Written Answers of 6 February 1996

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the level of public funds granted in the last five years in legal aid to(a) people living abroad and (b) foreigners living in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement as to what checks are made by the Legal Aid Board as to the verifying the accuracy of financial statements made by (a) and (b) and their financial position in their own countries. [13499]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Information on legal aid expenditure granted to people living abroad is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information on the nationality of applicants for legal aid is not separately recorded. It is therefore not possible to say how much legal aid was paid in respect of foreign nationals.

  Applications from people living abroad and foreigners living in the United Kingdom are subject to the same tests as applications from British citizens resident in England and Wales.

WALES

  Community Hospital Project (Porthmadog)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on progress on the community hospital project, to be based at Porthmadog, since the meeting on 26 January between representatives of the Gwynedd community health trust and Welsh Office.officials. [12884]

  Mr. Hague
  The trust is finalising its outline business case for the proposed hospital in light of comments made by my officials. Producing a satisfactory business case is a matter for the trust in discussion with its main purchasers.

  Arts Projects
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many letters he has received(a) from organizations and individuals in Wales and (b) from hon. Members representing Welsh constituencies concerning adverse effects following on the failure to secure millennium fund backing for the national opera house/Lyric theatre in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [12902]

  Mr. Hague
  The numbers of letters received in each category are:

  (a) fewer than a dozen;

  (b) two.

  Exel Logistics
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultation he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority concerning changes to the specification of the materials management contract awarded to Exel Logistics in the course of the market testing of the authority, subsequent to the publication of the specification and exclusively for Exel Logistics and without informing other bidders. [13794]

  Mr. Hague
  None. There have been no changes to the specification.

  Cardiff Bay
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 17 January,Official Report, column 624, and the letter to the hon. Member by the chief executive of the Cardiff Bay development corporation of 29 January, under what statutory authority the Land Authority for Wales uses its compulsory purchase powers on behalf of another non-departmental public body. [13907]

  Mr. Hague
  The Land Authority for Wales compulsory purchase powers are provided subject to my authorisation, under section 104 of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980.

  Internet
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to eliminate his predecessor's name and text from the Welsh Office Internet entry; if he will update the contents in the Welsh Office Internet box; and if he will make a statement. [13982]

  Mr. Hague
  I have no immediate plans to remove the text of my Department's brochures from the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency's Government information service.

  Medical Staff (Suspensions)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many(a) consultants, (b) junior doctors and (c) general practitioners have been suspended on full pay in each of the last three years. [13983]

  Mr. Hague
  This information is not available centrally. However, with effect from 1 April 1995 employing authorities/trusts must notify the Department when a consultant has been suspended on full pay for six months. There have been no such notifications since then.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Saudi Arabia (Arms Deals)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the role of Andrew Green in respect of arms deals with Saudi Arabia during his terms of office there; and if he will make a statement. [13097]

  Mr. Hanley
  All senior Foreign Office officials are required to promote British exports. Mr. Green was engaged in such work during a posting to Riyadh as deputy head of mission from 1985 to 1988.I am confident
  99
  that he will continue to uphold British interests admirably during his forthcoming posting as our ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the role of David Gore-Booth in respect of arms deals with Saudi Arabia during his term of office in that country; and if he will make a statement. [13075]

  Mr. Hanley
  All heads of mission are required to promote British exports. Ambassador Gore-Booth has done so extremely effectively.

  Gedhun Chokyi Nyima
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to(a) the Chinese Government and (b) the Dalai Lama on his visit to London in July in respect of the whereabouts of Gedhun Chokyi Nyima. [13171]

  Mr. Hanley
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary raised a range of human rights issues with the Chinese during his visit to Peking in January. In particular, he expressed our concerns about reports of abuses in Tibet. The whereabouts of Gedhun Chokyi Nyima and his tutor was raised during the recent EU-China human rights dialogue which took place in Peking from 21 to 24 January. The Dalai Lama has also expressed his concerns.

  Law of the Sea Convention
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the necessary procedures in respect of ratifying the agreement of, and acceding to, the United Nations law of the sea convention described in his answer of 20 July 1994,Official Report, column 236, will be completed; and when it is Her Majesty's Government's intention to ratify and accede. [13572]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  The legislation we intend to have in place before accession will be complete when the orders on privileges and immunities for the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and the International Sea-Bed Authority, and the Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Pollution) Order 1995, have been made. These were approved by Parliament on 24 and 25 January. A number of other necessary procedures are outstanding. Once these are complete, we will be in position to accede to the UN convention on the law of the sea and to ratify the part XI implementation agreement.

  Sudan
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions Her Majesty's Government have initiated with(a) the European Union, (b) the Commonwealth and (c) the United Nations regarding moves to achieve peace in Sudan. [13632]

  Mr. Hanley
  Moves to achieve peace in Sudan have centred on the initiative launched in 1994 by the Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development, including Kenya and Uganda, which we have fully supported. The UK has also played an active part in stimulating a critical dialogue between the EU and 100
  Sudan. At the UN, the UK has been active in securing the passing of resolutions critical of Sudan's human rights record.

  Kosovo
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account is being taken of the situation in Kosovo in determining diplomatic recognition of Serbia by the European Union. [13444]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  Member states of the European Union, in considering recognition of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, are taking full account of the situation in Kosovo. The development of good relations between the FRY and the EU and the FRY's position within the international community after recognition would depend, inter alia, on full respect for human rights, including minority rights, and the granting of a large degree of autonomy for Kosvo within the FRY.

  International Criminal Court
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received on and what is his policy regarding the establishment of an international criminal court. [13631]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  We have received a wide range of representations on this subject.

  Following the ad hoc committee meetings to discuss this issue, a preparatory committee has been set up to undertake work in March and in August on a draft statute for an international criminal court. We have made it clear that our support for the establishment of a court is dependent, among other things, on its being a court of last resort for certain serious crimes where states are unable or unwilling to act and also on its being generally accepted by the international community.

  The final decision as to whether to become party to the statute establishing such a court will only be taken once we know what the statute will look like.

  Kashmir
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of current relations between India and Pakistan concerning Kashmir; and if he will make a statement. [12462]

  Mr. Hanley
  We remain concerned that the issue of Kashmir damages relations between India and Pakistan. We continue to urge both parties to show restraint and resolve their differences through peaceful negotiation. We are disappointed that the talks between India and Pakistan in Islamabad in January 1994 have yet to be continued.

  Pakistan
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of the 24 January,Official Report, column 227, how many people have been killed in Karachi and Sindh between 1 January and the latest available date. [12485]
  101
  Mr. Hanley
  The official Pakistani police figures for killings in Sindh and Karachi from 1 January, up to and including 30 January, are:

  Sindh (including Karachi): 178

  Karachi: 86

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the Government of Pakistan about child bonded labour in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [13368]

  Mr. Hanley
  We regularly express our concerns to the Government of Pakistan about child and bonded labour. We welcome recent steps they have taken to improve the situation, such as widening access to schooling and the establishment of rehabilitation centres. However, we recognise that much remains to be done.

  China
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he raised the cases of(a) Wei Jingsheng, (b) Tong Yi and (c) Dai Xuezhong during his visit to China; and if he will make a statement. [13220]

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 5 February 1996]: My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary raised our concerns about a range of human rights issues during his recent visit to Peking. In particular, he mentioned the case of Mr. Wei Jingsheng and urged his early release. He also asked for a response to the list of individual cases handed over during Foreign Minister Qian's visit to the UK in October 1995; Tong Yi was included in that list.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Members' Pay
  Mr. Tracy
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what plans he has to review the arrangements for the pay of hon. Members and Ministers. [14237]

  Mr. Newton
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has today written to Sir Michael Perry, the chairman of the Senior Salaries Review Body, in the following terms:"As you know, changes in the structure of civil servants' pay mean that new arrangements need to be found for determining Members' pay from 1997 onwards.
  I would be grateful if you and your colleagues on the Senior Salaries Review Body, under your standing terms of reference, undertake a comprehensive review, with the following remit.
  'The Senior Salaries Review Body is asked to undertake a comprehensive review of the level and structure of Parliamentary pay and allowances and to make recommendations for the future. The review should cover each of the following terms:

  (i) the salary of Members of the House of Commons;

  (ii) the salaries of Ministers and other office-holders;

  (iii) all allowances, comprising the Office Costs Allowance, Motor Mileage Allowance, Additional Cost Allowance and the London Supplement;

  (iv) the severance pay and pension arrangements for MPs and Ministers;

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  (v) the rates of Peers' expenses allowances and the Secretarial Allowance for Ministers and other paid office-holders in the House of Lords; and

  (iv) a linkage to provide the basis for annual uprating in future years without the need for Parliamentary decision.'

  I realise that such a review will be time consuming and needs to be fitted in with your other work. Nonetheless, I would be grateful if it could be completed in time for you to make recommendations, if at all possible, by the end of June."

ENVIRONMENT

  Land (Yorkshire and Humberside)
  Dr. Hampson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much land in Leeds, and Yorkshire and Humberside is currently recorded on the land registers; and how much has been sold since the inception of the land registers(a) in total and (b) on his direction. [10423]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Since October 1989 local authorities and certain other public bodies have been required to compile and maintain registers of unused and underused land in their ownership. Local authorities have been asked to submit annually to the Department aggregated information from their registers.

  The latest complete information on land held by local authorities in Yorkshire and Humberside is for March 1994. Information on land sold between 1989 and 1994 is incomplete. No directions have been issued over this period.

  Land recorded on land register at 31 March 1994 Hectare

  Land sold between October 1989 and 31 March 1994 Hectare

  Leeds

  241.1

  250

  Yorkshire and Humberside (including Leeds)

  2,799.1

  1,030.3

  Gritting Lorries
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authority gritting lorries there were in(a) 1992, (b) 1993, (c) 1994 and (d) 1995; and if he will make a statement. [13168]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  This information is not held centrally.

  Sewerage Pipes
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the sewerage undertakers which have decided to exclude plastic as an approved material for waste-water pipework; [13186]

  (2) when he last met the representatives of (a) the pipe making industry, (b) the British Standards Institution and (c) the European Commission to discuss the specification for sewerage pipes. [13185]

  Mr. Clappison
  The specification for sewerage pipes is a matter for the sewerage undertakers.

  Antarctic Ice Shelves
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what talks he has had with his EU counterparts regarding the disintegration of Antarctic ice shelves. [13271]

  Mr. Clappison
  British Antarctic Survey scientists, reporting recently in the scientific journal Nature, Vol. 379, about the disintegration of Antarctic ice shelves, were unable to determine whether this was a result of global climate change due to greenhouse gases or part of a long-term natural oscillation.

  The Council of Environment Ministers at their last meeting in December noted that the recent findings of the intergovernmental panel on climate change concerning the threat of damage from climate change underline the necessity for urgent action at the widest possible level. If the disintegration of Antarctic ice shelves should prove to be due to greenhouse gas warming, the Council would need to consider what further action to take.

  Water Abstraction (Conservation Areas)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he has given the National Rivers Authority on the review of extant abstraction licences which may affect sites designated as special protection areas under the birds directive or as candidate special areas of conservation under the habitats directive. [13666]

  Mr. Clappison
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Ms Ruddock) on 23 January 1996,Official Report, column 198.

  Job Advertisements
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many jobs have been advertised in each grade in his Department during the last three months for which records are available; and how many people have applied for each such job. [13832]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Department of the Environment, central, has advertised the following permanent administrative and specialist jobs during the last three months:

  Type of Posts

  Number applied

  Senior planning officer x 2

  62

  Senior professional and technological officer x 3

  97

  Administrative officer, Hemel Hempstead x 1

  26

  My Department is currently advertising for two assistant librarians.

  Water Companies (Profits)
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the formula used by the water industry regulator to determine how much profit is given as returns to shareholders. [13909]
  104
  Mr. Clappison
  The price cap system of economic regulation of the water industry places a limit on prices, rather than controlling profits or dividends. The regulator monitors the dividends paid by the regulated businesses to their group companies. It is for the group companies to decide on the level of dividends paid to shareholders.

  Wind Turbines
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what response he has made to the Countryside Commission's call of 15 January for a review of planning policy guidance 22 in relation to the location of wind turbines; [13702]

  (2) what representations his Department has received about the proposed location of 16 wind turbines on Gunson Height in Furness, Cumbria. [13703]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Construction, Planning and Energy Efficiency has met and written to the chairman of the Countryside Commission explaining how the contents of PPG22 already deal with the environmental concerns raised by the commission in relation to wind turbines.

  A planning application together with an environmental assessment for 16 wind turbines on Gunson Height has been made to South Lakeland district council, which is carrying out the usual consultations. So far as is known, no representations have been made direct to my Department at this stage.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list(a) the local authorities which will benefit from the area cost adjustment in 1996–97 and (b) the amount by which each such authority will benefit in that year. [13944]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  A table listing the contribution to SSAs from the area cost adjustment has been placed in the Library.

  The contribution of the area cost adjustment is not the same as the amount an authority would gain or lose if there was not an area cost adjustment in the standard spending assessment system. If the area cost adjustment were removed, it would be necessary to revise the analyses on which the SSA formulae are based, and we would wish to consult the local authority associations on what would then be the most appropriate formulae.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the planned yield from council tax in England for the financial year from 1995–96 to 1998–99 based on the view of local authority behaviour taken in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1996–97" expressed in(a) millions of pounds, (b) in pounds divided by the band D council tax base used for 1995–96 tax setting and (c) in pounds divided by the total number of chargeable dwellings in England in 1995–96; [13972]

  (2) what is (a) the Treasury's estimate of the likely increase in the total yield of council tax in England in 1996–97, expressed in pound million and as a percentage based on the view of local authority behaviour taken in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1996–97", (b) the detailed worked mathematical calculation that

  105
  informs that estimate, (c) the Treasury's estimate of the increase in aggregate budgets as adjusted for the purposes of 1996–97 capping, expressed in millions of pounds and as a percentage based on the view of local authority behaviour taken in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1996–97" and (d) the planned increase in aggregate Government total external support for local authorities in England in 1996–97, compared to 1995–96 total external support adjusted for 1995–96 community care special transitional grant and further changes in local authority responsibilities, expressed in millions of pounds and as a percentage. [13973]

  Mr. Gummer
  The Government do not set plans for the yield of council tax, which depends upon decisions made by individual authorities. The figures in chapter 4 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report", HC 30, which relate to 1996–97 and preceding years only, show an estimate of the contribution of council tax, net of council tax benefit, to the total of general Government revenues.

  The costs of council tax benefit fall largely to the Exchequer. In order to reduce the chance that local authorities' budgeting decisions will have an adverse effect on the public finances. Estimates of council tax growth are set on the pessimistic side.

  The table shows the calculation of gross council tax yield for England consistent with chapter 4 of HC 30. The calculation takes account of estimates of the council tax base, the assumed average level of council taxes and the average council tax collection rate.

  1995–96

  1996–97

  Estimated council tax base before collection rate adjustment (million band D equivalents)

  16.50

  16.55

  Assumed average band D council tax level, £

  609

  656

  Percentage estimate of assumed collection rate

  97.2

  97.4

  Estimated yield gross of council tax benefit, £ million

  9,780

  10,574

  Estimated increase in gross yield £ million

  —

  794

  Per cent.

  —

  8.1

  Gross yield divided by 1995–96 tax setting tax base, £

  —

  659

  Gross yield divided by 1995–96 chargeable dwellings, £

  —

  538

  No separate estimate is made of the increase in aggregate budgeted local authority revenue expenditure in England.

  Aggregate external finance has been increased by £549 million (1.6 per cent.) above the 1995–96 level, adjusted for community care special grant and other changes in local authority responsibilities.

  Nuclear Electric plc
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what new discharge authorisations will be required following the separation of Nuclear Electric plc from Nuclear Electric Ltd. from Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution; how many have been granted; and what is the timetable for the remainder. [13292]
  106
  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 2 February 1996]: Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has received the following applications for new discharge authorisations submitted on behalf of the AGR and PWR Co. Ltd:

  Number of authorisations applied for

  Power station

  Type

  waste gases, miss and dusts

  Liquid waste

  Combustible wastes

  Dungeness B

  AGR

  1

  1

  0

  Hartlepool

  AGR

  1

  1

  1

  Heysham 1

  AGR

  1

  1

  1

  Heysham 2

  AGR

  1

  1

  1

  Hinkley Point B

  AGR

  1

  1

  1

  Sizewell B

  PWR

  1

  1

  1

  AGR=Advanced gas-cooled reactor.

  PWR=Pressure water reactor.

  None of the authorisations has so far been granted. HMIP aims to publish its decision on each of the applications early in March 1996. Before the decision is published, the applicant has the right to appeal to the Secretary of State for the Environment under section 26 of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993, or request a hearing from the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food under section 28 of the Act, with respect to a refusal of an authorisation or any limitations and conditions imposed. In addition, such local authorities or other persons whom the Secretary of State and the Minister consider appropriate may be afforded a hearing. No firm timetable for publishing the decision can therefore be given.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Knives (Sheffield)
  Sir Irvine Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many knives were handed in in(a) the Sheffield area and (b) the Hallam constituency during the recent knives amnesty; and if he will make a statement; [13072]

  (2) how many offences were committed in the Sheffield area for each of the last three years involving knives; and if he will make a statement. [13073]

  Mr. Maclean
  The running of the recent knives amnesty was an operational responsibility for chief officers of police and the information was collected by police force areas. The number of knives and potentially dangerous weapons handed in in the Sheffield area was 225. The information requested on the numbers of offences involving knives is not collected centrally.

  Reconvictions
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the percentage of offenders convicted of offences carrying a discretionary life sentence who are reconvicted of a second offence of similar seriousness; what is the average sentence imposed on those reconvicted of offences carrying a discretionary life sentence; what is the average time served by those reconvicted for (i) all categories of such offences, (ii) manslaughter, (iii) rape, (iv) robbery, (v) buggery,
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  (vi) assault causing grievious bodily harm, (vii) aggravated burglary, (viii) firearms offences carrying life sentence as a maximum penalty and (ix) other offences carrying a maximum life sentence. [12909]

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is not collected routinely. A sample of those convicted of indictable offences in five weeks in 1993–94 included 600 offenders convicted of sexual or violent offences carrying a discretionary life sentence, 198–33 per cent.—of whom had previous convictions for such offences. A total of 169 of the offenders with previous convictions for such offences were given a custodial sentence, five of whom were sentenced to life imprisonment. The table shows the average sentence imposed, excluding life sentences, by offence group. Information is not available on sentences actually served by the offenders included in the sample.

  Offence

  Number sentenced to immediate custody on second or greater occasion

  Average custodial sentence imposed (months)

  Manslaughter

  5

  45

  Rape

  8

  81

  Robbery

  92

  42

  Buggery

  4

  75

  Wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm

  31

  49

  Aggravated burglary

  3

  74

  Firearms offences

  1

  48

  Other offences

  20

  34

  Total

  164

  46

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the average sentence served by(a) burglars and (b) drug dealers imprisoned for a third such sentence; [12911]

  (2) what percentage of (a) burglars and (b) drug dealers receive a prison sentence on their third conviction for a similar offence. [12910]

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is not collected routinely. The results from a sample of those convicted of indictable offences in three weeks of 1993 are given in the table which shows the average sentence imposed. Information is not available on sentences actually served by the offenders included in the sample.

