Written Answers of 18 April 1996

TRANSPORT

  Highways Agency
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport under what statutory authority local authorities may contract the Highways Agency to carry out work on the agency's behalf. [24965]

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

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 18 April 1996:
  The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent question concerning the statutory authority under which local authorities may contract with the Highways Agency to carry out work on the Agency's behalf.
  The Secretary of State for Transport ("the Secretary of State") is responsible for the provision and maintenance of a trunk road network (including motorways) throughout England. All contracts arranged by the Highways Agency are arranged on behalf of, and entered into by, the Secretary of State. Also it should be noted that local authorities as creatures of statute are only permitted to carry out those functions which are expressly conferred on them by statute.
  At present there are two principal statutory provisions which empower local authorities to contract with the Secretary of State to carry out his trunk road functions. The first of these is section 6(1) of the Highways Act ("the 1980 Act"), the second, section 6(5) of the Act.
  Section 6(1) of the 1980 Act enables a local authority (which is a local highway authority) to enter into an agreement with the Secretary of State under which the Secretary of State delegates his functions in respect of maintenance, improvement and certain other dealings in relation to trunk roads, to the local highway authority. Under such a "delegation of functions" agreement, the local highway authority assumes responsibility for the maintenance, and improvement and other related matters subject to the terms of the agreement and the conditions set out in section 6. (Local highways authorities are local authorities which are county councils, district councils which are unitary councils, metropolitan district councils or London borough councils).
  Section 6(5) of the 1980 Act enables a local highway authority to enter into an agreement with the Secretary of State for specific trunk road works—eg, the construction or improvement by the local highway authority of a trunk road. Section 6(5) does not cover specific works of maintenance.
  Local highway authorities (and other councils) also have power to enter into contracts with the Secretary of State to carry out the Secretary of State's work under the following provisions of the 1980 Act:
  Section 9 enables a council to enter into an agreement with the Secretary of State to second staff and equipment to the Secretary of State for the purposes of carrying out his work in connection with trunk roads;
  560
  Section 89 enables the Secretary of State to enter into an agreement with a local highway authority to delegate his functions in relation to the provision and removal of cattle grids to the local highway authority;
  Section 90(3) enables a local highway authority and the Secretary of State to enter into an agreement for the local highway authority to construct road humps which the Secretary of State has power to construct;
  Section 98 enables a local authority which is a lighting authority, to enter into an agreement with the Secretary of State under which the Secretary of State delegates his functions of lighting a trunk road, to the local authority;
  Section 113 enables a council to enter into an agreement with the Secretary of State under which the Secretary of State delegates all or any of his functions with respect to the provision or management of a trunk road picnic area or of public sanitary conveniences to the council; and
  Section 115 enables a council to enter into an agreement with the Secretary of State under which the Secretary of State delegates his functions in relation to trunk road lorry parking areas to the council.
  In addition to the above provisions, section 4 and 5 of the 1980 Act empower a local highway authority to contract with the Secretary of State primarily to agree who will have responsibility for dealing with particular roads—as they are not strictly powers enabling a local highway authority to carry out the Secretary of State's highway work for him they do not merit more than a passing reference.)
  Since 14th March 1996, local highway authorities have had power to contract with the Secretary of State (subject to specified conditions) to carry out maintenance works on certain trunk roads and provide technical, administrative, or professional services in connection with such trunk roads. The trunk roads which are the subject of such contracts are trunk roads which have been, or are, the subject of a DBFO scheme. (A DBFO scheme is a scheme where a contractor agrees to design, build, finance and operate and maintain a trunk road sometimes for a period of up to 30 years). These contracting powers are set out in article 3, 6 and 7 of the Local Authorities (Goods and Services) (Public Bodies) (Trunk Roads) Order 1996 S.I. 1996/342. These provisions designate the Secretary of State as a "public body" (subject to specified restrictions) under the Local Authorities (Goods and Services) Act 1970. The effect of the designation is to allow local highway authorities additional powers to contract with the Secretary of State for the purposes described above.
  It may be helpful to add that as from July 1996, the Secretary of State is hoping (subject to comments received from a consultation exercise) to make a further order under the Local Authorities (Goods and Services) Act 1970. The proposed Order will further expand the contracting powers of local highway authorities by designating the Secretary of State as a "public body" once again but this time in relation to trunk roads not covered by the earlier order (which applied only in the context of DBFO schemes). The proposed Order will enable local highway authorities to enter into contracts with the Secretary of State for carrying out works of maintenance on all other trunk roads—for example, maintenance term and works contracts. In addition it will also enable local highway authorities to enter into the other types of contract permitted under the Local Authorities (Goods and Services) Act 1970 with the Secretary of State—for example, the provision of technical, administrative and professional services in connection with such other trunk roads.

  A40
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to de-trunk the A40 through Cheltenham; and if he will make a statement. [24902]
  561
  Mr. Watts
  It has long been the Department's intention to change the trunk road network around Cheltenham once completion and opening to traffic of the A417 Brockworth bypass had been achieved. The change envisaged is to de-trunk the A40 through Cheltenham and to trunk the A436 from the A417, air balloon roundabout, to the A40, Shipton Solers.

  Following the recent opening of the A417 Brockworth bypass, the Highways Agency is now taking this proposal forward. However, those affected by the change must be given the opportunity to comment and Gloucestershire county council, which will take over responsibility for the A40, requires certain works to be done before it will accept this responsibility.

  To begin the statutory process, we expect to publish draft orders later this year. Depending on the nature and weight of any objections received, a public inquiry may be necessary.

  Mr. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accident black spots have been identified by his Department on the A40 between Oxford and Gloucester; if he will list them; and if he will make a statement. [24909]

  Mr. Watts
  At each of the following locations on the length of A40 highlighted, a total of more than 12 personal injury accidents have been recorded in the last three years, as follows.

  1993

  1994

  1995

  A40/A417 Elmbridge Court roundabout, Gloucester

  7

  5

  6

  A40/B4063 Arle Court roundabout, Cheltenham

  4

  3

  6

  A study set up to examine safety standards at the Elmbridge Court roundabout has recently been concluded. Measures such as revised road markings adjustments to kerblines and renewal of the high friction grip surfacing are proposed. Funding opportunities for all initiatives of this kind under the network enhancement programme are under severe restraint at the present time and it is unlikely that any work will be carried out in relation to these proposals in 1996–97.

  In the longer term, the Arle Court roundabout will be de-trunked and, as a result, and following the trunking of the A436, traffic flows at this roundabout are expected to reduce. Temporary traffic signals are currently in operation at the roundabout, the effect of which is being carefully monitored. The lights are needed to prevent queues backing up to the M5 Golden Valley viaduct where, due to the recent discovery of structural weaknesses, a temporary 3 tonn weight limit is currently in force.

  Mr. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the increase in the number of heavy vehicles entering Cheltenham on the A40(a) westbound and (b) eastbound since 1986; and if he will make a statement. [24904]

  Mr. Watts
  The recorded change in the number of heavy vehicles entering Cheltenham on the A40(a) westbound and (b) eastbound since 1986 is as follows:
  562

  1986

  1995

  Percentage variance

  (a)

  702

  518

  (-26 per cent.)

  (b)

  1,520

  1,317

  (-13 per cent.)

  Flows: annual average daily traffic—AADT—24 hour count heavy goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes.

  Mr. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the increase in the volume of traffic entering Cheltenham on the A40(a) westbound and (b) eastbound since 1986; and if he will make a statement. [24903]

  Mr. Watts
  The increases in the volume of traffic entering Cheltenham on the A40(a) westbound and (b) eastbound since 1986 is recorded as follows:

  1986

  1995

  Percentage variance

  (a)

  5,539

  6,329

  (+14)

  (b)

  13,993

  17,711

  (+27)

  Flows: annual average daily traffic—AADT—24 hour count

  Between 1986 and 1995, the national average growth in motor vehicle traffic was 31.8 per cent. To a measurable degree, the lower than average rate of traffic flow increase on the M40 entering Cheltenham in either direction can be ascribed to the opening in 1991 of the extended M40 between London, M25, and Birmingham, M5.

  Railway Disputes Resolution Committees
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in appointing chairmen for the rail access disputes resolution committee and the railway industry disputes resolution committee; how many applications were received for each post; and what salaries and costs are involved. [25452]

  Mr. Watts
  These committees have been established by the railway industry and the Department is not responsible for them or appointments to them. However, I understand that 45 applications were received for the post of part-time chairman of the access disputes resolution committee. A chairman was appointed on 1 April 1996. A total of 89 applications have been received for the post of part-time chairman of the railway industry disputes resolution committee. A chairman is expected to be appointed towards the end of April. Salaries of the chairmen and costs of the committees are matters for the committees.

  Air Safety
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what regulations are currently in place to control the use of air space by amateur flying clubs above residential areas; and if he will make a statement. [25477]

  Mr. Norris
  The regulations governing the use of air space above residential areas can be found in the Air Navigation Order (No.2) 1995 and the Rules of the Air 1991.

  Crash Barriers and Cushions
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates he has made of the cost of each of the accidents in the last two years where errant vehicles have left, via the near-side verge, roads, motorways and dual carriageways on which there is(a) a traffic flow of greater than 10,000 vehicles per day and (b) an accident incidence rate of more than 1.5 times the average for that class of road. [25147]

  Mr. Norris
  The valuation attributed to the total number of road accidents, using the standard safety valuation method, in 1993 and 1994 in which a vehicle left the carriageway on the near-side is (i) motorways £227 million; (ii) dual carriageways £419 million; (iii) other roads £241 million.

  It is not possible to provide these figures for roads with a traffic flow of greater than 10,000 vehicles per day, or for roads with a higher than average accident rate.

  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will commission the Transport Research Laboratory to carry out a full-scale assessment of the effectiveness of crash cushions. [25151]

  Mr. Watts
  No. A study into the situations where there may be a need to deploy crash cushions on the highway network has already been carried out. Generally, their widespread use is not cost effective because of the unpredictability and infrequent occurrence of the type of accidents they prevent.

  The Highways Agency has developed an effective prototype crash cushion, and other proprietary systems exist. They can be installed at particular sites on trunk roads if, in the light of the specific circumstances, they provide an appropriate solution.

  Foreign Aircraft (Safety)
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what additional resources he has committed for increased safety checks of foreign aircraft. [25524]

  Mr. Norris
  The Department of Transport may ask the Civil Aviation Authority to conduct a physical check of a foreign aircraft if there is any doubt about its safe operation. If this check reveals serious problems, the Department may ask the authority to carry out an audit of the foreign aviation authority with responsibility for the safety oversight of the aircraft. The Department has increased the funding available for these activities by 20 per cent. to £120,000 in 1996–97.

  In addition, the Department has pledged up to £150,000 to support the new safety oversight programme set up by the International Civil Aviation Organisation—ICAO. This support will involve funding the provision of Civil Aviation Authority experts as members of ICAO assessment teams, which will be helping foreign aviation authorities improve their safety oversight procedures.

  Both these programmes will be kept under review.

  Railtrack
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 5 March,Official Report, column 26, if he will make a statement on the arrangements made to write off Railtrack debt prior to flotation. [25528]

  Mr. Watts
  Railtrack's debt to the national loans fund—£1,299,418,952.48—was extinguished by means of the Railways Act 1993 (Extinguishment of Relevant Loans) (Railtrack plc) Order 1996, which came into effect on 29 March 1996. Railtrack's remaining debt to passenger transport executives—£230.5 million—was transferred to the British Railways Board on the same date. Finally, on the same date, Railtrack issued two debentures to Her Majesty's Treasury totalling £585 million, also on the same date.

  New Driving Licence
  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he proposes to introduce the new style driving licence incorporating a photograph of the licence holder; and what assessment he has made of its impact on the work of the Driver and Vehicle Licence Agency at Swansea. [25591]

  Mr. Norris
  Our preparations for the introduction of the new plastic photocard driving licences are well advanced and the way is now clear for their introduction in the early part of 1997.

  A full assessment of the impact of the new procedures on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is being carried out in conjunction with EDS and Polaroid, who will be responsible for producing the plastic cards. This cannot be finalised until the European Union directive on plastic card driving licences as been formally adopted.

  European Football Championships
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has taken to ensure adequate transport provision for the increased number of visitors during the European football championships. [25500]

  Mr. Norris
  How best to cater for increased passenger demand is a matter for the commercial judgment of transport service operators. I am confident that they will not miss the opportunity this important event will offer. I understand that plans are being made to provide the necessary public transport information and additional capacity.

  Arrangements are in hand for providing comprehensive temporary directional signing on both the trunk and local road network. It is for local authorities to consider whether special temporary traffic management and parking arrangements are needed in the vicinity of the football stadiums involved.

  Mr. William Sneddon
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons Mr. William Sneddon, of 50 Polkemnet drive, Greenrigg, Harthill has been denied by his Department's policy division, zone 209, Great Minster house, 76 Marsham street, London SW1P 4DR, renewal
  565
  of licence number SNEDD/407/019/WGGFF, valid from 4 December 1974 until 3 December 1977; and for what reasons no conclusion has been reached since March 1995 on his application. [25537]

  Mr. Norris
  Mr. Sneddon held a short period licence issued by a local licensing authority before the introduction in 1976 of car licences valid until 70 years of age. Because the then Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre did not have records of such licences, holders were required to return their licences on expiry to the DVLC for their details to be registered and to be issued with a full "till 70" licence. The legislation provided for licence holders to be given until the end of 1985 to convert their licences, after which the entitlement would lapse and any former licence holder would need to pass a driving test to regain the entitlement. There is no scope for waiving the requirements in individual cases. As Mr. Sneddon is one of those whose short period licence was not converted within the prescribed time, it is not possible to issue him with a new licence solely on the strength of the old one.

  We are, however, considering a change in the law—under the powers conferred by the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994—to enable those who can prove that they held a licence prior to 1976 to be issued with a new licence without the need to pass a further driving test.

  Sea Empress
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the organisations and local authorities who have made representations(a) in favour of and (b) against a public inquiry into the Sea Empress disaster; and if he will make a statement. [25185]

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 16 April 1996]: Some 74 organisations have made representations in favour of a public inquiry. As far as I am aware, none have made representations against. Nonetheless, we believe that the investigation by the marine accident investigation branch into the grounding of the Sea Empress and the subsequent salvage operations is the most effective and rapid means of determining the facts and any lessons which need to be learnt.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Life Sentences
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners serving life sentences were released on licence in each of the years 1990 to 1995; and what proportion of those prisoners in each year were released beyond the expiry of the tariff recommended by the sentencing court. [24621]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The number of life sentence prisoners released on licence for the first time in each of the years 1990 to 1995 is set out in the following table.

