63

  109

  132

  41

  31

  33

  33

  39

  40

  33

  484
  given to the hon. Member for High Peak (Mr. Hendry) of that date, at columns 189–90.

  Probation Service, South Glamorgan
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total grant given by his Department to South Glamorgan probation service this year and each of the last three years in(a) cash terms and (b) real terms. [25602]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  Information is given in the table.

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  Cash terms

  2,642,191

  2,785,037

  3,038,229

  2,018,655

  Real terms

  2,642,191

  2,702,345

  2,890,215

  2,781,206

  The figures are in terms of specific grant cash limits. In addition to the cash terms figure shown for 1995–96, a further £202,486 is added to support probation service partnerships with the independent sector previously funded by the Home Office.

  Fine Defaulters
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were imprisoned because of default on fines levied by the courts in the last year for which figures are available, and in each of the previous 20 years. [25318]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Responsibility for this mater 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. Alun Michael, dated 22 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about how many people were imprisoned because of fine default on fines levied by the courts in the last year for which figures are available, and in each of the previous 20 years.
  Provisional information shows that 22,400 persons in 1993 and 22,700 persons in 1994 were received into Prison Service establishments in England and Wales for fine default. Information for earlier years is published in "Prison Statistics, England and Wales" (Table 7.1 of the 1992 edition, Cm 2581), an extract of which is attached.

  485

  Table 7.3: Receptions into prison in default of payment of a fine: by period and sex, 1974–84

  Number of persons

  Period imposed in default

  1974

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  Over 3 months up to and including 6 months

  8

  12

  14

  27

  9

  9

  7

  10

  21

  12

  4

  Over 6 months

  1

  3

  1

  3

  3

  1

  2

  2

  2

  2

  —

  Total

  508

  615

  716

  856

  895

  952

  962

  1,107

  1,324

  1,321

  1,486

  Males and females total

  12,622

  14,417

  15,911

  16,040

  16,442

  17,044

  15,938

  21,153

  24,492

  23,241

  21,761

  Source:

  Extract from Prison Statistics England and Wales.

  Table 7.1: Population, receptions and estimated average time spent in Prison Service establishments: by sex, 1982–92 England and Wales

  Fine defaulters

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Population at 30 June

  All fine defaulters

  909

  900

  792

  563

  511

  626

  576

  484

  466

  409

  382

  Males

  871

  854

  752

  540

  491

  598

  549

  460

  441

  397

  359

  Females

  38

  46

  40

  23

  20

  28

  27

  24

  25

  12

  23

  Total sentenced population

  36,000

  35,438

  35,496

  37,344

  36,450

  39,303

  38,548

  38,013

  35,220

  35,114

  35,564

  Fine defaulters as a percentage of total sentenced population

  2.5

  2.5

  2.2

  1.5

  1.4

  1.6

  1.5

  1.3

  1.3

  1.2

  1.1

  Population serving sentences of imprisonment of 6 months or less1

  5,588

  6,006

  6,205

  6,285

  4,787

  4,856

  3,563

  3,744

  3,238

  3,650

  3,621

  Fine defaulters as a percentage of population serving sentences of imprisonment of 6 months or less

  16.3

  15.0

  12.8

  9.0

  10.7

  12.9

  16.2

  12.9

  14.4

  11.2

  10.5

  Receptions

  All fine defaulters

  24,492

  23,241

  21,761

  20,493

  19,159

  18,723

  16,817

  16,985

  16,659

  18,973

  19,826

  Males

  23,168

  21,920

  20,275

  19,108

  18,084

  17,804

  15,881

  16,117

  15,814

  17,997

  18,782

  Females

  1,324

  1,321

  1,486

  1,385

  1,075

  919

  936

  868

  845

  976

  1,044

  All receptions under sentence

  94,377

  93,414

  92,810

  96,189

  86,153

  86,358

  81,836

  76,430

  67,510

  72,313

  69,832

  Fine defaulters as a percentage of all receptions under sentence

  26.0

  24.9

  23.4

  21.3

  22.2

  21.7

  20.5

  22.2

  24.7

  26.2

  28.4

  All receptions under sentence of imprisonment of 6 months or less1

  52,195

  51,415

  50,242

  49,287

  43,109

  41,446

  39,391

  42,209

  36,813

  41,245

  40,509

  Fine defaulters as a percentage of all receptions under sentence of imprisonment of 6 months or less

  46.9

  45.2

  43.3

  41.6

  44.4

  45.2

  42.7

  40.2

  45.3

  46.0

  48.9

  Average time served (days)2

  Males

  14.1

  14.1

  12.9

  11.3

  10.9

  10.9

  9.9

  8.1

  7.0

  7.5

  37.3

  Females

  11.0

  10.1

  8.7

  8.1

  7.9

  8.4

  7.1

  6.0

  6.0

  6.8

  36.8

  1 Excludes detention centre trainees; includes youth custody trainees and persons sentenced to detention in a young offender institution.

