Written Answers of 19 April 1996

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Ministerial Visit (Coventry)
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on how many occasions since 1992 the Secretary of State with responsibility for employment matters has visited Coventry on official business. [25168]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Twice.

  Dyslexia
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what plans she has to increase funding for promoting awareness of dyslexia in education; and if she will make a statement; [25770]

  (2) what plans she has to increase awareness of dyslexia among education professionals. [25773]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Department's code of practice on the identification and assessment of special educational needs, which came into force on 1 September 1994, offers statutory guidance to schools and local education authorities on their responsibilities towards all pupils with special educational needs. It includes a section on specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia. The Department has recently funded, or is continuing to fund, four dyslexia research projects at a total cost of some £440,000.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what measures she is taking to ensure that students at teacher training colleges are made aware of the problems of dyslexia. [25774]

  Mr. Squire
  The Secretary of State's criteria for initial teacher training—ITT—require new teachers to be able to identify and respond appropriately to relevant individual differences between pupils. The Teacher Training Agency accredits ITT course providers to ensure that they meet the criteria. The Office for Standards in Education inspects ITT courses, and the results of the inspections are published.

  Local Education Authorities
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list, for each education authority in England, the number of(a) secondary, (b) primary and (c) special schools with a deficit in their balances, and the total deficit per authority, for each year since 1990. [25742]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Teachers' Pensions
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which company has been awarded the contract to operate the schoolteachers' pension scheme; and what is the value of the contract. [25881]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I announced on 1 April that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State had decided to let a contract to Capita Managed Services Ltd. The value of the contract is £72.2 million over seven years. That is in cash terms, but subject to adjustment if inflation as measured by the gross domestic product deflator exceeds 3 per cent. in any year.

  Student Loans Scheme
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what discussions her Department has held with the Capita Group about taking part in the privatisation of the student loans scheme. [25885]

  Mr. Forth
  My officials have held discussions with a number of companies about our plans for the provision of private sector student loans. The names of those involved are "commercial in confidence" at this stage. An announcement of those companies making successful tenders for involvement in the private loans scheme will be made in due course.

  Unemployed Women (Child Care Costs)
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what advice she has evaluated on the legal consequences of refusing to pay child care costs to unemployed women under the pilot project work scheme. [25880]

  Mr. Forth
  I have considered advice from officials on legal and policy aspects of the matter.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans her Department has to pay the child care costs of unemployed women who are unable to attend the new pilot project work scheme because of lack of help with child care. [25882]

  Mr. Forth
  I have no such plans. The evaluation of the pilots will cover this and all other aspects of the pilot process.

  Devon and Cornwall Training and Enterprise Council
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of the business and education board of the Devon and Cornwall TEC meetings from 1 January 1990. [25608]

  Mr. Paice
  No. Training and enterprise councils are private companies. This is a matter for Devon and Cornwall training and enterprise council.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if she will list the members of the business and education board of the Devon and Cornwall training and enterprise council since its foundation; [25302]
  621
  (2) what inquiries are undertaken into the background of directors before the granting of financial assistance to companies by the business and education board of regional training and enterprise councils; and if he will make a statement; [25303]

  (3) if she will list those members of the business and education board of the Devon and Cornwall training and enterprise council who were involved in (a) advising on and (b) awarding financial assistance to Rom Data Corporation Ltd., Falmouth; [25304]

  (4) if she will list the companies that have received financial assistance from the business and education board of the Devon and Cornwall training and enterprise council since its foundation by (a) year, (b) scheme and (c) the number of these companies still trading. [25305]

  Mr. Paice
  [holding answer 18 April 1996]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 16 April, Official Report, column 396. These are matters for training and enterprise councils, as private companies, and for Devon and Cornwall training and enterprise council in particular.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what arrangements have been made to allow the Office for Standards in Education to undertake preparatory work on establishing an inspection system for funded nursery education, prior to the Nursery Education and Grant-maintained Schools Bill receiving Royal Assent. [26294]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on 7 March 1996,Official Report, column 348. During the first few months of 1996–97, Ofsted will need to set up a contracting system for nursery education inspections, and to recruit, train and register the inspectors needed for inspections to begin in the autumn term.

  Parliamentary approval to this new service is subject to the passage of the Bill to Royal Assent. Pending that approval, urgent essential expenditure in 1996–97 estimated at £1 million will be met by advances from the Contingencies Fund, to be repaid from the 1996–97 Ofsted vote—class IX, vote 4.

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement about the level of parental contribution to the fees of pupils on the assisted places scheme for the next academic year. [26295]

  Mrs. Gillan
  Remission of tuition fees under the assisted places scheme is dependent on the level of fees at participating schools and the amount parents can afford to contribute. Subject to parliamentary approval of regulations to be laid in due course, the parental contribution scales will be adjusted for the school year 1996–97 to allow for inflation so that the cost to parents remains broadly the same in real terms. Where the relevant income for the appropriate financial year does not exceed £9,873, the tuition fees will be wholly remitted so that the pupil receives a free place. The new scales are set out in the table.622

  Percentage

  Part of relevant income to which percentage applies

  One assisted pupil

  Each of two assisted pupils

  Each of three assisted pupils

  That part which exceeds £9,707 but does not exceed £10,555

  9

  6.75

  5.25

  That part (if any) which exceeds £10,555 but does not exceed £11,417

  12

  9

  7

  That part (if any) which exceeds £11,417 but does not exceed £13,127

  15

  11.25

  8.75

  That part (if any) which exceeds £13,127 but does not exceed £15,760

  21

  15.75

  12.25

  That part (if any) which exceeds £15,760 but does not exceed £19,194

  24

  18

  14

  That part (if any) which exceeds £19,194

  33

  24.75

  19.25

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Social Security Agency
  Sir John Cope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the review of the Social Security Agency. [26415]

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  On 19 October 1994, I announced the review of the Social Security Agency—SSA—in the House of Commons. Each next steps agency undergoes a periodic review to evaluate performance, to reconsider in a prior options study whether agency status is the best way of doing the job and to revise the framework within which it operates.