  Year

  Number

  1990

  74

  1991

  71

  1992

  90

  566

  Year

  Number

  1993

  126

  1994

  107

  1995

  90

  Information about the proportion of those released after the expiry of tariff recommended by the sentencing court is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Random Mandatory Drugs Tests (Prisons)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many refusals in the pilot programme of random mandatory drugs testing in prison for the male pilot prisons were recorded(a) in February to May 1995 and (b) in June to December 1995; and how many of the class A positives in (a) and (b) also tested positive for cannabis. [25385]

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

  Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 18 April 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question concerning the number of refusals of random drug tests and the number of prisoners testing positive for both cannabis and class A drugs.
  Establishments' returns do not differentiate between refusals of random and other forms of mandatory drug test. Laboratory returns only record the number the multiple positive tests and not the combinations of drugs misused. The information requested in both parts of this Question could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mental Illness (Prisoners)
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) remand and (b) convicted but not sentenced (i) men and (ii) women were received into the prison system during 1994 and 1995 with identified mental health problems, broken down by age. [25199]

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

  Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. George Howarth, dated 18 April 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number and ages of unsentenced men and women received into the prison system during 1994 and 1995 with identified mental health problems.
  This information is not available in the form requested. However, researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry recently undertook for the Prison Service a study aimed principally at measuring the prevalence of mental disorder amongst the remand population in England and Wales. They considered that 66 per cent of the adult males, 53 per cent of the young men and 77 per cent of the women in a large and broadly representative sample could be diagnosed as suffering from some form of mental disorder, a term which includes in this context harmful or dependent substance misuse.

  Medical Research (Fraud)
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the cost to public funds of investigating cases of fraud involving medical research studies in the United Kingdom for each of the last 10 years. [24992]

  Mr. Maclean
  This information is not available centrally.

  Police Searches
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue guidance to the police relating to the Prevention of Terrorism (Additional Powers) Bill to ensure(a) that women pedestrians are where possible stopped and searched by woman police officers in uniform,. (b) places of religious worship are not classed as non-residential accommodation which may be searched and (c) religious Sikhs are not required to remove their turbans; and if he will make a statement. [25370]

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 16 April 1996]: Guidance on the new police powers contained in the Prevention of Terrorism (Additional Powers) Act 1996 was issued to police forces immediately upon the Act's coming into force. Further guidance is being prepared in consultation with the police and will be issued in due course but, as I made clear during the debates on 2 April, it would not be realistic to require women pedestrians to be searched only by women police officers. While sensitivities of sex and religious practice will be taken into account in the exercise of the powers contained in the Act, they do not provide justification for exemption from any of its provisions. The relevant Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 codes of practice will be formally applied as appropriate to the new powers.

  Computers
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the problem of non-recognition by computers of the year 2000 with regard to his Department's computers and those for which it is responsible. [24406]

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 3 April 1996]: My Department is aware of the problem. An audit of Home Office computer systems is currently being carried out by the Department's information technology service provider—Sema Group—to establish what systems will be affected and what needs to be done to correct any problems revealed by the audit. Concurrently, third party software suppliers are being approached to establish how their products cater for the century change.

  Cannabis Offences
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the total number of people who have been fined the maximum amount of £2,500 for cannibis offences since that penalty was introduced. [25390]

  Mr. Maclean
  Information on court proceedings for 1993 and 1994, the latest available, is given in the table. For years prior to 1993, the exact drug, including class type, cannot be identified separately.568

  Number and percentage of persons given the maximum fine at Magistrates's courts1 for cannabis offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 by type of offence

  England and Wales

  Offence description/year

  Maximum fine given

  Total fined (=100 per cent.)

  Number

  Percentage

  Production of being concerned in the production of the controlled drug cannabis: Section 4(2) [Maximum fine L5 = £5,000]

  1993

  705

  —

  —

  1994

  994

  —

  —

  Supplying or offering to supply the controlled drug cannabis: Section 4(3) [Maximum fine L5 = £5,000]

  1993

  148

  —

  —

  1994

  136

  —

  —

  Having possession of the controlled drug cannabis: Section 5(2) [Maximum fine L2 = £5,000]

  1993

  5,879

  5

  0

  1994

  8,691

  8

  0

  Having possession of the controlled drug cannabis with intent to supply: Section 5(3) [Maximum fine L2 = £500]

  1993

  19611

  1994

  201

  7

  3

  Permitting premises to be used for unlawful purposes re cannabis: Section 8 [Maximum fine L5 = £5,000]

  1993

  53

  —

  —

  1994

  60

  —

  —

  1The magistrates' court may fine an offender for any offence which it can deal with, but the amount of the fine is limited according to the offence. There is no limit on the amount of the fine which the Crown Court may impose.

  Immigration Appeal Tribunal
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions Home Office Ministers have overturned considered verdicts of the Immigration Appeal Tribunal; and if he will put in the Library the conveniently available details of such occasions. [25498]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Home Office Ministers have no powers to overturn determinations of the Immigration Appeal Tribunal. Determinations may, however, be challenged on appeal to the Court of Appeal or the Court of Session in Scotland.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Post Office Employees (Dog Attacks)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many Post Office employees received injuries caused by dog attacks while delivering letters and parcels in 1995; and how many work days were lost as a result. [24599]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  I understand from the Post Office, that during the 12 months to 31 December 1995, there were 5,891 animal attacks on Royal Mail letter delivery staff, with 4,817 working days lost, and that there were 143 animal attacks on Parcelforce delivery staff, with 63 working days lost. Around 99 per cent. of all animal attacks are by dogs.

  Stamp Prices
  Mr. Khabra
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what factors underlay the decision by the Government to direct the Post Office to raise the price of stamps. [25326]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The Government have issued no such direction to the Post Office.

  Overseas Trade Board
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 26 March,Official Report, column 475, what reasons were given for the resignation of each of the two members of the Overseas Trade Board who resigned in March 1995, the four members who resigned in May 1995 and the member who resigned in September 1995. [25255]

  Mr. Nelson
  Sir Alan Cockshaw, Professor Fleming, Mr. Gillibrand, Mr. Dewe Matthews and Mr. Reeves had each served more than the usual three-year term. Sir Michael Bett and Sir Desmond Pitcher resigned because of extensive commitments elsewhere.

  Insolvency Service
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the cost of the project to examine whether to contract out the work of the Insolvency Service. [25540]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mrs. Jackson) on 5 March 1996,Official Report, column 132.

  Wolfendale Report
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant of his letter of 4 March what action he

  OECD countries balance of trade in manufactured goods1 1979 to 1994

  US$ billions

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Australia

  -9.1

  -10.5

  -13.7

  -14.5

  -11.1

  -14.0

  -15.1

  -16.5

  Austria

  -1.6

  -2.5

  -0.7

  -0.1

  -0.7

  -0.3

  0.0

  -1.1

  Belgium-Luxembourg

  3.5

  3.9

  4.4

  3.8

  4.8

  4.1

  5.1

  4.7

  Canada

  -10.4

  -8.1

  -10.5

  -3.1

  -5.7

  -7.2

  -8.7

  -10.3

  Denmark

  -3.7

  -2.2

  -1.1

  -1.6

  -1.1

  -1.7

  -2.4

  -4.5

  Finland

  1.6

  1.2

  2.3

  2.5

  1.9

  2.6

  2.5

  2.5

  France

  11.5

  7.3

  8.8

  3.4

  6.3

  8.9

  7.3

  1.3

  570
  has taken to implement the Wolfendale report; and if he will make a statement on the authorship of the best practice guide. [25495]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The two recommendations of the Wolfendale report addressed to the Office of Science and Technology are being implemented. The contract for the "Best Practice Guide" has been awarded to Mr. Michael Kenward, and the survey into existing levels of public understanding of science and technology is being undertaken by Professor John Durant of Imperial college, London. The latter project is being co-sponsored by the Nuffield Foundation.

  My Department has drawn the report's other recommendation to the attention of the relevant organisations.

  Hubble Space Telescope
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State's letter of 2 April to the hon. Member for Linlithgow, if he will make a statement on the European Space Agency—NASA—agreement negotiations in relation to the Hubble space telescope. [25496]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The European Space Agency, ESA, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, have yet to begin formal discussions on Europe's contribution to the refurbishment of the Hubble space telescope, planned for 1999. These are, however, due to take place in the next few months.

  Patent Office
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many contractors are employed in the Patent Office information technology services department; at what cost; and if he will make a statement. [24267]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 2 April 1996]: There are 36 specialist contract staff in information technology services employed to supplement existing permanent civil servants and to make good deficiencies in the Patent Office's IT skills base. Their individual costs reflect the market rate for particular specialisms but, in 1995–96, the average cost was £61,000. They are supplied on short-term renewable contracts by a range of organisations selected through competitive tender.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the manufacturing balance of trade for each Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development country for each year since 1979. [24779]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 16 April 1996]: The answer is in the table.
  571

  OECD countries balance of trade in manufactured goods1 1979 to 1994

  US$billions

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  Germany

  59.1

  63.2

  61.7

  67.5

  58.7

  59.5

  67.5

  89.4

  Greece

  -4.2

  -3.8

  -2.9

  -3.0

  -2.8

  -2.7

  -2.9

  -3.6

  Iceland

  -0.4

  -0.5

  -0.5

  -0.5

  -0.3

  -0.3

  -0.4

  -0.6

  Ireland

  -3.2

  -2.9

  -2.5

  -1.6

  -0.9

  -0.7

  -0.3

  -0.2

  Italy

  24.2

  18.2

  23.8

  24.2

  27.3

  23.9

  24.7

  28.7

  Japan

  72.6

  95.1

  116.4

  104.6

  110.9

  128.5

  134.7

  160.2

  Mexico2

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Netherlands

  -4.7

  -3.9

  -0.5

  -0.1

  -0.1

  -0.5

  -2.1

  -4.7

  New Zealand

  -2.2

  -2.4

  -2.7

  -2.9

  -2.4

  -3.1

  -3.0

  -3.3

  Norway

  -2.8

  -3.8

  -4.1

  -4.8

  -3.6

  -3.7

  -4.7

  -8.4

  Portugal

  -1.0

  -1.7

  -2.3

  -2.0

  -0.9

  0.3

  0.5

  -0.3

  Spain

  2.6

  2.4

  2.9

  2.4

  2.9

  5.0

  4.5

  -1.1

  Sweden

  3.9

  4.6

  5.2

  3.9

  4.6

  5.2

  4.9

  6.5

  Switzerland

  2.6

  0.0

  2.3

  2.6

  1.7

  1.5

  2.0

  1.6

  Turkey

  -2.3

  -2.5

  -2.5

  -1.8

  -2.0

  -1.8

  -1.3

  -3.0

  UK

  3.6

  8.9

  3.6

  0.3

  -7.7

  -8.4

  -7.2

  -12.1

  USA

  -2.1

  12.2

  5.2

  -10.7

  -38.2

  -88.6

  -112.8

  -144.9

  US$ billions

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Australia

  -16.6

  -20.5

  -26.0

  -23.6

  -22.5

  -23.5

  -24.5

  -24.3

  Austria

  -2.3

  -2.5

  -3.3

  -4.1

  -5.4

  -5.7

  -5.1

  -6.7

  Belgium-Luxembourg

  4.5

  9.7

  10.5

  10.1

  8.1

  8.4

  16.0

  18.4

  Canada

  -12.5

  -21.7

  -22.2

  -18.4

  -20.7

  -20.0

  -19.0

  -10.5

  Denmark

  -3.8

  -2.8

  -2.8

  -2.3

  -2.4

  -0.4

  0.0

  -0.4

  Finland

  1.7

  1.7

  0.2

  1.8

  3.3

  4.8

  6.8

  7.6

  France

  -4.5

  -9.0

  -10.6

  -13.0

  -6.4

  0.2

  9.7

  n/a

  Germany

  104.9

  112.6

  112.6

  107.5

  66.4

  77.1

  83.7

  94.5

  Greece

  -4.3

  -5.3

  -7.5

  -9.8

  -11.0

  -11.6

  -11.7

  -10.6

  Iceland

  -1.0

  -0.9

  -0.7

  -1.0

  -1.1

  -1.1

  -0.8

  -0.8

  Ireland

  0.1

  0.4

  0.4

  0.4

  0.9

  2.0

  3.5

  4.5

  Italy

  27.8

  24.8

  26.9

  31.8

  30.3

  29.9

  57.1

  n/a

  Japan

  163.4

  173.0

  168.3

  167.6

  191.4

  218.6

  230.2

  237.0

  Mexico2

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  -16.7

  -13.4

  Netherlands

  -6.1

  -3.9

  -5.3

  -6.8

  -7.4

  -9.2

  0.5

  -0.5

  New Zealand

  -4.1

  -3.7

  -4.8

  -5.2

  -4.2

  -4.9

  -4.8

  -5.5

  Norway

  -8.5

  -7.9

  -6.9

  -8.1

  -7.3

  -7.8

  -7.9

  -9.2

  Portugal

  -2.3

  -4.5

  -3.7

  -5.4

  -6.2

  -7.9

  -5.0

  -5.0

  Spain

  -7.1

  -12.4

  -17.4

  -20.2

  -21.8

  -22.5

  -9.1

  -8.2

  Sweden

  5.2

  5.5

  3.9

  4.6

  7.5

  8.7

  10.0

  11.8

  Switzerland

  0.2

  -0.2

  -1.0

  1.5

  1.8

  6.3

  8.1

  0.0

  Turkey

  6.8

  -1.6

  -1.8

  -5.2

  -5.3

  -5.3

  -10.2

  -2.8

  UK

  -16.3

  -30.4

  -30.4

  -23.4

  -10.7

  -18.0

  -27.4

  -14.0

  USA

  -152.0

  -147.0

  -132.9

  -102.9

  -79.9

  -99.7

  -133.8

  n/a

  Note:
  1 Manufactured goods are defined as sections 5 to 8 of the standard international trade classification
  2 Comparable data for Mexico for 1979 to 1992 are not available.

  Source:
  OECD Series C.
  OECD Impex 1995.
  International Trade—World Trade Organisation.

  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the United Kingdom manufactured balance of trade for each year since 1979; and what was, in each year, the percentage change from the previous year. [24778]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 16 April 1996]: The balance of trade for manufactured goods is published by the Central Statistical Office in the monthly review of external trade statistics, which is available in the Library of the House. It is also available on the central shared database, which can be accessed from the Library of the House.
  572
  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the level of manufacturing capital investment in(a) the west midlands and (b) the United Kingdom for each year since 1979; and if he will express the figures in (i) real terms and (ii) percentage change on the previous year. [24780]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 16 April 1996]: Figures for capital investment in manufacturing industry in the west midlands are not available in real terms. Figures for the United Kingdom are shown in the table.

  573

  Investment in Manufacturing Industry in the United Kingdom 1979 to 1995

  £ million (constant 1990 prices)

  Growth from the previous year (per cent.)

  1979

  13,558

  5.6

  1980

  12,307

  -9.2

  1981

  9,985

  -18.9

  1982

  9,518

  -4.7

  1983

  9,413

  -1.1

  1984

  10,975

  16.6

  1985

  12,710

  15.8

  1986

  12,097

  -4.8

  1987

  12,641

  4.5

  1988

  13,846

  9.5

  1989

  14,984

  8.2

  1990

  14,227

  -5.1

  1991

  12,803

  -10.0

  1992

  11,828

  -7.6

  1993

  11,104

  -6.1

  1994

  11,831

  6.5

  1995

  12,736

  7.6

  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the manufacturing output in(a) the west midlands and (b) the United Kingdom for each year since 1979 in real terms; and what was the percentage change in each year against the previous year. [24782]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 16 April 1996]: Figures for manufacturing output in the west midlands are not available in real terms. Figures for the Untied Kingdom are shown in the table.

