Written Answers of 21 November 1995

PRIME MINISTER

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list all those in his Office who have authority to issue public interest immunity certificates; how many have been issued in each of the last five years; and what were the main reasons for them. [1401]

  The Prime Minister
  A claim to public interest immunity relating to departmental documents or information is normally made by the appropriate departmental Minister. I have not myself, nor have others within my Office or the Cabinet Office, signed public interest certificates in the last five years.

  French Nuclear Tests
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations he received from the Governments of(a) Australia and (b) New Zealand prior to the French nuclear tests in the South Pacific regarding opposition to the tests; and if he will publish them. [1537]

  The Prime Minister
  We have had a number of contacts with the Australian and New Zealand Governments on this issue. These exchanges remain confidential between the Governments concerned.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 21 November 1995. [1480]

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

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Opera Hats
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he has any plans to increase the number of opera hats available for hon. Members' use during points of order; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  I have no such plans, but my hon. Friend may wish to draw the matter to the attention of the Procedure Committee.
  46

  Early-day Motions
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what plans he has to introduce a parliamentary procedure to enable the Comptroller and Auditor General to respond to early-day motions.

  Mr. Newton
  I have no such plans.

  Short Money
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what public funds the Leader of the Opposition receives to run Opposition political affairs.

  Mr. Newton
  Under paragraph 1 of the resolution of the House of 4 November 1993, financial assistance, known as "Short Money", is available to assist Opposition parties in carrying out their parliamentary business. The maximum amount which is available to the official Opposition for the year beginning 1 April 1995 is £1,408,448.12.

  Under paragraph 2 of the resolution, financial assistance is also available towards travelling and associated expenses necessarily incurred by an Opposition party's spokesmen in relation to the party's parliamentary business. The maximum amount which is available to the official Opposition for the year beginning 1 April 1995 is £18,301.

  Campbell Soups
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee if he will seek to place a ban on the procurement of Campbell Soups products by the Refreshment Department of the House of Commons. [680]

  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  This is a matter for the director of the catering services. I have asked her to write to the hon. Member.

TREASURY

  Grant-maintained Schools (Borrowing)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if borrowing by grant-maintained schools is to be included in the public sector borrowing requirement. [1484]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Grant-maintained schools are not classified as public sector bodies in the Central Statistical Office's national accounts but as private non-profit-making bodies serving persons. Therefore borrowing by grant-maintained schools is not included in the public sector borrowing requirement.

  Insurance Policies
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to be able to report on the results of the Inland Revenue's review of the taxation of insurance policies; and if he will make a statement. [90]

  Mr. Jack
  It would be inappropriate for me to comment on tax matters at this stage of the Budget cycle.
  47

  VAT
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the amount per week a married couple with two children on average male earnings is estimated to have paid in VAT, at today's prices, in the year 1978–79; and what he estimates a similar family will pay in(a) 1995–96 and (b) 1996–97. [86]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  It is estimated that the average amount of VAT paid by non-retired households with one or more children on average disposable income was £905 in 1979 and £1,495 in 1993, both at 1993 prices. Figures for future years will depend on the purchasing decisions of individuals.

  EC Salary Payment Errors
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what material errors were detected in the EC Commission's payments of salaries in the EC's financial year 1994, irrespective of whether these errors were subsequently detected and corrected. [155]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  A number of errors were identified by the Court of Auditors in its recent annual report—Official Journal, 14 November 1995. These errors affected the movement along salary scales of locally employed staff of European Commission delegations. The Commission is taking action to deal with the problem.

  Monetary Union
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the gap between Britain's situation and each of the convergence criteria of the Maastricht treaty(a) now, (b) by the end of 1996 and (c) by the end of 1997. [1100]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  We fully expect to meet the convergence criteria by 1997.

  Dairy Industry
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were employed in the dairy industry(a) on 31 October 1994 and (b) on the last date for which figures are available. [202]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The most reliable information on jobs in the dairy industry is available from the periodic censuses of employment. The census shows that there were 29,800 jobs in the dairy industry in Great Britain at September 1993. Estimates from the smaller labour force survey suggest a small increase between autumn 1994 and spring 1995.

  Aviation Fuel
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rates of duty in pence per litre are charged on aviation gasoline and aviation kerosene in each of the 15 countries within the European Union; and how many litres of each fuel are consumed in the United Kingdom. [1499]
  48
  Mr. Heathcoat Amory
  Aviation gasoline used by commercial and private aircraft is subject to excise duty at the rate of 18.07p per litre in the UK. No information is available about the rates of duty charged on aviation gasoline in other EU member states.

  Aviation kerosene used by commercial aircraft is subject to the nil rate of excise duty in all the European Union member states. Aviation kerosene used by private aircraft is subject to a nil rate of duty in the UK; no information is available about the rates of duty charged in other EU member states on aviation kerosene used by private aircraft.

  Some 39,179,000 litres of aviation gasoline and 9,257,964,000 litres of aviation kerosene were delivered for consumption in the UK in 1994.

  Pensions
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action public service pension schemes have taken to ensure that where redress is due under the Securities and Investments Board's pensions review, employees can be reinstated at reasonable cost. [1655]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  I am pleased to announce that, on advice from the Government Actuary, the Government have now agreed the charges for reinstating the pensions entitlement of current public service employees who opted out of a public service pension scheme as a result of mis-selling. These charges are paid to the schemes concerned by the individuals or firms responsible for mis-selling.

  The charge for buying pension rights in respect of the period since the individual opted out of the public service scheme will be derived from the usual actuarially determined inward transfer value factors. These factors have recently been reviewed by the Government Actuary, and revised downwards.

  Where, in addition, a transfer payment was made for earlier pensionable service, the charge for reinstating pension rights for that service will normally take the form of repayment, with appropriate interest, of the outward transfer value—the payment made by the public service pension scheme to the personal pension provider when the individual transferred to the personal pension scheme.

  The Government Departments responsible for public service schemes are taking action to bring these changes into effect.

  I welcome their action. It is an important step towards ensuring that those who have suffered loss as a result of mis-selling are restored to a financial position equivalent to what it would have been the case if mis-selling had not occurred. This is being done in a way that is fair to other scheme members, ensures that those responsible provide the right redress and is fair to the taxpayer.

  I urge all occupational pension schemes in the private sector to follow the example of public service schemes by allowing current employees to rejoin for future service and also to buy back pension rights for previous service at reasonable cost.
  49

  Trustee Investments Act 1961
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer at conclusions he has reached following consultation on the proposal to amend the Trustee Investments Act 1961 to increase the proportion of assets that all trusts are allowed to invest in wider range investments; and if he will make a statement. [1781]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  In the short term, as proposed in the consultation document, the Treasury will make an order under section 13 of the Trustee Investments Act 1961 to change the split of wider and narrower range investments from 50:50 to 75:25, the maximum allowable under the Act as it now stands. This proportion was introduced for charities earlier this year by the Charities (Trustee Investments Act 1961) Order 1995.

  In the longer term, the Government have concluded, in the light of representations from a wide range of interests, most recently the deregulation task force in its first annual report, that a fundamental deregulatory reform of the Trustee Investment Act is now called for. The requirements for division of assets into "narrow" and "broad" investments and for consequent dual accounting are burdensome. The Government will issue by 1 May 1996 a consultation document on options for further deregulatory change, drawing on detailed work to be undertaken by the Law Commission for England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission in conjunction with the independent trust law committee.

  Financial perspective expenditure ceilings

  Preliminary draft budget 2

  Parliament draft budget

  Council second reading draft budget

  mecu

  £ million1

  mecu

  £ million

  mecu

  £ million

  mecu

  £ million

  Commitment appropriations

  Common Agricultural Policy

  40,828

  34,341

  40,828

  34,341

  40,828

  34,341

  40,828

  34,341

  Structural operations

  29,131

  24,502

  29,131

  24,502

  29,131

  24,502

  29,131

  24,502

  Internal policies

  5,337

  4,489

  5,267

  4,430

  5,324

  4,478

  5,198

  4,372

  External action

  5,264

  4,428

  5,157

  4,338

  5,252

  4,417

  5,174

  4,352

  Administrative expenditure

  4,191

  3,525

  4,132

  3,475

  4,130

  3,473

  4,104

  3,452

  Reserves

  1,152

  969

  1,152

  969

  1,152

  969

  1,152

  969

  Compensation

  701

  590

  701

  590

  701

  590

  701

  590

  Total Commitments

  86,604

  72,844

  86,368

  72,645

  86,517

  72,771

  86,288

  72,578

  Total payment appropriations

  82,192

  69,133

  82,015

  68,984

  81,360

  68,884

  81,603

  68,367

  Notes:

  1 Throughout this reply the rate of £1=1.889 ecu has been used (the rate notified in the Official Journal as prevailing on the last working day of last month (31 October).

  2 As amended in Letter of Amendment No. 1 from the figure which appeared in the Commission's Overview of the PDB for 1996 to take account of the higher bid for agriculture under category 1.

  The European Parliament will consider the draft budget for 1996 at its plenary session in December. The 1996 Community budget is expected to be adopted by the Parliament on 14 December, to take effect from 1 January 1996.

  The Council took no formal votes, the presidency concluding that there was the necessary majority to establish the Second Reading draft budget for 1996.

  ECOFIN
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the voting record of each member state on
  50

  EU Budget Council
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the European Union Budget Council, held on 17 November listing all votes and all decisions which were determined by unanimity or without dissension. [435]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  [holding answer 20 November 1995]: I represented the United Kingdom at the Budget Council on 17 November. The Council considered the European Parliament's proposed changes to the draft budget, which the Council established in July—on which I reported in my reply to the hon. Member for Southport (Mr. Banks) on 18 October 1995, Official Report, columns 278–80—and it established a Second Reading draft budget for 1996.

  The Council's Second Reading draft budget totals 86,288 mecu, £72,578 million, in commitment appropriations and 81,603 mecu, £68,637 million, in payment appropriations. The Second Reading draft budget is 316 mecu, £266 million, in commitments and 589 mecu, £495 million, in payments below the financial perspective ceilings and is within the existing own resources ceiling of 1.20 per cent. The following table compares the outcome of the Budget Council with the proposals in the Commissions's preliminary draft budget and with the proposals in the European Parliament's draft budget, with reference to the financial perspective ceilings:

  items agreed at the meeting of the European Community's ECOFIN Council held on 23 October; and if he will make it his practice to include details of all votes, including where there have been no votes, in the future. [440]

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 20 November 1995]: There were no votes taken on items under discussion at the ECOFIN Council on 23 October.

  In the future, as is my practice, after each ECOFIN Council I will report the result of votes and will indicate if no votes were taken.
  51

TRANSPORT

  Rail Freight
  Mr. Chris Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from organisations seeking changes in the requirements for the award of freight facilities grants to enable intermodal schemes to qualify; and if he will make a statement. [534]

  Mr. Watts
  In principle intermodal schemes qualify for freight facilities grant.

  Mr. Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the period of advance notice required for security reasons to be given by terminal operators for the packing of an intermodal unit to be transported from Britain to France(a) by rail and (b) by road and ferry. [536]

  Mr. Watts
  No notice is required for security reasons for rail freight being shipped by security approved freight forwarders. Railfreight Distribution, currently the only company carrying channel tunnel rail freight, require 20 hours' advance notification in respect of non-security-approved forwarders. There are no security related notice requirements in respect of road traffic travelling on the ferries or through the channel tunnel.

  Mr. Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the annual budget allocated for the award of rail freight facilities grants and track access grants since 1992 and the number and value of the grants awarded. [535]

  Mr. Watts
  The annual budget for rail and inland waterway freight facilities grants is a joint one. In 1992–93, this was £6.571 million and in 1993–94 £3.265 million. From April 1994, the budget included the new track access grant and was £13.3 million for 1994–95. It is currently £14.4 million.

  Since 1992, eight rail grants have been awarded with a total value of over £14 million. No track access grants have yet been awarded but several applications are currently under consideration.

  Mr. Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list the differences in security requirements imposed on the passage of rail freight using the channel tunnel and the Severn tunnel and what are the reasons for these differences; [539]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the security risks posed by rail freight passing through (a) the channel tunnel and (b) the Severn tunnel. [546]

  Mr. Watts
  My Department regulates the security of the channel tunnel under the Channel Tunnel Security Order 1994. The measures imposed on operators are based on the security threat to the installation, as assessed by the Security Service, and the vulnerability of the system. It is not the practice to reveal details of security requirements.

  My Department has no comparable responsibilities in relation to the Severn tunnel.

  Mr. Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what response he has made to the representations of the railfreight users group regarding the consultation paper on the security aspects of rail 52
  groupage issued by his Department's security division; and if he will make a statement. [537]

  Mr. Watts
  I have responded to the correspondence that I have received from the Alliance for Channel Tunnel Freight, which incorporates the Rail Freight Group, acknowledging its concerns. I have asked officials to look carefully at the alliance's representations, and I understand a very constructive meeting took place between officials and the alliance on 15 November. Discussions are continuing.

  Traffic Wardens
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many local authorities outside London have taken up his Department's offer to take on the responsibility for traffic wardens. [6]

  Mr. Norris
  We have invited local authorities to apply to take over parking enforcement, which would be decriminalised. Traffic wardens would be replaced by local authority parking attendants. So far, we have received one formal application—from Hampshire county council with regard to Winchester. We have received drafts of two other applications for comment and a number of expressions of interest.

  Train Incidents (Reading)
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what incidents or accidents have occurred on both the South West Trains and Great Western railway lines in the vicinity of Reading station since July. [896]

  Mr. Watts
  The following accidents and incidents in the vicinity of Reading station have been reported to the Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate since July 1995:

  12 July 1995: Reading Depot

  A driver sustained a strain to his leg whilst climbing out of his cab.

  20 July 1995: Near Reading Station

  A track circuit failure caused delay to services.

  4 August 1995: Reading Station

  A Royal Scotsman charter train was delayed at platform 8 for two hours after smoke was observed coming from a defective coach. A tyre on the coach had shifted due to brake drag.

  15 August 1995: Near Reading Station

  A track man was struck in the eye by a piece of wire protruding from a bush.

