Written Answers of 29 January 1996

TRANSPORT

  Aerial Advertising
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations his Department held with representatives of astronomical groups in the process of drawing up the Civil Aviation (Aerial Advertising) Regulations 1995 (S.I., 1995, No. 2943). [10367]

  Mr. Norris
  None.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if an environmental impact assessment in accordance with European Union procedures of the implications of the Civil Aviation (Aerial Advertising) Regulations 1995 (S.I., 1995, No. 2943) was carried out. [10363]

  Mr. Norris
  No. Environmental impact assessments are required only for certain development projects. They are not appropriate for policy changes regarding advertising.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make it his policy to exempt national parks from the Civil Aviation (Aerial Advertising) Regulations 1995 (S.I., 1995, No. 2943); [10364]

  (2) if he will make it his policy to exempt areas of outstanding natural beauty from the Civil Aviation (Aerial Advertising) Regulations 1995 (S.I., 1995, No. 2943). [10366]

  Mr. Norris
  No.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what powers are available to local authorities to control aerial advertising in their areas. [10365]

  Mr. Norris
  Under the provisions in class A to schedule 2 to the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1992, a person may display an advertisement on the side of a tethered balloon, subject to certain restrictions, on any site for a maximum of 10 days in any year. Any display which exceeds this period requires the express consent of the local planning authority under those regulations. However, this form of advertising is prohibited in national parks, the Broads, areas of outstanding natural beauty, conservation areas or areas of special control of advertisements.

  Advertisements on vehicles, including aircraft and airships, which are normally used as moving vehicles, are permitted under the regulations.

  Royal Train
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles the royal train travelled in 1994–95 on official business; and how often the royal train was used by those other than members of the royal family. [11570]
  484
  Mr. Watts
  Between 1 April 1994 and 31 March 1995, the royal train travelled 14,246 miles to enable members of the royal family to carry out official engagements. The train was not used by anyone other than members of the royal family during this period.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 22 January 1996,Official Report, column 34, which members of the royal family other than Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales used the royal train in 1995. [12085]

  Mr. Watts
  The Duke of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal and the Duchess of Kent.

  Mr. Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the royal train is used by members of the royal family for travel unconnected with official duties. [12015]

  Mr. Watts
  The royal train is used by members of the royal family for travel only in connection with their public duties.

  Mr. Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 22 January 1996,Official Report, column 34, if he will list the starting point and destination of each of the journeys in the royal train undertaken by (a) Her Majesty the Queen, (b) HRH the Prince of Wales and (c) the other members of the royal family. [12011]

  Mr. Watts
  The information requested is as follows:

  Her Majesty the Queen

  Start point

  Destination

  Paddington

  Cheltenham Spa

  Slough

  Southampton Eastern Docks and return

  Slough

  Coventry

  Paddington

  Exeter St. David's

  Euston

  Crewe

  Windsor and Eton Riverside

  Tattenham Corner

  Euston

  Stockton

  Euston

  Stoke on Trent

  His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales

  Start Point

  Destination

  Paddington

  Worcester Shrub Hill

  Paddington

  Tiverton Parkway

  Euston

  Glasgow Queen Street

  Perth

  Euston

  Euston

  Aberdeen

  Kemble

  St. Bees

  Gatwick Airport

  Victoria

  Kemble

  Hull

  Cambridge

  Lairg

  Aberdeen

  Euston

  Euston

  Perth

  Paddington

  Newport

  Kemble

  Penzance

  Euston

  Runcorn

  Other members of the Royal Family

  Start point

  Destination

  Euston

  Leeds

  Euston

  St. Helen's Junction

  Euston

  Liverpool Lime Street and return

  485

  Other members of the Royal Family

  Start point

  Destination

  Euston

  Jordanhill (Glasgow)

  Stroud

  Nairn

  Gatwick Airport

  Victoria

  Euston

  Annan

  Paddington

  Truro and return to Euston

  Euston

  Manchester and return twice

  Road Salting
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will examine alternatives to the use of salt, with special reference to urea, in de-icing on roads; and if he will make a statement. [11646]

  Mr. Watts
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Jeremy Corbyn, dated 29 January 1996 The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent question asking what alternatives he has examined to the use of salt, with special reference to urea in de-icing on roads.
  The Highways Agency has studied the value of salt as an anti-icing agent in relation to a variety of alternatives. These have included acetate, glycol and alcohol based materials as well as urea.
  The studies, carried out by the Transport Research Laboratory have consistently shown that salt is a very effective anti-icing agent in virtually all conditions experienced in Britain. It also offers good value for money, even after taking account of the corrosive impact on structures.
  Urea is an alternative agent, although some six or seven times more expensive than salt, which is used in some areas particularly susceptible to corrosion such as the original Severn crossing and the Midland Links Viaducts where its less corrosive properties have been considered particularly important. However, it is less effective as an anti-icing agent at times of particularly low temperatures and has environmental disadvantages in so far as it oxidises when in solution with water, giving off ammonia. This ammonia can pose a considerable threat to aquatic life especially in smaller water courses.
  The Highways Agency remains alert to the possibility of using alternative de-icers, but at present salt remains the most effective agent giving good value for money.

  Trunk Road Programme
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received following the publication of "Managing the Trunk Road Programme" on 28 November 1995 from(a) hon. Members, (b) local authorities and (c) other organisations and individuals. [12386]

  Mr. Watts
  We have received many representations about trunk roads following the publication of "Managing the Trunk Road Programme." The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  British Rail Central Printing Unit
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) inquiries and (b) bids were received from companies or individuals interested in purchasing the British Rail central printing unit at York; how many employees work in the unit at present; what was the unit's turnover in 1995; when the unit is due to close; what will 486
  happen to its staff; and what consideration led to the decision not to sell the unit as a going concern. [11677]

  Mr. Watts
  The central printing unit employs 10 staff and currently forms part of BR's York facilities management group. Its turnover is not separately identified within the group. The future of the unit—which is a management matter for the BR board—is currently under consideration.

  Interlogic Control Engineering
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date and for what reasons the contracts of employment of the(a) managing director, (b) production director, (c) finance director, (d) personnel director and (e) commercial director of Interlogic Control Engineering were terminated by the British Railways Board; and what severance terms they were offered. [11678]

  Mr. Watts
  These are management matters for the British railways board. Severance terms are a matter for BR and the individuals concerned in accordance with the terms of their contracts of employment.

  Air Quality Monitoring
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to extend and improve the effectiveness of the monitoring of air quality in towns and cities in the United Kingdom. [11040]

  Mr. Clappison
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Department of the Environment currently monitors air pollutants at over 1,500 non-automatic sites and more than 50 automatic sites across the United Kingdom. The Government intend to expand the automatic monitoring network further by completing the main multi-pollutant urban network and integrating national and local systems, to form a national automatic network of at least 80 sites by the end of 1996.

TREASURY

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will withdraw the guidelines issued to officers of the Customs and Excise Department regarding the charging of value added tax on computer equipment for the specific use of registered disabled people. [11695]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No. While items of computer equipment are undoubtedly useful to disabled people, they cannot be supplied tax free under VAT law unless designed solely for their use. However VAT is not chargeable on the service of adapting computer equipment so that it is easier for disabled people to use.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how he now defines and assesses risk to both the public and private sectors within the private finance initiative. [4925]
  487
  Mr. Jack
  Guidance on the definition and assessment of risk is contained in the recent publication "Private Opportunity, Public Benefit", a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Corporation Tax
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent the costs have exceeded projections in respect of extending the period over which trading losses could be carried back to set against corporation tax liabilities from one year to three years; and what impact this has had on Government revenues. [8311]

  Mr. Jack
  The "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1991-92" estimated the net cost of extending loss carry back for companies from one year to three years as £250 million in 1992–93.

  However, the net cost cannot be measured precisely. Repayments of corporation tax in 1992–93 are estimated to include £350 million from the extension of loss carry hack to three years, but the consequent changes to group relief surrendered and losses carried forward, which would reduce the cost, cannot be measured.

  Higher Rate Tax
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will list the numbers brought into the higher rate tax for each year since 1989–90 when the Government did not increased tax thresholds in line with(a) inflation and (b) earnings; [8307]

  (2) what is the percentage change in the number of higher rate taxpayers since 1989–90; and what have been the changes in respect of the numbers of people paying the higher rate since 1989–90. [8306]

  Mr. Jack
  Estimated taxpayer numbers under independent taxation for years from 1990–91 are given in the table. Under the 1989–90 income tax regime indexed to allow for changes in the retail prices index there would be 1.5 million higher rate taxpayers in 1996–97. Equivalent estimates for all intervening years could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Statutory indexation of tax thresholds is expressed in terms of price rather than earnings movements.

  Estimated taxpayer numbers1

  Millions

  Number of lower rate taxpayers

  Number of basic rate taxpayers

  Number of higher rate taxpayers

  1990–91

  —

  24.4

  1.70

  1991–92

  —

  24.1

  1,62

  1992–93

  4.24

  19.4

  1.72

  Standard rate of basic rate

  £ per annum

  Personal allowance Age under 65

  Age allowance Age 65–74

  Age allowance Age 75 or more

  Standard rate of basic retirement pension Under 80

  80 or more

  1979–80

  1,165

  1,540

  1,540

  1,094

  1,107

  1980–81

  1,375

  1,820

  1,820

  1,285

  1,298

  1981–82

  1.375

  1,820

  1,820

  1.458

  1.471

  1982–83

  1,565

  2.070

  2,070

  1,601

  1,614

  488

  Estimated taxpayer numbers1

  Millions

  Number of lower rate taxpayers

  Number of basic rate taxpayers

  Number of higher rate taxpayers

  1993–94

  5.17

  18.1

  1.74

  1994–952

  5.00

  18.3

  2.10

  1995–962

  5.40

  18.1

  2.20

  1996–97

  6.30

  17.3

  2.20

  1Figures for 1989–90 are in terms of joint taxation, figures for later years include individuals under independent taxation and are therefore not directly comparable. It is estimated that there were about 20 million single people and married couples liable to tax at the basic rate only and 1.5 million liable at the higher rate.

  2Provisional.

  Taxation
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the tax threshold as a per cent. of average earnings for each year since 1966 for(a) a single person, (b) a single-wage married couple, (c) a two-wage married couple and (d) a single-wage married couple with two children aged eight and 12 years. [9316]

  Mr. Jack
  Available information giving a historical series of tax thresholds as a percentage of average earnings is in appendix C of "Inland Revenue Statistics 1992" for earlier years and table 2.6 of "Inland Revenue Statistics 1995" for recent years.

  Latest estimates for years from 1994–95, based on the 1994–95 "New Earnings Survey", are in the table. Additional information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Tax threshold as a percentage of average earnings1 for all occupations

  Single person

  Married man without children

  1994–95

  17.9

  26.9

  1995–962

  17.7

  24.2

  1996–972

  18.2

  24.7

  1Full time males paid at adult rates working a full week.

  2Provisional.

  Retired People (Earnings)
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amount of earnings for retired people, above the limit of the state pension, was free of income tax, in each year since 1979. [10642]

  Mr. Jack
  The amount of the personal allowance, age allowances and the standard rate of basic state retirement pension received by a single person, for each year since 1979–80, is given in the table.
  489

  Standard rate of basic rate

  £ per annum

  Personal allowance Age under 65

  Age allowance Age 65–74

  Age allowance Age 75 or more

  Standard rate of basic retirement pension Under 80

  80 or more

  1983–84

  1,785

  2,360

  2,360

  1,765

  1,778

  1984–85

  2,005

  2,490

  2,490

  1,804

  1,817

  1985–86

  2,205

  2,690

  2,690

  1,909

  1,922

  1986–87

  2,335

  2,850

  2,850

  2,006

  2,019

  1987–88

  2,425

  12,960

  13,070

  2,054

  2,067

  1988–89

  2,605

  13,180

  13,310

  2,140

  2,153

  1989–90

  2,785

  3,400

  3,540

  2,267

  2,280

  1990–91

  3,005

  3,670

  3,820

  2,439

  2,452

  1991–92

  3,295

  4,020

  4,180

  2,704

  2,717

  1992–93

  3,445

  4,200

  4,370

  2,816

  2,829

  1993–94

  3,445

  4,200

  4,370

  2,917

  2,930

  1994–95

  3,445

  4,200

  4,370

  2,995

  3,008

  1995–96

  3,525

  4,630

  4,800

  3,060

  3,073

  1996–97

  3,765

  4,910

  5,090

  3,180

  3,193

  1Lower age allowance for people aged 65–80, higher age allowance for people aged 80 or over.

  Charities (Tax)
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the total tax paid by all United Kingdom domiciled charities for each of the years(a) 1979–80, (b) 1990–91 and (c) 1994–95; and if he will make a statement on the taxation of charities and the implications for charities of the changed balance of taxation between direct and indirect. [11320]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 23 January 1996]For 1994–95, it is estimated that charities paid the following tax:

  £ million

  Income and capital taxes

  1neg

  VAT

  350

  National non-domestic rates

  100

  1 "neg" = negligible (under £3 million).

  Estimates of the excise duties paid by charities are not readily available, nor are comparable figures for the earlier years.

  The Government value the work of charities and encourage charitable activities through the tax system. Charities are exempt from tax on most of their income and gains.

  Since 1979, the Government have done a great deal to extend and improve the tax incentives to give to charity by deed of covenant and under the gift aid and payroll giving schemes. In 1994–95, tax reliefs for charities totalled £1.5 billion, of which £900 million related to direct taxation, £200 million to indirect taxation and £400 million to rate relief.

  The Government's overall tax policy is aimed at leaving people with more money to spend as they choose. That choice includes the possibility of giving more to charity.

  Nuclear Industry
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much corporation tax in 1995 prices has been 490
  received from Scottish Nuclear and Nuclear Electric since 1990. [12471]

  Mr. Jack
  Details of the tax affairs of identified taxpayers are confidential.

  British Energy
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates have been made of the net present value of corporate tax to be received by the Exchequer from British Energy post-privatisation. [12472]

  Mr. Jack
  Details of the tax affairs of identified taxpayers are confidential.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Deregulation
  Sir David Madel
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what new initiatives he will advance in the next year to deregulate industry; and if he will make a statement. [9990]

  Mr. Freeman
  This year we hope to make considerable progress on the merger of the administrative procedures for PAYE and national insurance which should benefit small businesses.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what analysis he has made of the effects of deregulation on the protection of the individual at work. [9994]

  Mr. Freeman
  Deregulation is aimed at achieving better regulation without removing necessary protection, whether for employees, consumers, the environment, or the public at large. Ministers responsible for orders under the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 must demonstrate that any necessary protection under existing legislation will be maintained.

  Departmental Running Costs
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the annual costs of the office of the Deputy
  491
  Prime Minister when that title was held by the two previous incumbents; and what is the estimated annual cost of running the office currently. [9991]

  The Deputy Prime Minister
  The estimated annual cost of my office is £470,000. The two previous incumbents to whom the hon. Gentleman refers held other posts at the same time, and it is not therefore possible to identify comparable costs.

  Ministerial Responsibilities
  14. Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what changes have taken place in his role since his appointment; and if he will make a statement. [9992]

  The Deputy Prime Minister
  My role is unchanged.

  Ministerial Office (Cost-benefit Analysis)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he expects to undertake a cost-benefit analysis of his office's functions for the first six months of its operation. [9993]

  The Deputy Prime Minister
  I have no plans to do so.

  Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when proposals for the privatisation of the Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency will be published. [9995]

  Mr. Willetts
  Recruitment and Assessment Services will be sold as a single viable business by trade sale. Expressions of interest in RAS have been invited and an information memorandum will be made available to prospective bidders.

  Departmental Objectives
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what objectives he has set for his Department for the forthcoming year. [9997]

  Mr. Willetts
  To promote the competitiveness agenda, the deregulation initiative and the effective administration of the services for which my Department is responsible.

  Quangos
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what percentage of public expenditure was taken up by quangos in 1979; and what percentage of public expenditure they take up now. [9998]

  Mr. Willetts
  Expenditure by non-departmental public bodies funded by Government was 4 per cent. of general Government expenditure in 1978–79 and 6 per cent. in 1994–95. Almost two-thirds of expenditure on non-departmental public bodies is accounted for by a very small number of executive bodies, such as the Housing Corporation, Legal Aid board and Higher and Further Education councils, which are responsible for the distribution of funds and provide important services.

  Public Safety
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made on the effects of deregulation on public safety. [10000]
  492
  Mr. Freeman
  I am satisfied that deregulation does not diminish public safety. We have included safeguards in the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994, which ensures that any necessary protection under existing legislation will be maintained.

  Cabinet Committees
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what changes took place in his responsibilities for chairing Cabinet Committees and presenting Government policies consequent on the appointment of the Deputy Prime Minister. [10001]

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. Friend and I took up our current posts at the same time as the reorganisation of Cabinet Committee memberships confirmed in a written answer on Tuesday 18 July 1995.

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what are his responsibilities in relation to the consequences of the destruction of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie. [10003]

  The Deputy Prime Minister
  None.

  Government Policy
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what has been the principal Government policy with which he has had to work during the current week. [10004]

  The Deputy Prime Minister
  I have continued to work on a full range of those Government policies for which I am responsible.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the co-ordination of Government policy. [10006]

  Mr. Willetts
  Government policies are co-ordinated to pursue economic prosperity and security for all, based on an enterprise economy; creating a nation of opportunity reflecting the Government's values of choice, ownership and reward; upholding decent commonsense values in the pursuit of law and order and justice; providing the people of Britain with first class public services; and reflecting pride in our nation and its place in the world.

  Crown Copyright
  Mr. Garrett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make it his policy after the privatisation of Her Majesty's Stationery Office, to leave the administration of Crown copyright with the residual HMSO and located in Norwich. [10005]

  Mr. Freeman
  I can confirm that the administration of Crown copyright will remain a function of the residual HMSO. Ten staff currently work in this area, and there are no plans at present to relocate them away from Norwich.

  F16 Aircraft
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what discussions he has had with(a) the Prime Minister and (b) the Secretary of State for Defence concerning the proposed leasing of American F16 aircraft. [12126]
  493
  The Deputy Prime Minister
  All discussions between Ministers are confidential.

  Departmental Policy
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what priority he accords to representations from(a) members of the public and (b) hon. Members in formulating his Department's policy. [9984]

  The Deputy Prime Minister
  I take such representations fully into account.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Second Church Estates Commissioner
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, when the Church Commissioners last discussed the parliamentary duties of the Second Church Commissioner; and if he will make a statement. [10019]

  Mr. Alison
  The role of the Second Church Estates Commissioner, and of the other Church commissioners, has been commented on the recent report of the Archbishops' Commission on the Organisation of the Church of England—"Working as One Body". This report is currently the subject of discussion and refinement within the Church; the next major debate about its recommendations will take place during the February group of sessions of the General Synod.

  Bishops' Palaces
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, what is the current cost of maintaining bishops' palaces; how many of them there are; what were the figures(a) 10 and (b) 20 years ago in (i) real and (ii) cash terms; and if he will make a statement. [10020]

  Mr. Alison
  The total expenditure, both capital and revenue, on diocesan bishops' houses in 1994—the last year for which figures are currently available—was £2,347,000. There are 45 houses, including the Archbishop of Canterbury's London base, Lambeth palace. Only 11 can properly be described as palaces. They include not only domestic accommodation but a chapel, meeting rooms and office accommodation. The figures include expenditure on furnishings and gardens and staff accommodation, and are net of any income.

  In real and comparable terms the total expenditure in 1984 was £1,822,000 and in the year to March 1975 £1,665,000.

  Expenditure each year varies depending on the turnover in episcopal appointments and the incidence of major repairs. The most recent survey of expenditure shows the average expenditure on diocesan bishops' houses was £39,496 per annum over a 10-year period.

  The commissioners are currently reviewing the suitability of all See houses, and steps are being taken to keep maintenance costs to a minimum. It has recently been decided to replace the Portsmouth See house by one which will he cheaper to maintain.

  Pension Fund
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, what estimate the Church Commissioners have made of the ability of the pension fund to meet the needs of clergy and staff and to ensure that they receive increases at least in line with inflation in the future. [10021]

  Mr. Alison
  Under current proposals, the Church Commissioners will meet the cost of clergy pensions earned up to 1998 and they have confirmed their continuing commitment to meet that cost, including pension increments. They have assessed the likely costs with actuarial advice and their financial projections allow for pension increments in line with the existing formula, which links them to stipend.

  From 1998 onwards, subject to legislation, it is proposed that the cost of pensions will be met by contributions from dioceses and parishes into a new scheme administered by the Church of England pensions board. The board is discussing with dioceses estimated contribution rates, advised by actuaries; these allow for increases at least in line with limited price indexation. The commissioners would give short term support to dioceses as they make the transition to paying pension contributions in full.

  The legislation will also enable a funded scheme for staff pensions to be established. Staff are contractually entitled to pension benefits in line with those of civil servants.

PRIME MINISTER

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) what have been the running costs relating to the tendering process of the private finance initiative in each year since its introduction(a) in real terms and (b) in cash terms disaggregated by (i) staff costs, (ii) information technology and (iii) other costs; [10979]

  (2) how much has been spent on external consultants in the tendering process of the private finance initiative in each year since its introduction (a) in real terms and (b) in cash terms disaggregated by (i) legal fees, (ii) publicity costs, (iii) accountancy fees and (iv) management consultancy fees. [10978]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 22 January 1996]I refer the hon. Member to the replies given on Friday 26 January, by my hon. Friend, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury,Official Report, columns 418–19.

  Advertising and Publicity
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list breaches, by Department and Minister, of conventions on ministerial advertising and publicity since 1992; and if he will make a statement. [12253]

  The Prime Minister
  In all cases Government Departments seek to observe the conventions.
  495
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Prime Minister when the Cabinet Office last circulated its guidelines to Ministers on central Government conventions on publicity and advertising and what measures it takes to ensure the guidelines are adhered to. [11955]

  The Prime Minister
  An updated version of the guidance on Government publicity and advertising was circulated by the Cabinet Office to Departments this month and I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House. This document makes clear that Departments are responsible for ensuring that the conventions on propriety are observed and that value for money is achieved.

  No. 10 Downing Street (Chandelier)
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received urging him to return a chandelier in No. 10 Downing street to the former Argyll Motor Works building in Alexandria. [12300]

  The Prime Minister
  As far as I am aware, none.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Trafalgar Square (Northern Ireland Demonstration)
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans she has to revise the decision announced in 1972 to refuse to grant permission for any demonstration on the issue of Northern Ireland in Trafalgar square. [12815]

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  My ministerial colleagues and I have reviewed the 1972 ban and decided that in future any application to use Trafalgar square for demonstrations on the issue of Northern Ireland will be treated in the same way as applications in respect of other demonstrations. My Department will continue to apply the rules which restrict all demonstrations on Trafalgar square to weekends, and will continue to consult the local police, Westminster city councils and others, and to consider each application on its merits.

  Register of Conditionality Exempt Works of Art
  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what measures have been taken by her Department to improve publicity for the register of conditionally exempt works of art. [11221]

  Mr. Jack
  I have been asked to reply.

  The register has been computerised, and is updated on a quarterly basis. Each update is announced in an Inland Revenue press release which explains the public's right to view the items included in the register, and how copies of it in computer-readable format may he purchased. The most recent press release was issued on 16 January. Inland revenue is also considering the possibility of placing this information on the Internet.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Maintenance Orders
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many maintenance orders 496
  were pursued in each year by (a) the Lord Chancellor and (b) the Secretary of State for the Home Department under schedule 2, section 6 of the Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders (Hague Convention Countries) Order 1993. [12204]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Section 6 of the Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1972, as modified by paragraph 6 of schedule 2 of the Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders (Hague Convention Countries) Order 1993, allows the Lord Chancellor to receive an order from a Hague convention country for registration in a magistrates court in England and Wales. For the period 1 May 1994 to 31 December 1994, 29 such cases were received; and during 1995, 53 such cases were received. I regret that figures before 1 May 1994 are not available.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Strangeways Prison
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the final cost of rebuilding Strangeways prison. [10030]

  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. John Spellar, dated 29 January 1996 The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the final cost of rebuilding Strangeways prison.
  The costs of rebuilding Manchester prison are given in the report by the Comptroller and Auditor General which was ordered by the House of Commons to be printed on 14 July 1994. The project was completed in September 1993 at a cost of £89 million.
  This overall cost included £1.8 million which was spent on temporary housing arrangements for prisoners in K-wing which was required because of the high number of prisoners in police cells at that time.
  After the completion of the main project, further work was carried out to bring K-wing and its perimeter up to modern standards in terms 'of security, control and sanitation at a cost of £5.6 million.
  The overall cost of rebuilding the prison was therefore around £95 million.

  Prison Contracts
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if a one year break in contract clause is currently being considered for inclusion in(a) the contracts for the new prison at Fazakerly on Merseyside and (b) the contracts for the running of the five new secure training centres for children aged between 12 and 14 years. [10523]

  Miss Widdecombe
  A number of options relating to termination are under consideration in respect of the contract for the first two secure training centres, but as these are still under negotiation the terms are commercially confidential. Responsibility for replying in respect of the contract for the new prison at Fazakerley has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
  497
  Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. George Howarth, dated 29 January 1996 The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the inclusion of a one-year break in contract clause in the contract for a new prison at Fazakerley.
  The contract for Fazakerley allows the Prison Service the option of terminating the contract, at will, any time from five years after the contractual opening date.

  Strip Searches
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present policy in relation to the strip searching of visitors to prisons; if access to prisons is being denied to visitors who refuse to remove their clothes in front of prison officers; and if strip searches are conducted in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and its relevant codes. [10325]

  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 Alan Walker to Mr. George Howarth, dated 29 January 1996 The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about strip searching of visitors to prisons.
  The instructions for searching visitors to prisons, including strip searches are contained in the Manual on Security, copies of which are held in the library of the House. The following is a summary:
  Rule 86 (1) allows the governor to authorise a search of any person seeking to enter a prison. This is a search with consent, but it is only reasonable that those who refuse to be searched should be denied access to the prison, since they may be put under pressure to smuggle in escape equipment, weapons or drugs. However, in certain circumstances it may be possible to allow a closed visit.
  It is not our policy to conduct strip searches of visitors, with or without consent, unless other legislation gives us the right to conduct the search without consent. Officers of the prison have the power to conduct searches without consent, including strip-searches, using their powers of a constable under section 8 of the Prison Act 1952, as modified by the Police And Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984, in the following circumstances:

  1. If there is reason to believe the visitor is in possession of a class A, B or C controlled drug (section 23 Misuse of Drugs Act 1971).

  2. If there is reason to believe she or he is in possession of a firearm (section 47 Firearms Act 1968).

  3. Following arrest of the visitor in the circumstances set out in section 32 of PACE 1984.

  It is our policy that governors will only authorise a strip-search if the police are unwilling or unable to attend. Officers of the prison may, if they have lawful grounds for doing so, arrest and caution the visitor pending arrival of the police.

  Miss Elaine Connolly
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will instruct the acting Director General of the Prison Service to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Rossendale and Darwen of 4 December 1995 about the case of Miss Elaine Connolly. [11315]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The temporary Director General replied to the letter from the hon. Member for Rossendale and Darwen on 24 January.

  Community Officers
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which areas are currently covered by a community officer; and how many of these officers are currently operating in each area of the country. [11853]

  Mr. Maclean
  All police forces in England and Wales have community liaison departments and deploy community police officers.

  Mrs. Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what ways he is monitoring the effectiveness of the community officer programme. [11854]

  Mr. Maclean
  Community liaison activities in police forces are monitored by Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary.

  Holloway Prison
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many pregnant women are currently in custody at Holloway prison. [11682]

  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 Ms Janet Anderson, dated 29 January 1996 The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent question about the number of pregnant women currently in custody at Holloway prison.
  The number of women known to be pregnant at Holloway on 24 January 1996 was 18.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the total expenditure each year since 1990 on education at HMP Holloway; and if he will make a statement. [11641]

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 24 January 1996]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. Jeremy Corbyn, dated 29 January 1996 The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the expenditure on education at Holloway prison.
  The total expenditure each year since 1990 on education at Holloway is given in the attached table.

  Salaries

  Materials (VT, CIT, Pre-release)

  Education Capital

  £

  £

  £

  1990–91

  285,525

  53,122

  7,535

  1991–92

  403,129

  87,634

  32,534

  1992–93

  343,837

  67,553

  18,136

  1993–94

  321,817

  68,406

  nil

  1994–95

  383,871

  47,967

  9,967

  1995–96

  348,000

  58,900

  2,000

  Homicide Convictions
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) males and

  499
  (b) females are currently serving in Her Majesty's prisons following conviction for (i) murder, (ii) manslaughter and (iii) other homicide convictions. [11719]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to 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. William Powell, dated 29 January 1996 The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking, how many (a) males and (b) females are currently serving in Her Majesty's prisons following convictions for (i) murder, (ii) manslaughter, and (iii) other homicide convictions.
  The latest available information is for 31 December 1995 and is given in the attached table.

  Population under sentence in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales for murder, manslaughter and other homicide, by sex, on 31 December 19951

  Offence

  Males

  Females

  Murder

  2,705

  110

  Manslaughter

  210

  13

  Other homicide and attempted homicide

  997

  35

  Total

  3,912

  158

  1Provisional figures.

  Positive about Disabled People Symbol
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for his Department and each of the agencies for which he is responsible if it uses the Employment Service's positive about disabled people symbol for(a) external recruitment and (b) internal recruitment and promotion. [11912]

  Mr. Howard
  The Home Office and all its agencies use the Employment Service's disability symbol both for external recruitment and for internal selection and promotion.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the total expenditure of his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies on publicity for each of the years(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95 and (f) 1995–96 (i) to date and (ii) as estimated for the whole year; what estimate he has made of such expenditure for 1996–97; and if he will break these figures down to indicate expenditure on (1) advertising and (2) press and public relations. [11384]

  Mr. Howard
  Publicity expenditure is committed when there is a need to advise the public or inform them of their rights. Assessment takes account of policy objectives and prioritisation within available resources.

