Written Answers of 14 February 1996

TREASURY

  VAT (Disabled People)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will reconsider the VAT treatment of(a) emergency car telephones for the disabled and (b) off-road wheelchairs; and if he will make a statement. [15011]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No. General purpose equipment such as emergency car telephones remains standard-rated because many other people besides the disabled use it as well. Relief is available for equipment which is designed solely for disabled people, and also on the costs of adapting goods to make them usable by the disabled. Zero-rating also applies to invalid wheelchairs other than mechanically propelled vehicles intended or adapted for use on roads. If an off-road vehicle has been designed solely for use by disabled people, it too may qualify for relief.

  Bills (Voluntary Bodies)
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will institute a review of late payment of bills due to voluntary bodies by Government Departments. [15095]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  Government Departments are required to pay all bills promptly, not only those due to voluntary bodies.

  Beer Imports
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the proportion of off-licence beer sales now being lost to personal importation of beer from the continent. [14931]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Data relating solely to the impact on off-licence beer sales of personal importations of beer from the continent are not available. However, for the 12 months ending 30 June 1995, the overall loss to United Kingdom sales of beer, including off-licence sales due to legitimate personal importations from other member states, is estimated by HM Customs and Excise to be equivalent to approximately 0.5 per cent. of UK consumer expenditure on beer.

  Low Pay
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will list the number and proportion of manual, non-manual and all full-time employees earning less than(a) £161.60, (b) £215.47 and (c) £288.68 per week excluding overtime payments for (i) men, (ii) women and (iii) both sexes for (1) England and (2) Great Britain in April 1995; [14346]
  570
  (2) if he will list the number and proportion of manual, non-manual and all part-time employees earning less than (a) £4.26 per hour, (b) £5.69 per hour and (c) £6.03 per hour excluding overtime payments for (i) men, (ii) women and (iii) both sexes for (1) England and (2) Great Britain in April 1995. [14347]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  [holding answer 13 February 1996]: Available information from the "New Earnings Survey 1995" is provided in the following table.

  New earnings survey—April 1995 (GB) Full time employees on adult rates, whose pay for the survey period was unaffected by absence Average gross pay (excluding overtime)

  Weekly

  Hourly

  Percentage earning less than:

  £161.60

  £215.47

  £228.68

  £4.26

  £5.69

  £6.03

  MALES

  Manual

  England

  12.8

  39.9

  46.9

  16.5

  44.8

  51.7

  Great Britain

  13.0

  40.4

  47.5

  16.8

  45.2

  52.1

  Non-manual

  England

  4.7

  13.6

  16.0

  5.2

  14.5

  17.2

  Great Britain

  4.8

  13.9

  16.3

  5.3

  14.6

  17.4

  FEMALES

  Manual

  England

  48.9

  79.7

  84.2

  50.1

  80.7

  85.3

  Great Britain

  48.8

  79.6

  84.3

  50.1

  80.8

  85.3

  Non-manual

  England

  12.5

  35.6

  40.6

  11.4

  32.5

  38.0

  Great Britain

  12.9

  36.7

  41.8

  11.7

  33.4

  39.0

  ALL

  Manual

  England

  19.5

  47.3

  53.8

  22.7

  51.4

  57.9

  Great Britain

  19.8

  47.8

  54.5

  23.1

  51.8

  58.3

  Non-manual

  England

  8.3

  23.7

  27.3

  8.0

  22.8

  26.8

  Great Britain

  8.6

  24.4

  28.1

  8.3

  23.3

  27.4

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the United Kingdom work force would be covered by a minimum wage set at(a) £3.50 per hour and (b) £4.15 per hour. [14971]

  Mrs. Knight
  [holding answer 13 February 1996]: Information from the April 1995 "New Earnings Survey" shows that 9.1 per cent. of employees in Great Britain would be covered by a minimum wage set at £3.50 per hour and 18.9 per cent. would be covered by a minimum wage set at £4.15 per hour.

  Sustainable Development
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the promotion of sustainable development will be reflected in the implementation of the proposals contained in the White Paper "Better Accounting for the Taxpayer's Money". [15108]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  There will be no direct impact on the promotion of sustainable development in the implementation of the proposals contained in the White Paper "Better Accounting for the Taxpayer's Money".

  Customs and Excise
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the review of the investigative functions and resources
  571
  of Customs and Excise has been completed; and what conclusions have been reached. [15183]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The final report of the fundamental expenditure review of Customs and Excise investigation and intelligence activity was completed in October 1995 and approved by Ministers in November 1995.

  The main conclusions of the review were that organisational changes are required to help Customs and Excise tackle more effectively the growing sophistication of commercial drug smuggling and tax fraud. From the 1 April 1996 there will be a single Customs national investigation service, combining regional investigation units and the central division; and a unified national intelligence network, based on an expanded national intelligence division.

  Although, in common with most other Government Departments, Customs overall resources are set to fall, the creation of the new organisation will mean the deployment of over 200 additional staff in the key areas of intelligence and investigation.

TRANSPORT

  Legislation (Compliance Cost Assessments)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for primary and secondary legislation passed since 5 April 1995 which measures were subject to a compliance cost assessment; and what was the compliance cost in each instance. [13658]

  Mr. Watts
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

  Environmental Appraisals
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many environmental appraisals were produced by his Department using the guidance contained in the Department of the Environment's "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" in 1995; and if he will place copies in the Library. [15121]

  Mr. Norris
  My Department does not keep a central record of environmental appraisals conducted before new or revised policies are adopted. We do, however, take environmental considerations into account in the policy development process using the guidance contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment".

  Barking to Gospel Oak Line
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received concerning the service on the Barking to Gospel Oak line; and if he will make a statement. [15184]

  Mr. Norris
  In 1995, the Department received five representations concerning the service on the Barking to Gospel Oak line. The representations expressed concern about performance staffing levels and the possibility of line closures. No representations have been received this year.
  572
  The operation of passenger services on the Barking to Gospel Oak line is a matter for North London Railways.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans exist to replace rolling stock on the Barking to Gospel Oak line; and if he will make a statement. [15186]

  Mr. Norris
  This is a matter for the British Railways Board. It is currently reviewing the rolling stock requirements for this line.

  Rail Franchising
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the franchising process for the(a) south-west and (b) Great Western lines will be reopened in circumstances when a franchisee renegotiates the level of subsidy upwards. [15182]

  Mr. Watts
  The circumstances posed in the hon. Member's question have not arisen.

  Derailment (Camden)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what investigations have so far been carried out into the derailment at Camden on 14 December 1995, and if he will make a statement. [15185]

  Mr. Watts
  The railway has carried out an internal investigation. In addition, the Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate has conducted an independent investigation into this incident and is now considering whether further action is appropriate.

  Derailments
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all reported derailments in 1994–95 and 1995–96 to the latest available date. [15187]

  Mr. Watts
  Statistics showing all derailments which operators are required to report under the Railways (Notice of Accidents) Order 1986 are shown in the railway inspectorate's annual report on the safety record of the railways in Great Britain which is published by the Health and Safety Executive. A copy is held in the House of Commons Library. The number of reported train derailments in 1994–95 was:

  Number

  Passenger train derailments

  28

  Freight train derailments

  121

  Total

  149

  Figures for 1995–96 are not yet available.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the causes of derailments broken down to show(a) track quality, (b) signal failure and (c) operating staff error for (i) 1994–95 and (ii) 1995–96; and if he will make a statement. [15189]
  573
  Mr. Watts
  The causes of train derailments are shown in appendix 4 to the railway inspectorate's annual report on the safety record of the railways in Great Britain, published by the Health and Safety Executive. A copy is held in the House of Commons Library. The derailments due to track quality, signal failure and operating staff error in 1994–95 were:

  Number

  (a) Track quality

  53

  (b) Signal failure

  1

  (c) Operating staff error

  53

  Other causes of derailments include locomotive and rolling stock defects, traction and braking shocks and malicious damage.

  Figures for 1995–96 are not yet available.

  Railway Development
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary for State for Transport what guidelines he has proposed for local authority involvement in socially necessary railway development; and if he will make a statement. [15188]

  Mr. Norris
  The Government recognise the contribution made by local authorities in supporting improvements to their local rail networks and wish to encourage their continued involvement in the role as specifiers and facilitators, rather than providers, of rail services. In addition, the objectives, instructions and guidance to the franchising director state that he should establish effective liaison with local authorities and other bodies involved in the restructured railway industry.

  Coaches (Motorways)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 8 February 1996,Official Report, column 302, if the assessment of the effect of banning coaches from the third lane of motorways will take account of evidence from before the imposition of the ban. [15129]

  Mr. Norris
  Transport Research Laboratory monitoring will include data from before the imposition of the ban.

  A1-M1 Link
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is(a) the planned start date and (b) the planned construction period for the Al-M1 link road; which contractors have been retained for the project; and if he will make a statement. [15006]

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

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. William O'Brien, dated 14 February 1996:
  The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent question about the Ml-Al Link Road.
  The Highways Agency is conducting negotiations with the preferred bidder from the M1-Al Link Road Scheme. Negotiations are drawing to a conclusion and the signing of the contract is expected to be announced shortly.
  574
  Once the contract has been signed the start of work on site is expected to follow approximately 4 months later. However, during that 4 months, mobilisation work will be carried out in preparation for the start of the main construction work. Construction is planned to be completed within 3 years (including the 4 month mobilisation period).

  Railway Fraud
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with British Rail concerning the inquiry in the ticket fraud involving Enterprise Rail. [15159]

  Mr. Watts
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Falmouth and Cambourne (Mr. Coe) on 9 February,Official Report, columns 374–75.

  Mr. Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the procedures currently in place to identify(a) fraud and (b) potential fraud in the railway industry. [15160]

  Mr. Watts
  The ticketing and settlement agreement, a scheme which is contractually binding on all train operators, provides for extensive independent auditing and monitoring of compliance with its terms. Regular, routine checks are carried out by Rail Settlement Plan, a limited company established under the agreement. Passenger operators are required to allow RSP's representatives access to their premises, personnel and records for the purposes of compliance monitoring. It was through these independent auditing arrangements that recent ticketing irregularities involving LTS Rail were detected.

  Single European Currency
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the impact of a single European currency on freight and passenger transport to and from the continent. [14949]

  Mr. Watts
  None.

  British Rail (Heavy Maintenance Depots)
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the conduct of the sale of BR's rolling stock heavy maintenance depots, including the Eastleigh depot. [15618]

  Sir George Young
  The British Railways Board sold its six British Rail maintenance depots—BRML—in June 1995. They were the largest sales at that date in the rail privatisation programme and BR prudently decided to commission a study to ensure their soundness. Price Waterhouse was therefore engaged by BR to review the sale of one of the depots, the Eastleigh works.

  Price Waterhouse concluded that the sale process for Eastleigh was generally robust and that the net proceeds would not have been higher if it had been undertaken differently.

  However, on reviewing the Price Waterhouse report, the Department of Transport concluded that, while its findings gave reassurance on proceeds, they were incomplete. The Department therefore commissioned Ernst and Young to carry out a further, detailed, investigation of all six BRML sales. Following consultation with the Department, the Ernst and Young

  575
  team has been accompanied in its investigation by an official from the National Audit Office, which carrying out its own independent and separate examination of the sale.

  Ernst and Young has concluded that the sale process depended crucially on the fairness and transparency of the competition. The composition of the Eastleigh depot's assets would have been a subsidiary consideration to the strategic value of the business to the eventual purchaser. Having spoken to other bidders for the Eastleigh depot, Ernst and Young is confident that there was a strong and fair competition, and that all the necessary information, including details of the company's cash balances and its future trading prospects, was available to all bidders. Ernst and Young concluded that, whilst there were some procedural weaknesses, they did not affect the sale. Ernst and Young's inquiries also point to the fairness and transparency of all the subsequent BRML sales.

  The National Audit Office has been kept fully informed throughout by the Department. The BRML sales, like all other sales in the railway privatisation programme, are subject to scrutiny by the NAO on behalf of the Comptroller and Auditor-General.

SCOTLAND

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sites of special scientific interest Scottish National Heritage reported as damaged in(a) 1992–93, (b) 1993–94 and (c) 1994–95; and what percentage of the total these represent. [14198]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The information requested is set out in the table:

  Year

  Total number of SSSIs

  Number of SSSIs damaged

  Percentage of SSSIs damaged

  1992–93

  1,355

  17

  1.3

  1993–94

  1,373

  17

  1.2

  1994–95

  1,382

  23

  1.7

  North Lanarkshire Council
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total cost to public funds of the inquiry conducted by Mr. D. I. K. MacLeod WS into the appointment of officers to North Lanarkshire council. [14333]

  Mr. Kynoch
  Costs have yet to be finalised, but it is estimated that these will be in the region of £28,000.

  Out-of-school Care Initiative
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 893, if the £500,000 for the out-of-school care initiative in 1996–97 is additional to the budgets announced in December 1995 for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. [14460]
  576
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  Provision has been made within the budgets for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Enterprise announced in December 1995 for the continuation of the out-of-school child care initiative.

  Empty Buildings
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many empty buildings his Department currently owns; what is the cost of insuring and securing these buildings; how many were designed as residential properties; and what was the total amount spent by his Department on empty property taxes in each of the last five years. [14569]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Most of the office space provided for Government Departments is part of the Government's common user estate and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment will provide details of empty buildings on the CUE and their respective costs.

  The Scottish Office and its agencies currently own 60 empty Crown buildings, of which 39 were designed as residential properties. As a general rule, the Government carry their own insurance risk. The cost of securing these buildings cannot be readily quantified and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

  The total amount known to have been spent on empty property taxes in each of the years was as follows:

  1991–92: Nil

  1992–93: £8,516

  1993–94: £2,148

  1994–95: £3,727

  1995–96: £5,425.

  Figures are not available centrally for the amount spent on property taxes by health boards.

  Complaints against GPs
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received regarding proposed changes in the method of dealing with complaints against general practitioners in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [14624]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  None. My officials have, however, had constructive discussions with the professions, management and consumer interests about the detail of the new NHS complaints procedures.

  Ashfield House, Kirkintilloch
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding Greater Glasgow health board's plan for a community care facility at Ashfield house in Kirkintilloch; and if he will make a statement. [14610]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Other than the representations dealt with by the office of the Scottish Office inquiry reporter the only representation I have received is the letter of 2 February 1996 from the hon. Member for Strathkelvin and Bearsden.

  Licensing (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he will take following the Scottish Special Standing Committee's consideration of the Licensing (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill; and if he will make a statement. [15646]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I welcome the opportunity to congratulate the Special Standing Committee on its work. The Licensing (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill has benefited greatly from the Committee's scrutiny.

  The Special Standing Committee met on three occasions, in Stirling, Ayr and Inverness, and took evidence from representations of nine bodies, including the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the Association of Chief Police Officers (Scotland), the Health Education Board for Scotland, the Scottish Law Society and voluntary organisations involved in the prevention of drug misuse and the rehabilitation of drug addicts. It also took evidence from academics, doctors and Sheriff Neil Gow QC, who conducted the fatal accident inquiry into the deaths of three young men and found that their deaths resulted from the consumption of controlled drugs at dance events held at Hangar 13 in Ayr. My hon. Friend the Minister of State, Scottish Office also gave evidence.

  The main purpose of the Bill, which is to give licensing boards greater power to regulate licensed premises on which dance events are held so that they are made safer for those attending, was generally supported by those who gave evidence. There was also support for the provisions in the Bill intended to ensure that licensing boards remain of manageable size following local government reorganisation in Scotland.

  In responding to questions from Committee members, those giving evidence did, however, make a number of criticisms of the form of regulatory arrangements proposed by the Bill. We have given careful consideration to these comments and have decided to bring forward amendments at Commons Standing Committee, with the intention of responding to the suggestions made for improving the Bill. The effect of these amendments will ensure that licensing boards are obliged to attach conditions to liquor licences for premises which are to be used for dance events and to provide boards with as much flexibility as possible to make conditions which are appropriate to local circumstances.

  The Special Standing Committee arrangements for examining Bills have therefore been valuable in preparing for the entry of the Licensing (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill into Commons Standing Committee. They have enabled the Government to identify possible difficulties in implementing legislative proposals and to prepare amendments for debate at the earliest possible opportunity. They will, I am sure, prove to have been of similar assistance also to all hon. Members involved in scrutinising the Bill at its various stages. I am therefore grateful to the Special Standing Committee for all the work that it has done and to those who took time to give evidence to it.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Deregulation
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what legislation enacted in the last parliamentary Session he proposes to repeal by way of deregulation orders. [14753]

  Mr. Freeman
  None of the proposals which have been put to the Deregulation Committee, or on which the Government have gone out to public consultation, affects legislation laid in the last parliamentary Session.

  Legislation (Compliance Cost Assessments)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list for primary and secondary legislation passed since 5 April 1995 which measures were subject to a compliance cost assessment; and what was the compliance cost in each instance. [13661]

  Mr. Freeman
  Details of compliance cost assessments for primary and secondary legislation passed in the first half of 1995 are included in a Command Paper, Cm 3075, which was presented to Parliament on 25 January 1996. Copies of the compliance cost assessment listed are available in the House Libraries. Further Command Papers listing compliance cost assessments issued in the preceding six-month period will be published at six-monthly intervals.

  Environmental Impact Assessments
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what criteria are used to define whether a proposal to Cabinet will have significant effects on the environment and therefore should be accompanied by a statement of the likely environmental implications. [15109]

  The Deputy Prime Minister
  "Questions of Procedure for Ministers" makes it clear that papers for Cabinet or Cabinet Committees should, where appropriate, cover any significant costs or benefits to the environment. The interpretation of this guidance is for the individual Minister preparing the paper. In this the Ministers can refer to the Department of the Environment publication "Policy Appraisal and the Environment", copies of which are widely available in Departments.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Domestic Violence
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many of the injunctions granted in domestic violence cases were subsequently breached in each of the last five years. [14097]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The question concerns a specific operational matter on which the chief executive of the Court Service is best placed to provide an answer and I have accordingly asked the chief executive to reply direct.
  579
  Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. Paul Boateng, dated 14 February 1996:
  The Parliamentary Secretary has asked me to reply to your Question about the numbers of injunctions in domestic violence cases that were subsequently breached in each of the last five years.
  I regret that this information is not available and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many legal aid certificates were issued to take proceedings for domestic violence in each of the last five years; and what was the amount paid under those certificates in the same period. [14095]

  Mr. Evans
  The number of legal aid certificates issued to cover domestic violence proceedings in the last five years is as follows:

  Certificates Issued

  1990–91: 14,189

  1991–92: 16,819

  1992–93: 19,242

  1993–94: 19,590

  1994–95: 19,209.

  It is not possible to identify the net costs of these cases. However, over the same period, the net cost of closed cases involving domestic violence matters is available.

  Number closed

  Net cost £

  1990–91

  14,281

  9,789,868

  1991–92

  16,480

  13,722,255

  1992–93

  17,571

  16,078,711

  1993–94

  20,083

  19,592,542

  1994–95

  19,211

  19,306,590

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many injunctions were granted in domestic violence cases in each of the last five years. [14096]

  Mr. Evans
  The question concerns a specific operational matter on which the chief executive of the Court Service is best placed to provide an answer and I have accordingly asked the chief executive to reply direct.

  Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. Paul Boateng, dated 14 February 1996:
  The Parliamentary Secretary has asked me to reply to your Question about the numbers of injunctions granted in domestic violence cases in each of the last five years.

  The figures are:

  1991:26,236

  1992: 30,971

  1993: 32,781

  1994: 28,512

  1995: 25,609.

  The 1995 total is a provisional one and is liable to revision to take account of late amendments.

  Spare Computer Capacity
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list all cases where spare computer capacity has been sold to other 580
  Departments since 1987, giving the Department and value of each contract. [14086]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  My Department has not sold any spare computer capacity to any other Departments since 1987 and has no current plans to do so.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Pesca Initiative
  Mr. Cann
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how much finance has been made available to the United Kingdom to date from the Pesca initiative; and how much has been spent; [14608]

  (2) what use of the Pesca funds has been made to assist fishery-dependent areas of the United Kingdom; [14607]

  (3) what plans he has to use Pesca funding for the benefit of British fishermen. [14609]

  Mr. Baldry
  A total of 37.42 mecu—some £31 million—has been allocated to the United Kingdom for the period 1995 to 1999. Subject to final confirmation from the European Commission, further funding of 5.88 mecu—approximately £5 million—will also be available from the Community initiative reserve.

  As indicated in the announcement which I made today, applications are now being invited for projects which meet the criteria in the UK's implementation programme, which was approved by the European Commission in June 1995. This places particular emphasis on diversification into non-fishing activities. But funds will also be available for the restructuring of the fisheries sector and for retraining in areas dependent on fishing.

  No grants have yet been awarded, but I expect the first payments under Pesca to be made in the early part of this year.

  Legislation (Compliance Cost Assessments)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list for primary and secondary legislation passed since 5 April 1995 which measures were subject to a compliance cost assessment; and what was the compliance cost in each instance. [13648]

  Mr. Boswell
  [holding answer 9 February 1996]: I refer to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster today.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many written parliamentary questions were passed for answer to executive agencies and non-governmental departments in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [14990]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The numbers of written questions for which I, or my predecessors, have asked executive agencies to reply to direct are as follows:

  Parliamentary Session

  1993–94: 6

  1994–95: 35

  1995–96: 15 (to date).

  581
  These figures include parliamentary answers where a partial answer has been given by me or my predecessors in respect of the core Department.

  Figures are not readily available for earlier Sessions of Parliament.

  Environmental Appraisals
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many environmental appraisals were produced by his Department using the guidance contained in the Department of the Environment's "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" in 1995; and if he will place copies in the Library. [15115]

  Mr. Boswell
  The Department does not keep a central record of environmental appraisals conducted before new or revised policies are adopted. However, officials have been instructed to take environmental considerations into account in the policy development process using the guidance contained in the Department of the Environment's booklet "Policy Appraisal and the Environment".