  I am pleased to announce that the evaluation report of the agency's performance since it was established in July 1991 has been published today. The overall conclusion of the evaluation is that, in keeping with the principles of next steps, the quality of service to the public has improved and social benefits have been delivered in a more efficient and effective way.

  The main conclusions of the prior options report are that the SSA should remain a next steps agency within the Department of Health and Social Services. There is no scope for abolition or privatisation, nor is there any evidence to suggest that wholesale contractorisation of its functions is at present feasible or likely to improve value for money for the taxpayer.

  The conclusion on wholesale contractorisation does not mean that there are no opportunities for increasing competition within the organisation. The agency is already involved with the private sector in a number of areas, such as encashment services, management training, information technology and ancillary services. In particular, it is involved as co-sponsor with the Benefits Agency and Post Office Counters Ltd. in a private finance initiative to replace existing methods of payment at post offices with a benefit card. The agency also has a market-testing strategy, which will result in its support functions being subject to the market-testing process in line with recommendations of a consultancy report.
  623
  The review goes on to recommend a number of further steps which the agency should take to improve its efficiency and effectiveness, consistent with the Government reform initiative and the Northern Ireland civil service programme for continual improvement. These include the development of a comprehensive strategy for achieving efficiency improvements through involving the private sector in all aspects of its business, including benefit administration; the continued implementation of its market-testing strategy, pending more comprehensive strategy for involving the private sector; and the examination of the scope for developing internal competition, including benchmarking and purchaser/provider relationships.

  In conclusion, the review has highlighted the significant improvements in customer service and efficiency which the agency has achieved since its establishment in 1991. The chief executive and his staff are to be commended for these achievements. The recommendations of the review are designed to build on these successes. I am placing a copy of the evaluation report and a copy of the executive summary of the prior options report in the Library today. Work is continuing on a revised framework document, and I shall arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library in due course.

ENVIRONMENT

  Local Government (Negligence Claims)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with the local authority associations and the Association of British Insurers concerning the adequacy of insurance cover against local authority negligence claims in connection with the publication of independent reports commissioned by local authorities. [25888]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  None.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Employment Rights (Immigration Applicants)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if people who are given exceptional leave to remain in the United Kingdom are also given permission to seek employment. [25571]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Yes.

  Consultancy Contract (Probation Qualification)
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 16 April,Official Report, column 365, if he will list the other organisations that were invited to tender for the contract to advise on the competences required for probation officers on appointment; who was responsible for awarding the contract to KPMG; which civil servants were involved in the evaluation of the tenders; and if the contract was awarded to the lowest cost tender. [25908]
  624
  Mr. Sackville
  The following firms were invited to tender for the probation officers' competences contract: Gaby Braun; Christie Associates; Shirley Fletcher Associates; KPMG; Prime Research; and Glenda Taylor Associates.

  Staff for the probation training unit in the then C6 division of the Home Office evaluated the tenders received. The head of the unit, with the agreement of the head of the division, authorised the award of the contract of KPMG, which submitted the lowest cost tender.

  Law of Murder (Review)
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conclusions he has reached following the review of the law of murder; and if he will make a statement. [26479]

  Mr. Maclean
  The review has been completed and a copy of the report from the interdepartmental steering group has been placed in the Library. The steering group comprised officials from the Home Office, the Scottish Office, the Northern Ireland Office, the Ministry of Defence, the legal secretariat to the Law Officers and the Crown Office.

  The review's task was to consider whether there should be an intermediate verdict, between murder and aquittal, where a defendant had killed in self-defence or to prevent a crime. It was also asked to consider whether any such intermediate verdict, or any other change to the law, should apply only to members of the police and armed forces.

  The review came down firmly against any separate provision for the police and armed forces. It would be objectionable in principle and very difficult to achieve in practice in any defensible and coherent way. The review did not consider it desirable or practicable for guidance on the use of lethal force—the yellow card—to be given legislative status. These views were supported by those members of the police and armed forces whom the review consulted. The Government agree with these conclusions of the review.

  The review identified three broad options for a change in the law, but concluded that only one, a verdict of manslaughter where a defendant had overreacted and used unreasonable force, might provide a way forward. That is the option which previous studies have proposed, except that the review considered a refinement that a murder verdict could remain available for a grossly unreasonable overreaction. The review recognised that this option would not necessarily ensure better justice and did not itself come to a firm conclusion.

  We have considered carefully the arguments for and against the options identified by the review, but have concluded that the case has not been made that they would improve either the certainty or quality of the criminal law. The police representative associations that the review consulted did not suggest a change in the law in this area. If the option identified by the review as providing a possible way forward were adopted, the difference between a manslaughter and murder verdict would depend on an assessment of whether the defendant honestly believed that the level of force which he used was justified. Where the court or jury were satisfied that the defendant honestly believed that the force he or she used

  625
  was justified, the defendant could be convicted only of manslaughter, no matter how unreasonable the force. We do not believe that this would be satisfactory. Equally, however, adopting the refinement considered by the review, and retaining a verdict of murder for those who had used grossly unreasonable force, would risk overcomplicating the law and requiring juries to draw unrealistically narrow distinctions.

