Written Answers of 30 January 1996

DEFENCE

  Trident
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what would be the cost of distributing to each hon. Member a copy of the 1996 edition of his Department's annual progress report on the Trident programme. [11722]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The annual report on the progress of the Trident programme will be published shortly and, as usual, copies will be placed in the Library of the House. The precise cost of distributing the report to all hon. Members is not known, but Would not exceed £1,000. However, it would not be a sensible use of resources to send individual copies to all right hon. and hon. Members as not all may wish to receive one.

  Defence Industry
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the competitiveness of the United Kingdom defence industry. [12102]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Due in part to my Department's procurement policies in recent years, the United Kingdom's defence industry is highly competitive both at home and abroad. Including the UK share of collaborative work, more than 90 per cent. by value of our equipment contracts are placed with UK firms. Our provisional estimate is that UK companies won defence export orders of £5 million in 1995. This represents around 19 per cent. of the world market. Only the USA has a large market share.

  Johore Bahru Jungle Warfare School
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those countries whose military forces have received training at the Johore Bahru jungle warfare school during the last three years. [12469]

  Mr. Soames
  This is a matter for the Malaysian Government.

  Thailand
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the British armed forces have served in Thailand during the last three years. [12468]

  Mr. Soames
  Other than a colonel attached to the British embassy in Bangkok as defence attaché and a colour sergeant to support him, no military personnel have served in Thailand during the last three years.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will(a) list the countries he visited during his overseas tour in early January giving, in each case, the dates he was in the country and who he met and (b) list those accompanying him on this tour. [12241]

  Mr. Portillo
  Between 30 December 1995 and 10 January 1996, I visited the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Korea and Japan. On 13 January, I visited Kuwait. The aim of the visits was to promote our bilateral relationships with international partners. I met a number of people in each of the countries visited including the respective Ministers of Defence, some of their ministerial colleagues and senior military and civilian officials. In the Philippines I called on the President and in the Republic of Korea I called on the Prime Minister. I was accompanied throughout by officials from my private office and the Ministry of Defence. My wife accompanied me from 30 December to 10 January at the invitation of the Governments of the Philippines, the Republic of Korea and Japan.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the expenditure of his Department, his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies on all forms of overseas travel, overseas accommodation and other associated expenses for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11421]

  Mr. Soames
  The information requested is not held in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  For some details of overseas travel costs for Defence agencies, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement on 29 November 1995, Official Report, columns 758–67.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of expenditure on all forms of hospitality and entertainment by(a) his Department, (b) his Department's agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies, for (i) 1979–80, (ii) 1989–90, (iii) 1991–92, (iv) 1993–94, (v) 1994–95, (vi) 1995–96 and (v) 1996–97. [11418]

  Mr. Soames
  Records of expenditure on hospitality in my Department before 1992–93 can be collated only at disproportionate cost, and estimates for the financial year 1996–97 have yet to be finalised. Total expenditure for the years 1992–93 to 1995–96 is given in the list:

  (i) 1992–93: £4.952 million

  (ii) 1993–94: £4.577 million

  (iii) 1994–95: £4.867 million

  (iv) 1995–96: £4.843 million (estimated final spend)

  The figures include expenditure incurred by the Ministry of Defence itself, by formations and establishments of the armed forces at home and abroad, and by individual officers occupying command and

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  international appointments for which entertainment allowances are payable. Figures for agencies and non-departmental public bodies are not held separately.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of departmental expenditure on administration for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11419]

  Mr. Soames
  Details of defence operating costs for the years 1989–90 to 1997–98 are contained in table 4 of my Department's most recent departmental report, Cm 2801, of March 1995, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. Figures for 1979–80 are not available in the form requested.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of his Department's expenditure on newspapers and magazines in(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96, to date; and if he will list the publications purchased for the latest year for which information is available. [11422]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Until April 1995, all books, journals, newspapers and other commercial publications required for the official duties of the Department and the services were purchased by more than 150 purchasing authorities worldwide.

  The total expenditure on commercial publications in 1993–94 was £6.134 million, of which it is estimated that £3.373 million was spent on scientific and technical journals, and £306,000 was spend on newspapers and weekly publications.

  In 1994–95, the total spend was £6.626 million, with estimated spends of £3.644 million on scientific and technical journals, and £331,000 on newspapers and weekly publications. In 1995–96, £6.191 million was allocated for the purchase of commercial publications. This sum was disaggregated to the budgets of individual units in April 1995, and the spend to date is £2.257 million.

  There are no central records of which material was purchased from 1993 to date, and this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. [11331]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]: Individual budget holders in my Department have delegated powers to employ external consultants as they think fit within the limit of their resources and consistent with all requirements for propriety and value for money. The information required is currently not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
  606
  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. [11332]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]: This information is not held centrally in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Details of recent central MOD expenditure on publicity is contained in the MOD departmental report, Cm 2801, and the MOD performance report, Cm 3055, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the annual telephone costs to(a) his Department, (b) his Department's agencies and (c) his 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). [11334]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]: Some information about my Department's telephone costs for the period 1993–94, is contained in the 14th report of the Committee of Public Accounts, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Details for other years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Pay Services Directorate
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about defence agency status for the Pay Services Directorate. [12906]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The Pay Services Directorate will become a defence agency of the Ministry of Defence on 1 February 1996 following the restructuring of the Defence Accounts Agency, DAA. The agency, to be known as the Pay and Personnel Agency, PPA, is located in Bath; Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, and Worcester, with a small satellite office in Malta and will have a staff of some 960 MOD civil servants. The agency is responsible for providing pay services and personnel information support services in respect of civilian staff of the MOD and for other public sector customers. Pay services encompass payroll, all aspects of principal civil service pension scheme administration and expenses management. In addition, the agency will provide financial management information to budget holders and other customers.

  A chief executive has been selected by open competition. He will be required to develop the current organisation's professional expertise and improve the high performance standards to fulfil the agency's aim of providing its customers with an efficient service which offers the best value for money. The chief executive will be set the following key targets: to deliver the range of agency services to the required time scales and to the set standards of accuracy, as published in the pay services

  607
  customer charter; to achieve annual efficiency savings year on year of 3.5 per cent. of cash allocation through a reduction in operating costs; to obtain quality registration to BS EN ISO 9001 standard in one further sector of the agency by 31 March 1996; to meet the Treasury accounts direction and to install a computerised, full-cost, accruals accounting system by 31 March 1996; to have new business systems hardware—known as POPSI—delivered and installed and the personnel system completed to the specification required to achieve savings, by 31 December 1996; to complete an investigation into the best commercial practices for measuring customer satisfaction with agency services by 31 December 1996; to introduce the new principal civil service pension scheme administration system—known as QUASAR—to the required specification, by 31 March 1997; to obtain quality registration to BS EN ISO 9001 standard in two further sectors of the agency by 31 March 1997; and to set an accruals baseline to permit the use of accruals—based performance targets for the agency accounts, by 31 March 1997.

