Written Answers of 16 February 1996

SCOTLAND

  Court Service
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in what circumstances a sheriff may hear representations on sentences in private; and on how many occasions such representations have been heard in private in the last five years. [15059]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There is no information on the number of occasions on which sheriffs have heard representations on sentence in private. Representations on sentence are normally made in open court.

  Mental Incapacity
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to reply to the report on mental incapacity recently produced by the Scottish Law Commission; and if he will make a statement. [15403]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has welcomed the Scottish Law Commission report on incapable adults. We are studying its wide-ranging proposals very carefully, but I cannot yet say when we shall be in a position to respond.

ENVIRONMENT

  Water Courses
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans the National Rivers Authority has to increase public access to water courses. [15156]

  Mr. Clappison
  The National Rivers Authority has a general duty to promote the use of inland and coastal waters and associated land for recreation, and must ensure that its own water or associated land is made available in the best manner for recreational purposes. The Government's code of practice on conservation, access and recreation gives guidance to the NRA and the water and sewerage companies on the exercise of their environmental and recreational duties. Details of the NRA's activities in these areas are contained in its annual report on conservation, access and recreation.

  Water Regulations
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those regulations concerning licenses for the abstraction of water which remain to be covered by regulations to be brought in to implement European Union directive 92/43 on habitats and species; and when he expects to lay drafts before Parliament. [15198]
  716
  Mr. Clappison
  Chapter II of part II—sections 24 to 72—of the Water Resources Act 1991 concerns the granting of licences for the abstraction of water. Those sections will be covered by further regulations implementing the EC habitats directive. It is expected that the regulations will be laid before Parliament later this year. Currently, regulation 3 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994 required all competent authorities, such as the National Rivers Authority or environment agency, in the exercise of any of their functions, to have regard to the requirements of the habitats directive.

  Chemical Recycling Plant, Warndon
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will investigate the application by Norchem to construct a chemical recycling plant at Warndon, Worcester; and if he will make a statement: [15411]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The current application by Norchem in relation to the Warndon area of Worcester is for a waste management licence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The application has been made to Hereford and Worcester county council, the licensing authority, and is for waste oil treatment recovery and chemical waste transfer. The council is considering a number of matters relating to the application.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has in respect of grants to homelessness voluntary organisations under section 73 of the Housing Act 1985; and if he will make a statement. [16138]

  Mr. Clappison
  The section 73 grant programme continues to represent good value for money. Since 1990–91, it has been particularly successful in assisting a large number of single people to find and keep accommodation. Programme expenditure has grown from £2 million to £6.9 million in 1995–96 and the number of schemes funded has increased from 30 to 160.

  For 1996–97, the Government have increased to £7.8 million the sum to be made available to voluntary organisations to help them to meet the running costs of practical schemes that assist single people in housing need. This means that, in addition to continuing to fund all eligible existing projects, we shall invite bids to start new schemes in 1996–97.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Roads Services
  Mr. Sykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to review the proposals to contract out parts of the Department of the Environment's roads services. [16009]

  Mr. Moss
  I have received a number of representations about the proposals to contract out large parts of the activities of the roads service. I have decided that an
  717
  extensive market testing programme would provide an alternative way of securing improved value for money and give employees of the roads service an opportunity to compete with the private sector for the delivery of service.

TRANSPORT

  Railway Franchises
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what mechanism exists to ensure that the public are made aware of any new level of subsidy agreed in the event that a franchisee for the south-west or great western line returns to the franchising director to renegotiate the level of subsidy upwards. [15169]

  Mr. Watts
  The level of subsidy paid in respect of the South West Trains and Great Western franchises is detailed in the relevant franchise agreement, which is available to the public via the franchising director's register. If the franchising director were to agree any new level of subsidy with either the South West Trains or Great Western franchisee, this would be shown in a revised franchise agreement which would be placed on the register.

  Supersaver Tickets
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government have taken to secure the future of the supersaver ticket and its applicability to the current range of services. [15294]

  Mr. Watts
  This is a matter for railway operators. The British Railways Board offers supersaver tickets because of their commercial potential, and private railway operators are likely to set up similar schemes for the same reason.

  Disabled Car Drivers
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which London boroughs do not recognise the orange badge usable by disabled car drivers; and if he will make a statement. [15394]

  Mr. Norris
  The orange badge scheme does not apply to the City of London, the city of Westminster, the royal borough of Kensington and Chelsea and part of the London borough of Camden. Each of these authorities, however, operates its own independent concessionary scheme for disabled people who live or work in the area and offers limited concessions in relation to designated parking and meter parking to orange badge holders generally.

  Gateshead Western Bypass
  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will(a) list the number of private companies and agencies consulted by the Highways Agency for advice and information to date in connection with the agency's proposed Al Gateshead western bypass and (b) give the total cost of the amounts paid by the agency to private companies and agencies. [15193]
  718
  Mr. Watts
  The Highways Agency contracted preparation work on the bypass to one firm of design consultants. The consultant has obtained specialist advice about matters concerning geology, archaeology, ecology, landscaping and agriculture from a number of firms.

  The total cost of preparatory work to date is £3.3 million, excluding VAT.

  MV Derbyshire
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to include an expert nominated by the Derbyshire Family Association on the proposed inquiry into the wreck of the MV Derbyshire; and if he will make a statement. [15536]

  Mr. Norris
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Carlile) on 22 January,Official Report, column 38.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plan she has to collate information about applications to courts in respect of public interst immunity certificates. [14902]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The Government will consider the maintenance of records relating to public interst immunity certificates in the light of the recommendations in Sir Richard Scott's report.

  Contact Orders
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many parents with care have been imprisoned for contempt of court following non-compliance with a contact order made under section 8 of the Children Act 1989 in each year since 1991. [14848]

  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 accordingly I have asked the chief executive to reply direct.

  Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. Mike Gapes, dated 15 February 1996:
  The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, has asked me to reply to the above Question about the number of parents with care imprisoned for contempt of court.
  This information is not collected centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many contact orders have been made under section 8 of the Children Act 1989 where the presiding judge has been aware that one parent has been charged with, or convicted of, assaulting the other parent. [14842]

  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.
  719
  Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. Mike Gapes, dated 15 February, 1996:
  The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, has asked me to reply to the above Question about the number of Children Act contact orders made.
  Between October 1991, the date on which the Children Act came into force, and September 1995, the latest date for which figures are available, 106,911 contact orders were made under section 8 of the Act. It is not possible to identify with certainty the number of cases which involved a parent who had been charged with, or convicted of, assault and the task of extracting what information might be available would be disproportionately costly in view of the volume of cases.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department in how many cases the legal aid costs were over £100,000 in(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) so far in 1995–96. [14747]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The information requested is shown in the table. For civil legal aid, the figures represent the number of individual legal aid certificates where gross payments, including VAT, have exceeded £100,000, but exclude multi-party actions. The criminal legal aid figures also include VAT and cover cases in the magistrates' courts and the crown court.

  Year

  Civil

  Criminal

  Total cases

  1993–94

  54

  172

  226

  1994–95

  56

  237

  293

  1995 to date

  65

  178

  243

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Pregnant Prisoners
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the current status of contracting out the care of pregnant women to the NHS by women's prisons; and what such plans exist for HMP Holloway. [15001]

  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 16 February 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the current status of contracting out the care of pregnant women to the NHS by women's prisons and what such plans exist for Holloway prison.
  No women's prison has contracted out maternity care. With the exception of women at Holloway prison, women prisoners receive such care from local hospital and community NHS services. At Holloway, antenatal and postnatal care is shared between the Prison health care service and NHS staff. Intrapartum care is provided at local NHS maternity units, usually the Whittington Hospital. Health care staff from Prison Service headquarters and the prison itself are currently reviewing all aspects of the delivery of health care at Holloway. One option under consideration is the contracting out of some specialist services following a competitive tender process. It has not yet been decided, however, whether maternity services should be contracted out.