  Varroa
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to change the statutory infected area for varroa; and if he will make a statement. [15424]

  Mr. Boswell
  The autumn varroa searched last year revealed a significant number of cases outside the statutory infected area. Having now considered the views of the national beekeeping organisations, and those of the many local associations and individual beekeepers who have written to me and to the Welsh Office, we have agreed from today to extend the boundary of the statutory infected area to include the four English counties of Cheshire, Cleveland, Durham and Merseyside and the whole of Wales.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Tax Discs
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers the police have to restrain persons from driving vehicles which do not bear a current tax disc; and if he will make a statement on the enforcement of this measure. [15062]

  Mr. Maclean
  The main responsibility for enforcement action against untaxed vehicles rests with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. The police and traffic wardens assist by sending reports of suspected unlicensed vehicles to the agency. No powers exist for restraining persons from driving untaxed vehicles, but regulations will be introduced shortly which provide powers to wheelclamp and impound unlicensed vehicles parked on the public road. A pilot wheelclamping scheme, starting in London this month, will enable the agency to assess the effectiveness of these powers in combating vehicle excise duty evasion.

  Young Prisoners
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) 15, (b) 16 and (c) 17-year-olds have been recorded as self-injuring in prison in each year since 1990, by prison. [15014]

  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 Richard Tilt to Mr. George Howarth, dated 14 February 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number, by prison, of 15, 16 and 17 year olds who have been recorded as self-injuring in prison in each year since 1990.
  The information you have requested is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Pregnant Prisoners
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the policy and training of prison officers in control and restraint techniques on pregnant prisoners. [15003]

  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 Richard Tilt to Mr. George Howarth, dated 14 February 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the policy and training of prison officers in control and restraint techniques on pregnant prisoners.
  The Prison Service has been revising the policy on the use of control and restraint methods in respect of pregnant women and prisoners with disabilities. The review group includes medical and nursing representatives as well as those who are experienced in the use of control and restraint techniques.
  The review was set up by the Director of Security and Programmes at the time of the changes which were made in the use of restraints, which were subject to the Home Secretary's statement on 18 January. I expect to receive the results of the review very shortly.

  Mr. Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the option of temporary release for women attending hospital to receive maternity care is available. [14998]

  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 Richard Tilt to Mr. George Howarth, dated 14 February 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the temporary release of women prisoners attending hospital to receive maternity care.
  On 25 April last year new arrangements for the temporary release of unescorted prisoners came into effect following changes to the Prison Rules. Under the new system eligible sentenced women prisoners, who satisfy the mandatory risk assessment, may be released on compassionate licence to attend hospital for maternity care and to give birth. Instructions to Governors governing the new

  583
  national policy of release on temporary licence are set out in Prison Service Instruction 36/1995, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Bulwood Hall Women's Prison
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason Bulwood Hall women's prison has stopped prisoners receiving incoming calls during the week beginning 15 January. [15015]

  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 Richard Tilt to Mr. George Howarth, dated 14 February 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about Bullwood Hall prison.
  The incoming phone lines at Bullwood Hall were unauthorised and undermined the national incentives and earned privileges scheme which was introduced in the summer of 1995. The telephone lines were consequently withdrawn on 17 January 1996 on the instructions of the area manager.

  Fire Service
  Mr. Chris Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from(a) organisations and (b) individuals on the ability of fire brigades to meet minimum legal standards for rescue and firefighting duties in 1996–97. [14593]

  Mr. Sackville
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received a number of such representations relating to different fire brigade areas. It is for each fire authority to set a budget which will allow it to comply with its statutory duties under the Fire Services Act 1947 and with the nationally recommended minimum standards of fire cover.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the adequacy of fire service funding for 1996–97 to permit fire brigades to comply with the statutory minimum standards for their(a) rescue, (b) firefighting and (c) emergency roles. [14794]

  Mr. Sackville
  It is for each fire authority, in the light of the proposed criteria for council tax capping, to set a budget which will allow it to comply with its statutory duties under the Fire Services Act 1947 and with the nationally recommended minimum standards of fire cover. In circumstances where an authority considers that it is necessary to set a budget above the proposed capping limit in order to fulfil its statutory duties, it is open to it to set a budget above the limit and make out a case to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment for redetermination of the cap.

  Racial Hatred
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy in respect of groups which(a) incite racial hatred and (b) call for (i) homosexuals, (ii) Hindus and (iii) Jews to be killed. [14648]
  584
  Mr. Kirkhope
  The Government find such views repugnant. We have sought to ensure that legal provisions are available to deal with members of such groups who incite violence and racial hatred under either the common law or public order legislation.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions(a) have been brought and (b) are currently in progress, on charges of racial hatred since the coming into force of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994; and how many have resulted in conviction. [14654]

  Mr. Maclean
  Section 155 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 made offences under section 19 of the Public Order Act 1986 arrestable under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 on 3 February 1995. Information on court proceedings data for the 1995 calendar year under this provision will not be available until autumn 1996.

  Parish Precepts
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he issues to parishes in rural areas in respect of the cost of parish precepts for(a) neighbourhood watch schemes and (b) special parish constables. [14750]

  Mr. Maclean
  None.

  Metropolitan Police (Complaints)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is taken by the Metropolitan police to compensate members of the public whose complaint and finding against the police or a police constable has been sustained in respect of suffering serious embarrassment or inconvenience by an inquiry supervised by the Police Complaints Authority. [14659]

  Mr. Maclean
  It is for the individual complainant to decide whether to make a claim against the Metropolitan police.

  Prison Staff
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the total staff establishment for the Prison Service in England and Wales by each grade; and how many from each grade were from an ethnic minority in(a) 1989 and (b) 1995; [13458]

  (2) how many prison staff in England and Wales were from an ethnic minority in (a) 1989 and (b) 1995. [13457]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for these matters 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 Richard Tilt to Ms Janet Anderson, dated 14 February 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about Prison Service staff of ethnic minority origin.
  The Prison Service began to monitor staff ethnic origins in May 1993. The attached returns, therefore, give comparative information for May 1993, the earliest available figures, and May 1995.
  585

  Equal opportunities return as at 14 May 1993

  Grade

  Total

  Women

  Percentage

  Ethnic minority

  Percentage

  Disability

  Percentage

  Director General

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Director (Grade 3)

  6

  3

  50

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Grade 4

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Grade 5

  13

  4

  31

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Assistant Director

  7

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Grade 6

  21

  3

  14

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Grade 7

  132

  16

  12

  3

  2

  1

  1

  Governor 1

  37

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Governor 2

  79

  7

  9

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Governor 3

  115

  12

  10

  3

  3

  1

  1

  Governor 41

  310

  38

  12

  2

  1

  1

  0

  Governor 51

  472

  35

  7

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Principal Officer1

  1,429

  51

  4

  7

  0

  1

  0

  Senior Officer1

  3,260

  132

  4

  33

  1

  0

  0

  Officer1

  19,325

  1,816

  9

  354

  2

  9

  0

  Temporary Officer

  9

  9

  100

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Auxiliary Officer

  1,439

  280

  19

  27

  2

  4

  0

  Night Patrol

  939

  83

  9

  29

  3

  2

  0

  Chaplains

  245

  29

  12

  4

  2

  0

  0

  Nursing Grades

  346

  288

  83

  29

  8

  0

  0

  Psychologist Grades

  152

  103

  68

  1

  1

  0

  0

  Farm Manager Grades

  77

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  F/T Medical Officer Grades

  134

  14

  10

  53

  40

  0

  0

  P/T Medical Officer Grades

  109

  6

  6

  24

  22

  0

  0

  Senior Prof and Tech Officer

  101

  2

  2

  1

  1

  0

  0

  Higher Prof and Tech Officer

  118

  2

  2

  3

  3

  0

  0

  Prof and Tech Officer

  71

  8

  11

  6

  8

  0

  0

  Senior Instruct Officer

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Higher Instruct Officer

  27

  2

  7

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Instructional Officer

  1,049

  143

  14

  13

  1

  7

  1

  Senior Executive Officer

  81

  20

  25

  2

  2

  1

  1

  Higher Executive Officer

  287

  110

  38

  9

  3

  1

  0

  Executive Officer

  615

  353

  57

  27

  4

  3

  0

  Administrative Officer

  1,997

  1,481

  74

  146

  7

  14

  1

  Administrative Assistant

  688

  542

  79

  71

  10

  7

  1

  Storeperson

  583

  26

  4

  4

  1

  0

  0

  Typing Grades (incl P.S.)

  618

  616

  100

  14

  2

  2

  0

  Pharmacy Grades

  49

  33

  67

  1

  2

  0

  0

  Support Bands 1 and 2

  215

  194

  90

  3

  1

  1

  0

  Chief Psy Meas Technician

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Librarian

  1

  1

  100

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Regional Catering Manager

  4

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  35,163

  6,463

  18

  869

  2

  55

  0

  1 Includes specialist grades (works, hospital, physical education etc.).

  Equal opportunities return as at 1 May 1995

  Grade

  Total

  Women

  Percentage

  Ethnic minority

  Percentage

  Disability

  Percentage

  Director General

  1

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  Director (Grade 3)

  6

  2

  33.33

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  Grade 4 (including PMO)

  11

  2

  18.18

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  Grade 5 (including SMO)

  57

  9

  15.79

  19

  33.33

  0

  0.00

  Assistant Director

  7

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  Grade 6

  23

  4

  17.39

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  Grade 7

  123

  14

  11.38

  3

  2.44

  1

  0.81

  Governor 1

  46

  2

  4.35

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  Governor 2

  75

  5

  6.67

  0

  0.00

  1

  1.33

  Governor 3

  126

  16

  12.70

  1

  0.79

  4

  3.17

  Governor 42

  309

  37

  11.97

  2

  0.65

  2

  0.65

  Governor 52

  464

  36

  7.76

  2

  0.43

  1

  0.22

  Principal Officer1

  1,368

  69

  5.04

  9

  0.66

  6

  0.44

  Senior Officer1

  3,521

  167

  4.74

  44

  1.25

  10

  0.28

  Officer1

  19,278

  2,003

  10.39

  467

  2.42

  17

  0.09

  Temporary Officer

  4

  4

  100.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  Auxiliary Officer

  1,846

  365

  19.77

  42

  2.28

  6

  0.33

  Night Patrol

  983

  87

  8.85

  31

  3.15

  2

  0.20

  Chaplains

  255

  33

  12.94

  6

  2.35

  0

  0.00

  Nursing Grades

  599

  457

  76.29

  59

  9.85

  1

  0.17

  Psychologist Grades

  183

  126

  68.85

  3

  1.64

  3

  1.64

  Farm Manager Grades

  88

  1

  1.14

  1

  1.14

  0

  0.00

  586

  587

  Equal opportunities return as at 1 May 1995

  Grade

  Total

  Women

  Percentage

  Ethnic minority

  Percentage

  Disability

  Percentage

  Full-time Medical Officer G

  83

  8

  9.64

  41

  49.40

  0

  0.00

  Part-time Medical Officer G

  103

  4

  3.88

  32

  31.07

  0

  0.00

  Senior Prof and Tech Officer

  95

  0

  0.00

  2

  2.11

  0

  0.00

  Higher Prof and Tech Officer

  117

  4

  3.42

  4

  3.42

  3

  2.56

  Prof and Tech Officer

  73

  6

  8.22

  7

  9.59

  1

  1.37

  Senior Instruct Officer

  1

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  Higher Instruct Officer

  24

  2

  8.33

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  Instructional Officer

  1,087

  158

  14.54

  13

  1.20

  7

  0.64

  Senior Executive Officer

  88

  26

  29.55

  2

  2.27

  3

  3.41

  Higher Executive Officer

  289

  114

  39.45

  7

  2.42

  5

  1.73

  Executive Officer

  624

  375

  60.10

  34

  5.45

  6

  0.96

  Administrative Office

  2,003

  1,515

  75.64

  136

  6.79

  23

  1.15

  Administrative Assistant

  744

  576

  77.42

  73

  9.81

  14

  1.88

  Storeperson

  610

  35

  5.74

  6

  0.98

  0

  0.00

  Typing Grades (including P. S.)

  626

  624

  99.68

  11

  1.76

  3

  0.48

  Pharmacy Grades

  58

  40

  68.97

  6

  10.34

  0

  0.00

  Support Bands 1 and 2

  237

  213

  89.87

  9

  3.80

  4

  1.69

  Librarian

  1

  1

  100.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  Regional Catering Manager

  4

  4

  100.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  Industrials

  2,884

  203

  7.04

  n/a

  0.00

  n/a

  0.00

  Ins-Asp1

  1

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  Information Officers

  10

  3

  30.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  39,135

  7,350

  18.78

  1,072

  2.74

  123

  0.31

  1 Includes management classification.

  2 Includes specialist grades; works, hospital, physical education etc.

  Bingo Clubs
  Sir Mark Lennox-Boyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will amend the law to allow bingo clubs to advertise their prize money. [13523]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  The restrictions on the advertising of bingo and other forms of commercial gambling are currently under review as part of the Government's deregulation initiative. The review is well advanced and we hope to consult on our proposals shortly.

  Fraud
  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated figure for serious fraud in large businesses in the United Kingdom for 1995. [13521]

  Mr. Maclean
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Disabled People (Safety)
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of the work of the Home Office working party on the personal safety of disabled people. [14139]

  Mr. Maclean
  The Home Office working party set up in 1993 to help the Suzy Lamplugh Trust produce personal safety advice for disabled people completed its task in May 1995 when a consultative document, together with a leaflet entitled "Out and About"—which offers advice for disabled people when travelling around—was published.

  I understand that the Suzy Lamplugh Trust has followed up this work with further initiatives, including the provision of training workshops for disabled people and carers.

  Terrorist Prisoners
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in Britain have requests for transfer to prisons in(a) Northern Ireland and (b) the Republic of Ireland currently under consideration. [14734]

  Miss Widdecombe
  As of 8 February, 24 requests for transfer to Northern Ireland and 65 requests for repatriation to the Republic of Ireland made by prisoners in England and Wales were under consideration. In addition, two requests for transfer to Northern Ireland made by prisoners in Scotland were under consideration. No requests for repatriation to the Republic of Ireland have been made by prisoners in Scotland.

  Immigration (Indian Sub-continent)
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the numbers and proportions of arrivals in the United Kingdom in the last two years from the Indian sub-continent of overseas residents who subsequently left the United Kingdom. [15140]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  The information requested is not available.

  Deportees
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many families were deported from the United Kingdom under the provisions of the Immigration Act 1971 in each year since 1985. [14922]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  The information requested is not available. Information on the total number of persons removed from the United Kingdom under the deportation process since 1985 is given in table 7.3 of "Control of Immigration: Statistics, United Kingdom, 1994", Cm 2935, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Environmental Appraisals
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many environmental appraisals were produced by his Department using the guidance contained in the Department of the Environment's "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" in 1995; and if he will place copies in the Library. [15119]

  Mr. Howard
  There is currently no formal monitoring system for environmental appraisals carried out by my Department. However, I understand that the Department of the Environment proposes shortly to commission a project to evaluate the effect of its policy appraisal and the environment document on decision making by Government Departments. The project will seek to identify how far environmental impacts are taken into account in policy decisions.

  Burglars
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 6 February,Official Report, column 107, on the number of burglars convicted on a third or greater occasion, what number and percentage were juvenile offenders, what percentage of them were sentenced to immediate custody, and what was the average custodial sentence imposed on them; what number and percentage were young adults, what percentage of them were sentenced to immediate custody, and what was the average custodial sentence imposed on them; what number and percentage were adults, what percentage of them were sentenced to immediate custody, and what was the average custodial sentence imposed on them. [15190]

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested, taken from a sample of those convicted of burglary in three weeks of 1993, is given in the table.

  Sentencing of burglars convicted for the third or greater time: by age

  Age of offender

  Number convicted on third or greater occasion

  Percentage of those convicted on a third or greater occasion

  Percentage sentenced to immediate custody

  Average custodial sentence imposed (months)

  All ages

  1,135

  100

  43

  11

  Under 18 years

  142

  13

  33

  5

  18–20 years

  233

  21

  52

  10

  21 years or over

  760

  67

  42

  12

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions since 1 January 1995(a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department have had contact with Lord Howe concerning his correspondence with the Scott inquiry. [14819]

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 12 February 1996]: Neither I nor my Ministers nor officials have had any such contacts with him.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Indonesia
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid has been given to Indonesia in each of the last 16 years. [14948]

  Mr. Hanley
  Bilateral aid to Indonesia over the last 16 years has been as follows (in £000) and in cash prices:

  1980: 9,555

  1981: 7,814

  1982: 11,264

  1983: 9,515

  1984: 12,818

  1985: 31,781

  1986: 7,463

  1987: 9,395

  1987–88: 7,809

  1988–89: 10,758

  1989–90: 9,615

  1990–91: 17,588

  1991–92: 21,197

  1992–93: 21,387

  1993–94: 22,214

  1994–95: 21,418.

  Note:

  From 1992, British Aid Statistics was published by financial year.

  British Geological Survey
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all the contracts or work done by the British Geological Survey paid for by the Overseas Development Administration, the nature of the work, and the cost in each case; what arrangements need to be made to continue these programmes if the survey is privatised; and if he will make a statement. [14113]

  Mr. Hanley
  [pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1996, c. 300]: Listed is an update of the current contracts which the British Geological Survey has with ODA:

  Contract

  Country

  Value £

  Yaoba Oasis Environmental Project (hydrogeological consultants)

  China

  186,688

  Establishment of a Coastal Geology Unit (IT training)

  Albania

  78,525

  Water Resources Management, Lake Balkhash (environmental impact study)

  Kazakhstan

  26,046

  Primoyre Mineral Waters (water sampling)

  Russia

  24,973

  Environmental Thematic Mapping

  Slovakia

  36,500

  Resource Centre scheme With ODA (call down contracts for ad hoc consultancy work)

  Global

  75,000

  591

  Contract

  Country

  Value £

  Bapedal Groundwater Project (monitoring consultancy)

  Indonesia

  39,200

  World Bank Mining and Environmental Project (geological information mapping programme)

  Ecuador

  2,319,282

  Coal Bed Methane Pre-feasibility Study

  Bangladesh

  44,500

  Land-Ocean Contaminant Study

  Mexico/Africa/Indonesia

  434,939

  Mitigation of Mining Related Mercury Pollution Hazards

  Philippines/Ecuador

  1218,513

  Protecting Groundwater Beneath Wastewater Recharge Sites

  Mexico/Thailand

  207,271

  Groundwater Management in Drought Prone Areas of Africa

  Africa

  142,527

  Development New Well Siting Techniques

  Zimbabwe/Egypt

  203,822

  Groundwater Resources Degradation; Socio-Economic Impacts and their Mitigation

  China/India/Thailand/Mexico/Jersey/Palestinian Territories

  242,060

  Mineral Information Databases in Developing Countries3

  Guyana/Zimbabwe

  112,240

  Groundwater Development in Alluvial Aquifers3

  Pakistan/Fiji

  661,661

  WHO: Groundwater Quality Assessment and Protection3

  UK/various overseas especially Asia

  79,699

  Geoscience Database for Coastal Zone Management3

  Various/East and South East Asia

  82,210

  Data Management Systems for Groundwater for Developing Countries3

  Regional

  57,720

  Study of Pollution Risk to Deep Groundwater from Urban Wastewater3

  Regional

  222,230

  African Workshop in Water Resources3

  Regional

  62,510

  Minerals for Development Workshops3

  Brazil/Egypt/Zambia/ Vietnam

  79,538

  Procedures for the Rapid Assessment of Limestone Resources3

  Thailand/Egypt

  154,778

  Prediction and Remediation of Human Selenium Imbalances3

  China/Sri Lanka

  280,214

  Cerium and Endomyocardial Fibrosis in Tropical Terrains3

  Uganda

  235,965

  Geological Surveys in Developing Countries Strategies for Assistance3

  United Kingdom

  53,888

  Potential for Aquaculture using Saline Groundwater3

  Various

  92,338

  592

  Contract

  Country

  Value £

  World Bank Paper on Urban Groundwater Management Strategies3

  United Kingdom and overseas sites

  53,153

  Report Reproduction and Dissemination3

  United Kingdom

  10,001

  Earthworks3

  United Kingdom

  37,745

  1 Indicates a change of figure

  2 Joint research project with the Natural Resources Institute

  3 Indicates an additional contract.

  If the BGS is privatised, the arrangements for continuing these programmes would be reviewed at the time. One option would be to transfer the contracts to the new owner.

PRIME MINISTER

  Deregulation
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his written answer of 6 November,Official Report, column 546, if he will place in the Library copies of the 1,000 regulations identified for repeal; and which of these had been repealed by 1 December 1995. [13657]

  The Prime Minister
  The 1,000 regulations due for repeal or amendment are identified individually by the responsible Departments and no comprehensive central list is held. However, we achieved our target of repealing or amending over 500 regulations by the end of last year. Examples included the simplification of the food temperature control regulations which will save business about £40 million a year with no diminution in food safety; removal of restrictions on Sunday trading and allowing shops to stay open later in the evenings if they so wish; and reform of the Trustee Investments Act 1961 which will result in savings to charities of up to £450 million a year by giving them greater investment flexibility. New measures are under consideration.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions since 1 January 1995(a) he and (b) officials in the Cabinet Office have had contact with Lord Howe concerning his correspondence with the Scott inquiry. [14824]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 12 February 1996]: Lord Howe, like other witnesses to the Scott inquiry, has had contacts with officials in the Cabinet Office from time to time. I have had no such contacts with him.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister what arrangements have been made for civil servants whose actions are discussed by Lord Justice Scott to receive copies of his report before its official publication on 15 February. [14840]

  The Prime Minister
  Pursuant to my answer of Tuesday 13 February,Official Report, columns 506–7, it has subsequently been agreed with the inquiry that all individuals who, from earlier drafts submitted to them,

  593
  have reason to believe they may be criticised in the report should have access to those sections of the report relevant to them shortly before publication, but only in controlled circumstances.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  School Buildings
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the capital amounts allowed to each education authority in England for school buildings in the financial year 1996–97 and the amounts of the authorities' original bids. [14768]

  Mrs. Gillan
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 18 December 1995 and to the hon. Member for North Thanet (Mr. Gale) on 19 December 1995,Official Report, columns 978 and 1018 respectively.