  I am arranging for copies of the agency's framework document to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the annual cost to his Department and his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies of their empty and under-utilised properties for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95 (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11420]

  Mr. Soames
  No estimate is made of the cost of empty and under-utilised property and the information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mobile Phones
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the mobile phones which have been supplied to his Department in each of the last four years have been cloned; and on what dates. [11007]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  [holding answer 23 January 1996]: During 1995, 24 mobile telephones supplied to the MOD were cloned as follows:

  Number

  January

  8

  February

  2

  March

  11

  May

  2

  June

  1

  Figures before 1995 are not available.

  Gulf War Syndrome
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will instigate an epidemiological study into alleged Gulf war syndrome. [12122]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 29 January 1996]: My Department has been conducting a continuing and detailed investigation into the health aspects of service in the Gulf.
  608
  The medical assessment programme, under which more than 350 individual veterans have been examined, was endorsed by the Royal College of Physicians in a clinical audit last July.

  The royal college recommended that we contact leading civilian specialists in specific areas of medicine relevant to conditions alleged to have been caused by Gulf service. Separate discussions have since been held with eminent specialists in toxicology, immunology, tropical diseases, epidemiology and birth defects, and a comprehensive medical statistical database has been prepared which will provide the basis for epidemiological studies.

  As part of this continuing work, the Surgeon General convened a meeting last Thursday with the following leading medical and scientific experts: Professor A. Kay, Imperial college of science, technology and medicine (immunology); Professor L. Borysiewicz, university of Wales (immunology); Professor D. Warrell, John Radcliffe medical school, Oxford (tropical diseases); Professor A. McMichael, London school of hygiene and tropical medicine (epidemiology); Dr. A. Proudfoot, director, Scottish poisons information bureau (toxicology); Professor Sir C. Berry, Royal London hospital (birth defects); and Professor P. Blain, Newcastle upon Tyne medical school (environmental and occupational medicine).

  Having reviewed the work undertaken to date, the experts fully approved the basis of our approach. They also agreed that there is no evidence at present to indicate the existence of a unique and previously unknown condition or illness associated with service in the Gulf, and noted that this echoed the US experience of its much larger assessment programme of 17,000 veterans.

  We accept that a number of Gulf veterans are ill, and that there is public concern about the possible effects of Gulf service on the children of veterans who have been born with birth defects. As the next stage of its work, my Department will commission a series of epidemiological studies comparing the health of Gulf veterans with similarly matched control groups of service personnel who did not go to the Gulf. The aim of these studies, some of which will be conducted in-house and some by commissioning external research, will be to establish whether there is any increased prevalence of illness among Gulf veterans or of birth defects among their children.

  We will also commission research into the alleged causes of Gulf-related illness, including the possibility of interaction between the vaccinations received by service personnel and the nerve agent pretirement sets—NAPS—taken for protection against the very real threat of chemical attack. We shall of course work very closely with the US, but will not duplicate its efforts.

  The cost of the research will be met by my Department. The Medical Research Council has been invited to oversee and review the conduct of the programme, and the results will be published.

  We will continue to offer assessment and counselling services under the medical assessment programme, and wish to encourage any serving or ex-service personnel who may be concerned about their health as a result of Gulf service to come forward to the solicitors acting for those who are ill asking them to urge their clients to participate in the programme.

TREASURY

  Tax (Self-assessment)
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how long, on average, Inland Revenue staff have spent training to deal with self-assessment. [8314]

  Mr. Jack
  The Inland Revenue has in place a four-year training programme for staff dealing with self-assessment. The programme started in April 1994 and runs through to October 1998. So far staff have spent, on average, three and a half days in training covering the basic elements of self-assessment.

  From April this year, the training programme will address the specific needs of different staff groups to equip them with the knowledge and skills required to do their jobs when this is first needed.

  On average, staff will receive seven days' training during 1996–97, four days in 1997–98 and three days from April to October 1998. The training programme is designed as a staged incremental progress to ensure that staff are able to handle the work as it first arises.

  On-the-job support, guidance and information to consolidate this learning will be provided by the training organisation and line managers.

  Employment Statistics (London)
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of(a) manual part-time workers and (b) non-manual part-time workers, broken down into men and women, work less than (i) eight hours a week and (ii) 16 hours a week in each London borough. [11861]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  Estimates available from the labour force survey relating to Greater London as a whole are shown in the table. Equivalent estimates for individual London boroughs are not available.

  Part-time manual and non-manual workers by the total number of hours they usually work

  Greater London summer 1995, not seasonally adjusted

  Working less than eight hours a week

  Working less than 16 hours a week

  Thousands

  Per cent.

  Thousands

  Per cent.

  Men

  Manual part-time

  n/a

  n/a

  27

  41

  Non-manual part-time

  13

  16

  34

  40

  Women

  Manual part-time

  15

  11

  57

  42

  Non-manual part-time

  33

  11

  102

  33

  n/a Not available, estimate below 10,000.

  Lost Work Days
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the number of work days lost, in each of the work categories used by his Department, since May 1979, as a result of(a) the closure or restructuring of firms, (b) the withdrawal of local authority services, (c) the reduction in the size of Government Departments and the armed services and (d) changes in the scope of charitable employment. [11725]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The information is not available in the form requested. The available information closest to that requested is for the net change in jobs for the whole economy in the United Kingdom. There was a net increase of 141,000 jobs between September 1979 and September 1995.

  Information providing estimates of employment in the public sector for 1979 to 1994 is published in the January 1995 edition of Economic Trends. A copy of the publication is available in the Library.

  VAT (Higher Education)
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much value added tax was paid by further education colleges and sixth form colleges in(a) 1992–93, (b) 1993–94 and (c) 1994–95; and how much he estimates will be paid by these colleges in 1995–96. [11630]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  There are no figures available on the amount of VAT paid by colleges.