  Sentencing of burglars and drug dealers1 convicted for the third or greater time

  Offence

  Number convicted on a third or greater occasion

  Percentage sentenced to immediate custody

  Average custodial sentence imposed (months)

  Burglary

  1,135

  43

  11

  Drug dealing1

  8

  75

  30

  1 Based on drug trafficking offences monitored and reported in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin "Statistics of Drugs Seizures and Offenders dealt with, United Kingdom, 1994". These are offences of unlawful production of drugs other than cannabis, unlawful supply, possession with intent to supply unlawfully and unlawful import or export.

  Police Authorities (Funding)
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the(a) capital funding and (b) supplementary credit approvals awarded to police authorities for 1996–97. [12930]

  Mr. Maclean
  The information is listed in the table.

  Police capital programme 1996–97

  Police force

  Total funding £ million

  Supplementary credit approval

  Avon and Somerset1

  4.610

  1.427

  Bedfordshire

  2.288

  0.708

  Cambridgeshire

  1.233

  0.298

  Cheshire

  1.885

  0.584

  City of London

  0.825

  0.255

  Cleveland

  1.451

  0.449

  Cumbria

  1.147

  0.315

  Derbyshire

  2.200

  0.616

  Devon and Cornwall

  3.739

  0.773

  Dorset

  1.305

  0.404

  Durham

  1.706

  0.528

  Dyfed Powys

  0.936

  0.290

  Essex

  7.310

  2.079

  Gloucestershire

  1.991

  0.595

  Greater Manchester

  8.404

  2.602

  Gwent

  1.334

  0.367

  Hampshire

  5.707

  1.530

  Hertfordshire

  2.697

  0.835

  Humberside

  3.123

  0.967

  Kent1

  8.006

  2.495

  Lancashire

  3.331

  1.031

  Leicestershire

  3.886

  1.203

  Lincolnshire

  2.873

  0.890

  Merseyside1

  6.812

  1.981

  Norfolk

  2.515

  0.773

  Northamptonshire

  1.718

  0.532

  Northumbria

  8.499

  2.620

  North Wales

  2.115

  0.559

  North Yorkshire1

  2.780

  0.926

  Nottinghamshire

  5.965

  1.847

  South Wales1

  7.146

  2.146

  South Yorkshire

  5.472

  1.694

  Staffordshire

  3.505

  0.815

  Suffolk

  1.195

  0.337

  Surrey

  5.923

  1.834

  Sussex

  7.345

  2.252

  Thames Valley

  6.883

  2.058

  Warwickshire

  1.022

  0.311

  West Mercia

  3.993

  1.070

  West Midlands1

  9.409

  2.900

  West Yorkshire

  7.682

  2.290

  Wiltshire

  1.464

  0.417

  Metropolitan Police

  54.410

  16.459

  Grand total

  217.790

  65.060

  1 Includes allocation for Regional Crime Squads.

  Prisons (Capital Expenditure)
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what capital expenditure for the financial year 1996–97 for prisons in England and Wales will be dropped or revised as a result of the recent cost reductions; and what proportion this represents of total capital expenditure. [13278]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
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  Letter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. George Howarth, dated 6 February 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about what capital expenditure for the financial year 1996–97 for prisons in England and Wales will be dropped or revised as a result of the recent cost reductions; and what proportion this represents of total capital expenditure.
  The provisional capital budget for 1996–97 was £204 million. The final settlement was £117 million, representing a fall of 43% from the provisional budget. The Prison Service is currently deciding which projects to start in 1996–97 within its capital allocation and which capital projects can be started under the Private Finance Initiative.

  "Prevention of Illegal Working"
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library copies of all the submissions he has received as a result of his consultation exercise on his document "Prevention of Illegal Working". [13346]

  Miss Widdecombe
  I have made available to the House a list of those who have responded in writing to the consultation document and a summary of the main points made in those responses. It is for those who responded to decide whether to make their submissions public.

  Police (Publicity Costs)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the communications directorate campaign to publicise successful police operations. [13272]

  Mr. Howard
  The Department has no specific campaign to publicise successful police operations. Examples of good police work are included in press releases, articles and speeches to demonstrate successes in the fight against crime. The minimal costs involved cannot be identified separately.

  Keith Mann
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what considerations led to Keith Mann being given category A status. [13383]

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

  Letter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 6 February 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about what considerations led to Keith Mann being given category A status.
  Category A is applied to those prisoners whose escape would be highly dangerous to the public or the police or the security of the state no matter how unlikely that escape might be; and for whom the aim must be to make escape impossible.
  Keith Mann was convicted of arson in June 1993. He escaped from prison custody while awaiting sentence and was unlawfully at large until his re-arrest in April 1994. On arrest he was found to be in possession of what was reported by police to be material which could be used for making explosives and incendiary devices. He was
  110
  subsequently charged with a number of offences including attempted arson, incitement to commit arson and having explosive substance under suspicious circumstances.
  In accordance with procedures laid down in the Prison Service Manual on Security, Keith Mann was, on his reception into prison custody, reported to Prison Service headquarters as a potential category A prisoner. Having regard to the nature and circumstances of the alleged offence, information received from the police and in the light of an assessment provided by a specialist police adviser, it was decided that Mr. Mann should be provisionally classified category A pending conviction and sentence.
  On 19 December 1994 at the Central Criminal Court, Mr. Mann was sentenced to fourteen years imprisonment for damaging property, attempted incitement to commit arson, attempted incitement to commit criminal damage, attempted incitement to steal and having explosive substance under suspicious circumstances. A review of his security category was completed by the Prison Service Category A committee in September 1995. It was decided that Mr. Mann should remain a category A prisoner but this decision was further reviewed following the outcome of his appeal against sentence. It was subsequently decided that Mr. Mann's security category could be downgraded to category B.

  Traffic Police (Training)
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of state for the Home Department if he will list the number of staff employed by the police(a) full time and (b) as part of the other duties to train traffic police in (a) tachograph and (b) construction and use regulations relevant to heavy goods vehicles. [13276]

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Juvenile Crime (Seaham and Peterlee)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many juveniles were convicted of(a) theft and (b) burglary in the Seaham and Peterlee courts each year since 1991. [13199]

  Mr. Maclean
  Information regarding cases heard at individual court buildings within a petty sessional division is not collected centrally. Data from 1991 to 1994—latest available—are given for the Easington petty sessional division in the table.

  Number of persons aged 10 to under 18 years convicted in the Easington Petty Sessional Division of indictable offences of theft and handling stolen goods and burglary, 1991–1994

  Offence

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  23

  31

  43

  60

  Burglary

  36

  28

  39

  58

  Firearms (Durham)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many legally held firearms are held in the Peterlee sub-division of the Durham constabulary; of which type; and if he will list the figures for each of the last five years. [13229]

  Mr. Maclean
  Information received from the Durham constabulary indicates that a total of 1,495 firearms were covered by certificates in force on 31 January 1996 in the Peterlee sub-division—356 firearms, which includes rifles, pistols, revolvers, large magazine smooth bore guns and specially dangerous air weapons, and 1,139 shot guns.
  111
  Information for earlier years is not available apart from that contained in the answer given to the hon. Member's similar question on 21 January 1993, Official Report, column 332.

  Stalking
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the law on stalking. [13269]

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government have recently completed an examination of the anti-stalking laws passed in the United States, Australia and Canada and are currently considering whether workable and effective legislation to combat stalkers can be introduced in the United Kingdom.

  Entry Clearance Applications
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many entry clearance applications have been delayed because papers have been lost in transit between posts abroad and the immigration service in each of the last three years. [13478]

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

  Police (Ethnic Minorities)
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the total staff establishment from ethnic minorities for the police service in England and Wales by each grade or rank in(a) 1989 and (b) 1995; [13462]

  (2) how many police officers in England and Wales were from an ethnic minority in (a) 1989 and (b) 1995. [13461]

  Mr. Maclean
  There were 1,306 police officers from an ethnic minority in England and Wales at the end of 1989. Records of the ranks held by these officers were not kept centrally. On 30 September 1995, there were 2,223 police officers from an ethnic minority in England and Wales, made up of 2,020 constables, 158 sergeants, 36 inspectors, eight chief inspectors and one superintendent.

  Police Cautions (Burglary)
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) pursuant to his answer of 30 January,Official Report, column 708, on how many occasions since the publication of Home Office circular 18/1994, the police have sought the opinion of the Crown Prosecution Service as to whether a prosecution should be brought or a caution given in a particular case; [13429]

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 30 January, Official Report, column 708, on how many occasions each year the views of victims have been sought, in accordance with the guidance given at paragraph 7 of circular 18/1994, prior to or in contemplation of, the police issuing a caution to the perpetrator of an offence instead of initiating a prosecution. [13428]

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is not collected.
  112
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 30 January,Official Report, column 708, how many times a caution was administered in respect of a most serious offence triable only on indictment in each year since 1992. [13433]

  Mr. Maclean
  The information is given in the table.

  Number of persons cautioned for indictable only (excluding triable either way) offences in the Metropolitan Police Area and England and Wales, 1992–1994.

  Area

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Metropolitan Polices

  186

  236

  222

  England and Wales

  1,735

  1,599

  1,542

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 30 January,Official Report, column 708, what monitoring has been given to the correctness of issuing cautions for less grave offences, in accordance with paragraph 6 of circular 18/1994, since the publication of that circular; and if he will make a statement. [13430]

  Mr. Maclean
  There are no national arrangements for monitoring decisions to administer a caution, but in the course of examining forces' cautioning policy Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary looks, where appropriate, at sampled cases in order to determine whether the policy is being observed. Moreover, a number of forces have established monitoring arrangements on a local basis.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 30 January,Official Report, column 708, how many times cautions have been given for crimes of (a) attempted murder and (b) rape, since the publication of circular 18/1994. [13432]

  Mr. Maclean
  The information is given in the table.

  Number of persons cautioned for (a) attempted murder and (b) rape following the publication of the Home Office Circular 18/19941 in England and Wales 1994

  Offence

  1994 January-March

  1994 April-December

  Total 1994

  Attempted murder

  —

  1

  1

  Rape

  9

  10

  19

  Man having unlawful intercourse with a woman who is a defective

  2

  3

  5

  Substantive rape

  7

  6

  13

  Attempted rape

  —

  1

  1

  1 The Home Office Circular 18/1994 'The Cautioning of Offenders' was issued on 15 March 1994. Cautioning data held centrally only identify the month of the caution, not the date.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 30 January,Official Report, column 708, (1) what action has been taken since the publication of Home Office circular 18/1994 to reduce the inconsistency between police forces about circumstances in which they consider it appropriate to administer a caution, that is referred to at paragraph 4 of that circular; [13424]

  (2) what action has been taken since the publication of Home Office circular 18/1994 to minimise the differing

  113
  perceptions between police forces as to the boundary between (a) informal warnings and formal cautions and (b) formal cautions and prosecutions; and if he will make a statement. [13427]

  Mr. Maclean
  Improving consistency between police forces in their disposal of cases was one of the main purposes of the circular. In March 1995, the Association of Chief Police Officers issued guidelines as to the weight which it was suggested should be attached to a range of offences. The guidance has been adopted by a substantial number of forces. It is too early to determine how far it has helped to improve consistency of decision making.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 30 January,Official Report, column 708, to what extent all cautions are accurately recorded in accordance with paragraph 11 of Home Office circular 18/1994. [13426]

  Mr. Maclean
  Up to 1 November 1995 records of caution were generally kept only by the force that issued them. Since that date, records of all cautions for reportable offences have been entered by forces on to the Phoenix database of the police national computer.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 30 January,Official Report, column 708, what monitoring of results in accordance with paragraph 4 of circular 18/1994 has been given to caution plus schemes. [13425]

  Mr. Maclean
  Most of the 24 forces which operate some form of caution plus scheme have established monitoring arrangements. The results are being evaluated as part of a research study which is now in progress.

  Opposed Measures
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a list of all the measures approved by Parliament since 1979 on law and order, prison sentences, illegal drugs use and terrorism which were opposed(a) on Second or Third Reading, (b) in Committee and (c) on Report by Her Majesty's Opposition. [13120]

  Mr. Howard
  The list of measures which the Opposition have voted against on Second Reading includes:

  1984 Police and Criminal Evidence Act, which strengthened police powers to stop and search suspects;

  1986 Public Order Act, which gave the police more powers to deal with street disorder;

  1988 Criminal Justice Act, which raised the maximum sentences for a number of serious crimes and gave the Attorney-General a right of appeal against over lenient sentences;

  1991 Criminal Justice Act, which made parents more responsible for their children's actions and ensured that all prisoners serve at least half of their sentence in custody;

  Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993, which introduced new measures to deal with bogus asylum seekers; and

  annual renewal of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act every year since 1983.

  114
  A full list of all the measures approved by Parliament since 1979 on law and order at Second and Third Reading, in Committee or on Report by Her Majesty's Opposition is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  details of votes cast in parliamentary Divisions are a matter of public record, published in the Official Report.

  Asylum Seekers
  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information is exchanged between the Governments of all European Union states on asylum seekers; and what rules of confidentiality are applied. [13159]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  General information on asylum matters is exchanged through the Centre for Information, Reflection and Exchange on Asylum working group, established by the Council of the European Union. CIREA's discussions are normally confidential and do not include individual cases.

  Discounts for Guilty Pleas
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy towards magistrates courts offering discounts for guilty pleas. [13118]

  Mr. Maclean
  In common with the Crown court, magistrates courts are required by section 48 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 to take account, when passing sentence, of the timing and other circumstances of a plea of guilty; and, where a discount is given, to indicate the fact This provision gave statutory force to existing practice; the principle that an early plea of guilty should attract a discount on sentence has long been reflected in the sentencing guidelines issued by the Magistrates Association.

  The Government hope that this provision will help to make defendants who are guilty aware of the advantages of pleading guilty at an early stage.

  Under-age Alcohol Sales
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many licence holders have been prosecuted in the Peterlee and Seaham courts for selling alcoholic liquor to persons who were under age in each year since 1991. [13465]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  [holding answer 2 February 1996]: Information regarding cases heard at individual court buildings within a petty sessional division is not collected centrally.

  Data for the Easington petty sessional division show no prosecutions for the offence of a licence holder selling or supplying intoxicating liquor to persons under 18— section 1 of the Licensing Act 1964—from 1991 to 1994.

  Secure Training Centres
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the contracts for the secure training centres are being resubmitted to his Department. [13753]
  115
  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 5 January 1996]: Tender proposals for the provision of the first two secure training centres at Gringley, Nottinghamshire and Cookham Wood, Kent, were received on 14 June 1995. Negotiations are continuing with the tenderers and as part of this process tenderers are being asked to revise certain aspects of their bids prior to the final assessment and selection of preferred bidders. Contracts will be signed as soon as possible once the terms of the contractual agreement have been finalised.

  Visas (El Salvador)
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State. for the Home Department how many visas were granted to representatives of the army and police of El Salvador to visit the United Kingdom in 1995. [13197]

  Mr.Hanley
  I have been asked to reply.

  One.

TREASURY

  Tax Allowances
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many workers(a) in total, (b) who are single, (c) who are married and (d) with children do not claim the full value of their tax allowances due to low earnings; and if he will estimate the value of the unclaimed allowances. [9936]

  Mr. Jack
  The table shows the number of individuals in 1995–96 with some earnings from employment or self-employment, including individuals under 18 and pensioners, who have no income tax liability. Some of the people in the table have gross earnings in excess of the basic tax allowance but have no tax liability due to tax reliefs and deductions which can be set against taxable income. About 1.8 million of the 2.9 million non-taxpaying married individuals have taxpaying spouses.

  Individual's marital status

  Number millions

  Single with no children

  0.8

  Single with children

  0.3

  Married with no children

  1.3

  Married with children

  1.6

  Total

  4.0

  The estimates are based on information projected from the 1993 family expenditure survey and are therefore provisional.

  It is not possible to provide a meaningful total of unused allowances without a specification of the method to be used for combining allowances available at the marginal tax rate and those available at 15 per cent.

  Taxpayers
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the number and percentage of(a) basic rate and (b) higher rate taxpayers in each English county for the most recent year for which figures are available. [12604]

  Mr. Jack
  The table provides estimates for 1993–94, the latest available year for which information can be provided below the United Kingdom level.

  Basic and higher rate taxpayers, 1993–94

  Taxpayers liable at basic rate but not higher rate

  Taxpayers liable at higher rate

  Thousands

  Percentage1

  Thousands

  Percentage1

  Cleveland

  155

  72.5

  11

  5.1

  Cumbria

  146

  67.9

  13

  5.9

  Durham

  176

  73.1

  11

  4.4

  Northumberland

  100

  70.6

  8

  5.6

  Tyne and Wear

  276

  68.6

  15

  3.7

  Humberside

  265

  73.3

  17

  4.6

  North Yorkshire

  258

  74.5

  25

  7.2

  South Yorkshire

  359

  73.5

  20

  4.2

  West Yorkshire

  614

  72.4

  41

  4.8

  Cheshire

  302

  70.7

  36

  8.3

  Greater Manchester

  751

  71.3

  45

  4.3

  Lancashire

  413

  73

  25

  4.5

  Merseyside

  356

  71.4

  22

  4.3

  118

  Basic and higher rate taxpayers, 1993–94

  Taxpayers liable at basic rate but not higher rate

  Taxpayers liable at higher rate

  Thousands

  Percentage1

  Thousands

  Percentage1

  Derbyshire

  300

  73.8

  20

  5.0

  Leicestershire

  309

  74.8

  17

  4.0

  Lincolnshire

  208

  70.6

  15

  5.0

  Northamptonshire

  203

  78.9

  18

  7.0

  Nottinghamshire

  324

  69.7

  25

  5.3

  Hereford and Worcester

  222

  73.6

  21

  6.9

  Shropshire

  147

  73.7

  14

  6.8

  Staffordshire

  311

  77.1

  22

  5.5

  Warwickshire

  162

  70.1

  21

  8.9

  West Midlands

  753

  75.6

  36

  3.6

  Cambridgeshire

  225

  73.4

  25

  8.2

  Norfolk

  236

  74.1

  16

  4.9

  Suffolk

  197

  70.6

  23

  8.1

  Bedfordshire

  198

  78.0

  18

  7.2

  Berkshire

  270

  69.8

  49

  12.7

  Buckinghamshire

  217

  70.8

  49

  15.9

  East Sussex

  198

  64.5

  22

  7.1

  Essex

  549

  72.3

  64

  8.5

  Greater London

  2,140

  72.2

  341

  11.5

  Hampshire

  531

  71.3

  57

  7.7

  Hertfordshire

  333

  70.0

  54

  11.4

  Kent

  489

  72.6

  51

  7.6

  Oxfordshire

  212

  72.5

  31

  10.5

  Surrey

  335

  64.3

  82

  15.7

  West Sussex

  261

  75.7

  30

  8.7

  Isle of Wight

  41

  66.1

  2

  3.0

  Avon

  348

  74.9

  25

  5.4

  Cornwall

  123

  61.9

  7

  3.6

  Devon

  357

  72.1

  19

  3.8

  Dorset

  218

  73.1

  15

  5.0

  Gloucestershire

  183

  70.8

  21

  8.0

  Somerset

  164

  75.2

  10

  4.5

  Wiltshire

  224

  75.0

  21

  7.0

  1Of total numbers of taxpayers including those liable to only the lower rate of tax.