  For these reasons, we are not persuaded that an adequate case has been made to change the law.

DEFENCE

  Land Mines
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated in the last five years into (i) the military utility and (ii) the effects of land mines; what proposals he has for future research on this subject; and if he will make a statement. [12760]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  My Department has commissioned a number of studies into the military utility and effects of both anti-tank and anti-personnel land mines. Future such studies will be carried out as appropriate. Recent operational analysis has not identified any weapon system which could act as an effective alternative to anti-tank or anti-personnel land mines.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to answer the question of 29 January from the hon. Member for Leyton relating to land mines. [26268]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Today.

  Nuclear Reporting Centres
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what nuclear reporting centres have been(a) established and (b) operated in Scotland since 1970; what the purpose of each such centre is or was; and which nuclear reporting centres are currently in operation. [25544]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 18 April 1996]: The term nuclear reporting centre is not recognised by the Ministry of Defence and I am not aware of any facility which might fit this description.

  Non-British Recruits
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many individuals of foreign nationality have been accepted into(a) the Army, (b) the Royal Navy and (c) Royal Air Force in each of the past five years other than citizens of the Kingdom of Nepal; and what steps he is taking to establish the British status of applicants before admitting them to the armed forces. [25826]

  Mr. Soames
  The numbers of individuals of foreign nationality who have been accepted into the Army and the RAF are shown in the table. Figures for the Army are available only for the past three years. This information is not recorded centrally by the Royal Navy and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.626

  Intake into Regular Army: Officers and Soldiers

  Nationality

  1993–94

  1994–95

  11995–96

  Irish

  48

  40

  44

  Commonwealth

  48

  41

  56

  Other

  3

  1

  6

  1To end February.

  Intake into Royal Air Force

  Nationality

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  Commonwealth

  10

  6

  4

  3

  2

  10

  Dual nationality (UK and other)

  4

  6

  1

  2

  3

  2

  Other

  5

  2

  1

  1

  1

  0

  The procedures for establishing the nationality of applicants varies for each service. In essence, however, an applicant and his/her parents must at all times since birth have been a Commonwealth citizen—British, British dependent territories, British subject under the British Nationality Act 1981, or citizen of a country which is, or then was, an independent Commonwealth country—or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland. A waiver of these requirements may be granted in exceptional circumstances. Additionally, applicants must have resided in the UK for more than five years. An applicant's birth certificate and passport are checked at the application stage and nationality is recorded on the application form. Nationality is recorded again on the security questionnaire when appropriate. Any applicant holding dual nationality is required to surrender his/her alien nationality.

  Married Quarters Estate
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the response to the invitation of indicative bids for the married quarters estate. [26293]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  We have had a substantial and encouraging response from a large number of bidders. We are now evaluating those bids with a view to selecting a smaller number of bidders who will be invited to proceed to the next round of the sale process. It remains our aim, subject to achieving satisfactory price and terms, to complete the transfer of the estate to the private sector on the basis of final offers to be submitted this summer.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  British Steel
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total value of regional development grants paid to the British Steel Corporation in each year between 1979 and 1988. [25822]

  Mr. Page
  Information relating to regional development grants over £25,000 paid to BSC was published quarterly in "British Business", copies of which are held in the British library.

  Steel Exporters
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the value to United Kingdom steel exporters since autumn 1992 of the devaluation of the pound; and if he will make a statement. [25823]
  627
  Mr. Page
  It is not possible to isolate the effects of currency movements from other influences on the price and quantity of United Kingdom steel exports since the autumn of 1992. The quantity and value of the United Kingdom's annual steel exports since 1992 are given in the table.

  United Kingdom exports of all steel products 1992 to 1995

  Year

  Value £ million

  Tonnes (000s)

  1992

  2,874.6

  8,346.6

  1993

  2,955.1

  8,203.5

  1994

  3,419.8

  8,825.5

  1995

  4,141.4

  8,807.3

  Note:

  All steel products are defined as European Coal and Steel Community products, other UK steel industry products—tubes, cold rolled strip, electrical strip, coated strip, cold finished bars, forged semis, bars and sections—wire and other steel products.

  Source: UK Steel Exports 6/1 column 30, ISSB Ltd.

  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions he has had since autumn 1992 regarding the value of the pound and exports with(a) British Steel plc and (b) the British Iron and Steel Producers Association; and if he will make a statement. [25824]

  Mr. Page
  Since 1992, DTI Ministers have had numerous meetings with both British Steel and the British Iron and Steel Producers Association—BISPA. Issues discussed have included international trade and competitiveness. Most recently, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Industry and Energy met BISPA officials and industry representatives, including British Steel, in December 1995. In addition, my officials have very frequent contact with both British Steel and BISPA.

  Vehicle Batteries
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many vehicle batteries are imported into the United Kingdom each year. [25740]

  Mr. Page
  The information is published by the Office of National Statistics in business monitors MM20 and MQ20, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. Vehicle batteries are found in section 778.12 of the standard international trade classification.

  Mr. Sheerman:
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many car and other vehicle batteries are manufactured in the United Kingdom each year. [25752]

  Mr. Page
  In 1994, 2.7 million car and vehicle batteries1 were manufactured in the UK.