  7 September 1995: Near Reading Station

  Fourteen sets of points fused, which resulted in platforms 6 and 10 being out of use.

  10 September 1995: Reading West Yard

  An employee fell over discarded rail chairs, sustaining bruising.

  4 October 1995: Reading Depot

  An employee fractured his hand after trapping it in a gate.

  Rolling Stock
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what levels of investment in new rolling stock the rolling stock companies agreed to undertake with his Department. [48]

  Mr. Watts
  All three passenger rolling stock leasing companies have confirmed to my right hon. Friend their readiness to invest on commercial terms in response to customers' requirements.
  53
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce the right of appeal for railway operators against private monopolies who increase the cost of rolling stock. [1614]

  Mr. Watts
  I do not recognise the circumstances described by the hon. Member.

  Heathrow Airport (Rail Links)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further rail links his Department estimates will be built to Heathrow airport; and what assessment he has made of the impact that rail privatisation will have on(a) delaying or (b) expediting plans. [49]

  Mr. Watts
  The Heathrow Express rail link, a joint venture between BAA, British Rail and Railtrack, is under construction. Heathrow Express is due to start services in 1998 and will operate a service every quarter of an hour with a journey time from Paddington to Heathrow of 16 minutes.

  Rail access to Heathrow airport is being considered within the London airports surface access study, which was set up in April by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State and is examining the opportunities for economically beneficial improvements in access to and between London's main airports.

  Rail privatisation should encourage rather than delay investment in infrastructure. Privatisation should allow greater use of private sector skills in encouraging investment and will also allow greater access to private sector finance. Railtrack's investment programme will be commercially driven, and will therefore be more directly responsive to the demands of its customers. Both operators and passengers will benefit because Railtrack will have incentives to use investment to increase efficiency.

  Locomotives
  Mr. Chris Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many British Rail locomotives have been(a) scrapped since 1992 and (b) offered for sale; and if he will make a statement. [529]

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

  Noise Abatement Notices
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions over the past five years British Rail has been successfully prosecuted or served with abatement notices under noise or air pollution regulations. [16]

  Mr. Watts
  Complete records of the service of abatement notices or of successful prosecutions under noise and air pollution regulations are not held centrally by British Rail. The information available shows that there has been one successful prosecution in the past five years. Abatement notices have been served on at least two occasions.
  54

  Public Inquiry (A1)
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the sampling of pollution taken by Mr. A. J. Hickman in the Ferrybridge area as submitted to public inquiry by the Highways Agency in respect of the A1 diversion. [1314]

  Mr. Watts
  We are satisfied as to the adequacy of the pollution samples taken by Mr. Hickman.

  Toll Road Contracts
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated cost to public funds of the first four shadow toll road contracts over the length of each contract. [1502]

  Mr. Watts
  Commercial negotiations have not yet concluded, but we expect to benefit from substantial private sector efficiencies.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made towards cutting energy consumption in Government buildings for which he has responsibility in each year since 1990. [1440]

  Mr. Norris
  My Department has cut energy use cumulatively as follows:

  1991–92: -6.9 per cent.

  1992–93: -7 per cent.

  1993–94: -12.4 per cent.

  1994–95: -16.9 per cent.

  Transport, London
  Mr. Tracey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the future of transport in London. [2047]

  Sir George Young
  The Government will publish a document setting out our transport strategy for London in the new year.

  I warmly welcome London Pride's action programme for transport in London. It is an important contribution to the transport debate. I believe London Pride is right to highlight London's excellent international links and the improved quality of public transport. The Government will consider carefully the recommendations made by London Pride in preparing our own strategy document.

  Speed Limits (Paddington-Plymouth Line)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport where are each of the speed restrictions currently in place between Paddington and Plymouth; for how long is each; and what the speed restriction is in each case; and in each case when he expects the track to be repaired so the restriction can be lifted. [1323]

  Mr. Watts
  Railtrack informs me that there are approximately 16 speed restrictions currently in place between Paddington and Plymouth. Information regarding the precise location, length, and speed limit for each speed restriction is not held centrally and can be obtained only
  55
  at disproportionate cost. However, Railtrack confirms that repair time scales are in accordance with both operational requirements and Railtrack's rigorous safety standards.

  Scottish Air Traffic Control Centre
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes have occurred in respect of the time scales set out in his answer of 13 December 1994,Official Report, column 549, for the implementation of the new Scottish air traffic control centre; and if he will list the parties responsible for achieving the objectives. [1325]

  Mr. Norris
  Primary responsibility for achieving objectives for the implementation of the new Scottish centre will lie with the successful tenderer for the contract. The National Air Traffic Service will, however, be responsible for the safety and operational aspects of the project.

  NATS expects the new Scottish centre to become operational in the winter of 2000–2001.

  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the new en-route air traffic control centre at Swanwick will become operational; and to what extent this is in accordance with the original time scales for the project. [1217]

  Mr. Norris
  The CAA presented a case for a new air traffic control centre to the Government in 1987. The target date set for the centre to enter operation was the end of 1996.

  The Swanwick centre programme has met all its major milestones to date. It is now in its most testing phase, and some software integration problems have been experienced. This is not unusual in a project of this complexity. Currently, the problems are not expected to affect the plan for the new centre to be on line to meet the traffic demands of the summer of 1997.

  Air Traffic Control Delays
  Mr. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he holds on the amount of additional fuel used by aeroplanes subjected to air traffic control delays above(a) Heathrow airport and (b) Gatwick airport in each of the past five years. [1205]

  Mr. Norris
  None.

  M66
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if contracts have been let for completion of the M66 motorway; and on what date he intends to announce successful bids. [447]

  Mr. Watts
  [holding answer 20 November 1995]: I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Michael Meacher, dated 21 November 1995:

  As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts, has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking if contracts have been let for completion of the M66 motorway and on what date he intends to announce successful bids.

  As you know, the first two contracts are underway. We have let recently a contract for advance works for the next phase and that work will begin on 27 November. We are currently assessing tenders
  56
  for that next phase with the aim of starting work next year. You will appreciate that I cannot give a firm date for an announcement until we have finished assessing the tenders. Tenders for the final phase will follow on.

  Train Stock
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list, under the titles of each of those leasing companies who own the former British Railways coach stock, the names of the operating companies who currently lease the stock, indicating its nature and approximate quantity for each lessee. [224]

  Mr. Watts
  [holding answer 20 November 1995]: At 31 March 1995, the vehicles leased were as follows:

  Angel Train Contracts

  Number of Vehicles

  Lessee

  DMU

  EMU

  HST

  RR North West

  222

  77

  —

  South Wales and West

  105

  —

  —

  ScotRail

  139

  203

  —

  RR Central

  166

  —

  —

  North London

  26

  —

  —

  RR North East

  148

  63

  —

  Chiltern

  75

  —

  —

  Thames

  168

  —

  —

  Great Eastern

  —

  96

  —

  LTS Rail

  —

  84

  —

  WAGN

  —

  288

  —

  Network SouthCentral

  —

  336

  —

  South Eastern

  —

  550

  —

  South West Trains

  —

  120

  —

  Merseyside Electrics

  204

  —

  —

  Great Western

  —

  384

  —

  West Coast

  —

  31

  —

  InterCity East Coast

  —

  97

  —

  Cross Country Trains

  —

  19

  —

  Abbreviations:

  DMU = Diesel multiple units/diesel electric multiple units.

  EMU = Electric multiple units.

  HST = High Speed Train vehicles (Intercity 125).

  Eversholt Leasing

  Number of vehicles

  Lessee

  EMU

  Loco

  Coaches

  LTS Rail

  252

  —

  —

  RR Central

  57

  —

  —

  RR North West

  12

  —

  60

  WAGN1

  215

  —

  —

  North London

  217

  —

  —

  Great Eastern

  480

  —

  —

  ScotRail

  129

  —

  —

  South Eastern1

  452

  —

  —

  South West Trains

  444

  —

  —

  Network SouthCentral

  184

  —

  —

  Island Line

  16

  —

  —

  Cross Country Trains

  —

  16

  227

  West Coast

  —

  22

  241

  Anglia

  —

  13

  113

  Great Western

  —

  —

  13

  InterCity East Coast

  —

  31

  320

  Note:

  1 Figures for WAGN and South Eastern exclude 164 Class 365/5 vehicles currently on order.

  Abbreviations:

  EMU = Electric multiple units.

  Loco = Locomotives.

  Coaches includes driving van trailers and generator vans.

  57

  Porterbrook Leasing

  Lessee

  Number of vehicles

  DMU

  EMU

  HST

  Loco

  Coaches

  RR North East

  177

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South Wales and West

  56

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cardiff Valleys

  62

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Anglia

  25

  —

  —

  —

  6

  ScotRail

  120

  —

  —

  —

  83

  RR North West

  64

  51

  —

  —

  —

  RR Central

  61

  66

  —

  —

  —

  Cross Country Trains

  10

  —

  217

  28

  10

  South West Trains

  66

  392

  —

  —

  —

  South Eastern

  10

  424

  —

  —

  —

  Network SouthCentral

  30

  408

  —

  —

  —

  Thameslink

  —

  264

  —

  —

  —

  Midland Main Line

  —

  —

  148

  —

  —

  Great Western

  —

  —

  —

  4

  11

  West Coast

  —

  —

  —

  50

  344

  Gatwick Express

  —

  —

  —

  14

  84

  RfD

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Abbreviations:

  DMU = Diesel multiple units/diesel electric multiple units.

  EMU = Electric multiple units.

  HST = High Speed Train vehicles (InterCity 125).

  Loco = Locomotives.

  Coaches includes driving van trailers and generator vans.

  Ferry Disaster, Thailand
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the recent ferry disaster in Thailand and its consequences for future maritime legislation. [344]

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 20 November 1995]: The Government have made no formal assessment of the accident because it did not involve a UK-flagged ship and did not occur in United Kingdom waters. However, under the international convention for the safety of life at sea, the appropriate responsible administrations are required to investigate casualties where they judge that this may assist in determining what changes in rules are needed, and undertake to supply the International Maritime Organisation with pertinent information. The IMO makes this information available to members.

SCOTLAND

  Regional Selective Assistance
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the outturn expenditure on regional selective assistance in 1994–95: and what was the amount originally budgeted for that purpose. [1328]

  Mr. Kynoch
  Gross outturn expenditure on regional selective assistance in 1994–95 was £77.128 million; taking into account receipts of £0.866 million, net outturn expenditure was £76,262 million. Planned gross expenditure for that year had been £77 million with planned receipts of £1.3 million, giving planned net expenditure of £75.7 million.
  58

DEFENCE

  Low Flying
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of booked movements into each low-level operational training area in each year since their establishment. [526]

  Mr. Soames
  The number of operational low-flying movements authorised into each of the three tactical training areas in each year since their establishment is set out in the following table.

  Northern Scotland

  Central Wales

  Borders

  1979

  664

  123

  —

  1980

  626

  171

  —

  1981

  601

  59

  —

  1982

  236

  4

  —

  1983

  1,616

  21

  285

  1984

  667

  64

  276

  1985

  259

  44

  173

  1986

  539

  63

  598

  1987

  518

  242

  626

  1988

  828

  60

  1,227

  1989

  817

  89

  1,788

  1990

  1,519

  265

  4,243

  1991

  468

  90

  1,256

  1992

  979

  174

  2,067

  1993

  468

  192

  2,389

  1994

  704

  89

  1,127

  19951

  285

  119

  1,144

  1 January-September.

  From July 1988 to September 1993 the borders TTA was divided into east and west sectors. Movements for the two sectors were counted separately so that sorties which crossed the border between the two sectors generated additional movements. The figures for the borders TTA from 1988 to 1993 therefore overstate the amount of activity in comparison with other years and TTAs.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the instructions to RAF police conducting covert surveys of low flying include a requirement to record instances of use of reheat by low-flying aircraft. [425]

  Mr. Soames
  RAF police personnel conducting covert monitoring are required to record the use of reheat by military aircraft flying at low level.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on(a) the nationality and (b) the types of the aircraft listed in his evidence to the Defence Committee, HC 314 of Session 1993–94, on operational low-flying movements in 1986 in the "other" category. [430]

  Mr. Soames
  All operational low flying in the United Kingdom low flying system in 1986 was conducted by UK military aircraft. Thirty-four of the movements listed for 1986 in the "other" category were conducted by F4 Phantom aircraft; the statistical information available does not record aircraft type for the remainder.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of the aircraft types listed in his evidence to the Defence Committee, HC 314 of Session 1993–94,
  59
  on operational low-flying movements were (a) equipped and (b) authorised to carry out flying in the highlands restricted area. [429]

  Mr. Soames
  The Tornado GR1 is the only RAF aircraft equipped to fly in the highlands restricted area. Operational low flying is not permitted in the highlands restricted area when it is active.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if operational low-flying movements by aircraft types other than Buccaneer, Harrier, Hercules, Jaguar and Tornado have taken place since 1988. [527]

  Mr. Soames
  No.

  Exercise Air Warrior
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many sorties were flown by Royal Air Force Harriers during their deployment to Nellis Air Force base for the Air Warrior exercise in August 1994. [1312]

  Mr. Soames
  A total of 202 sorties were flown by RAF Harriers during Exercise Air Warrior.

  Italian Tornado
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of support provided by the Royal Air Force to a training detachment of Italian Air Force Tornado aircraft at Goose bay, Canada, in April to May 1995; and what proportion of this amount was recovered from the Italian authorities. [1283]

  Mr. Soames
  The Royal Air Force incurred total costs of £118.36 for laundry services provided to the Italian Air Force. It was not considered necessary to recover this.

  Strike Command
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what means are used to ensure that locations or features selected for inclusion in the Strike Command list of simulated targets for toss or dive attack referred to in his answer of 18 October 1993,Official Report, column 54, have not been included in previous editions of the list. [1107]

  Mr. Soames
  Simulated targets are included on the Strike Command list on the basis of their current suitability whether or not they have previously been listed.

  Acts of Parliament
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the Acts of Parliament and consolidation Acts that affect local government that have been introduced by his Department since January 1994. [37]

  Mr. Soames
  No such Acts have been introduced by my Department since January 1994.