  Employment Statistics (Lancashire)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the average(a) weekly earnings, (b) total hours and (c) average hourly pay rates for all part-time (i) male and (ii) female workers in each borough in Lancashire. [12840]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  It is not possible to provide data for county boroughs.

  Earnings for part-time women workers in Lancashire are shown in the table. There are not enough part-time men workers in the sample to provide a reliable estimate.

  Part-time women workers on adult rates, pay not affected by absence: April 1995

  Lancashire

  Average gross weekly earnings

  £104.66

  Hourly earnings excluding overtime

  £5.08

  Average total hours worked

  19.6

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list on the basis of (i) the Government's unemployment benefit count and (ii) the labour force survey(a) the number in employment in the United Kingdom, (b) the number unemployed, (c) the number economically inactive and (d) the unemployment rates in the United Kingdom, for each quarter between 1979 and the end of 1984. [13076]
  119
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  Estimates available from the labour force survey are shown in the table.

  Economic activity in the United Kingdom

  In Unemployment

  Unemployed1

  Economically inactive

  Unemployment rates (percentage)

  Spring 1979

  24,765,000

  21,490,000

  15,924,000

  5.7

  Spring 1981

  24,153,000

  22,583,000

  16,274,000

  9.7

  Spring 1983

  23,490,000

  22,957,000

  17,065,000

  11.2

  Spring 1984

  24,019,000

  23,030,000

  16,794,000

  11.2

  Spring 19843

  —

  33,216,000

  16,608,000

  11.8

  1Since 1984 the definitions used in the Labour Force Survey have been fully in line with international recommendations. Prior to 1984 the definition of unemployment was based on a one week job search period and from 1984 was based on a four week job search.

  2The Labour Force definition of unemployment is based on a one-week job search period.

  3The ILO (International Labour Organisation) definition of unemployment is based on a four week job search period.

  Information from the monthly claimant unemployment count on levels and rates of unemployment in the United Kingdom can be obtained from the Nomis database accessed by the House of Commons Library.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to produce figures on the number of individuals who have been out of work for more than six months, who do not appear in unemployment statistics. [13354]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  Analyses of the number of people who have been out of work for more than six months are routinely available for both official measures of unemployment—the claimant count and the internationally standard ILO definition. Copies of the relevant publications can be obtained from the House of Commons Library.

  Economic and Monetary Union
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchquer what projections his Department has made of the impact on employment of entry into economic and monetary union by Britain. [13440]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 25 January 1996,Official Report, columns 312–13.

  Women's Earnings
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the estimated number of women by region earning less than(a) £1.75 per hour, (b) £2 per hour, (c) £2.50 per hour and (d) £3 per hour in each year since 1990. [11492]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  [holding answer 31 January 1996]: The information requested is set out in the table.
  120

  New earnings survey 1990–1995 (GB): Hourly earnings for all female employees on adult rates, pay not affected by absence

  Percentage earning less than:

  Region

  £1.75

  £2.00

  £2.50

  £3.00

  1990

  South-east

  0.4

  0.6

  2.5

  10.5

  Greater London

  0.2

  0.4

  1.5

  4.6

  Rest of South-east

  0.5

  0.7

  3.4

  15.3

  East Anglia

  1.0

  1.6

  7.0

  22.7

  South-west

  0.7

  1.0

  5.7

  22.9

  West Midlands

  0.8

  1.3

  6.8

  25.1

  East Midlands

  0.7

  1.1

  6.7

  25.0

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  0.6

  1.1

  6.5

  25.0

  North-west

  0.8

  1.3

  6.1

  22.7

  North

  0.7

  1.4

  8.3

  30.4

  Wales

  0.9

  1.6

  8.6

  27.0

  Scotland

  0.8

  1.4

  6.5

  22.9

  1991

  South-east

  0.6

  0.8

  1.7

  5.8

  Greater London

  0.3

  0.4

  1.0

  2.7

  Rest of South-east

  0.8

  1.1

  2.3

  8.3

  East Anglia

  0.6

  1.2

  3.5

  12.0

  South-west

  0.7

  1.3

  3.3

  13.5

  West Midlands

  0.9

  1.3

  3.9

  14.3

  East Midlands

  0.6

  1.0

  3.5

  15.0

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  0.8

  1.3

  3.4

  14.5

  North-west

  0.6

  0.9

  3.0

  11.5

  North

  1.0

  1.4

  4.9

  18.2

  Wales

  0.8

  1.4

  4.5

  15.6

  Scotland

  0.9

  1.2

  3.1

  13.1

  1992

  South-east

  0.5

  0.6

  1.4

  3.4

  Greater London

  0.3

  0.4

  0.9

  2.0

  Rest of South-east

  0.6

  0.8

  1.8

  4.6

  East Anglia

  0.4

  0.5

  1.5

  6.0

  South-west

  0.6

  0.8

  2.0

  7.6

  West Midlands

  0.6

  0.9

  2.4

  9.3

  East Midlands

  0.4

  0.7

  2.2

  8.7

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  0.6

  0.7

  2.3

  9.1

  North-west

  0.3

  0.5

  2.2

  7.4

  North

  0.4

  0.7

  2.7

  10.4

  Wales

  0.7

  0.9

  2.7

  9.4

  Scotland

  0.6

  0.7

  2.2

  8.2

  1993

  South-east

  0.4

  0.6

  1.3

  3.1

  Greater London

  0.3

  0.4

  0.9

  1.8

  Rest of South-east

  0.5

  0.8

  1.6

  4.1

  East Anglia

  1.0

  1.3

  2.5

  6.6

  South-west

  0.5

  0.6

  1.7

  5.4

  West Midlands

  0.4

  0.6

  1.7

  6.0

  East Midlands

  0.6

  0.8

  2.2

  7.1

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  0.5

  0.7

  1.7

  5.8

  North-west

  0.4

  0.5

  1.7

  5.5

  North

  0.3

  0.5

  2.3

  7.0

  Wales

  0.2

  0.4

  1.7

  6.0

  Scotland

  0.4

  0.6

  1.6

  5.4

  1994

  South-east

  0.3

  0.5

  1.0

  2.6

  Greater London

  0.1

  0.3

  0.6

  1.6

  Rest of South-east

  0.4

  0.6

  1.2

  3.3

  East Anglia

  0.6

  0.7

  1.3

  5.2

  South-west

  0.8

  1.0

  1.6

  4.7

  West Midlands

  0.6

  0.8

  1.8

  5.5

  East Midlands

  0.6

  0.9

  1.8

  5.6

  121

  New earnings survey 1990–1995 (GB): Hourly earnings for all female employees on adult rates, pay not affected by absence

  Percentage earning less than:

  Region

  £1.75

  £2.00

  £2.50

  £3.00

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  0.6

  0.8

  1.6

  4.8

  North-west

  0.3

  0.5

  1.6

  4.8

  North

  0.5

  0.6

  1.8

  5.8

  Wales

  1.4

  1.5

  2.3

  6.7

  Scotland

  0.3

  0.5

  1.3

  4.0

  1995

  South-east

  1.2

  1.4

  1.9

  3.4

  Greater London

  0.9

  1.0

  1.4

  2.3

  Rest of South-east

  1.4

  1.7

  2.4

  4.3

  East Anglia

  1.6

  2.0

  3.1

  6.0

  South-west

  0.8

  1.2

  2.2

  5.3

  West Midlands

  1.6

  1.9

  2.9

  5.6

  East Midlands

  1.0

  1.3

  2.0

  5.3

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  1.5

  1.7

  2.7

  5.7

  North-west

  1.2

  1.5

  2.4

  5.1

  North

  1.2

  1.5

  2.6

  6.3

  Paid holiday entitlement of female employees, by region

  No paid holiday entitlement

  More than zero, but less than 10 days paid holiday entitlement

  Thousands

  Autumn 1992

  Autumn 1993

  Autumn 1994

  Autumn 1992

  Autumn 1993

  Autumn 1994

  Great Britain

  1,355

  1,446

  1,480

  356

  406

  393

  North

  70

  71

  76

  17

  21

  17

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  134

  120

  141

  35

  38

  41

  East Midlands

  124

  119

  117

  24

  32

  30

  East Anglia

  66

  72

  76

  17

  20

  16

  Greater London

  105

  120

  142

  32

  34

  32

  Rest of South-east

  294

  325

  329

  84

  86

  92

  South-west

  141

  152

  142

  34

  36

  40

  West Midlands

  121

  149

  131

  28

  33

  36

  North-west

  130

  138

  142

  33

  44

  33

  Wales

  66

  75

  75

  22

  25

  19

  Scotland

  104

  106

  110

  29

  37

  37

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the number of staff employed by his Department or related agencies in each of the travel-to-work areas of Carmarthen, south Pembrokeshire, Haverfordwest, Fishguard and Cardigan on(a) 31 March 1979, (b) 31 March 1990, (c) 31 March 1992, (d) 31 March 1995, (e) the latest available figure and (f) the estimate for 31 March 1997. [13295]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  [holding answer 5 February 1996]: The Valuation Office agency has a local office in Carmarthen.

  Figures for the number of staff are:

  (a) 0

  (b) 0

  (c) 40

  (d) 35

  (e) 32

  (f) 32

  Rail Privatisation
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the annual(a) interest payments
  122

  New earnings survey 1990–95 (GB); Hourly earnings for all female employees on adult rates, pay not affected by absence

  Percentage earning less than:

  Region

  £1.75

  £2.00

  £2.50

  £3.00

  Wales

  1.8

  2.1

  3.1

  6.2

  Scotland

  1.0

  1.2

  1.9

  4.2

  Annual Leave Entitlement (Women)
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the estimated number of women employees by region with(a) no contractual annual leave entitlement and (b) fewer than 10 days' contractual annual leave per year in each year since 1979. [11490]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  [holding answer 31 January 1996]: Information from the labour force survey is available between autumn 1992 and autumn 1994 and is shown in the table.

  and (b) capital repayments due on the outstanding loans held by Railtrack with the national loans fund on 1 January in each of the first three years after privatisation. [13755]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 5 February 1996]: A decision on the capital structure will be taken in due course.

PRIME MINISTER

  Parliamentary Private Secretaries
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Prime Minister, if he will publish the current list of parliamentary private secretaries and the Ministers to whom each is attached. [2516]

  The Prime Minister
  A comprehensive list is as follows:

  Parliamentary private secretaries (as at 5 February 1996)

  Minister

  Secretary

  Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister for Agriculture Mr. D. Hogg)

  Mr. G. Clifton-Brown

  Minister of State (Mr. T. Baldry)

  Mr. N. Evans

  123

  Parliamentary private secretaries (as at 5 February 1996)

  Minister

  Secretary

  Defence

  Secretary of State (Mr. M. Portillo)

  Mr. D. Amess

  Ministers of State (Mr. N. Soames and Mr. J. Arbuthnot)

  Mr. N. Hawkins

  Cabinet Office

  Deputy Prime Minister (Mr. M. Heseltine) and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Mr. R. Freeman)

  Mr. S. Coe

  Education and Employment

  Secretary of State (Mrs. G. Shephard)

  Mr. A. Coombs

  Ministers of State (Mr. E. Forth and Lord Henley)

  Mr. J. Whittingdale

  Environment

  Secretary of State (Mr. J. Gummer)

  Mr. D. French

  Ministers of State (Mr. D. Curry, Lord Ferrers, Robert Jones)

  Mr. M. Banks

  Foreign Office

  Secretary of State (Mr. M. Rifkind)

  Mr. H. Bellingham

  Ministers of State (Mr. D. Davis, Mr. J. Hanley, Sir N. Bonsor)

  Mr. P. Atkinson

  Health

  Secretary of State (Mr. S. Dorrell)

  Mr. D. Faber

  Minister of State (Mr. G. Malone)

  Mr. N. Waterson

  Home Office

  Secretary of State (Mr. M. Howard)

  Mr. D. Lidington

  Ministers of State (Mr. D. Maclean, Baroness Blatch

  Mr. D. Evennett

  Minister of State (Miss A. Widdecombe)

  Dr. R. Spink

  Law Officers Department

  Attorney-General (Sir N. Lyell) and Solicitor-General (Sir D. Spencer)

  Mr. E. Garnier

  Minister without Portfolio (Mr. B. Mawhinney)

  Mr. A. Duncan

  National Heritage

  Secretary of State (Mrs. V. Bottomley)

  Mr. P. Ainsworth

  Minister of State (Mr. I. Sproat)

  Mr. A. Robathan

  Northern Ireland Office

  Secretary of State (Sir P. Mayhew)

  Mr. J. Cran

  Ministers of State (Sir J. Wheeler and Mr. M. Ancram)

  Mr. H. Elletson

  Prime Minister

  Mr. J. Ward

  The Lord McColl

  Privy Council Office

  Lord President and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. T. Newton)

  Mr. J. Couchman

  Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Lords (The Viscount Cran borne)

  Mr. J. Sykes

  Scottish Office

  Secretary of State (Mr. M. Forsyth)

  The Hon. B. Jenkin

  Social Security

  Secretary of State (Mr. P. Lilley)

  Mr. P. Merchant

  Ministers of State (Lord MacKay and Mr. A. Burt)

  Mr. D. Congdon

  Trade and Industry

  President of the Board (Mr. I. Lang)

  Mr. S. Coombs

  124

  Parliamentary private secretaries (as at 5 February 1996)

  Minister

  Secretary

  Minister of State (Mr. T. Eggar)

  Mr. P. Luff

  Ministers of State (Lord Fraser, Mr. A. Nelson)

  Mr. T. Devlin

  Transport

  Secretary of State (Sir G. Young)

  Dr. C. Goodson-Wicks

  Minister of State (Mr. J. Watts)

  Mr. T. Dicks

  Treasury

  Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr. K. Clarke)

  Mr. P. Butler

  Chief Secretary (Mr. W. Waldergrave)

  Mr. M. Robinson

  Welsh Office

  Secretary of State (Mr. W. Hague)

  Ms J. Lait

  Nolan Committee
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will refer to the Nolan Committee the issue of the financial links of people who are being considered for appointment as ambassadors. [13476]

  The Prime Minister
  There is no need to do so. This is already covered by the terms of reference.

  Local Authorities (Equity Portfolios)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 1 February Official Report, column 1121, on the purchase by local authorities of shares in privatised companies, what duties are owed by councils and their advisers to council tax payers which constrain their ability to build very unbalanced portfolios, with special reference excluding certain classes of equities. [13942]

  The Prime Minister
  Local authorities are free to invest their funds how they choose, subject to their general duty of prudence and other matters set out in professional guidance issued by the accounting bodies. Where authorities place their general funds in investments which are not approved under regulations, receipts from the disposal of those investments are treated as capital receipts. Local authorities' use of capital receipts is controlled through the capital finance system.

  Libya (Sanctions)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 22 January,Official Report, column 46, what factors led to Her Majesty's Government being unable to estimate the cost to British trade of sanctions against Libya; and if he will make it his policy to implement structures to allow such estimates to be made in situations where sanctions are imposed in the future. [13222]

  The Prime Minister
  It is not possible to distinguish which elements in the overall fall in British exports to Libya over the past five years are attributable to the UN sanctions and which other factors such as the decline of the Libyan economy and lower oil prices.

  Engagements
  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 6 February. [12275]

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 6 February. [12277]

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

HEALTH

  Biomedical Research
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research his Department has carried out into characterisation of the enantioselective metabolism of metoprolol by CYP2D6 expressed in yeast; what results and conclusions have been arrived at to date; and if he will make a statement; [13071]

  (2) what evaluation his Department has made of a template model of the CYP2D6 active site by experimental testing of compounds with a recombinant human CYP2D6; what results and conclusions have been arrived at; and if he will make a statement; [13069]

  (3) what research his Department has carried out into the function of aspartic acid 301 in cytochrome P4502D6 catalyst; what results and conclusions have been arrived at to date; and if he will make a statement; [13068]

  (4) what research his Department has carried out in respect of a differential regioselective metabolism of metoprolol by two human c.DNA-derived CYP2D6 proteins; what results and conclusions have been arrived at to date; and if he will make a statement. [13070]

  Mr. Malone
  None. Research commissioned within the Department's policy research programme is set out in "Centrally Commissioned Research Programme" and "Centrally Commissioned Research Programme: Commissions 1994–95", copies of which are available in the Library.

  The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council. The MRC is an independent body receiving its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

  Personal Information
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the disclosure of personal medical records of individuals to outside agencies, with special reference to detective agencies; and if he will list the agencies to which such records have been disclosed in the last five years; [13416]

  (2) was assessment he has made of the extent to which (a) general practitioners and (b) hospitals are selling personal medical records to private detective agencies; [13417]
  126
  (3) what representations he has received urging that measures be brought forward to prevent personal medical records being sold to private detective agencies; and if he will make a statement. [13401]

  Mr. Horam
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms Harman) on 5 December 1995,Official Report, column 196. I have received correspondence from hon. Members and others about the confidentiality of health records and have answered a number of questions on this subject in the House. The information sought about disclosures to agencies outside the national health service is not available, but these are generally to agencies such as social services departments to enable joint care and treatment to be delivered effectively. The sale or disclosure of information to a detective agency, without a patient's consent, would be a breach of confidence and may be actionable under civil and criminal law.

  Hypothermia
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths due to hypothermia were recorded in each of the health authority regions in each of the last five years. [13381]

  Mr. Horam
  The information is shown in the table.

  Number of deaths with a mention of hypothermia (ICD1 991.6) by health region of usual residence, 1990–1994

  Health region

  1990

  1991

  1992

  19932

  19942

  Northern

  17

  29

  16

  37

  27

  Yorkshire

  39

  33

  23

  36

  28

  Trent

  29

  44

  29

  28

  31

  East Anglia

  14

  28

  17

  30

  25

  North-west Thames

  28

  37

  28

  30

  24

  North-east Thames

  35

  32

  34

  36

  25

  South-east Thames

  29

  41

  24

  33

  20

  South-west Thames

  15

  29

  23

  12

  15

  Wessex

  21

  25

  19

  14

  16

  Oxford

  12

  24

  10

  18

  15

  South Western

  27

  40

  24

  23

  24

  West Midlands

  40

  60

  33

  45

  35

  Mersey

  11

  15

  10

  10

  9

  North Western

  21

  25

  21

  28

  28

  Wales

  22

  34

  18

  32

  22

  Total

  360

  496

  329

  412

  344

  1 International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision.

  2 Provisional.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total value of all schemes currently agreed in the NHS for the financial year 1995–96 under the private finance initiative; and what is the target for 1996–97. [13247]

  Mr. Horam
  So far, in the financial year 1995–96, £116 million-worth of schemes, each over £1 million capital value, have been approved under the private finance initiative by the national health service executive for the NHS in England. This brings the total value since the launch of the PFI to over £220 million in England. This excludes schemes whose individual capital value is
  127
  under £1 million, which are not recorded centrally. We do not impose a PFI target upon the NHS, but we expect that the sums will increase substantially in the coming year.

  Secure Units
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of secure units available to accommodate juveniles who commit serious crimes, by region. [13176]

  Mr. Bowis
  The regional distribution of available secure units is shown in the table.

  Social service inspectorate regions

  Units

  Northern

  11

  Central

  15

  Southern

  7

  London

  2

  Total

  25

  1 Includes Glenthorne centre in Birmingham run by the Youth Treatment Service.

  In addition, two existing units in the Central region are temporarily closed for building work. Six new units are being constructed as part of the national development programme—two in Northern region, one in Central region, two in Southern region and one in Wales.