  1990=100

  Growth from the previous year (per cent.)

  1979

  90.6

  -0.2

  1980

  82.8

  -8.6

  1981

  77.7

  -6.2

  1982

  77.6

  -0.1

  1983

  79.2

  2.1

  1984

  82.2

  3.8

  1985

  84.5

  2.8

  1986

  85.6

  1.3

  1987

  89.6

  4.7

  1988

  95.9

  7.0

  1989

  100.2

  4.5

  1990

  100

  -0.2

  1991

  94.6

  -5.4

  1992

  94.0

  -0.6

  1993

  95.1

  1.2

  1994

  99.2

  4.3

  1995

  101.1

  1.9

PRIME MINISTER

  Brixham
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Brixham. [24330]

  The Deputy Prime Minister
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend hopes to have an opportunity to do so in the near future.

  Intelligence and Security (Committee Report)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 2 April,Official Report, column 107, for what reasons some necessary evidence is not available in relation to the Ames case. [25515]

  The Deputy Prime Minister
  I have been asked to reply.

  As the hon. Member will realise, in a case as complex and far reaching as that of Ames, evidence of the full extent of his activities only becomes available over time. My right hon. Friend looks forward to receiving the further conclusions of the Intelligence and Security Committee on this issue.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Hosting for Overseas Students
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many students in each year since 1987 have taken advantage of his Department's Hosting for Overseas Students organisation; what has been the cost; and if he will make a statement. [25464]

  Mr. Hanley
  The number and cost of placements arranged by Hosting for Overseas Students—HOST—a charity supported by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the British Council, is as follows:

  Number of student visits to families

  Total costs £

  1987–88

  n/a

  76,821

  1988–89

  1,708

  176,133

  1989–90

  2,145

  101,888

  1990–91

  3,577

  135,552

  1991–92

  4,012

  123,678

  1992–93

  4,031

  189,327

  1993–94

  5,253

  197,436

  1994–95

  5,705

  199,587

  1995–96

  1—

  212,863

  1Number not yet known.

  HOST performs a very valuable service in providing overseas students with experience of life in British families and we hope it will continue to expand, in particular by attracting new host families.

  Turks and Caicos Islands
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what conclusions he has reached on the petition from the elected parties of the Turks and Caicos Islands concerning Governor Bourke; and if he will make a statement. [25389]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given in the House on 3 April by my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary,Official Report, columns 384–85.

  Baltic States
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received from the Baltic states; and if he will make a statement. [25391]
  575
  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  We have frequent contacts with the Baltic states and exchange views on a wide variety of issues. Our bilateral relations are close and friendly, based on our strong support for Baltic independence, democratic and economic reform, and integration into European structures.

HEALTH

  Nurses
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many diabetic nurses and paediatric nurses there are(a) by region and (b) nationally. [25527]

  Mr. Horam
  The number of nurses holding specialist qualifications in diabetic care is not available centrally.

  The information relating to nurses working in the paediatric area of work is shown in the table.

  NHS hospital and community health services—HCHS—nurses working in the paediatric area of work, excluding agency and learners, by region in England at 30 September 1994

  whole-time equivalents

  Nurses working in the paediatric area of work

  England

  11.950

  Northern and Yorkshire

  1,690

  Trent

  1,390

  Anglia and Oxford

  920

  North Thames

  1,080

  South Thames

  1,140

  South and West

  1,240

  West Midlands

  1,460

  North West

  2,320

  Special health authorities and others

  700

  Not included in the above

  Learners1

  350

  Notes:

  1Learners are nurses on traditional training courses in the paediatric area of work. Project 2000 training was introduced in 1989 and has gradually replaced traditional pre-registration nurse training. There were 2,360 Project 2000 students at May 1994 on childrens nursing courses; these figures are headcounts and cannot be added to other figures in the table which are whole-time equivalents at September 1994.

  Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

  Total does not equal the sum of the components due to rounding.

  Source:

  Department of Health non-medical work force census.

  Drug and Alcohol Addiction
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people per thousand of the population who are addicted to(a) heroin and (b) alcohol; and what are the equivalent figures for (i) France, (ii) Italy, (iii) Spain and (iv) Holland. [25388]

  Mr. Bowis
  The estimated rate of people addicted to heroin per thousand population for 1994 was 0.411,. based on a United Kingdom population aged 16 to 64. The overall rate of alcohol dependency per 1,000 population was 472, based on a survey of psychiatric morbidity of 16 to 64-year-olds in Great Britain. The two figures are estimated on different bases and are not comparable.
  576
  Equivalent figures are not available for France, Italy, Spain and Holland. The European monitoring centre for drugs and drug addiction is currently working to produce comparable information on drugs misuse in member states of the European Union.

  Sources
  1 Home Office addicts index statistical bulletin "Statistics of Drug Addicts Notified to the Home Office, United Kingdom 1994" (Issue 17/95)
  Office of Population Censuses and Surveys—OPCS—population figures for 1994 (resident estimates). Assumption that all heroin addicts notified to the Home Office are aged between 16 and 64 years.
  2 OPCS surveys of psychiatric morbidity in Great Britain bulletin no. 1 "The prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among adults aged 16–64, living in private households, in Great Britain" 1994.

  Community Care (Direct Payments) Bill
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to make the responses to his Department's consultation paper on the Community Care (Direct Payments) Bill available to members of the technical advisory group which advised the Government on technical issues about implementation of direct payments. [25533]

  Mr. Bowis
  Copies have been sent to members who requested them.

  Mr. Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a summary of responses to his Department's consultation paper on the Community Care (Direct Payments) Bill; and what other steps he will take to fulfil the undertaking given in that document in respect of copies of responses being made available to the public. [25534]

  Mr. Bowis
  No, I have published them in full. Copies of the responses are in the Library and are available to members of the public on request.

  Mr. Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many responses he has received to his Department's consultation paper on the Community Care (Direct Payments) Bill from(a) disabled people, (b) organisations representing disabled people, (c) local authorities, (d) other groups or individuals providing care and (e) other organisations and individuals. [25535]

  Mr. Bowis
  A total of 284 responses were received in England, 49 were received in Scotland, 49 were received in Wales and 36 were received in Northern Ireland.

  Of the English responses, 79 were from local authorities. The consultation paper did not ask people to provide any information about themselves in their responses, so information on the remaining responses is not available in the form requested. Thirty-four responses were from individuals, some of whom indicated that they were disabled; others said that they were providing informal care, but others did not give the reason for their interest. Similarly, many of the responses from organisations were representing disabled people and others were representing providers of care, but in many cases it is not clear whether the organisations would consider themselves to be in either category.

DEFENCE

  Cyprus (Discipline)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Commander-in-Chief of the British military forces based in Cyprus on incidents involving British military personnel and Greek Cypriot personnel. [22884]

  Mr. Soames
  Matters of discipline are taken very seriously by Ministers and by the services. Regular meetings take place to monitor standards of discipline and ensure that they are enforced. All service personnel serve under strictly enforced disciplinary regulations. British forces serving in Cyprus are subject to the same very high disciplinary standards.

  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of whether the Army's disciplinary procedures were followed in relation to the rifleman from the 1 Battalion, the Royal Green Jackets, who assaulted Mr. Kevin Remmer, in Ayia Napa in August 1994; [24077]

  (2) what action was taken by the commanding officer of 1 Battalion, the Royal Green Jackets, against a rifleman of that battalion who allegedly assaulted Mr. Kevin Remmer in August 1994 in Ayia Napa, Cyprus. [24073]

  Mr. Soames
  Where it is alleged that service men have committed offences under Cypriot law within the Republic of Cyprus, jurisdiction lies entirely with the Cypriot authorities under the terms of the treaty concerning the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus, Cm 1252 or 1960.

  At the time of the assault on Miss Jensen the rifleman had not been found guilty of any charges resulting from the earlier incident and was bailed by the Cypriot authorities to appear in court at a later date. As the civil authorities found no reason to hold the accused soldier in custody before the matter came to court, there appeared to be no justification for the commanding officer to restrict the soldier's movements. It is a matter of deep regret that the soldier was later involved in the assault on Miss Jensen. However, neither the Cypriot courts nor the commanding officer could have expected such a development.

  Defence Export Services Organisation
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what forms of Government support are provided to British arms exports; and what is the level of bonuses to be paid for the financial year 1995–96 to the(a) head of Defence Export Services Organisation, (b) offset adviser and (c) international financial adviser. [24080]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Within the Ministry of Defence, support for Defence exports is provided, primarily, by the Defence Export Services Organisation, which exists to help British manufacturers market and sell their products abroad, complementing the wide range of services offered by the Department of Trade and Industry. In addition to DESO/DTI support, the Export 578
  Credits Guarantee Department makes available its range of export credit facilities to support defence sales. The head of defence export services may be awarded a "bonus" of up to 15 per cent. of his annual salary depending on performance. The offset adviser and international financial adviser, who are civil servants, were eligible for the performance-related pay awards which applied to their grades. These were up to 4 per cent. from 1 April 1995, with a further award of up to 4 per cent. from 30 November 1995 for the offset adviser and up to 3 per cent. from 1 August 1995 for the international financial adviser; no specific bonuses attach to these posts.

  LSD
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what occasions since 1966 his Department has investigated LSD at the chemical and biological defence establishment, Porton Down; what were the total number of service volunteers used for these experiments; and if he will make a statement. [24622]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  This is a matter for the chief executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from John Chisholm to Dr. David Clark, dated 16 April 1996:
  The Secretary of State for Defence has asked me as the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency to reply to your question about investigation of LSD since 1966 at the then Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment, Porton Down.
  We have undertaken a comprehensive search of the summary books recording the involvement of all volunteers in experimental work at Porton Down since 1966. In that year 16 of the service volunteers who participated in the field trial Recount were given LSD and an additional 4 service volunteers took part in laboratory based studies. In 1967 further laboratory based studies were carried out involving 28 service volunteers. In January 1968 13 of the service volunteers who participated in field trial Small Change were given LSD. We have no indication of any administration of LSD to volunteers after the completion of Small Change in 1968.
  When he replied to your Parliamentary Question about the number of volunteers involved in studies with LSD on 21 November 1994, Dr. Graham Pearson, then the Chief Executive of the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, stated that 72 volunteers had participated in the whole programme of work on LSD which continued until 1972. More information has recently been uncovered which has caused us to reassess this. From the records now available we now believe the total number of all exposures to LSD in the programme was 136. A small number of these were second exposures of the same individual. We also now believe that work on LSD ceased in 1968 when the results of trial Small Change confirmed that it was not a serious threat. I am sorry if the earlier information provided to you as inaccurate. I think this occurred because the information available to Dr. Pearson was incomplete and we obviously regret that should have occurred.
  I hope this letter clarifies matters.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the(a) dates, (b) locations, (c) numbers, types and nationalities of aircraft involved, (d) nature of breach, (e) disciplinary actions taken against aircrew and (f) lessons learned from each of the confirmed breaches of low flying regulations during 1995; and if he will make a statement. [24583]
  579
  Mr. Soames
  Details of breaches of military low flying regulations during 1995 confirmed to date by RAF police investigations are as follows. A number of alleged breaches during the year are still under investigation. Unless stated otherwise a lateral breach of the avoidance area listed occurred in each case.