  Tatum Case
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the total cost of taking Mr. Tatum before an industrial tribunal by the Equal Opportunities Commission. [14744]

  Mrs. Gillan
  The Equal Opportunities Commission estimates that the total costs associated with the Tatum case were approximately £750.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps the Equal Opportunities Commission is taking to assist employment by small businesses. [14745]

  Mrs. Gillan
  The Equal Opportunities Commission is well aware of the importance of small businesses to the country's economic success and wishes to ensure that they understand the positive benefits which result from equal opportunity policy and practice. The commission has established a working party which has held discussions with organisations representing small and medium-sized businesses. The commission contributed to the Department's publication "Equality Pays", which is targeted at such businesses.

  Single European Currency
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment her Department has made of the impact of a single European currency on employment. [14951]

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) on 8 February,Official Report, column 363.

  Jobplan Workshops
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of participants in the jobplan workshops have found jobs. [14960]
  594
  Mr. Forth
  Responsibility for the subject of the question 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. Ted Rowlands, dated 14 February 1996:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about Jobplan Workshops.
  It may be helpful if I explain that Jobplan aims to help people who have been unemployed for a year or more to compete successfully for jobs and opportunities. About 80% of the people who become unemployed leave the unemployment register within a year. Those who remain can lose confidence and believe there are few options open to them. It is therefore important that at this stage people take a fresh look at their situation, have the chance to review their strengths and skills and set themselves new clear, achievable job goals, and take advantage of the range of help available.
  Jobplan supports people in this by providing personal reviews, access to a computer assisted occupational guidance program, and the opportunity to work with others to identify areas where they need additional help. During the week participants draw up a comprehensive action plan which maps out the steps that they need to take to find work.
  During the period April to December 1995, 5% of Jobplan participants found work within thirteen weeks of completing a workshop. In addition, a further 32% started on another employment, training or educational opportunity such as Training for Work, Jobclub or a college course.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Legislation (Compliance Cost Assessments)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list for primary and secondary legislation passed since 5 April 1995 which measures were subject to a compliance cost assessment; and what was the compliance cost in each instance. [13660]

  Mr. Forth
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many children resident in the constituency of South-East Staffordshire have a school place in the independent sector through the assisted places scheme. [14827]

  Mrs. Gillan
  The information is not collected in the form requested. Five independent schools in the Staffordshire local education authority area currently participate in the assisted places scheme, none of them situated in the South-East Staffordshire constituency. There are 595 assisted pupils at these schools in the current academic year 1995–96. The majority of these pupils are likely to be resident in Staffordshire but some may be drawn from a wider catchment area.

  Environmental Education
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when she will publish the Government's strategy for environmental education. [15123]
  595
  Mr. Robin Squire
  Responsibility for this matter rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. The Government hope to publish a strategy for environmental education in England and Wales in spring.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  National Lottery
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to her answer of 17 January,Official Report, column 729, if she will give a breakdown of the costs of (a) setting up and (b) running Oflot in (i) 1993–94 and (ii) 1994–95; and what was the source of these funds. [14212]

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 8 February 1996]: This is a matter for the Director General of the National Lottery. I have therefore asked the director general to write to the hon. Member, placing copies of his response in the Libraries of the House.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Marchioness Incident
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will now initiate further criminal proceedings in respect of the loss of the Marchioness. [14302]

  The Attorney-General
  The Crown Prosecution Service has received in November and December 1995 from the coroner transcripts of the evidence given at the inquest. These are being studied. Once they have been considered, together with the pre-inquest evidence and the results of any additional inquiries which may be necessary, a decision will be made as to whether further criminal proceedings should be instituted.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Attorney-General on how many occasions since 1 January 1995(a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department have had contact with Lord Howe concerning his correspondence with the Scott inquiry. [14823]

  The Attorney-General
  [holding answer 12 February 1996]: The requirements of the inquiry have been respected. Communications between me and others concerning correspondence with the Scott inquiry are private.

HEALTH

  Powered Wheelchairs
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the basis of his Department's own compliance cost assessment for the provision of powered wheelchairs; and what recent revision has been made to this assessment; [12076]
  596
  (2) what assessment he has made of the report of the Batteries Not Included Consortium on the provision of powered wheelchairs, a copy of which has been sent to him. [12487]

  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what consultations he has had with user groups concerning the funding of indoor-outdoor powered wheelchairs in the United Kingdom; [14596]

  (2) what progress has been made in implementing the central recommendations of the 1986 McColl report; [14597]

  (3) what assessment has been made of the benefit to disabled people of indoor-outdoor powered wheelchairs; [14598]

  (4) what consultations or correspondence his Department has had with health authorities concerning the funding of indoor-outdoor powered wheelchairs; [14599]

  (5) what plans he has to extend the funding of indoor-outdoor powered wheelchairs throughout the United Kingdom; [14600]

  (6) when the most recent assessment was made of the level of demand for indoor-outdoor powered wheelchairs. [14601]

  Mr. Bowis
  We have already implemented the main recommendation of the McColl report on the organisation of the services providing artificial limbs, wheelchairs and appliances for disabled people which was, inter alia, to devolve responsibility for the wheelchair service to the national health service locally. In 1994 we set up a departmental working group to look at the feasibility of introducing a voucher scheme. The group also looked at the likely demand for, and the cost of providing, powered indoor-outdoor wheelchairs. In considering the findings of the working group we have taken into account the report of the Batteries Not Included Consortium and representations made to us by interested parties, including health authorities.

  Responsibility for wheelchair provision in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland respectively.

  Pensions
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the criteria used by his Department when assessing the medical submissions by employees who apply for payment of pension benefits because of ill health. [13566]

  Mr. Malone
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the NHS Pensions Agency under its chief executive, Mr. A. F. Cowan. I have asked him to reply to the hon. Member.

  Letter from A. F. Cowan to Mr. William O'Brien, dated 14 February 1996:
  The Secretary of State for Health has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question as it falls within my area of responsibility.
  The criterion for early payment of a NHS retirement pension on the grounds of ill-health is that the member must have a physical or mental infirmity that renders them permanently incapable of

  597
  efficiently discharging the duties of their employment. In this context permanent means that the member will not be able to resume their previous employment before the normal retirement age of 60.

  Kidney Failure
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give a breakdown of the number of people who have died in each of the last five years as a result of kidney failure by(a) age group and (b) ethnic group; and what action he is taking to reduce the number of deaths from kidney failure. [14564]

  Mr. Horam
  This information is not available in the form requested. The numbers of people who die from various diseases are published annually in "Mortality Statistics series DH2: Cause: England and Wales", copies of which are available in the Library. It is for individual health authorities to allocate resources to renal services based on an assessment of the needs of their population and taking account of local priorities.

  Tri-Star Ambulances
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost to the NHS of the purchase of Tri-Star ambulances; and what assessment he has made of their safety. [14452]

  Mr. Horam
  The current contract price for a Tri-Star ambulance is £39,875, plus approximately £10,000 per vehicle for providing specialist equipment and stretchers. I am aware of one traffic accident involving a Tri-Star vehicle, which led to 19 vehicles being withdrawn from service pending further investigations of their allowable loaded rating. Other Tri-Star vehicles use a different chassis and continue to perform satisfactorily.

  Supported residents in homes for elderly people: rate per 1,000 population1 by type of care and age

  Rates per 1,000 population

  Residential and nursing care

  Residential care

  Nursing care

  65 or over

  75 or over

  65 or over

  75 or over

  65 or over

  75 or over

  England

  18.0

  34.0

  13.0

  25.0

  4.9

  9.3

  Avon

  17.0

  32.0

  10.0

  19.0

  6.8

  13.0

  Barking

  23.0

  48.0

  19.0

  40.0

  3.9

  8.0

  Barnet

  14.0

  26.0

  13.0

  23.0

  1.9

  3.3

  Barnsley

  22.0

  43.0

  18.0

  35.0

  4.0

  7.7

  Bedfordshire

  19.0

  38.0

  16.0

  33.0

  2.4

  4.8

  Berkshire

  15.0

  30.0

  9.5

  20.0

  5.0

  11.0

  Bexley

  12.0

  23.0

  9.0

  18.0

  2.5

  5.0

  Birmingham

  19.0

  37.0

  13.0

  25.0

  6.2

  12.0

  Bolton

  22.0

  45.0

  17.0

  36.0

  5.2

  10.0

  Bradford

  20.0

  37.0

  14.0

  26.0

  6.2

  11.0

  Brent

  9.1

  17.0

  7.3

  14.0

  1.9

  3.3

  Bromley

  5.0

  10.0

  2.8

  5.7

  2.2

  4.4

  Buckinghamshire

  14.0

  29.0

  11.0

  23.0

  3.1

  6.3

  Bury

  24.0

  46.0

  17.0

  34.0

  6.8

  12.0

  Calderdale

  26.0

  50.0

  19.0

  35.0

  7.5

  15.0

  Cambridgeshire

  13.0

  25.0

  12.0

  22.0

  1.7

  3.4

  Camden

  23.0

  40.0

  20.0

  33.0

  3.6

  6.3

  Cheshire

  8.3

  17.0

  8.1

  17.0

  0.19

  0.35

  City of London

  21.0

  42.0

  11.0

  15.0

  11.0

  27.0

  Cleveland

  23.0

  48.0

  14.0

  29.0

  8.9

  18.0

  Cornwall

  15.0

  30.0

  11.0

  22.0

  4.0

  7.8

  Coventry

  18.0

  28.0

  14.0

  23.0

  3.8

  5.7

  Croydon

  19.0

  38.0

  12.0

  24.0

  7.1

  14.0

  Cumbria

  19.0

  38.0

  16.0

  32.0

  3.6

  6.9

  Derbyshire

  19.0

  38.0

  13.0

  26.0

  5.9

  12.0

  Devon

  5.5

  10.0

  5.5

  10.0

  0.0

  0.0

  Private Patient Activity
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to establish a policy of public accountability for private patient activity in the NHS. [14504]

  Mr. Malone
  The accountable officer's memoranda, issued by the chief executive of the national health service executive in March 1995, set out the responsibilities of chief executives for all income and expenditure incorporated in health bodys accounts.

  Nurses' Pay
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the NHS trusts which have awarded an increase of less than 3 per cent. to nurses, indicating the percentage awarded; and if he will make a statement. [14484]

  Mr. Malone
  Over 90 per cent. of nurses have received pay increases of 3 per cent. or more in 1995, as a result of local negotiations. Final information on settlements for other trusts is not yet available.

  Residential and Nursing Homes
  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of places for(a) over 65-year-olds and (b) over 75-year-olds per 1,000 in residential and nursing homes funded by social services departments in each local authority. [14322]

  Mr. Bowis
  The number of residents supported in homes for the elderly by local authorities at 31 March 1995 per 1,000 population is shown in the table.
  599

  Supported residents in homes for elderly people: rate per 1,000 population1 by type of care and age

  Rates per 1,000 population

  Residential and nursing care

  Residential care

  Nursing care

  65 or over

  75 or over

  65 or over

  75or over

  65 or over

  75 or over

  Doncaster

  16.0

  35.0

  12.0

  25.0

  4.4

  9.3

  Dorset

  27.0

  50.0

  20.0

  37.0

  7.1

  13.0

  Dudley

  18.0

  37.0

  11.0

  23.0

  7.0

  14.0

  Durham

  22.0

  46.0

  14.0

  30.0

  8.1

  17.0

  Ealing

  16.0

  30.0

  11.0

  21.0

  4.5

  8.2

  East Sussex

  17.0

  29.0

  11.0

  19.0

  5.8

  10.0

  Enfield

  15.0

  28.0

  12.0

  22.0

  3.2

  6.0

  Essex

  15.0

  30.0

  12.0

  25.0

  3.0

  5.4

  Gateshead

  26.0

  54.0

  18.0

  38.0

  8.3

  16.0

  Gloucestershire

  10.0

  18.0

  3.6

  7.0

  6.0

  11.0

  Greenwich

  22.0

  42.0

  16.0

  31.0

  5.9

  11.0

  Hackney

  30.0

  58.0

  25.0

  47.0

  5.7

  11.0

  Hammersmith

  24.0

  43.0

  20.0

  36.0

  4.0

  7.2

  Hampshire

  14.0

  27.0

  11.0

  22.0

  2.6

  5.0

  Haringey

  15.0

  28.0

  13.0

  24.0

  2.1

  4.0

  Harrow

  11.0

  21.0

  10.0

  18.0

  1.5

  2.7

  Havering

  10.0

  21.0

  8.6

  19.0

  1.5

  2.5

  Hereford and Worcester

  15.0

  31.0

  10.0

  21.0

  4.9

  10

  Hertfordshire

  14.0

  28.0

  11.0

  23.0

  2.7

  5.1

  Hillingdon

  18.0

  34.0

  14.0

  26.0

  4.1

  8.2

  Hounslow

  13.0

  26.0

  12.0

  25.0

  0.8

  1.6

  Humberside

  23.0

  45.0

  18.0

  37.0

  4.4

  8.1

  Isle of Wight

  12.0

  22.0

  11.0

  20.0

  1.5

  2.4

  Isle of Scilly

  22.0

  46.0

  22.0

  46.0

  0.0

  0.0

  Islington

  26.0

  51.0

  21.0

  43.0

  4.6

  8.7

  Kensington

  16.0

  29.0

  13.0

  23.0

  3.3

  6.0

  Kent

  18.0

  34.0

  13.0

  26.0

  4.2

  8.1

  Kingston upon Thames

  13.0

  24.0

  10.0

  18.0

  3.3

  6.0

  Kirklees

  20.0

  39.0

  14.0

  28.0

  5.7

  11.0

  Knowsley

  42.0

  96.0

  27.0

  63.0

  15.0

  33.0

  Lambeth

  25.0

  44.0

  18.0

  30.0

  6.8

  14.0

  Lancashire

  22.0

  41.0

  16.0

  32.0

  5.2

  9.5

  Leeds

  22.0

  43.0

  14.0

  27.0

  8.0

  16.0

  Leicestershire

  18.0

  36.0

  13.0

  27.0

  4.3

  8.4

  Lewisham

  26.0

  49.0

  15.0

  29.0

  11.0

  19.0

  Lincolnshire

  13.0

  26.0

  7.9

  16.0

  4.9

  10.0

  Liverpool

  24.0

  45.0

  11.0

  20.0

  13.0

  25.0

  Manchester

  26.0

  47.0

  15.0

  28.0

  11.0

  20.0

  Merton

  12.0

  22.0

  8.6

  16.0

  3.6

  6.1

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  20.0

  40.0

  15.0

  30.0

  5.2

  10.0

  Newham

  25.0

  51.0

  22.0

  44.0

  3.7

  6.9

  Norfolk

  15.0

  30.0

  12.0

  23.0

  3.2

  6.2

  North Tyneside

  32.0

  64.0

  24.0

  50.0

  7.2

  14.0

  North Yorkshire

  18.0

  35.0

  13.0

  26.0

  4.5

  8.7

  Northamptonshire

  22.0

  44.0

  18.0

  35.0

  4.9

  9.3

  Northumberland

  19.0

  39.0

  15.0

  31.0

  4.0

  8.1

  Nottinghamshire

  22.0

  46.0

  12.0

  25.0

  10.0

  21.0

  Oldham

  19.0

  35.0

  16.0

  31.0

  2.8

  4.9

  Oxfordshire

  17.0

  35.0

  14.0

  28.0

  3.6

  7.3

  Redbridge

  15.0

  27.0

  12.0

  24.0

  2.4

  3.3

  Richmond upon Thames

  17.0

  31.0

  13.0

  24.0

  3.6

  6.6

  Rochdale

  26.0

  54.0

  17.0

  36.0

  8.8

  17.0

  Rotherham

  22.0

  46.0

  15.0

  33.0

  6.9

  14.0

  Salford

  26.0

  49.0

  16.0

  31.0

  10.0

  18.0

  Sandwell

  19.0

  38.0

  12.0

  24.0

  7.2

  14.0

  Sefton

  15.0

  29.0

  10.0

  18.0

  5.8

  11.0

  Sheffield

  21.0

  39.0

  16.0

  29.0

  5.6

  10.0

  Shropshire

  18.0

  34.0

  11.0

  22.0

  6.2

  12.0

  Solihull

  11.0

  24.0

  8.3

  18.0

  2.6

  5.5

  Somerset

  15.0

  30.0

  10.0

  20.0

  5.2

  10.0

  South Tyneside

  23.0

  47.0

  17.0

  35.0

  5.7

  12.0

  Southwark

  21.0

  40.0

  12.0

  23.0

  10.0

  17.0

  St. Helens

  20.0

  42.0

  12.0

  25.0

  8.3

  16.0

  Staffordshire

  19.0

  40.0

  14.0

  29.0

  5.1

  10.0

  Stockport

  20.0

  40.0

  12.0

  25.0

  7.8

  15.0

  Suffolk

  19.0

  37.0

  16.0

  32.0

  3.0

  5.6

  Sunderland

  22.0

  44.0

  14.0

  27.0

  7.9

  16.0

  Surrey

  13.0

  26.0

  10.0

  20.0

  3.3

  6.4

  Sutton

  19.0

  34.0

  16.0

  29.0

  3.0

  5.5

  Tameside

  21.0

  39.0

  12.0

  23.0

  8.8

  16.0

  600

  601

  Supported residents in homes for elderly people: rate per 1,000 population1 by type of care and age

  Rates per 1,000 population

  Residential and nursing care

  Residential care

  Nursing care

  65 or over

  75 or over

  65 or over

  75 or over

  65 or over

  75 or over

  Tower Hamlets

  29.0

  65.0

  25.0

  55.0

  4.8

  10.0

  Trafford

  19.0

  36.0

  13.0

  26.0

  5.6

  10.0

  Wakefield

  15.0

  32.0

  12.0

  26.0

  2.7

  5.5

  Walsall

  21.0

  44.0

  16.0

  35.0

  4.8

  10.0

  Waltham Forest

  19.0

  35.0

  19.0

  35.0

  0.0

  0.0

  Wandsworth

  23.0

  41.0

  17.0

  31.0

  5.4

  9.3

  Warwickshire

  13.0

  26.0

  8.1

  17.0

  4.7

  9.4

  West Sussex

  14.0

  24.0

  9.0

  16.0

  4.8

  8.2

  Westminster

  17.0

  31.0

  14.0

  26.0

  3.1

  5.3

  Wigan

  19.0

  38.0

  13.0

  27.0

  5.9

  12.0

  Wiltshire

  19.0

  38.0

  14.0

  28.0

  4.7

  9.1

  Wirral

  25.0

  49.0

  14.0

  26.0

  11.0

  23.0

  Wolverhampton

  19.0

  40.0

  15.0

  32.0

  3.9

  8.2

  Note:

  1 Rate is, for example, residents aged 65 or over supported by an LA divided by the population aged 65 or over of that LA. LAs may support residents outside their boundaries. They appear as supported residents for the LA but population for a different LA. Where this is the case, the supported residents per head figures will be exaggerated.

  Source:

  DH annual return SR1.

  Intensive Care Beds (Durham)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State of Health how many intensive care beds there have been in the City of Durham constituency, in each year since 1979. [14513]

  Mr. Horam
  Information for years prior to 1988 is not available centrally. In each year from 1988–89 to 1994–95, there has been an average of 33 intensive care beds in the Durham health authorities.

  Doctors in the NHS in England

  Hospital medical

  Community medical

  General medical practitioners

  Numbers

  WTE

  Numbers

  WTE

  Numbers

  Total numbers

  1979

  39,860

  32,130

  5,890

  2,790

  21,360

  67,110

  1980

  40,760

  33,200

  5,980

  2,820

  21,810

  68,550

  1981

  41,620

  33,940

  6,040

  2,880

  22,300

  69,960

  1982

  42,190

  34,500

  6,170

  2,870

  22,790

  71,150

  1983

  42,760

  35,160

  6,330

  2,910

  23,250

  72,340

  1984

  42,780

  35,370

  6,160

  2,880

  23,640

  72,580

  1985

  43,550

  35,970

  6,150

  2,930

  24,040

  73,740

  1986

  43,990

  36,310

  6,030

  2,920

  24,460

  74,480

  1987

  43,960

  36,250

  6,300

  2,760

  24,920

  75,180

  1988

  45,490

  37,600

  6,160

  2,790

  25,320

  76,970

  1989

  46,970

  38,910

  6,110

  2,770

  25,610

  78,690

  1990

  48,590

  40,250

  5,900

  2,730

  25,620

  80,110

  1991

  49,900

  41,430

  5,320

  2,780

  25,690

  80,910

  1992

  50,380

  42,290

  4,940

  2,600

  25,970

  81,290

  1993

  51,550

  43,800

  4,710

  2,590

  26,290

  82,550

  1994

  52,040

  44,660

  4,070

  2,370

  26,570

  82,680

  Figures have been rounded to the nearest "10". The Hospital Medical Staff include Hospital Practitioners and Clinical Assistants who may also be General Medical Practitioners.

  Figures for hospital doctors are as at 30 September each year; General Practitioners are at 1 October.

  WTE = Whole Time Equivalent.

  Junior Doctors
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what actions can be taken against NHS trusts that require junior doctors to work more than 72 hours a week. [14852]

  Mr. Malone
  It is open to postgraduate deans to withdraw approval for posts, and consequently funding, if it becomes clear that continuing long hours are affecting

  Doctors
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors worked in the NHS in each year since 1979. [14854]

  Mr. Malone
  The number of doctors working in the NHS has increased by 23 per cent. from 67,110 in 1979 to 82,680 in 1994, the most recent year for which figures are available. Figures for each year from 1979 to 1994 are shown in the table.

  the quality of training available in a post. A royal college may withdraw its approval for a post if the training offered falls below the required standards.

  Children Act 1989
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many children have been(a) placed in the care of local authorities, (b) placed in the care of the other parent and (c) cared for by a step parent or partner

  603
  following the imprisonment of a parent with care in each year since 1991 as a result of contempt of court for non-compliance with a court order under section 8 of the Children Act 1989; [14849]

  (2) how many incidents resulting in injuries to children (a) prior to, (b) during and (c) after contact between parents and children occurred involving individuals whose children were subject to contact orders made under section 8 of the Children Act 1989 in each year since 1991. [14847]

  Mr. Bowis
  This information is not available centrally.

  GP Fundholding
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of general practitioner fundholding budget surpluses have been spent on practice premises in each of the last three years. [14765]

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Brown) on 4 April 1995,Official Report, column 1034.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the advantages of general practitioner fundholding. [14809]

  Mr. Malone
  The advantage of general practice fundholding is that, being closest to patients, general practitioners are able to use resources directly to best meet the needs of their patients.

