Written Answers of 26 April 1996

ENVIRONMENT

  Smoking (Public Places)
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) to what extent the targets for effective smoking policy in public places have been met in the last 12 months; [26593]

  (2) what steps he will take to improve the voluntary imposition to smoking controls in public places; [26578]

  (3) what plans he has to introduce statutory protection of the public from passive smoking. [26579]

  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 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 are:

  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. The Government's position is that non-smoking should be the norm in all enclosed public spaces visited by the public, with facilities as appropriate for those who wish to smoke. In 1991, the Department of the Environment, jointly with other Departments, published a code of practice on smoking in public places which provides practical guidance to owners and managers on implementing suitable policies on smoking. The Government will continue to make copies of that code freely available. The essence of a voluntary approach to smoking in public places is that the public should make their views known without Government interference.

  The report shows that the voluntary approach is working, albeit more slowly than had been hoped. The Government had no plans to introduce statutory protection of the public from passive smoking beyond that which already exists.

DEFENCE

  Government Contracts
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the annual cost to his Department of allowing defence companies to claim the costs of marketing their products abroad as overheads on non-competitive Government contracts; [26184]

  (2) what is the annual cost to his Department of allowing the costs of entertainment to be included in the overheads on non-competitive Government contracts by companies claiming the costs of marketing their products abroad. [26185]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The financial information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, these costs are the subject of detailed negotiations with individual companies, to ensure that they comply with the criteria laid down in Government accounting conventions for the pricing of non-competitive contacts. Briefly, such costs must be necessarily incurred and be fair and reasonable; they must conform to an appropriate classification into "product groups", which must be agreed by my Department and they must not relate directly to a contract, in which case they would be directly charged to that contract and not be attributed to overheads.

  Cyprus (Service Personnel)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 17 April,Official Report, columns 501-3, in respect of the soldiers convicted of killing a Danish tour guide in Cyprus, if he has conveyed to the Danish Government the content of the reply; and if he will make a statement. [26551]

  Mr. Soames
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence wrote to the Danish Minister of Defence, Mr. Hans Haekkerup, on 3 April to make clear the Army's abhorrence of the disgraceful conduct of the three convicted riflemen.

  Marine Services Organisation
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Worcester (Mr. Luff) of 28 February,Official Report, columns 553-54, on the market testing of the Marine Services Organisation, what were the reasons for non-compliance with the management requirements of the task which led to the elimination of the in-house team. [26693]

  Mr. Soames
  The in-house team's bid for the ports element of the marine services market test was ruled to be non-compliant since the proposed management arrangements were judged to be inadequate for the effective control of the task and to carry an unacceptably high risk of failure, with consequent financial and operational penalties to my Department. Specific areas of concern included the absence, under the in-house bid team's proposals, of a single focal point at each naval base responsible and accountable for all aspects of the provision of ports services. In addition, levels of delegation to junior staff were judged to exceed what was considered desirable.
  289
  There would also have been no acceptable system of tasking and prioritising the resources available at each base from the outset of the new operation. The risk assessment associated with these management weaknesses took into account the increase in the marine service tasks to be performed and the reduction of resources with which to undertake them; circumstances which underline the need for effective management arrangements to be put in place. The in-house bid team was ruled non-compliant accordingly and eliminated from this element of the market-test competition.

  Land Mines
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the chiefs of staff concerning the military utility of anti-personnel land mines. [27025]

  Mr. Soames
  It is not normal practice to give details of discussions between Ministers and their advisers. Our policy on anti-personnel mines reflects our judgment of the balance to be struck between humanitarian goals and the continuing needs of our armed forces until there is international agreement on a total ban on such mines, or viable alternatives are developed.

  Kaymar Telephone Numbers
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of his Department's offices used telephone numbers(a) 01–374–0075 and (b) 01–434–1162 in each year since 1970. [26694]

  Mr. Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave on 18 April to my hon. Friend the Member for Eltham (Mr. Bottomley),Official Report, column 583.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Machine Guns
  Mr. George Robertson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the total number of machine guns and semi-automatic rifles for which import licences were granted for each of the last five years; and if he will break down the figures by(a) domestic police and armed forces end use and (b) others. [26427]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  DTI licences for the import of machine guns and semi-automatic rifles are issued only to those individuals or companies who have a valid authority, granted at the discretion of either the Home Secretary, the Scottish Secretary or the Northern Ireland Secretary, to hold or to trade in such weapons.

  The numbers of these types of firearms for which import licences were specifically applied for each of the past five years are as follows:

  Year

  1991: £26,709

  1992: £ 7,908

  1993: £14,571

  1994: £23,166

  1995: £31,233.

  290
  It should, however, be borne in mind that some licences are not used or are only partly used.

  It is not possible from import licensing data to provide details of the number of weapons destined for police possession. The armed forces are exempt from the Firearms Act and from DTI import licensing.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  KPMG
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the consultancies let to KPMG in each of the last three years and the contract fee in each case. [25559]

  Mr. Howard
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 25 April,Official Report, columns 261-62.

  Prisoners (HIV)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many HIV positive cases were recorded for prison inmates in England and Wales during 1995. [26545]

  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 26 April 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your Question asking about the number of HIV positive inmates during 1995.
  Thirty three new cases of HIV positive inmates were notified by establishments to Prison Service headquarters in 1995. An average of 69 inmates were known to be HIV positive at any one time during that year.

  Prisoners (Drugs)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inmates have been put on report in each prison in England and Wales for having in their possession unauthorised drugs, since 1 January. [26304]

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

  Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 26 April 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked met to reply to your recent Question concerning the number of inmates who have been put on report in each prison in England and Wales for having in their possession unauthorised drugs, since 1 January.
  Provisional figures for the numbers found guilty at adjudication of unauthorised possession of controlled drugs are shown in the attached table.
  291

  Proved adjudications for drugs possession—January-March 1996 (provisional)

  Number

  MALE ESTABLISHMENTS

  Prisons and remand centres

  886

  Remand centres

  171

  Brinsford

  42

  Dorchester

  3

  Exeter

  1

  Feltham

  26

  Glen Parva

  23

  Gloucester

  27

  Hindley

  33

  Lancaster Farms

  19

  Northallerton

  11

  Norwich

  1

  Reading

  4

  Rochester

  1

  Local prisons

  535

  Bedford

  4

  Birmingham

  35

  Blakenhurst

  1

  Bristol

  5

  Brixton

  20

  Bullingdon

  2

  Camp Hill

  1

  Canterbury

  9

  Cardiff

  10

  Chelmsford

  6

  Doncaster

  43

  Dorchester

  8

  Durham

  60

  Elmley

  10

  Exeter

  9

  Gloucester

  4

  Highdown

  67

  Holme House

  11

  Leeds

  4

  Leicester

  36

  Lincoln

  3

  Liverpool

  62

  Manchester

  64

  Norwich

  5

  Pentonville

  19

  Preston

  1

  Shrewsbury

  7

  Wandsworth

  24

  Wood Hill

  1

  Wormwood Scrubs

  4

  Open prisons

  14

  Ford

  2

  Hewell Grange

  2

  Kirkham

  2

  Morton Hall

  3

  North Sea Camp

  4

  Usk

  1

  Closed training prisons

  166

  Dispersal prisons

  9

  Parkhurst

  5

  Wakefield

  3

  Whitemoor

  1

  Category B trainers

  19

  Albany

  6

  Blundeston

  2

  Dartmoor

  9

  Maidstone

  1

  Swaleside

  1

  Category C trainers

  138

  Acklington

  36

  Aldington

  6

  Brockhill

  6

  292

  Proved adjudications for drugs possession—January-March 1996 (provisional)

  Number

  Buckley Hall

  8

  Camp Hill

  17

  Downview

  2

  Elmley

  1

  Erlestoke

  8

  Guys Marsh

  1

  Highpoint

  1

  Holme House

  1

  Littlehey

  1

  Moorland

  4

  Ranby

  7

  Risley

  21

  Stafford

  8

  Stocken

  1

  Verne

  3

  Wayland

  4

  Wealstun

  2

  Young offender institutions

  174

  Closed young offender institutions

  92

  Aylesbury

  5

  Brinsford

  21

  Feltham

  13

  Glen Parva

  19

  Guys Marsh

  1

  Lancaster Farms

  1

  Moorland

  11

  Onley

  6

  Portland

  7

  Stoke Heath

  8

  Open young offender institutions

  27

  Thom Cross

  25

  Usk

  2

  Juvenile young offender institutions

  55

  Brinsford

  20

  Feltham

  8

  Lancaster Farms

  2

  Onley

  5

  Portland

  5

  Stoke Heath

  3

  Thorn Cross

  3

  Wetherby

  9

  FEMALE ESTABLISHMENTS

  Adult Female establishments

  16

  Local prisons

  16

  New Hall

  2

  Risley

  14

  Walton Prison
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which wings in HMP Walton are currently closed; which wings at this establishment are planned to be closed in the near future; what are the reasons for each of the closures; and if, once the areas closed and planned to be closed have re-opened, there will be no slopping out. [26436]

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 23 April 1996]: 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 26 April 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the closure of wings at Liverpool prison.

  293
  Liverpool's H Wing closed on Saturday 23 March 1996 and is awaiting major refurbishment, including the provision of integral sanitation. All other wings at Liverpool have been refurbished and include such sanitation. There is no slopping out at Liverpool or at any other establishment in England and Wales.

  Risley Prison
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Minister with responsibility for prisons last visited Risley prison. [26334]

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 24 April 1996]: I visited Risley prison on Wednesday 10 April.

HEALTH

  Chief Executives (East Sussex)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors underlay the provision of £700,000 for the pensions following the early retirement of the chief executives of East Sussex health authority and the East Sussex family health services authority. [26423]

  Mr. Malone
  I understand that these pension provisions were made in accordance with the national health service superannuation scheme and are a matter for East Sussex, Brighton and Hove health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the authority, Mr. Julian Wellesley, for details.

  St. George's Hospital, Tooting
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) on how many occasions in 1995 patients were turned away from St. George's hospital, Tooting, because the bed capacity of the hospital was complete; and if he will make a statement; [26582]

  (2) What has been the number of staff redundancies amongst nursing staff at St. George's hospital within the last 12 months. [26586]

  (3) how many patients were operated on privately at St. George's hospital Tooting, after referral by a general practitioner to that hospital, during 1995; [26588]

  (4) how many operations were cancelled at St. George's hospital during 1995; [26581]

  (5) how many patients have had to wait for four hours or more in the accident and emergency services at St. George's hospital, Tooting, as a result of a shortage of hospital beds since 1 January 1996; [26583]

  (6) how many patients had to wait overnight in the accident and emergency services at St. George's hospital, Tooting, during 1995; [26585]

  (7) what was the average length of time that (a) a general practitioner fundholder patient and (b) a patient of a non-fundholding general practitioner waited for an orthopaedic operation at St. George's hospital, Tooting, once a general practitioner has made referral, in 1995; [26587]

  (8) on how many occasions in 1995 St. George's hospital, Tooting, was accepting only emergency bed service referrals. [26580]
  294
  Mr. Malone
  This information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Dr. Elizabeth Vallance, chairman of St. George's Healthcare national health service trust, for details.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussion has taken place between his Department and the NHS trust management of St. George's hospital, Tooting, regarding any future possible bed closures. [26556]

  Mr. Malone
  The National Health Service Executive holds regular business planning meetings with national health service trusts, including St. George's Healthcare NHS trust. No proposals for future bed closures have emerged from those meetings. The trust opened 16 additional beds on 1 April, and plans to open two additional paediatric intensive care beds later this year.

  Funding (Doncaster)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the amount by which current national health service funding in the Doncaster area is under target; what action he plans to take to meet the target; and if he will make a statement. [26646]

  Mr. Horam
  Doncaster health authority is £2.8 million or 2.2 per cent. under target in 1996–97.

  We plan to move all health authorities to their weighted capitation target as soon as it is practicable.

  GP Fundholding
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the estimated total cost in 1996, 1997 and 1998 of additional payments to health authority managers who recruit general practitioners to become fundholders; [26795]

  (2) what new financial incentives are to be offered to health authority managers to persuade general practitioners to become fundholders. [26794]

  Mr. Malone
  Performance-related pay is awarded at the discretion of employing authorities, who decide locally what objectives are set for particular posts.

  Sheffield Centre for Health and Related Research
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding was provided by the Trent regional health authority, prior to its dissolution, to the Sheffield centre for health and related research. [26812]

  Mr. Malone
  Trent regional health authority provided the following funding to the Sheffield centre for health and related research.