  Mortgage Interest Tax Relief
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total cost of mortgage interest tax relief in Scotland in each year since 1993–94; what it is estimated to be for 1996–97; and what the costs would have been in each of these years if relief had been available at 25 per cent. [11930]

  Mr. Jack
  The cost of mortgage interest tax relief in Scotland was estimated to be £300 million in 1993–94 and £240 million in 1994–95. In 1994–95 the rate of relief was 20 per cent. If relief had been available at 25 per cent., the cost would have been about £300 million. The estimated cost of the relief for 1993–94 is based on the regional distribution of the cost of mortgage interest relief from analyses of family expenditure surveys up to 1993. The estimate for 1994–95 is a projection based on applying the same regional distribution as in 1993–94 to the total figure for 1994–95. It is not possible to provide reliable estimates for regions for 1995–96 and 1996–97.

  Gross Domestic Product
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of the Secretary of State for Wales of 19 January 1996,Official Report, column 838, what are the reasons for the unavailability of the gross domestic product figures for the years after 1991.[11963]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  Gross domestic product figures by county for 1993 would normally have been published in December 1995 in Economic Trends. However, extensive revisions to the figures for earlier years are necessary due to source data on the new standard

  611
  industrial classification, SIC(92), becoming available. Since these data became available very late, it was not possible to produce county estimates at that time. The county figures will now be published by the end of March 1996.

  VAT (Computerised Access Equipment)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement regarding reinterpretation of the VAT legislation in relation to VAT exemption on computerised access equipment for blind and partially sighted computer users. [12397]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Customs and Excise has not made any reinterpretation of VAT law. Specialised adaptations specifically for disabled people are relieved from VAT when supplied to a disabled person. General purpose computer equipment is, and always has been, liable to VAT.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of departmental expenditure on administration for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11449]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  Departmental expenditure on administration is included in the running costs published in the departmental report of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's departments.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of his Department's expenditure on newspapers and magazines in(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96, to date; and if he will list the publications purchased for the latest year for which information is available. [11452]

  Mrs. Knight
  Departmental expenditure on newspapers and magazines is included in the running costs published in the departmental report of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's departments.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the annual telephone costs to(a) his Department, (b) his Department's agencies and (c) his 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). [11370]

  Mrs. Knight
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]: Expenditure on telephone costs by Her Majesty's Treasury, and agencies and non-departmental public bodies associated with HM Treasury, are included in the running costs published for the Department and each agency.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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
  612
  indicate expenditure on (1) advertising and (2) press and public relations. [11368]

  Mrs. Knight
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]: Expenditure on publicity for HM Treasury, and the agencies responsible to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, is included in the running costs published for the Department and each agency.

  ECOFIN
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the recent Council meeting of the Economic and Finance Ministers of the European Union. [12926]

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I represented the UK at the Economic and Finance Council of the European Union in Brussels on 22 January.

  There was a public debate on the incoming Italian presidency's work programme. The Italian programme concentrates on continuing work towards economic and monetary union and fighting unemployment. I agreed with both these priorities and in particular stressed the importance of member states creating the right conditions to stimulate employment. I also encouraged the Council to respect EC budgetary restraints and to make rapid progress in the campaign against fraud and waste within the Community.

  The Commission presented a proposal for extending the mandate for the European investment bank to lend to Asia and Latin America, which expired at the end of 1995, for one year. There was no discussion and the Council will return to this at a later date.

  Earnings (London)
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will list the average(a) weekly earnings, (b) total hours, (c) average hourly earnings and
  (d) median hourly earnings, including and excluding overtime, for (i) all part-time females and (ii) all part-time males on adult rates in each London borough, broken down to show (A) manual and (B) non-manual workers; [11860]

  (2) what proportion of employees on adult rates earn less than (a) £3.20, (b) £3.50, (c) £4, (d) £4.60 and (e) £6 per hour in each London borough, including and excluding overtime for (i) all full-time males, (ii) all part-time males, (iii) all full-time females and (iv) all part-time females on adult rates, broken down to show manual and non-manual workers; [11858]

  (3) if he will list the proportion of full-time employees on adult rates with weekly earnings of less than (a) £150, (b) £200 and (c) £250 per week, including and excluding overtime, in each London borough for all full-time (i) females and (ii) males on adult rates broken down to show manual and non-manual workers. [11859]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  As the information is contained in a number of tables, I will place a copy in the Library of the House.

  Mobile Phones
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what agreements his Department and its executive agencies have with companies for the provision of mobile
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  and car phones; and if he will list the companies having these contracts, the duration of the contracts, the number of phones covered by each agreement and the cost to public funds of each agreement. [9740]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  [holding answer 17 January 1996]: Due to the very low demand for mobile and car phones within HM Treasury, the office of the Paymaster General and the Royal Mint, they have been purchased as required.

  The Central Statistical Office employs an enabling agreement with BT which is renewable annually. This does not involve a commitment to purchase an agreed total. Two car phones have been purchased in the current financial year at a cost of £400 per instrument.

  The Valuation Office uses Inland Revenue procedures to obtain mobile and car phones. Current agreements are with DVH, FGE, BT and Vodafone. These agreements are short term and are based on best value for money, without a commitment to purchase any specific number of instruments.

  Information concerning the cost to public funds of these agreements is currently unavailable.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what costs his Department and executive agencies have incurred as a result of withdrawing from contracts under which mobile phones are provided; and if he will list the companies concerned. [9742]

  Mrs. Knight
  [holding answer 17 January 1996]: HM Treasury, the office of HM Paymaster General, the Central Statistical Office, the Royal Mint and the Valuation Office have not withdrawn from any such contracts.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what procedures were used by his Department in awarding contracts for the supply of mobile and car phones to his Department and its executive agencies; and which companies were involved in tendering for these contracts. [9741]

  Mrs. Knight
  [holding answer 17 January 1996]: Due to the very low demand for mobile and car phones within HM Treasury, the office of the Paymaster General and the Royal Mint there has been no need to initiate a formal tender.

  The Central Statistical Office employs an enabling agreement which was concluded after an informal evaluation of the market based on functionality, service and price.

  The Valuation Office uses Inland Revenue procedures.

  Absenteeism
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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. [11369]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]: Information relating to the years 1979–80, 1989–90 and 1991–92 is not held centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information relating to the other years requested is as follows:
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  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–961

  Absences (average days per member of staff)

  5.8

  8.5

  7.3

  1To date.

  Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 17 January,Official Report, column 610, how many staff are currently employed in maintaining the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood; and how many insignia are accounted for in the 1994–95 costs of £204,000. [11566]

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 29 January 1996]: The Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood employs 11 staff. In 1994–95, 3,877 insignia were accounted for.