  Advertising and press office staff, accommodation and administration costs for my Department are as follows for 1979–80 to 1988–89:

  Year

  Advertising

  Press

  1979–80

  2,904,671

  283,140

  1980–81

  1,649,605

  392,532

  1981–82

  1,834,476

  381,799

  500

  Year

  Advertising

  Press

  1982–83

  1,957,304

  424,290

  1983–84

  2,760,681

  516,632

  1984–85

  3,262,700

  560,512

  1985–86

  3,306,391

  606,996

  1986–87

  5,000,000

  548,136

  1987–88

  4,700,000

  599,282

  1988–89

  5,400,000

  674,945

  From 1989–90 onwards, recording systems were improved to identify advertising and other publicity material such as publications, videos, exhibitions and posters:

  Year

  Advertising

  Other publicity material

  Press

  1989–90

  5,500,000

  3,088,065

  715,646

  1990–91

  5,728,000

  4,323,476

  786,519

  1991–92

  7,275,940

  3,600,288

  792,125

  1992–93

  7,334,635

  5,638,982

  835,441

  1993–94

  9,090,222

  5,062,327

  847,632

  1994–95

  10,912,008

  3,190,350

  899,084

  1995–961

  7,398,629

  1,387,550

  727,169

  1995–962

  7,398,629'

  3,387,550

  969,560

  1996–972

  4,150,000

  3,750,000

  993,799

  1Year to date

  2Forecast

  Press and publicity expenditure by my Department's Agencies was as follows:

  Agency/Year

  Advertising and publicity material

  Press

  Prison Service

  1993–94

  206,900

  304,800

  1994–95

  200,500

  594,900

  1995–96 forecast

  228,400

  319,900

  1996–97 forecast

  213,300

  318,200

  Fire Service College

  1992–93

  89,300

  —

  1993–94

  55,700

  —

  1994–95

  34,600

  —

  1995–96 forecast

  24,370

  6,000

  1996–97 forecast

  30,000

  6,000

  Passport Agency

  1991–92

  70,357

  62,492

  1992–93

  67,454

  56,880

  1993–94

  70,945

  68,981

  1994–95

  127,040

  256,693

  1995–96 forecast

  94,814

  160,701

  1996–97

  Budgets not yet decided

  Forensic Science Service

  Under the Forensic Science Service agency's framework, document, press and publicity services are provided by the Home Office. These are marginal and are included in the Departmental spend.

  It has not been possible in the time available for agencies to provide precise 1995–96 year to date figures, but they expect no substantial divergence from forecast.

  I shall write to the hon. Member concerning publicity and press expenditure by my Department's non-departmental public bodies.

  Frankland Prison
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 22 January,Official Report, column 54, what steps have been taken to recover the cell key lost at Frankland prison. [12023]

  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. Gerry Steinberg, dated 29 January 1996 The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the loss of a cell key at Frankland prison.
  Following the loss of the cell key, an investigation was mounted and this is still continuing. The replacement of the locks at the prison has rendered the lost key ineffective.

  Women Prisoners (Hospital Treatment)
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women prisoners in each year since 1990 have escaped from escort while attending hospital for antenatal care, childbirth or post-natal care; if he will list the circumstances of their escape; and from which prisons they were attending the hospital. [7539]

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 15 January 1996]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 front Richard Tilt to Ms Tessa Jowell, dated 29 January 1996 The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking how many women prisoners in each year since 1990 have escaped from escort while attending hospital for antenatal care, childbirth or post-natal care, giving the circumstances of their escape and from which prisons they were attending hospital.
  In this period there have been seven escapes from hospital for the stated reasons. The information is shown in the attached table.
  Since 1990 there is one recorded case of a pregnant woman (32 weeks) attempting to escape from a hospital escort (Risley prison). There is another where a pregnant woman attempted to escape from a hospital escort, the pregnancy was not the reason for the hospital visit. On two occasions there were attempted escapes where the reason for the hospital visit is not known.

  Date

  Establishment

  Details

  1990

  17 July 1990

  Holloway

  Escaped leaving new born child while uncuffed

  1991

  Nil

  —

  —

  1992

  19 February 1992

  Holloway

  Espaced through we window while uncuffed

  29 August 1992

  Holloway

  Escaped when a male prisoner impeded staff while uncuffed

  502

  Date

  Establishment

  Details

  1993

  6 May 1993

  Pucklechurch

  Escaped when aided by man armed with hurling stick while uncuffed

  19 May 1993

  Styal

  Escaped from staff supervision, while uncuffed

  5 June 1993

  Styal

  Escaped from staff supervision, while uncuffed

  26 August 1993

  Styal

  Escaped when two males impeded escorting staff, while uncuffed

  1994

  Nil

  —

  —

  1995

  Nil

  —

  —

  1996 (to 7 January)

  Nil

  —

  —

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Aid Budget
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received about the size of the overseas aid budget in 1996–97. [10007]

  Mr. Hanley
  We always receive a number of representations from hon. Members and the general public and this year is no exception.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he has had with non-governmental organisations concerned with the use of overseas aid, regarding the consequences of the reduction of the overseas aid budget. [10014]

  Mr. Hanley
  My right hon. and Noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development and her officials have frequent contact with NGOs on a wide range of policy-related issues, including the size of the aid budget. We have informed the NGO's that the joint funding scheme will be increased in 1996–97 to over £36 million from £34 million this year.

  My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary met chief executives from major NGOs on 23 January.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the total overseas aid budget for the current year is devoted to educational purposes. [10016]

  Mr. Hanley
  Expenditure on education from the bilateral aid programme is identifiable only up to 1994–95. In that year a total of £227 million was spent on educational activities, which was 20 per cent. of the total bilateral aid expenditure.

  Nigeria
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent changes he has made to the aid budget to Nigeria. [10013]

  Mr. Hanley
  Bilateral aid spending will be about £6.4 million in 1995–96 compared with an estimated £7.9 million before the EU measures taken in December 1995. EC aid is limited to tackling poverty through non-governmental organisations.

  Private Capital
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will commission studies into the role of private capital in fostering economic development. [10015]

  Mr. Hanley
  I am pleased to inform the hon. Member that the Overseas Development Administration is in the process of commissioning a major research programme on the policy options facing developing countries in attracting private capital.

  Former Yugoslavia
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the delays experienced by non-governmental organisations delivering aid in Bosnia as a result of customs and other procedures required by the Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Herceg-Bosnan authorities; what is his assessment of the effect of these delays on

  Details of ODA funded training provided in the United Kingdom for Nigerian police officers between 1990–91 and 1994–95

  Year

  Name

  Rank

  Cost £

  Duration

  Where training provided

  1990–91

  Mr. B. Madake

  Deputy Superintendent

  2,601

  6 weeks

  Greater Manchester Police Force

  1990–91

  Mr. B. D. Odigie

  Deputy Superintendent

  2,601

  6 weeks

  Greater Manchester Police Force

  1991–92

  Mr. Salami

  Chief Superintendent

  2,400

  6 weeks

  Greater Manchester Police Force

  1991–92

  Mr. Adeoye

  Chief Superintendent

  11,306

  3 months

  Overseas Command Course, Bramshill

  1992–93

  Mr. N. L. Hussein

  Superintendent

  5,783

  6 weeks

  Hendon Police College

  1993–94

  Mr. B. Benjamin

  Assistant Superintendent

  2,915

  2 weeks

  Central Planning and Training Unit—Harrogate

  1993–94

  Mr. T Chenbap

  Assistant Superintendent

  2,915

  2 weeks

  Central Planning and Training Unit—Harrogate

  1993–94

  Ms H. Ugochukwi

  Assistant Superintendent

  2,915

  2 weeks

  Central Planning and Training Unit—Harrogate

  1993–94

  Mr. S. Gambo

  Assistant Superintendent

  2,915

  2 weeks

  Central Planning and Training Unit—Harrogate

  1993–94

  Mr. K. Gwarzo

  Assistant Superintendent

  2,915

  2 weeks

  Central Planning and Training Unit—Harrogate

  1993–94

  Mr. L. Oki

  Assistant Superintendent

  2,915

  2 weeks

  Central Planning and Training Unit—Harrogate

  1993–94

  Mr. U. Ntenborg

  Assistant Superintendent

  2,915

  2 weeks

  Central Planning and Training Unit—Harrogate

  1993–94

  Mr. A. Yahaya

  Assistant Superintendent

  2,915

  2 weeks

  Central Planning and Training Unit—Harrogate

  1993–94

  Mr. P. Ukoyono

  Assistant Superintendent

  2,915

  2 weeks

  Central Planning and Training Unit—Harrogate

  1994–95

  Mr. P. Ebo

  Assistant Commissioner

  4,482

  4 weeks

  West Midlands Fraud Squad—Birmingham

  1994–95

  Mr. S. F. Abdullahi

  Deputy Superintendent

  4,482

  4 weeks

  West Midlands Fraud Squad—Birmingham

  1994–95

  Mr. M Isa-Adejo

  Detective

  4,482

  4 weeks

  West Midlands Fraud Squad—Birmingham

  1994–95

  Mr. M. Yakubu

  Detective

  4,482

  4 weeks

  West Midlands Fraud Squad—Birmingham

  1994–95

  Mr. Onyeguiri

  Deputy Superintendent

  4,482

  4 weeks

  West Midlands Fraud Squad—Birmingham

  1994–95

  Mr. A. Dikko

  Deputy Superintendent

  4,482

  4 weeks

  West Midlands Fraud Squad—Birmingham

  1994–95

  Mr. O. J. Ekama

  Deputy Commissioner

  1,650

  1 week

  Bramshill, Harrogate, Ryton

  UN Aid Target
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to increase Her Majesty's Government spending on overseas aid to the UN target of 0.7 per cent. of gross national product. [11984]
  504
  deliveries of aid in Bosnia; and if he will ask the Bosnian authorities to minimise such restrictions. [10860]

  Mr. Hanley
  We know from running our own ODA aid programmes in Bosnia of the delays caused to aid organisations by complicated local customs procedures. Aid organisations registered with the Croatian and Bosnian Governments find that advance clearance from the relevant Ministries usually takes about six days. Further customs checks en-route lengthen aid journeys. We recognise the rights of the Croatian and Bosnian Governments to exercise proper customs controls but have asked them to apply them as efficiently as possible or to relax them for aid. In the new conditions following the Dayton peace agreement access is much improved but we will continue to urge the local authorities to apply customs controls on aid as lightly as possible.

  Nigerian Police Training
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Nigerian police officers have received police training in the United Kingdom in each year since 1990; and if he will list(a) the names and ranks of the trainees, (b) the cost and duration of each officer's training, (c) which United Kingdom police forces provided the training and (d) which Government department provided the funding for the training. [11576]

  Mr. Hanley
  Twenty-one Nigerian police officers have received training in the United Kingdom since 1990, funded by the Overseas Development Administration. The further details requested have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Mr. Hanley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Eccles (Miss Lestor) on 19 January,Official Report, column 787.

  Nepal
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made
  505
  of the future of his Department's funding for the Lumle agricultural research centre in Nepal; and what plans he has for aid to Nepal in research into disease-resistant crops such as peas, cold tolerant rice and broad leaf mustard. [11735]

  Mr. Hanley
  The Government will decide later this year on the extent and nature of further aid support for hill agricultural research in Nepal, including the Lumle 506
  agricultural research centre, in the light of progress on the present foundation year project.

  Research into disease-resistant crops is an important component of current British aid to agricultural research in Nepal. The Lumle agricultural research centre has already successfully produced a cold-tolerant variety of rice, and research into disease resistant tomatoes, wheat, rice, potatoes and maize is currently being undertaken.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Minimum Wage
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 17 January 1995,Official Report, column 628, if he will list the research mentioned in his reply. [11808]

  Mr. Lang
  Among the studies considered are the following:

  (i) UK Studies on the link between pay and jobs at national level:

  HM Treasury, (1985) "The Relationship Between Employment and Wages". London: HMSO. [This is the most comprehensive survey of the evidence on the link between pay and jobs at a national level.]

  Wells, W. (1983). "The Relative Pay and Employment of Young People", Department of Employment Research Paper No. 42.

  (ii) UK Studies on the employment effects of proposals for a national minimum wage:

  Bazen, S. (1990) "On the Employment Effects of Introducing a National Minimum Wage in the UK", British Journal of Industrial Relations, 1990.

  Bazen, S. (1991) "Minimum Wage, an Analysis of the Issues", Institute of Personnel Management.

  Dennison, S.R. and Forrest D. (1984. "Low Pay or No Pay; A Review of the Theory and Practice of Minimum Wage Laws", Institute of Economic Affairs, Hobart Paper No. 101.

  Gregg, P. (1992). "National Minimum Wage", in the National Institute Economic Review, February 1992.

  Minford, P. (1989). "The Effects in the UK of EEC Wage Proposals in the Social Charter", in the Liverpool Quarterly Economic Bulletin, December 1989.

  UBS Phillips and Drew (1991). Economic Briefing, June 1991.

  James Capel Economic Research Unit (1991) in "Is Labour a Threat?"

  Kleinwort Benson, (1995): "Window on the Economy". UK Economics, Third Quarter 1995.

  (iii) Studies of the employment effects of the wages boards and councils:

  Canning, D. And Tarling, R. (1985). "A Report on the Department of Employment's Study "Wages Floors in the Clothing Industry, 1950–1981", Department of Applied Economics, Cambridge 1985.

  Craig, C. And Wilkinson, F. (1986). "Pay and Employment in Four Retail Trades", Department of Employment Research Paper No. 51.

  Kaufman, R. (1989). "The Effects of Statutory Minimum Rates of Pay on Employment in Great Britain". Economic Journal, December 1989.

  Lund, P., Morris, T., Temple, J., Watson, J. (1982). "Wages and Employment in Agriculture, 1960–1980", GES Working Paper No. 52.

  Machin, S. and Manning, A. (1992). "Minimum Wages, Wages Dispersion and Employment: Evidence from the UK Wages Councils", LSE Working Paper No. 221.

  Morgan, P., Paterson, D. and Barrie, R. (1986). "Wage Floors in the Clothing Industry, 1950–1981", Department of Employment Research Paper No. 52.

  Neuburger, H. (1984). "From the Dole Queue to the Sweatshop", London Low Pay Unit.

  (iv) Studies on the employment effects of the United States minimum wage:

  508

  Brown, C., Gilroy, C., Kohen, A. (1982). "The Effect of the Minimum Wage on Employment and Unemployment." Journal of Economic Literature, Vol. xx [This contains a survey of the US evidence.]

  Card, D. (1991). "Do Minimum Wages Reduce Employment? A Case Study of California, 1987–1989." NBER Working Paper No. 3710.

  Castillo Freeman, A. and Freeman, R. B. (1991). "Minimum Wages in Puerto Rico", NBER Working Paper No. 3759.

  Katz, L. and Kreuger, A. (1991). "The Effect of the New Minimum Wage Law in a Low Wage Labour Market", Princetown University Working Paper, No. 379.

  Newmark, D., and Wascher, W. (1991). "Evidence on Employment Effects of Minimum Wages and Subminimum Wage Provisions from Panel Data on State Minimum Wage Laws". NBER Working Paper No. 3859.

  Card, D. and Kreuger, A. (1994). "Minimum Wages and Employment: A Case Study of the Fast-Food Industry in New Jersey and Pennsylvania", American Economic Review, Vol. 84, No. 4.

  Card, D. and Kreuger, A. (1995). "Myth and Measurement—The New Economics of the Minimum Wage", Princetown University Press, 1995.

  Katz, L. and Kreuger, A. (1992). "The Effects of the Minimum Wage on the Fast-Food Industry", Industrial and Labour Relations Review, Vol. 46, No.1.

  Neumark, D. and Wascher, W. (1995). "The Effect of New Jersey's Minimum Wage Increase on Fast-Food Eemployment: A Re-Evaluation Using Payroll Data", National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper No. 5224.

  Report of the Minimum Wage Study Commission (1981). Vol. 1. [This report contains an assessment of the Federal minimum based on a large number of studies.]

  Walsh, K. (1991). "A Comparative Review of Minimum Wage Systems" in "Minimum Wage—An Analysis of the Issues". Institute for Personnel Management.

  Vedder, R. and Gallaway, L. (1995). "Minimum Wages Cost Jobs".

  (v) Studies of the employment effects of the minimum wage in EU member states:

  Ducos, and Plassard (1991). "Young People's Employment and the Minimum Wage".

  Van Soest, A. (1994)"Youth Minimum Wage Rates: The Dutch Experience".

  (vi) References to international evidence of the employment effects of minimum wage legislation in work conducted by the ILO and the OECD:

  ILO (1992). "Minimum Wages, Wage Fixing Machinery, Application and Supervision", International Labour Office.

  OECD, (1991). "1990–91 OECD Economic Surveys, France".

  OECD, (1989). "1988–89 Economic Surveys, Netherlands".

  OECD, (1990). "Labour Market Policies for the 1990s".

  OECD, (1994). "The Jobs Study: Evidence and Explanations Part Two". OECD, Paris, 1994.

  Starr, G. (1981). "Minimum Wage Fixing", International Labour Office.

  Bazen, S. and Martin (1991). "Impact of the Minimum Wage on Earnings and Employment in France", OECD Economic Studies No. 16.

  (vii) Other articles and correspondence concerning the debate about the employment effects of the wages councils, and minimum wages. For example, a recent Fabian Society pamphlet by Fred Bayliss; various publications by the Low Pay Unit; and New Economy, Winter 1995, Vol. 2, Issue 4.

  Positive about Disabled People Symbol
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for his Department and each of the agencies for which he is responsible if it uses the Employment Service's positive about disabled people symbol for (a) external recruitment and (b) internal recruitment and promotion. [11919]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The DTI does not use the symbol for external or internal recruitment, or for promotion. However, it is kept under review as the Department develops its programme of action on staff with disabilities.

  I have asked the chief executives of the DTI's agencies to write to the hon. Member direct.

  Letter from Jim Norton to Mr. Harry Barnes, dated 29 January 1996:
  I am replying to your written question on behalf of the Radiocommunications Agency.
  Question: To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for his Department and each of the Agencies for which he is responsible if it uses the Employment Service's Positive about Disabled People symbol for (a) external recruitment and (b) internal recruitment and promotion.
  The Radiocommunications Agency does not use the Employment Services Positive about Disabled People symbol for either external recruitment or internal recruitment and promotion.
  However the Agency only assumed responsibility for equality of opportunity matters from the Department of Trade and Industry in October 1994. The Agency produces an annual Action Programme. One of the actions in the 1996 Action Programme is to consider the use of the Employment Services Disability Symbol. I expect that the Agency will make a decision later in the year on whether or not to use the symbol for both external recruitment and internal recruitment and promotion.

  Letter from Seton Bennett to Mr. Harry Barnes, dated 29 January 1996:
  The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory to your question and about use of the Employment Service's Positive about Disabled People symbol. This Agency does not currently make use of this symbol.

  Letter from R. D. Worswick to Mr. Harry Barnes, dated 25 January 1996:
  The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply to your question on behalf of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist, an executive agency of DTI.
  The Laboratory does not use the Employment Service's Positive about Disabled People symbol for either a) external recruitment or b) internal recruitment and promotion.
  However, recruitment advertisements contain a statement that LGC is an equal opportunities employer whether directed at external or internal applicants.

  Letter from David Durham to Mr. Harry Barnes, dated 29 January 1996:
  I have been asked to respond as Chief Executive of Companies House Executive Agency. to your question to the President of the Board of Trade regarding the use of the Employment Service's Positive about Disabled People symbol. I can confirm that we have been pleased to advertise our commitment in this way.
  The symbol is used for both external and internal recruitment purposes and, as you can see below, is publicised on all recruitment correspondence issued by our Personnel Section.
  I hope this is helpful.
  510
  Letter from Peter Joyce to Mr. Harry Barnes, dated 29 January 1996:
  The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply to your question about using the Employment Service's Positive about Disabled People symbol.
  The Insolvency Service does not currently use the symbol for either external recruitment or internal recruitment and promotion. However following discussions with the Employment Service, it is in the process of applying for permission to use it on all its recruitment, promotion and training literature.

  Letter from P. R. S. Hartnack to Mr. Harry Barnes, dated 29 January 1996:
  I am replying for the Patent Office to your Parliamentary Question to the President of the Board of Trade about use of the Employment Service's Positive about Disabled People symbol. In recent external recruitment exercises we have used either the symbol, or text making it clear that we welcome applications from those with disabilities. In internal recruitment or promotion we rely on a statement of our Equal Opportunities Policy we have issued to all staff which makes it clear that discrimination on grounds of disability is unacceptable. We have also established a Disabled Forum which can raise with management any point of concern.

  Companies Acts
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many DTI inspectors are working upon investigations in accordance with powers conferred by the Companies Acts. [12208]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  There are currently 15 inspectors undertaking inspections into the affairs and/or membership of nine companies under the investigative powers conferred by the Companies Acts.

  Departmental Staff (Energy Matters)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many staff in his Department work on press and publicity and public relations; and how many of them deal with energy-related matters. [12483]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Sixty-three staff are employed in the Department's information division either directly on, or in support of, publicity, press and other media relations work. Of these, seven spend 50 per cent. or more of their time on energy-related matters.

  Nuclear Industry (Privatisation)
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his latest estimate of the date for nuclear power generation privatisation; and if he will suspend his Department's plans pending publication by the Trade and Industry Committee of its report into nuclear privatisation. [12226]

  Mr. Lang
  Privatisation of the nuclear power generation industry is on track for the summer of this year and will not be suspended pending the issue by the Trade and Industry Committee of its report.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 10 January,Official Report, column 227, what was the total expenditure on management, financial and other consultants employed by his Department to advise on the sale of Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear in each year since 1988–89. [12225]
  511
  Mr. Lang
  There was no expenditure on the sale of Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear in the years 1988–89 to 1994–95. Pursuant to my answer of 10 January,Official Report, columns 226–27, actual expenditure for the year to 31 March 1996 will be reported to Parliament in the normal way through the appropriation account.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the total amount of money raised by the non-fossil fuel obligation; and how much of those proceeds have been distributed to Nuclear Electric. [11252]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 24 January 1996]: The fossil fuel levy was introduced on 1 April 1990. The information requested is:

  Year

  Fossil fuel levy receipts

  Payments from levy to Nuclear Electric £million

  1990–91

  1,175

  1,135

  1991–92

  1,324

  1,281

  1992–93

  1,348

  1,291

  1993–94

  1,234

  1,139

  1994–95

  1,205

  1,081

  Sources:

  Office of Electricity Regulation (amounts raised) and Non-Fossil Purchasing Agency Ltd. (Payments).

  The balance of levy receipts is used to finance payments to British Nuclear Fuels plc and to renewables generators, and to cover certain other costs such as administration costs.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what amount of money is estimated to be raised from the privatisation of Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear in terms of(a) unspent non-fossil fuel obligation moneys and (b) cash surpluses at the time of the sale. [11309]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 24 January 1996]: The proceeds of the sale of British Energy will depend on a variety of factors, including market conditions at the time of sale. It is not possible to put a fixed estimate on proceeds in advance of sale.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what amount of money has been spent on redundancy payments for staff in(a) Nuclear Electric and (b) Scottish Nuclear in each of the last five years; and how much is estimated to be spent in 1996–97. [11310]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 24 January 1996]: Information on staff redundancy costs is given in the annual report and accounts of Nuclear Electric plc. Information for 1995–96 and beyond will be published in the accounts of the relevant companies for those years. Questions on Scottish Nuclear Ltd. are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to retain the non-fossil fuel obligation after privatisation of British Energy; what is its estimated level; and if he will make a statement. [11254]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 24 January 1996]: Under the non-fossil fuel obligation, NFFO, the regional electricity companies, RECs, are required to make arrangements to secure the availability of specified
  512
  amounts of non-fossil—nuclear and renewables—sourced electricity generating capacity. The fossil fuel levy recovers the above-market costs to the RECs of securing this capacity. The nuclear NFFO will continue until 1998, but the element of the fossil fuel levy that is attributable to Nuclear Electric will end at the time of privatisation, subject to the recovery of outstanding moneys. The levy will continue to cover renewables and British Nuclear Fuels plc. We cannot give a figure for the reduced rate at this time, as it will depend on a number of factors that are still uncertain.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much of the non-fossil fuel obligation distributed to Nuclear Electric(a) remains as cash surplus, (b) has been used for decommissioning, (c) has been used for waste reprocessing, (d) has been invested in capital assets and (e) has been spent elsewhere. [11253]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 24 January 1996]: Details of nuclear premium received by Nuclear Electric under the NFFO arrangements and of their expenditure are contained in Nuclear Electric's annual report and accounts. The nuclear premium forms part of their overall income.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answers of 10 January,Official Report, columns 226–27, to whom the expenditure provision for restructuring and privatisation of the nuclear power generation industry will be given in 1995–96; and what is the value of the contacts with the companies advising his Department on the sale. [11311]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 24 January 1996]: Pursuant to my answers of 10 January 1996, Official Report, columns 226–27, expenditure in 1995–96 on restructuring and privatisation of the nuclear power generation industry will be in respect of the companies advising the Government during that financial year. Actual expenditure will be reported to Parliament in the normal way through the appropriation account. The value of individual contracts with companies is commercially confidential.

  Competition Policy, Birmingham
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the impact of competition policy on Birmingham. [9996]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Government believe that competition is good for competitiveness by making business compete more effectively and thus benefiting both customers and producers—in Birmingham as in the rest of the UK.

  EU Funding
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how much in(a) ecu and (b) pounds by standard region and in total the United Kingdom received under the European Thermie programmes and its predecessor programmes over the last available five years; [11662]

  (2) how much in (a) ecu and (b) pounds by standard region and in total is allocated to the United Kingdom from the European Thermie programme under the current financial perspectives. [11663]
  513
  Mr. Page
  Payment from European expenditure programmes are not allocated to members states in the legislation supporting the programmes. The Thermie programme supports projects selected following an open call for proposals. It is not possible to predict the outcome of future calls, but in the last five years UK led projects have received:

  Year

  kecu

  £ thousands1

  1991

  19,507

  15,996

  1992

  21,111

  17,311

  1993

  26,053

  18,903

  1994

  37,250

  30,545

  1995

  21,541

  17,663

  11 ecu = £0.82.

  A breakdown of these figures on a regional basis is not available.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how much in(a) ecus and (b) pounds by standard region and in total is allocated to the United Kingdom from the European Altener programme under the present structural funds agreement; [11667]

  (2) how much in (a) ecus and (b) pounds by standard region and in total the United Kingdom received under the European Altener programme and its predecessor programmes over the last available five-year period. [11666]

  Mr. Page
  The Altener programme for the promotion of renewable energy sources in the Community is not part of the structural funds. Payment from European expenditure programmes are not allocated to member states in the legislation supporting the programmes. The Altener programme started in 1993 and UK-led projects have received:

  Year

  kecu

  £ thousand1

  1993

  272

  223

  1994

  1,609

  1,071

  1995

  2,101

  1,723

  11 ecu = £0.82.

  A breakdown of these figures on a regional basis is not available.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much in(a) ecu and (b) pounds by standard region and in total the United Kingdom received from European Commission research and development programmes over the last available five years. [11668]

  Mr. Taylor
  Information on receipts for the European Union research and development programmes which have to be collected from the recipients is available only for 1993–94:

  1993–94

  Region

  £million

  MECU

  South East

  97.76

  125.57

  South West

  36.06

  46.32

  514

  1993–94

  Region

  £million

  MECU

  East Anglia

  12.76

  16.39

  East Midlands

  10.79

  13.86

  West Midlands

  6.01

  7.71

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  6.00

  7.70

  North

  4.63

  5 95

  North-West

  17.57

  22.57

  Wales

  7.77

  9.98

  Scotland

  17.26

  22.17

  Northern Ireland

  5.40

  6.93

  UK Total

  222.01

  285.17

  These totals do not include funds received by the non-profit sector or the new universities.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much in(a) Ecus and (b) pounds by standard region and in total is allocated to the United Kingdom from the European Commission research and development programmes under the current financial perspectives. [11669]

  Mr. Taylor
  Payments from European Community expenditure programmes are not allocated to member states in the legislation supporting the programmes.

  Framework programme IV, which runs from 1994–98, is the EU's main research and development programme. It supports collaborative research aimed at promoting industrial competitiveness and the quality of life. It has a budget of 13.1 billion ecu?approximately £10.9 billion. It is administered by the European Commission, which receives applications and manages the project selection process. The budget is not pre-allocated in any way among member states. Projects are selected on the basis of scientific excellence. UK researchers have participated strongly in successive framework programmes.

  Post Office
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the future of the Post Office. [10002]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The Government's plans for the future of the Post Office were set out in a statement on 11 May 1995 by my right hon. Friend the then President of the Board of Trade.

  Small Firms
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the outcome of the recent review of the small firms loan guarantee scheme; and what changes he proposes to make to the rules. [12816]

  Mr. Page
  I expect to be able to make an announcement shortly.

  Departmental Payments
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions his Department has held with other Government Departments following the publishing of the figures showing percentages of hills paid late in 1994–95. [12224]
  515
  Mr. Page
  My hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury is responsible for issuing guidance on monitoring methods and payment policies to Government Departments.

  As Minister for Small Business, I have also stressed the importance of prompt payment at meetings with all the small firms Ministers across the Government and shall continue to do so.

  In addition, this Department has substantially improved its payment performance over the past year. I recognise the need to build on this improvement and this Department will re-examine payment procedures and checking systems will be made even more comprehensive.

  Business Links
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many inquiries business links handled in the last year for which figures are available. [11962]

  Mr. Page
  During the period October 1994 to September 1995, business links provided advice and information to the following numbers of companies:

  October?December 1994: 26,624

  January?March 1995: 33,035

  April?June 1995: 41,222

  July?September 1995: 51,931

  Each company is counted only once each quarter. To the extent that some companies may seek information and advice more than once in each quarter the total number of inquiries dealt with will be higher than above.