  Criminal Cases Review Authority
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date the post of chairman of the Criminal Cases Review Authority was advertised; how many applications were received; how many candidates were shortlisted; on what date the shortlisted candidates were interviewed; and with what result. [14933]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  The post of chairman of the Criminal Cases Review Commission was advertised on 3, 5 and 8 September 1995. Thirty-seven applications were received in response to the advertisement and these, along with 87 candidates drawn from other sources, were considered. Six shortlisted candidates were interviewed on 12 and 20 December 1995. The decision whom to appoint is for Her Majesty the Queen, advised by the Prime Minister. When that decision has been taken, an announcement will be made.

  Industrial Tribunals
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many industrial tribunals have been registered in the last 12 months in respect of staff employed in the Prison Service; how many have been settled prior to a hearing taking place; how much compensation has been paid to individuals in total; how much costs have been incurred by(a) services provided by Treasury Solicitors for industrial tribunals and (b) services provided by counsel advising and attending tribunals; and how many cases are still outstanding. [14954]

  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. Doug Hoyle, dated 16 February 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about applications to Industrial Tribunals by members of the Prison Service.
  Information on appeals to Industrial Tribunals by Prison Service staff is not held centrally by the Prison Service.
  The information in the attached table has been provided by the Treasury Solicitor's Department which normally acts for the Prison Service in Industrial Tribunal cases. There may have been other cases in which the Treasury Solicitor's Department was not involved but the number is likely to be very small.

  Amount

  Total number of Industrial Tribunal cases received in the last 12 months by the Treasury Solicitor's Department in respect of staff employed within the Prison Service

  54

  Number of these cases settled without an award being imposed

  114

  Total compensation paid

  £29,723

  Total costs (of which £4,053.75 were fees paid for services provided by counsel advising and attending tribunals)

  £124,655.78

  Number of cases outstanding

  30

  1Includes 1 case settled by a Respondent other than the Prison Service.

  Passport Offices
  Mr. Hawksley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy that there should be an office for the issue of passports in Birmingham. [15425]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  The UK Passport Agency undertook a review of the location of its offices in 1995 and concluded that the six regional passport offices in the United Kingdom were able to meet current and expected levels of demand and that there was no case for additional offices.

  The UK Passport Agency has recently introduced a partnership arrangement under which passport applications can be handed in at high street post offices and branches of ARTAC World Choice travel agents who will check the application form for accuracy and deliver it to the agency for processing. There are more than 40 post office outlets and five ARTAC World Choice travel agents in the Birmingham area.

DEFENCE

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will institute changes in his Department's practice on the non-disclosure of internal papers containing classified or commercially sensitive information involving arms or military equipment sales. [14900]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement made yesterday by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade,Official Report, columns 1139–44.

  Mr. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of all documents submitted by his Department to the Scott inquiry on the quantities and values of the Jordan arms sales package. [15693]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Sir Richard Scott intends to publish in due course copies of all document which he considers are relevant to the text of his report. This will be available to the House.

  Mr. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list in the Official Report the titles of each of the papers his Department provided to the Scott inquiry. [15699]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  I have no plans to list the titles of the 29,000 pages of papers which my Department provided to the Scott inquiry. The inquiry will be publishing a substantial number of these documents in the annex to the report.

  Military Training (Foreign Nationals)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his practice to give details of types of training and the number involved in the training of foreign nationals involved at military establishments in the United Kingdom and at British military bases abroad. [15696]
  722
  Mr. Soames
  We disclose details of those countries which received UK training, whether in the UK or overseas, and also the number of students concerned during any particular period. It is not normally our practice to disclose the precise details of military training given to any particular country as such details are regarded as confidential between Governments. There are no plans to change this policy.

  Mr. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has anything to add to the answer to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) of 25 January 1991,Official Report, column 357. [15630]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  No.

  Abbey Wood Building
  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are being taken to ensure that sub-contractors working on the new Ministry of Defence building at Abbey Wood, Bristol are being paid on time by the main contractors and according to the amount of work executed. [15479]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The contractual relationship between a main contractor and his sub-contractors and suppliers are a matter for the main contractor. However, contracts for Abbey Wood construction works place an obligation on main contractors to include a term in sub-contracts which require payment to be made to suppliers or sub-contractors within a specified period not exceeding 30 days from receipt of a valid invoice as defined by the sub-contract requirement.

  The overall progress on the main construction works at Abbey Wood is continuously monitored by the MOD project team and its commercial works project manager to ensure that programmed milestones—linked to payment plans set out in the respective contracts—are being met, with the achievement of agreed progress milestones triggering payment. We understand that sub-contractors and suppliers are being dealt with in accordance with the terms and conditions agreed between the parties concerned. Were this not the position, we would expect a detrimental impact on progress which would then be taken up directly with main contractors.

  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimates he has made of the cost of the work being undertaken in respect of the construction of the new MOD building at Abbey Wood, Bristol; and if he will make a statement on the extent of the overrun against the original estimate. [15480]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The estimated works cost of the Abbey Wood development—inclusive of site acquisition, construction, fitting out, professional works management fees and VAT—is kept under constant review and remains within the approved budget of £248.5 million at 1992 prices—£273.4 million at 1995 prices.

  New Office Accommodation
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff have been or are planned to be accommodated in new office accommodation. [36587]
  723
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Detailed information relating to all the new build office accommodation is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Four new office accommodation projects in excess of £10 million in value have been approved centrally since 1991 to accommodate some 8,800 staff in total. All of these are part of wider strategies which result in significant savings to the taxpayer. They are the new Procurement Executive headquarters at Abbey Wood near Bristol, an additional office block at Andover for HQ quarter master general's staff, a new personnel and training command headquarters at RAF Innsworth and a new logistic command headquarters at RAF Wyton.

  Land Mines
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ban the export of self-destruct anti-personnel land mines. [36586]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  No. It would not be right to ban completely the export of a weapon which we may in future need to import for our own armed forces.

  Trafalgar Class Submarines
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to award the contract for the construction of batch 2 Trafalgar class submarines. [36572]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  I hope to be in a position to place a prime contract for the construction of batch 2 Trafalgar class submarines next year.

  Intelligence-gathering Satellites
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with which countries the United Kingdom is collaborating or discussing collaboration on intelligence-gathering satellites. [36578]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The Western European Union is currently studying the possibilities of co-operation on a European satellite observation system. The United Kingdom is contributing fully to that work.

  Anti-missile Defence
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement of progress on the feasibility study on anti-missile defence. [36580]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  A contract was awarded in October 1994, to a consortium led by British Aerospace, to carry out a pre-feasibility study to identify ballistic missile defence systems to counter potential threats to the United Kingdom, the dependent territories and our forces deployed overseas. The study, which is scheduled to run for some 18 months and is proceeding according to schedule, will identify practical defensive architectures against a range of scenarios taking account of performance criteria, costs, time scales and technical risk. This advice will inform subsequent policy consideration, including whether the UK has a requirement for ballistic missile defence.

  Attack and Support Helicopters
  Mr. Mark Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if Britain's requirements for attack and support 724
  helicopters now meet the United Kingdom's needs into the next century. [36585]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The orders which were announced during 1995, for 67 Apache attack helicopters for the Army, and 14 Chinook Mk II and 22 utility EH101 support helicopters for the Royal Air Force, will ensure that the United Kingdom's requirements for these capabilities will be satisfied for the foreseeable future.

TREASURY

  Inheritance Tax
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for the most recent year available the cost of conditional exemption from inheritance tax of(a) chattels and (b) land in each case indicating the number of estates granted exemption. [13927]

  Mr. Jack
  The estimated cost to the Exchequer of granting conditional exemption from inheritance tax in 1994–95 is about £55 million for chattels, and £5 million for land and buildings. These figures represent the amount of tax deferred as long as the owners comply with their undertakings about the maintenance and preservation of the exempted property, and the provision of public access. If the undertakings are breached, or the property sold, tax is charged on the value of the property at that time.