  Finance Bills (Drafting)
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many pages of the Finance Bill were drafted otherwise than by parliamentary counsel; which were the outside agencies employed to draft sections of the Bill; how many pages were drafted by each agency; and how much was paid to each such agency for the pages drafted by it. [11946]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 29 January 1996]: The following sections of the Finance Bill were drafted by the private sector:

  Pages

  Clauses 6 and 11, legislating two Customs and Excise extra-statutory concessions

  1

  Mrs. Margaret Leates, a draftsman in private practice

  Clauses 21 to 25 and Schedule 2, putting into UK law the second VAT directive

  11½

  Nabarro Nathanson

  Clause 146 and schedule 27, introducing new arrangements for the deduction of tax on foreign dividends by paying and collecting agents

  14

  Freshfields

  Clause 186 and schedule 35, legislating 11 Inland Revenue extra-statutory concessions

  6

  Members of Pump Court Tax Chambers

  Total

  132½

  1Thirty-one of these pages are in schedules which are set in the Finance Bill with a smaller typeface than the clauses.

  The total payment to these draftsmen for work done up to the publication of the Bill is expected to be £130,000. This includes the cost of one page of legislation which Ministers decided, for policy reasons, not to include in this year's Bill.

  The amount paid to each agency is a matter of commercial confidence.

  VAT (Disabled People)
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received regarding the levying
  615
  of VAT on computer and computer-related equipment purchased by disabled people and charities helping disabled people; if he will place a copy of the directive used by Customs and Excise head office to local offices regarding such imposition; and if he will make a statement. [12412]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  [holding answer 29 January 1996]: I have received a number of representations. Customs and Excise has not issued any general directive on the liability of computers supplied to disabled people. General purpose computer equipment is not, and never has been, relieved from VAT when supplied to disabled people. Relief is, however, available for adaptations designed to make it easier for disabled people to use the equipment. I have placed in the Library a copy of the Customs notice "VAT reliefs for people with disabilities", which is freely available in local VAT offices.

TRANSPORT

  Air Traffic Control (Heathrow Airport)
  Mr. Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the recent changes in air traffic control procedures at Heathrow airport. [10671]

  Mr. Norris
  The Civil Aviation Authority is responsible for the provision of air traffic control at Heathrow airport. My noble Friend the Minister of Aviation and Shipping has asked the chairman of the CAA to write to the hon. Member.

  Regional Airports
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what provisions exist in respect of local authority-owned regional airports from borrowing money for airport development. [11305]

  Mr. Norris
  Capital finance for local authority-owned airports in England and Wales is governed by part IV of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. This applies directly in the case of the smaller airports. In the case of the larger airports, which are structured as public airport companies, part IV has been applied by the Public Airport Companies (Capital Finance) Order 1990, as amended. It is open to local authorities to make use of their basic credit approvals or of any other forms of credit cover available to them under the 1989 Act. For public airport companies, this includes in particular their undistributed profits. In addition, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport may issue supplementary credit approvals—SCAs—for specified projects. For Scotland, borrowing consents under section 94 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 may be considered.

  Lorry Ban, London
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to replace the London lorry ban permit scheme. [11224]
  616
  Mr. Norris
  I will discuss the next steps with the local authorities and other interested parties once I have received and considered the interim report form the consultants studying the options for improving the enforcement of the ban.

  Positive about Disabled People Symbol
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 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. [11913]

  Mr. Norris
  The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and the Transport Research Laboratory have been symbol users for some time. The Department is encouraging its other agencies to follow suit while actively working with the Employment Service towards adopting the symbol centrally as a demonstration of on-going commitment towards achieving equality of opportunity for disabled people.

  Flight Permits
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action his Department has taken against Air Ops in respect of its operating passenger-carrying flights from the United Kingdom in 1993 without permits. [12176]

  Mr. Norris
  Permits for these flights in the summer of 1993 were issued to Sultan Air on the understanding that Air Operations of Europe—Air Ops—was operating under a wet lease agreement with that airline. It was not until October 1994 that it emerged that the lease agreement might have been terminated before the flights took place. As announced on 10 January, the Department has now reviewed its permit procedures to clarify permit and safety responsibilities as regards applications involving the use of wet-leased aircraft.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in what circumstances airports can be(a) empowered and (b) required to impound aircraft arriving without permits. [12175]

  Mr. Norris
  There are powers under article 107 of the Air Navigation (No. 2) Order 1995 enabling the detention of aircraft which are likely to be flown in breach of article 102 of the order. Powers also exist under section 48 of the Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990 that enable the detention of aircraft which arrive in the UK when they are prohibited from doing so in the circumstances described in the above section of the Act.

  Coastguard Service
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what plans he has to replace auxiliary coastguards with watch assistants; [12193]

  (2) what changes have taken place in the level of coastguard station officers over the last year; and if he will make a statement. [12192]

  Mr. Norris
  I have asked the chief executive of the Coastguard agency to write to the hon. Member.
  617
  Letter from C. J. Harris to Mr. Graham Allen, dated 30 January 1996:
  The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about Coastguard Station Officers and Auxiliaries.
  The Coastguard Agency intends to introduce a new permanent grade of Coastguard Watch Assistant. This new grade will replace the part time voluntary service currently provided in operations rooms by Auxiliary Coastguards and will enhance the reliability, training and expertise at this level. It is hoped that many of the present Auxiliaries will apply for the new post.
  There have been no changes to the number of Coastguard Station Officer posts over the last year.

  Newbury Bypass
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what additional development is projected as a result of the Newbury bypass. [12095]

  Mr. Watts
  This is a matter for the local planning authorities.

  Track Access Charges
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out all the powers of the rail regulator to compel a change in Railtrack's track access charges before the quinquennial review and to publish the documents in which they are contained. [12014]

  Mr. Watts
  The terms on which the regulator can make changes to the charges made to passenger train operating companies are set out in schedule 7 to the track access agreements. These agreements are on the public register of agreements held by the regulator.

  West Coast Main Line
  Mr. Chris Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what contingency plans he has for the modernisation of the west coast main line if the proposed development of a transmission-based signalling system proves not to be viable. [12287]

  Mr. Watts
  A major priority of the modernisation of the west coast main line for Railtrack is to maintain and renew the network by using modern technology. During initial studies on the modernisation of the line, more conventional signalling systems were considered alongside the proposed transmission-based signalling system which Railtrack has chosen.

  Mr. Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is his estimate of the cost of resignalling the west coast main line using the proposed transmission-based signalling system; and what are the financial savings anticipated from its introduction; [12286]

  (2) how many companies are included on the shortlist for the development of the transmission-based signalling system proposed for the west coast main line; and if he will list them; [12284]

  (3) by what dates he will require signalling manufacturers, awarded contracts, to develop the transmission-based signalling system proposed for the west coast main line to complete or demonstrate (a) system design, (b) proof of performance, (c) safety validated working system and (d) manufacture of production equipment. [12283]
  618
  Mr. Watts
  Railtrack is currently considering bids for the contract to develop the proposed transmission-based signalling system for the west coast main line. The system is expected to reduce maintenance and operating costs and provide improved reliability on the line. The other information requested is commercially confidential to Railtrack.