  NHS (North Staffordshire)
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the extent of underfunding in the NHS in North Staffordshire; and if he will make a statement. [13724]

  Mr. Horam
  North Staffordshire health authority's planned 1996–97 revenue allocation of £202.5 million represents a real terms increase of £2.5 million or 1.3 per cent., which was more than the national average.

  This shows our commitment to bring North Staffordshire closer to its weighted capitation target of £206.2 million as soon as possible.

  NHS Funding
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what replacement formula for resource allocation working party he uses to link NHS funding to local needs. [13723]

  Mr. Horam
  The RAWP formula was replaced by a new weighted capitation formula which uses forecast resident population figures which are then weighted for age, need and geographical variations in cost. The measure of need in the formula takes the form of two separate needs indices: one for general and acute services and the other for psychiatric services.

  Cancer
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the United Kingdom have died of oral cancer since 1989; what are the figures for(a) lung, (b) breast and (c) prostate cancer; and how many of those who died were over the age of 60 years. [13788]
  128
  Mr. Horam
  The number of deaths from oral, lung, breast and prostate cancer in the United Kingdom since 1989 are published in "World Health Statistics Annual", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Opposed Measures
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a list of all the measures approved by Parliament since 1979 on patient care and choice and value for money which were opposed by Her Majesty's Opposition(a) on Second or Third Reading, (b) in Committee and (c) on Report; and if he will make a statement. [13121]

  Mr. Horam
  The list of measures which the Opposition have voted against includes:

  The establishment of the general practitioner fundholding scheme—NHS and Community Care Act 1990

  The establishment of national health service trusts—NHS and Community Act 1990

  The abolition of regional health authorities—Health Authorities Act 1995

  A full list is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Intensive Care
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adult intensive care beds were available in each year from 1988–89 to 1990–91 in the(a) Northallerton, (b) York, (c) Scarborough, (d) Harrogate, (e) Bradford, (f) Airedale, (g) Calderdale, (h) Huddersfield, (i) Dewbury, (j) Leeds Western, (k) Leeds Eastern, (I) Wakefield, (m) Pontefract, (n) Barnsley, (o) Doncaster, (p) Rotherham and (q) Sheffield district health authorities. [13423]

  Mr. Horam
  The information is shown in the table:

  Average daily number of available beds in intensive care wards other than for children or elderly patients

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Northallerton

  5

  4

  4

  York

  13

  14

  14

  Scarborough

  8

  8

  8

  Harrogate

  6

  6

  6

  Bradford

  5

  5

  5

  Airedale

  10

  10

  10

  Calderdale

  4

  4

  4

  Huddersfield

  12

  13

  15

  Dewsbury

  7

  8

  8

  Leeds Western

  20

  17

  16

  Leeds Eastern

  14

  14

  19

  Wakefield

  7

  7

  7

  Pontefract

  3

  10

  10

  Barnsley

  13

  13

  13

  Doncaster

  25

  25

  24

  Rotherham

  12

  12

  11

  Sheffield

  46

  47

  47

  Source:

  DH statistical return KH03.

  Note:

  Boundary and organisational changes may mean that the data are not strictly comparable with the latest bed availability information.

  Emergency Care
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what
  plans he has to review arrangements for emergency care of patients outside hospitals; and if he will make a statement. [13595]

  Mr. Horam
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has asked the chief medical officer to undertake a review of the organisation and delivery of emergency care services outside hospital, to ensure that care delivered to patients is seamless across the primary, secondary and community care sectors. My hon. Friend the Minister for Health informed chairmen of national health service trusts and health authorities in a letter dated 10 January, copies of the subsequent guidance (EL96)3) issued to chief executives of NHS trusts and health authorities are available in the Library.

  Long-term Care Leaflet
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of producing the leaflet on long-term care, "Moving into
  a Care Home". [13792]

  Mr. Bowis
  The cost of producing a leaflet on long-term care will depend on the arrangements for production, printing and distribution. These arrangements have yet to be finalised.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  School Places (Costs)
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the average cost of an(a) assisted place and (b) a place in the state secondary sector in (a) 1992, (b) 1993, (c) 1994 and (d) 1995. [13164]

  Mrs. Gillan
  The information requested is given in the following table for England. Data for the current year 1995–96 are not yet complete. The available figures are not directly comparable: those for maintained places exclude capital and certain other costs which may be subsumed in the assisted place figures.

  Average cost of maintained secondary place1£

  Average cost of assisted place2

  Year 3

  £

  age 11–15 £

  post-16 £

  1992–93

  3,405

  2,724

  4,358

  1993–94

  3,544

  2,775

  3,864

  1994–95

  3,688

  2,741

  3,761

  1 includes remission of annual tuition fees and incidental expenses e.g. uniform and travel grants and meals.

  2 figures represent the recurrent national average education Standard Spending Assessment (SSA) per pupil.

  3 figures relate to academic years for assisted places and financial years for maintained secondary school places.

  Youth Training Schemes (Greater Manchester)
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many accidents and fatalities have occurred involving people placed on youth 130
  training schemes in the Greater Manchester area in the last five years. [13167]

  Mr. Paice
  A total of 445 accidents involving people placed on youth training programmes were reported within the area covered by the six Greater Manchester training and enterprise councils for the period 1 January 1991 to 31 January 1996. No fatalities involving people placed on youth training programmes were reported in this area during the same period.

  School Selection Procedures
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment she has made of school selection procedures in individual (i) European Union and (ii) Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. [13187]

  Mrs. Gillan
  My right hon. Friend is fully aware of the potential benefits of sharing information and good practice with our European Union and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development partners in this and other areas.

  Comprehensive Schools (Streaming)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what number and percentage of comprehensive schools currently use(a) streaming (b) setting by subject and (c) mixed ability teaching. [13490]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information is not collected by the Department. However the Office for Standards in Education paper "Class Size and the Quality of Education" published in November 1995, a copy of which is in the Library, contains relevant information derived from the large sample of schools whose inspection data were available at that date. The report indicated that some 62 per cent. of secondary school classes were formed on the basis of ability—sets or streams. Further details are given in table 12 of the report.

  Schools (Computers and Homework)
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many schools have a computers and homework policy. [13557]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Matters concerning homework are for individual schools to determine. The information is not collected centrally.

  Manufacturing Apprentices (Greater Manchester)
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the total number of apprentices in manufacturing industry in the Greater Manchester area for each year since 1979. [13492]

  Mr. Paice
  The information is not available.

  Overseas Students
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what annual income is generated by overseas students at United Kingdom
  universities. [13737]
  131
  Mr. Forth
  The requested information is not held centrally. However, a recent report for the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals on the economic impact of international students in United Kingdom higher education estimated that in 1992–93 international students contributed at least £716 million to the UK economy.

  Wages (Yorkshire)
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if she will list the lowest wage advertised in Rotherham jobcentre for each month from June 1994 to the present time. [13573]

  (2) what were (a) the lowest and (b) the highest wages advertised in each jobcentre in Yorkshire in each year since 1990. [13614]

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

  Letter from Mike Fogden to Mr. Denis MacShane, dated 5 February 1996:

  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about wage rates advertised in Jobcentres in Rotherham and Yorkshire more widely.

  The Employment Service does not keep a record of wage rates advertised by Jobcentres.

  However, we did carry out research on vacancies in February 1994 which gave the following estimates for Great Britain, based on those vacancies for which wages and hours were given (ie not those open to an element of negotiation). These show that at that time 11% of vacancies were for hourly rates of pay of £2.50 or below, 47% for £2.51-£3.50, 27% for £3.51£4.50, 8% for £4.51-£5.50 and 7% for over £5.50. Research on vacancy circulation is being carried out at present and is expected to be published by the summer. It is expected to give some further, limited information on wage rates of jobcentre vacancies.

  I hope this is helpful.

  University Students (Northumberland)
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many students in the Northumberland education authority commenced university in the current academic year; and what the figure was five years ago. [13487]

  Mr. Forth
  Centrally held information on student numbers is not available at local education authority level. The following table shows the number of new mandatory awards and discretionary awards made to higher education students by Northumberland local education authority in the academic year 1988–89 and in 1993–94, the latest year for which data are available.

  New higher education awards made by Northumberland local education authority

  Academic year

  1988–89

  1993–94

  Mandatory awards

  960

  1,927

  Discretionary awards

  113

  34

  All new higher education awards

  1,073

  1,961

  Primary Education (Greater Manchester)
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to increase 132
  her Department's expenditure on primary education programmes in the Greater Manchester area. [13493]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Within the programme of grants for education support and training allocations to local education authorities in the Greater Manchester area focused on primary education will increase by £270,000 in 1996–97. Other GEST grants relevant to all schools, and the £43.7 million increase in education standard spending assessments, may also be used to increase spending on primary education if that is these authorities' priority.

  EU Task Force on Multimedia
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what are the names, countries and interests of the members of the EU task force on multimedia in education. [13556]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  This task force on educational software and multimedia is composed of officials from directorates general within the commission. I am writing to the hon. Member with the details.

  Internet (Children's Access)
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what different approaches she has evaluated, with special reference to blocking software, for preventing children(a) at school and (b) at home from gaining access to unsuitable material via the Internet. [13924]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Department has recently announced plans to evaluate Internet services for education, including software and other means of protecting children from undesirable materials. Similar evaluation is taking place under the Education Departments' super-highways initiative, which includes projects covering both schools and homes. The National Council for Educational Technology issued separate guidance for teachers and parents in February 1995.

  School Places (Parents' Choice)
  Dr. Hampson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what recent assessment she has made of the proportion of parents who gain a place at their first choice of school(a) nationally and (b) in
  Leeds. [13178]

  Mrs. Gillan
  This information is not collected centrally. Surveys commissioned by the Association of Metropolitan Authorities in 1992 and by The Times newspaper in 1993 suggested that some 90 per cent. of parents gained a place at their first choice school. No figures are available on the proportion of parents gaining a place at their first choice school in Leeds.

  University Funding
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State
  for Education and Employment what was the change in funding to universities between 1989–90 and 1994–95 in constant prices. [13670]
  133
  Mr. Forth
  Funding from the Department for Education and Employment for higher education, including maintenance grants to students, increased by more than 23 per cent. in real terms at 1993–94 prices during the period 1989–90 to 1994–95.

  Jobcentres (Armed Forces Vacancies)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if she will make a
  statement concerning the use of jobcentres to advertise vacancies in the armed forces; [13366]

  (2) what guidelines have been issued to the managers and staff of jobcentres concerning the proposal to
  advertise recruitment to the armed forces in jobcentres; if he will place a copy of these guidelines in the Library;
  and if he will make a statement; [13367]

  (3) what training has been given to the staff of jobcentres in relation to the recruitment needs of the
  armed forces; and if he will make a statement. [13393]

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

  Letter from Mike Fogden to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 5 February 1996.

  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions about the use of Jobcentres in Armed Forces Recruitment.

  Following the publication of the Defence Cost Study, "Front Line First" which proposed, amongst other things, the transfer of the initial stages of Forces recruitment to Jobcentres, the Ministry of Defence sought the help of the Employment Service in improving the cost-effectiveness of its recruitment into the three Services.

  Six month recruiting trials were conducted in 1994/1995 in Liverpool, Edinburgh, Greenwich, Gloucester, Norwich and Swansea, of different ways in which Jobcentres could advise people about employment opportunities in the Forces and undertake the early stages of the recruitment process. The trials were completed successfully and although we will not be the sole source of recruits for the Forces, Jobcentres will in future play an important part.

  Guidelines, outlining the new partnership arrangements were issued to my Jobcentres in November last year. These guidelines have recently been updated and are also in the process of being incorporated in our publication, the Guide to Job Broking, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Briefing/training events were held for my Jobcentre people, in conjunction with Armed Forces Careers Office Project Managers', prior to the national implementation of these arrangements.

  The Employment Service is keen to introduce jobseekers to all the options available to help them in their search for work and I believe that these new arrangements will both give unemployed people access to a wider range of opportunities and provide an effective service to the Armed Forces.

  I hope this is helpful.

  Pre-school Provision (Norfolk)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will estimate the capital cost of providing early years education for all four-year-olds in the county of Norfolk when(a) one
  quarter of such pupils attend nursery schools or classes as currently operated and half attend play groups under
  arrangements recognised by the Pre-School Education Alliance and (b) half attend each type of provision,
  together with the method of such funding and the type of accommodation to be provided. [13991]
  134
  Mr. Robin Squire
  The capital costs of providing a nursery education place for all four-year-olds in Norfolk will depend on the circumstances of individual providers.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will estimate(a) the number of four-year-olds in the county of Norfolk whose parents or guardians will be eligible to apply for vouchers and (b) the number of full-time equivalent adults required to staff all providers at current statutory or recommended staff-pupil ratios for half-time pupils (i) when one quarter of the children are attending nursery schools or nursery classes as currently operated, and three quarters play groups operating under arrangements recognised by the
  Pre-School Education Alliance and (ii) when half attended each type of provision; and what is the annual salary bill
  in each case. [13996]

  Mr. Squire
  We estimate that the parents of some 9,300 four-year-olds in Norfolk will be eligible to apply for a nursery education voucher. The number of full-time equivalent adults required to staff all providers will depend on the number of providers and the size of the groups therin. The annual salary bill will depend on the salary costs of individual adults.

  Nursery Education Vouchers
  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if nursery education
  vouchers for parents of four-year-olds in receipt of income support, family credit or disability working allowance will be treated as income for the purpose of calculation of benefit. [11709]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  I have been asked to reply. The answer is no.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Compliance Cost Assessments
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list those regulations laid since 1990 which have required compliance cost assessments. [12863]

  Mr. Freeman
  Details of compliance cost assessments issued since November 1993 on regulations are set out in the following Command Papers:

  1 November 1993 to 30 June 1994: Cm 2719

  1 July 1994 to 31 December 1994: Cm 2881

  1 January 1995 to 30 June 1995: Cm 3075

  Further Command Papers listing compliance cost assessments issued in the preceding six months will be published at six-monthly intervals.

  Details of compliance cost assessments issued prior to November 1993 are not centrally available.

SCOTLAND

  Housing
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what restrictions are placed upon a tenant's right
  135
  to buy a local authority house if that house has been fitted with a community alarm system. [12220]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  Under section 69 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, any public sector landlord may apply to the Secretary of State for consent to refuse to sell a dwelling to a tenant seeking to exercise the right to buy if the dwelling has features which make it suitable for occupation by persons of pensionable age. Each application is considered on its merits. The presence of a community alarm system is one of the factors which may be taken into account in deciding whether to grant consent.

  Cruden Bay (Landfill)
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list representations made in opposition to the date of the public inquiry into the planning application lodged by Caird Evered for a landfill at Cruden bay; [12250]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the strength and basis of the opposition in Cruden bay to the date of the public
  inquiry into the planning application lodged by Caird Evered for a landfill at Cruden bay; [12249]

  (3) if he will outline the history of the application being submitted by Caird Evered for a landfill at Cruden bay
  currently the subject of a public inquiry; and what amendments to the application have been accepted by the
  inquiry reporter; [12248]

  (4) if he will make a statement on the interval between the lodging of a planning appeal for a landfill at Cruden
  bay and the holding of a public inquiry to consider this appeal. [12251]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The detailed information requested cannot immediately be supplied because the appeal papers are currently with the reporter.

  I shall therefore write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Nursery Vouchers
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the new unitary councils in
  Scotland currently negotiating with his Department over the introduction of the pilot scheme for nursery vouchers. [12516]>

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  In their public responses to the August 1995 consultation, the following councils expressed an interest in discussions with the Scottish Office on the possibility of involvement in the pilot:

  North Ayrshire

  South Ayrshire

  South Lanarkshire

  East Renfrewshire

  Clackmannanshire

  Borders

  Highland

  Western Isles

  Argyll and Bute

  136
  Discussions have been held with these and other councils.

  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much the nursery voucher scheme will cost to administer annually. [11557]

  Mr. Robertson
  [holding answer 14 January 1996]: The cost of administering the nursery voucher initiative from August 1997 will depend on the cost of a contract to be let by competitive tender.

  School Boards
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department has spent on overseeing the election of members of school boards in each academic year since their introduction. [12502]

  Mr. Robertson
  The Scottish Office does not incur expenditure directly in overseeing the election of members to school boards as, under the School Boards (Scotland) Act 1988, responsibility for school board elections is a matter for education authorities.

  Water Leakage
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made over the last five years of leakage from the public water supply on a comparable basis to those figures that have been
  produced by the privatised water companies in England and Wales. [13421]

  Mr. Kynoch
  An assessment was made in the report, "An Assessment of Demands and Resources at 1994", which was published by the Scottish Office in July 1995. The figures contained in the report are broadly comparable to those published by the privatised water companies in England and Wales. Copies of the report are in the Library.

  Housing Budget
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will reply to the hon. Member's letter of 27 December concerning next year's housing budget for Edinburgh. [13618]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  A reply has been sent to the hon. Member today.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent on external consultants in the tendering process of the private finance initiative in each year since its introduction(a) in real terms and (b) in cash terms disggregated by (i) legal fees, (ii) publicity costs, (iii) accountancy fees and
  (iv) management consultancy fees. [10964]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 22 January 1996]: Of the sectors in which private finance initiative projects have gone out to tender since the 1992 autumn statement, the only area in which the Scottish Office and its agencies have had direct responsibility for managing the tendering process is motorways and trunk roads. External consultancy costs were incurred in that field in relation to the advertisement, tendering and negotiation of PFI contracts only in 1995–96, and are shown in the table.
  137

  Estimated cost £000

  Legal

  0

  Publicity costs

  30

  Accountancy

  330

  Management consultancy

  550

  Total

  910

  Information on such costs to other public bodies in Scotland is not held centrally.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Fishing Vessels
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what is the aggregate total of vessel capacity units of the Anglo-Spanish vessels; [13136]

  (2) what is the aggregate total of vessel capacity units of the 30 Anglo-Dutch vessels; [13137]

  (3) what is the aggregate total of vessel capacity units of the United Kingdom registered and licensed fleet of over 10 fishing vessels. [13138]

  Mr. Baldry
  Following the introduction of the Merchant Shipping (Registration of Shipping) Regulations 1993, SI 1993 No. 3138, the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen no longer collects details of shareholdings in UK companies owning British-registered fishing vessels. This means that it is not always possible to be sure exactly which vessels are owned by Spanish or Dutch interests. However, we estimate that at 31 December 1995 there were 103 vessels with a significant Spanish interest, accounting for around 55,000 VCUs and 39 vessels with a significant Dutch interest, accounting for some 31,000 VCUs. This compares with an aggregate total of approximately 657,000 VCUs for the UK over-10 m licensed fleet.

  Munitions Dumping
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of environmental contamination of fishing grounds in the Irish sea arising from the leakage of toxic materials from wastes and surplus explosives dumped into the sea off the British coast. [13348]

  Mr. Baldry
  The Department carries out a routine monitoring programme to assess the level of contaminants in coastal waters, including those which are part of the Irish sea. The results are published annually and show that fish are safe to eat. In addition, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has carried out an investigation of the former Beaufort's dyke munitions dumping area. An interim report of the survey's findings was published on 8 January. Copies of the report are in the Library.