  British Gas
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will hold discussions with the Office of Gas Supply about the measures which should be taken to ensure that the cost of take and pay contracts entered into by British Gas is not passed on to gas consumers. [11498]

  Mr. Eggar
  The Government have decided not to include a provision in the standard conditions of the gas shippers licences to recover the costs of "take or pay" contracts. Regulation of prices in the tariff market is, and always has been, the responsibility of the independent Director General of Gas Supply.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many businesses(a) registered and (b) deregistered for VAT in (i) the north-west and (ii) Pendle in 1994 and 1995. [12598]

  Mr. Page
  The latest available figures are for 1994 and are as follows:

  VAT registrations and deregistrations in 1994

  Registrations

  Deregistrations

  North-West

  17,375

  17,751

  Pendle

  261

  246

  516
  The above estimates include adjustments for the effects of the changes in the VAT threshold in November 1993, and hence differ from those published elsewhere by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if copies of draft sections of Sir Richard Scott's report are in the possession of Ministers or officials in his Department other than those to whom draft sections of the report were sent by Sir Richard Scott. [11876]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]: In forwarding sections of Sir Richard Scott's report to Ministers and officials, the inquiry expressly stated that individuals could at their discretion make a copy for a legal or other adviser and another for the Department concerned. Whether they did so is a matter for the individuals concerned.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if(a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have used copies of draft sections of Sir Richard Scott's report to prepare the Government's response to Sir Richard Scott's report. [11877]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]: No decision about the response to Sir Richard Scott's report will be taken until the report has been received.

  In considering issues relating to the Scott inquiry, all Departments naturally take account of material properly available to them.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the expenditure of his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies on all external consultants including management consultants for each of the years(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95 and (f) 1995–96 (i) to date and (ii) as estimated for the whole year; what estimate he has made of such expenditure for 1996–97; and if he will estimate the savings accruing to his Department from the use of consultants in each of these years. [11387]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]: The value of contracts let centrally to external consultants including management consultants for 1993–94 was £24.17 million, for 1994–95 it was £6.66 million, and for 1995–96 to date it is £3.96 million. Other information on central expenditure can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Information on savings is not collected centrally and estimates can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Information in respect of non-departmental public bodies is not kept centrally and could not be compiled without disproportionate cost.

  The above information excludes external consultancies let independently by the Department's executive agencies. I have asked agency chief executives to reply separately.
  517
  Letter from R. D. Worswick to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 24 January 1996:
  The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the use of management consultants by the Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC), an executive agency of the DTI.
  From time-to-time we have used consultants to help review or improve internal management functions (including the provision of information technology). They are engaged against "value-for-money" criteria, and only when they can bring particular skills or knowledge not available from within LGC; particular examples are in training, the selection and implementation of accounting systems, and operational review.
  Over the last six years LGC has spent the following amounts on management consultants:

  Year

  £ thousand (including VAT)

  1991–92

  25

  1992–93

  103

  1993–94

  11

  1994–95

  277

  1995–96 (to date)

  46

  1995–96 (estimate to year end)

  120

  I am afraid that information on earlier years can only be provided at disproportionate cost. Forecasts for 1996/97 are not available.

  Letter from P. R. S. Hartnack to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 29 January 1996:
  The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply, in relation to the Patent Office, to your Question about the use of external consultants.
  The Patent Office made no use of external consultants in 1992/93, 1993/94 and 1994/95. In 1995/96 expenditure to the 31st December 1995 is £113,204 with the full year estimated at £130,000. In 1996/97 provision has been made for £100,000 as continuation of existing work aimed at identifying scope for savings in activities such as marketing and use of computer services. Figures relating to 1979/80, 1989/90 and 1991/92 are not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
  The savings accruing to the Office from this work will depend on the extent to which better value for money can be obtained while preserving the current quality of service.

  Letter from Seton Bennett to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 29 January 1996:
  I have been asked by the President of the Board of Trade to reply on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory to your question concerning expenditure on external consultants.
  I regret that information is not available for 1979–80, but the figures for the years since 1989 are as follows:

  £ thousand

  1989–90

  Nil

  1990–91

  2

  1991–92

  10

  1992–93

  22

  1993–94

  58

  1994–95

  22

  1995–96 (to date)

  30

  Cost including VAT

  Organisation

  Purpose

  1993–94£

  1994–95£

  1995–96 to date £

  1995–96 estimated total £

  coopers and Lybrand

  Accountancy support

  —

  60,000

  —

  —

  KPMG

  Market test

  445,000

  —

  —

  —

  518

  £ thousand

  1995–96 (full year estimate)

  35

  1996–97 (estimate)

  30

  The consultants employed have provided exclusively technical advice, mostly related to accounting changes and the development of the Agency's quality system. It is therefore impossible to estimate what savings, if any, may have accrued as a result.

  Letter from David Durham to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 29 January 1996:
  Mr John Taylor MP has asked me to reply in respect of Companies House Executive Agency to your question to the President of the Board of Trade on the expenditure of external consultants; and the estimated savings derived from the use of consultants by Companies House Executive Agency, for certain years since 1979.
  The information you sought is as follows:

  Expenditure on Consultants

  Year

  £ thousand

  1993–94

  172

  1994–95

  122

  1995–96 (to date)

  167

  1995–96 (full year forecast)

  279

  The expected expenditure for 1996–97 is not available at this stage, as Companies House is still next year.

  Information on earlier years can only be provided at disproportionate costs.

  There are no direct savings attributed to the above consultancy costs, since the consultants were employed by Companies House to provide technical advice on matters such as structural building repairs and IT system design and implementation.

  I trust you will find this information helpful.

  Letter from Michael Goddard to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 29 January 1996:
  The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Competition and Consumer Affairs, has asked me to reply to your Question about expenditure on external consultants.
  2. The Agency did not assume responsibility for letting its own contracts until 1994. Expenditure on external consultants. including management consultants, in FY 94–95 amounted to £237,207, and to date in FY 95–96 to £247,377, Expenditure in earlier years is covered in Mr. Taylor's reply to your question. Planned expenditure in FY 96–97 is unlikely to exceed the level of previous years.
  3. All the expenditure in FY 94–95 and FY 95–96 involved the provision of strategic advice. Savings resulting from decisions taken in response to such advice will not be quantifiable for some time. When engaging external consultants "value for money" is the Agency's prime consideration.

  Letter from Peter Joyce to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 29 January, 1996:
  The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply to your question about expenditure on external consultants and the estimated savings resulting from their employment by The Insolvency Service.
  Details of the costs associated with external consultants engaged by The Service are:
  519

  Cost including VAT

  Organisation

  Purpose

  1993–94£

  1994–95£

  1995–96 to date £

  1995–96 estimated total £

  Ernst and Young

  Market test and accountancy support

  107,800

  13,100

  —

  —

  Price Waterhouse

  User survey

  —

  124,800

  —

  —

  Stoy Hayward

  Contracting out and management Consultancy

  76,670

  94,150

  —

  —

  Shreeveport Ltd.

  Contracting out

  —

  129,000

  421,100

  506,400

  Bevan Ashford

  Contracting out

  —

  —

  26,465

  36,500

  Bond Pearce

  Contracting out

  —

  10,100

  —

  10,000

  Total

  229,470

  431,150

  447,565

  552,900

  Prior to 1994 contracts for consultants were let by the Department of Trade and Industry, and information in relation to 1992 and 1993 was provided in a Parliamentary Question No. 146 for Ms Diane Abbott MP dated 25 January 1994, Columns 211–217. Information on consultancies prior to 1992–93 can only now be provided at disproportionate cost.

  The Service has also used outside private sector organisations for advice on, development of and delivery in relation to specialist areas such as training, design and information technology systems. Details of the organisations concerned, the payments made to them and any estimate of savings accrued could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  The £60,000 payment to Coopers and Lybrand for accountancy support for the Agency was in and about the setting up of systems to enable it to produce commercial style accounts.

  Ernst and Young were engaged in 1993–94 to prepare a specification for the market test of The Service's Central Accounting Unit and to assist with the evaluation of the bids at a cost of £107,800. KPMG were engaged to assist the in-house bid team in the preparation of their bid at a cost of £45,000. The annual saving in the overall cost of the activities market tested is approximately £85,000 in each of the five years of the resulting Service Level Agreement.

  Ernst and Young were also engaged in 1995 on accounting reconciliation work for the Central Accounting Unit at a cost of £13,100. This did not produce direct savings but provided independent professional assurance that financial data had been properly transferred to the CAU's new computer system(BANCS).

  Consultants have been engaged by The Service throughout the period of the current contracting out exercise which has yet to reach its conclusion. Any estimate of savings accrued as a result could only be determined once the decision has been taken on contracting out.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Globe Europe Network
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the benefits that have accrued from the United Kingdom financial support through the know-how fund for the Global Legislators Organisation for a Balanced Environment-Globe Europe Network; and what financial commitments have been made for further funding of the Globe Europe Network. [12002]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  The know-how fund has not previously provided any direct support to the Globe Europe network. However, it has pledged a sum of up to 35,868 ecu—approximately £20,000–20 per cent. of the total cost of a project to be started in 1996.
  520
  The details are still under negotiation. However, the project aims to promote among parliamentarians in central and eastern Europe understanding of parliamentary procedures and techniques with particular emphasis on environmental policy-making. The project will consist of some preliminary research into environmental concerns in the Central and Eastern Europe region; two international seminars at which parliamentarians will be invited to discuss related issues with experts in the environmental field; the implementation of joint initiatives based upon findings and examples of successful co-operation between parliaments and NGOs; and a campaign aimed to publicise the initiatives and their results.

  The benefit likely to accrue from know-how fund support for this programme is the formation of constructive policy work in the environmental field as parliamentarians are encouraged to forge practical policies.

  Ceremonial Dress
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 18 January,Official Report, column 690–91, if he will give details of the ceremonial dress expected to he worn by Her Majesty's representatives in (a) Japan, (b) the Cayman Islands and (c) Swaziland. [11571]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  The ceremonial dress expected to be worn by Her Majesty's representatives in Japan is full dress uniform comprising coatee and trousers, cocked hat with feathers, sword and accessories, boots, black braces and white gloves.

  The ceremonial dress expected to be worn by Her Majesty's Representative in the Cayman Islands arid Swaziland is tropical uniform which comprises white drill and trousers, collar, sword and accessories, braces, white gloves, boots and embroidered cap.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 18 January,Official Report, column 691, if he will give details of the uniform expected to be worn by Her Majesty's representatives to the Holy See; when that post was last held by a man; and what was the then cost. [11572]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  The last male Her Majesty's representative to the Holy See was accredited between 1991–1995. The cost of his diplomatic uniform was
  521
  £3,193 and consisted of coatee and trousers, cocked hat topped with feathers, sword and accessories, boots, braces and white gloves.

  Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 18 January,Official Report, column 692, what was the total cost of the Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps; how many staff are employed; and what are the principal duties of the Marshal. [11624]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  The marshal occupies official accommodation for which he makes a contribution from his salary. The direct costs of his office borne by Buckingham palace and the FCO in 1994–95 were £70,995.35.

  The marshal's staff consists of a secretary and the services of an office cleaner.

  His principle duties are to make arrangements for heads of diplomatic missions on state and official occasions.

  War Crimes, Bosnia
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many(a) Serbs, (b) Croats, and (c) Moslems have been indicted for war crimes by the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal. [11847]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  To date, 45 Serbs, seven Croats, and no Moslems have been indicted by the international war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

  Military Personnel (Training)
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what has been the cost to public funds of United Kingdom military personnel providing training assistance between 1 January 1991 and 31 December 1995 in(a) Gambia, (b) Indonesia, (c) Nigeria and (d) Saudi Arabia. [12125]

  (2) how many military personnel from (a) Indonesia, (b) Saudi Arabia, (c) Sierra Leone, (d) Gambia, (e) Sudan and (f) Nigeria were given training in the United Kingdom between 1 January 1991 and 31 December 1995; and what has been the cost to public funds in each case. [12124]

  Mr. David Davis
  The details of training given under the United Kingdom military training assistance scheme are confidential between Governments.

  Kenya
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Government of Kenya concerning their intention to introduce the Press Council and Mass Media Commission Bills, especially insofar as they affect foreign correspondents. [12118]

  Mr. Hanley
  We have maintained a dialogue at senior level with the Kenyan authorities on the draft legislation 522
  in question, in which we have emphasised the importance we attach to freedom of the press in Kenya.

  Zanzibar
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the presidential elections held in Zanzibar in October 1995. [10618]

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 24 January 1996]: Together with other participants in the international monitoring exercise we have called on the Zanzibari and Tanzanian authorities to take appropriate action following concerns about discrepancies in the compilation of votes for the presidency of Zanzibar.

  Absenteeism
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of absenteeism rates in days per annum for staff in his Department for each of the years(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95 and (f) 1995–96. [11381]

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not collect statistics on absenteeism rates. Though we believe non-sick-related absences to be minimal. Therefore, the information requested by the hon. Member can he provided only at disproportionate cost.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Chocolate Directive
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects the European Commission to publish its new draft directive on chocolate; and if he will make it his policy to oppose proposals from the Commission to(a) reduce the proportion of vegetable fat currently permitted in United Kingdom chocolate and (b) require chocolate manufactured in the United Kingdom to be described on its packaging as anything other than chocolate. [9949]

  Mrs. Browning
  I understand that the European Commission hopes to issue soon a formal proposal to replace the 1973 Cocoa and Chocolate Products Directive.

  British manufacturers make a wide variety of high quality chocolate products, many of which include a small addition of vegetable fats other than cocoa butter, so as to meet the full range of consumer tastes and expectations both in this country and elsewhere. This has had the effect of expanding the chocolate market, securing jobs at home and increasing demand for cocoa and other products on which the economies of many developing countries are heavily dependent.

  The Government will therefore vigorously oppose any proposal which seeks to reduce the diversity of chocolate formulations which may he marketed freely within the European Community or which seeks to prohibit the use

  523
  of the name chocolate on products containing the traditional mixture of cocoa butter and other vegetable fats.

  Monofilament Nets
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what length of(a) monofilament netting and (b) other fishing gear is estimated to have been lost or discarded in United Kingdom waters in each year since 1990; and what measure he has taken to (i) monitor and (ii) regulate the loss and discard of monofilament netting. [11573]

  Mr. Baldry
  No information is held centrally on the loss or discard of fishing gear. Under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 it is an offence to discard into the sea any fishing gear, including netting, for which the penalty may be a substantial fine or even imprisonment. The Ministry will not hesitate to prosecute in such cases where sufficient evidence is considered to be available.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many sea mammals have been trapped in monofilament nets in(a) United Kingdom waters and (b) Scottish waters, since 1980. [11574]

  Mr. Baldry
  The Ministry does not hold the information requested. However, since 1980 there have been no recorded cases of sea mammals becoming trapped in monofilament nets in Scottish inshore waters, where the carriage of such nets is prohibited. The Ministry has commissioned the sea mammal research unit to undertake a two-year study to evaluate the extent of cetacean by-catch in the bottom-set gill net fishery in the North sea. Some of the nets involved are likely to be monofilament.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many fishing vessels currently use monofilament nets in United Kingdom waters; and in what areas they operate. [11575]

  Mr. Baldry
  The Ministry does not hold information on the number of fishing vessels currently using monofilament nets in United Kingdom waters. Such nets may be used in United Kingdom waters apart from Scottish inshore waters where their carriage has been prohibited since 1986.

  Absenteeism
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, what estimate he has made of absenteeism rates in days per annum for staff in his Department for each of the years(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95 and (f) 1995–96. [11353]

  Mr. Boswell
  Information in the form requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  However, selected aggregated data on sickness absence in respect of calendar years has been available since 1985, in the form of reports from Her Majesty's Treasury and more recently the Civil Service Occupational Health and
  524
  Safety Agency (OHSA). Figures for the Department based on these data,(and which necessarily include some of the agencies in the period 1990 to 1994), are as follows:

  Year

  Average number of days sick absence per staff year

  19891

  6.3

  19902

  7.5

  1991

  8.7

  1992

  8.0

  1993

  8.4

  1994

  7.4

  1Figures are based on a 10 per cent. sample.

  2Figures are based on a 20 per cent. sample.

  Spanish Fishing Vessels
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his letter to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow, dated 9 January, which countries or organisations were party to the negotiations following which 22 Spanish fishing vessels gained access to the Norwegian exclusive economic zone in 1994; and if he will make a statement. [11031]

  Mr. Baldry
  The negotiations for a free trade area between the EC and EFTA culminated in the European economic area agreement which came into effect in 1994. Inter alia this negotiation involved an increase in fishing opportunities in Norwegian waters in recognition of a substantial reduction in tariff barriers for fish products. This gave limited access to Spain, Portugal and Ireland as well as a substantial increase in United Kingdom quotas.

  Fish Farming
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many rainbow trout fattening ponds there are in Northern Ireland; if they require a culture licence; what chemicals they use; and if they may discharge chemicals without consent into a watercourse. [10665]

  Mr. Ancram
  I have been asked to reply.

  There are 104 ponds at which small-scale production of not more than 500 rainbow trout per year is authorised. All sites where trout are artificially fed require a fish culture licence under section 1 I of the Fisheries Act (NI) 1966. Chemical treatment is not a feature of fish husbandry at these sites. Chemicals may not be discharged into a watercourse without consent.

  EU Funding
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much in(a) ecus and (b) pounds by standard region and in total the United Kingdom received under the European financial instrument for fishery guidance over the last available five years. [11656]

  Mr. Baldry
  The European financial instrument for fisheries guidance was introduced on 1 January 1994. Allocations are not made on a regional basis as awards are made according to how they meet selection criteria.
  525
  No central records of awards by standard regions is therefore kept. However, payments made in financial year 1994–95 and for the first half of 1995–96 were as follows:

  1994–95

  1995–96 (up to September)

  Mecu

  £ million

  Mecu

  £ million

  Scotland (Objective 1)

  (Highlands and Islands)

  0.97

  0.79

  0.86

  0.72

  Northern Ireland

  (Objective 1)

  0.95

  0.78

  0.04

  0.035

  Non-Objective 1 areas

  (England, Wales and the

  remainder of Scotland)

  4.3

  3.54

  0.47

  0.395

  Total

  6.22

  5.11

  1.37

  1.15

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much in(a) ecus and (b) pounds by standard region and in total is allocated to the United Kingdom from the European financial instrument for fishery guidance under the present structural funds agreement. [11657]

  Mr. Baldry
  The European financial instrument for fisheries guidance was introduced on 1 January 1994. Allocations are not made on a regional basis as awards are made according to how projects meet selection criteria. Allocations of Community funds under the United Kingdom's sectoral plan for 1994–99 are in the table.

  Mecu

  £ million

  Scotland (Objective 1)

  (Highlands and Islands)

  19.8

  16.5

  Northern Ireland (Objective 1)

  15.12

  12.6

  Non-Objective 1 areas

  (England, Wales and the remainder of Scotland)

  88.7

  73.92

  Total

  123.62

  103.02

  A further 8.35 mecu—some £7 million has been allocated to the United Kingdom from FIFG under the PESCA Community initiative. Allocations of Community funds under the UK PESCA programme for the period 1995–1999 are:

  Mecu

  £ million

  Objective 1 areas

  Scotland (Highland and Islands)

  2.53

  2.11

  Northern Ireland

  0.26

  0.21

  Non-Objective 1 areas

  England

  3.69

  3.08

  Wales

  0.07

  0.06

  Scotland

  1.80

  1.50

  Total

  8.35

  6.96

  Further PESCA funding is due to he awarded to the United Kingdom from the Commission's Community Initiative reserve. Details are awaited from the Commission.

HEALTH

  Rubella Vaccination
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the rubella vaccination programme with particular reference to the vaccination of schoolgirls between the age of 10 and 14 years. [10742]

  Mr. Horman
  When the measles, mumps and rubella—MMR—vaccine was introduced into the routine pre-school childhood immunisation schedule in 1988, it was accepted that a continuingly high uptake of the vaccine would mean that it would be possible, in due course, to stop routinely immunising schoolgirls against rubella. It was also acknowledged when planning the measles/rubella immunisation campaign conducted in schools in November 1994, that a successful campaign would make it possible to bring forward the end of the schoolgirl rubella programme. Vaccine uptake in the measles/rubella campaign was very high at around 92 per cent. and uptake of MMR vaccine in infants is also consistently high at 92 per cent. In the light of the success of both the ongoing MMR programme and the measles/rubella campaign, the independent joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation concluded that immunisation levels against rubella among children were sufficiently high and advised that the routine immunisation of girls between 10 and 14 was no longer appropriate.

  Ministers accepted the committee's recommendation and health authorities and all doctors were told in October 1995 that the routine immunisation of schoolgirls against rubella should be ended.

  The policy of providing protection against rubella remains unchanged. In announcing the decision to end the routine immunisation programme, the Departments stressed that health authorities should continue with their other existing rubella screening and immunisation programmes. Health authorities should both continue to ensure that MMR vaccine is offered to any children of school leaving age who have not been immunised and also maintain their procedures to ensure that, where and when appropriate, women of childbearing age arc both screened for rubella antibodies and offered immunisation. This will ensure that both girls and boys receive rubella vaccine if missed before.

  Copies of the appropriate executive letter and Chief Medical Officer's update are available in the Library.

  Northern and Yorkshire Outpost
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the location and address of the site for the new headquarters of the Northern and Yorkshire outpost of the NHS executive. [11112]

  Mr. Malone
  A new headquarters building for the national health service executive Northern and Yorkshire regional office is being constructed at the Mountjoy science park in Durham. The postal address for the new building has not been finalised.

  Personal Information
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many instances of unauthorised access to identifiable
  527
  personal health information have been recorded in each of the last three years; and how many of these were by access through IT equipment or NHS networks. [11474]

  Mr. Horam
  There is no central collection of statistics on recorded instances of unauthorised access to identifiable personal health information, whether via computer systems or paper records.

  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the NHS HealthNet network to meet the demands of healthcare professionals for the effective protection of identifiable patient health data; [11470]

  (2) what progress his Department has made towards developing for NHS staff a code of guidance for protecting identifiable personal health information transmitted on NHS networks; and if he will make a statement; [11468]

  (3) if he will place in the Library details of the security policy and technical specifications proposed for the new NHS HealthNet network. [11469]

  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress in developing policy on the secure management of identifiable personal health data to be transmitted on HealthNet. [11188]

  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for health (1) what steps he is taking to ensure that the confidentiality and integrity of patient data transmitted on the proposed HealthNet network will be maintained; [11680]

  (2) what steps he is taking to ensure that bodies within the NHS implement security policies which protect the confidentiality of patients' personal health information transmitted on computer networks. [11681]

  Mr. Horam
  Over the past two years the Department of Health sought advice from security experts and from representatives of the clinical professions, following which the national health service chief executive wrote to all health authorities and trusts in December 1995 enclosing the networking security policy, codes of connection and the security guide, EL (95) 108, copies of which are available in the Library.

  The papers explain the measures taken to protect information when it is passing over the networking system. They also state that these measures must be matched by secure handling of patient information locally. The Department of Health will issue further guidance in the near future, covering both the protection and use of patient information, and the secure management of computer systems.

  Yorkshire RHA
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on repairs, maintenance and improvement of the former Yorkshire regional health authority headquarters at Park parade, Harrogate, since January 1986; who owns the building; when it will be vacated; and what receipts from the sale of the lease or freehold on this building will be passed to the NHS. [11114]
  528
  Mr. Malone
  Spending on repairs, maintenance and improvement of the former Yorkshire regional health authority headquarters at Park parade, Harrogate for the financial years from 1986–87 onwards is shown in the table.

  Financial year

  Expenditure £

  1986–87

  54.000

  1987–88

  30,000

  1988–89

  1,400,000

  1989–90

  1,400.000

  1990–91

  46,000

  1991–92

  371,000

  1992–93

  88.000

  1993–94

  56,000

  The building is currently owned by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health, but on its vacation by the national health service executive regional office, ownership will pass to Dysart Developments Ltd, the developer of the new headquarters for the regional office at Durham. Receipts from the sale of the building will be £2.825 million, which will be added to allocations to health authorities in the region to invest in services for patients.

  HIV-associated Dementia
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what action he is taking to improve awareness among general practitioners of HIV-associated dementia; [11743]

  (2) if he will list all specialist services for HIV-associated dementia; [11741]

  (3) what research he has commissioned into HIV-associated dementia; [11745]

  (4) how many cases of HIV-associated dementia have been identified in each year since 1990; [11744]

  (5) what action he is taking to improve the co-ordination of care for people with HIV-associated dementia. [11742]

  Mr. Horam
  The Department of Health commissioned a study in 1991, covering the period 1991–1994, into the epidemiology of HIV-associated dementia in the Thames regional health authorities. This has concluded that previous studies had over-estimated the size of the problem and suggests a lower prevalence of HIV-associated dementia in people with AIDS of under 10 per cent. The report will be published shortly and copies will be placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Information is not available nationally on the number of cases of HIV-associated dementia or on specialist services for people with HIV dementia.

  The Department has issued a comprehensive training pack for general practitioners which covers the whole spectrum of HIV disease, including HIV dementia. Guidance to health authorities on HIV/AIDS has stressed the need for shared care arrangements between specialist AIDS facilities and general practitioners. The Department has also issued guidance to both health and local

  529
  authorities on the need to carry out population needs assessments in their localities to establish local priorities for service commissioning.

  Disability
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for his Department and each of the agencies for which he is responsible if it uses the Employment Service's positive about disabled people symbol for(a) external recruitment and (b) internal recruitment and promotion. [11918]

  Mr. Horam
  The Department of Health and its agencies submitted an application for the award of the disability symbol to the Employment Service on 19 January 1996. We intend to use the disability symbol on all external and internal advertisements, including promotions.

  Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what circulars or other information or directives have been sent to social service departments of local authorities regarding the implementation of the Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995. [11825]

  Mr. Bowis
  The Department has prepared a circular giving detailed policy and practice guidance to local and health authorities on implementing the Act, which comes into force on 1 April 1996. We recently consulted interested parties on the draft guidance, and we shall shortly be issuing the final document to local and health authorities.

  Tobacco Sales (Minors)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to restrict the advertising, sponsorship and promotion of tobacco and to strengthen the legislation on illegal sales to minors. [12101]

  Mr. Horam
  The Government are already committed to ensuring that there are effective controls on tobacco advertising, sponsorship and promotion. This is achieved by voluntary agreements between the Government and the tobacco industry. The voluntary agreements were strengthened in a number of key areas at the end of 1994. The law relating to illegal sales to minors has also been strengthened significantly by virtue of the Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991 and regulations made under it.

  Community Hospital, Orsett
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to his oral answer of 16 January,Official Report, column 528, if he will make a statement on the (a) size, (b) scale and (c) services that are planned to be made available at the community hospital at Orsett to which he referred; [10781]

  (2) pursuant to his oral answer of 16 January, Official Report, column 528, when the new minor injuries unit he announced for Orsett hospital will be opened; [10782]

  (3) pursuant to his oral answer of 16 January, Official Report, column 528, which operations it is planned will continue to be conducted at the day surgery at Orsett hospital. [10738]
  530
  Mr. Horam
  These are matters for the South Essex health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. David Micklem, the chairman, for details.

  Hospitals, Greater Manchester
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what dates between 1 December 1995 and 14 January 1996, and at what hospitals in the Greater Manchester area, accident and emergency facilities were closed to new admissions. [11176]

  Mr. Horam
  Greater Manchester ambulance service has a policy of not accepting any requests to divert and takes emergency patients to the nearest accident and emergency department as a matter of course.

  Sun Healthcare
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports he has received in respect of the activities in the United Kingdom of the United States company Sun Healthcare; and if he will make a statement. [12449]

  Mr. Bowis
  None.

  Fraud
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of fraud and corruption for each year since 1979. [12451]

  Mr. Horam
  The costs of fraud and corruption in the national health service are not identified separately from other losses in returns to the Department. However, the Audit Commission publication "Ensuring Probity in the NHS" reported in December 1994 that proven fraud was small. It estimated that losses through the misuse of taxpayers' money over a three year period when NHS expenditure totalled £80 billion were £6 million—about one penny for every £100 spent in the NHS.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he will take to monitor fraud in community care provision. [12452]

  Mr. Bowis
  Local authority social service departments should build suitable fraud prevention measures into their financial management procedures. Any evidence of fraud should be referred direct to the police who are the appropriate investigating authority for such matters.

  Private Sector Providers
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which agency monitors health authority contracts with private sector providers; [12453]

  (2) if he will list the number, type and value of contracts issued by health authorities to the private sector for nursing home beds. [12455]

  Mr. Bowis
  It is the responsibility of health authorities to place contracts with providers for health care services, including continuing in-patient care, and to monitor those contracts.

  Special Transitional Grant
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those local authorities which failed to spend
  531
  85 per cent. of the special transitional grant for 1994–95 in the independent sector. [12450]

  Mr. Bowis
  Audited returns detailing community care spending in the independent sector by local authorities in 1994–95 were due to be submitted to the Department by 31 December 1995. Some returns are still outstanding and are being followed up through the Audit Commission.

  Local Authority Contracts
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which agency monitors local authority contracts with private sector providers. [12454]

  Mr. Bowis
  Local authorities are responsible for monitoring contracts with providers.

  Residential and Nursing Care
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number, type and value of contracts issued by local authorities to the private sector for nursing and care home beds. [12456]

  Mr. Bowis
  Information on contracts between local authorities and independent sector providers of residential and nursing care beds is not collected centrally.

  Pharmacies
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many small independent pharmacies there are in the United Kingdom; how many there were in 1992; and what estimate he has made of how many supermarkets have opened pharmacies since 1992. [12120]

  Mr. Malone
  It is not possible to give the information in the form requested. In the financial year 1992–93 there were 6,579 independent pharmacies in England. The comparable figure for 1994–95 was 6,330. Independent pharmacies are defined as including chains of four or less and exclude pharmacies in health centres, for which a breakdown is not available. No information is available centrally on supermarkets which have opened pharmacies. Information relating to 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.

DEFENCE

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the total cost for himself and other departmental Ministers for each year since 1991–92, including the current year of(a) overseas travel and accommodation expenses of Ministers and their advisers, (b) car and chauffeuring costs of Ministers, (c) ministerial security costs and (d) domestic travel and accommodation expenses of Ministers. [6382]

  Mr. Soames
  Details of overseas visits by Ministers in my Department were set out in the answer of 19 July given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement to the hon. Member for Knowsley North (Mr. Howarth),Official Report, columns 1369–75. The
  532
  costs of visits overseas by Ministers falling to my Department since then, including the cost of officials where they can be identified, are as follows:

  Secretary of State for Defence:

  £64,830

  Minister of State for the Armed Forces:

  £95.228

  Minister of State for Defence Procurement:

  £26,359

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence:

  £2.735

  The cost of domestic visits by Ministers in each financial year since 1991–92 could be identified only at disproportionate cost. Costs falling to my Department since 1 April last year have been identified, however, and are as follows:

  Secretary of State for Defence:

  £17,670

  Minister of State for the Armed Forces:

  £14,702

  Minister of State for Defence Procurement:

  £8,362

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence:

  £7,469

  Note: Figures include overseas and domestic visits undertaken up to 20 December 1995.