  Source:
  ONS UK Markets, annual report number 64.

  Note:
  1 Car and vehicle batteries are defined as lead-acid accumulators for starting piston engines, of a weight exceeding 5 kg.

  Financial Assistance
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list what financial assistance has been given since 1980 by his Department to(a) Moderntask Ltd., Redruth, (b) Digitize Ltd., Truro, (c) Thimbles Ltd., Redruth, (d) South West Leisure Products Ltd., Redruth,
  628
  (e) Van Pieters plc, Pewsey, (f) Pan Atlantic (UK) plc, Birmingham, (g) CSL Group by (i) type of grant and (ii) date. [15775]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [pursuant to his reply, 29 February 1996, c. 676]: I regret that the figure for regional development grant made to Moderntask Ltd. should have stated £78,288, not £78,228. Additionally, my answer should have referred to consultancy assistance of £2,399 given to the same company in 1991.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Archaeological Heritage Convention
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when Her Majesty's Government plan to ratify the European convention on the protection of the archaeological heritage; and if she will make a statement. [25626]

  Mr. Sproat
  The United Kingdom supports the principle of a convention to provide a standard for the protection of archaeological sites throughout Europe, and the UK ratified the first European convention on the protection of the archaeological heritage on 20 April 1971. A revised convention was signed in 1992 and its ratification is currently under consideration.

TREASURY

  West Sutherland Fisheries Trust
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the charitable purpose served by the West Sutherland Fisheries Trust. [25451]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  As with any Scottish charity, the hon. Gentleman can obtain information about the West Sutherland Fisheries Trust by applying to it directly for its explanatory document. This describes the nature of the body and its charitable purposes.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue the Treasury(a) received up to the end of the 1995–96 tax year and (b) has estimated it will receive in 1996–97 from (i) duty on sales of national lottery tickets and (ii) other taxes paid in respect of lottery activities; and if he will make a statement about the use to which these additional tax revenues have been applied. [25868]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  In the financial year 1995–96, the total amount of lottery duty received by HM Customs and Excise was £612 million. The projection of lottery ticket sales in the Budget forecast implies receipts of lottery duty of £660 million in 1996–97.
  629
  Figures for other tax receipts in respect of lottery activities are not available. Total tax receipts do not include the net inflows to the national lottery distribution fund, which are scored as non-tax receipts in the Government accounts.

  Lottery spending will displace other consumer spending, which would have been taxable. The rate of lottery duty was set so as to be broadly neutral with respect to tax receipts.

  Gross Domestic Fixed Capital
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the different methods of analysis of gross domestic fixed capital formation used by(a) the Treasury and (b) the Central Statistical Office in the national accounts. [25551]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The breakdown of the whole economy gross domestic fixed capital formation used by the Treasury in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report"—FSBR—and the "Summer Economic Forecast" documents seeks to remove discontinuities arising from privatisation and other asset sales or sectoral transfers. The Government intend that year-on-year comparisons based on the FSBR should compare like with like, and so be more meaningful. Table 3.2 of the 1996–97 FSBR shows the Treasury breakdown into business investment, investment in private dwellings and land, and general Government investment. Business investment includes public corporations' investment, except national health trust hospitals, and so is unaffected by privatisations, while general Government investment is defined to exclude net purchases of land and existing buildings so as to remove the effect of asset sales, including sales of council houses. National health trust hospitals are grouped with general Government investment. In contrast, standard national accounts breakdowns of whole economy investment by industry or sector are affected by such transfer of ownership.

  Special Dividend Payments
  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer upon what grounds his Department has given clearance under section 703 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 for the use of special dividend payments in takeover bids. [24185]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 16 April 1996]: Clearance from the anti-avoidance provisions at section 703(a) of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 in respect of a specified transaction is considered by the Inland Revenue in response to a formal application. Clearance is given only if it is satisfied that the transaction will not give rise to a tax advantage as defined in the Act or that any such tax advantage is an accidental by-product of transactions which have a genuine commercial purpose and that the way in which they have been carried out is not motivated by the wish to obtain a tax advantage.

  All applications for clearance, including cases of special dividends in takeover bids, are subject to detailed scrutiny by the Inland Revenue, who decision will be based on the facts and circumstances of the individual case.

SCOTLAND

  Fisheries Protection Orders
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list all the protection orders in force under the Freshwater and Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1976, indicating in each case the names of all the rivers and lochs covered by the order; [25501]

  (2) what is the total length of rivers and of banks and the total surface area of lochs which are subject to protection orders under the Freshwater and Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1976. [25502]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  The following protection orders made under the Freshwater and Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1976 are currently in force:

  The Rivers Tweed and Eye Protection Order 1980

  The Upper Spey and Associated Waters Protection Order 1982

  The River Lunan Catchment Area Protection Order 1983

  The River Tummel Catchment Area Protection Order 1983

  The River Tay Catchment Area Protection Order 1986

  The West Strathclyde Protection Order 1988

  The River Earn Catchment Area Protection Order 1990

  The River Don Catchment Area (Part) Protection Order 1990

  The Loch Morar and River Morar Protection Order 1992

  The Loch Awe and Associated Waters Protection Order 1992

  The River Clyde Catchment Area (Part) Protection Order 1994

  The North West Sutherland Protection Order 1994

  The River Arkaig, Loch Arkaig and Associated Waters Protection Order 1995

  Naming all the rivers and tributaries, including detailing their lengths as well as calculating the surface areas of the lochs involved, could be done only at disproportionate cost. Detailed maps of the area covered by each order are held, and are available for inspection in the Scottish Office Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Department, Pentland house, Edinburgh for anyone wishing to make such estimates.