  £

  Purpose

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  Operational research

  56,000

  130,000

  70,000

  Purchasing effective care

  —

  30,000

  16,000

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what employees at the Sheffield centre for health and related research are paid directly or indirectly by funds
  295
  made available through the national health service executive or by other NHS funds; and if, in each case, he will list their name, current salary and remuneration package. [26813]

  Mr. Malone
  The Department of Health and National Health Service Executive fund some research and development work carried out at the Sheffield centre for health and related research, through the university of Sheffield. The centre is part of the University of Sheffield. Current information about its employees and their remuneration is a matter for the university.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which staff from the Trent regional health authority transferred to take up posts at the Sheffield centre for health and related research, or took up posts at that centre consequent on the dissolution of the regional health authority. [26847]

  Mr. Malone
  Three staff formerly employed by Trent regional health authority's operational research division took up employment with the Sheffield centre for health and related research in 1994.

  Trent Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 16 April,Official Report, column 477, what exceptions were made in providing redundancy terms more favourable than those listed in section 45 of the General Whitley Council handbook or circular HSG (94) 18, following the dissolution of the Trent regional health authority; in each case, what were the circumstances in which this was done; and by how much the terms agreed exceeded those set out in the above guidance. [26848]

  Mr. Malone
  No exceptions were made.

  Departmental File Records
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the five-year rule for keeping and destroying departmental file records was introduced; if he will now review its usefulness; if the five-year rule applies to the departmental solicitors' records; what representations he has had from the National Audit Office concerning the destruction of five-year-old records; when the records pertaining to the extra-statutory payments for general practitioner fundholders' management allowances were destroyed; and if he will make a statement. [27070]

  Mr. Malone
  Since the 1960s the guiding principle for Government record keeping is for Departments routinely to review the need to retain records once their business use has ceased. This is set out in detail in the Public Record Office's "Manual of Records Administration", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Following a thorough review of departmental records management in 1995–96, all important Department of Health information is kept for at least two years and the need to keep it is reviewed when it is between two and five years old. These procedures apply to all departmental records including those for departmental solicitors.

  No representation have been received from the National Audit Office on this issue.

  Health Authority Funding
  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out in descending order the funding allocation per head of population to each health authority in England. [26890]

  Mr. Horam
  The information will be placed in the Library.

  Dental Treatment
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received concerning local reduced availability of NHS dental treatment; and if he will make a statement. [26979]

  Mr. Malone
  We receive letters from hon. Members and from the public about access to general dental services. Health authorities can advise patients on where best to seek national health service dental treatment locally.

  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out in descending order, by health authority in England, the incidence of(a) dental caries in five-year-olds, (b) adults with no natural teeth and (c) oral cancer. [26891]

  Mr. Malone
  The table shows the latest information on the incidence of oral cancer in each of the former regional health authorities in descending order. Information on dental caries in five-year-olds and adults with no natural teeth is not available in the form requested. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms Harman) on 16 February at column 737, for information on the mean number of decayed, missing and filled teeth of five-year-old children in each health authority in 1993–94.

  Provisional crude rates and numbers or oral cancers1diagnosed in 1990 in England and Wales

  Regional Health Authority (as at 1990)

  Rate per 100,000

  Number

  Mersey

  7.76

  187

  North Western

  7.08

  283

  Northern

  6.25

  193

  Yorkshire

  6.20

  227

  Wales

  5.84

  168

  East Anglian

  5.63

  116

  Wessex

  5.61

  166

  South East Thames

  5.29

  195

  West Midlands

  4.97

  261

  Trent

  4.79

  225

  North West Thames

  4.72

  168

  Oxford

  4.55

  116

  South West Thames

  4.54

  137

  South Western

  4.26

  140

  North East Thames

  3.98

  150

  Total

  5.37

  2,732

  1 Oral cancer is defined as: cancer of the lip (International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, 140), tongue (ICD9 141), gum (ICD9 143), floor of the mouth (ICD9 145), unspecified parts of the mouth (ICD9 145), oropharynx (ICD9 146), nasopharynx (ICD9 147), and hypopharynx (ICD9 148). Cancers of the salivary glands (ICD9 142) have been excluded as they are not normally grouped with oral cancers.

  Manchester Health Authority
  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors were taken into account in making the current year's allocation of funding to Manchester health authority; and if he will make a statement. [26892]

  Mr. Horam
  In 1996–97 we have maintained continuity and stability of funding by ensuring that no health authority lost resources. All health authorities received a cash uplift of 2.73 per cent. for Manchester health authority this meant a cash increase of £6.2 million.

  We have also ensured greater equity in resource allocation by using growth principally to move under-target health authorities closer to target. As Manchester health authority was more than 10 per cent. over target it received no allocation for growth in 1996–97.

  Read Codes
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the business case was completed for the development funding of Read codes; when Treasury approval was obtained for the scheme; what is the total discontinuation compensation payment agreed under the terms for the purchase of the rights from Mr. Read; what payment has been made to(a) Loughborough university and (b) Mr. Read under the rights purchase agreement; and if he will make a statement. [27065]

  Mr. Horam
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State(Mr. Sackville) gave him on 18 October 1995 at column 280–81.

  Details of negotiations conducted on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health are confidential.

  Part of the agreement to make Read clinical codes crown copyright is that the purchase price is not divulged to third parties.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Exports
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the revisions to his Department's objectives for export promotion since those listed in table 1.3 of "Overseas Trade Service: Assistance to Exporters", a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, HC 293; and if he will make a statement. [26703]

  Mr. Hanley
  Our objectives and achievements, including for trade and investment promotion, are contained in the departmental report for 1996, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

  The National Audit Office report (HC 293) on services to exporters provided by the FCO and DTI through their joint export promotion arm Overseas Trade Services shows that the FCO's overseas posts provide valuable assistance to existing and potential British exporters and investors overseas. The NAO concluded that the OTS services it examined in four south-east Asian countries had helped introduce around 1,000 British companies to
  298
  those markets over two years. These services, which cost around £4.5 million to provide, helped generate additional exports for British companies worth around £345 million: a gearing of almost 1:80.

  Serco Ltd.
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contracts his Department and his agencies have with Serco Ltd.; what is the current cost; when each contract ends; what are the penalties involved should he seek early termination of the contract; and if he will make a statement. [26680]

  Mr. Hanley
  This Department and agencies have no contract with Serco Ltd.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the revenue spending estimated by his Department in connection with the private finance initiative for(a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97 and (c) 1997–98. [26632]

  Mr. Hanley
  We consider the use of private finance as the preferred option for all proposed capital projects. No projects under the private finance initiative scheme have yet been agreed. It is not yet possible to make an accurate estimate of the revenue implications of potential PFI projects.

  EU Foreign Affairs Council
  Mr. Gamier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council and the intergovernmental conference ministerial meeting on 22 April. [27169]

  Mr. David Davis
  The A items listed in document 6507/96, which will be placed in the Libraries of the House as soon as it is available, were approved except item 6 of the former Yugoslavia which became a B item for substantive discussion.

  The Council took note of resolution in EP documents 5779/96 (PE-RE-24) and 6210/96 (PE-RE 27). Copies of these documents will be deposited in the Libraries of the House as soon as they are available.

  The Council agreed conclusions on former Yugoslavia; the critical dialogue with Iran; and the US/'Helms/Burton' legislation on trade with Cuba.

  A declaration on the latest developments in Lebanon and conclusions on the situation in Niger were agreed. The Council also expressed its sympathy for the families of victims of the terrorist attack in Cairo on 18 April.

  The Council discussed the MEDA regulation on aid to countries in the Mediterranean. While no agreement was reached at this Council, the presidency expressed hope for agreement during the next Council scheduled for 13 May. Ministers also discussed former Yugoslavia; and Slovenia.

  The Council discussed the continuing export ban on British beef products. The Secretary of State underlined the urgent need for progress towards lifting the ban.
  299
  In the margins of the Council, partnership and co-operation agreements were signed with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

  The sixth EU/Gulf Co-operation Council joint Council and ministerial meeting also took place, followed by a dinner. Ministers discussed the prospects for a free trade agreement and agreed to set up a joint EU/GCC working group on regional security in the Gulf.

  The second ministerial session of the IGC also took place on 22 April. Ministers considered a range of issues, under the broad heading of "the Citizen and the Union" on the basis of eight questions in a presidency note (doc No. Conf 3843/95) which has been placed in the Library of the House. The issues included: the workings of the justice and home affairs pillar; EU citizenship; fundamental rights; the employment and environment provisions of the treaty; subsidiarity; and transparency.

  We reiterated the positions that the UK representative had already set out in the two preceding working party sessions on 1 and 2 and 15 and 16 April, in particular that intergovernmental co-operation was the appropriate model for justice and home affairs and that, in general, this was working well; that businesses, not new treaty provisions on employment, created jobs; that neither strengthening the concept of EU citizenship, nor writing fundamental rights into the treaty which were already protected in national laws would be likely to bring Europe closer to the citizen; and that subsidiarity should be further entrenched in the treaty.

  The ministerial session was preceded by an exchange of views with the European Parliament President and two representatives of the European Parliament.

  European Bodies (Costs)
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on increases in the costs of(a) the European Union Commission, (b) the EU Country Auditors and (c) the European Court, since 1990; and what are their estimated costs in 1996. [26317]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I have been asked to reply.

  I presume my hon. Friend refers to the cost of the European Commission, the European Court of Auditors and the European Court of Justice. The information is provided in the table:

  Costs of the European Commission, European Court of Auditors and the European Court of Justice

  1990 (ecu)

  1996 (ecu)

  Average annual growth (Per cent.)

  European Commission

  1,505.0

  2,696.7

  10.3

  European Court of Auditors

  53.4

  56.2

  3.1

  European Court of Justice

  66.9

  169.7

  17.7

  Notes:

  1. The figures for 1990 are outturn figures and have been taken from the 1990 European Court of Auditors report. The figures for 1996 are taken from the adopted European Community Budget.

  300

  2. The calculation of average annual growth has been based on the outturn for 1990–94 as shown in the relevant European Court of Auditors reports, and planned expenditure for 1995 and 1996 taken from the adopted European Community Budgets for those years.

  Mr. Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated cost of the Agriculture Directorate General for 1996; and what is the cost of the Agriculture Commissioner's cabinet. [26316]

  Mr. Heathcote-Amory
  I have been asked to reply.

  I am afraid the 1996 EC budget does not show the information requested. I suggest that my hon. Friend contacts the European Commission direct.

SCOTLAND

  Read Codes
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what part-funding contribution his Department has made towards the development of Read codes for computerised health and hospital information systems. [27064]

  Lord James Douglas Hamilton
  The Scottish Office department of health has not made any contribution towards the funding of the development of Read codes.

  Historic Scotland (Performance Targets)
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the key performance targets he has set Historic Scotland for 1996–97. [27541]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have set Historic Scotland the following key performance targets for 1996–97:

  Target

  Protecting Scotland's Built Heritage

  Number of monuments scheduled

  370

  Weighted number of listed building resurvey units

  176

  Percentage of scheduled monument consent cases resolved within 12 weeks

  81 per cent.

  Percentage of listed building consent cases resolved within 28 days

  97 per cent.

  Number of historic building repair projects newly assisted by grant

  145

  Total value of grand-assisted repairs in Progress

  £33.5 million

  Backlog of conservation of monuments in care

  reduce

  Promoting and Presenting the Built Heritage

  Number of visitors to monuments in care

  2.4 million

  HS market share compared to major paid heritage attractions in Scotland

  47 per cent.

  Percentage of satisfied visitors (based on surveys)

  95 per cent.

  Average spend per visitor

  £1.02

  Agency management

  Percentage efficiency gains/savings on all non-grant expenditure

  1.5 per cent

  Total agency income

  £9.9 million

  Further Education
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will publish his report on the discharge of his duties for further education in Scotland as required under section 1 of the Further and Higher Education Scotland (Act) 1972; and if he will make a statement. [27542]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  My right hon. Friend's report on further education in Scotland in 1995 has been published today and has been laid before both Houses of Parliament. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

  The report, entitled "Further Education in Scotland 1995: Report by the Secretary of State for Scotland" shows that further education colleges have continued to raise standards and that progress has been made in the use of performance indicators as part of their quality assurance arrangements. They continue to make an impressive contribution to the training needs of individuals and of employers and are to be congratulated on the 6 per cent. increase in student activity and 4 per cent. efficiency gains which they achieved in the 1994–95 academic year.