  Exercise Red Flag
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many sorties were flown by each type of Royal Air Force aircraft during Exercise Red Flag 94–2. [1311]

  Mr. Soames
  A total of 298 Tornado GR1 sorties were flown during this exercise.
  60

  Flying Training
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what were the dates of arrival and departure of Royal Air Force aircraft deployed to Goose bay for flying training in the 1994 season; [1277]

  (2) what were the dates of arrival and departure of Royal Air Force aircraft deployed to Goose bay for flying training in the 1995 season. [1313]

  Mr. Soames
  Royal Air Force aircraft were deployed to Goose bay for flying training as follows:

  1994

  1995

  Hercules

  13–17 March

  23–28 January

  Tornado GR1

  14 April-27 June

  6 July-27 September

  1 August-26 September

  Operation Deliberate Force
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which RAF aircraft participated in Operation Deliberate Force. [362]

  Mr. Soames
  Harrier GR7, Jaguar GR1B, Tornado F3, E3D, Tristar K1 and Nimrod.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many flying hours were involved in Operation Deliberate Force. [363]

  Mr. Soames
  A total of 902.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Harrier GR7s took part in Operation Deliberate Force. [367]

  Mr. Soames
  Twelve.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the bombs dropped during Operation Deliberate Force were dropped by Harrier GR7s in daylight raids; and what proportion were dropped on night missions. [368]

  Mr. Soames
  All of the bombs dropped by the RAF during Operation Deliberate Force were delivered by Harrier GR7s in daylight missions.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Jaguars GR1Bs took part in Operation Deliberate Force. [365]

  Mr. Soames
  Three.

  School Places, North Devon
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department made of the extra number of school places needed in North Devon due to the Royal Marines moving from Plymouth to Chivenor; and if he will make a statement about discussions on this matter with Devon county council. [228]

  Mr. Soames
  The number of service families projected to move into the Chivenor area with children likely to require local schooling was assessed in the feasibility study. Discussions with the North Devon district council and with local headmasters commenced at the earliest stages, and these are continuing. Indications are that the number of children requiring places in local authority
  61
  schools will be of the order of 110. It is not possible to be precise since families will exercise free choice over educational provision for their children. Given the departure of a number of RAF families with school-age children, contacts with the relevant authorities in North Devon indicate that there is unlikely to be a need for any net increase in the provision of school places.

  Capital Works Costs
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what capital costs have been incurred by his Department since 1990 at(a) Seaton barracks and (b) Coypool, Plymouth. [229]

  Mr. Soames
  The sums spent on capital works projects at Seaton barracks and Royal Marine Coypool since the beginning of the financial year 1990–91 are £1.916 million and £1.909 million respectively.

  Chivenor
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the projected annual cost of providing transport between Plymouth and Chivenor for marines who have been transferred to Chivenor but are quartered in Plymouth. [230]

  Mr. Soames
  A temporary bus service is currently in place, primarily for personnel whose families are awaiting a move into family quarters at Royal Marines barracks Chivenor. This interim arrangement is planned to last a matter of months, until the units settle into Chivenor, and it is estimated that it will cost less than £5,000. This sum was included in the investment appraisal attached to the consultation document published in July 1995.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the consultants appointed to advise his Department abut the transfer of marines from Plymouth to Chivenor; and if he will list their previous experience advising on military matters and the fees paid to them. [231]

  Mr. Soames
  The feasibility study on the use of Chivenor by units of the Royal Marines Command was headed by DHV Consultants Ltd. of Plymouth, a firm experienced in consultancy work for the Ministry of Defence. Assisting in the overall study were the architects Stride Treglown, mechanical and electrical engineering specialists Torpy and Partners, and quantity surveyors A.L. Currie and Brown, all of Plymouth. The advice given by particular consultants was strictly confined to their areas of expertise as described. Military judgment and views were supplied by members of the Royal Marines Command and other relevant MOD branches. The cost of the option studies carried out was of the order of £130,000, inclusive of VAT.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the cost of capital building work carried out at RAF Chivenor since 1987, indicating when the work was carried out; and if he will give an assessment of the cost of additional capital work that will be required to accommodate the Royal Marines. [232]

  Mr. Soames
  Since 1987, £5,223,000 has been spent on capital works projects at RAF Chivenor. Work was carried out in 1987, 1992, and 1993. As indicated in the 62
  published consultative document, the estimated cost of capital works required to adapt existing facilities and provide new buildings at Chivenor to meet the agreed technical statements of requirements for the two units is £19.5 million.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the additional cost to be borne by Devon county council for road improvements resulting from the transfer of Royal Marines from Plymouth to Chivenor. [233]

  Mr. Soames
  The ability of local roads to handle traffic from Royal Marines units moving to Chivenor formed part of the feasibility study which preceded the relocation proposal. Analysis was based on the use which the relevant units made of the roads in the Plymouth area and of the existing use made by civilian vehicles of the roads in North Devon. The North Devon authorities have been carefully consulted throughout. Overall, it was concluded that no road improvements would be needed as a direct result of these units moving to Chivenor.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of removing essential equipment from RAF Chivenor, following the decision to transfer the RAF; and what the cost will be of reinstating this equipment for use by the marines. [234]

  Mr. Soames
  The Royal Air Force and Royal Marines have worked closely together on the handover of Chivenor. Beyond such things as catering and domestic equipment, which has been left in place, there is no overlap between the equipment essential to the operation of an RAF unit with 44 jet aircraft and that of two Royal Marine Command units holding a variety of specialist battlefield logistic and engineering equipment. No costs are therefore foreseen.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the Royal Marines transferring from Plymouth to Chivenor will occupy married quarters in North Devon; and how many will remain in the quarters in Plymouth. [235]

  Mr. Soames
  To minimise family disruption, it is left to individual families to decide whether to move when its service member is posted elsewhere—subject to their current family quarter not being required for higher priority purposes. Nevertheless, indications are that a total of 156 Royal Marine Commando families will have moved to Chivenor by early in the new year.

  Ships
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the names and dates of(a) the surface vessels and (b) the submarines which have been mothballed by his Department in the last five years; and if he will list the last refit date of each of these together with the cost of refit. [1335]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Royal Navy ships are routinely cycled through varying degrees of readiness—for example, when undergoing refit—but only one vessel, HMS Andromeda, has been placed in long term storage during the last five years. Andromeda entered this state in June 1993. Her previous refit took place between August 1990 and December 1991 at a cost of some £27 million. She was formally decommissioned in November 1994.
  63

  Army Vehicles
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the decision to purchase ambulances to meet the Army's requirements; [1333]

  (2) if he will make a statement concerning the Army's future requirement for ambulances; how many ambulances are required; which companies are tendering for the contract; and what is the value of the contract; [1331]

  (3) what assessment he has made of (a) ambulances made by Land-Rover and (b) ambulances made by Steyr-Daimler Puch. [1332]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The Army's requirement for a medium mobility ambulance to ensure casualty evacuation from forward areas was announced in 1992. It will replace the ageing fleet of battlefield ambulances.

  Iveco-Ford, Land-Rover and Steyr-Daimler Puch have submitted competitive tenders to meet the requirement. These are currently being assessed. It would not be appropriate to make any further comments while the assessment is in progress.

  Dr. Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department purchased Pinzgauer Steyr-Daimler Puch vehicles to meet the Army's light vehicle truck requirement; how many vehicles were purchased; what was the cost of these vehicles; how the Army's requirement for these vehicles differed from that provided by the RB-44 light vehicle; and if he will make a statement. [1334]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The contract to supply 394 vehicles to meet the Army's requirement for the heavy duty version of the medium-sized utility truck—with a 1.4 tonne payload—was placed with Steyr-Daimler Puch in June 1994, at a cost of some £20 million, inclusive of support costs.

  This category of vehicle was a new requirement as a result of the changing role of the armed forces and the increased emphasis on flexibility and mobility, and provides a different capability from the 2-tonne payload RB-44 heavy utility truck.

  Royal Naval College, Greenwich
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the organisations and individuals who have submitted expressions of interest in taking a lease on the buildings currently occupied by the Royal Naval college in Greenwich, indicating in each case the nature of the organisation and the uses which it proposes for the buildings. [356]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 20 November 1995]: Eight expressions of interest have been lodged in respect of all of the buildings comprising the Royal Naval college, Greenwich, with a further three lodged in respect of parts of the complex. It is my Department's policy not to disclose the identity of sponsors of expressions of interest on the grounds of commercial confidentiality. Sponsors are however free to reveal their own identity. The expression of interest will now be assessed and we will make an announcement in due course.
  64

  Ship and Submarine Sales
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the(a) surface ships and (b) submarines sold by his Department in each of the last five years. [461]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  [holding answer 20 November 1995]: A list of surface ships and submarines sold in each of the last five years is as follows.

  (a) Surface ships sold in each of the last five years

  Ship name

  Ship type

  1990–91

  HMS Achilles

  Leander Class Frigate

  HMS Walkerton

  Minesweeper

  HMS Sandpiper

  Bird Class Patrol Vessel

  HMS Peterel

  Bird Class Patrol Vessel

  HMS Cormorant

  Spitfire Class Patrol Vessel

  HMS Hart

  Spitfire Class Patrol Vessel

  RMAS Dolwen

  Range Vessel

  RMAS Bembridge

  Fleet Tender

  1991–92

  HMS Penelope

  Leander Class Frigate

  HMS Danae

  Leander Class Frigate

  HMS Eskimo

  Tribal Class Frigate

  HMS Attacker

  Attacker Class Vessel

  HMS Hunter

  Attacker Class Vessel

  HMS Striker

  Attacker Class Vessel

  HMS Fencer

  Attacker Class Vessel

  HMS Chaser

  Attacker Class Vessel

  HMS Gavington

  Minesweeper

  HMS Kirkliston

  Minesweeper

  HMS Upton

  Minesweeper

  HMS Beaufort

  Minesweeper

  HMS Hubberston

  Minehunter

  HMS Kedleston

  Minehunter

  HMS Custon

  Minehunter

  HMS Fawn

  Coastal Survey Vessel

  RFA Tidespring

  Fleet Tanker

  RMAS Green Rover

  Small Fleet Tanker

  RMAS Manly

  Fleet Tender

  RMAS Mentor

  Fleet Tender

  RMAS Millbrook

  Fleet Tender

  RMAS Throsk

  Armament Carrier

  RMAS Waterside

  SP Water Carrier

  RMAS Goldeneye

  Mooring and Salvage

  RMAS Mandarin

  Mooring and Salvage

  RMAS Kinbrace

  Mooring and Salvage

  RMAS Dorothy

  Harbour Tug

  RMAS Torrid

  Torpedo Recovery

  MFV Yarmouth Navigator

  Motor Fishing Vessel

  1992–93

  HMS Ariadne

  Leander Class Frigate

  HMS Phoebe

  Leander Class Frigate

  HMS Brereton

  Minesweeper

  HMS Wotton

  Minesweeper

  HMS Endurance

  Ice Patrol Ship

  RMAS Blue Rover

  Fleet Tanker

  RMAS Criccieth

  Fleet Tender

  RMAS Watershed

  SP Water Carrier

  RMAS Oilfield

  SP Oil Carrier

  RMAS Oilstone

  SP Oil Carrier

  RMAS Regent

  Replenishment Ship

  RMAS Sentinel

  Support Vessel

  MFV Uriah Heep

  Motor Fishing Vessel

  RDV Crystal

  Research Vessel

  1993–94

  HMS Ambuscade

  Type 21 Frigate

  HMS Amazon

  Type 21 Frigate

  HMS Arrow

  Type 21 Frigate

  65

  (a) Surface ships sold in each of the last five years

  Ship name

  Ship type

  HMS Alacrity

  Type 21 Frigate

  HMS Active

  Type 21 Frigate

  HMS Avenger

  Type 21 Frigate

  HMS Jersey

  Offshore Patrol Vessel

  HMS Cleopatra

  Leander Class Frigate

  HMS Minerva

  Leander Class Frigate

  HMS Hecate

  Hecla Class Survey Ship

  HMS Lofoten

  Landing Craft

  HMS Challenger

  Seabed Operations Vessel

  RMAS Cartmel

  Fleet Tender

  RMAS Ettrict

  Fleet Tender

  RMAS Fotherby

  Fleet Tender

  RMAS Datchet

  Fleet Diving Vessel

  RMAS Whitehead

  Experiment Trial Vessel

  RMAS Pointer

  Harbour Tug

  RMAS Alsation

  Harbour Tug

  1994–95

  HMS Andromeda

  Leander Class Frigate

  HMS Juno

  Leander Class Frigate

  HMS Argonaut

  Leander Class Frigate

  HMS Broadsword

  Type 22 Frigate

  HMS Battleaxe

  Type 22 Frigate

  HMS Brazen

  Type 22 Frigate

  HMS Brilliant

  Type 22 Frigate

  HMS Nurton

  Minesweeper

  HMS Herford

  River Class Minesweeper

  HMS Carron

  River Class Minesweeper

  HMS Waveney

  River Class Minesweeper

  HMS Dovey

  River Class Minesweeper

  HMS Helmsdale

  River Class Minesweeper

  HMS Humber

  River Class Minesweeper

  HMS Ribble

  River Class Minesweeper

  RFA Olmeda

  Large Fleet Tanker

  RMAS Clovelly

  Fleet Tender

  RMAS Cromarty

  Fleet Tender

  RMAS Froxfield

  Fleet Tender

  RMAS Loyal Proctor

  Fleet Tender

  RMAS Moderator

  Fleet Tender

  RMAS Volunteer

  Fleet Tender

  RMAS Beddgelert

  Fleet Tender

  RMAS Gnat

  Fleet Tender

  RMAS Cricket

  Fleet Tender

  RMAS Denmead

  Fleet Tender

  RMAS Elsing

  Fleet Tender

  RNXS Glencoe

  Fleet Tender

  TS Aberdovey

  Fleet Tender

  TS Abinger

  Fleet Tender

  RMAS Garganey

  Mooring and Salvage

  RMAS Corgi

  Dog Class Tug

  Targe

  Target Vessel

  Magpie

  Target Vessel

  Bullseye

  Target Vessel

  RCL Agheila

  Ramped Craft Logistic

  RCL Antwerp

  Ramped Craft Logistic

  Various lighters and other unnamed vessels.