  Forestry Commission Lands (Sales)
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sales of forestry commission lands have taken place(a) in Scotland and (b) in England and Wales in each of the last three years; and how many of these included public access agreements. [23994]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 1 April 1996]: The subject of the question relates to matters undertaken by Forest Enterprise. I have asked its chief executive, Mr. Neil McKerrow, to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Neil A. H. McKerrow to Sir David Steel, dated 19 April 1996:
  You asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the following question:-
  "how many sales of Forestry Commission lands have taken place (a) in Scotland and (b) in England and Wales in each of the fast three years, and how many of these included public access agreements."
  As this question relates to matters that are undertaken by Forest Enterprise, I have been asked to reply.
  631

  The information is as follows:

  Number of disposals

  Number including public access agreements

  Year ended 31 December 1993

  Scotland

  84

  —

  England

  41

  —

  Wales

  79

  1

  Year ended 31 December 1994

  Scotland

  53

  —

  England

  66

  6

  Wales

  85

  13

  Year ended 31 December 1995

  Scotland

  57

  6

  England

  49

  —

  Wales

  52

  8

  A list of these cases is placed in the Library of the House each year.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Human Rights (Turkey)
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's proposals to the UN Commission on Human Rights in respect of human rights in Turkey. [25447]

  Mr. David Davis
  We have contributed to the presidency statement at the UN Commission on Human Rights which will convey to the Turkish Government the depth of our continuing concern about a number of human rights issues in Turkey.

  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has recently received from independent human rights organisations regarding human rights violations in Turkey. [25448]

  Mr. Davis
  We receive regular reports from Amnesty International and other non-governmental organisations, both in the UK and elsewhere, working in the field of human rights. Many of these organisations make representations to us on the situation in Turkey.

  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Turkey's human rights record. [25446]

  Mr. Davis
  We remain concerned about the human rights situation in Turkey. During 1995, there were some welcome reforms, but much remains to be done. We are encouraging the Turkish Government to sustain progress, in accordance with the international agreements to which they are a signatory.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  War Widows (Housing Benefit)
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many local authorities have withdrawn the war widows pension disregard from housing benefit calculations. [24924]
  632
  Mr. Roger Evans
  None. All local authorities must disregard the first £10 of a war widow's pension in housing benefit and council tax benefit calculations. In addition, the whole of any war widows supplementary pension, currently worth £51.71, is also disregarded.

TRANSPORT

  Rail Services (Disabled Access)
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all Network SouthEast Stations which are inaccessible to wheelchair users. [23188]

  Mr. Watts
  Twelve operating companies—TOCS—serve the former Network South East area. There is no detailed information available centrally about the accessibility of individual stations.

  However, following the restructuring of the railways, as a condition of their licences, the TOCs are required to seek the Rail Regulator's approval for their disabled persons protection policies, which should contain a description of the current facilities, both for stations and for rolling stock. The Rail Regulator plans to use that data to form the benchmark against which station and rolling stock improvements will be measured.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to ensure that Railtrack does not levy financial penalties on train operating companies if train services are late due to disabled passengers requiring extra assistance. [25483]

  Mr. Watts
  None. I have no reason to believe that meeting the needs of disabled passengers causes significant delays to services.

  National Road Schemes
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new starts he expects to be made on national road schemes in the financial year 1996–97; and if he will list each of these schemes indicating which will be managed by the Highways Agency and which through design, build, finance and operate arrangements. [24776]

  Mr. Watts
  For the financial year 1996–97, the Highways Agency plans to start work on 13 schemes. Of these, eight will be conventionally funded and five, subject to tenders representing value for money, will be managed design, build, finance and operate projects.

  These are as follows:
  Award of Contract 1996–97
  (conventionally funded)
  A12 Hackney Wick—M11 link contract 1
  A12 Hackney Wick—M11 contract 3
  A13 Wennington—Mar Kyke
  A13 west of Heathway—Thames avenue improvement
  A34 Newbury bypass
  A40 Gypsy corner improvement
  A40 West circus junction improvement
  London primary route signing project
  DBFO Contract Awards 1996–97
  (subject to tenders representing value for money)

  633
  A168/A19: Dishford to Tyne tunnel DBFO project, which includes A19 Norton to Parkway interchange improvement scheme.
  A30/A35: Exeter to Bere Regis DBFO project, which includes A30 Honiton to Exeter improvement scheme A35 Tolpuddle to Puddletown bypass scheme.
  A50/A564: Stoke to Derby link DBFO project, which includes A564 Doveridge bypass scheme.
  M40 Junctions 1 to 15 DBFO project, which includes M40 junctions 1A to 3 widening scheme.

  Railtrack (Asset Maintenance)
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates for Railtrack's maintenance work, other than that referred to in his answer of 13 March,Official Report, column 609, were made available to W. S. Atkins; and if he will make a statement. [25456]

  Mr. Watts
  Railtrack prepared an initial desktop assessment of its asset maintenance plan for track and route structures for the preparation of its 1994–95 annual report and accounts. W. S. Atkins reviewed this estimate and concluded that it had been professionally prepared in a responsible manner and with reference to both long-term and recent experience of the operation and maintenance of the assets.