  Private Medical Care
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what regulatory machinery covers private medical care. [14723]

  Mr. Malone
  Doctors providing private medical care remain subject to the provisions of the Medical Act 1983, as amended, and to the standards of professional conduct set down by the General Medical Council.

  Subject to a number of exceptions, set out in the Act, facilities to be used for private medical care are required to register with the local health authority under the Registered Homes Act 1984 where it is intended that (a) patients will stay overnight, (b) pregnant women or women immediately after childbirth will be received,
  604
  (c) surgical procedures will be carried out under anaesthesia, (d) termination of pregnancies will be conducted, (e) endoscopies will be carried out, (f) haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis will be conducted, or (g) treatment by specially controlled techniques—currently treatment by class 3B and class 4 lasers—will take place.

  Environmental Appraisals
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many environmental appraisals were produced by his Department using the guidance contained in the Department of the Environment's "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" in 1995; and if he will place copies in the Library. [15117]

  Mr. Horam
  None. In general my Department's policies, which are concerned with public health, do not impinge on the environment; environmental considerations are taken fully into account where appropriate, for example in the Department's purchasing policy.

  Legislation (Compliance Cost Assessments)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for primary and secondary legislation passed since 5 April 1995 which measures were subject to a compliance cost assessment; and what was the compliance cost in each instance. [13644]

  Mr. Horam
  [holding answer 8 February 1996]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster gave him today.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 5 February,Official Report, column 24, if he will list for each trust in each year since its inception the cost of staff travelling and subsistence, by region. [14887]

  Mr. Horam
  [holding answer 12 February 1996]: The information will be placed in the Library.

  The figures include expenditure on travelling and subsistence incurred in the delivery of direct patient care, for instance by community nurses. The total expenditure by NHS trusts on travelling and subsistence in 1994–95 was less than 1 per cent. of operating expenses.

WALES

  Incomes (South Glamorgan)
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number and percentage of(a) men and (b) women in South Glamorgan who earn less than £228.70 per week. [13268]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information from the new earnings survey indicates that the estimated proportion of full-time employees in South Glamorgan who earned less than £228.70 per week in April 1995 was 22 per cent. for men and 49 per cent. for women.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many sites of special scientific interest the Countryside Council for Wales reported as damaged in(a) 1992–93, (b) 1993–94 and (c) 1994–95; and what percentage of the total these represent. [14199]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Such information is shown in the Countryside Council for Wales annual reports, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

  Speech and Language Therapists
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what investigation his Department has been conducting into recruitment difficulties related to appointments of speech and language therapists for children with special educational needs; if he will place a copy of his conclusions in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [14305]

  Mr. Hague
  My Department and the NHS are examining whether there are any difficulties recruiting speech and language therapists as part of the annual exercise in determining the number of student places for this and other professions. The information gathered will be available when decisions on numbers are taken next summer.

  Empty Buildings
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many empty buildings his Department currently owns; what is the cost of insuring and securing these buildings; how many were designed as residential properties; and what was the total amount spent by his Department on empty property taxes in each of the last five years. [14570]

  Mr. Hague
  Excluding the NHS, the Department, including its agencies and non-departmental public bodies, does not own any empty buildings.

  GP Fundholders
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his statement of 31 January,Official Report, columns 814–15, on allocations of resources to the new health authorities in Wales inl996–97, what proportion of the £11 million allocated for the operating costs of general practitioner fundholders' practices plus preparatory fees
  606
  for aspirant fundholders, corresponds to the additional costs of operating fundholding practices relative to non-fundholding practices. [14327]

  Mr. Hague
  The £11 million has been provided to meet the additional costs that will be incurred by fundholding practices in directly managing NHS resources on behalf of their patients.

  Health Centre Accommodation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his statement of 31 January,Official Report, columns 814–15, on allocations of resources to the new health authorities in Wales in 1996–97, if he will make a statement on the transfer of responsibility for the payment of general practitioner accommodation in health centres. [14463]

  Mr. Hague
  Negotiations between health departments and the representative body of the profession are under way about the terms of proposed changes to the funding and management arrangements of GP accommodation. The aim is to implement the changes in 1996–97 and £870,000 has been reserved for that purpose. This is additional to the provisional general medical services allocation to health authorities for that year.

  A477
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) on what date his Department decided to remove the newly laid surface on the A477 between Radberth and Sageston; [15151]

  (2) what investigations were carried out by, or on behalf of, his Department into the quality of the surface laid in 1995 on the A477 between Radberth and Sageston; and when the decision was taken to carry out an investigation; [15152]

  (3) how many personal injury accidents occurred on the A477 between Radberth and Sageston following (a) the resurfacing in 1995 and (b) its removal in 1996; and if he will list the dates of those accidents and the injuries sustained; [15153]

  (4) what was the cost of resurfacing the A477 between Radberth and Sageston in 1995; and what is the estimated cost of the removal of that surface and its replacement in 1996. [15154]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Testing of the materials used in the resurfacing and testing of the new surface for skidding resistance and irregularity took place during the contract in April 1995, as is normal practice, and on three subsequent occasions. The resurfacing carried out in 1995 cost £57,000 and due to defects it was decided on 16 January to replace it. The estimated cost of removal and reinstatement, including the additional work now considered necessary, is £88,000. Discussions on the apportionment of costs are being fully pursued. Following
  607
  the resurfacing in 1995, there were two accidents—one on July 9 resulting in slight injury to one person, and one on October 24 resulting in the driver of a car receiving fatal injuries and a passenger receiving serious injuries. There have been no accidents since the surface was removed.

  Local Government Ombudsman
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received from individual residents in Wales expressing dissatisfaction with reports produced by the local government ombudsman for Wales in each of the last five years. [15155]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Welsh Office does not hold records before 1993. The number of complaints received by the Welsh Office expressing dissatisfaction with the ombudsman service in Wales in subsequent years is as follows:

  Number of complaints

  1995: six1

  1994: three

  1993: six

  Note:

  1One of which included representation from 18 individual members of the public.

DEFENCE

  St. Christopher House
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's report into the fire at St. Christopher house, London. [14439]

  Mr. Soames
  The board of inquiry into this fire was an internal investigation designed to establish the facts and prevent a recurrence. For reasons of confidentiality we do not release detailed reports of such investigations, but I have placed a copy of the public synopsis of the board of inquiry report in the Library of the House.

  Saudi Armed Forces Project Group
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's staff involved in the Al Yamamah project office have subsequently taken up business appointments with companies holding contracts processed through the Al Yamamah project office. [15175]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my predecessor on 20 December 1994,Official Report, column 1191.

  Defence Housing Executive
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many applications were submitted in response to the Defence Housing Executive's recruitment campaign 1995; how many have been successful; and how many of the successful candidates were ex-service personnel. [14658]

  Mr. Soames
  The Defence Housing Executive's 1995 recruitment campaign for regional controllers, area 608
  managers and housing services managers attracted some 602 applicants, of whom 37 were offered appointments. Of the 37 successful candidates, nine were ex-service personnel.

  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria were applied in the selection of candidates for interview for the posts advertised in the Defence Housing Executive's recruitment campaign 1995. [14657]

  Mr. Soames
  The sift criteria applied in the selection of candidates for interview for the Defence Housing Executive regional controller, area manager and housing services manager posts were based on length and breadth of experience in private and public sector housing management.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to issue D notices in regard to matters addressed by the Scott inquiry report. [14845]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The defence advisory notices define a voluntary code between the media and the Departments responsible for national security. They provide general guidance to editors, programme makers and publishers and would not cover the reporting of the contents of the Scott report on publication.

  BBC World Service
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the grant in aid in each of the last five financial years, and in 1995–96 to date, from his Department to the BBC World Service in constant prices; and from which subheads of which votes these funds are taken. [14978]

  Mr. Soames
  Payments by the Ministry of Defence towards the cost of BBC monitoring—class II, vote 3, subhead item A2 (1)—are made from class I, vote 1. The information sought is as follows:

  Year

  £ thousand1

  Subhead2

  1990–91

  2,954

  L1

  1991–92

  3,675

  L1

  1992–93

  3,933

  L1

  1993–94

  3,832

  Ml

  1994–95

  3,755

  K1

  1995–96

  33,646

  J1

  1 Figures are at 1995–96 constant prices.

  2 The changes in subhead arise from vote restructuring.

  3 Latest estimate of expenditure.

  Terrorism Arrests
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when was the last occasion an officer of the armed forces made an arrest in Northern Ireland for suspected terrorist activities. [14916]

  Mr. Soames
  The last occasion when a member of the armed forces made an arrest in Northern Ireland was 1 December 1994.

  Gulf War Syndrome
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's budget for research into Gulf
  609
  war syndrome and from which subheads of which votes these funds will be taken. [15004]

  Mr. Soames
  The budget for future research into the health problems of Gulf veterans and their families, and the vote subhead on which it will be borne, has yet to be determined.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many written parliamentary questions were passed for answer to executive agencies and non—governmental departments in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [14992]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  This information is a matter of public record, but could not be provided by my Department in the form requested without incurring disproportionate cost.

  Plutonium Exports
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what permission was sought from the United States Government, under the provisions of the 1958 US-UK mutual defence agreement on atomic energy matters as amended, to release details on 6 February of the quantities of plutonium exported to the United States from the United Kingdom, the dates of the exports, the present locations of the materials and past uses of the materials. [14843]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The United States Government sought and obtained our permission to include in their announcement of 6 February the total quantity of plutonium that the United States received from the United Kingdom between 1960 and 1979 under the 1958 agreement.

  Nuclear Tests (Compensation)
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much compensation has been paid since 1966 by Her Majesty's Government in respect of claims by or on behalf of persons who suffered death or injury as a consequence of the United Kingdom's atomic weapons test programme in Australasia in the 1950s. [14929]

  Mr. Soames
  The Government have paid no such claims. From the time of the atmospheric nuclear tests in the 1950s and early 1960s up to the end of 1990, there has been no overall excess of death or malignant disease among British nuclear test veterans.

  Environmental Appraisals
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many environmental appraisals were produced by his Department using the guidance contained in the Department of the Environment's "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" in 1995; and if he will place copies in the Library. [15114]

  Mr. Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 11 July 1995,Official Report, column 530. My Department has not operated a centralised reporting system for environmental appraisals and no figures are therefore available. I understand that the Department of
  610
  the Environment is shortly to commission a project to evaluate the effect of the "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" document on decision making by Government Departments.

  Ammunition
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) of 19 January,Official Report, column 848; which country and which company supplied 155 mm ammunition not provided by United Kingdom manufacturers; what was the average price per round; and what means were used for disposal of surplus or dated stock of ammunition from the stockpile in each year since 1990. [14879]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  [holding answer 12 February 1996]: Between 1990 and 1995 Eurometaal of the Netherlands and Simmel Difesa of Italy supplied the British Army with 155 mm ammunition. The prices paid remain confidential for commercial reasons. No 155 mm ammunition rounds have been sold or disposed of since 1990.

  In addition, the Governments of Germany and the Netherlands provided 155 mm ammunition to the United Kingdom at the time of the Gulf conflict. Those rounds not used in the Gulf were returned.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) of 19 January,Official Report, column 847, if he will seek the assistance of British Aerospace in obtaining Royal Ordnance sales records for his Department's 155 mm stock between 1980 and 1987. [14886]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  [holding answer 12 February 1996]: My Department will seek the assistance of British Aerospace to establish what records remain and I will write separately to the hon. Member. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) of 19 January,Official Report, column 848, in which years since 1986 the Inspector General of Ordnance formally indicated his satisfaction that the United Kingdom reserve war stock of 155 mm ammunition met in full the reserve requirement; and if he will list the deficiencies reported in each year. [14871]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  [holding answer 12 February 1996]: Information about war stocks is classified.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) of 19 January,Official Report, column 848, how many 155 mm rounds became redundant in each year following the imposition of the 10-year service life rule; and if he will list for each method of disposal of the redundant rounds his estimate of the number of rounds involved. [14872]
  611
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  [holding answer 12 February 1996]: War reserves are regularly replenished, with new stock replacing old. Old stock is used for training purposes, so no rounds have been disposed of in recent years. Some batches of 155 mm ammunition have had their shelf life extended beyond 10 years following the satisfactory completion of life extension trials.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) of 19 January,Official Report, column 847, what was the estimated price per round of 155 mm ammunition of which his Department's annual purchasing budget is based. [14881]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  [holding answer 12 February 1996]: The Department's annual purchasing budget is not based on an average price per round because there are a number of different types of round of 155 mm ammunition. The basic component of each round, that is the shell, charge, fuze and primer, are often bought separately. During the period from 1991 to 1995, various types of shell were bought for prices from about £100 to £1,200. The shell is generally the most expensive element of the round.

  Table showing the SSA for elderly residential personal social services at 1996–97 prices, and the percentage change, at 1996–97 prices, between years

  Local authority

  1991–92 £ million

  Change Per cent.

  1992–93 £ million

  Change Per cent.

  1993–94 £ million

  Change Per cent.

  Total England

  1,068.7

  15.8

  1,100.6

  3.0

  996.515

  -9.5

  Total shire counties

  585.243

  16.4

  599.670

  2.5

  562.611

  -6.2

  Total shire unitary authorities

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total metropolitan districts

  284.292

  14.1

  292.341

  2.8

  259.549

  -11.2

  Total inner London boroughs including City

  90.391

  19.3

  93.920

  3.9

  76.443

  -18.6

  Total outer London boroughs

  108.749

  14.0

  114.682

  5.5

  97.889

  -14.6

  Total London boroughs

  199.140

  16.3

  208.602

  4.8

  174.332

  -16.4

  Isles of Scilly

  0.029

  60.0

  0.032

  8.0

  0.023

  -26.2

  Total shire areas

  585.243

  16.4

  599.670

  2.5

  562.611

  -6.2

  Total metropolitan areas

  284.292

  14.1

  292.341

  2.8

  259.549

  -11.2

  Total London

  199.140

  16.3

  208.602

  4.8

  174.332

  -16.4

  Greater London

  City of London

  0.131

  10.3

  0.146

  11.6

  0.140

  -4.5

  Camden

  7.785

  15.9

  7.705

  -1.0

  7.404

  -3.9

  Greenwich

  7.658

  23.2

  7.751

  1.2

  6.470

  -16.5

  Hackney

  6.351

  9.3

  6.900

  8.6

  5.417

  -21.5

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  6.392

  13.2

  6.514

  1.9

  5.039

  -22.6

  Islington

  7.693

  19.2

  7.820

  1.7

  6.011

  -23.1

  Kensington and Chelsea

  4.431

  23.3

  4.729

  6.7

  5.191

  -9.8

  Lambeth

  8.680

  19.3

  8.641

  -0.4

  6.711

  -22.3

  Lewisham

  7.415

  18.3

  7.882

  6.3

  6.438

  -18.3

  Southwark

  8.409

  30.9

  9.317

  10.8

  6.759

  -27.5

  Tower Hamlets

  7.046

  22.6

  7.167

  1.7

  5.159

  -28.0

  Wandsworth

  8.868

  21.2

  9.701

  9.4

  8.325

  -14.2

  Westminster

  9.532

  16.3

  9.647

  1.2

  7.380

  -23.5

  Barking and Dagenham

  5.391

  15.1

  5.870

  8.9

  4.561

  -22.3

  Barnet

  6.206

  12.5

  6.599

  6.3

  6.515

  -1.3

  Bexley

  4.510

  11.5

  4.368

  -3.2

  4.131

  -5.4

  Brent

  5.657

  8.2

  6.214

  9.8

  5.226

  -15.9

  Bromley

  7.268

  23.7

  7.236

  -0.4

  6.146

  -15.1

  Croydon

  6.319

  16.8

  6.500

  2.9

  5.997

  -7.7

  Ealing

  6.824

  14.5

  7.278

  6.7

  6.013

  -17.4

  Enfield

  7.139

  15.2

  7.425

  4.0

  6.207

  -16.4

  Haringey

  4.554

  8.3

  5.607

  23.1

  4.600

  -17.9

  Harrow

  3.200

  5.4

  3.506

  9.6

  3.299

  -5.9

  Havering

  4.609

  16.3

  4.800

  4.1

  4.087

  -14.8

  Hillingdon

  5.674

  20.4

  5.688

  0.2

  4.586

  -19.4

  612

ENVIRONMENT

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list each local authority's level of grant for elderly residential finance, as contained within the personal social services support grant settlement for the current year; and if he will list the figures for each of the last five years,(a) in real terms and (b) as a percentage change from the previous year. [14203]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Information on the elderly residential element of personal social services standard spending assessment—SSAs—is given in the table. SSAs do not, in fact, represent amounts of grant paid in respect of specific services. They are, instead, used in the calculation of authorities' entitlement to revenue support grant, which is an unhypothecated grant, allocated between services on the basis of local authorities' decisions.
  613

  Table showing the SSA for elderly residential personal social services at 1996–97 prices, and the percentage change, at 1996–97 prices, between years

  Local authority

  1991–92 £ million

  Change Per cent.

  1992–93 £ million

  Change Per cent.

  1993–94 £ million

  Change Per cent.

  Hounslow

  4.684

  10.5

  5.190

  10.8

  4.511

  -13.1

  Kingston upon Thames

  4.053

  -3.0

  4.011

  -1.0

  3.134

  -21.9

  Merton

  4.889

  8.2

  5.435

  11.2

  4.468

  -17.8

  Newham

  5.835

  13.4

  5.999

  2.8

  5.089

  -15.2

  Redbridge

  5.794

  28.2

  6.253

  7.9

  5.319

  -14.9

  Richmond upon Thames

  4.306

  20.1

  4.440

  3.1

  3.435

  -22.6

  Sutton

  4.680

  17.3

  4.725

  1.0

  4.296

  -9.1

  Waltham Forest

  7.156

  11.8

  7.542

  5.4

  6.270

  -16.9

  Greater Manchester

  Bolton

  6.772

  15.2

  7.163

  5.8

  6.554

  -8.5

  Bury

  3.713

  8.2

  4.173

  12.4

  3.794

  -9.1

  Manchester

  12.292

  8.2

  13.905

  13.1

  11.597

  -16.6

  Oldham

  5.303

  14.7

  5.463

  3.0

  4.820

  -11.8

  Rochdale

  5.284

  13.3

  5.284

  -

  4.789

  -9.4

  Salford

  7.424

  11.3

  8.088

  9.0

  6.898

  -14.7

  Stockport

  7.084

  23.1

  7.187

  1.5

  6.629

  -7.8

  Tameside

  5.891

  22.2

  4.919

  -16.5

  4.884

  -0.7

  Trafford

  4.673

  16.3

  5.008

  7.2

  4.557

  -9.0

  Wigan

  7.196

  14.6

  7.346

  2.1

  6.425

  -12.5

  Merseyside

  Knowsley

  3.246

  18.5

  3.411

  5.1

  2.717

  -20.4

  Liverpool

  14.215

  14.7

  15.263

  7.4

  12.288

  -19.5

  Sefton

  4.317

  0.6

  4.507

  4.4

  4.845

  7.5

  St. Helens

  4.305

  14.5

  4.428

  2.9

  3.772

  -14.8

  Wirral

  8.293

  17.3

  8.352

  0.7

  7.713

  -7.7

  South Yorkshire

  Barnsley

  4.948

  15.3

  5.007

  1.2

  4.627

  -7.6

  Doncaster

  5.436

  14.8

  6.644

  22.2

  5.311

  -20.1

  Rotherham

  5.903

  16.5

  6.117

  3.6

  5.592

  -8.6

  Sheffield

  18.606

  14.4

  18.809

  1.1

  16.933

  -10.0

  Tyne and Wear

  Gateshead

  6.313

  13.2

  6.059

  -4.0

  5.105

  -15.8

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  9.356

  16.9

  9.044

  -3.3

  7.632

  -15.6

  North Tyneside

  4.881

  17.6

  5.210

  6.7

  4.485

  -13.9

  South Tyneside

  4.833

  5.9

  4.760

  -1.5

  3.917

  -17.7

  Sunderland

  6.694

  11.0

  6.908

  3.2

  6.380

  -7.6

  West Midlands

  Birmingham

  23.741

  7.3

  23.218

  -2.2

  22.093

  -4.8

  Coventry

  6.537

  12.9

  6.056

  -7.4

  5.640

  -6.9

  Dudley

  6.382

  19.1

  6.536

  2.4

  6.318

  -3.3

  Sandwell

  9.107

  17.0

  9.072

  -0.4

  7.724

  -14.9

  Solihull

  3.609

  20.5

  3.887

  7.7

  3.487

  -10.3

  Walsall

  5.244

  13.6

  5.595

  6.7

  4.938

  -11.7

  Wolverhampton

  6.417

  23.0

  6.562

  2.3

  5.690

  -13.3

  West Yorkshire

  Bradford

  11.970

  21.7

  11.462

  -4.2

  10.542

  -8.0

  Calderdale

  5.696

  12.7

  6.480

  13.8

  5.549

  -14.4

  Kirklees

  9.832

  12.7

  10.472

  6.5

  9.612

  -8.2

  Leeds

  21.647

  14.5

  22.491

  3.9

  19.254

  -14.4

  Wakefield

  7.134

  11.7

  7.451

  4.5

  6.436

  -13.6

  Shire counties

  Bedfordshire

  8.807

  16.7

  8.620

  -2.1

  8.055

  -6.6

  Berkshire

  11.475

  15.6

  11.330

  -1.3

  11.052

  -2.5

  Buckinghamshire

  9.007

  18.1

  9.298

  3.2

  8.872

  -4.6

  Cambridgeshire

  12.025

  15.1

  12.184

  1.3

  11.573

  -5.0

  Cheshire

  18.349

  17.6

  18.619

  1.5

  17.803

  -4.4

  Cornwall

  7.641

  14.4

  8.081

  5.8

  8.124

  0.5

  Cumbria

  11.567

  21.5

  11.525

  -0.4

  10.569

  -8.3

  Derbyshire

  20.019

  13.5

  20.427

  2.0

  19.226

  -5.9

  Devon

  15.736

  16.4

  16.049

  2.0

  15.303

  -4.6

  Dorset

  15.370

  14.5

  15.431

  0.4

  12.973

  -15.9

  Durham

  15.092

  16.0

  14.549

  -3.6

  13.727

  -5.6

  East Sussex

  16.062

  17.3

  15.171

  -5.5

  15.610

  2.9

  Essex

  31.407

  20.5

  32.537

  3.6

  30.210

  -7.2

  614

  615

  Table showing the SSA for elderly residential personal social services at 1996–97 prices, and the percentage change, at 1996–97 prices, between years

  Local authority

  1991–92 £ million

  Change Per cent.