  European Legislation
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on which occasions in the last three years officials have vetoed draft EC legislation on the 138
  grounds that a fiche d'impact had not been correctly prepared. [13638]

  Mr. Boswell
  The correct preparation of fiches d'impact is a very important part of our consideration of proposals for EC legislation. It is one of the factors taken into account when Minister consider the UK's negotiating position on a particular proposal.

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he will be taking to ensure that the welfare of animals is given proper consideration at the forthcoming intergovernmental conference. [14221]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In 1992 we secured a declaration, attached to the Maastricht treaty, on the need to pay full regard to the welfare requirements of animals when drafting and implementing Community legislation on the common agricultural policy, transport, the internal market and research. That was a significant advance; the time has now come to build on it. We will be asking our European partners to use the opportunity of the intergovernmental conference to add a protocol to the treaty of Rome placing a formal legal obligation on the Council of Ministers to give full regard to considerations of animal welfare in the exercise of its powers on agriculture, transport, research and the single market.

  Integrated Administration and Control System
  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the arrangements for IACS applications in England and Wales in 1996. [14222]

  Mr. Baldry
  The UK deadline for submitting IACS applications in 1996 will again be the latest possible date of 15 May.

  The IACS explanatory booklets and form will be issued in March. We have consulted the industry closely on the documentation and this year, for the first time, we are introducing a separate booklet and form for livestock farmers who have no interest in the arable area payments scheme. Other changes to the format of the text have been made to make it as helpful and as easy to follow as possible, given the complex nature of the rules. As last year, farmers will be sent a full printout of their 1995 declaration of forage, arable and other land areas, which they must check to ensure the entries are still valid and enter any necessary changes. In addition, this year, they will receive a copy of this printout to keep for their records.

  The latest date for applying for new field numbers so that they can be returned in time for farmers to lodge their 1996 IACS applications will be 1 March. Where changes to field boundaries occur after this date, applications for field numbers should accompany the IACS application form.

  I strongly urge farmers to consider now whether they need new field numbers and not leave applying to the last minute.

  Departmental Cash Limits
  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes are proposed in his Department's cash limits for 1995–96. [14223]
  139
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Parliamentary approval is being sought for a supplementary estimate for class III, vote 3—Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: operational expenditure—during which the cash limit will be increased by £6,385,000 from £402,545,000 to £408,930,000. Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit will then be reduced by £4,672,000 from £408,930,000 to £404,258,000. Within this provision, the cash limit will be reduced by £1,622,000 as a result of a transfer to vote 4, by a transfer of £2,600,000 to the Office of Science and Technology to cover the cost of redundancies arising among staff of the Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council seconded to Horticulture Research International and by a transfer of £450,000 to the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland for the decommissioning of nephrops vessels.

  In addition, vote 3—operational expenditure—will be reduced by a further £1,877,000 from £404,258,000 to £402,381,000. This is a result of a transfer to class III non-voted expenditure on supplementary credit approvals.

  £ million

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  11995–96

  21996–97

  21997–98

  FCGS3

  22.90

  29.60

  28.50

  28.00

  21.00

  11.00

  4.00

  3.00

  Moorland scheme

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0.35

  0.23

  Habitat scheme

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0.95

  2.00

  3.00

  Countryside access scheme

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0.05

  42.50

  42.50

  ESAs5

  7.45

  7.76

  10.87

  16.55

  20.10

  30.5

  32.77

  37.69

  FWPS6

  —

  —

  —

  0.66

  1.46

  2.05

  4.53

  5.88

  NSAs7 8

  0.30

  1.00

  1.40

  1.50

  1.50

  3.70

  6.10

  7.60

  Organic aid scheme

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0.03

  0.27

  0.46

  0.96

  Countryside stewardship

  —

  0.16

  3.82

  8.30

  10.80

  11.26

  12.22

  17.22

  1 1995–96 figures are estimates.

  21996–97 and 1997–98 figures are PES provisions.

  3 FCGS—farm and conservation grant scheme.

  4 Figures are subject to review.

  5ESAs—environmentally sensitive areas.

  6 FWPS—farm woodland premium scheme.

  7 NSAs—nitrate sensitive areas.

  8 Includes expenditure under the pilot NSA scheme.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Al Yamamah II
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what financial guarantees were offered to Rolls-Royce and British Aerospace in connection with Al Yamamah II. [12984]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  On grounds of commercial confidentiality the Export Credits Guarantee Department does not publicise details of individual firms' business without their prior approval.

  Overhead Power Lines
  Sir Mark Lennox-Boyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will reject the application by Norweb to install overhead power lines between Claughton and Wennington; and if he will make a statement. [13563]
  140
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class III, vote 4—Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: departmental research, advisory services and administration, executive agencies and certain other services—will be increased by £3,622,000 from £330,408,000 to £334,030,000. The £3,622,000 arises as a result of a transfer from vote 3 where it is reflected as reduced provision of £1,622,000 and by end-year flexibility of £2,000,000. The gross running costs limit for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will decrease by £11,954,000 from £334,694,000 to £322,740,000.

  Conservation Schemes
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the annual expenditure figures and forecasts for the(a) countryside access scheme, (b) environmentally sensitive areas, (c) farm conservation grant scheme, (d) farm woodland premium scheme, (e) habitat scheme, (f) nitrate sensitive areas, (g) moorland scheme, (h) organic aid scheme and (i) countryside stewardship for each year between 1990–91 and 1997–98. [13636]

  Mr. Boswell
  [holding answer 5 February 1996]The information is as follows. Figures relate to England.

  Mr. Page
  No application has yet been received from Norweb. The position remains as given in my letter of 10 January to my hon. Friend.

  Arms Trade
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the figures for the imports and exports of arms manufactures in the United Kingdom for each of the last 10 years. [13571]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  Information on United Kingdom trade in defence equipment is published in "UK Defence Statistics" which is available in the Library of the House.

  Regional Selective Assistance
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade in which parliamentary constituency the
  141
  companies receiving regional selective assistance offers of £200,000 or more since 1991–92 are located. [13900]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  From April 1991, the parliamentary constituencies were as follows:

  Aldridge-Brownhills

  Amber Valley

  Barnsley Central

  Barnsley East

  Barnsley West and Penistone

  Barrow and Furness

  Bassetlaw

  Batley and Spen

  Beverley

  Birkenhead

  Birmingham Edgbaston

  Birmingham Erdington

  Birmingham Hodge Hill

  Birmingham Ladywood

  Birmingham Northfield

  Birmingham Perry Barr

  Birmingham Selly Oak

  Birmingham Small Heath

  Birmingham Sparkbrook

  Birmingahm Yardley

  Bishop Auckland

  Blackburn

  Blaydon

  Blyth Valley

  Bolsover

  Bolton North-East

  Bolton South-East

  Bolton West

  Bootle

  Bradford North

  Bradford West

  Brent South

  Brigg and Cleethorpes

  Bromsgrove

  Bury North

  Bury South

  Cannock and Burntwood

  Chorley

  City of Chester

  City of Durham

  Copeland

  Corby

  Coventry North-East

  Coventry North-West

  Coventry South-East

  Dagenham

  Denton and Reddish

  Dewsbury

  Doncaster Central

  Doncaster North

  Dover

  Dudley East

  Dudley West

  Ealing Acton

  142

  Easington

  East Lindsey

  Eccles

  Eddisbury

  Edmonton

  Ellesmere Port and Neston

  Enfield North

  Erith and Crayford

  Falmouth and Cambourne

  Faversham

  Folkestone and Hythe

  Gainsborough and Horncastle

  Gateshead East

  Gillingham

  Glanford and Scunthorpe

  Great Grimsby

  Halton

  Hartlepool

  Harwich

  Hemsworth

  Hexham

  Houghton and Washington

  Hyndburn

  Isle of Wight

  Jarrow

  Kingston upon Hull North

  Kingston upon Hull West

  Knowsley North

  Knowsley South

  Langbaurgh

  Leigh

  Littleborough and Saddleworth

  Liverpool Broadgreen

  Liverpool Garston

  Liverpool Mossley Hill

  Liverpool Riverside

  Liverpool Walton

  Ludlow

  Makerfield

  Manchester Central

  Manchester Gorton

  Mansfield

  Middlesborough

  Newcastle upon Tyne Central

  Newcastle upon Tyne East

  Newcastle upon Tyne North

  Newham South

  North Cornwall

  North Devon

  North Durham

  North-East Cambridgeshire

  North Thanet

  North Warwickshire

  North-West Durham

  143

  Nuneaton

  Oldham Central and Royton

  Oldhara West

  Penrith and the Border

  Plymouth Devonport

  Plymouth Drake

  Plymouth Sutton

  Pontefract and Castleford

  Redcar

  Rochdale

  Rossendale and Darwen

  Rother Valley

  Rotherham

  Rugby and Kenilworth

  Salford East

  Sedgefield

  Sheffield Attercliffe

  Sheffield Central

  Sheffield Hallam

  Sherwood

  Shipley

  South-East Cornwall

  South-East Staffordshire

  South Hams

  South Shields

  South Staffordshire

  South Thanet

  Southport

  St. Helens North

  St. Helens South

  St. Ives

  Stalybridge and Hyde

  Stockton North

  Stockton South

  Stretford

  Sunderland North

  Sunderland South

  Sutton Coldfield

  The Wrekin

  Torbay

  Torridge and West Devon

  Tottenham

  Truro

  Tyne Bridge

  Tynemouth

  Wallasey

  Wallsend

  Walsall North

  Walsall South

  Wansbeck

  Warley East

  Warley West

  Warrington South

  Wentworth

  West Bromwich East

  West Bromwich West

  West Dorset

  West Gloucestershire

  144

  West Lancashire

  Wigan

  Wirral South

  Wirral West

  Wolverhampton North-East

  Wolverhampton South-East

  Workington

  Worsley

  Wyre Forest

  Office of Fair Trading
  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes will be made to the cash or running costs limits to the Office of Fair Trading. [14217]

  Mr. Lang
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class IV, vote 8 will be increased by £345,000 from £19,450,000 to £19,795,000. The increase, which is required to meet additional costs of litigation, will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Export Credits Guarantee Department
  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make an announcement on the level of ECGD cover. [14216]

  Mr. Lang
  I am pleased to announce that the amber zone budget, which controls the level of new commitments on markets where ECGD exposure is already concentrated or the risks are high, will be set at £3.8 billion in 1998–99.

  Amber zone budget levels for 1996–97 and 1997–98—£3.2 billion and £3.5 billion respectively—were announced in the Chancellor's November 1994 Budget statement. This further confirmation of the rising trend serves to reaffirm this Government's continuing support for United Kingdom project exporters.

  Departmental Cash and Running Cost Limits
  Mr. Merchant
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes will be made to his Department's cash and running costs limits and external financing limits for 1995–96. [14219]

  Mr. Lang
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class IV, vote 1—programmes and administration—will be increased by £44,811,000 from £1,233,341,000 to £1,278,152,000.

  This net increase results from the provision of £52,900,000 in respect of UKAEA restructuring, £2,240,000 to reflect agreed changes to Nirex payments, £2,193,000 to meet the funding requirements of executive agencies, £227,000 to reflect the net effect of the transfer of gas and oil measurement branch to the Office of Gas Supply and transfers of £300,000 from Property Holdings in respect of the relocation of the Nottingham industrial tribunal office and £77,000 from the FCO in respect of international subscriptions. These increases are offset by reductions of £3,000,000 in energy programmes, £2,303,000 in support for business, £723,000 for laboratory privatisation and contractorisation, £1,100,000

  145
  in running costs and by the machinery of government transfer from the Department for Education and Employment—class V, vote 1—of running costs of £6 million which will be carried forward for use in 1996–97. The increase will be accounted for by a reduction in provision for the non-voted redundancy payments scheme of £19,900,000 with that remaining being charged to the reserve. As a result, there will be no increase to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Within this total, the gross running cost limit for the Department of Trade and Industry is being reduced by £1,662,000 from £364,627,000 to £362,965,000. This change reflects machinery of government transfers from the former Employment Department—class V, vote 1—totalling £608,000 and the Cabinet Office: Office of Public Service—class XVIII, vote 1—totalling £1,044,000, plus an agreed reclassification of £20,000 capital expenditure as running costs. This has been offset by a transfer to class XVIII, vote 1 of £434,000, by a transfer of £1,800,000 to class IV, vote 10 in respect of the transfer of the gas and oil measurement branch to the Office of Gas Supply, and by a reduction of £1,100,000 to offset earlier claims on the reserve.

  Additionally, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XVIII, vote 2—science—will be increased by £2,600,000 from £1,292,852,000 to £1,295,452,000 to enable the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council to meet the cost of certain redundancies at Horticulture Research International. The increase is offset by a similar reduction in class III, vote 3 and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure. The opportunity of the supplementary estimate is also being taken to switch resources between certain subheads of the vote.

  A reduction of £2,300,000 is made in the external financing limit of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority from minus £10,300,000 to minus £12,600,000 to support the increased provision for UKAEA restructuring.

  The EFL of Nuclear Electric is reduced by £15,000,000 to £272,000,000 to £257,000,000 resulting from agreed changes to provision of Nirex payments. Nuclear Electric's EFL is currently under review and may be changed at a later date.

  Office of Gas Supply
  Mr. Merchant
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes will be made to the cash limits and running costs limits for the Office of Gas Supply. [14218]

  Mr. Lang
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class IV vote 10, Office of Gas Supply, will be increased by £1,000 from £6,540,000 to £6,541,000 and the gross running costs limit by £1,975,000 from £6,190,000 to £8,165,000.

  The increase is required to cover the transfer of the gas measurement branch from the Department of Trade and Industry and other running costs associated with the introduction of competition into the gas supply market. The increase in running costs is offset by fees received by GMB.

  Holidays
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his most recent estimate of how many employees in the United Kingdom would receive an increase in their holiday entitlement in the event of the Government losing their case in the European Court against implementation of the European directive on working time. [13365]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The number would depend on the conditions of entitlement set by each member state. Many employees in Great Britain who are not entitled to the holiday periods specified in the directive are likely to have worked for their employers for less than a year.

  Opposed Measures
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a list of measures approved by Parliament since 1979 on the deregulation of the market economy, competition and the economic base of the country which were opposed(a) at Second or Third Reading, (b) in Committee and (c) on Report by Her Majesty's Opposition; and if he will make a statement. [13123]

  Mr. Lang
  I regret to say that the information as requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Porter
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a list of measures approved by Parliament since 1979 on industrial relations, labour market mobility and flexibility and the governance of trade unions which were opposed at(a) Second or Third Reading, (b) in Committee and (c) on Report by Her Majesty's Opposition; and if he will make a statement. [13119]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information as requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Nuclear Power
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the advantages of extending the availability of public information and the provision of public document retrieval rooms in the nuclear power electricity generation industry. [13391]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 February 1996]Considerable amounts of information about the nuclear power electricity generation industry are made available to the public, by the industry, by the Government in publications such as the 1995 White Paper "The Prospects for Nuclear Power in the UK" and by the industry's regulators. In addition, members of the public registering for the UK public offer will be sent information about British Energy, including an offer prospectus.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consultations have taken place with the EC regarding the proposed privatisation of nuclear power generated electricity. [13390]
  147
  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 February 1996]The Government advised the European Commission of their proposals for the nuclear power generation industry following the nuclear review and are keeping them informed of progress.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the advantages for the privatised part of the nuclear power generation industry to have a segregated fund to meet obligations on decommissioning and waste disposal; and what guidelines on the amounts of such funds he has issued. [13285]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 February 1996]The nuclear review, published in May last year, concluded that segregated funds are the best way of ensuring public confidence that the parts of Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear to be privatised will meet their long-term decommissioning liabilities.

  The Government have therefore indicated that as part of the privatisation a segregated fund will be established to cover British Energy's long-term decommissioning costs. A funding company will be established in Scotland, independent of the nuclear stations' owners. The funding company will be owned by an independent trust, and will enter into a contract with the privatised companies under which it will receive funds to meet long-term decommissioning costs. These arrangements will come into effect on privatisation. The final details, including the size of the fund, are under discussion.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the privatisation of British Nuclear Fuels plc; and what negotiations have taken place in respect of a segregated fund for the liabilities of the Magnox reactors following privatisation. [13287]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 February 1996]The White Paper "The Prospects for Nuclear Power in the UK", Cm 2860, made it clear that the Government would not want to rule out privatisation on BNFL as an aim in the longer term. It also concluded that, while a nuclear generator was publicly owned, there was no practical benefit from a segregated fund to meet nuclear liabilities. Magnox reactors will remain in the public sector after privatisation.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations his Department has received alleging that privatisation of nuclear power generation will impact adversely on safety standards. [13288]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 February 1996]Many submissions to the nuclear review raised the issue of safety and there is a continuing interest in safety issues. The advice of the independent Health and Safety Commission during the review was that the current regulatory system ensured a high level of safety and that there was no need to change it in any fundamental way on account of privatisation. In reaching the decision to privatise parts of the industry the Government considered the possible implications for safety very carefully. Safety is, and will remain, of paramount importance for both the Government and the nuclear industry.
  148
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment his Department has made of the advantage of increasing the numbers of staff employed in the nuclear installations inspectorate following nuclear privatisation; what representations he has received on the need to do this; if he will make a statement. [13289]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 February 1996]Staffing levels within the nuclear installations inspectorate are a matter for the Health and Safety Executive which is the body responsible for making arrangements for the enforcement of safety legislation. HSE does not currently consider that extra resources will be necessary to ensure safety standards are maintained in a privatised industry. In their White Paper setting out the conclusions of the nuclear review the Government confirmed that they would ensure that the NII has all the resources necessary to do its job effectively.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what comparative research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated in respect of other countries relating to (i) the statutory powers and (ii) the staff required to ensure safety in nuclear power generation. [13290]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 February 1996]No such research has been commissioned or evaluated. Nuclear safety is a national responsibility and legal and administrative arrangements for regulating and managing the nuclear power industry and for ensuring its safe operation have developed from such widely differing legal bases in the countries with nuclear power plant that such comparison is unlikely to be productive.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the work force of Nuclear Electric in each year since 1990; and what assessment his Department has made of efficiency savings that are possible without compromising safety. [13291]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 February 1996]These matters are addressed in the annual report and accounts of Nuclear Electric's efficiency savings are a matter for the company. The Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate has confirmed that there is no inherent conflict between safety and efficiency and I am confident that Nuclear Electric's current high safety standards will be maintained.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the licences that have been issued by the nuclear installations inspectorate since May 1975 to the(a) advanced gas-cooled reactor, (b) pressurised water reactor and (c) Magnox nuclear power generation sites; if he will list those licences that must still be issued; and if he will make a statement. [13361]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 February 1996]The tables list all the current nuclear site licences for sites of AGR, PWR and Magnox nuclear power generation plants in the UK and give the date of issue of the most recent version of the site licence. As a result of restructuring of Nuclear Electric plc and Scottish Nuclear, new licences will be required for all those sites listed which are currently operated by them. Those sites listed which are operated by BNFL will not require new licences.
  149

  Nuclear site licences for sites of UK AGR, PWR and Magnox nuclear power installations

  Licence number

  Site

  Reactor type on site

  Date of issue

  Nuclear Electric plc

  3E

  Berkeley

  Magnox

  1 March 1990

  4A

  Bradwell

  Magnox

  1 March 1990

  5D

  Hinkley Point

  Magnox

  30 July 1993

  6B

  Trawsfynydd

  Magnox

  1 March 1990

  8D

  Dungeness

  Magnox and AGR

  1 March 1990

  11B

  Oldbury

  Magnox

  15 October 1993

  12C

  Sizewell

  Magnox and PWR

  1 March 1990

  20C

  Wylfa

  Magnox

  1 March 1990

  25B

  Hartlepool

  AGR

  1 March 1990

  26D

  Heysham

  AGR

  1 March 1990

  Scottish Nuclear

  SC1D

  Hunterston

  Magnox and AGR

  1 March 1990

  SC4B

  Torness

  AGR

  1 March 1990

  BNFL

  31F

  Sellafield (Calder Hall)

  Magnox

  30 March 1994

  SC3C

  Chapelcross

  Magnox

  28 September 1990

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the safety record of nuclear power generation among OECD countries with(a) publicly owned and (b) privately owned nuclear industries. [13362]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 February 1996]My Department does not have access to figures on other OECD countries which would enable the nuclear safety record of publicly or privately owned nuclear power generating industries to be compared. However, the World Association of Nuclear Operators has stated that it is aware of no evidence to suggest that the type of ownership has any bearing on the level of safety achieved.