  Since this initial assessment was prepared, Railtrack has undertaken further extensive investigations into the condition of these assets, based on statistical analyses of data gained from sample surveys and the application of techniques which update and refine the asset maintenance plan as more data become available. This work has given rise to the central estimate for the 10 years from 1 April 1994 of £3,250 million at 1994–95 prices.

  British Steel
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total value of commercial orders placed by his Department with British Steel plc in each year from 1988 to 1995. [25817]

  Mr. Norris
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire Service
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the HSS—high-speed ship—Stena vessel that is due to operate from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire has been subjected to a safety case assessment; and if he will make a statement. [25392]

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

  Letter from R. M. Bradley to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 19 April 1996:
  The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your Question about the High Speed Ship (HSS) Stena vessel which is operating from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire.
  STENA EXPLORER has been build to the International Code of Safety for High Speed Craft and Stena Line have carried out their own safety case assessment. Proper testing of the vessel's design has been undertaken and her performance has been assessed during sea trials.
  634
  The Marine Safety Agency (MSA) has been closely involved in approving the special equipment and operational requirements of this revolutionary craft in the United Kingdom's capacity as port State and, more recently, in the role of flag State. The vessel has been surveyed to ensure compliance with the Code and has been issued with a Permit to Operate and other certification necessary for this vessel to operate a passenger service from a UK port.

WALES

  Beef
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the current guidelines on the supply of(a) cow beef and (b) prime beef for use in (i) school meals, (ii) meals on wheels, (iii) NHS hospitals supplied by in-house caterers, (iv) NHS hospitals supplied by private caterers, (v) old people's homes and (vi) private nursing homes. [25165]

  Mr. Hague
  The latest guidance on the safety of beef for human consumption is provided in statements to the House on 20 March,Official Report, columns 375–96, on 25 March, Official Report, columns 709–37 and on 28 March, Official Report, columns 1229–90.

  Health Service Budgets
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairmen of national health service trusts and health authorities concerning the carrying over into 1996–97, under year-end flexibility arrangements, unspent money from the 1995–96 budget; if those national health service trusts and general practitioner fundholders who underspent their 1995–96 allocation will receive the same budget allocation in 1996–97; if he will list the general practitioner fundholders and national health service trusts concerned; and if he will make a statement. [24920]

  Mr. Hague
  I have not had any consultations with the chairmen of national health service trusts or health authorities concerning the carrying over of unspent money from the 1995–96 budget into 1996–97 under year-end flexibility arrangements. National health service trusts do not receive an allocation. Instead, they receive their income from contracts with health commissioners. Arrangements have been made for trust which underspend on capital in 1995–96 to carry forward the amount to 1996–97. The allocation to general practitioner fundholders in 1996–97 is not affected by planned savings in previous years. I am unable to list those general practitioner fundholders or NHS trusts that have underspent in 1995–96 until final accounts for the year are produced and audited.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many(a) children, (b) adults and (c) people in total were registered with dentists in each family health services authority in (i) February 1993, (ii) July 1993, (iii) February 1994, (iv) July 1994, (v) February 1995, (vi) July 1995 and (vii) February 1996. [25223]

  Mr. Richards
  The information is given in the table.
  635

  Family Health Service Authority

  Number registered at end of month1

  Clwyd

  Dyfed

  Gwent

  Gwynedd

  Mid Glamorgan

  Powys

  South Glamorgan

  West Glamorgan

  Children:

  February 1993

  52,980

  41,671

  61,957

  27,565

  69,200

  15,356

  61,153

  56,212

  July 1993

  58,497

  45,976

  67,405

  30,378

  76,322

  16,610

  66,749

  60,961

  February 1994

  56,026

  43,400

  61,855

  26,673

  70,095

  14,509

  61,406

  56,320

  July 1994

  60,112

  46,661

  66,818

  29,232

  75,737

  15,748

  66,183

  60,705

  February 1995

  52,848

  41,297

  61,795

  26,285

  67,685

  14,275

  61,269

  55,958

  July 1995

  58,539

  45,652

  67,585

  27,177

  73,706

  15,780

  67,287

  60,994

  February 1996

  54,718

  41,171

  61,732

  25,076

  67,137

  14,428

  61,875

  55,306

  Adults:

  February 1993

  173,196

  149,308

  196,617

  90,004

  214,416

  48,483

  186,667

  184,288

  July 1993

  177,727

  151,562

  196,708

  89,848

  220,769

  48,156

  185,965

  187,040

  February 1994

  184,806

  154,131

  201,177

  82,116

  223,241

  49,208

  187,508

  190,147

  July 1994

  183,301

  153,603

  193,665

  79,679

  218,253

  46,496

  182,561

  185,997

  February 1995

  174,802

  144,163

  190,917

  68,958

  218,662

  43,892

  178,963

  186,621

  July 1995

  173,199

  140,781

  186,785

  66,147

  215,908

  44,975

  175,608

  186,966

  February 1996

  172,106

  136,514

  183,398

  63,162

  215,944

  44,992

  172,605

  186,336

  Total:

  February 1993

  226,176

  190,979

  258,574

  117,569

  283,616

  63,839

  247,820

  240,500

  July 1993

  236,224

  197,538

  264,113

  120,226

  297,091

  64,766

  252,714

  248,001

  February 1994

  240,832

  197,531

  263,032

  108,789

  293,336

  63,717

  248,914

  246,467

  July 1994

  243,413

  200,264

  260,483

  108,911

  293,990

  62,244

  248,744

  246,702

  February 1995

  227,650

  185,460

  252,712

  95,243

  286,347

  58,167

  240,232

  242,579

  July 1995

  231,738

  186,433

  254,370

  93,324

  289,614

  60,755

  242,895

  247,960

  February 1996

  226,824

  177,685

  245,130

  88,238

  283,081

  59,420

  234,480

  241,642

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

  Theatr Clwyd, Mold
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he plans to respond to Flintshire county council's proposals for future funding of Theatr Clwyd, Mold; and if he will make a statement. [25827]

  Mr. Richards
  My right hon. Friend wrote to the leader of Flintshire county council about the package of support proposed for Theatr Clwyd on 19 April 1996.