  1992–93 £ million

  Change Per cent.

  1993–94 £ million

  Change Per cent.

  Gloucestershire

  11.637

  26.7

  12.550

  7.8

  10.732

  -14.5

  Hampshire

  25.148

  10.9

  25.076

  -0.3

  25.671

  2.4

  Hereford and Worcester

  10.493

  14.3

  10.515

  0.2

  11.056

  5.1

  Hertfordshire

  18.770

  11.2

  20.871

  11.2

  18.366

  -12.0

  Kent

  29.872

  17.9

  30.544

  2.2

  28.467

  -6.8

  Lancashire

  26.858

  14.3

  25.626

  -4.6

  24.556

  -4.2

  Leicestershire

  18.511

  16.6

  19.921

  7.6

  17.737

  -11.0

  Lincolnshire

  11.781

  11.6

  13.016

  10.5

  12.406

  -4.7

  Norfolk

  16.531

  23.7

  16.184

  -2.1

  15.561

  -3.9

  Northamptonshire

  11.345

  15.8

  11.717

  3.3

  11.110

  -5.2

  Northumberland

  6.550

  16.6

  6.326

  -3.4

  5.953

  -5.9

  Notthinghamshire

  24.006

  25.2

  24.886

  3.7

  22.376

  -10.1

  Oxfordshire

  10.814

  16.2

  11.455

  5.9

  10.513

  -8.2

  Shropshire

  6.409

  12.0

  7.122

  11.1

  6.687

  -6.1

  Somerset

  10.018

  16.9

  10.143

  1.2

  9.110

  -10.2

  Staffordshire

  18.763

  13.8

  19.531

  4.1

  18.272

  -6.4

  Suffolk

  13.233

  15.3

  13.865

  4.8

  13.375

  -3.5

  Surrey

  20.828

  22.7

  22.141

  6.3

  20.829

  -5.9

  Warwickshire

  9.166

  17.3

  9.904

  8.1

  9.598

  -3.1

  West Sussex

  14.948

  19.2

  15.708

  5.1

  15.133

  -3.7

  Wiltshire

  9.858

  17.9

  10.362

  5.1

  9.426

  -9.0

  North Yorkshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Isles of Scilly

  0.029

  60.0

  0.32

  8.0

  0.023

  -26.2

  Isle of Wight Council

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Bath and North-east

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Somerset

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Bristol

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South Gloucestershire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North Somerset

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Hartlepool

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Middlesbrough

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Redcar and Cleveland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Stockton on Tees

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Kingston upon Hull

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North East Lincolnshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North Lincolnshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  York

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Old Shire areas

  Avon (old)

  21.548

  13.2

  22.320

  3.6

  19.737

  11.6

  Cleveland (old)

  11.800

  18.8

  11.474

  -2.8

  10,530

  -8.2

  Humberside (old)

  17.459

  8.1

  17.514

  0.3

  15.849

  -9.5

  Isle of Wight (old)

  2.352

  17.7

  2.263

  -3.8

  2.119

  -6.4

  North Yorkshire (old)

  13.989

  11.6

  14.817

  5.9

  14.347

  -3.2

  Table Showing the SSA for elderly residential personal social services at 1996–97 prices, and the percentage change, at 1996–97 prices. between years

  Local authority

  1994–95 £ million

  Change Per cent.

  1995–96 £ million

  Change Per cent.

  1996–97 £ million

  Change Per cent.

  Total England

  1,384.6

  38.9

  1,850.0

  33.6

  2.200.2

  18.9

  Total shire counties

  791.380

  40.7

  1,064.4

  34.5

  1,161.8

  9.2

  Total shire unitary authorities

  —

  —

  4.859

  —

  116.229

  2.292

  Total metropolitan districts

  351.316

  35.4

  463.091

  31.8

  551.401

  19.1

  Total inner London boroughs including City

  110.714

  44.8

  148.398

  34.0

  172.904

  16.5

  Total outer London boroughs

  131.184

  34.0

  169.252

  29.0

  197.743

  16.8

  Total London boroughs

  241.898

  38.8

  317.650

  31.3

  370.648

  16.7

  Isles of Scilly

  0.042

  81.0

  0.060

  41.4

  0.073

  22.7

  Total shire areas

  791.380

  40.7

  1,069.2

  35.1

  1,278.1

  19.5

  Total metropolitan areas

  351.316

  35.4

  463.091

  31.8

  551.401

  19.1

  Total London

  241.898

  38.8

  317.650

  31.3

  370.648

  16.7

  616

  617

  Table showing the SSA for elderly residential personal social services at 1996–97 prices, and the percentage change, at 1996–97 prices, between years

  Local authority

  1994–95 £ million

  Change Per cent.

  1995–96 £ million

  Change Per cent.

  1996–97 £ million

  Change Per cent.

  Greater London

  City of London

  0.207

  47.9

  0.323

  55.9

  0.594

  84.1

  Camden

  9.627

  30.0

  12.971

  34.7

  15.330

  18.2

  Greenwich

  9.767

  51.0

  12.994

  33.0

  14.908

  14.7

  Hackney

  9.266

  71.0

  12.281

  32.5

  14.286

  16.3

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  7.104

  41.0

  9.388

  32.1

  10.985

  17.0

  Islington

  8.459

  40.7

  11.368

  34.4

  12.980

  14.2

  Kensington and Chelsea

  5.736

  10.5

  7.727

  34.7

  9.299

  20.3

  Lambeth

  10.007

  49.1

  13.505

  35.0

  15.603

  15.5

  Lewisham

  10.393

  61.4

  14.175

  36.4

  16.473

  16.2

  Southwark

  10.861

  60.7

  14.350

  32.1

  16.612

  15.8

  Tower Hamlets

  8.268

  60.3

  10.992

  32.9

  12.735

  15.9

  Wandsworth

  11.718

  40.8

  15.507

  32.3

  18.053

  16.4

  Westminster

  9.301

  26.0

  12.819

  37.8

  15.046

  17.4

  Barking and Dagenham

  6.758

  48.2

  8.557

  26.6

  10.486

  22.5

  Barnet

  9.554

  46.7

  12.062

  26.3

  14.079

  16.7

  Bexley

  5.275

  27.7

  7.106

  34.7

  8.429

  18.6

  Brent

  6.574

  25.8

  8.056

  22.5

  9.003

  11.8

  Bromley

  7.830

  27.4

  10.142

  29.5

  11.896

  17.3

  Croydon

  7.415

  23.6

  9.787

  32.0

  11.534

  17.9

  Ealing

  7.905

  31.5

  10.050

  27.1

  11.823

  17.6

  Enfield

  7.640

  23.1

  9.860

  29.1

  11.474

  16.4

  Haringey

  6.665

  44.9

  8.467

  27.0

  9.963

  17.7

  Harrow

  5.374

  62.9

  7.030

  30.8

  8.240

  17.2

  Havering

  5.714

  39.8

  7.402

  29.5

  8.746

  18.2

  Hillingdon

  6.196

  35.1

  8.065

  30.2

  9.546

  18.4

  Hounslow

  6.284

  39.3

  8.231

  31.0

  9.489

  15.3

  Kingston upon Thames

  3.460

  10.4

  4.634

  33.9

  5.407

  16.7

  Merton

  5.570

  24.7

  7.103

  27.5

  8.193

  15.3

  Newham

  7.561

  48.6

  9.709

  28.4

  11.155

  14.9

  Redbridge

  6.450

  21.3

  8.278

  28.3

  9.406

  13.6

  Richmond upon Thames

  4.741

  38.0

  6.608

  39.4

  7.871

  19.1

  Sutton

  5.486

  27.7

  7.108

  29.6

  8.197

  15.3

  Waltham Forest

  8.732

  39.3

  10.997

  25.9

  12.807

  16.5

  Greater Manchester

  Bolton

  8.010

  22.2

  10.286

  28.4

  12.108

  17.7

  Bury

  4.547

  19.8

  6.126

  34.7

  7.403

  20.8

  Manchester

  6.405

  41.5

  21.317

  29.9

  25.139

  17.9

  Oldham

  6.506

  35.0

  8.455

  30.0

  9.981

  18.0

  Rochdale

  5.955

  24.4

  7.886

  32.4

  9.342

  18.5

  Salford

  9.262

  34.3

  12.156

  31.2

  14.585

  20.0

  Stockport

  7.155

  7.9

  9.420

  31.7

  11.276

  19.7

  Tameside

  6.919

  41.7

  9.239

  33.5

  10.953

  18.6

  Trafford

  5.635

  23.7

  7.530

  33.6

  8.915

  18.4

  Wigan

  8.681

  35.1

  11.393

  31.2

  13.638

  19.7

  Merseyside

  Knowsley

  3.786

  39.3

  5.047

  33.3

  5.934

  17.6

  Liverpool

  6.631

  35.3

  21.759

  30.8

  25.739

  18.3

  Sefton

  7.897

  63.0

  11.078

  40.3

  13.456

  21.5

  St. Helens

  5.399

  43.1

  6.882

  27.5

  8.214

  19.3

  Wirral

  8.987

  16.5

  12.495

  39.0

  15.093

  20.8

  South Yorkshire

  Barnsley

  8.429

  82.2

  11.252

  33.5

  13.483

  19.8

  Doncaster

  9.029

  70.0

  11.739

  30.0

  13.954

  18.9

  Rotherham

  9.020

  61.3

  11.851

  31.4

  14.116

  19.1

  Sheffield

  23.189

  36.9

  30.305

  30.7

  35.934

  18.6

  618

  619

  Table showing the SSA for elderly residential personal social services at 1996–97 prices, and the percentage change, at 1996–97 prices, between years

  Local authority

  1994–95 £ million

  Change Per cent.

  1995–96 £ million

  Change Per cent.

  1996–97 £ million

  Change Per cent.

  Tyne and Wear

  Gateshead

  8.000

  56.7

  10.496

  31.2

  12.485

  19.0

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  11.069

  45.0

  14.394

  30.0

  17.078

  18.6

  North Tyneside

  7.272

  62.1

  9.596

  32.0

  11.518

  20.0

  South Tyneside

  6.373

  62.7

  8.318

  30.5

  10.034

  20.6

  Sunderland

  10.331

  61.9

  13.459

  30.3

  16.132

  19.9

  West Midlands

  Birmingham

  28.166

  27.5

  37.613

  33.5

  44.822

  19.2

  Coventry

  6.915

  22.6

  9.123

  31.9

  10.913

  19.6

  Dudley

  8.593

  36.0

  11.424

  32.9

  13.723

  20.1

  Sandwell

  10.743

  39.1

  14.083

  31.1

  16.798

  19.3

  Solihull

  3.949

  13.2

  5.251

  33.0

  6.322

  20.4

  Walsall

  7.664

  55.2

  10.122

  32.1

  12.070

  19.2

  Wolverhampton

  7.800

  37.1

  10.082

  29.3

  11.904

  18.1

  West Yorkshire

  Bradford

  11.254

  6.7

  15.542

  38.1

  18.542

  19.3

  Calderdale

  6.051

  9.1

  7.640

  26.3

  8.928

  16.9

  Kirklees

  10.790

  12.3

  14.193

  31.5

  16.860

  18.8

  Leeds

  24.059

  25.0

  31.475

  30.8

  37.445

  19.0

  Wakefield

  10.842

  68.5

  14.064

  29.7

  16.562

  17.8

  Shire Counties

  Bedfordshire

  11.718

  45.5

  15.323

  30.8

  18.158

  18.5

  Berkshire

  15.278

  38.2

  21.099

  38.1

  25.030

  18.6

  Buckinghamshire

  13.460

  51.7

  18.513

  37.5

  21.955

  18.6

  Cambridgeshire

  15.490

  33.8

  20.936

  35.2

  25.148

  20.1

  Cheshire

  22.589

  26.9

  30.939

  37.0

  37.016

  19.6

  Cornwall

  12.489

  53.7

  17.194

  37.7

  20.808

  21.0

  Cumbria

  13.803

  30.6

  18.252

  32.2

  21.769

  19.3

  Derbyshire

  27.210

  41.5

  36.106

  32.7

  43.121

  19.4

  Devon

  27.048

  76.8

  37.809

  39.8

  46.143

  22.0

  Dorset

  19.500

  50.3

  26.143

  34.1

  31.394

  20.1

  Durham

  21.275

  55.0

  28.216

  32.6

  33.855

  20.0

  East Sussex

  23.521

  50.7

  33.613

  42.9

  40.135

  19.4

  Essex

  42.769

  41.6

  57.521

  34.5

  67.937

  18.1

  Gloucestershire

  12.880

  20.0

  17.284

  34.2

  20.688

  19.7

  Hampshire

  38.537

  50.1

  51.953

  34.8

  61.886

  19.1

  Hereford and Worcester

  15.901

  43.8

  21.831

  37.3

  26.434

  21.1

  Hertfordshire

  26.994

  47.0

  37.367

  38.4

  44.527

  19.2

  Kent

  40.740

  43.1

  55.184

  35.5

  65.633

  18.9

  Lancashire

  35.808

  45.8

  48.234

  34.7

  57.636

  19.5

  Leicestershire

  20.783

  17.2

  27.761

  33.6

  33.090

  19.2

  Lincolnshire

  16.179

  30.4

  22.061

  36.4

  26.683

  21.0

  Norfolk

  22.678

  45.7

  30.430

  34.2

  36.742

  20.7

  Northamptonshire

  14.245

  28.2

  18.627

  30.8

  22.350

  20.0

  Northumberland

  10.270

  72.5

  13.548

  31.9

  16.275

  20.1

  Nottinghamshire

  29.044

  29.8

  38.767

  33.5

  46.421

  19.7

  Oxfordshire

  13.860

  31.8

  18.116

  30.7

  21.576

  19.1

  Shropshire

  10.387

  55.3

  14.030

  35.1

  16.902

  20.5

  Somerset

  12.033

  32.1

  17.061

  41.8

  20.574

  20.6

  Staffordshire

  26.152

  43.1

  34.838

  33.2

  41.735

  19.8

  Suffolk

  18.148

  35.7

  24.075

  32.7

  28.706

  19.2

  Surrey

  27.088

  30.0

  36.526

  34.8

  43.146

  18.1

  Warwickshire

  12.066

  25.7

  15.819

  31.1

  18.810

  18.9

  West Sussex

  21.654

  43.1

  29.194

  34.8

  34.230

  17.3

  Wiltshire

  13.429

  42.5

  17.925

  33.5

  21.466

  19.8

  North Yorkshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  23.872

  —

  All Purpose Authorities

  Isle of Scilly

  0.042

  81.0

  0.060

  41.4

  0.073

  22.7

  Isle of Wight Council

  —

  —

  4.859

  —

  5.758

  18.5

  Bath and North East

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.893

  —

  Somerset

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Bristol

  —

  —

  —

  —

  17.983

  —

  South Gloucestershire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.396

  —

  North Somerset

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7.719

  —

  Hartlepool

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4.281

  —

  Middlesbrough

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.097

  —

  Redcar and Cleveland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.215

  —

  620

  621

  Table showing the SSA for elderly residential personal social services at 1996–97 prices, and the percentage change, at 1996–97 prices, between years

  Local authority

  1994–95 £ million

  Change Per cent.

  1995–96 £ million

  Change Per cent.

  1996–97 £ million

  Change Per cent.

  Stockton on Tees

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.637

  —

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  12.197

  —

  Kingston upon Hull

  —

  —

  —

  —

  16.264

  —

  North East Lincolnshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.580

  —

  North Lincolnshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.232

  —

  York

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.977

  —

  Old Shire Areas

  Avon (old)

  24.356

  23.4

  32.786

  34.6

  —

  —

  Cleveland (old)

  14.466

  37.4

  19.312

  33.5

  —

  —

  Humberside (old)

  25.025

  57.9

  34.167

  36.5

  —

  —

  Isle of Wight (old)

  3.569

  68.5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North Yorkshire (old)

  18.941

  32.0

  25.803

  36.2

  —

  —

  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what factors he takes into account when deciding the level of the homelessness indicator in the revenue support grant settlement; [14202]

  (2) what plans he has to remove the homelessness indicator from the revenue support grant settlement. [14201]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The amounts allocated using the homelessness indicator SSAs are largely determined by statistical analyses which were carried out in 1993. The analyses took into account the extent to which particular indicators reflected variations between authorities in their need for net revenue expenditure.

  The SSA sub-group of the settlement working group examined last year possible alternatives to the homelessness indicator. We were not convinced that any of the alternatives provided a clear improvement to the SSA formulae, but the indicator may need further consideration at some stage.

  "Adults in Need Index"
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he(a) has taken and (b) will be taking, following the 1995 Association of Metropolitan Authorities paper entitled "Adults in Need Index". [14205]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The AMA paper "Adults in Need Index" was presented to the standard spending assessments—SSA—sub-group in 1995. Two of the options which it included were exemplified in the report of the SSA sub-group. These possible changes were considered, when the changes proposed to SSAs for 1996–97 were being decided. We were not convinced that a strong enough case had been made for the introduction of such an index.

  The local authority associations may wish to present further information on the "Adults in Need Index". During discussion in the SSA sub-group in 1996, we will consider whatever material is brought forward.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sites of special scientific interest English Nature reported as damaged in(a) 1992–93, (b) 1993–94 and (c) 1994–95; and what percentage of the total these represent. [14200]
  622
  Mr. Gummer
  Information on damage to SSSIs is contained in the annual reports of English Nature, copies of which are in the Library.

  Sewerage Outfalls
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what reports the National Rivers Authority has received in respect of the E coli count under the shellfish waters directive(a) before and (b) since the Norton outfall was commissioned. [14338]

  Mr. Clappison
  I understand that the Norton outfall was commissioned in 1979 before the shellfish waters directive came into force. I also understand that the National Rivers Authority has collected information about E coli but not received any reports in respect of the E coli count in relation to the shellfish waters directive for this locality.

  Private Dwellings
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many private dwellings there are in each London borough. [14752]

  Mr. Clappison
  The numbers of private sector dwellings, excluding housing association dwellings, in each London borough on 1 April 1995, as reported by local authorities on their 1995 housing investment programme—HIP1—returns, were as follows:

  London boroughs

  Number

  Barking and Dagenham

  37,765

  Barnet

  105,116

  Bexley

  78,787

  Brent

  74,561

  Bromley

  103,637

  Camden

  52,491

  City of London

  2,702

  Croydon

  110,664

  Ealing

  93,856

  Enfield

  90,611

  Greenwich

  50,548

  Hackney

  31,410

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  48,062

  Haringey

  65,363

  Harrow

  71,877

  Havering

  78,432

  Hillingdon

  76,298

  Hounslow

  61,878

  Islington

  30,579

  Kensington and Chelsea

  59,021

  623

  London boroughs

  Number

  Kingston upon Thames

  50,800

  Lambeth

  59,553

  Lewisham

  63,806

  Merton

  63,498

  Newham

  54,325

  Redbridge

  81,299

  Richmond upon Thames

  65,218

  Southwark

  44,153

  Sutton

  60,548

  Tower Hamlets

  26,666

  Waltham Forest

  74,163

  Wandsworth

  86,848

  Westminster

  79,538

  London total

  2,134,073

  Environmental Services Association
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Enviornment what representations he has received from the Environmental Services Association concerning(a) the adequacy of landfill capacity and (b) difficulties in securing new facilities. [14793]

  Mr. Clappison
  The Environmental Services Association—ESA—issued its "Planning Guidelines for Waste Management Facilities" last month, which addresses both issues. My officials have held meetings with representatives of the ESA on these matters and in connection with my Department's preparation of a planning policy guidance note on waste.

  Building Heights
  Mr. Chris Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what restrictions are placed on the height of a single storey building by(a) planning legislation and (b) planning policy guidance. [14618]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 places a restriction of 4 m in the case of a building with a ridged roof and 3 m in any other case on the height of a building which can be erected within the curtilage of a dwelling house without the need for a planning application. The Department's booklet "Planning—A Guide for Householders" encourages good design and consideration for neighbours in the exercise of such residential permitted development rights.

  Where planning permission is required for a single storey building, its appearance and relationship to its surroundings are material considerations. No specific guidance is given on the height of single storey buildings, but general guidance on design considerations is given in annexe A of planning policy guidance note 1 "General Policy and Principles".

  Landfill Sites
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many registered landfill sites do not have weighbridges. [14791]

  Mr. Clappison
  My Department does not hold precise information about the number of landfill sites which do not have weighbridges. A sample survey conducted by the Environmental Services Association—the trade 624
  association representing 70 per cent. of the waste management industry by turnover—suggests that less than 10 per cent. of its members operate landfill sites which do not have weighbridges. The Environmental Services Association will conduct a further survey of its members later this year.

  Mr. Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he estimates landfill demand will exceed capacity. [14792]

  Mr. Clappison
  My Department does not have precise information about when landfill demand might meet capacity, as this will depend largely on the availability of new void space from, for example, mineral workings. The White Paper "Making Waste Work" which was published in December explains that Over the country as a whole, there appears to be adequate rate of generation of new void space for now, though there are divergent views on this, and further work is necessary to confirm and to quantify trends. In the longer term it is likely that some regions may begin to encounter shortages of suitable void space that can be used for landfill purposes, and there is some evidence that such shortages are already becoming apparent in the south-east region, for example.

  Planning authorities must aim to meet the requirement that there is an adequate network of waste disposal facilities, including landfill sites, when drawing up their development plans. Further guidance on this will be contained in the planning policy guidance note on waste which the Department intends to produce by the end of the year.

  Sustainable Development
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the White Paper on sustainable development will be published; and what account it will take of the sustainability of soils. [14645]

  Mr. Clappison
  We intend to publish "This Common Inheritance: UK Annual report 1996" in March this year. The content of the report is still under discussion.

  Quarrying
  Mr. Chris Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers planning authorities have to restrict quarrying operations in order to protect the water table. [14619]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  When considering new applications for planning permissions for quarrying, mineral planning authorities can consider all aspects of the proposed development including its impact on the water table, and can impose appropriate conditions or refuse permission as necessary. Authorities are in a position to seek expert advice from the National Rivers Authority.