  Copyright
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress his Department has made towards obtaining a photocopying licence from the copyright licensing agency to ensure compliance with copyright law. [26711]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 25 April 1996]: The Department is discussing detailed arrangements with the copyright licensing agency to determine what, if any, need it has for a licence to ensure compliance with copyright law.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Private Finance Initiative
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State

  Pupils of Primary and Secondary school age whose education is provided by Local Education Authorities by LEA of provision LEA of residence and age, for each (LEA in England1

  March 1996

  January 1994

  Provision

  Political control of authority2

  All Pupils

  Pupils resident in other LEAs

  Number

  Number

  Percentage

  5-10

  11-15

  16+

  5-10

  11-15

  16+

  5-10

  11-15

  16+

  Corporation of London

  Independent

  169

  8

  0

  161

  4

  0

  95.3

  50.0

  0.0

  Camden

  Labour

  8,628

  8,954

  1,931

  943

  4,453

  1,205

  10.9

  49.7

  62.4

  Greenwich

  Labour

  16,734

  12,891

  1,598

  994

  2,292

  279

  5.9

  17.8

  17.5

  Hackney

  Labour

  13,277

  7,468

  444

  929

  1,075

  127

  7.0

  14.4

  28.6

  Hammersmith

  Labour

  7,254

  5,766

  530

  627

  2,702

  331

  8.6

  46.9

  62.5

  Islington

  Labour

  12,131

  7,053

  424

  1,710

  2,371

  177

  14.1

  33.6

  41.7

  Kensington and Chelsea

  Conservative

  5,142

  2,802

  478

  1,323

  1,562

  298

  25.7

  55.7

  62.3

  Lambeth

  No overall control

  15,309

  7,212

  167

  1,137

  1,226

  62

  7.4

  17.0

  37.1

  Lewisham

  Labour

  16,492

  10,117

  1,084

  1,078

  2,016

  207

  6.5

  19.9

  19.1

  Southwark

  Labour

  17,014

  9,241

  159

  1,722

  2,544

  86

  10.1

  27.5

  54..1

  Tower Hamlets

  Labour

  16,808

  11,393

  943

  321

  785

  99

  1.9

  6.9

  10.5

  Wandsworth

  Conservative

  13,089

  8,438

  1,206

  1,391

  2,550

  325

  10.6

  30.2

  26.9

  Westminster

  Conservative

  7,362

  6,393

  1,158

  1,719

  3,670

  695

  23.3

  57.4

  60.0

  Barking

  Labour

  12,107

  8,901

  977

  848

  969

  126

  7.0

  10.9

  12.9

  Barnet

  No overall control

  18,859

  16,148

  2,981

  1,535

  3,887

  739

  8.1

  24.1

  24.8

  302
  for Education and Employment if she will list the revenue spending estimated by her Department in connection with the private finance initiative for (a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97 and (c) 1997–98. [26626]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The estimated recurrent spending by this Department, including the Employment Service—but not including independent education institutions or local authorities—in connection with projects undertaken through the private finance initiative cannot, yet, be accurately calculated for 1996–97 and 1997–98. None was paid in 1995–96. As the hon. Member will surmise from the answer to her question of 19 April, this Department estimates that a number of projects will come forward over the next few years. I also refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Attercliffe (Mr. Betts) on 6 December,Official Report, column 311.

  Local Education Authorities
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what evidence she has indicating whether some local authorities are now delegating a smaller proportion of their budgets to schools in the primary, secondary or special school sectors when compared with 1993. [26790]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I will write to my hon. Friend when the local management of schools budget statements produced by local education authorities for 1996–97 have been analysed by the Department.

  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will show for each English local education authority (i) the total number of pupils in each authority's(a) primary and (b) secondary schools, (ii) the total number of pupils and percentage at (1) primary and (2) secondary level who are educated outside their home local education authority, (iii) the total number and percentage of pupils in each authority at (x) primary and (y) secondary level who come from another local education authority and (iv) the political control of each local education authority. [26789]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The latest available information is shown in the following table:
  303

  Pupils of Primary and Secondary school age whose education is provided by Local Education Authorities by LEA of provision LEA of residence and age, for each (LEA in England1

  March 1996

  January 1994

  Provision

  Political control of authority2

  All Pupils

  Pupils resident in other LEAs

  Number

  Number

  Percentage

  5-10

  11-15

  16+

  5-10

  11-15

  16+

  5-10

  11-15

  16+

  Bexley

  Labour (minority)

  16,254

  12,887

  1,884

  610

  1,474

  181

  3.8

  11.4

  9.6

  Brent

  No overall control

  17,147

  10,878

  2,092

  1,167

  1,162

  246

  6.8

  10.7

  11.8

  Bromley

  Conservative

  18,928

  14,928

  2,660

  1,172

  2,006

  243

  6.2

  13.4

  9.1

  Croydon

  Labour

  21,992

  14,836

  549

  1,127

  1,470

  144

  5.1

  9.9

  26.2

  Ealing

  Labour

  19,304

  12,507

  1,400

  1,022

  824

  123

  5.3

  6.6

  8.8

  Enfield

  Labour

  18,943

  15,619

  2,635

  746

  2,133

  367

  3.9

  13.7

  13.9

  Haringey

  Labour

  14,836

  8,324

  1,160

  992

  1,305

  122

  6.7

  15.7

  10.5

  Harrow

  No overall control

  14,045

  10,478

  69

  1,131

  1,384

  6

  8.1

  13.2

  8.7

  Havering

  Labour (minority)

  16,757

  14,122

  1,010

  401

  1,127

  245

  2.4

  8.0

  24.3

  Hillingdon

  Labour

  16,501

  12,471

  1,950

  412

  840

  192

  2.5

  6.7

  9.8

  Hounslow

  Labour

  14,711

  12,720

  2,088

  750

  3,016

  420

  5.1

  23.7

  20.1

  Kingston upon Thames

  Liberal Democrat

  8,423

  6,714

  1,290

  509

  1,498

  294

  6.0

  22.3

  22.8

  Merton

  Labour

  10,718

  7,530

  681

  966

  1,338

  189

  9.0

  17.8

  27.8

  Newham

  Labour

  20,826

  13,839

  415

  283

  511

  58

  1.4

  3.7

  14.0

  Redbridge

  No overall control

  16,569

  12,882

  2,805

  1,059

  1,340

  330

  6.4

  10.4

  11.8

  Richmond upon Thames

  Liberal Democrat

  8,901

  7,711

  23

  1,023

  3,120

  6

  11.5

  40.5

  26.1

  Sutton

  Liberal Democrat

  11,259

  9,833

  1,776

  305

  1,921

  467

  2.7

  19.5

  26.3

  Waltham Forest

  Labour (minority)

  16,216

  11,564

  309

  416

  485

  29

  2.6

  4.2

  9.4

  Birmingham

  Labour

  86,199

  60,665

  5,954

  1,102

  1,296

  249

  1.3

  2.1

  4.2

  Coventry

  Labour

  23,960

  17,262

  2,293

  217

  400

  62

  0.9

  2.3

  2.7

  Dudley

  Labour

  23,033

  18,234

  321

  667

  1,173

  115

  2.9

  6.4

  35.8

  Sandwell

  Labour

  23,978

  17,969

  964

  853

  1,425

  125

  3.6

  7.9

  13.0

  Solihull

  Conservative/Independent

  15,667

  13,139

  554

  1,195

  2,258

  76

  7.6

  17.2

  13.7

  Walsall

  No overall control

  21,515

  17,399

  2,468

  391

  1,513

  247

  1.8

  8.7

  10.0

  Wolverhampton

  Labour

  19,474

  14,410

  1,937

  477

  547

  97

  2.4

  3.8

  5.0

  Knowsley

  Labour

  14,095

  8,996

  484

  852

  569

  45

  6.0

  6.3

  9.3

  Liverpool

  Labour

  39,712

  27,780

  3,949

  1,151

  1,265

  216

  2.9

  4.6

  5.5

  St. Helens

  Labour

  13,916

  11,058

  1,032

  435

  894

  101

  3.1

  8.1

  9.8

  Bolton

  Labour

  21,534

  16,220

  1,133

  307

  813

  106

  1.4

  5.0

  9.4

  Bury

  Labour

  13,562

  10,601

  38

  493

  862

  0

  3.6

  8.1

  0.0

  Manchester

  Labour

  36,234

  22,099

  441

  1,530

  1,100

  35

  4.2

  5.0

  7.9

  Oldham

  Labour

  19,211

  15,921

  780

  545

  2,082

  142

  2.8

  13.1

  18.2

  Rochdale

  Conservative/Liberal Democrat

  17,679

  12,524

  783

  201

  298

  37

  1.1

  2.4

  4.7

  Salford

  Labour

  17,773

  11,876

  32

  1,030

  430

  0

  5.8

  3.6

  0.0

  Stockport

  Liberal Democrat (minority)

  21,157

  15,672

  397

  527

  502

  53

  2.5

  3.2

  13.4

  Tameside

  Labour

  18,099

  13,600

  83

  468

  842

  2

  2.6

  6.2

  2.4

  Trafford

  No overall control

  15,845

  12,572

  1,248

  312

  1,207

  88

  2.0

  9.6

  7.1

  Wigan

  Labour

  24,218

  19,595

  482

  457

  1,487

  38

  1.9

  7.6

  7.9

  Barnsley

  Labour

  16,843

  12,683

  182

  101

  221

  12

  0.6

  1.7

  6.6

  Doncastor

  Labour

  24,052

  18,113

  2,471

  110

  218

  51

  0.5

  1.2

  2.1

  Rotherham

  Labour

  20,167

  17,149

  1,555

  224

  1,278

  132

  1.1

  7.5

  8.5

  Sheffield

  Labour

  35,472

  26,096

  1,507

  140

  152

  40

  0.4

  0.6

  2.7

  Bradford

  Labour

  41,715

  30,124

  4,465

  203

  238

  73

  0.5

  0.8

  1.6

  Calderdale

  Labour

  15,457

  11,866

  1,674

  327

  437

  61

  2.1

  3.7

  3.6

  Kirklees

  Labour

  30,179

  22,651

  1,648

  252

  315

  49

  0.8

  1.4

  3.0

  Leeds

  Labour

  52,294

  39,372

  4,901

  411

  1,017

  201

  0.8

  2.6

  4.1

  Wakefield

  Labour

  24,608

  18,454

  1,102

  168

  528

  86

  0.7

  2.9

  7.8

  Gateshead

  Labour

  14,346

  10,787

  1,247

  193

  407

  41

  1.3

  3.8

  3.3

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  Labour

  18,931

  14,091

  1,721

  275

  848

  169

  1.5

  6.0

  9.8

  North Tyneside

  Labour

  14,480

  11,076

  1,101

  482

  291

  29

  3.3

  2.6

  2.6

  South Tyneside

  Labour

  12,363

  9,598

  226

  63

  330

  43

  0.5

  3.4

  19.0

  Sunderland

  Labour

  24,088

  19,097

  823

  174

  436

  116

  0.7

  2.3

  14.1

  Isles of Scilly

  Independent

  149

  135

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0.7

  0.0

  0.0

  Avon3

  No overall control

  66,251

  49,416

  6,458

  272

  716

  94

  0.4

  1.4

  1.5

  Bedfordshire

  No overall control

  43,353

  32,984

  4,003

  666

  679

  135

  1.5

  2.1

  3.4

  Berkshire

  Labour/Lib.Dem./Independent

  54,526

  42,123

  6,652

  659

  1,463

  433

  1.2

  3.5

  6.5

  Buckinghamshire

  Conservative

  47,936

  38,070

  7,416

  809

  991

  284

  1.7

  2.6

  3.8

  Cambridgeshire

  Labour/Liberal Democrat

  49,412

  37,823

  3,835

  439

  372

  47

  0.9

  1.0

  1.2

  Cheshire

  Conservative/Liberal Democrat

  73,291

  58,810

  6,886

  569

  2,259

  341

  0.8

  3.8

  5.0

  Cleveland4

  Labour

  48,708

  36,847

  686

  121

  259

  22

  0.2

  0.7

  3.2

  Cornwall

  Liberal Democrat

  33,784

  27,117

  2,267

  49

  242

  32

  0.1

  0.9

  1.4

  Cumbria

  Labour (minority)