  Local Authorities (Negligence Claims)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines he(a) has issued and (b) plans to issue to local authorities on the quality of insurance cover required by them to cover negligence claims arising from the compiling and publication of independent reports commissioned by them. [25890]

  Number of cases by county and year of notification

  County

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  Total

  Dairy herds

  Clwyd

  1

  11

  59

  163

  280

  399

  451

  303

  184

  19

  1,870

  Dyfed

  12

  70

  215

  486

  1,075

  1,680

  1,465

  902

  479

  47

  6,431

  Glamorgan Mid

  0

  4

  9

  33

  35

  27

  26

  22

  15

  0

  171

  Glamorgan South

  1

  8

  28

  20

  52

  94

  88

  49

  26

  3

  369

  Glamorgan West

  0

  1

  1

  7

  9

  24

  12

  8

  6

  0

  68

  Gwent

  2

  21

  45

  73

  127

  227

  207

  113

  81

  11

  907

  Gwynedd

  1

  5

  16

  13

  46

  84

  69

  56

  29

  8

  327

  Powys

  0

  8

  25

  53

  113

  229

  242

  182

  104

  14

  970

  Total

  17

  128

  398

  848

  1,737

  2,764

  2,560

  1,635

  924

  102

  11,113

  636
  Mr. Hague
  I have issued no such guidelines and have no immediate plans to do so. However, in the light of the recent developments in north Wales, I have asked my officials, in collaboration with those of other Government Departments, to look at this issue further.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer on 2 April,Official Report, column 207, (1) if he will list the numbers of cattle affected by each outbreak of BSE, broken down by (a) year, (b) county and (c) type of herd; [25404]

  (2) if he will list the figures for BSE outbreaks by cases and farms affected by (a) county and (b) year of notification. [25403]

  Mr. Hague
  Figures for the number of herds and number of cases of BSE by old county names and year of notification are as follows:
  637