  In 1994–95, conditional exemption was granted to 59 estates in respect of chattels, and to 18 estates in respect of land and buildings.

  Taxpayers (Children)
  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average number of children in households where the husband or wife is(a) a higher rate taxpayer, (b) a basic rate taxpayer and (c) a lower rate taxpayer, classifying households by the taxpayer on the highest marginal rate. [14263]

  Mr. Jack
  Estimates for 1995–96 are as follows:

  Marginal tax rate of married couple or single person1

  Average number of children for single people and married couples with at least one child2

  Lower rate

  2.1

  Basic rate

  1.7

  Higher rate

  1.8

  All

  1.8

  1 Marginal tax rate of single person or higher marginal tax rate of married couple.

  2 Child defined as being aged under 16.

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

  Working Mothers
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update his answer to the hon. Member for Peckhan (Ms Hannan) of 5 March 1993,Official Report, column 335, on an allowance for working mothers. [14403]
  725
  Mr. Jack
  Estimates of the cost of introducing allowances against taxable incomes for working mothers and lone parents in 1995–96 are set out in the table. The first year cost would depend on how the measure was implemented.

  Cost (£ billion)

  Allowance of:

  (a) £1,000 per year

  (b) £2,000 per year

  All working mothers1

  0.7

  1.3

  All working mothers with a child under 51

  0.2

  0.4

  1 Including lone parents who are working.

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

  Opposed Measures
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a list of all the measures on personal and business taxation since 1979 which were approved by Parliament and opposed by Her Majesty's Opposition(a) on Second or Third Reading, (b) in Committee and (c) on Report; and if he will make a statement. [13122]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 6 February 1966]: The Opposition have voted against every Finance Bill on Second Reading since May 1979, apart from the pre-election 1992 Finance Bill.

  They have voted against Bills including measures:
  to reduce the basic rate of income tax from 33 per cent. to 24 per cent. and the top rate of income tax from 83 per cent. (98 per cent. on savings income) to 40 per cent.; and
  to reduce to rate of tax on companies to its present level, which is the lowest of any major industrial country.

  A full list of all the measures requested in the question could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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. [14821]

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 12 February 1996]: As a former colleague, Lord Howe has had informal contact from time to time on these matters with the Treasury at ministerial level.

  My officials have had no such contact with Lord Howe on departmental business nor, so far as I am aware, on an informal basis.

  Personal Tax Returns
  Mr. French
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to raise the de minimis rule as it applies to personal tax returns. [14664]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 12 February 1996]: There is no de minimus rule applying to tax returns.

  EU Legislation
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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. [13655]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 13 February 1995]: I refer to the answer that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster gave to my hon. Friend on 14 February 1996, Official Report, column 578.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Dr. Alan George
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will refer to the Director of Public Prosecution the allegations made by Dr. Alan George and referred to him on 29 January. [15058]

  The Attorney-General
  Dr. Alan George wrote to me drawing attention to conduct by another which may have involved the commission of criminal offences. He indicated that he had also drawn the matter to the attention of the Metropolitan police.

  Dr. George has been advised that the matter should first be investigated by the police. They will refer the case to the Crown Prosecution Service if their investigations reveal that criminal offences may have been committed.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Llew Smith
  to ask the Attorney-General if he will list the titles of each of the papers his Department provided to the Scott inquiry. [15698]

  The Attorney-General
  I have no plans to list the titles of the 1,778 pages of papers which my Department provided to the Scott inquiry. The inquiry will be publishing a substantial number of these documents in an annex to the report.

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Attorney-General (1) what plans he has to make changes to the public interest immunity certificate arrangements; [14898]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the use of public interest immunity certificates. [14906]

  The Attorney-General
  The Government do not propose to comment on issues within the scope of Sir Richard Scott's inquiry until his report has been published and fully considered by the Government.

  Serious Fraud Office
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Attorney-General how many prosecutions were brought by the Serious Fraud Office in each of the last four years; in how many all defendants were found guilty; and in how many the principal defendant was found guilty of the most serious charge. [14748]
  727
  The Solicitor-General
  I have been asked to reply.

  Since 5 April 1992, the Serious Fraud Office has brought 68 cases to trial. In 37 of these trials, all the defendants were convicted. In 53 of the trials, the principal defendant, or a principal defendant, was convicted.

  This is broken down as follows:

  5 April 1992 to 4 April 1993

  21 trials

  12 trials in which all of the defendants were convicted

  16 trials in which a principal defendant was convicted

  5 April 1993 to 4 April 1994

  26 trials

  14 trials in which all of the defendants were convicted

  20 trials in which a principal defendant was convicted

  5 April 1994 to 4 April 1995

  12 trials

  5 trials in which all of the defendants were convicted

  9 trials in which a principal defendant was convicted

  5 April 1995 to date

  9 trials

  6 trials in which all of the defendants were convicted

  8 trials in which a principal defendant was convicted

  In Serious Fraud Office cases, only serious charges appear in the indictment.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  HMSO Publications
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if the Government will meet the costs incurred when interested parties translate HMSO material into(a) braille, (b) large print or (c) audio tape. [14663]

  Mr. Willetts
  Her Majesty's Stationery Office is just one of many printers and publishers undertaking Government work. Individual Departments, agencies and other public bodies determine how, in what form and at what cost their official information is to be made available, and details are not held centrally.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 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. [14982]

  Mr. Willetts
  Since the Department was formed in May 1992, a total of 13 questions have been passed for answer to executive agencies and non-governmental departments for which this Department is responsible. The figure can be broken down as follows:

  1992–93: 2

  1993–94: 0

  1994–95: 8

  1995 to date: 3

  Seconded Staff
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the individuals, by name and company, who are engaged on temporary secondments in the Cabinet Office and Office of Public Service; and if he will list the type and nature of the secondment. [14675]

  Mr. Willetts
  The following staff are currently seconded into the Cabinet Office, Office of Public Service, from industry and commerce:

  Name

  Company

  Mr. M. Blessing

  PA Consulting

  Mr. S. Culhane

  Lloyds Bank

  Mr. M. B. De Ferranti

  GEC/Marconi Ltd.

  Mrs. L. Emin

  Cable and Wireless plc

  Ms M Guiot

  British Telecom

  Mr. S. Greenstreet

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Mr. A. Harris

  Clifton Corporate Services Ltd.

  Mr. S. Hoffman-Womersley

  Shandwich Communications Ltd.

  All are engaged on work relating to improving efficiency and effectiveness of public services or to competitiveness and deregulation.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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. [14995]

  Mr. Hanley
  This Department has transferred no parliamentary questions to non-departmental public bodies.

  The number of written parliamentary questions referred to next steps agencies by this Department is as follows:

  Session 1992–93: 7

  Session 1993–94: 4

  Session 1994–95: 6

  Session 1995–96: 8

  Information for previous Sessions is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  It is normal practice to print answers from the heads of our agencies in the Official Report.

  Chechnya
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the aims, operations and achievements of Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe in Chechnya. [15382]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  The OSCE long-term objective is to promote a peaceful settlement in Chechnya. Through the assistance group in Grozny, it continues to make every effort to help bring about an early ceasefire and encourage
  729
  negotiations to find a settlement acceptable to all parties. The assistance group can play an important role in bringing Chechen and Russian representatives together and was instrumental in brokering the talks which led to the conclusion of the military agreement in July 1995. This agreement still offers the best basis for securing a lasting peace. Despite operating in often dangerous and difficult conditions, the assistance group continues to do a good job in building contacts with all parties.

  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's ambassador in Moscow last met Mr. Sergei Kovalyov to discuss the situation in Chechnya. [15384]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  Her Majesty's ambassador to Moscow last met Mr. Sergei Kovalyov on 22 September 1995, at which meeting the situation in Chechnya was raised.

