Written Answers of 22 November 1995

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Invoices
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the average length of time it takes for his Department to pay invoices. [934]

  The Attorney-General
  The information available for the Law Officers' Departments is as follows:

  Over recent sample periods the average time between receipt of a valid invoice and payment was 17 days for the Serious Fraud Office, and 35 days for the Treasury Solicitor's Department. The Government Property Lawyers process all claims within five days.

  The Crown Prosecution Service pays over 80 per cent. of witness expense claims within 10 working days.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Attorney-General how his Department publicises payment practices other than as percentages of invoices paid late. [951]

  The Attorney-General
  The Departments for which I am responsible make every effort to settle invoices promptly and in accordance with the requirements published in Government Accounting. Information about those Department's payment practices is published in the annual departmental report of the Lord Chancellor's and Law Officer's Departments.

  In addition, the performance of the Crown Prosecution Service against its target of paying claims for witness expenses within 10 working days is published in its statutory annual report.

  Invitations to tender issued by the Treasury Solicitor's Department also contain a reference to the effect that payment will be made within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice.

  The Government Property Lawyers publish details of payment policy in the annual report and accounts.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Invoices
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how his Department publicises payment practices other than as percentages of invoices paid late. [961]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Department's general conditions of contract contain a clause informing suppliers that we shall make a payment within agreed terms, or within 30 days of receipt of an invoice, where no such terms exist. The conditions also give advice on how to complain if the Department fails to make payment on time. Annual surveys of invoice payments are carried out,108
  the latest of which showed that 93.9 per cent. of invoices were paid on time. A further survey is being carried out of invoices authorised for payment during the month of November. The survey results, together with details of the Department's payment policies, are published in the Department's annual report.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the average length of time it takes for his Department to pay invoices. [927]

  Mr. Taylor
  The information required to answer the question is not recorded centrally. An examination of the procedures for paying invoices throughout the Department has shown that, on average, invoices are paid within seven days of receipt.

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many officials of his Department are part-time involved in legal matters relating to the destruction of the airliner Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie. [1630]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  None.

  Antarctic Minerals
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department for what reasons the Antarctic Minerals Act 1989 has not fully been brought into force; and when he intends to fully bring it into force. [196]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Convention on the Regulation of Antarctic Mineral Resource Activities (CRAMRA) has, in effect, been superseded by the 1991 environmental protocol to the Antarctic treaty. Provisions to enable the United Kingdom to ratify the protocol were included in Antarctic Act 1994. The Act also repealed the Antarctic Minerals Act 1989, except for provisions relating only to the administration of justice for the British Antarctic Territory.

TREASURY

  Invoices
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the amount owed to those businesses whose invoices were not paid within 30 days of receipt or in accordance with contractual agreements in each of the last five years. [1117]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  Records of the promptness of payment for the past five years are not maintained. Over the past three years, the amount owed to businesses whose invoices were not paid within 30 days of receipt was:

  1993–94: £1,006K

  1994–95: £1,689K

  1995–96 to date: £818K

  The majority of the invoices to which the sums above relate were delayed due to problems associated with the particular suppliers such as an error in the invoice or failure to deliver the goods or service.
  109
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (i) orders and (ii) firms are represented by the 18 per cent. of invoices not paid by his Department within 30 days or in accordance with contractual agreements in 1994–95; how many of those are related to firms with fewer than 500 employees. [912]

  Mrs. Knight
  The number of (i) orders and (ii) firms represented by the 18 per cent. of invoices not paid within 30 days is shown in the table:

  (i) orders: 380

  (ii) firms: 152

  These figures include invoices which were delayed due to problems associated with the particular suppliers such as an error in the invoice or failure to deliver the goods or service.

  The Treasury does not distinguish between different sizes of suppliers. Information on how many of those invoices relate to firms with fewer than 500 employees is not available.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average length of time it takes for his Department to pay invoices. [919]

  Mrs. Knight
  The average number of days taken to pay invoices is 23 days from date of receipt.

  This includes invoices which were delayed due to problems associated with the particular suppliers such as an error in the invoice or failure to deliver the goods or service.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how his Department publicises payment practices other than as percentages of invoices paid late. [969]

  Mrs. Knight
  Departmental payment performance figures are published annually within the Chancellor of the Exchequer's departmental report. Figures are given showing the percentage of invoices paid within 30 days of receipt of an invoice or within the payment period specified in a contract if different.

  Alcohol and Tobacco (Cross-border Trade)
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the present estimated annual value of revenue lost to the Exchequer because of illicit cross-border trade in alcoholic and tobacco products. [80]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  By its nature, the scale of illicit cross-border trade in alcohol and tobacco is very difficult to assess. Reliable figures are not available. Officials are working closely with United Kingdom trade representatives to determine whether a satisfactory method of estimating the value of this trade can be developed.

  European Monetary Institute
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) who represents Britain on the European Monetary Institute; whose policy they articulate; whom they report to; and what is their brief in respect of monetary union; [1101]

  (2) who represents Britain in the European Monetary Institute; and which body determines United Kingdom policy in respect of the institute. [545]
  110
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  In accordance with the terms of article 109f of the EC Treaty, and article 1 of the protocol on the statute of the European Monetary Institute annexed to the treaty, the Bank of England is a member of the EMI, and the Governor of the Bank of England is a member of the EMI's council. Active participation by the Governor on the council of the EMI is in accordance with the Government's policy of full involvement in preparations for economic and monetary union, which the Government believe is necessary to protect our interest whether or not the UK participates in the single currency.

  Monetary Union
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what obligations are imposed on the United Kingdom and what changes have to be made to British economic policy to allow the United Kingdom to qualify for monetary union and to take Her Majesty's Government to the point at which it can decide to enter monetary union or not. [1106]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The Council, meeting in the composition of Heads of State and Government, will decide for each member state whether it fulfils the necessary conditions for the adoption of a single currency, in accordance with the provisions of article 109j of the EC treaty and protocol No. 6 on the convergence criteria. Protocol No. 11, annexed to the EC treaty, means that the United Kingdom shall not be obliged or committed to move to the third stage of economic union without a separate decision to do so by the Government and Parliament. We will agree to take part in a single currency only if it is in our national interest to do so, given the circumstances at the time. The Government's economic policies aim to bear down on inflation and ensure sound public finances. These policies make good economic sense and are entirely consistent with the convergence criteria.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the effect on Treasury revenue in 1996–97 and in a full year of extending value added tax at(a) 8 per cent. and (b) 17.5 per cent. to all those zero-rated, giving figures separately for each item. [91]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Table 10 of the Treasury publication "Tax Ready Reckoner and Tax Reliefs" shows the estimated cost of not applying standard rate VAT to those items currently zero-rated. Those figures make no allowance for changes in consumer behaviour. It is possible to derive estimates for revenue from 8 per cent. VAT from those figures. The latest figures available are for 1995–96.

  £ million

  8.0 per cent.

  17.5 per cent.

  Food

  3,450

  7,550

  Construction of new dwellings

  820

  1,800

  Domestic passenger transport

  620

  1,350

  International passenger transport

  530

  1,150

  Books, newspapers and magazines

  550

  1,200

  Childrens clothes and shoes

  340

  750

  Water and sewerage services

  410

  900

  111

  £ million

  8.0 per cent.

  17.5 per cent.

  Drugs and medicines on prescription

  300

  650

  Supplies to charities

  90

  200

  Ships and aircraft above a certain size

  210

  450

  Vehicles and other supplies to disabled people

  70

  150

  Ordtech Trials
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total cost to the public funds of the Ordtech trials. [1023]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  It is not possible at this stage to give a total cost to the public funds of the Ordtech trials. Legal fees paid to date by HM Customs and Excise, as prosecuting authority, amount to £175,808.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Sri Lanka
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans Her Majesty's Government have to provide humanitarian assistance to displaced people and refugees from the Jaffna area of Sri Lanka. [566]

  Mr. Hanley
  Earlier this month, we provided two emergency aid grants of £250,000 and £100,000 to the International Committee of the Red Cross and Christian Action, Research and Education respectively, to help alleviate the suffering of those affected by the recent fighting. We also provide on-going support, through Save the Children and Oxfam, for relief and rehabilitation programmes which help displaced families. In 1995–96, we expect to spend around £1.2 million on these programmes.

  Aid Programme
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what(a) percentage and (b) amount of the annual expenditure for overseas aid is channelled through non-governmental organisations (i) in developing countries overall, (ii) in each country and (iii) on each project. [1546]

  Mr. Hanley
  In 1994–95 total expenditure for overseas aid to developing countries was £2.018 billion. Of this, £1.048 billion was in the form of bilateral aid, of which 16.5 per cent. or £173 million was channelled through non-governmental organisations. More detailed breakdowns of this expenditure by individual countries and projects are not available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

ENVIRONMENT

  Insulation
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many voucher booklets offering discounts on home insulation products were 112
  recently distributed; which body was responsible for producing them; to whom they were distributed; and at what cost; [600]

  (2) how many inquiries about cavity wall insulation were generated because of the television advertising campaign that formed part of the energy efficiency scheme promoted by his Department; [601]

  (3) which body was responsible for the promotion of the cavity wall insulation scheme with which his Department was involved as part of the energy efficiency scheme; and how the body responsible for the promotion was chosen; [602]

  (4) what was the cost to public funds of the recent television campaign promoting cavity wall insulation under the energy efficiency scheme. [603]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The voucher booklets were produced by the Department of the Environment with the aim of increasing the take-up of energy efficiency measures through offers provided by private sector companies and trade associations at their own expense. Cavity wall insulation was only one of 14 different products and services included in the booklet. The voucher book as a whole was supported by television advertising costing £1,232,313.

  Over 5 million voucher books have been distributed direct to owner-occupied older properties which are likely to be able to benefit from the full range of offers included. Distribution costs were £58,750. The voucher books can also be obtained from local energy advice centres and by using press advertisement coupons.

  The cavity wall insulation offer is nominally promoted by InstaGroup, but covers four major fibre-based cavity insulation system designers, the National Cavity Insulation Association and the Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency. InstaGroup's role as promoter came as a result of agreement among all the participants. All the vouchers are valid at least until the end of the year, and longer in some cases. It is therefore too early to assess the results.

  Housing
  Sir David Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies or research are being undertaken into the particular care and support requirements in housing of the elderly living in rural areas. [207]

  Mr. Curry
  In 1995, my Department commissioned research into the nature of demand for housing in rural areas including the housing needs of elderly people. A final report is due in July 1996.

  Sir David Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy in respect of local initiatives which provide care and support services, including specialist retirement housing, to meet the needs of elderly home owners in rural areas; and if he will make a statement. [206]

  Mr. Curry
  The Government's policy is that care should be provided to people as far as possible in their existing housing where this is their preference and it is
  113
  cost effective to do so. This policy is supported by the availability of home renovation grants and the work of home improvement agencies.

  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the impact of the introduction of stress area enhancement on the number of new homes built in(a) the south-west and (b) Great Britain. [593]

  Mr. Clappison
  The purpose of stress area enhancement is to channel additional housing resources to those local authority areas with the greatest social, environmental housing problems. Any effect on the number of new homes built is marginal, and the specific information requested is not available.

  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library copies of the housing investment programme bids made by each housing authority in England; and if he will summarise the total lists from each region. [975]

  Mr. Curry
  Copies of local authorities' HIP bids for 1996–97 along with strategy statements and associated HIP forms are being collated and will be placed in the Library shortly. Regional summaries of the bids will be placed in the Library when all the bid data have been verified.

  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he now intends to take to improve standards in houses in multiple occupation. [2214]

  Mr. Curry
  I am proposing a package of measures which will be able to deal with the problems in this sector of the housing market in a more cost-effective and flexible way than a national mandatory licensing scheme. I intend, therefore, to bring forward legislation as soon as possible.

  There are four principal elements to this legislative package. First, there will be general duty of care placed on HMO landlords with respect to amenity and fire safety standards. Breach of this duty will be a criminal offence punishable by a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale—£5,000. Guidance on the duty will be set out in a national code of practice which will be issued before the new duty is brought into force.

  Secondly, local authorities will be able to introduce a modified form of HMO registration scheme. This will exclude smaller HMOs—those with only two households or with one household and no more than four other occupants—and houses converted entirely into self-contained flats. The registration schemes will contain powers enabling local authorities to refuse to register all properties where conditions are substandard or where management is inadequate. Re-registration will be required after five years and there will be higher fees chargeable to landlords for registration and new re-registration fees at a lower rate. These fees will help local authorities to resource an enhanced programme of enforcement activity.

  Thirdly, I also propose to extend local authorities' existing mandatory duty to ensure that there are adequate fire safety precautions in larger HMOs. This duty will be introduced by statutory instrument and there will be further consultation on its scope, but I am minded to apply it to all HMOs which could come within the scope of the new form of registration scheme providing these
  114
  properties have three storeys or more. I also propose exemptions for specific public sector landlords, but these HMO landlords will of course still be subject to the new duty of care.

  Finally, I shall be introducing some important deregulatory measures by making an order under the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 to modify some of the local authority HMO enforcement procedures. For the principal HMO enforcement notices, local authorities will be required first to serve a notice informing landlords that they are minded to take action, but this procedure can be dispensed with in emergencies. Where a formal enforcement notice is still required, I propose that local authorities will have power to recover the costs of their enforcement action from the landlord, subject to a maximum amount.

  Local authorities will be required to consult the fire authorities mainly about the exercise of their statutory duty to check fire safety in HMOs, but will no longer have to consult them about HMO enforcement notices served in other circumstances. In addition to this substantial package of new provisions, and as stated in the consultation paper, the new planning controls on the switch from hotel to hostel use will remain in force.

  I share the widespread concern that the rapid expansion of hostels in a number of popular resort areas is causing very serious problems. As these new HMO controls begin to take effect, however, we should see a great improvement in these areas—providing that the local authorities concerned pursue a vigorous programme of enforcement action using their new powers.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if the White Paper "Our Future Homes" (CM 2901) was(a) subject to, and (b) modified on account of an environmental appraisal using the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" produced by his Department; and if he will publish the appraisal; [303]

  (2) what alternative courses of action from those detailed in the White Paper "Our Future Homes" (Cm 2901) were considered in any environmental appraisal undertaken by his Department; [304]

  (3) what procedures have been put in place by his Department to monitor the impacts arising from his implementation of the White paper "Our Future Homes" (Cm 2901). [305]

  Mr. Curry
  The housing White Paper "Our Future Homes" sets out the Government's aim of meeting demand for housing in an environmentally sustainable way, using our resources effectively, building where possible on existing urban land rather than greenfield sites and reducing the number of empty homes. Environmental considerations have been, and continue to be, an integral part of policy development. They have for instance played a large part in decisions made to:

  promote energy efficiency in new and existing homes of all tenures;

  set a target that half of all new homes should be built on re-used sites;

  test the use of EMAS—the EC Eco-Management and Audit Scheme—in the field of housing association policy and programmes.

  115
  The effectiveness of housing policies, including environmental and sustainable development considerations, is reviewed continually.

  General Needs Index
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what factors underlay the removal of(a) homelessness and (b) temporary accommodation from the general needs index. [592]

  Mr. Clappison
  We decided to remove those indicators because they do not provide a good measure of the need for investment in social housing. Homelessness figures say much more about the flow of people into existing social rented housing than about the need to build new homes; they are very volatile and their use in allocating capital resources can cause disruption to capital programmes; and they reflect different administrative practice in different local authorities.

  Boulsbury Wood
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much public money he estimates will be spent in total to prevent the destruction of Boulsbury wood: who will receive most of the money; and what assessment he has made of the value for money of such expenditure. [374]

  Mr. Clappison
  A management agreement is a commercial arrangement between the nature conservation bodies and the recipient. The financial guidelines make it clear that details of such arrangements cannot be released. The National Audit Office report "Protecting and Managing SSSIs" concluded that agreements reached with English Nature complied with the financial guidelines.

  Leaseholders
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many leaseholders in flats have to date been able to acquire the freehold of their homes under the provisions of part I of the Leasehold Reform Housing and Urban Development Act 1993. [312]

  Mr. Curry
  It is not possible to obtain comprehensive information on how many leaseholders in flats have been able to acquire the freehold of their homes, as enfranchisement is a private transaction between the freeholder and leaseholders.

  Housing (Dudley)
  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new housing units were constructed by(a) the local authority and (b) housing associations in Dudley metropolitan borough area in each year since 1979. [580]

  Mr. Clappison
  Local authorities' primary housing tasks are now the efficient management of their own stock of housing and enabling other organisations to provide new housing. Housing associations are now the main providers of new social housing.

  The publications "Housebuilding in England by Local Authority Area: 1980 to 1989" and "Local Housing Statistics" show estimates of housebuilding completions for each local authority area in England, including the
  116
  Dudley metropolitan borough area. They show completions by sector, including activity by local authorities and housing associations.

  "Housebuilding in England by Local Authority Area: 1980 to 1989" shows figures for the period 1980 to 1984. "Local Housing Statistics" shows figures for 1979 and later years: issue 59 covers 1979; No. 103 covers the years 1985 to 1990; No. 105 covers 1991: No. 106 covers 1992; No. 110 covers 1993; and No. 114 covers 1994.

  Copies of these publications are in the Library.

  Clean Air Act 1993
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to amend provisions contained in the Clean Air Act 1993. [130]

  Mr. Clappison
  As announced in "Cutting Red Tape", published in January 1994, the Government intend to repeal sections 4 to 13 of the Clean Air Act 1993–formerly contained in the Clean Air Acts 1956 and 1968. They are no longer necessary in the light of changes in fuel use and the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Uranium, Caldecott
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has about the source of the uranium found on Poplar farm, Caldecott, Northamptonshire. [336]

  Mr. Clappison
  I have nothing further to add at this stage, to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin) on 27 October 1995,Official Report, column 817.

  Contaminated Land
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much public money was spent on cleaning up contaminated land on inner-city development sites during 1994–95. [310]

  Mr. Clappison
  Public expenditure support for the redevelopment of inner-city and other sites—including, where necessary, the costs of dealing with contaminated soil—is made available under a number of different programmes. In England, these included in 1994–95 English Partnerships' investment fund, city challenge and urban programme; parallel arrangements exist in Wales and Scotland.

  Funding to meet the costs of land remediation typically constitutes only one element of a wider package of support for individual projects under these programmes. The various different cost elements are not separately identified in centrally collected records, and it is therefore not possible to provide a detailed breakdown in the form requested.

  Work-related Upper Limb Disorders
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many employees in(a) the public sector and (b) the private sector, have been diagnosed with work-related upper limb disorders during the years (i) 1992–93, (ii) 1993–94 and (iii) 1994–95. [1126]
  117
  Sir Paul Beresford
  Some types of work-related upper limb disorders are prescribed under the industrial injuries scheme. The number of cases in Great Britain diagnosed with at least 1 per cent. disability for the periods 1992–93 and 1993–94 are shown in the table:

  Disorders

  1992–93

  '1993–94

  Cramp of hand or forearm

  116

  135

  Beat hand

  16

  18

  Beat elbow

  38

  42

  Inflammation of tendons of the hand, forearm or associated tendon sheaths (Tenosynovitis)

  911

  800

  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

  20

  267

  1 Provisional.

  Data broken down by private and public sectors are not collated in the form requested, and data for 1994–95 are not yet available.

  The industrial injuries statistics cover only the most serious cases from a restricted range of occupationally defined upper limb disorders. From a survey based on respondents' own perception of the link between their occupation and ill-health, it was estimated that in the 12 months prior to March 1990, 110,000 people in England and Wales suffered from an upper limb disorder which they believed was caused by their work. This estimate was based on responses to a special set of questions in the 1990 labour force survey and covers a wider range of upper limb disorders and degrees of severity than the industrial injuries scheme.

  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many employers have complied with the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 in respect of the instructions to employers to(a) analyse VDU workstations, (b) assess the risks to health and (c) take action to reduce such risks; and how many employers have been prosecuted for not complying with the regulations. [1005]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Information on the extent of compliance with the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 is not available in the form requested. However, the Health and Safety Executive has started work to evaluate the impact of the regulations. This has included a survey of employers. This evaluation is due for completion in 1996 and should produce information on the extent of awareness of, and compliance with, the regulations, and what actions employers have taken to comply.

  The available figures for 1993–94 and 1994–95, provisional figures show that HSE's field operations division inspectors took no prosecution action under the display screen equipment regulations, but issued five improvement notices under these regulations. Equivalent figures are not available for local authority inspectors, who enforce health and safety regulations in premises such as offices, banks and shops.

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all those in his Department who have authority to issue public interest immunity certificates; how many such certificates have been 118
  issued in each of the last five years; and what were the main reasons for them. [1423]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Secretary of State for the Environment has not in the last five years produced or authorised the production of any public interest immunity certificates in any legal proceedings.

  Green Ministers
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what assessment he has made of the advantages of having(a) a junior minister and (b) a Secretary of State as a Green Minister; [242]

  (2) if he will publish the criteria used to select the Minister to be designated as the Green Minister within a Government Department; [240]

  (3) who is responsible for selecting the Green Minister within each Government Department. [241]

  Mr. Gummer
  Green Ministers are appointed by the senior Minister for each Department who will look for whoever may best fulfill the role and combine it with other duties. There are no fixed criteria, and the appropriate level in the team may vary. The responsibility of the Green Minister in each Department is to ensure that environmental considerations are integrated into the strategy and policies of that Department.

  Regional Planning Guidance (West Midlands)
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what procedures have been put in place by his Department to monitor the environmental impacts arising from the implementation of regional planning guidance for the west midlands. [252]

  (2) if regional planning guidance for the west midlands was (a) subject to and (b) modified on account of an environmental appraisal using the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" produced by the Department of the Environment; and if he will publish the appraisal; [250]

  (3) what alternative courses of action from those detailed in regional planning guidance for the west midlands were considered in any environmental appraisal undertaken by his Department. [251]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The regional planning guidance followed the principles set out in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment". During its three-year development, a number of alternative courses of action were considered and environmentally appraised. The west midlands local authorities held a conference at which a wide range of organisations expressed their views on a series of strategic planning options for the region. The authorities then submitted their advice to my Department and there was a period of consultation on that advice. My Department published draft regional planning guidance and again a period was allowed for consultation. The final guidance included numerous modifications to the original advice reflecting the view expressed by environmental organisations and others. I do not intend to publish a separate environmental appraisal in addition to the material already published.
  119
  We have asked the west midlands local authorities to keep the guidance under regular review in partnership with the Government office for the west midlands and others. Follow-up studies are required on particular aspects. The authorities' attention is particularly drawn to the aim of achieving a more sustainable pattern of development in the region.

  Invoices
  Mrs. Barbara Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the average length of time it takes for his Department to pay invoices; [932]

  (2) how his Department publicises payment practices other than as percentages of invoices paid late; [956]

  (3) what is the amount owed to those businesses whose invoices were not paid within 30 days or within the agreed contractual arrangements in each of the last five years. [1119]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Department only holds central data on its performance in paying invoices within 30 days or the agreed credit period where this is different. It does not hold a central record of the amount owed to businesses not paid within the agreed period. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The Department's payment practices are publicised in its terms and conditions of contract and its annual report.

  Water Conservation
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what alternative courses of action from those detailed in "Water Conservation: Government Action" were considered in any environmental appraisal undertaken by his Department; [248]

  (2) if "Water Conservation: Government Action" was (a) subject to, and (b) modified on account of, an environmental appraisal using the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" produced by his Department; and if he will publish the appraisal; [247]

  (3) what procedures have been put in place by his Department to monitor the environmental impacts arising from the implementation of "Water Conservation: Government Action". [249]

  Mr. Clappison
  "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" sets out an approach whereby environmental effects can be taken into account in policy development, while recognising that this will vary from case to case depending on the complexity and significance of the impacts. "Water Conservation: Government Action" outlines the Government's policy for England and Wales on the various issues surrounding the conservation of water resources, including the proposed approach to the future method of charging for water. The Government's position is that, before additional resources are developed, existing resources should be used as far as possible, taking into account economic and environmental consideration.

  The general policy and the specific proposals were developed following widespread consultation. They are designed to reduce the potential environmental impact of increased demand for water by measures to promote its efficient distribution and use.
  120
  The effectiveness of the policy and the specific proposals will be monitored by the Department of the Environment, the Office of Water Services and the National Rivers Authority.

  Rural Policy
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if the White Paper "Rural England" (Cm 3016) was(a) subject to, and (b) modified on account of an environmental appraisal using the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" produced by his Department; and if he will publish the appraisal; [300]

  (2) what alternative courses of action from those detailed in the White Paper "Rural England" (Cm 3016) were considered in any environmental appraisal undertaken by his Department; [301]

  (3) what procedures have been put in place by his Department to monitor the environmental impacts arising from the implementation of the White Paper "Rural England" (Cm 3016). [302]

  Mr. Clappison
  The rural White Paper "Rural England" sets out the Government's vision for the future of the countryside, looking at economic, social and environmental issues together. The White Paper was formulated in line with the Government's commitment to sustainable development.

  Environmental considerations are an essential element of policy considerations and will be taken into account in following up the commitments contained within the White Paper.

  Regional Staff
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many staff his Department employs on a regional basis in each standard English region; what is the cost of running these regional operations; what was the total budget for each region in 1994–95; and what are the main purposes for which the budget is used. [266]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Detailed information on Department of Environment staff employed in the Government offices for the regions, their budgets and activities is provided in GO-MINIS 1, copies of which were placed in the Library in July 1995.

  Biological Diversity
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the achievement of the meeting, referred to in his answer of 8 November 1995,Official Report, column 995, of the convention on biological diversity in Jakarta, 6 to 17 November in regard to the transfer of living modified organisms between countries. [1631]

  Mr. Clappison
  The second conference of the parties to the convention on biological diversity, held in Jakarta, Indonesia from 6 to 17 November 1995, decided to set in hand the development of a biosafety protocol which will specifically focus on the transboundary movement of living modified organisms. The conference also recognised the importance of the United Nations environment programme international technical guidelines
  121
  on safety in biotechnology as a possible interim measure during the development of the protocol and as a complement to it after its completion.

  Other important decisions included the acknowledgement of the importance of parties establishing national strategies and in-situ conservation measures, the establishment of a three-year scientific work programme on coastal and marine ecosystems, the establishment of a pilot phase of the clearing house mechanism to facilitate the sharing of information and the choice of Montreal as the location for the biodiversity convention secretariat.

  As last year, it was not possible to reach agreement on voting provisions on financial issues. These will be considered again at the third conference of the parties to be held in November 1996.

  Environmental Technology Industry
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was(a) the total output and (b) the percentage of GNP of the United Kingdom environmental industry for each year since 1990–91; and if he will provide an estimate for the current financial year; [1163]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the growth in the last five years of the United Kingdom environmental technology industry in terms of (a) output, (b) percentage of GNP and (c) employment; [1165]

  (3) how many people in the United Kingdom are employed in the environmental technology industry; and how many people have been employed in that industry for each year since 1990. [1164]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  I have been asked to reply.

  Information on the environmental technology and associated industries is very limited. Using a definition of the environmental products industries as producing
  "a product which enhances or prevents the deterioration of the external environment"
  information available suggests that the value added by the environmental products sector has increased strongly over the period from 1985 to 1991. In 1990 and 1991, there were approximately 110,000 people employed in the environmental products industries.

  The available information on this topic, which was derived by the Department's statisticians, has been published in "Statistical News; Summer 1995" and is available in the Library of the House. No further assessment has yet been made on the growth of this sector.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Ministerial Transport, London
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times in the last year he used(a) the London Underground and (b) London Transport buses while on official business. [372]
  122
  Mr. Hanley
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary uses public transport from time to time.

  Hydronuclear Experimental Tests
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy in respect of whether hydronuclear experimental tests may be conducted within the terms of the proposed comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty. [1587]

  Mr. David Davis
  We are working to achieve a comprehensive test ban treaty which would prohibit all nuclear weapon tests explosions involving any release of nuclear energy.