  2 Excluding those remaining in custody as fine defaulters on completion of a custodial sentence for criminal offence.

  3 January to June.

  Source:

  Extract from Prison Statistics England and Wales.

  Jewish Burial Ground, London
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he gave approval for the removal of bodies from the Jewish burial ground at Kingsbury road off Balls Pond road, London N1; and what representations he has received about this. [25404]

  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  The Secretary of State's directions with respect to the removal and reinterment of human remains interred in the Jewish burial ground at Kingsbury road, London N1 were given on 13 October 1994, in accordance with the provisions of the Disused Burial Grounds (Amendment) Act 1981. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has since received four letters of representation on the matter. His involvement is limited to ensuring that the removal and reinterment of human remains are carried out with due care and attention to decency. Before any removals can take place, the applicants will be required, under the 1981 Act, to advertise their intentions in the local press, and by 486
  notices posted at the burial ground, so that interested parties may have the opportunity to object to the proposals.

  Consultancy Costs
  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the level of expenditure on consultancy by (i) the Home Office and (ii) agencies for which the Home Office is responsible for(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) the projected figure for 1995–96. [25522]

  Mr. Howard
  Information on the level of expenditure for consultancy contracts let by the Home Office, and agencies for which the Home Office is responsible, during the period specified is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Majority Shareholdings
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those companies in which the holder of his office is a majority shareholder which(a) are currently in existence and (b) have been wound up in the past five years. [25715]

  Mr. Howard
  The Secretary of State for the Home Department is not a major shareholder in any company, nor has he held a majority shareholding in any company which has been wound up in the past five years.

  Mr. Richard Linford
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment was made by(a) Essex police and (b) the Prison Service of Mr. Richard Linford's psychiatric condition prior to his imprisonment. [24691]

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 22 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking what assessment was made by Essex police and the Prison Service of Mr. Richard Linford's psychiatric condition before his imprisonment.
  Mr. Linford was remanded in custody by Chelmsford Magistrates Court on 28 November 1994. The Prison Service did not, therefore, have any opportunity to assess his psychiatric condition prior to his reception into its custody. The matter of what assessment was made of Mr. Linford's psychiatric condition by the police prior to his reception or by the Prison Service after his reception into prison will be one of the questions to be examined in the course of the independent inquiry the Prison Service is jointly commissioning with North Essex Health Authority and Essex Social Services into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Christopher Edwards.

  Secure Mental Hospitals (Manslaughter Detainees)
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 11 May,Official Report, column 554, what proportion of patients with secure mental hospital orders for manslaughter has been given any kind of leave of absence it the last 10 years. [25157]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not available.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 11 May,Official Report, column 554, in which secure mental hospitals each of the patients who pleaded guilty to manslaughter was detained. [25134]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information on the plea entered by defendants is not available centrally for those sentenced to detention in a secure mental hospital. The following information is based on those restricted patients with a hospital order who were sentenced for manslaughter.

  List of hospitals to which each of the patients who were convicted of manslaughter and given a hospital order were initially admitted (1985–94)

  Hospital name

  Admissions

  Broadmoor

  67

  Rampton

  60

  488

  List of hospitals to which each of the patients who were convicted of manslaughter and given a hospital order were initially admitted (1985–94)