  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's ambassador in Moscow last discussed the situation in Chechnya with(a) President Yeltsin, (b) Mr. Gennadzy Zynganor, (c) General Lebed, (d) Arkadiy Volsky, (e) Mr. Vladimir Zhirinovsky, (f) Prime Minister Chernomyrdin, (g) Mayor Luzhkor and (h) Foreign Minister Primakov; and what were his conclusions. [15383]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  Her Majesty's ambassador in Moscow last met Mr. Primakov on 6 February 1996 and Mr. Zyuganov on 14 September 1995. The situation in Chechnya was touched upon on both occasions. Her Majesty's ambassador presented his credentials to President Yeltsin on 12 February 1996, but did not discuss Chechnya with him. He has not met any of the other people listed. It is clear from these contacts and others that the situation in Chechnya and the search for a settlement is a major preoccupation both for the Government and Russian political leaders.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now list the titles of each of the papers his Department made available to the Scott inquiry. [15700]

  Mr. Hanley
  I have no plans to list the titles of the 16,234 pages of papers which this Department provided to the Scott inquiry. The inquiry will be publishing a substantial number of these documents in an annex to the report.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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. [14818]

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 12 February 1996]: Communications between Ministers in this Department and others concerning correspondence with the Scott inquiry are private. Lord Howe has, like other witnesses to the inquiry, had contact with officials in the FCO from time to time.

  Immigration (Mrs. Noreen Bibi)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when a decision is going to be taken on an application made by Mrs. Noreen Bibi (Ref. IMMI/Co 534) to the post in Islamabad to join her husband in the United Kingdom. [15558]

  Mr. Hanley
  I have asked the high commission at Islamabad for details and will arrange for the hon. Member to receive a substantive reply from the migration and visa correspondence unit as soon as possible.

WALES

  Health Service Staff
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many nurses there were in Welsh hospitals between 1990 and 1996; [14804]

  (2) how many managers there were in Welsh hospitals between 1990 and 1996. [14829]

  Mr. Richards
  The information is given in the table. The figures include all staff employed by NHS trusts, health authorities and the Welsh Health Common Services Authority as separate figures for staff in hospitals are not available centrally. A reliable split between nursing staff and midwifery staff is not available centrally, so the information given relates to all staff in the nursing and midwifery group excluding pre-registration learners. For managers, all staff paid on manager pay scales are included in the figures; a number of these staff have been reclassified as managers from within the administrative and clerical and other staff groups. Managers from all disciplines may be included.

  Whole-time equivalent number of staff in post at 30 September

  Administrative and clerical staff

  Nursing and midwifery staff1

  Total

  Of which managers

  1990

  25,017

  8,185

  436

  1991

  25,050

  8,865

  711

  1992

  25,555

  9,498

  893

  1993

  25,422

  10,082

  1,159

  1994

  25,220

  9,905

  1,292

  1995

  24,728

  9,875

  1,350

  1 Excluding pre-registration learners.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the(a) monetary targets and (b) the actual return on capital for each NHS trust annually since its inception; and how much of the surplus was (i) retained by each NHS trust and (ii) returned to the Government. [14625]

  Mr. Richards
  The information requested is contained in NHS trusts' annual financial reports, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the total amount of(a) useable and (b) set-aside capital receipts held by each local authority in Wales at 31 March 1995. [15065]
  731
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Capital receipts and outstanding loan debt at 31 March 19951

  £000

  Usable cash backed accumulated receipts

  Receipts set aside but not yet redeemed2

  Total outstanding loan debt

  Alyn and Deeside

  521

  5,813

  35,067

  Colwyn

  783

  3,367

  27,763

  Delyn

  0

  0

  32,279

  Glyndwr

  512

  3,416

  11,980

  Rhuddian

  397

  3,622

  27,743

  Wrexham Maelor

  1,305

  0

  74,603

  Carmarthen

  2,098

  5,572

  35,755

  Ceredigion

  1,918

  8,630

  21,618

  Dinefwr

  790

  4,185

  28,116

  Llanelli

  1,344

  4,577

  47,698

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  3,202

  2,772

  41,828

  South Pembrokeshire

  1,397

  285

  21,090

  Blaenau Gwent

  2,199

  6,630

  103,856

  Islwyn

  390

  14,214

  50,848

  Monmouth

  5,482

  0

  45,849

  Newport

  7,642

  8,678

  122,004

  Torfaen

  2,773

  14,024

  83,132

  Aberconwy

  628

  747

  20,265

  Arfon

  0

  8,137

  29,695

  Dwyfor

  554

  1,307

  15,939

  Meirionnydd

  0

  1,017

  10,635

  Ynys Mon

  350

  3,665

  53,675

  Cynon Valley

  0

  5,899

  52,914

  Merthyr Tydfil

  600

  5,328

  64,194

  Ogwr

  4,245

  11,828

  74,913

  Rhondda

  396

  2,704

  87,253

  Rhymney Valley

  749

  6,919

  71,738

  Taff Ely

  631

  14,761

  41,957

  Brecknock

  1,497

  7,710

  31,614

  Montgomeryshire

  873

  12,004

  23,199

  Radnorshire

  399

  3,376

  13,239

  Cardiff

  18,597

  5,526

  183,971

  Vale of Glamorgan

  6,702

  26,007

  60,004

  Port Talbot

  0

  8,592

  40,166

  Lliw Valley

  596

  8,308

  39,742

  Neath

  0

  8,789

  39,981

  Swansea

  593

  13,179

  135,631

  Clwyd

  5,095

  2,875

  145,656

  Dyfed

  2,256

  2,973

  118,889

  Gwent

  7,3533

  0

  171,914

  Gwynedd

  2,197

  -274

  80,160

  Mid Glamorgan

  4,630

  2,191

  134,775

  Powys

  613

  7,431

  57,412

  South Glamorgan

  875

  0

  171,374

  West Glamorgan

  1,947

  0

  170,118

  Total Wales

  95,131

  257,031

  2,952,252

  Source:

  Local authority returns.

  Notes:

  1 Excluding Joint Police Authorities. Receipts figures include sales of capital assets and repayments of capital grants and advances.

  2 Including EC grants.

  3 Includes Gwent Police Authority.

  4 Prior year adjustment.

  Grant-Maintained Schools Foundation
  Mr. Touhig
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are employed, and in what capacity, at the Grant-Maintained Schools Foundation's regional office in Swansea. [14941]

  Mr. Richards
  One person is employed at the regional office in the capacity of schools liaison officer.
  732
  Mr. Touhig
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the rent of the regional office of the Grant-Maintained Schools Foundation in Swansea; and who receives that rent. [14942]

  Mr. Richards
  It is for the foundation to negotiate the best possible terms within the funding made available from the Welsh Office. Such arrangements are commercial in confidence.

  Mr. Touhig
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many inquiries the regional office of the Grant-Maintained Schools Foundation in Swansea has handled since it opened. [14943]

  Mr. Richards
  Two hundred and six, many of which resulted in visits to schools to talk to governors, teachers and parents.

  Mr. Touhig
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what publications the regional office of the Grant-Maintained Schools Foundation in Swansea produces; and what is the cost of producing these publications. [14944]

  Mr. Richards
  The production of publications by the regional office in Swansea is a matter for the foundation.