  For existing permissions, mineral planning authorities have a range of order-making powers under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to revoke or modify planning permissions, discontinue a use of land, or to impose conditions on the continuance of that use, or to prohibit the resumption of mineral working in certain circumstances. In addition, the Planning and Compensation Act 1991 and the Environment Act 1995

  625
  introduced new requirements for the review and updating of old mineral permissions. Advice on applying the powers available has been published in minerals planning guidance notes 4,8,9 and 14.

  Chewing Gum
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines his Department issues to local authorities in respect of cleaning chewing gum from pedestrian areas; and if he will have discussions with chewing gum manufacturers on this subject. [14755]

  Mr. Clappison
  We have issued no guidance on cleaning chewing gum from pedestrianised areas. However, the Tidy Britain Group, which is largely funded by my Department, is currently working with a major chewing gum manufacturer to establish both effective cleansing methods and ways of reducing the problem in the first place.

  Standard Spending Assessment (Southwark)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what factors led to the reduction in the standard spending assessment of the London borough of Southwark in 1996–97. [14957]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Southwark's standard spending assessment—SSA—in 1996–97 is lower than the comparable 1995–96 figure for a number of reasons: principally, the use of later data, such as those used to calculate the area cost adjustment, but also the changes made to the method of calculating the education and all other services elements of SSAs to take account of authorities' need to spend on special educational needs and rent allowances.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many written parliamentary questions were passed for answer to executive agencies and non-governmental departments in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [14996]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The information is as follows:

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  Building Research Establishment

  4

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Planning Inspectorate

  4

  1

  3

  5

  0

  The Buying Agency

  4

  0

  0

  1

  1—

  Ordnance Survey

  4

  2

  2

  2

  0

  Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre

  4

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Security Facilities Executive

  —

  —

  0

  0

  1—

  1 Responsibility for the Buying Agency and Security Facilities Executive as transferred on 1 January 1996 to the Office of Public Service.

  626

  Home Energy Efficiency Scheme
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations, and from whom, his Department has received on the subject of the reduction in the budget for the home energy efficiency scheme; what that reduction has been; what action his Department plans to take in response to the representations; and if he will make a statement. [15130]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  We have received some 200 representations from hon. Members, local authorities, voluntary bodies and the insulation industry about the reduction in the budget for the home energy efficiency scheme. In 1996–97, the allocation for this programme will be just over £73 million—some £30 million less than in 1995–96. We have recently reviewed the scheme, and hope shortly to publish proposals for its development in the form of a consultation paper.

  Environmental Appraisals
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what progress has been made on the Government's commitment in the UK sustainable development strategy to review the effectiveness of "Policy Appraisal and the Environment"; [15136]

  (2) how many environmental appraisals were produced by his Department using the guidance contained in the Department of the Environment's "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" in 1995; and if he will place copies in the Library. [15116]

  Mr. Clappison
  We shall shortly commission a project to evaluate the effect of the "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" document on decision making within government. A project specification has already been drawn up. The project should last for about six months.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the environmental appraisals produced for the policies used as examples and referred to in environmental appraisals in Government Departments. [15135]

  Mr. Clappison
  This work was carried out two to three years ago. To retrieve the information and prepare it for publication could, in my view, be accomplished only at disproportionate cost.

  Green Ministers
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance has been provided to assist Green Ministers in scrutinising the environmental implications of their Departments' policies. [15138]

  Mr. Clappison
  Guidance is contained in "Policy Appraisal and the Environment: a guide for Government Departments" and its follow-up "Environmental Appraisal in Government Departments".

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was discussed at the last meeting of the Green Ministers; who attended; and what areas of future work were agreed. [15137]
  627
  Mr. Clappison
  At their meeting on 29 January, Green Ministers discussed and agreed future work on the role of Green Ministers, green procurement and waste minimisation in Government Departments. They decided not to publish minutes of their meetings but agreed to the publication of a list of contact addresses in each Government Department where inquiries on green issues could be directed and I shall shortly deposit such a list in the Library. They agreed to publish a series of case studies which show what measures Departments have taken to ensure that environmental considerations are taken into account in policies and programmes. All Green Ministers attended or were represented at the meeting.

  Environmental Policies
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is taking to provide added vigour to the integration of environmental concerns into other policy areas. [15139]

  Mr. Clappison
  The Government continue to emphasise the need for integrating economic and environmental policies. For the future, Green Ministers have agreed to publish further work on how environmental considerations are taken into account in policies and programmes.

  Empty Dwellings
  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many empty dwellings were owned by Government Departments in England in the latest year for which information is available; and if he will make a statement. [14974]

  Mr. Clappison
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply which my hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Urban Regeneration gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ryedale (Mr. Greenway) on 23 November 1995,Official Report, column 238.

  Rental Accommodation
  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the mean rise in registered fair rents for(a) housing associations and (b) private lettings by rent office district between 1990–91 and the latest available date. [15107]

  Mr. Clappison
  The information is given in the table:

  Percentage changes in 1990–91 for unfurnished lettings

  Rent office

  England Housing association (per cent.)

  Private tenancies (per cent.)

  Barking and Dagenham

  29

  59

  Barnet

  44

  48

  Bexley

  42

  64

  Brent

  40

  30

  Bromley

  46

  55

  City

  —

  —

  Camden

  45

  44

  Croydon

  49

  56

  Ealing

  44

  44

  Enfield

  38

  49

  Greenwich

  57

  66

  628

  Percentage changes in 1990–91 for unfurnished lettings

  Rent office

  England Housing association (per cent.)

  Private tenancies (per cent.)

  Hackney

  42

  46

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  40

  50

  Haringey

  51

  51

  Harrow

  40

  49

  Havering

  41

  51

  Hillingdon

  39

  55

  Hounslow

  50

  51

  Islington

  44

  44

  Kensington and Chelsea

  43

  45

  Kingston upon Thames

  70

  62

  Lambeth

  53

  50

  Lewisham

  40

  44

  Merton

  54

  58

  Newham

  47

  48

  Redbridge

  49

  44

  Richmond upon Thames

  54

  60

  Southwark

  46

  49

  Sutton

  45

  46

  Tower Hamlets

  59

  56

  Waltham Forest

  44

  49

  Wandsworth

  53

  53

  Westminster

  42

  43

  Avon

  40

  44

  Bedfordshire

  37

  50

  Berkshire

  42

  66

  Buckinghamshire

  51

  49

  Cambridgeshire

  42

  44

  Cheshire

  36

  46

  Cleveland

  34

  41

  Cornwall

  46

  52

  Cumbria

  41

  48

  Derbyshire

  32

  43

  Devon

  34

  44

  Dorset

  50

  53

  Durham

  36

  40

  East Sussex

  49

  61

  Essex

  46

  56

  Gloucestershire

  32

  36

  Greater Manchester

  32

  38

  Hampshire

  51

  65

  Hereford and Worcester

  33

  39

  Hertfordshire

  53

  69

  Humberside

  32

  40

  Isle of Wight

  37

  64

  Kent

  38

  44

  Lancashire

  31

  38

  Leicestershire

  42

  49

  Lincolnshire

  33

  45

  Merseyside

  37

  35

  Norfolk

  33

  33

  Northumberland

  35

  44

  Northamptonshire

  42

  45

  North Yorkshire

  39

  45

  Nottinghamshire

  39

  41

  Oxfordshire

  65

  85

  Shropshire

  1—

  1—

  Somerset

  35

  53

  South Yorkshire

  29

  33

  Staffordshire

  32

  36

  Suffolk

  38

  37

  Surrey

  57

  83

  Tyne and Wear

  37

  44

  Warwickshire

  45

  52

  West Midlands

  46

  49

  West Sussex

  56

  68

  West Yorkshire

  37

  42

  Wiltshire

  34

  59

  1 Indicates insufficient sample data to provide a reliable estimate.

  629

  Severe Weather Conditions
  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will envoke the provisions of the Emergency Powers Act 1920 to assist communities in Cumbria and Copeland if there is a further deterioration in the weather in the immediate future; and if he will make a statement. [14814]

  Mr. Curry
  [holding answer 12 February 1996]: It is the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary to invoke the provisions of the Emergency Powers Act 1920. It is not clear what authorities in Cumbria might gain if these powers were to be called upon and my right hon. Friend therefore has no plans to ask my right hon. and learned Friend to invoke them as a consequence of the weather conditions in Cumbria.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Information Technology
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what investment is being made in the United Kingdom into telecommunications and information super-highway infrastructures; and what proportion of this has been provided by new entrants to the market. [13508]

  Mr. Lang
  Annual investment in the telecommunications infrastructure in the United Kingdom is running at around £5.5 billion per year, with about half of this coming from operators other than BT. Much of this is in broadband networks which form the backbone to the information super-highways being built in this country.

  Mr. Miller
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the availability to other Departments of spare information technology resources in his Department. [13540]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Spare IT equipment is disposed of in the most cost-effective manner. At present, the vast majority of such equipment is obsolescent and therefore of little long-term value to other Departments. Typically, such equipment is traded in against the provision of new equipment currently being installed as part of my Department's office automation infrastructure.

  Electricity Supply
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he next expects to meet officials of the National Grid to discuss electricity supply levels. [13526]

  Mr. Eggar
  I meet officials of the National Grid from time to time to discuss matters relating to electricity supply.

  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he last met the electricity generating industry leaders to discuss power generating output; and if he will make a statement. [13532]

  Mr. Eggar
  I meet representatives of the electricity generating industry from time to time to discuss matters relating to electricity supply.

  Arms Exports
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out Government policy with regard to sales(a) lethal weapons, (b) non-lethal weapons and (c) dual-use technology and the definitions used to determine the respective categories. [13527]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  My Department has responsibility for the control of exports of weapons and dual-use goods and technology. The export of such equipment and technology is prohibited without an export licence and details are set out in the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 and the Dual-Use and Related Goods (Export Control) Regulations 1995.

  It is the Government's policy to support the sale of British defence equipment overseas where this is compatible with our political, security and strategic interests.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the proportion of defence exports to non-OECD countries as a total of capital goods exports to non-OECD countries over the last six years. [14867]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 12 February 1996]: Defence equipment is not included in the official definition of capital goods. The ratio of United Kingdom defence equipment exports to capital goods exports, to non-OECD countries, is given in the list.

  Ratio:

  1989: 0.57

  1990: 0.49

  1991: 0.43

  1992: 0.32

  1993: 0.26

  1994: 0.23.

  Note: Defence equipment is defined, in terms of the Standard International Trade Classification (Revision 3), as aircraft and associated equipment (all tariff headings in group 792 other than those identified as "civil", and excluding spacecraft and launch vehicles); warships (tariff heading 890600100) and arms and ammunitions for military purposes (division 98).

  Source: Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.

  Manufacturing Output
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the average annual growth in manufacturing output since 1979. [13528]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside (Mr. Jones) earlier today.

  Mr. Eric Clarke
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the growth in manufacturing output in the past 12 months. [13538]

  Mr. Lang
  The year 1995 was a record year for manufacturing output which grew by 1.9 per cent.

  Solent Ferries
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to reach a decision on the Monopolies and Mergers Commission second inquiry into Solent ferries. [13529]
  631
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I understand that completion of the Office of Fair Trading's review has been delayed to take account of late submissions from island residents. It is now expected to be complete by the end of March.

  Balance of Trade
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade with which European countries the United Kingdom currently has a surplus in both visible and invisible trade. [13530]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mr. Purchase).

  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for each year since 1985, the percentage change in(a) the volume of semi-manufactured exports and imports and (b) the volume of intermediate manufactured exports and imports. [14491]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 9 February 1996]: The following is the information:

  UK trade in semi- and intermediate manufactured goods Percentage changes on previous year, in volume indices

  Semi-manufactures

  Intermediate manufactures

  Year

  Export

  Imports

  Exports

  Imports

  1986

  5.2

  8.2

  1.2

  8.6

  1987

  7.4

  8.9

  2.4

  12.7

  1988

  5.7

  11.6

  1.1

  19.7

  1989

  3.3

  3.1

  5.7

  12.9

  1990

  5.3

  1.0

  7.5

  4.2

  1991

  2.0

  -1.0

  1.0

  -4.0

  1992

  3.9

  6.1

  5.0

  5.2

  1993

  5.7

  1.0

  -4.7

  -4.0

  1994

  8.9

  10.4

  12.9

  9.3

  Source:

  Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics, CSO.

  Mrs. Kennedy
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list as a percentage of gross domestic product for each year since 1985(a) exports and imports of semi-manufactured goods and (b) exports and imports of intermediate manufactured goods. [14541]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 9 February 1996]: The following is the information:

  UK trade in semi- and intermediate manufactured goods Percentage of GDP, in current prices

  Semi-manufactures

  Intermediate manufactures

  Year

  Exports

  Imports

  Exports

  Imports

  1985

  5.5

  5.9

  4.0

  3.4

  1986

  5.3

  5.9

  3.7

  3.4

  1987

  5.3

  5.9

  3.6

  3.6

  1988

  5.1

  6.1

  3.4

  3.8

  1989

  5.2

  6.2

  3.5

  4.1

  1990

  5.3

  5.9

  3.7

  4.0

  1991

  5.1

  5.5

  3.7

  3.8

  1992

  5.1

  5.4

  3.8

  4.0

  1993

  5.5

  5.5

  3.9

  4.1

  1994

  5.8

  5.9

  4.1

  4.4

  Sources:

  Economic Trends, CSO.

  Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics, CSO.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he is making of the efficiency of his Department's help for small businesses. [13533]

  Mr. Page
  The Department is taking a number of steps to ensure that the needs of small businesses are met.

  The current programme of "Your Business Matters" conferences being organised by the small firms representative organisations is enabling small businesses themselves to have a direct say in the development of future Government policy for the sector. The outcomes of the conferences will be considered in this year's competitiveness White Paper.

  The recently established small business ministerial group aims to ensure that the needs of the small business sector are considered in the formulation of policy across Whitehall Departments.

  The network of business links is now 80 per cent. complete and is already having a significant impact on the local business community; over 4,000 businesses a week are using business link. Every firm in England will have access to a business link by April this year when they will be the normal delivery route for DTI services.

  The range of initiatives and schemes operated by this Department are all subject to careful monitoring and evaluation and are reviewed regularly to ensure they meet the needs of the business community.

  Social Chapter
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent representations he has received on the effects on industry of the United Kingdom entering into the social chapter. [13534]

  Mr. Lang
  I continue to receive numerous representations about the European social chapter during my contacts with industry. The overwhelming view is that acceptance of the social chapter would seriously damage competitiveness and employment because it would allow the United Kingdom to be outvoted on measures imposing unnecessary burdens and costs on businesses.

  Saudi Arabia
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the estimated level of exports to Saudi Arabia during the current year. [13535]

  Mr. Nelson
  It is too early to make a realistic estimate of what our exports to Saudi Arabia will be this year. Provisional figures for 1995 indicate that last year we exported goods and services worth £1.64 billion to the Kingdom, an increase of 8 per cent. on 1994. I very much hope this level can be maintained and even exceeded in the coming year.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what resources Her Majesty's Government provided for use as collateral to assist the bid by British Aerospace and Rolls-Royce to provide engines for Blackhawk helicopters being purchased by Saudi Arabia. [14207]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  No such purchase has been made.
  633

  Nuclear Industry Privatisation
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the cost to public funds of the privatisation of the nuclear industry. [13536]

  Mr. Eggar
  The Department has provision for expenditure of £25 million in 1995–96 on restructuring and privatisation of the nuclear power generation industry. Estimates for expenditure in 1996–97 will be published in the supply estimates in due course.

  Innovation Incubators
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out his policy on the establishment of innovation incubators as an aid to industry. [13637]

  Mr. Page
  The Department of Trade and Industry is committed to encouraging and co-ordinating measures to support the development of high technology and innovative businesses with growth potential. These measures go wider than innovation incubators, and include, for example, services provided through business links and syndicates of "business angels".

  Late Payment of Debts
  Ms Church
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the impact on British firms of late payment by Government Departments. [13539]

  Mr. Page
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Stockport (Ms Coffey).

  Funeral Industry
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has had from the National Funerals College about improvements in the funeral industry. [13541]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I have received one such representation and will be replying to it in due course.

  Italian Paper Industry (Subsidies)
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action is being taken to prevent unfair subsidies being paid by the Italian Government to paper mills in that country. [14927]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  We recognise that all member states can provide state aid for legitimate purposes which is fully justified within the state aid rules, but we are concerned about aid which unfairly disadvantages unaided competitors.

  My Department is not aware of unfair subsidies being paid to Italian paper mills, but would be happy to investigate if further details can be provided.

  Medical Research Council
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the effect of staff levels at the Medical Research Council of increased earmarking of Medical Research Council funds. [14722]
  634
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  On 1 October 1994 the Medical Research Council staff level was 3,094. The corresponding figure for 1 October 1995 was 3,057. The allocation of funds for specific priorities has no discernible effect on staff levels.

  Industrial Tribunals
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are his plans for the funding of industrial tribunals during 1996. [14953]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The industrial tribunals' running cost budget for 1996–97 will be determinded as part of the Department's MINIS 96 exercise, which is currently still under way. The allocation of the Department's programme expenditure will be announced in the departmental expenditure plans report to be published in March.

  Technology Statistics
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what statistical studies his Department has undertaken of the contribution to British export performance of(a) high technology, (b) medium technology and (c) low technology sectors of manufacturing industry. [14485]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The Department has not recently undertaken any such studies. However, statistics relating to this issue are available in the 1995 issue of the "Industry and Technology Scoreboard of Indicators" published by the OECD. This can be obtained from the Library of the House.

  Export Performance
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his latest assessment of United Kingdom export performance. [13531]

  Mr. Nelson
  The latest available export data make very encouraging reading. In the three months to November the United Kingdom's visible exports reached record levels and were 13 per cent. higher than for the same period last year. The UK is still the only G7 country with a significant invisibles trade surplus. These excellent results are confirmation that UK industry has retained, and even improved, its competitive position in world markets in recent years.

  Minimum Wage
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the statutory minimum wage, or collectively organised rate then statutorily made binding, in pounds sterling on a purchasing power parity basis in each year since 1979 in(a) each EU state, (b) the USA, (c) Japan, (d) Australia, (e) Canada and (f) New Zealand; and what percentage of the national average wage these levels represented. [14321]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I refer to my reply of 15 January,Official Report, columns 467–77. In addition, the minimum wage rate in New Zealand is currently NZ$250 for a 40-hour week, which translates to £107.12 at purchasing power parity exchange rates.
  635
  The other information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, I refer the hon. Member to the OECD "Jobs Study" which carries a discussions of development in the minimum wage rates of some countries over time, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

  Inward Investment (Midlands)
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what inward investment from outside the United Kingdom took place in the midlands region in each year since 1985; what percentage this constituted of total United Kingdom investment; what were the principal sources of the investment; what were the industries principally involved; and what estimate he has made of the number of jobs which resulted. [14253]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The midlands remains a diverse region of the United Kingdom and continues to attract inward investment from many countries and sectors. Principal sources of investment are the United States, Germany and Japan, with automotive/automotive components, electronics, food processing, textiles, textile machinery, chemicals/chemical handling, plastics and general engineering forming the principal industries. The breakdown of project numbers and associated jobs over the period covering both the west and east midlands is as follows.

  Year

  Number of Mids projects

  Number of UK projects

  Mids per cent. of UK total

  Associated jobs

  1985–86

  106

  420

  25

  9,365

  1986–87

  77

  356

  21

  8,613

  1987–88

  76

  363

  20

  11,606

  1988–89

  96

  348

  21

  12,052

  1989–90

  109

  375

  29

  26,858

  1990–91

  88

  356

  24

  13,617

  1991–92

  47

  332

  14

  5,778

  1992–93

  43

  303

  14

  4,062

  1993–94

  105

  404

  25

  149,797

  1994–95

  106

  453

  23

  23,936

  1 Figures include safeguarded jobs associated with BMW acquisition of Rover.

  All the figures given are based on numbers of projects notified to the Invest in Britain Bureau at the time of the decision to invest. Companies are under no obligation to notify their investment decision and the figures take no account of subsequent developments.

  Structural Funds (Northamptonshire)
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much has been allocated to schemes in Northamptonshire under(a) the European regional development fund and (b) other structural funds in each of the last five years. [14310]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  No part of Northamptonshire has been designated under any of the regionally based European structural funds programmes. There have therefore been no offers of grant from such programmes from 1991 to 1995.

  The county has been, and continues to be, eligible to receive grants from programmes which are not geographically restricted, namely from the European social fund—ESF—under objective 3 of the funds, and
  636
  from the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund—EAGGF—under objective 5a, as well as grant from the European regional development fund—ERDF—and ESF under a number of Community initiatives applying to the whole of the United Kingdom.

  No ERDF grant has been offered during the period 1991–1995 to applicants from Northamptonshire. Information on ESF and EAGGF payments could be provided only at disproportionate cost, since it is not held at county level for either fund.

  Scott Inquiry
  Sir David Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to make available copies of the Scott report on 15 February. [15645]

  Mr. Lang
  In view of the exceptional size of, and interest in, Sir Richard Scott's report, the arrangements for the distribution of copies to hon. Members have been agreed by the Government, the Speaker and the House authorities. The following arrangements will apply:(a) copies will be available from the Reasons Room at the back of the Chair as well as from the Vote Office; (b) under the Speaker's authority, the sitting will be suspended at 3.30 pm for 10 minutes for facilitate the distribution of copies to hon. Members.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the cost of the first print run of the Scott inquiry report; how many copies have been printed; and what will be the availability of the report to interested parties abroad. [14832]

  Mr. Lang
  The printing costs result from competitive tendering undertaken by HMSO and are therefore commercially confidential.

  Some 3,500 copies of the report will be delivered for publication; the position is being monitored and additional copies can be obtained at short notice.

  HMSO mail order services operate for overseas customers. Orders will be accepted direct. HMSO also has a network of stockists and agents overseas, who will order publications on request.