  (b) Submarines sold in each of the last 5 years

  Ship Name

  Ship Type

  1990–91

  None

  —

  1991–92

  HMS Odin

  Oberin Class Conventional Patrol Submarine

  HMS Onslaught

  HMS Onyx

  HMS Otter

  HMS Otus

  HMS Ocelot

  66

  (b) Submarines sold in each of the last 5 years

  Ship Name

  Ship Type

  1992–93

  HMS Osiris

  Oberon Class Conventional Patrol Submarine

  1993–94

  None

  —

  1994–95

  HMS Orpheus

  Oberon Class Conventional Patrol Submarine

HEALTH

  Abortions
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to hold centrally information by regional health authorities on the percentage of parents who decline to abort a pregnancy when told that their child may have a birth defect; and if he will make a statement. [61]

  Mr. Sackville
  There are no such plans.

  Prescriptions (Students)
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many claims for free prescriptions have been made by students; and how many have been successful for the latest year for which figures are available. [1059]

  Mr. Malone
  During 1994–95, around 260,000 national health service low—income scheme claims were made by students, of which around 68 per cent. resulted in entitlement to free prescriptions.

  Gulf War Syndrome
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he proposes to implement the report of the Defence Select Committee regarding Gulf war syndrome; and if he will make a statement. [563]

  Mr. Soames
  I have been asked to reply.

  We will be considering the points made by the Defence Select Committee very carefully and will reply formally in due course.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Child Support Agency
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many liability orders have been placed on members of the armed forces by the Child Support Agency for each month since April 1993. [618]

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

  Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 20 November 1995:

  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about liability orders.
  67
  No data on the number of liability orders granted during 1993–94 are available. It is unlikely that there will have been many during this period as few cases would have progressed to this stage from the start of the Agency.

  A total of 226 liability orders were granted during 1994–95. From April 1995, a monthly breakdown is available, and this is shown in the table attached.

  It is not possible to say how many of these liability orders have been granted against members of the armed forces—or any other employment group—as there is no business need for the Agency to collect this information. However, the vast majority of liability orders are directed towards the self employed, because non-compliant absent parents who are employees would normally be subject to deduction from earnings orders; nearly all members of the armed forces are employees.

  Liability orders granted 1995–96—Year to date

  Month

  Liability orders granted

  April

  63

  May

  125

  June

  115

  July

  108

  August

  153

  September

  134

  Total

  698

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Children's Play
  Mr. Booth
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will announce the name of the organisation that will be carrying out work on children's play on behalf of her Department. [1665]

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I am grateful to all those organisations that submitted tenders to carry out work in the areas of information dissemination, playwork education and training and play safety. I have today informed the National Playing Fields Association that, subject to the successful completion of post-tender negotiations, it will carry out all three functions for my Department from 1 January 1996.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Sri Lanka
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have recently been made to the Government of Sri Lanka. [565]

  Mr. Hanley
  Our high commissioner in Colombo is in frequent contact with members of the Sri Lankan Government. I refer the hon. Member to a declaration made by the European Union on 15 November. A copy is being placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which areas of Sri Lanka have been defined as safe for(a) Sri Lankan nationals and (b) others; and when he last reviewed this policy. [13]

  Mr. Hanley
  Our current travel advice for visitors to Sri Lanka is set out below. It is under constant review and was last updated on 15 November.
  68
  Peace talks between the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam—LTTE—broke down on 19 April and fighting is on-going in the north and east. Do not visit these areas. On 7 August, a bomb exploded in central Colombo, killing 21 people and injuring over 50. There were further similar incidents in October and November. More can be expected. Curfews may be imposed from time to time. Although foreigners are unlikely to be directly targeted, visitors should exercise extreme caution in public places. The south and centre, including all the main tourist areas and the cultural triangle, remain largely unaffected. Further information may be obtained direct from the British high commission in Colombo: Tel: 437336, Fax 430308.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current political, military and refugee situation in Sri Lanka. [567]

  Mr. Hanley
  We welcome President Kumaratunga's recent statements that the conflict in Sri Lanka can be resolved only through a negotiated settlement. We believe that the Government of Sri Lanka's devolution proposals form a basis for discussion on a settlement acceptable to all Sri Lankans.

  We have urged both the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam—LTTE—to make every effort to protect the civilian population. We welcome the Government's recent statements concerning the shipment of relief supplies to the north.

  Acts of Parliament
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the Acts of Parliament and consolidation Acts that affect local government that have been introduced by his Department since January 1994. [42]

  Mr. Hanley
  None.

  Arms Exports (Iraq)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs at what dates his Department was informed of contracts relating to(a) Project Babylon, (b) Baby Babylon and (c) Supergun propellant; and what was the response his Department made. [1033]

  Mr. Hanley
  It has not proved possible, in the time available, to establish the exact dates at which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was first informed of the contracts relating to the projects which subsequently became known as Project Babylon and Supergun. It is likely that the inquiry currently being conducted by Sir Richard Scott will comment further on these matters. Following the detention, on 10 April 1990 at Teesport by HM Customs, of eight steel tubes destined for Iraq, the FCO liaised with other interested departments and agencies while Her Majesty's Customs continued its inquiries.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the outcome of the investigations into possible offences by United Kingdom based companies or their subsidiaries in connection with the supply of products to the Iraqi plant at Ad Dwar and Salman Pak arising from information
  69
  passed to him by UNSCOM; if any of the investigations have indicated that Her Majesty's Government had prior knowledge or approved any of these trades; if all the documents and information in the possession of Her Majesty's Government relating to these matters have been passed to the Scott inquiry; and if he will make a statement. [329]

  Mr. David Davis
  We are aware neither of offences against UK export control legislation by any British company associated with these sites, nor prior knowledge by the Government of illegal trade. The Scott inquiry has been kept informed of all matters within its remit.

  We shall continue to support the UN special commission. Any allegations or evidence of wrong-doing by British companies will be investigated and, if appropriate, will be a matter for the courts.

  Dependent Territories
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many former right hon. and hon. Members have been appointed as governors of dependent territories since 1979. [418]

  Mr. Hanley
  Two

  Jonathon Moyle
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the Chilean authorities' investigation into the death of Jonathon Moyle; and if he will make a statement. [332]

  Mr. Hanley
  The investigation by the Chilean authorities into the death of Jonathon Moyle is continuing. The Chilean Appeal Court ordered further investigations in October 1993, as did the Chilean Supreme Court in April 1995.

  HM coroner for Exeter and east Devon is conducting a separate inquest, which has not yet been finalised.

  General Communications Headquarters
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the intended capacity of GCHQ after 1999, on the reasons for the proposed closure of the Culmhead station and on the arrangements for the personnel at present stationed there. [599]

  Mr. Rifkind
  GCHQ will maintain its capability up to and beyond 1999 but will be able to reduce its staff numbers to about 5,000 by 1999 by moving to more efficient methods of operation. The decision to close the composite signals organisation station at Culmhead was the result of a periodic review of resources and was in response to anticipated changes in requirements and technological advances which will enable GCHQ to become more efficient by consolidating some of its operations. As far as possible the run-down at Culmhead will be achieved through voluntary retirements and redeployments, but some compulsory redundancies appear inevitable. Full support to those affected will be provided by GCHQ's personnel and welfare service and an outplacement scheme.
  70

  Monetary Union
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what procedures are necessary for the ratification by(a) the United Kingdom and (b) other nations of changes made to the convergence criteria of the Maastricht treaty or of new criteria made or added by the 1996 IGC. [1099]

  Mr. David Davis
  The Government do not expect discussion of the Maastricht convergence criteria to the 1996 intergovernmental conference.

  Social Chapter
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what legislation has been agreed by the European Union, arising from the social chapter of the Single European Act treaty or the work programme arising from the social charter agreed in Strasbourg by the European Council in 1989, which by virtue of the protocol on social policy in the treaty on European Union does not apply to the United Kingdom; what articles authorised such legislation; and what proposals in or likely to be in this category of legislation is before either the Council of Ministers or the Council of Permanent Representatives. [1495]

  Mr. David Davis
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Education and Employment today.

  Wilton Park
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent review of the Wilton Park agency. [1897]

  Mr. Hanley
  A prior options review has been carried out on Wilton Park, which has been an executive agency of the FCO since 1991. The review concludes that Wilton Park conferences organised on behalf of the FCO fulfil a valuable function, and that Wilton Park should continue to operate as a next steps agency. The review also makes recommendations for involving FCO geographical commands and departments more closely in Wilton Park conferences; for improving the marketing of the conferences among potential participants and for the market testing of the commercial—non-conference— operation at Wilton Park. The outcome of the review has been endorsed by Ministers, and action to implement it is in hand. A summary of the review's findings has been deposited in the Library of the House.

  Taiwan
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has reviewed his policy on placing visas for the United Kingdom in Taiwan passports. [1898]

  Mr. Hanley
  We have compared our practice of issuing visas with a number of other countries which, like us, do rot recognise Taiwan. I have agreed, with effect from 1 December, that visas for the UK should be placed in travel documents issued by the Taiwan authorities. We regard such travel documents as no more than confirming
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  the identity of the holder. Our change in practice does not involve recognition of Taiwan or constitute acceptance by the Government of a Taiwanese nationality.

  Nigeria
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the measures being adopted by Her Majesty's Government to persuade the Nigerian authorities to adopt democratic values and to safeguard human rights in Nigeria. [1501]

  Mr. Hanley
  Details of measures in force since 1993 were set out in a written answer to the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) on 2 December 1993,Official Report, column 680. On 11 November 1995, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced a full arms embargo against the Nigerian regime. We are considering further options with our EU partners.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the use of a room in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 17 October by the British-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce for a cocktail party; and how many Government officials were present. [1208]

  Mr. Hanley
  The reception was hosted and paid for by the UK chapter of the British-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce, not the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Two junior FCO officials, and two from the DTI, attended the reception. No Nigerian ministers were present.

  Mr. Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the dates of all official visits of members of the Nigerian military regime to Britain since 18 November 1993. [1210]

  Mr. Hanley
  Since the European Union suspension of high-level visits to and from Nigeria in November 1993 there have been no official visits by members of the Nigerian Government (Provisional Ruling Council and Federal Executive Council) to Britain.

  Mr. Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the dates of all private visits of members of the Nigerian military regime to Britain since 18 November 1993. [1211]

  Mr. Hanley
  Since the European Union restriction of visas for members of the military and their families in June 1993, exemptions have been made only on rare occasions for pressing medical visits.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  British Overseas Trade Board
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade who will succeed Sir Derek Hornby as chairman of the British Overseas Trade Board. [1977]

  Mr. Nelson
  I am delighted to announce that Martin Laing CBE, chairman of John Laing PLC, will succeed Sir Derek Hornby as chairman of the British Overseas 72
  Trade Board—BOTB. Sir Derek will retire following this afternoon's meeting of the BOTB, after five most distinguished years.

  EU Industry Council
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the outcome of the EU Industry Council held in Brussels on 6 and 7 November. [1976]

  Mr. Eggar
  The Council adopted resolutions on the following issues: the role of small and medium-sized enterprises—SMEs—in the process of technological innovation; the industrial aspects of the information society; and the importance of the competitiveness of the European mechanical engineering industry. The Council also agreed conclusions on the following topics: the links between industrial competitiveness and business services; industrial co-operation with other regions and third countries; the feasibility of a European secondary capital market for SMEs; and the interaction between competition policy and industrial competitiveness. The Council reached political agreement, pending examination of the European Parliament's opinion, on a draft Council decision on an action programme to strengthen EU industrial competitiveness.

  The Commission made oral presentations on the work of the Commission research-industry task forces and on a forthcoming communication on the promotion of quality as a factor in improving industrial competitiveness. It presented a communication on the impact of international developments on the EU textile and clothing sector.

  Political agreement was reached on the text of a Council regulation implementing OECD rules on aid to shipbuilding, with a qualified majority in favour of extending existing Community rules for up to nine months—that is, 1 October 1996—if the OECD agreement had not come into force by then.

  On steel, the Commission made a presentation on the monitoring of article 95 cases. I welcomed the Commission's assurance that there would be no resort to article 95 in the future. I shared the Commission's concern about the expiry of the deadline for the 500,000 tonnes of capacity reductions in Italy. Italy promised to provide a new proposal on how this would be achieved within the following two weeks. There was a brief discussion on the Commission's proposal to amend the environmental provisions of the steel aid code.

  The most difficult issue on the agenda was the Irish article 95 request for Council assent to state aid to be made in relation to Irish Steel. We have serious concerns about the principle of further state aid to the steel industry. This request caused particular difficulties for the United Kingdom and Luxembourg, where steel plants compete with Irish Steel and where jobs could consequently be put at risk by the injection of the proposed aid. Some progress was made towards formulating possible conditions which could be attached to any aid, but it did not prove possible to reach agreement at the meeting. It was agreed that further discussions would take place.

  Finally, under other business, there was a short discussion on the follow-up to the Molitor report on administrative simplification. There was also a brief exchange of views on the Commission's plans to propose

  73
  a strategic environmental assessment directive, which would amend directive 85/337/EEC. I warned that it was essential not to undermine the competitiveness of key industrial sectors through the imposition of excessive regulatory burdens.

  No votes were taken at the Council.

  Offshore Oil and Gas Licensing
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he will announce the blocks to be offered in the 17th round of offshore oil and gas licensing on the United Kingdom continental shelf. [1552]

  Mr. Page
  I have decided to offer 275 blocks for licensing in 68 tranches or groups in the 17th offshore licensing round. We are entering real frontier territory with some of the tranches nearly as far west as Rockall. It is a reflection of the potential of the UK continental shelf that after 30 years of exploration, there are still exciting new areas to search.

  Tranches vary from two to 13 blocks, depending on perceived prospectivity, location and water depth, and are chosen so that companies can consider all of the different areas available. I am offering blocks in groups because relatively little is known about the areas being offered.