  34,880

  28,059

  3,466

  78

  326

  111

  0.2

  1.2

  3.2

  Derbyshire

  Labour

  68,438

  53,656

  4,992

  580

  600

  94

  0.8

  1.1

  1.9

  Devon

  Liberal Democrat (minority)

  70,030

  54,831

  6,477

  174

  504

  93

  0.2

  0.9

  1.4

  Dorset

  Liberal Democrat

  41,553

  34,683

  4,723

  343

  1,298

  331

  0.8

  3.7

  7.0

  Durham

  Labour

  44,904

  35,708

  2,789

  134

  133

  49

  0.3

  0.4

  1.8

  East Sussex

  Labour/Liberal Democrat

  43,568

  32,676

  2,732

  288

  707

  120

  0.7

  2.2

  4.4

  Essex

  Labour/Liberal Democrat

  110,044

  89,399

  8,633

  395

  1,021

  181

  0.4

  1.1

  2.1

  Gloucestershire

  No overall control

  37,530

  30,262

  4,087

  262

  837

  111

  0.7

  2.8

  2.7

  Hampshire

  Lib.Dem/Labour/Independent

  112,859

  84,996

  1,425

  731

  1,128

  112

  0.6

  1.3

  7.9

  304

  305

  Pupils of Primary and Secondary school age whose education is provided by Local Education Authorities by LEA of provision LEA of residence and age, for each (LEA in England1

  March 1996

  January 1994

  Provision

  Political control of authority2

  All Pupils

  Pupils resident in other LEAs

  Number

  Number

  Percentage

  5-10

  11-15

  16+

  5-10

  11-15

  16+

  5-10

  11-15

  16+

  Hereford and Worcester

  Labour/Liberal Democrat

  48,319

  39,159

  4,097

  557

  1,196

  145

  1.2

  3.1

  3.5

  Hertfordshire

  No overall control

  70,804

  58,063

  10,259

  1,462

  3,260

  758

  2.1

  5.6

  7.4

  Humberside5

  Labour

  68,697

  63,305

  3,604

  195

  1,183

  64

  0.3

  2.2

  1.8

  Isle of Wight

  Liberal Democrat

  8,515

  6,779

  1,123

  0

  1

  0

  0.0

  0.0

  0.0

  Kent

  No overall control

  110,701

  89,348

  14,079

  458

  1,212

  281

  0.4

  1.4

  2.0

  Lancashire

  Labour

  109,120

  82,431

  4,151

  376

  835

  79

  0.3

  1.0

  1.9

  Leicestershire

  No overall control

  68,540

  53,395

  6,243

  226

  486

  35

  0.3

  0.9

  0.6

  Lincolnshire

  Labour/Liberal Democrat

  42,080

  34,861

  4,200

  257

  929

  143

  0.6

  2.7

  3.4

  Norfolk

  Labour (minority)

  49,887

  41,295

  4,765

  127

  542

  109

  0.3

  1.3

  2.3

  North Yorkshire6

  No overall control

  48,620

  40,067

  4,582

  293

  1,888

  338

  0.6

  4.7

  7.4

  Northamptonshire

  Labour

  45,803

  35,908

  5,256

  267

  749

  143

  0.6

  2.1

  2.7

  Northumberland

  Labour

  22,661

  19,259

  3,202

  369

  553

  107

  1.6

  2.9

  3.3

  Nottinghamshire

  Labour

  75,259

  57,288

  6,137

  305

  730

  110

  0.4

  1.3

  1.8

  Oxfordshire

  No overall control

  38,310

  29,716

  4,208

  299

  1,680

  230

  0.8

  5.7

  5.5

  Shropshire

  Labour/Liberal Democrat

  30,637

  24,175

  1,450

  200

  582

  59

  0.7

  2.4

  4.1

  Somerset

  Liberal/Democrat

  32,639

  24,811

  1,613

  276

  242

  48

  0.8

  1.0

  3.0

  Staffordshire

  Labour

  79,671

  61,819

  5,829

  701

  1,266

  171

  0.9

  2.0

  2.9

  Suffolk

  Labour/Liberal

  44,737

  35,565

  5,471

  561

  728

  140

  1.3

  2.0

  2.6

  Democrat

  Surrey

  Conservative/Liberal Democrat

  60,363

  45,849

  4,885

  1,824

  2,221

  202

  3.0

  4.8

  4.1

  Warwickshire

  Labour (minority)

  35,078

  26,972

  3,146

  997

  915

  174

  2.8

  3.4

  5.5

  West Sussex

  Liberal Democrat (minority)

  45,961

  38,568

  4,103

  540

  1,450

  181

  1.2

  3.8

  4.4

  Wiltshire

  No overall control

  43,105

  31,569

  3,443

  323

  472

  70

  0.7

  1.5

  2.0

  England

  3,502,657

  2,686,084

  276,885

  64,532

  124,667

  17,717

  1.8

  4.6

  6.4

  1 For LEAs in existence immediately prior to Local Government Reorganisation on 1 April 1996

  2 Political control immediately prior to Local Government Reorganisation on 1 April 1996

  3 Avon has now become

  Bath and North East Somerset (No overall control) Bristol City Council (Labour)

  North West Somerset (Liberal Democrat minority)

  South Gloucestershire Council (No overall control)

  4 Cleveland has now become

  Hartlepool Borough Council (Labour)

  Middlesbrough (Labour)

  Redcar and Cleveland (Labour)

  Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council (Labour)

  5 Humberside has now become

  Kingston-upon-Hull City Council (Labour)

  East Riding Authority (No overall control)

  North East Lincolnshire Authority (Labour)

  North Lincolnshire Council (Labour)

  6 North Yorkshire has now become

  York City Council (Labour)

  North Yorkshire (No overall control).

  March 1996

  January 1994

  Residence

  Political control of authority1

  All Pupils

  Pupils whose education is provided by other LEAs

  Number

  Number

  Percentage

  5-10

  11-15

  16+

  5-10

  11-15

  16+

  5-10

  11-15

  16+

  Corporation of London

  Independent

  28

  25

  5

  20

  21

  5

  71.4

  84.0

  100

  Camden

  Labour

  8,978

  6,353

  1,000

  1,293

  1,852

  274

  14.4

  29.2

  27.4

  Greenwich

  Labour

  16,816

  12,157

  1,497

  1,076

  1,558

  178

  6.4

  12.8

  11.9

  Hackney

  Labour

  13,935

  9,785

  679

  1,587

  3,392

  362

  11.4

  34.7

  53.3

  Hammersmith

  Labour

  7,445

  5,010

  449

  818

  1,946

  250

  11.0

  38.8

  55.7

  Islington

  Labour

  11,338

  7,569

  721

  917

  2,887

  474

  8.1

  38.1

  65.7

  Kensington and Chelsea

  Conservative

  4,282

  2,882

  347

  463

  1,642

  167

  10.8

  57.0

  48.1

  Lambeth

  No overall control

  17,059

  11,251

  573

  2,887

  5,265

  468

  16.9

  46.8

  81.7

  Lewishim

  Labour

  17,270

  10,980

  1,187

  1,856

  2,879

  310

  10.7

  26.2

  26.1

  Southwark

  Labour

  16,339

  9,286

  350

  1,047

  2,589

  277

  6.4

  27.9

  79.1

  Tower Hamlets

  Labour

  17,001

  11,737

  947

  514

  1,129

  103

  3.0

  9.6

  10.9

  Wandsworth

  Conservative

  12,568

  8,413

  1,118

  870

  2,525

  237

  6.9

  30.0

  21.2

  Westminster

  Conservative

  6,369

  4,523

  706

  726

  1,800

  243

  11.4

  39.8

  34.4

  Barking

  Labour

  11,682

  8,529

  972

  423

  597

  121

  3.6

  7.0

  12.4

  Barnet

  No overall control

  18,391

  13,655

  2,583

  1,067

  1,394

  341

  5.8

  10.2

  13.2

  Bexley

  Labour (minority)

  16,328

  12,665

  1,866

  684

  1,252

  163

  4.2

  9.9

  8.7

  306

  307

  March 1996

  January 1994

  Residence

  Political control of authority1

  All Pupils

  Pupils whose education is provided by other LEAs

  Number

  Number

  Percentage

  5-10

  11-15

  16+

  5-10

  11-15

  16+

  5-10

  11-15

  16+

  Brent

  No overall control

  18,187

  13,872

  2,472

  2,207

  4,156

  626

  12.1

  30.0

  25.3

  Bromley

  Conservative

  18,321

  13,764

  2,541

  565

  842

  124

  3.1

  6.1

  4.9

  Croydon

  Labour

  21,919

  16,042

  782

  1,054

  2,676

  377

  4.8

  16.7

  48.2

  Ealing

  Labour

  19,337

  14,401

  1,633

  1,055

  2,718

  356

  5.5

  18.9

  21.8

  Enfield

  Labour

  19,090

  14,848

  2,534

  893

  1,362

  266

  4.7

  9.2

  10.5

  Haringey

  Labour

  14,830

  9,798

  1,580

  986

  2,779

  542

  6.6

  28.4

  34.3

  Harrow

  No overall control

  13,775

  10,558

  574

  861

  1,464

  511

  6.3

  13.9

  89.0

  Havering

  Labour (minority)

  16,683

  13,810

  868

  327

  815

  103

  2.0

  5.9

  11.9

  Hillingdon

  Labour

  16,826

  12,646

  1,916

  737

  1,015

  158

  4.4

  8.0

  8.2

  Hounslow

  Labour

  15,096

  11,449

  1,762

  1,135

  1,745

  94

  7.5

  15.2

  5.3

  Kingston upon Thames

  Liberal Democrat

  8,299

  6,081

  1,074

  385

  865

  78

  4.6

  14.2

  7.3

  Merton

  Labour

  10,601

  7,392

  706

  849

  1,200

  214

  8.0

  16.2

  30.3

  Newham

  Labour

  21,130

  14,385

  531

  587

  1,057

  174

  2.8

  7.3

  32.8

  Redbridge

  No overall control

  16,417

  12,920

  2,645

  907

  1,378

  170

  5.5

  10.7

  6.4

  Richmond upon Thames

  Liberal Democrat

  8,135

  5,481

  163

  257

  890

  146

  3.2

  16.2

  89.6

  Sutton

  Liberal Democrat

  11,851

  8,990

  1,425

  897

  1,078

  116

  7.6

  12.0

  8.1

  Waltham Forest

  Labour (minority)

  16,442

  12,113

  513

  642

  1,034

  233

  3.9

  8.5

  45.4

  Birmingham

  Labour

  87,001

  63,326

  5,916

  1,904

  3,957

  211

  2.2

  6.2

  3.6

  Coventry

  Labour

  24,036

  17,183

  2,282

  293

  321

  51

  1.2

  1.9

  2.2

  Dudley

  Labour

  22,788

  17,963

  343

  422

  902

  137

  1.9

  5.0

  39.9

  Sandwell

  Labour

  23,761

  17,727

  982

  636

  1,183

  143

  2.7

  6.7

  14.6

  Solihull

  Conservative/Independent

  14,870

  11,319

  534

  398

  438

  56

  2.7

  3.9

  10.5

  Walsall

  No overall control

  21,580

  16,555

  2,318

  456

  669

  97

  2.1

  4.0

  4.2

  Wolverhampton

  Labour

  19,517

  14,933

  1,988

  520

  1,070

  148

  2.7

  7.2

  7.4

  Knowsley

  Labour

  14,527

  10,534

  710

  1,284

  2,107

  271

  8.8

  20.0

  38.2

  Liverpool

  Labour

  39,395

  27,770

  3,848

  834

  1,255

  115

  2.1

  4.5

  3.0

  St. Helens

  Labour

  13,698

  11,225

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Bolton

  Labour

  21,543

  15,864

  1,036

  316

  457

  9

  1.5

  2.9

  0.9

  Bury

  Labour

  14,157

  10,235

  55

  1,088

  496

  17

  7.7

  4.8

  30.9

  Manchester

  Labour

  36,177

  24,363

  493

  1,473

  3,364

  87

  4.1

  13.8

  17.6

  Oldham

  Labour Conservative/Liberal

  18,897

  14,244

  650

  231

  405

  12

  1.2

  2.8

  1.8

  Rochdale

  Democrat

  17,858

  13,471

  858

  380

  1,245

  112

  2.1

  9.2

  13.1

  Salford

  Labour

  17,307

  12,072

  80

  564

  626

  48

  3.3

  5.2

  60.0

  Stockport

  Liberal Democrat (minority)

