Written Answers of 23 April 1996

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Information Superhighway
  Mr. French
  To ask the chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects the publication of the report "Ethical Issues of Information Superhighways". [25245]

  Mr. Freeman
  The CCTA research paper on "Ethical Issues of Information Superhighways" will be published shortly.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the working hours of Sir Leonard Peach, Commissioner for Public Appointments. [25566]

  Mr. Freeman
  Sir Len Peach's contract is for three days a week

  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the Commissioner for Public Appointments intends to publish guidance on public appointments, incorporating a code of practice, in line with the recommendations of the first report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life. [26747]

  Mr. Freeman
  The Commissioner for Public Appointments, Sir Len Peach, published earlier today a code of practice and guidance on public appointments. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Mr. Asif Majid
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the explanatory statement relating to the refusal of entry to the United Kingdom of Mr. Asif Majid, Ref: GV100/31308, sent to the Immigration Appellate Authority in the United Kingdom by them post in Islamabad on 16 February 1995 was received by the IAA; and if he will make a statement. [26352]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The explanatory statement was received by the immigration appellate authorities on 24 February 1995.

  Mentally Handicappped Witnesses
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department in how many cases in each year since 1993 the courts have used the testimony of mentally handicapped individuals in order to secure a conviction. [25209]
  58
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The question concerns a specific operational matter on which the chief executive of the Court Service is best placed to provide an answer and I have accordingly asked the chief executive to reply direct.

  Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. Cynog Dafis, dated 23 April 1996:
  The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, has asked me to reply to your Question about mentally handicapped witnesses.
  I am sorry to have to tell you that this information is not available and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

  Primary Legislation (Availability)
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proportion of primary legislation was readily available in its current amended form(a) November 1992 and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available. [25141]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Approximately one third of primary legislation was available in its current amended form in November 1992 and approximately the same proportion is available at the present time.

  Magistrates Court Closures
  Sir Roger Moate
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement about the consequences of local government reorganisation, with particular reference to the creation of unitary authorities, for the statutory rights of objection to the proposed closure of magistrates courts where such rights are currently held by county councils; and what assessment he has made of transferring this right in all cases to district and borough councils. [24995]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  After local government reorganisation in a magistrates courts committee's area, the statutory rights of appeal in relation to the proposed closure of a magistrates court will be held by any unitary authority in the area or by the county council insofar as it is not a unitary authority. The same bodies will be responsible for the funding of the magistrates courts service in their area. No assessment has been made of transferring the right of appeal to local authorities which do not contribute to the funding of the magistrates courts service, as would happen if the right were transferred in all cases to district and borough councils.

  Industrial Tribunal Appeals (Northern Ireland)
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many appeals there have been from industrial tribunals in Northern Ireland to the Court of Appeal since 1 January 1990. [24989]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The number of appeals from industrial tribunals in Northern Ireland to the Court of Appeal since 1 January 1990 is 32.

  The figures for each year from 1990 to 1995 are as follows:

  59

  Number

  1990

  5

  1991

  5

  1992

  6

  1993

  3

  1994

  5

  1995

  8

  Total

  32

  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many awards of an industrial tribunal in Northern Ireland have been altered on appeal on the grounds that the tribunal misdirected itself. [24990]

  Mr. Evans
  The number of awards of an industrial tribunal in Northern Ireland which have been altered by the Court of Appeal since 1990 is two.

  The figures for each year from 1990 to 1995 are as follows:

  Number

  1990

  1

  1991

  1

  1992

  0

  1993

  0

  1994

  0

  1995

  0

  Total

  2

  Land Registry
  Sir Michael Shersby
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what consultations the Land Registry has had with other parties regarding disclosure of the price paid for a property; and if he will make a statement. [24951]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The Land Registry became open to public inspection in 1990 and in December 1993 the Land Registry issued a consultation paper on a proposal to restore "price paid" information to the Land Register.

  Some 45 responses were received from professional bodies and other interested parties. The Lord Chancellor and the Chief Land Registrar decided that other proposals—to extend the mechanisms for bringing unregistered property on to the Land Register—should take higher priority. The Lord Chancellor plans to proceed with those proposals when there is an appropriate legislative opportunity.

  Contempt of Court Act 1981
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to amend section 10 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981; and if he will make a statement. [25455]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The Government at present have no plans to introduce amending legislation.

TREASURY

  St. Thomas's Hospital
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer of St. Thomas's hospital has been listed by the private financial panel in the Department of Health section for a private finance investment. [25529]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 18 April 1996]A private finance initiative project for St. Thomas's hospital was included in the illustrative list published by the private finance panel on 29 November 1995.

  Investments
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage growth in business investment in 1995 over its level in 1994; if he will make a statement on the differences between the growth in business investment in 1995 and his forecast in the November 1995 Red Book; and what is his revised forecast of business investment for 1996 and 1997. [25550]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 19 April 1996]: Business investment, as defined in chapter 3 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report", grew by 1.8 per cent. in 1995 compared with the November FSBR forecast of 3¼per cent. This difference reflects subsequent revisions to the Office for National Statistics data for 1994 and earlier quarters of 1995. Business investment actually grew more quickly in 1995 Q3 and Q4 than forecast. The FSBR forecast shows business investment growth of 9 per cent. in 1996 and 6¾per cent. in the year to the first half of 1997.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of funding to be made available to his Department through the private finance initiative in(a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97 and (c) 1997–98. [26167]

  Mr. Jack
  Estimated levels of private sector capital spending for private finance initiative projects within the Chancellor's departments for 1995–96, 1996–97 and 1997–98 are nil, £40 million and £40 million respectively. Further details about the private finance initiative and capital spending can be found in table 6.4 and 6.5 of the Treasury "Financial Statement and Budget Report" for 1995–96.

  Environmental Accounts
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what use he plans to make of the data on the interactions between the economy and the environment contained in the Government's satellite environmental accounts, referred to in paragraph 154 of "This Common Inheritance" annual report 1996. [25841]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  Environmental factors have performed an important role in economic policy decisions in recent year. The pilot environmental accounts will improve Government's ability to judge the environmental effects of economic policy.

  Women's Pay
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the average hourly earnings for(a) female part-time employees, (b) female full-time manual employees and (c) female full-time non-manual employees as a percentage of those of the equivalent male employees by standard region. [26245]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  Average hourly earnings of male and female full-time manual and non-manual employees in April 1995, by standard region, are published in "New Earnings Survey 1995", part A, a copy of which is held in the House of Commons Library. Average hourly earnings of female part-time employees, by standard region, is published in part F of the same publication. There are no available estimates for male part-time employees, except in the south-east where they were £6.07 in April 1995.

  Paracetamol
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people died as a result of paracetamol use and the use of compounds containing paracetamol in 1992 and for the five previous years. [26434]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The data are published for each year separately in table 10 of "Mortality statistics: injury and poisoning, England and Wales" series DH4, Nos. 13 to 18, copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library.

  In table 10, the drugs are listed alphabetically, and when two or more drugs are listed together they are put under the drug which comes first alphabetically. Any such combination of drugs is not cross-referenced under the other drugs in the combination, so there is no double counting.

  Since the principle of showing combinations of poisons is alphabetical, it therefore follows that no conclusions can be drawn concerning which drug, if any, played the major role. In addition, the inclusion of any substance in table 10 does not necessarily imply that it is toxic.

  The listing of a substance on its own signifies that only that drug was mentioned on the death certificate. It does not therefore include those cases where the drug occurred in combination with other drugs.

  Registration Service
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements have been made following the establishment of the Office for National Statistics for the approval of local schemes and regulations for the registration service in Wales. [26676]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  Under the Transfer of Functions (Registration and Statistics) Order 1996, SI 1996 No. 273, the Chancellor of the Exchequer is responsible for approving local schemes and regulations relating to the registration service in England and Wales. The agreement of the Secretary of State for Wales will also be necessary for those local schemes for regulations relating to Wales.

ENVIRONMENT

  "Policy Appraisal and the Environment"
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if it is Government policy to apply the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" to all Government policy statements where they are likely to have a significant direct or indirect effect on the environment. [25624]

  Mr. Clappison
  The guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" stresses that policy appraisal is applicable across the whole range of policies and programmes, and not just those with environmental objectives. The guide therefore raises awareness of the role of appraisal in the development of policies which have both direct and indirect environmental impacts.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria are used to determine when the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" is to be applied to(a) Government consultation papers, (b) Bills before Parliament, (c) White Papers and (d) planning policy guidance notes. [25623]

  Mr. Clappison
  Systematic appraisal, as described in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment", should automatically be part of effective policy formulation where there are likely to be both direct and indirect effects on the environment. No other criteria are required to determine cases where the guidance in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" should be applied.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" pertains to(a) Government consultation papers, (b) Bills before Parliament, (c) White Papers, (d) planning policy guidance notes and (e) policy statements. [25622]

  Mr. Clappison
  The guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" has been designed so that it is relevant for all stages of policy development, from the consultation stage through to policy statements.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to reduce the quantities of toxic waste going to landfill. [25753]

  Mr. Clappison
  Reducing the amount of waste we produce is our first priority. But it is equally important that we reduce its hazardousness. In Great Britain hazardous waste is called "special waste". Defined in this way, it covers approximately 1 per cent. of controlled waste arisings.

  Because of the threat posed by hazardous wastes to human health and the enviornment, we agree that it is important to minimise the quantities of these substances in waste arisings. The waste minimisation measures we have taken relating to the hazardousness of waste often take the form of regulations, such as the marketing and use directive amendments, which restrict or prohibit harmful materials such as chlorofluorocarbons, found in refrigerators, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, formerly used in electrical equipment, and now certain types of battery.
  63
  In the White Paper "Making Waste Work: A Strategy for Sustainable Waste Management in England and Wales", we have set a target to reduce the proportion of all controlled waste going to landfill from 70 per cent. to 60 per cent. by 2005.

  British Steel
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total value of commercial orders placed by his Department with British Steel plc in each year from 1988 to 1995. [25818]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  A total of £77,000 was paid to British Steel plc and its associate companies during 1995–96. This figure also covers payments amounting to £39,258.50 made by Property Advisers to the Civil Estate, which was part of this Department during the period in question.

  Figures for preceding years are obtainable only at disproportionate cost.

  Water Leaks
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the connection between rising groundwater and water lost through leaks from water company pipes; and if he will make a statement. [25714]

  Mr. Clappison
  None. Although most water leaking from the distribution system is likely to find its way into groundwater, it is unlikely to contribute significantly to rising levels of groundwater in the London area, where water in the distribution system is generally drawn from groundwater. The rise in groundwater levels in London is believed to be due chiefly to the reduction in abstractions for industrial purposes.

  Table 2: Number of medical board diagnoses of disablement, range 1 to 100 per cent., from occupational asthma for males and females in each calendar year 1990 to 1994, inclusive

  Year

  1990

  1991

  19921

  1993

  1994

  Sex

  M

  F

  M

  F

  M

  F

  M

  F

  M

  F

  All boards

  167

  49

  236

  57

  438

  115

  390

  120

  3912

  872

  Cardiff

  20

  5

  30

  9

  59

  23

  43

  22

  42

  11

  Swansea

  12

  1

  7

  2

  8

  2

  8

  1

  16

  3

  Glasgow

  15

  3

  33

  6

  30

  12

  24

  10

  23

  4

  Stoke on Trent

  18

  14

  31

  8

  74

  18

  63

  19

  68

  18

  Sheffield

  33

  9

  36

  9

  113

  23

  122

  27

  87

  26

  Manchester

  25

  6

  22

  9

  38

  13

  37

  9

  42

  13

  Newcastle

  14

  4

  36

  3

  64

  7

  59

  11

  74

  6

  London

  30

  7

  41

  11

  52

  17

  34

  21

  39

  6

  Notes:

  1The number of cases referred for medical boarding, and the number of diagnoses of disablement, increased from 1992 onwards following an increase in the number of prescribed agents for occupational asthma included in the industrial injuries disablement benefit list.

  2Excludes 19 males and nine females from Edinburgh board.

  Source:

  Medical boardings centres.

  Injury Reporting Regulations
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the revision of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 will take effect; if it will include a change in the definition of an accident to include physical injury due to an assault arising out of or in connection with work; and if he will make a statement. [25715]

  Asthma
  Mr. Ian McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the incidence of occupational asthma(a) nationally and (b) by region among (i) men and (ii) women in each of the past five years; and for each category and year what has been the change, by number and percentage, over the previous year. [25785]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The information is not available in the format requested.

  The surveillance of work-related and occupational respiratory disease scheme, based on reporting by specialist doctors, provides national estimates of the number of new cases of occupational asthma diagnosed by specialists. The available information from SWORD for 1991 to 1995 inclusive is shown in table 1.

  Table 1: Reports of occupational asthma to SWORD, United Kingdom 1991–1995

  Year

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  Estimated total cases seen by specialists1

  —2

  1,047

  879

  941

  851

  Percentage male3

  71

  72

  70

  66

  65

  Notes:

  1System of estimating total cases using one-month per annum returns from sampled physicians together with full 12-month returns from a core group was introduced in 1992 to decrease under-reporting.

  2Precedes system referred to in note 1; annual average no. of cases reported for 1989–91 was 509.

  3Based on reported cases where the sex was stated.

  Source:

  Health and Safety Executive.

  Information is also available from the DSS and is shown in table 2 for 1990 to 1994, inclusive. Data for 1995 are not yet available for presentation in this format.

  Sir Paul Beresford: The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 came into force on 1 April 1996. The new regulations define an accident to include
  "an act of non-consensual physical violence done to a person at work".

  This change will ensure that the health and safety enforcing authorities are provided with valuable data on the extent and nature of violence to people at work.

  Green Belt
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the guidance he has issued to planning authorities in respect of green belt land surrounding or containing historic hospital complexes which become surplus to requirements and for which development using part of the green belt land is proposed; and if he will make a statement. [25716]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Advice on major developed sites in the green belt, including hospitals, is provided in annexe C to planning policy guidance note 2. Paragraph C11 advises that suitable re-use is to be preferred to redevelopment where the buildings are of architectural or historic interest.

  Energy Efficiency Voucher Scheme
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has carried out on the number of inquiries received by private companies from members of the public in respect of the energy efficiency voucher scheme; and how many vouchers have been presented to date. [26260]

  Mr. Clappison
  A full assessment will be carried out in the summer when further research results have become available. Preliminary results show that the promotion—which was supported by the private sector, and included the industry's own advisory service—successfully maintained awareness of energy efficiency within the "Wasting Energy Costs the Earth" campaign. So far, there have been almost 12,000 consumer responses, either through presentation of vouchers or through requests for advice.

  Urban Regeneration
  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance has been issued by his Department to the urban development corporations to ensure that the regeneration statements prepared for urban development areas are consistent with local development plans and other strategic plans agreed by local authorities which have a bearing on urban regeneration. [26015]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  None. It is for each urban development corporation to consider the most appropriate means of regenerating its area, in the light of its knowledge of local needs and conditions. In doing so, it will naturally wish to have regard to any local authority plans which may impact upon the urban development area.

  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what legal obligations exist to ensure that urban development corporations consult local authorities and other public bodies about(a) regeneration statements and (b) other exit strategies. [26017]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  None. However, my Department encourages all urban development corporations to consult local authorities and other interested parties about both their regeneration statements and their exit strategies.

  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what priority will be given for English Partnerships investment in urban development areas which contain areas of dereliction and contamination following designation. [26016]
  66
  Sir Paul Beresford
  English Partnerships has been invited by several urban development corporations to become actively involved in the succession arrangements for the areas. The agency will consider taking on responsibility for the regeneration of sites within the UDC areas where the reclamation and redevelopment of those sites fits the agency's strategic objectives and priorities. The reclamation of derelict land continues to be one of English Partnerships' key objectives and high priority is given to the regeneration of sites that are contaminated.

  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the estimated outstanding financial liabilities incurred by each of the urban development corporations in respect of(a) property and land which cannot be sold for a positive price in its present condition, (b) public open space and infrastructure, (c) rental guarantees, grant or compensation liabilities, and (d) staff and member liabilities, including redundancy, pension entitlements and terminal bonuses; and if he will list the provisions made within each urban development corporation budget in the financial years 1996–97 and 1997–98 to cover these liabilities. [26014]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Information in this form is not held by my Department. Each urban development corporation has been asked to provide details of all its remaining liabilities as part of this year's corporate plan round. However, the estimated cost of settling particular liabilities is commercially sensitive, since negotiations with potential successor bodies are still taking place. Corporations are expected to meet the cost of settling liabilities from within the resources available to them from grant in aid and receipts.

  Infected Clinical Waste
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on missing infected clinical waste; and what action he is taking with health trusts to deal with this problem. [26321]

  Mr. Clappison
  My officials have written to the Environment Agency requesting that it investigate this matter. At this point, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further on this issue.

  Council Tax Transitional Relief (Redbridge)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was(a) the total sum, (b) the amount paid to the London borough of Redbridge, (c) the percentage of the total paid to the London borough of Redbridge and (d) the amount per dwelling in the London borough of Redbridge, in transitional relief in respect of the council tax in each year from 1993–94 to 1995–96. [26503]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The information is as follows:

  (a) Total amount of transitional relief

  1993–94: £378,652,826

  1994–95: £111,283,1791

  1995–96: £27,178,1791

  (b) Amount of transitional relief paid to the London borough of Redbridge

  1993–94: £1,383,863.00

  1994–95: £179,637.301

  1995–96: £13,929.301

  67
  (c) Percentage of total amount paid to London borough of Redbridge

  1993–94: 0.37%

  1994–95: 0.16%1

  1995–296: 0.05%1

  (d) Amount paid per chargeable dwelling in London borough of Redbridge

  1993–94: £15.12

  1994–95: £1.961

  1995–96: £0.151

  These figures are averages. The actual amount of transitional relief varied according to a household's council tax banding, its composition and its previous liability for community charge.

  1Information for 1994–95 and 1995–96 is provisional and is subject to final grant claims being made during 1996–97.

  Green Ministers
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Committee of Green Ministers last met; which Departments were represented at that meeting; and which Departments were represented by a Cabinet Minister. [25847]

  Mr. Clappison
  Green Ministers last met on 29 January. All Departments were represented, but not by a Cabinet Minister.

  Energy Survey
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish the 1991 energy survey undertaken as part of the 1991 English house condition survey; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [25835]

  Mr. Curry
  This summer. Some key findings from the 1991 energy survey were published last year, in a guide entitled "Energy Efficiency in Council Housing: Condition of the Stock," and copies placed in the Library.

  Health Action Plan
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he plans to publish the United Kingdom environmental health action plan. [25837]

  Mr. Clappison
  It is proposed to publish the United Kingdom environmental health action plan in the summer of this year.

  "This Common Inheritance"
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is taking to stimulate debate across the country on the first set of sustainable development indicators, as envisaged in paragraph 171 of "This Common Inheritance" United Kingdom annual report 1996. [25840]

  Mr. Clappison
  The report on indicators of sustainable development for the United Kingdom published on 12 March provides a preliminary set of indicators. The report invites comments and ideas from readers which will be taken into account in developing the indicators further. Further discussions will take place with local authority 68
  associations, non-governmental organisations, and academic and research organisations.

  The Secretary of State has also written to his ministerial counterparts in other EU member states drawing attention to the work that the UK has done in developing indicators, inviting their views on the UK indicator package and to share their countries' experiences in this area.

  The Department of the Environment also intends to hold a seminar this summer for a thorough examination of the indicators, inviting participants from national and local government, industry, commerce, non-governmental organisations and the academic community.

  Smoking (Public Places)
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the target set in 1992 for the percentage of public places which should have effective no-smoking policies in place by 1994; what percentage figure was achieved in 1994; and what is the current percentage figure. [25842]

  Mr. Clappison
  In 1992, the Government's target was that 80 per cent. of public places should have effective smoking policies by the end of 1994. The statistical information is not available in the form requested. However, the report "Smoking in Public Places, 2nd Survey Report, " a copy of which has been put in the Library of the House of Commons, shows for eight categories of establishment the percentage with an effective smoking policy:

  Category

  Percentage

  Shops

  63

  Advice/money transactions

  48

  Travel

  38

  Health

  71

  Formal education

  77

  Informal education

  62

  Food/entertainment

  37

  Sports/recreation

  48

  The report relates to a survey carried out in 1995.

  Private Finance Initiative (Construction Industry Report)
  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to make a formal response to the construction industry's paper of October 1995 about the private finance initiative; and if he will make a statement. [26785]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The Government have taken the industry's views into account in reviewing the PFI and deciding what further improvements to make to its operation. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I and other Ministers met a construction industry delegation today and provided a full response to the points raised in the report.