  The cost to my Department of ministerial security is not separately identifiable. Ministerial protection is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.

  Information on the cost of ministerial cars and chauffeurs was set out in the letter of 28 November 1995 from my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Dr. Jones), a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the cost of running his departmental office, and that of his predecessor, for each year since 1990–91 including the current year, broken down into(a) telephone bills, (b) total staff costs, (c) press and communications, (d) entertainment, (e) alcoholic drinks, (f) non-alcoholic drinks, (g) stationery, (h) office refurbishment and (i) other. [6381]

  Mr. Soames
  Details of the cost of running my right hon. Friend's departmental office are not held in a form which would allow them to he identified separately for each financial year since 1991–92. The costs which have been identified for the last and present financial years are as follows:

  1994–95 £

  1995–961 £

  Telephone

  1,757

  1.083

  Staff

  649,474

  383,961

  Newspapers (including periodicals)

  1,017

  508

  Stationery

  4,957

  7.653

  Entertainment (including alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks)

  1,911

  461

  1To 31 October 1995.

  The cost of refurbishing my right hon. Friend's own office in each of the financial years in question is as follows:

  1990–91: Nil

  1991–92: £380

  1992–93: £881

  1993–94: Nil

  1994–95: Nil

  1995–96: Nil1

  1to 31 October 1995.

  Royal Yacht
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 17 January,Official Report, column 582, if he will list for the 35 days of royal duties carried out by the royal yacht (a) the destinations, (b) the period spent at sea and (c) the members of the royal family conveyed. [11563]

  Mr. Soames
  I regret that whilst preparing the answer to this parliamentary Question, my officials found that my earlier answer of 17 January,Official Report, column 582, contained an error. In 1995 members of the royal family were embarked aboard Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia for 36 days, not 35 as previously stated.

  In 1995, Britannia carried out royal duties on the following occasions:

  Member(s) of the Royal Family Embarked

  Date

  Location

  19–21 March

  Capetown

  Her Majesty the Queen

  HRH The Duke of Edinburgh

  24–25 March

  Capetown

  Her Majesty the Queen

  HRH The Duke of Edinburgh

  31 May–2 June

  Falmouth/Avonmouth

  Her Majesty the Queen

  HRH The Duke of Edinburgh

  12–13 June

  Portsmouth

  HRH The Princess Royal

  15 June

  Portsmouth

  HRH The Duke of York

  19–21 June

  Kiel

  HRH The Duke and Duchess of Kent

  26–27 June

  Dundee

  HRH The Prince of Wales

  28 July–2 August

  Cowes

  HRH The Duke of Edinburgh

  4–14 August

  Western Isles

  Her Majesty the Queen

  HRH The Duke of Edinburgh

  18–20 August

  London

  Her Majesty the Queen

  HRH The Duke of Edinburgh

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 17 January,Official Report, columns 582, how much was received by his Department in (a) 1994 and (b) 1995 for the use of the royal yacht for trade promotion; and from where the payments were received. [11568]

  Mr. Soames
  Charges for the use of Britannia are not levied on the sponsors of commercial events when she is used to promote British exports and attract inward investment to the United Kingdom. However, all additional costs incurred, over and above normal running costs, are paid for by the Government Departments and organisations concerned.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 17 January,Official Report, columns 582, what duties were carried out by the
  534
  royal yacht in 1995 during the period she was at sea but not on royal duties or trade promotion. [11569]

  Mr. Soames
  In 1995, HMY Britannia was engaged in the following activities during the period she was in transit to or from royal duties or trade promotion:

  Date

  Location

  Event

  14 March

  Walvis Bay

  Her Majesty's High Commission, Namibia (lunchtime reception)

  1—10 April

  Simon's Town

  Self maintenance period

  10 April

  Simon's Town

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (lunch)

  21 April

  Tema

  Overseas Development Agency (seminar and lunch)

  4 October

  Pireaus

  Her Majesty's Ambassador (evening reception)

  26 October

  Lisbon

  Her Majesty's Ambassador and the right hon. Douglas Hurd (dinner and evening reception)

  HMS Fearless and HMS Intrepid
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when(a) HMS Fearless and (b) HMS Intrepid (i) last put to sea and (ii) will next engage in military manoeuvres.

  Mr. Soames
  HMS Fearless was last at sea on 9 June 1995. She is currently in dock at Portsmouth undergoing routine maintenance and is scheduled to return to operational duties at the end of March. She is next planned to participate in military exercises at the end of April.

  HMS Intrepid was last at sea on 8 November 1990. She is currently in a state of extended readiness at Portsmouth, available for operations at longer notice if required.

  Small Arms Maintenance Contract
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make an announcement on the award of the small arms maintenance contract. [11872]

  Mr. Soames
  Small arms repair support for the Army and some units of the other armed services is provided by the Army base repair organisation ABRO has no plans to award a maintenance contract. However, some of the work does form part of a market test competition which commenced in October 1995. It is anticipated that the results of this competition will be known by early 1997.

  European Security
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will define the European Union's contribution to wider European security referred to at paragraph 5 of the memorandum appended to the 10th report from the Defence Committee 1994–95, HC824; and if he will make a statement. [11718]

  Mr. Soames
  The EU makes an important contribution to wider European security by promoting economic stability and democratic practices, and through initiatives in the framework of the Common foreign and security policy, such as the joint action in support of the stability pact implemented in the course of last year.

  Married Quarters (Sales)
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many dwellings have been sold under the married quarters discounted sales in each year since its introduction. [11873]

  Mr. Soames
  The married quarter discounted sales scheme began in December 1983 with the first sales being completed in financial year 1984–85. The number of sales completed in each financial year is in the table.

  Financial Year

  Number Sold

  1984–85

  not available

  1985–86

  308

  1986–87

  438

  1987–88

  452

  1988–89

  562

  1989–90

  862

  1990–91

  726

  1991–92

  494

  1992–93

  346

  1993–94

  116

  1994–95

  361

  1995–961

  289

  1Up to 30 November 1995

  Bosnia
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if it is his policy that the British contingent in IFOR should continue the UNPROFOR practice of assisting non-governmental organisations aid convoys in Bosnia. [12197]

  Mr. Soames
  IFOR's primary mission in Bosnia is to implement the military aspects of the peace agreement. Although it does not provide direct support to aid convoys, its efforts are helping to create an environment in which the civilian agencies operating under the peace agreement can accomplish their missions.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if IFOR is continuing the level of joint patrols as previously conducted by UNPROFOR with BiH—Bosnian Government Armed Forces—and HVO—Bosnian Croat Armed Forces—forces along former confrontation lines. [12198]

  Mr. Soames
  IFOR has been well received in theatre and, although it does not conduct joint patrols, it is continuing to work closely with all of the former warring factions as part of the peace implementation process. This includes joint operations to monitor mine clearance and to clear and maintain routes.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to reduce the incidence of low flying by RAF jets over the Dwyfor and Arfon areas. [11976]

  Mr. Soames
  It is our policy to spread military low flying as widely as practicable across the United Kingdom so as to reduce the disturbance over any one area. Restricting the amount of low flying conducted over the areas suggested by the hon. Member would run counter to this policy and concentrate activity over surrounding communities.

  Royal Irish Regiment Base (Fire)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the report of the inquest held on the deaths in the fire at the Royal Irish Regiment base in Magherafelt; and if he will make a statement. [12151]

  Mr. Soames
  The coroner sent his report to the chief fire officer at headquarters Northern Ireland on 22 January 1996. Many of the matters he raises match those identified in the provisional findings of the Army board of inquiry and are already being addressed. We are anxious that any lessons from this tragic incident are fully carried through. The coroner's observations and recommendations will he closely studied and the appropriate action taken.

  Operational Sea Training
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish details of the savings to the Defence budget from transferring operational sea training from Portland to Plymouth. [12010]

  Mr. Soames
  The cost of transferring operational sea training from Portland to Plymouth totalled about £9 million in capital costs. This was part of the overall programme of closing Portland naval base which is expected to realise savings of some £11 million per annum in running costs.

  HMS Fearless
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement regarding the current condition of HMS Fearless. [12196]

  Mr. Soames
  HMS Fearless is currently in dock at Portsmouth undergoing routine maintenance. This has shown the ship to be in a material state normal for her age. She is scheduled to return to operational duties at the end of March, on completion of the current work.

  Equerries
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 17 January,Official Report, column 581, what are the principal duties of the equerries; how they are chosen for the post; what is the normal term of duty. [11567]

  Mr. Soames
  Equerries are chosen from candidates nominated by the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force. The equerry to Her Majesty the Queen serves for three years; the others serve for two years.

  The equerries provide support to their royal highnesses in arranging and planning visits and engagements both at home and abroad. In addition, they attend on their royal highnesses at official engagements, host guests at private and public functions and deal with routine correspondence.

  Thomson Training and Simulation Ltd.
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts his Department currently hold with Thomson Training and Simulation Ltd.; if contracts placed with this company are cost plus; and what checks his Department carries out to ensure that value for money is achieved. [12123]
  537
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The central data maintained by my Department's Procurement Executive and the Defence Research and Evaluation Agency shows there are approximately 70 contracts currently open with the company. Of these, only 10 per cent. have been placed on what is commonly known as "cost plus" terms, and only one of these has been placed during the last five years). These figures include a number of contracts originally placed with different companies, for example Link-Miles Ltd., which have subsequently been subsumed into Thomson Training and Simulation Ltd. as the result of acquisition and organisation.

  Where contracts are placed resulting from competition, then market forces ensure value for money. In other cases, including "cost plus", then contractors have to provide cost certificates and satisfy Ministry contracts officers and/or the pricing and quality services directorate as to their validity before final payments may be made.

  HMS Gannet
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what occasions Sea King helicopters from HMS "Gannet" have been grounded because of technical or other faults in each of the past three years and in this year to the current date; what caused the grounding and delay of the helicopter in the search for Sinclair Cadzow on 19 February; what action is being taken to rectify the problems; and if he will make a statement. [12119]

  Mr. Soames
  Provision of data specifying the occasions when Sea King helicopters from HMS Gannet have been grounded for technical or other faults in each of the past three years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  The search and rescue aircraft and HMS Gannet scrambled on 19 January at the request of the rescue co-ordinating centre suffered a gearbox fault in transit to the search area which necessitated an emergency landing near Cairnryan. An RAF search and rescue aircraft from Boulmer was then tasked to assist in the search.

  Third Parachute Regiment
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to the future of the Third Parachute Regiment. [12121]

  Mr. Soames
  We are currently considering the optimum deployment of manpower within our airborne forces. There are no plans to disband the Third Battalion, the Parachute Regiment.

  Type 23 Frigates
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he expects to announce his decision on the award of the contract for the next batch of type 23 frigates; [12318]

  (2) how many type 23 frigates he proposes to order; and to fulfil what function. [12427]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Tenders are being assessed for a batch of up to three type 23 frigates which are highly capable, modern general purpose frigates, optimised for anti-submarine warfare. An announcement will be made as soon as the decision has been taken.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Arms Surrender
  Rev. William McCrea
  To ask the Secretary if State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress towards the surrender of arms and explosives held by the Provisional IRA. [10622]

  Sir John Wheeler
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply which my right hon. and learned Friend gave on 25 January to by hon. Friend the Member for Castle Point (Dr. Spink),Official Report, column 466.

  Motorway
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the M2 motorway development in respect of(a) the land recently sold to Ronany Ltd. for private commercial development, (b) the funds expended on the land purchase, (c) the construction of engineering work required including, bridges, (d) the level of traffic in its traffic catchment area, (e) the extension of Londonderry, (f) its status as a Euro-route and claims for expansion within the European Union road transportation strategy and (g) the provision for the repurchase from Ronany Ltd. of the land now being disposed of to that company when the time comes for the construction of the additional traffic lanes. [10718]

  Mr. Moss
  The information requested is as follows:

  (a) and (b) While the Department has not sold any land near the M2 motorway to Ronany Ltd., arrangements are being made to lease a portion of the motorway hard shoulder and verge to the company to facilitate the provision of a service area;

  (c) Responsibility for undertaking the necessary engineering works will rest with Ronany Ltd.—no bridges are proposed;

  (d) Traffic flows on the section of motorway in question are as follows:

  (i) northbound carriageway—approximately 14,000 vehicles per day, and

  (ii) southbound carriageway—approximately 15,600 vehicles per day;

  (e) There are no plans to extend the M2 motorway to Londonderry;

  (f) The Belfast?Londonderry route (M2/M22/A6) forms part of the European Union's trans-european network—TEN—adopted in 1993; and

  (g) While there are no proposals to widen this section of the M2 motorway, provision to cover an eventuality will he made in the arrangements finally agreed with the company.

  Benefits (Claimants)
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the numbers of claimants and the amounts paid in respect of(a) each social security benefit and (b) housing benefit in Northern Ireland. [11202]

  Mr. Moss
  The information is as follows:
  539

  Estimated average number of claimants in receipt of the main benefits1 at any one time and expenditure in Northern Ireland, 1994–95

  Benefit

  Average number (000s) 1994–95

  Expenditure (£'000)

  Retirement Pension

  219.6

  631,200

  Widows' Benefit

  11.6

  36,400

  Unemployment Benefit

  14.7

  33,000

  Sickness Benefit

  5.4

  15,500

  Invalidity Benefit

  72.9

  308,100

  Maternity Allowance

  0.5

  1,200

  Guardian's Allowance and Child's Special Allowance

  0.2

  100

  Non-Contributory Retirement Pension

  2.6

  2,619

  Attendance Allowance

  56.9

  108,823

  Invalid Care Allowance

  19.6

  38,960

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  14.6

  30,993

  Industrial Injuries Benefits

  11

  21,658

  Disability Living Allowance

  83.7

  201,732

  Disability Working Allowance

  0.2

  424

  Income Support

  227.2

  649,573

  Child Benefit (number of children)

  467

  221,110

  One Parent Benefit (number of families)

  32

  10,023

  Family Credit

  22

  61,901

  Housing Benefit

  Rent Rebate

  108.6

  165,000

  Rent Allowance

  28.6

  55,199

  Rates Rebate

  181.7

  23,148

  Social Fund

  Budgeting Loans

  73.2

  18,413

  Crisis Loans

  27

  2,319

  Community Care Grants

  38.8

  9,638

  Maternity Payments

  8.4

  839

  Funeral Payments

  3.9

  3,524

  Cold Weather Payments

  0

  0

  Statutory Sick Pay and Statutory

  Maternity Pay

  n/a

  18,700

  Independent Living (Extension) Fund

  1.6

  5,344

  Independent Living (1993) Fund

  2

  102

  Transitional Payments

  2

  7

  1Beneficiaries may be receiving more than one benefit at any one time.

  2Indicates fewer than 50 claimants in receipt.

  Population Statistics
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his current estimate of the population of Northern Ireland(a) up to age 15 and (b) aged 16 years and over. [11200]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information, taken from the 1994 mid-year estimates of population, is as follows:

  Age in years

  Population

  0–15

  419,163

  16 and over

  1,222,548

  Rail Privatisation
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to publish the study on 540
  the proposed privatisation of rail services in Northern Ireland. [11240]

  Mr. Moss
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Colchester, North (Mr. Jenkin) on 11 January 1995,Official Report, column 146. I have no plans to publish the report.

  Ms Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to make a decision on the timetable for the franchising of rail services in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [11239]

  Mr. Moss
  Steps are being taken to introduce a private element into the management operation and capital programme of Northern Ireland Railways through a series of measures including market testing, contracting out, the sale of non-core businesses and the private finance initiative. I will keep the question of franchising under review.

  Action for Community Employment (ACE)
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what reductions he proposes to make in respect of ACE funding; and what considerations underlie their magnitude. [11107]

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

  Letter from Ian Walters to Mr. John D. Taylor, dated 23 January 1996:
  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency to reply to your questions about the Action for Community Employment (ACE) programme.
  The situation regarding the level of reduction in next year's ACE budget and the considerations underlining their magnitude remain as I outlined in my letter to you of 16 January. As I indicated, the reduction in the ACE budget was set against a background of the encouraging performance of the Northern Ireland economy which includes the creation of almost 11,000 additional jobs in the year ending September 1995 and a reduction of 5,500 in the number of people unemployed for more than 1 year.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which sites of special scientific interest in Northern Ireland will be affected by trunk road and motorway schemes for which preferred routes have been announced. [11231]

  Mr. Moss
  No sites of special scientific interest will be affected.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many current national insurance numbers are allocated to people normally resident in Northern Ireland. [11201]

  Mr. Moss
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
  541
  Letter from Alec Wylie to Mr. Jim Dowd, dated 24 January 1996:
  I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question relating to National Insurance numbers.
  I should explain that all National Insurance records for the United Kingdom are held centrally in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. The number of National Insurance numbers allocated to Northern Ireland or any other regions of the United Kingdom is not available.
  I am sorry that I cannot provide the information you require.

  Wild Animals
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what inspection his Department has made of private residences within Omagh district council area where big cats, snakes and wild animals are in captivity; and if he will make a statement. [10076]

  Mr. Moss
  Under the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 1972, the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland has inspected two private residences in the Omagh district council area where wild animals are kept. The inspections have confirmed that the primary needs of the animals are being well catered for and the Department is continuing to monitor the situation.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will seek to extend the provisions of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 to Northern Ireland. [10074]

  Mr. Moss
  This issue is currently under review and I shall write to the hon. Member in due course.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what advice he has received from the Royal Ulster Constabulary about the captivity and security of big cats, snakes and other wild animals maintained in private residences within Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [10075]

  Mr. Moss
  The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland has recently received correspondence from the Royal Ulster Constabulary calling for the introduction of legislation equivalent to the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976. The question of the need for new legislation is under review.

SCOTLAND

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which sites of special scientific interest in Scotland will be affected by trunk road and motorway schemes for which preferred routes have been announced. [11230]

  Mr. Kynoch
  In his answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Ayr (Mr. Gallie) on 19 December 1995,Official Report, columns 1061–62, on the programme for developing Scotland's trunk road network, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland announced that, subject to the usual criteria including satisfactory completion of the statutory procedures and the necessary preparatory work, it is intended to construct 17 new road schemes over the next three years. Preferred lines have been chosen for 16 of these schemes.
  542
  Two sites of special scientific interest will be affected by these schemes. These are (a) Glen Beasdale, affected by the A830 Mallaig road improvement from Polnish bridge to Loch Nan Uamh (b) Calrossie, where the A9 Logie Easter to Garrick bridge scheme is proposed to be built along a boundary line of the SSSI.

  Disturbance to SSSIs is avoided if possible. When sites are affected, every effort is made to minimise the impact of constructions.

  Speech and Language Therapy
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make a statement on the purchasing by health boards of speech arid language therapy services required for children who do not have a record of needs; [11638]

  (2) what was the level of expenditure by each health board in Scotland for speech and language therapy services for (a) children with a record of needs and (b) children without a record of needs for (i) 1992, (ii) 1993 and (iii) 1994. [11639]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is not held centrally. Health boards are responsible for assessing the health care needs of their local populations and for purchasing services including speech therapy services, accordingly.

  Rural Child Care
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he is taking to improve rural child care in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [11581]

  Mr. Kynoch
  Provision and development of child care services are primarily matters for local service providers. The Government are mindful of the special problems for delivering these services in rural areas and have undertaken work to demonstrate how these problems can be addressed. The recently completed under-fives rural initiative demonstrated ways that the quality of child care services in rural areas can be enhanced by the use of special rural tutors.

  The Government have also provided funding support of £45,000 over three years to the rural child care development programme run jointly by Children in Scotland and Rural Forum. This project is now in its third year with several long-term projects nearing completion including an employers guide, training information packs, a training needs analysis and an initial evaluation of out-of-school clubs. In North Uist, information is being provided to support a nursery project and in Ullapool a guidebook on children's services is being produced.

  We have also funded research by Professor Mark Shucksmith of the Arkleton centre for rural development research. He is currently undertaking a scoping study on innovative approaches in rural service provision, which will include child care initiatives. The need for further research or demonstration projects will be considered on the basis of his findings.

  Mrs. Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to expand the under-fives rural initiative; and what level of finance the scheme will receive in the next three financial years. [11582]
  543
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This initiative was a development project aimed at demonstrating methods for improving the quality of day care by introducing educational elements. It comprised 12 schemes run by voluntary organisations using peripatetic tutors in a number of day care settings in different parts of rural Scotland.

  Grants totalling £500,000 were made available under section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to support the project which ended in April 1995. There are at present no plans to extend it. We will, however, assess the lessons which can usefully be drawn for our new pre-school educational voucher initiative.

  Water Charges
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to provide financial assistance to rural local authorities for the collection of rates from water consumers after April [11584]

  Mr. Kynoch
  My right hon. Friend will make an order under section 79 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 to require local authorities to demand and recover domestic unmeasured water and sewerage charges on behalf of the new water and sewerage authorities. That order will contain provision for the level of administrative costs to be refunded to local authorities. Consultation has taken place with local authorities about the terms of the order.

  NHS (Private Sector Consultants)
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure that private sector consultants retained by health boards and NHS trusts in Scotland in relation to private finance initiative contracts have no conflict of interest arising from a business, financial or personal relationship with private companies bidding for such contracts. [11612]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There are no instances of a private sector consultant advising both the NHS and private sector on the same project. NHS trusts should follow relevant procurement rules and corporate governance guidance in avoiding situations where such a conflict of interest would arise.

  Child Care
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what guidance he is proposing to issue to local authorities on the day care review duty in the current legislation relating to the registration of day care and other provision for young children; [12022]

  (2) what plans he has to amend existing guidance relating to registration standards and requirements relating to the registration of day care and other provision for young children; [12111]

  (3) when he last issued guidelines to local authorities in Scotland regarding registration procedures governing premises for day care for young children; [12018]

  (4) what plans he has to clarify the general purpose and application of guidance in the existing legislation relating to the registration of day care and other provision for young children. [12021]
  544
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 26 January 1996]: Statutory provisions dealing with the registration and inspection of those who provide child minding and day care for children under eight are set out in part X of the Children Act 1989. That part of the Act which came into force in October 1991 extends to Scotland.

  To assist local authorities in the discharge of their duties and responsibilities under that part of the Act, the Scottish Office issued guidance to local authorities in June 1991.

  A minor amendment to the 1989 Act was made in the Children (Scotland) Act 1995. This and further detailed amendments are planned on supervised activities and holiday play schemes will make it necessary to modify current guidance.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what priority local authorities are obliged to accord to(a) their estimate of local need and (b) the official regulations when deciding whether to close existing local day care places for young children; what estimate he has made of compliance with the guidance; and what assessment he has made of the stringency of that guidance. [12113]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 26 January 1996]: Registration of day care for young children under eight is governed by part X of the Children Act 1989. Section 71 empowers local authorities to refuse registration if they are satisfied about certain things specified in that section. Section 74 gives local authorities a power to cancel registration in certain specified circumstances. Under section 77, authorities are required to give not less than 14 days notice of their intention to refuse an application or to cancel registration. The person receiving such a notice may object to the step being taken and may appeal against it to the court. Section 75 also gives local authorities a power to apply, in cases of emergency, to the court to cancel a person's registration forthwith. The Scottish Office guidance issued in June 1991 draws attention to the statutory powers available to local authorities in this respect.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the sanctions available to social work departments to refer matters to the procurator fiscal when they believe that registration requirements are being breached. [12103]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 26 January 1996]: Failure to comply with the requirements of registration by a local authority of facilities may be an offence under the relevant statute, for example, where day care of young children is concerned, under section 78 of the Children Act 1989. If a local authority believes that an offence has been committed it may report the matter to the police or to the procurator fiscal.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the provisions of the Department of Health local authority circular on the Children Act 1989 and day care for young children registration No. LAC(93)1 have been translated into similar guidance for local authorities in Scotland. [12017]
  545
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 26 January 1996]: Circular LAC(93)1 was issued by Department of Health for local authorities in England. It does not apply in Scotland. The extant Scottish guidance entitled "Regulation and Review of Childminding, Day Care and Education Services for Children under 8—Guidance for Local Authorities" was issued here in June 1991.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy in respect of expansion of day care facilities for young people. [12019]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 26 January 1996]: The policy of the Scottish Office is to promote expansion of day care provision through public, private and voluntary agencies and individuals. The number of day care places for children under five in Scotland has increased by over 40 per cent.—from 92,000 in 1984 to 131,000 in 1994. The Scottish Office has assisted that expansion through its support under the urban programme and through grants under section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968. Local enterprise companies are also now funding child care projects for children under five and also for older children. Expansion of services is further assisted by the tax concessions which are available to employers providing work place child care facilities.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of day care facilities for young children which have been closed by local authorities in Scotland over the last three years because they have failed to meet the physical and staffing requirements set by local authorities. [12020]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 26 January 1996]: The data requested are not collected centrally. Local authority reviews under the Children Act 1989, which covered the period October 1991 to October 1994, indicated that very few registrations had been cancelled because of failure to meet the physical or staffing requirements set by local authorities.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if guidance currently available from his Department prescribes legally required standards for registration. [12112]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 26 January 1996]: Guidance issued by the Scottish Office to local authorities as registration authorities under various statutes advises local authorities on how the legislation should be implemented. The guidance may also suggest standards which should be adopted as a matter of good practice. If such standards or other standards are made a requirement of registration, failure to comply may be an offence.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in what ways specific requirements set unilaterally by local social work departments governing the registration of individual premises for day care facilities are enforceable. [12104]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 26 January 1996]: Under part X of the Children Act 1989, which deals with registration of day care for young children, local authorities must impose such reasonable
  546
  requirements as they consider appropriate when registering an applicant for registration. The requirements, set out in section 73 are concerned with the number of children who may be looked after, maintenance and safety of the premises and equipment, records and notification of changes. Authorities may also impose further requirements, provided these do not conflict with the requirements in that section. Section 78 makes it an offence where a registered person without reasonable excuse contravenes or otherwise fails to comply with any requirement imposed under section 73.

  Housing Stock
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was, for each district and islands council area, the mid-1995 estimates of(a) the total housing stock, (b) the number of vacant dwellings and (c) the number of other non-effective housing stock. [10855]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  The information requested is not yet available. Local authorities are being consulted about the estimates which should be finalised shortly.

  Prison Visiting Committees
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the members of the visiting committee to(a) Her Majesty's prison, Barlinnie, (b) Her Majesty's prison, Greenock and (c) Her Majesty's prison, Cornton Vale. [10856]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is set out in the table:

  Establishment

  Name

  Barlinnie

  Baillie A. Adam

  Ms Y. Anderson

  Mr. J. Andrews

  E. Divine

  F. McAveety

  A. McCartney

  C. McDonach

  R. McGarrity

  Mrs. I. Graham

  Ms V. Grandon (N/E)

  S. Purcell (N/E)

  Ms E. Smith (N/E)

  I. Wilson (N/E)

  R. Campbell

  G. McElroy JP BA

  Dr. C. Mason

  R. McGerty

  J. Shaw

  R. Quinn

  J. Anderson JP (N/E)

  A. Devlin (N/E)

  Mrs. S. Duke (N/E)

  J. Gilleece (N/E)

  Cornton Vale

  Ms A. Dickson

  Mrs. M. Brisley

  Mrs. C. Cumming (N/E)

  Ms A. Greasley (N/E)

  A. Henderson (N/E)

  J. Robertson (N/E)

  Mrs. V. Simpson (N/E)

  P. Kelly

  Mrs. H.A. Livingston JP

  Ms M. Pollack Ms E. Taylor

  Ms T. McNally (N/E)

  547

  Establishment

  Name

  Mrs. M. Smith (N/E)

  Mrs. H. Wright (N/E)

  Greenock

  Ms C. Allan

  A. Nimmo

  J. O'Rourke

  Greenock (Cont.)

  P. Arkely (N/E)

  R. Jackson (N/E)

  J. Thomson (N/E)

  E. Gray

  A. McGhee

  (N/E) denotes non-elected member.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to modify the criteria by which persons are appointed to prison visiting committees; and if he will make a statement. [10857]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has no such plans. He does not appoint members to visiting committees for adult prisons: they are appointed in terms of section 8(1) of the Prisons (Scotland) Act 1989 by local authorities prescribed by rules made under the Act.

  Maintenance Orders
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many maintenance orders were pursued in each year in Scotland by him under schedule 2, section 6 of the Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders (Hague Convention Countries) Order 1993. [12205]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The number of cases received each year since 5 April 1993, when the order came into force, is as shown in the table.

  Year

  Number

  1993

  2

  1994

  5

  1995

  5

  1996 (to date)

  1

  Total

  13

  Glasgow Business Table Speech
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he first saw the press release of the speech he gave in Glasgow on Wednesday 17 January; and if he approved it before it was released to the press. [11950]

  Mr. Forsyth
  The press release was not approved by me but consisted of extracts from the speech which had been approved by me.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the names of those not employed in his Department who contributed to the drafting of his speech to the Glasgow Business Table. [11951]

  Mr. Forsyth
  Although I have advice and support from officials, my special adviser and, where necessary, others, my speeches are my responsibility and mine alone.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland at what hour and minute the original press release of the speech he gave to the meeting of the 548
  Glasgow Business Table on 17 January was released; when it was withdrawn; and when the second draft of the press release was released. [11952]

  Mr. Forsyth
  I understand that the original press release started issuing at 10.30 am and the withdrawal and release of the second press release finished transmission at 12.49 pm.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what factors underlay his decision to withdraw the original press release of his speech to a meeting of the Glasgow business Table on 17 January. [11953]

  Mr. Forsyth
  The decision to withdraw the original press release was made by staff of the Scottish Office information directorate as soon as they realised that they had made an error.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the compliance of his second press release on his speech to the Glasgow Business Table with the central Government conventions on publicity and advertising. [11948]

  Mr. Forsyth
  None. This is a matter in which I rely on official advice.

  Ministerial Discussions
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) when he last met ministerial colleagues to discuss Cabinet Office guidelines on publicity and advertising; [11954]

  (2) who was present at the meeting on 17 January after which the director of the directorate of information released a statement apologising to the Secretary of State. [11947]

  Mr. Forsyth
  Successive Administrations have declined to answer questions on discussions between Ministers or between Ministers and their official advisers.