  Iraq
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the number of prisoners from other nations currently being detained in Iraq and their countries of origin. [1588]

  Mr. Hanley
  We have no reliable figures on the total number of foreigners held in Iraqi gaols.

  Precise numbers of foreign prisoners are not given out by the Iraqi regime.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what communication he has had with Hussein Kamil in respect of Iraqi compliance with Security Council resolutions involving disclosure of information on prisoners of war. [1590]

  Mr. Hanley
  It would not be appropriate to comment on this matter. We continue to press the Iraqi authorities through every available means to disclose the fate of the detainees.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Iraqi Government concerning Kuwaiti prisoners of war still being held captive; and if he will make a statement. [1589]

  Mr. Hanley
  We take every opportunity at the UN and through the tripartite commission to press Iraq to co-operate. The November review of sanctions stressed that Iraq must comply with all its UN obligations including that on Kuwaiti detainees.

  Exports
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is the practice of his Department to make an assessment of the loss of earnings by British exporters, excluding military equipment, which may be caused as a result of war or internal conflict. [1571]

  Mr. David Davis
  This Department, together with the Department of Trade and Industry, alerts British exporters to potential difficulties in repatriation of export earnings that may occur as a result of war or internal conflicts abroad. Further action is then a matter for the individual companies. We have no central figures for the total amount involved in loss of earnings as the result of such actions.
  123

  Caroline Beale
  Mr. Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the relevant United States authorities to ensure that the legal proceedings concerning Caroline Beale, or any decision on her future, are not unduly delayed; and if he will make a statement. [1150]

  Mr. Hanley
  Her Majesty's consul has pressed both the New York district attorney's office and the defence counsel for a decision in this case on many occasions, most recently on 13 November.

  Land Mines
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the criteria which will be used to determine non-detectable anti-personnel land mines. [1570]

  Mr. David Davis
  We are working to incorporate stringent specifications on the detectability of anti-personnel land mines into the 1981 United Nations weaponry convention. Specifically, we support a proposal from the International Committee of the Red Cross to the effect that:"Anti-personnel mines shall incorporate in their construction, or have attached, in a manner not easily removable, material or a device that enables the mine to be detected by commonly available technical mine detection equipment and provides a response signal equivalent to a signal from 8 grams, or more, of iron in a single coherent mass".

  Invoices
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many orders and firms are represented by the 13 per cent. of invoices not paid by his Department within 30 days or in accordance with contractual agreements in 1994–95; and how many of those related to firms with fewer than 500 employees. [1116]

  Mr. Hanley
  The 13 per cent. of payments not made by the Overseas Development Administration in 1994–95 within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice or in accordance with contractual arrangements amounted to 3,328 payments out of a total number of 25,234. Separate figures for small firms are not available.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how his Department publicises payment practices other than as percentages of invoices paid late. [957]

  Mr. Hanley
  The FCO, Diplomatic Wing and Overseas Development Administration, publishes payment performance, as a percentage of invoices paid on time, in the annual departmental report. The FCO, DW and ODA, is committed to the CBI prompt payment code, which includes a clause to the effect that properly supported invoices will be paid within 30 days of receipt. The ODA is introducing a payment advice slip which informs the payee of the ODA's commitment to the CBI prompt payment code and invites them to take up an query with the head of ODA's accounts department.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the average length of time it takes for his Department to pay invoices. [931]
  124
  Mr. Hanley
  The FCO Diplomatic Wing has, since 1994, measured its payment performance using a random sample of invoices submitted throughout the year. An analysis of this sample shows that the average time taken to pay invoices is 20 days. The Overseas Development Administration takes an average of 10 days, the Wilton Park executive agency an average of 25 days and the Natural Resources Institute an average of 10 days.

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support the United Kingdom Government are offering the Government of Ethiopia towards(a) the preparation of cases and (b) the setting up of courts and procedures to hear cases of human rights abuses under the former Derg regime. [530]

  Mr. Hanley
  Along with other members of the international community, we have given certain office equipment to the special prosecutor's office for the preparation of human rights trials involving members of the Derg regime.

  Nigeria
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the meeting between the Prime Minister and Chief Shonekan, a representative of the Nigerian military regime, on 21 September. [1209]

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 21 November 1995]: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister saw Chief Shonekan on 21 September to receive a message from General Abacha. My right hon. Friend pressed first the case for clemency for General Obasanjo and the alleged coup plotters who were at that time under sentence of death; and second for rapid progress towards civilian democratic rule in Nigeria. As a prominent businessman, Chief Shonekan was not affected by EU visa restrictions on Nigeria, which applied at that time only to military personnel and their families.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Students
  Mr. Bryan Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's estimate of the public expenditure savings which will result from the decision not to allow students who have temporarily suspended their studies to claim social security benefit. [982]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information is not available. In general, it is the educational maintenance system which is designed to provide support for students, not the social security system. Amendment regulations were laid before the House on 10 July to restore the original policy intention regarding students who temporarily suspend their studies, following a Court of Appeal decision. The regulations were not amended in isolation. The Department for Education and Employment has recently issued revised and expanded guidance to all local education authorities about their discretionary powers to continue to pay mandatory awards to students during periods of temporary absence.
  125

  Incapacity Benefit
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have failed the test of incapacity but have scored(a) between one and five points, (b) between six and nine points and (c) 10 points and over. [572]

  Mr. Burt
  The information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants of incapacity benefit are currently exempt from all the work test of incapacity; how many of these(a) were previously entitled to invalidity benefit and (b) are claimants of the new incapacity benefit claimants; and if he will make a statement. [1102]

  Mr. Burt
  The information is not available in the format requested. Of those considered for the all-work test in the period April to October 1995, a total of 159,804 people1 have been found to be exempt. This is made up of 138,828 suffering from a severe medical condition and 20,976 in receipt of the higher rate care component of disability living allowance.

  Notes:

  1 This figure excludes Incapacity Benefit claimants who are also in receipt of Widow's Benefit as this information is not currently available.

  Giro Cheques
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many giro benefit cheques have been recorded lost in each year since 1979. [371]

  Mr. Heald
  The information is not available in the format requested. Figures are available to show the numbers of requests received by Girobank for giro cheques which have been cashed, to be returned to benefit offices. These requests will be made for a number of reasons:

  1. A Giro cheque has been reported as not received, stolen, lost etc., and is required for investigation purposes.

  2. The customer has denied or queried the receipt of the Giro cheque.

  3. The customer has queried the amount shown on the Giro cheque.

  These statistics are only available from 1992–93 and are as follows:

  1992–93: 697,954

  1993–94: 493,113

  1994–95: 444,054

  In 1994–95, 82.9 million giro cheques were issued by the Benefits Agency and the Employment Service.

  Income Support
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people aged under 19 years and in non-advanced education are currently claiming income support on account of their being estranged from their parents. [173]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  This information is not available.
  126

  Mortgage Interest
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the total number of claimants receiving income support towards mortgage interest in 1995, the average amount of each payment and the total cost of all such payments. [313]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  On the basis of the November 1994 quarterly statistical inquiry, the latest available data, it is estimated that the total number of claimants receiving income support help towards mortgage interest is 510,000, the average weekly award is £36.66 and the total annual cost is £973 million.

  Industrial Injuries
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to make hand and arm vibration syndrome a prescribed industrial disease. [1063]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  We are currently considering the recommendations made by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council in its report "Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome", Cm 2844.

  Staffing
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many staff his Department employs on a regional basis in each standard English region; what is the cost of running these regional operations; what was the total budget for each region in 1994–95; and what are the main purposes for which the budget is used. [263]

  Mr. Burt
  The information is not available in the format requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Such information as is available is in the table:

  Region

  Number of staff employed by the Department including its Executive Agencies as at 1 October 1995

  North

  16,347

  Yorks and Humberside

  7,592

  North west

  20,795

  East Midlands

  4,069

  West Midlands

  7,071

  East Anglia

  1,748

  South east

  19,147

  South west

  5,092

  The table excludes:

  1. Staff on loan or secondment and not being paid by the Department.

  2. Staff on unpaid leave for more than three months or on unpaid maternity leave; and

  3. Casual staff.

  Invalid Care Allowance
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many children with the metabolic disease phenylketonuria have been awarded invalid care allowance; how much has been spent by Her Majesty's Government on appeals after which they have turned down the original application; how many applications have been refused; and for what reasons the refunds were made. [154]
  127
  Mr. Burt
  Invalid care allowance is available to people who provide care for severely disabled people. The disability causing the person to require care is not recorded centrally and the information asked for could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Invoices
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how his Department publicises payment practices other than as percentages of invoices paid late. [967]

  Mr. Burt
  There is a statutory agreement with the Public Accounts Committee to publish the results of the annual payment of bills exercise in its present format—expressed as percentages of invoices paid timeously.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average length of time it takes for his Department to pay invoices. [922]

  Mr. Burt
  The information is not available in the format requested.

  Our aim is that all such bills should be paid within any special terms agreed, or if none exist within 30 days of receipt of the goods or service, or 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice, whichever of these is the later. Our latest monitoring exercise of the timeous payment of bills show that to date we are achieving 96 per cent. payment on time.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the amount owed to those businesses whose invoices were not paid within 30 days or in accordance with special terms agreed in each of the last five years. [1124]

  Mr. Burt
  Information is not available for the financial years 1990–91 and 1991–92. For 1992–93 and 1993–94 information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Details for the financial year 1994–95 and 1995–96 to 31 October are in the table.

  Agency

  1994–95

  1995–96 to 31 October

  DSS Headquarters

  179,810.00

  385,221.00

  Benefits Agency

  248,143.47

  62,526.36

  Resettlement Agency

  1,872.87

  1,948.86

  War Pensions Agency

  1,373.02

  23,781.77

  Child Support Agency

  185,583.32

  53,773.75

  Information Technology Services Agency

  24,899.67

  1,255.20

  Contributions Agency

  1,298,024.38

  47,178.46

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (i) orders and (ii) firms are represented by the 10.5 per cent. of invoices not paid by his Department within 30 days or in accordance with contractual agreements in 1994–95; and how many of those are related to firms with fewer than 500 employees. [915]

  Mr. Burt
  The information is not available in the format requested.
  128
  The number of firms represented by the 10.5 per cent. of invoices not paid by DSS headquarters within 30 days or in accordance with contractual agreements in 1994–95 is 33.

  The method of recording suppliers and payments does not allow for differentiation categories of suppliers with fewer than 500 employees.

  Living Standards
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in which year since 1965 the living standards of each decile of high to low income population were half their present level; and in which such year average living standards were half their present level. [1518]

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  The available information relates to income as measured in "Households Below Average Income"; this is "equivalent" income—household income adjusted for household size and composition. The DSS series runs from 1979; the Institute for Fiscal Studies has extended it back to the 1960s. This shows that incomes in the top decile doubled between 1965 and 1992–93. Average equivalent income as measured in HBAI, and incomes in other deciles, did not double within this period. The HBAI measure has weaknesses as a guide to living standards, especially at the bottom of the income distribution.

HEALTH

  NHS Capital Investment
  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on procedures for, and stages of, public consultation in relation to NHS capital investment plans which involve transfer of services and closure of hospitals. [582]

  Mr. Sackville
  Health authorities are expected to consult local people and statutory and voluntary agencies in drawing up their annual purchasing plans and longer-term strategies. Health authorities also have a statutory responsibility to consult community health councils on any proposals for substantial changes in service provision. Where a community health council contests a proposal to close or change the use of a hospital the matter is referred to the regional health authority. If the regional health authority supports the proposal, it is referred to Ministers to make a decision.

  NHS Staff
  Mr. Hugh Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacant posts for(a) consultants and (b) other medical staff there were in English NHS trusts in each region on (i) 15 April 1994 and (ii) at the latest date for which figures are available in (1) psychiatry, (2) accident and emergency, (3) geriatric medicine, (4) general surgery, (5) anaesthetics, (6) general medicine and (7) obstetrics and gynaecology. [542]

  Mr. Malone
  This information is not available centrally.
  129
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce a system of assessment for(a) consultants and (b) general practitioners; and if he will make a statement. [326]

  Mr. Malone
  The report, "Maintaining Medical Excellence", made a number of recommendations to ensure that standards of professional performance are maintained at a higher level. For hospital doctors, it recommended that employers and professional bodies should explore the feasibility, costs and benefits of mentoring systems and report back. For general practitioners, it recommended that for regulatory purposes systems of objective assessment against a national framework should be introduced into vocational training, subject to satisfactory costing.

  The report was issued for consultation in August and we are awaiting the outcome of the consultation exercise, which ends on 29 December 1995.

  NHS Treatment Costs
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the reasons for not making patients aware of the cost of their individual treatment. [1097]

  Mr. Malone
  Present costing systems within the national health service are intended to provide accurate estimates of total costs involved in providing a service at a pre-determined level of activity. This system enables average treatment costs to be produced, and it is these figures that are used in the price lists for extra contractual referrals. The price lists are available to the public. The additional costing work necessary to produce individual patient treatment costs would not represent best use of NHS resources.

  "Mental Health and Stress in the Work Place"
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish the pamphlet, "Mental Health and Stress in the Work Place", which he commissioned; what factors underlay the timing of publication; what were its main recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [327]

  Mr. Bowis
  The booklet "Mental Health and Stress in the Work Place" is not, and was never intended to be, a Department of Health publication. I understand that the document will be published in due course. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on its content prior to publication.

  Mentally Ill Homeless People
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he has taken, and what money he has allocated for(a) key teams of care workers to make contact with mentally ill homeless people, (b) specialist hostels and (c) provision of permanent homes with care following the homeless mentally ill initiative; and if he will make a statement. [325]

  Mr. Bowis
  Over £20 million has been allocated to the homeless mentally ill initiative since it was launched in 1990. This has covered the capital costs of 10 short-stay hostels providing nearly 150 bed spaces. The long-term revenue costs of these high-care bed spaces are met from the mental illness specific grant; costs are currently 130
  £15,500 per annum per bed space for the first three years, tapering to £7,750. This funding will continue for the foreseeable future. The Housing Corporation has committed £9.5 million to the provision of 181 units of move-on accommodation. Funding for five multi-disciplinary community psychiatric outreach teams is built into the annual allocations to regional health authorities.

  Cardiac Services
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which health authorities in London do not have the necessary technical equipment in their locality to undertake(a) permanent pacemaker implantations and (b) cardiac catheterisation; when he estimates they will all be able to provide these operations; and if he will make a statement. [339]

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  Khat
  Mr. Tim Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what review is being made of the harmful health effects of khat; and what plans are being made for banning it in the United Kingdom. [311]

  Mr. Bowis
  The Department of Health continues to monitor the misuse of khat. Khat is not subject to control under the international United Nation drug treaties and we have no plans at present to schedule it under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The key criterion in the 1971 Act is whether the misuse of a substance has or is capable of having harmful effects sufficient to constitute a social problem.

  The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs considered the misuse of khat in 1988 against this criterion and reached the view that bringing it within the 1971 Act's controls would not be appropriate.

  We are keeping the matter under review.

  File WOP/4/5
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date and where his Department's file WOP/4/5 that was mislaid in 1981 was discovered; what was the cause of it being mislaid; and if he will make a statement. [55]

  Mr. Sackville
  The file was found on 4 August 1995 among closed files retained for reference. The file had been closed in 1990, but this had not been noted.

  Embryo Eggs
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department is taking in respect of(a) the commercial selling of embryo eggs and (b) gender clinics. [1020]

  Mr. Sackville
  The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is reviewing its policy on the payment of egg and sperm donors and will examine any claim that a licensed clinic is acting improperly. In the light of this review, the Government will consider whether any action needs to be taken.
  131
  The HFEA has advised all centres which it licenses for infertility treatment that sex selection for social reasons is not acceptable. Sperm separation techniques used in gender clinics offering sex selection for social reasons are considered to have no scientific basis.

  Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will carry out an investigation in conjunction with the Bradford Royal Infirmary NHS trust into the(a) age, (b) ethnic background and (c) mental state for the female patient who had stitches to a wound carried out by a 16-year-old work experience trainee; and if he will make a statement. [62]

  Mr. Sackville
  This is a matter for Bradford Hospitals National Health Service trust. The hon. Member may wish to contact Rodney Walker, chairman of the trust for details.

  Community Health Councils
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been given by his Department to regional offices on the future funding status and remit of community health councils. [320]

  Mr. Malone
  Following consultation on the report of the NHS executive's working group on the future establishing arrangements for community health councils, we intend to issue revised guidance shortly.

  NHS Treatment Entitlement
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the procedures that are in place and identify and charge patients who are not eligible for free NHS treatment and the mechanism used to ensure that the procedures are in place and followed. [1096]

  Mr. Sackville
  The procedures to identify and charge patients who are not eligible for free national health service treatment are found in the manual of guidance for the NHS treatment of overseas visitors, copies of which are available in the Library.

  The Department liaises regularly with NHS officials who have immediate responsibility for enforcing the procedures.

  Emergency Admissions
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has commissioned into changes in numbers of accident and emergency admissions and surgical emergency admissions; and if he will place in the Library copies of guidance issued to health authorities or regions about funding these types of admissions in(a) the current year and (b) future years. [322]

  Mr. Sackville
  My Department has not commissioned research into changes in the numbers of accident and emergency and surgical emergency admissions; nor has it issued guidance on funding these admissions.
  132

  Osteopaths Act 1993
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons the Osteopaths Act 1993 has not fully been brought into force; and when he intends to fully bring it into force. [198]

  Mr. Sackville
  We expect to announce the membership of the General Osteopathic Council shortly. The Osteopaths Act will be brought into force in stages according to the programme the Council develops for implementing the statutory scheme.

  Residential Accommodation
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people, since the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990, are known to have deliberately deprived themselves by transferring their assets; and what action was taken against them under section 21 of the Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudication Act 1983; [1129]

  (2) what plans he has to strengthen the law with respect to the deliberate transfer of assets. [1130]

  Mr. Bowis
  Information on numbers of people who have deliberately deprived themselves of assets for the purposes of reducing their contribution towards the cost of residential accommodation, and any action taken against them under section 21 of the Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudication Act is not available centrally.

  The legislation relating to charging for residential accommodation, including the deprivation of assets, is kept under constant review.

  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement clarifying the role of the state and the individual in paying for long-term care; and if he will make that information widely available to the elderly. [1134]

  Mr. Bowis
  The role of the state and the individual in paying for residential care is as laid down by the Government of 1948 in their National Assistance Act.

  Hospital Admissions
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measure he proposes to take to ensure that the national health service can cope with an above-average demand for hospital admission; and if he will make a statement. [1153]

  Mr. Sackville
  Planning for fluctuating levels of hospital admission is a routine task for health authorities and hospitals, taking into account previous experience and local circumstances.

  "The Health of the Nation"
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures have been put in place by his Department to monitor the environmental impacts arising from the implementation of "The Health of the Nation" [258]

  Mr. Sackville
  "The Health of the Nation" is a Government strategy. It is subject to environmental monitoring and appraisal in the same way as other Government policies.
  133
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if (1) "The Health of the Nation" Cm 1523, was(a) subject to and (b) modified on account of environmental appraisal using the guidance contained in policy appraisal and the environment produced by the Department of the Environment; and if he will publish the appraisal; [256]

  (2) what alternative courses of action from those detailed in "The Health of the Nation" were considered in any environmental appraisal undertaken by his Department. [257]

  Mr. Sackville
  "The Health of the Nation" is a Government strategy agreed after widespread consultation. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment was fully involved in that consultation and is a member of the Cabinet sub-committee which oversees development and monitoring of the strategy. Healthy environments are one of the "healthy settings" which "The Health of the Nation" recognises as being important to public health. The Government's policy on environmental matters is described in the Environment White Paper, "This Common Inheritance" and the sustainable development strategy.

  Staffing
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff his Department employs on a regional basis in each standard English region; what is the cost of running these regional operations; what was the total budget for each region in 1994–95; and what are the main purposes for which the budget is used. [265]

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested on staff employed in each of the standard English regions is shown in the table.

  Information about departmental running costs by region is not available. Details of the Department's gross running costs are provided in the Department's annual report for 1994–95, Cm 2512.

  Region

  Northern

  16

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  929

  North west

  637

  East Midlands

  62

  West Midlands

  108

  East Anglia

  0

  South east

  2,822

  South west

  21

  Source:

  1. MANDATE returns to Treasury from Chessington Computer Centre and Departmental records both as at 1 July 1995.

  2. Figures include inward loans and secondments, fixed term appointments, casuals and staff in Agencies.

  3. Figures exclude industrial staff and outwards loans and secondments.

  Invoices
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average length of time that it takes his Department to pay invoices. [930]
  134
  Mr. Sackville
  The latest available information shows that the average time in 1994–95 was 16 days.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the amount owed to those businesses whose invoices were not paid within the agreed credit period or within 30 days in each of the last five years; [1068]

  (2) how many orders and firms are represented by the 8.1 per cent. of invoices not paid by his Department within 30 days or in accordance with contractual agreements in 1994–95; and how many of those are related to firms with fewer than 500 employees. [917]

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how his Department publicises payment practices other than as percentages of invoices paid late. [958]

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department's policy, which will be published in the Departmental annual report, is to make payment to suppliers within the time limits agreed and specified in contracts with them. This will normally be within 30 days. Where appropriate, departmental contracts also require contractors to make payment to sub-contractors within 30 days of receipt of an invoice.

  Population Statistics
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the population is(a) white European, (b) Asian, (c) black and (d) other ethnic minorities. [113]

  Mr. Sackville
  The latest available information from the labour force survey is shown in the table:

  Ethnic group

  Estimated percentage of private household population of Great Britain during period June 1994 to May 1995

  White

  194.2

  Asian

  3.4

  Black

  1.7

  Other groups

  0.6

  Total

  2100.0

  1 All but 0.5 per cent, of people in the White group are estimated to have European Nationality (Including Turkey and nations from the former USSR).

  2 Percentages do not sum exactly to 100.0 because of rounding.

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all those in his Department who have authority to issue public interest immunity certificates; how many such certificates have been issued in each of the last five years; and what were the main reasons for them. [1433]

  Mr. Sackville
  A claim to public interest immunity relating to departmental documents or information is normally made by the appropriate Minister.

  I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 19 July Official Report, column 1286 and on 24 October, Official Report, column 571.
  135

  Vitamins
  Mr. Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to fortify cereal grain flour in accordance with recommendations of the Medical Research Council vitamin study; and if he will make a statement. [334]

  Mrs. Browning
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Medical Research Council vitamin study research group on the prevention of neural tube defects made no recommendations on the fortification of foods. An expert advisory group was, however, convened to consider the dietary implications of the results of the MRC study. Its report recommended inter alia that the range of breads and breakfast cereals fortified with folic acid should be increased; that fortification with folic acid should be limited to breads and breakfast cereals; and that there should continue to be available a choice of unfortified breads and breakfast cereals. There was no recommendation to fortify flour. In response to the report the Government have encouraged the food industry to increase the range of breads and breakfast cereals fortified with folic acid on a voluntary basis. It is estimated that last year 50 to 60 per cent. of breakfast cereals and about 10 per cent. of breads were fortified with folic acid.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Ministerial Transport, London
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many times in the last year he has used(a) London Transport buses and (b) London Underground while on official business; [405]

  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Minister without portfolio how many times in the last year he has used(a) London Transport buses and (b) London Underground while on official business. [399]

  Mr. Roger Freeman
  None.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress has been made towards cutting energy consumption in Government buildings for which he has responsibility, in each year since 1990. [1453]

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment to my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey, East (Mr. Ainsworth) on Wednesday 17 May 1995 Official Report, column 260.

  Invoices
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the average length of time it takes for his Department to pay invoices. [936]

  Mr. Freeman
  The average length of time taken by my Department to pay invoices is 27 days.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how his Department publicises payment practices other than as percentages of invoices paid late. [954]
  136
  Mr. Freeman
  In accordance with the Government's undertaking given in the 1994 competitiveness White Paper, my Department sets out its payment policy in its annual report, Cm 2820, together with payment performance statistics expressed as a percentage of invoices paid. It is not intended to change the method by which performance is measured.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the pilot project for a single licensing point for small businesses. [945]

  Mr. Freeman
  A study into a computer-based, one-stop system to provide new businesses with customised information about their regulatory and licensing requirements was announced on 8 August 1995. The study, which is being undertaken by KPMG Management Consulting, is due to be completed by the end of this year. Following the study, the intention is to undertake a pilot scheme in some selected business links covering starting up as a vehicle component manufacturer, a corner shop, a small hotelier and a small builder. Depending on the outcome of the pilot the Government, will consider the case for extending the system to other sectors of business and all areas of the country.

  Deregulation
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what have been(a) the staffing costs and (b) other running costs of the administrative support to the deregulation unit; and what future expenditure has been estimated. [1650]

  Mr. Freeman
  The total staffing costs and other running costs of the deregulation unit are as follows:

  £ thousands

  1994–95 Outturn

  1995–96 Budget

  Staffing costs

  1,038

  1,171

  Other running costs

  193

  194

  The 1995–96 budget was set before the unit's transfer to the Cabinet Office from the Department of Trade and Industry in July 1995.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what has been the total amount expended on travel and subsistence expenses in respect of the deregulation task force so far; and what future expenditure has been estimated. [1651]

  Mr. Freeman
  The total amount of expenditure on travel and subsistence in respect of the deregulation task force since it was set up in July 1994 to 31 October 1995 is £8,564. Future expenditure is expected to be at similar levels.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the members of the deregulation task force indicating the factors underlying the recruitment of each member. [1652]

  Mr. Freeman
  There are 16 member of the deregulation task force, which is chaired by the right hon. Francis Maude of Morgan Stanley Ltd.
  137
  The other members are: David Band (Barclays de Zoete Wedd); David Campbell (Laporte Fine Organics Ltd.); Maurice Denyer (Fowler Bros (Cowfold) Ltd.); Michael Fallon (Quality Care Homes plc); Mike Fisher (Whale Tankers Ltd.) George Goring (The Goring Hotel); Teresa Graham (Baker Tilly); Janet Morgan (Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts); Archie Norman (Asda Group plc); Timothy Parker (Kenwood Appliances plc); David Parry (formerly BP); Tony Rammelt (Regis Europe Ltd.); Roger Singleton (Barnardo's); Dan Wright (Albion Automotive Ltd.) and Peter Wyman (Coopers and Lybrand).

  Members have been drawn from across a wide range of industries, and from the voluntary sector. They have been appointed for the personal contribution they can make to the deregulation initiative and to the work of the task force.

  Invoices
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what is the average length of time it takes for his Department to pay invoices. [937]

  The Deputy Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster today.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how his Department publicises payment practices other than as percentages of invoices paid late. [953]

  The Deputy Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster today.

TRANSPORT

  British Rail
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff have left British Rail since January 1993 under redundancy or early retirement arrangements; and what has been the total cost of payments made to staff leaving the industry. [283]

  Mr. Watts
  I understand that 24,364 staff have left British Rail under voluntary redundancy or early retirement arrangements, at a cost of £471.4 million. There have been no compulsory redundancies. In this time, BR has made significant efficiency improvements, bringing benefits to farepayers and taxpayers.

  Mr. Chris Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many British Rail locomotives are currently being stored out of use as surplus to requirements or to the cannibalised for spare parts; how many have been offered for sale to operators or potential operators in(a) Britain and (b) overseas; and how many are available for sale; [182]

  (2) if he will take steps to require British Rail to make surplus locomotives and wagons available for sale to private operators. [408]

  Mr. Watts
  The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
  138
  In relation to passenger services, vehicles currently in store represent a small percentage of the total fleet; nevertheless it is for the three rolling stock leasing companies to decide when and on what terms these vehicles are offered for sale. Other than when the vehicles are being cannibalised for spare parts, the franchising director must be informed in advance of the disposal and be given an opportunity to bid.

  As for vehicles used for freight services, where equipment has no current or potential use, it should be offered for competitive sale. It is for British Rail to determine whether or not equipment is surplus to requirements.