  21,016

  15,597

  388

  386

  427

  44

  1.8

  2.7

  11.3

  Tameside

  Labour

  18,059

  13,263

  117

  428

  505

  36

  2.4

  3.8

  30.8

  Trafford

  No overall control

  15,954

  12,313

  1,300

  421

  948

  140

  2.6

  7.7

  10.8

  Wigan

  Labour

  24,390

  18,893

  493

  629

  785

  49

  2.6

  4.2

  9.9

  Barnsley

  Labour

  16,915

  13,107

  256

  173

  645

  86

  1.0

  4.9

  33.6

  Doncaster

  Labour

  24,044

  18,328

  2,467

  102

  433

  47

  0.4

  2.4

  1.9

  Rotherham

  Labour

  20,032

  16,002

  1,438

  89

  131

  15

  0.4

  0.8

  1.0

  Sheffield

  Labour

  35,579

  26,721

  1,560

  247

  777

  93

  0.7

  2.9

  6.0

  Bradford

  Labour

  42,034

  31,652

  4,758

  522

  1,766

  366

  1.2

  5.6

  7.7

  Calderdale

  Labour

  15,208

  11,694

  1,669

  78

  265

  56

  0.5

  2.3

  3.4

  Kirklees

  Labour

  30,254

  22,996

  1,678

  327

  660

  79

  1.1

  2.9

  4.7

  Leeds

  Labour

  52,106

  39,133

  4,868

  223

  778

  168

  0.4

  2.0

  3.5

  Wakefield

  Labour

  24,589

  18,087

  1,038

  149

  161

  22

  0.6

  0.9

  2.1

  Gateshead

  Labour

  14,250

  10,902

  1,312

  97

  522

  106

  0.7

  4.8

  8.1

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  Labour

  19,347

  13,922

  1,652

  691

  679

  100

  3.6

  4.9

  6.1

  North Tyneside

  Labour

  14,183

  11,398

  1,169

  185

  613

  97

  1.3

  5.4

  8.3

  South Tyneside

  Labour

  12,374

  9,408

  258

  74

  140

  75

  0.6

  1.5

  29.1

  Sunderland

  Labour

  24,043

  19,043

  755

  129

  382

  48

  0.5

  2.0

  6.4

  Isles of Scilly

  Independent

  148

  135

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0.0

  0.0

  0.0

  Avon1

  No overall control

  66,175

  49,188

  6,449

  196

  488

  85

  0.3

  1.0

  1.3

  Bedfordshire

  No overall control Labour/Liberal

  43,134

  33,031

  4,016

  447

  726

  148

  1.0

  2.2

  3.7

  Berkshire

  Democrat/Independent

  54,874

  42,347

  6,396

  1,007

  1,687

  177

  1.8

  4.0

  2.8

  Buckinghamshire

  Conservative

  48,298

  39,973

  7,783

  1,171

  2,894

  651

  2.4

  7.2

  8.4

  Cambridgeshire

  Labour/Liberal Democrat

  49,356

  38,110

  3,915

  383

  659

  127

  0.8

  1.7

  3.2

  Cheshire

  Conservative/Liberal Democrat

  73,224

  57,324

  6,677

  502

  773

  132

  0.7

  1.3

  2.0

  Cleveland3

  Labour

  48,649

  36,715

  674

  62

  127

  10

  0.1

  0.3

  1.5

  Cornwall

  Liberal Democrat

  33,820

  27,315

  2,317

  85

  440

  82

  0.3

  1.6

  3.5

  Cumbria

  Labour (minority)

  34,817

  27,824

  3,400

  15

  91

  45

  0.0

  0.3

  1.3

  Derbyshire

  Labour

  68,346

  54,256

  5,090

  488

  1,200

  192

  0.7

  2.2

  3.8

  Devon

  Liberal Democrat (minority)

  69,960

  54,926

  6,479

  104

  598

  95

  0.1

  1.1

  1.5

  Dorset

  Liberal Democrat

  41,378

  33,618

  4,412

  168

  233

  20

  0.4

  0.7

  0.5

  Durham

  Labour

  45,151

  36,194

  2,830

  381

  619

  90

  0.8

  1.7

  3.2

  East Sussex

  Labour/Liberal Democrat

  43,487

  33,144

  2,877

  207

  1,175

  265

  0.5

  3.5

  9.2

  Essex

  Labour/Liberal Democrat

  110,825

  90,685

  9,034

  1,176

  2,307

  582

  1.1

  2.5

  6.4

  Gloucestershire

  No overall control Liberal Democrat/Labour/

  37,482

  29,777

  4,057

  214

  352

  81

  0.6

  1.2

  2.0

  Hampshire

  Independent

  113,044

  85,551

  1,665

  916

  1,683

  352

  0.8

  2.0

  21.1

  Hereford and Worcester

  Labour/Liberal Democrat

  48,903

  39,262

  4,135

  1,141

  1,299

  183

  2.3

  3.3

  4.4

  Hertfordshire

  No overall control

  69,952

  55,604

  9,716

  610

  801

  215

  0.9

  1.4

  2.2

  Humberside4

  Labour

  68,599

  52,867

  3,608

  97

  745

  68

  0.1

  1.4

  1.9

  308

  309

  March 1996

  January 1994

  Residence

  Political control of authority1

  All Pupils

  Pupils whose education is provided by other LEAs

  Number

  Number

  Percentage

  5-10

  11-15

  16+

  5-10

  11-15

  16+

  5-10

  11-15

  16+

  Isle of Wight

  Liberal Democrat

  8,518

  6,780

  1,124

  3

  2

  1

  0.0

  0.0

  0.1

  Kent

  No overall control

  110,551

  89,127

  13,965

  308

  991

  167

  0.3

  1.1

  1.2

  Lancashire

  Labour

  109,348

  83,010

  4,332

  604

  1,414

  260

  0.6

  1.7

  6.0

  Leicstershire

  No overall control

  68,689

  53,379

  6,286

  375

  470

  78

  0.5

  0.9

  1.2

  Lincolnshire

  Labour/Liberal Democrat

  42,066

  35,448

  4,162

  243

  1,516

  105

  0.6

  4.3

  2.5

  Norfolk

  Labour (minority)

  50,340

  41,291

  4,750

  580

  538

  94

  1.2

  1.3

  2.0

  North Yorkshire5

  No overall control

  48,752

  38,728

  4,356

  425

  549

  112

  0.9

  1.4

  2.6

  Northamptonshire

  Labour

  45,830

  35,412

  5,196

  294

  253

  83

  0.6

  0.7

  1.6

  Northumberland

  Labour

  22,475

  18,924

  3,142

  183

  218

  47

  0.8

  1.2

  1.5

  Nottignhamshire

  Labour

  75,319

  57,245

  6,131

  365

  687

  104

  0.5

  1.2

  1.7

  Oxfordshire

  No overall control

  38,396

  28,474

  4,063

  385

  438

  85

  1.0

  1.5

  2.1

  Shropshire

  Labour/Liberal Democrat

  30,677

  23,972

  1,471

  240

  379

  80

  0.8

  1.6

  5.4

  Somerset

  Liberal Democrat

  32,755

  25,364

  1,682

  392

  795

  117

  1.2

  3.1

  7.0

  Staffordshire

  Labour

  79,870

  61,899

  5,890

  900

  1,346

  232

  1.1

  2.2

  3.9

  Suffolk

  Labour/Liberal Democrat Conservative/Liberal

  44,437

  35,253

  5,435

  261

  416

  104

  0.6

  1.2

  1.9

  Surrey

  Democrat

  60,038

  46,327

  5,256

  1,499

  2,699

  573

  2.5

  5.8

  10.9

  Warwickshire

  Labour/(minority)

  34,594

  26,971

  3,111

  513

  914

  139

  1.5

  3.4

  4.5

  West Sussex

  Liberal Democrat (minority)

  45,867

  37,670

  4,003

  446

  552

  81

  1.0

  1.5

  2.0

  Wiltshire

  No overall control

  43,145

  32,111

  3,526

  363

  1,014

  153

  0.8

  3.2

  4.3

  England

  3,502,712

  2,686,098

  276,903

  64,587

  124,681

  17,735

  1.8

  4.6

  6.4

  1 Political control immediately prior to Local Government Reorganisation on 1 April 1996.

  2 Avon has now become Bath and North East Somerset (No overall control).

  Bristol City Council (Labour).

  North West Somerset (Liberal Democrat minority).

  South Gloucestershire Council (No overall control).

  3 Cleveland has now become Hartlepool Borough Council (Labour).

  Middlesbrough (Labour).

  Redcar and Cleveland (Labour).

  Stockton on Tees Borough Council (Labour).

  4 Humberside has now become Kingston upon Hull City Council (Labour).

  East Riding Authority (No overall control).

  North East Lincolnshire Authority (Labour). North Lincolnshire Council (Labour).

  5 North Yorkshire has now become York City Council (Labour).

  North Yorkshire (No overall control).

  Jobseeker's Allowance
  Mr. Ian McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in what circumstances claimants of jobseeker's allowance may receive travelling expenses from the Employment Service for the journey that they make to attend the jobcentre for their fortnightly review; and if she will make a statement. [27029]

  Mr. Forth
  As now, under jobseeker's allowance the Employment Service will not pay travelling expenses to claimants for the journey that they make to the jobcentre for their normal fortnightly attendance.

  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in what circumstances an unemployed person may make a new claim for jobseeker's allowance by post; and if she will make a statement. [27032]

  Mr. Forth
  People wishing to make a new claim for jobseeker's allowance will normally be given an appointment to attend their local jobcentre in person for an interview with an employment officer. This ensures that they have access to the Employment Service's range of services and opportunities at the earliest opportunity. Making a new claim by post will however be allowed when exceptional adverse weather or other local 310
  circumstances prevents the jobseeker from the reaching the jobcentre, or when the jobcentre itself is closed to the public due to some exceptional circumstance. Arrangements will then be made for the jobseeker to attend the jobcentre in person for a full interview as soon as the situation allows. Jobseekers who live at a considerable distance from their nearest jobcentre will also be able to make a new claim for JSA by post, if attendance at the jobcentre would require them to be absent from home for more than eight hours. The Employment Service will arrange for them to have a full interview with a visiting officer at a location convenient to their home within four weeks of the date of claim.

  Nursery Voucher Scheme
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to extend the voucher scheme to include all three-year-olds. [26209]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  It is important to get provision for four-year-olds right before extending the voucher scheme to cover three-year-olds. We will consider such an extension in due course.

  School Inspections
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a further statement on future school inspection arrangements. [27496]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I refer to the answer I gave on 19 December 1995,Official Report, column 1017. Having consulted Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools on future school inspection arrangements, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has now asked him to consult on more targeted arrangements to come into effect from September 1997 for secondary schools and September 1998 for other schools. The chief inspector expects to initiate this consultation next week.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Private Finance Initiative
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 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 [26166]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  For the Lord Chancellor's Department, including the Court Service and the Public Trust Office, no funding became available through the private finance initiative in 1995–96. Current estimates suggest that capital spending on projects by the private sector will be £4.6 million in 1996–97 and £27.3 million in 1997–98.

  Court Costs
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what were the costs of(a) out-of-court settlements and (b) awards made in court, for each of the last three years and so far this year; and what were the annual legal costs incurred. [26008]

  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 Michael Huebner to Mr. Chris Mullins, dated 26 April 1996:
  The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, has asked me to reply to your Question about costs of cases settled outside court, awards made in court and legal costs.
  Unfortunately, information about the size of out of court settlements and awards is not held centrally and could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost. The Court Service does not collect figures for legal costs for all cases.

  Council of Europe
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the proposal in recommendation 1286 (1996) of the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe for a permanent intergovernmental structure to deal with issues relating to children; and if he will make a statement. [26097]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  I have been asked to reply. This proposal is still under consideration.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Extradition Warrants
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the procedure by which extradition warrants are prepared and completed in the United Kingdom and transmitted to the relevant authorities in the Irish Republic; and if it is standard procedure for the Irish authorities to confirm the completeness and correctness of documentation prior to its submission to court. [26363]

  The Attorney-General
  Applications for arrest warrants in the United Kingdom are made on behalf of the relevant police force to a justice of the peace or, in certain cases, to a judge.

  The applications are prepared and conducted by the Crown Prosecution Service, or as the case may be, the Crown Solicitor's Office in Northern Ireland. When a warrant is obtained in a case in which extradition is sought from the Republic of Ireland it is personally delivered by the police to their counterparts in the Republic. Thereafter, the matter becomes one for the Irish authorities.