  Heart Surgery
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will take action to reduce the waiting times for patients who require heart surgery. [12428]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Since November 1994 a national guarantee has been in place which ensures that all adult patients who are referred for cardiac surgery receive it within 12 months. It is for the patient's clinician to determine clinical priority and of course patients requiring emergency or urgent treatment are seen much sooner than the 12-month limit. It is a matter for health boards to purchase the appropriate level of services to ensure that guarantees are met.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Classroom Assistants
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her answer of 19 December,Official Report, column 1019, what is her

  549
  estimate of the number of classroom assistants who work in a voluntary capacity, and if these were included in the figures given. [10525]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Classroom assistants who work in a voluntary capacity were not included in the figures given. Information about unpaid education support staff is not collected centrally.

  Waste Management and Recycling
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps she is taking to encourage sustainable waste management and recycling throughout her Department. [11179]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Department operates to a green environmental and energy strategy which as Green Minister I approved in October 1995. This includes guidelines and rules on the management of waste by careful procurement, by minimisation and by separation for recycling. The Employment Service follows a similar strategy, tailored to suit its national network of offices. Objectives and, where feasible, targets are set and progress is monitored.

  Undergraduate Degrees
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans her Department has to lower the time spent on studying for an undergraduate degree to 18 months. [11895]

  Mr. Forth
  The length of individual degree courses is a matter for individual universities. The length of undergraduate courses generally will be considered in the context of the higher education review alongside other issues concerned with the effective use of public funds.

  Pupil Numbers (Costs)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what will be the estimated cost of the projected increase in pupil numbers from April 1996 to March 1997. [11707]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The latest available estimate shows a 1 per cent. increase in pupil numbers next year. How they are accommodated, and at what cost, will depend on decisions made by local education authorities and schools. The cost should be well within the 4.5 per cent. increase in provision for education made by the Government.

  A

  B

  C

  D

  D

  F

  G

  Total education expenditure excluding further education colleges 1992–93 £

  Total education expenditure 1993–94 £

  Service strategy and regulation total expenditure 1992–93 £

  Service strategy and regulation total expenditure 1993–94 £

  Column C as a percentage of column A

  Column D as a percentage of Column B

  Column F minus Column E

  LEA

  000

  000

  000

  000

  Coventry

  158,933

  155,060

  13,468

  3,417

  8.47

  2.20

  -6.27

  South Tyneside

  68,337

  67,558

  3,991

  91

  5.84

  0.13

  -5.71

  Isle of Wight

  48,888

  50,013

  2.568

  716

  5.25

  1.43

  -3.82

  Student Grants
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Eduction and Employment if the calculation of a student's income for entitlement to a grant takes into account a mortgage held by the student. [11824]

  Mr. Forth
  Under the mandatory awards regulations, in assessing a student's income a local education authority has discretion to take account of payments made in pursuance of any obligation, such as a mortgage, incurred before the start of his course.

  Disability Symbol
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list for her Department and each of the agencies for which she is responsible if it uses the Employment Service's positive disabled people symbol for(a) external recruitment and (b) internal recruitment and promotion. [11910]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The position in the Department and its agencies is as follows:

  (a)

  (b)

  DfEE

  No

  No

  Employment Service

  Yes

  Yes

  Teachers' Pensions Agency

  No

  No

  DfEE plans to introduce the symbol from April 1996. Consideration is being given to how the Teachers' Pensions Agency might be included in arrangements for use of the symbol by DfEE.

  Education Spending
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list for each local education authority in England (i) total education spending excluding further education in(a) 1992–93 and (b) 1993–94, (ii) total expenditure on service strategy and regulation in (c) 1992–93 and (d) 1993–94, (iii) (c) as a percentage of (a), (iv) (d) as a percentage of (b) and (vi) the difference between (iii) and (iv) in ascending order of this difference. [11875]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The following table shows for each local education authority total education expenditure excluding further education colleges for(a) 1992–93 and (b) 1993–94; total expenditure for service strategy and regulation for (c) 1992–93 and (d) 1993–94; the percentage of service strategy and regulation expenditure within total education expenditure for each year (d) 1992–93 and (e) 1993–94; and finally the difference between these variances in ascending order.
  551

  A

  B

  C

  D

  D

  F

  G

  Total education expenditure excluding further education colleges 1992–93 £

  Total education expenditure 1993–94 £

  Service strategy and regulation total expenditure 1992–93 £

  Service strategy and regulation total expenditure 1993–94 £

  Column C as a percentage of column A

  Column D as a percentage of Column B

  Column F minus Column E

  Croydon

  146,894

  145,168

  5,58

  1,814

  3.80

  1.25

  -2.55

  Northamptonshire

  223,754

  220,838

  12,232

  6,645

  5.47

  3.01

  -2.46

  Cheshire

  415,440

  423,757

  9,721

  1,660

  2.34

  0.39

  -1.95

  Corporation of London

  1,985

  2,792

  285

  347

  14.36

  12.43

  -1.93

  Devon

  377,621

  386,425

  5,210

  302

  1.38

  0.08

  -1.30

  Berkshire

  274,430

  286,230

  4,583

  1,373

  1.67

  0.48

  -1.19

  Sunderland

  123,308

  126,776

  1,745

  445

  1.42

  0.35

  -1.06

  Buckinghamshire

  281,150

  272,288

  6,479

  3,526

  2.30

  1.29

  -1.01

  Barnsley

  85,950

  89,309

  1,558

  947

  1.81

  1.06

  -0.75

  Lincolnshire

  205,521

  202,982

  2,278

  1,323

  1.11

  0.65

  -0.46

  Southwark

  131,430

  130,033

  1,782

  1,276

  1.36

  0.98

  -0.37

  Wiltshire

  218,110

  218,048

  2,139

  1,541

  0.98

  0.71

  -0.27

  Cumbria

  188,827

  188,098

  2,27

  1,754

  1.20

  0.93

  -0.27

  Wakefield

  133,981

  130,009

  847

  495

  0.63

  0.38

  -0.25

  Greenwich

  137,152

  130,387

  1,763

  1,405

  1.29

  1.08

  -0.21

  East Sussex

  250,377

  256,923

  3,388

  2,999

  1.35

  1.17

  -0.19

  Haringey

  122,255

  123,408

  684

  513

  0.56

  0.42

  -0.14

  Suffolk

  252,381

  255,816

  1,906

  1,601

  0.76

  0.63

  -0.13

  Wolverhampton

  118,265

  121,78

  1144

  1,040

  0.97

  0.85

  -0.11

  Wirral

  148,146

  149,604

  1,873

  1,722

  1.26

  1.15

  -0.11

  Warwickshire

  195,644

  201,245

  2,096

  1,961

  1.07

  0.97

  -0.10

  Avon

  389,520

  395,791

  1,694

  1,389

  0.43

  0.35

  -0.08

  Kirklees

  171,820

  174,975

  906

  796

  0.53

  0.45

  -0.07

  Somerset

  184,342

  193,130

  724

  620

  0.39

  0.32

  -0.07

  West Sussex

  262,590

  270,019

  898

  767

  0.34

  0.28

  -0.06

  Norfolk

  276,024

  283,294

  956

  827

  0.35

  0.29

  -0.05

  Dorset

  219,606

  219,426

  1,158

  1,055

  0.53

  0.48

  -0.05

  Gloucestershire

  186,903

  175,559

  1,973

  1,774

  1.06

  1.01

  -0.05

  Lambeth

  157,451

  146,935

  1,251

  1,104

  0.79

  0.75

  -0.04

  Sefton

  124,977

  128,750

  479

  463

  0.38

  0.36

  -0.02

  Leeds

  300,232

  303,660

  653

  599

  0.22

  0.20

  -0.02

  Humberside

  390,801

  403,069

  354

  302

  0.09

  0.07

  -0.02

  Leicestershire

  394,135

  400,635

  1,047

  1,036

  0.27

  0.26

  -0.01

  Doncaster

  132,006

  137,447

  214

  219

  0.16

  0.16

  0.00

  Bradford

  234,523

  236,543

  175

  175

  0.07

  0.07

  0.00

  Isles of Scilly

  1,371

  1,325

  0

  0

  0.00

  0.00

  0.00

  Stockport

  122,188

  116,044

  317

  315

  0.26

  0.27

  0.01

  Nottinghamshire

  422,944

  445,597

  1,956

  2,135

  0.46

  0.48

  0.02

  Gateshead

  86,549

  88,358

  293

  319

  0.34

  0.36

  0.02

  Liverpool

  225,399

  229,160

  574

  636

  0.25

  0.28

  0.02

  Bolton

  120,908

  116,752

  350

  365

  0.29

  0.31

  0.02

  Lancashire

  606,266

  618,913

  1,185

  1,354

  0.20

  0.22

  0.02

  Hampshire

  605,272

  581,475

  2500

  2650

  0.41

  0.46

  0.02

  Durham

  257,395

  256,604

  941

  1,068

  0.37

  0.42

  0.04

  Cleveland

  270,847

  256,574

  224

  347

  0.08

  0.14

  0.05

  Bedfordshire

  248,007

  238,055

  1,114

  1,217

  0.45

  0.51

  0.06

  North Tyneside

  88,626

  83,108

  328

  362

  0.37

  0.44

  0.07

  Trafford

  90,203

  86,556

  548

  583

  0.61

  0.67

  0.07

  Manchester

  237,226

  228,234

  1304

  1414

  0.61

  0.62

  0.07

  Tower Hamlets

  137,520

  137,526

  1650

  1,837

  1.25

  1.34

  0.08

  Hereford and Worcester

  260,243

  257,975

  925

  1,147

  0.36

  0.44

  0.09

  Lewisham

  135,611

  129,582

  721

  814

  0.53

  0.63

  0.10

  Redbridge

  106,936

  110,514

  750

  884

  0.70

  0.80

  0.10

  Northumberland

  136,023

  137,770

  624

  804

  0.46

  0.58

  0.12

  Barking

  71,015

  71,871

  380

  477

  0.54

  0.66

  0.13

  Sutton

  67,780

  61,647

  656

  677

  0.97

  1.10

  0.13

  Newham

  125,098

  123,745

  492

  651

  0.39

  0.53

  0.13

  Sandwell

  142,552

  137,676

  348

  539

  0.24

  0.39

  0.15

  Kent

  538,540

  525,500

  526

  1,298

  0.10

  0.25

  0.15

  Rotherham

  115,121

  118,246

  191

  376

  0.17

  0.32

  0.15

  Wandsworth

  130,071

  111613

  1,480

  1443

  1.14

  1.29

  0.16

  North Yorkshire

  291,697

  290,381

  712

  1 ,161

  0.24

  0.40

  0.16

  Salford

  101,175

  95,098

  696

  804

  0.69

  0.85

  0.16

  Havering

  97,638

  87,409

  628

  700

  0.64

  0.80

  0.16

  Brent

  146,691

  126,662

  833

  926

  0.57

  0.73

  0.16

  Camden

  107,437

  107,239

  337

  517

  0.31

  0.48

  0.17

  St. Helens

  84,737

  85,062

  402

  549

  0.47

  0.65

  0.17

  Tameside

  93,900

  91,012

  337

  484

  0.36

  0.53

  0.17

  Birmingham

  482,369

  481,936

  0

  857

  0.00

  0.18

  0.18

  Cambridgeshire

  275,872

  251,033

  1,360

  1,686

  0.49

  0.67

  0.18

  Sheffield

  198.839

  198,083

  359

  756

  0.18

  0.38

  0.18

  Derbyshire

  389,718

  372,067

  572

  1,329

  0.15

  0.36

  0.21

  Cornwall

  188.989

  193.145

  935

  1,393

  0.49

  0.72

  0.23

  Rochdale

  92,173

  91,563

  328

  540

  0.36

  0.59

  0.23

  Wigan

  134.139

  131,580

  108

  438

  0.08

  0.33

  0.25

  552 553

  A

  B

  C

  D

  D

  F

  G

  Total education expenditure excluding further education colleges 1992–93 £

  Total education expenditure 1993–94 £

  Service strategy and regulation total expenditure 1992–93 £

  Service strategy and regulation total expenditure 1993–94 £

  Column C as a percentage of column A

  Column D as a percentage of Column B

  Column F minus Column E

  Bromley

  92,178

  90,193

  723

  941

  0.78

  1.04

  0.26

  Kingston upon Thames

  64,075

  55,558

  565

  634

  0.88

  1.14

  0.26

  Shrophire

  177,595

  169,883

  0

  449

  0.00

  0.26

  0.26

  Solihull

  99,086

  90,603

  925

  1,090

  0.93

  1.20

  0.27

  Richmond upon Thames

  65,678

  67,346

  785

  991

  1.20

  1.47

  0.28

  Merton

  82,841

  79,806

  1,969

  2,120

  2.38

  2.66

  0.28

  Calderdale

  81,507

  79,152

  417

  656

  0.51

  0.83

  0.32

  Bexley

  93,663

  87,566

  1,310

  1,598

  1.40

  1.82

  0.43

  Hounslow

  109,740

  105,192

  355

  797

  0.32

  0.76

  0.43

  Bury

  80,691

  79,172

  795

  1,130

  0.99

  1.43

  0.44

  Hillingdon

  87,301

  77,691

  225

  563

  0.26

  0.72

  0.47

  Hackney

  137,918

  130,965

  748

  1,339

  0.54

  1.02

  0.48

  City of Westminster

  96,033

  95,812

  2,324

  2,816

  2.42

  2.94

  0.52

  Oxfordshire

  219,931

  229,999

  0

  1,213

  0.00

  0.53

  0.53

  Staffordshire

  437,107

  405,148

  0

  2,489

  0.00

  0.61

  0.61

  Harrow

  94,134

  99,083

  673

  1,322

  0.71

  1.33

  0.62

  Barnet

  147,567

  135,228

  878

  1,890

  0.59

  1.40

  0.80

  Ealing

  130,983

  129,805

  0

  1,191

  0.00

  0.92

  0.92

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  88,434

  87,131

  931

  1,775

  1.05

  2.04

  0.98

  Islington

  135,928

  117,886

  0

  1,197

  0.00

  1.02

  1.02

  Essex

  571,035

  498,636

  2,660

  8,021

  0.47

  1.61

  1.14

  Hertfordshire

  419,703

  412,363

  3,444

  8,103

  0.82

  1.97

  1.14

  Surrey

  375,278

  361,684

  972

  5,486

  0.26

  1.52

  1.26

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  129,432

  123,114

  413

  2,059

  0.32

  1.67

  1.35

  Knowsley

  81,187

  82,913

  1,783

  3,038

  2.20

  3.66

  1.47

  Enfield

  135,753

  122,282

  1,109

  2,921

  0.82

  2.39

  1.57

  Kensington and Chelsea

  67,941

  64,095

  697

  1,671

  1.03

  2.61

  1.58

  Waltham Forest

  116,115

  118,987

  218

  3,052

  0.19

  2.56

  2.38

  Walsall

  131,255

  123,192

  0

  3,278

  0.00

  2.66

  2.66

  Oldham

  123,586

  114,020

  55

  3,298

  0.04

  2.89

  2.85

  Dudley

  117,858

  112,402

  500

  3,752

  0.42

  3.34

  2.91

  Total

  20,554,327

  20,223,378

  155,542

  156,771

  0.76

  0.78

  0.02

  Teachers' Pay Award
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the total cost(a) nationally and (b) to each local education authority of the teachers' pay award in 1995–96. [11746]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The total estimated cost in England and Wales of the teachers' pay increase in 1995–96 is around £290 Million. The following table illustrates the cost of the award by updating the 1993–94 expenditure recorded by local education authorities in England and Wales for teaching staff salaries in nursery, primary, secondary and special schools by the teachers' pay awards of 2.9 per cent. in 1994–95 and 2.7 per cent. in 1995–96. The 1993–94 expenditure figures are the latest available for local education authority schools in England and Wales. The figures in the table take no account of changes in teacher numbers or other factors that affect the teachers' paybill.

  LEA expenditure on teachers' salaries

  £ thousand

  Pre-primary and primary secondary and special schools

  1993–94 (actual)

  1994–95 increase (2.9 per cent.)

  1995–96 increase (2.7 per cent.)

  Corporation of London

  378

  11

  11

  Camden

  37,774

  1.095

  1,049

  554

  LEA expenditure on teachers' salaries

  £ thousand

  Pre-primary and primary secondary and special schools

  1993–94 (actual)

  1994–95 increase (2.9 per cent.)

  1995–96 increase (2.7 per cent.)

  Greenwich

  53,751

  1,559

  1,493

  Hackney

  41,871

  1,214

  1,163

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  25,087

  728

  697

  Islington

  37,294

  1,082

  1,036

  Kensington and Chelsea

  15,922

  462

  442

  Lambeth

  39,698

  1,151

  1,103

  Lewisham

  43,235

  1,254

  1,201

  Southwark

  38,056

  1,104

  1,057

  Tower Hamlets

  58,012

  1,682

  1,612

  Wandsworth

  31,532

  914

  876

  City of Westminster

  30,151

  874

  838

  Barking

  34,487

  1,000

  958

  Barnet

  55,491

  1,609

  1,542

  Bexley

  40,962

  1,188

  1,138

  Brent

  39,613

  1,149

  1,101

  Bromley

  35,283

  1,023

  980

  Croydon

  51,278

  1,487

  1,425

  Ealing

  46,119

  1,337

  1,281

  Enfield

  51,873

  1,504

  1,441

  Haringey

  48,595

  1,409

  1.350

  Harrow

  38,702

  1,122

  1,075

  Havering

  41,677

  1,209

  1,158

  Hillingdon

  26,648

  773

  740

  Hounslow

  46.927

  1,361

  1,304

  Kingston upon Thames

  21,879

  634

  608

  Merton

  33,279

  965

  925

  Newham

  54,533

  1,581

  1,515

  555

  LEA expenditure on teachers' salaries

  £ thousand

  Pre-primary and primary, secondary and special schools

  1993–94(actual)

  1994–95 increase (2.9 per cent.)

  1995–96 increase (2.7 per cent.)

  Redbridge

  49,548

  1,437

  1,377

  Richmond upon Thames

  25,724

  746

  715

  Sutton

  22,531

  653

  626

  Waltham Forest

  46,867

  1,359

  1,302

  Birmingham

  211,785

  6,142

  5,884

  Coventry

  69,840

  2,025

  1,940

  Dudley

  55,540

  1,611

  1,543

  Sandwell

  66,061

  1,916

  1,835

  Solihull

  41,921

  1,216

  1,165

  Walsall

  55,669

  1,614

  1,547

  Wolverhampton

  53,635

  1,555

  1,490

  Knowsley

  34,935

  1,013

  971

  Liverpool

  104,939

  3,043

  2,916

  St. Helens

  39,149

  1,135

  1,088

  Sefton

  57,370

  1,664

  1,594

  Wirral

  69,278

  2,009

  1,925

  Bolton

  54,728

  1,587

  1,521

  Bury

  33,505

  972

  931

  Manchester

  91,541

  2,655

  2,543

  Oldham

  56,483

  1,638

  1,569

  Rochdale

  39,389

  1,142

  1,094

  Salford

  47,641

  1,382

  1,324

  Stockport

  53,551

  1,553

  1,488

  Tameside

  39,501

  1,146

  1,097

  Trafford

  36,262

  1,052

  1,007

  Wigan

  66,655

  1,933

  1,852

  Barnsley

  41,363

  1,200

  1,149

  Doncaster

  62,198

  1,804

  1,728

  Rotherham

  58,540

  1,698

  1,626

  Sheffield

  92,046

  2,669

  2,557

  Bradford

  109,072

  3,163

  3,030

  Calderdale

  37,935

  1,100

  1,054

  Kirklees

  81,076

  2,351

  2,253

  Leeds

  146,072

  4,236

  4,058

  Wakefield

  63,131

  1,831

  1,754

  Gateshead

  40,458

  1,173

  1,124

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  53,518

  1,552

  1,487

  North Tyneside

  40,501

  1,175

  1,125

  South Tyneside

  31,493

  913

  875

  Sunderland

  65,654

  1,904

  1,824

  Isles of Scilly

  608

  18

  17

  Avon

  177,289

  5,141

  4,926

  Bedfordshire

  105,301

  3,054

  2,926

  Berkshire

  135,540

  3,931

  3,766

  Buckinghamshire

  112,209

  3,254

  3,118

  Cambridgeshire

  103,041

  2,988

  2,863

  Cheshire

  185,457

  5,378

  5,153

  Cleveland

  124,442

  3,609

  3,457

  Cornwall

  86,653

  2,513

  2,407

  Cumbria

  88,947

  2,579

  2,471

  Derbyshire

  168,175

  4,877

  4,672

  Devon

  175,999

  5,104

  4,890

  Dorset

  98,18

  2,847

  2,728

  Durham

  120,743

  3,502

  3,355

  East Sussex

  116,123

  3,368

  3,226

  Essex

  211,358

  6,129

  5,872

  Gloucestershire

  74,050

  2,147

  2,057

  Hampshire

  256,960

  7,452

  7,139

  Hereford and Worcester

  128,339

  3,722

  3,566

  Hertfordshire

  186,227

  5,401

  5,174

  Humberside

  177,122

  5,137

  4,921

  Isle of Wight

  24,264

  704

  674

  Kent

  227,895

  6,609

  6,332

  Lancashire

  294,517

  8,541

  8,183

  Leicestershire

  185,004

  5,365

  5,140

  Lincolnshire

  88,099

  2,555

  2,448

  Norfolk

  124,807

  3,619

  3,468

  North Yorkshire

  138,958

  4,030

  3,861

  Northamptonshire

  109,086

  3,163

  3,031

  Northumberland

  62,398

  1,810

  1,734

  Nottinghamshire

  204,137

  5,920

  5,672

  Oxfordshire

  105,430

  3,057

  2,929

  Shropshire

  79,422

  2,303

  2,207

  556

  LEA expenditure on teachers' salaries

  £ thousand

  Pre-primary and primary, secondary and special schools

  1993–94(actual)

  1994–95 increase (2.9 per cent.)

  1995–96 increase (2.7 per cent.)

  Somerset

  84,749

  2,458

  2,355

  Staffordshire

  193,818

  5,621

  5,385

  Suffolk

  130,118

  3,773

  3,615

  Surrey

  143,690

  4,167

  3,992

  Warwickshire

  90,965

  2,638

  2,527

  West Sussex

  128,568

  3,728

  3,572

  Wiltshire

  96,340

  2,794

  2,677

  Clwyd

  79,496

  2,305

  2,209

  Dyfed

  83,748

  2,429

  2,327

  Gwent

  89,452

  2,594

  2,485

  Gwynedd

  52,783

  1,531

  1,466

  Mid Glamorgan

  126,517

  3,669

  3515

  South Glamorgan

  84,294

  2,445

  2,342

  West Glamorgan

  79,266

  2,299

  2,202

  Powys

  27,607

  801

  767

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment she has made of the total expenditure of her Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies on publicity for each of the years(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95 and (f) 1995–96 (i) to date and (ii) as estimated for the whole year; what estimate she has made of such expenditure for 1996–97; and if she will break these figures down to indicate expenditure on (1) advertising and (2) press and public relations. [11344]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]Before the merger in July 1995, the Department operated separately as the Department for Education and the Employment Department. We will continue to follow separately-funded programmes of publicity until the end of the financial year 1995–96.

  Information on the publicity spend of agencies and non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally by the former Departments. It was not the policy of the former Departments to make use of paid public relations services. Press enquiries were handled by their own specialist staff and costs are not separately identifiable.

  The costs of the total expenditure on publicity and on advertising for the former Departments are as follows:

  £ thousand

  Total publicity expenditure

  Advertising

  ED

  1979–80

  70

  not available

  1989–90

  30,300

  16,630

  1991–92

  18,300

  12,600

  1993–94

  10,970

  7,300

  1994–95

  11,200

  8,000

  1995–96 (to date)

  6,400

  4,500

  1995–96 (estimated for whole year)

  7,595

  6,283

  DFE

  1979–80

  104

  92

  1989–90

  1,400

  250

  1991–92

  8,881

  3,03

  1993–94

  9,994

  1,442

  557

  £ thousand

  Total publicity expenditure

  Advertising

  1994–95

  8,088

  147

  1995–96 (to date)

  1,342

  49

  1995–96 (estimated for whole year)

  5,430

  300

  The projected spending on publicity in the 1996–97 public expenditure survey allocation for the Department is £13,040,000. Details on how this will be divided between various forms of publicity have not yet been agreed.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate she has made of the annual telephone costs to(a) her Department, (b) her Department's agencies and (c) her Department's non-departmental public bodies staff for each of the years (i) 1979–80, (ii) 1989–90, (iii) 1991–92, (iv) 1993–94, (v) 1994–95, (vi) 1995–96 and (vii) 1996–97; and if internal telephone directories are available to staff in all areas of (a) to (c). [11346]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]The information is as follows:a. Telephone costs to the Department

  (i) 1979–80: Figures are not available

  (ii) 1989–90: Figures are not available

  (iii) 1991–92: £6,157,168

  (iv) 1993–94: £6,269,422

  (v) 1994–95: £5,867,605

  (vi) 1995–96: £4,800,000 (estimate)

  (vii) 1996–97: £4,800,000 (estimate)

  For 1995–96 and earlier the figures amalgamate the relevant expenditure of the former Department for Education and the former Department of Employment. The figures for 1993–94 and later years include the telephone costs for the Teacher's Pensions Agency which cannot be separately identified.
  b. Telephone costs to the Employment Service

  (i) 1979–80: Figures are not available

  (ii) 1989–90: Figures are not available

  (iii) 1991–92: Figures are not available

  (iv) 1993–94: £14,900,554

  (v) 1994–95: £13,699,000

  (vi) 1995–96: £12,833,333 (estimate)

  (vii) 1996–97: £12,833,333 (estimate)

  c. Information about telephone costs to the Department's non-departmental public bodies is not available centrally. On availability of internal directories the answers are:

  (a) Yes

  (b) Yes

  (c) Information not available to the DfEE.

  Education, South London
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many (1) church-aided and (2) non-denominational secondary schools which are located within 15 miles of Southwark are(a) grant-maintained and (b) maintained by local authorities. [11937]
  558
  Mrs. Gillan
  The information requested is shown in the following table:

  Maintained secondary schools within 15 miles of the centre of Southwark Local Education Authority (LEA) area November 1995

  Denominational1

  Non-denominational

  LEA maintained schools

  68

  210

  Grant-maintained schools

  50

  63

  1Includes Church of England, Roman Catholic, Jewish, Methodist and other religious denominations.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will institute a public inquiry into the quality of secondary education provision in the London boroughs of Islington, Southwark and Lambeth. [11938]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  No.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will hold discussions with the Lambeth and Southwark education committee chairmen on whether their education policies are meeting the needs of local parents. [11939]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I have had no request for such a meeting nor is there any current intention of Ministers to seek one.

  Employment Service (Safety of Staff)
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what has been the number of attacks on Employment Service office staff in each of the last five years; what assessment she has made as to the causes of such attacks; and if she will make a statement; [11933]

  (2) what account she takes of representations by staff when considering the provision of safety measures in jobcentres; [11934]

  (3) what plans she has to allow additional safety measures to be provided at jobcentres at the request of staff; and what funding she will make available for this purpose. [11935]

  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 front Mike Fogden to Mr. John McAllion, dated 29 January 1996 The Secretary of State for Education and Employment has asked me to reply to your questions concerning attacks on Employment Service (ES) staff.
  All attacks against my people are taken very seriously and we investigate them thoroughly. Fortunately, few of these attacks result in physical injury. The incidence of attacks need to be placed in the context of the some two million contacts we have with the public every week. Seen in that light the likelihood of someone in the Employment Service being attacked is, I am pleased to say, low. That does not diminish our determination to ensure that it is as low as possible and we continue to work to that end. Every incident is studied to assess causes and see if any changes are needed to the existing countermeasures. These studies show that there arc very different factors for each incident, but typical countermeasures will

  559
  include upgrading the security arrangements, better training in customer handling, introducing more effective and efficient working procedures and improving the layout of the office to provide better traffic flow and more accessible escape routes for my people.
  The figures of actual assaults on my people in each of the last five years are:—

  1991: 152

  1992: 203

  1993: 258

  1994: 268

  1995: 234

  A systematic risk assessment, by competent Risk Assessors, to identify and recommend measures to reduce incidents to the minimum practical level has been made of all our Jobcentres in preparation for the introduction of Jobseeker's Allowance (ISA). Trade Union Health and Safety representatives were fully consulted as part of the risk assessment process. Their views were fully taken into account by risk assessors.
  Safety and security measures will receive priority funding and I anticipate no difficulties in implementing the agreed recommendations of Risk Assessors.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Jobseekers (Project Work Scheme)
  Mr. Ian McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her oral statement of 16 January,Official Report, column 610, if she will place in the Library a copy of all correspondence and other data evaluated by her Department relating to the decision to pilot the project work scheme in the Hull and Medway travel-to-work areas. [12156]

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 26 January 1996]The information requested is either data about the labour market, which is publicly available, or pre-existing documents. It would not be appropriate specifically to provide this information in the form requested. However, it may be helpful if I explain the way in which the choice of pilot areas was made. Hull and Medway and Maidstone were two of a number of travel-to-work areas of the right size to mount a manageable pilot at a reasonable cost, while still producing a sample large enough for proper evaluation. They were also relatively self-contained, which minimised the potential for distortion, and they represented two different sorts of labour market. The respective rates of unemployment and very long-term unemployment in the two travel-to-work areas is shown in the following table, compared with the national averages.

  Pilot area

  Unemployment rate Per cent.

  VLTU1 as percentage of total unemployed

  VLTU2 as percentage of total workforce

  Medway and Maidstone

  8.2

  13.7

  1.1

  Hull

  9.9

  18.8

  1.9

  National average

  8.0

  21.6

  1.7

  1Very long-term unemployed, i.e., over 2 years.

  2Seasonally adjusted, and provisional.

  Equal Opportunities Commission
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made 560
  of the effects on the workings of the Sex Discrimination Acts and Equal Pay Act 1970 of the reduction in funding for the Equal Opportunities Commission. [12398]

  Mrs. Gillan
  I expect that the Equal Opportunities Commission will continue to use its resources efficiently and effectively to carry out its statutory duties.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to restore funding to the Equal Opportunities Commission. [12396]

  Mrs. Gillan
  We consider annually the funding requirements of the Equal Opportunities Commission, alongside other calls on public expenditure.