  British Eagle Cycle Factory
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the closure of the British Eagle cycle factory in Newtown. [15230]

  (2) if he will list all (a) direct and (b) indirect financial support given by statutory agencies to British Eagle cycle company in respect of its business in Newtown; and if he will make a statement. [15231]

  Mr. Hague
  The Development Board for Rural Wales is the only statutory agency to have given support to British Eagle Cycles. I have asked the chief executive of the board to write to the hon. and learned Member with the information requested and I will arrange for a copy of his reply to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Hospital Waiting List Initiative
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will publish the current guidelines on the use of waiting list initiative funding on(a) British United Provident Association, (b) private consultants and (c) NHS consultants on piecework rates; and if he will make a statement. [15657]

  (2) what guidelines he has issued on the removal of patients from eligibility for waiting list initiative funding on the basis of their refusal to accept NHS treatment at (a) non-local hospitals and (b) private hospitals; and if he will make a statement. [15658]

  (3) if he will list for each family health service authority the amount agreed with each GP fundholding practice for waiting list initiative funding for out-patient consultation or treatment to be completed by 31 March. [15660]

  Mr. Hague
  It is for health authorities and GP fundholders to decide on the most effective ways of spending the resources available under the waiting times initiative. Purchasers can agree contracts with private hospitals and with consultants on a private basis.
  733
  The allocations do not distinguish between the resources available for reducing waiting times for out-patient appointments or for treatment as an in-patient or day case.

  No guidance has been issued on the use of waiting times initiative funding for patients who refuse the offer of treatment at NHS hospitals outside their local area or at private hospitals. Such patients can expect to be seen or treated at the hospital of their choice as quickly as local contractual arrangements between purchasers and providers allow. The treatment involved may be funded from waiting times initiative funds or from purchasers' general allocations.

  Waiting times initiative allocations to individual GP fundholders are made by family health services authorities from the total amount available for the district as a whole. Details of the allocations made to individual fundholders are not held centrally.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultation she has had with the chairmen of the University Hospital of Wales Trust, the south Glamorgan health authority and the south Glamorgan family health services authority concerning the payments of waiting list initiative funds to GP fundholders for the treatment or diagnosis of long waiting list orthopaedic patients at(a) BUPA, (b) consultants' private consulting rooms an (c) weekend sessions in NHS hospitals. [15661]

  Mr. Hague
  No such consultation has been made. It is for health authorities and GP fundholders, as purchasers of hospital services, to decide on the most effective way of using waiting times initiative funding. In doing so, they are conscious of the need to achieve value for money.

  General Practitioner Training
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list each GP training programme in Wales, the number of places allocated in each centre and the number of GP trainees at the latest available date. [15659]

  Mr. Hague
  This information is not held centrally by the Welsh Office. The sub-dean of the University of Wales college of medicine, department of postgraduate education has advised that, as at February 1996, there are 12 vocational training schemes in Wales. The number of places on each of those schemes are:

  Number

  East Glamorgan

  8

  Carmarthen

  4

  Gwynedd

  6

  Abergavenny

  6

  North Clwyd

  4

  South Clwyd

  4

  Aberystwyth

  6

  Cardiff

  8

  Bridgend

  10

  Haverfordwest

  2

  South Gwent

  6

  Swansea Bay

  16

  Total

  80

  A total of 49 trainees are at present on these schemes. In addition, 41 trainees are undertaking self-constructed schemes.

  Hard-to-fill Vacancies
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the percentage of hard-to-fill vacancies over the previous 12 months in 1994 and 1995. [15560]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Figures relating to number of vacancies over the periods are not available. However the report "Skill Needs in Britain, 1995" published by the Department for Education and Employment indicates that the percentage of establishments with 25 or more employees in Wales reported hard-to-fill vacancies in 1994 was 16 per cent. The figure of 35 per cent. quoted in that report for 1995 is not directly comparable due to changes in the questions asked. A comparable 1995 figure is not available.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Bankruptcy (Manchester)
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many petitions for bankruptcy have been initiated by her Department in respect of businesses in the Greater Manchester area in the past five years. [10303]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Records are not kept that would allow a definitive answer to be given but I am aware of no instance of the Department, or of the former Departments for Education and Employment, having initiated such action within the period.

  Empty Buildings
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many empty buildings her 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 her Department on empty property taxes in each of the last five years. [14571]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Department for Education and Employment and the- Employment Service together currently own 26 freehold properties which are empty.

  One property includes a hostel block for use by trainees and four terraced houses for the use of hostel supervisors.

  Following general Government practice, the Department and the ES bear the cost of their own property insurance.

  The Department and the ES together also hold 135 leasehold properties which are empty. None is designed for residential use.

  In many leaseholds buildings, the landlord insures the building and recovers the cost through the overall service charge; it is not possible to disaggregate this charge without disproportionate time and cost.

  The cost of security for empty buildings is also included in maintenance costs and it is therefore not possible to identify the separate total for security costs.

  The Department's contribution in lieu of rates on vacant properties for the current year ending March 1996 will be £170,900. The ES's CILOR on vacant properties in the year ended 31 March 1995 was £680,000. CILOR

  735
  figures for previous years are included in overall running cost figures and cannot be separated out without disproportionate costs.

  Education Funding (Warwickshire)
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her answer of 12 February 1996,Official Report, column 438, how many children are covered by the management and administration cost of £2,924,000; and what is the pupil:manager ratio in Warwickshire local education authority. [15367]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  A total of 68,699 pupils: this figure, like those given in my answers of 2 and 12 February, is taken from the authority's 1995–96 local management of schools budget statement. The Department does not collect the information which would be needed to answer the second part to the question.

  Jobseeker's Allowance
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) for how many weeks of jobseeker's allowance a claimant will be eligible after a suspension period imposed on grounds of having left a previous job voluntarily; [15548]

  (2) what mechanism will be used to reclaim jobseeker's allowance, paid during the adjudication period, to a claimant who is subsequently judged to have left his previous employment voluntarily and has his allowance suspended. [15557]

  Mr. Forth
  Provided that the jobseeker satisfied the entitlement conditions for JSA, payment of benefit will not be suspended pending an adjudication officer's decision on a question of whether a claimant left his employment voluntarily. If the adjudication officer decides that the claimant did leave his employment voluntarily without just cause, he will also decide the length of the period—at least one week, but not more than 26 weeks—for which JSA is not payable. Since any sanction will start from the week following the determination, repayment of JSA received before the decision will not be required. The claimant's period of eligibility for JSA after the sanction will depend on how long he continues to satisfy the conditions of entitlement.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what requirements the jobseekers scheme will place on applicants to ensure that their appearance is suitable for the job being applied for; and what assessment she has made of the impact of these requirements on the ability of small businesses to comply with equal opportunities legislation. [15554]

  Mr. Forth
  To be entitled to jobseeker's allowance, a jobseeker must seek employment actively. Any act which would otherwise be considered a step in actively seeking employment will be disregarded if, by his appearance, the jobseeker undermines his prospects of securing employment, unless due to reasons beyond his control. An example of this would be where a jobseeker chose to dress for a job interview in a way which he knew would be unacceptable in that particular type of employment.
  736
  These matters relate to the conditions for jobseeker's allowance and have no bearing on the ability of any business to comply with equal opportunities legislation.

  School Inspections
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the average cost of a school inspection; and how many inspections took place in each of the last five years. [15469]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  This is a matter for Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, who heads the Office for Standards in Education. I have asked Mr. Chris Woodhead to write to the hon. Member.

  Social Affairs Council
  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement on the outcome of the informal Social Affairs Council held on 2 to 4 February in Venice. [15091]

  Mr. Forth
  An informal meeting of Social Affairs Ministers in Venice on 3 February 1996 re-emphasised the importance of education and training issues to European competitiveness. The Commission's White Paper, "Teaching and Learning: Towards a Learning Society", provided a focus for a debate on the contribution of education and training to the promotion of employment. As this was an informal meeting, no formal conclusions were reached.

  Nursery Voucher Scheme
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what steps she will be taking to ascertain the number of new places created in(a) the maintained sector, (b) the private sector and (c) the voluntary sector in phase one of the voucher scheme; [15299]

  (2) what steps she will be taking in phase one of the voucher scheme to ascertain the number of nursery vouchers redeemed by those currently in (a) maintained and (b) private sector provision. [15300]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  We have information on the number of four-year-olds currently in maintained schools but do not hold information on the number of four-year-olds in the private sector. We will collect information on the number of vouchers redeemed in the maintained and private and voluntary sectors once phase 1 of the scheme begins in April 1996.