  Ms Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates were given to him by British Rail for its costs arising from the restructuring of British Rail for rail privatisation in(a) the current financial year and (b) the forthcoming financial year. [289]

  Mr. Watts
  British Rail estimates its costs linked to privatisation for the period 1 April 1995 to 30 September 1995 to be £44 million. No estimate has been received for the second half of 1995–96 or for 1996–97.

  London Transport Property
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated book value of all assets owned by London Transport Property for each of the years 1979 to 1995. [274]

  Mr. Norris
  London Transport Property is a division of London Transport and does not itself own property assets but, as agent, manages the property portfolios of LT and its subsidiaries. Information is not available in the form requested, but London Transport's annual report and accounts, copies of which are available in the Library, give information for each year on the value of assets, including property, owned or occupied by LT or its subsidiaries.

  Ms Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the gross sales revenue received by London Transport Property for each of the years 1979 to 1995. [275]

  Mr. Norris
  London Transport's property revenue for these years is shown in its annual report and accounts, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Environmental Pollution
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those recommendations of the Royal Commission on environmental pollution his Department(a) has implemented, (b) plans to have implemented within the next 12 months, (c) plans to have implemented within the next 24 months, (d) plans to have implemented by 2000 and (e) has no plans to implement. [278]

  Sir George Young
  We have asked for views on the Royal Commission report as part of the national debate on transport policy.
  139

  "Transport: The Way Ahead"
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to publish the findings of his "Transport: The Way Ahead" consultation. [297]

  Sir George Young
  A further report drawing together the threads of the transport debate will be published when my colleagues and I have considered the responses to "Transport: The Way Ahead".

  Ms Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those policies he has so far implemented as a result of his "Transport: The Way Ahead" consultation. [296]

  Sir George Young
  It would be premature to announce results from the discussions of "Transport: The Way Ahead" before my colleagues and I have properly considered the responses made to us.

  Ms Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of responses he has received to his "Transport: The Way Ahead" Consultation. [279]

  Sir George Young
  We have so far received about 200 written responses, many of which represent the collected views of a range of different people. In addition, we have received reports from a number of seminars which have been held around the country, at which various groups were represented. Further written responses and seminar reports are expected.

  Railtrack
  Ms Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff have left Railtrack Group plc since January 1993 under redundancy or early retirement arrangements; and what has been the total cost of payments made to staff leaving the industry. [280]

  Mr. Watts
  Railtrack was formally vested with operating assets, including staff, on 31 March 1994. Since that date, some 463 staff have left the company, at a cost of £11,050,000 in severance costs.

  Ms Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the total remuneration paid by his Department to(a) the chairman of Railtrack Group plc, (b) the chief executive of Railtrack Group plc, (c) the finance director of Railtrack Group plc, (d) the director of safety and standards of Railtrack Group plc, (e) the director of engineering and production of Railtrack Group plc and (f) the commercial director of Railtrack Group plc. [277]

  Mr. Watts
  None. Directors of the Railtrack Group plc board are paid by the company.

  Ms Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funds his Department has spent on advice from consultants, outside organisations and individuals on the recruitment of(a) the chairman of Railtrack Group plc, (b) the chief executive of Railtrack Group plc, (c) the finance director of Railtrack Group plc, (d) the director of safety and standards of Railtrack Group plc, (e) the director of engineering and production of Railtrack Group plc and (f) the commercial director of Railtrack Group plc. [276]

  Mr. Watts
  None.
  140

  Accidents (Greater London)
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of(a) road accidents involving heavy goods vehicles within the Greater London area for each of the following years, (b) serious injuries resulting from those accidents and (c) fatalities in each year from 1991 to 1995. [271]

  Mr. Norris
  The information request is shown in the following table.

  Injury road accidents in Greater London involving HGVs

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  No Accidents

  1,184

  1,048

  1,078

  1,118

  Fatalities

  35

  38

  38

  36

  Serious Injuries

  242

  237

  192

  221

  Trunk Roads
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if the "Trunk Roads in England—1994 Review" was(a) subject to, and (b) modified on account of, an environmental appraisal using the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment", produced by the Department of the Environment; and if he will publish the appraisal; [259]

  (2) what alternative courses of action from those detailed in the "Trunk Roads in England—1994 Review" were considered in any environmental appraisal undertaken by his Department. [260]

  Mr. Watts
  The 1994 review involved a reassessment of priorities within the roads programme rather than the adoption of a new policy. As explained in paragraph 4.5 of "Trunk Roads in England—1994 Review", each scheme's likely effects on the environment were taken into account during the review. A number of schemes were withdrawn because they could not achieve an acceptable environmental balance.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what procedures have been put in place by his Department to monitor the environmental impacts arising from the implementation of the "Trunk Roads in England—1994 Review". [261]

  Mr. Watts
  The environmental impacts of each scheme in the national roads programme are assessed and considered carefully before a decision is taken to proceed.

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding his Department has provided for maintenance of the trunk roads network within the Greater London area in each of the years from 1991 to 1995. [273]

  Mr. Norris
  I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Ms Glenda Jackson, dated 22 November 1995:
  As you known, Steven Norris has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Transport what funding his Department has provided for maintenance of the trunk road network within the Greater London area in each of the years from 1991 to 1995.

  141
  The breakdown between Current and Capital maintenance expenditure on London's trunk road network is as follows:

  £ million

  Financial year

  Capital expenditure

  Current expenditure

  Total

  1991–92

  42.2

  18.6

  60.8

  1992–93

  40.3

  22.8

  63.1

  1993–94

  44.6

  22.5

  67.1

  1994–95

  64.6

  19.4

  84.0

  Current maintenance is largely safety-related and covers routine tasks, such as cleansing, changing light bulbs, grass cutting, winter gritting, emergencies/incidents cover, addressing safety defects and inspections. Capital maintenance includes essential repairs to carriageways, footways and structures to ensure safety and to protect the investment in the infrastructure.
  The variability in the Capital expenditure can be explained by variability in the requirement for major maintenance works. For example, in 1994 the M4 near Heathrow and the M1 near Scratchwood were successfully refurbished, including carriageway and drainage repairs, bridgeworks and the replacement of safety fencing and street lighting. I would add that the work was carried out with very little disruption to road users.

  Rail Privatisation
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funds he has made available to the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising to implement rail privatisation; and what are his estimates for the financial years 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98. [292]

  Mr. Watts
  The public expenditure plans announced in last year's unified budget allocated provision for the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising to spend £11 million in 1995–96. Provisions was made for the expenditure of £10 million in 1996–97 and in 1997–98.

  Ms Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funds he has made available to the Office of the Rail Regulator to implement rail privatisation; and what are his estimates for the financial years 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98. [293]

  Mr. Watts
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 31 October that the Office of the Rail Regulator would have provisions for expenditure of £10 million this year,Official Report, column 131. Provision has been made for the expenditure of £7 million in 1996–97 and in 1997–98.

  Ms Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funds his Department has spent, or is estimated to spend, on preparations for rail privatisation, excluding funds made available to(a) British Rail, (b) Railtrack Group Plc, (c) Opraf and (d) the Office of the Rail Regulator in (i) 1994–95, (ii) 1995–96 and (iii) 1996–97. [294]

  Mr. Watts
  The answers are as follows:

  (i) 1992–93: £6.7 million

  (ii) 1993–94: £13.5 million

  (iii) 1994–95: £14.2 million

  (iv) 1995–96: £24.6 million

  (iv) 1996–97: £5.3 million

  Figures for 1995–96 onwards are current estimates. These exclude main sale costs for the flotation of Railtrack, which are yet to be determined.
  142
  Ms Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funds he made available to Railtrack to implement privatisation in 1994–95; and what is his estimate for 1995–96. [291]

  Mr. Watts
  Railtrack spent £46 million on privatisation-related expenditure in 1994–95. The estimate for 1995–96 is £30 million.

  Ms Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will show for all consultants and other outside organisations or individuals currently or previously employed by his Department for advice or assistance in rail privatisation(a) the name of the consultancy, organisation or individual, (b) the length of the contract offered to each consultancy, organisation or individual, (c) the total amount inclusive of VAT paid to date to each consultancy, organisation or individual and (d) the services required by his Department from each consultancy, organisation or individual; and if he will make a statement. [270]

  Mr. Watts
  Information about payments to individual contractors is commercially confidential.

  Payments made to date to consultants currently or previously employed by the Department total £35.4 million.

  Consultants currently employed by the Department on rail privatisation are:

  Company

  Consultancy

  Linklaters and Paines

  Legal advice

  Freshfields

  Legal advice

  Samuel Montagu

  Merchant Banking

  Hambros

  Merchant Banking

  SBC Warburg

  Merchant Banking

  Merril Lynch

  Merchant Banking

  KPMG Peat Marwick

  Accountancy and Taxation

  Ernst and Young

  Accountancy

  Price Waterhouse

  Accountancy

  Shandwick

  Marketing

  Gresham

  Marketing

  Dewe Rogerson

  Marketing

  Ernst and Young

  Information Systems

  Richard Ellis

  Property matters

  Sedgwick

  Insurance

  Brodies

  Advice on Scots law

  Travers Morgan

  Specialist advice on BRIS contract pricing

  Ernst and Young

  Corporate finance advice on BRIS contract pricing

  Consultants previously employed by the Department on rail privatisation are:

  Company

  Consultancy

  Arthur D. Little

  Research

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Access and access charging

  Mercer Management

  Freight and franchising

  Norman Broadbent

  Recruitment

  Putnham Hayes and Bartlett

  Access and access charging

  Debenham Tewson and Chinnocks

  Property matters

  NERA

  Regulatory matters

  Deloitte Haskins and Sells

  Industry structure

  143
  Contracts for consultancy advice are normally offered on an on-going basis with provision for the Department to terminate the contract.

  Ms Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funds he has made available to British Rail for reorganisation in preparation for privatisation. [290]

  Mr. Watts
  Costs linked to privatisation incurred by British Rail are shown in the table:

  £ million cash

  1993–94

  92.2

  1994–95

  85.0

  1995–96

  144.0

  Note:

  1Estimated costs to 30 September 1995.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which lines in the West Yorkshire region will be receiving maintenance attention before rail privatisation. [1447]

  Mr. Watts
  All operational railway lines in West Yorkshire are maintained in accordance with statutory requirements and Railtrack's rigorous safety standards.

  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list each British Rail(a) subsidiary and (b) company formerly part of British Rail which has been privatised indicating the receipts from each sale. [1274]

  Mr. Watts
  Sales have been completed for the following businesses:

  Red Star

  Special Trains Unit

  BRIS Design Offices

  DCU Birmingham

  Mainline Swindon

  IDG Glasgow

  BPE Mechanical and Engineering Consultancy, Doncaster.

  Civil Engineering Design Group, York.

  BR Maintenance Ltd.

  Swindon Electronic Service Centre

  Chart Leacon Depot

  Ilford Depot

  Doncaster Depot

  Wolverton Depot

  Springburn Depot

  Eastleigh Depot

  OBS Services Ltd.

  Meldon Quarry Ltd.

  Baileyfield Switches and Crossings Works

  Ditton Timber Treatment Works

  Quality and Safety Services Ltd.

  BR QAS Ltd.

  Gross proceeds to date from these sales amount to nearly £47 million. Details of individual sales completed by BR will be made public in due course, but it would be contrary to the commercial interests of British Rail and the Government to publish those details at this stage, as they may prejudice sales still in progress. In addition to proceeds from sales by BR, proceeds of approximately
  144
  £1.8 billion are expected from the sales of the rolling stock leasing companies, following the signing of sale and purchase agreements announced on 9 November.

  Invoices
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how his Department publicises payment practices other than as percentages of invoices paid late. [968]

  Mr. Norris
  The transport report sets out the Department's payment policy and records performance against targets, in terms of the percentage of bills paid within the time allowed. My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade reports to the House each year the performance of all Departments. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Dover (Mr. Shaw) on 18 July,Official Report, column 1211–12.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average length of time it takes for his Department to pay invoices. [920]

  Mr. Norris
  No average payment times are calculated. Our objective is to pay 95 per cent. of bills within contractual conditions, or—where no other conditions are stated—within 30 days of receipt of goods or services or presentation of a valid invoice, whichever is the later.

  Robin Hood Line
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what compensation he will give to the residents of Nottinghamshire in respect of their contributions to the cost of the Robin Hood line. [1613]

  Mr. Norris
  The Government have contributed over £6.5 million to stages 1 and 2 of the Robin Hood line; the balance was funded by the European regional development fund and the local authorities concerned. We are discussing with Nottinghamshire county council the case for making a further Government contribution towards the capital cost of the scheme.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he is planning to privatise the Robin Hood line. [1624]

  Mr. Norris
  Services on the Robin Hood line have been designated as experimental services and are currently being operated by Central Trains Ltd. under an agreement with Nottinghamshire county council. The operating agreement would pass to a future franchisee. The franchising director aims to offer Central to the private sector during or after 1996. The inclusion of the Robin Hood line services in the passenger service requirement for the franchise will be considered by the franchising director before the expiry of the five-year experimental period.

  Fishing Vessels
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when fishing vessels are(a) registered an (b) re-registered what checking procedures occur in respect of (i) actual engine capacity, (ii) convictions for illegal fishing, (iii) unpaid fines and (iv) the financial status and viability of the company owing the vessel; and

  145
  if he will make it his policy to institute such checks and refuse licenses when the results are unsatisfactory. [979]

  Mr. Norris
  I have asked the chief executive of the Marine Safety Agency to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from R. M. Bradley to Mr. Austin Mitchell, dated 22 November 1995:
  I have been asked to reply to your Question about the checks undertaken on the registration and re-registration of fishing vessels.
  Fishing vessels are registered and re-registered in accordance with the Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Regulations 1993. The only check listed in the Question which is required by the Regulations is details of engine capacity. Such information is provided to the Registry by surveyors and measurers authorised for that purpose by the Secretary of State.
  Matters concerning the issue of fishing licences are the responsibility of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  Ferries (Evacuation Requirements)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what instructions he has issued to the companies who own the(a) Pride of Bruges, (b) Pride of Cherbourg, (c) Pride of Hampshire and (d) Pioneer ferries to ensure that they fulfil 100 per cent. dry-shod evacuation arrangements; what time limit he has set the companies to fulfil this commitment; what has been their reply; and if he will make a statement. [57]

  Mr. Norris
  I have asked the chief executive of the Marine Safety Agency to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from R. M. Bradley to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 22 November 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your Question about what instructions have been issued to the companies who own the four ferries named, what time limits have been set and what has been their reply.
  The evacuation requirements for these ferries have not changed. However, the operators concerned have advised that they now offer 100% dry shod evacuation arrangements from these vessels. They have achieved this by limiting the number of passengers carried.

  Night Flights (Heathrow)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what penalties exist for those who exceed the night flight maximum into Heathrow; and if he will list the occasions when such penalties have been levied in each of the past five years. [9]

  Mr. Norris
  The current night restrictions regime, which began in winter 1993–94, includes provision for end of season flexibility. This allows a carry-over of 10 per cent. of the movements limits if there is a surplus and anticipation of up to 10 per cent. of the next season's movements in the event of overrun. Any excess overrun would be penalised in the following season at double the amount of the excess.

  Under the previous regime, if the maximum number of movements at Heathrow was exceeded by 50 or fewer movements, the limit for the following season was reduced by the same number; if by more than 50 movements, the limit for the following season was reduced by a total of 50 plus twice the number of movements in excess of 50. Movements underused in a season could be carried forward to the following season, subject to a maximum of 50.
  146
  In two seasons within the last five years, the number of night movements in the relevant period has exceeded the limit but has been within the end of season flexibility arrangements. In the winter 1992–93 season, there were 3,078 movements, of which 3,000 counted against the limit, 43 movements scored against the amount carried forward from the previous season, and the remaining 35 movements were deducted from the movements limit for the summer 1993 season. In winter 1994–95, there were 2,668 movements; the limit was 2,550 but the excess was within the amount carried forward from the previous season.

  In all other seasons within the last five years, the number of night movements has been within the limits.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many aircraft are allowed to fly into Heathrow between 23.30 and 0600. [8]

  Mr. Norris
  In my announcement of 16 August 1995, I confirmed the night flying restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted. These restrictions include a control on the number of aircraft movements permitted by season. The movements limit for the winter season at Heathrow is 2,550, the limit for the summer season is 3,250.

  In addition, the movements of aircraft which are exempt from the night restrictions are unrestricted. Exempt aircraft are jet aircraft with a maximum certificated weight not exceeding 11,600 kg and those propeller aircraft which on the basis of their noise data are classified at less than 87 EPNdB.

  The arrangements for dispensations in various exceptional circumstances also continue to apply. A copy of the relevant guidelines was placed in the House Library on 6 May 1994.

  Aircraft Noise Limits
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all the occasions on which airport companies have fined those who have infringed noise limits under their charging powers in the last year for which figures are available(a) at Heathrow and (b) at other airports. [7]

  Mr. Norris
  The Secretary of State may set requirements for limiting noise at airports designated for the purposes of section 78 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982. The only airports so designated are Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted. The noise limits are 110 PNdB (97 dBA) by day (0701–2300) and 102 PNdB (89 dBA) by night (2301–0700).

  From 1 April 1993 at Heathrow and Stansted and from 1 May 1993 at Gatwick, the airport companies have imposed financial penalties for breaches of the night noise limits and are progressively introducing financial penalties for the breaches of the daytime noise limits. Information on breaches of the noise limits and on the fines collected is provided by each of those airport companies to their respective airport consultative committees. I have asked the three airport companies to send the reports for the last 12 months to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North.

  At other airports, noise mitigation measures are the responsibility of the airport operator.
  147

  Nuclear Rail Flask Incidents
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of nuclear rail flask incidents declared in each year from 1990 to 1995. [281]

  Mr. Norris
  This information is not readily available. I will write to the hon. Member.

  Western Orbital Motorway
  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to undertake a full environment and economic impact assessment of the proposed western orbital motorway; and if he will make a statement. [583]

  Mr. Watts
  Economic and environmental appraisal is carried out throughout the life of a scheme. If draft orders were published for the western orbital, the results of the work at that stage would also be published.

  Transport Infrastructure Schemes (Greater London)
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those transport infrastructure schemes within the Greater London area to which his Department has contributed funding in excess of £10 million over the past 16 years, the amount of funding provided to each scheme, the start date for each scheme and the completion date for each scheme. [295]

  Mr. Norris
  This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Details of the Department of Transport's spending since 1989–90 are set out in "Transport Report 1995", presented to Parliament in March 1995.

  Pollution
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his Department's policy to take account of the prevailing winds when pollution samples are taken along motorways; and if he will make a statement. [1317]

  Mr. Norris
  Whenever air quality monitoring is undertaken, the possible effect of the prevailing wind is taken into account as part of the measurement.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport at what distance from the edge of a motorway sampling is taken for PM10 and particulates. [1316]

  Mr. Norris
  Where PM 10 and particulates are sampled, there is no fixed distance from the motorway edge applied. The distance is normally set by the requirements of the sampling equipment and the characteristics of the monitoring location.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what reports his Department receives from the Department of the Environment in respect of the monitoring of pollution along motorways. [1318]

  Mr. Norris
  We receive no such reports. The Department of the Environment does not carry out air quality monitoring adjacent to motorways.
  148
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the terms of reference given by his Department when measuring air quality along motorways. [1315]

  Mr. Norris
  There are no fixed terms of reference for the measurement of air quality alongside motorways.

  Each site is assessed on a preliminary basis in accordance with the design manual for roads and bridges volume 11 "Environmental Assessment" and this informs the need for any further specific measurements.

  River Thames (Freight)
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the volume of freight, in tonnes, carried on the River Thames in each year from 1979 to 1995. [272]

  Mr. Norris
  The volume of freight, in millions of tonnes, carried on the River Thames in each year from 1980 to 1994 was as follows:

  Year

  Internal traffic

  Seagoing traffic

  1980

  6.15

  20.49

  1981

  5.40

  18.36

  1982

  4.39

  21.18

  1983

  3.72

  21.13

  1984

  3.78

  19.65

  1985

  3.50

  21.74

  1986

  3.18

  23.30

  1987

  3.00

  20.90

  1988

  2.93

  23.43

  1989

  3.17

  23.25

  1990

  2.00

  24.75

  1991

  1.83

  21.83

  1992

  1.84

  20.89

  1993

  1.87

  20.39

  1994

  2.83

  21.30

  Figures not available for 1979.

  Fare Capping
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of passenger rail fares will be capped as a result of the Government's fare capping formulae. [282]

  Mr. Watts
  Across the network, regulation will ensure that there is at least one regulated fare available for every journey. The percentage of passenger revenue subject to fares regulation will vary according to the nature of the franchise. Invitations to tender have been issued in respect of seven passenger rail services—LTS Rail, Great Western, South West Trains, InterCity East Coast, Midland Main Line, Network SouthCentral and Gatwick Express. For those which provide a significant number of commuter services, the percentage of passenger revenue subject to fares regulation, based on 1994–95 figures, is expected to be between approximately 47 per cent., and 80 per cent. For InterCity services, the range is expected to be between approximately 21 per cent. and 25 per cent. These figures do not include Gatwick Express, for which only a very small percentage of passenger revenue will be subject to fares regulation.
  149

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all those in his Department who have authority to issue public interest immunity certificates; how many such certificates have been issued in each of the last five years; and what were the main reasons for them. [1426]

  Sir George Young
  A claim to public interest immunity relating to departmental documents or information is normally made by the appropriate Minister. No certificates signed by Ministers in my Department have been produced in proceedings in the last five years. Certificates were signed in 1990 and 1992 and in relation to them. I refer to my reply to the hon. Member for Clwyd, South-West (Mr. Jones) on 16 October 1995,Official Report, column 91.

  M11 Link Road
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how much has so far been spent on legal surveillance and other relevant costs to construct cases against people protesting against the building of the M11 link road; how much further public expenditure is expected to bring the cases to trail; how much it is expected will be recouped if the cases are successful; and if he will make a statement; [323]

  (2) if he will list the resident engineers of the various contracts in connection with the A12 Hackney to M11 link road; if he will indicate their salaries and to whom they are responsible; what discrepancies on contractors' claims on personnel matters they have discovered; and if he will make a statement. [328]

  Mr. Norris
  I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 22 November 1995:
  As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr John Watts, has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking the Secretary of State for Transport, about the A12 Hackney Wick to M11 Link Road including resident engineers and contractors' claims and the costs of pursing injunctions to stop protestors interfering with the works.
  The resident engineers for the A12 Hackney Wick to M 11 Link Road are, for Contract 2, Mr P Mann and for Contract 4, Mr J P Wood, both of W S Atkins.
  The Code of Practice on Access to Government Information exempts disclosure of Third Party's commerical confidences such as employees' salaries. Resident engineers are responsible to the company employing them.
  If your reference to personnel matters relates to security personnel, I can confirm that in the last two years there have been claims containing errors or anomalies which have been discovered by the resident engineers' staff. The number of these instances has been about average for a contract of this type and all the claims have been resolved under the terms of the contract. However, if you have details of particular discrepancies these will of course be investigated.
  Costs of pursing injunctions incurred to date amount to about £600,000. In order to minimise costs while at the same protecting the contract from continuation of these unlawful protests, the Secretary of State is minded to accept permanent in junction against named defendants and to leave aside the financial aspects provided these injunctions are conceded.
  150
  An offer has been made by the Secretary of State in these terms. Whether further costs arise and to what value, will depend on the defendants and if they concede the injunctions.

  Forth Rail Bridge
  Mr. Donohue
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when Railtrack expects to be able to carry out the structural investigation of the Forth rail bridge in accordance with the stipulation of the Health and Safety Executive as part of its investigation of the Forth rail bridge. [1254]

  Mr. Watts
  Railtrack is currently carrying out the structural analysis of the bridge, as requested by the Health and Safety Executive.

  Mr. Donohue
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department issued to Railtrack in relation to its co-operation with the Health and Safety Executive's report on the structural condition of the Forth rail bridge. [1256]

  Mr. Watts
  The Department has issued no specific guidance to Railtrack.

  Mr. Donohue
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent on painting the Forth rail bridge in each financial year since 1989–1990; and how the arrangements for painting the bridge have been changed during this period. [1258]

  Mr. Watts
  I understand that British Rail spent approximately £0.5 million on painting and £0.5 million on other maintenance in each financial year from 1989–90 to 1993–94. Railtrack had a similar spending programme in 1994–95, and also completed a £4 million investment programme to replace the weighbeams and renew the rails in July 1994. In the current financial year, Railtrack has doubled the painting budget.

  Mr. Donohue
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement indicating the reasons why Railtrack have delayed carrying out a comprehensive structural investigation of the Forth rail bridge. [1413]

  Mr. Watts
  Railtrack is currently carrying out the structural analysis of the bridge, as requested by the Health and Safety Executive. I understand that this analysis is taking slightly longer than planned, due to the complexity of the project.

  Mr. Donohue
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the current painting and maintenance arrangements for the Forth rail bridge; and to what extent these have been altered during the last year. [1257]

  Mr. Watts
  In July 1995, Railtrack appointed Amec to provide a construction management system ensuring the safe co-ordination of all contractors working on the structure of the bridge. Maintenance has since been organised into 17 distinct work packages and new contracts have been let accordingly. Painting is being carried out by the infrastructure maintenance unit Scotland of British Rail infrastructure services and by Wilkie Hooke.
  151
  Mr. Donohue
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations his Department has received from the Health and Safety Executive relating to the delays in the publication of its report on the structural condition of the Forth rail bridge. [1253]

  Mr. Watts
  None.

  Mr. Donohue
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department originally requested the Health and Safety Executive to publish its report on the structural condition of the Forth rail bridge; and what is the expected timetable for this project. [1255]

  Mr. Watts
  The Department agreed that the Health and Safety Executive should publish its report when the assessment was complete. I understand that HSE's original timetable has slipped slightly and that it now hopes to be able to publish its report early in the new year.

  Rail Electrification Schemes
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the outstanding rail electrification schemes in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [1178]

  Mr. Watts
  Railtrack informs me that there are two outstanding electrification schemes on which implementation works are currently under way. They are Heathrow Express, and North London line electrification.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what was the total mileage of electrified railtrack in each of the last 20 years; what percentage of the network this represents; and if he will make a statement; [1177]

  (2) what has been the increase in the electrification of the rail network in each of the last 20 years; what are the projected figures for the next five years; and if he would make a statement. [1179]

  Mr. Watts
  Railtrack informs me that approximately 30 per cent. of the 10,300 route miles in Britain are electrified using overhead and third rail systems. The other information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Nuclear Fuel Trains
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects Direct Rail Services Ltd. to begin taking over the running of irradiated nuclear fuel trains and whether its licences include the carriage of irradiated fuel which emanates from abroad. [1566]

  Mr. Watts
  I understand that Direct Rail Services Ltd. intends to begin running services as soon as its train operator's licence is granted. This will be dependent on the necessary pre-conditions being met, which must include a fully approved safety case. The origin of any irradiated fuel carried is not a rail licensing matter.

  Motorways
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what responsibilities his Department has in respect of motorway developments and the publication of them to interested parties; and if he will make a statement; [1394]
  152
  (2) who is responsible for issuing statutory notices in connection with motorway changes. [1397]

  Mr. Watts
  I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. William O'Brien, dated 22 November 1995:
  As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts, has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking the Secretary of State for Transport, what responsibilities his Department has in respect of motorway developments and the publication of them to interested parties; and if he will make a statement, and who is responsible for issuing statutory notices in connection with motorway changes.
  The main statutory procedures for the development of road schemes are set out in the Highways Act 1980. The Agency is responsible for preparing motorway schemes in accordance with scheme briefs, targets and budgets from the Secretary of State. This includes publicity for schemes at their various stages, issuing statutory notices and publishing draft orders where appropriate.