  Number of cases by county and year of notification

  County

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  Total

  Beef suckler herds

  Clwyd

  1

  1

  6

  9

  85

  145

  119

  71

  37

  4

  478

  Dyfed

  1

  2

  11

  43

  94

  171

  213

  112

  40

  4

  691

  Glamorgan Mid

  0

  0

  1

  3

  7

  12

  18

  17

  9

  0

  67

  Glamorgan South

  0

  2

  1

  1

  3

  16

  15

  3

  2

  0

  43

  Glamorgan West

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  8

  16

  6

  8

  0

  40

  Gwent

  0

  3

  11

  12

  9

  22

  27

  18

  17

  0

  119

  Gwynedd

  0

  1

  5

  11

  24

  74

  84

  41

  28

  4

  272

  Powys

  0

  8

  43

  74

  133

  278

  322

  234

  150

  14

  1,256

  Total

  2

  17

  78

  154

  356

  726

  814

  502

  291

  26

  2,966

  Mixed production herds

  Clwyd

  0

  2

  5

  5

  6

  26

  27

  16

  4

  0

  91

  Dyfed

  0

  3

  11

  45

  83

  135

  129

  86

  35

  3

  530

  Glamorgan Mid

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  4

  1

  2

  1

  0

  8

  Glamorgan South

  0

  0

  0

  1

  3

  4

  2

  1

  0

  0

  11

  Glamorgan West

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  2

  2

  0

  0

  6

  Gwent

  0

  1

  3

  4

  18

  17

  12

  6

  2

  0

  63

  Gwynedd

  0

  0

  5

  5

  10

  9

  16

  11

  6

  2

  64

  Powys

  0

  0

  3

  1

  2

  5

  14

  6

  3

  0

  34

  Total

  0

  6

  28

  61

  122

  201

  203

  130

  51

  5

  807

  Number of herds by county and year of notification

  County

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  199

  1996

  2,806 Dairy herds

  Clwyd

  1

  2

  49

  79

  143

  216

  250

  192

  128

  19

  Dyfed

  12

  54

  159

  313

  582

  826

  835

  606

  343

  42

  Glamorgan Mid

  0

  1

  6

  12

  13

  14

  17

  10

  7

  0

  Glamorgan South

  1

  3

  16

  12

  23

  30

  41

  26

  20

  3

  Glamorgan West

  0

  1

  1

  5

  7

  13

  8

  6

  5

  0

  Gwent

  2

  16

  33

  45

  66

  109

  110

  80

  50

  11

  Gwynedd

  1

  5

  15

  13

  36

  57

  53

  41

  24

  7

  Powys

  0

  6

  20

  38

  69

  129

  139

  111

  69

  14

  Total1

  17

  88

  299

  517

  939

  1,394

  1,453

  1,072

  646

  96

  1,631 Beef suckler herds

  Clwyd

  1

  1

  5

  8

  32

  58

  65

  42

  16

  3

  Dyfed

  1

  2

  11

  39

  77

  139

  167

  91

  37

  4

  Glamorgan Mid

  0

  0

  1

  2

  7

  12

  15

  10

  9

  0

  Glamorgan South

  0

  1

  1

  1

  2

  7

  6

  3

  1

  0

  Glamorgan West

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  6

  11

  5

  5

  0

  Gwent

  0

  2

  8

  11

  8

  20

  27

  13

  16

  0

  Gwynedd

  0

  1

  5

  11

  22

  63

  79

  38

  25

  4

  Powys

  0

  8

  39

  64

  115

  225

  263

  183

  124

  11

  Total1

  2

  15

  70

  137

  264

  530

  633

  385

  233

  22

  321 Mixed production herds

  Clwyd

  0

  2

  5

  5

  5

  17

  19

  14

  4

  0

  Dyfed

  0

  3

  11

  30

  54

  98

  95

  67

  28

  3

  Glamorgan Mid

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  1

  2

  1

  0

  Glamorgan South

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  2

  2

  1

  0

  0

  Glamorgan West

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  2

  2

  0

  0

  Gwent

  0

  1

  2

  3

  8

  8

  5

  4

  2

  0

  Gwynedd

  0

  0

  5

  4

  8

  9

  12

  7

  6

  2

  Powys

  0

  0

  2

  1

  1

  3

  9

  4

  3

  0

  Total1

  0

  6

  26

  44

  77

  141

  145

  101

  44

  5

  1 An individual herd may be included in the figures for more than one year.

  Children's Homes
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 2 April, how many visits members of his social services inspectorate made to children's homes in Clwyd(a) during the period covered by the John Jillings report and (b) thereafter. [25405]

  Mr. Hague
  The social services inspectorate for Wales—until 1989, the social work service—made 37 visits to childrens' homes in Clwyd between 1974 and 1995. The visits covered a range of matters, including premises, staffing and the homes' daily routine.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date he received the amended version of the John Jillings report into child sex and physical abuse in north Wales children's homes; what further independent advice he has sought; and what further actions he proposes to take to assess its contents. [25891]

  Mr. Hague
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Eltham (Mr. Bottomley) on 18 April,Official Report, columns 592-93. My Department received an amended version of this report on 1 April 1996. I am seeking legal advice on a range of issues relating to this report.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning(a) the placing in the Library of the John Jillings report commissioned by Clwyd county council into child abuse, (b) its publication in a full or expurgated form and (c) the conducting of an inquiry under the terms indicated by the Welsh Office ministerial press release of 7 September 1992. [25889]

  Mr. Hague
  Since 22 March 1996, there have been 15 letters to the Department calling for publication of the report of the independent panel of inquiry chaired by Mr. John Jillings. In three of these letters, parliamentary publication in some form was suggested. One further correspondent was not in favour of the report being published, but supported the holding of a public inquiry.

HEALTH

  Children in Care
  Mr. John Townend
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average annual cost for a child in local authority care; and what is the average annual cost of a child in a foster home. [24815]

  Mr. Bowis
  The average annual gross cost of a child looked after by a local authority is £14,800. For a child in a foster home, the figure is £8,000.

  Financial Data
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what in-year financial data his Department will publish on trusts and health authorities. [25879]
  640
  Mr. Horam
  In-year financial data are not subject to audit and are used for internal management purposes only. They are not therefore suitable for publication.

  Extra-contractual Referrals
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data his Department(a) collects and (b) will publish on extra-contractual referrals. [25886]

  Mr. Malone
  Information on the number of extra-contractual referrals—ECRs—has not been collected centrally.

  Figures for total expenditure on ECRs by health authority are collected on a "management in confidence" basis as a prompt for investigation if necessary and are not suitable for publication.

  Termination Payments
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 2 April,Official Report, column 174, if he will itemise each termination payment made by each trust and health authority. [25907]

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

  Oral Contraceptives
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations his Department has received on the impact of the advice from the Committee on Safety of Medicines relating to third generation oral contraceptives on the number of unplanned pregnancies and abortions which have occurred since last October and which are forecast for the future; and if he will make a statement; [25610]

  (2) what assessments his Department has made of the number of unplanned pregnancies and abortions which have occurred since last October and which are forecast for the future, following the advice from the Committee on Safety of Medicines relating to third generation oral contraceptives; and if he will make a statement; [25611]

  (3) what estimates his Department has (a) made and (b) evaluated of the financial cost of the unplanned pregnancies and abortions which have occurred since last October and which are forecast for the future, following the advice from the Committee on Safety of Medicines relating to third generation oral contraceptives; and if he will make a statement. [25612]

  Mr. Malone
  Official figures on any increase in the number of abortions and unplanned pregnancies since October 1995 are not yet available. It is not possible to estimate the financial costs that might be involved or the impact that the findings of the recent epidemiological studies on the safety of third generation oral contraceptives have had on the number of pregnancies and abortions.
  641
  The Department has received representations on this subject from a number of sources, including correspondence from doctors and other health professionals, and a report from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service on the findings of its recent survey.

  Benzodiazepines
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what quantity of each individual type of 642
  benzodiazepine was prescribed via community pharmacists in England and Wales in each of the last four years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [20621]

  Mr. Malone
  [pursuant to his reply, 18 March 1996, c. 80]: I regret that the information provided was incorrect due to a computing error. I am arranging for the revised calculation and an addition to the explanatory notes to be placed in the Library.