  EU Funding
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how much in(a) ecus and (b) pounds by standard region and in total the United Kingdom received under the European Leonardo programme and its predecessor schemes over the last available five-year period; [11649]

  (2) how much in (a) ecus and (b) pounds by standard region and in total is allocated to the United Kingdom from the European Leonardo programme under the current financial perspectives. [11648]

  Mr. Forth
  The main predecessors of the Leonardo programme were the Comett, Force and Petra programmes. The following tables relate to funding received in the United Kingdom as a whole under these programmes; regional allocations are not available. No financial details of funds received within the Leonardo programme in 1995, its first year of operation, have yet been published by the European Commission.

  Table 1: Figures in 000 ECU

  Year

  Comett

  Force

  Petra

  19901

  —

  —

  —

  1991

  3,048

  21,055

  1992

  6,411

  7,380

  2,796

  1993

  3,871

  3,866

  1994

  3,677

  Not available

  3,274

  1Figures not available for 1990.

  2Excludes placement/exchange activity.

  Table 2: Figures in £000

  Exchange rate I ECU=£0.8472

  Year

  Comets

  Force

  Petra

  19901

  —

  —

  —

  1991

  2,582

  2894

  1992

  5,432

  6,252

  2,369

  1993

  3,280

  3,275

  1994

  3,115

  Not available

  2,774

  1Figures not available for 1990.

  2Excludes placement/exchange activity.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment ( I ) how much in(a) ecus and (b) pounds by standard region and in total the

  561
  United Kingdom received from the European Socrates programme and its predecessor schemes over the last available five years. [11652]

  (2) how much in (a) ecus and (b) pounds by standard region and in total is allocated to the United Kingdom from the European Socrates programme under the current financial perspectives. [11653]

  Mr. Forth
  The main predecessors of the Socrates programme were the Erasmus and Lingua programmes. The following table relates to funding allocated to the United Kingdom as a whole under these programmes; regional allocations are not available. No financial details of grants awarded under the Socrates programme in 1995, its first year of operation, have yet been published by the European Commission.

  ERASMUS1

  LINGUA

  Year

  ECU000

  £0002

  ECU000

  £0002

  1990

  5,372

  4,551

  n/a

  n/a

  1991

  6,822

  5,780

  32,156

  31,827

  European Social Fund Allocations 1991–95

  1994 prices using an exchange rate of £1 = 1.2 ecu

  Community initiatives are included between 1991–93 and excluded for 1994 and 1995

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  Total

  Mecu

  £ million

  Mecu

  £ million

  Mecu

  £ million

  Mecu

  £ million

  Mecu

  £ million

  Mecu

  £ million

  Objective 1

  Northern Ireland

  75

  53

  80

  59

  78

  61

  49

  40

  50

  42

  332

  255

  Merseyside1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  46

  39

  50

  42

  96

  81

  Highlands and Islands1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  8

  7

  9

  7

  17

  14

  Total

  75

  53

  80

  59

  78

  61

  103

  86

  109

  91

  445

  350

  Objective 2

  North-East England

  25

  17

  29

  21

  27

  21

  24

  20

  26

  21

  131

  100

  East England2

  24

  17

  28

  20

  26

  21

  —

  —

  —

  —

  78

  58

  East Midlands1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6

  5

  7

  6

  13

  11

  West Midlands

  19

  13

  22

  16

  20

  16

  30

  25

  31

  26

  122

  96

  North West England

  51

  36

  60

  44

  56

  44

  31

  26

  33

  27

  231

  177

  West Cumbria

  3

  2

  3

  2

  3

  2

  2

  2

  2

  2

  13

  10

  West Scotland

  18

  13

  21

  16

  20

  16

  20

  17

  21

  17

  100

  79

  East Scotland

  6

  4

  7

  5

  7

  5

  8

  8

  8

  7

  36

  29

  South Wales

  14

  10

  17

  12

  16

  12

  15

  12

  16

  13

  78

  59

  North East Wales2

  2

  1

  2

  2

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6

  5

  Yorkshire and Humberside1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  25

  21

  26

  22

  51

  43

  East London and Lea Valley1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6

  5

  6

  5

  12

  10

  Thanet1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  2

  2

  Plymouth

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  2

  2

  4

  4

  Total

  162

  113

  189

  138

  177

  139

  170

  144

  179

  149

  877

  683

  Objectives 3 and 4 Total3

  314

  262

  371

  309

  548

  457

  421

  351

  554

  462

  2,208

  1,841

  Objective 5b

  South West England

  4

  3

  2

  2

  2

  2

  4

  3

  5

  4

  17

  14

  Rural Wales

  4

  3

  2

  2

  2

  2

  4

  3

  5

  4

  17

  14

  Highland and Islands2

  4

  3

  2

  2

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  8

  7

  Dumfries and Galloway1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  2

  2

  The Marches1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  2

  2

  Northern Uplands1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  4

  4

  6

  6

  Lincolnshire1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  2

  2

  East Anglia

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  2

  2

  Borders of Scotland1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  2

  2

  Central Scotland/Tayside1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  2

  2

  Grampian1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  2

  2

  Total

  12

  9

  6

  6

  6

  6

  17

  15

  21

  19

  62

  55

  Grand total

  563

  437

  646

  512

  809

  663

  711

  596

  863

  721

  3,592

  2,929

  1These programmes commenced in 1994.

  2These programme areas were redefined from 1994.

  3Objectives 3 and 4 are national programmes not divided regionally. 1991–93 figures cover both objectives which were amalgamated into Objective 3 from 1994 onwards.

  562

  ERASMUS1

  LINGUA

  Year

  ECU000

  £0002

  ECU000

  £0002

  1992

  9,249

  7,836

  44,210

  43,567

  1993

  9,582

  8,118

  44,769

  44,040

  1994

  10,328

  8,750

  45,283

  44,476

  1Includes LINGUA Action II.

  2At 1 ECU = £0.8472.

  3LINGUA Actions I, III, IV and VB only.

  4LINGUA Actions I, III, IV and V only.

  n/a not available.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much in(a) Ecus and (b) pound sterling by standard region and in total the United Kingdom received under the European social fund over the last available five years. [11660]

  Mr. Forth
  Information by standard region is not available except at disproportionate cost. The following table shows the amounts of European social fund as allocated to the United Kingdom in the years 1991–95.

  EU Funding
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much in(a) ecus and (b) pound sterling by standard region and in total is allocated to the United Kingdom from the European social fund under the present structural funds agreement. [11661]

  Mr. Forth
  Information by standard region is not available except at disproportionate cost. Allocations are

  European Social Fund Allocations 1994–99

  1994 prices using an exchange rate of £1=1.2 ecu

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  Total

  Mecu

  £ million

  Mecu

  £ million

  Mecu

  £ million

  Mecu

  £ million

  Mecu

  £ million

  Mecu

  £ million

  Mecu

  £ million

  Objective 1

  Northern Ireland

  49

  40

  50

  42

  55

  46

  58

  48

  68

  57

  75

  62

  355

  295

  Merseyside

  46

  39

  50

  42

  54

  45

  58

  48

  63

  52

  68

  56

  339

  282

  Highlands and Islands

  8

  7

  9

  7

  9

  8

  9

  8

  10

  8

  10

  8

  55

  46

  Total

  103

  86

  109

  91

  118

  99

  125

  104

  141

  117

  153

  126

  749

  623

  Objective 21

  North East England

  24

  20

  26

  21

  27

  22

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  77

  63

  East Midlands

  6

  5

  7

  6

  7

  6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  20

  17

  West Midlands

  30

  25

  31

  26

  33

  27

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  94

  78

  North West England

  31

  26

  33

  27

  35

  29

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  99

  82

  West Cumbria

  2

  2

  2

  2

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6

  6

  West Scotland

  20

  17

  21

  17

  22

  18

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  63

  52

  East Scotland

  8

  8

  8

  7

  8

  7

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  24

  22

  South Wales

  15

  12

  16

  13

  16

  14

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  47

  39

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  25

  21

  26

  22

  27

  23

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  78

  66

  East London and Lea

  Valley

  6

  5

  6

  5

  6

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1—

  8

  15

  Thanet

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  3

  Plymouth

  2

  2

  2

  2

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6

  6

  Total

  170

  144

  179

  149

  186

  156

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  535

  449

  Objectives 3 and 4 Total2

  421

  351

  554

  462

  526

  438

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3,377

  2,815

  Objective 5b

  South West England

  4

  3

  5

  4

  6

  5

  6

  5

  6

  5

  6

  5

  33

  27

  Rural Wales

  4

  3

  5

  4

  6

  5

  6

  5

  6

  5

  6

  5

  33

  27

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  6

  6

  The Marches

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  2

  1

  2

  1

  8

  6

  Northern Uplands

  2

  2

  4

  4

  3

  2

  5

  4

  3

  2

  3

  2

  20

  16

  Lincolnshire

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  6

  6

  East Anglia

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  2

  1

  2

  1

  1

  1

  9

  6

  Borders of Scotland

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  6

  6

  Central

  Scotland/Tayside

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  6

  6

  Grampian

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  6

  6

  Total

  17

  15

  21

  19

  22

  19

  25

  21

  24

  19

  24

  19

  133

  112

  Grand Total

  711

  596

  863

  721

  852

  712

  150

  125

  165

  136

  177

  145

  4,794

  3.999

  1No indicative allocations available for Objective 2 beyond 1996.

  2The total allocation shown for Objectives 3 and 4 is for six years but a plan for 1997–99 has yet to be agreed.

  Employment Service (Coventry)
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) when the bonus payments paid to Employment Service staff in Coventry began; when the staff of the Coventry Employment Service were notified of the payment of bonuses; and what the conditions of such payments were; [11837]

  (2) when those Coventry Employment Service staff currently in dispute were notified of the payment of bonuses to Employment Service staff; and if they were notified of the conditions that would have to be accepted if they were to receive such payments; [11838]
  564
  set out in the following table. The table shows the amounts of European social fund allocated to the United Kingdom in the years 1994–1999. There are as yet no indicative allocations for objective 2 of the European structural fund in 1997–1999. It will be for the European Commission to decide later this year the share of each eligible member state and for the Government to determine the share between the eligible areas of Great Britain.

  (3) what discussions took place between her Department and Employment Service with regards to the payment of bonuses to Coventry Employment Service staff; [11839]

  (4) what bonus payments to Coventry Employment Service staff have been issued in relation to the introduction of the jobseeker's allowance;[11841]

  (5) what are the reasons, outside those in connection with the introduction of the jobseeker's allowance, for the payment of bonus to Coventry Employment Service staff; and if she will make a statement; [11842]

  (6) what is the cost to date, and what the eventual cost will be, of the payment of bonuses to Employment

  565
  Service staff in (a) Coventry and (b) the United Kingdom as a whole; [11843]

  (7) what relation the payment of bonus to Employment Service staff in Coventry bears to the current dispute within the Employment Service in Coventry; [11844]

  (8) if bonus payments have been issued to the Employment Service staff in Coventry involved in the Coventry Employment Service dispute. [11845]

  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. Jim Cunningham, dated 29 January 1996 The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions about bonus payments to Employment Service staff in Coventry.
  First I must make clear that no bonus payments have been made to staff in my Coventry offices. In three of the four ES offices in Coventry, strike action has been called by the Civil and Public Services Association (CPSA), and it seems that the Association is alleging that bonuses are being paid to staff remaining at work. That is not the case.
  It is open to the Employment Service to make bonus payments under the provisions of its Special Bonus Scheme which began operating in 1989. The Scheme criteria under which a bonus may be paid include recognition of "maintenance of operational effectiveness in exceptionally difficult circumstances".
  Under the Scheme, bonus payments may be authorised by my Regional Directors where they believe the circumstances to warrant such a payment. There is no requirement for discussions to take place between the Employment Service and the Department for Education and Employment in relation to payments made under the ES Special Bonus Scheme.
  My Regional Director for the West Midlands, Rosemary Thew, is currently considering whether to make a bonus payment to staff remaining in work at Coventry. Such a payment would reflect the particularly difficult circumstances at the offices in the City; staff remaining at work are ensuring that the offices continue to function, thus allowing benefit payments and services to be offered to unemployed people and employers in Coventry.
  Any payment made would have no connection with the forthcoming introduction of the Jobseeker's Allowance. As I have indicated they would be designed to recognise the maintenance of services in the exceptionally difficult circumstances occasioned by strike action by those ES employees in Coventry who are members of the CPSA.
  You asked what the cost of paying people bonuses through the Special Bonus Scheme had been to date, and what the eventual cost will be. Some of my Regional Directors in regions other than the West Midlands have made bonus payments totalling £141,000 to people who are delivering our services from some offices affected by the dispute. It is not possible to inform you of the future total cost of such payments as many of my Regional Directors have not yet decided whether they should be made or, if so, for how much.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she has requested the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service to report into the dispute involving the Employment Service. [11840]

  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.
  566
  Letter from Mike Fogden to Mr. Jim Cunningham, dated 29 January 1996 The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the involvement of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) in the trade dispute between the Employment Service and the Civil and Public Services Association (CPSA).
  In early December 1995 ACAS acted upon a request from the CPSA to offer its conciliation services to the parties involved in the dispute. I was pleased to agree to talks under the auspices of ACAS being planned for 19 December. However, at a late stage they were called off because the CPSA decided not to adhere to the agreement we had reached that it would order its striking members back to work before the talks started.
  I hope that this is helpful.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many grant-maintained schools have applied for a change of character; what was the nature of the change; and what was the Secretary of State's decision. [12183]

  Mrs. Gillan
  There have been 211 applications for a significant change of character by grant-maintained schools. The following table shows the nature of the changes applied for and the Secretary of State's decision.

  Number

  To add or extend sixth form

  Applications

  89

  Approved

  38

  Rejected

  .33

  Under consideration

  18

  To add or extend nursery provision

  Applications

  49

  Approved

  16

  Rejected

  11

  Under consideration

  22

  Other change of age range

  Applications

  44

  Approved

  40

  Rejected

  2

  Under consideration

  2

  To add whole or partial selection

  Applications

  26

  Approved

  16

  Rejected

  5

  Under consideration

  5

  To add or remove boarding

  Applications

  2

  Approved

  2

  Rejected

  0

  Under consideration

  0

  Single-sex to co-educational

  Applications

  1

  Approved

  0

  Rejected

  1

  Under consideration

  0

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many grant-maintained schools interview as part of their admissions procedure. [12184]
  567
  Mrs. Gillan
  Some 20 grant-maintained schools have approved admission arrangements which enable them to use interviews other than for the purpose of assessing religious suitability.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to ensure that the membership of training and enterprise council boards includes representatives from firms with(a) under 50 employees, (b) under 20 employees, and (c) under 10 employees. [11959]

  Mr. Paice
  I am satisfied that the current arrangements ensure that small firms are represented on training and enterprise council boards and that TECs consult widely with small businesses in the preparation of their plans.

  Business Start-up Scheme
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 15 January,Official Report, column 357, how many start-ups in each of his tables benefited from (a) start-up grants, (b) survival grants and (c) both. [11945]

  Mr. Paice
  All starts received a start-up grant. The number of 52-week survival grants paid in 1993–94 and 1994–95 is given in the following table. All survivors, therefore, received both start-up and survival grants.

  Business start-up scheme: 52 week survivors in England

  Year

  52-week survivors

  1993–94

  25,282

  1994–95

  24,344

  European Social Fund
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many training places were created(a) in total and (b) by standard region, with assistance from the European social fund in the United Kingdom in each year from 1990 to 1994. [11700]

  Mr. Forth
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy in the Library.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much in(a) ecus and (b) pounds the United Kingdom has been allocated from the European social fund under objectives 3 and 4 between 1994 and 1999. [11701]

  Mr. Forth
  The United Kingdom was allocated 3,377 mecu under objectives 3 and 4 of the European social fund between 1994 and 1999. At an exchange rate of 1.2ecu = £1 this would be £2,815 million.

  Training Schemes
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment her Department has made of the numbers and percentages of(a) firms with under (i) 100 employees, (ii) 50 employees,
  568
  (iii) 20 employees and (iv) 10 employees and (b) start-ups that have participated in Government-funded training schemes in each of the last five years. [11956]

  Mr. Paice
  The Department does not hold the information in the specific form requested. I will write to the hon. Member in due course.

  School Budgets
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will publish the delegated schools budget for 1995–96 for each local education authority combining the budgets for grant-maintained and for local education authority maintained primary and secondary schools. [12341]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The following table shows, for each local education authority, the amount delegated to primary, middle and secondary schools through the aggregated schools budget in 1995–96. The figures are derived from the local management of schools budget statements produced by local education authorities under section 42 of the Education Reform Act 1988.

  The funding of grant-maintained schools is a matter for the Funding Agency for Schools, and I have asked the chairman of the funding agency to arrange for a reply to be sent to the hon. member in respect of the GM sector.

  Funding delegated (1995–96) to primary, middle and secondary schools through ASB

  LEA

  £ million

  Avon

  234.4

  Barking and Dagenham

  50.8

  Barnet

  61.4

  Barnsley

  51.4

  Bedfordshire

  127.8

  Berkshire

  163.9

  Bexley

  50.5

  Birmingham

  275.1

  Bolton

  66.7

  Bradford

  127.8

  Brent

  38.8

  Bromley

  39.5

  Buckinghamshire

  138.1

  Bury

  45.1

  Calderdale

  37.7

  Cambridgeshire

  130.4

  Camden

  43. I

  Cheshire

  248.9

  Corporation of London

  0.7

  Cleveland

  157.3

  Cornwall

  113.9

  Coventry

  87.4

  Croydon

  62.1

  Cumbria

  98.0

  Derbyshire

  185.4

  Devon

  224.4

  Doncaster

  85.1

  Dorset

  117.7

  Dudley

  67.7

  Durham

  146.6

  Ealing

  57.4

  East Sussex

  153.4

  Enfield

  64.9

  Essex

  222.2

  Gateshead

  50.5

  Gloucestershire

  71.2

  Greenwich

  74.0

  Hackney

  51.6

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  31.2

  569

  Funding delegated (1995–96) to primary, middle and secondary schools through ASB

  LEA

  £ million

  Hampshire

  338.7

  Haringey

  59.3

  Harrow

  53.3

  Havering

  56.7

  Hereford and Worcester

  149.3

  Hertfordshire

  226.2

  Hillingdon

  33.8

  Hounslow

  59.7

  Humberside

  237.8

  Isle of Wight

  30.6

  Isles of Scilly

  0.8

  Islington

  53.1

  Kensington and Chelsea

  22.1

  Kent

  277.4

  Kingston

  26.5

  Kirklees

  96.6

  Knowsley

  45.3

  Lambeth

  43.7

  Lancashire

  320.6

  Leeds

  190.2

  Leicestershire

  226.6

  Lewisham

  65.7

  Lincolnshire

  105.3

  Liverpool

  129.4

  Manchester

  114.6

  Merton

  39.8

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  66.2

  Newham

  72.6

  Norfolk

  155.6

  North Tyneside

  49.6

  North Yorkshire

  177.1

  Northamptonshire

  138.1

  Northumberland

  81.7

  Nottinghamshire

  250.3

  Oldham

  68.8

  Oxfordshire

  130.9

  Redbridge

  63.2

  Richmond

  36.0

  Rochdale

  48.7

  Rotherham

  70.5

  Salford

  58.9

  Sandwell

  79.3

  Sefton

  78.5

  Sheffield

  103.9

  Shropshire

  89.9

  Solihull

  59.1

  Somerset

  108.9

  South Tyneside

  39.6

  Southwark

  55.7

  St. Helens

  48.7

  Staffordshire

  243.5

  Stockport

  69.7

  Suffolk

  162.1

  Sunderland

  81.9

  Surrey

  173.2

  Sutton

  30.5

  Tameside

  50.9

  Tower Hamlets

  72.6

  Trafford

  44.2

  Wakefield

  79.1

  Walsall

  62.8

  Waltham Forest

  57.2

  Wandsworth

  37.3

  Warwickshire

  105.4

  West Sussex

  167.2

  Westminster

  38.8

  Wigan

  83.8

  Wiltshire

  104.4

  Wirral

  83.7

  Wolverhampton

  64.7

ENVIRONMENT

  Housing (Elderly People)
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the housing stock in England and Wales was earmarked for the elderly in(a) 1992, (b) 1993, (c) 1994 and (d) 1995; and if he will make a statement. [9477]

  Mr. Clappison
  [holding answer 15 January 1996]The available data on local authority and housing association dwellings in England for elderly people are set out. The figures relate to the stock at 31 March/1 April. Comprehensive data for the private sector are not available.

  Per cent.

  Local authorities Proportion of stock which is:

  Housing associations

  sheltered housing

  other housing intended for the elderly

  Proportion of stock which is for the elderly

  Proportion of bedspaces in hostels which are for the elderly

  1992

  7.9

  9.1

  26.6

  23.9

  1993

  8.0

  9.1

  24.7

  18.4

  1994

  8.0

  9.4

  23.9

  19.0

  1995

  8.0

  9.3

  n/a

  n/a

  Sources

  Local authority—Housing Investment Programme (HIPI) returns Housing associations—HAR10/1 returns.

  For information about Wales, I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Commission for Local Administration in England
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received the report of the review of the local government ombudsman; and when he expects to publish it. [11098]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Following completion of the first stage of his financial, management and policy review of the Commission for Local Administration in England, Sir Geoffrey Chipperfield presented his report to my right hon. Friend and to the chairman of the commission on 30 November 1995. The report is now being carefully considered by Ministers and by the commission and it will be published for wider consideration in due course.

  Rail Services
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what total payment has been made under the standard spending assessment to provide for the additional costs of supporting rail services that have arisen from the privatisation of British Rail. [11318]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  A figure of £89 million has been set aside from within the provisional all other services standard spending assessments for 1996–97 to reflect the costs of supporting rail services that have arisen from restructuring due to the privatisation of British Rail. This takes account of payments made directly to passenger transport executives under British Rail and Railtrack deeds of assumption.

  Single Regeneration Budget
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will increase the funds for the single regeneration budget to ensure a higher success rate in bids. [11609]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  As existing commitments under the programmes combined within the single regeneration budget are fulfilled, so increased resources are being made available for the bidding rounds for the SRB challenge fund. Under current plans, the challenge fund element of the SRB will increase from £125 million in 1995–96 to £600 million in 1988–99. Many unsuccessful bidders from round 1 in 1994 came back with greatly improved and successful bids for round 2, demonstrating the strength of local partnerships. Unsuccessful bidders last year will have the chance to hid again in round 3 this year.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy in respect of changes in public expenditure plans for the regeneration budget before May 1997. [11608]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Regeneration work, such as housing, training and economic development initiatives, are supported through main programme expenditure by various Government Departments. This is supplemented by targeted programmes which have been brought together in the single regeneration budget.

  Under current plans, the single regeneration budget will provide over £1.3 billion for regeneration work in each of the three years 1995–96 to 1997–98—a total of some £4 billion. During this period there will be some £870 million available for funding new regeneration schemes successful in bidding rounds for the competitive SRB challenge fund. In 1998–99, under current plans, the challenge fund element of the SRB will increase to £600 million, by which time new schemes from four bidding rounds will be under way.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 9 January,Official Report, columns 25–26, if he will list for each of the challenge fund schemes which included plans to assist business start-ups how many start-ups they estimated would be helped; and what was the average sum estimated to be made available for each start-up by each scheme. [11944]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Information on the forecast number of business start-ups over the lifetime of each challenge fund scheme is given.

  Information about the average sum estimated to be made available for each start-up for each scheme is not available. As explained in my replies to the hon. Member on 9 January, Official Report, column 25, and 17 January, Official Report column 603, the single regeneration budget challenge fund provides support to local partnerships for schemes which incorporate a wide range of economic, environmental and social measures, including the business start-ups set out in the table. Schemes approved to date stand to receive some £1.7 billion in challenge fund support overall. Within the resources made available to each approved scheme, it is for partnerships to determine the support provided for business start-ups. This accords with our intention of encouraging partnerships to tackle regeneration in ways
  572
  that are appropriate to their local needs and priorities. It is not therefore possible to estimate the sums provided for start-ups from the records held centrally or at Government offices.

  Challenge fund scheme under rounds 1 and 2 and the forecast number of business start-ups over the lifetime of each scheme are as follows:

  Scheme

  Number

  A New Start for Netherfield

  20

  Action for Haslingden

  58

  All Change at Crewe

  28

  Altogether Wight

  436

  Amble Challenge Bid

  10

  Amble Regeneration

  4

  Appleby Heritage Centre

  48

  Ashfield Partnership

  820

  Backing Winners Business Support

  2,250

  Birmingham SRB

  4,861

  Birmingham: 1996–2003

  135

  Blackbird Leys Redevelopment Initiative

  2

  Blackbird Leys/Temple Cowley Regeneration Partnership

  375

  Blackburn SRB

  606

  Blackpool Challenge Partnership

  525

  Blueprint for the Community (Bognor Regis)

  70

  Boston 2000

  278

  Breaking the Cycle—From Dependence to Independence

  30

  Brighton Regeneration Partnership

  47

  Bristol 2020

  67

  Brixham Business Development Project

  40

  Burton: A Better Future

  500

  Business 2000

  673

  Canning Town

  500

  Central Stepney Regeneration Programme

  14

  Chart 99

  30

  Cheetham and Broughton Initiative

  260

  CILNTEC Contributing to A World Class City

  930

  Cityvision's First Challenge Fund Bid for Hull

  62

  Coalfield Renaissance

  368

  Cobridge Community Renewal

  87

  Community Works

  307

  Communities First in Rural Somerset

  21

  Congleton Town and Industry Initiative

  51

  Connected Community for the 21st Century

  5

  Consett Southern Area

  200

  Corby Urban Village Restoration Scheme

  16

  Cornwall Developing in Partnership

  322

  County Durham SRB Partnership

  1,200

  Coventry and Warwickshire Partnerships Ltd.

  1,915

  Creating A Sustainable Black Country Urban Forest

  3

  Creekside Renewal: Building Bridges

  74

  Crime Reduction, Employment and Training Queen Parks Kilburn

  50

  Crosby/Scunthorpe Town Centre

  380

  Cross River Partnership 1995

  97

  Dartford and Thames Gateway Foyer Project

  4

  Derby-DaubHill Deane: A Partnership for Prosperity

  277

  Derby's Rail Corridor—Opportunity for Global Change

  128

  Destination Bassetlaw

  785

  Developing Park Royal's Offer

  106

  Developing Stronger Communities (Barnsley)

  18

  Dewsbury: Fabric for the future

  232

  Dingle 2000

  40

  East Durham Task Force

  500

  East Gateshead Regeneration

  30

  East Kent Initiative

  25

  Economic Development Support for New Business

  850

  Elland Initiative Partnership

  5

  Employment Creation in the Hawtec Area

  1.725

  Empowering Enterprise in Local Communities

  20

  Energise Eastbourne

  200

  573

  Challenge fund scheme under rounds 1 and 2 and the forecast number of business start-ups over the lifetime of each scheme are as follows:

  Scheme

  Number

  Enhancing the Development of Ethnic Minorities

  17

  Enterprise 200 Norfolk and Waveney TEC

  1,050

  EPICC

  21

  Epicentre Strategy

  500

  Foundations for the Future

  530

  Gainsborough Regeneration

  60

  Going for Growth (Doncaster)

  1,310

  Goole "Foundation for the Furure"

  48

  Grays Regeneration

  7

  Greater Peterborough TEC

  480

  Green Street SRB

  300

  Greenwich 2000—Tourism development

  80

  Grimsby Regeneration Partnership

  80

  Grow Your Own Job and Business Diversification Rural Areas

  790

  Growing Together: Youth and Inner City Regen etc. (Sheffield)

  34

  Hamilton Quarter Initiative

  94

  Hardwick Community Partnership Regeneration Project

  36

  Haringey and Enfield Young People and Offenders Emp.

  24

  Hayes/west Drayton Corridor

  200

  Heart of Barrow

  250

  Hertfordshire Enterprise Alliance

  38

  Hertfordshire TEC

  720

  Huddersfield Challenge

  92

  Hulls First SRB Bid

  1,450

  Huyton

  53

  Improving Labour Market Flexibility

  35

  Initiative Burnley

  1,391

  Inner City Lifeline

  166

  Investing in Derby People

  262

  Ipswich West Dock regeneration

  90

  Jobs Guidance and Training for Central London Refugees

  70

  Keighley: A Local Strategy

  630

  Knowsley Industrial Park

  100

  Lairdside

  77

  Lea Bridge—A Gateway to Opportunity

  151

  Lea Valley (Poplar) Joint Venture Initiative

  2

  Leeds: Rebuilding Our Communities

  77

  Leek Regeneration: Securing a Future for a Market Town

  12

  Leicester's 1996-97 Challenge Fund Bid

  128

  London East Manufacturing Initiative

  15

  London East TEC Assist

  300

  Loughborough Town Partnership

  30

  Loughborough University of Tech: a Competiveness Catalyst

  6

  Luton Dunstable Partnership

  157

  Luton Dunstable Partnership—Sustainable Regeneration

  210

  Maidstone Town Centre Initiative

  10

  Manchester City Council

  1,388

  Manufacturing Excellence Programme

  10,000

  Medway Towns Campus Programme

  30

  Meeting the Challenge of Change

  319

  Meeting the Needs of Newham's Communities

  151

  Middlesborough Pride and Enterprise

  93

  Middleton Pride

  94

  Netherton SRB

  54

  Networking Business and the Community

  5

  New Business Growth Programme

  850

  New Business Growth (Phase Two)

  155

  New Dimensions for Stratford and Temple Mills

  181

  New Enterprise Strategy Teeside TEC

  1,500

  New Entrepreneurs Challenge Programme

  2.000

  Newark and Sherwood

  200

  Newhaven Economic Partnership

  107

  Newstead Regeneration Partnership

  4

  574

  Challenge fund scheme under rounds 1 and 2 and the forecast number of business start-ups over the lifetime of each scheme are as follows:

  Scheme

  Number

  Newton 21

  28

  North East Lincolnshire Challenge Bid

  90

  North End/north Lynn Regeneration

  20

  North Liverpool

  250

  North London TEC Support for New Business

  900

  North Shields Town Centre Regeneration Strategy

  359

  North Solihull Challenge

  86

  North West Leicestershire Coalfield Priority Area

  55

  North West London TEC

  540

  Northampton Partnership

  98

  Northern Wards

  127

  Nottingham—Capturing the Dynamics

  600

  Old Trafford Initiative

  340

  Older People—harnessing Potential and Providing Support

  16

  Oldham Partnership

  1,400

  Owton/rossmere Partnership

  86

  Park Royal Partnership Ltd.