  Hospital name

  Admissions

  Ashworth

  158

  Arnold Lodge

  2

  Bexley

  3

  Calderstones

  1

  Camlet Lodge

  2

  Cane Hill

  1

  Caswell Clinic

  2

  Central Hospital, Warwick

  2

  Claybury

  1

  Clent Unit

  1

  Doncaster Gate

  3

  East Glamorgan

  1

  Edenfield Centre

  1

  Fairmile

  1

  Friern

  1

  Goodmayes

  1

  Hackney

  6

  Knapsbury

  2

  Kneesworth

  2

  Knowle

  2

  Langdon

  1

  Long Grove

  2

  Maidstone

  2

  Mapperley

  1

  Moorgreen

  1

  Newton Lodge

  1

  North Wales Hospital

  2

  Northern General, Sheffield

  2

  Northgate

  1

  Norvic Clinic

  2

  Pastures

  1

  Pen y Fai

  1

  Poole Hospital

  5

  Prestwich

  5

  Rainhill

  1

  Reaside

  10

  Roundway

  1

  Runwell

  3

  Scott Clinic

  5

  Severalls

  1

  St. Bernard's, Ealing

  12

  St. James'

  1

  St. Augustine's

  1

  St. Nicholas, Newcastle

  1

  St. Francis, Hayward's Heath

  2

  St. Andrew's, Northampton

  1

  Stanley Royd

  2

  Storthes Hall

  1

  Three Bridges

  4

  Towers

  2

  Trevor Gibbens Unit

  1

  Waddilove's

  1

  Warlingham

  1

  Whittingham

  1

  Winterton

  1

  1 Moss Side and Park Lance merged to become Ashworth in February 1990.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultation is required by his Department before people being detained in secure mental hospitals after conviction for manslaughter with diminished responsibility are released into the community. [23526]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 10 May 1995]: Where such a person is subject to both a hospital and a restriction order, the powers of the responsible medical officer to grant leave to, or discharge, the patient may be

  489
  exercised only with the consent of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State. Discharge may also be directed by a mental health review tribunal. In considering whether it is safe for a restricted patient to be granted leave or discharged, the Home Office takes account of all relevant information including reports by the responsible medical officer and members of the care team.

  Abdelaziz Bouteraa
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assurances his Department has sought regarding the proposed release into the community from Chase Farm hospital of Abdelaziz Bouteraa. [23520]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 10 May 1995]: I am not aware of any current proposal to discharge Mr. Bouteraa from hospital. Mr. Bouteraa has overstayed his permitted leave to remain in the United Kingdom and has been served with a notice of intention to deport him. He has appealed against this decision to the independent appellate authorities. His immigration status will be reviewed in the light of his medical condition and the outcome of appeal proceedings.

  Disclosure Demands
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his oral statement of 16 May,Official Report, columns 167–71, if he will list the criminal cases drawn to his attention which had to be abandoned due to unreasonable demands by defence lawyers for disclosure. [25260]

  Mr. Howard
  Paragraph 15 of the consultation document which I published on 16 May lists examples of cases drawn to my attention which have been abandoned following a court ruling on the disclosure of sensitive material.

  Prison Staff
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of prison staff on the accelerated promotion scheme are women. [25150]

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 22 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of women on the Prison Service Accelerated Promotion Scheme.
  There are, at present, 89 members of the Prison Service on the Accelerated Promotion Scheme, 34 of whom are women.

  Remand Prisoners
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many remand prisoners in England and Wales had been in custody for(a) up to three months, (b) from three to six months, (c) for six to nine months, (d) from nine to 12 months and (e) more than 12 months, on the latest date for which information is available. [24373]
  490
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Gerald Bermingham dated, 22 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about how many remand prisoners in England and Wales had been in custody for (a) up to three months, (b) from three to six months, (c) from six to nine months, (d) from nine to 12 months and (e) more than 12 months, on the latest date for which information is available.
  The latest available provisional data for England and Wales is for 31 December 1994 and is shown in the attached table.

  Remand prisoners in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales by length of time since first reception1 on 31 December 1994

  Time since first remand

  32 December 19942

  Less than 3 months

  6,660

  More than 3 months, up to and including 6 months

  2,660

  More than six months, up to and including 9 months

  940

  More than 9 months, up to and including 12 months

  840

  Over 12 months

  320

  11,420

  1 Awaiting trial or sentence. Time since first reception on remand into a Prison Service establishment. This includes any intervening time spent on bail, but excludes time spent in police cells beforehand.

  2 Rounded estimates which therefore may not add to the totals.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the remand population in England and Wales for the latest available date. [24372]

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Gerald Bermingham, dated 22 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the remand population in England and Wales for the latest available date.
  The latest available figure is for 28 February 1995, when there was a total of 11,970 prisoners on remand in England and Wales, including 124 being held in police cells.