  Exporting Firms
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the number of firms which have begun exporting since May 1995; and how many firms were exporting at that date. [13592]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 5 February 1996]The latest available information was given to the hon. Member in my answer on 19 December 1995,Official Report, column 1086. There are no official estimates of the number of firms which have begun exporting since May 1995.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Nigeria (Police Training)
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 19 December,Official Report, columns 1073–74, how many Nigerian police officers received training in the United Kingdom in the maintenance of public order in (a) 1990 and (b) 1991; which United Kingdom police force provided the training; and which Government Department was responsible for funding the training. [13349]
  150
  Mr. Hanley
  Two Nigerian police officers received training in the maintenance of public order in 1990 and one 1991. All three were trained by the Greater Manchester police force. Funding was by the ODA.

  Mr. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 19 December,Official Report, columns 1073–74, what was the nature of the training provided in the United Kingdom in 1990 and 1991 for members of the Nigerian police in the maintenance of public order. [13380]

  Mr. Hanley
  The training covered the theoretical and practical aspects of command and control in serious public disorder situations, including instruction in teaching shield tactics, with emphasis on the minimum use of force.

  Zanzibar and Tanzania
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, column 522, to the hon. Member for Stretford, what appropriate actions he sought and what response he has received from the Zanzibari and Tanzanian authorities. [13796]

  Mr. Hanley
  We remain concerned about the discrepancies in the results of the Zanzibar elections. My right hon. and noble Friend Baroness Chalker raised this during her recent visit to Tanzania and emphasised to the Tanzanian authorities the need to establish a constructive dialogue between Government and Opposition in Zanzibar.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the public and private organisations, including non-governmental organisations and academic institutions, which have received funds by way of(a) the European Union's PHARE programme and (b) the know-how fund; what were the sums of money awarded; and if he will make a statement. [13394]

  Mr. Hanley
  Information in the form requested is not readily available on either the PHARE programme or the know-how fund. For the know-how fund it could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Detailed information on both programmes is set out in the following publications, copies of which have been, or are being, placed in the Library of the House:

  The KHF's 1994–95 annual report and latest list of approved projects;

  The most recent PHARE annual report; and,

  A profile of PHARE funding in the period 1990–1994.

  Pakistan
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that part of the overseas aid budget for Pakistan is directed towards the education and the rehabilitation of bonded children; and if he will make a statement. [13392]

  Mr. Hanley
  The problem is a cause for continuing concern. We therefore welcome recent measures by the Government of Pakistan to tackle it, such as the national project for rehabilitation of child labour. We are considering, through the European Union, how best to
  151
  assist and are focusing our bilateral aid on improvements in basic services, such as education, which help tackle some underlying causes of child labour.

TRANSPORT

  Rail Privatisation
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest estimate of the cost of rail privatisation; if he will breakdown its main components; and if he will make a statement. [8868]

  Mr. Watts
  Costs incurred to date by the Department, the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising and the Office of the Rail Regulator are as follows. They include running costs and consultancy costs.

  £ million—cash

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–961

  DOT

  1.0

  6.7

  213.5

  14.2

  14.3

  OPRAF

  —

  —

  2.4

  16.6

  21.3

  ORR

  —

  —

  1.4

  9.0

  5.8

  Total

  1.0

  6.7

  17.3

  39.8

  41.4

  1 Estimated costs to 31 December 1995.

  2 Includes £1.5 million contribution by DOT to the costs of setting up OPRAF and ORR prior to formal appointments of the Franchising Director and Rail Regulator.

  In addition, British Rail and Railtrack have incurred costs linked to privatisation, including expenditure on assets such as computer equipment and associated systems. These are as follows:

  BR/Railtrack (£ million—cash)

  1991–92

  —

  1992–93

  —

  1993–94

  92.2

  1994–95

  131.0

  1995–961

  72.0

  The privatisation process now has considerable momentum and the sales achieved so far will yield proceeds in excess of £2 billion.

  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if franchise agreements for the first three franchised lines specifically preclude the replacement of rail services with bus services. [13971]

  Mr. Watts
  The franchise agreement requires the franchise operator to run railway services; it may not replace these with bus services. Where, in exceptional circumstances, it is unable to operate the specified railway services, the operator is required to take reasonable steps to provide alternatives, which may include bus services.

  Exhaust Emissions
  Mr. Mills
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review exhaust emission requirements under the MOT requirements. [12903]
  152
  Mr. Norris
  I am satisfied that the MOT test is effective in controlling unnecessary emissions from vehicles. However, we keep the operation of the system under review.

  Coastguard
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is the amount of overtime worked in each month since the creation of the Coastguard agency; [13375]

  (2) what action has been taken to secure the retention of the Coastguard rescue helicopter base at Lee on the Solent; [13379]

  (3) how he proposes to recruit to the post of Chief Coastguard; [13377]

  (4) what steps are being taken to fill the current vacancies among operational Coastguard officers; [13374]

  (5) what changes he has introduced to provide Coastguard over from Chichester to Beachy head, including changes in the staffing arrangements to cover (a) incidents and (b) public education in maritime and coastal safety matters. [13376]

  Mr. Norris
  I have asked the chief executive of the Coastguard agency to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from C. J. Harris to Ms Joan Walley, dated 6 February 1996

  The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about Coastguard operations.

  The monthly amounts spent on overtime for the Coastguard Agency since its creation are as follows:

  1994–95

  £

  April

  74,413

  May

  82,613

  June

  80,636

  July

  84,962

  August

  81,076

  September

  76,764

  October

  77,995

  November

  71,255

  December

  74,016

  January

  63,700

  February

  104,483

  March

  76,880

  1995–96

  April

  78,544

  May

  113,785

  June

  105,191

  July

  99,987

  August

  108,836

  September

  93,639

  October

  100,166

  November

  82,369

  December

  72,959

  The Coastguard Agency is actively negotiating with the Ministry of Defence to retain facilities for future Coastguard Helicopter operations at HMS DAEDALUS.

  The post, which falls vacant on the present Chief Coastguard's retirement in June, is being filled by open competition under normal Civil Service rules. The advertisement which appeared in the national press on 25 January has been drawn to the attention of serving Coastguard Officers who are eligible to apply.
  153
  The Coastguard Agency maintains a continuing recruitment programme. During the past 12 months it has appointed 29 new Coastguard Officers.

  (a) The response to coastal incidents between Chichester and Beachy Head is the responsibility of Auxiliary Coastal Rescue Teams under the coordination of the Solent Coastguard Rescue Centre. There have been no changes to these arrangements in this area.

  (b) Since the retirement of the Newhaven and Shoreham Sector Officer this responsibility has been effectively covered by Sector Officers based at Littlehampton and Hastings.

  Helicopters (Portland)
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to maintain permanent helicopter coverage for Portland and the mid-channel area; and if he will make a statement. [13378]

  Mr. Norris
  The interdepartmental helicopter review group, established to examine the national requirement for helicopter for search and rescue and how this might most effectively and efficiently be met, is due to submit its report to Ministers shortly. On the basis of its conclusions, further consideration will be given to future deployment. This will include the future of the Coastguard helicopter provided at Portland.

  British Rail (Safety)
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects each of the British Rail infrastructure service units to complete the preparation of its contractor's safety case. [13231]

  Mr. Watts
  Each of the six track renewal companies and seven infrastructure maintenance companies, successors to the infrastructure service units, has completed the preparation of its contractors' safety cases. Railtrack plc, as the employer for the contracts, has accepted them.

  Driving Licences
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the effect of European Union proposals on(a) the form and (b) the valid period of future United Kingdom driving licences. [13482]

  Mr. Norris
  The second directive on the driving licence requires the inclusion of additi onal information on the current United Kingdom licence and the repositioning of some of the existing material. A current EU proposal, if adopted, would allow the introduction of a plastic credit card style-licence containing a photograph. There are no proposals to change the validity periods of driving entitlement, but a card licence would be renewable every 10 years.

  London Lorry Ban
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further measures he plans to exclude heavy lorries from central London between the hours of 7 am and 11 pm. [13759]
  154
  Mr. Norris
  None. The number of heavy goods vehicles crossing the central cordon dropped from 32,000 in 1983 to 10,000 in 1993, the latest year for which figures are available.

  Bus Services (Disabled Access)
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he will take to ensure access for the disabled to public bus services in the Greater Manchester area. [13480]

  Mr. Norris
  The Government will be bringing forward regulations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to require that all new buses coming into service from the date determined in the regulations must be fully accessible to disabled people, including those who travel in wheelchairs.

  These regulations will apply to buses in the Greater Manchester area, as they will throughout the country.

  Vehicle Regulations
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to bring forward amendments to the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations. [13676]

  Mr. Norris
  Amendments are made regularly to the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations, some to reflect changes in European type approval standards, others for the benefit of road safety or environmental protection.

  London to Luton Railway Service
  Sir Graham Bright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guaranteed level of service will be required on the London to Luton inter-city route after privatisation; what is the current level of service; and what assessment he has made of the level of service which will be provided after privatisation. [13627]

  Mr. Watts
  Services between London and Luton are predominantly provided by Thameslink, rather than the inter-city service, which is provided by Midland main line. Accordingly, it will be the passenger service requirement for Thameslink which will safeguard the level of service. That PSR has yet to be set. The PSR for Midland main line leaves the level of services to the commercial judgment of the franchisee.

  At present on weekdays, Thameslink operates 136 trains per day between London and Luton and 133 trains per day between Luton and London, Midland main line operates 16 trains per day between London and Luton and 15 between Luton and London.

  The level of service above the PSR to be provided after privatisation will be a matter for the franchise operator. In evaluating bids for franchises the franchising director is required to take account of bidders' commitments to providing service levels beyond those specified in the PSR. Franchisees for the first three franchises have committed themselves to provide service levels over and above the PSR and the Government expect bidders for other franchises to offer similar commitments.

  Roads (Greater Manchester)
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the road building programme in the Greater Manchester area. [13481]

  Mr. Watts
  Following the recent review of the trunk road programme the list of road schemes in the Greater Manchester area is as follows:

  Schemes under Construction

  M66 Denton to Middleton Contract 2 (Advance Side Roads)

  M66 Denton to Middleton Contract 4 (M66/M62 River Irk)

  Schemes expected to start 1995–96 to 1996–97

  M66 Denton to Middleton Contract 1 (Denton to River Medlock)

  Main Prgoramme Schemes

  M63 junctions 6–9 widening

  M66 Denton to Middleton Contract 3 (River Irk to River Medlock)

  A6 (M) Stockport North/South Bypass

  A6 (M)-M56 Manchester Airport Link-West

  A57/A628 Mottram-Tintwistle Bypass

  A62 junctions 12/18 improvement (replaces M62 Relief Road scheme withdrawn from the programme)

  Longer Term Programme

  A6 Disley and High Lane Bypass

  A5225 Wigan-Westhoughton Bypass

  The longer-term programme comprises those schemes, which, although required, are not of the highest priority nationally. They will be taken forward only as the main programme is completed.

  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding his Department has provided for maintenance of the trunk roads network in the Greater Manchester area between 1992 and 1995. [13479]

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

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. James Callaghan, dated 6 February 1996

  As you know, the Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what funding his Department has provided for maintenance of the trunk road network in the Greater Manchester area between 1992 and 1995.

  Expenditure on maintenance was as follows:

  1992–93: £38.194 million

  1993–94: £27,513 million

  1994–95: £31,395 million

  1995–96: £17,771 million (to date).

  Maintenance programmes are determined to meet needs on the basis of continuous review of the condition of the network.

  I hope this is helpful.

  Traffic Congestion (London)
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for avoiding traffic congestion in central London. [13736]

  Mr. Norris
  Improvements to the M25 and to the north circular road will encourage traffic to avoid passing through inner and central London. Within the central area itself a range of measures is being pursued, including tight controls over the provision of parking within new developments, improved signalling and traffic control,156
  better co-ordination of streetworks, stricter enforcement of on-street parking, and improved signing on the inner ring road.

  Oil Pollution
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many prosecutions have been pursued during the last five years in response to criminal or irresponsible action leading to oil pollution of seas and coastal waters; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of current regulations and sanctions. [13117]

  Mr. Norris
  I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 24 January,Official Report, column 270, and on 31 January, Official Report, columns 807–8.

  Heathrow Airport
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with British Airways in connection with its planned relocation of its cargo centre on the north-west fringes of Heathrow airport. [13302]

  Mr. Norris
  British Airways' cargo centre is currently located on the southern side of Heathrow airport and is being redeveloped on that site. The Department's transport security division has been in contact with British Airways to discuss the incorporation of aviation security requirements in this project.

  M25
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which bridges crossing the M25 will have to be widened to accommodate the additional lanes planned between junctions 12 and 16; and if he will make a statement. [13301]

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

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Andrew Mackinlay, dated 6 February 1996

  As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr John Watts, has asked me to reply to your parliamentary question about the proposed widening of the M25 between Junctions 12 and 16 and the likely effect on bridges.

  We have two separate proposals to widen this section of the M25. Between Junctions 12 and 15 there are no bridges which would have to be widened in order to accommodate the additional lanes planned. The widening would be within the current highway boundary.

  For the section between Junctions 15 and 16, we are investigating several options for widening. These may involve the widening of some of the 8 overbridges and 7 underbridges but it is not possible to say at this early stage how many would be affected.

  Blue Bell Hill Tunnel
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated cost of the tunnel under Blue Bell hill that forms part of the channel tunnel rail link project. [13904]

  Mr. Watts
  Union Railways' estimate is just over £70 million at 1994 Q3 prices. The actual cost will depend on detailed design by the successful bidder.

  Railways (Working Hours)
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes the Health and Safety Executive has recently authorised in working hour arrangements for safety critical staff in the railways industry. [13805]

  Mr. Watts
  None. The Health and Safety Executive is not required to authorise working hour arrangements on the railways. However, under the Railways (Safety Critical Work) Regulations 1994, employers have a duty to ensure that any staff who undertake safety critical work do not work such hours that would be liable to cause fatigue which could endanger safety.

  The Health and Safety Commission has recently consulted on a draft approved code of practice which would give practical guidance to employers on their duty, including guidance on carrying out a risk assessment before making any changes to existing working time patterns.

  A303, Stonehenge
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he received the report of the chairman of the round table conference on the A303 at Stonehenge; when he will publish it; and if he will make a statement. [13498]

  Mr. Watts
  The chairman has not yet submitted his report. The report will be published as soon as it is received.

  Congestion
  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated about the costs of traffic congestion. [13158]

  Mr. Watts
  The Department has not commissioned research to estimate the national cost of traffic congestion. The cost of congestion at a national level is a very difficult concept to pin down. Estimates have been made of the UK cost of congestion on the basis of work carried out by the OECD some six years ago. However, the method used contains a number of gross simplifications and the figures are consequently unreliable.

  Our own traffic and economics assessments focus on appraisal of individual transport projects. They start from the baseline of current congestion levels and estimate the reduction in congestion costs in the area concerned that can be achieved by implementing the project. These estimates are backed up by an on-going extensive programme of research on methodology.

  Traffic Accidents (Poor Eyesight)
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the existence of a relationship between traffic accidents and poor eyesight; and what statistics it maintains. [13752]

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 6 February 1996]There are no specific statistics on the relationship between poor eyesight and road traffic accidents because drivers do not have their eyes tested after accidents unless required to do 158
  so by the police on suspicion that they cannot meet the legal eyesight standard. The Department however accepts the view of medical experts that poor eyesight is a danger to road safety, and follows their advice in setting minimum eyesight standards for driving.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of staff employed by his Department or related agencies in each of the travel-to-work areas of Carmarthen, South Pembrokeshire, Haverfordwest, Fishguard and Cardigan on(a) 31 March 1979, (b) 31 March 1990, (c) 31 March 1992, (d) 31 March 1995, (e) the latest available figure and (f) the estimate for 31 March 1997. [13299]

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 5 February 1996]Details of the numbers of staff recorded in departmental computer records as employed in the Department and its agencies in the travel-to-work areas of Carmarthen, South Pembrokeshire, Haverfordwest, Fishguard and Cardigan for the years 1990, 1992, 1995 and February 1996 are set out in the following table. Figures for 1979 are not available except at disproportionate cost. Estimates for 31 March 1997 are yet to be formulated.

  31 March 1990

  31 March 1992

  31 March 1995

  2 February 1996

  Carmarthen South

  2

  2

  1

  1

  Pembrokeshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Haverfordwest

  26

  30

  25

  25

  Fishguard

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Cardigan

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Railtrack Staff
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people are employed by Railtrack; how many have been made redundant in each year since Railtrack was set up; and if he will make a statement. [13219]

  Mr. Watts
  [holding answer, 5 February 1996]On 1 February, Railtrack employed 11,382 staff. During the financial year 1994–95, six employees were made redundant; to date, no employees have been made redundant in 1995–96.

  Heavy Goods Vehicles
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list those police forces which run units dedicated to enforcing heavy goods vehicle safety; and what were the staff numbers in each of those units; [13243]

  (2) if he will list by police force the current budget dedicated to enforcement legislation relating to heavy goods vehicles and public service vehicles. [13275]

  Mr. Maclean
  I have been asked to reply.

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

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Central Community Relations Unit
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all organisations in receipt of funding from the central community relations unit in 1995 giving, in each case, the amount of funding. [12334]

  Mr. Ancram
  The central community relations unit provided funding in 1994–95, the last complete financial year for which figures are available, totalling £4,642,941.54. Details of the organisations funded, together with the amount of funding they received in 1993–94, are set out in the following table. It does not include payments from the European regional development fund and the European social fund in respect of European Union measures administered by the central community relations unit.