  Date

  Location

  Numbers and type of A/C

  Nationality

  Nature of breach

  4 January

  Caerlaverock Dumfries and Galloway

  1 x Tornado

  RAF

  Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust avoidance area

  5 January

  Caerlaverock Dumfries and Galloway

  1 x Tornado

  RAF

  Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust avoidance area

  11 January

  Caerlaverock Dumfries and Galloway

  1 x Tornado

  RAF

  Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust avoidance area

  17 January

  Haddington East Lothian

  1 x Jaguar

  RAF

  East Fortune Microlight Site avoidance area

  20 January

  Caerlaverock Dumfries and Galloway

  3 x Harrier

  RAF

  Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust avoidance area

  23 January

  Near Hay-on-Wye Powys

  4 x F15

  USAF

  Hay Bluff Hang Gliding Site avoidance area

  24 January

  Caerlaverock Dumfries and Galloway

  1 x Tornado

  RAF

  Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust avoidance area

  2 February

  Caerlaverock Dumfries and Galloway

  1 x Tornado

  RAF

  Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust avoidance area

  16 February

  Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway

  1 x Harrier

  RAF

  Lockerbie avoidance area

  15 March

  Sellafield Cumbria

  1 x Harrier

  RAF

  BNFL Sellafield avoidance area

  22 March

  Caerlaverock Dumfries and Galloway

  2 x F15

  USAF

  Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust avoidance area

  23 March

  Bude Cornwall

  1 x Tornado

  TTTE

  Seasonal avoidance in Little Youlstone

  24 March

  Bude Cornwall

  1 x Hunter

  RAF

  Seasonal avoidance in Little Youlstone

  580

  Date

  Location

  Numbers and type of A/C

  Nationality

  Nature of breach

  31 March

  Ruabon Clwyd

  1 x Sea Harrier

  RN

  Monsanto Chemical Works avoidance area

  3 April

  Frittenden Kent

  3 x Chinook

  RAF

  Unauthorised flight within UK night low flying system

  5 April

  Corsham Wiltshire

  3 x Chinook

  RAF

  Unauthorised flight within UK night low flying system

  7 April

  Newent Gloucester

  2 x F15

  USAF

  Unauthorised flight within LFA 4 of the UKLFS

  11 April

  Milton Keynes Bucking-hamshire

  1 x Tornado

  TTTE

  Milton Keynes General Hospital avoidance area

  19 April

  Near Gainsborough Lincolnshire

  1 x Tornado

  TTTE

  CANP avoidance area

  20 April

  Near Gainsborough Lincolnshire

  1 x Tornado

  RAF

  CANP avoidance area

  21 April

  Caerlaverock Dumfries and Galloway

  1 x Harrier

  RAF

  Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust avoidance area

  5 May

  Bude Cornwall

  1 x Hawk

  RAF

  Seasonal avoidance in Little Youlstone

  9 May

  Bude Cornwall

  1 x Tornado

  RAF

  Seasonal avoidance in Little Youlstone

  9 May

  Talgarth Dyfed

  1 x Harrier

  RAF

  Black Mountains Gliding Club avoidance area

  9 May

  Talgarth Dyfed

  1 x Harrier

  RAF

  Unauthorised flight in LFA 7 of the UKLFS

  11 May

  Caerlaverock Dumfries and Galloway

  1 x Tornado

  RAF

  Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust avoidance area

  16 May

  Auchleven Grampian

  1 x F15

  USAF

  Insch Airfield avoidance area

  17 May

  Auchleven Grampian

  1 x Jaguar

  RAF

  Insch Airfield avoidance area

  23 May

  Caerlaverock Dumfries and Galloway

  1 x Tornado

  RAF

  Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust avoidance area

  25 May

  Talgarth Dyfed

  1 x Harrier

  RAF

  Black Mountains Gliding Club avoidance area

  581

  Date

  Location

  Numbers and type of A/C

  Nationality

  Nature of breach

  25 May

  Newent Gloucestershire

  1 x Harrier

  RAF

  National Birds of Prey Centre avoidance area

  6 June

  Auchleven Grampian

  1 x Jaguar

  RAF

  Insch Airfield avoidance area

  7 June

  Caerlaverock Dumfries and Galloway

  1 x Hercules

  RAF

  Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust avoidance area

  8 June

  Loch Eil Lochaber

  1 x Jaguar

  RAF

  CANP avoidance area

  13 June

  Caerlaverock Dumfries and Galloway

  1 x F15

  USAF

  Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust avoidance area

  27 June

  Talgarth Dyfed

  2 x F15

  USAF

  Black Mountain Gliding Club avoidance area

  27 June

  Talgarth Dyfed

  2 x F15

  USAF

  Unauthorised flight in LFA 7 of the UKLFS

  29 June

  Staple Kent

  1 x Hawk

  RAF

  Unnecessary repetitive overflight

  1 July

  Minster Kent

  1 x Wessex

  RAF

  Unauthorised flight in LFA 18 of the UKLFS

  5 July

  Carmarthen Powys

  2 x Harrier

  RAF

  Dyfed/Powys Police Helicopter Landing Site avoidance area

  7 July

  Driffield East Yorks

  1 x Tornado

  TTTE

  Overflew Driffield, a town listed for avoidance

  7 July

  Llanwrtyd Wells Powys

  1 x Harrier

  RAF

  Operational Low Flying avoidance near Llanwrtyd Wells

  13 July

  Hull Humberside

  1 x Jaguar

  RAF

  Saltend PetroChemical Works avoidance area

  19 July

  Hawick Borders

  1 x Tornado

  RAF

  Overflew Hawick, a town listed for avoidance

  24 July

  Newport Gwent

  1 x Hercules

  RAF

  British Steel Llanwern Works temporary avoidance area

  24 July

  Duns Berwickshire

  1 x Tornado

  TTTE

  Dexter Non Woven Chirnside Mill temporary avoidance area

  582

  Date

  Location

  Numbers and type of A/C

  Nationality

  Nature of breach

  25 July

  Newport Gwent

  1 x Tornado

  TTTE

  British Steel Llanwern Works temporary avoidance area

  26 July

  Sherfield English Hampshire

  1 x Puma

  RAF

  Unauthorised flight within LFA 1 of the UKLFS

  10 August

  Kettering Northamptonshire

  1 x F15

  USAF

  Boughton House avoidance area

  15 August

  Keswick Cumbria

  1 x Tornado

  TTTE

  Bewaldeth Hang Gliding Site avoidance area

  24 August

  Ruabon Clwyd

  2 x MH53

  USAF

  Flexsys (formerly Monsanto) Chemical Works avoidance area

  29 August

  Near Downham Market Norfolk

  4 x Harrier

  RAF

  CANP avoidance

  30 August

  Near Downham Market Norfolk

  1 x Tornado

  RAF

  CANP avoidance

  30 August

  Near Downham Market Norfolk

  1 x Tornado

  RAF

  Unauthorised flight within LFA 6 of the UKLFS

  31 August

  Near Downham Market Norfolk

  2 x Harrier

  RAF

  CANP avoidance

  31 August

  Near Downham Market Norfolk

  2 x Harrier

  RAF

  Unauthorised flight within LFA 6 of the UKLFS

  11 September

  Caerlaverock Dumfries and Galloway

  2 x Tornado

  RAF

  Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust avoidance area

  14 September

  Kendal Cumbria

  4 x F15

  USAF

  Unauthorised flight within UKLFS

  15 September

  Caerlaverock Dumfries and Galloway

  2 x Tornado

  RAF

  Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust avoidance area

  20 September

  Near Holbeach Lincs

  1 x Tornado

  TTTE

  CANP avoidance

  29 September

  Newport Gwent

  1 x Hawk

  RN

  British Steel Llanwern Works temporary avoidance area

  20 October

  Newport Gwent

  1 x Hawk

  RAF

  British Steel Llanwern Works temporary avoidance area

  2 November

  Corse Lawn Gloucestershire

  2 x Harrier

  RAF

  Unauthorised flight within LFA 4 of the UKLFS

  583

  Date

  Location

  Numbers and type of A/C

  Nationality

  Nature of breach

  2 November

  St. Neots Cambridge-shire

  1 x Tornado

  RAF

  Little Barford Power Station temporary avoidance area

  20 December

  Caerlaverock Dumfries and Galloway

  4 x F15

  USAF

  Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust avoidance area

  In cases where the nationality of the aircraft is shown as TTTE, the aircraft came from the tri-national Tornado training establishment at RAF Cottesmore which trains aircrew of the Royal Air Force, German air force and Italian air force using aircraft provided by all three nations.

  Formal disciplinary action under the service discipline acts has, to date, been taken in one case. The pilot of the RAF Hawk responsible for the breach at Staple, Kent on 29 June was found guilty by general court martial of one charge, contrary to section 52 of the Air Force Act 1955, of flying an aircraft in a manner causing or likely to cause unnecessary annoyance for which he was severely reprimanded and fined. The finding and sentence are subject to confirmation.

  In cases involving UK aircrew where formal disciplinary action is not appropriate, aircrew who have breached regulations may be interviewed by their station commander or other appropriate senior officer. Such action could be recorded on individual's career records and affect flying status and promotion prospects. It is not our policy to release details of such action. It is also the responsibility of senior officers to ascertain what lessons there are to be learnt from such incidents; central records are not maintained.

  Reports on breaches by foreign aircrew are passed to their relevant national authorities, with whom responsibility for any further action rests.

  Kaymar Telephone Numbers
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what inquiries he has received about the Kaymar telephone numbers; and if he will place the substantive replies from his Department in the Library. [25342]

  Mr. Soames
  My Department has recently been asked about a certain telephone number which the inquirer suggested may have been associated with a photographic studio known as Kaymar Studios. It appears that this inquiry is related to a pending appeal against a conviction for a criminal offence, evidence relating to which should be handled by the relevant solicitors. Such information as is available to my Department has therefore been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service.

  Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the expenditure by his Department in each of the last 10 years on studies on the decommissioning of facilities at AWE Aldermaston. [25396]
  584
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Individual studies are not conducted; decommissioning planning follows standard procedures designed to ensure the safe and complete implementation of the process. Such planning costs are not required to be separately identified.

  Trident
  Ms Rachel Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what conditions apply to the nationality of consortiums seeking to become project managers for the nuclear fitting of Trident submarines. [25356]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  To optimise control of nuclear licensing and safety requirements, project management of the construction of nuclear submarine refitting facilities at Devonport will be controlled by the dockyard operator, Devonport Royal Dockyard plc. The Secretary of State for Defence will retain a special share in DRD plc, a UK registered company, which will enable the Government to protect essential national security interests in the dockyard facilities, including those associated with nuclear submarine refitting. Company personnel working in sensitive areas are subject to appropriate security clearance.

  Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the defence agency status for the Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre. [25999]

  Mr. Soames
  I announced on 19 July 1995,Official Report, column 1345 that the joint air reconnaissance intelligence centre was a candidate for defence agency status. Since then, we have carried out a detailed business analysis of the organisation under the leadership of the chief executive designate to confirm its suitability to become an agency.

  I have agreed to the launch of JARIC as a defence agency from 19 April 1996. The agency will remain fully part of the Department but the chief executive will have delegated executive powers to discharge his responsibilities. These powers are described in the framework document, copies of which will be placed in the Library of the House.

  JARIC is based at RAF Brampton, near Huntingdon. It has a total staff of 500, comprising service personnel from all three services and approximately 144 civil servants. It acts as the Department's centre of excellence for the production of imagery intelligence.

  It provides this intelligence to military commanders and the Government, in support of current military operations, defence planning and wider intelligence matters.

  JARIC has been set demanding targets in an era where the requirement for its expertise is continuing to increase. The targets for the 12 months from April 1996 are:
  Key target 1: The completion of approved tasks, within agreed time frame, as follows:

  Priority 1: 98 per cent.

  Priority 2: 90 per cent.

  Priority 3: 85 per cent

  Priority 4: 70 per cent.

  585
  Key target 2: By 1 October 1996 to determine a method of measuring Customer Satisfaction to reflect their quality requirements, and make proposals for its implementation.
  Key target 3: Achieve a 2.5 per cent improvement in efficiency.
  Key target 4: Provide specified support to a major project to upgrade JARIC's technical capabilities.
  Key target 5: Introduce systems to meet the HM Treasury Accounts Direction to 1996–97.

  These targets will ensure that JARIC meets defence needs for timely intelligence, and will provide for continuous improvement in services and efficiency.

  Defence Equipment Exports
  Sir Irvine Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Government will continue to support the export of defence equipment. [25910]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  UK defence exports have been a major success story for this country.

  With a reducing home defence budget it is vital that we export if we are to maintain our defence industry which supports around 400,000 jobs. Between a third and half of the industry's output, by value, is for exports.

  Selling more abroad also brings down the cost of equipment for our own forces and enables us to sustain our essential technology base.

  In 1995, despite vigorous international competition from the US and France in particular, the UK won defence equipment contracts worth approximately £5 billion. This gave Britain the second highest market share ever. In no other major industrial sector have we managed to achieve nearly 20 per cent. of the world export market.

  Maintaining a strong British defence industry is important for our national security, for the economy and for jobs. The responsible exporting of defence equipment to our friends and allies makes an important contribution to world peace and stability through deterring the expansionist aspirations of unfriendly and aggressive regimes. Article 51 of the UN charter clearly states the right of all nations to self-defence.

  Moreover, the UK has a very strict policy on the control of exports of defence equipment. We promote the sale of British defence equipment overseas only in support of our national and international obligations and only where it is compatible with out political, strategic and security interests.

  Devonport Royal Dockyard
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if Devonport royal dockyard will retain its status as a royal dockyard following privatisation; and what its title will be. [25307]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The subject of the proposed privatisation is the existing company Devonport Royal Dockyard plc, in which the assets of Devonport royal dockyard would be vested at the date of any sale. Her Majesty the Queen has graciously signified that she would be content for the royal title to continue to be used by the dockyard if it is privatised, subject to the use of the royal title being kept under constant review lest the activities of the dockyard develop in such a way as to 586
  make the further use of the title inappropriate. Subject to that proviso, the use and continuation of the royal title will be a matter for the purchaser.

  Works of Art
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will(a) identify the print missing since 1991 from Admiralty house, (b) place a value on the missing work and (c) name the Minister described by the National Audit Office as a former Secretary of State. [20830]

  Mr. Sproat
  I have been asked to reply.

  The missing picture is a view of Admiralty house drawn in 1970 by Alan Dyson. As the work of an amateur artist it is particularly difficult to give it a commercial value. Our best estimate, given that its purchase price in 1970 was £10, is that its current value may be around £50 to £80. The drawing was placed on display in Admiralty house in 1970. The National Audit Office reference to a Secretary of State—who happened to be my right hon. Friend the member for Bridgwater (Mr. King) in 1991—is irrelevant to the loss of the drawing, which had been of unknown whereabouts since 1982.

ENVIRONMENT

  Organic Pollutants
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy at the UN Commission on Sustainable Development to be party to a global, legally binding treaty to ban the most dangerous identified persistent organic pollutants. [25414]

  Mr. Clappison
  The Washington global conference on the protection of the marine environment from land-based activities agreed in November 1995 that international action is needed to develop a global, legally binding instrument concerning certain persistent organic pollutants. The United Kingdom supported that conclusion and will work to take it forward through the intergovernmental forum on chemical safety. Our stance at the Commission on Sustainable Development will be based on that approach.

  Mr. Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the most dangerous persistent organic pollutants that enter inland and coastal waters; and what action he intends to take in respect of the adoption of the United Nations environment programme programme of action on land-based sources of marine pollution. [25413]

  Mr. Clappison
  The Washington global programme of action for the protection of the marine environment from land-based activities reflects generally the approaches adopted by the United Kingdom and other states bordering the north-east Atlantic. Pursuing our present policies will therefore lead to its implementation.

  The global programme of action notes the need for a legally binding global instrument to address certain persistent organic pollutants or groups of such substances. On the basis of work under the convention on long-range transport of air pollution of the UN Economic Commission for Europe—UNECE/LRTAP—these are

  587
  identified as aldrin, dieldrin, DDT, endrin, chlordane, hexachlorobenzene, Mirex, toxaphene, heptachlor, polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins and furans.

  The United Kingdom is supporting the negotiation of such an instrument through the intergovernmental forum on chemical safety.

WALES

  Fish (Pollution)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what factors underlay the exclusion of migratory edible fish species, other than salmon and sea trout, from the provisions of the Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) Oil and Chemical Pollution orders; and if he will make a statement. [25164]

  Mr. Hague
  The catching of eels, including elvers, is prohibited up to the high water mark in the area covered by the Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) (Oil and Chemical Pollution of Fish and Plants) Order 1996. The close season for eel angling in the freshwater area beyond runs from 14 March to June, when anglers are prohibited from taking them. There are no commercial eel interests in that area.

  The allis shad is protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; the twaite shad and sea lamprey are listed species under the EC habitats directive and neither is targeted by anglers.

  Full-time and part-time farmers and tenants in Wales: June 1995

  Local authority areas

  of which:

  of which:

  Number of full-time farmers

  Full-time agricultural tenants

  Number of Part-time farmers

  part-time agricultural farmers

  Alyn/Deeside

  200

  57

  95

  14

  Colwyn

  632

  151

  260

  49

  Delyn

  415

  105

  220

  25

  Glyndwr

  1,005

  223

  402

  64

  Rhuddlan

  118

  43

  53

  13

  Wrexham/Maelor

  506

  122

  261

  54

  Clwyd

  2,876

  701

  1,291

  219

  Carmarthen

  2,126

  261

  1,039

  82

  Ceredigion

  2,212

  248

  1,036

  111

  Dinefwr

  1,172

  132

  546

  51

  Llanelli

  278

  52

  145

  16

  Preselli Pembrokeshire

  1,779

  283

  734

  68

  South Pembrokeshire

  539

  164

  266

  42

  Dyfed

  8,106

  1,140

  3,766

  370

  Blaenau Gwent

  60

  13

  63

  20

  Islwyn

  76

  17

  50

  17

  Newport

  196

  24

  77

  17

  Monmouth

  1,040

  242

  599

  64

  Torfaen

  87

  28

  75

  26

  Gwent

  1,459

  324

  864

  127

  Farm Accidents
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many accidents were reported on farms in Wales in 1994–95; and what measures he has taken to increase awareness of accident prevention among farm workers. [25015]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  In the agriculture and horticulture industry in Wales, in 1994–95, a provisional total of seven fatal and 80 non-fatal occupational injuries to all workers along with five major injuries to members of the public were reported to enforcing authorities. Information on the number of injuries which occurred on farms is not available separately.