  Crack Cocaine
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been cautioned for possession of crack cocaine in each of the last five years. [24011]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Home Office records show that one person was cautioned for possession of crack cocaine in 1990. Three persons were so cautioned in 1991, and 14 persons in 1992. Information for 1993 is not available separately and that for 1994 is not yet available.

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police stations have
  491
  cautioned persons in respect of possession of crack cocaine in 1994. [24013]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information regarding individual police stations is not collected centrally. The only readily available information regarding cautioning for possession of crack cocaine relates to the years 1990 to 1992 and shows that all but two of the 18 cautions administered during that time were given by the Metropolitan police.

  Women (Sentences)
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the sentenced female population in England and Wales on the latest date available, broken down by type of offence, length of sentence and previous convictions. [24269]

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Dr. Lynne Jones, dated 22 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the sentenced female population in England and Wales on the latest date available, broken down by type of offence, length of sentence and previous convictions.
  The latest date for which figures are available is 28 February 1995. Figures for female population on this date by type of offence and length of sentence are contained in the attached tables.
  The latest available published information on the previous convictions of females was given in "Prison Statistics England and Wales 1992" Cm 2581, Table 5.2, an extract of which is attached.

  Table 5.2: Population in Prison Service establishments under sentence on 30 June 1992: by offence group and previous convictions1 England and Wales

  Number of persons

  Offence group

  All adult females

  Number of preivous convictions2

  nil

  1–2

  3–5

  6–10

  11 and over

  Violence against the person

  158

  60

  20

  20

  20

  20

  Rape

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Other sexual offences

  7

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Burglary

  40

  10

  10

  10

  10

  10

  Robbery

  37

  —

  10

  10

  10

  10

  Theft and handling

  172

  30

  40

  30

  40

  40

  Fraud and forgery

  52

  20

  10

  10

  10

  10

  Drugs offences

  245

  130

  30

  30

  30

  30

  Other offences

  143

  60

  20

  20

  20

  20

  Offence not recorded

  160

  50

  30

  30

  30

  30

  Offences with immediate custodial sentence

  1,016

  360

  160

  160

  160

  170

  Source:

  Extract from: "Prison Statistics England and Wales 1992", Cm 2581.

  1 Estimated using self-reporting of previous I criminal history in the national prison survey 1991 and the distribution of previous convictions in the 1991 prison population. Excludes fine defaulters.

  2 Rounded estimates to the nearest 10, which therefore may not add to the totals.

  Female Prisoners
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional cell and bed space had been made available during the last six months in each female gaol in England and Wales. [24273]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison
  492

  Female sentenced population, England and Wales, on 28 February 1995, by type of offence:1 2

  Offence group

  Violence against the person

  268

  Sexual offences

  11

  Burglary

  51

  Robbery

  93

  Theft and handling

  251

  Fraud and forgery

  92

  Drugs offences

  330

  Other offences

  124

  Offence not recorded

  163

  Total

  1,383

  1 Excludes fine defaulters.

  2 Provisional figures.

  Female sentenced population, England and Wales, on 28 February 1995, by length of sentence1 2

  Sentence length

  Up to and including 3 months

  94

  Over 3 months and up to 6 months

  146

  Over 6 months and up to 12 months

  198

  Over 12 months and up to 18 months

  127

  Over 18 months and up to 3 years

  279

  Over 3 years and up to 4 years

  125

  Over 4 years and up to 5 years

  102

  Over 5 years and up to 10 years

  178

  Over 10 years and less than life

  26

  Life

  106

  Total

  1,383

  1 Excludes fine defaulters

  2 Provisional figures.

  Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Dr. Lynne Jones, dated 22 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the additional cell and bed space made available during the last six months in each female prison in England and Wales.