  Most of the tranches offered—41—are in the Rockall trough, located east of Rockall and to the south-west of the recent discoveries in the west of Shetland area. The trough is an area where little exploration has taken place but which has considerable potential for significant discoveries.

  Tranches are also offered to the south-west of England, to the north of Scotland and of the east coast of England. Some are in areas that have not been explored before or were once considered unprospective. The fact that these blocks are not of interest to the industry shows how new technology and ideas can challenge long-established perceptions.

  Since the areas offered are comparatively unknown, companies will have a year in which to prepare their applications. This gives them an opportunity to acquire seismic data during the "weather window" next summer and to process and analyse it before committing themselves. Instead of the usual six years, successful applicants for these tranches will have nine years in which to carry out their agreed work programmes. At this stage, I am asking companies to commit to a programme for the first three years only because of the uncertainties of exploring such new areas.

  Companies will be expected to show commitment to the future of the UK continental shelf by coming forward with new ideas, and keeping up the momentum for increasing competitiveness and cutting costs. The objective of the 17th round is to encourage exploration in new areas and so to continue the development of our oil and gas resources into the next century.

  Applicants must show awareness of available information on environmental resources in the area for which they are applying. They must assess the potential impact of their proposed work programmes on the environment and identify how any adverse effects can be avoided or minimised.
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  Conditions to be attached to licences in this round to safeguard the environment have been agreed with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Restrictions also cover the interests of other users of the sea such as fishing, defence and transport.

  We have conducted a wide-ranging consultation exercise on the 691 blocks which were nominated by the industry in march, involving other Government Departments, local authorities and environmental groups. In all a total of over 70 organisations have provided advice.

  The 17th round completes the three-round licensing cycle announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Industry and Energy in April 1994. The 15th round awarded blocks in established areas in the central North sea and southern gas basin. The 16th round awards, which I announced during the summer, covered areas to the west of Shetland and around the coast of Britain.

  Applications for the 17th round are required by noon on Wednesday 27 November 1996. Licence awards should be announced during the spring of 1997.

  I will now publish in the Official Journal of the European Communities a formal announcement giving the detailed terms for the 17th round, including the format of applications, the information required with the application and the basis on which awards will be made.

  Energy Technology Support Unit
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many inquiries the energy technology support unit has received from the general public about renewable energy(a) in total since the energy technology support unit was established and (b) on average per year. [201]

  Mr. Page
  The energy technology support unit has received some 70,000 inquiries of all types since 1 April 1989, when the Renewable Energy Enquiries Bureau commissioned a database to record inquiries. Statistics for inquiries before that date are not available.

  Since 1 April 1989, inquiries have averaged 12,000 annually across a range of correspondent types, with roughly 18 per cent. of inquiries coming from private individuals, 30 per cent. from commerce and industry and 45 per cent. from education; 7 per cent. were from other inquirers.

  As renewable energy has moved to the marketplace, inquiries from companies have increased and, across the last two financial years—1993–94 and 1994–95—have averaged 39 per cent.—over 8,800—of the nearly 23,000 inquiries received.

  British Coal Pensions
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what revenues he expects to generate from the disposal of the British Coal pension fund management company and the British coal pension fund venture capital company. [533]

  Mr. Page
  These are matters for British Coal. I understand that disposal of the British Coal pension fund management company is still being negotiated. I am asking the chairman to write to the hon. Member once the two disposals have been completed.
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  Aerospace Industry
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many times a month his Department liaises with the Ministry of Defence in respect of support for the aerospace industry. [1009]

  Mr. Eggar
  My Department has very frequent contact with the Ministry of Defence on a wide range of issues relevant to the aerospace sector including the support which both Departments provide to the industry. The exact number of contacts is not recorded.

  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if it is his Department's policy to maintain the United Kingdom's total capacity in the aerospace industry; and what Government assistance is available to achieve this. [1011]

  Mr. Eggar
  The United Kingdom aerospace industry is a valuable contributor to the UK economy with a consistent trade surplus since 1980. My Department recognises the importance of the industry and has provided over £1.6 billion in support since 1979 for a number of major civil aerospace projects, mainly in the form of launch aid support. Aerospace benefits from a dedicated DTI budget for research through the civil aircraft research and demonstration programme— CARAD. Assistance for export projects is provided by the Export Credits Guarantee Department. Decisions on capacity are a matter for individual companies; but the DTI works to promote the aerospace industry's competitiveness by supporting the Society of British Aerospace Companies' competitiveness challenge. It also supports the industry in forging international partnerships and pursuing major export opportunities and will continue to stimulate collaboration in technology acquisition through the national strategic technology acquisition plan—NSTAP—and the technology foresight initiatives.

  Airbus
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the British share of the Airbus consortium; how many jobs result from that share; and what plans the Government have to increase their share of the consortium. [1013]

  Mr. Eggar
  British Aerospace has a 20 per cent. share in Airbus Industrie. The Government have no share in the Airbus consortium; questions relating to BAe's share are a matter for the company. Over 25,000 British workers are directly involved in the Airbus programmes.

  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many new jobs the Airbus consortium expects to create by 2010. [1008]

  Mr. Eggar
  This is a matter for British Aerospace and the other partners in the Airbus consortium.

  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the predicted rise of Airbus' fleet capacity by 2010, expressing the figures in terms of(a) real capacity and (b) world market share. [1007]

  Mr. Eggar
  (a) Airbus Industrie forecasts a world-wide requirement for about 13,000 new large civil aircraft, valued at about $1,000 billion, by 2014.

  (b) Airbus hopes to increase its share of the market over this period from 30 per cent. to 50 per cent.
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  Bullying
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has to combat bullying in the workplace; and if he will make a statement. [1004]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Employees who are experiencing bullying in the workplace should in the first instance take this up with their employer, making use of any internal grievance procedures. The Health and Safety Executive's recently published booklet, "Stress at Work: A Guide for Employers", provides advice on preventing ill health though stress which may be caused by persistent bullying. Bullying could constitute grounds for a complaint of constructive unfair dismissal to an industrial tribunal and under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 it is a criminal offence to cause intentional harassment, alarm or distress.

  Patent Office
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many staff are currently employed in the Patent Office; and what are the staff projections for each of the next three years. [1199]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  At the end of October 973 staff were employed at the Patent Office. Forecasts of staff levels are set out in the 1995 corporate plan, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Relevant figures are:

  1996–97: 920

  1997–98: 900

  1998–99: 880

  A major factor in employment will be the level of demand.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to privatise the Patent Office, and if he will make a statement. [1201]

  Mr. Taylor
  I have nothing to add to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the then President of the Board of Trade on 14 December 1994,Official Report, columns 657–58.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the tender specifications applying to services to be contracted-out from the Patent Office. [1198]

  Mr. Taylor
  The specification for the London front office and facilities management are now at an advanced stage.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade to what extent patent and trademark work currently undertaken within the Manchester offices of the Patent Office is included in the contracting-out specification which will apply to the marketing and information directorate. [1200]

  Mr. Taylor
  The Manchester office is not within the scope of any study of the marketing and information directorate. Its future is however under separate review. The legal requirement to maintain an office in Manchester ended with the implementation of the Trade Marks Act 1994.
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  Assisted Areas Map
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he next expects to review the assisted areas map; if he will accept interim submissions from areas excluded in the last review; and if he will make a statement. [227]

  Mr. Eggar
  The Government have no plans to review the assisted areas map during this Parliament. The European Commission imposes an overall ceiling on the percentage of working population covered by the assisted areas map. It is not possible to review the status of individual areas outside a full review.

  Telephone Ownership
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the number of privately owned telephones by(a) region and (b) county; and if he will make a statement. [607]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 20 November 1995]: At end March 1994 there were approximately 20.94 million residential exchange lines nationwide. Overall data by region and county are not held. Telephone ownership has risen in the United Kingdom from 78 per cent. per household in 1984 to 91 per cent. today. I share the objective of the Director General of Telecommunications to increase that figure still further.

  In rural areas, access will be helped by use of the radio spectrum that was released recently.

  Nanotechnology
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what new proposals he has to increase research into and application of nanotechnology. [346]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 20 November 1995]: The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council manages a programme in nanotechnology which funds a variety of research in universities. The budget for new commitments by the programme was increased to £1 million per annum this year. The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council funds a research project in nanotechnology but has no plans to increase its activity in this area.

  Telephone Disconnections
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the number of telephone connections cut off by British Telecom each year since privatisation; and if he will make a statement. [606]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 20 November 1995]: That is a matter for BT. However, following a request from the Director General of Telecommunications, monthly figures for BT disconnections covering the period July 1994 to September 1995 have been placed in the Oftel library. These show average total disconnections of around 64,000 per month, and average net disconnections of around 26,000 per month—the net average excludes cases where customers were rapidly
  78
  re-connected after payment of bills. Responsibility for the provision of universal telecoms service falls to the Director General of Telecommunications, who has taken a close interest in all telecoms operators' policies towards disconnection. He is working to develop more innovative approaches to affordable and equitable access to telecommunications, where outright disconnection of service would form a last resort used only in cases of wilful fraud.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Valley Site, Rhydymwyn
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish and deposit in the Library the Drivers Jonas report of May 1994 on the valley site at Rhydymwyn, Clwyd. [596]

  Mr. Boswell
  A copy of the environment assessment of May 1994 which was prepared by Dames and Moore but which was commissioned by Drivers Jonas on behalf of the Ministry has been placed in the Library of the House today.

  Fish Landings
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to restrict fish landings to specified ports and regions for fish to be sold through auction; and if he will make a statement on measures to stop black fish landings. [987]

  Mr. Baldry
  The fisheries departments devote substantial resources to detecting and preventing illegal landings and appropriate enforcement action is taken where there is evidence of illegal landings occurring. Designated ports and approved auction sales are among the additional control measures which are kept under review.

  Fish Quotas
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the species which the Commission is proposing should be subject to quotas under the common fisheries policy. [1003]

  Mr. Baldry
  The following fish species are subject to quotas under the common fisheries policy

  Anchovy

  Anglerfish

  Atlantic Salmon

  Blue Ling and Ling

  Blue Whiting

  Capelin

  Catfish

  Cod

  Common Sole

  Greenland Halibut

  Haddock

  Hake

  79

  Herring

  Horse Mackerel

  Mackerel

  Megrim

  Northern Prawn

  Norway Lobster

  Norway Pout

  Plaice

  Polar Cod

  Pollack

  Redfish

  Roundnose Grenadier

  Saithe

  Sandeel

  Sprat

  Whiting

  Acts of Parliament
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the Acts of Parliament and consolidation Acts that affect local government that have been introduced by his Department since January 1994. [30]

  Mr. Boswell
  The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has introduced two Acts of Parliament since January 1994.

  The Land Drainage Act 1994 amends the Land Drainage Act 1991 in relation to the functions of internal drainage boards and local authorities.

  The Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995 does not impose express duties on local government bodies, but any such body acting in the capacity of agricultural landlord or tenant will be subject to the provisions of the Act where applicable.

  Chocolate Directive
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement as to the effects on the traditional British chocolate bar of the EU chocolate directive; and what is Her Majesty's Government's position on the directive. [1324]

  Mr. Browning
  The existing EC Cocoa and Chocolate Products Directive, which was agreed in 1973, lays down, amongst other things, compositional standards for chocolate. Under this directive, the United Kingdom may manufacture, and sell as such, chocolate containing vegetable fat other than cocoa butter. The directive also specifies compositional standards for "milk chocolate" manufactured and sold in the United Kingdom and Ireland; this standard is different from that set for milk chocolate manufactured and sold in other member states.

  The EC Commission is undertaking a review of this directive but has not yet placed a proposal before the Council.

  Our objective is to see that the compositional standards in the new directive fully cover the wide variety of consumer tastes already established within the Community and that the directive ensures free circulation of all traditional styles of chocolate and chocolate products.
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  Carbaryl
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to revoke the approval for products containing carbaryl. [1218]

  Mrs. Browning
  As announced on 7 November, the Government have accepted the advice regarding pesticide uses of carbaryl from the Advisory Committee on Pesticides. The ACP concluded that there was no cause for concern about the risk to consumers from the low levels of residues currently found in food. However, the ACP advised that action should be taken to reduce or remove long term exposure for the users of pesticides containing carbaryl.

  Accordingly, the Government have revoked all approvals for carbaryl-containing pesticide products intended for non-agricultural, garden or poultry house use. A one year period of grace will be allowed for stocks already in the supply chain to be used up. The remaining professional pesticide uses will be allowed to continue subject to the tightest practicable controls on the method of application and protective equipment and clothing.

  The issue of the safety of carbaryl in veterinary products is under active consideration by the Veterinary Products Committee.

WALES

  Acts of Parliament
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the Acts of Parliament, including consolidation Acts, that affect local government that have been introduced by his Department since January 1994. [25]

  Mr. Hague
  Since January 1994, my Department has introduced the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, which received Royal Assent on 5 July 1994.

  Ministerial Transport, London
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many times in the last year he has used(a) London Buses and (b) London Underground while on official business. [406]

  Mr. Hague
  None. I travel on London Underground in a personal capacity.

  Mid-Wales Airport
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent representations he has received regarding the establishment of a Mid-Wales airport and if he will make a statement. [1061]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  There have been no recent representations about the airport. Mid-Wales airport was established some four years ago with the help of funds provided under the rural initiative scheme. ERDF funds were provided later for a taxiway, hardstanding and control room. Montgomeryshire district council made a bid in February for funds under the strategic development scheme for extending the runway but this was later withdrawn.
  81

  Nursery Vouchers
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all the organisations and individuals who have responded to his consultation on nursery vouchers, indicating whether they were for or against his proposals. [1203]

  Mr. Richards
  A list of organisations is given. Responses were also received from 375 individuals and school governing bodies, including two petitions. All comments are currently being analysed.