  16

  Peckham Partnership

  60

  Plymouth 2000

  684

  Portsmouth and South East Hampshire Partnership

  633

  Qualitec and Partners

  1,100

  Queens Park Challenge Fund

  32

  Raffles Community Development Partnership

  90

  Raising Educational Achievement and Employment in Downham

  5

  Regenerating Central Brighton

  55

  Regenerating King's Cross—Gateway to Europe

  296

  Regenerating Wembley Park

  80

  Regeneration in West Chester

  252

  Regeneration of Shields Road District Centre and Newcastles ea

  24

  Regeneration Through People

  1,000

  Releasing Local Potential

  127

  Remaking Chalkhill

  5

  Removing Barriers—Creating Opportunities Leeds

  777

  Renaissance of Blyth

  40

  Revitalising the City Fringe

  60

  Reviving the Heart of the West End

  64

  Rochdale Canalside

  120

  Roding Valley Partnership

  15

  Roding Valley Partnership

  15

  Roding Valley Partnership—Combined Bid L0026, L0027, L0028

  7

  ROYDS

  50

  Runcorn on the Mersey

  105

  Salford Partnership

  770

  Sanderson Kayser Green Steelworks Etc Pilot (Sheffield)

  12

  Sandwell Regeneration Partnership

  372

  Sandwell: Capacity Building for Urban Regeneration

  78

  Selby Waterfront

  27

  SESKU

  55

  Shaping Rotherhams Future

  804

  Sheffield SRB Scheme

  1,233

  Sherburn Road Regeneration Initiative

  6

  Shropshire Business Support

  750

  Silwood Community Forum

  3

  Sleaford Pride

  45

  Small Business Village

  15

  SOLOTEC Greenwich and Lewisham Access Success Progress

  247

  South Denes Peninsula Regeneration (Great Yarmouth)

  15

  South Leytonstone Community Partnership

  200

  South Tyneside

  60

  South Tyneside Youth to the Future

  116

  South Wandle Regeneration Strategy

  23

  Southampton Regeneration Partnership

  206

  Southampton's Bid

  99

  Speke Garston

  141

  575

  Challenge fund scheme under rounds I and 2 and the forecast number of business start-ups over the lifetime of each scheme are as follows:

  Scheme

  Number

  St. Helens Southern Corridor

  150

  Stratford Regional Station

  4

  Sunderland Partnership

  633

  Support for New and Young Business in Staffordshire

  2,100

  Sustainable Regeneration in Barnsley

  1,400

  Swadlincote Woodlands

  180

  Sydenham Estate Somerset

  40

  Tame Valley Initiative

  586

  Thames Gateway Technology Centre

  90

  The Bakewell Project: A Window of Opportunity

  65

  The Battle for Hastings

  280

  The Brentford Partnership

  23

  The Cannock Gateway Project

  136

  The Castle Pride Initiative Scarborough

  52

  The Centre for Sustainable Living, Castle Hill, Dudley

  12

  The Eastwood/oakhill Challenge (Rotherham)

  6

  The Glossopdale Project

  155

  The Harwich Dimension (Tendring)

  60

  The Heart of Worthing

  30

  The Island and Royal Manor of Portland

  115

  The Lancashire Manufacturing Partnership

  1,000

  The Learning Community Initiative

  20

  The Limes Farm Regeneration Partnership

  12

  The Merseyside Learning Partnership

  38

  The Miles Platting, Ancoats and Northern Quarter (Srb2) Bid

  123

  The Ragworth Regeneration Project

  2

  The Regeneration of Central Accrington

  49

  The Villages Initiative

  3

  The York Regeneration Initiative

  29

  This Partnership Means Business

  2.070

  Toureast London

  19

  Turning the Tide—the Western Approaches

  114

  Turning the Tide Morecombe

  100

  Unlocking the Potential of Young People

  2

  Upper Lee Valley Regeneration

  288

  Urban Regeneration in Barton and Tredworth

  202

  Vauxhall/Lambeth Walk Initiative

  3

  Vauxhall: Crossing the Line

  25

  Vital Centres and Green Links

  15

  Wandle Corridor Regeneration Project

  20

  West Central Halifax A Bid for Prosperity

  161

  West Cornwall Initiative

  488

  West London TEC Economic Development for New Business

  850

  Whitehaven Development Company

  72

  Wigan SRB Partnership

  1,589

  Wisbech

  30

  Wolverhampton

  1,246

  Wolverton: youth, community and Business Symbiosis

  8

  Work and Learn

  15

  Wrens Nest Comprehensive Area Regeneration Scheme

  13

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each local authority in England the(a) total standard spending allocated and (b) amount spent in each year since 1990–91. [11595]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  I have placed the information in the Library of the House.
  576
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the outcome of consultation on the local government finance settlement; and if he will make a statement. [12731]

  Mr. Gummer
  I am today laying before the House the Local Government Finance Report (England) 1996–97, the limitation of Council Tax and Precepts (Relevant Notional Amounts) Report (England) 1996–97, the Special Grant Report (No. 16) and the National Parks Supplementary Grant Report (England) 1996–97. These reports establish the amounts of revenue support grant and non-domestic rates to be paid to local authorities in 1996–97, and the basis of their distribution; specify the amounts which are to be used as the basis of comparison for measuring increases in certain local authorities' budgets in 1996–97 for the purposes of capping, provide for a special standard spending assessment reduction grant to be paid to certain authorities for 1996–97 and specify the amount of supplementary grant to be paid to certain authorities in connection with national parks. Drafts of these reports were issued for consultation on 30 November 1995. Two hundred and fifty authorities made written representations and Ministers met 84 delegations from local councils

  I shall be sending copies of these reports to all authorities today, together with tables showing each authority's standard spending assessment and its entitlement to RSG, NDR and special grant. I have also placed copies of the reports and further information to be sent to the local authority associations in the Library and the Vote Office.

  Asylum Seekers (Benefits)
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to the oral statement of I 1 January,Official Report, columns 331–45 (1) in what proportion he plans that local authorities should be reimbursed for the costs they face in respect of the Social Security (Persons from Abroad) Miscellaneous Amendment Regulations 1996; [11627]

  (2) what estimates he has made of the likely total costs of the assistance he plans should be given to local authorities in respect of costs arising from the Social Security (Persons from Abroad) Miscellaneous Amendment Regulations 1996. [11628]

  Mr. Curry
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, Central (Sir P. Beresford), on 23 January to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn),Official Report, column 204.

  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from local authorities, housing authorities and other bodies on the implementation of clause 9 of the Asylum and Immigration Bill; and if he will place copies of all representations on this matter in the Library. [12109]

  Mr. Clappison
  [holding answer 26 January 1996]No such representations have been received.

  Mr. Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the additional costs
  577
  or savings to housing authorities as a consequence of the implementation of clause 9 of the Asylum and Immigration Bill. [12108]

  Mr. Clappison
  [holding answer 26 January 1996]The effect of the provisions in clause 9 of the Asylum and Immigration Bill will be to relieve local housing authorities of an obligation to provide housing assistance for persons from abroad who are not entitled to social security benefits. Information about the present cost of housing such persons is not collected centrally, but it is expected that worthwhile savings will result in the longer term.

  Council House Receipts
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to the ministerial reply of 22 January,Official Report, column 81, relating to sums received by local government from sale of dwellings, if he will estimate the total unused amounts remaining with receiving local authorities. [11894]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Department does not have information on how much of the receipts from the sale of local authority dwellings is still unused. The stock of usable receipts from all assets stood at £1.5 billion at 31 March 1995. About 90 per cent. of these receipts are held by authorities whose responsibilities include housing. Since 1990, local authorities have been required to set aside 75 per cent. of their capital receipts from the sale of council housing to repay debt, but it is not known how much of these amounts have not yet been used for debt repayment.

  Any unused receipts can be invested and will generate interest for the authority.

  Positive about Disabled People Symbol
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for his Department and each of the agencies for which he is responsible if it uses the Employment Service's positive about disabled people symbol for(a) external recruitment and (b) internal recruitment and promotion. [11923]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  My Department and its agencies do not at present use the Employment Service's positive about disabled people symbol, but there are plans to do so in the near future.

  Case name

  Number of units

  Ballot

  Ballot result (per cent.)

  For

  Against

  Did not vote

  Walterton and Elgin Community Homes

  1918

  Yes

  59

  23

  18

  Westside House, LB Merton

  18

  Yes

  100

  0

  0

  Holtspur, South Buckinghamshire DC

  155

  Yes

  66

  22

  12

  Peterborough individual

  '1

  Yes

  100

  0

  Hayles. LB Southwark

  221

  Yes

  75

  20

  S

  Wheathampstead, St. Albans

  500

  Yes

  1—

  —

  —

  Torbay Tenants

  2.709

  Yes

  8

  85

  7

  Trowbridge Community Homes

  260

  No

  —

  —

  —

  Dawson Heights. LB Southwark

  297

  No

  —

  —

  —

  1Number of properties transferred.

  218 properties to transfer when the transfer takes place.

  3Ballot result not available, but the majority voted against transfer.

  Tenanted Council House Transfers
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much expenditure was incurred by(a) the Housing Corporation and (b) the local authority in relation to each of the proposals for a transfer of tenanted council housing in Torquay to another landlord since 1988; and what were the numbers and percentages of tenants voting (i) for and (ii) against each proposal. [11714]

  Mr. Curry
  The available information is as follows.

  In January 1989, Torbay borough council balloted tenants on its proposal for a large-scale voluntary transfer of 3,425 dwellings to two housing associations. Fifty-nine per cent. of the eligible tenants voted in the ballot, of whom 27 per cent. were in favour of transfer and 73 per cent. voted against.

  In August 1995, 1,971 eligible tenants were balloted on three separate proposals by the Torbay tenants' housing association to take over property in Torquay, Paignton and Brixham under part IV of the Housing Act 1988. Details are in the table.

  Area covered by bid

  Eligible tenants

  Number (percentage) Votes cast

  Ballot result (expressed as percentage of eligible tenants)

  Against

  For

  Torquay

  986

  902 (92)

  844 (86)

  58 (6)

  Paignton1

  715

  667 (93)

  588 (82)

  77 (11)

  Brixham

  270

  254 (94)

  239 (86)

  15 (6)

  Total

  1,971 (100)

  1,823 (93)

  1,671 (85)

  150 (8)

  1Two tenants indicated an express wish to abstain.

  The Housing Corporation's total grant spend on the Torbay tenants' housing association was £1,546,866. The local authority's costs amounted to £650,000.

  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many applications for a transfer of tenanted council properties to another landlord under the provisions of part IV of the Housing Act 1988 have been made since 1988; how many tenancies have been involved; and what was the outcome of the tenants' ballot in each case. [11713]

  Mr. Curry
  Since part IV of the Housing Act 1988 came into force in 1989, there have been nine applications for a transfer of property, seven of which progressed to a ballot of tenants. The available information on these applications is contained in the table.
  579
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total cost to public funds to date of the tenants' advice scheme set up under part IV of the Housing Act 1988 with particular reference to(a) setting up costs incurred by his Department and the Housing Corporation, (b) publicity and promotional expenditure, (c) annual revenue expenditure incurred by the Housing Corporation in each year since 1988, (d) grants to tenants' organisations and others and (e) any other expenditure. [11715]

  Mr. Curry
  The Housing Corporation's total salary costs for tenants' choice activities between 1988–89 and 1994–95 amounted to £2,001,913. Since the scheme's introduction in 1989, the Housing Corporation total grant spend in support of tenants' choice cases has been £3,826,853. The further information requested is not available.

  Charities (Funding)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he issues to local authorities in respect of the provision of public funds to charities, with special reference to charities for the aged. [11647]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]: None.

  Local Government Staff (Redundancy Compensation)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what plans he has to amend part IV of the

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  Value in ECUS

  Value in pounds1

  Value in ECUS

  Value in pounds

  Value in ECUS

  Value in pounds

  Value in ECUS

  Value in pounds

  South West

  961,000

  768,800

  1,162,743

  930,194

  240,608

  192,486

  176,720

  141,376

  South East

  643,000

  514,400

  5,015,790

  4,012,632

  4,113,498

  3,290,798

  4,586,232

  3,668985

  East Anglia

  1,771,900

  1,417,520

  0

  0

  300,000

  240,000

  0

  0

  West Midlands

  159,048

  127,238

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  East Midlands

  1,200,000

  960,000

  0

  0

  1,200,414

  960,331

  345,846

  276,676

  North West

  1,720,000

  1,376,000

  0

  0

  1,452,868

  1,162,294

  2,296,450

  1,837,160

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  0

  0

  517,500

  414,000

  1,397,801

  1,118,240

  503,700

  402,960

  North

  1,868,500

  1,494,000

  611,354

  489,083

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Wales

  0

  0

  647,283

  517,826

  363,408

  290,726

  796,000

  636,800

  Scotland

  1,071,500

  857,200

  575,151

  460,120

  987,022

  789,617

  280,500

  224,400

  Northern Ireland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  439,232

  351,385

  0

  0

  UK total

  9,394,948

  7,515,158

  8,529,821

  6,823,855

  1,049,485

  8,395,877

  8,985,448

  7,188,357

  1To take account of currency fluctuations, £1 is considered to be equal to 1.2 ecu.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much in(a) ecus and (b) pounds by standard region and in total is allocated to the United Kingdom from the European LIFE programme under the current financial perspectives. [11651]

  Mr. Clappison
  There is no allocation of LIFE funds to any member state or region within the European Union. Funds were distributed to the highest quality proposals wherever they may come from, and are paid directly by the EC Commission to the successful applicant.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much in(a) ecus and (b) pound sterling by standard region and in total the United Kingdom
  580
  Local Government (Compensation for Redundancy) Regulations 1994; and if he will make a statement; [11971]

  (2) how many representations his Department has received in the last 18 months on the operation part IV of the Local Government (Compensation for Redundancy) Regulations 1994; and if he will make a statement. [11972]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Part IV of the Local Government (Compensation for Redundancy) Regulations 1994 came into force on 28 December 1994 and gave local authorities in England and Wales discretionary powers to make compensatory payments by 28 June 1995 to former employees who had their pensions reduced as a consequence of a Court of Appeal judgment in Allsop v.North Tyneside metropolitan borough council. My right hon. Friend has no plans to introduce further provisions. Thirty-six items of correspondence were received while part IV of the regulations was in force; in addition, 35 items were received prior to the provisions coming into force, and since 29 June 1995.

  European Funding
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much in(a) ecus and (b) pounds by standard region and in total the United Kingdom received under the European LIFE programme and its predecessor programmes over the last available five years. [11650]

  Mr. Clappison
  Information on the distribution of monies from the EC LIFE fund and its predecessors is available for the last four years only. This is set out, indicating the standard statistical region where the organisation running each project is based.

  received under the European SAVE programme and its predecessor programmes over the last available five years.[11664]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  This information is not centrally available, as levels of funding for specific projects supported under the SAVE programme are a contractual matter between the European Commission and those carrying out each project.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much in(a) ecus and (b) pound sterling by standard region and in total is allocated to the United Kingdom from the European SAVE programme under the current financial perspectives. [11665]
  581
  Mr. Jones
  Payments from European Union expenditure programmes are not allocated to member states in the legislation supporting the programmes.

  Rents-to-mortgages Scheme
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the take-up of the rents-to-mortgages scheme in 1996. [11848]

  Mr. Clappison
  Returns so far received from local authorities for the period to 30 September 1995 report that 15 sales have already been completed, and around 50 more applications have been accepted which may translate into sales.

  Mine Safety
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action has been taken in the British coal industry to ensure that the Safety Committee Regulations 1977 are in place, with particular reference to the provision of information relevant to the maintenance of safety in the mine. [11484]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Health and Safety Commission issued a consultative document in October 1995 on proposed regulations concerning employers' duties to consult their employees about health and safety matters in undertakings where there is no recognised trade union. These regulations would apply to coal mines but they would also extend the provisions of the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977, as amended by the Management of Health and Safety Regulations 1992, to coal mines where there are recognised trade unions.

  Rural Charter
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he plans to launch the rural charter initiative promised in his White Paper "Rural England". [12337]

  Mr. Clappison
  The rural charter initiative, including the rural services checklist, was launched on 1 November 1995. I have arranged for a copy of the checklist to be placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Rural Planning Guidance
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the revised rural planning guidance note PPG7. [12338]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  We intend to issue a draft revision of planning policy guidance note 7, "The Countryside and the Rural Economy", later this year. This will fulfil a commitment made in the rural White Paper.

  Planning (Rural Business Use)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultation he has carried out on the 582
  introduction of a new rural business use class within the planning system; and if he will make a statement. [12339]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  My officials are currently preparing a public consultation paper on the possible introduction of a new rural business use class, as promised in the rural White Paper, Cm 3016. We hope to issue it in the spring.

  Business Rate Relief Scheme
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish his consultative document on the new business rate relief scheme proposed in the White Paper "Rural England", and by what date comments on it will be expected. [12340]

  Mr. Clappison
  We expect to publish a consultation paper before Easter, and to allow six weeks for comments.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Unemployment Benefit (Women)
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many women workers claimed unemployment benefit(a) successfully and (b) unsuccessfully while their partners remained in work in each of the last 10 years. [9937]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information is not available. Unemployment benefit is a personal benefit. Questions relating to the claimant's partner are asked only if an adult dependency addition is being claimed.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the expenditure in 1995 of providing(a) maternity payments, (b) funeral expenses and (c) cold weather payments for the last three years expressed in (1) cash terms, (2) cash terms at 1992–93 prices and (3) as a percentage of total social security expenditure, (i) in total, (ii) by region and (iii) by his Department's offices. [9485]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information requested by region and district office could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Such information as is available is set out in the table.

  Cash terms (£ million)

  1992–93 prices (£ million)

  Percentage of total social security benefit expenditure per cent.

  Great Britain expenditure April—December 1995

  Maternity

  payments

  16.21

  15.05

  See note 2

  Funeral

  payments

  35.61

  33.06

  See note 2

  Cold weather payments

  32.00 (estimate)

  29.70

  see note 2

  Great Britain expenditure 1994–95

  Maternity payments

  22.24

  21.21

  0.03

  Funeral payments

  62.83

  59.92

  0.07

  Cold weather payments

  0.08

  0.08

  0.00

  583

  Cash terms (£ million)

  1992–93 prices (£ million)

  Percentage of total social security benefit expenditure per cent.

  Great Britain expenditure 1993–94

  Maternity payments

  23.27

  22.61

  0.03

  Funeral payments

  62.46

  60.69

  0.08

  Cold weather payments

  12.40

  12.05

  0.02

  Great Britain experience 1992–93

  Maternity payments

  23.07

  23.07

  0.03

  Funeral payments

  49.45

  49.45

  0.07

  Cold weather payments

  15.00

  15.00

  0.02

  1. The percentage of total Social Security benefits expenditure has been calculated by reference to the figures in the Social Security Departmental Report for 1995. They include additional local authority expenditure on Housing Benefit, Community Charge Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

  2. Figures for total benefit expenditure figures for 1995–96 are not yet available; a reliable comparison, based on planned expenditure, for a part year cannot be made.

  3. Figures for total benefit expenditure figures for 1994–95 are estimated outturn.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was(a) the total social fund expenditure,
  (b) income from re-paid grants for each year since 1988, (c) the proportion of total income required for administration and (d) the number of loans and grants paid each year. [11672]

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  The information relating to total social fund expenditure, recoveries from pre-paid awards, and the number of loans and grants awarded for year since 1988 is contained in the Secretary of State's annual reports on the social fund, copies of which are available in the Library.

  For information on administration costs since 1988, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Islington South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) on 29 November 1995, Official Report, columns 748–50.

  Social Security
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is his estimate of the effect on revenues in(a) 1996–97 and (b) 1997–98 of the proposal to limit housing benefit for single people under 25 years to the average cost of local shared accommodation; [8506]

  (2) what is his estimate of the effect on revenues in (a) 1996–97 and (b) 1997–98 of the freeze in (a) lone parent premium and (b) one parent benefit in April 1996; [8518]

  (3) what estimate he has made of the effect on revenues in (a) 1996–97 and (b) 1997–98 of the real increase in April 1996 in non-dependant deductions for housing
  584
  costs; how many people he estimates will be affected in each of these years; and if he will make a statement setting out the reasons for the increase; [8504]

  (4) what estimate he has made of the effect on revenues in (a) 1996–97 and (b) 1997–98 of the change in the family credit rules from July 1996 regarding awards when the youngest child has left school; [8520]

  (5) what is his estimate of the effect on revenues in (a) 1996–97 and (b) 1997–98 of the proposal to double the minimum payment of child maintenance under the Child Support Act from April 1996; [8507]

  (6) what estimate he has made of the effect on revenues in (a) 1996–97 and (b) 1997–98 of the proposal to pay housing benefit in arrears rather than in advance; [8509]

  (7) how the estimate given in his uprating statement on 29 November of £500 million in benefit savings in 1996–97 and over £1 billion savings in 1998 was calculated, itemising savings for each measure he is introducing. [8517]

  Mr. Burt
  Reductions in expenditure from measures announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. in the social security statement on 29 November,Official Report, column 1212–15 are set out in the table.

  Overall figures differ from those underlying the statement following the announcement on benefits for asylum seekers on 11 January and other revisions to estimates in some areas. A number of measures are subject to the outcome of consultation and the passage of legislation. The number of cases affected by the changes to non-dependant deduction rates is, in 1996–97, 55,000 on income support, 390,000 on housing benefit and 475,000 on council tax benefit, and, in 1997–98, 55,000 on income support, 390,000 on housing benefit and 485,000 on council tax benefit.

  £million, rounded to the nearest £5 million

  Measure

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Asylum seekers and persons from abroad

  -145

  -295

  -290

  Additional anti-fraud measures

  -120

  -235

  -300

  Housing Benefit—changes for under 25s

  -15

  -65

  -70

  Housing Benefit—effect of above RPI increase in non-dependent deductions

  -30

  -35

  -35

  Housing Benefit—change in payment arrangements

  -105

  -120

  -75

  One Parent Benefit—no cash increase in April 1996

  -5

  -5

  -5

  Lone Parent Premium—no cash increase in April 1996

  -10

  -10

  -10

  Child Support—increase in minimum maintenance

  -10

  -10

  -15

  Disability Living Allowance— improving quality and level of information to decision-makers

  -20

  -95

  -165

  Disability Living Allowance— mobility component for hospital in-patients

  -30

  -40

  -45

  Industrial Injuries Benefit— changes to reduced earnings allowance

  -25

  -35

  -35

  585

  £million, rounded to the nearest £5 million

  Measure

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Family Credit—change in rules

  where youngest child has left

  school

  -5

  -10

  -10

  Total

  -520

  -955

  -1,055

  1. Numbers affected are rounded to the nearest 5,000.

  2. Figures cannot be aggregated due to overlapping benefit entitlement.

  3. Some of the numbers affected (about 5,000 for each benefit in each year) will be gainers from the changes to income thresholds.

  Pensioners' Incomes
  Sir Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of pensioners are identified as receiving income from savings; and what is the mean and median amount received for the latest year for which figures are available. [10200]

  Mr. Heald
  The latest available information is for 1993, when it is estimated that 73 per cent. of pensioner units were receiving income from savings. The mean amount received in 1993 is estimated to be £28.40 per week and the median is estimated at £4.90.

  Notes:

  1. Source: Analysis of the 1993 family expenditure survey.

  2. Amounts quoted are at July 1993 prices.

  3. A pensioner unit is defined as a single person over state pension age or a couple where the husband, or head, is over state pension age.

  Pensioners' Benefits
  Sir Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action he has taken and plans to take to improve income support and housing benefit take-up by pensioners. [10208]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The Government's role is to ensure that help is there for those who need it and that people are in a position to make informed choices on whether to claim benefit. To this end, the Department is involved in a wide range of national and local initiatives to ensure that accurate and accessible information is available. These are often undertaken in conjunction with local interest and advice groups.

  Further, local authorities have a statutory duty to publicise housing benefit.

  Industrial Injuries
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he has taken to implement the recommendations of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council on hand arm vibration syndrome; and if he will make a statement. [10180]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  We are currently considering the complex practical and administrative issues raised by the recommendations made by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council in its report "Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome" (Cm 2844) and expect to announce a response shortly.

  Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what guidance is being given to adjudication officers in the period when the guidance on myalgic encephalomyelitis is being re-drafted; [10767]

  (2) what monitoring of the decisions of adjudication officers in respect of benefit claims made by people affected by myalgic encephalomyelitis is being undertaken by his Department. [10766]

  Mr. Burt
  Advice to adjudication officers on myalgic encephalomyelitis is contained in the disability handbook. This is currently being redrafted following discussions with the ME Association. In the meantime, adjudication officers are using existing guidance, but have been advised that they must consider all the evidence in the case to support their decision. Monitoring is undertaken on a random basis. Cases selected which involve myalgic encephalomyelitis are checked to ensure adjudication officers have taken this advice into account.

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the number of claims made for(a) incapacity benefit and (b) the disability living allowance by claimants who suffer from myalgic encephalomyelitis since the inception of the scheme; [10832]

  (2) how many claims for (a) incapacity benefit and (b) disability living allowance made by claimants who suffer from myalgic encephalomyelitis have been refused in each month since the inception of each scheme. [10765]

  Mr. Burt
  The information is not available.

  Cold Weather Payments
  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the criteria for determining the temperature at which cold weather payments are triggered(a) generally, (b) in the Barking constituency and (c) in the Dagenham constituency; and what plans he has to review these criteria. [11476]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The criteria for determining cold weather payment trigger temperatures are the same throughout the country: when the average temperature is, or is forecast to be, 0?C (freezing point) or below over any seven consecutive day period. We consider this to he a reasonable indication of a sustained period of very cold weather not normally expected to occur in the majority of British winters. The weather stations used for Barking are Heathrow and Stanstead. Dagenham is served solely by Stanstead.

  There are no plans for major changes to the scheme.

  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many times the Tiree monitoring station has triggered the system of cold weather payments since it was first designated for such purposes. [10679]

  Mr. Evans
  Since 1 November 1991, when Tiree was first used in the cold weather payment scheme, no triggers have occurred.

  Incapacity Benefit
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average time between the lodging of an appeal to a tribunal and a decision being reached by a tribunal for people appealing against a decision relating to the all-work medical test for incapacity benefit. [11196]

  Mr. Burt
  The information is not held centrally and could he obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Housing Benefits
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of expenditure in Scotland in 1995–96 and 1996–97 on(a) income support for mortgage interest payments and (b) housing benefit. [11141]

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

  Projected expenditure in Scotland

  £ million 1995–96

  1996–97

  Income Support mortgage interest payments

  35

  35

  Housing Benefit

  890

  980

  1. The income support mortgage interest figures for Scotland for 1995–96 and 1996–97 have been derived by applying the same percentage of estimated expenditure for Scotland in 1994–95 to projected expenditure for Great Britain in 1995–96 and 1996–97.

  2. Figures are rounded to the nearest £5 million.

  Benefit Fraud
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals he has to improve the sharing of information and promotion of best practice by Government agencies and Departments in tackling organised benefit fraud. [9980]

  Mr. Heald
  Where more than one investigative body is engaged in the detection of organised fraud offences being perpetrated by the same offenders, it is our practice that those bodies work together where it is the most effective way of pursuing an investigation. In this context, information is shared whenever it is appropriate to do so.

  Benefits Agency organised fraud investigators employed exclusively to tackle organised fraud are involved with Home Office initiatives such as the joint action group and the National Criminal Investigation Service which have been specifically set up to share information about serious fraud and discuss the best way of combatting this threat across different agencies. This multi-agency approach ensures that the most efficient and effective use of resources is employed, and best practices adopted.

  Welfare Provision
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what comparisons of the British welfare state provision he has made with those of Singapore; and if he will make a statement. [11521]
  588
  Mr. Lilley
  I regularly consider international experience of alternative state welfare systems but these are not always directly transferable to the particular circumstances of the UK. I have not studied the Singapore system in detail but I note that the Singapore Government have control over the bulk of money people are required to invest for their pensions and other welfare benefits.

  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.

  Benefit Statistics
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the take up level of(a) income support and (b) housing benefit for entitled persons in the (i) 60 to 65, (ii) 65 to 70, (iii) 70 to 75 and (iv) over 75 years of age groups; and if he will make a statement. [11522]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information is not readily available and, where obtainable, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Social Security (Persons From Abroad) Regulations
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the consultations that have taken place with welfare and refugee organisations since October 1995 concerning the Social Security (Persons from Abroad) draft Regulations. [11523]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Representations from many welfare and refugee organisations were received by the Social Security Advisory Committee during the course of its consultation exercise. The Committee's report to the Secretary of State for Social Security was approved on 8 December 1995 and subsequently published as part of Command Paper Cm. 3062. Appendix 1 of the report contains a list of the representations received.

  State Pensions
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the average level of state pension, the cost per head of the total population and the proportion of total Government expenditure required for state pensions for(a) the United Kingdom, (b) France, (c) Italy, (d) the Netherlands, (e) Singapore, (f) Japan, (g) Australia and (h) New Zealand. [11524]

  Mr. Heald
  Comparable information on state pensions is not available in the format requested and could he provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Information on retirement pensions in EU member states is contained in the "MISSOC" tables, "Social Protection in the Member States of the Community". published by the European Commission, and in the Eurostat publication "Digest of statistics on social protection in Europe Volume 1: Old Age." Information on old-age pensions in Australia may be found in comparative tables of social security schemes, published

  589
  by the Council of Europe. Information about state pensions in Japan and New Zealand and old-age benefits in Singapore are in "Social Security Programs Throughout the World", published by Social Security Administration, USA.

  Copies of the publications referred to above are in the Library.