  The Health and Safety Executive carries out a number of initiatives to increase awareness of health and safety in the agriculture industry. In 1994–95, these measures included campaigns on tractor safety, working near overhead power cables and using all-terrain vehicles, aimed particularly at farm workers. In addition, the HSE produces free publications in English and Welsh and seeks to raise awareness through information at shows such as the Royal Welsh and through liaison with a range of other organisations in the industry. It also carries out inspections on those workplaces that present the greatest risk.

  Agricultural Employment
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many(a) full-time farmers, (b) part-time farmers, (c) full-time agricultural tenants, (d) part-time agricultural tenants there are currently in (i) Wales and (ii) each district and county council area in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [25019]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information requested is shown for the old counties and districts in the table.
  589

  Full-time and part-time farmers and tenants in Wales: June 1995

  Local authority areas

  of which:

  of which:

  Number of full-time farmers

  Full-time agricultural tenants

  Number of Part-time farmers

  part-time agricultural farmers

  Aberconwy

  441

  152

  146

  41

  Arfon

  325

  79

  286

  53

  Dwyfor

  795

  230

  347

  72

  Meirionnydd

  791

  163

  349

  69

  Ynys Môn

  929

  322

  520

  96

  Gwynedd

  3,281

  946

  1,648

  331

  Cynon Valley

  73

  15

  51

  9

  Merthyr Tydfil

  43

  14

  29

  7

  Ogwr

  206

  56

  126

  22

  Rhondda

  13

  26

  13

  12

  Rhymney Valley

  151

  26

  84

  12

  Taff Ely

  147

  37

  80

  16

  Mid Glamorgan

  633

  148

  383

  66

  Brecknock

  1,279

  252

  483

  74

  Montgomeryshire

  2,307

  407

  850

  152

  Radnorshire

  1,161

  152

  414

  55

  Powys

  4,747

  811

  1,747

  281

  Cardiff

  67

  22

  33

  48

  Vale of Glamorgan

  301

  97

  164

  48

  South Glamorgan

  368

  119

  197

  48

  Port Talbot

  40

  50

  30

  15

  Lliw Valley

  199

  50

  139

  15

  Neath

  79

  8

  72

  7

  Swansea

  232

  46

  141

  19

  West Glamorgan

  550

  104

  382

  41

  Wales

  22,020

  4,293

  10,278

  1,483

  Source:

  June 1995 agricultural and horticultural census.

  Some of the data have been amalgamated to prevent disclosure of information relating to individual farm holdings.

  Suicide
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each district council in Wales and for Wales as a whole for the latest available year(a) the total number of suicides, (b) the number of suicides by farmers and (c) (b) as a percentage of (a). [25163]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information requested, supplied by the office for national statistics, is for 1994 and is given in the table, based on the recently revised definition of suicides set out in the footnote.

  District of residence

  Suicides1— total

  Suicides1 farmers2

  Farmers suicides as a percentage of all suicides

  Alyn and Deeside

  8

  —

  —

  Colwyn

  14

  —

  —

  Delyn

  11

  1

  9.1

  Glyndwr

  6

  1

  16.7

  Rhuddlan

  8

  —

  —

  Wrexham Maelor

  10

  —

  —

  Carmarthen

  5

  1

  20.0

  Ceredigion

  9

  —

  —

  Dinefwr

  4

  1

  25.0

  Llanelli

  9

  —

  —

  Preseli

  Pembrokeshire

  9

  —

  —

  590

  District of residence

  Suicides1—total

  Suicides1 farmers2

  Farmers suicides as a percentage of all suicides

  South

  Pembrokeshire

  3

  —

  —

  Blaenau Gwent

  5

  —

  —

  Islwyn

  1

  —

  —

  Monmouth

  11

  —

  —

  Newport

  10

  —

  —

  Torfaen

  10

  —

  —

  Aberconwy

  11

  —

  —

  Arfon

  7

  —

  —

  Dwyfor

  3

  —

  —

  Meirionnydd

  8

  1

  12.5

  Ynys Môn Isle of Anglesey

  6

  1

  16.7

  Cynon Valley

  4

  —

  —

  Merthyr Tydfil

  7

  —

  —

  Ogwr

  16

  —

  —

  Rhondda

  11

  —

  —

  Rhymney Valley

  6

  —

  —

  Taff Ely

  9

  —

  —

  Brecknock

  11

  2

  18.2

  Montgomeryshire

  2

  1

  50.0

  Radnorshire

  8

  1

  12.5

  Cardiff

  38

  —

  —

  Vale of Glamorgan

  9

  1

  11.1

  Lliw Valley

  9

  1

  11.1

  Neath

  5

  —

  —

  591

  District of residence

  Suicides1—total

  Suicides1farmers2

  Farmers suicides as a percentage of all suicides

  Port Talbot

  7

  —

  —

  Swansea

  21

  —

  —

  Wales

  331

  12

  3.6

  1International Classification of Diseases, Injuries and Causes of Death (9th revision): ICD E950–E959, E980–E989 (excluding E988.8)—suicides and undetermined deaths (excluding other specified means).

  2Farmers, farm managers and horticulturists.

  European Structural Funds
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the underspending on the allocation of funds from European structural funds during the 1995–96 financial year; what provision he will make to carry over the funds involved; and what consultation he has had with his counterparts in the European Commission concerning approval for a carry-over provision. [24921]

  Mr. Hague
  Despite the late approval by the Commission of the objective 2 and 5(b) programmes in Wales and a number of community initiative programmes, it is expected that all the resources under these programmes will be allocated to projects on time.

  A465
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many(a) deaths, (b) injuries and (c) accidents there have been on the A465 Aberdulais to Glyn Neath since 1985; and if he will make a statement. [25006]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information requested is shown in the table. The data cover personal injury accidents recorded by the police on the A465 between Aberdulais and Glyn Neath.

  Year

  Number of accidents

  Number of fatalities

  Number of injuries

  1985

  20

  2

  42

  1986

  20

  3

  34

  1987

  12

  —

  25

  1988

  18

  3

  35

  1989

  21

  1

  35

  1990

  39

  4

  63

  1991

  28

  3

  42

  1992

  28

  3

  48

  1993

  28

  2

  60

  1994

  23

  2

  35

  1995

  40

  —

  83

  Planning Policy Guidance
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) when he expects to publish planning draft technical advice notes for consultation; and if these will be published before planning policy guidance for Wales is issued in a definitive form; [25412]

  (2) if he will make a statement about the development of planning policy as reflected in letters from his Department to (a) Ms M. Williams on 13 October 1995
  592
  and (b) Ms J. Toms on 14 March 1996; and if technical advice notes will be issued before the final version of his planning policy guidance. [25417]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Carlile) by my right hon. Friend on 25 March,Official Report, column 452.

  Road Signage
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the cost of replacing road signage to take account of the changes in local government implemented on 1 April. [25415]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No such estimate has been made. The cost of replacing boundary signs falls to the relevant unitary authority.

  Mr. Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what procedures have to be followed to change motorway signs to take account of the local government changes brought into effect on 1 April; and what estimate he has made of the cost of such changes. [25416]

  Mr. Jones
  The Welsh Office has to approve the design and location of any boundary signs prior to their installation on the motorway. The costs fall to the relevant unitary authority.

  Children's Homes
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much of the Jillings report to Clwyd county council he will require to be published. [25343]

  Mr. Hague
  The Government's overriding objective is to ensure the safety and well-being of children in care in north Wales. It was for this reason that my predecessor, in the light of the child abuse trials in Clwyd, asked Miss Nicola Davies QC in May 1995 to consider whether a public inquiry was needed and, if so, what form it should take. Miss Davies reported to me in November 1995 and I published her conclusions and recommendations in December.

  At the same time, I announced the appointment of a team headed by Ms Adrianne Jones to undertake the examination of management practices and procedures in social service departments in north Wales that Miss Davies had recommended. Ms Jones is due to report to me at the end of May. I shall publish her findings and will seek to ensure that the new local authorities adopt procedures that conform with current best practice.

  Quite separately, Clwyd county council commissioned its own independent panel of inquiry in March 1994. It comprised a team of social work professionals chaired by Mr. John Jillings. In exercising its statutory powers, Clwyd county council did not need to consult my Department about this decision or about the procedures the inquiry would adopt.

  I understand from a press release that Clwyd county council considered Mr. Jillings' report, or a draft of it, at its meeting on 26 March. My Department subsequently received from Flintshire county council, one of the successor authorities, a version of the Jillings report which, it was told, did not incorporate all of the 200 or so factual corrections which Clwyd county council had

  593
  requested. At the same time, it received a copy of legal advice commissioned by Clwyd county council which concluded that the report could not be published.

  I believe that it would be in the public interest for the successor local authorities to seek urgently to produce a version of the report that can safely be published. It is a matter of regret that those who commissioned the inquiry apparently failed to ensure that it would be undertaken in a way which would make its conclusions publishable. I have therefore written today to the leaders or chairmen of the five successor authorities to Clwyd county council requesting that they:
  (1) Let me know whether the version of the independent panel's report, which my Department currently holds, incorporates all the 200 or so corrections that Clwyd county council requested, and is the final version formally signed and presented by the panel members;
  (2) Let me know at once what, if any, action Clwyd county council formally resolved to take on the report, and whether any such resolution may now be taken as representing the wishes of its authorities;
  (3) In consultation with the independent panel, seek urgently to produce a version of the report that can safely be published;
  (4) Make a final and full version of the report available to the investigating and the prosecuting authorities so that they can consider whether it contains sufficient grounds to justify reopening investigations, and to Ms Adrianne Jones so that she can consider its relevance to the review of existing systems that she is undertaking for me.

  I am placing a copy of my letter to the local authorities in the Library of the House.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Zimbabwe Environmental Conference
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the letter from the Minister of Overseas Development on 2 April, who will represent the United Kingdom at the environmental conference in Zimbabwe later this year; and if land pollution is on the agenda. [25499]

  Mr. Hanley
  Participants from the UK are expected to include experts from the academic and private sectors concerned with best environmental practice in the mining industry. Land pollution will be discussed under various themes on the agenda.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what budget was allocated for the assisted places scheme in 1995–96; what was the actual spending on the assisted places scheme in that year; and what budget has been allocated to the assisted places scheme for 1996–97. [25513]

  Mrs. Gillan
  Provision in the supply estimates for the assisted places scheme in the financial year 1995–96 was £104.4 million. Final outturn expenditure has yet to be confirmed through the usual appropriation accounts procedures. The planned spending for the financial year 1996–97 is £118.3 million.

  Departmental Budget
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in what areas of her departmental budget actual spending in 1995–96 fell short of projected spending; if she will indicate the relevant budget headings and amount in each case; and if she will make a statement. [25481]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Net outturn expenditure figures for 1995–96 have yet to be confirmed through the usual appropriation accounts procedures. Final figures for each of the Department's votes will be included in a public expenditure outturn White Paper to be published in the summer. I shall send the hon. Member the detail he requests on individual budget headings at that time.

  Independent Schools (Inspections)
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment for what reason the number of Office for Standards in Education inspections of independent schools is being reduced. [25306]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  This is a matter 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.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Government Art Collection
  Mr. Jopling
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list the 20 most valuable pictures in the Government's art collection which are made available to be displayed in public buildings and embassies overseas, together with the names of the artist, most recent valuation and current location. [24875]

  Mr. Sproat
  It is not possible to state which 20 of the Government's art collection of some 14,000 works of art are the most valuable in monetary terms. The monetary value of a picture can be assessed only at the time of purchase or sale and thereafter by professional valuation. It would not be a justifiable expenditure of public funds to have the whole collection valued professionally. As a general rule, the most highly esteemed pictures are placed where they will best serve the national interest, that is to say, in prestige locations at home and abroad.

  Violence Chip Technology
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what research she has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on (i) the adoption by the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission of a programme of action to introduce V chip technology and encode television programmes, (ii) the Shaw-Rogers V chip trials, (iii) the Edmonton trials of V chip technology by Shaw Cablesystems and Superchannel in 1994, (iv) the Rogers Cablesystem V chip trials in Toronto and Ottawa in 1995, (v) Canadian Television broadcasting companies' trails of V chip technology in Montreal in 1995 and (vi) the third round of V chip trials by Shaw Cable and Rogers Cablesystems in Canada in February 1996; [24974]
  595
  (2) what reports she has received on the Shaw Communications V chip cable converter box; [24983]

  (3) what reports she has received on the discussions, research and trials which preceded the passing of the recent US Telecommunications Act; [24979]

  (4) what contacts her Department has had with Shaw Cablesystems concerning V chip technology; [24985]

  (5) if her Department holds a copy of the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission's policy on programme classification for V chip technology; [24981]

  (6) what discussions her Department has had with the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission concerning the V chip; [24984]

  (7) what reports she has received on the work of the US Electronic Industries Association Group since 1992 on the application of V chip technology. [24982]

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 16 April 1996]: My Department is paying close attention to the full range of broadcasting issues arising from the V chip, in conjunction with broadcasters, regulators, consumer groups and other interested parties. Should technological implications ensue, these would of course be a matter for my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

  As part of the review of the issues, we shall be taking full account of the experience in the USA and Canada. Last month the Secretary of State met Dr. Arthur Pober, executive director of the Entertainment Software Rating Board, and Professor Jeffrey Bernstein, an expert in studies on violence in the media from Utrecht university, who gave a detailed account of the experience in the USA. They also addressed a seminar hosted by my Department and organised by the Advertising Association, at which my noble Friend Lord Inglewood was also present and which was well attended by representatives of the broadcasting industry, consumer groups and others.

  The Secretary of State is considering what specific research on V chip related matters to commission and will be interested to receive any information that the hon. Member offers to provide.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if officials from her Department attended the V chip display at the technology exposition of the G7 meeting in Brussels in February 1994. [24986]

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 16 April 1996]: No.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what reports she has received on the V chip amendment to the European directive, "Television Without Frontiers", 89/552/EEC. [24980]

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 16 April 1996]: The Secretary of State has been notified of the European Parliament's amendments, adopted on 14 February, including amendment 55. The United Kingdom, along with all member states, awaits the modified proposal from the European Commission, which may or may not include this amendment.

  Compliance Cost Assessments
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many compliance cost assessments were produced by her Department in 1995; and if she will place copies in the Library. [25272]

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 16 April 1996]: No such assessments were produced by my Department during 1995.

  National Audit Office
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage How many files marked "Not for National Audit Office Eyes" are currently held by her Department. [24854]

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 17 April 1996]: There are 43 files in my Department out of a total of approximately 170,000 marked "Not to be seen by NAO without reference to the appropriate Head of Division", sometimes abbreviated to "Not for NAO Eyes".

  The marking "Not for NAO Eyes" is used in accordance with an agreement between the Treasury and the National Audit Office, under which documents relating to the handling of relations between Departments and the NAO and Public Accounts Committee are not automatically available to the NAO while they are current.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Child Support Regulations
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library a copy of the response made by the Council on Tribunals to the proposed Social Security (Adjudication) and Child Support Amendment Regulations 1996. [24824]

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  A copy has been placed in the Library.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to improve response times by the Child Support Agency to public correspondence and to ensure that all correspondence receives a reply. [24127]

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

  Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Mr. Hinchliffe, dated 17 April 1996:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency response times to public correspondence.
  The Agency has a charter standard to respond to written enquiries within 10 working days. For written complaints, the standard is that they should be acknowledged within 2 working days, and a full response given within 10 working days. Currently, the Agency is responding to 40% of written enquiries within 10 working days; for complaints, current performance is that 87% are acknowledged within 2 working days, with 42% receiving a full response within 10 working days.