  Pupil Exclusions
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment(a) how many 11 to 16-year-old pupils are permanently excluded from (i) local education authority secondary schools and (ii) grant-maintained secondary schools for the most recent year for which figures are available, (b) 11 to 16-year-old pupils have been admitted following permanent exclusion from another school to (1) local education authority secondary schools and (2) grant-maintained secondary schools and (c) the total number of schools in each category in that year. [15481]
  737
  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information is as follows:

  (a) A survey published by the Department in July 1995 showed that in the academic year 1993–94, 8,960 pupils were excluded from secondary schools within the 101 local education authorities that responded. The data returned did not distinguish between grant-maintained and other schools.

  (b) This information is not available.

  (c) There were 3,035 local education authority maintained secondary schools and 594 grant-maintained schools at the end of the academic year 1993–94.

  School Mergers
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many schools in England have(a) closed and (b) merged for each year since 1979, giving the totals for (i) primary, (ii) secondary and (iii) special schools. [15344]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 15 February 1996]: This question could be answered in the form in which it is asked only at disproportionate cost.

  In January 1979 there were 21,309 primary schools, 4,606 secondary schools and 1,489 special schools in the maintained sector. In January 1995 these figures had dropped to 18,551, 3,614 and 1,218 respectively.

  Mortgages
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Eduction and Employment how many heads of household below retirement age and available for work have mortgages. [14300]

  Mr. Clappison
  I have been asked to reply.

  The latest estimate for England is that 7,540,000 heads of household who are below retirement age, and were either in employment or seeking and available for work, have mortgages. This estimate is from the 1994–95 Survey of English Housing and is subject to sampling error.

HEALTH

  Bed Closures
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds were closed in 1995 in(a) Consett, (b) Sunderland, (c) Grimsby, (d) Good Hope, (e) West Middlesex and (f) Newham general hospitals. [14652]

  Mr. Horam
  Details of bed closures are not held centrally. Since the beginning of this year an extra 10 beds have been opened in Consett, 26 in Sunderland, 17 in Grimsby, 24 in Good Hope, 12 in West Middlesex and 32 in Newham general hospital.

  Dental Health
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the mean number of decayed, missing or filled teeth in five-year-olds in each health authority in each of the last five years; and what are the latest available figures. [14766]

  Mr. Malone
  Tables setting out the mean number of decayed, missing and filled teeth of five-year-old children in each health authority in 1991–92 and 1993–94 will be placed in the Library. The 1993–94 figures are the latest available.

  Kirby-Harris Libel Case
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what grounds his Department will pay the libel costs of the defendants in the Kirby-Harris libel case. [14661]

  Mr. Malone
  The Department agreed to make an ex-gratia payment towards the legal costs of the parties on the grounds that bringing the proceedings to an end before further costs were incurred represented the best value for money. This decision was based on legal advice that very substantial costs, in excess of the costs paid, might fall to be paid by the Cornwall Healthcare NHS Trust out or resources which should be used for the health-care of the people of Cornwall.

  Renal Care
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to publish the review of renal care in the United Kingdom. [15470]

  Mr. Horam
  The national review of renal services, which was completed at the end of 1994, covered only England. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Davyhulme (Mr. Churchill) on 8 February 1996,Official Report, column 348.

  Health Authority Funding
  Sir Terence Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) to what extent each of the former district health authorities in West Sussex is currently underfunded in both cash and percentage terms in(a) the current financial year and (b) 1996–97; and what is the level of underfunding of the two most underfunded health authorities elsewhere in the United Kingdom; [15404]

  (2) what plans he has to implement his policy of ensuring that from 1 April 1996 all health authorities in the South Thames region will be broadly within 5 per cent. of their target share. [15402]

  Mr. Horam
  The planned 1996–97 allocations will bring all health authorities within the former South Thames regional health authority within 5 per cent. of their weighted capitation targets.

  For 1996–97 there is only a single planned weighted capitation target for the new West Sussex health authority and it is under target by 4.8 per cent. or £15.8 million. In 1996–97 the two most under-target health authorities in England are South Essex at 7.7 per cent. or £22.8 million and North Essex at 6.4 per cent. or £23.0 million.

  In 1995–96 Mid Downs was 5.7 per cent. or £6.1 million below target Chichester 7.9 per cent. or £6.5 million and Worthing 13.0 per cent. or £15.7 million.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what monitoring of the ethnic origin of staff is being undertaken by national health service employers; and what reports he intends to publish based on that information; [15608]
  739
  (2) what measures are planned to monitor the steps taken by national health service employers in respect of levels of race discrimination following the Policy Studies Institute report, "Nursing in a Multi-Racial Society", commissioned by his Department; [15665]

  (3) what measures are in hand to monitor the steps being taken by trusts to improve equal opportunities under the enabling agreements recently introduced in the national health service. [15666]

  Mr. Malone
  I attach great importance to achieving equality of opportunity for all staff in the NHS. Information on the ethnic origin of NHS employees is collected annually and published in the Department of Health Statistical Bulletin for "NHS Hospital and Community Health Services Non-Medical Staff in England", which will be placed in the Library shortly and separately for "NHS Medical and Dental Staff', also issued annually, copies of which are available in the Library.

  I have taken seriously the issues raised by the Policy Studies Institute report on "Nursing in a Multi-Ethnic NHS" and refer the hon. Member to the reply that my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State gave to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 18 January 1996, Official Report, column 687.

  The enabling agreements of the General Whitley Council are for management and staff to implement locally in accordance with particular local needs. I have no plans to monitor these arrangements.

  However, the NHS Executive's director of human resources recently reminded NHS chief executives and general managers—in EL(96)4—of their personal responsibility for progressing equal opportunities issues.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he intends to take following the recent industrial tribunal case McCarthy v. British Nursing Association. [15667]

  Mr. Malone
  This matter does not concern a national health service employee. However, the NHS Executive is strongly committed to equal opportunities in NHS employment and will be studying the consequences for the NHS of any further legal action in this case.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the position of asylum seekers needing advice or treatment from national health service health care staff. [15669]

  Mr. Horam
  Asylum seekers can seek advice or treatment from national health service health care staff on the same basis as other individuals.

  Community Care
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many judicial reviews of community care policy there have been since 1 April 1993; [15475]

  (2) how many judicial reviews of community care policy have been applied for since 1 April 1993; [15476]

  (3) what has been the cost of each judicial review of community care policy since 1 April 1993; [15477]
  740
  (4) how many requests for judicial reviews of community care policies have been turned down since 1 April 1993. [15478]

  Mr. Bowis
  This information is not available centrally.

  Relocation Expenses
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data his Department collects about the relocation expenses paid by national health service employers. [15663]

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 8 March 1995,Official Report, column 242.

  Adoption Law
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when will he publish the Bill outlining changes to adoption law. [15670]

  Mr. Bowis
  A draft of the proposed Adoption Bill will be issued shortly in the form of a consultation document.

  NHS Contractors
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his Department's policy to disqualify organisations that commit acts of race discrimination from being contractors with the national health service. [15664]

  Mr. Horam
  All national health service contractors are expected to comply with their statutory obligations under the Race Relations Act 1976 or any enactment relating to discrimination in employment, and to take reasonable steps to secure their observance by staff or agents employed in the performance of any NHS contract. Where a contractor is in serious or continuing breach of this requirement in a particular case, without taking remedial action, the NHS trust or authority concerned has the option of disqualification or termination, depending on the local circumstances of the case.