  Organisations funded by the central community relations unit

  Grant £

  District councils

  Antrim Borough Council

  55,281.44

  Ards Borough Council

  39,987.37

  Armagh District Council

  74,526.57

  Ballymena Borough Council

  44,268.76

  Ballymoney Borough Council

  54,562.39

  Banbridge District Council

  56,876.90

  Belfast City Council

  141,706.65

  Carrickfergus Borough Council

  44,385.00

  Castlereach Borough Council

  39,522.00

  Coleraine Borough Council

  48,524.76

  Cookstown District Council

  38,429.68

  Craigavon Borough Council

  36,404.13

  Derry City Council

  86,437.00

  Down District Council

  63,679.29

  Dungannon District Council

  77,635.32

  Fermanagh District Council

  85,193.39

  Larne Borough Council

  40,235.84

  Limavady Borough Council

  45,031.94

  Lisburn Borough Council

  38,191.45

  Magherafelt District Council

  61,100.00

  Moyle District Council

  24,041.68

  Newry and Mourne District Council

  76,548.17

  Newtownabbey Borough Council

  35,689.91

  North Down District Council

  36,189.80

  Omagh District Council

  60,952.50

  Strabane District Council

  74,658.62

  Totals

  1,480,060.56

  Cultural traditions bodies

  Comhaltas Uladh

  24,125.00

  Cultural coalition

  10,000.00

  Northern Ireland sub-committee of the European Bureau for lesser used languages

  6,000

  Gael-linn Teoranta

  41,000.00

  Glencairn People's Project

  5,740.29

  Linenhall Library

  10,335.82

  Naiscoil Na Rinne

  5,000.00

  Oideas Gael Uladh

  5,000.00

  Origins of place names

  185,682.05

  Preas and Phobail Limited

  24,000.00

  Royal Irish Regiment museum

  22,149.72

  Ultach Trust

  80,000.00

  Totals

  419,032.88

  Community Relations Bodies

  Chinese Welfare Association

  15,033.03

  Co-operation North

  100,000.00

  Encounter

  5,000.00

  160

  Organisations funded by the central community relations unit

  Grant £

  Families against Intimidation and Terror

  15,090.00

  Growing through Conflict

  3,000.00

  Initiative on Conflict

  —

  Resolution and Ethnicity

  10,112.35

  Northern Ireland Community

  —

  Relations Council

  2,061,098.65

  Parent and Child Training

  750.00

  St. Columb's Trust

  24,110.15

  Ulster People's College

  30,952.52

  Totals

  2,265,146.70

  Capital programme

  Armagh District Council

  30,000.00

  Craigavon Asian Women's Association

  6,600.00

  Department of the Environment (NI) Advisory Service

  8,603.24

  Fermanagh District Council

  30,000.00

  Glenavy Community Support Group

  18,513.75

  Lisburn YMCA Ltd.

  16,000.00

  NI Children's Committee 10

  12,765.96

  SOMME Association Ltd.

  100,000.00

  St. Columb's Trust

  11,853.65

  Ulster People's College

  10,000.00

  Wandsworth Community Association

  2,871.80

  Totals

  247,208.40

  Research

  Capita Consultants

  4,111.00

  Central Survey Unit, Department of Finance and Personnel

  30,000.00

  Charities Evaluation Services

  10,000.00

  Community Relations Council

  10,000.00

  Corrymeela Community

  5,253.00

  Forum for Community Work Education

  5,000.00

  Initiative on Conflict Resolution and Ethnicity

  37,355.00

  Northern Ireland Office

  21,000.00

  Queen's University, Belfast

  25,857.00

  Research and Evaluation Services

  5,350.00

  Social Information Systems

  30,000.00

  Templegrove Action Research Ltd.

  5,000.00

  University of Ulster, Coleraine

  18,483.00

  University of Ulster, Jordanstown

  24,084.00

  Totals

  231,493.00

  Overall total

  District Councils

  1,480,060.56

  Cultural Traditions Bodies

  419,032.88

  Community Relations Bodies

  2,265,146.70

  Capital Programme

  247,208.40

  Research

  231,493.00

  Total

  4,642,941.54

  Action for Community Employment
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which bodies(a) have received and (b) will receive funding from the action for community employment programme in the financial years (i) 1994–95, (ii) 1995–96 and (iii) 1996–97; and if he will list (1) the numbers employed by each body and (2) the amount each body received in (i) to (iii); and in which parliamentary constituency each body is located. [12694]
  161
  Mr. Ancram
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Ian Walters. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Ian Walters to Mr. Jim Dowd, dated 30 January 1996:

  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency to reply to your questions about the Action for Community Employment programme (ACE).

  Across Northern Ireland there are currently 237 organisations running ACE schemes. The detailed information you seek is not immediately available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However, on the assumption that you might find it helpful I have appended a list of ACE schemes operating during 1995/96.

  I am sorry I cannot be more helpful on this occasion.

  Rev. William McCrea
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the funding of ACE schemes in the Province. [12558]

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

  Letter from Ian Walters to Rev. William McCrea, dated 30 January 1996:

  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency to reply to your request for a statement about the funding of the Action for Community Employment (ACE) programme.

  As you know, on Monday 11 December 1995 the Secretary of State announced details of the Public Expenditure Plans for Northern Ireland for 1996/7 and the following two years. The announcement referred to the very encouraging performance of the Northern Ireland economy wish unemployment at its lowest for 14 years and employment at record levels. He mentioned also the promise of substantial jobs from recently announced investments by major companies.

  Against this background the reduction of £12.5 million in funding for the ACE programme in 1996/7 will help to meet pressures in top priority programmes aimed at promoting self-sustaining economic growth. The targeting of available resources in this way will best meet the needs of the unemployed in the longer term.

  I can assure you that the Training and Employment Agency is sensitive to the concerns of the voluntary/community sector and is aware of the possible implications for local communities arising from the reduction in ACE workers.

  The Agency has recently written to the Chairpersons of ACE schemes to indicate the level of reduction required in each scheme in order that the programme can live within the resources available to it in 1996/7. Following consultations with a variety of sponsors and others with an interest in ACE, the Agency is happy to allow sponsors to determine how best they might achieve the reduction either individually or collectively. The aim is to keep the consequences of the reductions to a minimum.

  I hope that you find this reply useful. I will of course be pleased to provide further information if you would find it helpful.

  Office of Legislative Counsel
  Mr. Robert McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff are employed in the office of legislative counsel; at what grades and salaries; and what is its overall annual cost. [12828]

  Sir John Wheeler: Twenty-three staff are currently employed in the office of legislative counsel, which includes the statutory publications office.
  162
  The breakdown by grade and salary range is as follows:

  Grade

  Number of staff

  Salary range £

  First legislative counsel

  1

  62,000–67,000

  2nd legislative counsel

  1.4

  53,000–58,000

  Assistant solicitor

  2

  37,400–55,802

  Senior legal assistant

  1

  25,964–45,328

  Legal assistant

  2

  25,392–39,324

  Deputy principal

  1

  19,021–29,161

  Staff officer

  1

  15,363–20,634

  Executive officer I

  2

  12,923–17,895

  Executive officer II

  4

  10,982–15,208

  Personal secretary

  1

  9,287–12,592

  Administrative officer

  4.5

  8,778–12,174

  Administrative assistance

  1

  6,928–10,279

  Casual administrative assistant

  1

  6,928–10,279

  The overall annual cost of the OLC is £738,000, which includes £514,000 for salaries, £61,000 for accommodation and £163,000 for other running costs.

  Firearm Certificates
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the grounds for eligibility for holding a firearm certificate. [12846]

  Sir John Wheeler
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 18 January 1996,Official Report, column 716. Under the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 1981, a firearm certificate shall not be granted unless the Chief Constable is satisfied that

  the firearm could be held without danger to public safety or to the peace;

  the applicant is fitted to hold a firearm;

  the applicant has "good reason" for the firearm;

  the applicant is not prohibited from holding a firearm by virtue of article 22 of the order;

  the applicant is 18 years of age or more.

  Controlled Secondary and Grammar Schools
  Rev. William McCrea
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils(a) are currently and (b) have been in each of the last three years educated in controlled secondary and grammar schools. [12552]

  Mr. Ancram
  The information requested is as follows:

  (a) 54,785 pupils are currently educated in controlled secondary and grammar schools (1994–95).

  (b) The numbers of pupils educated in controlled secondary and grammar schools for the last three years are as follows:

  1991–92: 53,859

  1992–93: 53,976

  1993–94: 54,697

  Education Finance
  Rev. William McCrea
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what capital schemes are planned in the next financial year for education establishments in the constituency of Mid-Ulster; [12553]

  (2) what additional resources he plans to provide for education in Mid-Ulster in 1996–97. [12554]
  163
  Mr. Ancram
  There are two major building schemes planned for 1996–97 in the constituency of Mid-Ulster: a new primary school in Dromore, County Tyrone, on which work has started, and a scheme to extend Holy Trinity primary school, Cookstown.

  Additional resources allocated for education services in 1996–97 have been distributed primarily through the five education and library boards and not on a parliamentary constituency basis.

  Temporary Employment
  Rev. William McCrea
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the proportion of employees currently in temporary employment. [12555]

  Mr. Ancram
  Information on temporary employment is available only from the labour force survey. The latest available information relates to summer 1995 when an estimated 8 per cent. of employees were in temporary employment.

  Nursery Education
  Rev. William McCrea
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he will take to make a nursery place in a state school available to all children under school age. [12556]

  Mr. Ancram
  It remains the Government's stated long-term policy objective to provide access to one year of nursery education for all children in Northern Ireland whose parents wish it. However, resources are not currently available within mainstream funding to facilitate the expansion of grant-aided nursery education provision.

  Youth Unemployment
  Rev. William McCrea
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of youth unemployment in Northern Ireland. [12557]

  Mr. Ancram
  The Government are addressing the problem of unemployment among young people through a range of programmes which seek to provide the skills and abilities needed to obtain and retain employment.

  These include Training and Employment Agency programmes such as jobskills, currently being used by almost 10,000 under-25s, which provides quality training leading to national vocational qualifications; the action for community employment scheme, 40 per cent. of the participants on which are placed in employment on leaving; and programmes providing work experience opportunities including some overseas.

  The agency also works closely with the Department of Education to develop and implement vocational and educational training strategies aimed at helping young people who are entering the labour market for the first time. Over the past year, new courses have been put in place for young people wishing to take advantage of the emerging opportunities in tourism.

  For those with higher qualifications, the teaching company scheme administered through the industrial research and technology unit develops young graduates
  164
  for careers in industry; more than 200 graduates have made use of the scheme in Northern Ireland, a rate of uptake well above the UK average.

  The Government are working with the private sector Northern Ireland growth challenge to improve the links between industry and the education system at all levels.

  Older Workers
  Rev. William McCrea
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what special provision is being made for the employment of older workers in the Province. [12579]

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

  Letter from Ian Walters to Rev. William McCrea, dated 6 February 1996:

  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency to reply to your question about the employment of older workers.

  The Agency's network of 31 local offices provides an all-age service for those seeking employment. We also help employers to fill vacancies. If an employer seeks to impose age limits when notifying a vacancy, the Agency encourages the employer to either abandon the age limits or broaden the age band. We also emphasise the experience and reliability of older workers.

  If an employer insists on imposing an age restriction for a vacancy which appears unjustifiable, the Agency will not handle it. This has been the position for several years.

  On a more general note the Agency is planning to produce a booklet giving practical advice to older people about finding work, training and changing jobs. It will also encourage them to realise the wealth of experience, maturity and skills they possess. In addition we propose to produce a separate booklet for employers highlighting both the benefits of recruiting older people and the unfairness of age discrimination.

  I hope that you find this reply helpful. I will of course be pleased to provide further information if you would find it useful.

  Independent Schools
  Rev. William McCrea
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils are currently educated in independent schools, including independent Christian schools; and what the figures are for each of the last three years. [12580]

  Mr. Ancram
  Nine hundred and forty-one pupils are currently educated in independent schools—1994–95. the numbers of pupils educated in independent schools for the previous three years are as follows:

  1991–92: 1,052

  1992–93: 963

  1993–94: 939

DEFENCE

  Naval Bases (Privatisation)
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has held with(a) naval officials and (b) union representatives regarding privatisation measures for naval bases. [12040]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence keeps in regular touch with the whole range of efficiency improvements planned for naval bases.

  Mr. David Hart
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review Mr. David Hart's security clearance. [12041]

  Mr. Portillo
  Mr. Hart has gone through the proper security clearance procedure.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money including the pay of service personnel his Department spends annually in each standard planning region of the United Kingdom. [12042]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Data of MOD equipment expenditure in each of the standard economic planning regions of the UK is available in table 1.9 of "UK Defence Statistics 1995", a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. We do not compile regional data for other aspects of defence expenditure.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he is taking to eliminate unnecessary spending in his Department. [12051]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Members for Tyne Bridge (Mr. Clelland) and for Wolverhampton, South-East (Mr. Turner), on 9 January 1996,Official Report, column 93.

  Procurement Decisions (Impact)
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department makes of the industrial impact of procurement decisions. [12043]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Industrial implications is one of the many factors which are taken into account when procurement decisions are being made.

  Former Yugoslavia
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many attacks there have been on British military personnel in former Yugoslavia since 1991; if he will indicate from which sources these attacks came; and how many British casualties resulted. [12044]

  Mr. Soames
  Regrettably, 11 British military personnel have been killed and a further 17 have sustained serious injuries as a result of the activities of the former warring factions.
  166
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made by NATO's peace implementation force in former Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement. [12047]

  Mr. Soames
  IFOR is making good progress and is continuing to work closely with the parties in implementing the military aspects of the peace agreement. It has recently verified compliance with the latest deadline to evacuate forces from those areas which are to be transferred to other parties. We expect the implementation process to continue with the compliance of the parties.

  Defence Industry
  Mr. Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect on jobs in the defence industry of reducing United Kingdom defence spending to the European average. [12045]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  A reduction in UK defence expenditure to the current NATO European average would result in cuts of over £4.5 billion per year. This would have a drastic effect on the capability of our armed forces and the future equipment programme. The implications for jobs in the defence industry would be severe.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British jobs are sustained by the defence industry; and if he will make a statement. [12054]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Estimates of UK employment dependent on my Department's expenditure and on defence exports appear in table 1.10 of "UK Defence Statistics 1995", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Royal Air Force
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for
  Defence what was the average cost of recruitment and training for each new recruit to the Royal Air Force in 1993–94 and 1994–95. [12046]

  Mr. Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 9 January 1996,Official Report, column 102, and to the letter sent to him by my noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence on 13 December 1995, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of the annual cost of Royal Air Force personnel and facilities in Germany. [12048]

  Mr. Soames
  Our current estimate of the costs for the financial year 1995–96 of RAF units stationed in Germany is approximately £227 million. Roughly half this figure represents personnel costs.

  Russian Defence Policy
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration is being given by the defence planning staff to the implications for UK defence policy of changes in the Russian hierarchy and defence doctrines. [12050]
  167
  Mr. Soames
  As explained in the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1995", the progress of reform in Russia remains an important factor in the determination of our security and defence policies.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Government's policy in respect of the UK's nuclear deterrent. [12052]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The United Kingdom's independent minimum nuclear deterrent continues to provide the ultimate safeguard of this country's security and to make an important contribution to NATO's strategy of war prevention. The introduction into service of Trident will ensure that the United Kingdom retains a credible and effective minimum deterrent into the next century.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the value of nuclear weapons to Britain's defence. [12031]

  Mr. Portillo
  Nuclear weapons continue to make an essential contribution to the security of the United Kingdom.

  Western European Union
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what aims the Government have for their presidency of the WEU. [12053]

  Mr. Soames
  We intend to concentrate our efforts during the UK presidency on enhancing the WEU's operational capability. In particular, we are taking forward work on establishing a situation centre and intelligence section, seeking to strengthen links with NATO, and developing a coherent and progressive WEU exercise policy.

  Royal Yacht
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost to his Department of the presence of the royal yacht Britannia at this year's Cowes regatta. [5310]

  Mr. Soames
  The total operating costs of HMY Britannia for the financial years 1992–93 to 1995–96 were provided in my reply to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 5 April 1995,Official Report, column 1151. Information on the marginal costs of individual deployments could not be provided without disproportionate cost.

  Tornado F3 Aircraft
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the terms of the lease agreement with the Italian authorities concerning Tornado F3 aircraft; and what non-financial facilities have been made available to the Italian authorities as part of this agreement. [13209]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The lease provides for 24 RAF Tornado F3 aircraft to be loaned to Italy for a period of 10 years for a fee of £100 million. The Italian Government are responsible for all support costs. The 168
  lease agreement includes an offset scheme under which Italian industry will be furnished opportunities to compete for defence work to the same value as the lease fee.

  Exercise Purple Star
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what alternative to HMS Fearless will take part in Exercise Purple Star. [13115]

  Mr. Soames
  HMS Fearless remains scheduled to return to operational duties in good time to allow her to take part in Exercise Purple Star.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the planned Exercise Purple Star, scheduled for May 1996, can proceed as envisaged; and if the condition of HMS Fearless has had any significant effect on the preparation of this exercise. [13116]

  Mr. Soames
  Exercise Purple Star will go ahead as planned, although our contribution has been adjusted slightly to take account of our involvement with the NATO implementation force in the former Yugoslavia. The condition of HMS Fearless, and her current maintenance programme, has had no significant effect upon the preparation of this exercise.

  Parliamentary Answers (Diagrams)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Carmarthen (Mr. Williams) of 31 January,Official Report, columns 755–56, when a diagram as described by the chief executive of the Meterological Office may be reproduced in or with the Official Report. [14042]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The publication of answers is a matter for the Editor of the Official Report.

  Boots
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many pairs of boots were issued to Her Majesty's forces during the past year; at what cost; and if he will make a statement. [12276]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  This is a matter for the Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from M. J. Roycroft to Mr. Harry Greenway, dated 6 February 1996:

  I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the issues of boots to Her Majesty's forces, in my capacity as the Chief Executive, Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency (DCTA).

  During the past twelve months a total of 291,493 pairs of boots have been issued to units at a cost of £11,124,643 VAT inclusive. These issues cover some 40 or more different types of boot ranging from combat boots to protective footwear. Within these totals 43,620 combat boots (£3,046,826) have been issued for specific operations, including Bosnia. A further 50,963 pairs of boots (£1,962,916) were issued as part of the recently completed deployment plan to equip HM Forces with the new Combat Assault Boot.

  If I can be of any further assistance please let me know.

  Joint Service Command and Staff College
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the joint service command and staff college will open. [14220]

  Mr. Soames
  The creation of a joint service command and staff college is a key element in our policy to encourage a more joint service approach to defence issues. It will open, as planned, in September 1997. Major General T. J. Granville-Chapman will be its first commandant, and he will assume responsibility for the project in June 1996.

  We shall close the joint service defence college and royal naval staff college at Greenwich, the Army staff college at Camberley and the RAF staff college at Bracknell, in 1997. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence said in his answer to the hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Clifton-Brown) on 19 December 1995, Official Report column 1107, he has appointed an advisory group to give him advice on the future of the royal naval college at Greenwich. A final decision is not expected until the summer.

  The works programme for the new college cannot be completed by September 1997. We are therefore making arrangements for the JSCSC to operate initially at a temporary location, probably at RAF Bracknell. A final decision on the interim site is subject to formal appraisal and consultation. We intend to dispose of the Bracknell site by the end of 1999.

  The work so far has shown that Camberley is the most cost-effective and appropriate Ministry of Defence site for the college. We shall be seeking proposals for private sector involvement in the provision of high-quality accommodation—including infrastructure and residential accommodation—associated facilities management for a range of services, and possibly civilian academic support. In exploring the opportunities for private finance, imaginative proposals involving an alternative site that meet our requirements are not ruled out.