  Mr. Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what plans he has for a transmission-based signalling system to be installed at major rail junctions on the west coast main line; [12280]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the performance record of the transmission-based signalling technology proposed for the west coast main line; where it is in use elsewhere; how many miles of track it controls; and if it is in use at any rail junctions with traffic densities similar to those on the west coast main line. [12285]

  Mr. Watts
  Railtrack intends to introduce a transmission-based signalling system to the west coast main line as part of the core modernisation programme for the line. Railtrack informs me that the transmission-based signalling technology is currently employed in differing forms in various parts of the world, but it is not identical to the system planned for the west coast main line. For this reason, Railtrack intends to let development contracts for the signalling system during the first quarter of this year.

  Mr. Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to authorise expenditure on signalling technology for the modernisation of the west coast main line prior to its capability being proven. [12278]

  Mr. Watts
  Railtrack will fund the core modernisation programme of the west coast main line, which includes the proposed new signalling system for the line, from the track access charges which it receives from passenger train operators. The level of these charges over the six years from 1995 has been agreed by the regulator.

  Mr. Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many signalling manufacturers have expressed reservations to him about the viability of the proposed introduction of a transmission-based signalling system on the west coast main line. [12279]

  Mr. Watts
  None.

  Pollution Control
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to expand aerial surveillance of the extended sea limits in respect of pollution control; and if he will make a statement. [12463]

  Mr. Norris
  The use of aerial surveillance will continue to be reviewed to ensure that it remains a cost-effective method of enforcing marine pollution regulations within the waters under UK jurisdiction, including any future extension to this jurisdiction.

  Trains (Telephones)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if all trains are equipped with two-way telephones. [12384]
  619
  Mr. Watts
  No. Installation of the line-side transmitter equipment for the national radio network is virtually complete. The planned engineering target is 98 per cent. of the network excluding tunnels and cuttings. Most modern train cabs have also been fitted with the necessary equipment.

  In the former Network SouthEast area, British Rail has decided to fit the cab secure radio system, so that further modifications will not be necessary when driver-only operation is extended. About 65 per cent. of passenger train miles in the Network SouthEast area already have cab secure radio.

  Expenditure (Representations)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received following the announcement on 19 December 1995 of transport supplementary costs and credit approvals for transport expenditure by local authorities from(a) hon. Members, (b) local authorities and (c) other organisations and individuals. [12387]

  Mr. Norris
  I have received 49 representations, including 30 parliamentary questions, from hon. Members following the announcement on 19 December. My officials are in regular correspondence with local authorities and others about transport policies and programme—TPP—submissions and about particular schemes. We have had 22 representations from local authorities and 12 from organisations and individuals, often about specific schemes.

  Bus Deregulation (Manchester)
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the effects of bus deregulation in the Greater Manchester area over the last five years. [12301]

  Mr. Norris
  Deregulation has brought great benefits to bus travellers in Greater Manchester as it has elsewhere in the country. There are now more operators running more bus miles at lower cost, with new buses on many routes, and significantly less public subsidy than previously.

  London Transport Staff
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 17 January,Official Report, column 615, what were the occupations of the staff who have left London Transport's employment since 12 November 1994; and if he will list them by category. [12759]

  Mr. Norris
  This is an operational matter for London Transport.

  Car Mileages
  Sir Timothy Sainsbury
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the average annual and daily mileage travelled by(a) a car commuter and (b) a car shopper. [12699]

  Mr. Norris
  The average annual car commuting mileage of a person who normally travels to work in a car was 3,040 miles in 1992–94, consisting of an average of 620
  348 single-way journeys of 8.7 miles mean length. The average annual car shopping mileage of a driver in a car-owning household was 970 miles in 1992–94, consisting of an average of 186 single-way journeys of 5.2 miles mean length.

  Indian Sub-continent (Travellers)
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 24 January,Official Report, columns 270–71, what is his assessment as to the reasons for the increase in arrivals and departures to the Indian sub-continent in the last two years. [12524]

  Mr. Norris
  The Department of Transport does not make assessments of the sort requested.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of his Department's expenditure on newspapers and magazines in(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96, to date; and if he will list the publications purchased for the latest year for which information is available. [11462]

  Mr. Norris

  (a) 1993–94: £375,000

  (b) 1994–95: £140,000

  (c) 1995–96: £125,000

  Newspapers and magazines bought in 1995–96 include:

  Daily Telegraph

  Financial Times

  Guardian

  Independent

  Times

  Accountancy

  Aircargo News International

  Auto Express

  Automotive International

  Automotive News

  Aviation News/Air Pictorial

  Aviation Week

  Bookseller

  Buses

  Business Traveller

  Business and Commercial Aviation

  Car Mechanics

  Coach and Bus Week

  Coaching Journal and Bus Review

  Commercial Motor

  Containerisation International

  Diesal Car

  Economist

  Executive Travel

  Fairplay International Shipping Weekly

  Flight International

  Government Computing

  Headlight

  International Freighting Weekly

  International Railway Journal

  Light Railway and Modern Tramway

  Modern Railways

  Motor Transport

  New Civil Engineer

  New Scientist

  Port of London Magazine

  621

  Rail

  Rail News

  Railway

  Railway Age

  Railway Gazette International

  Roadway

  Scientific American

  Ships Monthly

  Spectator

  Surveyor

  Traffic Engineering and Control

  Travel Trade Gazette

  Travel Weekly

  Urban Transport International

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of departmental expenditure on administration for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11459]

  Mr. Norris
  Figures of my Department's expenditure on administration for(b) to (g) can be found in the transport report 1995, Cm 2806, which is available in the House of Commons Library. My final outturn figures for (e) and projected outturn figures for (f) will be presented in the transport report 1996, which is due to be published in the latter part of March. My Department's latest budget figure for (g) is £373 million.

  Running costs figures for Departments were not calculated on the same basis prior to 1989–90, so comparable figures for (a) are not readily available.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of expenditure on all forms of hospitality and entertainment by(a) his Department, (b) his Department's agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies, for (i) 1979–80, (ii) 1989–90, (iii) 1991–92, (iv) 1993–94, (v) 1994–95, (vi) 1995–96 and (vii) 1996–97. [11458]

  Mr. Norris
  The table represents an estimate of expenditure on hospitality and entertainment by the Department of Transport (central transport group), its agencies, and non-departmental public bodies for the years specified. Figures for 1979–80 and forecasts for 1996–97 are not available. Figures for 1995–96 are forecast outturns based on current expenditure and may include some non-entertainment costs which cannot readily be desegregated.