  Electromagnetic Fields (Cancer)
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the research he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the relationship between electromagnetic fields and child leukaemia; if he will place copies of that research in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [15633]

  Mr. Horam
  Commissioned research relation to electromagnetic fields and childhood leukaemia includes:a direct Department of Health contribution to the United Kingdom childhood cancer study—a five-year prospective study of childhood cancer being undertaken by the UK Coordinating Committee on Cancer Research—to which a substantial effort is also being devoted by the National Radiological Protection Board, which advises Government on radiation hazards;
  a study by the NRPB, shortly to be published, of the possible effects of exposure to mains frequency EMF on the proliferation of cultured human cells;
  NRPB-funded work at Oxford university investigating the possibility that weak EMF might damage genetic material.
  The Department is currently considering a number of other research projects for funding which bear on EMF and possible health effects.
  741
  In addition, a major evaluation of scientific publications on EMF and cancer has been undertaken by the NRPB's advisory group on non-ionising radiation under the chairmanship of Sir Richard Doll and was published in 1992. The Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment has endorsed the advisory group's report. Two brief supplementary reports, in 1993 and 1994, were published by the NRPB to take into account the results of epidemiological studies from Scandinavia and Canada. Copies of the advisory group's report and the supplementary documents are available in the Library.

  The Department will continue to monitor the results of all research closely, and to maintain its support for research in these areas, consulting NRPB and COMARE as necessary.

  Registered Home Tribunals
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the individuals who serve on registered home tribunals, by region, indicating their gender and occupation. [15662]

  Mr. Bowis
  The information requested is shown in the tables. The information requested is not kept by region as tribunal members may be required to attend tribunals in any area of the country.

  Registered homes tribunal chairmen

  Name1

  Sex

  C. Cradic

  Male

  E. Goodman

  Female

  M. Goodman

  Male

  D. Hershman

  Male

  P. Hughes QC

  Male

  A. C. Lauriston QC

  Male

  S. MacDonald

  Female

  M. Rowland

  Male

  M. Rutherford QC

  Female

  P. Singh

  Male

  1 The persons listed are either solicitors or barristers.

  Registered homes tribunal side members

  Name1

  Sex

  Occupation

  S. Adams

  Female

  Health authority inspection officer

  Dr. A. Admani

  Male

  Retired consultant physician

  C. Alford

  Female

  Nursing home owner

  M. Attenborough

  Male

  Residential home owner

  Dr. A. Banerjee

  Male

  Consultant physician

  R. Bessell

  Male

  Former director of social services

  M. Bishop

  Male

  Director of social services

  R. Brooks

  Male

  Former director of social services

  D. Browne

  Male

  Consultant in social care

  E. Burquest

  Female

  Director of nursing and residential services

  D. Carter

  Male

  Deputy director of social services

  W. Churchill

  Male

  Executive secretary of an organisation representing independent sector care providers

  R. Clough

  Male

  General secretary of a professional staff association

  K. Coleman

  Male

  Deputy director of commissioning of a health authority

  V. Coleman

  Female

  Health authority registration officer

  J. Corbett

  Male

  Retired senior manager for social services

  Dr. J. Cox

  Male

  Consultant physician

  742

  Registered homes tribunal side members

  Name1

  Sex

  Occupation

  K. Dainty

  Male

  Head of health authority inspection unit

  R. Doidge

  Female

  Director of nursing services

  W. Dowridge

  Male

  Retired senior manager for social services

  Dr. J. Dunlop

  Male

  Consultant in communicable disease

  G. Dunn

  Male

  Retired director of social services, now consultant in voluntary sector

  S. Entwistle

  Female

  Matron/manager of residential home

  J. Fisher

  Male

  Residential home owner

  Dr. G. Florschutz

  Male

  Medical practitioner

  T. Galletly

  Female

  Nursing home owner

  B. Garner

  Male

  Director of organisation representing independent sector care providers

  S. Gilhespie

  Female

  Assistant director of social services

  L. Gladwin

  Female

  Social work consultant

  D. Graham

  Female

  Senior social worker

  D. Grassie

  Female

  Head of health authority inspection unit

  S. Hardwick

  Male

  Retired general secretary of organisation representing independent sector providers

  G Harper

  Male

  Director of social services

  R. Humphries

  Male

  Consultant in social care

  P. Jenkins

  Female

  Health authority inspector

  M. Jobbins

  Male

  Local authority inspection officer

  N. Kelly

  Female

  Matron in charge of nursing home

  A. Kendall

  Male

  Retired director of voluntary organisation

  M. Kreft

  Male

  Residential/nursing homes owner

  J. Lowcock

  Female

  Nursing home owner/manager

  B. Marcus

  Male

  Consultant surgeon

  J. Mathieson

  Female

  Former assistant director of social services

  R. Maurice

  Male

  Retired consultant surgeon

  Dr. S. McDougall

  Male

  Retired physician

  M. McGregor

  Female

  Nursing home owner/manager

  S. Mead

  Female

  Head of local authority inspection unit

  Dr. N. Merali

  Male

  General practitioner

  R. Mills

  Male

  Director of voluntary organisation

  B. Moorhouse

  Male

  Residential/nursing home owner

  M. Nash

  Female

  Residential home owner

  E. Newby

  Female

  Retired divisional director of social services

  E. O'Farrell

  Female

  Director of voluntary organisation

  G. Peacock

  Female

  Chief executive of voluntary organisation

  J. Powell

  Female

  Consultant

  J. Reynolds

  Female

  Chief executive of voluntary organisation

  M. Score

  Female

  Retired social services manager

  S. Scott

  Female

  Chief executive of voluntary organisation

  E. Sherrington

  Female

  Chairman of voluntary organisation

  H. Smith

  Female

  Head of health authority inspection unit

  D. Stanley

  Male

  Deputy director of operations, social services

  D. Stephenson

  Male

  Retired director of social services

  R. Stewart

  Male

  Nursing home owner

  G. Thomas

  Male

  Retired director of voluntary organisation

  Dr. P. Tiplady

  Male

  District medical officer

  Dr. C. Treves Brown

  Male

  Consultant psychiatrist

  J. Tunstill

  Female

  Professor of social work studies

  D. Tyler

  Female

  Health authority inspection officer

  743

  Registered homes tribunal side members

  Name1

  Sex

  Occupation

  V. Tyndall

  Male

  Assistant director of housing for a local authority

  D. Venables

  Male

  Chief executive of voluntary organisation

  D. Wakefield

  Male

  Retired director of social services

  F. Watts

  Male

  Consultant for homeowners

  P. Westland

  Male

  Retired under-secretary of local authority association

  K. White

  Male

  Director of voluntary organisation

  M. Wilson

  Female

  Retired director of nursing services

  1 The persons listed are selected to hear particular cases on the basis of their expertise, to ensure that there is a balance of interests in each tribunal.

  Professors of General Practice
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many professors of general practice are currently in post; and at which institutions [14806]

  Mr. Forth
  I have been asked to reply.