  Actions taken by the Government to deal with these points include:

  (a) better guidance: a practical PFI handbook "Private Opportunity, Public Benefit" was published by HM Treasury in November 1995. Further guidance notes and practical case studies will be published during 1996;

  69

  (b) new procurement guidelines for Government Departments: highlighting best practice, published by HM Treasury on 3 April 1996;

  (c) model contract clauses: will be produced, for whenever it makes sense to use them, to minimise the need to reinvent the wheel for each PFI project. The Treasury is also to establish a standing committee to resolve precedent-setting contractual issues at an early stage;

  (d) large-scale PEI training: arrangements are being made to give practical training to 5,000 to 10,000 civil servants in 1996–97. The programme of training has commenced, and is open to private sector delegates;

  (e) more effective co-ordination: the Treasury private finance unit and the private finance panel executive have been strengthened;

  (f) closer dialogue with the construction industry: my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State chaired a PFI meeting with industry representatives on 22 November 1995, with Ministers from five Departments present, including the Financial Secretary to the Treasury. Today's is the second such meeting, and bilateral meetings between the industry and Ministers in a number of Departments are taking place;

  (g) encouragement for equity investment: the private finance panel will continue to strengthen its dialogue with funding institutions, building on the positive response the market is already making;

  (h) removal of unnecessarily restrictive contract conditions: to encourage greater flexibility in project funding;

  (i) developing the potential for smaller PFI projects: the emergence of model projects and contract documentation will assist the development of smaller projects. Other methods to bundle together smaller projects are also being considered;

  (j) regional PFI contacts: Government offices for the regions have established PFI co-ordinators and contact points.

  The operation of PFI will be kept under review and further action taken where necessary to remove obstacles to the quick and successful implementation of projects.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Television Violence
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make a statement on her policy in respect of the introduction of V-chips. [25350]

  Mr. Sproat
  The Secretary of State has initiated a thorough and careful analysis of the new V-chip technology and associated issues in conjunction with broadcasters, regulators and other interested parties as well as with our partners in Europe. This is not a straightforward issue. There are practical and technical difficulties in introducing new technology of this kind and we would not wish to be rushed into a premature decision.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many manufacturing companies in the west midlands have closed since 1992. [24783]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  [holding answer 16 April 1996]: On the basis of VAT registrations data, a total of 4,007 manufacturing firms became individually deregistered—
  70
  for whatever reason—in the west midlands region during 1993 and 1994. In the same period, 3,354 new manufacturing businesses became deregistered in the region. Figures for 1995 are not yet available.

  Corruption (Football Clubs)
  Miss Hoey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what evidence he has given to the premier league inquiry into football corruption within English football clubs. [25738]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  None.

  Auditors' Reports (Public Limited Companies)
  Miss Hoey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, (1) what assessment he has made of the quality of auditors reports of public limited companies in England; and if he will make a statement; [25736]

  (2) what is the supervisory role of this Department over the quality of reports made by auditors in public limited companies' annual reports with special reference to football clubs. [25737]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  Company auditors and the conduct of company audit work for all companies, including those that are football clubs, are governed by the provisions of part H of the Companies Act 1989, which aims to ensure that audits are carried out only by persons who are properly supervised and appropriately qualified, and that such audits are carried out with integrity and with a proper degree of independence. Using the criteria set down in part II, five professional accountancy bodies—recognised supervisory bodies—have been recognised for the purposes of monitoring, inspecting, supervising and disciplining registered company auditors. These bodies are in turn responsible to me for the way in which they operate this self-regulatory regime, and are required to submit to me annual reports on audit regulation.

  British Steel
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of the debts of the British Steel Corporation(a) assumed by central Government and (b) otherwise written off between 1979 and privatisation in 1988. [25821]

  Mr. Page
  A two-stage reconstruction of British Steel Corporation's balance sheet involving the write-off of public dividend capital provided to the company was effected under the Iron and Steel Acts of 1981 and 1982 in recognition of the fact that trading losses could not be recovered out of existing assets. The 1981 Act reduced by £3 billion the sums invested in BSC by the Government under section 18(1) of the Iron and Steel Act 1975, with a further reduction of £1 billion effected in December 1982 by a statutory instrument made under the 1982 Act. In conjunction with this exercise, the Iron and Steel Act 1981 extinguished £509 million of national loans fund loans together with accrued interest thereon as at the end of the corporation's 1980–81 financial year, in respect of the long-term indebtness of the corporation.

  In 1988, preparing British Steel plc for privatisation, Her Majesty's Government made a number of adjustments to the company's capital structure to bring it into a form that was appropriate for a public limited company. Full

  71
  details of these adjustments are given in the National Audit Office report "Department of Trade and Industry: Sale of Government Shareholding in British Steel plc", HC 210, 1989–90 Session, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the implications of the incentives being offered by the state of Alabama, USA, to British Steel plc and its partners in the Trico steel mill venture for future investment in the British steel industry. [26013]

  Mr. Page
  None. This is purely a commercial matter for British Steel.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has evaluated from UK Nirex Ltd. in regard to its proposed charging scheme for the disposal of intermediate-level radioactive waste in the planned repository; what is the real rate of return on the capital employed in the disposal charges; and if he will indicate the period of capital expenditure used in calculating this rate of return. [26274]

  Mr. Page
  My Department receives a variety of information from UK Nirex Ltd., but these are matters of the management of the company.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of funding to be made available to his Department through the private finance initiative in(a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97 and (c) 1997–98. [26169]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The capital value of PFI projets being planned by my Department is estimated to be as follows:

  Year

  £million

  1996–97

  12.2

  1997–98

  4.1

  For the period 1995–96, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my predecessor on 7 November 1995, Official Report, column 705, to a question from the hon. Member for Sheffield, Attercliffe (Mr. Betts).

  Rural Post Offices
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many post offices in rural areas have been closed in Northern Ireland since 1979. [26232]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]:
  I understand from Post Office Counters Ltd that records are available only from 1987. The total number of post offices in rural areas of Northern Ireland in March 1987 was 515. In March 1996, the corresponding number was 460, a net change of 55. Some of this change was due to some rural offices being reclassified as urban offices. The majority of rural closures are due to the difficulty of finding a suitable applicant to take over the office.

  Nuclear Industry
  Ms Walley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will place in the Library a copy of his reply to the European Commission's request for the United Kingdom's response to the Consortium of Opposing Local Authorities and Friends of the Earth reports relating to competition policy and the nuclear industry. [26524]

  Mr. Eggar
  The Government are aware of only one report sent by the Consortium of Opposing Local Authorities and Friends of the Earth to the European Commission. This report is entitled "UK Nuclear Privatisation and Public Sector Liabilities".

  The Commission is aware of the Government's view that there is no basis for the concerns which were expressed by COLA on publication of that report.

  Deregulation
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the estimated annual saving to business from the Deregulation (Insurance Companies Act 1982) Order 1996. [25763]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The order has three main purposes:

  (a) the abolition of section 18(3) of the Insurance Companies Act 1982 ("the Act") which requires a five-yearly statement of a life assurance company's business. The life assurance industry has estimated that these measures will save £6 million for the industry over a five-year cycle;

  (b) the abolition of section 22(2) of the Act which requires each insurance company to return a statement of connected intermediaries. This measure is estimated to save the insurance industry in excess of £500,000 annually; and

  (c) amendment of sections 22(1), 42(4) and 82 of the Act in order to allow insurance companies to submit copies of their annual returns in an electronic format. This measure is for the convenience of the industry and cost savings will be small, representing the difference between the cost of production and submission of four paper copies of the return, and that of producing a diskette. The administrative cost to companies of taking corrective action, if required to do so under section 22(5) of the Act, should also be reduced.

  Women (Unfair Dismissal)
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many cases of unfair dismissal of women have been recorded in Scotland during the last three years; and if he will make a statement; [25213]

  (2) how many cases of unfair dismissal of women have been recorded in England during the last three years; and if he will make a statement; [25215]

  (3) how many cases of unfair dismissal of women have been recorded in Wales during the last three years; and if he will make a statement.[25211]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The numbers of unfair dismissal cases brought by women and registered by the industrial tribunals for 1994 and 1995 are set out. Figures for 1993 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
  73

  Cases of unfair dismissal brought by women in England, Scotland and Wales

  Year

  Region

  Total registered

  1994

  England

  11,592

  Scotland

  1,338

  Wales

  834

  1995

  England

  8,601

  Scotland

  1,122

  Wales

  687

  The tribunal area for Wales includes the following neighbouring parts of England—Crewe and Congleton; county of Shropshire except southern part of Bridgenorth; south Herefordshire; Leominster; Hereford and Malvern Hills; Newcastle upon Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Moorlands.

  Gas Prices
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the percentage change in(a) gas beach prices and (b) the price of gas to domestic consumers since 1986. [26023]

  Mr. Eggar
  Between 1986 and 1995 the price of gas to domestic consumers excluding VAT fell by 24 per cent.—15 per cent. including VAT—in real terms. The DTI does not publish a similar series for beach prices.

  Insolvency Service
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what targets he has set the Insolvency Service executive agency for 1996–97. [26723]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  Against the Insolvency Service's planning assumption that compulsory insolvencies will total 27,500 cases in the year to 31 March 1997, I have set it the target of completing 26,500 cases with no more than 9 per cent. of uncompleted cases being more than 36 months old. I have also set it the target of reducing the unit cost of bankruptcy and compulsory liquidation case administration in 1996–97 by 8 per cent. Resources will increasingly be concentrated on the service's investigative effort and I expect the number of proceedings taken for the disqualification of directors of failed companies to exceed last year's outcome of 1,390, itself an increase of some 50 per cent. on the previous year. In concentrating on the more

  Year-on-year changes in employees in employment, December of each year (thousands)

  Industry

  SIC92 Code

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  52

  Retail

  (except 52.7)

  -11

  61

  18

  1

  Restaurants, cafes, takeaway food shops

  55.3

  7

  10

  10

  12

  Hotels and other residential accommodation

  55.1-55.2

  10

  0

  11

  23

  Bars

  55.4

  -24

  -30

  4

  21

  Manufacture of wearing apparel, dressing and dyeing of fur

  18

  -11

  11

  1

  -1

  Source: ONS.

PRIME MINISTER

  Engagements
  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 23 April. [25034]

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 23 April. [25035]
  74
  serious and resource-intensive criminal investigative work, I shall expect the service to contain the effect that this will have on the other prosecution action it carries out. I shall also expect the service to operate within its agreed gross running cost provision for 1996–97 of £51,197 million and its programme budget of £3,689 million.

  In addition, I have set the service the following quality of service targets for 1996–97:

  to report to creditors on assets and liabilities within eight weeks in at least 90 per cent. of cases and within 12 weeks in 98 per cent. of all cases;

  to hold the initial meeting of creditors within 12 weeks in 90 per cent. of all cases and within four months in 98 per cent. of all cases;

  to submit reports within 10 months in at least 90 per cent. of bankruptcy cases and 80 per cent. of company liquidation cases where there is evidence of criminality;

  to submit disqualification reports within 15 months in at least 80 per cent. cases where there is evidence of unfit conduct by directors;

  to check and action at least 95 per cent. of insolvency services account payment requisitions within five days or by the due date;

  to process 95 per cent. of official receivers' receipt and payment transactions within 24 hours;

  to give notice to insolvency practitioners of interest credited to estates within four weeks.

  In addition, I expect the service to action all invoices for payment within 30 days of receipt and the agency chief executive to continue to reply within 10 working days to all letters from Members of Parliament delegated to him for reply.

  Wages Councils
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many new jobs have been created in each region of the United Kingdom in those industries where rates of pay were previously determined by wages councils in each year since 1992. [24948]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  I have been asked to reply.

  Information is not available by regions for industries formerly covered by wages councils. Net job councils for Great Britain are given in the following table.

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

  Lake Kojanovskoe, Russia
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had at the Groups of Eight nuclear safety and security summit in Moscow of radioactive contamination of Lake Kojanovskoe. [25530]
  75
  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]: The specific questions of contamination levels in Lake Kojanovskoe did not arise at the summit.

  Third-party Liability Convention
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what reasons he had from the Ukraine and Russia in respect of the signature and ratification of the Vienna convention on third-party liability. [25531]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]: I understand that both Russia and the Ukraine have indicated that they intend to join the Vienna convention. As a first step, both are currently in the process of developing compatible national legislation.

  Beef Industry
  Sir Julian Critchley
  To ask the Prime Minister what is his policy in respect of requiring the feed and meat processing industries to make a contribution to the culling of the nation's cows. [24480]

  The Prime Minister
  My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food made a statement to the House on 16 April,Official Report, columns 513-16, covering measures for the removal of cattle over 30 months of age from the human food chain, and on the possibility of a selective cull of animals potentially at high risk from bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Tropical Rainforests
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those projects concerned with the conservation of tropical rainforests, or species within them, funded through the global environment facility, together with the sums of money which have been committed internationally to each project; and if he will indicate if each project forms part of biodiversity action plans published by the Governments of the countries in which the projects are located. [25925]

  Mr. Hanley
  The information is not readily available. We are consulting the secretariat of the global environment facility and will reply as soon as possible.

TRANSPORT

  Public Transport (Investment)
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been invested in public transport over the last five years; and what was the percentage change for each of those years. [25243]

  Mr. Norris
  The figures are given in the table. They comprise estimates of public and private investment in London Transport, national railways and local public transport.
  76

  Total public transport £ million

  Percentage difference (year on year)

  1991–92

  1,850

  —

  1992–93

  2,370

  +28

  1993–94

  2,220

  -6

  1994–95

  2,100

  -5

  1995–96

  2,290

  +9

  Train Engine Units (Fires)
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fires there have been in high-speed train engine units in each of the last five years. [25505]

  Mr. Watts
  This information is not available in the form requested. Table 12A of Her Majesty's railway inspectorate's annual report on railway safety for 1994–95, a copy of which is in the Library, lists the number of train fires by type of vehicle but does not distinguish between the engine units and the coaches of high-speed trains. The total number of fires in high-speed trains is shown in the following table:

  Type of vehicle

  High-speed Trains

  1991–92

  12

  1992–93

  9

  1993–94

  15

  1994–95

  5

  Figures for 1995–96 are not yet available.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what safety procedures are in place for dealing with fires in engine units of high-speed trains. [25506]

  Mr. Watts
  The engine compartments of high-speed train power cars are equipped with a fire detection system that is alarmed in the driving cab. A fire suppression system is also provided.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will instruct the Health and Safety Executive to investigate(a) the cause of and (b) the safety procedures following the fire in the engine unit of the 17.35 service from London to Plymouth, at Bristol Parkway station, on 7 April. [25504]

  Mr. Watts
  The Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate has inquired into the incident.

  The fire was caused by a component failure in the engine fuel system. Remedial action is in hand.

  Safety procedures at the time of the incident involved summoning the fire service, which attended promptly, and separating the vehicle on fire from the rest of the train.

  Road Schemes (Environmental Assessment)
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice has been issued by his Department on the implementation of the Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment recommendations on environmental assessment of road schemes. [25843]
  77
  Mr. Norris
  Revised and expanded guidance on the environmental assessment of trunk road schemes was issued in 1993 as volume 11 of the design manual for roads and bridges. This is kept under review and updated as necessary.

  M27 (New Road Signs)
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new road signs have been ordered for the Bursledon-Nursling section of the M27; when they were placed in storage; at what cost they were purchased; and when he expects them to be installed. [25762]

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

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. John Denham, dated 23 April 1996:
  The Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts, has asked me to write to you in reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about road signs for the Bursledon Nursling section of the M27.
  No new road signs have been ordered for this section of the M27. 14 variable message signs are being recovered from the M25 during the widening works. These signs are being stored and will be installed on the M27 when funds become available for this work.

  Motor Vehicles (Accident Damage)
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to make it compulsory for details of accident damage to be entered on motor vehicle registration documents with the name of the insurance company where appropriate and relevant. [25419]

  Mr. Norris
  Such an endorsement did appear on the old-style green logbook. The practice ceased in 1971 because it was found that it could give a false impression of a vehicle's condition. Some vehicles which were assumed to be unroadworthy were in fact repaired to a high standard. This reason is still valid today.

  Officials are, however, discussing with the insurance industry and the police the possibility of making available to the public information on total loss vehicles.

  Traffic Congestion
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 26 February,Official Report, column 340, in respect of projections of future road congestion, what assessment he has made of the extent to which it will be practicable and economic for the railways to enlarge their market share of goods and passenger traffic to alleviate likely road congestion; and what proposals he has to quantify this. [25865]

  Mr. Watts
  It is not possible to quantify the potential impact in general terms of an expansion of the railways on national road congestion, although it can make important local differences. Liberalisation and privatisation will improve the ability of rail to attract and retain passenger and freight traffic.

  Train Services (Disabled Access)
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he has given to the franchising director in respect of train operating companies guaranteeing disabled access to train services. [25503]
  78
  Mr. Watts
  None. The Rail Regulator is responsible for protecting the interests of disabled rail passengers. All train and station operators are required to submit for the regulator's approval a disabled people's protection policy, as a condition of being granted a licence to operate. Details of the accessibility of rolling stock were set out in my answer of 19 April to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms Short),Official Report, column 632.

  Sea Empress Incident
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what decisions were taken by the executive committee of the international oil pollution compensation fund at its meeting on Tuesday 16 April in relation to compensation payments to victims of the Sea Empress disaster; and if he will make a statement. [26353]

  Mr. Norris
  At a meeting of the IOPC fund's executive committee held in the immediate aftermath of the Sea Empress incident the committee decided that the fund should not make any compensation payments until the position regarding the total level of likely claims was clearer. On the basis of an agreement brokered by the Government, the ship's insurers, the Skuld Protection and Indemnity Club, agreed to make payments to claimants suffering hardship. To date, 62 payments have been made totalling some £240,000.

  At a meeting of the fund's executive committee on 16 April the committee decided that the fund could start paying compensation to claimants, but because of continuing uncertainty about the level of total claims such payments should be restricted to 75 per cent. of the damage suffered by the claimant on the basis of the advice of the fund's experts at the time when a payment was made. It is believed that in the majority of cases the position of the claimants will be improved, but there might still be circumstances in which some claimants could still suffer genuine financial difficulty. To address this possibility, the Government have brokered a further agreement with the Skuld club whereby the club will make payments above 75 per cent. in cases of genuine financial hardship. The details of this arrangement will be discussed with representatives of Sea Empress claimants at meetings to be held in Milford Haven on 25 April.

  MV Derbyshire
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received concerning the forthcoming return to the wreck fo the MV Derbyshire; and if he will make a statement. [25582]

  Mr. Norris
  Representation have been received from, and on behalf of, the Derbyshire Family Association. They are being considered. We hope to be able to respond to the representations in the near future.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when he will publish the list of people to visit the wreck of the MV Derbyshire; and what date he has set for this investigation; [25581]

  (2) when he proposes to make a statement on the inclusion of DFA nominated representatives in the visit to the wreck of the MV Derbyshire. [25563]
  79
  Mr. Norris
  We await the final recommendations of the technical assessors and salvage advisors appointed to oversee this project. Until their recommendations have been received and considered and any necessary contractual procedures completed, it is premature to fix the possible date for a return to the Derbyshire or to list those who will be involved.

  Railways (Season Ticket Discounts)
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which train operating companies are and were paying season ticket discounts under the passengers charter(a) currently, (b) 12 months ago and (c) 24 months ago. [24546]

  Mr. Watts
  For the purposes of the passengers charter season ticket compensation scheme, train operating companies are split into 59 route groups. The following route groups are and were triggering season ticket discounts at the end of March:

  (a) 52 weeks ending 29 March 1996

  Punctuality and Reliability

  Felixstowe

  Punctuality only

  Northampton Lines

  Cross Country

  West Coast

  East Coast

  Manchester Local

  North Wales Branches

  Avon

  Reliability only

  North London Orbital

  North Wales Inter Urban

  Cornwall

  (b) 52 weeks ending 31 March 1995

  Punctuality and Reliability

  Avon

  Manchester Locals

  Punctuality only

  Cross Country

  North Wales Branches

  ScotRail East

  ScotRail Central

  Reliability only

  North London Lines

  Lancashire Locals

  Northern Short

  Transpennine

  Manchester Long

  Cornwall

  South Yorkshire and Humberside Long

  (c) 52 weeks ending 2 April 1994

  Punctuality only

  Cross Country

  Avon

  Reliability only

  Transpennine

  South Yorks and Humberside Long

  Manchester Long

  Cornwall

  Anglia

  Merseyrail

  Emergency Salvage Cover
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when his Department's charter of the tug Smit-Lloyd Safe for emergency salvage cover in Scottish waters ends; and if he will make a statement; [23290]

  (2) when his Department's charter of the tug Far Turbot for emergency salvage cover in the English channel ends; and if he will make a statement. [23289]

  Mr. Norris
  The existing Coastguard agency charter of the tugs Smit-Lloyd Safe and the Far Turbot ends on 30 April 1966. The intention is that this provision will recommence on 1 October 1996 for a period of six months.