  Mr. Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will ensure that copies of the supporting information for Lord Justice Scott's inquiry report comprising selected material from documents submitted to the inquiry are published as soon after the publication of the report itself as possible; and if he will ensure that the information is available in paper copy as well as microfiche and CD-ROM versions. [14831]

  Mr. Lang
  As soon as possible after publication of the report, the inquiry will be publishing the supporting documents in an accessible form.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade on how many occasions since 1 January 1995(a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department have had contact with Lord Howe concerning his correspondence with the Scott inquiry. [14822]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 12 February 1996]: As a former colleague, Lord Howe has kept me informed about these matters from time to time.

  Trade (New Zealand)
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is (i), the value of(a) exports and (b) imports and (ii) the trade balance with New Zealand in each year since 1996. [14135]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The information is given in the table.

  UK visible trade with New Zealand

  £ million, current prices

  UK Exports

  UK Imports

  Crude trade balance

  1966

  128

  187

  -59

  1967

  100

  186

  -86

  1968

  10

  197

  -93

  1969

  122

  216

  -94

  1970

  129

  203

  -74

  1971

  146

  228

  -82

  1972

  147

  252

  -105

  1973

  167

  276

  -109

  1974

  259

  243

  16

  1975

  256

  322

  -66

  1976

  256

  331

  -75

  1977

  290

  384

  -94

  1978

  268

  434

  -166

  1979

  312

  415

  -103

  1980

  249

  408

  -159

  1981

  235

  427

  -192

  1982

  322

  539

  -217

  1983

  286

  487

  -201

  1984

  368

  482

  -114

  1985

  396

  533

  -137

  1986

  342

  454

  -112

  1987

  379

  487

  -108

  1988

  299

  441

  -142

  1989

  400

  437

  -37

  1990

  440

  485

  -45

  1991

  260

  391

  -131

  1992

  263

  429

  -166

  1993

  332

  496

  -164

  1994

  411

  538

  -127

  1995

  436

  578

  -142

  Notes:

  Exports valued free on board (fob).

  Imports valued cost, insurance and freight (cif).

  Crude trade balance = Exports (fob) less Imports (cif).

  Source:

  Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics.

  Departmental Secondments
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the individuals, by name and company, who are on temporary secondment to his Department; and if he will list the type and nature of the secondment. [14674]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I list in table 1 the names and parent companies of those individuals currently on temporary secondment to the Department as part of the export promoter initiative. At table 2 is a list of the names and parent companies of those individuals who are on temporary secondment to the Department as part of our continuing programme of interchange of staff with the private sector.638

  Table 1: Secondees into the Department as part of the Export Promoter Initiative

  Name

  Company

  Mr. David Gray

  ABCC

  Mr. Nigel Crowe

  All Set Up Ltd.

  Mr. Godfrey Linnett

  Allied Domecq plc

  Ms Danusia Bizon

  AMW Associates

  Mr. David Kemp

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  Mr. Graham Towler

  Banque Paribas

  Mr. Eric Clark

  Barclays Bank plc

  Mr. David Brown

  BEAMA Ltd.

  Dr. Robin Turrell

  Biwater Ltd.

  Mr. Dennis Owen

  British Telecommunications plc

  Mr. Stewart Thompson

  British Marine Equipment Council

  Mr. Jerry Stockbridge

  British Telecommunications plc

  Mr. Julian Manning

  British American Tobacco Co. Ltd.

  Mr. Gavin Trenchman

  British Petroleum Company plc

  Mr. Peter Cameron

  British Gas plc

  Mr. Duncan Robson

  British Steel plc

  Mr. Patrick Edworthy

  British Aerospace Defence Ltd.

  Mr. E. John Rogers

  British Aerospace plc

  Mr. Robert Mason

  BT Business Communications

  Dr. Peter Bailes

  BT plc

  Mr. Anthony Lunch

  Business Link

  Mr. Christopher Cox

  Cable and Wireless plc

  Mr. Kieran Hughes

  Claridge Mills Ltd.

  Mr. Paul Brown

  Cotswold Estate Services Ltd.

  Mr. John Sowels

  CSO Valuations AG

  Mr. David Marsh

  David Marsh (Manchester) Ltd.

  Mr. Rodney Allen

  DeCTA

  Mr. Peter Warren

  Drinks Marketing Consortium

  Mr. Keith Bullock

  dusek design building

  Mr. Grant Shannon

  Easibind International Ltd.

  Mr. Geoffrey Lincoln

  East European Trade Council

  Mr. Graham Hughes

  Elliott Pearce Ltd.

  Mr. Tim Gorin

  Ferryfast Produce Ltd.

  Mr. Ahmed Suleiman

  General Traffic Ltd.

  Mr. David N. Allen

  Glaxo Holdings plc

  Mr. Robin Waldon

  Glengarnock Garments Ltd.

  Mr. Paul Suchet

  Glenmore (Glasgow) Ltd.

  Mr. Ian Hendric

  HSBC Holdings plc

  Mr. Alan Twist

  ICI plc

  Mr. Leslie Stern

  Institute of Export

  Mr. John Anthony

  Institute of Export

  Mr. Michael Jump

  International Distributor Centre

  Mr. Wyndham Carver

  International Distillers and Vintners Ltd.

  Mr. Jonathan Moore

  Jardine Matheson and Co., Ltd.

  Mr. James Lawday

  John Laing International Ltd.

  Mr. Peter Nightingale

  John Swires and Sons Ltd.

  Mr. Alan Fullarton

  Johnson Matthey plc

  Mr. Elfan Jones

  Lanimer Knitwear Ltd.

  Mr. Robert Bruce

  LATAG

  Mr. Paul Eadie

  LATAG

  Mr. Julian Amey

  LATAG

  Mr. David Cleary

  LATAG

  Mr. Nick Williams

  LATAG

  Mr. Graffin Parke

  Mackie International Ltd.

  Mr. David Markham

  Midland Bank plc

  Mr. Ian MacIntyre

  Morlands (Glastonbury) Ltd.

  Mr. Robin Forrest

  Morrison Construction Group Ltd.

  Mr. Tony Ellam

  Nat West Markets

  Mr. Robert Smith

  Nat West Markets

  Mr. George Caravias

  National Westminister Bank plc

  Mr. David Chambers

  Ocean Group plc

  Mr. Nick Khosla

  Ove Arup and Partners

  Mr. David Walker

  P and L Suswin Ltd.

  Mr. Alan Palmer

  Palmer Edwards and Partners Ltd.

  Mr. Peter Bacon

  Philips Electronics UK Ltd.

  Mr. Michael George

  Pirellie Cables Ltd.

  Mr. Peter Smith

  Reuters Ltd.

  Mr. Tim Allpress

  Rolls-Royce Power Engineering plc

  Mr. Richard Morley

  Rover Group Ltd.

  Dr. Irena Edwards

  RZB Austria

  Mr. Paul Ridley

  SmithKline Beecham

  Mr. Peter Wood

  Society of Motor Manufacturers

  Mr. Frank McKenna

  Standard Chartered Bank

  Mr. John Ledger

  Standard Chartered Bank

  Mr. Alex Pratt

  Sunalex Ltd.

  Mr. Peter Hughes

  Texaco Ltd.

  639

  Table 1: Secondees into the Department as part of the Export Promoter Initiative

  Name

  Company

  Mr. David Cadwallader

  The Boots Company plc

  Mr. Anthony Burckhardt

  The West India Committee

  Mr. John Quinlan

  Thorburn Colquhoun

  Mr. Richard Wyn-Jones

  Tom Youngs Knitwear Ltd.

  Mr. John Fordyce

  UBAF Bank Ltd.

  Miss Jouce Irwin

  Ulster Bank Ltd.

  Mr. Andrew Wimshurst

  Unilever Export International Ltd.

  Mr. Michael Blandford

  Unilever International

  Mr. Mark Hawthorn

  Unipart International

  Mr. Christopher Brooks

  Vickers plc

  Mr. Russ Taylor

  Vickers plc

  Mr. Christopher Kemp

  Vickers plc

  Mr. Ken Farnes

  W S Atkins

  Mr. Roger McGlynn

  W S Atkins Consultants Ltd.

  Mr. John Woodcock

  Weybourne Financial Services Ltd.

  Mr. John Phipps

  York Synthetics Ltd.

  Mr. Stuart Shields

  Zeneca Agrochemicals

  Dr. Linda Boize

  Zeneca Agrochemicals

  Table 2: Secondees into the Department as part of the continuing programme of interchange with the private sector

  Name

  Company

  Mr. Arthur McQuillan

  Amec Proces and Energy Ltd.

  Mr. Paul Butcher

  Amoco (UK) Exploration Company

  Mr. Rodney Atkinson

  Anglian Water Services Ltd.

  Mr. Rupert Harris

  Baker Tilly

  Mr. Sean Higgins

  Baker Tilly

  Ms Rosy Telford

  BDO Binder Hamlyn

  Mr. David Watson

  BP Exploration Operating Co. Ltd.

  Mr. Geoff Livesley

  British Nuclear Fuels plc

  Mr. John Eldridge

  British Nuclear Fuels plc

  Ms Anne Harris

  Chantrey Vellacott

  Mr. Geoffrey Cook

  Chesterton International plc

  Mr. Ross Dyer

  CIBA Agriculture

  Mr. Robert Meens

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Mrs. Anne Rosen

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Mr. Robin Wormald

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Mr. Roger Leadbeater

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Mr. Michael Painter

  CT Bowring and Company Ltd.

  Miss Jean Quinney

  Ernst and Young Services Ltd.

  Ms Emma Cotton

  Ernst and Young

  Ms Anna Blackburn

  Ernst and Young Services Ltd.

  Mr. John Turner

  Ford of Europe

  Mr. George Berrie

  General Accident Fire and Life Corp.

  Mr. Brendan Barnes

  Glaxo plc

  Dr. Roger Newman

  Glaxo Wellcome plc

  Mrs. Phyllis Harvey

  Grant Thornton

  Ms Liesel Hemmingfield

  Grant Thornton

  Mr. Andrew Smith

  Grant Thornton

  Mr. Stuart Parfitt

  Grant Thornton

  Mr. Les Owen

  Honda

  Mr. Robert Simpson

  Huntings Engineering Ltd.

  Mr. Charles Hughes

  ICL

  Mr. Stan Melrose

  IMI Refiners Ltd.

  Mr. Stewart Wright

  Kidsons Impey

  Mr. Trevor Lacey

  Lockstair Ltd.

  Miss Caroline Lucey

  Marks and Spencer plc

  Mr. Christopher Lee

  Matra Marconi Space UK Ltd.

  Mr. Anthony Dunnett

  Midland Bank plc

  Mr. Michael Hodges

  Morgan Grenfell and Co. Ltd.

  Dr. Nick Veck

  National Remote Sensing Centre Ltd.

  Mr. Arthur David

  Nissan

  Mr. Stephen Upton

  Nortel Ltd.

  Mr. Simon Daniel

  Pannell Kerr Forster

  Miss Nanette Rigg

  Polygram UK Ltd.

  Mr. Richard Kent

  Price Waterhouse

  Ms Beth Rees

  Price Waterhouse

  Mr. Stephen Noon

  Price Waterhouse

  Miss Elaine Lydon

  Robson Rhodes

  Mr. Tom Girn

  Robson Rhodes

  Mr. Paul Davies

  Rolls-Royce Commercial Aero Engines

  Mr. Andrew Hooper

  Rolls-Royce and Associates

  640

  Table 2: Secondees into the Department as part of the continuing programme of interchange with the private sector

  Name

  Company

  Mr. Keith Jordan

  Rover Group Ltd.

  Ms Valerie Cumming

  Royal Doulton

  Mr. Bruce Coleman

  Shell UK Exploration and Production Ltd.

  Mr. Ian Palmer-Lewis

  Shell UK Ltd., Downstream Oil

  Ms Frances Barr

  Slaughter and May

  Mr. David Wilson

  The Prudential Assurance Co. Ltd.

  Mr. Steve Goringe

  Touche Ross and Co.

  Mr. David Blackbrough

  Toyota

  Mr. Andrew R. Slessor

  Trafalgar John Brown Oil and Gas

  Dr. Peter Poulton

  UKAEA

  Mr. Richard Bartholomew

  Unilever

  Ms Louise Ruane

  Wilson Silver Altman

  Mr. Stephen Duncan

  Wood Group Engineering Contractors

  Technology Transfer
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the support his Department gives to assist with technology transfer to small firms. [13504]

  Mr. Page
  My Department supports a range of activities which aim to increase the demand for relevant technology and best practice techniques, assist firms' access to them and broaden the range of technology transfer services available.

  Environmental Appraisals
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many environmental appraisals were produced by his Department using the guidance contained in the Department of the Environment's "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" in 1995; and if he will place copies in the Library. [15118]

  Mr. Page
  At the moment this information is not held centrally in the DTI. However, an interdepartmental project will shortly be set up to evaluate the effect of the "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" document on decision making across Whitehall.

  Deregulation
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the estimated annual saving to business from the Deregulation (Gun Barrel Proving) Order 1996. [13905]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The estimated annual saving to business from the Deregulation (Gun Barrel Proving) Order 1996 is £200.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Development Organisations
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which development organisations have received public funding in each of the four Belfast constituencies in the last year. [8005]

  Mr. Ancram
  A list of local community and economic development organisation in each of the four Belfast constituencies which have received public funding from
  641
  the Department of Economic Development and the Department of the Environment sources in the last year is given.

  A separate list is also given which covers organisations whose activities under the Health and Personal Social Services (National Insurance) Order 1994, the community volunteering scheme, physical and social environment programme and the Children and Young Persons Act (National Insurance) 1968 are directly funded by the Department of Health and Social Services. Voluntary organisations funded by health and social services boards trusts could be identified by constituency only at disproportionate cost.

  LOCAL COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATIONS
  FOUNDED IN THE LAST YEAR

  North

  Action Resource Centre Ltd.

  Ashton Centre Development Ltd.

  Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre.

  Ben Madigan Environmental Society Ltd.

  Brookfield Business Centre Ltd.

  City of Belfast YMCA

  Community Action North

  Community Aid

  Elim ACE Central

  Ligoneil Community Enterprise Ltd.

  Ligoneil Improvement Association

  Lower Oldpark Community Association

  Newington/Cavehill Community Services Association

  North City Business Centre Ltd.

  North Queen Street Community Centre

  Northgate Enterprise Park

  PHAB (National Insurance)

  Presbyterian Church in Ireland Enterprises

  Shalom House

  Shankill and Oldpark Community Organisation

  Shankill Road Mission

  St. Patrick's Community Enterprise

  St. Vincent de Paul

  174 Trust

  South

  Age Concern (National Insurance)

  Ballynafeigh Community Development

  British Trust for Conservation Volunteers

  Bryson House

  Chinese Welfare Association

  Co-operation North

  Crescent Arts Centre

  Extern

  Gay Pride Committee

  Mornington Enterprises (National Insurance) Ltd.

  NIACRO

  NICAB

  NICOD

  NI Chest, Heart and Stroke Association

  Orchardville Society for the Mentally Handicapped

  Shelter (National Insurance)

  Simon Community

  South Belfast Economic Resource Centre

  South City

  642

  St. George's YCD

  St. George's Youth and Community Development Ltd.

  Ulster People's College

  Voluntary Service Belfast

  East

  ACE Ventures

  Blind Centre for Northern Ireland

  Bridge Trust

  Christian Fellowship Community Care

  Connswater River Conservation Committee

  East Belfast Community Development Centre

  East Belfast Development Agency

  East Belfast Enterprise Park Ltd.

  East Belfast Methodist Action on Unemployment

  East Belfast Presbytery

  Glenmachan Community Project

  Greater East Belfast Partnership

  Hilltop Environmental

  Somme Association

  Sydenham House

  West

  Ardoyne Community Centre

  Argyle Business Centre Ltd.

  Beechcraft Trust Ltd.

  Brookfield Business Centre Ltd.

  Carmen Trust

  Clothing Development Centre (CDC)

  Corpus Christi Services

  Divis Joint Development Committee

  Dunlewey Outreach Centre

  Euro Children

  Falls Community Council

  Falls Womens Centre

  Farset Enterprise Park Ltd.

  Farset Youth and Community Development Ltd.

  Feis Bheal Feirste Committee

  Forthriver Regeneration Trust

  Foundry Regeneration Trust

  Glen Community Parent/Youth Group

  Glencairn Community Projects

  Glenwood Enterprise Agency

  Glenwood Enterprises Ltd.

  Glor na nGael

  Greater Shankill Development Agency

  Greater Shankill Partnership Board

  Horn Drive Drop-In Centre

  Newhill Youth and Community Centre Association

  Oliver Plunkett Youth and Welfare Scheme

  Ortus—the Enterprise Board for West Belfast

  Springfield Charitable Association

  St. Agnes Community Concern Association

  St. Teresa's Community Project

  St. Vincent de Paul, West Belfast

  STEP Ltd.

  Townsend Enterprise Park Ltd.

  Turf Lodge Enterprise Scheme Ltd.

  Upper Springvale Development Trust

  We Care Third World Centre

  643

  Welcome Trust Ltd.

  West Belfast Community Festival

  West Belfast Development Trust Ltd.

  Westlink Enterprise Ltd.

  Workwest

  VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS FUNDED BY DHSS IN THE BELFAST AREA
  SHOWING CONSTITUENCY AND FUNDING PROGRAMME

  Belfast North

  HPSS Order

  Northern Ireland Hospice

  St. Vincent de Paul

  Threshold

  Community Volunteering Scheme (CVS)

  Flax Trust

  PSKP—Community Infrastructure

  Forum for Community Work Education

  Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1968

  Away from Home and Safe

  Play Resources Warehouse

  Youthnet

  Belfast South

  HPSS Order

  Action Cancer

  Age Concern

  Alzheimers Disease Society

  Arthritis Care

  British Epilepsy Association

  British Red Cross Society

  Bryson House

  Carers National Association

  Catholic Marriage Advisory Council

  Charities Evaluation Services

  Community Network

  Cross Roads Care Attendants Scheme

  Disability Action

  Down's Syndrome Association

  Family Planning Association

  Gingerbread (Northern Ireland)

  Law Centre (Northern Ireland)

  Life Care (Northern Ireland)

  Money and Relationship Counselling

  Multiple Sclerosis Society

  Nexus Institute

  Northern Ireland Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux

  Northern Ireland Association for Mental Health

  Northern Ireland Council for Orthopaedic Development

  Northern Ireland Council for Travelling People

  Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action

  Northern Ireland Women's Aid Federation

  Praxis Mental Health

  Relate—Northern Ireland Marriage Guidance

  Remember our Child

  Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme

  Royal Society for Mentally Handicapped Children and Adults (MENCAP)

  Voluntary Services Belfast

  Women's Information Group

  Workers Education Association

  CVS

  Belfast Managing Agency

  644

  Belfast Women's Aid

  Bryson House

  Bryson House (NI 2000)

  Conservation Volunteers (Northern Ireland)

  Gingerbread

  Northern Ireland Women's Aid Federation

  Northern Ireland Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders

  Praxis Mental Health

  Voluntary Services Belfast

  PSEP—Community Infrastructure

  Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action

  Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust

  Northern Ireland Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders

  Women's Resource and Development Agency

  The Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland

  Ulster Peoples College

  Association of Independent Advice Centres

  Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1968

  Adopt

  British Association of Social Workers

  Catholic Family Care Society

  Child Care (Northern Ireland)

  Children and Young People Advocacy Group

  Focus on Children

  Homestart

  International Year of the Family 1994

  Northern Ireland Foster Care Association

  NICVA

  Parents Advice Centre

  Voice of the Young Person in Care

  Voluntary Services Belfast (Playbus)

  Belfast East

  Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972

  Association for Dysphasic Adults

  Princes Trust Volunteers

  PSKP—Community Infrastructure

  Business in the Community

  Belfast West

  HPSS Order

  Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre

  Blind Centre for Northern Ireland

  Council for Advance of Communications with Deaf People

  Energy Action

  International Voluntary Service

  National Schizophrenia Fellowship

  Northern Ireland Volunteer Development Agency

  Royal National Institute for the Deaf

  Social Witness Board of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland

  CVS

  Cathedral Community Services

  Downtown Women's Centre

  Extern

  Physically Handicapped and Able Bodies (Northern Ireland)

  PSKP—Community Infrastructure

  Feile an Phobail

  Downtown Women's Centre

  Shankill Women Centre

  645

  Northern Ireland Pre-School Playgroups Association

  Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1968

  Abuse of Trust Conference

  Belfast Central Mission—Craigmore Children's home

  Church of Ireland Board of Social Responsibility

  NI Pre-School Playgroups Association

  NI International Treatment Association

  NSPCC

  North/South Child Welfare Conference

  Hydro-electricity
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list(a) the amount of public money which is being allocated to the development of hydro-electric power generation in Northern Ireland, (b) the site where the developments will take place and (c) the amount allocated to each locality. [13999]

  Mr. Ancram
  There are no publc funds allocated to the development of hydro-electric power generation in Northern Ireland.

  Departmental Publications
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of his Department's administrative manuals and internal guidance are now made public; and which remain private. [14021]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments have many hundreds of administrative manuals and internal guidance leaflets and could provide the information requested only at disproportionate cost.

  However, the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments are all committed to the code of practice on access to government information and have agreed to make available on request as much information as possible except where release could prejudice any matters which should properly be kept confidential under annexe A, part II of the code.

  LEDU Employees
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the religious affiliation of employees within LEDU—Local Enterprise Development Unit—at the(a) Belfast, (b) Newry, (c) Ballymena, (d) Omagh, (e) Londonderry and (f) Newtownards regional offices. [14051]

  Mr. Ancram
  Under article 14A of the Fair Employment (Monitoring) Regulations 1989, LEDU is unable to answer this question.

  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on me religious balance in respect of employees in LEDU. [14052]
  646
  Mr. Ancram
  The religious composition of LEDU employees is as follows:

  Amount

  Protestant employees

  152

  Roman Catholic employees

  75

  Employees whose community cannot be determined

  2

  LEDU Marketing Awareness Programme
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask me Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the marketing awareness programme contracts allocated to Capita, indicating the value of each. [14053]

  Mr. Ancram
  The contract to manage LEDU's pilot marketing awareness programme for 1990–93 was awarded to Capita Management Consultants following a competitive tendering process. Capita was also appointed to manage the programme on a Northern Ireland-wide basis from October 1993 to March 1996 as me result of a further competitive tender.

  Capita is the managing agent for MAP, which is delivered by a number of consultants throughout Northern Ireland.