  A warrant cannot be executed in the Republic of Ireland until it has been endorsed by a Commissioner of the Garda. In "accusation" cases, there is an additional requirement in that the Commissioner can not endorse the warrant without the authority of the Irish Attorney-General. Under Irish law the Irish Attorney must direct that the warrant not be endorsed unless he is satisfied that there is a clear intention to prosecute based on sufficient evidence. To enable the Irish Attorney to discharge this duty I supply him with a certificate confirming the prosecuting authority's intention to prosecute, a statement detailing the facts of the case and statement of the relevant English law. If the Irish Attorney is satisfied, the warrant is endorsed and the accused is arrested and brought before the court. This additional requirement does not apply where the person named on the warrant has, following an examination of the evidence, been committed for trial or has escaped from custody following conviction.

  Extradition
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Attorney-General how many applications for extradition have been submitted to the authorities in the Republic of Ireland in each of the past 10 years for terrorist-related offences; how many in each year have been successful; and how many in each year have been rejected on the basis that they were incorrectly prepared. [25932]

  The Attorney-Genera
  Applications for extradition for alleged "terrorist-related offences" have been brought before the Irish courts in 23 cases in the past 10 years. Fifteen of these cases were brought by the authorities in Northern Ireland and eight by the authorities in England.

  In five cases the individual concerned has been extradited. In a further five cases the individual has fled following a successful application or appeal and in two of these has subsequently been arrested in the UK.

  Extradition has been refused on the ground of defects in the papers in three cases. Two cases were refused in 1986 on the ground that the warrants were defective and one case was refused in 1996 on the ground that the original warrant was not produced.

  In seven cases the individual has successfully appealed against an extradition order and in three further cases appeals are pending.

  Details are not included of cases not yet before the courts.

  Table 2: Number of medical cases referred to a medical board relating to occupational asthma in 1991

  All boardings

  Males not diagnosed

  Males diagnosed 1-13 per cent.

  Males diagnosed 14-100 per cent.

  Females not diagnosed

  Females diagnosed 1-13 per cent.

  Females diagnosed 14-100 per cent.

  Cardiff

  59

  16

  14

  16

  4

  Nil

  9

  Swansea

  15

  5

  1

  6

  1

  Nil

  2

  Glasgow

  85

  37

  6

  27

  9

  2

  4

  Stoke on Trent

  54

  13

  8

  23

  2

  3

  5

  Sheffield

  84

  34

  11

  25

  5

  3

  6

  Manchester

  113

  64

  7

  15

  18

  1

  8

  Newcastle

  92

  49

  8

  28

  4

  Nil

  3

  London

  91

  36

  2

  39

  3

  Nil

  11

  Total all boards

  593

  254

  57

  179

  46

  9

  48

  Table 3: Number of medical cases referred to a medical board relating to occupational asthma in 1992

  All boardings

  Males not diagnosed

  Males diagnosed 1-13 per cent.

  Males diagnosed 14-100 per cent.

  Females not diagnosed

  Females diagnosed 1-13 per cent.

  Females diagnosed 14-100 per cent.

  Cardiff

  144

  51

  12

  47

  11

  3

  20

  Swansea

  23

  12

  1

  7

  1

  Nil

  2

  Glasgow

  100

  44

  4

  26

  14

  4

  8

  Stoke on Trent

  171

  63

  21

  53

  16

  1

  17

  Sheffield

  363

  178

  31

  82

  49

  10

  13

  Manchester

  305

  205

  17

  21

  49

  8

  5

  Newcastle

  303

  211

  1

  63

  21

  Nil

  7

  London

  150

  58

  6

  46

  23

  2

  15

  Total all boards

  1,559

  822

  93

  345

  184

  28

  87

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Occupational Asthma
  Mr. Ian McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims under the industrial injury scheme were made by people suffering from occupational asthma; how many of these claims were(a) successful and (b) unsuccessful broken down by region and gender in each case in the past five years. [25781]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the tables. A breakdown by gender is available only in relation to medical boarding and is set out in tables 2 to 5. Industrial injuries disablement benefit is not normally payable for assessments below 14 per cent.

  Table 1

  Calendar year

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  Number of claims to occupational asthma

  1,518

  1,584

  1,751

  1,703

  1,690

  Number not referred for medical assessment1,2

  925

  25

  193

  181

  3N/A

  Number not diagnosed by medical board2

  300

  1,006

  1,048

  1,016

  3N/A

  Notes:

  1 Only claims which satisfy employment rules are referred for medical examination.

  2 Claims may not necessarily be decided during the year of receipt.

  3 N/A-not available.

  Source:

  Benefits Agency Central Data Unit and based on 100 per cent. count.
  315

  Table 4: Number of medical cases referred to a medical board relating to occupational asthma in 1993

  All boardings

  Males not diagnosed

  Males diagnosed 1-13 per cent.

  Males diagnosed 14-100 per cent.

  Females not diagnosed

  Females diagnosed 1-13 per cent.

  Females diagnosed 14-100 per cent.

  Cardiff

  122

  44

  2

  41

  13

  6

  16

  Swansea

  19

  8

  1

  7

  2

  Nil

  1

  Glasgow

  122

  75

  3

  21

  13

  1

  9

  Stoke on Trent

  160

  72

  13

  50

  6

  1

  18

  Sheffield

  426

  234

  27

  95

  43

  5

  22

  Manchester

  270

  184

  8

  29

  40

  4

  5

  Newcastle

  269

  179

  3

  56

  20

  1

  10

  London

  170

  83

  11

  23

  32

  7

  14

  Total all boards

  1,558

  879

  68

  322

  169

  25

  95

  Table 5: Number of medical cases referred to a medical board relating to occupational asthma in 1994

  All boardings

  Males not diagnosed

  Males diagnosed 1-13 per cent.

  Males diagnosed 14-100 per cent.

  Females not diagnosed

  Females diagnosed 1-13 per cent.

  Females diagnosed 14-100 per cent.

  Cardiff

  113

  48

  7

  35

  12

  3

  8

  Swansea

  35

  15

  1

  15

  1

  Nil

  3

  Glasgow

  88

  57

  2

  21

  4

  Nil

  4

  Edinburgh

  72

  35

  1

  18

  9

  Nil

  9

  Stoke on Trent

  179

  77

  15

  53

  16

  3

  15

  Sheffield

  300

  154

  13

  74

  33

  6

  20

  Manchester

  289

  200

  16

  26

  34

  4

  9

  Newcastle

  285

  179

  4

  70

  26

  1

  5

  London

  161

  92

  7

  32

  24

  3

  3

  Total all boards

  1,522

  857

  66

  344

  159

  20

  76

  Source Tables 2-5: Benefits agency disability benefit centres and based on 100 per cent. count.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many full assessments have been made where the absent parent is in receipt of income support(a) in total since April 1993 and (b) in each year since April 1993; [26566]

  (2) in how many cases awaiting full assessment the absent parent is in receipt of income support. [26567]

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

  Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Frank Field, dated 25 April 1996:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency maintenance assessments.
  The number of cases awaiting assessment in which the absent parent is in receipt of Income Support is not known. The Agency is unable to identify the benefit status of the absent parent before completion of the maintenance assessment process, since there may be considerations that affect the benefit status between the time of receipt of the relevant maintenance form and the completion of a full maintenance assessment.
  However, the number of full maintenance assessments where the absent parent is in receipt of Income Support is available from a 5% scan of the live cases on the Child Support Computer System. As at 31 March 1995 there were 88,900 absent parents in receipt of Income Support and as at 30 November 1995 there were 103,900.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many full maintenance assessments were made by the Child Support Agency(a) in total since April 1993 and (b) in each year since April 1993; [26558]
  316
  (2) how many cases have been cleared without a full maintenance assessment having been made by the CSA (a) in total since April 1993, (b) each year since April 1993; [26559]

  (3) into what categories cases cleared without assessment by the CSA are placed; and what are the numbers in such categories (a) since April 1993 and (b) each year since April 1993; [26560]

  (4) how many cases of good cause for not co-operating with the Child Support Agency were accepted (a) in total since April 1993 and (b) in each year since April 1993; [26561]

  (5) how many reduced benefit directions have been made (a) in total since April 1993 and (b) in each year since April 1993. [26562]

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

  Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Frank Field, dated 25 April 1996:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency maintenance assessments and good cause decisions.
  The number of full and interim maintenance assessments made by the Agency from April 1993 to March 1996 is shown on the attached table. The table also shows the number of cases cleared due to good cause accepted, reduced benefit directions imposed and other clearances.

  317
  The Agency does not have a business need to record routinely all the specific reasons why a case is cleared other than by a maintenance assessment, so we cannot provide a more detailed breakdown of these cases. Other reasons for clearances without a maintenance assessment include the following:-
  benefit ceased—for a variety of reasons
  MAF withdrawal: including reconciliation cases and those where the PWC has requested cancellation (e.g. in private cases)
  no qualifying child

  Number of cases with:—

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  Total from April 1993

  Full maintenance assessments

  132,139

  187,220

  110,187

  429,546

  Without full maintenance assessments (interim)

  73,303

  63,616

  17,689

  154,608

  Other clearances

  130,790

  317,313

  198,978

  647,081

  Good cause accepted

  31,749

  41,666

  38,963

  1112,378

  Reduced benefit directions imposed

  n/a

  n/a

  27,478

  127,478

  1 These cases form part of the 'Other clearances'.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many cases have there been where the parent with care has made no contact with the CSA after issue of the maintenance application form.[26563]

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

  Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Frank Field, dated 25 April 1996.
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency maintenance application forms.
  Full details of the numbers of parents with care who have currently made no contact with the Agency after the issue of a maintenance application form are not available as local Field offices (where the bulk of pre maintenance assessment work is now carried out) do not have access to the full functionality of the Child Support Computer System (CSCS).
  However, all CSCS functions will be provided to the Field offices on a phased basis beginning later this year.
  The figures that are available show that in April 1995, the six Child Support Agency Centres had 98,000 such cases, and this has now reduced to 68,000.
  In all cases, other than the 16,000 cases that were temporarily deferred at the beginning of 1995, where a maintenance application form is not returned, the Agency takes the following steps:
  Where a prescribed benefit is in payment, after 14 days the Agency issues a reminder. If there is still no contact from the parent with care, the Agency tries to make contact to establish if a Good Cause investigation is appropriate. If there is still no contact from the parent with care or Good Cause is not accepted, a reduced benefit direction is considered.
  Where a private client does not return a maintenance application form, the requirement to cooperate condition does not apply. In such cases the Agency sends a reminder to the client after two weeks; if there is still no reply, the Agency can take no further action and no follow up contact is made.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many parents with care who had not returned their maintenance application forms to the CSA had their cases deferred in December 1994. [26564]

  Mr. Mitchell
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant. She will write to the hon. Member.
  318
  no jurisdiction
  death of AP, PWC or qualifying child
  Information on reduced benefit directions imposed became available in 1995–96; prior to this figures were not collected.
  You may be interested to know that information for 1994–95 and 1995–96 on full maintenance assessments, interim maintenance assessments, other clearances, good cause accepted and reduced benefit directions implemented is shown in the CSA Statistical Information placed in the House of Commons Library every month.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Frank Field, dated 25 April 1996:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency deferred cases.
  16,000 cases were referred during the period January to March 1995 as a result of the parent with care not returning their maintenance application form (MAF) where the MAF had been issued before July 1994. These cases, where action has been deferred at the present time, should not be confused with the deferred take-on of pre-Agency existing income support cases.
  The cases where a maintenance application form has not been fully completed or returned have had action on them deferred until further notice. However, they remain on the books and can be re-started at the request of the client.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Income Support
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many income support cases deferred in December 1994 have yet to have their case taken on; [26565]

  (2) how many of the parents with care whose cases have been deferred are estimated to have ex-partners who are on income support. [26568]

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

  Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Frank Field, dated 25 April 1996:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency cases deferred in December 1994.
  It is not possible to give an exact figure for the approximately 300,000 Income Support cases deferred in December 1994 that are still outstanding. To obtain this figure a clerical examination of all the deferred cases would have to be made to find the number of cases awaiting action.
  However, the most recent estimate, based on a sampling exercise, suggests that the number outstanding has reduced to around 200,000.
  This reduction is due to a number of reasons. The Agency recommenced take on of these cases in November 1995, in line with the agreement made with the Secretary of State to recommence take on by December 1995; also, in some cases where Income Support has ceased and the parent with care has made a fresh application for benefit, the Agency will have become involved and these cases will

  319
  have been taken on; in other cases the parent with care will have requested that the Agency take on the case and this will have been done; finally, some clients will no longer be claiming Income Support.
  It is not known precisely how many of the deferred cases have ex-partners who are on Income Support; we will not know their circumstances until we have received a completed maintenance enquiry form. However, experience tells us that a significant number of the absent parents involved are in receipt of Income Support, thus providing little incentive for the parent with care to pursue the case with the Agency.
  I hope this is helpful.