  The Coastguard agency has arrangements with four firms of UK tug brokers to make towing vessels available in an emergency. HM Coastguard rescue centres maintain databases of suitable vessels in their locality, including harbour tugs. The agency has a draft understanding with the British Tugowners Association that its members will, if possible, make tugs available for emergencies. We will continue to work closely with the tug industry to ensure the best possible access to emergency towing vessels.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of funding to be made available to his Department through the private finance initiative in(a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97 and (c) 1997–98. [26177]

  Mr. Watts
  Private sector contributions under the private finance initiative for the years in question are estimated at roundly(a) £250 million, (b) £630 million, and (c) £820 million.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Entertainment Costs
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the entertainment costs at each British embassy in each EU country in 1995; and if he will make a statement. [24595]

  Mr. Hanley
  Expenditure on official entertainment at British embassies in European Union countries in the financial year 1994–95—the latest figure available—was £1,183,614. It is our practice not to publish how this is divided between posts.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the entertainment costs at each British high commission in each Commonwealth country in 1995; and if he will make a statement. [24596]

  Mr. Hanley
  Expenditure on official entertainment at British high commissions overseas in the financial year 1994–95—the latest figure available—was £1,252,368. It is our practice not to publish how this is divided between posts.

  Turkey
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the human rights situation in Turkey; and what plans Her Majesty's Government have to address the issue at the current UN Commission on Human Rights. [25875]

  Mr. David Davis
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin) on 19 April,Official Report, column 631.

  Sub-Saharan Africa
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total number of staff in the British high commission in(a) Lesotho, (b) Malawi, (c) Kenya, (d) Ghana and (e) Botswana in the years 1992–93 to 1996–97. [25564]

  Mr. Hanley
  The authorised establishment in these posts is as follows:

  (a) UK-based staff

  Post

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  Maseru (Lesotho)

  6.00

  6.00

  6.00

  6.00

  3.00

  Lilongwe (Malawi)

  13.00

  13.00

  13.00

  13.00

  13.00

  Nairobi (Kenya)

  37.00

  37.00

  35.00

  33.00

  35.00

  Accra (Ghana)

  22.00

  19.00

  17.50

  17.50

  17.00

  Gaborone (Botswana)

  7.00

  7.00

  7.00

  6.00

  5.00

  (b) Locally engaged employees, in staff years:

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  Maseru

  15.50

  15.50

  15.50

  11.00

  11.00

  Lilongwe

  58.25

  58.25

  58.25

  59.25

  60.75

  Nairobi

  67.50

  68.50

  68.50

  68.50

  68.00

  Accra

  87.50

  87.50

  91.50

  93.50

  84.50

  Gaborone

  17.50

  17.50

  17.50

  13.90

  13.90

  In addition, the Overseas Development Administration has two development divisions in Africa. The office in Lilongwe was transferred to Harare in 1995.

  Development division UK-based staff establishment

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  Lilongwe

  15.00

  12.00

  12.00

  12.00

  —

  Nairobi

  10.00

  10.00

  10.00

  10.00

  10.00

  Development division-locally engaged staff establishment:

  Lilongwe

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Nairobi

  14.00

  14.00

  18.00

  18.00

  18.00

  Staff figures are still awaited from Lilongwe.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of funding to be made available to this Department through the private finance initiative in(a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97 and (c) 1997–98. [26168]

  Mr. Hanley
  We consider the use of private finance as the preferred option for all proposed capital projects. I refer the hon. Member to the capital spending estimates in table 6.5 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1996–97", which is available in the House Library. no capital investment took place under the private finance initiative scheme in 1995–96.

  South Africa (Trade Access)
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the position of Her Majesty's Government in the Council of Ministers of the EU with regard to the liberalisation of trade access by the Republic of South Africa to the EU; and if it will make it the policy to work for a fair and asymmetrical trade deal with particular emphasis on allowing as much market access for agricultural products as possible. [26093]

  Mr. David Davis
  The UK has consistently argued for an EU trade agreement with South Africa which will help South Africa's successful transition to a prosperous and stable non-racial democracy. The agreement should cover substantially all trade, with as much market access for agricultural products as possible. The mandate agreed at the Foreign Affairs Council on 25 March is not as liberal as we would have liked, and we therefore abstained in the vote and made a statement expressing our concerns. We will continue to work for as liberal an agreement as possible. We expect that the Commission will need more negotiating flexibility: we will respond sympathetically to any such request, and urge our EU partners to do likewise.

  Israel-Lebanon Conflict
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his recent speeches regarding the present Israeli-Lebanese conflict represent a change in Government policy in respect of the respect for territorial integrity between Lebanon and Israel as outlined in Security Council resolution 425. [26140]

  Mr. Hanley
  We continue to support the territorial integrity of Lebanon, and have consistently called for the implementation of Security Council resolution 425. The UK co-sponsored resolution 1052 on 18 April, which called for a ceasefire and recalled SCR 425.

  Miss Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government propose to take to support attempts by members of the international community to bring about an immediate ceasefire in the present conflict between Lebanon and Israel. [26137]

  Mr. Hanley
  We are in close touch with all the Governments concerned. My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary has sent messages to Foreign Ministers Bouez and Shara'a and has spoken to Warren Christopher and the Israeli Foreign Minister. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister met the Lebanese Prime Minister and has discussed the situation with Presidents Clinton and Chirac. We strongly support US efforts to mediate. We also supported UNSCR 1052, which calls for immediate ceasefire.

  Miss Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government plan to take to support international relief efforts to alleviate the suffering of people displaced in Lebanon by the present conflict between Israel and Lebanon. [26141]

  Mr. Hanley
  We are providing bilateral emergency aid to Lebanon of £250,000. In addition, the European Commission is providing 600,000 ecu, which will be spent on medical aid, tents, blankets, food aid and safe water supplies.

  St. Helena
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to ensure non-discrimination between the sexes in employment conditions in the public service on St. Helena. [26464]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  There is no discrimination between the sexes in employment conditions.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that no public service employee on St. Helena loses her employment because she becomes pregnant. [26463]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  St. Helena Government public service orders provide that all established female officers are eligible for maternity leave. However, those engaged on temporary terms are not eligible. The St. Helena Government are reviewing the terms and conditions of unestablished employees.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to remove Government control of access to the broadcasting service on St. Helena. [26465]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  The Government of St. Helena are examining options for the management of Radio St. Helena, including establishing a media trust.

  EU Member States (Territories)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 12 March,Official Report, columns 531-32, for what reasons the Falkland Islands were not included in the list of United Kingdom territories. [26462]

  Mr. David Davis: This was due to an administration error. The answer should have included the Falkland Islands within the list of UK dependent territories as follows:

  Territory

  Part of EU?

  Vote in EP elections?

  Falkland Islands

  No

  No

  A request for an amendment to the Official Report was made on 15 March.

  Land Mines
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the use of anti-personnel land mines. [26722]

  Mr. David Davis
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) yesterday.

  DEFENCE
  Mr. Soames
  RAF training is designed to fit individuals with the skills to meet the tasks expected of them both now and in the future. Not all training has to take place within fixed time frames. Accordingly, as part of the measures to avoid unnecessary pressure on personnel during transition to the future RAF manning structure, we plan to suspend refresher training in common core skills for the period to March 1997, except where this would prejudice safety standards or jeopardise support for the RAF's operational commitments. Military effectiveness will not be compromised.
  85

  Royal Air Force Training
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to suspend non-essential RAF training. [25795]

  Gulf War Syndrome
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will obtain the details of the research experiments conducted by Dr. Mohamed Abou-Donia at Duke university medical centre in the United States into the causes of Gulf war syndrome. [26266]

  Mr. Soames
  My Department will consider very carefully the report on the research undertaken at Duke university medical centre when it is published.

  Bosnia
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the British armed forces serving in Bosnia have available(a) armoured vehicles plated with depleted uranium and (b) depleted uranium shells for operational use. [26262]

  Mr. Soames
  No.

  Ulster Defence Regiment
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) full-time and (b) part-time members of the Ulster Defence Regiment there were at the date of its abolition; and how many (i) full-time and (ii) part-time members are now serving in the Royal Irish Regiment in Northern Ireland. [25931]

  Mr. Soames
  There were 2, 990 full-time and 2, 858 part-time members of the Ulster Defence Regiment when it amalgamated with the Royal Irish Rangers to form the Royal Irish Regiment on 1 July 1992. The Royal Irish Regiment (Home Service) consisted of 3, 014 full-time and 2, 122 part-time soldiers on 31 March 1996.

  Cyprus
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 2 April,Official Report, column 98, for what reason no Turkish Cypriots are employed in the western sovereign base area; what proposals he has to ensure that employment by the base reflects the composition of the population of the western sovereign base area; and if he will make a statement. [26239]

  Mr. Soames
  Following the events of 1974, the Turkish Cypriot population now lives in the Turkish-controlled area to the north of the UN-patrolled buffer zone. No Turkish Cypriots are registered for employment in the catchment area for the western sovereign base area. The employment of Cypriot personnel within the WSBA reflects this position.

  Nuclear Weapons Transport
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the provision of aid to the Russian Federation to assist the safe transport and storage of nuclear weapons. [26263]

  Mr. Soames
  The UK, at a cost of some £35 million, has provided Russia with 250 armoured weapon containers and 20 heavy armoured transport vehicles to provide additional protection for its nuclear warheads in transit and in storage. These warheads are those made surplus under the strategic arms reduction talks treaty. Russia has expressed its appreciation for this assistance.

  Married Quarters Estate
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements he has made for the management of the properties of the married quarters estate which his Department will continue to occupy after the proposed sale. [26454]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  As we explained in the preliminary information memorandum, a copy of which is in the Library of the House, my Department will retain responsibility for the management and maintenance of the quarters which we lease back. This responsibility will continue to be discharged by the Defence Housing Executive after the sale.

  Home Defence Facilities
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what facilities for home defence and the wartime administration of the armed forces have been provided within the Kincardine-on-Forth area of Scotland since 1970(a) in facilities established for that purpose and (b) otherwise; and what the costs of establishing and maintaining such facilities have been during the period. [25545]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 18 April 1996]: There are no records or knowledge of any facilities for home defence or wartime administration in the area of Kincardine-on-Forth.

  Emergency Communications Links
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what purpose emergency communications links were provided between Lanark, Strathclyde and the former underground wartime command centre of the headquarters, United Kingdom land forces at Sopley, Hampshire; for how long they were established; and at what cost. [25546]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 18 April 1996]: There are no records or knowledge of emergency communication links between Lanark, Strathclyde and the former underground wartime command centre of the headquarters, United Kingdom land forces at Sopley.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what purpose emergency communications links were provided between Inverbervie near Montrose and the former underground wartime command centre of the headquarters, United Kingdom land forces at Sopley, Hampshire; for how long they were established; and at what cost. [25547]
  86
  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 18 April 1996]: There were no specific emergency communication links between the former home defence and wartime administration facility at Inverbervie near Montrose and the former underground wartime command centre of the headquarters, United Kingdom land forces at Sopley.

  The only permanent communication system at Inverbervie was based on British Telecom telephone lines at a cost of £8,000 per annum. All communication systems had been removed by January 1994.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Police Authorities
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if police authorities are subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, scrutiny by the Audit Commission,(c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [25974]

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]: Police authorities, established under the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994, are not open to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner but by the Commissioner for Local Administration. Similarly, they are subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission, not the National Audit Office. Also, the Audit Commission's citizens charter performance indicators include a range of indicators that apply to the police service, and police authorities are required to publish these annually. As regards statutory provision for open government, police authorities are bound by rules similar to those that apply to local government.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, minutes of meetings, (d) agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests are published by police authorities; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [25969]

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]: The Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994, which established the new police authorities, requires them to publish an annual report on local policing for that year and to copy that report to the Home Secretary. Under the Act, they are also bound by provisions in the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, which require agendas, minutes of proceedings and accounts to be open to inspection during reasonable hours and also requires members to declare any direct or indirect pecuniary interest in business which is under discussion. Additionally, regulations are being prepared which will extend to police authorities a requirement to maintain a register of members' interests which is similarly open to public inspection.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was(a) the gross public spending for each year since 1990–91, in 1995–96 prices and (b) is the projected expenditure for each year to 1997–98, in 1995–96 prices, of police authorities. [25975]
  87
  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]Expenditure in 1995–96 prices by police authorities in England and Wales in the period 1990–91 to 1995–96 was as follows:

  1990–91: £5,607 million

  1991–92: £5,896 million

  1992–93: £6,150 million

  1993–94: £6,309 million

  1994–95: £6,449 million

  1995–96: £6,606 million (estimated)

  Details of projected police authority expenditure are not available beyond 1996–97, for which the figure is £6,715 million.

  Police Complaints Authority
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects provisions to be in place to allow the Police Complaints Authority discretion to publish information to inform the public of the outcome of investigations; and if he will make a statement. [26370]

  Mr. Maclean
  The disclosure of information by the Police Complaints Authority is governed by section 98 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. We have already announced our intention to amend section 98 to allow the PCA discretion to publish such information as is reasonably necessary to inform the public of the outcome of investigations and we await a suitable legislative opportunity.

  Dr. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to give the Police Complaints Authority powers to recommend disciplinary charges if evidence shows that on the balance of probability an offence has been committed by a police officer. [26371]

  Mr. Maclean
  The Police Complaints Authority already has powers to recommend or, ultimately, to direct that disciplinary charges be brought against a police officer.

  Alcohol and Drug-related Crime
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of crimes that were committed under the influence of(a) alcohol, (b) heroin, (c) ecstasy and (d) cannabis for each of the past five years. [26345]

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is not collected centrally.

  Buckley Hall Prison
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 3 April,Official Report, columns 289–90, about the timing and implementation of improvements and other recommendations at Buckley Hall prison, (a) on what dates verbal recommendations were made by the area manager for Buckley Hall, (b) how these are recorded by the Home Office controller and the director of the prison and (c) what system is in place to ensure that the recommendations are carried out. [25759]
  88
  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 Ms Liz Lynne, dated 23 April 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about verbal recommendations made by the area manager regarding Buckley Hall prison.
  The area manager makes regular visits to the establishment. He also chairs a monthly progress meeting at which any recommendations are recorded in the minutes. During scheduled visits he meets the Director and Controller and he may make recommendations, which are then monitored by the Controller as part of her normal duties.
  The area manager's recommendations can be separated into those which attract an immediate solution and those which do not. In the case of the former, the Director will seek to act upon comments by the area manager without delay. In the case of the latter a more formal approach would be taken. The Director would be required to submit a full report to the area manager at the next progress meeting. The Controller would be required to monitor progress both before and after to that meeting.
  The Controller also produces a monthly progress report for the area manager and monitors any points raised on his behalf.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many category A(a) male and (b) female prisoners are serving a life prison sentence in prisons in England and Wales. [26089]/membercontribution>

  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. Tom Cox, dated 23 April 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about how many category A (a) male and (b) female prisoners are serving a life prison sentence in prisons in England and Wales.
  On 17 April 1996 there were 326 male and one female category A prisoners serving life sentences in prisons in England and Wales.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisons in England and Wales hold category A inmates. [26095]

  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. Tom Cox, dated 23 April 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about how many prisons in England and Wales hold Category A prisoners.
  There are currently 22 prisons in England and Wales which hold Category A prisoners on a regular basis.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) men and (b) women inmates are serving a life prison sentence in prisons in England and Wales. [26096]
  89
  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. Tom Cox, dated 23 April 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking how many (a) men and (b) women prisoners are serving a life prison sentence in prisons in England and Wales.
  The latest available information is for 29 February 1996. On that date there were 3, 277 male and 122 female life sentence prisoners in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales.

  Long Lartin Prison
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what items have been found as a result of(a) strip searches and (b) anal searches in the last 12 months at Her Majesty's prison, Long Lartin; and if he will make a statement about the effectiveness of such searches; [25877]

  (2) what is the routine for (a) strip searches and (b) anal searches at HMP Long Lartin; and how many such searches have been carried out in the last 12 months. [25876]

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

  Letter from Richard Tilt to Dr. Lynne Jones, dated 23 April 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about strip and anal searches in Long Lartin prison.
  The procedures for strip searching at Long Lartin are the same as those contained in the Prison Service manual on security, copies of which are available in the Library. Prison staff at Long Lartin do not perform intimate searches.
  Strip searches are performed mainly on two occasions: during a cell search and on suspicion following a visit
  Figures are not available in the form requested, however of the 203 cell searches carried out between January and April, there were 100 finds of unauthorised articles. During the period November 1995 and April 1996, 139 searches were conducted following visits which resulted in three items being found.
  Details of the articles and where they were found could be provided only at disproportionate cost

  Prison Visitors (Drugs)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visitors to prisons in England and Wales were charged with attempting to import drugs into prisons during 1995. [26088]

  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. Tom Cox, dated 23 April 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about how many visitors to prisons in England and Wales were charged with attempting to import drugs into prisons during 1995.
  Charges relating to offences by visitors of attempting to bring drugs into prisons are brought by the police.
  90
  There are no central records held by the police or Prison Service on the number of such charges and this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Gun Dealers
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many licensed gun dealers there are currently in the United Kingdom. [25569]

  Mr. Maclean
  The latest available information on firearms dealers was published in the Home Office statistical bulletin "Firearm Certificate Statistics, England and Wales 1994", issue 11/95, copies of which can be found in the Library. The bulletin contains the information that 2, 521 firearms dealers were registered at 31 December 1994.

  Figures for Scotland are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and figures for Northern Ireland are a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Live Animal Export Demonstrations (Policing)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the cost of policing demonstrations against the export of live calves during 1995. [25570]

  Mr. Maclean
  During 1995, eight police authorities incurred additional expenditure as a result of demonstrations against the export of live animals. I understand from them that the estimated additional costs caused by these demonstrations in the year were £7,746, 225. It is not possible to apportion costs by type of animal.

  Dorset Police Authority
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by how much funding to the Dorset police authority has increased since 1979; what percentage this represents in real terms; what has been the increase in(a) police officers and (b) civilian staff over the same period; and if he will make a statement on future funding and manpower. [25754]

  Mr. Maclean
  Expenditure on the Dorset police increased by £56.87 million between April 1979 and March 1996. This is a real terms increase of 110.6 per cent. During this period, police strength increased by 123—plus 11 per cent.—and civilian support staff strength increased by 344—124 per cent.

  The spending power of the Dorset police in 199–97 will be £68.1 million. This includes £250,000 as their share of the extra funding for more officers, sufficient to recruit 13 more constables. This is an increase of 3.9 per cent.—£2.6 million—over 1995–96. My right hon. and learned Friend has additionally exercised his powers under section 31(1) (b) of the Police Act 1964 and awarded the force special grant of up to £1.5 million for national security expenditure at the Government party conference in October. I understand from the chief constable that police strength is expected to increase by 19 by the end of March 1997.

  Ministerial Visit (Soho)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the findings of his official visit to Soho on the night of 1 to 2 April; who accompanied him; and from which budget the visit was funded. [25575]

  Mr. Howard
  On 1 April, as one of a number of visits I undertook that day to Metropolitan police operations, I accompanied members of the Metropolitan police on one of their regular foot patrols in Soho. The patrol provided me with an insight into the reality of day-to-day policing.

  From the Department, I was accompanied by a private secretary and, in view of the known media interest in my visit, two press officers. No additional expenditure was incurred as a result of the visit except for nominal overtime costs.

  Private Prisons (Assaults)
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the average assault rate since October 1995 in all privately operated prisons and their Prison Service operated comparator group establishments.[25195]

  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 23 April 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking for the average assault rate since October 1995 in all privately operated prisons and their Prison Service operated comparator group establishments
  A report has been commissioned from consultants Coopers and Lybrand to assess the relative costs and performance of contractually managed prisons against comparable establishments in the public sector during 1994/5. This report will be published in the next few weeks.
  I will write to the Honourable Member following publication of the Coopers and Lybrand report with information on the period mentioned in his question.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Education Exhibition
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to Education Extra and the Open School to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall. [26369]

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 29 April to Friday 3 May 1996.