  The total value of MAP contracts awarded to date is £1.15 million. This includes both fees to Capita directly and to the various consultants who actually delivered the programme.

  It would not be appropriate to disclose me value of individual contracts as these are commercial in confidence.

  Computer Networks
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all(a) Internet and (b) other computer network, sites or bulletin boards, operated by his Department or containing information supplied by his Department, indicating for each site or bulletin board (a) the inaugural date, (b) me timetable and policy in respect of updates, (c) the Internet, or other network, address of each site or board and (d) to whom the site or board is currently made available and the criteria which must be fulfilled by applicants for access. [14230]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information is as follows:(a) Internet

  The business development service of the Department of Finance and Personnel operates an Internet service on behalf of Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office which also extends to their executive agencies and other associated bodies. The information requested on this is as follows:

  (i) The NICS world wide web server was launched on 22 May 1995.

  (ii) No formal timetable or policy for updates to existing information have yet been established, but inputting of new information and updates to existing entries on the NICS WWW pages are taking place continuously.

  (iii) The site address is—

  http://www.nics.gov.uk

  647

  The directorate of information systems, part of the Health and Personal Social Services Management Executive of the Department of Health and Social Services, established a web server on the Internet as part of an HPSS pilot project.

  (i) The server went live in October 1995.)

  (ii) Updates are accepted on an ad-hoc basis from the management executives, HPSS boards and trusts.

  (iii) The site address is—

  http://wwwn.n-i.nhs.vk

  Both sides are freely available to other Internet users using web browsers or file transfer software.

  (b) Other computer networks

  Training access points is a Great Britain initiative which was introduced into Northern Ireland in 1989. The database consists of more than 10,500 records of education and training opportunities which can be accessed by the general public via computer terminal.

  There are 41 terminals throughout Northern Ireland, mainly in Training and Employment Agency offices and open learning centres, installed over a period of four years.

  The details of available information are updated monthly

  Firearms
  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of members of gun clubs are from each religious denomination. [14069]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Religion is not taken into account in the consideration of firearms certificate and firearms club applications. Such information is therefore unavailable.

  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many gun licences have been granted in Northern Ireland since 1966; and how many guns can be held on one licence. [14065]

  Sir John Wheeler
  There are no records of the numbers of firearm certificates issued prior to 1975, but the table shows the number of certificates current at 31 December for each year since then:

  1975: 78,216

  1976; 79,718

  1977: 81,402

  1978: 82,248

  1979: 83,549

  1980: 85,379

  1981: 83,342

  1982: 84,250

  1983: 85,170

  1984: 86,039

  1985: 88,340

  1986: 89,169

  1987: 88,358

  1988: 88,130

  1989: 88,410

  1990: 87,422

  1991: 86,907

  1992: 87,456

  1993: 87,383

  1994: 87,949

  1995: 88,170.

  There is no specific limit to the number of firearms which can be held on one certificate. However, article
  648
  28(ii) of the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 states that a firearm certificate shall not be granted unless the Chief Constable is satisfied that the applicant has a good reason for purchasing, acquiring or having in his possession the firearm or ammunition in respect of which the application is made.

  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the current figures for ownership of gun licences among(a) Protestants and (b) Roman Catholics. [14066]

  Sir John Wheeler
  There is no information held on the religious background of any firearm certificate holder or gun club member.

  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many gun licences are currently held in Northern Ireland by farmers. [14067]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information needed to answer this question is not available in the form requested and to obtain it would incur disproportionate cost.

  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the current memberships of gun clubs. [14068]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The total membership of the 42 approved firearms clubs in Northern Ireland is approximately 3,350.

  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what changes have taken place in the criteria relating to gun licences since the ceasefire. [14070]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The regulations governing the issue of firearms certificates are contained in the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 and they have not changed since the order was made.

  Spare Computer Capacity
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all cases where spare computer capacity has been sold to other Departments since 1987, giving the Department and value of each contract. [14084]

  Sir John Wheeler
  There have been no cases.

  Interpretation Act
  Mr. Robert McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will set up a working party to arrange for drafting an updated merger of the Interpretation Act 1954, c. 33 (Northern Ireland) with the Interpretation Act 1978 c. 30. [13798]

  Sir John Wheeler
  [holding answer 8 February 1996]: No. I am unaware of any concerns having been expressed about the operation of either the 1954 Act or the 1978 Act. I therefore have no plans to set up a working party to draft a new Interpretation Act.

  Incapacity Benefit
  Mr. Robert McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many claimants in the
  649
  last three years were refused incapacity benefit because of inadequate national insurance contributions or credits; and if he will introduce an alternative eligibility rule based on the best two years of the last five years of contributions. [14551]

  Mr. Moss
  [holding answer 13 February 1996]: The information is not available in the form requested.

  The Government have no plans to change the contribution conditions for incapacity benefit.

  Concessionary Fares Scheme
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many new passes have been issued since July 1995 in respect of the Northern Ireland concessionary fares scheme. [14726]

  Mr. Moss
  [holding answer 13 February 1996]: A total of 12,270 new passes were issued between 1 July 1995 and 4 February 1996.

  Murders and Beatings
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many murders and beatings have been attributed to terrorist organisations since the start of the current ceasefires. [14470]

  Sir John Wheeler
  From 1 September 1994 to 7 February 1996, there were 12 murders in Northern Ireland: three attributed to loyalist groups, nine to republican groups. This does not include a police officer, Constable Seymour, who died on 2 March 1995 as a result of injuries sustained in a gun attack on 4 May 1973. Eleven of these murders were carried out since the ceasefire announced by the combined loyalist military command on 14 October 1994.

  In addition, 287 people were injured in so-called punishment assaults during this period, 107 of which were attributed to loyalist groups, 180 to republican groups. Since the CLMC ceasefire, 275 people have been injured in this type of attack.

  Community Employment Schemes
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many people have so far participated in the community work programme in each of the targeted areas; [14727]

  (2) how many organisations have so far participated in the community work programme in each of the three targeted areas; [14731]

  (3) what are the targets for participants in the community work programme for each of the next three years. [14732]

  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.
  650
  Letter from Ian Walters to Mr. Eric Ilsley, dated 14 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 questions on the Community Work Programme.
  Question 14727
  The number of persons who have to date participated in each of the three pilot areas is as follows:

  Area

  Number

  Belfast

  251

  Fermanagh

  149

  Strabane

  74

  Total

  474

  Question 14731
  The number of participating organisations is:

  Area

  Number

  Belfast

  25

  Fermanagh

  69

  Strabane

  30

  Total

  124

  Question 14732
  The Community Work Programme is a pilot initiative for the long term unemployed with a target of 1,000 filled places in each of the two years 1996/97 and 1997/98. By 31 March 1997 a full evaluation of the pilot will have been completed and a decision taken on the programme's future.
  I hope you find this reply useful. I will of course be pleased to provide further information if you would find it helpful.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Mobility Centres
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's decision not to provide financial support to the United Kingdom Forum of Mobility Centres; [13774]

  (2) what plans he has to provide assistance to the United Kingdom Forum of Mobility Centres in the future. [13775]

  Mr. Burt
  Her Majesty's Government provide financial support to three members of the United Kingdom Forum of Mobility Centres. Extra funding for these voluntary sector organisations could not be provided through this Department due to competing pressures. We are currently discussing both with other interested Government Departments and members of the UK forum what practical and financial assistance, if any, can be provided to ensure they carry on their valuable work.

  Spare Computer Capacity
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list all cases where spare computer capacity has been sold to other Departments since 1987, giving the Department and value of each contract. [14078]

  Mr. Burt
  There is none.

  Liable Relatives System
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of the total cases dealt with by the liable relatives system involved the arrangement of maintenance for(a) spouses without children and (b) sponsored immigrants in each year since 1989. [14456]

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  The information is not available.

  Child Support Agency
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the service availability of the Child Support Agency computer system in each month since April 1993. [14458]

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

  Child Support Agency computer system availability

  Week ending

  Percentage service availability

  3 October 1993

  96.9

  10 October 1993

  98.3

  17 October 1993

  97.1

  24 October 1993

  73.3

  31 October 1993

  94.0

  7 November 1993

  89.2

  14 November 1993

  96.0

  21 November 1993

  99.3

  28 November 1993

  87.6

  5 December 1993

  86.4

  12 December 1993

  86.6

  19 December 1993

  84.5

  26 December 1993

  77.5

  2 January 1994

  99.0

  9 January 1994

  86.6

  16 January 1994

  97.6

  23 January 1994

  96.5

  30 January 1994

  86.9

  6 February 1994

  94.5

  13 February 1994

  92.3

  20 February 1994

  86.8

  27 February 1994

  96.8

  6 March 1994

  86.8

  13 March 1994

  94.1

  20 March 1994

  95.1

  27 March 1994

  97.1

  3 April 1994

  87.2

  10 April 1994

  98.7

  17 April 1994

  95.9

  24 April 1994

  99.3

  1 May 1994

  99.0

  8 May 1994

  72.0

  15 May 1994

  77.1

  22 May 1994

  96.6

  29 May 1994

  97.0

  5 June 1994

  98.0

  12 June 1994

  97.0

  19 June 1994

  99.8

  26 June 1994

  100.0

  3 July 1994

  98.9

  10 July 1994

  98.9

  17 July 1994

  93.0

  24 July 1994

  87.1

  31 July 1994

  96.4

  7 August 1994

  96.3

  14 August 1994

  86.5

  652

  Child Support Agency computer system availability

  Week ending

  Percentage service availability

  21 August 1994

  99.7

  28 August 1994

  98.6

  4 September 1994

  96.7

  11 September 1994

  96.7

  18 September 1994

  98.5

  25 September 1994

  98.4

  2 October 1994

  98.4

  9 October 1994

  97.9

  16 October 1994

  97.4

  23 October 1994

  100.0

  30 October 1994

  95.8

  6 November 1994

  98.7

  13 November 1994

  90.4

  20 November 1994

  97.1

  27 November 1994

  84.1

  4 December 1994

  99.2

  11 December 1994

  92.6

  18 December 1994

  98.0

  25 December 1994

  84.2

  1 January 1995

  85.9

  8 January 1995

  87.4

  15 January 1995

  82.2

  22 January 1995

  99.9

  29 January 1995

  97.9

  5 February 1995

  94.9

  12 February 1995

  98.2

  19 February 1995

  96.8

  26 February 1995

  98.9

  5 March 1995

  96.9

  12 March 1995

  98.2

  19 March 1995

  95.2

  26 March 1995

  96.8

  2 April 1995

  98.4

  9 April 1995

  99.9

  16 April 1995

  77.3

  23 April 1995

  99.2

  30 April 1995

  76.7

  7 May 1995

  98.3

  14 May 1995

  99.9

  21 May 1995

  97.4

  28 May 1995

  100.0

  4 June 1995

  100.0

  11 June 1995

  100.0

  18 June 1995

  99.5

  25 June 1995

  97.9

  2 July 1995

  99.8

  9 July 1995

  96.5

  16 July 1995

  100.0

  23 July 1995

  99.6

  30 July 1995

  95.0

  6 August 1995

  100.0

  13 August 1995

  98.9

  20 August 1995

  100.0

  27 August 1995

  100.0

  3 September 1995

  90.7

  10 September 1995

  98.5

  17 September 1995

  99.8

  24 September 1995

  95.7

  1 October 1995

  99.9

  8 October 1995

  97.5

  15 October 1995

  100.0

  22 October 1995

  98.2

  29 October 1995

  98.3

  5 November 1995

  100.0

  12 November 1995

  100.0

  19 November 1995

  95.3

  26 November 1995

  99.9

  3 December 1995

  99.6

  10 December 1995

  98.4

  17 December 1995

  95.3

  24 December 1995

  100.0

  653

  Child Support Agency computer system availability

  Week ending

  Percentage service availability

  31 December 1995

  100.0

  7 January 1996

  99.9

  14 January 1996

  98.5

  21 January 1996

  98.8

  28 January 1996

  92.9

  Disabled People
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to increase the independent living fund to help disabled people who use the funds to pay for a personal assistant; and if he will make a statement. [14604]

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  None. Payments from the funds are intended to pay for personal care and assistance.

  Mrs. Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to investigate alternative methods of payment to disabled people living independently to cater for the employment of personal assistants. [14605]

  Mr. Burt
  We keep the ways in which we provide support for disabled people and their carers under review.

  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what duties Departments and their agencies have under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to make their facilities and services available to disabled people. [14633]

  Mr. Burt
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Paisley, South (Mr. McMaster) on 15 January,Official Report, column 417.

  Welfare State (Targets)
  Mr. Khabra
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what targets his Department has set to measure the success of the welfare state. [14759]

  Mr. Burt
  The Government's social security programme aims to provide a fair and efficient system of help for beneficiaries which also gives the best possible value for money for taxpayers.

  A large range of indicators are used to measure the Government's success. For example, recent reforms have ensured that the social security system continues to be affordable by reducing projected expenditure by £3.5 billion this year, while at the same time continuing to maintain the value of benefits for those in most need.

  The targets and achievements of the Department and its agencies are published each year in the departmental report. Copies of the report are available from the Library.

  Compensation Recovery Scheme
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to publish the compliance cost assessment produced by Price Waterhouse on the cost of implementing the proposals of the Social Security Committee for reform of the compensation recovery scheme; and if he will be consulting on its findings. [15206]
  654
  Mr. Roger Evans
  The compliance cost assessment has been published today and copies are being placed in the Library. I intend to consult widely on the implications of this assessment.

  War Pensions
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what arrangements exist for reimbursing local authorities for the cost of operating the statutory £10 disregard of war widows' pensions and war disablement pensions when assessing eligibility for council tax and housing benefit; and what was the overall amounts paid to local authorities for such purposes in each of the last five years. [13599]

  Mr. Heald
  Central Government funding for the administration costs of operating the housing benefit and council tax benefit schemes, as distinct from subsidy paid in respect of benefit payments, is made to local authorities by the Department of the Environment, via the revenue support grant, and by direct grant from the Department of Social Security.

  Neither payment is sub-divided by reference to individual aspects of these schemes.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many of the claims for reinstatement of widows' pension by widows' who remarried but whose subsequent marriage ended have been processed; what percentage of the total this represents; how long it has taken on average to process each claim; and what steps he is taking to expedite such claims. [14045]

  Mr. Heald
  These are matters for Kevin Caldwell, the chief executive of the War Pensions Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from K. C. Caldwell to Mr. Chris Smith, dated 13 February 1996:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about restored War Widows Pension.
  As at 2 February 1996, 12430 claims have been received of which 7394 have been notified of an award and had payment arranged, and 85 have had their claim rejected. Thus, 60 per cent. of the total claims received have bee processed.
  I do not have a ready means of calculating precisely the average clearance times. But I can tell you that the first formal claims for a restored widows pension began to be received in August and we were able to start notifying widows of the result from 22 September, by which time we had received 8282 claims. We are now notifying and arranging payment in claims which were made in September.
  We have recently been able to increase the staff working on this exercise and now have the capacity to notify up to 1000 widows a week of the result of their claim.
  This will enable us to ensure that by the end of March 90 per cent of claimants will be notified of the result of their claims within 4 weeks of having made a claim.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Central Provident Fund
  Mr. Dover
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will introduce a central provident fund following the model of Singapore in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [14897]

  Mr. Heald
  We have no such plans.
  655
  The International Monetary Fund recently reported that the average annual return on the state-run Singapore scheme since 1980 has been only 2 per cent. more than inflation. This contrasts with British pension funds which have yielded almost 10 per cent. more than inflation, and now stands at almost £600 billion.

  Environmental Appraisals
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many environmental appraisals were produced by his Department using the guidance contained in the Department of the Environment's "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" in 1995; and if he will place copies in the Library. [15120]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The Department of Social Security does not currently monitor environmental appraisals. However, we have a place in a departmental environmental strategy and we are currently running an environmental pilot scheme to examine what can be achieved by environmental good practice in a number of key areas. Results from me pilot scheme will be available by the end of August 1996. It is expected that the findings will assist future project development. We are also aware of the Department of the Environment's proposed project that will examine how far environmental impacts are taken into account in policy decisions and we will be pleased to co-operate.

  Benefit Take-up Rates
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the take-up rates of(a) severe disability premium, (b) supplementary benefit, (c) social fund, (d) invalid care allowance, (e) disability living allowance (attendance/care), (f) disability living allowance (mobility), (g) income support and (h) the total benefits in (i) Warrington and (ii) the north-west region in the last 12 months. [14629]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The administration of benefits is a matter for Peter Mathison, chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 13 February 1996:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what estimate he has made of the take-up rates of (a) Severe Disability Premium (SDP), (b) Supplementary Benefit, (c) Social Fund (SF), (d) Invalid Care Allowance, (e) Disability Living Allowance (attendance/care), (f) Disability Living Allowance (mobility), (g) Income Support (IS) and (h) the total benefits in (i) Warrington and (ii) the North West region in the last 12 months.
  The information is not available in the format requested. Statistics about the number of customers receiving SDP are not available because they are not routinely collected. Supplementary Benefit was replaced by IS in April 1988.
  Table A shows the latest available information for DLA. The North West Region is the area covered by Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Lancashire. The Disability Living Allowance figures are for all customers who have a Warrington postcode.
  Table B show the latest available information for Social Fund and Income Support. However, information for these benefits is not collected by region and the figures supplied are, therefore, based on Districts involved at the footnote of the table. The Benefits Agency's North Cheshire District covers the Warrington area.
  656
  The Invalid Care Allowance information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Table A: Disability Living Allowance (DLA) awards for the year to November 1995

  North-west region1

  Warrington2

  Award of DLA mobility

  40,000

  2,000

  Award of DLA care

  41,000

  2,000

  Figures are provisional and subject to change.

  1 Statistics are collated by Disability Benefits Centres and the Disability Benefit Unit at Fylde. The North West region includes the Bootle and Manchester Disability Centres.

  2 DLA customers with a Warrington postcode.

  These figures have been supplied by the Department of Social Security's analytical services division. They have been rounded and are based on a 5 per cent. sample.

  Table B: Social fund applications and income support successful claims for the year to December 1995

  BA Districts listed below1

  North Cheshire District Office2

  Total SF applications

  645,079

  32,794

  Total IS claims

  438,012

  21,996

  Figures are provisional and subject to change.

  1 Statistics are collated at Area Directorate and District Office level and not by region. The figures given are collated from information provided by the following districts:

  Liverpool Bootle, Liverpool Kirkby, Liverpool Breckfield, Liverpool Edge Hill, Liverpool Garston, St. Helens, Birkenhead North, Chester, Stockport South, Hyde, Manchester Wythenshawe, Warrington, Manchester Longsight, Salford South, Manchester Sale, Oldham, Manchester Bishopgate, Blackburn, Blackpool North, Bolton, Burnley, Lancaster, Preston, Bury and Wigan.

  2 Includes the BA offices of Warrington and Widnes.

  These figures have been supplied by the Benefits Agency's central data unit, are provisional and may be subject to change.

  Social Fund (Northumberland)
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many social fund applications for(a) grants and (b) loans have been turned down in the local benefits agencies of Blyth Valley, Northumberland since (a) 1992, (b) 1993 and (c) 1994. [13488]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The administration of the social fund is a matter for Peter Mathison, chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Ronnie Campbell, dated 13 February 1996:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many Social Fund applications for (a) grants and (b) loans have been turned down in the local benefits agencies of Blyth Valley, Northumberland since (a) 1992, (b) 1993 and (c) 1994.
  Blyth Valley is part of the Benefits Agency district of Northumberland which comprises of the Benefit offices of Ashington, Berwick, Blyth and Hexham. The information is not

  657
  available in the form requested as figures are only available for the Northumberland District as a whole. These are shown in the table at Annex A.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Annex A: Social fund refusals April 1992-March 1995

  Year

  Number of loans refused

  Number of grants refused

  Northumberland district

  1992–93

  2,632

  3,309

  1993–94

  2,710

  3,177

  1994–95

  3,064

  3,803

  Figures are provisional and subject to change.

  Occupational and Private Pensions
  Sir Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what effect converting an occupational or private pension assessed as trivial by his Department into a lump sum has for income support purposes; and if he will assess the advantages of disregarding a trivial occupational or private pension for income support purposes. [13782]

  Mr. Heald
  A lump sum acquired in this way is taken into account in accordance with the normal rules which provide for the first £3,000 of capital to be disregarded. A person who commutes a pension into a lump sum with the intention of securing income support, or of increasing the amount of benefit payable, can be treated as if that income were still in payment. There are no plans at present to change these arrangements.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Pensions and Stipends
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, what powers the Synod has to instruct the Commissioners to(a) reduce the level of pensions already in payment and (b) reduce the level of stipends in payment.

  Mr. Alison
  The General Synod has no power to instruct the commissioners to reduce the level of pensions in payment. The levels are determined in accordance with the pensions regulations. Under the current arrangements, the legislation gives to the commissioners the power to increase the figures, which they customarily exercise in line with the Church's pensions policy. There is no provision for any reduction to be made in the monetary amounts payable.

  Stipend levels are determined on a diocesan basis by the bishop with the concurrence of the Diocesan Board of Finance in accordance with section 5 of the Diocesan Stipends Funds Measure 1953, having regard to the advice of the commissioners as central stipends authority. The commissioners were appointed as central stipends authority by a General Synod Regulation in 1972, revised in 1982. The Synod has the power to amend this regulation if it so wishes by appointing another authority, but cannot directly reduce the level of stipends.

  The Synod also has the power to amend the above legislation, subject to the agreement of Parliament.

  European Commission Overseas Delegations: British Heads
  European Commission Overseas Delegations: British Heads
  Chechnya: Distribution of OSCE Code of Conduct
  Chechnya: Distribution of OSCE Code of Conduct
  Council of Europe: Costs of Russian Accession
  Council of Europe: Costs of Russian Accession
  Outer Space: Control of Weaponry
  Outer Space: Control of Weaponry
  ABM Treaty
  ABM Treaty
  Tooth Whitening
  Tooth Whitening
  Low-Emission Transport: Research Funding
  Low-Emission Transport: Research Funding
  Civil Evidence (Family Mediation) (Scotland) Act 1995
  Civil Evidence (Family Mediation) (Scotland) Act 1995
  Shares: Computerised Settlement Costs
  Shares: Computerised Settlement Costs