  Highways Agency
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date the former road programme director left the Highways Agency; if the severance terms included lump sum payments; and what subsequent applications under the business appointment rules have been received from him. [1104]

  Mr. Watts
  I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes dated 22 November 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent question about what date the former Road Programme Director left the Highways Agency; if the severance terms included lump sum payments; and what subsequent applications under the business appointment rules have been received from him.
  The former Road Programme Director left the Highways Agency on 30 April 1995. He received the normal severance terms, which included lump sum payments. The former Road Programme Director made an application under the business appointment rules to accept an appointment with the company Ove Arup and Partners, and this was approved following reference to the Cabinet Office and consultation with relevant trade associations.

  Bicycling
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to encourage bicycling; and if he will make a statement. [1180]

  Mr. Norris
  Following the Government's statement of policy on cycling last year, we have taken a number of initiatives to encourage cycling. We are currently considering bids made under the cycle challenge competition, designed to bring forward new ideas and partnerships capable of widespread application in the United Kingdom. We have encouraged local highway authorities to give a higher profile to cycling within their transport policies and programme submissions, and we have indicated that we will take special account of package bids which include provision for cycling. We are supporting the development of the national cycle network, which will open up new route opportunities for recreational, tourist and utility cyclists alike. And we are making good progress in generating a national strategy for cycling which I hope will be complete by next summer.
  153

WALES

  Childhood Immunisation
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to review the rules regarding financial penalties imposed on general practitioners who have not met targets set for immunisation; and if he will make a statement. [547]

  Mr. Richards
  Childhood immunisation target payments were introduced to provide incentives for general practitioners to encourage and increase patient take-up of childhood vaccinations. The success of the immunisation programme has resulted in the incidence of childhood diseases being at their lowest-ever levels and I have no plans to review the criteria GPs have to meet in order to qualify for target payments.

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all those in his Department who have authority to issue public interest immunity certificates; how many such certificates have been issued in each of the last five years; and what were the main reasons for them. [1429]

  Mr. Hague
  A claim to public interest immunity relating to departmental documents or information is normally made by the appropriate Minister. There have been no cases in which certificates were used inter partes in proceedings.

  Invoices
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is the amount owed to those businesses whose invoices were not paid in accordance with agreed contractual conditions or within 30 days in each of the last five years; [1118]

  (2) how many orders and firms are represented by the 5 per cent. of invoices not paid by his Department within 30 days or in accordance with contractual agreements in 1994–95; and how many of these are related to firms with fewer than 500 employees. [941]

  Mr. Hague
  The information is not available in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how his Department publicises payment practices other than as percentages of invoices paid late. [970]

  Mr. Hague
  The Welsh Office publicises its payment policy in its annual departmental report, and on all official orders and contracts.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average length of time it takes for his Department to pay invoices. [918]

  Mr. Hague
  The information is not available in the form requested. However, once valid invoices are received by my finance division, they are all paid within seven working days.
  154

  Cardiff Bay Development Corporation
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce his final decision, on the sites to be acquired for development as bird compensation/mitigation measures, for the loss of Cardiff bay habitat following completion of barrage construction. [2212]

  Mr. Hague
  The Cardiff Bay development corporation, acting on the advice of the Countryside Council for Wales, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the Land Authority for Wales, has submitted its report on alternative site options to the Goldcliff/Redwick proposals. I expect to announce my final decision on site acquisition and place a copy of the Cardiff Bay development corporation report in the Library of the House shortly, following detailed discussions with the European Commission and the Countryside Council for Wales.

  Education
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he is likely to reach conclusions following consultation on "A Bright Future: Getting the Best for Every Pupil at School in Wales". [2213]

  Mr. Hague
  Comments were invited on how best to raise standards and make a success of the programme set out in "A Bright Future". Earlier today I indicated that the reaction has been heartening. It confirms that the achievements of higher standards in Welsh schools is both possible and necessary. There is a ready acceptance that targets for improvement should be set—school by school, as well as at the national level. I shall be publishing a commentary on all this shortly, to emphasise the significance of the programme and to affirm its contents.

  In addition, "A Bright Future" consulted on a proposal that a specific target be set for Wales so that, by 2000, half of all individual 15-year-olds should get an A-C grade in each of GCSE mathematics, science, English or Welsh (first language). I can confirm this target. It will demand a significant uplift in performance annually; but even matching the progress of the last two years, in each of the next five would bring us within striking distance of the goal. It is important to measure the progress against a target expressing ambitions for what ought to be achieved. The target is for Wales as a whole, not for individual schools. I look to schools to set their own targets—where appropriate with the assistance of LEAs and others who can provide local support—to improve their performance year by year.

  The independent school inspectorate is also working with schools to set new targets following inspections and it will monitor progress.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Further Education
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many full and part-time lecturing staff were employed in colleges of further education using funds provided by the Training and Employment Agency in each year since 1990; [1113]
  155
  (2) how much money has been provided by the Training and Employment Agency for the employment of lecturing staff in institutes of further and higher education in real and constant price terms. [114]

  Mr. Ancram
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been passed to the Training and Employment Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Ian Walters. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Ian Walters to Mr. Tony Worthington, dated 21 November 1995:
  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency, to reply to your question.
  The Agency purchases training from approximately 160 training providers in Northern Ireland including the Colleges of Further Education. Since these colleges also provide training which is paid for from other sources, it is therefore not possible for the Agency to determine the number of full and part-time lecturing staff whose employment is directly or indirectly due to Agency funding.
  The Training and Employment Agency does not itself employ lecturing staff in Colleges of Further Education and therefore cannot provide a meaningful response to your question.
  I am sorry that I cannot be more helpful on this occasion.

  Neighbour Disputes
  Mr. Robert McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what priority the RUC places on dealing with disputes between neighbours; what resources it has in place in North Down to counteract this problem; and what discrete statistics it maintains to monitor the scale and growth of such disputes. [74]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The primary duty of a police officer is to serve the whole community and protect its citizens from all unlawful and harmful acts, from whatever source. The RUC places a high priority on investigating all breaches of the law, including disputes between neighbours.

  Disputes between neighbours in the North Down area are given the same priority as elsewhere in the Province. Disputes of this kind are considered within the role of normal police duty and the police liaise with relevant agencies such as Northern Ireland Housing Executive, Department of the Environment or North Down Borough Council if the dispute relates to dogs or noise.

  No discrete statistics are held relating to such disputes.

  Invoices
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the amount owed to those businesses whose invoices were not paid within 30 days or in accordance with contractual agreements in each of the last five years; [1120]

  (2) how many orders and firms are represented by the 5.3 per cent. of invoices not paid by his Department within 30 days or in accordance with contractual agreements in 1994–95; and how many of these are related to firms with fewer than 500 employees. [940]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information is not readily available in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
  156
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how his Department publicises payment practices other than as percentages of invoices paid late. [963]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments payment practices and performances are published in the departmental report. The Department of Agriculture also publishes its payment targets in the booklet "Our Service Standards".

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average length of time it takes for his Department to pay invoices. [925]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information requested is not available in the Northern Ireland Office, the Department of Economic Development or the Department of Health and Social Services, excluding the Child Support Agency. The average length of time taken to make payments by the other four Northern Ireland Departments and the CSA ranges from 10 days to 20 days.

  Students
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Northern Ireland students attend(a) English and Welsh, and (b) Scottish universities; and how many there are in each by academic specialism. [1219]

  Mr. Ancram
  The information is as follows:

  English and Welsh institutions

  Scottish institutions

  Medicine and Dentistry

  304

  386

  Subjects Allied to Medicine

  613

  242

  Biological Sciences

  244

  245

  Veterinary Science

  55

  59

  Agriculture and Related Subjects

  155

  84

  Physical Sciences

  344

  199

  Mathematical/Computer Sciences

  1,129

  573

  Engineering and Technology

  458

  308

  Architecture, Building and Planning

  1,079

  423

  Social, Economic and Political Studies/Law

  1,263

  832

  Business and Administrative Studies

  351

  232

  Librarianship and Information Science

  205

  100

  Languages

  443

  76

  Humanities

  591

  105

  Creative Arts

  249

  112

  Education

  398

  453

  Combined

  0

  0

  Total

  7,881

  4,429

  In addition, there were 2,556 Northern Ireland domiciled students studying with the Open university.

  Exclusion Orders
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many exclusion orders have been(a) imposed, (b) revoked, (c) reimposed at the expiry of a previous order and (d) allowed to lapse in the last 12 months; [1220]
  157
  (2) how many exclusion orders made under the prevention of terrorism legislation are currently in force. [1221]

  Sir John Wheeler
  No exclusion orders have been imposed or reimposed by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in the past 12 months. All 10 outstanding exclusion orders for which he was responsible were revoked in February of this year.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Scratchcards
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what(a) complaints and (b) representations she has received about the sale of scratchcards to young people below the age of 16 years; and if she will make a statement. [422]

  Mr. Sproat
  I have received a number of representations about the national lottery. It is not possible to determine the number which have been about the sale of scratchcards to young people below the age of 16, without incurring disproportionate cost.

  "Sport: Raising the Game"
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was the total cost involved in the printing and publication of "Sport: Raising the Game". [1554]

  Mr. Sproat
  The total cost to the Department of National Heritage of the printing and publication of 70,000 copies of "Sport: Raising the Game" was £63,900.00.

  A further 15,000 copies of the document were reprinted in October, at a cost of £19,500 to meet exceptional demand.

  The cost of the distribution of the document to all schools, higher education and further education institutions and all local education authorities was approximately £28,000 and was met by the then Department for Education.

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what advice has been sought by representatives of the media from Her Majesty's Government about problems associated with the destruction of the airliner Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie. [1629]

  Mr. Sproat
  I am not aware that any such advice has been sought from my Department.

  British Library
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make a statement regarding progress on the construction of the British library. [410]

  Mr. Sproat
  The building is being constructed in two phases—phase 1A and the completion phase. Phase 1A is largely complete, and work on the completion phase will continue into the last quarter of 1996. It is planned that the whole building will be completed toward the end of 1996.
  158

  Works of Art
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many acquisitions of works of art museums in England and Wales have purchased for each year since 1985; and what was their value in each year in constant prices. [193]

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

  Purchase Grants (Museums)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what would be the present value of purchase grants for museums in England and Wales had the grants been uprated in line with inflation since 1985. [192]

  Mr. Sproat
  Until 1992–93, grant in aid allocations to national museums and galleries in England included a separate provision for purchases which had been kept constant since 1985. Since 1992–93, trustees of those institutions have been free to decide for themselves how much of their grant in aid should be devoted to purchases for their collections. The national museums and galleries of Wales still receives a differentiated grant in aid for running costs, building and maintenance work and purchases for the collection. Had the purchase grants for 1985–86 been increased exactly in line with the deflators for the gross domestic product, they would be as follows:

  £ million

  Institution

  1995–96

  British Museum

  2.316

  Imperial War Museum

  0.159

  National Gallery

  4.362

  Natural History Museum

  0.301

  National Maritime Museum

  0.325

  National Portrait Gallery

  0.492

  Science Museum

  0.731

  Tate Gallery

  2.879

  Victoria and Albert Museum

  1.816

  Wallace Collection

  0.0

  National Museum's and Galleries of Wales

  1.757

  Coronation Crown of Queen Adelaide
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will take steps to ensure the frame of the coronation crown of Queen Adelaide is classified as regalia and is not granted an export licence to the United States of America. [194]

  Mr. Sproat
  Following an objection to the issue of an export licence by my Department's expert adviser, the application to export the frame of the coronation crown of Queen Adelaide was referred, in the normal way, to the reviewing committee on the export of works of art. The reviewing committee consulted my Department, the Treasury Solicitor's Department and the Lord Chamberlain's Office on whether the crown frame constituted regalia. The reviewing committee was advised that the discarded crown frame could not be regarded as part of the regalia.
  159
  A decision on the export licence application has been deferred until after 24 January 1996 to give the opportunity for an offer to purchase the crown frame to be made at or above the fair market price of £425,000.

  A summary of this case is contained in the annual report of the reviewing committee on the export of works of art 1994–95, which was placed in the Library of the House last 24 October. Decisions on the export licence applications for the frame of the imperial crown of George I and the frame of the coronation crown of George IV have also been deferred until after 24 January 1996 to enable purchase offers to be made.

  Invoices
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the average length of time it takes for her Department to pay invoices. [926]

  Mr. Sproat
  The information requested is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost, but a sample of invoices received by the Department of National Heritage during this financial year shows that the average length of time for payment of invoices is currently 20 days.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many orders and firms are represented by the 9.4 per cent. of invoices not paid by her Department within 30 days or in accordance with contractual agreements in 1994–95; and how many of those are related to firms with fewer than 500 employees. [916]

  Mr. Sproat
  The sample of invoices used in the calculation shows that the figure represents 90 orders and firms. Our records cannot be used to determine firms with fewer than 500 employees.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how her Department publicises payment practices other than as percentages of invoices paid late. [962]

  Mr. Sproat
  The Department of National Heritage publicises only payment practices as percentages of invoices paid within contract terms or 30 days. As required, these details of our annual payment performance are included in our departmental reports.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the amount owed to those businesses whose invoices were not paid within 30 days or within agreed contractual provisions in each of the last five years. [1122]

  Mr. Sproat
  The information requested is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost, but the following has been produced on the basis of the sample of invoices received by the Department of National Heritage and used to reply to the hon. Member on 1 November,Official Report, column 267:

  Amount owed £'000

  1993–94: 246

  1994–95: 753

  1995–96: 166

  There are no comparable departmental figures for earlier years as the Department's payment system was not in place until 1993, following the establishment of DNH in April 1992.
  239912 2A
  160

  British Academy of Sport
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when her Department plans to publish proposals relating to the establishment of the new British academy of sport. [1469]

  Mr. Sproat
  I expect the Sports Council to publish a consultation paper on proposals for the British academy of sport on 5 December.

  Television Rights (Football)
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what action her Department is planning to prevent any single broadcasting company having a monopoly on the rights to televise live domestic football. [1477]

  Mr. Sproat
  The Government have no plans to alter current arrangements under which, with the exception of listed sporting events which cannot be shown on a pay-per-view basis, sports rights holders are free to dispose of their rights to broadcast in the way they choose.

  European Championship
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much money the Government have promised to help fund activities associated with the Euro-96 tournament. [1474]

  Mr. Sproat
  We have made available £400,000 for the cultural festival linked to Euro-96. We are also considering how National Music Day, which falls on the weekend of the championship finals, can be focused on associated cultural events.

  Sporting Events (Broadcasting)
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when her Department last examined the likely impact of digital technology on the broadcasting of sporting events; and what was the outcome. [1498]

  Mr. Sproat
  We have been looking carefully at this and many other issues as we have been developing our proposals for the regulatory framework for digital terrestrial television. Digital technology will mean that there will be more opportunities for the coverage of sport on television, providing greater access and choice for the viewer.

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list(a) who in her Department has authority to issue public interest immunity certificates and (b) how many have been issued in each of the last five years, giving the reasons for each case. [1420]

  Mr. Sproat
  A claim of public interest immunity relating to departmental documents or information would normally be made by the appropriate Minister.

  Since my Department was established in April 1992, it has not issued any public interest immunity certificates.
  161

  Royal Palaces
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was the cost to grant in aid of the occupied royal palaces in(a) 1990, (b) 1991 and (c) 1992 net of (i) the costs associated with the fire at Windsor and (ii) the costs of the exceptional work started at Windsor in 1987–88. [1321]

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 21 November 1995]: Costs associated with the fire and costs of the exceptional work were given in my earlier reply on 31 October 1995, Official Report, column 185. The grant in aid net of these factors was:

  1990–91: £19.931million

  1991–92: £19.71 million

  1992–93: £15.53 million

  This figure assumes that expenditure on the exceptional work was the same in each of the five years 1986–87 to 1990–91. As stated in the earlier answer, figures for each year are not available.

  Mr. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what estimate has been made of the cost of providing details of expenditure on the furnishing of directors' apartments in the occupied royal palaces in each year from 1982 to 1991; and how these costs have been arrived at. [1322]

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 21 November 1995]: It is estimated that extraction of this information would cost about £2,000 in direct additional staff costs. File handling, transport and supervision could double that.

  The PSA files have been put away in bulk. It seems from its lists that we would probably need to screen some 200 volumes to identify the right ones before we could extract and present the right information. Even then, we might not find the information in these files and might have to search further. The estimate was built up on the basis of time for each volume depending on how relevant it is found to be.

  Ministerial Transport, London
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many times in the last year she has used(a) the London Underground and (b) London buses while on official business. [423]

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Infrequently. Such records are not kept.

LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

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

  Mr. Newton
  A claim to public interest immunity relating to departmental documents or information is normally made by the appropriate Minister. No public interest immunity certificates have been issued by my Department in the last five years.
  162

  Ministerial Transport, London
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many times in the last year he has used(a) London Underground and (b) London Transport buses while on official business.

  Mr. Newton
  None. However, the nature of my duties means that the overwhelming majority of my movements in London on official business are only between Whitehall and the House.

SCOTLAND

  Motorway Crash Barriers
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many miles of dual carriageway and motorway there are in Scotland that do not have the protection of crash barriers. [776]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  A total of 71 miles.

  Munitions Dumping (South-west Scotland)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding the survey he has asked the Marine Laboratory to undertake off the coast of south-west Scotland. [787]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  A number of companies with specialist expertise in underwater exploration have contacted Scottish Office scientists to offer their assistance with the marine survey of the Beaufort's dyke area.

  Local Government Services
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet representatives of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to discuss the funding of local government services. [788]

  Mr. Kynoch
  On 19 January.

  Mrs. Adams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet COSLA to discuss local government finances. [795]

  Mr. Kynoch
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Paisley, South, (Mr. McMaster).

  Migration
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the number of individuals who moved residence from England to Scotland in the last year. [789]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  It is estimated that 47,000 individuals moved residence from England to Scotland in 1994.

  Scottish Economy
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met with the chief executive of Scottish Enterprise to discuss the Scottish economy; and if he will make a statement. [790]

  Mr. Kynoch
  Last week.
  163

  National Health Service
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the chairman of health boards in Scotland to discuss the national health service. [792]

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the chairman of Grampian health board to discuss community hospital provision in the north-east. [793]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend and I meet health board chairmen regularly to discuss matters of current interest.

  Tree Planting
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many trees have been planted by the forestry industry in the United Kingdom within each of the past five years. [794]

  Mr. Kynoch
  Over 70 million trees were planted in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years.

  A92 (Accidents)
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the number of deaths, injuries, and accidents on the A92 Dundee, Arbroath to Montrose road in the current year to date; and if he will make a statement. [796]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Between 1 January and 31 October 1995, the latest date for which the requested statistics are available, there were five deaths and 30 other casualties arising from 60 accidents, including 39 non-injury accidents, on the A92 between Dundee and Montrose. This stretch of the A92 is a local road and responsibility for road safety on it rests with the local roads authority, Tayside regional council.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will name all Scottish Office staff who are political appointments, the nature of their responsibilities and the cost to public funds of employing them. [797]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have two special advisers, Mr. Gerald Warner and Mrs. Jacqui Low. They assist me with that part of my work which is partly governmental and partly political. There is a nationally agreed salary range for special advisers; individuals are paid at a rate within that range which equates to salary in their previous employment.

  Forestry Commission Woodland
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to increase the number of Forestry Commission woodlands to be held by local communities. [798]

  Mr. Kynoch
  We are currently considering how local communities can become more involved in the management of Forestry Commission woodlands.
  164

  Private Finance Initiative (NHS)
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the private finance in initiative in the national health service. [799]

  Mr. Kynoch
  Good progress is being made with the private finance imitative. A number of major schemes are now at advanced stages in the process and are due to come to fruition within the next few months. There is confidence among those taking these schemes forward that the PFI will offer considerable benefits to the NHS.

  Under-age Drinking
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to reduce under-age drinking in public places in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [801]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Under-age drinking is a cause for concern in any context. The Health Education Board for Scotland continues to promote a range of materials aimed at educating young people about the risks of excessive or inappropriate drinking. We are also looking, together with other Government Departments, at what steps might be taken to address the problem of so-called designer alcoholic products associated with under-age drinking.

  We are also concerned to reduce the problem of nuisance caused by people of any age drinking in public places and have invited local authorities to propose byelaws to address this by making it an offence to drink in designated public places. We have so far confirmed byelaws in six local authority areas. Many other authorities are in the process of preparing proposals.

  Road Programmes
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet COSLA to discuss roads programmes. [802]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to meet COSLA specifically to discuss roads programmes.

  Job Creation
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to promote job creation in the Border region; and if he will make a statement. [803]

  Mr. Kynoch
  Scottish Borders Enterprise, which has a budget of £9.6 million in 1995–96, has the main responsibility for promoting economic development in the Borders. The SBE acts in co-operation with local authorities and other economic development agencies.

  Fisheries
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met representatives of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation to discuss current problems of the fishing fleet; and if he will make a statement. [804]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  My right hon. Friend last met representatives of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation in Luxembourg on 26 October when, together
  165
  with my hon. Friend the Minister of State at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, he represented the United Kingdom at the Council of Fisheries Ministers. The current problems facing the fishing fleet were fully discussed.

  Mr. Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions his Department has had with MAFF concerning allegations that Scottish-based fishing vessels have been fishing illegally in the south-west mackerel box; and if he will make a statement. [808]

  Mr. Robertson
  The Scottish Office maintains close contact with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on fisheries issues. The mackerel box is kept under close surveillance by the Ministry's sea fisheries inspectorate. There is no evidence of illegal fishing by Scottish vessels operating in the box.

  National Tree Week
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to support national tree week. [805]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The Government support tree planting every week of the year. Last year, we provided funds for the planting of over 70 million trees.

  Infill Tax
  Mr. Eric Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has met Scottish Power to discuss the consequences of the proposals to impose an infill tax on fly ash from coal-fired generating units in Scotland. [807]

  Mr. Kynoch
  In the course of a recent visit I made to Longannet power station, Scottish Power raised with me a number of issues including the implementation of the landfill tax proposal by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

  Departmental Staff (Duties)
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will review the work of civil servants in the Scottish Office in dealing with matters affecting the political party in government. [809]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The rules about civil servants participating in party political matters are clear and rigorously enforced. There is therefore no need for me to review the work of civil servants in the Scottish Office regarding such matters.

  Historic Buildings (Restoration)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps is he taking to ensure there is an adequate supply of Scottish slate and other traditional building materials needed for the authentic restoration of Scotland's historic buildings. [195]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Since these are matters for Historic Scotland, I have asked the agency's chief executive, Mr. Graeme Munro, to write to the hon. Member as soon as possible. A copy of Mr. Munro's letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
  166
  Letter from Graeme N. Munro to Mr. Gordon Prentice dated 22 November 1995:
  I have been asked to reply to your question to the Secretary of State for Scotland on the steps being taken to ensure the continuing supply of Scottish slate and other traditional building materials for use on Scotland's historic buildings.
  As you will appreciate, this is a topic which greatly concerns us in Historic Scotland and a considerable amount of work is presently being devoted to it. Where necessary, we are working in conjunction with colleagues in Scottish Enterprise and other organisations to address the issues involved.
  To undertake effective conservation and the authentic restoration of Scotland's built heritage, it is critical that properly trained craftsmen have appropriate traditional building materials at their disposal. Through an integrated approach, Historic Scotland aims to encourage industry, material suppliers, and the education and training providers, to achieve this objective.
  In 1993, Historic Scotland established a Technical Conservation, Research and Education Division. The Division is charged with the responsibility of conducting or commissioning research into technical conservation issues, developing skills relating to the built heritage, and raising the standard of conservation practice among owners, contractors, professional groups and craftsmen.
  If we are successfully to encourage the revival of key supply industries there is a need to investigate the supply of traditional building materials. As a result, a number of related studies are currently underway.
  To obtain a comprehensive overview of Scottish stone supplies, and their potential for use in future conservation and restoration projects, a strategic study has been commissioned. This will involve examining ways in which the Scottish stone industry might arrest the decline in the use of indigenous stone, and give pointers to how this trend might be reversed.
  As no slate has been produced in Scotland since the early 1950s a major geological study into Scottish slate reserves has been commissioned from Glasgow University. A separate study by Dundee University will try to quantify the extent of change which has taken place through the use of alternative roof covering materials. Both studies aim to provide Historic Scotland with a strategic overview of the issues involved and with information which will assist decision makers and specifiers on the available, and future, potential for Scottish slate.
  Over recent years there has been a steadily increasing awareness of the significant damage being caused to historic buildings as a result of the inappropriate use of cement in repair work. Whilst a number of Scottish outlets still produce lime, none of that is readily available for use in building conservation work. To assess the quality of what is to hand, Historic Scotland has commissioned a scientific analysis of lime from 15 locations around Scotland. This information will be used to encourage industry to restart lime burning and slaking. If successful, this will greatly enhance the ability of specifiers to choose the correct material to undertake sensitive repairs on the exterior and interior of historic buildings.
  To assist in this process, Historic Scotland has recently published 3 relevant technical publications—

  Preparation and Use of Lime Mortars—Technical Advice Note 1

  Conservation of Plasterwork—Technical Advice Note 2

  The Repair of Historic Buildings in Scotland

  Supplementary publications, promoting the results of case studies into traditional lime harling and a Technical Advice Note on lime washing are also planned.As part of the associated education process, Historic Scotland recently held a successful international conference on lime. This attracted 170 delegates, with representatives from 15 different countries and was warmly received by practitioners and industry representatives alike.167 With a greater researched awareness of Scottish traditional building details has come a fuller understanding of the widespread use of earth and clay as an indigenous building material. Currently, Historic Scotland is researching this area with a view to producing a further technical publication. Our plan is that this should be launched at an international conference on the topic, due to be held at Dundee University in August 1996, in conjunction with the ICOMOS Out of Earth conference series.A similar increasing understanding of the wide variety of natural materials used in traditional Scottish thatching techniques has steadily developed in recent years. Much of this information has been rediscovered as a result of grant-aiding the repair of thatched buildings around the country under Historic Scotland's Historic Building Repair Grant Scheme. Presently, research is underway to analyse the practical aspects of these projects, and to link this to an increased historic understanding. The intention is to produce a Technical Advice Note on Scottish Thatch and Thatching Techniques by the end of 1995 this year.In taking a key role in the promotion of the need to use appropriate traditional materials, Historic Scotland is playing a major part through its Historic Buildings Repair Grant Scheme to pump prime the industry in this area. With repair and maintenance output in Scotland now amounting to over 40% of all construction spend in Scotland, this input has considerable influence. By promoting the results of its research programmes through publications, conferences, seminars and lectures, Historic Scotland also aims to take forward with industry, the professions, and the education and training providers, an integrated approach to the future development and use of Scottish traditional building materials.

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

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Public interest immunity certificates are authorised and signed by my right hon. Friend.

  In 1993, two certificates were signed. Each related to proceedings in the Court of Session raised by a prisoner against the Secretary of State for Scotland. Each certificate concerned matters of prison security. In one of the cases, the certificate was produced in the court proceedings.

  In each of the other years, no certificates have been issued.

  Skye Bridge (Tolls)
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will express the average toll charge per mile for a car in respect of the Skye bridge; and if he will make a statement. [237]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
  [holding answer 21 November 1995]: The Skye crossing is approximately 1.5 miles long, of which the bridge itself is about 0.5 miles. A regular car user will pay £2.44 per crossing, equivalent to £1.63 mile. A car user at the non-discount price will pay £4.30 per crossing equivalent to £2.87 per mile. The tolls were fully discussed at the public local inquiry and are less than the pre-existing ferry fares.
  168

  NHS Staff Pay Rates
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what rate of pay increases have been negotiated for 1995–96 in respect of nurses and other employees subject to Whitley Council pay rates who are in the employment of Orkney health board and Shetland health board; and if he will make a statement [238]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 21 November 1995]: Hospital doctors and dentists were awarded increases of 2.5 per cent. with the facility for further increases to be negotiated locally for those in the consultant grade. These enhanced rates have been in payment since April 1995.