WALES

  Dental Services
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 25 March,Official
  92
  Report, columns 451–52, on people who have been deregistered from their dentist, (1) if the table includes patients deregistered by dentists because of their dissatisfaction with the remuneration system; and deregistrations for what reasons are excluded; [25224]

  (2) 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. [25225]

  Mr. Richards
  Welsh family health services authorities were asked to provide, at fortnightly intervals, the number of child and adult patients for whom dentists have given them written notice to deregister during the previous two-week period. They were not asked to record reasons.

  This information is simply recorded and aggregated by the Welsh Office to produce the all-Wales figure and cumulative totals; the procedure has not been changed.

  Statistical procedures applied in England are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date dentists were first required to register their patients; and when his Department first received information(a) total registrations with dentists and (b) total deregistrations by dentists from each family health services authority or equivalent body. [25222]

  Mr. Richards
  Dentists have been able to register patients since 1 October 1990. The Dental Practice Board first published the numbers of patients registered for each family health services authority in January 1991. Information about deregistrations has been supplied by each Welsh family health services authority fortnightly since 14 August 1992.

  Local Authority Negligence Claims
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultation he has had with local authority associations and the Association of British Insurers concerning the adequacy of insurance cover for local authority negligence claims in connection with the publication of independent reports commissioned by local authorities. [25878]

  Mr. Hague
  None.

  National Library of Wales
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will discuss with the officers of the national library of Wales the adequacy of the number of staff it can currently employ to meet its responsibilities; and if he will make a statement. [26182]

  Mr. Hague
  The Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Clwyd, North-West (Mr. Richards), met library officers on 27 March to review its 1996–97 operational plan, including proposed staffing. The library's grant in aid for 1996–97 includes additional funding for operation of the third library building, including provision for additional staff.

  Breast Cancer
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were diagnosed with breast cancer in (i) 1993, (ii) 1994 and (iii) 1995 in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [25244]

  Mr. Richards
  The latest information on the number of Welsh residents with newly registered cases of breast cancer was published in "Health Statistics Wales 1995", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Penmaenbach Tunnel
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what maintenance costs have been incurred on the Penmaenbach tunnel since 1991; and what proportion of this has been to deal with the cracks in the lining of the tunnel. [25893]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The average annual civil engineering maintenance cost of Penmaenbach tunnel is approximately £45, 000, of which about 5 per cent. is expended in dealing with monitoring and treating the cracking.

  Mr. Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the cause of the cracks in the Penmaenbach tunnel; and say whether these cracks have grown worse in the last five years. [25892]

  Mr. Jones
  The cracking in the non-structural unreinforced concrete lining of the Penmaenbach tunnel was and is due to shrinkage of the concrete during the normal curing process. Some shrinkage is inevitable during this process.

  There has been a small increase in the cracking over the last five years, but this is no more than would be expected to occur during the residual part of the concrete curing process, which takes some years.

  Battlefields Register
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to publish a battlefields register for Wales.[25845]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  We have no plans currently to produce a battlefields register for Wales. In England a register has been produced which lists 43 known, and often well-documented, sites of significant military engagements. Military action in Wales generally took the form of skirmishes and sieges. In the latter case, these were often associated with major fortifications and related earthworks which are protected under the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

  Environmental Health Action Plan
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to publish an environmental health action plan for Wales. [25838]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  A public consultation draft of the UK environmental health action plan was issued in August 1995 and it is now being revised in light of comments received. It is proposed that a UK plan will be issued in the summer of this year.

  Welsh Health Common Services Authority
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority concerning (i) the market-testing procedures for the materials management section of the authority and (ii) requests for post-tender adjustments by Exel Logistics; [26507]

  (2) what guidelines he has issued to the Welsh Health Common Services Authority concerning market-testing procedures and the amendment of winning tenders between the award and the signature of the contracts; [26508]

  (3) what representations he has received concerning Exel Logistics market-testing award for the materials management section of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority; and if he will make a statement. [26509]

  Mr. Hague
  I have had no consultations with the chairman about the market-testing exercise. One representation has been received, from the hon. Member. This exercise is being carried out in line with current procedures and negotiations are continuing on a commercially confidential basis.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Avon County Council
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if she will consider taking action against Avon county council for failing to provide the child whose name has been sent to her with any education since July 1994; [24958]

  (2) if she will direct Avon county council or its successor authority, Bath and North-East Somerset council to find a suitable school or otherwise offer suitable education for a child whose name has been sent to her; [24956]

  (3) if she will direct Avon county council or its successor authority, Bath and North-East Somerset council to discuss with the mother the future education needs of a child whose name has been sent to her. [24957]

  Mrs. Gillan
  [holding answer 16 April 1996]I shall write to the hon. Member.

  Learning Difficulties
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if funds and facilities can be provided in the state sector to give children with learning difficulties an education based on the principles used by Professor Feuerstein of the international centre for the enhancement of learning potential in Jerusalem; and if she will ensure provision along these lines is made for the child whose name has been sent to her. [24955]

  Mrs. Gillan
  [holding answer 16 April 1996]: It is for local education authorities and schools to decide how best to meet the needs of children with special educational needs in the light of the statutory code of practice on the identification and assessment of SEN. Where a child has been assessed as requiring a statement of SEN, LEAs have to consult parents and others about the provision to be specified in the statement. It is open to LEAs to use

  95
  funding from the grants for educational support and training programme for SEN training to train teachers in any area of SEN.

  Risk Assessment
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what opportunities there are in the national curriculum to teach risk assessment. [25254]

  Mr. Paice
  Under the national curriculum for mathematics, pupils are taught from the age of seven to develop an understanding of probability, and older pupils are taught to estimate and calculate the probability of events. Pupils use real contexts in the mathematics classroom, which enables them to expand their understanding of mathematics and its application, and helps prepare them for adult life.

  Conductive Education
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what Government resources have been made available in each of the last six years for the development of conductive education in the United Kingdom. [25874]

  Mrs. Gillan
  The results of a Government-funded research project to examine the effectiveness of conductive education were published in 1993. Since 1994–95, the amounts supported under the grants for educational support and training programme for special educational needs training have been as follows:

  1994–95: £9.7 million

  1995–96: £10.5 million

  1996–97: £10.3 million.

  It is open to local education authorities to use this programme to support the training of teachers in conductive education.

  Construction Industry Training Board
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many new companies were registered with the Construction Industry Training Board(a) for training and (b) for paying their levy in each year since 1992. [25732]

  Mr. Paice
  For the years in question the number of new employers (a) registered with the Construction Industry Training Board and(b) assessed to pay levy were as follows:

  Year

  Total

  Assesed to positive levy

  1991–92

  8,279

  1,197

  1992–93

  8,839

  777

  1993–94

  14,376

  1,410

  1994–95

  18,761

  1,994

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what were the total running costs of the Construction Industry Training Board in each year since 1992 [25728]

  Mr. Paice
  The operating costs for each year since 1992 were as follows:96

  1991–92: £33.3 million

  1992–93: £39.7 million

  1993–94: £35.5 million

  1994–95: £47.6 million.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate she has made of the companies which fall within the scope of the Construction Industry Training Board, but who are not registered with the Construction Industry Training Board. [25726]

  Mr. Paice
  It is not possible to estimate the number of companies which fall within the scope of the board but which are not registered.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many court cases the Construction Industry Training Board initiated in 1995 to recover costs of training levy from those who refused to pay it. [25722]

  Mr. Paice
  During 1995, 3,408 summonses were issued and 978 cases required enforcement action through the courts.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much money was spent by the Construction Industry training Board in each year since 1992. [25730]

  Mr. Paice
  The total expenditure for each year since 1992 was as follows:

  1991–92: £116.2 million

  1992–93: £115.2 million

  1993–94: £87.8 million

  1994–95: £101.3 million.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many firms involved solely in the construction and erection of agricultural buildings are registered for training levy with the Construction Industry Training Board. [25725]

  Mr. Paice
  No figure is available for the number of firms involved solely in the construction and erection of agricultural buildings.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people are employed by the Construction Industry Training Board to supervise the registration of companies. [257331]

  Mr. Paice
  The board employs 15 staff whose duties include the registration of companies.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much money was raised via payment to the Construction Industry Training board by construction companies towards training grants awarded by the Construction Industry Training Board. [25729]

  Mr. Paice
  For the year ending March 1995, £61.9 million was raised from the levy on employers and training grants of £30.8 million were awarded.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many employees are currently working for the Construction Industry Training Board. [25727]

  Mr. Paice
  The Construction Industry Training Board currently has a total of 967 employees, of whom 922 are permanent staff and 45 are on temporary contracts.
  97
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much money was raised in Levy by the Construction Industry Training Board in each year since 1992. [25731]

  Mr. Paice
  The levy income for each year since 1992 was as follows:

  1991–92: £62.8 million

  1992–93: £57.4 million

  1993–94: £46.5 million

  1994–95: £61.9 million.

  Local Authority Reserves 1990–1995

  Reserves (£000s) as at:

  1 April 1990

  1 April 1991

  1 April 1992

  1 April 1993

  1 April 1994

  1 April 1995

  City of London

  201,765

  171,638

  173,019

  195,690

  232,836

  222,623

  Camden

  17,289

  -962

  -7,257

  682

  5,821

  17,508

  Greenwich

  24,624

  17,759

  17,887

  11,750

  35,450

  39,422

  Hackney

  -490

  1,180

  575

  4326

  7,354

  4,517

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  34,403

  35,479

  30,389

  17,902

  34,154

  28,030

  Islington

  9,862

  -2,474

  6,918

  304

  -625

  2,570

  Kensington and Chelsea

  10,126

  8,483

  4,411

  20,488

  43,425

  45,114

  Lambeth

  -4,674

  -16,330

  -14,765

  -7,500

  3,063

  -3,998

  Lewisham

  8,851

  -2,126

  -3,679

  3,009

  4,592

  7,585

  Southwark

  12,606

  10,163

  6,013

  7,753

  24,126

  40,741

  Tower Hamlets

  26,400

  20,700

  21,700

  18,914

  13,919

  16,434

  Wandsworth

  53,132

  50,869

  46,448

  32,063

  57,359

  23,927

  Westminster

  15,746

  15,942

  24,487

  27,876

  30,820

  43,329

  Inner London Boroughs Total

  207,875

  138,683

  133,127

  137,567

  259,458

  265,179

  Barking and Dagenham

  46,988

  44,767

  34,665

  40,668

  45,391

  49,097

  Barnet

  16,034

  6,931

  9,940

  13,776

  32,251

  44,450

  Bexley

  14,553

  n/a

  3,723

  7,830

  13,440

  14,488

  Brent

  9,086

  8,101

  7,079

  5,565

  5,642

  9,400

  Bromley

  36,802

  39,399

  38,207

  58,422

  77,241

  78,048

  Croydon

  55,063

  39,696

  44,497

  30,203

  49,683

  60,517

  Ealing

  -12

  -8,154

  3,795

  23,355

  43,467

  46,090

  Enfield

  n/a

  9,136

  7,308

  19,572

  39,149

  45,238

  Haringey

  -521

  -6,947

  -6,658

  4,025

  16,703

  17,278

  Harrow

  11,884

  7,378

  12,857

  21,242

  26,510

  28,496

  Havering

  20,548

  19,966

  14,975

  14,788

  24,825

  26,771

  Hillingdon

  31,148

  10,994

  1,099

  5,536

  12,289

  14,418

  Hounslow

  39,908

  29,740

  18,520

  12,101

  14,634

  12,770

  Kingston upon Thames

  9,053

  5,577

  3,567

  4,067

  8,023

  11,817

  Merton

  36,600

  18,065

  13,187

  11,092

  19,067

  11,816

  Newham

  3,388

  2,903

  6,432

  13,508

  32,253

  37,002

  Redbridge

  5,371

  551

  3,441

  11,420

  18,642

  16,771

  Richmond upon Thames

  -13,953

  4,853

  3,022

  7,305

  16,641

  18,338

  Sutton

  8,959

  9,204

  6,518

  8,258

  12,176

  10,461

  Waltham Forest

  2,129

  2,129

  2,400

  10,364

  11,162

  10,349

  Outer London Borough Total

  333,028

  244,289

  228,574

  323,097

  519,189

  563,615

  Isles of Scilly

  496

  n/a

  624

  742

  1,243

  1,268

  Bolton

  8,791

  3,248

  11,196

  10,300

  16,859

  19,061

  Bury

  10,913

  8,986

  4,981

  5,840

  13,457

  14,101

  Manchester

  31,677

  3,982

  19,047

  -2,523

  13,164

  27,059

  Oldham

  9,070

  31,569

  34,086

  39,988

  34,399

  31,417

  Rochdale

  11,137

  3,557

  2,357

  5,268

  16,859

  15,826

  Salford

  10,415

  1,985

  5

  6,649

  24,765

  28,161

  Stockport

  8,355

  6,443

  6,396

  18,672

  27,060

  28,525

  Tameside

  16,347

  8,364

  4,028

  844

  6,280

  10,506

  Trafford

  14,720

  14,273

  15,514

  18,081

  50,928

  54,925

  Wigan

  8,913

  13,092

  7,184

  11,501

  32,134

  31,859

  Knowsley

  2,318

  158

  1,235

  3,797

  8,037

  12,519

  Liverpool

  -2,130

  n/a

  -3,930

  9,919

  12,584

  8,666

  St. Helens

  15,793

  18,292

  9,199

  11,611

  12,757

  12,631

  Sefton

  7,010

  4,770

  3,912

  6,027

  8,644

  10,149

  Wirral

  13,200

  n/a

  1,424

  6,365

  9,330

  8,645

  Local Education Authority Reserves
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list for each education authority in England, and by class and in total, the amount of balances held in reserve for each year since 1990. [25743]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The following table shows all general fund reserves for each local authority with an education service in England since 1990.
  99

  Local Authority Reserves 1990–1995

  Reserves (£000s) as at:

  1 April 1990

  1 April 1991

  1 April 1992

  1 April 1993

  1 April 1994

  1 April 1995

  Barnsley

  14,126

  19,790

  21,583

  20,498

  21,448

  15,714

  Doncaster

  17,481

  8,005

  4,600

  23,722

  39,879

  42,952

  Rotherham

  8,810

  7,758

  21,595

  19,925

  18,267

  16,021

  Sheffield

  109,520

  n/a

  15,506

  16,145

  14,163

  8,855

  Gateshead

  33,928

  24,983

  23,322

  22,283

  19,679

  15,913

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  -23,673

  8,341

  8,884

  24,390

  40,664

  42,459

  North Tyneside

  6,771

  3,924

  2,872

  3,154

  10,265

  11,906

  South Tyneside

  16,405

  10,267

  9,911

  10,340

  11,673

  12,681

  Sunderland

  9,707

  24,762

  24,616

  22,707

  32,334

  29,082

  Birmingham

  25,350

  24,096

  29,885

  65,486

  109,984

  82,536

  Coventry

  n/a

  24,496

  10,965

  13,786

  66,114

  73,096

  Dudley

  10,778

  11,682

  17,479

  17,115

  31,813

  29,580

  Sandwell

  n/a

  n/a

  7,274

  20,491

  34,366

  30,821

  Solihull

  4,149

  14,762

  6,962

  23,653

  30,622

  26,918

  Walsall

  n/a

  32,400

  23,300

  18,585

  19,004

  19,407

  Wolverhampton

  4,784

  4,177

  3,305

  12,349

  32,555

  40,074

  Bradford

  5,815

  3,474

  4,831

  10,900

  22,936

  20,392

  Calderdale

  5,705

  11,592

  8,309

  10,999

  12,708

  12,546

  Kirklees

  12,028

  14,806

  7,408

  16,674

  26,300

  32,022

  Leeds

  18,348

  15,137

  12,516

  21,909

  53,509

  85,620

  Wakefield

  18,661

  13,376

  9,546

  17,540

  32,341

  31,126

  Metropolitan Districts Total

  465,222

  396,547

  391,303

  564,990

  967,881

  993,771

  Avon

  12,822

  13,253

  11,635

  19,838

  47,409

  61,635

  Bedfordshire

  13,242

  15,719

  16,928

  22,221

  25,680

  21,206

  Berkshire

  4,523

  7,940

  16,987

  72,088

  57,987

  58,819

  Buckinghamshire

  26,726

  n/a

  27,457

  38,018

  46,770

  50,081

  Cambridgeshire

  22,237

  58,481

  48,119

  53,812

  55,762

  56,517

  Cheshire

  4,212

  41,851

  27,923

  50,161

  52,378

  44,075

  Cleveland

  9,707

  7,364

  4,760

  13,413

  23,829

  27,767

  Cornwall

  23,395

  28,358

  33,054

  24,803

  51,056

  45,640

  Cumbria

  3,344

  10,145

  14,227

  12,440

  10,494

  11,788

  Derbyshire

  n/a

  n/a

  11,296

  21,139

  24,475

  22,961

  Devon

  46,838

  52,755

  47,889

  47,073

  45,104

  36,269

  Dorset

  5,721

  14,443

  7,794

  4,287

  20,137

  25,317

  Durham

  22,414

  23,895

  22,043

  19,251

  20,109

  20,917

  East Sussex

  27,372

  8,900

  16,394

  21,551

  30,134

  42,896

  Essex

  26,774

  18,112

  39,373

  45,350

  90,085

  120,127

  Gloucestershire

  2,443

  2,362

  3,894

  13,844

  23,539

  23,044

  Hampshire

  7,394

  29,879

  52,899

  74,221

  83,041

  65,323

  Hereford and Worcester

  7,374

  6,188

  5,360

  22,213

  36,380

  38,223

  Hertfordshire

  13,000

  19,400

  25,565

  41,984

  82,550

  81,584

  Humberside

  19,402

  27,547

  27,684

  24,972

  35,196

  37,084

  Isle of Wight

  1,301

  4,990

  4,143

  4,696

  5,042

  9,471

  Kent

  19,813

  30,397

  20,461

  33,915

  62,181

  67,061

  Lancashire

  12,831

  21,305

  26,241

  69,365

  72,617

  60,777

  Leicestershire

  28,806

  24,178

  20,046

  15,337

  23,098

  25,411

  Lincolnshire

  44,934

  50,854

  42,924

  42,309

  46,648

  38,112

  Norfolk

  13,100

  13,109

  13,109

  30,974

  83,109

  72,850

  Northamptonshire

  9,271

  9,054

  9,096

  37,852

  28,052

  34,458

  Northumberland

  19,457

  24,810

  23,201

  19,841

  32,060

  31,693

  North Yorkshire

  38,813

  38,681

  34,411

  33,880

  36,575

  43,201

  Nottinghamshire

  n/a

  n/a

  6,500

  81,609

  73,785

  44,740

  Oxfordshire

  16,242

  10,516

  12,041

  25,595

  48,373

  33,892

  Shropshire

  9,681

  13,745

  9,911

  12,357

  33,228

  26,129

  Somerset

  14,691

  15,933

  28,183

  28,349

  40,560

  41,946

  Staffordshire

  13,175

  17,145

  16,492

  20,690

  69,377

  88,370

  Suffolk

  9,712

  9,824

  16,051

  34,508

  36,838

  37,959

  Surrey

  8,680

  15,864

  41,686

  58,959

  92,423

  83,755

  Warwickshire

  19,224

  12,815

  7,370

  32,239

  33,849

  27,230

  West Sussex

  39,480

  7,169

  7,919

  27,924

  29,374

  31,685

  Wiltshire

  n/a

  25,406

  9,444

  19,995

  39,906

  41,309

  Shire Counties Total

  618,151

  732,387

  810,510

  1,273,073

  1,749,210

  1,731,322

  England Total

  1,826,537

  1,683,544

  1,737,157

  2,495,159

  3,729,817

  3,777,778

  100

  Nursery Voucher Scheme
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many and what percentage of parents of four-year-olds in each of the pilot authorities (a) were expected to apply for vouchers and (b) applied for vouchers. [25599]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Estimates of population and pupil numbers are less reliable when broken down by local authority and by year group. The estimated number of children, the number of applications and the percentage of eligible children this represents are given in the table.

  Local authority area

  Estimated number of four-year-olds

  Number of applications at 12 April 1996

  Percentage of estimated four-year-olds

  Norfolk

  9,300

  8,517

  92

  Kensington and Chelsea

  1,650

  910

  55

  Wandsworth

  3,300

  2,786

  84

  Westminster

  1,900

  1,133

  60

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many places have been made available to four-year-olds in(a) the private, (b) the voluntary and (c) the maintained sectors following initial validation; and how many such places are new places. [25600]

  Mr. Squire
  Information on where parents have chosen to redeem nursery education vouchers will be available once vouchers returned from providers have been analysed.