  493
  Establishments that have provided additional cell and bed space during the last six months are given in the table below:

  Certified Normal Accommodation (CNA) available for use in Female Prison Establishments in England and Wales on 30 November 1994 and 28 April 1995

  CNA in use

  Increase

  Establishment

  30 November 1994

  28 April 1995

  New Hall

  169

  207

  +38

  Risley

  132

  154

  +22

  Winchester

  0

  60

  +60

  Total

  1,948

  2,068

  +120

  Note:

  Cell and bed space in all other female establishments has remained unaltered in the last six months.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the female prisoner

  Table 6: Population in Prison Service establishments under sentece on 30 June by sex and offence group. 1989–94 England and Wales

  Number of persons

  Sex and offence group

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  19941

  MALES

  Offences with immediate custodial sentence

  Violence against the person

  8,449

  7,477

  6,945

  6,893

  7,273

  7,600

  Rape

  1,343

  1,441

  1,508

  1,582

  1,593

  1,650

  Other sexual offences

  1,639

  1,577

  1,585

  1,564

  1,572

  1,650

  Burglary

  7,038

  5,885

  5,082

  5,349

  4,690

  5,100

  Robbery

  4,151

  4,052

  3,990

  4,174

  4,856

  5,040

  Theft and handling

  4,073

  3,042

  2,910

  2,910

  2,578

  3,030

  Fraud and forgery

  937

  795

  791

  800

  826

  890

  Drugs offences

  2,896

  2,829

  2,584

  2,899

  2,900

  3,140

  Motoring offences

  902

  659

  861

  967

  1,045

  1,510

  Other offences

  3,225

  2,621

  2,311

  2,490

  2,248

  2,290

  Offence not recorded2

  1,621

  3,148

  5,002

  4,402

  1,794

  2,060

  All offences

  36,274

  33,526

  33,569

  34,030

  31,375

  33,970

  In default of payment of a fine

  460

  441

  397

  359

  522

  510

  All males all offences

  36,734

  33,967

  33,966

  34,389

  31,897

  34,480

  FEMALES

  Offences with immediate custodial sentence

  Violence against the person

  218

  201

  189

  184

  216

  270

  Rape

  7

  3

  1

  2

  1

  1

  Other sexual offences

  16

  8

  15

  8

  14

  10

  Burglary

  68

  51

  39

  51

  39

  40

  Robbery

  82

  51

  46

  56

  77

  90

  Theft and handling

  230

  203

  175

  190

  207

  230

  Fraud and forgery

  63

  50

  42

  53

  64

  70

  Drugs offences

  317

  318

  272

  259

  308

  320

  Motoring offences

  2

  5

  2

  3

  7

  20

  Other offences

  174

  207

  174

  155

  118

  120

  Offence not recorded2

  78

  131

  181

  191

  74

  100

  All offences

  1,255

  1,228

  1,136

  1,152

  1,125

  1,270

  In default of payment of a fine

  24

  25

  12

  23

  24

  20

  All females all offences

  1,279

  1,253

  1,148

  1,175

  1,149

  1,290

  All males and females

  38,013

  35,220

  35,110

  35,564

  33,046

  35,770

  1 Provisional rounded estimates. Components may not add to totals because they have been rounded independently.

  2 Includes 30 court martial prisoners for 1989 with "not recorded", from 1990 court martial prisoners are included under the appropriate offence.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many female prisoners were received on remand during 1993 and 1994; and how many were eventually(a) given a custodial sentence, (b) given
  494
  population in England and Wales on the last day of April in 1994, 1993, 1992 and 1991 broken down by category of offence. [24268]

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Dr. Lynne Jones, dated 22 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the female prisoner population in England and Wales on the last day of April in 1994, 1993, 1992 and 1991 broken down by category of offence.
  The available information relates to the sentenced female prison population on 30 June each year. This information was published on 27 April 1995 in a Home Office Statistical Bulletin entitled "The prison population in 1994" (table 6, Issue 8/95), an extract of which is attached.

  a non-custodial sentence and (c) acquitted or not proceeded with. [24271]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison
  495
  Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Dr. Lynne Jones, dated 22 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about how many female prisoners were received on remand during 1993 and 1994, and how many were eventually (a) given a custodial sentence, (b) given a non-custodial sentence and (c) acquitted or not proceeded with.
  Information on the number of females received on remand into Prison Service establishments in England and Wales in 1993 and 1994 is shown in table 1, attached. Information on the court outcome is only available for 1993 from court remand statistics and is given in table 2.

  Table 1: Receptions1 into Prison Service establishments of untried and convicted unsentenced female prisoners in 1993 and 1994

  Females

  19932

  19942

  Untried prisoners

  2,647

  2,891

  Convicted unsentenced prisoners

  1,505

  1,728

  All remand prisoners

  3,322

  3,679

  1 The figures for "all remand" record once only a person received as an untried prisoner who is subsequently received also as a convicted unsentenced prisoner.