  1989–90

  1991–92

  1993–94

  Central Transport Group

  114,016

  170,015

  234,986

  Agencies

  4,586

  28,143

  40,718

  Non-departmental public bodies

  5,375

  33,542

  37,144

  1994–95

  1995–96

  Central Transport Group

  127,248

  202,524

  Agencies

  91,828

  97,370

  Non Departmental public bodies

  25,903

  34,768

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the expenditure of his Department, his Department's agencies and non-departmental public 622
  bodies on all forms of overseas travel, overseas accommodation and other associated expenses for (a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11461]

  Mr. Norris
  Information in the form requested is not available.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the annual cost to his Department, his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies of their empty and under-utilised properties for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e)1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11460]

  Mr. Norris
  Prior to 1990, the civil estate was managed by the Property Service Agency. Its archived records can be accessed only at disproportionate cost.

  The estimated annual cost of the vacant and under-utilised space on the Department of Transport's civil estate, excluding that for which the Department of the Environment's property holdings division is responsible, is:

  Year

  Vacant space £

  Under-utilised space £

  1991–92

  1,200

  15,000

  1993–94

  1,289,000

  45,000

  1994–95

  2,037,900

  45,000

  1995–96

  2,657,600

  40,000

  1996–97

  3,674,300

  1,185,200

  Rail Stations (Assaults)
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was(a) the total number of assaults and (b) the number of assaults on women at rail stations in each year since 1990 by local authority area. [10522]

  Mr. Watts
  The information requested is not available in the format requested. However, the table details the number of notifiable assaults and assaults by gender at rail stations for 1994 and 1995, broken down by British Transport police areas. Similar information for previous years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Recorded assaults 1994 and 1995

  BTP area

  1994

  1995

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Male

  Female

  Total

  London north

  192

  36

  228

  165

  25

  190

  North-east

  54

  16

  70

  28

  12

  40

  Scotland

  184

  41

  225

  185

  49

  234

  North-west

  120

  28

  148

  85

  21

  106

  Midlands

  43

  12

  55

  35

  2

  37

  South-west

  44

  10

  54

  29

  14

  43

  London south

  233

  57

  290

  230

  40

  270

  London Underground

  394

  119

  513

  261

  65

  326

  Force total

  1,264

  319

  1,583

  1,018

  228

  1,246

  Rail Privatisation
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 9 January,Official

  623
  Report, column 32, about British Rail businesses which have been sold, whether he will give in respect of each business (a) the number of people employed by the business at the time of its sale, (b) the number of employees of the business made redundant by british Rail between 1 January 1993 and the date of its sale, (c) the cost to British Rail of these redundancy payments, (d) the name and address of the businesses' new owner and (e) the sum of money paid by the new owner to acquire the business; and what has been the total sum received to date from the sale of British Rail assets and rail franchises since the Railways Act 1993 received Royal Assent, listing all assets and franchises sold which did not appear in the answer. [11736]

  Mr. Watts
  In relation to the three franchises which have been awarded, the details requested in parts(a) to (c) of the question are matters for the British Railways Board. The details requested in part (d) are: the Great Western Trains franchise was awarded to Great Western Holdings Ltd., Milford house, Milford street, Swindon, SN1 1DW; the LTS Rail franchise was awarded to Enterprise Rail of Central house, Clifftown road, Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1AB; and the South West Trains franchise was awarded to Stagecoach Holdings plc of Charlotte house, 20 Charlotte street, Perth, PH1 5LL.

  In relation to the sales of BR businesses, the details requested in parts (a) to (d) are matters for the British Railways Board.

  In relation to the sales of the three rolling stock leasing companies, the details requested in parts (b) and (c) are for the British Railways Board. The details requested in parts (a) and (d) are:
  Angel Train Leasing Ltd. Fifty-five staff were employed at the time of sale. The address of the registered office is Mitre house, 160 Aldersgate street, London, EC1A 4DD;
  Eversholt Leasing Ltd. Sale due to be completed shortly: Fifty-eight staff currently employed. The address is 9th floor, 1 Eversholt street, London NW1 1DN;
  Porterbrook Leasing Ltd. Forty-seven staff were employed at the time of sale. The address is Burdett house, Beckett street, Derby, DE1 1JP.

  In relation to the figures requested in part (e) and the final part of the question: the first three franchises were awarded as contracts to run services in return for the payment of grant and will not generate receipts for the Government; gross proceeds from the sales to date of other BR businesses amount to some £266 million. There have been no further sales of such businesses since 9 January. As explained in the Government's response of 14 December 1995 to the Transport Committee's fourth report, on railway finances, it would be contrary to the commercial interests of British Rail and the Government to publish details of individual sales at this stage, as that may prejudice similar sales still in progress. Details of individual sales completed by BR will be made public in due course.

  The sale of the three rolling stock leasing companies have generated, or will generate on completion, receipts as follows: Angel Train Leasing Ltd., sale completed 17 January 1996—£696 million; Eversholt Leasing Ltd., sale due to be completed shortly—£580 million, including £80 million deferred and contingent; and Porterbrook Leasing Ltd., sale completed 8 January 1996—£572 million.
  624
  The proceeds of the sales to date amount to some £2,114 million.

  Transport and the Environment
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will publish his response to "Transport and the Environment", the 18th report of the royal commission on environmental pollution; and if he will make a statement. [12401]

  Mr. Norris
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 7 November,Official Report, column 755.

  Electrification Scheme (West Yorkshire)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take action to ensure leasing arrangements are put into place to enable new rolling stock to be acquired and operated under the west Yorkshire electrification scheme; and if he will make a statement. [12258]

  Mr. Watts
  [holding answer 29 January]: The acquisition of new rolling stock is a matter for the train operator, in conjunction with the West Yorkshire passenger train executives, to discuss with rolling stock leasing companies.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has called for reports into recent incidents concerning the failure of rolling stock being operated under the west Yorkshire electrification scheme; what subsequent action he has taken; and if he will make a statement. [12257]

  Mr. Watts
  [holding answer 29 January]: An incident on 17 November, when there was an electrical explosion on a class 308 electric multiple unit, has been reported to the Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate, and an investigation by railway research staff is being monitored by HSE inspectors. All the trains in service have been examined and the inspectorate is satisfied that the necessary measures are in place to allow them to be used safely.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Pakistan
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Pakistan concerning child labour. [12299]

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

  Endangered Species (Hong Kong)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he made to the Chinese authorities on his recent visit
  625
  regarding the future protection of endangered species in Hong Kong. [12335]

  Mr. Hanley
  The Chinese agreed in December 1991 that the United Nations convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora—CITES—would continue to apply to Hong Kong after the transfer of sovereignty on 1 July 1997. Hong Kong's strict customs controls and legislation on endangered species will also continue to apply. Therefore, no such representations were made, since these would not have added to the strong safeguards that already exist.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of his Department's expenditure on newspaper and magazines in(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96, to date; and if he will list the publications purchased for the latest year for which information is available. [11442]

  Mr. Hanley
  Foreign and Commonwealth Office diplomatic wing expenditure in the UK on newspapers and magazines was as follows:

  1993–94: £95,631

  1994–95: £101,909

  1995–96: £77,395 (to the end December)

  Additionally, posts overseas spent the following on books, periodicals and newspapers. Figures for 1995–96 will be available only at the end of the financial year.