  Agreement has recently been reached that nurses and all other staff employed by health boards, except general and senior managers, will be awarded a pay increase of 2.5 per cent. on national rates, backdated to 1 April 1995, with the opportunity for further increases to be negotiated locally.

  These increases apply to all staff not employed in NHS trusts and form part of a package which has, I am pleased to say, brought an end to the dispute over the 1995 pay award to NHS staff.

  Structural Funds
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide details of the distribution of EU objective 3 structural funding in Scotland in respect of(a) 1994 and (b) 1995 to date. [239]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 21 November 1995]: The amount claimed for 1994 by Scottish-based applicants is £46.3 million. This excludes a small amount of grant claimed for Scottish projects run by applicants based elsewhere in Great Britain.

  For 1995, £45.3 million has so far been committed to Scottish projects. A further £1 million will be committed before the end of the calendar year.

  Distribution of objective 3 moneys within Scotland, by area or agency, is not yet available.

  Highlands and Islands Airports
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce his conclusions on the review of Highlands and Islands airports; if he intends to publish the consultants' report; and if he will make a statement. [226]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 21 November 1995]: The report by Quayle Munro has not yet been received and no conclusions have been reached.

  No decision has been made on whether the report will be published.

  Invoices
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how his Department publicises payment practices other than as percentages of invoices paid late. [965]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Department's payment practices are publicised in the departmental report and the guide to suppliers wishing to do business
  169
  with the Scottish Office—"Selling to The Scottish Office". The Department's standard terms and conditions of contract give details of payment terms and what action should be taken by suppliers on late payment of invoices. The booklet and standard terms and conditions are available on request.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average length of time it takes for his Department to pay invoices. [923]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  In 1994–95 the Scottish Office paid suppliers on average 10 days from receipt of a valid invoice or the goods or services, whichever was the later.

  This was the result of pursuing three objectives:

  1. The aim of paying all suppliers within the period stipulated by the contract—normally, but not always, 30 days. This objective was met on 96 per cent. of payments in 1994–95.

  2. The desirability of taking advantage of early settlement discounts where this makes good business sense.

  3. The need to batch together payments covering several invoices in order to minimise the administrative costs of making payments.

  Flooding (Clyde)
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he holds on the impact of dredging policy and building on low-lying land on both sides of the Clyde on the likelihood of flooding; and if he will make that information available. [1225]

  Mr. Kynoch
  Developments on low-lying land adjacent to rivers face an inherent risk of flooding, however small. The assessment of this risk is primarily for developers and owners and a national planning policy guideline, planning and flooding, has been published to ensure that this is fully taken into account in the planning process. Strathclyde regional council, and the port authority jointly commissioned a study in 1988 of the possible effects of dredging operations reducing in line with the needs of the port. This concluded that this would have little effect on the risk of fluvial or tidal flooding but might lead to operational concerns for sewerage systems.

  Tourism
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the state of the tourism industry in Scotland. [770]

  Mr. Kynoch
  Tourism is a major contributor to the Scottish economy. My right hon. Friend has made clear his commitment to the industry. I am pleased to say that all the signs are that the industry has done well in 1995. In the first seven months alone, tourism trips to Scotland from within the United Kingdom were up by 24 per cent. over the same period last year, bednights up 32 per cent. and spend up by 15 per cent. Overseas trips to the UK as a whole also rose substantially and I expect Scotland to show a similar position. This success is underpinned by substantial Scottish Office support for tourism, through the Scottish tourist board and the enterprise agencies. We intend to continue to support the industry in its efforts to become still more competitive.
  170

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what basis he will determine the allocation of borrowing consents to the new unitary authorities in 1996–97 and 1997–98; and if he will make a statement. [778]

  Mr. Kynoch
  On the basis of relative needs and inherited legal commitments.

DEFENCE

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all those in his Department who have authority to issue public interest immunity certificates; how many such certificates have been issued in each of the last five years; and what were the main reasons for them. [1432]

  Mr. Soames
  Ministers alone sign public interest immunity certificates in this Department. Since April 1992 the total number of PII certificates signed remains as stated in my answer of 16 October 1995 to the hon. Member for Clwyd, South-West (Mr. Jones),Official Report, columns 27–28. In the event, not all the certificates have been used. They cover a number of individual subjects, including the screening of certain members of the armed forces from the public at various criminal or civil proceedings and the protection of certain information from disclosure.

  Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the extramural contractors to the chemical and biological defence establishment, Porton Down, have agreed to allow disclosure of their contractual relationship with CBDE, in line with CBDE's open government initiative. [1593]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  This is a matter for the Defence Evaluation Research Agency under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive, DERA, to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 22 November 1995:
  Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking how many extramural contractors have agreed to allow disclosure of their contractual relationship with the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down has been passed to me to reply as the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency which includes CBDE as one of its divisions.Forty four of our extramural contractors have agreed to their contractual relationship with CBDE being disclosed to the public. They include university departments and industrial companies.I hope this information is helpful.
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what specific measures have been implemented by the chemical and biological defence establishment to make it more open about its current activities. [1594]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  This is a matter for the Defence Evaluation Research Agency under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive, DERA, to write to the hon. Member.
  171
  Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 22 November 1995:
  Your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking what specific measures have been implemented by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment to make it more open about its current activities has been passed to me to reply as the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency which includes CBDE as one of its divisions.CBDE places a high degree of importance on publicising the work it carries out to protect the UK Armed Forces from the threat presented by chemical and biological weapons. The staff at CBDE have always published the results of their work in technical journals and represented CBDE at scientific conferences. While it was an autonomous Next Steps Agency CBDE also provided four full Annual Reports and Accounts detailing its activities. These will continue in future under the auspices of DERA. In addition CBDE encourages visits from all interested parties and has welcomed members of parliament and representatives from local and district councils, schools, universities and the local and national media.I hope this information is helpful.

  Invoices
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how his Department publicises payment practices other than as percentages of invoices paid late. [950]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The payment of the vast majority of the Department's bills and those of its agencies is a matter for the chief executive of the Defence Accounts Agency. The Defence Evaluation and Research Agency is responsible for paying its own bills. I have asked the chief executives of these agencies to reply.

  Letter from P. J. Trevelyan to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 22 November 1995:
  You asked the Secretary of State for Defence how his Department publicises payment practices other than as percentages of invoices paid late. As Chief Executive of the Defence Accounts Agency I have been asked to reply.All new MOD contractors receive a 'Prompt Payment Guide' and billing timetable from the Liverpool payment office. This booklet provides guidance on MOD payment procedures to help contractors submit bills correctly and therefore receive prompt payment. Contractors are invited to submit bills fortnightly in accordance with the timetable. Information about payment arrangements over Christmas and Easter is printed on the remittance advice notes which detail payments made. Details of payment schedules are also published widely throughout MOD.Because the MOD payment targets are key targets for the Defence Accounts Agency they are published in the Agency's Corporate Plan. Performance against the targets is published in the Agency's Annual Report and the House of Commons Official Report. The agreed target for financial year 1995/96 is to pay 97% of bills within 11 days of receipt at Liverpool, and all within 30 days. Currently the 11 day target is being achieved, and 99.99% is being achieved for the 30 day target.
  Letter from John Chisholm to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 22 November 1995:
  You asked the Secretary of State for Defence how his Department publicises payment practices other than as percentages of invoices paid. I am replying for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency.Details of payment practices are included in the terms and conditions of contracts sent to suppliers. Additionally we are preparing a new booklet, to be published shortly, that is intended to assist companies in doing business with DERA. This will include a section on our bill paying policies.I hope this is helpful.172
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average length of time it takes for his Department to pay invoices. [935]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The payment of the vast majority of the Department's bills and those of its agencies is a matter for the chief executive of the Defence Accounts Agency. The Defence Evaluation and Research Agency is responsible for paying its own bills. I have asked the chief executives of these agencies to reply.

  Letter from P. J. Trevelyan to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 22 November 1995:
  You asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average length of time it takes for his Department to pay invoices. This matter falls to me, as Chief Executive of the Defence Accounts Agency for reply. This statistic is not recorded locally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.The statistics which are readily available to the Liverpool payment office go back two and a half years. During this time 99.99% of bills have been paid within 30 days of presentation of a valid invoice. The Liverpool payment office also measures its performance against a higher departmental standard of payment within 11 days of receipt of a valid invoice. It achieved its 1993/94 target of 96%, and its 1994/95 target of 97%. It has also achieved its 1995/96 target of 97% so far this financial year.Some low value bills are paid locally throughout MOD, but information about these is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
  Letter from John Chisholm to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 22 November 1995:
  You asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average length of time it takes for his Department to pay invoices. I am replying for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency.As I said in my earlier reply of 1 November 1995, virtually all validated invoices are paid within 9 days of being received by our bill paying section.I hope this is helpful.

  Mines
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's rationale underlying the procurement of the future anti-personnel scatterable mine; [1072]

  (2) what is his Department's policy for replacing the Ranger scatterable anti-personnel mine system; [1071]

  (3) what progress has been made on the future anti-personnel scatterable mine system; and when it is intended to replace the Ranger system. [1073]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 19 October 1995,Official Report, column 352.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence from which supplier his Department has decided to procure the vehicle-launched scatterable mine system. [1078]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  A final decision has yet to be taken.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the current progress of the "mines in the new century" programme; [1070]
  173
  (2) what is the entry into service date for the Barmine replacement. [1075]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Current plans are to introduce a pattern anti-tank mine system—"mines in the new century"—that will replace the Barmine system in the first decade of the next century. However, we are currently considering our future requirements for this nature of weapon and no firm decisions have been taken. Any new mines introduced into service would have a self-neutralising or self-destruct capability and would fully meet the requirements of the international laws of armed conflict.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department intends to order the aimed controlled effect anti-tank mine. [1077]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  We are currently engaged in a development programme with France and Germany for the aimed controlled effect anti-tank mine. A decision concerning a production order will be made at the end of this phase and in the light of our continuing review of requirements for anti-tank mines.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the British armed forces last deployed anti-personnel mines in a tactical role; if this minefield was marked; when was it neutralised; and by whom. [1069]

  Mr. Soames
  It is not our practice to comment on the operational deployment of mines. The armed forces use all mines responsibly and in accordance with the laws of armed conflict to minimise the danger both to civilians and our own forces. In particular, all minefields are recorded and they are marked when appropriate. Wherever practicable, the UK armed forces have cleared mines which they have laid, once they were no longer needed.

  Arms Exports (Iraq)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates his Department was informed of contracts relating to(a) Project Babylon, (b) Baby Babylon and (c) super-gun propellant; and what was the response of his Department. [997]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  I refer the hon. Member to the memorandum presented by the Ministry of Defence to the Trade and Industry Select Committee in February 1992, HC86-xv. These are matters which are under investigation by Sir Richard Scott's inquiry. It would not be appropriate for me to comment further until Sir Richard has reported.

  Ministerial Transport, London
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times in the last year he used(a) the London Underground and (b) London Buses while on official business. [417]

  Mr. Portillo
  None on Ministry of Defence business.

  Jordan Defence Package
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date his Department was made aware of allegations of fraud, involving(a) Royal Ordnance, (b) BMARC and (c) Astra in the Jordan defence package;
  174
  and what response was made by his Department to these allegations. [1031]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Allegations of corruption involving Royal Ordnance and the Astra group of companies were made to the Ministry of Defence police in early 1990 and investigations began on 1 February 1990. They were not linked to the Jordan defence package. Any investigation into breaches of export control is a matter for HM Customs and Excise.

  Harrier GR7
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Harrier GR7s are presently available in service to the RAF. [366]

  Mr. Soames
  The RAF's Harrier GR7 operational fleet comprises 45 aircraft establishment and two in-use reserve.

  Private Finance Unit
  Mr. John Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of the MOD private finance unit in the last year; and how many staff are employed in the unit. [52]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  It is expected that the cost of the MOD private finance unit will be about £240,000 in 1995–96. Seven staff are employed in the unit: five civil servants and two private sector appointees.

  Operation Deliberate Force
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the(a) laser-guided bombs and (b) 1,000 lb free fall bombs dropped by the RAF during Operation Deliberate Force hit their targets; how many of each type of bomb hit each of the targets which were hit by RAF aircraft; and how many of each type of bomb failed to hit a target. [369]

  Mr. Soames
  The information is not available in the form requested. Nineteen targets were assigned to be attacked with laser-guided bombs, and 43 of the 48 bombs which were dropped are assessed to have been successful. All 19 targets were either destroyed or severely damaged. Eight targets were assigned to be attacked with 30 1,000 lb free-fall bombs, but it is more difficult to assess the success of these weapons as other NATO aircraft attacked the same targets. However, it is assessed that there were three direct hits.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the definition of hitting a target and the circular error probable for each of the types of munition used in Operation Deliberate Force. [370]

  Mr. Soames
  The definition of hitting a target varies with the objective of a mission, the type of weapon and the nature of the target. Information about the circular error probable for the weapons used in Operation Deliberate Force is classified.

  Jaguar GR1B Aircraft
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Jaguar GR1B aircraft are presently available in service to the RAF. [364]
  175
  Mr. Soames
  Seven Jaguar GR I B aircraft are currently in RAF service.

  Royal Ordnance (Police)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what employer or contractual relationship exists between British Aerospace Royal Ordnance and the Ministry of Defence police. [988]

  Mr. Soames
  This matter is under review. The Ministry of Defence police are employed at five British Aerospace-owned Royal Ordnance plc sites. The greater part of the cost of their services is repaid to the Ministry by the company under the terms of an agreement made in 1985.

  Racism
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent allegations of racism within the armed forces have been communicated to his Department; what action he has taken in respect of them; and if he will make a statement. [318]

  Mr. Soames
  Since 1 January 1995, three incidents of alleged racism have been reported in the Army and three in the Royal Air Force. Disciplinary action has been recommended in one case; the remaining five cases are still under investigation. There have been no cases reported in the Royal Navy.

  Racial abuse or discrimination is not tolerated in the armed forces. Complaints of racial discrimination are investigated and, if proven, appropriate action is taken against the offenders.

  A code of practice on race relations in the armed forces has been enforced throughout the services since December 1993.

  International Military Services Ltd
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which members of his Department are on the board of International Military Services. [1022]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  International Military Services Ltd. is a company wholly owned by the Secretary of State for Defence. No serving member of his Department is on the board of that company.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if military aircraft are permitted to exceed the speed limits for the United Kingdom low flying system when within weapons range danger areas. [424]

  Mr. Soames
  No.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints about low flying have been received from the area formerly covered by the southern part of the Prestwick-Glasgow avoidance area since 7 November 1994. [1282]

  Mr. Soames
  My Department has received approximately 40 complaints and inquiries about military low flying since 7 November 1994 from the area formerly covered by the southern part of the Glasgow-Prestwick avoidance area.
  176
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the minimum permitted altitude for air combat manoeuvring raining over the United Kingdom. [1284]

  Mr. Soames
  The minimum permitted altitude for air combat manoeuvring training over the United Kingdom is 5,000 ft above ground level.

  Former Yugoslavia
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British military personnel have been killed or wounded in the course of military operations in the former Yugoslavia; and how many of those casualties were as a result of blue on blue incidents relating to non-hostile troops. [1503]

  Mr. Soames
  Eighteen British service personnel have been killed and a further 39 have sustained serious injuries in the course of military operations in the former Yugoslavia None of these casualties resulted from "blue on blue" incidents.

  RAF (Total Quality Management)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to introduce the total quality management system to Royal Air Force flying operations. [1278]

  Mr. Soames
  The RAF continually strives for excellence in all its flying operations, and in doing so embraces and keeps under review relevant aspects of the philosophy associated with total quality management systems.

  Danger Areas
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the military activities permitted in each of the danger areas D411, D509, D606, D608 and D609. [1302]

  Mr. Soames
  The danger areas specified are used for the following purposes:

  Danger Area

  Location

  Usage

  D411

  Port Patrick

  Trials of Sonobuoy Equipment

  D509

  Campbeltown

  Anti-Air and Surface Shoots

  D606

  Forth Area

  Live Anti-Submarine Warfare Depth Charge and Mortar firings

  D607

  Forth Middle

  Surface firings; sleeve shoots; radar trials and air to air firings

  D608

  Forth Outer

  Surface firings; sleeve shoots; radar trials and air to air firings

  D609

  St. Andrews

  Radar training buoy

  Trident
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research is being undertaken into the feasibility of adapting the Trident system to carry conventionally armed missiles; and what has been the expenditure on this research in the last three years. [1291]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The UK has conducted no such research.
  177

  Sliac Air Base, Slovakia
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many United Kingdom personnel visited Sliac air base in Slovakia in September 1995. [1307]

  Mr. Soames
  Two United Kingdom service personnel visited the Sliac air base in September 1995, under the auspices of the Vienna document of 1994.

  Exercise Purple Star
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on plans for Exercise Purple Star in 1996. [1299]

  Mr. Soames
  This exercise will take place in spring next year on the eastern seaboard of America. It is the UK's major field training exercise for 1996 and involves over 15,000 personnel from all three services.

  RAF (Self-authorising Status)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions are given to Royal Air Force commanders concerning the frequency with which the self-authorising status of aircrew under their command must be reviewed; and what formal examination or test is conducted to assess the suitability of aircrew to retain self-authorising status. [1279]

  Mr. Soames
  The self-authorising status of aircrew is approved by the station commander of each flying unit. There are no specific instructions concerning the frequency with which this must be reviewed, nor is any formal test conducted specifically to assess the aircrew's suitability to retain the status. However, all aircrew undergo a continual assessment of their ability to perform their duties including, where appropriate, their suitability to retain self-authorising status.

  Nuclear Weapons Safety Adviser
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the work of the nuclear weapons safety adviser since his appointment. [1567]

  Mr. Soames
  Details of the nuclear weapons safety adviser's current and planned programme of work have been provided to the Select Committee on Defence and are contained in its 1995 report on progress of the Trident programme, pages 24 and 25, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Chemical and Biological Defence Agreements
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of the annexes which have been added to the 1980 memorandum of understanding on chemical and biological defence between the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Canada in November 1988, October 1989, October 1991 and June 1994. [1584]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  It is not our practice to place copies of memoranda of understanding or their annexes in the Library.
  178
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates amendments to the 1980 memorandum of understanding on chemical and biological defence between the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Canada were first notified to Parliament; and on what date the memorandum was last amended. [1585]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  It is not our practice routinely to notify amendments to memoranda of understanding to Parliament. The memorandum of understanding on chemical and biological defence between the United States of America, the United Kingdom and Canada was last amended on 21 November 1994.

  Flying Training, Slovakia
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what communications he has received from the Slovak authorities concerning the use of Slovak airspace for Royal Air Force training; and what response he has made to the Slovak authorities. [1306]

  Mr. Soames
  None since the meeting in February 1995 between my right hon. and learned Friend the then Secretary of State for Defence and the Slovakian Defence Minister, referred to in my answer of 8 March to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond),Official Report, column 254. However, we continue to explore with the Slovak authorities military training opportunities for the United Kingdom in the region.

  Overseas Training Costs
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the additional cost to the defence budget, other than direct payments to the Canadian authorities, of training Tornado crews at Canadian forces base, Goose Bay in each year since 1990. [1310]

  Mr. Soames
  The total costs in £millions of running the RAF unit at CFB Goose Bay since 1991 are in the table. Figures for 1990 are not readily available.

  Year

  RAF unit running cost

  1991–92

  2.096

  1992–93

  2.456

  1993–94

  3.103

  1994–95

  3.453

  1995–96

  3.292

  Any other costs to the defence budget, other than direct payments to the Canadian authorities, are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what payments have been made to the United States and Canadian authorities for Royal Air Force use of training facilities centred on(a) Nellis air force base, Nevada, (b) Cold Lake, Alberta and (c) Eielson air force base, Alaska, in each year since 1990. [1309]

  Mr. Soames
  Payments to the United States authorities for use of training facilities at Nellis air force base, Nevada and Eielson air force base, Alaska are as follows:
  179

  Nellis

  Eielson

  $

  $

  FY 1991–92

  25,000.00

  —

  FY 1992–93

  111,684.65

  143,175.75

  FY 1993–941

  365,609.92

  354,308.33

  FY 1994–951

  462,127.82

  907,402.00

  FY 1995–961

  130,441.85

  417,011.43

  1 Because of US billing procedures, the accounts for these years remain open and further payments may be made against them.

  The figures for 1990–91 are no longer available for either of the US locations, nor are the 1991–92 figures for Eielson air force base. No payments have been made to the Canadian authorities for use of training facilities at Cold Lake, Alberta.

  British American Community Relations Committees
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the functions and budgets of the Anglo/Scottish/Welsh-American community relations committees; what is the current membership of each; and what is the process by which individuals are appointed to these bodies. [1297]

  Mr. Soames
  The function of these committees, now known as British American community relations committees, is to promote friendship and understanding between the US service personnel and civilian components, their dependants, and the British communities amongst whom they live. The only cost to the Department of these committees are certain out-of-pocket expenses for chairmen and administrative support provided by MOD-employed community relations advisers. Membership of the committees includes a chairman, who is appointed by my noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence, the US commander who acts as co-chairman, and, where applicable, a community relations adviser and an RAF commander. Also serving on the committees are a number of British civilians and US service personnel, selected by the chairman and co-chairman respectively.

  Area Defence Weapon
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the area defence weapon is due to enter service. [1074]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Current plans are to introduce an area defence weapon in the first decade of the next century. However, we are currently considering our future requirements for this nature of weapon and no firm decisions have been taken. Any such weapon introduced into service would have a self-destruct or self-neutralising capability and would fully meet the requirements of the international laws of armed conflict.

  Multiple-Launch Rockets
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the multiple-launch rocket system phase 2 warheads, ordered by Germany in August 1991, are due to be delivered to his Department. [1076]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The British Army is currently taking delivery of the multiple launch rocket system phase 2—AT2—rocket ordered by Germany and the United 180
  Kingdom in August 1991. Deliveries of the United Kingdom's offtake of phase 2 rockets are planned to be completed in early 1996.

  Empty Dwellings
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many dwellings owned by his Department are currently unoccupied in the counties of(a) Hampshire, (b) Lancashire and (c) Avon; and how many dwellings owned by his Department have been unoccupied for six months or more in each of these counties. [1222]

  Mr. Soames
  As at 30 September 1995, my Department owned the following empty dwellings in the counties named:

  Hampshire: 1,152

  Lancashire: 25

  Avon: 93

  Information on properties unoccupied for six months or more is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many dwellings owned by his Department are currently unoccupied; and how many dwellings owned by his Department have been occupied for six months or more. [1336]

  Mr. Soames
  As at 30 September 1995, my Department owned 14,098 vacant dwellings, of which 13,898 were service families quarters and 200 were MOD civilian houses. Of these, 3,202 vacant service quarters and 55 civilian houses were in the process of being sold. The majority of the remainder of the service quarters were either awaiting major maintenance work, held for unit deployments, already allocated to service families due to move in shortly or formed part of the management margin needed to ensure that accommodation is available to house entitled service personnel. The majority of the vacant civilian houses could not be disposed of for security reasons. Information on properties unoccupied for six months or more is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  From the total of 13,898 empty properties, a further number of houses is being identified for future disposal.

  European Procurement Co-operation
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to discuss European procurement collaboration with his French and German colleagues; and if he will make a statement. [1340]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Discussions continue with my French and German colleagues in a variety of forums, both on specific projects and on general European equipment collaboration issues. In particular, my Department is currently involved in discussions on the possible establishment of a European armaments agency and on the prospects for participation by the UK in the planned Franco-German armaments co-operation structure.

  Arcadia Land Plc
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Arcadia Land company has expressed an interest in being involved in the privatisation or sale of
  181
  surplus defence married quarters; and if he will make a statement. [1341]

  Mr. Soames
  Dr. David Hart, the independent adviser to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence, is a director of Arcadia Land plc. As I made clear in my answer of 27 January,Official Report, column 445, no independent adviser assisting in the way ahead in a transfer of ownership of the married quarters estate will be permitted to have a financial stake in the outcome of the transaction. Arcadia Land plc has not made any expression of interest in respect of the disposal of surplus married quarters under the existing system.

  Army Pay
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average cost to the public funds per annum for each member of the British Army. [1646]

  Mr. Soames
  This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, it is possible to quantify the Regular Army's current annual pay bill on an average basis. Including all members of the home service full-time element of the Royal Irish Regiment and the non-regular permanent staff of the Territorial Army, the figure for pay, earnings-related national insurance contributions, allowances and superannuation equates to £23,300 per person. This figure takes no account of variation attributable to rank or other factors and costs.

  Ballistic Missiles
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the feasibility study by the Defence Research Agency into a domestically produced ballistic missile interceptor; and if he will make a statement. [1647]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  No. The Defence Research Agency is carrying out work related to ballistic missile defence. Its reports are classified and it would not be appropriate to publish them.

  Ministry of Defence Police
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will publish the results of his Department's study into the future of the Ministry of Defence police; [1648]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the numbers to be employed in the Ministry of Defence police in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement. [1649]

  Mr. Soames
  The overall manpower requirements of the Ministry of Defence police are kept under constant review. We will shortly be consulting the staff associations and trade unions concerned about proposals resulting from a number of studies on defence police and guarding requirements. Consultative documents will be put to them. I shall be sending copies to the House of Commons Defence Committee and to the hon. Members with particular consistency interests. I shall also place copies in the Library of the House.
  182

  Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Government plan at the appropriate time to make available to the public details of the declaration to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. [1608]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Yes. Details of UK's declarations required under the chemical weapons convention will be made available to the public when they are passed to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Student Loans
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the average debt of students on completion of their studies. [181]

  Mr. Forth
  The appropriate average debt to the Student Loans Company of borrowers who entered repayment status on 1 April 1995 was £1,415.

  Mr. Bryan Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to use the national insurance system to collect repayments of student loans. [1466]

  Mr. Forth
  The Government have no plans to use the national insurance system for this purpose.

  Mr. Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the financial institutions with which her Department has had discussions regarding reforms of the student loans scheme; and which of these has indicted interest in involvement in any new scheme. [1465]

  Mr. Forth
  Officials have had, and are continuing to have, discussions with a number of banks and building societies on this subject. Given the commercial nature of these discussions, it is not appropriate to say, at this stage, which institutions officials are talking to, nor which have expressed an interest.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will estimate for each year since 1992 in constant prices the average level of indebtedness of university and college students; and if she will make a statement. [628]

  Mr. Forth
  Information on total student indebtedness is not collected centrally.

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list all those in her Department who have authority to issue public interest immunity certificates; how many such certificates have been issued in each of the last five years; and what were the main reasons for them. [1391]

  Mr. Forth
  A claim to public interest immunity relating to departmental documents or information is normally made by the appropriate Minister.

  There was one case in 1991 and one in 1992 in which a certificate was used inter partes in proceedings.
  183
  The certificates were issued in respect of advice by Her Majesty's inspectorate of schools and officials in the context of appeals under section 8(6) of the Education Act 1981 in order to protect the confidentiality of full and frank advice given to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

  Youth Training (Accidents)
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many accidents and fatalities have occurred involving people placed on youth training schemes each year since youth training began in 1983. [977]

  Mr. Paice
  The following table gives the total GB fatal, major and minor accident figures for youth training and its predecessor programme6s from 1983–84 to 1994–95.

  Total youth training accident statistics (GB) from 1983–84 to 1994–95

  Fatal

  Major

  Minor

  1983–84

  4

  100

  843

  1984–85

  5

  184

  1,748

  1985–86

  2

  222

  1,913

  1986–87

  12

  326

  1,761

  1987–88

  8

  509

  2,541

  1988–89

  8

  573

  2,729

  1989–90

  4

  548

  2,495

  1990–91

  4

  457

  1,925

  1991–92

  2

  344

  1,597

  1992–93

  1

  290

  1,362

  1993–94

  4

  287

  1,579

  1994–95

  1

  283

  1,473

  Notes:

  1. Department for Education and Employment figures for youth trainees are compiled on a similar basis to those prepared by the Health and Safety Executive for employed persons. However, the Department's figures include a number of accidents to trainees in educational establishments and road traffic accidents which would not have been reportable to HSE had the individuals been employed.