  The number of children attending maintained schools is given in the following table.

  Local education authority

  Four-year-olds in maintained provision at January 1995

  Kensington and Chelsea

  800

  Wandsworth

  2,600

  Westminster

  1,100

  Norfolk

  6,300

  Mr. Mills
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which local education authorities refused to take part in the trials on nursery vouchers. [26445]

  Mr. Squire
  All local education authorities were invited to volunteer to participate in phase 1 of the nursery education voucher scheme; Kensington and Chelsea, Wandsworth, Westminster and Norfolk decided to take part.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate she has made of funding to be made available to her Department through the private finance initiative in(a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97 and (c) 1997–98. [26174]
  102
  Mr. Robin Squire
  The capital that the Department expects to raise through the private finance initiative is set out at table 6.5 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1996–97", a copy of which is placed in the House of Commons Library. That document shows that for 1996–97 and 1997–98 capital spend via the private finance initiative is expected to be £20 million and £40 million respectively. There is no available information on finance raised by the Department through the private finance initiative for 1995–96. The figures do not include the significant capital expected to be raised through the private finance initiative by independent educational institutions, which include universities, further education colleges and grant-maintained schools.

  Sixth Forms
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement on the criteria on which decisions to approve applications to open a sixth form are based; and in what circumstances she would reject the advice of the Further Education Funding Council on such applications. [26213]

  Mr. Paice
  The Secretary of State has regard to the following criteria when considering proposals from schools for the addition of sixth forms:

  whether the proposals will significantly increase choice and diversity in the area concerned;

  whether there is a basic need for new provision and, if not, whether the viability of existing good quality provision would be adversely affected if the proposals were approved;

  whether the provision will be of sufficient size and quality to deliver a reasonably wide-ranging curriculum; and

  whether the provision will be delivered at reasonable cost.

  We look at each proposal on its merits in the light of these criteria and taking account of all the circumstances, including any objections. If the Further Education Funding Council objects to a proposal, its comments are considered alongside those of other interested parties and of the proposers.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what measures she proposes to take to ensure that grant-maintained schools are subject to adequate financial controls. [26214]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Under the Education Act 1993, the Funding Agency for Schools is responsible for the financial monitoring of grant-maintained schools. The agency issued a comprehensive set of requirements and guidance for schools in December 1995. It will keep these under review.

  Wakefield TEC
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the total amount of money paid to the Wakefield training and enterprise council to assist with social and economic regeneration in respect of the pit closure programme; and if she will make a statement. [26273]
  103
  Mr. Paice
  Over the last three years, over £6 million has been available to Wakefield training and enterprise council as part of the agreed "coal plan" to assist in areas affected by the closures of collieries. Of this, over £4.5 million has been paid directly to the TEC, and the balance has been available to fund allowances to support unemployed adults attending additional training for work provision and organised by the TEC. Other Government funding available to the TEC will also have benefited former mining areas.

  Careers Service Companies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) minutes of meetings, (d) agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests are published by careers service companies; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [25970]

  Mr. Paice
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]The Companies Acts require all companies to publish an annual directors' report which is available to the public. They also require the accounts of all companies to be lodged with Companies House where they may be examined by the public. The Secretary of State's contract with careers service companies also obliges them to be responsive and accountable to their local communities. Many careers service companies publish annual reports as one way of demonstrating this requirement. Careers service companies under contract to the Secretary of State are private companies and access to minutes of meetings or to any registers of members' interests is a matter for the directors.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Educationa and Employment if she will place in the Library a copy of the letter sent to regional offices on 22 March suggesting that TECs be vigilant in relation to the viability and probity of training providers. [26506]

  Mr. Paice
  The letter to regional offices included advice and guidance of a confidential nature which it would be inappropriate to place in the Library.

HEALTH

  Bonemeal
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the health risks to humans from food grown following(a) the use of bonemeal and (b) the practice of ploughing in abattoir and butchers' animal waste; [23327]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the risks to health of gardeners who use bonemeal made from beef cattle bones. [23323]

  Mr. Horam
  It is not considered that there is a risk to human health from the use of bonemeal for horticultural purposes or from eating food grown following its use. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy infected animals are incinerated and specified bone material is destroyed and is not used as bonemeal for any purpose. The spreading of waste on land for the benefit of agriculture or ecological 104
  improvement, including abattoir waste consisting of blood and gut contents from animals slaughtered for human consumption, is a recovery operation for the purposes of the amended European Community framework directive on waste. The spreading of waste for these purposes is controlled under part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994. It must be carried out without endangering animals or human health or posing a risk to the environment. Codes of practice have been issued in Great Britain which offer farmers and others spreading waste for these purposes guidance on good practice.

  Asthma
  Mr. Ian McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the cost to the NHS of providing acute care to adults suffering from occupational asthma attacks in the last five financial years; [25788]

  (2) what was the cost to the NHS of treating adult occupational asthma sufferers, in each year from 1989–90 to 1994–85; [25786]

  (3) what are the main drugs used to control and treat adult occupational asthma sufferers; and how much the NHS spent on providing them in each of the last five years. [25787]

  Mr. Horam
  Information is not available on the costs to the national health service of occupational asthma. The main types of drug used to control and treat all asthma, including occupational asthma, are anti-inflammatory drugs and bronchodilators. The net ingredient cost of NHS prescriptions is collected on a calendar year basis. The net ingredient cost is the basic price of a drug before discounts and the addition of dispensing costs or fees. The available information for asthma medication is shown in the table.

  Year

  Net ingredient cost (£ million)

  1991

  260

  1992

  305

  1993

  349

  1994

  381

  Information on the cost of other NHS services, including acute care, is not available for individual conditions. However, the Department has provisionally estimated that the cost of services for asthma was £150 million in 1993.

  Elderly People (Care)
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he proposes to publish his consultative document on care of the elderly. [24685]

  Mr. Bowis
  Shortly.

  Sperm Counts
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been commissioned by his Department concerning the possible causes of declining sperm counts. [25207]
  105
  Mr. Horam
  The main agency through which the Government supports medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade. The MRC has recently completed research which suggests that semen quality in the United Kingdom is deteriorating and referred to possible environmental factors. The results of the research were published in the British Medical Journal on 24 February 1996.

  Nurses
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) registered general nurses and (b) registered mental nurses have qualified in each year since 1986. [25864]

  Mr. Horam
  The information is not available centrally. I refer the hon. Member to the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting annual reports, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Methadone Deaths
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on deaths from methadone in each of the past five years. [26435]

  Mr. Bowis
  Methadone is an established substitute drug therapy used internationally to treat people who are opiate dependent. The latest available information on deaths related to drug misuse covering a five-year period is given in the 1994 Home Office Statistical Bulletin "Statistics of Drug Addicts Notified to the Home Office, United Kingdom", 1994, copies of which are available in the Library. The task force set up to review the effectiveness of drug treatment services has examined methadone treatment in detail. We shall publish the report shortly and issue guidance to health authorities later this summer.

  We issued guidelines on clinical management' to all doctors in 1991 which provided advice on assessing and reviewing a patient's drug problem, including prescribing where appropriate. Copies of the guidelines are available in the Library.

  Methadone dispensed for consumption at home, as with any other medicine, should be stored securely and kept out of the reach of children.

  Notes:

  1Drug Misuse and Dependence: Guidelines on Clinical Management: Report of a Medical Working Group: London: HMSO: 1991: ISBN 011 321376 X.

  Mr. Nigel Whittaker
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what work Mr. Nigel Whittaker has undertaken for Ministers or his Department; and on what basis he has been appointed. [26453]

  Mr. Horam
  Mr. Nigel Whittaker has been involved, as a member of a two-man team deployed by the Malcolm Hurlston Corporate Consultancy, in preparing a report for the Department of Health on need for 24-hour nursed beds for people with very severe and enduring mental illness who need a high degree of support for long periods. The 106
  consultancy firm will be undertaking further work for us over the coming year to ensure speedy implementation of this essential element of provision.

  Hospitals (Private Finance Initiative)
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the PFI contracts for the (i) Norfolk and Norwich, (ii) South Buckinghamshire, (iii) Carlisle, (iv) Swindon, (v) North Durham and (vii) Bishop Auckland hospitals have now been signed. [26484]

  Mr. Horam
  p The contracts for the above schemes are being negotiated between the trusts and their private sector partners.

  Health Authority Headquarters Building (Harrogate)
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those companies involved as partners or co-developers in the purchase of the former headquarters of the Yorkshire regional health authority at Harrogate. [21526]

  Mr. Malone
  [holding answer 19 March 1996]Dysart Developments Ltd. was the shortlisted organisation whose tender was selected for the development of the new regional office at Durham.

  The tender involved Dysart Developments Ltd. being responsible for the developments of the new headquarters building, and for ensuring purchase of the former Yorkshire regional health authority offices. The purchase of the former Yorkshire regional health authority headquarters in Harrogate was completed by Simpart No. 128, later renamed Harrogate and London Properties Ltd.

  There were no other partners or co-developers.

  Employment Termination Payments
  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a statement on the irregular employment termination payments cited in paragraphs 49, 52 and 53 of the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General "NHS (England) Summarised Accounts 1994–95", including the names of the trusts and health authorities that made irregular settlements, the name and rank of each person in receipt of an irregular settlement, and the date upon which each settlement was made and the date upon which the irregularity of each settlement was brought to the attention of the NHS executive. [21653]

  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, as far as possible, the recipients, amounts paid and health service bodies making payments that were uncovered by the departmental trawl of questionable severance cases. [22889]

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the health authority, the sum of money involved and the date of each of the employment termination settlements mentioned in paragraphs 49, 52 and 53 of the Comptroller and Auditor General's report on the "NHS (England) Summarised Accounts 1994–95". [22989]

  Mr. Malone
  [holding answer 20 March 1996]This matter is still under consideration.

  Mr. Mudie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if
  107
  he will give a breakdown of the 87 employment settlements made by health authorities and deemed irregular by the National Audit Office (a) by health authority and (b) by amount; and if he will list those whose recovery is being sought (i) by health authority and (ii) by amount. [21999]

  Mr. Malone
  [holding answer 21 March 1996]This matter is still under consideration.

  Surplus Property
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 21 March,Official Report, column 321, if he will place in the Library a list by region of the 876 properties that are surplus to NHS requirements. [24380]

  Mr. Horam
  [holding answer 2 April 1996]It would be premature to publish a list of all those properties currently identified as being possibly for sale over the next ten years.

  Changing patterns of health care delivery mean that some properties which are listed are in the planning process and final decisions have not yet been made. These properties have not been transferred to national health service trusts, but may be occupied and utilised by NHS trusts for up to 10 years. They will be offered for sale only at the appropriate time.

  All properties which are actually for sale are advertised locally or nationally.

  Committee on Safety of Medicines
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reasons his Department gave to each of the six members of the Committee on Safety of Medicines who were not reappointed as of 1 January for not wishing to reappoint them; and if he will make a statement. [25739]

  Mr. Malone
  None.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many members of the Committee on Safety of Medicines have received honours. [25811]

  Mr. Malone
  Four members of the committee hold honours.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of funding to be made available to his Department through the private finance initiative in(a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97 and (c) 1997–98. [26176]

  Mr. Horam
  Estimates of capital funding made available by the private sector as a result of the private finance initiative were provided at the time of the November 1995 Budget. The information for the Department of Health is reproduced in the list:

  1995–96: £50 million

  1996–97: £170 million

  1997–98: £200 million

  108

  Birth Defects (Assaults)
  Mr. Keith Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has evaluated on the number and proportion of birth defects to children caused by assaults on their mothers by spouses or partners during pregnancy; and if he will make a statement. [26011]

  Mr. Bowis
  None.

  Hospital Trusts (Ex Gratia Payments)
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the changes in the maximum amount of ex gratia payments which an individual NHS hospital trust can give without referral to the NHS executive over the past five years. [25941]

  Mr. Horam
  The delegated limit to individual national health service trusts for all ex gratia payments from inception to July 1995 was £5, 000. In July 1995 the delegated limit in respect of ex gratia payments for clinical negligence and personal injury cases involving negligence was increased to £1 million, for those cases where appropriate qualified legal advice had been obtained and where departmental guidance is followed. In cases where the appropriate legal advice was not obtained the limit remained at £5,000.

  The revised losses and special payments guidance issued in December 1995 promulgated new limits as follows:

  £

  To patients and staff for loss of personal effects

  50,000

  For clinical negligence—negotiated settlements following legal advice—where the guidance relating to such payments has been applied

  11,000,000

  For personal injury claims involving negligence where legal advice obtained and relevant guidance has been applied

  11,000,000

  Other clinical negligence cases and personal injury claims

  50,000

  Other, except cases of maladministration where there was no financial loss by claimant

  50,000

  Maladministration where there was no financial loss by claimant

  Nil

  Patient referrals outside the UK and European Economic Area guidelines

  Nil

  1including plaintiff's costs

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the ambulance cost per mile by ambulance authority in 1994–95. [26320]

  Mr. Horam
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 29 March,Official Report, column 781.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Belfast Gas Network
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which companies have submitted bids for the purchase of the old Belfast Gas network; what plans they
  109
  have submitted for developing the Belfast network; which was the highest bid; and what was the Department of Economic Development's response. [24867]

  Mr. Ancram
  Bids were submitted by Northern Ireland Electricity and Premier Energy Suppliers Ltd. NIE made the higher bid, but both bids were heavily qualified. Both companies submitted plans for developing the Belfast network. The plan submitted by Premier Energy Suppliers Ltd. was considered to meet most closely the Government's objectives of the most rapid and extensive as possible development of a downstream gas industry.

  The Department is currently engaged in negotiations with Premier Energy Suppliers Ltd. on licence terms for the development of a natural gas industry in an area which includes Belfast. The availability of the former network is essential to this development and its purchase is an integral part of the negotiations.

  Incapacity Benefit
  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland who were in receipt of invalidity benefit have since been declared ineligible for incapacity benefit; and how many have had their cases listed for hearing by the independent tribunal service. [25523]

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

  Letter from Alec Wylie to Dr. Joe Hendron, dated 22 April 1996:
  I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question on Incapacity Benefit.
  You asked for information on the number of people who were in receipt of Invalidity Benefit who have since been declared ineligible for Incapacity Benefit. Unfortunately, records are not maintained on the actual number of claims which were either allowed or disallowed but I can tell you that from 13 April 1995 to 31 March 1996, 7539

  Expected releases from 1 May 1996 to 30 April 1997—Figures in brackets represent the numbers affected by the application of the Northern Ireland (Remission of Sentences) Act 1995

  Date

  MAGILL

  MAGH'B

  MAZE

  YOC

  Total

  May 1996

  44 (1)

  8 (1)

  24 (2)

  20 (0)

  96 (4)

  June

  40 (1)

  18 (1)

  14 (4)

  11 (0)

  83 (6)

  July

  27 (1)

  8 (2)

  13 (3)

  15 (0)

  63 (6)

  August

  23 (2)

  7 (2)

  15 (4)

  8 (0)

  53 (8)

  September

  24 (0)

  8 (2)

  15 (8)

  5 (0)

  52 (10)

  October

  17 (0)

  5 (1)

  12 (6)

  4 (0)

  38 (7)

  November

  13 (2)

  3 (2)

  4 (3)

  1 (0)

  21 (7)

  December

  20 (1)

  4 (2)

  9 (3)

  2 (0)

  35 (6)

  January 1997

  8 (1)

  2 (2)

  8 (4)

  2 (0)

  20 (7)

  February

  16 (3)

  5 (2)

  6 (1)

  1 (0)

  28 (6)

  March

  7 (2)

  1 (1)

  8 (4)

  4 (0)

  20 (7)

  April

  4 (1)

  0 (0)

  0 (0)

  0 (0)

  4 (1)

  Total

  243 (15)

  69 (18)

  128 (42)

  73 (0)

  513 (75)

  In addition there are currently 20 prisoners who are in the final stages of release from life sentences and who are provisionally expected to be released during the next 12 months. None of these prisoners have benefited directly from the 1995 increase in remission rates.

  Water Quality
  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures are presently being taken 110
  claims were disallowed solely on incapacity grounds. Not included in this figure are claims disallowed for other reasons such as insufficient contributions or late claims.
  You also wished to know how many cases which were disallowed have been listed for appeal hearing by the Independent Tribunal Service. I can advise you that a total of 1832 Incapacity Benefit appeals have been received for the period 13 April 1995 to 31 March 1996. To date 841 have been cleared, 311 of which were allowed by the Appeal Tribunal. Of the remaining 991, 247 are with the Independent Tribunal Service for hearing and 744 are being prepared by the Agency.
  I hope this explains the position for you but I would be happy to provide you with any further information you require.

  Prisoner Releases
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners are planned to be released from prison in Northern Ireland in each of the next 12 months; and what proportion of these have benefited from the increase in remission rates introduced in the Northern Ireland (Remission of Sentences) Order 1995. [25461]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Northern Ireland Prison Service under its chief executive, Mr. Alan Shannon. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from A. D. Shannon to Ms Marjorie Mowlam, dated 23 April 1996:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to the Parliamentary Question you tabled relating to the numbers of prisoners it is planned to release from prison in Northern Ireland in each of the next 12 months.
  The information which you are seeking is contained in the attached table. In brief a total of 513 prisoners of whom 75 are affected by the Northern Ireland (Remission of Sentences) Order 1995 are expected to be released from prison during the period 1 May 1996 and 30 April 1997. You should note that this figure does not include 20 prisoners who are in the final stage of release from life sentences and who are provisionally expected to be released during the next 12 months.
  You should also note that these figures are based on the prison population at the date of writing and cannot take account of the restoration of remission to individual prisoners.
  I hope this is helpful.

  to monitor the quality of water at the point of consumption. [25519]

  Mr. Moss
  The quality of water supplied to consumers in Northern Ireland by the Water Executive is monitored
  111
  in accordance with the provisions of the Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1973, as amended, and the Water Quality Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994. These provisions incorporate EC water quality standards and monitoring requirements. Information about the quality of public water supplies is available on a public register at the four divisional offices of the Water Executive in Ballymena, Belfast, Craigavon and Londonderry. The first annual reports of the quality of the Water Executive supplies, required under the 1994 regulations will be published in June 1996 along with reports to district councils summarising the quality of supplies within their areas.

  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what measures are presently being taken to monitor the level and concentration of asbestos fibres in the public water supply system at the point of consumption; [25520]

  (2) what measures are presently being taken to monitor the level and concentration of asbestos fibres in the water supply system subsequent to breakages in asbestos cement water mains; [25521]

  (3) what measures are presently being taken to ensure that the asbestos cement pipes currently in use are of an acceptable structural integrity, with particular reference to corrosion by the water supply; and how long they have been in existence. [25522]

  Mr. Moss
  Consideration of a report by the water research centre commissioned by the Department's Water Executive into the use of asbestos cement pipes is nearly completed. I expect in the near future to be in a position to make an announcement about the future use of asbestos cement pipes by the Water Executive.

  Green Park HSS Healthcare Trust
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how much money has been expended in connection with legal costs as a result of settled and on-going actions on the foot of orders from a fair employment or industrial tribunal since the appointment of the present chief executive of the Green Park HSS healthcare trust; [25555]

  (2) how much money has been expended in connection with legal costs incurred as a result of settlements out of court, settled and on-going actions in respect of fair employment and industrial tribunal actions since the appointment of the present chief executive of the Green Park HSS healthcare trust. [25556]

  Mr. Moss
  Since 1993, the trust has been provided with legal services by the legal department, Central Services Agency. The services were provided through a standard yearly agreement. In addition, the trust purchased ad hoc services from another legal source.

  The costs of legal services in respect of fair employment and industrial tribunal cases do not appear as a separate element of the agreement with the Central Services Agency irrespective of how much or how little the service has been utilised. Our counsel fees can be identified. However, it is normal practice for any counsel involved on behalf of the trust, whether through the Central Services Agency or through the ad hoc
  112
  arrangement, to bill for services at the conclusion of the case. Any information that could therefore be provided in relation to legal services would be incomplete.

  Mr. Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been expended on the foot of orders from a fair employment or industrial tribunal since the appointment of the present chief executive of the Green Park HSS healthcare trust. [25557]

  Mr. Moss
  The trust was ordered to pay costs amounting to £270.25 in relation to its non-compliance with an order for discovery of documents concerning an ongoing case. The issue arose in 1994. No other moneys have been paid on foot of orders by a fair employment or industrial tribunal since the appointment of the present chief executive.