  RESPONSES TO THE CONSULTATION DOCUMENT "PRE-SCHOOL

  EDUCATION: IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VOUCHER SCHEME"

  County Councils:

  Dyfed

  Gwent

  Gwynedd

  Mid Glamorgan

  Powys

  West Glamorgan

  Unitary Authorities:

  Anglesey County Council (CC)

  (County Borough) of Blaenau Gwent

  Bridgend County Borough Council (CBC)

  Caerphilly CBC

  Cardiganshire CC

  Denbighshire CC

  Flintshire CC

  Merthyr Tydfil CBC

  Neath & Port Talbot CBC

  Newport CBC

  Pembrokeshire CC

  (County of) Swansea

  Wrexham CBC

  Town Councils:

  Llanwrtyd Wells

  Rhayader

  Teacher Organisations:

  National Association of Headteachers (NAHT)

  National Union of Teachers (NUT)

  NAS/UWT Wales

  Dyfed Parent Teacher Association

  Powys Parent Teacher Association

  Undeb Cenedlaethol Athrawon Cymru (UCAC)

  Miscellaneous Organisations:

  Assembly of Welsh Counties

  Audit Commission

  Children in Wales

  Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin

  Pre-school Playgroups Association

  The Welsh Language Board

  Women's National Commission

  Save the Children Fund

  Standing Conference of Women's Organisations

  Church Bodies:

  Monmouth Diocesan Council for Education

  The Free Church Federal Council

  82

  Emergency Medical Intakes
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what consultations he has had with the chairmen of acute hospitals, trusts and health authorities in relation to the closure of acute hospitals to emergency medical intakes since 1 November; what statistics he has collected on the number of occasions of such intake closures; and if he will make a statement; [1329]

  (2) what consultations he has had with chairmen of acute hospitals, trusts and health authorities in Wales in relation to the assessment of the need for emergency medical intake beds, and the availability of such beds since 1 November. [1330]

  Mr. Hague
  The management of emergency medical intake is primarily an operational issue for health authorities and trusts, on which statistics are not held centrally by my Department. However, to assist with its management, the Welsh Office some months ago commissioned a review of referral practices and I expect the results to be available shortly. In the meantime, discussions between my Department and the NHS are taking place. I expect them to identify action which will address the issue.

  Residuary Body for Wales
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to issue additional guidance to the residuary body regarding surplus properties and disputed properties where an activity continues beyond 1 April 1996. [1899]

  Mr. Hague
  I have today issued, for consultation, revised draft guidance to the residuary body for Wales dealing with property which should be transferred to it. The revised guidance indicates that any property, other than administrative buildings, which is not required by the new authorities for the purpose of carrying out their functions or any property whose future ownership is in dispute should not be transferred to the residuary body where the property is used for an existing activity for the carrying out of which full or part-time staff are wholly employed.

  Such properties should normally be transferred to a successor authority or authorities for disposal or resolution of the dispute. In the absence of a local agreement the following will apply: where the property is owned or leased by a non-split district or county it should be transferred to the successor authority; where the property is owned or leased by a split district or county it should be transferred into the joint ownership of the successor authorities.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Mater Hospital
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will outline the subsequent changes to the 1971 deed of arrangement which brought the Mater hospital into the national health service. [68]

  Mr. Moss
  There has been only one subsequent change to the original deed of arrangement. On 30 August 1984, the Department and the trustees of the Mater infirmorum
  83
  hospital signed a "supplemental deed of arrangement", specifically designed to permit them jointly to fund the major scheme of reconstruction and modernisation which was officially opened in 1991,

  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the current Roman Catholic Church trustees of the Mater hospital. [66]

  Mr. Moss
  No. Appointment of Roman Catholic Church trustees for the Mater infirmorum hospital is not a matter for my Department and a list of trustees is not held.

  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the remit of the Mater hospital trust board's joint consultative committee with the trustees. [65]

  Mr. Moss
  Under the terms of the deed of arrangement with the trustees which brought the Mater infirmorum hospital into the Health and Personal Social Services in 1971, the joint consultative committee shall consider any proposals by the body responsible for the management of the hospital relating to:

  the appointment of senior medical staff;

  the appointment of heads of service departments'

  ethical practices, particularly in obstetrics, gynaecology, geriatrics and psychiatry;

  the use of endowments and trust funds; and

  the use of any part of the hospital as accommodation for a nurses training school.

  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the Mater hospital Church trustees have(a) representation on the hospital's trust board and (b) consultation rights with hospital's trust board. [67]

  Mr. Moss
  The trustees of the Mater infirmorum hospital are not represented on its trust board. Under the provisions of article 96 of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972, the deed of arrangement between the Department of Health and Social Services and the hospital trustees requires regard to be had in the general administration of the hospital to the preservation of its Roman Catholic character and association. I have already set out areas specifically affected by these consultation rights in the reply I gave the hon. Gentleman earlier today.

  Ministerial Transport, London
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many times in the last year he has used(a) the London Underground and (b) London Buses while on official business. [427]

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  None.

  Housing Bill
  Mr. Robert McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if it is his policy that Northern Ireland will be included in the forthcoming Housing Bill. [75]

  Mr. Moss
  The matter is under active consideration. I will write to the hon. Gentleman once a decision has been reached.
  84

  Teaching Appointments
  Mr. Robert McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what procedures the education boards in Northern Ireland have to ensure that selectors and applicants for school teaching appointments, and in related advertisements, are aware that discrimination on religious or political grounds is lawful when such appointments are made. [73]

  Mr. Ancram
  Such procedures are a matter for the education and library boards, and other employing authorities as appropriate.

  Funding and Planning Council
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to introduce a funding and planning council for further education in Northern Ireland. [1110]

  Mr. Ancram
  The Government are considering a range of options for the future planning and funding of further education in Northern Ireland.

  Out-of-hours Service (GPs)
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects to announce the amount for the development fund for out-of-hours service for general practitioners in Northern Ireland. [467]

  Mr. Moss
  My officials in the Health and Personal Social Services management executive are meeting the profession's representatives on 23 November to discuss the out-of-hours arrangements in Northern Ireland. The profession will be formally notified of the size of the development fund at that meeting.

  Murder Prosecutions
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have been prosecuted for murder in each of the past 10 years; and how many of these persons were prosecuted for murder related to the terrorist campaign. [10]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information is as follows:

  Number of persons prosecuted for murder 1985–1994

  Terrorist

  Non terrorist

  Total

  1985

  38

  1

  39

  1986

  24

  1

  25

  1987

  10

  9

  19

  1988

  12

  5

  17

  1989

  11

  4

  15

  1990

  8

  1

  9

  1991

  9

  2

  11

  1992

  7

  7

  14

  1993

  17

  1

  18

  1994

  13

  4

  17

  These figures refer to the number of persons prosecuted for murder in separate murder trials. A person facing two counts of murder in the same trial is counted once and a person prosecuted for two murders in separate trials is counted twice.

  The statistics in the terrorist murder column refer to prosecutions in non-jury Crown courts.
  85

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Deportation
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people who, when sentenced to prison, were also recommended for deportation at the conclusion of their sentence were detained in prison following the completion of their sentence; and what was the average period of time for which they were so detained for each of the last three years and in the current year to date; [984]

  (2) how many people who, when sentenced to prison, were also recommended for deportation at the conclusion of their sentence, are still detained in prison having completed their sentence. [983]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  The available information is given in the table. The other information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Persons recommended for deportation by a court detained in prison after completion of a custodial sentence as at 17 November 1995:

  Number

  Less than 1 month

  2

  1 to 2 months

  6

  2 to 3 months

  2

  3 to 4 months

  1

  4 to 5 months

  0

  6 months to 1 year

  2

  Over 1 year

  1

  Total

  14

  Prison Transfers
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were transferred from Styal prison for each month of 1995, indicating the reason for the transfer in each case, and the name of the prison to which the transfer was made. [142]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Richard Tilt to Ms Janet Anderson, dated 21 November 1995:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of prisoners transferred from Styal prison for each month of 1995, the reason for each transfer and the name of the prison to which each transfer was made.

  The attached table shows the number of prisoners transferred in each month of 1995 and the destination establishments. Information on the reasons for each transfer is not centrally recorded and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Transfer of Prisoners from HMP Styal in 1995

  Destination of Transfer

  January

  February

  March

  April

  May

  Risley

  12

  39

  14

  8

  6

  Durham

  —

  —

  4

  —

  —

  Low Newton

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Winchester

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  Pucklechurch

  —

  —

  1

  4

  2

  86

  Transfer of Prisoners from HMP Styal in 1995

  Destination of Transfer

  January

  February

  March

  April

  May

  Brockhill

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Drake Hall

  1

  2

  16

  1

  2

  Bullwood Hall

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Cookham Wood

  1

  —

  —

  —

  3

  New Hall

  4

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Holloway

  2

  3

  5

  1

  3

  Askham Grange

  2

  1

  3

  2

  9

  Destination of transfer

  June

  July

  August

  September

  October/ November

  Risley

  8

  11

  10

  11

  8

  Durham

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1

  Low Newton

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Winchester

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Pucklechurch

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1

  Brockhill

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5

  Drake Hall

  5

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Bullwood

  Hall

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Cookham

  Wood

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  New Hall

  1

  1

  4

  2

  4

  Holloway

  —

  4

  1

  2

  4

  Askham

  Grange

  —

  10

  1

  4

  3

  Probation Officers
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received(a) for and (b) against his proposals to eliminate the social work training element for probation officers. [146]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Since the government's decisions about probation officer recruitment and training were announced on 2 October, 89 letters have been received, of which 61 were against and 28 were for a break with social work education.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers who have been held in detention have been on hunger strike during the current year. [993]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  A total of 40 people detained under Immigration Act powers have refused food or fluids at some stage during 1995 up to 17 November. Central records of people who have refused food or fluids do not distinguish between those who have applied for asylum from others, and this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  As at 17 November only one immigration detainee was refusing food or fluids.

  Prison Service
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the projected private sector involvement in the Prison Service; and what was the basis for calculating this figure. [385]
  87
  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. George Howarth, dated 21 November 1995:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about projected private sector involvement in the Prison Service.

  Our aim is to create a private sector able to provide sustained competition, to improve standards and cost efficiency. There is a commitment that, in the initial phase, about ten per cent of prisons in England and Wales (thirteen in total) will be managed by the private sector.

  This strategy is designed to secure continuing and lasting improvements in standards, quality and cost efficiency across the whole of the prison system in England and Wales. For these objectives to be achieved, the private sector must be large enough to provide sustained competition and involve several private sector companies.

  Prison Population
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the projected growth in the prison population as a result of measures he announced on 12 October. [137]

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 26 October Official Report, column 755–56.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of(a) the total prison inmate population of prisons in each of the next five years and (b) the totals of prison places that will be available. [348]

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 20 November 1995]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 21 November 1995:

  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the estimate of the total prison inmate population of prisons in each of the next five years and the totals of prison places that will be available.

  The most recent available projections were published in May as part of the Prison Service's 1995 Corporate Plan. Revised and updated projections will be published in the new year as part of the 1996 Corporate Plan.

  Police Constables
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made as to the experience, briefing and training of police constables on the beat. [151]

  Mr. Maclean
  The way in which beat patrol officers are used is an operational matter for chief constables. The scope and content of the probationer training curriculum is currently being reviewed to ensure that new recruits are equipped with the necessary skills and abilities to undertake this key role.
  88

  Victimisation (Homosexuals)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the co-ordinated police initiatives on a United Kingdom or Wales basis intended to combat violence against homosexuals. [605]

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 20 November 1995]: The prevention and detection of crime are operational responsibilities of chief officer of police. Forces co-operate with others where circumstances indicate that to be an effective approach to reducing crime of whatever form.

LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Late Payment
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how his Department publicises payment practices other than as percentages of invoices paid late.

  Mr. Newton
  Consideration is being given to the inclusion of a statement on payment practices in my Department's next annual report.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what is the average length of time it takes for his Department to pay invoices.

  Mr. Newton
  The practice of the Privy Council Office is to pay all invoices within 30 days.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Charter Mark Scheme
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on British Gas's decision to withdraw from the charter mark award scheme.

  Mr. Freeman
  Charter mark assessors were looking into standards of service at British Gas when the company relinquished its award earlier this month. This pre-empted any recommendation the assessors might have reached as a result of their investigation into standards of service at the company.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Aid Budget
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what increases to the total overseas aid budget would be required in each of the next three years to preserve the real value of the bilateral aid programme. [1592]

  Mr. Hanley
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for Ilford, South (Mr. Gapes) on 8 November Official Report, columns 902–903.
  89

  Overseas Aid
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of the general agreement on tariffs and trade on overseas aid to(a) sub-Saharan Africa, (b) Latin America and the Caribbean, (c) south and central Asia, (d) middle east and north Africa, (e) other Asia and Oceania and (f) eastern Europe. [1541]

  Mr. Hanley
  There is no direct linkage between trade liberalisation and the volume of overseas aid. However, many developing countries have taken advantage of successive general agreements on tariffs and trade to achieve export-led growth and so have reduced their need for aid.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of a shift from bilateral aid to multilateral aid on nations which receive overseas aid from the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [1549]

  Mr. Hanley
  As the share of multilateral aid, particularly that through the EC, rises it is all the more important to work to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of multilateral aid; to focus bilateral aid on activities where the United Kingdom has a comparative advantage; and to pursue the greatest possible complementarity between both forms of aid. Action is in hand on all these points.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to change the level of expenditure on overseas aid and development. [1545]

  Mr. Hanley
  We shall maintain an effective and substantial programme focused on the poorest countries. Future levels of aid will be announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget statement on 28 November.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has had from business interests with regard to distribution of the overseas aid programme. [1539]

  Mr. Hanley
  None. But my noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development has regular discussions with the business community about the aid programme with the twin aims of explaining developments in aid policy, and exploring with them how expenditure through the aid programme can, as a secondary objective, lead to future United Kingdom commercial relations. The question of the distribution of the aid programme is one topic occasionally referred to.

  EU Development Council
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the matters discussed and decisions taken, indicating any votes, at the EU Development Council in Brussels on 13 November. [1556]

  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the EU Development Council on 13 November. [1204]
  90
  Mr. Hanley
  The EU Development Council has been rescheduled to 20 December.