  2. Major injuries are classified according to the severity criteria laid down in the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrence Regulations 1985 (RIDDOR).

  3. The former "Youth Training Scheme" commenced in April 1983 and was succeeded by Youth Training in April 1990.

  School Inspections
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what reimbursement is made to schools whose teachers spend time away from their own school while undertaking Ofsted school inspections elsewhere. [22]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  These are matters for Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools, who heads the Office for Standards in Education. I have asked Mr. Chris Woodhead to write to the hon. Member.

  Higher Education Contribution Scheme
  Mr. Bryan Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make an assessment of the Australian Government's higher education contribution scheme. [1582]

  Mr. Forth
  This Australian scheme requires students in higher education to contribute to the cost of their tuition at university either through cash payments during their study or through repayments over time after graduation.
  184

  Physical Education Teachers
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is her estimate of the number of physical education teachers who have been made redundant since 1992. [1470]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Data on which to base such an estimate are not available.

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mr. Walden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment to what proportion of places in existing private schools it is her policy to extend the assisted places scheme. [1626]

  Mrs. Gillan
  We will shortly be announcing our detailed plans for expanding the assisted places scheme, including arrangements for inviting eligible schools to bid for new places.

  Invoices
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many orders and firms are represented by the 5 per cent. of invoices not paid by her Department within 30 days or in accordance with contractual agreements in 1994–95; and how many of these are related to firms with fewer than 500 employees. [942]

  Mr. Forth
  A total of 6,419 invoices were sampled in four separate prompt payment of bills exercises during 1994–95. The result showed that 332 of these invoices were paid late—5 per cent. of the sample. The Department does not hold information on the number of employees in the companies involved.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the amount owed to those businesses whose invoices were not paid within 30 days in each of the last five years. [1079]

  Mr. Forth
  The Department does not maintain separate records of the sums involved when invoices were not paid within 30 days. The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how her Department publicises payment practices other than as percentages of invoices paid late. [955]

  Mr. Forth
  The Department publicises information on its prompt payment performance in the departmental report. The Department's contracts branch, leading buying units and purchasing sections, when negotiating contracts, inform suppliers of goods and services of the standard payment terms including the complaint procedure when negotiating contracts if the Department fails to pay on time.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the average length of time it takes for her Department to pay invoices. [933]

  Mr. Forth
  The Department does not have statistical information on the average time taken for the payment of invoices. Under an internal service level agreement, invoices are processed within five working days of receipt by the finance directorate. The Department is committed
  185
  to meeting the objective of the Confederation of British Industry's prompt payment code to pay all valid invoices within 30 days of their receipt.

  Staffing
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many staff her Department employs on a regional basis in each standard English region: what is the cost of running these regional operations: what is the total budget for each region in 1994–95; and what are the main purposes for which each budget is used. [267]

  Mr. Paice
  The information is not available in the form requested. The new Department for Education and Employment was created on 5 July 1995. The following information relates to the current financial year.

  Table 1 gives the information requested for Department for Education and Employment staff working in, and budgets delivered through, Government offices for the regions.

  Table 1: Government offices

  Region

  Staff in Post1

  Running Costs2 £ million

  Programme Budgets2 £ million

  South east

  54.5

  2.2

  174.9

  London

  68

  3.2

  215.1

  Eastern

  46.5

  1.9

  138.5

  South west

  59.5

  2.1

  136.7

  West Midlands

  71.5

  2.6

  174.2

  East Midlands

  55.6

  1.8

  134.4

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  64.6

  2.2

  197.7

  Merseyside

  41

  1.4

  212.3

  North west

  78.5

  2.9

  88.6

  North east

  62

  2.1

  146.7

  Notes:

  1As at 1 November 1995.

  2Provision for 1995–96.

  The main purposes for which these budgets are used are adult and youth training programmes, vocational education programmes and the provision of careers advice.

  Table 2 gives information for the Employment Service. The ES has different regional boundaries to the Government office network.

  Table 2: Employment services

  Region

  Staff in Post1

  Running Costs2 £ million

  Programme Budgets2 £ million

  Northern

  2,228

  46.3

  8.9

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  3,420

  68.6

  12.6

  East Midlands and eastern

  3,520

  72.4

  14.1

  London and South east

  11,652

  265.8

  56.1

  South west

  3,131

  64.6

  12.4

  West Midlands

  3,564

  75.1

  15.8

  North west

  4,798

  99.2

  19.8

  Notes:

  1As at 1 April 1995.

  2Provision for 1995–96.
  186
  The main purposes for which these budgets are used are on employment measures to help people into work, placement and advisory services, employment services for people with disabilities and administering the payment of unemployment benefit.

  The Department carries out its headquarters functions in London, Darlington, Sheffield and Runcorn.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the members of the board for each TEC stating which members have experience of running small businesses. [948]

  Mr. Paice
  A list showing private sector board members of each English TEC, and approximate company size, has been placed in the Library. Where the employee figure is shown as 0, the information has not been collected. No information is held about the experience of board members prior to joining their current company.

  A complete list of all TEC board members is held in the Library. It is updated quarterly.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much money each TEC earmarked in each of the last five years for small businesses. [943]

  Mr. Page
  I have been asked to reply.

  Information on how much money each TEC earmarked in each of the last five years for small firms is not available centrally. This is because the funding which TECs use to support small businesses comes from a number of different sources including their own surpluses. Government funding for small businesses is available through TECs and business links from the DTI, Departments for Education and Employment and Environment and TECs can also draw on European funds to assist small firms.

  Placing Assessment and Counselling Teams
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the main locations of the placing assessment and counselling teams which provide employment and advisory services for employers and people with disabilities in Scotland. [298]

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

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. James Wallace, dated 22 November 1995:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the main locations of the Placing Assessment and Counselling Teams (PACT) in Scotland.
  A list of PACTs in Scotland is attached (Annex A). Orkney and Shetland are covered by the Highlands, Islands and Grampian PACT, each of which has an identified Employment Service member of staff who offers support to disabled people in Jobcentres in Kirkwall and Lerwick. In addition, full time Disability Employment Advisors based in Aberdeen visit employers and clients on the islands.
  I hope this is helpful.
  187

  Annex 1: PACTs—Office for Scotland

  Address

  Telephone and Fax

  Glasgow east, north and

  Tel: 0141–248 7654

  Lanarkshire

  Fax: 0141–248 8388

  Employment Service

  Pact 3rd Floor

  221 West George Street

  G2 2ND

  Glasgow west, south, Renfrew

  Tel: 0141–226 4923

  and Dumbarton

  Fax:0141–248 8312

  Employment Service

  PACT

  2nd Floor

  221 West George Street

  Glasgow

  G2 2ND

  Edinburgh and South east

  Tel: 0131–229 9321

  Scotland

  Fax:0131–221 9860

  Employment Service

  PACT

  5th Floor

  Torphichen Street

  Edinburgh

  EH3 8JP

  South west Scotland

  Tel: 01563 542000

  Employment Service

  Fax: 01563 573079

  PACT

  17 Grange Street

  Kilmarnock

  KA1 2DF

  Highlands, Islands and

  Tel: 01463 239171

  Grampian (outstation in

  Fax: 01463 715699

  Aberdeen)

  Outstation Tel: 01224 622050

  Employment Service

  Outstation Fax: 01224 630644

  PACT

  4th Floor

  Metropolitan House

  31–33 Hight Street

  Inverness

  IV1 1J

  Central and West Lothian

  Tel: 01324 621444

  Employment Service

  Fax: 01324 638968

  PACT

  8–14 High Street

  Falkirk

  FK1 1EY

  Tayside and Fife

  Tel: 01382 223222

  Employment Service

  Fax: 01382 201350

  PACT

  132 Seagate

  Dundee

  DD12HB

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what information she has on the number of people in(a) Orkney and (b) Shetland who have made contact through their local job centre with the placing assessment and counselling teams in each year since the establishment of PACTs in 1992. [299]

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

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. James Wallace, dated 22 November 1995:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the number of people in Orkney and Shetland who have made contact through their local Jobcentre with the Placing Assessment and Counselling Teams (PACTs).
  188
  We do not record the number of people referred by Jobcentres to PACTs. However we do record the number of people, who need and may benefit from specialist help, who are assessed by PACTs.
  Assessment is the process through which PACTs help disabled job seekers identify potential occupation or training establish whether they are job-ready, or need further preparation for work. Its purpose is to identify employment potential and needs, and to come to agreement about how to meet the individual needs of clients. It is based mainly on Employment Service (ES) provision supplemented by small numbers of external contracts. An individual action plan is agreed between the client and the ES setting out what work or training a client will look for and include any preparatory action they will need to take.
  All clients referred to PACTs have an in-depth assessment interview or interviews with a Disability Employment Adviser (DEA). If this does not result in their being able to identify a suitable occupation or training, they may then be offered additional practical methods to help them decide. This can include functional testing, psychometric testing, an interview with an occupational psychologist or provided with enhanced assessment from specialist contractors.
  From the first full year after they were introduced, the number of people assessed by PACTs on Orkney and Shetland were 122 for the 12 months to April 1994 and 156 for the same period to April 1995. The number of people assessed for the first six months of the current financial year was 108. As the introduction of PACTs was a gradual process, the numbers of assessments for 1992/93 were not recorded.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Kirklees Local Education Authority
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much was spent in total on school education in Kirklees in each year since 1974 at constant prices. [1337]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The following table shows, at 1993–94 prices, the expenditure on pre-primary, primary and secondary education by Kirklees local education authority from 1974–75 to 1993–94, the latest year for which figures are available. These figures have not been adjusted for any changes of function.

  Kirklees: Gross expenditure on school education 1993–94 prices

  Year

  £ million

  1974–75

  105.95

  1975–76

  100.88

  1976–77

  99.35

  1977–78

  93.43

  1978–79

  95.29

  1979–80

  93.30

  1980–81

  98.50

  1981–82

  101.25

  1982–83

  100.95

  1983–84

  98.98

  1984–85

  100.83

  1985–86

  102.70

  1986–87

  109.63

  1987–88

  112.72

  1988–89

  117.55

  1989–90

  119.37

  1990–91

  115.73

  1991–92

  110.90

  1992–93

  132.76

  1993–94

  113.55

  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much was spent in total on education in Kirklees in each year since 1974 at constant prices. [1338]
  189
  Mr. Squire
  The following table shows, in 1993–94 prices, the expenditure by Kirklees local education authority from 1974–75 to 1993–94, the latest year for which figures are available. These figures have not been adjusted for any changes of function.

  Kirklees: Gross Expenditure 1993–94 Prices

  Year

  £ million

  1974–75

  190.40

  1975–76

  185.80

  1976–77

  186.25

  1977–78

  182.23

  1978–79

  184.58

  1979–80

  186.43

  1980–81

  187.96

  1981–82

  192.16

  1982–83

  192.53

  1983–84

  190.61

  1984–85

  191.22

  1985–86

  196.31

  1986–87

  210.86

  1987–88

  219.34

  1988–89

  223.28

  1989–90

  196.38

  1990–91

  194.70

  1991–92

  195.07

  1992–93

  201.43

  1993–94

  174.98

  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will set out the changes in real terms for education spending for each sector in Kirklees since 1980. [1339]

  Mr. Squire
  The increase in expenditure by Kirklees local education authority on pre-primary and primary education and secondary education, between 1979–80 and 1993–94, the latest year for which outturn figures are available, is as follows.

  Kirklees LEA: Net recurrent expenditure, real terms

  Year

  Pre-Primary and Primary Education £000

  Secondary Education £000

  1979–80

  37,756

  46,029

  1993–94

  63,921

  62,046

  Increase

  26,165 (40.9 per cent.)

  16,017 (25.8 per cent.)

  Unemployment, Durham
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people under the age of 25 years in the City of Durham constituency are unemployed and are in receipt of benefit; and how many of these are long-term unemployed. [156]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  I have been asked to reply.

  In October 1995, there were 937 people aged under 25-year-old claiming unemployment-related benefits—unemployment benefit, income support or national insurance credits. Of these, 168 had been unemployed for over one year.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what were the(a) median, (b) highest
  190
  and (c) lowest decile earnings of full-time workers on adult rates, distinguishing between male and female and manual and non-manual, in (i) Yorkshire and Humberside, (ii) the north of England and (iii) the United Kingdom in each year since 1993. [1459]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  I have been asked to reply.

  Information on the median, quartiles and deciles of weekly and hourly earnings of full-time workers in the regions of Great Britain is shown in table 116 of part E of the new earnings survey reports. Copies of these reports are available in the Library.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what were the current average earnings of part-time workers on adult rates, distinguishing between manual and non-manual in(a) Yorkshire and Humberside, (b) West Yorkshire, (c) South Yorkshire, (d) North Yorkshire, (e) Humberside, (f) the north of England and (g) the United Kingdom. [1457]

  Mrs. Knight
  I have been asked to reply.

  Information available from the new earnings survey is provided in the following table.

  Average Weekly Earnings for part-time workers on adult rates, pay not affected by absence

  Region

  Non manual £

  Manual £

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  112.50

  78.70

  West Yorkshire

  117.80

  79.90

  South Yorkshire

  112.50

  74.60

  North Yorkshire

  1—

  1—

  Humberside

  105.10

  1—

  North of England

  109.50

  74.80

  Great Britain

  118.80

  80.80

  1 Not available because sample size too small to give a reliable estimate.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is(a) the number and (b) the proportion of (i) manual part-time workers and (ii) non-manual part-time workers broken down into men and women working less than eight hours a week and 16 hours a week. [1487]

  Mrs. Knight
  I have been asked to reply.

  Estimates from the labour force survey are shown in the table.

  Part-time manual and non-manual workers by the total number of hours they usually work—Great Britain, spring 1995

  Working less than 8 hours a week

  Working less than 16 hours a week

  Thousand

  Per cent.

  Thousand

  Per cent.

  Men

  Manual part-time

  107

  20

  253

  47

  Non manual part-time

  104

  19

  292

  54

  Women

  Manual part-time

  319

  16

  953

  48

  Non manual part-time

  353

  12

  1,093

  36

  191

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Bovine Offals
  Mr. Sykes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the State Veterinary Service's surveillance of the handling of special bovine offals in September and October; and if he will make a statement. [2310]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In September, the State Veterinary Service reported unannounced visits to 193 slaughterhouses and found failings in the handling of specified bovine offals in 92 to 48 per cent.—of them. In October the SVS reported visits to 153 slaughterhouses and found failings in 52 to 34 per cent. Many of the failings found were of a comparatively mild nature, for example reflecting teething troubles with the new stain. There were, however, some more serious problems, for example with the poor separation and storage of SBO material. This risks such material becoming mixed with other waste products which can then enter the animal feed chain. In the most serious cases we found small pieces of spinal cord, ranging in size from 1 cm to one third of the spinal cord, left attached to the carcases after dressing. So far, we have found 17 such instances, including one found during preliminary visits in the summer and five found up to 10 November and one on 20 November in the latest round of visits. Although in each instance the spinal cord was removed before the carcases left the premises, these were potentially serious failings. It is essential that we eliminate any prospect of SBO material entering the human food chain.

  I view this most seriously and have therefore taken a number of steps to ensure that slaughterhouses fully comply with the requirements of the Specified Bovine Offal Order 1995. First, I have discussed the situation with the chief executive of the Meat Hygiene Service and he will ensure that his staff enforce the requirements of the order most rigorously. Secondly, where it has sufficient evidence, the Meat Hygiene Service will prosecute any slaughterhouse operator failing to meet his obligations under the SBO order. A number of prosecutions are already under consideration. Thirdly, I have asked the SVS to double the frequency of its unannounced surveillance visits to cattle slaughterhouses and head boning plants. Finally, I met representatives of slaughterhouse operators on 9 November to impress on them the need for full compliance with these controls. They assured me of their commitment to seeing the requirements fully met, and I welcomed their constructive response.

  The SVS also visits knackeries and hunt kennels to monitor their compliance with the SBO controls. In September, it made unannounced visits to 212 such premises and found failings in the handling of SBOs in 137 of them—65 per cent. In October, the SVS visited 235 hunt kennels and knackeries and found failings in 70 to 29 per cent. Again, many of the failings found were of a comparatively mild nature. Hunt kennels and knackeries do not handle meat for human consumption; nevertheless, failings in the handling of SBOs at such premises could result in such material entering the animal feed chain. This is of concern. My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary has, therefore, met representatives of hunt kennels and knackeries to impress on them too the need to comply
  192
  fully with the controls on SBOs. She welcomed the constructive response from the respective representative organisations.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Sykes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which bovine tissues are known to transmit BSE infectivity and at what stages in the animal's life they are infectious; and if he will make a statement. [2311]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A large number of tissues from cattle known to be naturally infected with BSE have been tested to determine whether they can transmit disease when inoculated intra-cerebrally and intra-peritoneally into susceptible strains of mice. Recent results have shown that two further tissues, the retina and the terminal spinal cord, can transmit BSE infectivity to mice, as well as those tissues already identified that can contain BSE infectivity, the brain and the cervical spinal cord. Infectivity had also been detected in the distal ileum of calces which has been experimentally challenged with BSE; this was first announced in an answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox) by my right hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk (Mrs. Shephard) on 30 June 1994,Official Report, column 657–58. These new findings do not require any changes to the regulations concerning BSE. Both the retina and terminal spinal cord are already covered by the Specified Bovine Offal Order 1995. They have to be removed from all cattle over six months at slaughter and are destroyed. Such tissues are thereby prevented from entering the human and animal food chains.

  In addition to the above tissues, a large number of other tissues from cattle affected with BSE have been tested to see if they can transmit the disease to mice. Tests on the following tissues have been negative:

  Abomasum

  Bone marrow

  Buffy coat

  Cauda equina

  Cerebrospinal fluid

  Clotted blood

  Distal colon

  Proximal colon

  Epididymis

  Foetal calf blood

  Heart

  Distal small intestine

  Proximal small intestine

  Liver

  Lung

  Kidney

  Lymph nodes:

  Prefemoral

  Mesenteric

  Retropharyngeal

  Supramammary

  Midrum fat

  Milk

  Muscles:

  Musculus (M.) semitendinosus

  193

  M. diaphragma

  M. longissimus

  masseter

  Oesophagus

  Omasum

  Pancreas

  Peripheral nerves:

  N. splanchnic

  N. sciaticus (proximal)

  N. tibialis

  Placental cotyledon

  Placental fluids:

  Allantoic fluid

  Amniotic fluid

  Prostate

  Rectum

  Reticulum

  Rumen (oesophageal groove)

  Rumen (pillar)

  Semen

  Seminal vesicle

  Serum

  Skin

  Spleen

  Testis

  Tonsil

  Udder

  Uterine caruncle (pregnant cow)

  We are also carrying out experiments to look at the way in which infectivity develops in different tissues over time. Four-month-old calves were fed infected brain from cattle with BSE. Animals were slaughtered at intervals subsequently and a large number of their tissues tested on each occasion to see if they could transmit the disease in mice. Animals developed clinical signs of BSE from 35 months after challenge onwards.

  So far, we have obtained complete results on the tissue assays of animals slaughtered at two, six, 10 and 14 months after challenge. At two months, no tissue showed infectivity. From six months onwards the distal ileum—part of the small intestine—shows BSE infectivity. No other tissue tested, including the brain, spinal cord and thymus, has shown any infectivity in animals up to 14 months after challenge. Infectivity has also been detected in the ileum of animals killed 18 months after challenge, but assays of other tissues from these cattle are not yet complete.

  These results support the existing precautionary controls on specified bovine offals. These require the intestines and thymus to be removed from all animals on slaughter and be destroyed. The brain, spinal cord, spleen and tonsils have to be removed from all cattle over six months old on slaughter and destroyed.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many United Kingdom farms have had at least one case of BSE. [1520]

  Mr. Hogg
  A total of 34,064 farms have had at least one case of BSE.
  194
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases of BSE were confirmed in the United Kingdom in each year from 1986 to the latest available date. [1522]

  Mr. Hogg
  Bovine spongiform encephalopathy was first identified in November 1986. Information on the incidence of the disease prior to this date is not recorded.

  The following is a table of the number of confirmed cases of BSE in the United Kingdom up to 17 November 1995. The cases prior to 21 June 1988 in Great Britain and 29 November 1988 in Northern Ireland when the disease was made notifiable, are recorded by year of clinical onset of disease and the cases thereafter are recorded by year of restriction.

  Year

  Number

  1986

  7

  1987

  435

  1988 (pre-notification)

  286

  1988 (post-notification)

  2,187

  1989

  7,166

  1990

  14,294

  1991

  25,202

  1992

  37,057

  1993

  34,830

  1994

  24,289

  1995

  11,031

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what percentage of(a) United Kingdom dairy herds, (b) United Kingdom beef suckler herds and (c) total United Kingdom herds have experienced at least one case of BSE. [1519]

  Mr. Hogg
  As at 17 November 1995, 50.5 per cent. of United Kingdom dairy herds and 12.6 per cent. of beef herds have experienced at least one case of BSE. 29.5 per cent. of the total United Kingdom herds have experienced at least one case of BSE.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much money was spent by the Government in respect of BSE on(a) research, (b) slaughter, (c) compensation and (d) disposal of carcases in (i) 1993, (ii) 1994 and (iii) 1995 to the latest available date. [1521]

  Mr. Hogg
  The following table shows the amount spent in respect of compensation and disposal for the financial years 1993–1994, 1994–95, and 1995–96 up to 31 October 1995. It is not possible without disproportionate cost to calculate slaughter costs separate from the other costs of field work by the State Veterinary Service. Euthanasia is predominantly carried out by veterinary officers who are already present on farm for the purpose of carrying out clinical examination of suspects, although occasionally it may require a separate visit.

  Years

  Compensation

  Disposal

  1993–94

  37,468,085

  8,753.603

  1994–95

  20,138,239

  5,552,494

  1995–96

  6,012,476

  1,952.019

  Includes estimates for Northern Ireland.

  195
  The following amounts were spent on BSE research in the finanacial years:

  1993–94:£5,688,000

  1994–95:£5,433,000

  1995–961:£2,447,000

  1995–962:£5,174,000

  1 To 31 October

  2 Commitment.

  Mink and Arctic Foxes
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what provision exists at present for local authorities to protect people and domesticated animals from attacks by mink and arctic fox. [894]

  Mrs. Browning
  Mink and arctic foxes may be killed or taken by owners and occupiers of land if they feel that this is necessary to prevent damage, provided that the method used does not contravene current legislation, such as the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986. General advice on pest control is available from the local offices of ADAS, the Ministry's wildlife advisers.

  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many mink and arctic fox are known to have escaped or been released from fur farms from 1990–91 to 1994–95. [895]

  Mrs. Browning
  The Ministry has received no reports of any mink or arctic foxes known to have been released or have escaped from fur farms in the period since 1990.

  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he received from the Farm Animal Welfare Council on the listing of mink and arctic fox under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976. [893]

  Mrs. Browning
  In 1994, the Farm Animal Welfare Council recommended that consideration be given to the inclusion of American mink, Arctic fox and racoon dog in the schedule to the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976. After consulting interested organisations my colleagues and I concluded that this, being a general approach, would not offer any welfare advantages to the species concerned. General protection for the welfare of animals farmed for their fur is already provided by the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968 and its subordinate regulations. Any more specific requirements must, in our view, be introduced on a European basis.

  A copy of the letter sent to interested organisations explaining our views more fully, dated 24 August 1995, has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Ostrich Farms
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many prosecutions have been made against owners of ostrich farms in the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [1015]

  Mrs. Browning
  The information requested is not recorded centrally.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many live ostrich chicks were imported(a) in 1994 and (b) to date. [1016]
  196
  Mrs. Browning
  The only information available to the Ministry on imports from other member states is derived from the ANIMO system—which is provisional and subject to change, and relates to all ostriches—adults, chicks and hatching eggs. Information on imports from third countries is derived from quarantine reports and relates to day-old ostrich chicks.

  Origin

  1994

  1995 to date

  Other Member States

  620

  843

  Third Countries

  267

  193

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many visits the State Veterinary Service has made to ostrich farms to check the condition of ostriches in the last three years. [1014]

  Mrs. Browning
  The information is not available for the full period requested. Since 1 April 1994, 23 welfare inspections of ostrich farms in Great Britain have been made by the State Veterinary Service.

  Fish Quotas
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to introduce transferable quotas for fish. [980]

  Mr. Baldry
  I have asked the fishing industry to let me have its ideas for alternative quota management arrangements and will consider any suggestions made that appear to be practicable and command widespread support within the industry.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the New Zealand system of fish quota allocation; and if he will make a statement. [981]

  Mr. Baldry
  The New Zealand system of fisheries quota management was developed to meet a very different set of circumstances from those applying within the European Union. I am nevertheless sure that the United Kingdom industry is aware of arrangements in New Zealand and other countries and will take these into account in formulating its response to my invitation for suggestions for changes in our own arrangements.

  Pigs
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many piglets have been(a) tail docked and (b) tooth clipped in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [1019]

  (2) what has been the change in the number of piglets which have been (a) tail docked and (b) tooth clipped since 10 August 1994. [1018]

  Mrs. Browning
  Figures on the number of piglets which have been tail docked and tooth clipped are not available.

  The Welfare and Livestock Regulations 1994 (SI 2126) require that tail docking and tooth clipping of piglets may be carried out only when there is evidence, on the farm, that injuries to sows' teats or to other piglets have occurred or are likely to occur as a result of not carrying

  197
  out these procedures. Where tooth clipping appears necessary, this must be carried out within seven days of birth.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many visits his officials have made to pig farms since 10 August 1994 to ensure compliance with paragraph 3 of part iv of schedule 3 to the Welfare of Livestock Regulations 1994. [1017]

  Mrs. Browning
  Since 1 July 1994, 1,204 welfare inspections of pig farms in Great Britain have been made by the State Veterinary Service.

  In the course of these inspections, an assessment of compliance with all the requirements of schedule 3 to the Welfare of Livestock Regulations will be made. This will include, where appropriate, compliance with part IV of that schedule which relates specifically to piglets.

  Barley
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the levels of United Kingdom intervention stocks of barley were in each month since November 1994; and what the intervention price was in each month. [159]

  Mr. Baldry
  The information requested is as follows:

  Month

  Physical stock of barley at month end '000 tonnes

  Intervention price £/tonnes

  December 1994

  976

  103.94

  January 1995

  820

  105.08

  February 1995

  732

  106.23 1st

  107.59 17th

  108.40 21st

  March 1995

  559

  109.57 1st

  109.78 6th

  111.66 16th

  112.83 26th

  April 1995

  521

  114.04 1st

  114.48 15th

  114.93 25th

  June 1995

  477

  108.25

  July 1995

  357

  100.59

  August 1995

  260

  100.59

  September 1995

  195

  100.59

  October 1995

  139

  100.59

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what quantities of barley have been supplied to Spain from United Kingdom intervention stocks during 1995; and what costs were paid to the Intervention Board for the movements. [157]

  Mr. Baldry
  The quantity of United Kingdom intervention barley sold during 1995 for delivery to Spain was 249,996 tonnes. The quantity delivered to Spain is subject to final confirmation by the Spanish authorities after allowing for normal handling and transport losses.

  The range of successful bid prices for purchase of the barley ex-store in the UK and delivery into store in Spain was £103.01 to £106.01 per tonne.