  Mr. Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been expended in connection with out-of-court settlements in respect of fair employment or industrial tribunal actions since the appointment of the present chief executive of the Green Park HSS Healthcare Trust. [25558]

  Mr. Moss
  Out-of-court settlements in respect of fair employment or industrial tribunal actions since the appointment of the present chief executive of Green Park HSS healthcare trust are shown in the table.

  Number of cases

  Type of case

  Date lodged

  Date settled

  Amount of settlements £

  21

  Fair employment

  1992

  1994

  40, 000

  21

  Sex discrimination

  11

  Trade union activities

  1

  Sex discrimination

  1991

  1993

  2,000

  1

  Unfair dismissal

  1994

  1996

  2,000

  1

  Fair employment

  1994

  1996

  1,500

  1Lodged by same party.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Robert McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many non-housing executive and housing association recipients of housing benefit there were in each Northern Ireland constituency in 1995; and what was the amount paid in each case. [25757]

  Mr. Moss
  The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many new housing benefit claims in Belfast and North Down in the most recent week for which figures are available were processed with the name of an estate agent but without details of a beneficial landlord. [25756]

  Mr. Moss
  None. All cases processed carry details of the estate agent and landlord.

  Industrial Development Board
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the 10 new inward investment projects for Northern Ireland that the Industrial Development Board negotiated in 1994–95. [26228]
  113
  Mr. Ancram
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]The 10 new inward investment projects negotiated during 1994–95 by IDB were as follows:

  Transtec Foundries Ltd.

  Allen Industrial Ltd.

  ABC Laboratories (Europe) Ltd.

  Daehwa Metal (UK) Ltd.

  Real Software (NI) Ltd.

  Daewoo Electro Components UK Ltd.

  Radix Telecom Ltd.

  Daewoo Electronics UK Ltd.

  Seagate Technology (Ireland)

  Northern Bank Factors Ltd.

  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give a breakdown of estimated spending for 1996–97 in the Industrial Development Board within the units of(a) purchases of office and computer equipment, (b) purchase, development and landscaping of sites and construction of factories, (c) repair and maintenance of factories and sites and (d) payments for services provided by estate agents. [26206]

  Mr. Ancram
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]The estimated expenditure for 1996–97 is as follows:

  £000

  Office and Computer Equipment

  127

  Purchase, development and landscaping of sites and construction of factories

  33,021

  Repair and Maintenance of factories and sites

  686

  Payments for service provided by Estate Agents

  29

  Local Enterprise Development Unit
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures are in place to monitor the use made of money given by the LEDU to small businesses in Northern Ireland. [26227]

  Mr. Ancram
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]In addition to the monitoring obligations of the Department of Finance and Personnel, the Department of Economic Development and the Northern Ireland Audit Office, LEDU operates an extensive appraisal, monitoring and evaluation system with regard to the allocation, measurement and impact assessment of its assistance to small businesses.

  Formal appraisal is carried out ensuring that all forms of assistance offered by LEDU meet the objectives of the organisation in the most efficient, effective and economic manner.

  An independent evaluation of LEDU's impact on its client companies is undertaken on LEDU's behalf by the Northern Ireland Economic Research Council. This takes the form of an annual survey to measure the survivability, growth in employment for all clients, and sales and export sales for a subset of clients. In addition, LEDU operates a rolling evaluation schedule whereby all major schemes are evaluated every five years.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of CAP payments in Northern Ireland go to farms of over(a) 60 and (b) 100 hectares. [26217]

  Mr. Ancram
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]It is not possible to proportion CAP payments in this way, but the proportion of Northern Ireland farms in these sizes which attract CAP payments is as follows:

  Farm Size

  Number

  Percentage of total number of farms

  Total area in hectares

  60–100 ha

  2,871

  10.28

  216,014

  100 ∔ ha

  1,511

  5.41

  246,642

  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provisions have been made to combat CAP fraud in Northern Ireland. [26192]

  Mr. Ancram
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]Claims for payments under CAP measures are subjected to a wide range of anti-fraud action including the inspection of books and records, on-farm inspections including unannounced visits by verification staff, inspection of stocks in stores, marking of animals, secure information recording on computer and computer cross-checks, and extensive manual desk checks. All CAP payments are now subject to the control provisions of the integrated administration and control system which in particular enable checks to be made that animals and land used for arable or livestock production are not claim or declared by more than one producer.

  Village School Closures
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many village schools have been closed in Northern Ireland since 1979. [26233]

  Mr. Ancram
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]The information is not available in the form requested. However, since 1979 a total of 155 primary schools either were closed or amalgamated with other schools.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provisions the Department of Economic Development in Northern Ireland makes for giving small businesses access to long-term loans. [26191]

  Mr. Ancram
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]The Local Enterprise Development Unit has two options for providing small businesses with long-term loan finance. Both options are subject to the business owner having exhausted all other sources of promoter or private sector equity, bank and commercial sources of finance including hire purchase, leasing and the small firms loan guarantee scheme.

  The options are:

  1. Preference share capital. LEDU can invest up to £250, 000 in the form of non-voting redeemable non-cumulative preference shares. This capital is normally repayable at the end of a five-year period and LEDU may choose to waive dividends for the first two years of the investment.

  115

  2. Loans. Loans may be offered where a LEDU preference share investment is not practical. Security is sought for all loans; however, unsecured loans can be offered up top £10,000 and secured loans can be offered over £60,000.

  Rural Bus Services
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many rural parishes in Northern Ireland have no daily bus service. [26194]

  Mr. Moss
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]This information is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Selective Assistance and Trade Support Unit
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what factors underlay the decrease in spending on the selective assistance and trade support unit in the Department of Economic Development, in each of the years from 1990–91 to 1997–98. [26202]

  Mr. Ancram
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]The key factor which accounts for the decrease in spending on selective assistance and trade support in the years 1990–91 to 1997–98 is the gradual decline in expenditure under the packages of financial assistance which supported the privatisation of Harland and Wolff and Short Bros. in the late 1980s.

  For example, expenditure under the privatisation arrangements totalled £90 million in 1991–92 but had decreased to £35 million by 1994–95. The provision for 1997–98 stands at £7 million.

  Housing Association Rents
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what form of regulation is in place to check the rents charged by housing associations in Northern Ireland to their tenants. [26223]

  Mr. Moss
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]Under article 8 of the Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1992, registered housing associations in Northern Ireland may fix the amount of rent to be charged for any housing accommodation they provide under a tenancy granted on or after the 16 September 1992. Guidance issued by the Department of Environment, Northern Ireland however stipulates that rents should be affordable and within the reach of tenants in low-paid employment.

  Rents for lettings granted prior to 16 September 1992 are controlled by means of a determination issued by the Department and registered housing associations are required to charge the same rent as that which would be charged by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive for similar properties. Compliance is checked by the Department by means of the cyclical monitoring of associations.

  Public Housing Sales
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to which Department the money collected by the Housing Executive from the sale of public housing went in each of the years from 1990 to 1995. [26231]
  116
  Mr. Moss
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]Money collected by the Housing Executive is retained by it as a capital receipt and included in the resources available to meet their organisational objectives. Additional capital receipts above those included in estimates are surrendered to the Northern Ireland block.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many homeless people have been recorded in rural areas in Northern Ireland in each year since 1979. [26193]

  Mr. Moss
  [holding answer 22 April 1996)This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, whose chief executive has advised me that the information is not available in the form requested. The Housing Executive became responsible for providing accommodation for the homeless only in 1989 and maintains statistics by Housing Executive district management area. The statistics do not distinguish between rural and urban areas.

  Set-aside Scheme
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money was spent, under the common agricultural policy, on set-aside in Northern Ireland in 1995; and how much will be spent in 1996. [26218]

  Mr. Ancram
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]Some £538,000 was spent on set-aside in Northern Ireland in 1995. The estimated cost of payments on set-aside in 1996 are £633,000.

  Fair Employment
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the contribution of(a) policy appraisal of fair treatment and (b) targeting social need to the creation of employment opportunities. [26226]

  Mr. Ancram
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]Neither of these initiatives directly aims to create additional employment opportunities.

  Policy appraisal and fair treatment seek to ensure that issues of equality and equity are fully considered in the policy-making process and in service delivery in all spheres of government activity in Northern Ireland.

  Targeting social need is a public expenditure priority established to ensure that resources are directed towards areas and people identified as socially and economically disadvantaged. It complements Governments' social and economic policies, including those aimed at creating employment opportunities.

  It is expected that the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights will consider the impact of both initiatives in its report on employment equality in Northern Ireland to be published later this year.

  Rural Crime
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many crimes have been recorded in rural areas in Northern Ireland in each year since 1979. [26199]
  117
  Sir John Wheeler
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]The following figures refer to crimes recorded in the north and south regions. RUC statistics are held by police station area and police stations are sited in urban areas. It is therefore not possible to provide figures for totally "rural" areas.

  Figures are not available prior to 1987.

  Year

  Crimes recorded

  1987

  22,010

  1988

  19,273

  1989

  19,979

  1990

  21,233

  1991

  24,452

  1992

  27,037

  118

  Year

  Crimes recorded

  1993

  28,184

  1994

  28,453

  Breast Cancer
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were diagnosed with breast cancer in(a) 1993, (b) 1994 and (c) 1995 in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [25214]

  Mr. Moss
  This information is not presently available. A major initiative by the Northern Ireland cancer registry is currently under way to produce reliable incidence data on all cancers including breast cancer.

SCOTLAND

  Home and Civil Defence (Kincardine)
  Mr. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what facilities for(a) home defence, (b) civil defence, (c) the wartime administration of the police or armed forces and (d) the wartime administration of Departments of central Government have been operated or provided at Kincardine-on-Forth since 1970 (i) in facilities established for that purpose and (ii) otherwise; and for what purpose and at what cost emergency communications links were established or operated within the period 1970 to 1990 between Kincardine and the Scottish Office wartime regional headquarters formerly operated at Barnton quarry, Edinburgh and Anstruther, Fife. [25548]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 18 April 1996]The Scottish Office has not at any time established facilities at Kincardine-on-Forth for the purposes specified in this question. There are no records, or knowledge, of communications links between any premises in Kincardine on Forth and the former regional government headquarters in Barnton quarry, Edinburgh or Anstruther, Fife.

  Child Care Initiative
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many places have been created and how much money(a) spent and (b) allocated each year under the out-of-school child care grant initiative. [21391]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  [holding answer 26 March 1996]: The number of places created and sums allocated to the enterprise network for each of the three years of the out-of-school child care initiative are set out in the table. Delivery of the scheme is the responsibility of local enterprise companies and information on the actual amount spent is not available.

  Year

  Number of places created

  £ amount allocated

  1993–94

  Development phase

  —

  269,000

  1994–95

  1,066

  1,530.000

  1995–96

  6.354

  2,025.000

  Electricity Generating Unit (Gartcosh)
  Mr. Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will direct Scottish Enterprise to make an assessment of the impact on the Scottish economy of the proposal by Powergen to construct a gasfield generating unit at Gartcosh. [25313]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I understand that any sale to PowerGen of land at Gartcosh currently owned by Scottish Enterprise would take place on commercial terms. There is no question of subsidy by Scottish Enterprise of the proposed project and there is consequently no requirement on Scottish Enterprise to undertake an impact assessment.

  Isle of Lewis (Roads)
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what sums have been granted from the European regional development fund for road projects on the Isle of Lewis between 1989–80 and 1992–93. [25384]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The projects and level of award are as follows:

  ERDF award £

  B8060 Sheildinish to Kintaravey bridge improvement

  375,000

  B8011 Ben Mocacleit to Loch Suirstavat improvement

  347,000

  Rigs Road Reconstruction, Stornoway

  197,000

  B895 Blackwater bridge corner realignment

  28,000

  A858 Shawbost-Loch na Muilne improvement

  102,000

  A866 Braighe road improvement

  230,000

  Pentland road upgrading

  110,000

  B8060 Loch Leathan to Gravir improvement

  103,000

  B8060 Kintaravey to Habost improvement

  235,000

  A866 Aird to Brocker improvement

  525,000

  A857 Borve bridge and approaches

  250,000

  A859 Airidhbhruaich to align improvement

  665,000

  C36 Laurbost village improvement phase I

  121, 250

  A858 Carloway village improvement phase II

  145,000

  Approved in principle subject to availability of funds

  A858 Carloway village improvement phase I

  406,000

  B8011 Loch Sgaire to Ben Mocacleit

  600,000

  B8080 Kersharder to Grayvard

  475,000

  B8059 Earsharder improvement

  160,000

  Escapees
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what research he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the risk of attack from escaping prisoners to those residents who live close to a prison. [25912]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The subject of the question relates to matters undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service. I have asked its chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell, to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Mr. Sam Galbraith, dated 23 April 1996:
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your question about what research has been commissioned and evaluated on the risk of attack from escaping prisoners to those residents who live close to a prison.
  Public safety is of paramount importance to the Scottish Prison Service and the secure accommodation of the prisoner population is the principal aim of the Service. As part of that process, all prisoners are assessed on a regular basis as to the level of dangerousness they may present to the public if they were to escape and are allocated a security category. Category A and B are the highest categories and prisoners so allocated are subject to particular security precautions and restrictions balanced with the need to provide appropriate care.
  Escapes by such prisoners, which were defined as having taken place when a prisoner breaches a perimeter security barrier or evades a secure escort, have been published key targets since April 1993 when the Scottish Prison Service became an Executive Agency. The targets have been met and are published in the Agency's Annual Report which is laid before Parliament and available in the House of Commons Library.

  Paramedics
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many qualified paramedics there are per head of population in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [26001]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There is one qualified paramedic for every 14,700 people in Scotland.

  Housing Revenue Account
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the (i) planned and (ii) final outturn expenditure on(a) non-HRA capital allocation and (b) HRA capital allocation in each (1) district and (2) islands council for 1995–96. [25585]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]The gross housing capital allocations issued to local authorities for 1995–96 on the HRA and non-HRA block are set out in the table. Information on the final outturn expenditure for 1995–96 is not yet available.

  Gross housing capital allocations 1995–96

  Authority

  HRA

  Non-HRA

  Borders

  Berwickshire

  1.100

  0.500

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  1.800

  0.700

  Roxburgh

  3.000

  0.800

  Tweeddale

  1.200

  0.500

  Central

  Clackmannan

  3.900

  0.800

  Falkirk

  13.800

  1.600

  Stirling

  7.900

  1.600

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Annandale and Eskdale

  2.900

  0.500

  Nithsdale

  5.100

  1.100

  Stewartry

  1.200

  0.300

  Wigtown

  3.100

  0.700

  Fife

  Dunfermline

  8.200

  1.000

  Kirkcaldy

  7.200

  1.200

  North East Fife

  3.200

  1.300

  Grampian

  Aberdeen

  15.900

  4.300

  Banff and Buchan

  4.800

  1.300

  Gordon

  6.500

  0.900

  Kincardine and Deeside

  3.150

  0.900

  Moray

  4.900

  1.200

  Highland

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  1.000

  0.300

  Caithness

  2.300

  0.700

  Inverness

  5.000

  1.300

  Lochaber

  3.100

  0.800

  Nairn

  0.800

  0.200

  Ross and Cromarty

  5.150

  3,200

  Skye and Lochalsh

  1.500

  0.900

  Sutherland

  4.400

  0.700

  Lothian

  East Lothian

  6.700

  1.600

  Edinburgh

  32.000

  18.900

  Midlothian

  5.600

  0.900

  West Lothian

  7.600

  0.900

  Strathclyde

  Argyll and Bute

  4.000

  5.800

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  1.700

  0.300

  122

  Gross housing capital allocations 1995–96

  Authority

  HRA

  Non-HRA

  Clydebank

  5.900

  0.500

  Clydesdale

  3.400

  0.800

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  1.700

  0.700

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  3.500

  0.500

  Cunninghame

  8.800

  3.600

  Dumbarton

  6.900

  0.900

  East Kilbride

  1.000

  0.400

  Eastwood

  1.300

  0.300

  Glasgow

  92.000

  24.100

  Hamilton

  8.250

  1.600

  Inverclyde

  9.100

  4.400

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  5.800

  0.600

  Kyle and Carrick

  7.100

  0.900

  Monklands

  12.600

  1.100

  Motherwell

  16.500

  1.000

  Renfrew

  20.000

  4.200

  Strathkelvin

  5.700

  0.800

  Tayside

  Angus

  5.000

  0.900

  Dundee

  17.500

  4.600

  Perth and Kinross

  6.400

  2.000

  Islands Areas

  Orkney

  0.650

  0.900

  Shetland

  4.400

  0.500

  Western Isles

  3.400

  4.400

  Scotland

  423.600

  117.400

  European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in what ways the Scottish Office criteria regarding the allocation of FEOGA funds under EC regulation 866/90 differ from those used by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. [25613]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]With effect from 31 March 1996, EC regulation 866/90 does not now operate in England.

  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many FEOGA grants under EC regulation 866/90 were received by his Department in each year over the past three years on the dates on which decisions were announced. [25614]

  Mr. Robertson
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]FEOGA grant applications under EC regulation 866/90 received for each tranche of awards were as follows:

  19 for consideration in December 1994;

  32 new applications plus three carried forward for consideration in June 1995;

  29 new applications plus five carried forward for consideration in June 1996.

  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the time taken in each of the last three years for his Department to process FEOGA grants under EC regulation 866/90. [25615]

  Mr. Robertson
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]The current scheme under EC regulation 866/90 was opened to applications on 1 July 1994 with the intention that announcements would normally be made in six-monthly
  123
  tranches. The cut-off date is three months prior to the announcement to allow time for appraisal and selection of best projects.

  Applications for the current round closed on 31 March and an announcement will be made in June.

  Proposed Power Station, Gartcosh
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will order a public inquiry into the application by PowerGen to establish a gas-fired power station at Gartcosh in Lanarkshire; and if he will make a statement. [25920]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]The relevant planning authority has a statutory period of four months in which to submit a report to my right hon. Friend on PowerGen's proposal to build a power station at Gartcosh. Once the report is received, the Secretary of State will consider it together with the advice of his consultees and any representations he may receive from other interested parties. He will then decide whether it is necessary to hold a public inquiry. Such an inquiry is mandatory if the planning authority formally objects to the proposals.

  Local Enterprise Companies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what(a) was the gross public spending for each year since 1990–91, in 1995–96 prices and (b) is the projected expenditure for each year to 1997–98, in 1995–96 prices, of local enterprise companies. [25976]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]The expenditure of local enterprise companies is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) minutes of meetings, (d) agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests are published by local enterprise companies; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [25968]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]Local enterprise companies are private companies limited by guarantee that operate under contract to Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The information requested relates to the operational activities of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise and I have asked the chairmen of these organisations to write to the hon. Member.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if local enterprise companies are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [25973]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]Local enterprise companies are private companies limited by guarantee operating under contract to Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. They are not therefore subject to the Parliamentary Commissioner, the 124
  Accounts Commission—the Scottish equivalent of the Audit Commission—or statutory provisions on open government.

  Local enterprise company accounts are audited by commercial auditors. Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise now prepare group accounts which consolidate their results with those of the local enterprise companies. The National Audit Office, as the statutory auditors of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and therefore principal auditors of the group accounts, may require to scrutinise local enterprise company accounts. Local enterprise companies may also be subject to scrutiny by the National Audit Office as part of value-for-money examinations of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

  Under the terms of their operating contracts, performance indicators are set for local enterprise companies by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Highlands and Islands Enterprise and its local enterprise companies have gained the charter mark award and, under the terms of their operating contracts, local enterprise companies in the Scottish Enterprise area are expected to apply for charter mark status.

  Mink
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions officials of the state veterinary service have observed the killing of mink on fur farms in the last 12 months; and what method of killing was used in each case. [26483]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I offered him on 19 March,Official Report, column 167, advising that no mink farms had been licensed in Scotland since 1993.

  Breast Cancer
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were diagnosed with breast cancer in(a) 1993, (b) 1994 and (c) 1995; and if he will make a statement. [25210]

  Mr. James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is as follows:

  Breast cancer registration in Scotland

  1993: 3,092

  1994: 3,029

  19951: 2,214

  11995 data not yet complete.