  597
  The Agency is looking at ways to improve performance in this important area. Working practices within the Agency's six Centres have been altered, and greater emphasis has been put on responding quickly to clients' enquiries. Each Centre has also introduced a tracking system specifically to handle complaints.
  All items of mail received in the Agency's six Centres are promptly sorted, recorded on the Child Support Computer System and distributed to the relevant sections who will then take the necessary action. A diary system ensures tasks are prioritised and the progress of work is monitored until completion.
  If an item of post is received and staff are unable to identify which case it relates to because, for example, there is insufficient information, the Agency writes to the correspondent asking for more details. At 31 March 1996, there were a total of 127 such items in the Agency's six Centres.
  It is worth noting that all correspondence received by the Agency from clients does not require a written response; often it is the case that letters are received reporting changes in circumstances or requesting action to be taken. Where this is the case, the Agency takes whatever action is appropriate and no written response is necessary.
  On a more general note, during the next few months all the Centres will introduce Complete Action Service Teams which will deal with cases across a wide range of activities which had previously been undertaken by different sections. These teams will also help to provide a better service to our customers by keeping cases up to date and will cut down the transfer of cases within the Centres.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total Child Support Agency budget for(a) paper and (b) printing in each year of its operation. [24064]

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

  Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Mr. David Hinchliffe, dated 17 April 1996:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about paper and printing costs within the Child Support Agency.
  Individual costs for paper and printing are not readily obtainable as they both form part of a larger account entitled "Printing & Stationery", which includes printing, stationery and other miscellaneous stationery items.
  The total costs for "Printing & Stationery" for the three financial years since the launch of the Agency are as follows:

  1993/94: £518,823

  1994/95: £1,160,842

  1995/96: £2,235,698 (subject to end of year adjustment)

  I hope this is helpful.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of items of correspondence issued annually by the Child Support Agency; and at what total cost, for each year of activity. [24063]

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

  Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Mr. David Hinchliffe, dated 17 April 1996:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency correspondence.
  598
  I cannot provide you with a meaningful estimate of the number of items of correspondence issued annually by the Agency. This information is not recorded by the Agency as there is no business need to do so.
  However, I can confirm that the total costs of General Postage were as follows:

  (i) During the financial year 1993–94: £1,041,851

  (ii) During the financial year 1994–95: £1,607,747

  (iii) During the financial year 1995–96: £1,537,482 (subject to final confirmation)

  I hope this is helpful.

  Statutory Maternity Pay
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to implement the European Court of Justice judgment in the case of Gillespie and Others v. Northern Health and Social Services Board and Others (C-342/93) where it effects the calculation of statutory maternity pay. [25928]

  Mr. Heald
  I will shortly be laying regulations to amend the rules for calculating the earnings-related element of statutory maternity pay, SMP, to bring the calculation into line with the European Court of Justice judgment.

  In its judgment of 13 February 1996, the court stated that where a woman's maternity pay is calculated on the basis of pay received before her maternity leave starts, that calculation must take account of any backdated pay rises subsequently awarded and which take effect in the period used to work out her maternity pay. Not to allow a woman on maternity leave to benefit from a pay rise would be to discriminate against her on the ground of her pregnancy.

  One of the qualifying conditions for SMP is that a woman's normal weekly earnings must be at least equal to the lower earnings limit for the payment of national insurance contributions. If this condition is satisfied, SMP is payable at 90 per cent. of her normal weekly earnings for the first six weeks of her 18-week maternity pay period. The woman's normal weekly earnings are calculated using payments actually made to her by her employer in the eight weeks immediately preceding the 14th week before the week in which her baby is expected. At present, no account is taken of backdated pay rises awarded after this period.

  The new rules will mean that employers must revise the earnings-related element of SMP if a backdated pay rise is awarded that effects payments made in the period used to calculate the amount of SMP due.

  Sickness Benefit
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what responses he has received from small businesses to his proposals for them to pay sickness benefits claims; and if he will make a statement. [24319]

  Mr. Heald
  All employers have been responsible for administering statutory sick pay, SSP, since its introduction in 1983. The costs of SSP were transferred to employers in April 1994 to give them an incentive to tackle high sick absences. The cost to business was more than offset by the reduction in employers' national
  599
  insurance contributions. In addition, there were measures taken to protect small businesses faced with a large proportion of their work force off sick at any one time.

  The Department has recently sought views from both sides of industry on a proposal which would allow employers exemption from operating the rules of the SSP scheme where, and for as long as, they pay wages or occupational sick pay at or above the SSP rate for any day of incapacity for work. Employers could choose whether to take advantage of the easement, and employees' rights would not be affected. Responses to the proposal, a number of which are from small businesses, are currently being examined.

SCOTLAND

  Initial Healthcare
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what penalties have been applied as a result of Initial Healthcare being in default in relation to staffing levels within the contract for hotel services at Hairmyers/Stonehouse trust. [25202]

  Total number of adults registered with dentists in each health board in Scotland

  Health Board

  February 1993

  July 1993

  February 1994

  July 1994

  February 1995

  July 1995

  February 1996

  Scotland

  1,959,578

  1,920,151

  1,914,284

  1,899,482

  1,902,179

  1,890,451

  1,947,170

  Argyll and Clyde

  158,982

  154,135

  152,956

  150,710

  151,381

  151,791

  157,097

  Ayrshire and Arran

  150,788

  147,831

  148,768

  147,185

  144,333

  143,529

  147,821

  Borders

  44,365

  42,880

  42,331

  42,498

  43,335

  44,117

  47,054

  Dumfries and Galloway

  54,798

  50,218

  49,865

  48,872

  47,870

  47.636

  49,981

  Fife

  129,481

  127,987

  127,802

  128,050

  131,175

  131,304

  133,264

  Forth Valley

  102,056

  99,200

  98,740

  98,317

  99,697

  98,969

  100,582

  Grampian

  200,156

  199,128

  199,362

  198,014

  197,869

  195,485

  199,764

  Greater Glasgow

  367,552

  362,334

  358,865

  354,665

  354,131

  351,733

  357,820

  Highland

  74,711

  70,261

  65,118

  61,426

  60,579

  58,770

  64,816

  Lanarkshire

  185,555

  182,100

  182,456

  182,048

  183,449

  181,874

  185,345

  Lothian

  303,730

  298,315

  299,862

  298,672

  299,002

  296,797

  308,842

  Orkney

  6,774

  7,180

  7,428

  7,534

  6,268

  5,497

  5,700

  Shetland

  5,994

  6,177

  6,374

  6,597

  6,761

  6,694

  7,601

  Tayside

  166,367

  164,187

  166,302

  166,928

  168,236

  167,885

  172,157

  Western Isles

  8,269

  8,218

  8,055

  7,965

  8,093

  8,370

  9,326

  Total1 number of children registered with dentists in each health board in Scotland

  Health Board

  February 1993

  July 1993

  February 1994

  July 1994

  February 1995

  July 1995

  February 1996

  Scotland

  596,054

  682,386

  610,268

  685,802

  600,625

  676,118

  619,823

  Argyll and Clyde

  54,089

  62,436

  55,617

  62,658

  54,297

  61,29

  55,488

  Ayrshire and Arran

  49,669

  56,119

  50,116

  55,360

  48,603

  54,403

  49,598

  Borders

  10,751

  11,897

  11,216

  12,430

  11,731

  12,788

  12,278

  Dumfries and Galloway

  18,174

  20,334

  18,112

  20,172

  18,039

  20,257

  18,732

  Fife

  42,974

  48,309

  43,361

  48,431

  42,964

  48,123

  44,257

  Forth Valley

  33,116

  37,536

  33,714

  37,600

  32,743

  36,849

  33,445

  Grampian

  61,850

  69,644

  83,383

  70,454

  63,426

  70,011

  64,947

  Greater Glasgow

  109,779

  127,055

  110,696

  126,746

  108,313

  124,302

  111,044

  Highland

  23,919

  28,045

  25,223

  27,999

  23,934

  26,918

  25,220

  Lanarkshire

  58,579

  69,046

  60,964

  69,256

  59,329

  67,736

  60,603

  Lothian

  80,671

  92,312

  83,309

  93,962

  83,469

  93,757

  88,879

  Orkney

  370

  427

  561

  784

  464

  441

  415

  Shetland

  173

  199

  214

  273

  249

  273

  247

  Tayside

  50,790

  57,497

  52,459

  58,139

  51,957

  57,611

  53,444

  Western Isles

  1,150

  1,530

  1,323

  1,538

  1,107

  1,353

  1,226

  1Comparability of figures for children registered in different months within the same year is affected by registration patterns as children's registrations lapse at the end of the calendar year following the one in which they last saw a dentist.

  600
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The trust has withheld appropriate sums from some of the monthly payments due to the company.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the standards met by Initial Healthcare in respect of domestic services at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary trust. [25242]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Deficiencies identified early in 1995 in the delivery of domestic services at the royal infirmary have been resolved to the satisfaction of the trust.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (i) children, (ii) adults and (iii) people in total were registered with dentists in each health board in(a) February 1993, (b) July 1993, (c) February 1994, (d) July 1994, (e) February 1995, (f) July 1995 and (g) February 1996. [25228]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is contained in the tables.
  601

  Total number of people registered with dentists in each health board in Scotland

  Health Board

  February 1993

  July 1993

  February 1994

  July 1994

  February 1995

  July 1995

  February 1996

  Scotland

  2,555,632

  2,602,537

  2,524,552

  2,585,294

  2,502,804

  2,566,569

  2,566,993

  Argyll and Clyde

  213,071

  216,571

  208,573

  213,368

  205,678

  213,087

  212,585

  Ayrshire and Arran

  200,457

  203,950

  198,884

  202,545

  192,936

  197,932

  197,419

  Borders

  55,116

  54,777

  53,547

  54,928

  55,066

  56,905

  59,332

  Dumfries and Galloway

  72,972

  70,552

  67,977

  69,044

  65,909

  67,893

  68,713

  Fife

  172,455

  176,296

  171,163

  176,481

  174,139

  179,427

  177,521

  Forth Valley

  135,172

  136,736

  132,454

  135,917

  132,440

  135,818

  134,027

  Grampian

  262,006

  268,772

  262,745

  268,468

  261,295

  265,496

  264,711

  Greater Glasgow

  477,331

  489,389

  469,561

  481,411

  462,444

  476,035

  468,864

  Highland

  98,630

  98,306

  90,341

  89,425

  84,513

  85,688

  90,036

  Lanarkshire

  244,134

  251,146

  243,420

  251,305

  242,778

  249,610

  245,948

  Lothian

  384,401

  390,627

  383,171

  392,634

  382,471

  390,554

  397,721

  Orkney

  7,144

  7,607

  7,989

  8,318

  6,732

  5,938

  6,115

  Shetland

  6,167

  6,376

  6,588

  6,870

  7,010

  6,967

  7,848

  Tayside

  217,157

  221,284

  218,761

  225,067

  220,193

  225,496

  225,601

  Western Isles

  9,419

  9,748

  9,378

  9,503

  9,200

  9,723

  10,552

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what date dentists were first required to register their patients; and when his Department first received information on(a) total registrations which dentists and (b) total deregistrations by dentists from each health board or equivalent body. [25227]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Dentists have been able to register patients since 1 October 1990. The Department has received information from the dental practice division on the total number of patients registered in Scotland since October 1990. Information about de-regulations has been supplied by each health board since 17 July 1992.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 25 March,Official Report, column 420, if the statistical basis for calculating the number of people deregistered by their dentists is the same as that applied by the Department of Health; and what changes in the method of calculation have been made in the last 18 months.[25229]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information provided by health boards is simply recorded and aggregated to produce the all-Scotland figures and cumulative totals; the procedure has not been changed.

  Iron Age Site (Outer Hebrides)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what resources he is providing to Historic Scotland and the University of Edinburgh to undertake a rescue operation to prevent destruction and erosion of the iron age site on Greater Bernera in the Outer Hebrides; and if he will make a statement. [25536]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend provides resources to his executive agency, Historic Scotland, to fund its rescue archaeology programme and other activities. The sum of £1.8 million has been allocated in 1996–97 for rescue archaeology. It is for the agency to decide on relative priorities, including whether and to what extent to fund individual projects.602
  The agency's chief executive is writing to the hon. Member to explain Historic Scotland's involvement in the excavation at Bosta, Great Bernera.

  Letter from Graeme Munro to Mr. Tam Dalyell, dated 18 April 1996:
  I refer to your Parliamentary Question of 16 April to the Secretary of State for Scotland. As you will know from the reply from Lord James Douglas-Hamilton I have been asked to reply on the particular project at Bosta.
  The excavation at Bosta, Great Bernera, Outer Hebrides, is a research project being undertaken by the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Field Archaeology with the assistance of a grant from Historic Scotland. Initially the University requested a grant of £23,500 which was provided. Following a site visit by one of our Ancient Monument Inspectors to the important new discoveries made in recent weeks, Historic Scotland has allocated a further £45,000 to ensure that these are properly investigated and recorded. Digging will recommence at the end of April for a four-week period, and there will probably be a third episode of excavation in September. In due course financial support will be provided for the all-important process of analysis and publication of the discoveries.
  The archaeological site contains the remains of several houses of late Iron Age date. It is at threat from active marine erosion (hence the dig), but urgent investigations are being made by the Western Isles Islands Council into the feasibility of saving the site, possibly enlisting help from major private sector concerns working locally. There is keen interest in Great Bernera and beyond in attempting to preserve or reconstruct at least part of the excavated remains, preferably on-site. This will be physically difficult, but Historic Scotland will provide technical advice on this aspect. The archaeological excavation work is a necessary precursor to any such preservation effort. An on-site meeting of all concerned will take place in early May, once the next phase of excavation has begun.
  Historic Scotland are well aware of the public interest in this site, and our staff are doing everything they can, but it must be borne in mind that this is but one of many dozens of archaeological sites known to be under threat from marine erosion. To put the recent discovery into context it is certainly of national interest in relation to the archaeological evidence we can hope to obtain from the excavations, but the stonework is in poor condition and would be difficult to consolidate. The site would not, on present evidence, be a contender for bringing into State care.
  I hope this information is helpful.