  Arable Area Payments Scheme
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average payment made 198
  under the arable area payments scheme in England in 1994. [1066]

  Mr. Baldry
  The average payment made in 1994 was £18,870.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many payments under the arable area payments scheme were made in England in excess of £1 million in 1994. [1065]

  Mr. Baldry
  For reasons of confidentiality, it is not possible to identify separately the number of payments above £1 million.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list by county the number of payments made under the arable area payments scheme in excess of £75,000 in 1994. [1067]

  Mr. Baldry
  For reasons of confidentiality, it is not possible to identify separately the number of payments above £75,000. However, in England a total of 2,096 claims fell into this category.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the area, the number and amount paid in each county in England under the set-aside element of the arable area payments scheme in 1994. [1062]

  Mr. Baldry
  Information is not available for amounts paid relating solely to the set-aside element on a county basis. However, the table gives the total area, number and amount claimed in 1994 for set-aside on land situated in each county of England. The total payment made will have been slightly lower because of reductions for various reasons.

  Arable area payments scheme: set-aside element 1994

  County

  Area of set-aside (HA)

  Number of claims including set-aside

  Amount claimed (£)

  Avon

  2,437

  190

  830,892

  Bedfordshire

  10,073

  459

  3,434,375

  Berkshire

  6,223

  227

  2,116,950

  Buckinghamshire

  9,666

  508

  3,289,813

  Cambridgeshire

  30,112

  1,526

  10,251,643

  Cheshire

  3,477

  323

  1,183,774

  Cleveland

  2,419

  163

  824,755

  Cornwall

  4,807

  480

  1,627,689

  Cumbria

  1,178

  110

  401,637

  Derbyshire

  4,610

  367

  1,563,249

  Devon

  8,119

  795

  2,759,979

  Dorset

  9,207

  439

  3,133,659

  Durham

  6,554

  438

  2,194,686

  East Sussex

  5,508

  289

  1,868,057

  Essex

  29,415

  1,261

  10,017,752

  Gloucestershire

  13,218

  659

  4,482,792

  Greater London

  835

  48

  275,827

  Greater Manchester

  838

  69

  284,010

  Hampshire

  17,948

  623

  6,117,982

  Hereford and Worcester

  14,257

  1,109

  4,848,630

  Hertfordshire

  11,182

  431

  3,812,146

  Humberside

  30,857

  1,626

  10,496,444

  Isle of Wight

  1,497

  86

  508,695

  Kent

  18,212

  806

  6,162,305

  Lancashire

  2,283

  225

  775,999

  199

  Arable area payments scheme: set-aside element 1994

  County

  Area of set-aside (HA)

  Number of claims including set-aside

  Amount claimed (£)

  Leicestershire

  15,263

  791

  5,177,304

  Lincolnshire

  51,608

  2,238

  17,558,853

  Merseyside

  1,496

  135

  510,059

  Norfolk

  35,467

  1,890

  12,062,761

  North Yorkshire

  32,216

  2,150

  10,944,791

  Northamptonshire

  17,169

  755

  5,809,082

  Northumberland

  13,798

  666

  4,701,340

  Nottinghamshire

  14,343

  799

  4,871,815

  Oxfordshire

  18,287

  754

  6,234,927

  Shropshire

  11,906

  850

  4,059,334

  Somerset

  6,970

  569

  2,359,705

  South Yorkshire

  6,647

  386

  2,244,806

  Staffordshire

  7,106

  479

  2,416,303

  Suffollk

  29,918

  1,566

  10,153,449

  Surrey

  2,637

  132

  899,081

  Tyne and Wear

  1,439

  98

  485,511

  Warwickshire

  12,313

  677

  4,197,759

  West Midlands

  816

  65

  278,214

  West Sussex

  7,853

  370

  2,677,469

  West Yorkshire

  3,756

  259

  1,277,193

  Wiltshire

  18,945

  771

  6,420,744

  Total

  554,882

  29,657

  188,604,242

  Green Minister
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were his reasons for deciding not to continue in his predecessor's role as the Green Minister within his Department. [243]

  Mr. Hogg
  My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, the Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) reports to me on all environmental matters. I have allocated the important role of Green Minister to him to ensure that the Ministry's environmental responsibilities receive the fullest possible attention and expertise.

  Staffing
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many staff his Department employs on a regional basis in each standard English region; what is the cost of running these regional operations; what was the total budget for each region in 1994–95; and what are the main purposes for which the budget is used. [268]

  Mr. Boswell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Member for Fylde (Mr. Jack) on 6 February 1995,Official Report, column 86, which provides the latest available relevant information.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  National Engineering Laboratory
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what financial arrangements have been put in place with ASL consequent upon the transfer of the National Engineering Laboratory. [2273]
  200
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  Further to my reply to the hon. Member for Dover (Mr. Shaw) of 31 October,Official Report, column 211, the business and staff of the National Engineering Laboratory have now transferred to Assessment Services Ltd. A payment of £1.95 million was made to ASL on completion and there will be a further adjustment as set out in my earlier answer. Overall, these terms represent better value for money for my Department than the other bids received or the sale benchmark.

  Approval to this new service will be sought in a winter supplementary estimate for the Department of Trade and Industry's programmes and administration vote—class IV, vote 1. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure of £1.95 million has been met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.

  EU Consumers Council
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the outcome of the EU Consumers Council held on 9 November. [2231]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  I represented the United Kingdom at the Council. Political agreement was reached on a compromise text on the comparative advertising directive. The text fully meets United Kingdom objectives and concerns.

  There was an orientation debate on the Commission's proposals for a new directive on unit-pricing—the requirement for retailers to indicate the price per unit of measurement. While welcoming the general thrust of the proposal as providing the consumer with an accurate and easily understood price comparison mechanism, I strongly argued that national Governments should be given discretionary power to exempt small shops from unit pricing, gaining support from a number of other member states. On grounds of subsidiarity, there was general support for allowing member states to determine on a national basis whether to exempt specific products from unit pricing; and the unit of measurement by which individual products should be unit priced.

  The Council passed a resolution welcoming the Commission's report on the operation of the consumer credit directive and inviting the commission to undertake further study before proposing any further initiatives in this area. It was also agreed that the Commission should undertake studies in co-operation with member states on consumer education and information and on miracle products.

  The Commission presented its paper on priorities for consumer policy 1996 to 1998, concentrating on financial services, public utilities, measures to enable the consumer to benefit from the information society, measures to improve consumer confidence in foodstuffs and to encourage sustainable consumption. These proposals will be subject to further consideration.

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the outcome of the EU Consumers Council held on 19 November listing all votes, and all decisions which were determined by unanimity or without discussion. [438]
  201
  Mr. Evans
  [holding answer 20 November 1995]: My answer today to my hon. Friend the Member for Castle Point (Dr. Spink) covered the discussion points at the EU Consumers Council held on 9 November.

  The following decisions were adopted without discussion.
  Invocation of the urgency procedure for consultation of the European Parliament on a Council decision on the fourth medium-term Community action programme on equal opportunities for men and women; procedure for consultation with the European Parliament delaying the review of tasks by two years until the end of 1997, on developing the European Environment Agency's communication network and on participation of central and eastern European countries in agency's work programme; the recommendation for a Council decision on the participation of the EC in the negotiations on the amendments and adaptations of the Vienna convention and the associated protocol-Montreal protocol—on substances that deplete the ozone layer; and confirmation of replacement of various—non-British—members of the Committee of the Regions.

  All these decisions were reached by unanimity.

  Manufacturing Industry (Energy Use)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the gross domestic product energy ratio for industry for each of the last 10 years. [1449]

  Mr. Page
  Figures for energy use, output and the energy ratio for the manufacturing industry are as follows:

  Indices (1990=100)

  Output of the manufacturing industry (at constant factor cost)1

  Energy use by the manufacturing industry2

  Energy ratio (energy use per unit of output)

  1985

  84.5

  110.5

  130.8

  1986

  85.6

  108.4

  126.7

  1987

  89.6

  106.3

  118.6

  1988

  95.9

  107.9

  112.5

  1989

  100.2

  100.9

  100.7

  1990

  100.0

  100.0

  100.0

  1991

  94.6

  97.2

  102.7

  1992

  94.0

  93.9

  99.9

  1993

  95.1

  93.8

  98.6

  1994

  99.2

  99.3

  100.1

  Source:

  1 Central Statistical Office.

  2 Excludes energy used by the manufacturing industry for transport.

  Electricity Supplies
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the extent to which electricity suppliers are fulfilling their obligations to maintain the service lead of wiring and equipment in the customer's premises up to the meter; and if he will make a statement. [1448]

  Mr. Page
  The statutory obligations on public electricity suppliers to maintain their service equipment in consumers' premises are set out in the Electricity Supply Regulations 1988, as amended.
  202
  These regulations are administered and enforced by the engineering inspectorate in the Department of Trade and Industry. The inspectorate monitors all incidents and accidents which must be reported to the Secretary of State under regulation 34 of these regulations.

  The inspectorate carries out inspections of suppliers' woks including those located on consumer's premises under section 30(2) of the Electricity Act 1989 and regulation 33 of the regulations.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made towards cutting energy consumption in Government buildings for which he has responsibility, in each year since 1990. [1451]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The total energy consumption and consumption per square metre, as measured by the Government's published energy targets, of buildings for which DTI is responsible in each year since 1990, are as follows:

  Reduction from base year

  Year

  Total Consumption

  £/m2 Measure

  Total (Percentage)

  £/m2 (Percentage)

  1990–91

  209,559,185 KWh

  16.32

  —

  —

  1991–92

  194,033,233 KWh

  15.63

  7

  4

  1992–93

  171,852,414 KWh

  15.61

  18

  4

  1993–94

  176,834,148 KWh

  16.44

  16

  -1

  1994–95

  125,754,708 KWh

  15.55

  40

  5

  Monopolies and Mergers Commission
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many matters have been referred by him to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in each of the last 16 years. [1512]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The number of references by category as at 21 November 1995 is as follows:

  Mergers1/Monopoly sections 78 and 79

  References under the Fair Trading Act

  References under section 11 of the Competition Act

  Year

  1973

  1980

  1979

  5

  2

  1

  —

  1980

  6

  —

  —

  3

  1981

  11

  —

  —

  1

  1982

  10

  —

  —

  5

  1983

  8

  —

  —

  3

  1984

  4

  —

  —

  3

  1985

  8

  —

  —

  6

  1986

  14

  —

  —

  3

  1987

  6

  —

  —

  4

  1988

  12

  —

  2

  1

  1989

  16

  —

  —

  1

  1990

  28

  —

  —

  2

  1991

  12

  —

  —

  2

  1992

  13

  1

  —

  —

  1993

  6

  —

  —

  1

  1994

  9

  —

  —

  —

  1995

  9

  —

  —

  —

  1 Including newspaper mergers.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade on how many occasions in each of the last 16 years the Office of Fair Trading advised reference to the Monopolies
  203
  and Mergers Commission; on how many occasions that advice was followed; and if he will list those occasions when that advice was not followed. [1513]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Under the Fair Trading Act 1973, the Director General of Fair Trading advises my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade whether to refer qualifying mergers to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. The number of mergers on which the DGFT advised reference is as follows:

  1979: 5

  1980: 5

  1981: 8

  1982: 8

  1983: 9

  1984: 5

  1985: 6

  1986: 15

  1987: 6

  1988: 10

  1989: 15

  1990: 23

  1991: 8

  1992: 11

  1993: 5

  1994: 7

  1995: 9 (so far)

  The DGFT's advice to refer was followed in all cases except those detailed:

  1979

  Thorn/EMI

  Calor Gas Ltd/certain assets of South Western Gas Board (Glogas)

  1983

  Blue Circle/assets of Bristol Channel (Aberthaw)

  Dalgety/certain assets of Rank Hovis McDougall

  1984

  Nestle/Carnation

  1986

  Cannon/Screen Entertainment

  Owens Corning Fibreglass/certain assets of Pilkington

  1991

  BPB Industries/certain assets of Poliet Group

  1993

  GEC/Infra-Red business of Phillips

  Airtours/Owners Abroad

  1995

  Hasbro/Waddington Games

  North West Water/NORWEB

  Also earlier this year, the DGFT recommended that the Scottish and Newcastle/Courage merger should be referred to the MMC. I asked the DGFT to explore possible enforceable undertakings as an alternative to reference. The DGFT subsequently advised that undertakings should be accepted in lieu or reference; I agreed.

  In addition, my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade referred one case each in 1982, and 1983, and four cases in 1990, against the advice of the DGFT not to refer.
  204

  Realising Our Potential Awards
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many applications for ROPA were received by the(a) Medical Research Council, (b) Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, (c) Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, (d) Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council and (e) Economic and Social Research Council; how many were turned down in each case because of ineligibility; and how many were rejected. [20]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The following tables show the number of ROPAs received; the number awarded; the number turned down because of ineligibility; and the number rejected for each of he research councils.

  1994 ROPA pilot analysis of applications and awards by research council

  Research council

  Number of applications

  Number of awards

  Number ineligible

  Number rejected

  BBSRC

  82

  44

  4

  34

  EPSRC

  351

  158

  38

  155

  MRC

  134

  42

  2

  90

  Total

  567

  244

  44

  279

  1995 ROPA scheme analysis of applications and awards by research council

  Research council

  Number of applications

  Number of awards

  Number ineligible

  Number rejected

  BBSRC

  207

  116

  6

  85

  EPSRC

  398

  203

  50

  145

  ESRC

  46

  18

  13

  15

  MRC

  239

  100

  75

  64

  NERC

  64

  38

  12

  14

  PPARC

  2

  0

  1

  1

  Total

  956

  475

  157

  324

  British Aerospace Royal Ordnance
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much the Export Credit Guarantees Department has provided to British Aerospace Royal Ordnance since its privatisation. [994]

  Mr. Nelson
  On grounds of commercial confidentiality, ECGD does not publicise details of individual firms' business without their prior approval.

  Arms Sales (Nigeria)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much the Export Credit Guarantees Department has provided for arms sales to Nigeria in the last five years. [995]

  Mr. Nelson
  The ECGD has provided no guarantees for arms sales to Nigeria during this period.

  Working Hours
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment his Department has made of the relative number of hours worked by employees in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) other EU countries. [1006]
  205
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The latest available figures are for 1993. The average usual hours worked a week by employees in the United Kingdom was 37.2, compared to an average of 37.1 for all the states that were members of the European Union at that time.

  Environmental Technology Industry
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to support the growth of the environmental technology industry. [1161]

  Mr. Page
  The Department of Trade and Industry will continue to work with the environmental industry, including technology suppliers, to improve its competitiveness in world markets. In particular, the joint environmental markets unit, established by the DTI and the Department of the Environment, is supporting the industry's efforts to exploit the substantial market opportunities which are being generated by rising environmental standards at home and overseas. It is assisting the industry to identify these opportunities and to raise its profile overseas. The unit is promoting collaboration between the various organisations representing the industry to achieve the co-ordinated response to environmental problems which world markets now demand; and it will work with the industry through the technology foresight process to address technological challenges for the future.

  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of United Kingdom exports were generated by the environmental technology industry in each year since 1992–93. [1162]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  There is no standard definition of "the environmental technology industry". United Kingdom exports of pollution control and monitoring equipment generated 0.4 per cent. of total exports in 1992, and 0.5 per cent. in 1993 and 1994.

  Using a definition of the environmental products industries as producing "a product which enhances or prevents the deterioration of the external environment", it is estimated that exports of all environmental products made up 0.8 per cent. of total UK exports in 1992. Estimates have not been made for later years.

  Deregulation
  Sir Michael Grylls
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the deregulation measures agreed by his Department during the current year. [286]

  Mr. Lang
  Deregulation encompasses a wide range of activities to minimise burdens on business, including not only amendment and repeal of burdensome regulation but also scrutinising new regulations and encouraging business-friendly enforcement practices. Significant measures agreed by my Department this year can be found in "Deregulation: the Way Forward", presented by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, 22 May 1995, and the Government response to the first annual report of the deregulation task force, September 1995. Both publications are available in the Library of the House.
  206

  Defence Export Licences
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what applications for export licences to countries in the middle east for defence equipment have(a) been granted, (b) received and (c) discussed over the past year; and if he will make a statement. [627]

  Mr. Nelson
  Earlier this year, there were placed in the Library of the House detailed statistical analyses of export licences which were granted for military, paramilitary and security equipment in the calendar years 1993 and 1994. These analyses included all countries of destination for which these licences were issued, including middle east countries. Early in 1996, I intend to place in the Library of the House a similar analysis for the calender year 1995. I shall write to the hon. Member when this is done.

  As regards "applications received", this total is the sum of those which are granted and which are refused—other than those which lapse during their processing at the instigation of the applicant. Details of licences which were refused in 1993 and in 1994 were included in the Export Control Organisation's annual reports for those two years and copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House. As part of the task of statistical analysis for the year 1995, to which I have referred, I intend to include in the statistical report details of licences which were refused.

  I am not clear as to what further information the hon. Member is seeking when he asks which applications have been "discussed".

  All military, security and paramilitary goods and arms, ammunition and related material are controlled under the UK's export control legislation and cannot be exported without a licence from the Department of Trade and Industry. The Government observe strict responsibility over arms exports, primarily by means of considering applications for export licences against strict established criteria. These criteria include those which have been agreed with our European Union partners and in other international forums. We consider very carefully the political and military implications of allowing individual arms consignments to go overseas. We pay particular attention to proposed exports of military goods to countries with poor human rights records, where such goods might be used for internal repression, and to countries or regions where the export of arms might contribute to destabilisation of the area.

  The UK also observes arms embargoes imposed by the United Nations and the European Union on a number of countries. Individual decisions as to whether specific equipment should be exported to specific markets are therefore taken in the light of these internationally agreed commitments.

  Inward Investment
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the value, at current prices, of inward investment to the United Kingdom during the last five years. [1398]

  Mr. Eggar
  Information on the topics is regularly published in "United Kingdom Balance of Payments—The Pink Book" and "First Release—Balance of Payments", both produced by the Central Statistical Office, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
  207

  Consultancy Brokerage Service
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what alternative uses have been found for the £1.37 million of the expenditure on the Consultancy Brokerage Service referred to in his answer of 23 October 1995,Official Report, column 420, which was spent on information technology hardware. [1125]

  Mr. Lang
  A number of the items have been redeployed within my Department, thus avoiding the need to purchase such equipment for the projects being set up in those areas. This redeployed equipment has a current book value—that is, cost minus 30 per cent depreciation per year—of £120,316. A small amount of hardware has been sold to the external contractors who were to have delivered the Consultancy Brokerage Service for an aggregate of £43,986. The remainder will now be offered for sale to other Government Departments, which is the normal procedure in the case of disposal of Government assets. Any items not utilised across the government estate will be offered for sale at auction, in line with Government accounting procedures.

  On further checking, I would now like to make it clear that the previous answer to which the hon Member refers—23 October 1995, Official Report, column 420—was incorrect. The sum of £1.37 million was the total amount spent on information technology development, of which £395,376 was spent on equipment.

  Skills Challenge
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the firms which were awarded the small firms training challenge; and how much they were awarded. [944]

  Mr. Page
  The panel has selected 14 innovative projects, featuring almost 180 small firms, as award winners of the first stage of bids for the skills challenge, jointly funded by DTI and DFEE. The partnerships are as follows:

  3D Design—Marine Technology. Sponsored by Tyneside TEC

  Press and Mould Toolmaking. Sponsored by Lancashire Area West TEC (LAWTEC)

  "Office Team". Sponsored by Coventry and Warwickshire TEC

  "Makeover". 10 Ethnic Minority and Indigenous Independent Retailers. Sponsored by Hertfordshire TEC

  Lincolnshire Trainers' Network. Sponsored by Lincolnshire TEC

  "Micro-Business". Sponsored by London East TEC

  Clothing Companies. Sponsored by North London TEC

  Southampton Area Co-operative Development Agency (SACDA). Sponsored by Hampshire TEC

  "Forging Ahead". Sponsored by Milton Keynes and North Bucks Chamber of Commerce Training and Enterprise.

  "Schematic". Sponsored by Devon and Cornwall TEC

  Four sector bids have also received awards. These are:

  Engineering Training Authority (ENTRA) (Supplier Chain Performance)

  The Confederation of British Wool Textiles

  The Academy of Food and Wine

  Seafish Training

  208
  Projects will receive an average award of around £50,000. Contracts are currently being negotiated with the winning partnerships.

  Taxation (Self-assessment)
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions his Department has had with the Inland Revenue regarding the possibility of issuing computer software to aid self-assessment of tax liabilities. [946]

  Mr. Page
  The Inland Revenue plans to issue computer software to help those who have to prepare and submit a self-assessment tax return. There are two initiatives:

  (1) to provide tax software suppliers with the communications products required to enable agents to transmit returns electronically to the Inland Revenue, thus reducing costs and providing prompt, accurate processing of the return; and

  (2) to issue, on request, to those taxpayers who have a computer, a floppy disc which will help them prepare and print their return.

  The Inland Revenue has consulted widely in preparing these proposals. It has held discussions with the Department of Trade and Industry.

  Business Links
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish the fee rates for advice given by each business link in the last year. [947]

  Mr. Page
  As private sector organisations, business links are responsible for determining their own pricing structures for advice and information in response to local customer needs and economic conditions. Fee rates charged by individual business links are not collated centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Small Firms (British Standard)
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans his Department has for a British standard for small firms. [949]

  Mr. Page
  This Department has no plans to introduce a British standard specific to small firms.

  Telephone Services, Dover
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy that compensation will be payable to telephone users in respect of delays in the provision of competitive telephony services in the Dover and Deal area as a result of delays in starting and completing work on the Dover and Deal area franchise for cable television. [588]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The Telecommunications Act licence for the Dover cable TV franchise does not provide for financial penalties to be levied for any failure to meet build obligations.

  ISDN Services
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what assessment he has made of the impact of the current pricing policy for ISDN lines in the United
  209
  Kingdom on the development of the information super-highways; [594]

  (2) if he will discuss with the Director General Telecommunications the current price levels of ISDN lines and the impact that such price levels are having on the development of the information super-highways. [589]

  (3) if he will examine the current prices for ISDN lines in the United Kingdom and in other countries; and what assessment he has made of the impact current price levels are having on the United Kingdom's international competitive position. [590]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The pricing of ISDN services and the extent to which they are available are matters for the commercial judgment of service providers. However, both my Department and the Office of Telecommunications are aware of some concerns about the level of relative prices of ISDN services in the UK compared to other countries. In some countries which have cheaper prices than the UK, the markets are not liberalised, so it is impossible to assess whether the prices charged reflect the true cost of providing the service. However, Oftel is considering the inclusion of ISDN services in BT's price cap when it is next reviewed.

  The introduction of effective niche competition will also bring prices down. The Government's policy of licensing alternative infrastructure such as radio fixed access systems should contribute to this. Operating at 10 GHz, these systems could provide an alternative ISDN service to that offered by BT and some cable providers.

  The provision of telecoms products and services makes a large direct contribution to national competitiveness. Liberalisation has also brought reductions in overall charges and the rapid development of advanced services and facilities, including ISDN, which boost competitiveness across all sectors.

  Use of the information super-highway is increasing rapidly, with the commercial sector making the largest contribution to that rate of growth. ISDN capacity at 64,000 bit is an important technology for the development of the information society, but is only one of the technological developments whose availability has encouraged greater exploitation of the Internet.

  Cable Television, Dover
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the progress of the cable television franchiser in the Dover-Deal area; and to what extent the progress to date meets the requirements of the franchise. [591]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  Responsibility for monitoring and enforcing compliance with the build obligations contained in Bell Cablemedia's Telecommunications Act licence for its Dover franchise is a matter for the Director General of Telecommunications. I have therefore asked the director general to write to the hon. Member with details of progress made to date.

  Nuclear Energy
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the implications for British Nuclear import and export policy of the extension 210
  of the US-Euratom co-operation agreement on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, signed by the Commission in November, and if he will place in the Library a copy of the text of the extended co-operation agreement. [1576]

  Mr. Eggar
  The US-Euratom agreement for peaceful nuclear co-operation is intended to provide a secure basis for co-operation and trade between the nuclear industries of the two parties as well as a number of third countries, and provides a framework for this trade to expand in the future. The agreement will now go to the US Congress for its approval.

  Copies of the text of the agreement signed on 7 November will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses shortly when these become available from Brussels.

PRIME MINISTER

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what response Her Majesty's Government have sent to the Libyan request that a trial takes place in The Hague under a Scottish judge, under Scottish rules of evidence, of the two Libyans accused of the bombing of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie. [1632]

  The Prime Minister
  The Government of Libya have made no direct representation to us, but our position remains that there is no acceptable alternative to the trial taking place in Scotland or the United States.

  Libya
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will discuss with the UN Security Council the ending of UN sanctions over Libya. [359]

  The Prime Minister
  The United Nations sanctions committee on Libya is today holding its 11th review of sanctions.

  Invoices
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) how his Department publicises payment practices other than as percentage of invoices paid late; [964]

  (2) what is the average length of time it takes for his Department to pay invoices. [924]

  The Prime Minister
  For this purpose, my Department is part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the replies given today by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Prime Minister what progress has been made towards cutting energy consumption in Government buildings for which he has responsibility, in each year since 1990. [1452]

  The Prime Minister
  For this purpose, my office forms part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster today.
  211

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Police (Training)
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers, and from which countries, have received training by police authorities in this country in the last five years. [225]

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 21 November 1995]: Information is available only for the period since January 1991. Central records show that 157 training visits to police forces have taken place since then involving officers from the countries listed. The number of officers involved is not recorded.

  Country

  Number of visits

  Antigua

  1

  Argentina

  1

  Aruba

  1

  Australia

  1

  Bahrain

  8

  Bahamas

  1

  Bangladesh

  2

  Barbados

  3

  Bermuda

  4

  Bolivia

  1

  Botswana

  5

  Brunei

  2

  Cameroon

  1

  Canada

  1

  China

  1

  Colombia

  1

  Cyprus

  4

  Czech Republic

  1

  Denmark

  1

  Dubai

  1

  Ethiopia

  1

  France

  7

  Gambia

  1

  Germany

  2

  Gibraltar

  4

  Guatemala

  1

  Honduras

  1

  Hungary

  1

  India

  7

  Indonesia

  3

  Italy

  2

  Jamaica

  2

  Kenya

  3

  Lesotho

  3

  Malawi

  4

  Malaysia

  1

  Mauritius

  3

  Namibia

  9

  Netherlands

  2

  Nigeria

  3

  Norway

  2

  Oman

  2

  Pakistan

  1

  Panama

  1

  Paraguay

  1

  Philippines

  4

  Romania

  1

  Saudi Arabia

  3

  Sierra Leone

  3

  Singapore

  6

  Slovakia

  1

  South Africa

  4

  Sri Lanka

  1

  St. Helena

  3

  St. Kitts

  1

  St. Lucia

  1

  212

  Country

  Number of visits

  Swaziland

  6

  Sweden

  1

  Thailand

  1

  Tonga

  1

  Tristan Da Cunha

  1

  Uganda

  7

  United Arab Emirates

  1

  Zimbabwe

  3

  Homosexuals (Violence)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what studies are currently being carried out by his Department on the subject of violence against homosexuals. [604]

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

  Invoices
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how his Department publicises payment practices other than as percentages of invoices paid late. [959]

  Mr. Howard
  My Department publicises information about its payment practices in its annual report, including a commitment to the Confederation of British Industry prompt payment code. Statistics on prompt payment are currently publicised only as a percentage of invoices paid.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the amount owed to those businesses whose invoices were not paid within 30 days in each of the last five years. [1115]

  Mr. Howard
  Information about the total value of invoices not paid within 30 days in each of the last five years is not available except at disproportionate cost.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time it takes for his Department to pay invoice.

  Mr. Howard
  An analysis of invoices paid in October 1995 shows that on average they were paid within 24 days of receipt of a valid invoice.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will be in a position to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Oldham, West of 27 October following up the meeting with the former Under-Secretary on 22 August concerning the case of Atia Idrees, J242872. [469]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Inquiries into Miss Idrees's case are continuing. I will write to the hon. Member shortly detailing the current situation.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will be in a position to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Oldham, West of 1 September, concerning Mr. Inayat Khan, K455873/2 (S), PO 01496/95. [468]
  213
  Mr. Kirkhope
  I shall write to the hon. Member shortly.