  1993–94: £1,072,972

  1994–95: £1,104,409

  Figures for newspapers and magazines alone, purchased overseas, could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  The Overseas Development Administration does not maintain separate records of expenditure on newspapers and magazines alone. Expenditure on all publications, including books, newspapers and journals, by the ODA including the Natural Resources Institute, was as follows:

  1993–94: £244,857

  1994–95: £264,821

  1995–96: £196,776 (to date)

  The FCO buys a very wide selection of publications in the UK and from around the world. A list could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of his Department's expenditure on administration for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11439]

  Mr. Hanley
  I refer the hon. Member to appendix A of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office departmental report for 1995—Cm 2802—and previous years, copies of which can be found in the Library of the House. Our 1996 departmental report will be published in March. Information on expenditure in 1979–80 can be obtained from the FCO diplomatic and aid wings appropriation accounts 1979–80, which is also available in the Library of the House. When comparing expenditure over different periods, it should be noted that there have been a number 626
  of structural changes in the FCO since 1979–80 which are explained in the departmental reports and appropriation accounts.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the annual cost to his Department, his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies of their empty and under-utilised properties for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11440]

  Mr. Hanley
  Since 1989–90 the only cost to the FCO diplomatic wing for empty or under-utilised properties in the UK was incurred in 1995–96. Both freehold properties concerned are being sold. Rents—payable to property holdings—amounted to £98,173 with a further £114,444 contribution in lieu of rates. There were offsetting savings of £34,000 from lettings on both sites. Information in respect of 1979–80 is not available.

  In respect of the overseas estate, the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. It is departmental policy to dispose of vacant or under-utilised elements of the overseas estate as quickly and as cost-effectively as possible.

  The ODA does not have any empty or under-utilised property.

  Of the FCO's agencies and non-departmental public bodies, only the Natural Resources Institute has empty or under-utilised property and it will write to the hon. Member with full details. The information requested in respect of the British Council could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Letter from Anthony Beattie to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 29 January 1996:
  I have been asked by Mr. Hanky to reply for the Natural Resources Institute to your question to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs about the cost of empty and under-utilised accommodation.
  The Institute, which was formed by the amalgamation of a number of scientific units of the Overseas Development Administration, became a Next Steps agency on 1 April 1990.
  When the Institute moved to Chatham in the period 1988–1990, a site at Culham in Oxfordshire became surplus to requirements. Disposal of the site, which was originally acquired by the Crown for wartime use as an airfield, has been complicated by both legal and planning issues. These have been resolved and the site is now in the process of sale.
  Pending disposal, the Institute pays rent at an assessed rate to Property Holdings (Department of the Environment). The cost to the Institute, (but not to the Exchequer) has been some £366,000 per annum, this figure being reduced in 1995–96 to £277,000 following a reassessment. The running costs of the site (primarily maintenance and security) come to some £35,000 a year. We expect to dispose of the property by the end of this financial year, although planning restrictions will limit the realisable value.
  As regards the Chatham site itself, a view has been taken of future accommodation requirements in the light of the first triennial review of NRI as an agency (completed 1993) and a subsequent review of business prospects up to the end of the century. These studies have also formed the basis of the current offer of the Institute for sale.
  The Institute's declining requirement for accommodation has enabled us to let accommodation to the University of Greenwich. thus securing an income of some £900,000 in 1994–95 and an estimated £1.3 million in 1995–96.

  627
  Our objective in the context of restructuring and sale of the Institute is further to reduce our accommodation to some 6,400 square metres (compared with a total site area in excess of 17,000 square metres), thereby releasing space for letting to other users.
  I trust the above provides the information you require.

  Official Trade Missions
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he makes of political circumstances, and what weight he attaches to human rights abuses, when deciding whether official trade missions should take place. [12289]

  Mr. Hanley
  Decisions to send official trade missions are taken in the light of a number of factors, including the political and economic situation of the country concerned, the commercial opportunities for British companies and their interest in the market. Trade missions are briefed by British diplomatic posts on all relevant aspects of the country's political situation including its human rights record.

  Diplomatic Service (Science-related Posts)
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the(a) costs and (b) the number of science-related posts in the diplomatic service for each year since 1979. [12325]

  Mr. Hanley
  The costs, including salaries, allowances, travel costs and accommodation, and numbers for science-related posts in the diplomatic service are as follows:

  Numbers

  £ cost

  1993–94

  24.4

  2,240,586

  1994–95

  24.4

  2,313,237

  Table 1: Staff numbers in EU institutions as amended by successive budgets

  1994

  1995

  1995

  1995

  1996

  Total staff

  Budget increase

  Supplementary budget increase

  Total staff

  Budget increase

  Court of Justice

  837

  0

  113

  950

  0

  Court of Auditors

  427

  31

  45

  503

  0

  Economic and Social Committee and Committee of the Regions

  599

  62

  55

  716

  0

  Council

  2,304

  75

  86

  2,465

  42

  Commission

  14,918

  650

  268

  15,836

  193

  1. Only a part of the 1995 budget increase in staff numbers were in response to enlargement.

  2. The 1995 supplementary budget staff increases were almost all due to enlargement.

  3. The increase in Commission staff for 1996 is divided mainly between enlargement (95 staff) and fraud prevention. The Council increase is mostly for enlargement.

  Source:

  Report of the Budget Committee to COREPER, on the 1996 budgetary procedure, 7 July 1995. Ref 8770/95.

  With the latest enlargement, the European Parliament grew by 59 new MEPs. From 1995 to 1997, it will be taking on 335 extra staff, 157 for translation and interpreting.