  Immunisation Programmes
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the overseas aid budget is allocated to immunisation programmes; and if this percentage will be increased over the next five years. [222]

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 20 November 1995]: Immunisation against infectious diseases is one of the most cost-effective means available for improving human health. During 1994, the ODA contributed around £250 million, or at least 10 per cent. of the aid budget, directly to health and population aid. A further sum was provided indirectly, through British contributions to the European Commission, World bank and UNICEF.

  Funds were used to improve the effectiveness of health services in developing countries and countries in transition; to promote improved reproductive health including safer maternity; to reduce suffering due to communicable diseases, especially tuberculosis, malaria and HIV; and to improve access to essential health care in emergencies. In all these circumstances, United Kingdom funding contributes to improved population coverage with effective vaccines. Funds are routed through the ODA's bilateral country, emergency and technology development and research programmes, grants to UNICEF and WHO, and joint funding of non-governmental organisations like Save the Children Fund, Oxfam and MERLIN.

  Separate figures are not available for UK spending on immunisation work within these broader programmes.

  Land Mines
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Governments of(a) Vietnam, (b) Cambodia, (c) Mozambique and (d) other developing countries regarding the results of British research into the control and destruction of land mines. [108]

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 20 November 1995]: None.

  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what public funds have been expended on research into the control and destruction of land mines for each of the past five years. [109]

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 20 November 1995]: The Ministry of defence supports a programme of generic research into battlefield engineering, part of which is directed towards studies into the control and destruction of land mines. It is estimated that expenditure on such work in this financial year will be more than £150,000. Figures for preceding years are not readily available but are understood to be comparable for the past three years and lower prior to that.

  In addition, the United Kingdom participates in a number of programmes to the same purpose in NATO and in information exchanges with our allies under the technical co-operation programme.
  91
  The Overseas Development Administration has provided £104,928 to fund a short research programme by the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency to review the application of various techniques for mine detection against the operational requirements of humanitarian mine clearance programmes.

ENVIRONMENT

  Regional Government (North-West)
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about regional government in the north-west. [744]

  Mr. Curry
  I have received no representations on this issue.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the future of the area cost adjustment. [745]

  Mr. Curry
  I have announced my proposals for an independent review of the area cost adjustment.

  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on local government spending. [747]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  My right hon. Friend will be making a statement on the provisional 1996–97 local government finance settlement shortly after my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor's Budget statement.

  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to changes to the 1995–96 capping criteria guidelines. [756]

  Mr. Curry
  We review the capping criteria every year. My proposals for criteria for 1996–97 will be announced with the rest of the local government finance settlement after the budget.

  Out-of-town Supermarkets
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has as to how many out-of-town supermarkets have been opened in the past five years. [746]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Department does not have information on applications granted by local planning authorities.

  Housing
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many tenants bought their homes under the right-to-buy legislation last year. [748]

  Mr. Curry
  In England, over 43,000 homes were sold under the right to buy between April 1994 and March 1995. The figure for Great Britain as a whole is more than 66,000.
  92
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will propose changes to the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 following the decision in Howson v. Buxton and in relation to persons working in association. [415]

  Mr. Clappison
  It is not clear how the decision in Howson v. Buxton which was decided in 1928, gives rises to an argument for change to the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954.

  Single Regeneration Budget
  Mr. Khabra
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to announce allocation of the single regeneration budget. [750]

  Mr. Curry
  My. right hon. Friend intends to announce successful bids under the second round of the single regeneration budget challenge fund by Christmas.

  Local Government (Candidates)
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to encourage more business men to stand as candidates for local government. [751]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Our aim is to encourage people with a wide range of backgrounds, including business men, to serve as councillors. The changes which we have recently made to the councillors' allowances system are designed to achieve just this.

  Biodiversity
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further efforts will be made to preserve biodiversity within critical habitats in Britain; and if he will make a statement. [752]

  Mr. Clappison
  The Government plan to submit further candidate special areas of conservation under the EC habitats directive when the results of the recent public consultation on the proposed list have been fully considered. In addition, the steering group, set up by the Government to advise on biodiversity, will publish its report on 13 December. The report will contain proposals for targets and costed action plans for key species and habitats in the United Kingdom.

  Noise Controls
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about restricting noise. [753]

  Mr. Clappison
  My Department receives representations about all forms of environmental noise on a regular basis. The vast majority of this correspondence relates to neighbour noise issues.

  Regional Government (West Midlands)
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received about regional government in the west Midlands. [754]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  I have received no representation on this issue.
  93

  Social Housing
  Mr. Sutcliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assistance he will give to local authorities to build affordable social housing. [757]

  Mr. Curry
  Housing Associations are now the main providers of new social housing. In total, in 1995–96 around 70,000 additional new lettings are expected to be provided through a mixture of public and private funding.

  National Parks
  Mr. Chris Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to announce the creation of any new national parks. [758]

  Mr. Clappison
  The Government have no plans to designate any new national parks.

  Community Forests
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many hectares of community forest have been promised to date by local authorities; and if he will make a statement. [759]

  Mr. Clappison
  We have approved the business plans for 12 community forests in England. The aims of the forests are to assist economic regeneration by landscape and amenity improvements, and to provide recreation opportunities on the edges of towns and cities. Individual planting targets vary, but the overall aim is to increase tree cover in each forest to around 30 per cent. over the next 30 to 50 years. Since 1991, 2,347 hectares of woodland has been planted and over 2,000 hectares of wildlife habitat created.

  Building Research Establishment
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library a copy of the brief which his Department intends to issue to consultants advising on the privatisation of the Building Research Establishment. [314]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Consultants have been invited to tender for providing advice on the relative disadvantages and advantages of the options for transferring BRE to the private sector. I have placed a copy of the specification issued to them in the Library of the House today.

  Water Industry (Customer Satisfaction)
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to commission any independent research into customer satisfaction with the water industry. [129]

  Mr. Clappison
  This is a matter for the companies and the independent regulator for the water industry, who carry out research as appropriate.

  Mrs. Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what cut-off date has been used for the collection of statistics relating to customer complaints about the water industry in the current year; [125]

  (2) what categories are used to identify the subject of a customer's complaints to a water undertaker; [128]
  94
  (3) if he will list the number of (a) written and (b) telephone complaints made to each water or sewerage company in each of the five years from 1990 to 1995; and what month they are calculated from. [899]

  Mr. Clappison
  Information on the number of written and telephone billing complaints, and the total number of written complaints to water and sewerage companies, is published by the Office of Water Services in its annual "Report on Levels of Service for the Water Industry in England and Wales", covering the period 1 April to 31 March each year, copies of which are in the Library.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has the number of(a) written and (b) telephone complaints made to Ofwat regional committees in each of the years from 1990 to 1995. [900]

  Mr. Clappison
  Information on the number of complaints made to Ofwat regional customer service committees is contained in the individual annual reports of the committees and in the Office of Water Services' "Review of Companies' Complaints Procedures" of October 1995, copies of which are in the Library.

  Water Supplies
  Mr. Chris Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the National Rivers Authority will report to him on the adequacy of water companies' plans to safeguard water supplies next summer; and what is the minimum time required if Government intervention is necessary to protect and provide water supplies if the water companies' plans prove inadequate. [409]

  Mr. Clappison
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has asked the National Rivers Authority to report to him by 15 December, following consultation with the companies, on the adequacy of water companies' plans to safeguard supplies next summer. The minimum time required to implement additional measures will depend on the nature of those measures.

  Power Lines (Safety)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers regional electricity companies have to access land designated as a site of special scientific interest in order to maintain the safety of power lines. [112]

  Mr. Clappison
  General powers of access are set out in paragraph 7 of schedule 6 to the Electricity Act 1989.

  Vehicle Emissions
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for countering the effect of vehicle emissions in city centres and if he will make a statement. [733]

  Mr. Clappison
  We are on course for a significant reduction from primary road transport emissions over the next 10 years.

  Nevertheless, we want to take every opportunity to press for further progress. This summer, the Environment Act 1995 set out a radical new framework for improving air quality.
  95

  Local Authority Staff
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people are estimated to be currently employed by local authorities; at what cost; what were the figures in 1979; and if he will make a statement. [1479]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The total numbers of general services staff employed by local authorities in England were as follows:

  Thousands

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Total staff

  June 1979

  1,469

  876

  2,345

  June 1995

  1,092

  875

  1,967

  There have been various changes in general services employment in the period arising from changes in the functions of local government. Four major events caused significant reductions from the local authority sector:

  (1) Approximately 6,300 full-time equivalents—FTEs—due to the abolition of the GLC and the metropolitan county councils in 1986.

  (2) Around 14,500 full-time equivalents—FTEs—due to changes in the status of local authority bus and municipal airport staff in 1986 and 1987.

  (3) Around 39,000 full-time equivalents—FTEs—when polytechnics and higher education institutions transferred from local authority control in 1989.

  (4) Around 97,000 full-time equivalents—FTEs—when further education institutions became the responsibility of the Further Education Funding Council (FEFC) on 1 April 1993.

  Comparable figures for the cost of local authority employment are not available because of the various changes in function of local government and because of changes in the way estimates of employment costs have been compiled. In 1994–95, the latest year for which figures are available, the total cost of wages and salaries for all local authorities, including law and order authorities, was £33 billion.

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the numbers of people employed by each local authority in England in(a) 1979, (b) 1990 and (c) currently; and if he will make a statement. [358]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  [holding answer 20 November 1995]: The total numbers of general services staff employed by local authorities in England were as follows:

  Thousands

  June 1979

  June 1990

  June 1995

  Full time

  1,469

  1,327

  1,091

  Part time

  876

  955

  875

  Full time equivalents

  1,813

  1,709

  11,468

  1 Estimated.

  There have been various changes in general services employment in the period arising from changes in the functions of local government. Four major events caused significant reductions from the local authority sector;

  (1) Approximately 6,300 full-time equivalents—FTEs—due to the abolition of GLC and the metropolitan county councils in 1986.

  96

  (2) Around 14,500 full-time equivalents—FTEs—due to changes in the status of local authority bus and municipal airport staff in 1986 and 1987.

  (3) Around 39,000 full-time equivalents—FTEs—when polytechnics and higher education institutions transferred from local authority control in 1989.

  (4) Around 97,000 full-time equivalents—FTEs—when further education institutions became the responsibility of the Further Education Funding Council (FEFC on 1 April 1993.

  Tables covering figures for individual authorities have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Leaseholders' Rights
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce a right to manage for leaseholders in flats. [1482]

  Mr. Curry
  I am aware that proposals on a right to manage have been put forward. Important issues of principle and practicality need to be considered carefully before any decisions are taken. My officials will be discussing these shortly with interested parties.

  Water Resources
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on and give his response to the conclusions of the National Rivers Authority report, "Saving Water", sent to him on 3 October. [1486]

  Mr. Gummer
  I welcome publication of the consultation document as a further contribution to the debate on efficient management of water resources. My Department is considering the proposals and will comment in due course.

  Environmental Pollution (Central and Eastern Europe)
  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of state for the Environment when he next intends to meet his EU counterparts to discuss environmental pollution in central and eastern Europe. [732]

  Mr. Clappison
  The next meeting of EU Ministers to discuss pollution in central and eastern Europe will be held under the Italian presidency in March 1996. The meeting will consider the follow-up to last month's Sofia conference of European Environment Ministers, in which the Secretary of State and his EU counterparts played an active part.

  Housing Revenue Account Subsidy
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to issue the draft housing revenue account subsidy and item 8 determinations for 1996–97. [1896]

  Mr. Curry
  Local authorities have today been sent the draft housing revenue account subsidy and item 8 determinations for 1996–97 together with a consultation paper on proposed arrangements to discourage them from increasing their rents by more than the Government's guideline increase for next year. Authorities have been invited to let my Department have their views by 15 December 1995.
  97
  I am pleased to be able to say that we are proposing to freeze the average guideline rent for 1996–97, in real terms, at £34.70 a week. The increases on this year for individual authorities would range between 67p and £1.17 a week. This is good news for council tenants.

  The assessment of each authority's proposed guideline rent would, for the first time, explicitly include allowance for average earnings of manual workers. Authorities' guideline rents would be based equally on local capital values and earnings. This would improve the targeting of subsidy and would ensure that the pattern of rents charged by authorities nationally better represented the income pattern of tenants. It would help us ensure that local authority rents remained affordable for those on low incomes.

  We are proposing a change in the subsidy rules to encourage authorities to keep their rent increases within the guideline. Rent rebate subsidy would be limited and the limit would be linked to the guideline rent increase. Authorities which stay within this limit would be unaffected.

  To provide authorities with greater certainty about their subsidy entitlement and to reduce the administrative burden both for authorities and for the Department, the proposed subsidy determination has been streamlined and the calculation of subsidy considerably simplified.

  Total provision for management and maintenance costs will be £3.4 billion. The provision is slightly higher than this year per dwelling. We propose to update the distribution formula to include data from the English house condition survey and to include an allowance for social factors. About 10 per cent. of the maintenance component would be indexed to measures of social deprivation. These changes are designed to improve the allocation of subsidy so that it goes where it is needed most.

  In common with the remainder of the public sector, we want to see housing departments of local town halls constantly seeking greater efficiency. Up to now, spending has continued to rise while the number of council houses has fallen, with the cost being picked up by tenants and general taxpayers. Our proposals will encourage authorities to keep their rent increases down to the Government's guideline levels and will provide a spur for them to use opportunities, such as compulsory competitive tendering, to improve efficiency, bring costs down and provide tenants with better services.