  £ per week

  Basic rates of retirement pension

  Value of RP at April 1975 prices

  Rate of RP if uprated by earnings since November 1979

  Single

  Couple

  Single

  Couple

  Single

  Couple

  April 1975

  11.6

  18.50

  11.60

  18.50

  —

  —

  November 1975

  13.30

  21.20

  11.91

  18.98

  —

  —

  November 1976

  15.30

  24.50

  11.91

  19.08

  —

  —

  November 1977

  17.50

  28.00

  12.06

  19.29

  —

  —

  November 1978

  19.50

  31.20

  12.43

  19.89

  —

  —

  November 1979

  23.30

  37.30

  12.65

  20.26

  23.30

  37.30

  November 1980

  27.15

  43.45

  12.79

  20.46

  27.60

  44.20

  November 1981

  29.60

  47.35

  12.45

  19.92

  30.75

  49.25

  November 1982

  32.85

  52.55

  13.01

  20.80

  33.35

  53.40

  November 1983

  34.05

  54.50

  12.86

  20.58

  36.25

  58.05

  November 1984

  35.80

  57.30

  12.88

  20.62

  38.05

  60.95

  November 1985

  38.30

  61.30

  13.07

  20.91

  41.35

  66.25

  July 1986

  38.70

  61.95

  12.99

  20.79

  43.15

  69.15

  April 1987

  39.50

  63.25

  12.70

  20.33

  45.55

  73.00

  April 1988

  41.15

  65.90

  12.73

  20.38

  49.10

  78.70

  April 1989

  43.60

  69.80

  12.48

  19.98

  53.45

  85.70

  April 1990

  46.90

  75.10

  12.27

  19.65

  58.65

  94.05

  April 1991

  52.00

  83.25

  12.79

  20.47

  64.20

  102.95

  April 1992

  54.15

  86.70

  12.77

  20.44

  69.25

  111.05

  April 1993

  56.10

  89.80

  13.06

  20.90

  72.65

  116.50

  April 1994

  57.60

  92.10

  13.07

  20.90

  74.75

  119.85

  April 1995

  58.85

  94.10

  12.93

  20.67

  77.75

  124.65

  April 1996

  61 15

  97.75

  —

  —

  80.25

  128.65

  1. The values of RP uprated by earnings have been rounded to the nearest 5 pence.

  2. The retail price index (all items), and the average earnings index (Whole economy unadjusted) as published by the central statistical office.

  3. It is not yet possible to provide a figure for the April 1996 RP rates at 1975 levels.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the average level of pension expectation for holders of SERPS since 1978 in cash terms and at 1978 prices. [11547]

  Mr. Heald
  The amount of additional pension depends on the number of years a person has contributed to SERPS and their earnings in each year. The table shows entitlement to additional pension for men on average male earnings and women on average female earnings who have contributed to SERPS in each year since 1978–79 and who reached pension age in the year shown in the left-hand column.

  Additional Pension for a person on average earnings since 1978–79

  £ per week

  At award

  At 1995–96 prices

  At November 1978 prices

  Pension age reached in:

  Men

  Women

  Men

  Women

  Men

  Women

  1991–92

  42.30

  25.30

  47.40

  28.40

  16.30

  9.80

  1992–93

  49.80

  29.90

  53.70

  32.20

  18.50

  11.10

  1993–94

  56.90

  34.50

  59.20

  35.90

  20.40

  12.40

  1994–95

  63.70

  38.90

  65.10

  39.70

  22.40

  13.70

  1995–96

  69.70

  42.80

  69.70

  42.80

  24.00

  14.80

  All figures are rounded to the nearest ten pence.
  590
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the cash level of the state pension for each year since 1975 and its value in 1975 prices; and if he will estimate the value since 1980 if the rate had been linked to earnings. [11525]

  Mr. Heald
  The available information is in the table.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each year since 1966(a) the total number of national insurance numbers in the United Kingdom, (b) the new numbers issued and (c) the total taken out of use; and if he will make a statement on the relation of (a) to (c) to the total number of people (i) working and (ii) potentially available for work. [11546]

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

  Tax year

  Total number of National Insurance Numbers in the United Kingdom

  Total number of new National Insurance Numbers issued

  1965–66

  35,885,700

  —

  1966–67

  36,947,100

  1,061,400

  1967–68

  37,725,600

  778,500

  1968–69

  38,849,200

  1,123,600

  1969–70

  39,766,000

  916,800

  1970–71

  40,594,300

  828,300

  1971–72

  41,626,500

  1,032,200

  1972–73

  42,260,300

  633,800

  1973–74

  42,568,800

  308,500

  1974–75

  43,650,700

  1,081,900

  1975–76

  44,858,700

  1,208,000

  591

  Tax year

  Total number of National Insurance Numbers in the United Kingdom

  Total number of new National Insurance Numbers issued

  1976–77

  46,351,000

  1,492,300

  1977–78

  47,401,100

  1,050,100

  1978–79

  48,453,200

  1,052,100

  1979–80

  49,547,100

  1,093,900

  1980–81

  50,607,200

  1,060,100

  1981–82

  51,634,600

  1,027,400

  1982–83

  52,647,700

  1,013,100

  1983–84

  53,655,600

  1,007,900

  1984–85

  54,670,000

  1,014,400

  1985–86

  55,682,000

  1,012,000

  1986–87

  56,708,200

  1,026,200

  1987–88

  57,722,900

  1,014,700

  1988–89

  58,709,400

  986,500

  1989–90

  59,659,800

  950,400

  1990–91

  60,573,400

  913,600

  1991–92

  61,420,100

  846,700

  1992–93

  62,223,300

  803,200

  1993–94

  63,020,900

  797,600

  1994–95

  63,850,100

  829,200

  Source

  1 per cent, sample of the National Insurance Recording System (NIRS).

  EU Residents (Benefit Entitlement)
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make an estimate of the saving to public funds of the introduction of a five-year residency rule for benefit entitlement in the case of citizens of countries outside the European economic area seeking to live in the United Kingdom. [12206]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  There is insufficient information upon which to base a reasonable estimate.

  Child Care
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the figures for the take-up in Wales, and the United Kingdom as a whole, of the child care disregard for families in receipt of housing benefit and family credit since its introduction; if he will provide the same figures for single parent families only; and if he will make a statement about what promotional activity has been undertaken to inform the public of the increase in the child care disregard announced in the Budget. [12402]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Between 4 October 1994 and 30 September 1995, approximately 28,000 families in Great Britain benefited from the child care disregard in family credit. As at 30 September 1995, about 21,000 families in Great Britain, of whom 20,000 were lone parents, were receiving help, including about 1,000 families in Wales. Information on families receiving the help through housing benefit will not be available until later this year and take-up estimates are not available for any benefit. Figures for Northern Ireland fall within the remit of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  The further increase in the disregard announced in the Budget was publicised through a press release in
  592
  November 1995. Further publicity measures are still under consideration but will include references in leaflets, the child benefit order book and in a newspaper covering work, benefit and training issues in an easy-to-read form. produced by the Department and distributed by the Benefits Agency and Employment Services.

  Source

  Five per cent. sample of family credit awards between 4 October 1994 and 30 September 1995; and as at 30 September 1995.

  Disabled People (Access)
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what assessment he has made of the accessibility of Benefits Agency offices to disabled people; what percentage remain inaccessible to disabled people in terms of(a) physical and (b) sensory disability; and if he will make a statement; [9284]

  (2) how he assesses the accessibility of offices other than those of the Benefits Agency for which he is responsible to disabled people; what percentage remains inaccessible to disabled people in terms of (a) physical and (b) sensory disability; and if he will make a statement. [9251]

  Mr. Burt
  This is a matter for Mr. Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available.

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Gordon McMaster, dated 26 January 1996 The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions asking what assessment he has made of the accessibility of Benefits Agency offices to disabled people; and how he assesses the accessibility of offices other than those of the Benefits Agency (BA) for which he is responsible to disabled people; what percentage remain inaccessible to disabled people in terms of (a) physical and (b) sensory disability; and if he will make a statement.
  The BA shares its public outlets with the Child Support Agency and War Pensions Agency. The Contributions Agency has public access at only 4 of its independent sites and the Independent Tribunal Service has 44 sites with public access. Caller enquiries relating to the BA, Contributions Agency, Child Support Agency and War Pensions Agency are generally all handled at offices operated by the BA.
  Annexe A shows the percentage of offices that we consider are accessible to physically disabled persons.
  The accessibility of buildings is assessed on a quarterly basis. The data collated includes details on whether the building is provided with level access, a ramp or lift to avoid steps or stairways. if it has a loop-aid or minicom system to assist those with hearing difficulties and if it has any special features to assist blind or partially sighted visitors. Disabled access is automatically considered for all new buildings and major refurbishments on existing buildings.
  The provision of Loop Systems to aid the hard of hearing and special signs for the blind and partially sighted are a standard design consideration in major refurbishment or new buildings. Sixty seven percent of existing buildings have had loop-aid systems installed.
  Offices which remain inaccessible are treated as a priority for capital funding, providing modification of the building is technically possible.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.
  593

  Annexe A

  Agency

  Number with flat/ramped access

  Number without flat/ramped access

  Benefits agency

  614 (84 per cent.)

  117 (16 per cent.)

  (including Child

  Support

  Contributions and

  War Pensions

  Agency)

  Contributions agency

  4 (100 per cent.)

  0

  Independent tribunal service

  38 (86 per cent.)

  6 (14 per cent.)

  Figures are provisional and subject to amendment.

  Widows' Pensions
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many women in receipt of a widow's pension have had their income entitlement reassessed in the last six months because of miscalculations by his Department relating to the former husband having contracted out of his state pension arrangements. [12117]

  Mr. Heald
  This is a matter for Peter Mathison, chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mrs. Ann Taylor dated 26 January 1996 The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many women in receipt of a Widows Pension (WP) have had their income entitlement reassessed in the last six months because of miscalculations by his Department relating to the former husband having contracted out of his state pension arrangements.
  All new awards of WP from October 1995 have been assessed correctly following a change to the computer system. The Benefits Agency is in the process of examining all WP cases that existed prior to October 1995. Until this exercise has been completed figures will not be available. Completion is due by the end of March 1996.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish(a) the current cost of providing social security payments to asylum seekers broken down by type of benefit, numbers of claimants and regional location and (b) any guidance or procedures issued which are currently in force on social security payments of any kind to asylum seekers. [12106]

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  The administration of income support is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. George Howarth, dated 26 January 1996 The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking if he will publish (a) the current cost of providing social security payments to asylum seekers broken down by type of benefit, numbers of claimants and regional location and (b) any guidance or procedures issued which are currently in force on social security payments of any kind to asylum seekers.
  The information is not available in the format requested. In May 1994, the most recent date for which complete information is available, expenditure on Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit for asylum seekers was an estimated £4.7 million per week in total. this comprised £2.4 million Income Support, £2.2 million Housing Benefit and £0.1 million Council Tax
  594
  Benefit. There were just over 42,000 claims to Income Support from Asylum Seekers, of which 28,000 were also claiming Housing Benefit and 11,000 claiming Council Tax Benefit. Regional figures and information on other benefits is unavailable.
  Guidance on asylum seekers is available in the Adjudication Officer's Guide paragraphs 28751–28900. The Handbook "Persons from abroad for Income Support staff" provides procedural guidance for BA staff. These are available in the Library.
  I hope you find this reply helpful

WALES

  NHS Trusts
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish information on the management costs of NHS trusts in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [6023]

  Mr. Richards
  [pursuant to his reply 12 December 1995]Management cost savings targets for 1996–97 amounting to £3.25 million will be issued today to health authorities and NHS trusts in Wales. This completes the transfer of £12.5 million to direct patient services which was announced in "Caring for the Future". A copy of the letter (DGM(96)10) has been placed in the Library of the House.

  There are currently 29 NHS trusts in Wales. My right hon. Friend and I have received applications from the last three directly-managed-units in Wales to become NHS trusts from April 1996. Public consultation on these three applications ended on 24 December 1995.

  Taking full account of the many representations received, and of the individual merits of each case, my right hon. Friend has decided to approve the applications.

  Merthyr and Cynon Valley health unit will become the North Glamorgan NHS trust on 26 February 1996. The Glan Hafren NHS trust and Bridgend and district NJS trust will both be dissolved on 31 March 1996 and immediately re-established incorporating the Rhymney Valley health unit and Hensol health unit respectively. All three new trusts will become operational on 1 April.

  The orders giving effect to these decisions have been signed today. We will announce shortly the details on the chairman and non-executive directors of the new North Glamorgan NHS trust.

  Today's announcement confirms that, from 1 April 1996, all acute, community health, mental health and ambulance services in Wales will be delivered by NHS trusts. This will be a further stimulus to improving efficiency in the NHS in Wales.

  Hospital Patients
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the average number of patients per hospital bed for each major specialty in each year since 1989–90; and what was the percentage change over the entire period. [10784]

  Mr. Richards
  The information, which relates to NHS hospitals in Wales, is given in the following table. Only acute specialities where there were in-patient cases in both 1989–90 and 1994–95 have been included.
  595

  Number of in-patient cases per average daily available bed

  Percentage change

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1989–90 to 1994–95

  General surgery

  43.0

  42.8

  44.8

  47.0

  50.0

  52.1

  21

  Urology

  46.0

  45.5

  49.0

  49.9

  51.4

  55.5

  21

  Trauma and orthopaedic

  30.6

  31.5

  34.1

  35.8

  35.6

  37.6

  23

  Ear, nose and throat

  67.5

  66.2

  71.5

  77.4

  80.6

  78.6

  16

  Ophthalmology

  51.5

  53.8

  57.9

  64.6

  67.0

  72.5

  41

  Oral surgery

  92.8

  92.1

  87.0

  87.9

  86.4

  88.7

  -4

  Neurosurgery

  26.7

  23.4

  26.2

  23.6

  23.4

  26.6

  0

  Plastic surgery

  39.8

  36.4

  35.9

  36.0

  40.5

  29.4

  -26

  Burns surgery

  13.5

  15.2

  13.4

  15.1

  16.3

  3.5

  -74

  Cardiac surgery

  21.5

  25.4

  27.3

  25.7

  22.9

  25.1

  17

  Thoracic surgery

  25.4

  25.4

  22.9

  21.2

  19.9

  21.0

  -17

  Paediatric surgery

  61.6

  56.3

  52.9

  54.2

  56.8

  49.9

  -19

  Anaesthetics

  14.9

  11.7

  17.5

  18.9

  11.5

  16.0

  7

  General medicine

  36.9

  39.6

  42.2

  43.6

  45.7

  47.0

  27

  Gastroenterology

  22.2

  —

  —

  46.8

  538.9

  146.5

  560

  Haematology (clinical)

  51.9

  51.7

  51.1

  50.3

  43.8

  46.1

  -11

  Palliative medicine

  21.2

  16.0

  19.6

  18.7

  19.5

  18.7

  -12

  Cardiology

  49.0

  54.1

  58.5

  54.4

  51.9

  54.7

  12

  Dermatology

  15.8

  17.8

  19.7

  18.0

  18.6

  20.7

  31

  Thoracic medicine

  31.6

  32.2

  40.3

  43.4

  46.4

  48.8

  54

  Genito urinary medicine

  1.8

  10.2

  9.5

  15.0

  14.8

  12.5

  594

  Nephrology

  41.8

  38.7

  37.6

  41.0

  41.4

  47.4

  13

  Medical oncology

  13.1

  14.1

  —

  —

  147.5

  87.2

  566

  Spinal injuries

  8.9

  7.6

  5.5

  7.0

  6.7

  6.0

  -33

  Other neurology

  21.5

  21.8

  24.4

  24.4

  22.8

  23.1

  7

  Rheumatology

  17.5

  15.9

  21.6

  23.1

  26.2

  24.6

  41

  Paediatrics

  56.0

  59.0

  63.9

  64.4

  68.5

  74.0

  32

  Gynaecology

  70.1

  70.0

  73.0

  73.4

  74.2

  70.5

  0

  GP other

  16.1

  16.0

  17.0

  16.9

  16.7

  16.8

  4

  Radiotherapy

  29.5

  28.0

  30.0

  34.4

  40.5

  44.4

  51

  Total all specialties

  23.9

  24.8

  26.8

  27.9

  29.1

  30.5

  28

  Mr. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the average length of an in-patient hospital stay for each specialty in each year since 1989–90. [10732]

  Average duration of stay (days)

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  General surgery

  6.3

  6.3

  6.2

  6.0

  5.8

  5.7

  Urology

  6.1

  5.9

  5.9

  5.5

  5.1

  5.2

  Trauma and orthopaedic

  9.2

  8.8

  8.4

  8.0

  8.0

  7.6

  Ear, nose and throat

  3.3

  3.4

  3.2

  2.9

  2.8

  2.7

  Opthalmology

  4.4

  4.0

  3.7

  3.1

  2.7

  2.5

  Oral surgery

  2.3

  2.4

  2.3

  2.2

  2.4

  2.3

  Restorative dentistry

  —

  —

  —

  18.3

  1.4

  0.4

  Neurosurgery

  10.7

  12.6

  11.4

  12.5

  12.0

  10.9

  Plastic surgery

  5.5

  5.5

  5.9

  5.7

  5.1

  6.1

  Burns surgery

  15.0

  12.5

  13.6

  13.4

  12.4

  39.9

  Cardiac surgery

  14.0

  13.2

  12.2

  12.4

  13.8

  12.3

  Thoracic surgery

  9.6

  10.2

  11.2

  10.5

  11.4

  11.4

  Paediatric surgery

  3.4

  3.3

  3.8

  3.6

  3.1

  3.0

  Anaesthetics

  7.4

  3.4

  2.6

  2.2

  2.6

  4.7

  General medicine

  8.0

  7.7

  7.2

  6.9

  6.9

  6.8

  Gastroenterology

  16.4

  —

  —

  7.3

  12.4

  2.4

  Haematology (clinical)

  5.7

  6.0

  5.6

  6.0

  6.3

  6.3

  Clinical physiology

  —

  —

  —

  —

  60.2

  —

  Rehabilitation

  —

  —

  36.9

  41.7

  44.7

  30.4

  Palliative medicine

  12.1

  14.5

  12.8

  12.7

  11.6

  12.4

  Cardiology

  6.2

  5.3

  5.0

  4.9

  5.2

  5.2

  Dermatology

  15.9

  15.1

  13.8

  14.8

  14.9

  13.6

  Thoraic medicine

  7.6

  7.6

  7.1

  6.7

  6.7

  6.2

  Infectious diseases

  8.8

  11.0

  0.7

  —

  —

  —

  Genito urinary medicine

  21.9

  16.4

  11.0

  10.1

  12.3

  13.4

  Nephrology

  6.3

  7.7

  9.1

  7.8

  8.1

  6.6

  Medical oncology

  13.9

  15.5

  —

  —

  2.5

  4.2

  596
  Mr. Richards
  The information, which relates to NHS hospitals in Wales, is given in the following table.
  597

  Average duration of stay (days)

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Spinal injuries

  27.8

  33.9

  33.0

  29.8

  35.4

  36.2

  Other neurology

  10.6

  11.1

  11.0

  11.1

  10.5

  10.1

  Rheumatology

  11.6

  12.8

  11.0

  9.9

  9.7

  9.2

  Paediatrics

  3.5

  3.4

  3.2

  2.9

  3.1

  2.9

  Paediatric neurology

  —

  7.1

  7.9

  2.5

  3.8

  5.4

  Geriatric medicine

  28.5

  26.5

  23.6

  21.9

  20.8

  20.3

  Obstetrics

  3.5

  3.4

  3.4

  3.1

  3.0

  3.0

  Gynaecology

  3.4

  3.3

  3.3

  3.2

  3.1

  3.3

  GP maternity

  4.0

  3.4

  3.2

  2.5

  2.7

  3.0

  GP other

  16.9

  16.5

  15.9

  16.2

  16.6

  16.1

  Mental handicap

  525.9

  315.2

  323.8

  266.2

  235.9

  376.7

  Mental illness

  73.2

  67.7

  54.3

  47.3

  46.7

  41.2

  Child and adolescent psychiatry

  134.2

  105.4

  97.0

  53.4

  49.5

  47.9

  Forensic psychiatry

  53.8

  45.1

  48.3

  153.2

  151.8

  170.0

  Old age psychiatry

  107.5

  104.4

  96.1

  95.9

  82.2

  66.3

  Radiotherapy

  8.4

  8.6

  8.5

  7.7

  6.8

  6.2

  Radiology

  —

  3.7

  0.9

  6.8

  9.8

  0.8

  Chemical pathology

  3.7

  —

  2.0

  —

  —

  —

  Occupational medicine

  —

  —

  —

  —

  141.8

  39.7

  Haematology (non clinical)

  8.1

  6.1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Neuropathology

  —

  18.3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Accident and emergency

  1.5

  1.3

  1.2

  1.2

  1.4

  1.2

  Total

  11.7

  11.2

  10.4

  10

  10

  9.2

  Note:

  '—' means no in-patients were treated.

  Gross Domestic Product
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was Welsh gross domestic product per head as a percentage of United Kingdom gross domestic product per head for each year since 1978; and if he will include the latest available statistical revisions with the date and explanation of each revision. [12445]

  Mr. Hague
  The latest available estimates are shown in the following table. Figures for 1994 were published in the article "Regional Accounts 1994: part 1" in the December 1995 edition of "Economic Trends". The article includes revisions to data on gross domestic product per head for earlier years and an explanation of the reasons for the revisions. Copies of "Economic Trends" are available in the Library of the House.

  GDP per head at factor cost: current prices; Wales 1978–1994 (UK = 100)

  1978: 85.3

  1979: 85.2

  1980; 84.2

  1981: 83.8

  1982: 87.3

  1983: 86.7

  1984: 85.6

  1985: 83.8

  1986: 85.4

  1987: 86.3

  1988: 87.0

  1989: 86.6

  1990: 85.9

  1991: 85.4

  1992: 83.7

  1992: 82.7

  19931: 84.7

  19941: 84.7

  598
  Note:

  1Provisional.

  Source:

  CSO.

  Waiting Times Information Bulletin
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements he has made for the Welsh Health Common Services Authority to place copies of the Welsh waiting times information bulletin in the Library; and on what date the autumn 1995 edition was placed in the Library. [12447]

  Mr. Hague
  The waiting times information bulletin is an internal NHS document intended to help GPs advise patients on the most appropriate choice of hospital or consultant for referral. Copies are not routinely placed in the Library of the House. However, copies are available, at no charge, from the Welsh Health Common Services Authority, at Crickhowell house, Capital waterside, Cardiff CF1 5XT.

  Malnutrition
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the level of his departmental involvement in the inter-departmental low income project team and the nutrition task force; and what information he is proposing to publish on the extent of malnutrition and its relationship to low income and to public health issues arising from the work of the project team and the task force. [12444]

  Mr. Hague
  The nutrition task force and its low income project team formed part of "The Health of the Nation" programme which covers England only. My Department was represented at meetings of the main task
  599
  force by an official with observer status, but was not represented on the low income project team. The Department has also received papers relating to the work of the task force, including the report of the low income project team, for information.

  In Wales, the Health Promotion Authority for Wales undertakes a wide variety of programmes designed to encourage people to eat healthier diets. Specific initiatives have also targeted those on low income.

  Estate Care Group
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library a copy of his decision letter pertaining to the privatisation of the EstateCare group of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority. [12446]

  Mr. Hague
  Bids to acquire NHS EstateCare are still being evaluated. No decision has been taken.

  Exel Logistics
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date he was requested to approve the proposal to award the materials management contract work of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority to Exel Logistics; on what date he gave his approval; what proposals he has to assist the funding of redundancy payments to those affected; and if he will make a statement. [12448]

  Mr. Hague
  The authority submitted its recommendation on 8 December 1995 and it had a response on 22 January. The authority and Exel Logistics will be responsible for handling the restructuring costs including the funding of staff reductions as part of the contract. Exel Logistics has experience in delivering significant levels of improvements in customer service and operating costs which will be of benefit to the health service in Wales.

  Internet
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency concerning the provision of a contract for the development of Internet access services for private business clients within and outside the Business Connect network. [12400]

  Mr. Hague
  None.

  Euro-freight Terminal
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency concerning the decision-making process on the Euro-freight terminal; if he will list each of the consultancy firms which have been or are currently contracted to carry out studies in relation to its feasibility; and if he will make a statement. [12442]

  Mr. Hague
  I regularly meet the chairman of the agency to discuss a wide range of issues. My officials dealing with the freight terminal are maintaining close contact with the agency.
  600
  My Department has not employed any consultants. The agency has employed three consultants:

  Formerly: Touche Ross and Coopers and Lybrand

  Currently: Price Waterhouse

  The general position regarding the proposed freight terminals is as stated in my answer to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) on 22 January, Official Report, column 4.

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many beds there were in Wales in 1980, 1985, 1990 and 1995 or other statistically convenient dates for the(a) acute, (b) psychiatric, (c) geriatric, (d) psycho-geriatric, (e) private hospital and (f) private nursing home sectors of health provision. [12443]

  Mr. Hague
  The information is given in the following table.

  1980

  1985–86

  1990–91

  1994–95

  Average daily available beds in NHS hospitals:

  Acute

  10,112

  9,778

  9,056

  8,479

  Psychiatric1

  7,558

  6,495

  4,022

  2,640

  Geriatric

  4,108

  4,230

  3,811

  3,345

  Psychogeriatric

  276

  450

  1,602

  1,536

  Beds at 31 March 2:

  Private hospitals

  3

  246

  264

  318

  Private nursing homes

  3

  1,901

  9,656

  13,270

  Notes:

  1Includes the specialties of mental handicap, mental illness, child and adolescent psychiatry and forensic psychiatry.

  2Figures for 1980 and 1985–86 are at 31 December.

  3Not available.

  Alzheimer's Disease
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of Alzheimer's disease were recorded in Wales in (i) 1991, (ii) 1992, (iii) 1993, (iv) 1994 and (v) 1995. [10677]

  Mr. Richards
  The number of cases of Alzheimer's disease is not collected centrally. For each year, the number of in-patient or day case finished consultant episodes at NHS hospitals in Wales, where Alzheimer's disease was recorded as the principle diagnosis, is given in the following table. Complete data for 1995 are not yet available.

  1991: 1991

  1992: 189

  1993: 126

  1994: 133

  1Includes three months of data, based on discharges and deaths, collected by the hospital activity analysis.

  Hypothermia
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of hypothermia were recorded in Wales in(a) 1992, (b) 1993, (c) 1994 and (d) 1995. [10683]
  601
  Mr. Richards
  The number of cases of hypothermia is not collected centrally. For each year, the number of in-patient or day case finished consultant episodes at NHS hospitals in Wales, where hypothermia was recorded as the principal diagnosis, is given in the following table. Complete data for 1995 are not yet available.

  1992: 97

  1993: 106

  1994: 72

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many general practitioner practices there were in Wales in 1966, 1975, 1985 and 1995; and if he will make a statement. [10745]

  Mr. Richards
  At 1 April 1995, there were 538 general medical practitioner partnerships—including practitioners who practised single handed—in Wales. Information for 1966, 1975 and 1985 is not available centrally. Information on the number of general medical practitioners (unrestricted principals) for each of the years requested is given in the following table:

  Year

  Number

  1 October 1969 (earliest available)

  1,232

  1 October 1975

  1,290

  1 October 1985

  1,523

  1 April 1995

  1,710

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which sites of special scientific interest in Wales will be affected by trunk roads and motorway schemes for which preferred routes have been announced. [11232]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Sites of special scientific interest which may be affected by schemes in the Welsh Office's forward programme for which a preferred route has been announced are:
  602

  Office

  Route

  Dyfed

  Bishops Pond—Carmarthen Fair Fach Railway Cutting—Llandeilo

  Powys

  River Wye—Builth

  Mid-Glamorgan

  Cwm Taf Fechan Woodlands—Nr Merthyr Tydfil

  Gwent

  St. Brides

  Gwent levels

  Nash and Goldcliff

  Gwent levels

  Whitson

  Gwent levels

  Redwick and Llandevenny

  Gwent levels

  Mynydd Llangatwg

  Nr. Brynmawr

  Cwm Clydach

  Nr. Brynmawr

  Brynmawr Sections

  Nr. Brynmawr

  Gwynedd

  Inland Sea

  Nr. Holyhead

  Glaslyn Marshes

  Nr. Porthmadog

  Fairy Glen Woods

  Nr. Betwys-y-Coed

  Trade Missions
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what has been the value of orders following Welsh trade missions in each year since 1992; [11816]

  (2) how many jobs were created following Welsh trade missions in each year since 1992. [11813]

  Mr. Hague
  Trade missions provide an opportunity for initial contacts with prospective customers in overseas markets and any orders taken on a mission arc normally awarded on a trial basis. Since April 1993, when the current subsidised trade mission programme commenced, orders taken during the course of Welsh Office trade missions have amounted to: 1993–94, £4,827,400; 1994–95, £2,677,250; 1995–96 January, £2,289,500. Anticipated follow-on orders amounted to: 1993–94, £12,274,000; 1994–95, £22,879,000; 1995–96 January, £38,183,700. Such orders may ultimately lead to the creation of new jobs and/or the safeguarding of existing jobs but it is rarely possible for mission participants to he specific about this in the short term.

  Jerusalem: Access Restrictions
  Jerusalem: Access Restrictions
  Central Asia: UK Policy
  Central Asia: UK Policy
  Caspian Sea: Exploitation of Oil Resources
  Caspian Sea: Exploitation of Oil Resources
  Oil Dispersant Policy: Review
  Oil Dispersant Policy: Review
  Mr. David Hart
  Mr. David Hart
  Gulf and Caspian Areas: Anglo-American Co-operation
  Gulf and Caspian Areas: Anglo-American Co-operation
  Ministers: Payments from Public Funds in Personal Capacity
  Ministers: Payments from Public Funds in Personal Capacity
  Prisoners: Central Database
  Prisoners: Central Database
  Drink Drivers: Use of Handcuffs
  Drink Drivers: Use of Handcuffs
  Housing Benefit Proposals and Young People
  Housing Benefit Proposals and Young People
  Absent Parents: Child Support Agency Action
  Absent Parents: Child Support Agency Action
  Asylum Seekers: Withdrawal of Welfare Benefits
  Asylum Seekers: Withdrawal of Welfare Benefits
  Elderly People: Rail Fare Discount Schemes
  Elderly People: Rail Fare Discount Schemes
  London-Gibraltar Via Bordeaux Air Route
  London-Gibraltar Via Bordeaux Air Route