  2 Provisional figures.

  Table 2: Final court outcome for females remanded in custody at some stage in magistrates' court proceedings1 in 1993 England and Wales

  Females

  Estimated percentages

  Final court outcome2

  Acquitted not proceeded with etc.

  21

  Non-custodial sentence:

  53

  Community sentence3

  26

  Fine

  10

  Absolute or conditional discharge

  12

  Other non-custodial sentence

  5

  Custodial sentence

  26

  Total

  100

  1 Includes persons remanded in custody by magistrates during proceedings or on committal.

  2 Includes estimated outcome at the Crown Court for those Committed for trial or sentence.

  3 Includes CSO, probation, supervision orders, attendance center orders.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the female prison population in England and Wales on 28 April broken down by category of prisoner.

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Dr. Lynne Jones, dated 22 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the female prison population in England and Wales on 28 April broken down by category of prisoner.
  The latest available information is for 28 February 1995 and is given in the attached table.

  496

  Female population in Prison Service establishments and police cells on 28 February 1995 by type of custody

  Type of custody

  Number

  Remand prisoners

  Untried

  346

  Convicted Unsentenced

  165

  Sentenced prisoners

  Young Offenders

  189

  Adults

  1,194

  Fine defaulters

  10

  Non-criminal prisoners

  26

  Total in custody

  1,930

  Transsexual Prisoners
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines relate to the type of prison establishment to which transsexual offenders are committed; and if he will make it his policy to house pre-operative transsexuals in the gaols of their new gender if they have had two or more years of hormone therapy. [23853]

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

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Dr. Lynne Jones, dated 22 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the guidelines which relate to the type of prison establishment to which transsexual offenders are committed.
  The particular difficulties experienced by transsexual prisoners have always been accepted by the Prison Service, which recognises it has a duty of care towards those committed by the courts, while at the same time having to take account of a prisoner's legal gender, as currently determined by a prisoner's birth certificate—a document at present understood in law to be immutable.
  It is well understood that where transsexual offenders are concerned, a wide and complex range of physical, presentational, and psychiatric needs exist. For this reason the Prison Service adopts, in practice, a pragmatic approach once a full physical and psychiatric assessment has been made and the help of any specialist psychiatrist already involved in that individual's care before imprisonment has been sought. In virtually all such cases, the initial placement of an offender will correspond to his genetic gender and birth certificate: definitive location will be arranged only after careful, and often necessarily lengthy, assessment.
  Following assessment, the principal issues which the Prison Service takes into account when considering allocation are the anticipated reaction of other prisoners and the difficulties likely to be encountered by a transsexual who may be allocated to an establishment which he/she considers to be inappropriate. While it is important that such prisoners should be offered, and avail themselves of, as wide a regime of activities as any other prisoners, in our experience many will request (and manage best) under the protection afforded by Prison Rule 43. A proportion will prefer to remain in the Prison Health Care Centre.
  In view of the fact that in many instances gender dysphoria is only one facet of a very complex set of personality difficulties, it would be impractical to seek to prescribe anything other than these general guidelines for the management of transsexuals. By their nature, each particular individual will require a solution specific to himself/herself at that particular time in his/her history.

  Temazepam
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are in place to ensure
  497
  that imports of the drug temazepam are intended for legitimate prescribed use within the United Kingdom; what plans he has to introduce further measures; and if he will make a statement. [24118]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Controls on the licit trade in temazepam are contained in schedule 4 to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 1985. Imports and exports are not controlled, but records must be kept. The supply of the drug, whatever its source, is subject to authorisation, and records are required to be kept for two years. The possession of the drug in non-medicinal form, which is the form in which most importation takes place, also requires authorisation. It is permissable to import temazepam for further processing and re-export.

  The Government are continuing to give careful consideration to the recommendation that temazepam be moved from schedule 4 to schedule 3 to the regulations; this would introduce, among other things, a licensing requirement for imports and exports.

  Postal and Proxy Voting
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which newspapers, magazines and periodicals will be used in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland during the period before the next general election to advertise postal and proxy voting; what assessment he has made of the coverage that these have across all parliamentary constituencies in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [24069]

  Mr. Howard
  In England and Wales, advertising giving details of absent voting procedure will be booked in all national daily and Sunday newspapers and in some ethnic minority language newspapers. A television advertisement will be transmitted in England and Wales, two days in advance of the press advertising to alert the public to the press campaign. Electoral registration officers in England and Wales will be provided with artwork for use in local advertising that they might wish to book.