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is Her Majesty's Government's policy in respect of NHS trusts in Scotland putting parts of the Scottish ambulance service out to competitive tender [26026]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Guidance was issued from the NHS management executive in December 1993 on the arrangements for contracting for ambulance services; this included provision for hospitals to invite competitive tenders for non-emergency patient transport services from providers other than the Scottish Ambulance Service NHS trust.
  125
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he will take to ensure that ambulance services in Scotland are provided only by staff trained to the same standard as that of the Scottish ambulance service. [26029]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This has been made explicit in the guidance which was issued in December 1993. I have arranged for copies of the guidance to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Patient Transport Services
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the remit given to Mr. Lawrence Peterken, special projects director of the Common Services Agency, by chief executives of NHS trusts in Lothian in relation to their patient transport service. [26027]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The chief executives of NHS trusts in Lothian have asked Mr. Peterken to examine the current arrangements for the provision of the non-emergency patient transport service and to report.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with chief executives of NHS trusts in Lothian in respect of their active consideration of putting their patient transport service out to competitive tender. [26028]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  None. This is entirely a matter for the trusts concerned.

  Travelling People
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of sites for travelling people within the highlands recommended by the advisory committee on Scotland's travelling people. [26332]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  The Secretary of State's advisory committee on travelling people has recommended that 74 pitches are required in the Highland council area to meet the needs of travelling people.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the number and location of sites for travelling people in each of the eight districts within the highlands. [26323]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  Seventy-four pitches are provided on a number of sites throughout the area, including 20 pitches provided on private sites. The local authority-owned sites in the area are as follows:

  Former district council area

  Number of pitches

  Location

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  7

  Laggan road, Newtonmore

  Inverness

  20

  Longman, Inverness

  Lochaber

  15

  Spean bridge

  12

  Kentallan

  Compulsory Competitive Tendering
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total running cost to his 126
  Department for the financial years 1991–92 and 1993–94 of the local government compulsory competitive tendering enforcement team. [26324]

  Mr. Kynoch
  Staff costs of the unit currently responsible for administering local government compulsory tendering are expected to total £56,000 in the current financial year. The corresponding figures for 1991–92 and 1993–94, based on current salaries, were £94,000 and £115,000 respectively.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many complaints his Department received alleging anti-competitive behaviour by local authorities in Scotland under the terms of the Local Government Act 1988 for the financial years 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95; and how many local authorities were subsequently issued with a section 19a notice or 19b direction as a result. [26325]

  Mr. Kynoch
  In 1990–91, we received six complaints of anti-competitive behaviour under the Local Government Act 1988; these resulted in one notice under section 13 of that Act and one direction under section 14 of that Act being issued. In 1991–92, we received five complaints: these resulted in four notices and four directions being issued. In 1992–93, we received four complaints: these resulted in two notices. In 1993–94, we received 10 complaints: these have resulted in six notices. In 1994–95, we received eight complaints: these resulted in two notices.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many complaints his Department received alleging anti-competitive behaviour by local authorities in Scotland under the terms of the Local Government (Planning and Land) Act 1980 for the financial years 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95; and how many local authorities were subsequently issued with a section 19a notice or 19b notice as a result. [26326]

  Mr. Kynoch
  In 1990–91, we received two complaints of anti-competitive behaviour under the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980: neither of these cases resulted in statutory action. In 1991–92, we received six complaints: a notice was served in relation to one of these. In 1992–93, we received four complaints: two of these resulted in a notice and one in a direction. In 1993–94, we received three complaints: these have resulted in two notices. In 1994–95, we received three complaints: no statutory action was taken.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by service the local authorities in Scotland that have been challenged by his Department under regulations under section 9 of the Local Government Act 1992 in relation to their internal arrangements for establishing client-contractor splits. [26329]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The Scottish Office Development Department has not taken statutory action against any authority in relation to its internal arrangements for establishing client-contractor splits.

  Local Authority Direct Labour Organisations
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list, by authority and service area, the recorded deficits made by local authority direct labour or services organisations in Scotland that have failed to meet
  127
  the rate of return requirements operating contracts under the terms of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 and of the Local Government Act 1988 for the financial years 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95 in both cash and constant prices. [26327]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The information requested is as follows.

  Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980

  Year

  Local authority

  Deficit £

  Water and sewerage

  1990–91

  Central RC

  -3,332

  1993–94

  Orkney IC

  -6,000

  1993–94

  Grampian RC

  -137,000

  1994–95

  Orkney IC

  -203,000

  Roads

  Nil

  New construction under £50,000

  1990–91

  Central

  -32,574

  New Construction over £50,000

  1991–92

  Orkney IC

  -16,000

  1992–93

  Fife RC

  -358,000

  1993–94

  Orkney IC

  -22,000

  1994–95

  Central RC

  -21,343

  1994–95

  Edinburgh DC

  -25,781

  1994–95

  Orkney IC

  -46,000

  Building maintenance

  1990–91

  Argyll and Bute DC

  -81, 000

  1990–91

  Clydesdale DC

  -37,555

  1990–91

  Dumfries and Galloway RC

  -50,075

  1990–91

  Hamilton DC

  -770,649

  1990–91

  Kirkcaldy DC

  -234,472

  1990–91

  Orkney IC

  -47,000

  1991–92

  Bearsden and Milngavie DC

  -17,095

  1991–92

  Edinburgh DC

  -708,635

  1991–92

  North East Fife DC

  -176,000

  1991–92

  Kirkcaldy DC

  -563,702

  1991–92

  Nithsdale DC

  -21,264

  1991–92

  Dumfries and Galloway RC

  -102,137

  1991–92

  Dumbarton DC

  -119,072

  1992–93

  Edinburgh DC

  -448,750

  1992–93

  Skye and Lochalsh DC

  -45,022

  1993–94

  Dumfries and Galloway RC

  -32,795

  1993–94

  Stirling DC

  -74,100

  1994–95

  Glenrothes Development Corporation

  -58,000

  1994–95

  Nithsdale DC

  -22,822

  1994–95

  Stirling DC

  -13,500

  Local Government Act 1988

  year

  Local authority

  Deficit £

  Building cleaning

  1990–1991

  Dumbarton DC

  -7,299

  1990–1991

  East Lothian DC

  -3,000

  1990–1991

  Shetland IC

  -13,000

  1991–1992

  Dumbarton DC

  -66,438

  1992–1993

  Border RC

  -172,000

  1992–1993

  Dumbarton DC

  -135,002

  1992–1993

  Grampian RC

  -10,000

  1992–1993

  Midlothian DC

  -2,000

  1993–1994

  Grampian RC

  -155,000

  1993–1994

  Dumbarton DC

  -96,333

  1994–1995

  Dumbarton DC

  -45,783

  1994–1995

  Dumfries and Galloway RC

  -118,000

  1994–1995

  Grampian RC

  -351,000

  1994–1995

  Skye and Lochalsh DC

  -109

  Grounds maintenance

  1990–1991

  Strathkelvin DC

  -58,708

  1990–1991

  Stirling DC

  -7,005

  1990–1991

  Moray DC

  -122,476

  1990–1991

  Highland RC

  -84,375

  1991–1992

  Stirling DC

  -245,779

  128

  Local Government Act 1988

  Year

  Local authority

  Deficit £

  1992–1993

  Ross and Cromarty DC

  -42,000

  1991–1993

  Western Isles IC

  -43,000

  1994–1995

  Dumbarton DC

  -217,009

  1994–1995

  Glenrothes Development Corporation

  -76,000

  1994–1995

  Skye and Lochalsh DC

  -6,700

  Leisure management

  1992–1993

  Lothian RC

  -290,516

  1992–1993

  Nairn DC

  -2,567

  1992–1993

  Skye and Lochalsh DC

  -12,007

  1993–1994

  Lothian RC

  -259,690

  1994–1995

  Berwickshire DC

  -5,940

  1994–1995

  Eastwood DC

  -13,385

  1994–1995

  Lothian RC

  -188,629

  1994–1995

  Skye and Lochlash DC

  -3,767

  Other catering

  1990–1991

  Central RC

  -17,156

  1992–1993

  Dumbarton DC

  -175

  1992–1993

  Edinburgh DC

  -34,966

  1993–1994

  Edinburgh DC

  -8,474

  1994–1995

  Edinburgh

  -76,040

  1994–1995

  Fife

  -8,000

  Other cleaning

  1991–1992

  Annandale and Eskdale DC

  -24,223

  1994–1995

  Dumbarton DC

  -38,216

  1994–1995

  Eastwood DC

  -11,600

  Refuse collection

  1990–1991

  Kincardine and Deeside DC

  -2,484

  1991–1992

  Kincardine and Deeside DC

  -13,113

  1991–1992

  Orkney IC

  -6,000

  1991–1992

  North East Fife DC

  -24,000

  1993–1994

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth DC

  -46,240

  1993–1994

  Dumbarton DC

  -61,590

  1993–1994

  Orkney IC

  -17,000

  1994–1995

  Eastwood DC

  -89,870

  1994–1995

  Skye and Lochalsh DC

  -10,225

  School and welfare catering

  1992–1993

  Borders RC

  -51,000

  1993–1994

  Borders RC

  -91,000

  1994–1995

  Highland RC

  -43,229

  1994–1995

  Western Isles RC

  -42,000

  Vehicle maintenance

  1990–1991

  Inverness DC

  -65,733

  1990–1991

  Inverclyde DC

  -7,521

  1990–1991

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth DC

  -38,495

  1991–1992

  Stirling DC

  -670

  1991–1992

  Clackmannan DC

  -2,000

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authority direct labour or services organisations in Scotland, operating contracts under the terms of(a) the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 and (b) the Local Government Act 1988, have achieved the required rate of return for the financial years (i) 1992–93, (ii) 1993–94 and (iii) 1994–95. [26328]

  Mr. Kynoch
  For services subject to the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980: in 1992–93, 74 DLOs/DS0s, in an individual service area, met the prescribed financial objective, which represented 94.9 per cent. of the total returns received; in 1993–94, 75 met the prescribed financial objective which represented 92.6 per cent. of the total returns received; and in 1994–95, 75 met the prescribed financial objective which represented 91.5 per cent. of the returns received.
  129
  For services subject to the Local Government Act 1988: in 1992–93, 258 DLOs/DS0s, in an individual service area, met the prescribed financial objective which represented 94.9 per cent. of the total returns received; in 1993–94, 267 met the prescribed financial objective which represented 96.7 per cent. of the total returns received; and in 1994–95, 266 met the prescribed financial objective which represented 93 per cent. of the returns received.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by authority the surplus achieved on trading accounts for the financial years 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95 for(a) general highways work, (b) construction and maintenance of sewers, (c) works of new construction and (d) maintenance work, delivered by local authority direct labour or services organisations in Scotland under the terms of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 and Local Government Act 1988. [26330]

  Mr. Kynoch
  Detailed lists by authority of the surpluses and deficits achieved on DSO/DLO trading accounts have been placed in the Library.

  Victoria Hospital, Glasgow
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list(a) the companies initially shortlisted for the support services contract put out to competitive tender by the Victoria hospital in Glasgow, (b) those companies still bidding for that contract and (c) the reasons notified to his Department for the loss of interest in the contract by companies originally shortlisted that subsequently withdrew. [26349]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information is as follows:

  (a) ISS Mediclean

  Initial Healthcare Services

  Gardner Merchant Sodexho

  Capita

  Tarmac Servicemaster

  Taylorplan Services.

  (b) Initial Healthcare Services

  Gardner Merchant Sodexho

  Capita

  Tarmac Servicemaster

  (c) ISS Mediclean and Taylorplan Services notified the Victoria Infirmary NHS trust that they would not be submitting bids as they wished to concentrate on their other commitments.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in what roles Mr. Norman Foster was employed by the Victoria hospital in Glasgow in each month since 1 January 1995. [26351]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This is a contractual matter between an employee and the employing trust.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what steps he has taken to monitor the implementation of Government guidance on competitive tendering at the Victoria hospital in Glasgow; and what assessment he has made of whether it has been implemented adequately; [26346]
  130
  (2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance on competitive tendering issued to the NHS in Scotland; [26347]

  (3) if he will make a statement on the competitive tendering exercise for support services initiated last year and being implemented this year by the Victoria hospital in Glasgow. [26348]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Comprehensive guidance on market testing in the NHS in Scotland was issued most recently to the service in October 1993. Copies of that guidance are available in the Library of the House. The responsibility for implementing market testing within NHS hospitals in Scotland rests with trust boards. It was for the Victoria Infirmary NHS trust to determine the arrangements for the competitive tendering of support services. Safeguards exist to ensure that contracts for goods or services are awarded in a proper manner by health boards and NHS trusts in Scotland. This takes the form of a statutory requirement on all health boards and NHS trusts to undergo an end-year audit by external auditors to ensure that the trust standing financial instructions, and any other financial instructions determined by the management executive of the national health service in Scotland, have been complied with.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland for what reasons no in-house bid was allowed for the contract for support services put out to competitive tender by the Victoria hospital in Glasgow; and to what extent this was in breach of Government guidelines on competitive tendering in the NHS. [26350]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The existing in-house service was free to bid for the contract on the same basis as commercial tenderers. The trust did offer to fund independent external advice for any staff group which wished to mount a bid. This offer was not taken up and no bid was made.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of BSE have been identified in(a) the East Kilbride constituency and (b) Lanarkshire in each of the last 10 years; and how many farms were involved. [26332]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  The information requested is being collated and will be placed in the Library of the House as soon as it becomes available.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many appointments to the public bodies listed in "Public Bodies" for his Department were made during 1994–95 from names supplied by the public appointments unit; and if he will list them. [25960]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]The Scottish Office maintains its own public appointments list and therefore makes limited use of names from the public appointments unit, although names are exchanged from time to time. The Scottish Office list is used as a source of names of suitably qualified candidates for consideration for a wide range of appointments. No central records are, however, kept of the sources from which the names of those appointed are derived.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Occupational Pensions
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures he is proposing to improve the security of occupational pensions. [24680]

  Mr. Heald
  The measures in the Pensions Act 1995, most of which will become effective from April 1997, reflect the Government's commitment to safeguarding the security of occupational pension scheme assets.

  Pensioner Incomes
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of pensioners' gross income in the north-west comes from(a) benefits, (b) occupational pensions and (c) investments for the most recent years for which figures are available. [24681]

  Mr. Heald
  For the United Kingdom as a whole, 53 per cent. of pensioners' average incomes is from state benefits, 25 per cent. from occupational pensions and 16 per cent. from investment income.

  It is not possible to provide a reliable breakdown by region due to the limited sample size.

  Unemployment Benefits
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what incentives to work will be included in his reforms of unemployment benefits. [24682]

  Mr. Burt
  Helping people back to work is a key aim of Government policy.

  This month we introduced extended payments of housing benefit and council tax benefit for unemployed people who return to work and the national insurance contribution holiday for employers.

  With jobseeker's allowance in October, we will be introducing the back-to-work bonus. This will enable at least 150, 000 people a year to receive a tax-free lump sum of up to £1,000 when they leave benefit to take up work.

  We will also be introducing earnings top-up, a new in-work benefit for people without dependent children, in eight pilot areas from October.

  Long-term Care
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he intends to take to assist people to make additional provision for their own long-term care in their old age. [24683]

  Mr. Heald
  To help people retain more of their savings when they enter long-term care, we have more than trebled the lower capital limit and doubled the upper 132
  capital limit for those in residential care; and for those who are covered by the preserved rights provisions, we have also introduced a 50 per cent. disregard on income from their occupational pension if they have a spouse who remains at home.

  We have already taken steps to give personal pension holders more flexibility in the use of their pension savings during retirement, and are committed to building on that foundation by giving members of occupational pension schemes extra choices.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received recently regarding the withdrawal of benefits from asylum seekers. [24684]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  We have received representations in various forms from hon. Members, members of the public, local authorities and voluntary organisations. Representations were also made to the Social Security Advisory Committee which were included in its report to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for what social security benefits persons who have a legal right to live in the United Kingdom, but do not hold a British passport, will be eligible under the new Asylum and Immigration Bill; and if he will make a statement. [25349]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The Asylum and Immigration Bill provides that an immigrant will not be entitled to child benefit unless he satisfies prescribed conditions. Regulations will set out those conditions. An immigrant is defined as a person who requires leave under the Immigration Act 1971 to enter or remain in the United Kingdom. A non-British passport holder's eligibility for other social security benefits depends on his immigration status.

  Pensions (Administrative Costs)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the relative administrative costs of(a) the state pension and (b) personal pension schemes. [24686]

  Mr. Heald
  The estimated cost of administering state retirement pension in 1994–95 is £309 million. Information on the administrative costs of personal pensions is not collected centrally.

  Source:

  Social Security departmental report, March 1996—Cm 3213.

  Habitual Residence Test
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current annual cost of administering the habitual residence test; and what savings in benefits have been made in the current year following the introduction of the test. [24688]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The current annual cost of administering the habitual residence test in relation to income support is estimated at £3 million. The best estimate of savings for the financial year 1995–96 is £25 million.

  Social Security Reform
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations about future social security reform he has been notified will be forwarded to him in the next three months; and if he will make a statement. [24689]

  Mr. Burt
  None.

  Child Support
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action he plans to take in response to the report of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration in respect of(a) the Child Support Act 1995 and (b) the Child Support Agency. [24690]

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  The report mainly relates to the first 18 months of the agency's performance, and there have been very substantial improvements since then. In addition, I recently announced the recruitment of an independent complaints examiner, improvements to the agency's compensation scheme and the introduction of interest payments on maintenance collected but not transferred promptly to the parent with care.

  Personal Pensions
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of holders of appropriate personal pensions failed to earn sufficient to generate a national insurance rebate in the most recent year. [24692]

  Mr. Heald
  In 1993–94, 31 per cent. of appropriate personal pension holders had reckonable earnings below the national insurance rebate threshold.

  Notes:

  (i) Source: Personal Pension Statistics 1993–94 which is based on a 1 per cent. sample of national insurance records taken in February 1995.

  (ii) Figures relate to the Uhnited Kingdom and are rounded to the nearest whole number.

  Benefits Agency
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the future of Benefits Agency offices in north Wales. [24693]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  One of the next key steps in the long-term reform of social security is the change programme, which aims to produce administrative efficiencies of 25 per cent. over the next three years. As part of this, consideration is being given to the future of service delivery in Wales. Any proposals will be subject to consultation before final decisions are taken.

  Lone Parents
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what benefit changes he is undertaking to help lone parents to work. [24694]

  Mr. Burt
  The Government have a well-developed strategy for helping families, including lone parents, into work. Further measures are being implemented in the coming months.
  134
  From this month, the child care disregard in the in-work benefits has been increased from £40 to £60 a week. The back-to-work bonus and the child maintenance bonus will be introduced in October 1996 and April 1997 respectively. They will encourage part-time work and provide opportunities to build up a tax-free lump sum on leaving benefit for work. Also in April 1997 a major new pilot will commence providing training and employment opportunities to up to 25, 000 lone parents.

  In addition, lone parents can qualify for other work incentive measures introduced this month, including extra help with housing costs on return to work, faster delivery of family credit and relief from national insurance contributions for their employer.

  State Pensions
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the level of state pensions in other European Union countries relative to those in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [24695]

  Mr. Heald
  Most other EU countries have wholly earnings-related pension schemes, so there is a wide variation in the rate of pension paid to individuals. This can mean that low earners receive low pensions. Direct comparisons of the level of state pensions do not take account of health care, occupational pensions and safety net benefits, which are all significant factors in the provision for pensioners in the United Kingdom. The relative position of state pension provision is further distorted by differences in the cost of living.

  Benefits (Young People)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many representations his Department has recently received on the question of benefit availability to 16 and 17-year-olds; and if he will make a statement. [24696]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The Department has received a number of such representations.

  We believe that unemployed 16 and 17-year-olds should take the more positive options of youth training or education in place of dependence on benefit.

  Benefit Reforms
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received from political parties over the past three months concerning reforms of the benefit system. [24697]

  Mr. Burt
  None.

  Centenarians
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the estimated cost to his Department of sending telegrams to centenarians over the past year; and if he will make a statement. [24698]

  Mr. Heald
  This Department arranges for telemessages to be sent to residents of Great Britain on their 100th birthday, at 105 and yearly thereafter. In 1995, a
  135
  total of 3,025 such messages were issued at an estimated cost of £74,900, most of which arose from visits by Benefits Agency staff prior to the issue of the messages.

  Fraud
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what priority he attaches to tackling fraud in his social security reforms. [24691]

  Mr. Heald
  I refer the hon. Lady to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesham (Mr. Arnold) earlier today.