  Local Government Reform
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many statutory instruments have been issued as a consequence of the Local Government Reform etc. (Scotland) Act 1994; and if he will list the instruments. [23143]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 28 March 1996]: A total of 105. These are listed in the table under broad subject headings:

  Commencement, Local Government (General), Compulsory Competitive Tendering, Staff and Property
  1994 No. 2850: The Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994 (Commencement No. 1) Order 1994
  1994 No. 2958: The Local Government Staff Commission (Scotland) Order 1994
  1994 No. 3150: The Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994 (Commencement No. 2) Order 1994
  1995 No. 677: The Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 (Competition) (Scotland) Regulations 1995
  1995 No. 678: The Local Government (Exemption from Competition) (Scotland) Order 1995
  1995 No. 702: The Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994 (Commencement No. 3) Order 1995
  1995 No. 789: The Local Government (Application of Enactments) (Scotland) Order 1995
  1995 No. 1340: The Local Authorities (Staff Transfer) (Scotland) Order 1995
  1995 No. 1878: The Local Government (Transitional Provisions) (Scotland) Order 1995
  1995 No. 1894: The Local Government (Relevant Date) (Scotland) Order 1995
  1995 No. 1898: The Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994 (Commencement No. 4) Order 1995
  1995 No. 2499: The Local Authorities (Property Transfer) (Scotland) Order 1995
  1995 No. 2500: The Local Government Property Commission (Scotland) Order 1995
  1995 No. 2866: The Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994 (Commencement No. 5) Order 1995
  1995 No. 3326: The Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994 (Commencement No. 6 and Saving) Order 1995
  1996 No. 323: The Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994 (Commencement No. 7 and Savings) Order 1996
  1996 No. 578: The Local Authorities (Property Transfer) (Scotland) Amendment Order 1996
  1996 No. 731: Lord-Lieutenants (Scotland) Order 1996
  1996 No. 739: The Local Government (Transitional and Consequential Provisions and Revocations) (Scotland) Order 1996
  1996 No. 974: The Local Government (Translation Amendments) (Scotland) Order 1996

  Local Government Finance
  1995 No. 548: The Non-Domestic Rates (Levying) (Scotland) Regulations 1995
  1995 No. 572: The Valuation Appeal Committee (Procedure in Appeals Under the Valuation Acts) (Scotland) Regulations 1995
  1995 No. 1515: The Local Government (Qualifications of Assessors) (Scotland) Order 1995
  1995 No. 2589: The Valuation Joint Boards (Scotland) Order 1995
  604
  1995 No. 2766: The Local Government (Application of Enactments) (No. 2) (Scotland) Order 1995
  1995 No. 3252: The Water Undertakings (Rateable Values) (Scotland) (No. 2) Order 1995
  1996 No. 137: The Valuation Appeal Panels and Committees (Scotland) Regulations 1996
  1996 No. 430: The Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 1996
  1996 No. 580: The Rating, Valuation and Council Tax (Miscellaneous Provisions) Order 1996
  1996 No. 681: The Accounts Commission (Scotland) Regulations 1996
  1996 No. 682: The Local Government (Transitional Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Order 1996
  1996 No. 746: The Council Tax (Reduction of Liability) (Scotland) Regulations 1996
  1996 No. 747: The Local Authorities (Discretionary Expenditure) (Scotland) Regulations 1996

  Roads and Transport
  1995 No. 1476: The Roads (Transitional Powers) (Scotland) Order 1995
  1995 No. 1971: The Strathclyde Passenger Transport Area (Designation) Order 1995
  1995 No. 3026: The Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority (Constitution, Membership and Transitional and Consequential Provisions) Order 1995
  1995 No. 3328: The Roads (Transitional Powers) (Scotland) Amendment Order 1995
  1996 No. 496: The Roads (Transitional Powers) (Scotland) Amendment Order 1996
  1996 No. 749: The Forth and Tay Bridge Order Confirmation Acts (Modification) Order 1996

  Water and Sewerage
  1996 No. 141: The Coast Protection (Notices) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 1996
  1996 No. 325: The Water Services Charges (Billing and Collection) (Scotland) Order 1996
  1996 No. 326: The Domestic Sewerage Charges (Reduction) (Scotland) Regulations 1996
  1996 No. 744: The Water and Sewerage Authorities (Rate of Return) (Scotland) Order 1996
  1996 No. 918: The Local Government Finance Act 1992 (Commencement No. 10) Order 1996

  Social Work
  1995 No. 515: The Qualifications of Chief Social Work Officers (Scotland) Regulations 1996
  1996 No. 492: The Local Government (Transfer of Children's Hearings Cases) (Scotland) Order 1996

  Police
  1995 No. 2638: The Central Scotland Combined Police Area Amalgamation Scheme Order 1995
  1995 No. 2639: The Grampian Combined Police Area Amalgamation Scheme Order 1995
  1995 No. 2640: The Lothian and Borders Combined Police Area Amalgamation Scheme Order 1995
  1995 No. 2641: The Northern Combined Police Area Amalgamation Scheme Order 1995
  1995 No. 2641: The Strathclyde Combined Police Area Amalgamation Scheme Order 1995
  1995 No. 2643: The Tayside Combined Police Area Amalgamation Scheme Order 1995
  1996 No. 780: Police Grant Order (Scotland) 1996
  605
  Fire
  1995 No. 2632: The North Eastern Combined Fire Services Area Administration Scheme
  1995 No. 2633: The Northern Combined Fire Services Administration Scheme Order 1995
  1995 No. 2634: The South Eastern Combined Fire Services Area Administration Scheme Order 1995
  1995 No. 2635: The Central Combined Fire Services Area Administration Scheme Order 1995

  Tourism
  1995 No. 1879: The Aberdeen and Grampian Tourist Board Scheme Order 1995
  1995 No. 1880: The Angus and City of Dundee Tourist Board Scheme Order 1995
  1995 No. 1881: The Argyll, the Isles. Loch Lomond, Stirling and Trossachs Tourist Board Scheme Order 1995
  1995 No. 1882: The Ayrshire and Arran Tourist Board Scheme Order 1995
  1995 No. 1883: The Dumfries and Galloway Tourist Board Scheme Order 1995
  1995 No. 1884: The Edinburgh and Lothians Tourist Board Scheme Order 1995
  1995 No. 1885: The Greater Glasgow and Clyde Valley Tourist Board Scheme Order 1995
  1995 No. 1886: The Highlands of Scotland Tourist Board Scheme Order 1995
  1995 No. 1887: The Kingdom of Fife Tourist Board Scheme Order 1995
  1995 No. 1888: The Orkney Tourist Board Scheme Order 1995
  1995 No. 1889: The Perthshire Tourist Board Scheme Order 1995
  1995 No. 1890: The Scottish Borders Tourist Board Scheme Order 1995
  1995 No. 1891: The Shetland Tourist Board Scheme Order 1995
  1995 No. 1892: The Western Isles Tourist Board Scheme Order 1995
  1995 No. 2211: The Aberdeen and Grampian Tourist Board Scheme Amendment Order 1995
  1995 No. 2212: The Angus and City of Dundee Tourist Board Amendment Order 1995
  1995 No. 2213: The Argyll, the Isles, Loch Lomond, Stirling and Trossachs Tourist Board Scheme Amendment Order 1995
  1995 No. 2232: The Ayrshire and Arran Tourist Board Scheme Amendment Order 1995
  1995 No. 2233: The Dumfries and Galloway Tourist Board Scheme Amendment Order 1995
  1995 No. 2234: The Edinburgh and Lothians Tourist Board Scheme Amendment Order 1995
  1995 No. 2235: The Greater Glasgow and Clyde Valley Tourist Board Scheme Amendment Order 1995
  1995 No. 2236: The Highlands of Scotland Tourist Board Scheme Amendment Order 1995
  1995 No. 2237: The Kingdom of Fife Tourist Board Scheme Amendment Order 1995
  1995 No. 2238: The Orkney Tourist Board Scheme Amendment Order 1995
  1995 No. 2239: The Perthshire Tourist Board Scheme Amendment Order 1995
  1995 No. 2214: The Scottish Borders Tourist Board Scheme Amendment Order 1995
  1995 No. 2240: The Shetland Tourist Board Scheme Amendment Order 1995
  606
  1995 No. 2241: The Western Isles Tourist Board Scheme Amendment Order 1995

  Education
  1994 No. 3149: The Self-Governing Schools (Suspension of Proposals) (Scotland) Order 1994
  1996 No. 306: The Educational Endowments (Fife Region) Transfer Scheme Order 1996
  1996 No. 307: The Educational Endowments (Highland Region) Transfer Scheme Order 1996
  1996 No. 308: The Educational Endowments (Borders Region) Transfer Scheme Order 1996
  1996 No. 474: The Educational Endowments (Dumfries and Galloway Region) Transfer Scheme Order 1996
  1996 No. 475: The Educational Endowments (Central Region) Transfer Scheme Order 1996
  1996 No. 477: The Educational Endowments (Tayside Region) Transfer Scheme Order 1996
  1996 No. 478: The Educational Endowments (Grampian Region) Transfer Scheme Order 1996
  1996 No. 629: The Educational Endowments (Strathclyde Region) Transfer Scheme Order 1996
  1996 No. 630: The Educational Endowments (Lothian Region) Transfer Scheme Order 1996

  Planning
  1995 No. 3002: The Designation of Structure Plan Areas (Scotland) Order 1995

  Courts
  1996 No. 1005: The Sheriff Court Districts (Alteration of Boundaries) Order 1996
  1996 No. 1006: The Sheriffdoms (Alteration of Boundaries) Order 1996

  Electoral Arrangements
  1994 No. 3255: The Local Government (Transitional Election Arrangements (Scotland) Order 1994
  1996 No. 753: The European Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officers) (Scotland) Order 1996

  Superannuation
  1995 No. 340: The Local Government (Compensation for Redundancy or Premature Retirement on Reorganisation) (Scotland) Regulations 1995
  1995 No. 750: The Local Government (Superannuation and Compensation for Premature Retirement) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 1995
  1995 No. 840: The Local Government (Education Administration) (Compensation for Redundancy or Premature Retirement on Reorganisation) (Scotland) Regulations 1995
  1995 No. 2865: The Local Government (Compensation for Reduction of Remuneration on Reorganisation) (Scotland) Regulations 1995
  1995 No. 3294: The Local Government (Superannuation and Compensation for Redundancy or Premature Retirement) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 1995

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many guidance circulars have been issued by his Department as a consequence of local government reform in Scotland; and if he will list the circulars. [23144]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 28 March 1996]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 17 January Official Report, column 642. Since then, the following 33 circulars have been issued:
  607
  Local Government, Finance, Compulsory Competitive Tendering, Staff Property, etc.
  Scottish Office Development Department Circular 2/96: Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 Licensing Arrangements—Local Government Reorganisation
  Circular Letter: The Local Authorities (Property Transfer) (Scotland) Amendment Order 1996
  Circular Letter: Revised Commentary Note on The Local Authorities (Property Transfer) (Scotland) Order 1996
  Circular Letter: Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 (Commencement No. 7 and Savings) Order 1996
  Circular Letter: Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994: The Local Government (Transitional and Consequential Provisions and Revocations) (Scotland) Order 1996 and The Local Government (Translation Amendments) (Scotland) Order 1996
  Finance Circular No. 5/1996: The Water Undertakings (Rateable Values) (Scotland) (No. 2) Order 1995
  Finance Circular No. 6/1996: The Valuation Appeals Panels and Committees (Scotland) Regulations 1996
  Finance Circular No. 7/1996: 1996–1997 Capping Regime: Notional Amounts Report 1996
  Finance Circular No. 10/1996: Format for 1995–1996 Accounts of Shadow Councils
  Finance Circular No. 11/1996: Supplementary Mismatch Scheme and District Council Tax Equalisation Scheme
  Finance Circular No. 14/1996: The Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 1996
  Finance Circular No. 15/1996: Publication of Financial and Other Information by Local Authorities: Code of Practice for Scotland
  Finance Circular No. 18/1996: The Council Tax (Reduction of Liability) (Scotland) Regulations 1996: Council Tax: District Equalisation Scheme
  Finance Circular No. 19/1996: The Rating, Valuation and Council Tax (Miscellaneous Provisions) Order 1996
  Finance Circular No. 20/1996: Local Government (Transitional Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Order 1996

  Planning
  Circular Letter: Undetermined Planning Applications

  Superannuation
  SPN/LG Circular No. 1996/1: The Local Government (Superannuation and Compensation for Redundancy or Premature Retirement) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 1995

  Social Work
  SWSG 4/96: Child Protection: Local Liaison Machinery—Child Protection Committees
  SWSG5/96: Local Authority Complaints Procedures
  SWSG7/96: Local Inspection of Residential and Day Care Services
  SWSG9/96: The Qualifications of Chief Social Work Officers (Scotland) Regulations 1996

  Fire
  Circular Letter covering the issue of the booklet "Guidance for
  Members of New Fire Authorities and Joint Fire Boards"
  Circular: Emergency Planning

  Sport
  Circular No. 5/96: Sport in the New Councils

  Criminal Justice
  Circular No. HD 3/1996: Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994—District Courts and Justices of the Peace
  608
  Circular No. HD 4/1996: Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994: Transitional Arrangements for Licensing Boards
  Circular Letter: Ex Officio Justices of the Peace
  Circular Letter: The Lord-Lieutenants (Scotland) Order 1996
  Circular Letter: Justices of the Peace Advisory Committees

  Courts
  SCA Circular 1/1996: Sheriffdoms (Alterations of Boundaries) Order 1996 and Sheriff Court Districts (Alteration of Boundaries) Order 1996

  Health
  Circular Letter to Health Boards (NHS MEL (1996) 36): Appointment of Designated Medical Officers

  Education
  Student Awards Agency for Scotland Circular 1/1996: The Educational Endowments (Region Concerned) Transfer Scheme Order 1996

  Electoral Arrangements
  Circular Letter: Parliamentary Returning Officers

  Sheriffs
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many court days were undertaken by(a) temporary and (b) permanent sheriffs in Scotland for each of the last 20 years; and what proportion each represents of the total number of court days worked; [25472]

  (2) how many court days the duties of the sheriff in sheriff courts have been undertaken by temporary sheriffs in each of the last 15 years. [25471]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 16 April 1996]: Information in the form requested is not available for the years prior to 1989–90. The figures for the years since then are set out in the table:

  Total sitting days

  Number and percentage of days undertaken by permanent sheriffs

  Number and percentage of days undertaken by temporary sheriffs

  1989–90

  22,954

  18,753 (81.7 per cent.)

  4,201 (18.3 per cent.)

  1990–91

  23,189

  18,842 (81.3 per cent.)

  4,237 (18.7 per cent.)

  1991–92

  24,568

  19,105 (77.8 per cent.)

  5,463 (22.2 per cent.)

  1992–93

  25,087

  18,847 (75.1 per cent.)

  6,240 (24.9 per cent.)

  1993–94

  25,644

  19,111 (74.5 per cent.)

  6,533 (25.5 per cent.)

  1994–95

  25,821

  19,053 (73.8 per cent.)

  6,768 (26.2 per cent.)