WALES

  Private Health Diagnosis
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairmen of Welsh health authorities and trusts concerning the efficacy of the guidelines for private practice diagnosis followed by NHS treatment; what recent representations he has received concerning the level of private practice diagnosis preceding NHS treatment; what statistics he has collated on the trend in such patterns of procedure; what assessment he has made of its impact on NHS waiting lists and times; and if he will make a statement. [25393]

  Mr. Hague
  None. It is for the management of NHS trusts to ensure that consultants have agreed up-to-date job plans which set out their fixed commitments and other responsibilities to the NHS, and that the rules regarding private work are observed.

  Further and Higher Education
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what were the staff-to-student ratios in further education in Wales in(a) 1980–81, (b) 1994–95 and (c) on the latest data for which figures are available;[26469]

  (2) what was the staff-to-student ratios in higher education in Wales in (i) 1980–81 (ii) 1994–95 and (iii) the latest date for which figures are available. [26476]

  Mr. Richards
  Full information is not available for the years requested. Information for the earliest and latest years available is shown in the following table.

  Ratios of full-time equivalent student numbers to full-time equivalent academic and academic related staff numbers in Wales

  Academic year

  1980–81

  1982–83

  1993–94

  University of Wales1

  6.2

  6.1

  9.0

  Other Higher Education2

  8.1

  8.8

  16.7

  Further Education

  8.1

  9.2

  14.1

  1 As at December of each year.

  2 Includes higher education provision at further education institutions.

  Source:

  Universities Statistical Record and the Welsh Office Annual Monitoring Survey.

  Mr. Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the institutions of Welsh higher education categorised by their financial status as determined by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales. [26470]
  320
  Mr. Richards
  Information about the financial status of individual institutions is a confidential matter between the individual institutions and the funding council. Nine institutions are currently designated as being in a satisfactory financial position, four are marginal; and one is unsatisfactory.

  Mr. Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list in(a) cash and (b) real terms the capital funding of Welsh higher education institutions in 1993–94, 1994–95 and 1995–96 and indicate in (i) cash and (ii) real terms the amount of capital funding per student. [26472]

  Mr. Richards
  The amount of capital funding for Welsh higher education institutions in 1993–94, 1994–95 and 1995–96 in cash and real terms was as follows:

  £ million

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  Cash

  November 1994 prices

  Cash

  November 1994 prices

  Cash

  November 1994 prices

  21.534

  21.930

  30.893

  30.893

  25.297

  24.620

  The amount of capital funding per student is as follows:

  £

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  Cash

  November 1994 prices

  Cash

  November 1994 prices

  Cash

  November 1994 prices

  376

  383

  493

  493

  392

  382

  Mr. Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of Stew for Wales if he will list in(a) cash and (b) real terms the amount of capital funding he plans to make available over the next three years and indicate in (i) cash and (ii) real terms the amount of capital funding per student in each of these years. [26473]

  Mr. Richards
  The indicative capital allocation for higher education for 1996–97, 1997–98 and 1998–99 in cash and real terms is as follows:

  £ million

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Cash

  November 1994 prices

  Cash

  November 1994 prices

  Cash

  November 1994 prices

  23.681

  22.430

  21.158

  19.552

  14.538

  13.139

  The amount of capital funding per student is as follows:

  £ million

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Cash

  November 1994 prices

  Cash

  November 1994 prices

  Cash

  November 1994 prices

  363

  344

  326

  301

  222

  200

  Mr. Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the number of students
  321
  in higher education in Wales who did not complete their studies in each of the last three years; and what estimate he has made of the impact of the changes in the value of awards made to students and the development of the student loan scheme on the student drop-out rate. [26474]

  Mr. Richards
  The information requested is not currently available but it is being collected by the higher education statistics agency and will be available in due course.

  The introduction of loans has given students more money for their living costs. Borrowers do not have to begin repaying their loans until at least the April after they leave their courses, and then only if and when their income exceeds 85 per cent. of average earnings. There is no reason, therefore, why students should be unable to continue their education as a result of the shift from grant to loan.

  For students who do find themselves in financial difficulties institutions can use access funds to help. In 1993–94 and 1994–95 some 4,000 students in higher education institutions in Wales received help from the access funds. In both years, no students in these institutions, who were refused help from the access funds, failed to start or to continue their courses because of financial considerations.

  Mr. Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the impact on jobs in higher and further education of the funding announcements for 1996–97. [26475]

  Mr. Richards
  The financial provision for higher education for 1996–97 assumes an efficiency saving of 2 per cent. over 1995–96. For further education the planned efficiency saving is 5.3 per cent.

  It is for institutions to decide how they manage the resources made available to them by the higher and further education funding councils for Wales, including the numbers of staff they employ.

  Mr. Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent in(a) cash and (b) real terms per student in higher education in Wales in (i) 1980–81 and (ii) 1994–95. [26477]

  Mr. Richards
  The information in respect of 1980–81 is not available. The provision in cash and real terms for 1994–95 was £5,004.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the projects in Wales undertaken through the private finance initiative which have already been agreed, giving an indication of the money being spent in each of the financial years over which each project is planned to be undertaken. [26471]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  One project under the private finance initiative has been approved by the Welsh Office so far, a multi-storey car part at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff. The development will be paid for fully by those using the car parking facilities and therefore there is no cost to the Department. Other projects are under consideration. Information on schemes costing less than £1 million is not collected.

  Health Innovation Zone Scheme
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what expenditure has been approved under the health innovation zone scheme(a) in the south Wales industrial valleys and (b) elsewhere in Wales; and in which financial years. [27069]

  Mr. Hague
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what are(a) the competitive tender procedures and (b) the quality standards to be applied to applications for funding under the primary care development fund; what proportion of the allocated sums available under the fund was spent in 1995–96; what assessment he has made of the rate of allocation in 1996–97; and if he will make a statement; [27067]

  2) on what date, and for what reason, the health innovation zone was transformed into the primary care development fund; what expenditure has been approved under the fund; and if he will publish the fund's terms of reference. [27068]

  Mr. Hague
  The primary care development fund has no formal status; it is a term used by the Department to refer to a number of budgets used to promote health care in the community. These budgets fund a number of centrally-promoted activities but health professionals and others may also bid for money to undertake worthwhile projects throughout Wales. There are no formal terms of reference but the Department expects a project to improve patient care and quality standards are determined on a case-by-case basis. The health innovator zone remains in place and benefits from many of the projects.

  No sum is specifically allocated for such projects.

TREASURY

  Public Service Pension Schemes
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide an explanation of the differences in the figures for the liabilities of the main unfunded public service pension schemes set out in(a) the answer to the hon. Member for Dover of 26 April 1993, Official Report, column 289 and (b) the answer to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 26 February, Official Report, columns 358-59 showing which elements are due to (a) timing and (b) other factors. [25858]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The figures for the capital value of the liabilities of unfunded public service pension schemes are estimates based on data which become available at periodic intervals and, in some cases, in a very limited form. The £170 billion relating to 31 March 1991 was subsequently revised to £185 billion when more reliable data became available.

  Various factors have contributed to the increase in liability between 1991 and 1993. In the case of deferred benefits and pensions in payment, which are linked to the retail prices index the increases implemented from April 1991 and April 1992 amounted together to just over 15 per cent.
  323
  For employees, liabilities increase in line with pay levels, and some groups had significant pay awards during this period. Other contributing factors affecting the increase include the overall increase in numbers, that is, the number of employees, plus deferred pensions, plus pensions in payment, and the increase in amounts of pension resulting from a large number of redundancies and premature retirements.

  Retail Prices Index
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the RPI for each month together with the annual increase since June 1983. [26744]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The information requested is available in tables 11 and 12 of the publication "Retail Prices Index", ONS Business Monitor MM23, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth can expect replies to his correspondence of 23 January and 6 March which refers to Mr. Peter J. Hewer of 3 Heyville croft, Kenilworth; and what are the reasons for the delay which has so far occurred. [26755]

  Mr. Jack
  I replied to my hon. Friend today.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the annual cost of measures taken to resolve the BSE problem as decided by 17 April for the first full year and subsequent years, setting out the net cost after recalculations required by the British rebate system, setting out the amounts in sterling, and proportions due net from the UK and the EC. [26758]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Estimates for 1996–97 to 1998–99 are in the table:

  Estimated cost of measures in the UK taken in response to BSE situation up to 17 April

  £ million

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Net cost borne by the UK

  750

  600

  570

  Net contribution from the EU

  260

  140

  110

  Total cost

  1,010

  740

  680

  The table takes account of the following measures:

  (a) the compensation arrangements for cattle over 30 months of age which cannot now enter the food chain;

  (b) the new calf slaughter premium;

  (c) the package of aid for the renderers and the abattoir and cutting industries announced on 3 April and 16 April respectively;

  (d) additional running costs for the agriculture departments to enable more activity by the meat hygiene service.

  The table does not make any allowance for the possible cost of intervention in the beef sector.
  324
  The figures for the net contribution from the EU take account of both the UK's contribution to additional EU spending and the effect of additional receipts on the UK abatement.

  Uncollected Taxes
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much is owed to the Inland Revenue in uncollected taxes; and how much has had to be written off in each of the past five years. [26802]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 25 April 1996]The following table shows the figures for the amounts of uncollected tax owed to the Inland Revenue as at the end of October 1994, the latest date for which figures are available. The amounts represent tax assessed and collectible but not paid as at that date.

  Type of Tax

  Amount £ million

  Corporation tax

  561

  Corporation Tax Pay and File

  158

  Capital Gains Tax

  151

  Income Tax (excluding PAYE)

  2,250

  PAYE (including sub-contractor's deductions)

  647

  Advance Corportion Tax

  4

  Income Tax on Interest etc.

  2

  Petroleum Revenue Tax

  5

  Total

  3,778

  The amounts of tax remitted or written off for each of the last five year are as follows:

  Year to end October

  Amount remitted written off £ Million

  1994

  1,159.2

  1993

  1,580.2

  1992

  1,694.2

  1991

  883.9

  1990

  568.8

  Overseas Visits
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a list of all overseas visits made by all Ministers of his Department since 1990, including(a) details of the places visited and brief reasons for the visit, (b) details of size, composition and cost to public funds of the delegation and (c) the names of non-ministerial members of each delegation and the capacity in which each was present.[17499]

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 1 March 1996]: Since I became Chancellor of the Exchequer in May 1993, Treasury Ministers have made nearly 100 overseas visits. Details are as follows:

  Place visited

  Reason for visit

  Chancellor

  1993

  6-7 June

  Luxembourg

  ECOFIN

  6-7 July

  Japan

  G7

  12 July

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  18-19 July

  Germany

  —

  1-2 August

  Brussels

  EC Finance Ministers

  12-13 September

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  325

  Place visited

  Reason for visit

  25-29 September

  Washington

  IMF

  24-25 October

  Luxembourg

  ECOFIN

  21-22 November

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  5 December

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  10-14 December

  Brussels

  European Council

  28 December-5 January 1994

  Indonesia

  Trade delegation

  1994

  5-10 January

  Philippines

  Trade delegation

  27-30 January

  Davos,

  World Economic

  Switzerland

  Forum

  8-9 February

  France

  Speaking engagement and bilateral meeting

  13-14 February

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  14-15 March

  Detroit

  G7 Jobs Conference

  20-21 March

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  22 March

  Sweden

  Bilateral meeting

  7-9 April

  Greece

  Informal ECOFIN

  15-16 April

  Warsaw

  Bilateral meeting

  17-19 April

  St. Petersberg

  EBRD

  24-26 April

  Washington

  G7

  15-16 May

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  5-6 June

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  6-7 June

  Paris

  OECD

  23-25 June

  Corfu

  European Council

  29 June

  Cologne

  Bilateral meeting

  8-10 July

  Italy

  G7

  11 July

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  27 July

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  9-11 September

  Dusseldorf

  Informal ECOFIN

  18-19 September

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  26-28 September

  Malta

  Commonwealth

  Finance Ministers

  28 September—4 October

  Madrid

  G7

  9-10 October

  Luxembourg

  ECOFIN

  21 October

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  6-7 November

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  18 November

  Chateaudun

  Anglo-French Summit

  4-5 December

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  8-10 December

  Essen, Germany

  European Council

  1995

  31 December 1994—5 January 1995

  Malaysia

  Trade delegation

  5-10 January

  Thailand

  Trade delegation

  11-12 January

  Vietnam

  Trade delegation

  16 January

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  26-29 January

  Davos,

  World Economic

  Switzerland

  Forum

  3-4 February

  Toronto

  G7

  20 February

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  19-20 March

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  7-9 April

  France

  Informal ECOFIN

  24-27 April

  USA

  G7

  14-17 May

  Ukraine

  Bilateral meeting

  21-22 May

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  25 May—6 June

  India

  Trade delegation

  15-17 June

  Canada

  G7

  18-19 June

  Luxembourg

  ECOFIN

  25-27 June

  Nice

  European Council

  10 July

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  18 September

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  29 September—1 October

  Valencia

  Informal ECOFIN

  2-6 October

  Jamaica

  Commonwealth

  Finance Ministers

  6-9 October

  Washington

  IMF

  22-23 October

  Luxembourg

  ECOFIN

  26-27 November

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  14-16 December

  Madrid

  European Council

  29 December-1 January

  Paraguay

  Trade delegation

  1996

  1996

  1-5 January

  Argentina

  Trade delegation

  6-9 January

  Chile

  Trade delegation

  9-13 January

  Brazil

  Trade delegation

  19-21 January

  Paris

  G7

  326

  Place visited

  Reason for visit

  22 January

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  11 March

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  14-20 March

  South Africa

  Trade delegation

  20-24 March

  Zimbabwe

  Trade delegation

  12-14 April

  Verona

  Informal ECOFIN

  14-16 April

  Sofia

  EBRD

  20-23 April

  Washington

  IMF Spring meetings

  Economic Secretary

  1993

  1 June

  Paris

  OECD

  14-16 July

  New York and Washington

  Trinidad Terms

  16 September

  Hanover

  Financial Services Conference

  20 September—1 October

  Caribbean

  Commonwealth Finance Minister's Meeting

  11-13 October

  Brussels and

  Financial Services

  Luxembourg

  Regulation

  1994

  21-29 April

  Japan

  Trilaterals with Securities Regulators

  16-20 May

  New York and

  Industrial Finance

  Los Angeles

  Initiative

  18-23 September

  Saudi Arabia,

  Accompanying the

  United Arab

  Prime Minister on His

  Emirates and

  Business Programme

  South Africa

  24-25 October

  Dubai

  British Bid Business Forum

  1995

  3-6 January

  New York/Boston

  GATT Talks

  9-11 April

  Switzerland

  Meetings with Swiss Ministers of Finance and Economy

  10-12 May

  Washington

  GATS/FS

  29 May—1 June

  Hong Kong and

  To discuss

  Korea

  GATS/Financial Services

  15 June

  Halifax, Canada

  Halifax Summit

  1996

  15 April

  Toronto, Canada

  British Invisibles Conference

  Chief Secretary

  1993

  3-10 July

  Mexico and Chile

  Bilateral visit (at FCO's expense)

  1994

  5-12 March

  Brazil and Chile

  Bilateral visit and attending the Chilean Presidential Inauguration (at FCO's expense)

  27-28 June

  Spain

  Bilateral visits

  1995

  1-6 June

  Oman and Saudi

  International relations

  1996

  1-2 April

  Lille

  Jobs Conference

  Paymaster General

  1993

  7 June

  Luxembourg

  ECOFIN

  21-22 July

  Brussels

  Budget Council

  15 November

  Brussels

  Budget Council

  1994

  25 July

  Brussels

  Budget Council

  15-16 November

  Brussels

  Budget Council

  327

  Place visited

  Reason for visit

  1995

  24 July

  Brussels

  Budget Council

  17 November

  Brussels

  Budget Council

  1996

  21 March

  Brussels

  CIPFA Conference

  Financial Secretary

  No visits made.

  Because of the way out records are currently maintained, to give details of the size, composition and disaggregated costs of travel in each case by both Ministers and officials would entail disproportionate cost. Nonetheless, all costs, including those of the Minister involved are rigorously scrutinised, and the compositions of delegations are kept to a bare minimum.

  In total the costs of Treasury Ministers' overseas travel by financial year is as follows:

  1993–94:£147,000

  1994–95: £123,000

  1995–96 (to date): £110,000.

  The names of non-ministerial members of delegations are, by convention, not given.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what funding was provided for Professor Harash Narang's experiments and research into a urine test to detect BSE in cattle. [23227]

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what investigations were carried out by his Department into the request by Harash Narang for research funding for a live test for BSE in cattle; and if he will make a statement. [23353]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 28 and 29 March 1996]: Dr. Narang has not made any formal request to MAFF for research funds for work to develop a live test for BSE in cattle. Were he to make any such application it would be subject to the normal scrutiny procedures required to demonstrate that it was scientifically valid and a practical research proposal. We are in contact with Dr. Narang's sponsor, and are hoping to supply urine samples under a blind system to be agreed.

  Green Minister
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what factors underlay his decision not to be the Green Minister for his Department. [25846]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 23 April 1996]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Ms Ruddock) on22 November 1995, Official Report, column 200.

  Set-aside Scheme
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of claims and the amount claimed in 1995 for set-aside on land for each county of England. [26743]
  328
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I am unable to provide the information requested by the hon. Member at this moment. However, I will write to him with this information as soon as it is available

TRANSPORT

  Aircraft Inspection
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many meetings(a) he and (b) his officials have had with the Federal Aviation Authority in respect of the FAA inspection programme of foreign countries in each of the last five years. [26912]

  Mr. Norris
  Ministers have not met the FAA to discuss its international aviation safety assessment programme. However, officials have frequent contacts with the FAA and have discussed aspects of the IASA programme on a number of occasions.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many inspections have been undertaken by the Civil Aviation Authority on aircraft not registered in the United Kingdom, but using United Kingdom airports in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [26904]

  Mr. Norris
  I refer to my reply to the hon. Member for Crew and Nantwich on 7 March 1996,Official Report, column 309. The CAA has since carried out checks on aircraft registered in Liberia, Nigeria and Swaziland.

  Aircraft Operating Licences
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what statutory requirements must be met by an aircraft operator before an operating licence can be issued. [26914]

  Mr. Norris
  Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2407/92 on licensing of air carriers sets out the criteria for granting operating licences in all EC member states. The Licensing of Air Carriers Regulations 1992 (SI 1992 No. 2992) make provision for implementing the Council regulation in the United Kingdom.

  Aircraft Leasing
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many requests for(a) dry leasing and (b) wet leasing of aircraft have been refused by (i) his Department and (ii) the Civil Aviation Authority for each of the last five years. [26907]

  Mr. Norris
  The following table shows the number of lease applications which have been refused approval over the last five years:

  CAA

  DOT

  Total

  Wet

  Dry

  Wet

  Dry

  1991

  1

  2

  3

  1992

  1

  1

  2

  1993

  6

  1

  —

  7

  1994

  1

  —

  1

  1995

  3

  2

  5

  329
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what procedures airlines are required to follow before they are permitted to(a) dry lease and (b) wet lease aircraft. [26906]

  Mr. Norris
  I have placed a copy of these procedures in the Library.

  M5 Viaduct
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects work to correct the structural weakness to the M5 Golden Valley viaduct between Cheltenham and Gloucester to be completed; and if he will make a statement. [27058]

  Mr. Watts
  The Highways Agency programme is to strengthen or replace the structure during the years 1997–98 and 1998–99, subject to resources being available.

  Lane and weight restrictions are in force on the structure to limit traffic loading.

  Investigations have been in progress since the loading restrictions were imposed to determine the levels and extent of structural weakness. These investigations are part of the exercise to establish whether it is most cost effective to strengthen or replace the structure.

  Greenford Roundabout
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what work is currently being undertaken at the Greenford roundabout; at what cost; and if he will make a statement. [26745]

  Mr. Norris
  These works are part of the implementation of priority (red) route measures for the A40 by the Traffic Director for London and will provide for full traffic signal control of Greenford road roundabout. The scheme is intended to create better lane discipline and reduce accidents. The cost of the scheme is approximately £210,000.

  Drivers' Licences
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the security arrangements surrounding the issuing of drivers' licences to private car owners; and what checks the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency undertakes to ensure that a single licence number is not used by more than one person. [26770]

  Mr. Norris
  The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency does not divulge details of the checks carried out before driving licences are issued. Each licence bears a driver number which uniquely identifies the holder.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the conviction in Nottingham of an individual for a drink driving offence in Kent on the basis of a misdirected driving licence. [26901]

  Mr. Norris
  The police are investigating this matter.

  Aviation Standards
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many meetings his Department has had with representatives of the Jamaican Government in respect of a service between Manchester and Jamaica. [26749]
  330
  Mr. Norris
  Negotiations were held with representatives of the Jamaican Government on 24-26 January 1996 to discuss liberalising the existing air services agreement, including a request for a possible service between Manchester and Jamaica. Agreement was not reached and both sides agreed that a further round would be held later in the year.

  Heavy Goods Vehicles
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans lie has to give to enforcement officers powers to seize and impound unlicensed heavy goods vehicles. [26771]

  Mr. Norris
  I am considering this in the light of the report on the roadside survey of illegal operators in October 1995, which was published on 24 April.

  Network SouthCentral
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which bids for Network SouthCentral offered new rolling stock. [26701]

  Mr. Watts
  Details of unsuccessful franchise bids are commercially confidential.

  London and South Coast Ltd. will be investing in a programme of improvements to existing rolling stock in order to improve the reliability of the Network SouthCentral fleet. Certain trains, which will be used for express London-Brighton services, will be refurbished.

  DriverRegulation
  Mr. Allen
  the Secretary of State for Transport what are the maximum hours (a) bus drivers and (b) lorry drivers can drive without a break; and what plans the Government have to harmonise the regulations so the same hours rules apply to both. [26775]

  Mr. Norris
  For both goods and passenger vehicles to which the European Union rules apply, four and a half hours. For passenger vehicles operated under the UK rules, five and a half; for goods vehicles operated under the UK rules, there is no limit on continuous driving but a driver must not drive for more than 10 hours a day. We have no plans to change the UK rules.

  Articulated Lorries
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make the fitting of the HOPE anti-jacknifing device compulsory on articulated lorries. [26888]

  Mr. Norris
  No.

  Rail Privatisation
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons his Department published a rail privatisation update leaflet in March; how many copies of this leaflet have been published; how much they cost to produce; how they are being distributed; and, in what numbers and at what frequency his Department intends to publish further rail privatisation update leaflets. [27027]

  Mr. Watts
  The rail privatisation update leaflet provides factual information to rail passengers about progress with railway privatisation and up-dates a similar
  331
  leaflet published in March 1994. The leaflet has been delivered to all manned railway stations in the United Kingdom, where it has been placed in racks for customers to pick up if they wish. A total of 250,000 leaflets were produced at a cost of £19,800. Distribution costs were £7,215. The overall cost per leaflet was about 11p. We have no plans at this stage for a further leaflet.

  Magistrates Courts
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to expand the computer link between magistrates courts in South Wales and traffic area offices to the rest of England and Wales. [26774]
  332
  Mr. Norris
  A joint working group which includes officials from the Department of Transport and the Lord Chancellor's Department is currently examining arrangements which would provide for the transfer of information about penalties and convictions for operators of heavy goods and passenger vehicles to be passed from the magistrates courts to the traffic area offices.

  Experience gained from the manual trial of transfer of information between Gwent magistrates court and South Wales traffic area office will be taken into account in the recommendations of the joint working group.

  Holloway Prison
  Holloway Prison
  Land Mines (International Ban)
  Land Mines (International Ban)
  Defence Minister's Remarks
  Defence Minister's Remarks
  Habitual Residence Test: British Citizens Returning from Liberia
  Habitual Residence Test: British Citizens Returning from Liberia
  Question for Written Answer, 15th April (Cost)
  Question for Written Answer, 15th April (Cost)
  Israel: Radio Report, 7th March
  Israel: Radio Report, 7th March
  Yahya Ayyash Assassination: Terrorist Operations
  Yahya Ayyash Assassination: Terrorist Operations
  The Gambia
  The Gambia
  Historic Scotland: Performance Targets
  Historic Scotland: Performance Targets