  Formal consultations with the trade unions and other interested parties will take place before any final decision on the JSCSC is made.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Helplines
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list all the helplines, or schemes which include a helpline service, for which his Department provides any funding, stating which are(a) independent organisations, (b) run by his Department or agencies of his Department or (c) of another classification; how many calls each received in each of the last five years; and how much money each received from his Department in each of the last five years. [9803]
  170
  Mr. Burt
  Full information is not available and can be supplied only at disproportionate cost. However, information is available as follows:

  (a) The Department does not provide funding for any outside organisations.

  (b) Helplines run by the Department or its agencies are as follows:

  Social Security headquarters Public Enquiry Office (PEO) (national call rate)

  Number of calls received

  1990

  29,446

  1991

  39,879

  1992

  64,120

  1993

  75,907

  1994

  86,355

  1995

  67,645

  Any telephone costs to the Department which may be incurred by the PEO on follow-up calls and so forth cannot be distinguished from overall telephone costs for the building from which they operate.

  Until October 1993 the Department of Social Security public enquiry office also answered inquiries on behalf of the Department of Health.

  Information supplied by the Department's agencies is as follows:

  Benefits Agency

  Amount

  Freeline (free phone)

  Number of calls handled in the last 12 months up to 24 November 1995

  2.7 million

  Annual cost of call charges

  £1.1 million

  Annual running costs (staff)

  £4.9 million

  Benefit Enquiry Line (free phone)

  Number of calls handled in the last 12 months up to 24 November 1995

  0.9 million

  Annual cost of call charges

  £0.75 million

  Annual running costs (staff)

  £2.72 million

  Family Credit Advice Line (full rate)

  Number of calls handled in the last 12 months up to 24 November 1995

  2.2 million

  Annual cost of call charges

  NIL

  Annual running costs (staff)

  £1.6 million

  Disability Living Allowance Line (subsidised)

  Number of calls handled in the last 12 months up to 24 November 1995

  2 million

  Annual cost of call charges

  £0.072 million

  Annual running costs (staff)

  £1.62 million

  Disability Working Allowance Line

  Number of calls received January 1995-December 1995

  50,374

  Costs

  £54,568

  Pensions Telephone Liaison Service (TLS)

  Number of calls received:

  1994

  70,864

  1995

  65,162

  Annual running cost (staff)

  £90,458.00

  Annual running cost (accommodation)

  £6,042.00

  Total

  £96,500.00

  171

  Contributions Agency

  Social Security Advice Line for Employers (SSALE)

  Amount

  Number of calls received:

  April 1991-March 1992

  162,153

  April 1992-March 1993

  189,221

  April 1993-March 1994

  242,223

  April 1994-March 1995

  225,124

  April 1995-December 1995

  237,976

  Cost of running SSALE:

  1994–95

  Staff costs

  £639,852

  Non staff costs

  £393,585

  Total

  £1,033,437

  1995–96

  Staff costs

  £550,154

  Non staff costs

  £199,000

  Total

  £749,154

  War Pensions Agency

  Amount

  War Pensions Helpline

  Number of calls:

  1992

  56,065

  1993

  105,787

  1994

  315,021

  1995

  821,696

  Running costs (staff):

  1992

  £84,144

  1993

  £119,625

  1994

  £267.098

  1995

  £285,205

  Costs of establishing the technical system in 1992 were £114,941 and the annual maintenance cost is £9,700.

  Child Support Agency

  Amount

  National Enquiry Line (NEL)

  (Includes Child Support Agency Employer Line Child Support Agency Enquiry Line) Number of calls: June 94-January 96

  993,438

  Cost of operating (NEL)

  £1,123,895

  Child Support Agency Literature Line

  Number of calls/coupons/cards:

  1992–94

  19,964

  1994–95

  18,237

  The cost of Housing Benefit and the number of recipients, for Scotland 1983–84 to 1994–95

  Average number of housing benefit recipients (000s)

  Housing benefit expenditure (£ million)

  Financial years

  Local authority tenants (including new towns and Scottish Homes)

  All private tenants (including HA tenants)

  HA tenants

  Other private tenants (ex HA tenants)

  Local authority tenants (including new towns and Scottish Homes)

  All private tenants (including HA tenants)

  HA tenants

  Other private tenants (ex HA tenants)

  1983–84

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  211

  30

  n/a

  n/a

  1984–85

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  235

  41

  n/a

  n/a

  1985–86

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  262

  55

  n/a

  n/a

  1986–87

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  300

  71

  n/a

  n/a

  1987–88

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  338

  89

  n/a

  n/a

  1988–89

  494

  72

  n/a

  n/a

  363

  86

  n/a

  n/a

  172

  Child Support Agency

  Amount

  Running costs (Totals):

  April 94-March 95

  £134,881.77

  April 95-May 95

  £19,070.29

  June 95-November 95

  £52,290.77

  c) Other classification:

  Headquarters Teleresponse Lines

  These lines cannot strictly speaking be classified as "helplines"; they are routine telephone information lines set up to enable the public to respond to any publicity related to the following issues; they are not permanent.

  Pension Teleresponse Line

  Number of calls/coupons:

  February 1994-March 95

  41,483

  Cost of running the line

  £36,751

  Family Credit

  Number of calls/coupons:

  April 94-April 95

  18,255

  Cost of running the line

  £142,641

  Disability on the Agenda

  Number of calls/coupons:

  April 1993-March 1995 (2 years)

  34,570

  Cost of running the line

  £82,092

  Incapacity Benefit

  Number of calls/coupons:

  Year up to April 95

  138,470

  Cost of running the line

  £234,639

  Disability Working Allowance

  Number of calls/coupons

  April 1994-January 1996

  42,260

  Cost of running the line

  £94,000

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will detail for each of the years between 1982–83 and 1995–96(a) the total cost of housing benefit in Scotland paid to (i) tenants of new towns, Scottish Homes and local authorities, (ii) tenants of housing associations and (iii) tenants of private landlords and (b) the number of households in Scotland receiving housing benefit in each of the above categories. [11140]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The available information is set out in the table.
  173

  The cost of Housing Benefit and the number of recipients, for Scotland 1983–84 to 1994–95

  Average number of housing benefit recipients (000s)

  Housing benefit expenditure (£ million)

  Financial years

  Local authority tenants (including new towns and Scottish Homes)

  All private tenants (including HA tenants)

  HA tenants

  Other private tenants (ex HA tenants)

  Local authority tenants (including new towns and Scottish Homes)

  All private tenants (including HA tenants)

  HA tenants

  Other private tenants (ex HA tenants)

  1989–90

  478

  79

  n/a

  n/a

  415

  113

  n/a

  n/a

  1990–91

  467

  76

  n/a

  n/a

  455

  119

  n/a

  n/a

  1991–92

  466

  76

  n/a

  n/a

  505

  136

  n/a

  n/a

  1992–93

  460

  83

  22

  61

  558

  169

  35

  134

  1993–94

  457

  93

  30

  63

  600

  202

  48

  154

  1994–95

  445

  104

  35

  69

  619

  239

  62

  177

  Notes:

  1. Figures for recipients have been rounded to the nearest thousand and are averages of four quarters data. Expenditure figures have been rounded to the nearest £ million.

  2. Figures for recipients refer to benefit units which may be a single person or a couple.

  3. Expenditure figures are not available for 1982–83.

  4. Information on Housing Benefit recipients on Scotland is not available prior to 1988–89.

  5. Information on the number of housing association tenants was not collected prior to May 1992.

  6. Housing association expenditure figures have been estimated from a one per cent. sample of recipients.

  Source:

  Recipients: housing benefit management information system, quarterly 100 per cent. caseload enquiries taken on the last working day in May, August, November and February.

  Expenditure: Department of Social Security planning and finance division.

  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many young single people aged 16 to 24 years(a) living in the private rented sector and (b) living in self-contained private rented sector accommodation in Scotland currently receive housing benefit; and in each case at what cost. [11161]

  Mr. Evans
  The latest available figures show that, as at May 1994, there were 15,000 recipients of housing benefit in Scotland who were aged 16 to 24 and living in privately rented accommodation; the estimated total cost of housing benefit paid to this group during the 1994–95 financial year was £41 million. Information is not routinely collected to differentiate between self-contained and non self-contained accommodation.

  State Earnings-related Pension Scheme
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the number of(a) males and (b) females covered by SERPs; and what percentage of the work force it constituted in (i) 1993, (ii) 1994 and (iii) 1995. [12833]

  Mr. Heald
  Figures are not available for 1994 or 1995. The latest figures available1 show that in 1992–93, 3.3 million men and 3.2 million women in the United Kingdom would accrue SERPS entitlement2, representing 22.8 per cent. of the work force3

  Notes:

  1 Source: 1 per cent. sample of national insurance records.

  2 This is the number of people who paid class 1 national insurance contributions at the not contracted out rate over the year 1992–93 whose earnings factor was equal to or above the annual lower earnings limit.

  3 Source: Employment Gazette December 1995. Workforce includes self-employed persons, HM Forces, people on Government training programmes and the claimant unemployed.

  4 Information on the workforce is provided quarterly and is a point in time figures. In order to assess the number throughout the year the four quarters have been averaged. The percentage covered by SERPS has then been calculated using the average figure. The breakdown by sex is unavailable.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much money was lent on social fund loans at the last date for which figures are available; how many people have such loans; what is the average loan at the time of issue; and what is the average repayment period. [12834]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information for the period April to December 1995 is set out in the table.

  Budgeting loan

  Crisis loan

  Number of awards

  702,751

  621,048

  Total amount awarded

  £190,294,974

  £41,161,827

  Average payment

  £270.78

  £66.27

  Average length of repayment for loan repaid during this period

  34.7 weeks

  14.6 weeks

  1. The number of discretionary awards made after review is not included.

  2. The repayment terms for social fund loans are designed to be affordable to the applicant. The rate of repayment depends upon the applicant's individual circumstances. Although most loans are repaid within 78 weeks, the period of repayment may be extended up to 104 weeks.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the average time taken to process a claim on the social fund for each year since its inception; and if he will indicate the total number of claims(a) met, (b) refused and (c) appealed against. [12265]

  Mr. Evans
  [holding answer 31 January 1996]: The information is set out in the tables.
  175

  Clearance times

  Year

  Maternity payments

  Funeral payments

  Community Care grants

  Budgeting loans

  Crisis loans

  1988–89

  n/a

  n/a

  7 working days

  13 working days

  1 working day

  1989–90

  n/a

  n/a

  8 working days

  10 working days

  1 working day

  1990–91

  n/a

  n/a

  7 working days

  4.9 working days

  1 working day

  1991–92

  n/a

  n/a

  5.9 working days

  3.2 working days

  1 working day

  1992–93

  n/a

  n/a

  4.3 working days

  5.9 working days

  1 working day

  1993–94

  80.88 per cent. in 5 working days 98.02 per cent. in 20 working days

  71.69 per cent. in 12 working days 96.09 per cent. in 35 working days

  81 per cent. in 7 working days 98 per cent. in 20 working days

  78 per cent. in 6 working days 97 per cent. in 20 working days

  Cleared in day need arises

  1994–95

  73.3 per cent. in 5 working days 93.83 per cent. in 20 working days

  75.72 per cent. in 12 working days 96.95 per cent. in 35 working days

  87 per cent. in 7 working days 98 per cent. in 20 working days

  84 per cent. in 6 working days 98 per cent. in 20 working days

  Cleared in day need arises

  Performance monitoring by the Benefits Agency of clearance times for funeral payments and maternity payments did not commence until September 1992.

  Social fund claims, awards, refusals, appeals and reviews

  Maternity payments

  Funeral payments

  Community care grants

  Budgeting loans

  Crisis loans

  1988–89

  Claims (000s)

  212

  53

  315

  933

  501

  Awards (000s)

  170

  40

  153

  505

  379

  Refusals (000s)

  49

  13

  146

  330

  45

  Appeals

  748

  668

  —

  —

  —

  Applications for first review

  —

  —

  25,382

  71,131

  9,824

  1989–90

  Claims (000s)

  224

  63

  523

  1,131

  645

  Awards (000s)

  174

  44

  230

  580

  449

  Refusals (000s)

  46

  15

  278

  455

  46

  Appeals

  638

  859

  —

  —

  —

  Applications for first review

  —

  —

  71,104

  100,200

  9,898

  1990–91

  Claims (000s)

  234

  68

  692

  1,092

  596

  Awards (000s)

  189

  49

  246

  596

  504

  Refusals (000s)

  41

  15

  370

  472

  53

  Appeals

  522

  579

  —

  —

  —

  Applications for first review

  —

  —

  55,932

  64,577

  5,243

  1991–92

  Claims (000s)

  262

  77

  1,027

  1,360

  711

  Awards (000s)

  217

  57

  255

  711

  592

  Refusals (000s)

  41

  17

  736

  545

  70

  Appeals

  564

  1,076

  —

  —

  —

  Applications for first review

  —

  —

  88,913

  90,429

  7,148

  1992–93

  Claims (000s)

  271

  83

  1,184

  1,498

  837

  Awards (000s)

  228

  63

  287

  801

  671

  Refusals (000s)

  38

  16

  865

  592

  118

  Appeals

  491

  1,032

  —

  —

  —

  Applications for first review

  —

  —

  119,351

  118,539

  13,588

  1993–94

  Claims (000s)

  272

  94

  1,244

  1,529

  901

  Awards (000s)

  230

  72

  294

  854

  699

  Refusals (000s)

  20

  10

  923

  600

  153

  Appeals

  357

  969

  —

  —

  —

  Applications for first review

  —

  —

  148,633

  153,776

  18,790

  1994–95

  Claims (000s)

  262

  95

  1,266

  1,467

  1,011

  Awards (000s)

  220

  68

  285

  864

  755

  Refusals (000s)

  42

  27

  964

  588

  213

  Appeals

  312

  1,287

  —

  —

  —

  Applications for first review

  —

  —

  191,539

  205,368

  27,760

  1. As claims for maternity and funeral payments are from the regulated part of the social fund there are rights of appeal to a social security appeal tribunal. The grievance procedure for dissatisfied applicants to the discretionary social fund is by review process.

  2. The difference between applications received, awards and refusals is due to: applications being withdrawn by applicants; applications where there is no response from applicants; and applications not decided at the time the count was made.
  176

  Benefit Overpayment
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the total identified number of cases of overpayment of all forms of benefits in(a) 1994–95 and (b) 1993–94; how many of these cases of overpayment are due to (i) departmental or agency errors and (ii) inaccurate information supplied by applicants; and what is his policy on repayment of benefits overpaid in respect of (i) and (ii). [12843]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Such information as is available regarding the number and cause of overpayments is set out in the table.

  Year

  Total number

  Customer error

  Other

  1993–94

  818,073

  405,984

  412,089

  1994–95

  996,477

  590,218

  406,259

  The category "other" includes small overpayments where recovery is not pursued, and abandoned cases. Such cases may not be caused through official error. It is not possible to disaggregate the information, except at disproportionate cost. However, the majority of these will be official error overpayments.

  In cases where the overpayment is caused by misrepresentation or failure to disclose a material fact, recovery is sought whenever it is appropriate to do so. Where no acceptable offer to repay is forthcoming, recovery is effected either, where the person remains in receipt of benefit, by deductions from benefit or, if benefit is no longer in payment, through voluntary repayment or civil proceedings. Where an overpayment has been caused by official error whether recovery is sought depends on how the error arose. In appropriate cases voluntary recover is sought. Recovery is pursued further only where it is cost effective to do so and there is a right in law of recovery.

  Cold Weather Payments
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the estimated total amount of money not paid in cold weather payments in 1994 to pensioners who do not claim income support although eligible, using the most recent take-up figures produced by the Department of Social Security's analytical services division. [13104]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information is not available.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to change the rules under which cold weather payments are made. [13074]

  Mr. Evans
  There are no plans for major changes to the scheme.

  After the end of March each year, we routinely review the operation of the scheme over the previous winter, taking account of advice from the Meterological Office. In particular, we look at the links between weather stations and postcode areas, and as a result minor adjustments are made if necessary.

  Back-to-work Bonus Scheme
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimates he has made of(a) the likely revenue effects and (b) the numbers participating in respect of the back-to-work bonus scheme in (i) 1996–97, (ii) 1997–98 and (iii) 1998–99. [13409]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information is set out in the table:

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Estimated gross cost of the back-to-work bonus

  £15 million

  £45 million

  £65 million

  Estimated numbers receiving a bonus

  60,000

  130,000

  150,000

  (i) Estimates based on 2.1 million unemployed.

  (ii) The table shows the gross cost of the back to work bonus scheme. However, once behavioural effects are taken into account we expect that the scheme will be broadly cost neutral. The behavioural effects are very difficult to assess accurately. In particular, the likely take up of the bonus in the first 18 months is very uncertain.

  Poverty and Social Exclusion
  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the United Kingdom projects to receive funds as part of the EU initiative to combat poverty and social exclusion. [13160]

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  The United Kingdom permanent representative to the European Union wrote to the European Commission in December seeking further information about its proposals to spend money on projects seeking to combat social exclusion. We have asked the Commission on what legal basis it is funding such projects. No response has yet been received, and Governments have not officially been notified of the Commission's intentions. The UK has already made clear to the Commission its additional scepticism about the value for public money of projects of this kind.

  As an issue of principle, it is unacceptable for substantial spending projets to be undertaken without a clear legal basis. Such practices offend against budgetary discipline and undermine member states' own efforts to constrain public spending. Resources within the Community as a whole are finite. It follows that any resources used without the authority of member states will mean fewer resources are available for national Governments to support anti-exclusion projects in member states.

  The Government's commitment to providing assistance for disadvantaged people is clear. In addition to spending an estimated £85 billion in this financial year on social security benefits, the Government are already funding many projects to combat social exclusion in the UK through inner city challenge, adult training, health care, housing and literacy programmes.

  Pensions Awareness Campaigns
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library copies of(a) advertisements, (b) leaflets and (c) transcripts of television and radio broadcasts used in the pensions awareness campaign in the midlands announced in his press release of 30 January. [13995]

  Mr. Heald
  Such material as is available will be placed in the Library shortly.

  Note:
  The Department is, for copyright reasons, unable to provide transcripts of television or radio broadcasts other than radio commercials.

  Deaths (Cold Weather)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of people who died as a consequence of the recent cold weather; and if he will break down the figure by assigned cause of death. [13215]

  Mr. Horam
  I have been asked to reply.

  Information about the number of people who died as a consequence of the recent cold weather is not yet available. The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys will be publishing data on excess winter deaths later in the year.

  Russian Federation: Council of Europe Membership
  Russian Federation: Council of Europe Membership
  European Commission and Council of Ministers: Votes
  European Commission and Council of Ministers: Votes
  Turkish Intelligence Organisations: Training Assistance
  Turkish Intelligence Organisations: Training Assistance
  Former Yugoslavia: Arms Supply Policy
  Former Yugoslavia: Arms Supply Policy
  Former Yugoslavia: Peace Plans
  Former Yugoslavia: Peace Plans
  Parliamentary Salaries and Expenses: Review
  Parliamentary Salaries and Expenses: Review
  Documents in the House of Lords Library
  Documents in the House of Lords Library
  Time Differences in the United Kingdom
  Time Differences in the United Kingdom
  Asylum Applicants: Transfer to Third Countries
  Asylum Applicants: Transfer to Third Countries
  Prisoners: Conviction Statistics
  Prisoners: Conviction Statistics