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria govern the selection process for appointments as temporary sheriffs; and if he will make a statement. [25469]

  Mr. Forsyth
  [holding answer 16 April 1996]: All applicants for temporary sheriff appointment must have been legally qualified for at least five years. All candidates complete a standard application form and are asked to provide two referees. Comments are sought from the dean of the Faculty of Advocates and from the president and secretary of the Law Society depending on whether the candidate is an advocate or a solicitor. Interviews are carried out by the sheriffs principal, who make recommendations to the Lord Advocate.
  609
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) permanent sheriffs and (b) temporary sheriffs there were in each of the last 20 years, how many of each were appointed in each year, and how many left each position; and if he will make a statement. [25467]

  Mr. Forsyth
  [holding answer 16 April 1996]: The information requested is available from 1985 only and is given in the table. Between 1985 and 1996 a total of 31 sheriffs left their positions, mainly on retiral. Comparable information for temporary sheriffs is not readily available. The use of temporary sheriffs when permanent sheriffs are unavailable for court work serves to avoid increases in court waiting periods and inconvenience to court users which would result from cancelled sittings. Their use also makes an important contribution to dealing efficiently with temporary increases in court business. The balance between the respective contributions of permanent and temporary sheriffs is kept under regular review.

  Year

  Number of temporary sheriffs

  Number of permanent sheriffs

  1985

  61

  88

  1986

  67

  92

  1987

  84

  95

  1988

  100

  96

  1989

  101

  96

  1990

  102

  97

  1991

  110

  99

  1992

  108

  99

  1993

  117

  101

  1994

  124

  101

  1995

  119

  104

  1996

  110

  104

  Mrs Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the present salary of(a) permanent sheriffs and (b) sheriffs principal; and if he will make a statement. [25468]

  Mr. Forsyth
  [holding answer 16 April 1996]: Salaries of permanent sheriffs and sheriffs principal fall within the remit of the Senior Salaries Review Body. Following this year's review rates are £75,978 and £88,266 per annum respectively with effect from 1 April 1996 increasing to £76,716 and £89,123 per annum respectively with effect from 1 December 1996.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the(a) travel, (b) accommodation and (c) policing and security costs of (i) the Prime Minister's and (ii) the Chancellor's most recent visit to Scotland. [25492]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 16 April 1996]: The cost of travel and accommodation incurred in visiting Scotland are matters for my right hon. and right hon. and learned Friends. The policing of such visits is a matter for the appropriate chief constable; costs are met from the budget of the police authority or joint board and attract police specific grant at 51 per cent.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Fair Employment Tribunals
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases have been heard by fair employment tribunals since 1 January 1990. [25230]

  Mr. Ancram
  During the period 1 January 1990 to 31 March 1996, 207 complaints were determined after full hearings by the fair employment tribunal.

  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions since January 1990 the Court of Appeal has altered an award on the ground that the Fair Employment Tribunal misdirected itself in assessing compensation. [25236]

  Mr. Ancram
  None.

  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions (a) the president and (b) the vice-president of the fair employment tribunals have imposed cash penalties on employers who were in breach of tribunal orders; what has been the amount of the penalties imposed; and how many such breaches have been referred to the High Court for enforcement or committal. [25232]

  Mr. Ancram
  No orders have been issued by the tribunal.

  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many appeals to the fair employment tribunals have been dismissed since January 1990. [25235]

  Mr. Ancram
  There have been no appeals.

  Industrial Tribunals
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases have been heard by the industrial tribunals in Northern Ireland since 1 January 1990. [24988]

  Mr. Ancram
  During the period 1 January 1990 to 31 March 1996, 3,029 complaints were determined after full hearings by industrial tribunals.

  Bovine Tuberculosis
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what research he has evaluated into the contribution of badgers to bovine TB; and if he will make a statement.[25380]

  Mr. Ancram
  A study of the distribution and abundance of badgers in Northern Ireland has been carried out under the auspices of Queen's university, Belfast. Antigen development and stain typing research is continuing at the Department of Agriculture's veterinary science division to help establish the significance of the badger in the transmission of TB.

  A feasibility study on the development of a vaccine for use in badgers was undertaken in 1994–95 in conjunction with the Republic of Ireland. This concluded that a long-term programme would be required to develop an effective vaccine. A joint submission for EU funding was made by six member states, including the UK. This has so far been unsuccessful.
  611
  The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has begun a project independently to develop such a vaccine.

  Northern Ireland Federation of Clubs
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will meet the Northern Ireland Federation of Clubs to seek agreement(a) on protecting legitimate clubs and (b) on controlling illegal activity in other clubs. [25379]

  Mr. Moss
  The proposals for a draft Registration of Clubs Order (Northern Ireland) 1996 which I published on 30 January contained, among other things, new provisions to deal effectively with illegal activity in clubs. These provisions were introduced at the express request of the police who, I understand, have written to the Federation of Clubs setting out the reasons why they regard their introduction as essential. I am satisfied that the draft order strikes the right balance between protecting clubs that commit minor or irregular offences and providing the courts with the powers to deal adequately and effectively with clubs that commit serious and persistent breaches of the law. In the circumstances, therefore, I see nothing to be gained from a meeting with the federation to discuss these issues.

TREASURY

  Taxation
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the average annual amounts of indirect taxation per citizen; what was the figure for 1979; and if he will make a statement. [24334]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The average amount of indirect tax paid per United Kingdom citizen is estimated to be £1,300 in 1995 and to have been £750 in 1979, at 1995 prices.

  Economic Growth
  Mr. John Townend
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his current estimate for growth in the UK for the current year; and what are the equivalent rates in other EU countries. [24335]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Government's last forecast was set out in the November "Financial Statement and Budget Report", which showed the UK economy growing by 3 per cent. and Europe growing by 2½ per cent. in 1996.

  Government Deficit
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what ratio of Government deficit to gross domestic product he assesses to be necessary to ensure budgetary discipline. [24336]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Government's fiscal objective is to bring the public sector borrowing requirement back towards balance over the medium term and, in particular, to ensure that, when the economy is on trend, the public sector borrows no more than is required to finance its net capital spending.
  612
  The PSBR has fallen sharply in the past couple of years. As it returns towards balance, the ratio of net public sector debt to gross domestic product will stabilise and then begin to fall.

  Personal Allowances
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy for personal allowances. [24337]

  Mr. Jack
  The Government's overall objectives for the tax system are set out at paragraph 5.02 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1996–97". Our policy is to maintain a broad tax base and reduce marginal tax rates. Personal allowances are an integral part of achieving those objectives and are considered each year in the run-up to the Budget.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will act to simplify value added tax and other taxes administered by HM Customs and Excise. [24338]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Smith), on 1 March 1996,Official Report, columns 777–78.

  Inflation
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his target for the level of inflation in April 1997. [24339]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The aim of this Government is to achieve underlying inflation, as measured by the retail prices index excluding mortgage interest payments, of 2½ per cent. or less by the end of the present Parliament. Beyond this Parliament, the Government's aim is to continue to achieve underlying inflation at or below 2½ per cent.

  Investment
  Mr. Sutcliffe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to promote an increase in the level of investment. [24340]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  Industry is expanding capacity as needed. In 1995, manufacturing investment was over 7½ per cent. up on a year earlier, and almost 15 per cent. higher than in 1993. Most independent forecasters expect whole economy investment to rise significantly faster in 1996 than in 1995.

  Public Sector Borrowing Requirement
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate for the public sector borrowing requirement in the current year; and if he will make a statement [24342]

  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the public sector borrowing requirement in the current financial year. [24331]
  613
  Mr. Waldegrave
  I refer my hon. Friends to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Rotherham (Mr. MacShane).

  Debtor Countries
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further action he has taken at meetings of the International Monetary Fund to press for debt cancellation in the poorest countries. [24341]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The Chancellor will be attending the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World bank on 22 and 23 April. The United Kingdom has ensured that the multilateral debt problems of the poorest, most heavily indebted will be high on the agenda. At the institutions' annual meetings in October 1995, the Chancellor, supported by other finance Ministers, called on the IMF and the World bank to assess the scope of the multilateral debt problem and to propose a solution. That work will be discussed at the spring meetings. The UK will continue to press for practical solutions to the multilateral debt problems which will be able to deliver an early exit for eligible countries from their unsustainable debt burdens.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were classified as economically inactive in each year since 1979; and what was the percentage change in each year over the previous year. [25000]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  Information for Great Britain available from the labour force survey is shown in the table.

  Seasonally adjusted

  Spring (March to May)

  Economically inactive1 (aged 16 and above)

  Annual percentage change

  1979

  15,310

  1981

  15,654

  +1.5

  1983

  16,399

  +2.2

  1984

  16,130

  -1.6

  Internationally standard definition

  1984

  15,951

  +0.2

  1985

  15,990

  +0.7

  1986

  16,100

  -0.3

  1987

  16,053

  -1.3

  1988

  15,852

  -1.4

  1989

  15,623

  0.0

  1990

  15,616

  +1.4

  1991

  15,835

  +2.1

  1992

  16,165

  +1.2

  1993

  16,358

  +0.4

  1994

  16,424

  +0.7

  1995

  16,543

  1The definition of economic inactivity was brought into line with internationally standard definitions in 1984. Therefore, data above the line are not comparable with data below it.

  Oral Cancer and Glaucoma
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new cases of(a) oral cancer and (b) glaucoma were detected in each family health service authority area in each of the last 20 years. [25257]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  Statistics are not collected centrally on glaucoma. The information requested on oral cancer for each of the last 20 years could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, provisional numbers of oral cancers diagnosed in 1990 for each regional health authority in England and Wales are given in the table.

  Regional health authority as of 1990

  Number

  Northern

  193

  Yorkshire

  227

  Trent

  225

  East Anglia

  116

  North West Thames

  168

  North East Thames

  150

  South East Thames

  195

  South West Thames

  137

  Wessex

  166

  Oxford

  116

  South Western

  140

  West Midlands

  261

  Mersey

  187

  North Western

  283

  Wales

  168

  Total

  2,732

  Figures for earlier years are contained in the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys annual reference volumes "Cancer statistics, registrations", series MBI numbers 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10–16 and 18–22, copies of which are available in the Members' Library.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received in the past nine months on the variation of rates of value added tax; and if he will make a statement. [24325]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Representations have been received from many individuals and organisations proposing different variations to VAT rates.

  Mortgage Repayments
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the figure for the average monthly repayment at the end of1990; and what it is currently. [24328]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  In October 1990, mortgage interest payments on an average mortgage were around £320 a month. They are now about half that level, at around £160 a month.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Fisheries Conservation
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to the letter from the Minister of State to all hon. Members on 2 April concerning, inter alia, fisheries conservation and science, what discussions will take place on the second report of the House of the Lords
  615
  Science and Technology Committee on fish stock conservation and management—HL25, Session 1995–96—during the regular contacts to which he refers between MAFF scientists and the industry. [25497]

  Mr. Baldry
  The recommendations of the House of Lords Committee on Science and Technology concerning technical conservation measures have already been discussed in meetings between fishermen, scientists and other Government experts. Other aspects of the Committee's report can readily be raised by either party in future contacts between Ministry scientists and the industry.

  Pesticides Safety Directorate
  Mr. Coe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what targets have been set for the Pesticides Safety Directorate in 1996–97. [25929]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I have set the Pesticides Safety Directorate the following targets relating to financial performance, efficiency, the delivery of pesticides approval services and policy advice in 1996–97.

  To achieve 100 per cent. recovery of costs.

  To comply with budgetary controls resulting from the public expenditure survey and the supply estimates.

  To achieve an overall efficiency gain of 3 per cent.

  To meet the targets for delivery of services as follows:

  Application stream

  Applications completed

  Maximum processing time(working weeks)

  Technical secretariat1

  Normal

  255

  43

  Administrative fast

  400

  4

  Fast

  325

  21

  Experimental permit

  30

  36

  Off label

  200

  12

  Other

  205

  —

  New substances1

  Sift (EC and UK)

  13

  24

  Active substance

  —

  —

  UK: National rules

  8

  54

  EC: UK rapporteur

  1

  54

  UK reviews

  Full

  3

  —

  Other

  4

  —

  EC reviews

  UK rapporteur

  7

  —

  Non-rapporteur (monograph co-ordination)

  15

  —

  Total

  1,466

  —

  1The processing time targets apply to 85 per cent. of applications received except the EC and UK sifts for new substances, where the figure is 100 per cent.

  1. The quality of the directorate's scientific and policy work will be subject to separate quality audits.

  2. Details of performance in 1995–96 will be set out in the agency's annual report and accounts to be published during July 1996.

  Beef Industry
  Mr. Coe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what financial support will be provided to the United Kingdom beef producers and slaughtering sector. [25930]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made on 16 April 1996,Official Report, columns 513–16.

  In addition to the support measures previously announced, particularly for the rendering industry and for the slaughter of young bull calves, the measures set out below have now been implemented. Parliamentary approval for additional provision and for the funding of new services will be sought in supplementary estimates for class III vote 1, intervention board—executive agency: common agricultural policy market support and administration, and class III vote 2, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: operational expenditure, agencies and departmental administration. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £190 million will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.

  1. Supplementary compensation payments on steers and heifers—older beef cattle whose market value is greater than cull cows.
  Cost: £80 million on class III vote 1. An advance from the Contingencies Fund of the full amount is required.

  2. Emergency aid to the slaughtering industry, comprising two elements:
  (i) immediate payment to slaughterhouses calculated on the basis of bovines slaughtered during 1995–96. Cost: £30 million on class III vote 2.
  (ii) purchase of unsaleable stocks of beef held by licensed slaughterhouses and cutting premises. Cost: £80 million on class III vote 1.
  An advance from the Contingencies Fund of the full amount—£110 million—is required.

  3. Scheme to purchase beasts over 30 months old and to dispose of their carcases safely to prevent beef from these cattle from entering the human food chain.
  Cost: £550 million on class III vote 1, 70 per cent. of compensation payments to be funded by the EU.

  Deregulation
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to introduce further deregulation regarding food hygiene and public health regulations. [24925]

  Mr. Boswell
  Hygiene legislation is very largely harmonised at the level of the European Community, and is under review by the European Commission. In anticipation of EC proposals, the Government have consulted widely about possible simplification and rationalisation of food hygiene legislation. This revealed widespread support for consolidation of the large number of directives involved, providing necessary public health protection is not diluted. EC proposals are expected shortly.

  Lindane
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if his Department has yet located the container of lindane that was washed overboard in the English channel in 1991;[25453]
  617
  (2) what estimates he has made of when the container of lindane lost overboard in the English channel in 1991 will corrode and release lindane into the sea; and what assessment he has made of the consequences of that release upon fish and marine life. [25454]

  Mr. Baldry
  We are not aware of the loss of a container of lindane in 1991, but a quantity of this insecticide was lost when the vessel MV Perintis sank in the channel on 13 March 1989. Despite considerable 618
  efforts by the UK and French authorities, location and retrieval of the cargo container in which the lindane was being transported was not possible. The container was believed to be undamaged when it sank which, together with the type of packaging used, indicates that any seepage into the sea would be at a very slow rate. This would rapidly dilute and disperse and not give rise to any food safety or environmental concerns. Water samples are taken from the area each year and these continue to show that concentrations of lindane have remained at background levels.

  Action Centre for Europe
  Action Centre for Europe
  Landmines
  Landmines
  British Buses and European Legislation
  British Buses and European Legislation
  Child Support Agency: Staffing
  Child Support Agency: Staffing
  Child Support Agency: Notification of Income Support Reinstatement
  Child Support Agency: Notification of Income Support Reinstatement
  Common Fisheries Policy
  Common Fisheries Policy