  Manslaughter Convictions (Children)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people sentenced under section 53(2) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 during the years of 1974 to 1993 were convicted of manslaughter; and, of those convicted of manslaughter, how many were sentenced to detention for life. [630]

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested for the years 1979 to 1994 is given in the table. Information for earlier years is not available centrally.

  Persons sentenced under section 53(2) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, following conviction for manslaughter, 1979 to 1994

  England and Wales

  Total sentenced

  Detention for life

  Diminished responsibility1

  Other manslaughter

  Diminished responsibility

  Other manslaughter

  1979

  —

  3

  —

  —

  1980

  1

  3

  1

  —

  1981

  —

  6

  —

  —

  1982

  1

  5

  1

  —

  1983

  1

  5

  1

  —

  1984

  —

  3

  —

  —

  1985

  1

  6

  1

  —

  1986

  —

  7

  —

  2

  1987

  —

  9

  —

  1

  1988

  —

  3

  —

  —

  19892

  —

  8

  —

  1

  19902

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1991

  —

  5

  —

  —

  19923

  —

  4

  —

  1

  19933

  1

  11

  1

  —

  19943

  —

  8

  —

  —

  1 Section 2, Homicide Act 1957.

  2 Comparison with prison receptions suggests that there may have been under recording in 1989 and 1990, although this is less likely in 1990.

  3 Under the Criminal Justice Act 1991, the arrangements for imposing longer sentences also applied to 17 year olds from 1 October 1992.

  Mr. Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many tariffs of those convicted of manslaughter under section 53(2) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 during the years 1974 to 1993 and sentenced to detention for life were(a) under five years, (b) six to nine years, (c) 10 to 14 years and (d) 15 to 20 years. [632]

  Miss Widdecombe
  There have been 16 prisoners in Prison Service custody convicted between 1974 and 1993 of manslaughter under section 53(2) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.

  The information about their tariffs is as follows:

  (a) under 5 years: 21

  (b) 6 to 9 years: 9

  (c) 10 to 14 years: 5

  (d) 15 to 20 years: 0

  1Includes one tariff of 5 years.

  Mr. Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young offenders sentenced under section 53(2) of the Children and young Persons Act 1933 from 1974 to 1993 commenced their sentences 214
  within local authority secure accommodation; and at what age they were subsequently transferred to prison department custody. [633]

  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. Alex Carlile, dated 22 November 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about young offenders sentenced under section 53(2) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.
  Records are not available before 1983. The figures since 1983 are set out in the attached table. Records are not kept on the age at which young offenders transfer to custody.

  Year

  A

  B

  C (Percentage)

  1983

  53

  13

  24.5

  1984

  52

  16

  30.8

  1985

  44

  13

  29.5

  1986

  57

  9

  15.8

  1987

  56

  14

  25.0

  1988

  61

  11

  18.0

  1989

  60

  11

  18.3

  1990

  71

  13

  18.3

  1991

  57

  11

  19.3

  1992

  80

  11

  13.8

  1993

  116

  18

  15.5

  Notes:

  A=Number of section 53(2)s who commenced their sentences in local authority secure accommodation.

  B=Number of section 53(2)s who transferred from local authority secure accommodation to Young Offender Institutions.

  C=Percentage of the total section 53(2) who transferred.

  Commission for Racial Equality
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of the employees of the Commission for Racial Equality are from(a) white European, (b) Asian, (c) black and (d) other ethnic minorities. [114]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  As at 30 June 1995, the breakdown of employees at the Commission for Racial Equality by racial groups was as follows:

  Number

  Per cent.

  White European

  62

  29

  Asian

  36

  17

  Black

  97

  46

  Other ethnic minorities

  17

  8

  212

  100

  Mrs. Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Commission for Racial Equality's 1994 restructuring programme, and indicate in particular both the total number of jobs which were shed as a result of that programme and the numbers of(a) white European and (b) ethnic minority redundancies associated with that total. [116]
  215
  Mr. Kirkhope
  We welcome action by the Commission for Racial Equality to restructure its organisation to provide greater efficiency. No jobs were lost as a result of this exercise.

  Mrs. Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is(a) his policy and (b) that of the Commission for Racial Equality in respect of the shortlisting and appointment of disproportionately few member of ethnic minorities; and if he will make a statement. [118]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Appointments should be on merit and on the ability of the individual to meet the criteria for the post concerned. The Commission for Racial Equality's equal opportunities policy aims to ensure that no job applicant or employee receive less favourable treatment than another on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, or religious beliefs.

  Mrs. Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members currently serve upon the Commission for Racial Equality; and how many of those are of white European background. [115]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  There are currently 12 commissioners on the Commission for Racial Equality. Two are of white European background.

  Mrs. Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he intends to take to ensure that the ethnic representation among members and employees of the Commission for Racial Equality in future reflects that of society as a whole. [117]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  The Commission for Racial Equality operates an equal opportunities policy. I support this. It advertises vacancies in the mainstream press, and some of the ethnic minority press in order to ensure that all sections of the community are aware of job opportunities with the commission. Appointments should always be made on merit.

  Mrs. Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to prosecute the Commission for Racial Equality for discriminatory employment practices; and if he will make it his policy to bring forward legislation to abolish that Commission. [119]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  We have no plans to do either.

  Immigration Officers
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the total remuneration to immigration officers was based on performance-related pay, for the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [629]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Immigration Service grades are currently covered by the national civil service pay settlements and information is not readily available in the form requested.

  Exclusion Orders
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many exclusion orders have 216
  been (a) imposed, (b) revoked, (c) reimposed at the expiry of a previous order and (d) allowed to lapse by him in the last 12 months. [1223]

  Mr. Howard
  Figures for the number of exclusion orders imposed, revoked, renewed and allowed to lapse over the last year are shown in the below table.

  Number of exclusion orders in force, renewed, revoked, or allowed to lapse: November 1994-November 1995

  Newly-made orders

  Orders revoked

  Orders renewed

  Orders allowed to lapse

  0

  20

  4

  6

  Car Crime
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to collect information on the make and year of manufacture of vehicles affected by theft; and what assessment he has made of the usefulness of such information in tackling car crime. [1197]

  Mr. Maclean
  The Home Office does not routinely collect information about the make and year of manufacture of stolen vehicles. In 1991, however, information relating to the previous calendar year was used to compile the car theft index which revealed conclusively that certain makes and models of car were more at risk of theft than others. The recently published study by the police research group into the theft of heavy goods vehicles includes information about vehicles stolen during 1994 broken down by make, year of registration and body type, and by location and time at which theft occurred. The findings of the study are being used to encourage vehicle and security device manufacturers and heavy goods vehicles owners and drivers to take specific action to help reduce theft levels.

  As the result of an agreement signed earlier this year between the Home Office and the CCN Group Ltd., the National Criminal Intelligence Service is receiving comprehensive data on all stolen vehicles from CCN and using this information, which can be broken down into various categories, in its work against organised crime. We are currently considering what other uses can be made of these data in combating vehicle crime in general.

  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the number of reported burglaries from motor vehicles in the area covering Dudley, West in each year since 1979 and the percentage difference in the number of those reported burglaries between 1979 and the latest year for which figures are available; [586]

  (2) what was the number of reported thefts from motor vehicles in the area covering Dudley, West in each year since 1979 and the percentage difference in the number of those reported thefts between 1979 and the latest year for which figures are available; [584]

  (3) what was the total number of reported crimes in the area covering Dudley, West in each year since 1979 and the percentage difference in the number of those reported crimes between 1979 and the latest year for which figures are available. [587]
  217
  (4) what was the number of reported thefts of motor vehicles in the area covering Dudley, West in each year since 1979 and the percentage difference in the number of those reported thefts between 1979 and the latest year for which figures are available. [585]

  Mr. Maclean
  The information is not collected centrally.

  Eaton Leonard Green
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he has made of the adequacy of compliance with the present Home Office guidelines in relation to police informants; [597]

  (2) when he was informed of the entry into the United Kingdom of Eaton Leonard Green; [1048]

  (3) what action he proposes to take against Scotland Yard staff in respect of the Eaton Leonard Green case; [1044]

  (4) if he will list (a) the charges brought against Eaton Leonard Green and (b) the charges for which he was prosecuted; and what role his Department played in determining which charges should proceed to prosecution; [1050]

  (5) which senior officer or officers had responsibility for the close supervision of Eaton Leonard Green in accordance with Home Office guidelines; [1042]

  (6) what factors underlay the admission of Eaton Leonard Green into the United Kingdom on 12 February 1991; [1049]

  (7) when he received the first and second internal inquiries carried out by Scotland Yard into the Eaton Green case. [1043]

  Mr. Maclean
  The use of informants is an operational matter for the police. It is for each chief constable to ensure that there are proper procedures for handling informants in his force. It is also for each chief constable to take whatever action he considers appropriate if he believes one of his officers has acted improperly in handling an informant.

  Eaton Green was admitted to the United Kingdom on 13 February 1991. The immigration officer who dealt with him was satisfied that he was coming to this country as a visitor and give him leave to enter for six months. Ministers were not aware of police interest in him or of his role as a police informant until after his conviction was reported in the press.

  Eaton Green was charged by Nottinghamshire constabulary of:

  (i) conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm, contrary to section 1(1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977;

  (ii) conspiracy to rob, contrary to section 1(1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977;

  (iii) possession of a firearm whilst committing an indictable offence—viz; robbery, contrary to section 18(1) of the Firearms Act 1968;

  (iv) possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, contrary to section 16 of the Firearms Act 1968.

  Count (i) was varied on the indictment to;

  (v) conspiracy to cause actual bodily harm, contrary to section 1(1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977.

  218
  Green was acquitted of charge (v) by direction of the judge. He pleaded guilty to charges (ii) and (iv) and also pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm, contrary to section 20 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. The prosecution did not proceed with the other charges, given his guilty plea.

  The Home Office played no part in determining what charges should be brought against Mr. Green or what charges proceeded to prosecution.

  A former detective chief inspector at Brixton police station was the senior officer responsible for controlling Eaton Green as a police informant.

  The two initial inquiries in relation to this case were internal to the Metropolitan police. The report of a third inquiry is being prepared, a copy of which will be sent to my right hon. and learned Friend.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are currently seeking asylum from an address in(a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) by region, within England. [564]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Information on the places or residence of people currently seeking asylum is not held centrally.

  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the average time currently taken to resolve fully an asylum application, including determination of any appeal to the Immigration Appellate Authority; [562]

  (2) what is the average time taken by his Department's asylum division to process and despatch to the Immigration Appellate Authority an appeal against a refusal of admission; and what is the average number of working days between the date of the appeal being despatched to the IAA by his Department and the date of its determination; [560]

  (3) what is the average time currently taken by his Department to reach an initial decision on (a) asylum applications submitted prior to implementation of the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993, (b) asylum applications submitted since the implementation of the Act and (c) all asylum applications. [561]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Information on the times taken at the various stages of the asylum process are given in the table.

  Average times involved in deciding applications for asylum April—September 1995

  Months

  Time taken for an initial decision to be made (Pre-Act applications)

  34.1

  Time taken for an initial decision to be made (Post-Act applications)

  8.7

  Time taken by the Home Office to process an appeal

  4.1

  Time taken by the IAA to determine an appeal

  5.6

  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum applications are currently awaiting an initial decision by the Home Office asylum division; how many appeals against a refusal of asylum are currently being processed by the Home Office;
  219
  and how many appeals against a refusal of asylum, having been processed by the Home Office and despatched to the Immigration Appellate Authority, are awaiting determination by the IAA. [558]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  As at 30 September 1995, 64,415 asylum applications were awaiting initial decisions by the Home Office, 2,705 appeals were being processed by the Home Office from people seeking asylum and 8,925 such appeals were awaiting hearings by the Immigration Appellate Authority.

  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to implement paragraphs 17, 22 and 31 of the resolution on minimum guarantees for asylum procedures, signed at the European Union Justice and Home Affairs Council at Luxembourg on 20 and 21 June. [556]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Asylum procedures in the United Kingdom are consistent with those paragraphs and this will remain the case after implementation of the asylum proposals announced by my right hon. and learned Friend on 20 November.

  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the European countries which operate accelerated asylum procedures which derogate from the general principle that an individual appealing against a refusal of asylum may remain in the country until such time as the appeal is determined. [551]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Comprehensive information is not available but our understanding is that France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland are all countries where, depending on the circumstances, appeals against removal on safe third country grounds may have no automatic suspensive effect; and that Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland operate procedures based on identification of countries of origin in which there is considered to be no serious risk of persecution.

  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date a copy of the resolution on minimum guarantees for asylum procedures, signed at the Justice and Home Affairs Council in June 1995, was placed in the Library. [555]

  Miss Widdecombe
  A copy is being placed in the Library.

  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to implement paragraphs 8 and 12 of the resolution on manifestly unfounded applications for asylum and the conclusions on countries in which there is generally no serious risk of persecution, signed at the Justice and Home Affairs Council in London on 30 November and 1 December 1992. [557]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Asylum procedures in the United Kingdom are consistent with these paragraphs and this will remain the case after the implementation of the asylum proposals announced by my right hon. and learned Friend on 20 November.

  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance his Department gives to failed asylum applicants from Sri Lanka before their 220
  return there; what steps are taken to ensure that such applicants are returned to safe areas of Sri Lanka; and which areas of Sri Lanka are considered to be safe for such a purpose. [14]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  No specific guidance is given to unsuccessful asylum seekers from Sri Lanka before their return there. It is considered safe to return Sri Lankan nationals who have no claim to remain here to Colombo and the south of the country.

  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, for each year since 1990, the number of applicants who have been refused asylum in the UK and have subsequently suffered(a) persecution, (b) imprisonment and (c) the death penalty in the country to which they have been returned. [148]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  We have no means of monitoring what happens to people who have been returned to their country of origin. However, no person who has demonstrated that he or she has a well-founded fear of persecution in a particular country for one of the reasons set out in the 1951 United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees would be returned to that country.

  Mr. Keen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for political asylum were(a) granted and (b) refused from applicants in (i) India, (ii) Pakistan and (iii) Nigeria in (1) 1993 and (2) 1994. [1094]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Information on decisions relating to asylum applications from nationals of India, Pakistan and Nigeria is published in tables 3.1 and 3.3 of the Home Office statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 1994", issue 15–95. A copy of this publication is available in the Library.

  European Treaties
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what dates the EU treaties on simplified extradition procedures, Europol, the customs information system and protection of the communities' financial interests were(a) agreed in principle, (b) signed, (c) ratified and (d) came into force; and on what dates copies of the agreed texts were made available to the House. [909]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The convention on simplified extradition procedures was agreed and signed by Ministers at the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 10 March. The conventions on Europol, the customs information system and protection of the communities' financial interests were agreed by Heads of Government at the Cannes European Council on 26 and 27 June and signed by European Union ambassadors on 26 July. The United Kingdom Government have yet to ratify any of the conventions. In each case, they will enter into force three months after the last member state to ratify a particular instrument has notified the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union that the necessary domestic procedures have been completed.

  In accordance with the arrangements for scrutiny of work under title VI of the treaty on European Union, the Government submitted draft texts of these conventions for examination by the Home Affairs Committee and the Select Committee on European Legislation. A copy of the

  221
  extradition convention was sent to the Library on 30 March. I regret that texts of the other conventions were not deposited in the Library at the time of their signature, but this has now been done.

  Doncaster Prison
  Mr. Goerge Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the incident on 20 September which led to the temporary closure of Doncaster prison and the searching of all prisoners. [390]

  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 A.J. Pearson to Mr. George Howarth dated 22 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 incident on 20 September which led to the temporary closure of Doncaster prison and the searching of all prisoners.
  Information was received from an external source of a possible escape attempt from the prison and that weapons might be used. A full close down search took place on 20 September with the additional support of the South Yorkshire police.
  No escape equipment nor any weapons were discovered as a result of the search.

  Chimpanzees
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the most recent date when chimpanzees were used in a UK facility designated under the Animals Scientific Procedures Act 1986; [144]

  (2) what plans he has to ban the use of chimpanzees in research and testing in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [143]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  None have been used under the Act in any designated establishment.

  We have no plans to ban the use of chimpanzees in research and testing in the United Kingdom. Any application to use chimpanzees in a procedure requiring to be licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 would be considered in accordance with the requirements of section 5 of the Act, and also referred to the Animal Procedures Committee for advice. Exceptional and specific justification would have to be established to show why chimpanzees, rather than any other protected species, were required.

  Police (Self-defence and Restraint)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make available in the Library(a) the guidance on self-defence and restraint of the Association of Chief Police Officers and (b) the evidence of the Police Complaints Authority on the effect of neck holds and certain arm locks; and if he will make a statement. [153]
  222
  Mr. Maclean
  No. The Association of Chief Police Officers guidance on self-defence and restraint, which is currently under review, deals with operational matters which could be of assistance to criminals and is not intended for publication outside the police service. Any evidence on neck holds and arm locks available to the Police Complaints Authority is a matter for the authority itself.

  Parole Delays
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are undergoing parole delays; how long, on average, these delays take; what is the percentage of accepted parole applications; and what is the cost per week per inmate undergoing parole delays. [39]

  Miss Widdecombe
  For the period August to October 1995, some 800 prisoners were notified of parole decisions after their parole eligibility date or its anniversary. The average delay was just over seven weeks, 46 per cent. of all applications for parole were accepted.

  The cost of keeping an inmate in prison varies between establishments. The average cost per inmate per week in category C accommodation is currently about £378.

  Internet
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been in the last year for offences related to the dissemination of illegal material via the Internet. [174]

  Mr. Maclean
  Court proceedings data held centrally by my Department does not identify this type of offence.

  Prison Officers (Drug Offences)
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officers have been given custodial sentences for drugs offences in each year since 1990, broken down by type of offence. [134]

  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 22 November 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking how many prison officers have been given custodial sentences for drugs offences in each year since 1990, broken down by type of offence.
  The Prison Service has no record of any prison officer receiving a custodial sentence for drugs offences in any of the years in question.

  Metropolitan Police
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the level of staffing in CID offices and other police units involved in extensive detective work; and if he will make a statement. [150]

  Mr. Maclean
  It is for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to deploy his resources as he sees fit.
  223

  Elections
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many ballot papers were rejected for want of an official mark in the 1992 general election. [907]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Some 2,593 ballot papers were rejected for want of an official mark in the 1992 general election. Statistics concerning the outcome of the 1992 general election, including information on the number of ballot papers rejected on these grounds, are published in the HMSO booklet "Election Expenses".

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many election petitions have been applied for in respect of local government, parliamentary and Euro-elections since 1970. [911]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  The number of election petitions applied for in respect of local government and parliamentary elections since 1970 is 80 and six, respectively; the comparable figure for European parliamentary elections since 1979 when those elections first took place is three.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he took in response to the recommendation of the Home Affairs Committee in the 1982–83 Session that the requirement to stamp the ballot paper with an official mark be ended; and if he will make a statement. [906]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  The Government considered carefully the recommendation by the Home Affairs Select Committee but decided that the official mark should be retained. The Government concluded that the official mark provided a continuing safeguard against the introduction into the ballot of counterfeit or illegally acquired ballot papers. The Government's full response to the recommendations is available in "The Government Reply to the First Report from the Home Affairs Committee Session 1982–83 HC32–1".

  Immigration Rules
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is informed of all decisions of the immigration authorities to allow entry to the United Kingdom outside the normal immigration rules. [1045]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  It would not be practical for my right hon. and learned Friend to be informed personally of every occasion on which discretion is exercised on his behalf outside the immigration rules.

  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances(a) police and (b) immigration officials have the right to instruct immigration officials to allow someone permanent leave to remain in the United Kingdom when that person has no legal right to do so. [1045]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Leave to remain is granted under the immigration rules on my right hon. and learned Friend's behalf. The police have no locus in the matter. Discretion to grant indefinite leave to remain outside the rules is 224
  exercised sparingly, in accordance with instructions or in exceptional compassionate circumstances.

  Premier Prison Services Ltd.
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what special qualifications are required of Premier Prison Services Ltd. staff to deal with immigration detainees; what is the ratio of staff to detainees; and if he will make a statement. [402]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Premier Prison Services Ltd. is not responsible for the management of any immigration detention centre. However, people detained under immigration powers may be detained in Doncaster prison, which is managed by the company. Requirements as to the company's performance and staffing are set down in a management contract awarded by the Prison Service.

  Police (Patrol Duties)
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of police strength is out on patrol duties between(a) midnight and 6am, (b) 6am and 12 noon, (c) 12 noon and 6pm and (d) 6pm and midnight. [145]

  Mr. Maclean
  This information is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Tobacco Project Licences
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the purposes for which project licences have been approved by the Animal Procedures Committee in relation to tobacco in the last five years.[335]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  The following project licences have been granted:

  1991: none

  1992: (i) the development of in vitro methods to monitor the genetic damage caused in humans by environmental pollutants; and (ii) the use of tobacco smoke as one experimental tool to study lung disease.

  1993: none.

  1994: none.

  1995:

  (i) the evaluation of the role of bacterial toxins in sudden infant death syndrome; and

  (ii) the investigation of the role of bacterial toxins in periodontal disease.

  It is the practice of the Animal Procedures Committee to set out in its annual reports details of all such applications considered.

  Domestic Violence
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the inter-departmental group on domestic violence last met; and what policy decisions arose. [333]

  Mr. Maclean
  For the policy issues considered at the last meeting of the ministerial group on domestic
  225
  violence, held on 17 May 1994, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on 17 January, columns 380–81. A date for the next meeting of the ministerial group has not yet been fixed, but it is likely to meet early in the new year.

  The official inter-departmental group on domestic violence met on Wednesday 15 November 1995. The group reviewed the Government-funded domestic violence public awareness campaign and the recent publication of an inter-agency circular designed to promote a more co-ordinated response to domestic violence by local agencies. It also considered possible future areas of work and commissioned further work on the need for a centrally co-ordinated policy on refuge provision.

  Parkhurst Prison
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many redundancies will be triggered by the implementation of automated security systems at HM prison Parkhurst; and what redundancy settlements he proposes. [392]

  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 22 November 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of redundancies at Parkhurst prison which may be expected with the implementation of automated security systems there and what redundancy packages have been made.
  Automated security systems are an aid to prison security. No staff redundancies at Parkhurst are anticipated from the implementation of such security systems.

  Female Prisoners (Maternity Appointments)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Director General of the Prison Service regarding its recent instruction that all female prisoners attending for maternity appointments be handcuffed throughout their care; if he will review this instruction in consultation with relevant organisations including the Royal College of Midwives and the National Childbirth Trust; and if he will make a statement. [317]

  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. Harry Cohen, dated 22 November 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the handcuffing of female prisoners on escort.
  For several years escapes by women under escort have been disproportionately high when compared with the number of women prisoners and, therefore, in April of this year, it was decided to handcuff female prisoners under escort in the same way as we have always done for men.
  226
  Handcuffs are used to improve security and reduce the risk of escape. Initial indications show that the rate of escape of female prisoners is down by 50 per cent since the new policy was introduced.
  For both sexes, handcuffs must be removed if there is a medical, surgical or clinical reason for this. Restraints must always be removed from prisoners during labour and childbirth.

  EU Third Pillar Procedures
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures are followed by the Government for making available to(a) the House and (b) the public the texts of treaties under the EU third pillar procedures, after there has been agreement as to their content; and how soon after such agreement it is intended to make them available in printed published form. [910]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Government aim to deposit in the Library copies of unclassified documents which have been adopted or agreed by the Council of Ministers. The texts of conventions concluded in the third pillar are available to the public through the Official Journal of the European Communities, in which they are published after signature. The Government publish the texts of international agreements as command papers for presentation to Parliament as soon as possible after signature.

  Privately Managed Prisons
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the studies which have been commissioned by his Department to evaluate the performance of existing privately managed prisons indicating in each case the research body involved and the dates on which(a) each study was commissioned, (b) each study was commenced, (c) he expects to receive reports, and (d) he expects each report to be published; and if he will set out the cost of the studies in each case. [477]

  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 22 November 1995:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about studies commissioned to evaluate the performance of contractually-managed prisons.
  The only such study commissioned to date has been in respect of Wolds prison and was undertaken jointly by the Centre for Criminology and Criminal Justice at Hull University and the Institute of Criminology at the University of Cambridge. This was commissioned on 25 June 1992, and study commenced in July of that year. The research team's formal programme of fieldwork started in January 1993 and was extended to March 1994. The first draft version of the report was received in December 1994, and further revisions to the draft were submitted in April and July of 1995. It is anticipated that the report will be published shortly. The cost of the study was £120,772.

  Prisoners (Medical Operations)
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance is given to prison governors in respect of prisoners awaiting medical operations; how many prisoners are currently awaiting operations and what is the average waiting time for such operations. [131]
  227
  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 A. J. Pearson to Ms Janet Anderson, dated 22 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 guidance to prison governors in respect of prisoners awaiting medical operations, the number of prisoners awaiting medical operations and the average waiting time for such operations.
  No specific advice on prisoners awaiting operations has been issued to governors as the decision to refer a prisoner for a medical operation is a purely clinical one and therefore the responsibility of the medical officer. Information is not collected centrally on how many prisoners are awaiting operations or the average waiting time.

  Secretary of State's Speech
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his speech of 12 October to the Conservative party conference was made available to the Home Department press office. [147]

  Mr. Howard
  On 12 October.

  Interception of Communications
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the procedures for authorising the tapping into E-mail and Internet communications and mobile telephone conversations; under what legal authority they are operated; and if he will make a statement. [324]

  Mr. Howard
  Any communication, including an E-mail, Internet or mobile telephone communication, when it is being transmitted by means of a public telecommunication system, may be intercepted in pursuance of a warrant issued in accordance with the provisions of the Interception of Communications Act 1985.
  228

  Suicides
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for(a) England and (b) the United Kingdom the number of suicides; and if he will express this number as a percentage of the overall population for (i) 1971, (ii) 1981, (iii) 1991 and (iv) for each of the last available three years. [998]

  Mr. Bowis
  I have been asked to reply.

  The table shows the number of deaths and death rates per 100,000 population from suicide—ICD 1E950–E959, E980–E989—in England and the United Kingdom in 1971, 1981, 1990, 1991 and 1992.

  England

  United Kingdom

  Number

  Rater per 100,000

  Number

  Rate per 100,000

  1971

  3,739

  8.1

  5,760

  10.3

  1981

  5,988

  12.8

  7.192

  12.8

  1990

  5,594

  11.7

  6,863

  11.9

  1991

  5,567

  11.5

  6,801

  11.8

  1992

  5,541

  11.5

  6,863

  11.8

  The codes E950–E959 refer to deaths where suicide is the underlying cause of death, whereas E980–E989 relate to deaths where it is undetermined whether the injury was accidentally or purposefully inflicted. The majority of these, however, turn out to be suicide.

  The deaths for England in 1971 are only those coded to E950–E959, since deaths coded to E980–E989 are not available for England. Deaths coded to E980–E989 are included in the figures for the United Kingdom 1971.

  The coding of deaths in England, and Wales was changed in 1993 to an automated system. Though the results from this are generally satisfactory, the OPCS have identified significant problems in the coding of external causes of death. Certifications of deaths in 1993 and 1994 which could have been due to external causes are all being examined and re-coded as necessary. More reliable data, comparable to that for previous years, will be available in the first quarter of 1996.

  Wilton Park
  Wilton Park
  Taiwan: UK Visas
  Taiwan: UK Visas
  Health Authority Membership: Armed Forces Personnel
  Health Authority Membership: Armed Forces Personnel
  Abortion Procedure
  Abortion Procedure
  A.66 Penrith to Scotch Corner: Trans-European Network
  A.66 Penrith to Scotch Corner: Trans-European Network
  Answers to Parliamentary Questions
  Answers to Parliamentary Questions
  Crown Copyright
  Crown Copyright