  Incapacity Benefit
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals he has in respect of the right of appeal in incapacity benefit cases. [26533]

  Mr. Burt
  We have no current plans to make any changes to the right of appeal in incapacity benefit cases. However, as part of the long-term reform of social security we are now reviewing its administration, including decision making and appeals arrangements.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many persons have ceased to receive incapacity benefit because of a failure to attend a medical examination following completion of questionnaire form IB50. [25803]

  Mr. Burt
  At 31 March 1996, 2, 416 persons had been disallowed incapacity benefit following failure to attend for medical examination.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) former recipients of invalidity benefit now claiming incapacity benefit and (b) new incapacity benefit claimants have passed the all-work test and how many in each case have been deemed fit for work. [25805]

  Mr. Burt
  The available information is in the table.

  Found capable of work following the all-work test

  Found incapable of work following the all-work test

  Former Invalidity Benefit recipients with transitional protection

  33,580

  113,500

  Incapacity Benefit claimants since April 1995

  6,780

  24,340

  All figures as at 30 November 1995 taken from a 5 per cent. sample of cases from the incapacity benefit computer system. Excludes a small number of cases not on the system.

  Occupational Asthma
  Mr. Ian McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the cost to his Department of providing industrial injury scheme benefits to people suffering from occupational asthma in each year from 1989–90 to 1994–95. [25780]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the table.
  136
  The figures are estimates of the cost of industrial injuries disablement benefit reduced earnings allowance and retirement allowance paid to people suffering from occupational asthma and do not include the costs of administration or the benefit expenditure on constant attendance allowance, exceptionally severe disablement allowance or unemployment supplement.

  The data on which these estimates are based are not yet available for 1994–95.

  Estimated cost of providing Industrial Injuries benefits to people suffering from occupational asthma

  Cash prices £ million

  1989–90

  1.0

  1990–91

  2.0

  1991–92

  2.5

  1992–93

  3.0

  1993–94

  4.0

  Estimated costs are given at cash prices, rounded to the nearest £0.5 million and may be subject to a margin of error.

  Income Support
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many persons have ceased to receive income support as a result of failing the all-work test. [25792]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information requested is not available.

  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many persons in the borough of Southend receive income support. [24687]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The numbers receiving income support in the area covered by the Benefits Agency Essex South East district office, which includes the borough of Southend, was 37, 403 in May 1995.

  Redundant Steel Workers
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much was paid in means-tested benefits to redundant steel workers in each year between 1979 and 1995. [25820]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information requested is not available.

  Mini-cab Drivers
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many mini-cab drivers had details checked against benefit records as a result of Operation Spotlight in(a) Croydon, (b) Enfield and (c) Haringey; how many withdrew their benefit claims; and how much money has been saved. [26261]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information requested is not available as the spotlight on benefit cheats campaign in Croydon, Enfield and Haringey is still under way and individual investigations will take some time to follow up.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of funding to
  137
  be made available to his Department through the private finance initiative in (a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97 and (c) 1997–98. [26171]

  Mr. Burt
  The estimated capital spending relating to Department of Social Security projects under the private finance initiative is in the list:

  1995–96: £60 million

  1996–97: £130 million

  1997–98: £70 million.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the annual saving from the withdrawal of the mobility component of disability living allowance after a claimant has been hospitalised for(a) four weeks and (b) 12 weeks in the case of children. [25586]

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  The information requested is in the table.

  £ million

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  (a) Adults (four weeks)

  20

  35

  35

  (b) Children (12 weeks)

  5

  10

  10

  Total

  25

  40

  45

  1. Estimates assume an end of July start date. 2. Estimates rounded to nearest £5 million. Totals may not sum due to rounding.

  In-work Benefits
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total annual expenditure on(a) family credit, (b) disability working allowance and (c) other in-work benefits by standard region. [26142]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information for 1994–95 is set out in the tables.

  £ million

  Region1

  Family Credit2

  Disability Working Allowance2

  Midlands

  265

  2

  Northern

  266

  2

  London North

  170

  1

  Wales and South West

  198

  2

  North Western

  238

  2

  Scotland

  160

  1

  London South

  146

  1

  All regions

  1,441

  11

  Region1

  Housing benefit3 £m

  Council Tax Benefit3 £m

  North

  27

  8

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  46

  14

  East Midlands

  31

  7

  East Anglia

  16

  3

  South East (excluding London)

  106

  14

  London

  119

  12

  South West

  51

  9

  West Midlands

  26

  7

  North West

  58

  17

  Wales

  25

  3

  138

  Region1

  Housing benefit3 £m

  Council Tax Benefit3 £m

  Scotland

  32

  1

  All regions

  537

  95

  1 Information on Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit is provided by standard administrative region. Information on Family Credit and Disability Working Allowance is only available by Social Security administrative region.

  2 Total expenditure figures from 1996 Departmental Report. Figures are rounded to the nearest million.

  3 Figures are estimates derived from the annual 1 per cent. Housing Benefit sample inquiry and are rounded to the nearest million. The figures get less reliable the smaller they are. The figures exclude expenditure on recipients for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit who work but who also get Income Support.

  War Pensions
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the cost of the current £10 mandatory disregard of war disablement pensions and war widows pensions for(a) housing benefit and (b) council tax benefit; [26534]

  (2) what is the cost to local authorities of the use of the discretionary disregard of war disablement pensions and war widows' pensions for (a) housing benefit and (b) council tax benefit. [26535]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The benefit cost of the mandatory disregard of the first £10 of a war disablement pension or a war widow's pension is broadly estimated to be around(a) £5 million in housing benefit1 and (b) £5 million in council tax benefit1.

  In addition, the mandatory disregard of the supplementary pension paid to some 80 per cent. of war widows—currently worth £51.71 a week— and of any mobility supplement (£37.75); constant attendance allowance (£19.85–£79.40); exceptionally severe disablement allowance (£39.70); or severe disablement occupational allowance (£19.85) paid to a war disablement pensioner cost an estimated further £10 million in additional housing benefit and council tax benefit payments1.

  In 1994–95, the latest year for which information is available, local authorities reported expenditure of around (a) £30 million on their local schemes for housing benefit and (b) £10.5 million on their local schemes for council tax benefit.

  Note:

  1 Estimates based on the 1991, 1992 and 1993 Family Expenditure Surveys uprated to 1996–97 levels. Expenditure is rounded to the nearest £5 million.

  Disability Discrimination Act 1995
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are his plans for the provision of advice and assistance under part III of the Disability Discrimination Act. [26675]

  Mr. Burt
  The Government are seeking to establish a new service which will provide independent advice and support on the Act's rights of access to services and property. The service is planned to be operational in time for the implementation of the first of these rights around the end of 1996. The principal aim of the service will be to
  139
  promote the settlement of disputes without the need for court action. Widely available and high-quality advice and support services will also help prevent discrimination and disputes.

  Disabled people and businesses already make use of existing advice points, such as citizens' advice bureaux and business links. The new service will be targeted at these organisations, giving them access to expert knowledge on this new legislation. By enhancing the knowledge of existing advice points, the service will aim to ensure that disabled people and businesses will have access to locally available, high-quality advice and support. The Government are also investigating the possibilities for providing conciliation services, either as part of the advice and support service, or as a separate entity.

  Those interested in providing the advice and support service are asked to respond to advertisements which will appear tomorrow. Respondents will then be sent an outline specification and asked to provide information regarding their background, relevant experience, and financial stability by 28 May 1996. This information will be used to identify preferred candidates who will be formally invited to enter the negotiation phase of the project. The final specification will be produced during the negotiation phase. Copies of the outline specification have been placed in the Library.

  Details of the negotiations will remain confidential. An announcement of the result will be made prior to the service being commenced.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the nationality of each member of the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee. [24906]

  Mrs. Browning
  We do not hold details of committee members' nationality. The members of the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee are appointed for their technical expertise in the subjects considered by the committee, irrespective of their nationality.

  Bovine Tuberculosis
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the number of cases of bovine TB since 1979. [25378]

  Mrs. Browning
  In Great Britain, between 1979 and 1995—the latest year for which figures are available—a total of 17,979 cattle were compulsorily slaughtered because they reacted positively to the tuberculin test. This figure includes all cattle which reacted positively to the test whether or not the presence of disease was subsequently confirmed at post mortem or by the culture of samples in the laboratory. In addition, between 1979 and 1994—the latest year for which figures are available—a total of 247 cases of bovine TB were confirmed from slaughterhouses.
  140
  Mr. Bottomley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the incidence of bovine TB since 1979 in areas assessed by his Department to have(a) heavy and (b) light badger populations. [25376]

  Mrs. Browning
  It is not possible to answer this question in the form requested. Detailed badger population estimates do not exist. However, a national badger survey undertaken between 1985 and 1988, which assessed badger activity and presence of setts within 2,455 randomly selected 1 km squares of land in Great Britain, indicated that badger density was generally higher in south-west England and Wales. The incidence of bovine TB in cattle is considerably higher in Cornwall, Devon, Gloucestershire and Avon, Wiltshire, Dyfed, Gwent and South, Mid and West Glamorgan than elsewhere in Great Britain; in 1994 the number of new confirmed TB cattle breakdowns in these areas as a percentage of total herds was 1.231 per cent. Elsewhere in Great Britain the number of new confirmed TB cattle breakdowns as a percentage of total herds was 0.049 per cent.

  Mr. Bottomley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how often herds are tested for bovine TB. [25375]

  Mrs. Browning
  Cattle herds everywhere in Great Britain, with the exception of Devon, Cornwall, Gloucestershire and Avon, are routinely tested for tuberculosis every four years. Herds in Devon are routinely tested every three years, and herds in Cornwall, Gloucestershire and Avon are routinely tested every two years. Division veterinary managers of the state veterinary service may exercise discretion in setting testing intervals in any areas of Great Britain where cattle herds have suffered a recent TB breakdown or where herds are considered to be at risk; this may result in some herds being tested more frequently than the prescribed testing interval for the region.

  Badgers
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the numbers of badgers killed since 1979. [25378]

  Mrs. Browning
  It is not possible to answer this question in the form requested. However, the total number of badgers captured and destroyed in removal operations carried out by the Department following TB breakdowns in cattle between 1985 and 1995 was 11,260.

  Live Animal Transport
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total amount invoiced to his Department in respect of staff present at Dover lairages to undertake the certification of livestock for export on(a) 13 February, (b) 14 February, (c) 15 February and (d) 16 February. [25355]

  Mrs. Browning
  The total amount invoiced by the Department in respect of staff present at Dover lairages to undertake the certification of livestock for export between 13 and 16 February was as follows:

  Date

  Total invoiced £

  13 February

  1,818.41

  14 February

  1,435.77

  141

  Date

  Total invoiced £

  15 February

  2,184.96

  16 February

  350.76

  These figures are exclusive of VAT, which was added at the standard rate.

  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many animals were rejected as unfit to travel prior to export from the United Kingdom in(a) 1992, (b) 1993, (c) 1994 and (d) 1995. [25431]

  Mrs. Browning
  The numbers of bovine, ovine and porcine animals rejected as unfit to travel prior to export from the United Kingdom were as follows:

  1992: 28,070

  1993: no figures available

  1994: 19,619

  1995: 8,855.

  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who conducted the export certification for consignments of animals at Abbotsland lairage, Capel-le-Ferne in the 48-hour period prior to 9 am on 20 January. [25432]

  Mrs. Browning
  Export certification for consignments of animals at Abbotsland lairage, Capel-le-Ferne in the 48-hour period prior to 9 am on 20 January was carried out by a local veterinary inspector. The name of the local veterinary inspector is being withheld under paragraph 4g of part II of the code of practice on access to Government information.

  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which consignments were certified by Mr. Jonathan Stirling for export where animals were subsequently rejected by Ministry officials, excluding any animals rejected as unfit to travel under the Welfare of Animals During Transport Order 1994, at(a) the port of Dover; (b) Brightlingsea wharf and (c) the port of Shoreham (i) during 1995 and (ii) from 1 January 1996 to 8 March 1996. [25433]

  Mrs. Browning
  Details of consignments certified by Mr. Jonathan Stirling and subsequently rejected by Ministry officials on veterinary health certification grounds are as follows:

  (a)

  (i) During 1995 at Dover:

  On 27 April 1995, one animal was rejected from a consignment of 203 calves.

  On 2 May 1995, two animals were rejected from two consignments totalling 322 calves.

  On 14 June 1995, 11 animals were rejected from one consignment of 240 calves.

  On 20 June 1995, 35 animals were rejected from 4 consignments totalling 732 calves.

  (ii) from 1 January 1996 to 8 March 1996 no animals were rejected.

  (b) At Brightlingsea wharf no animals were certified by Mr. Stirling during 1995 or from 1 January 1996 to 8 March 1996.

  (c) At the port of Shoreham no animals were certified by Mr. Stirling during 1995 or from 1 January 1996 to 8 March 1996.

  Licensed Veterinary Inspectors
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list(a) the dates on which staff carrying out LVI duties on behalf of the Maison Dieu veterinary practice or welfare services of 3 Whitehall court, London, were involved in discussions with his Department about their performance as LVIs and (b) the names of those involved (i) in 1995 and (ii) between 1 January 1996 and 8 March 1996. [25434]

  Mrs. Browning
  Records show that in 1995 meetings were held with staff carrying out LVI duties on behalf of the Maison Dieu Veterinary Practice on 14 March 1995, 10 May 1995, 20 June 1995, 13 September 1995, 17 October 1995, 20 December 1995. Telephone discussions were held on 18 April 1995, 4 May 1995, 18 May 1995, 25 May 1995, 14 June 1995, 15 June 1995, 23 June 1995, 29 June 1995, 30 June 1995, 3 July 1995, 25 July 1995, 26 July 1995, 31 July 1995, 1 August 1995, 9 August 1995, 1 November 1995, 10 November 1995, 15 November 1995 and 17 November 1995.

  From 1 January 1996 and 8 March 1996 meetings were held with the Maison Dieu veterinary practice on 31 January 1996, 8 February 1996, 22 February 1996 and 6 March 1996. Correspondence was sent on 16 February 1996.

  The names of the local veterinary inspectors involved are being withheld under paragraph 4g of part II of the code of practice on access to Government information.

  Integrated Administration and Control System
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what disciplinary action he is taking against Ministry employees responsible for sending confidential documents relating to other people to integrated administration and control system applicants. [25525]

  Mr. Boswell
  Integrated administration and control system documentation, including field data printouts which contain information about the previous year's application, is sent to applicants by an external contractor. This operation is contracted out, in line with central Government policy, in the interests of efficiency. Any disciplinary action as a result of errors in the 1996 mailing of IACS documentation by the contractor's employees is an internal matter for the contractor.

  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to prevent officials sending other people's forms to integrated administration and control system applicants with particular reference to Warwickshire; and what assessment he has made as to how the errors occurred.[25526]

  Mr. Boswell
  About 0.2 per cent. of integrated administration and control system applicants have reported receiving wrongly addressed IACS field data printouts or had field data printouts missing from their IACS package; 18 per cent. of these problems were reported by farmers in Warwickshire representing about 0.04 per cent. of the total mailing. This operation is contracted out in line with central Government policy because its size—some 246,000 A3 original field data printouts and the same number of A4 copies—means that it cannot be handled by the internal resources available
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  within the Ministry. The contractor is one of Europe's largest computing/mailing houses, and has carried out this work for the past three years.

  As a result of the problems reported by farmers, the external contractor responsible for producing the field data printouts and mailing them with the IACS documentation for 1996 carried out a detailed investigation. It was concluded that the mistakes in the mailing arose because of very limited operator error. The contractor for this mailing already operates to International Standards Organisation standards. Nevertheless, we are considering additional measures further to safeguard personalised packages in respect of the next IACS round.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many appointments to the public bodies listed in "Public Bodies" for his Department were made during 1994–95 from names supplied by the public appointments unit; and if he will list them. [25948]

  Mr. Boswell
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]: Our officials regularly consult the public appointments unit for names of suitable, qualified candidates for public appointments. Of the new appointments made by my right hon. Friend in 1994–95, 12 were made from names supplied by the public appointments unit, as follows:

  Agricultural Wages Board: Professor T. Smith

  Apple and Pear Research Council: Balram Gidoomal

  Committee of Investigation for Great Britain: Mrs. Suzan Matthews QC

  Covent Garden Market Authority: Gulam Noon

  Home Crown Cereals Authority: Dr. Caroline Vaughan

  Regional Flood Defence Committees

  (Northumbria): John Hackney

  (North West): Professor Margaret MacKeith

  (Severn Trent): Mrs. Joan Davies

  (Thames): Mrs. Pamela Castle

  Regional Panels (Anglia): Mrs. Anne Chamberlain

  Sea Fish Industry Authority: Barry Skipper

  Sugar Beet Research and Education Committee: Mrs. Anne Chamberlain

  Farmers (Compensation Scheme Payments)
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he plans to make payments to farmers under the compensation scheme effective in the week beginning 29 April. [26200]

  Mrs. Browning
  Details of the scheme are still being worked up with industry representatives. It is envisaged that claims will be made by collection centres at weekly intervals. The Intervention Board executive agency, which will administer the scheme, normally aim to make payments within 28 days of receipt of a valid claim. It is likely that the earliest payments will be made at the beginning of June.

  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider making interim payments to farmers eligible for compensation under the scheme effective from 29 April. [26201]
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  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]There are no provisions for interim payments within the scheme rules.

  Beef
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what scientific basis he has decided that beef from animals slaughtered over the age of 30 months should not be offered for human consumption; and what other considerations underlay his decision to select 30 months as a critical age for this purpose. [26207]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]: In the absence of detectable infectivity in tissues of clinically affected cattle other than brain, spinal cord and retina, the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee considered that the greatest risk to consumers of clinically normal animals would be associated with exposure to central nervous tissue. This is precisely why these tissues are designated as specified offals. Nevertheless, after giving further consideration to the slaughtering/butchering process, it was felt that risk of exposure could be reduced further by requiring changes to certain procedures, such as removal of bones so that in doing so tissues contaminated with spinal cord were also removed, as would visible nerves and lymph nodes. It was, however, unnecessary to apply this to all cattle. This decision was partly based on the pathogenesis of scrapie in sheep and mice, where infectivity is only detectable in the central nervous system approximately half-way through the incubation period, subsequently rising to a peak at the time of clinical disease. That evidence is increasingly supported by the on-going pathogenesis experiment of cattle, where infectivity has so far not been detected in CNS up to 18 months post-infection. The mean incubation period of BSE in naturally infected animals is five years and the appropriate mid-point would therefore be 30 months. Clearly in cattle older than 30 months there will be increasing levels of infectivity in the CNS of infected animals, and more of them are likely to be approaching the onset of clinical disease prior to slaughter.

  The use of 30 months as a watershed was originally introduced in relation to exports of bone-in beef in 1995 under EC rules and was taken up by the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee in its advice to Ministers on 20 to 24 March respectively that the meat from animals over 30 months of age should be deboned in licensed premises and the obvious nervous and lymphatic tissue removed and treated as specified bovine offal. In view of the concern expressed by the committee about the meat from animals above this age and the difficulties of introducing an immediate requirement for all of this meat to be deboned, it was decided during the consultation period that a ban should be introduced on the use of this meat for human consumption until such time as the consultation period was ended and suitable arrangements for deboning were introduced. Subsequently, it was decided a European Union level that, in view of the collapse of demand for beef from older cattle, the prohibition on the use of

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  meat from older animals in the human and animal feed chains should be maintained.

  Ministerial Statements
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what requirement has been placed by the EU on United Kingdom Ministers to consult EU institutions before statements are made in the House, with particular reference to the case of bovine sponfigorm encephalopathy; and if he will make a statement. [26020]
  146
  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 22 April 1996]I am aware of no such requirement set out in the treaty or in any legal instruments adopted by the Council of Ministers.

  Forestry
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what charges are imposed by the Forestry Commission on(a) recreational riders and (b) riders following hunts in the New Forest. [26344]

  Mr. Boswell
  None.

  Anti-personnel Landmines
  Anti-personnel Landmines
  ECJ: UK Memorandum
  ECJ: UK Memorandum
  Crown Copyright: Acts of Parliament
  Crown Copyright: Acts of Parliament
  Acts of Parliament: Internet Publication
  Acts of Parliament: Internet Publication
  Exercise Co-operative Nugget
  Exercise Co-operative Nugget
  Wheelchairs: Voucher Scheme
  Wheelchairs: Voucher Scheme
  Youth Treatment Places for Juveniles
  Youth Treatment Places for Juveniles
  Income Support: Accuracy Percentage Target and Outturn
  Income Support: Accuracy Percentage Target and Outturn