  The Central Office of Information estimates that the national newspaper advertising will be seen by 75 per cent. of the adult population throughout England and Wales.

  Advertising in Scotland and Northern Ireland is arranged by the Scottish Office and the Northern Ireland Office.

  Anabolic Steroids
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made towards banning the supply of anabolic steroids; and when he intends to introduce legislation. [24136]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs agreed on 11 May which substances to recommend for control, and we hope to bring forward the necessary draft modification order to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 shortly.

  Telephones
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what use his department makes of hand-held and car-based mobile telephones; what were the costs for each financial year of those services since mobile 498
  telephones were first introduced to his department; and how many mobile telephones are currently in use. [23449]

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 9 May 1995]: There are about 1,400 mobile telephones in use in my department, including the executive agencies. Fewer than 50 of these are installed in cars. Mobile telephones are used mainly by operational staff in HM Prison Service and HM immigration service who need to maintain immediate contact with their offices or other officials. Current costs were about £580,000 in 1994–95 and about £495,000 in 1993–94. Figures for capital costs and for previous years are not available.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. [23455]

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 9 May 1995]: The cloning of analogue mobile telephones can be detected, but not prevented. Cloning will cease to be a problem as my Department changes from analogue to digital telephones over the next three years. There have been no discussions, other than with the mobile telephone operators.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what cost 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. [23489]

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 9 May 1995]: None. Any such costs have been borne by the mobile telephone operators.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mobile telephones being utilised by his Department have been cloned during the last 12 months. [23427]

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 9 May 1995]: Twelve.

  Prisons (Racial Discrimination)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many(a) prison staff and (b) prisoners have been charged with offences under race legislation in each of the last five years; [23086]

  (2) how many representations he has received on racial discrimination against prisoners in prison work in each year since the case of Alexander v. Home Office 1987. [23084]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 9 May 1995]: Responsibility for these matters has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 22 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about race relations in prisons.
  There are no records of any representations having been made to Ministers on racial discrimination against prisoners in prison work since the case Alexander v Home Office 1987. However, there have been approximately 55 official complaints made by prisoners to prison staff of racial discrimination on prison work since 1987.
  Information on the number of prison staff and prisoners that have been charged with offences under race legislation in the last five years is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Christopher Edwards
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement into the killing of Mr. Christopher Edwards by Mr. Richard Linford in Chelmsford prison on 28 November 1994; [24688]

  (2) what warnings Chelmsford prison received to the effect that Mr. Richard Linford was potentially dangerous; and on what basis he was placed in a cell with another inmate; [24689]

  (3) if he will list those prison service procedures which have been reviewed and changed since the killing of Mr. Christopher Edwards in Chelmsford prison; and if he will make a statement. [24690]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answers 18 May 1995]: 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. Harry Cohen, dated 22 May 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the death of Mr Christopher Edwards in Chelmsford prison on 28 November 1994.
  The internal investigation conducted by the Prison Service into the circumstances surrounding the death concluded that existing
  500
  procedures at Chelmsford prison had been followed satisfactorily. There was no evidence on which to recommend changes in procedures.
  In view of the wider issues raised by the case, the Prison Service is jointly commissioning an independent inquiry with North Essex Health Authority and Essex Social Services. All the matters which you raise will be considered in the light of the findings of this independent inquiry.
  I will write to you again when the terms of reference have been agreed, with details of members of the inquiry panel.

  Prison Proposals
  Mr. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate his Department has made of the cost of building and running a super-max prison of the kind the Director General of the Prison Service is currently visiting in the United States of America. [22311]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 3 May 1995]: Although some early work has been done on possible construction costs, specific estimates can be prepared only when we know more clearly the requirement for such prisons, how many prisoners they might hold, their location and likely regime. I shall also want to consider the views of Sir John Learmont, who will report shortly on his wide-ranging inquiry into prison security.

  Domestic Violence
  Domestic Violence
  Life Sentence Prisoners: Home Visits
  Life Sentence Prisoners: Home Visits
  National Park Authorities: Local Representation
  National Park Authorities: Local Representation
  Household Division Costs
  Household Division Costs