  I understand that there are 23 professors of general practice in post: seven at schools of the university of London and the remainder at the universities of Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Dundee, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Keele, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Nottingham, Sheffield and Southampton.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Child Support Agency
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer on 16 January,Official Report, column 568 on accounting methods used by the Child Support Agency to calculate benefit savings, if he will place in the Library a copy of the audits carried out by Price Waterhouse in 1993–94 and 1994–95. [14523]

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

  Letter front Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 15 February 1996:>
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about accounting methods used by the Child Support Agency.
  The reports to which you refer were commissioned as a private study to examine areas the Agency already knew were in need of improvement. They were internal audits to assist CSA managers in of improving the administration of the Agency's business. A summary of the findings will be placed in the library shortly.
  I hope this is helpful.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what methods his Department has to guarantee employees that their current or previous employers have forwarded their part of national insurance contributions. [15097]
  744
  Mr. Heald
  The administration of national insurance operational matters is for Mrs. Faith Boardman, the chief executive of the Contributions Agency. She will write to the hon. Member,

  Letter from Faith Boardman to Mr. Spencer Batiste, dated 15 February 1996:
  As Chief Executive of the Contributions Agency, I have responsibility for answering questions about operational matters relating to the Agency and the National Insurance (NI) scheme.
  I have been asked to reply to your question regarding the methods used to guarantee employees that their current or previous employers have forwarded their part of National Insurance contributions (NICs).
  A number of measures are in place which directly or indirectly monitor the requirement for employers to pay NICs and to ensure that the Agency receives these NICs.
  Employers are required to make payments monthly (quarterly for some small employers) to the Collector of Taxes for tax and NICs due that month. At the end of the tax year the employer has to send a statement (P35) to the Inland Revenue of the years total of tax and NICs for all employees. The Inland Revenue ensures that the balance of payments due at that time is collected.
  Employees' individual returns of tax and NICs are also sent to the Inland Revenue and forwarded to the Agency. Any discrepancies between the figures on the employer's annual statement (P35) and the aggregated total on the individual returns (P14s), are identified and followed up by the Agency. Missing individual returns may be identified by this process.
  Employees' returns showing no NICs due but substantial tax earnings may be queried and followed up by the Agency with the employer (but there are still some legitimate reasons for tax due but no NICs due e.g., pension payments).
  The Agency has a programme of visiting employers to check their compliance with NI law and to also offer advice and guidance. Around 10% of employers are scheduled for visit in 1995/96. The Inland Revenue also has a programme of making audit visits to employers; the Agency and Revenue work closely together to avoid duplication of effort.
  The Agency has measures in place to enable employees themselves to identify any discrepancy. Firstly, an employee is entitled to a certificate (P60). at the end of the tax year, of the tax and NICs deducted. This P60 should be a copy of the P14 which the employer sends in. The employer may at that stage contact the Revenue or the Agency about any discrepancy or non receipt.
  Once the majority of employers' end of year returns are expected to have been received, the Agency has an established system of sending individual notices to certain people for whom no contributions have been received or an amount insufficient to benefit qualification has been received. The Agency can take action to resolve any queries which are from these notices.
  Whether or not a deficiency notice has been sent, an employee can ask the Agency at any time for a statement of their NICs received and their effect on benefit. These queries may also be received subsequent to a request for a state Retirement Pension Forecast. These statements record the recent tax years where there are any NI deficiencies and what may be done about that deficiency.

  State Earnings-related Pension Scheme
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total value of entitlements so far gained under SERPS. [15410]

  Mr. Heald
  The total value of accrued additional pension rights was £178 billion in 1993 cash prices. This figure does not include entitlements accrued by people who have subsequently died, nor does it include additional pension currently in payment.

  Source:

  Government Actuary's Department.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what help is available from the social fund to people on income support who have suffered loss and damage as a result of the recent exceptionally severe weather in the Glasgow area; and if he will make a statement. [16137]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Disaster relief following any such crisis is essentially a matter for the relevant local authority. However, through the social fund, crisis loans can be made available to help individuals in such unfortunate circumstances and community care grants are also available to help those families who find themselves under exceptional pressure. Applications to the social fund are dealt with, as speedily as possible, by specially trained social fund officers who look carefully at the individual circumstances surrounding each application and use discretion and flexibility when forming their decision.

  Until 31 January 1996, a total of 967 social fund awards had been made to people in the Glasgow area who had been worst affected by the severe weather, at a cost of £268,308. An individual allocation from the social fund of £268,308 will be made immediately to reimburse those district offices worst affected and we will continue to monitor the whole situation carefully within the limits of funding available.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Empty Buildings
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade 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. [14568]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is providing figures for empty buildings on the common user estate. These figures cover most of my Department's properties. This reply supplements the central response by supplying information covering properties classed as departmental estate for which my Department currently has direct responsibility.

  My Department is currently responsible for nine empty buildings. These are all on the Department's site at Teddington.

  My Department carries its own insurance risk on these buildings, so on expenditure on commercial insurance has been incurred. It does not maintain separate records of the costs of securing empty buildings.

  Two of the empty buildings were designed as residential properties but one was used for non-residential purposes before it was vacated.

  My Department pays a contribution in lieu of rates on its Teddington site, but figures to show the element attributable to the empty properties are not available. The following council tax payments have been made in respect of empty properties:
  746

  1993–94: £270.40

  1994–95: £297.00

  1995–96: £341.50.

  Figures for payments made before 1993–94 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Franchise Operators (Refund Agreements)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to introduce regulations on the advertising of refund agreements by franchise operators. [14638]

  Mr. Page
  There are no plans to introduce such regulations

  Single European Currency
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment his Department has made of the impact of a single European currency on United Kingdom trade. [14952]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) on 8 February 1996,Official Report, column 363.

  Iraq (Biological Agents)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will establish an investigation into the requests received by the British Government from Iraqi companies or Government agencies for biological agents since 1979. [14901]

  Mr. Lang
  If the hon. Member has any evidence that such an investigation is necessary, I should be happy to consider it.

  BMARC
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 26 January 1996,Official Report, column 423, how many of the newly discovered batch of export licence applications from BMARC did not have full supporting documentation. [14580]

  Mr. Oppenhiem
  [holding answer 9 February 1996]Of the recently recovered BMARC—or Astra Defence Systems—export licence applications which were dealt with under the military list between 1985 and 1990, about 60 per cent. were accompanied by copies of one or more of the type of documents normally recognised as constituting adequate supporting documentation. In around a further quarter of the cases, other supporting information was provided. Less than a tenth of the applications had no supporting documentation or information of any kind. In the remaining cases, the application papers themselves have not been recovered, so it is not possible to say whether supporting documentation or information was provided.

  Trade Mission (Burma)
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those companies which will be taking part in
  747
  the forthcoming trade mission to Burma in February; what level of financial assistance is being offered to those attending; and if he will make a statement. [14587]

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 13 February 1996]: A list of those companies taking part in the DTI mission to Burma in February 1996 follows. Twenty-six of the companies are eligible to apply for a DTI travel grant of £1,000 towards the costs of taking part in the mission.

  The Government's policy towards Burma, including trade, was fully set out in the speech by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on 7 February 1996, Official Report, columns 296–302. There is no obstacle to UK firms exploring business in Burma not covered by the European Union embargo.

  Allied Domecq Thailand

  Balfour Beatty Malaysia

  Blue Circle Industries plc

  Bulmer Travel Associates

  British Electrotechnical and Allied Manufacturers Association

  Calder Wilkinson Ltd.

  College of Petroleum and Energy Studies

  Edukasia Ltd.

  Enterprise Associates International

  Food Consult Ltd.

  GEC Marconi Communications Ltd.

  Gordon Simmonds Partnership

  Interpower International Ltd.

  Jackson Engineering Products

  J D Engineering Services Ltd.

  John Brown Engineers and Constructors

  John Laing International Ltd.

  748

  Kelvin Diesels Ltd.

  Kent Meters Ltd.

  Kier International Ltd.

  Laundry Installations Group

  Mackie International Group plc

  Malvern Instruments Ltd.

  Medical Marine Computing Ltd.

  Mitsui Babcock Ltd.

  Myanmar British Business Association

  Powergen International

  Rolls Royce International Ltd.

  RPM International Ltd.

  Siemens Plessey Systems

  Speedwing

  Steelite International plc

  The British Electrical and Manufacturing Co Ltd.

  Western Merchant Bank Ltd.

  Manufacturing Sector
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the current size of the manufacturing sector; what were the figures for 1979; and if he will make a statement. [13820]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 14 February 1996]: In 1994, the latest year for which figures are available, the net ouptut of the manufacturing sector was worth £156.5 billion. Manufacturing output grew by 9.5 per cent. in volume between 1979 and 1994. Manufactured goods account for more than 80 per cent. of visible exports and have grown by almost 90 per cent. since 1979 while output per head has grown faster than in Japan, the United States of America, Germany and France.