  Goole
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce his decision on the future of Goole and rural Goole. [1846]

  Mr. Gummer
  In light of the commission's recommendation and the representations I have received, I have decided to accept the commission's recommendation that there should be no change to the boundaries of Goole and rural Goole. As a consequence, the area will form part of the new east riding of Yorkshire authority provided for in the Humberside (Structural Change) Order 1995.
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  Unitary Development Plans
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information(a) is available and (b) will be made available to persons concerned about major changes to unitary development plans under the provisions of the citizens charter. [111]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The free booklet, "Development Plans: What You Need to Know", published by the Department of the Environment, contains a code of practice for development plans and sets out the procedures that are to be followed by a local planning authority when it proposes to make alterations to, or replace, a unitary development plan. The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 requires the authority to place those proposals on deposit for public inspection for a period of six weeks, during which objections or representations may be made by any member of the public. Notices of the deposited proposals are required to be advertised locally and in the London Gazette. Additionally, in planning policy guidance note 12, "Development Plans and Regional Planning Guidance", the Secretary of State advises authorities to give adequate publicity at an early stage to the proposed alteration or replacement, and to give members of the public an opportunity to participate in the preparation of those proposals, prior to deposit.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Workstart Scheme
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what factors underlay the omission from guidelines sent to employment officials overseeing workstart placements of a requirement to(a) withdraw a client and (b) inform the employer immediately when a health and safety risk within the workplace is noticed; and what assessment her Department has made of the risk to workstart clients from the omission of this requirement; [978]

  (2) how many of the workplaces with people on the workstart scheme have been found not to meet health and safety requirements; [976]

  (3) how many of the workplaces with people on the workstart scheme have been inspected by health and safety officers; [892]

  (4) what provisions she is making to ensure that unemployed people on the workstart scheme are placed in working environments which meet all health and safety requirements; [890]

  (5) how many accidents have occurred involving people placed on the workstart scheme since it began. [891]

  Mr. Forth
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. John Heppell, dated 21 November 1995:

  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions about Health and Safety issues and the Workstart Employment Subsidy Scheme.
  99
  Workstart aims to encourage employers to take on long term unemployed people by the payment of a subsidy. Once recruited, subsidised people are employees of the employer concerned and their status is identical to that of any other employee. They are therefore covered as any other employee by health and safety legislation.

  As part of the audit procedures, Workstart co-ordinators from the Employment Service (ES) visit a percentage of the firms who are in receipt of a subsidy. The purpose of this visit is for the co-ordinators to satisfy themselves that the Workstart recruit is still employed at the firm.

  As the co-ordinators will be on the employers' premises, the ES sought legal advice regarding its position should they observe what appears, to a lay person, to be a health and safety problem during the course of the visit. The advice given was that the ES has no legal responsibility to identify or to act on any suspected breach of health and safety legislation. ES people undertaking Workstart visits are neither trained nor qualified to assess whether a situation is in contravention of health and safety legislation or is liable to constitute a danger. As such the monitoring visit can in no way constitute an inspection of the employer's premises. Nevertheless if the co-ordinator sees something of concern to themselves about the safety of the employer's premises they are advised to report the matter to the Health and Safely Executive. The ES has no power to 'withdraw' the employee as they are no longer employed.

  The Employment Service places importance on ensuring that employers are made fully aware that agreeing to the conditions of Workstart does not negate their responsibility for health and safety issues. We therefore insist the employer signs a declaration which outlines their intent to comply with all relevant health and safety legislation when a Workstart subsidy is agreed and would not allow subsidies to be paid to employers who refused to do so.

  Given that the responsibility for Health and Safety is solely that of an employer, no specific records are kept of accidents on the premises of employers in receipt of a Workstart subsidy or of visits by officials of the Health and Safety Executive to their premises.

  I hope this is helpful in explaining the position.

  Dance and Drama Students (Funding)
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement on her policy on the funding of dance and drama students. [172]

  Mr. Forth
  The Government are aware of the difficulties faced by some potential students of dance and drama in obtaining discretionary award support from their local authorities. We are continuing to look at whether anything might be done to help. No decisions have yet been taken.

  Primary School Class Sizes
  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the estimated number at January 1995 of primary school pupils educated in class sizes of 40 and above in the Dudley metropolitan borough; and what proportion this figure is of all primary children in England and Wales educated in these sized classes. [578]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The number of pupils in single teacher classes of 40 or more pupils in maintained primary schools in Dudley local education authority area in January 1995, provisional, was 1,027. This represented 5.6 per cent. of pupils in single teacher classes of 40 or more pupils in maintained primary schools in England.

  Information on classes in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
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  Information Technology
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to ensure that teachers are properly trained in the use of information technology. [18]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Government's criteria for initial teacher training require that newly qualified teachers should be able to make effective use of information technology as a learning resource. The Teacher Training Agency has identified support for teachers using information technology as one of the national priorities to be addressed through its action programme for continuing professional development.

  Ministerial Transport, London
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many times in the last year she has used(a) London Transport buses and (b) London Underground while on official business. [421]

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I have not used either London Buses or London Underground on official business, although I often walk.

  Jobclub
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list by area(a) the percentage of unemployed persons who attend a jobclub and (b) the percentage of those who attended who were successful in finding full-time work. [184]

  Mr. Forth
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Gerry Steinberg, dated 21 November 1995:

  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about Jobclubs.

  The information is not available in the form requested.

  I am, however able to provide details of the number of people who joined the Jobclub during 1994/95 by Employment Service Region, together with the total average number of unemployed people during the same period. The proportion of Jobclub leavers who took up any job is also shown.

  I hope this is helpful.

  Numbers of unemployed and jobclub performance April 1994-March 1995

  Average number of unemployed claimants in year

  Total number of jobclub entrants in year

  Percentage of those leaving jobclub entering work

  Northern

  139,011

  16,239

  40

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  221,085

  23,499

  44

  East Midlands and Eastern

  233,134

  23,087

  41

  London and South East

  795,377

  86,209

  44

  South West

  183,931

  21,162

  46

  Wales

  115,938

  12,263

  50

  West Midlands

  235,085

  28,073

  42

  North West

  297,695

  32,159

  38

  Office for Scotland

  224,287

  24,731

  46

  National total

  2,455,987

  266,422

  43

  101

  Remploy
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if she will list the major companies to which Remploy supplies its products; [1027]

  (2) what Government funding will be provided to Remploy during the period April 1995 to April 1996. [1026]

  Mr. Forth
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Jim Cunningham, dated 21 November 1995:

  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions about the major companies to which Remploy supplies its products and about Government funding for Remploy in 1995/96.

  I am unable to list Remploy's major customers as this information is commercial in confidence to the Company. During the period 1 April 1995 to 31 March 1996 Remploy will receive Government funding of £94.161 million.

  I hope this is helpful.

  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to contract out Remploy to the private sector. [1025]

  Mr. Forth
  We have none.

  Literacy and Numeracy
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to increase literacy and numeracy among school age children. [17]

  Mrs. Gillan
  Raising standards of literacy and numeracy is at the heart of our school reforms, notably the national curriculum, regular testing, performance tables, regular inspection and improvements to teacher training. The chief inspector of schools has confirmed that our reforms are improving the quality of education.

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many allegations of fraudulent claims she has investigated under the assisted places scheme, due to claimants understating their incomes. [21]

  Mrs. Gillan
  It is for participating schools, in the first instance, to investigate any claims by parents seeking help under the assisted places scheme which schools have reason to believe may have been made fraudulently. The Education (Assisted Places) Regulations 1995 provide that, if the parents of an assisted pupil do not duly furnish the school with supporting documentary evidence, or if they knowingly or recklessly furnish false information, they shall not be entitled to any remission of fees for that year.
  102

  Undergraduates
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate she has made of the drop-out rate of undergraduates as a direct result of financial hardship. [180]

  Mr. Forth
  Our latest estimate of the drop-out rate of students from full-time and sandwich first-degree courses is 17 per cent. in the academic year 1992–93. This covers all those leaving because of exam failure, ill health, personal and other reasons including financial difficulties. It is not possible to identify the drop-out rate caused by financial difficulties alone, but recent research in one university suggests that financial difficulties are less likely to be the cause than personal reasons or students' coming to the view that their course is unsuitable.

  Teacher-pupil Ratios (Durham)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the teacher-pupil ratio in Durham local education authority in 1989–90 and the latest year for which figures are available. [183]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The overall pupil-teacher ratios in Durham local education authority in January 1990 and 1995, provisional, were 18:3 and 19:1 respectively.

  University Professors
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations she has received regarding the posts of recently appointed university professors and their remuneration; and if she will make a statement. [382]

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has received no such representations. As autonomous institutions, universities are free to determine the appointments of professorial staff and their remuneration. The nationally agreed minimum salary for professors from 1 April 1995 is £31,999.

  Apprentices (Manufacturing Industry)
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the total number of apprentices in manufacturing industry for each year since 1979. [454]

  Mr. Paice
  The information requested is given in the table. Estimates for years prior to 1984 are not available.

  Number of people doing an apprenticeship in manufacturing industry 1984–95

  Thousands

  United Kingdom

  Number

  1984

  117

  1985

  112

  1986

  106

  1987

  94

  1988

  89

  1989

  102

  1990

  111

  1991

  92

  103

  Number of people doing an apprenticeship in manufacturing industry 1984–95

  Thousands

  United Kingdom

  Number

  1992

  89

  1993

  76

  19931

  78

  1994

  60

  1995

  48

  Note:

  1 A revised Standard Industrial Classification was adopted in 1993.

  Estimates on the new basis are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.

  Source:

  Labour Force Survey, spring of each year.

  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what discussions she has had over the last year with trade unions on the subject of apprenticeships in the manufacturing industry; and if she will make a statement. [452]

  Mr. Paice
  We have had no personal discussions with trade unions on this subject. Industry training organisations have involved manufacturing sectors' trade unions widely in discussions about the development of modern apprenticeship frameworks.

  Higher Education
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when she expects to complete her review of the funding models of future higher education and to be able to make an announcement. [1417]

  Mr. Forth
  The Government's review of higher education is looking at wider issues than funding models. We recognise the importance of higher education to the country's future economy and society, and do not intend to rush the review by setting arbitrary deadlines.

  Special Educational Needs
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the first special educational needs tribunal was held; how many appeals have been heard; how many are outstanding; and what is the average waiting time from an appeal being received to a tribunal being held. [1060]

  Mr. Forth
  The Department does not maintain detailed records about appeals to the special educational needs tribunal, which is an independent non-departmental public body. I have therefore asked the president of the tribunal, Mr. Trevor Aldridge QC, to write to the hon. Member.

  Information about the numbers of appeals to the tribunal will be available in the president's annual report to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, which will be placed in the Library when it is published.

  Social Chapter
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what legislation has been agreed by the European Union arising from the social chapter of the Single European Act treaty or the work programme arising from the social charter agreed in 104
  Strasbourg by the European Council in 1989, which by virtue of the protocol on social policy in the treaty on European Union does not apply to the United Kingdom; what articles authorised such legislation; and what proposals in or likely to be in this category of legislation are before either the Council of Ministers or the Council of Permanent Representatives. [1481]

  Mr. Forth
  One directive, on European works councils, has been adopted by the other European Community member states under article 2.2 of their agreement on social policy. Three other dossiers, covering parental leave, part-time and temporary work and reversal of the burden of proof in sex discrimination cases, are currently being considered under the agreement and may result in further legislative measures.

  Welfare and Counselling (Students)
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps her Department have taken to improve the welfare and counselling services to students in the last five years; and if she will make a statement. [1206]

  Mr. Forth
  None. Colleges and universities are independent, autonomous bodies, responsible for managing their own affairs. Any arrangements that institutions make for the welfare and counselling of their students are for the governing body of each institution to determine; Ministers have no powers to intervene.

  Mr. Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what research has been undertaken in the last five years by her Department into the level of students suffering from stress and depression; and if she will make a statement. [1212]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Department has undertaken no such research in the last five years.

  Student Grants
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the average grant received by students in(a) 1991, (b) 1992, (c) 1993 and (d) 1994; and if she will make a statement. [1213]

  Mr. Forth
  The average net maintenance grants after means testing received by mandatory award holders in England and Wales in the academic years 1990–91 to 1993–94 are set out in the table. Since 1990–91, eligible students have also had access to non-means-tested student loans.

  Average net maintenance grants to holders of mandatory awards

  £

  Academic year

  Average net maintenance grant paid by local education authorities1

  England and Wales

  1990–91

  1,480

  1991–92

  1,540

  1992–93

  1,610

  1993–94

  1,670

  1 To the nearest £10.

  105

  Hardship Funds
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many students applied for hardship funds in(a) 1991, (b) 1992, (c) 1993 and (d) 1994; and if she will make a statement. [1216]

  Mr. Forth
  The purpose of the hardship funds, correctly known as the access funds, is to provide financial help to students whose access to further or higher education might be inhibited by financial considerations or who, for whatever reason, including physical or other disabilities, face financial difficulties.

  From the information provided by institutions, it is estimated that the numbers of applications for further and higher education access funds are as follows:

  Academic year

  Further education

  Higher education

  1990–91

  22,100

  116,0001

  1991–92

  30,000

  118,2001

  1992–93

  32,400

  67,440

  1993–94

  Not available

  77,060

  1994–95

  Not available

  Will be available later in the year

  1 Figures relate to the UK; other figures are not for England only.

  Figures for further education access funds may exclude some students at colleges who failed to submit returns.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many students 106
  applied for student loans in (a) 1991, (b) 1992, (c) 1993 and (d) 1994; and if she will make a statement; [1215]

  (2) how many students who graduated in (a) 1989, (b) 1990, (c) 1991, (d) 1992, (e) 1993 and (f) 1994 are still in debt to the Student Loans Company; and if she will make a statement. [1214]

  Mr. Forth
  These are matters for the Student Loans Company. I have asked the acting chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Ethnic Monitoring
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has for the continuation of ethnic monitoring of school pupils following the consultation exercise earlier this year. [1975]

  Mrs. Gillan
  Our consultations of future arrangements for ethnic monitoring of school pupils produced a clear consensus for improving the usefulness of monitoring while reducing the burden on schools. We have therefore decided to cease the existing separate ethnic monitoring surveys and introduce instead a combination of approaches. First, the 1996 schools census will include simple new questions about the ethnic backgrounds of pupils. The three new questions will cover: the total number of ethnic minority pupils in each school; the names of the largest groups; and the total number of pupils for whom English is a second language. More detailed questions will be developed for inclusion in the 1997 schools census. Secondly, Ofsted will monitor the progress of ethnic minority pupils in individual schools, as part of its regular inspection process. Thirdly, research will be undertaken where necessary to investigate particular issues in depth. Details of the new arrangements were sent to local authorities and schools in September.

  Stonehenge
  Stonehenge