  Following enlargement only, the European Parliament has a redundancy programme. The programme was agreed by the Budget Council on 17 November 1995 and runs for five years. It is therefore too early to say what the average length of service is for those staff being made
  628
  Details for previous years are not readily available and could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the planned(a) expenditure on and (b) cost of science-related posts in the diplomatic service over the next three years. [12326]

  Mr. Hanley
  The forecast total cost and expenditure for science-related posts in the diplomatic service over the next three financial years are as follows:

  1995–96: £2,174,000

  1996–97: £2,139,906

  1997–98: £2,193,404

  European Union Staff
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes will take place in European Union staff numbers as a result of enlargement; what changes were originally forecast; what is the average length of service of those receiving redundancy; how the cost of redundancy is related to length of service; and what is the average length of service of those receiving redundancy per head in respect of(a) permanent staff, (b) temporary staff, (c) professional staff and (d) clerical and other staff. [10347]

  Mr. David Davis
  [holding answer 22 January 1996]: On 1 January 1995, the EU enlarged to 15 member states with the accession of Austria, Finland and Sweden. Many of the new posts created as a result have not yet been filled. The final changes as a result of enlargement are therefore not yet known.

  The forecast staff numbers are agreed by the Council in the budget. The table lists the successive budgets which have increased staff numbers, at least in part as a result of enlargement.

  redundant. However, the programme is open only to "fonctionnaires"—permanent staff —with more than 10 years' service, and "agents temporaire"—on fixed-term contracts—with more than 15 years' service. The minimum age for fonctionnaires to be eligible for the scheme is 55. For agents temporaire, it is 50.

  The cost of redundancy is not related to the length of service. Redundant staff receive 70 per cent. of their basic

  629
  pay until the age of 65, or until they are entitled to receive a full pension, whichever is earlier.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Access to Work
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her answer of 14 December,Official Report, column 738, what guidelines her Department has issued to placing, assessment and counselling team managers and regional PACT managers on the funding of access to work. [12216]

  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. Gordon McMaster, dated 30 January 1996:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about guidelines to Placing, Assessment and Counselling Team (PACT) and regional PACT managers on the funding of Access to Work.
  Funding for Access to Work is devolved to regions. PACT managers and regional PACT managers have general guidance on the management of budgets and, from the outset of Access to Work, they have had specific guidance on the management of Access to Work resources.
  Since the Secretary of State's announcement on 14 December 1995 we have issued further guidance to ensure that resources are being targeted in line with the announcement.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if the funds allocated to(a) access to work schemes and (b) the supported employment schemes are cash limited in (i) the present financial year and (ii) 1996—97 financial year. [11975]

  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. Dafydd Wigley, dated 30 January 1996:
  The Secretary of State for Education and Employment has asked me to reply to your question about whether the funds allocated to the Access to Work and Supported Employment programmes are cash limited.
  I can confirm funds allocated to Access to Work and to Supported Employment programmes are part of a cash limited Vote in both the present and the 1996–97 financial years.
  However, as a Next Steps Agency the Employment Service has specific financial flexibilities, which enable me to switch provision in-year between programmes, within the overall Vote. Exercising these flexibilities are subject to HM Treasury confirmation.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Park School, Barnstaple
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when she expects to reply to the letters from the hon. Member for North Devon of 630
  5 October and 9 November 1995 and 3 January 1996 concerning Park school, Barnstaple. [12514]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 25 January 1996. We have not received the letter of 3 January 1996.

  Head Teachers
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of secondary school head teachers were women in(a) 1975, (b) 1980, (c) 1985, (d) 1990 and (e) 1995 (i) by local education authority and (ii) nationally. [10518]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  Percentage of secondary school headteachers who were women in each local education authority area in England 1975–19951 2

  Position in January each year

  1975

  1980

  1985

  1990

  1995

  Corporation of London

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Camden

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  73

  55

  Greenwich

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  53

  47

  Hackney

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  40

  70

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  30

  67

  Islington

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  50

  67

  Kensington and Chelsea

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  60

  75

  Lambeth

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  40

  55

  Lewisham

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  29

  54

  Southwark

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  44

  62

  Tower Hamlets

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  57

  40

  Wandsworth

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  45

  33

  Westminster

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  63

  38

  ILEA

  41

  39

  45

  n/a

  n/a

  Barking and Dagenham

  18

  18

  9

  0

  13

  Barnet

  25

  28

  26

  33

  33

  Bexley

  26

  25

  42

  41

  19

  Brent

  17

  28

  17

  27

  31

  Bromley

  42

  41

  35

  32

  41

  Croydon

  29

  28

  17

  19

  20

  Ealing

  24

  19

  20

  23

  42

  Enfield

  19

  18

  25

  24

  13

  Haringey

  38

  36

  20

  44

  33

  Harrow

  27

  27

  45

  30

  20

  Havering

  14

  14

  24

  21

  28

  Hillingdon

  14

  20

  5

  17

  20

  Hounslow

  20

  29

  36

  29

  36

  Kingston upon Thames

  42

  42

  45

  50

  40

  Merton

  26

  32

  42

  50

  36

  Newham

  25

  19

  31

  40

  71

  Redbridge

  30

  29

  25

  7

  20

  Richmond upon Thames

  17

  33

  25

  50

  38

  Sutton

  35

  33

  38

  36

  43

  Waltham Forest

  26

  25

  22

  31

  38

  Birmingham

  26

  23

  20

  25

  33

  Coventry

  23

  23

  19

  11

  21

  Dudley

  15

  13

  12

  16

  18

  Sandwell

  20

  12

  8

  9

  5

  Solihull

  12

  11

  11

  21

  15

  Walsall

  4

  8

  8

  9

  25

  Wolverhampton

  17

  14

  14

  20

  15

  Knowsley

  13

  10

  6

  0

  9

  Liverpool

  35

  34

  33

  28

  31

  631

  Percentage of secondary school headteachers who were women in each local education authority area in England 1975–19951 2

  Position in January each year

  1975

  1980

  1985

  1990

  1995

  St. Helens

  12

  11

  12

  8

  0

  Sefton

  26

  19

  17

  14

  23

  Wirral

  32

  34

  31

  36

  33

  Bolton

  10

  20

  11

  6

  19

  Bury

  11

  6

  13

  0

  14

  Manchester

  25

  29

  22

  18

  21

  Oldham

  5

  0

  6

  20

  27

  Rochdale

  0

  7

  11

  17

  21

  Salford

  4

  8

  4

  6

  11

  Stockport

  19

  18

  16

  13

  27

  Tameside

  28

  29

  11

  11

  22

  Trafford

  35

  35

  29

  24

  25

  Wigan

  10

  7

  10

  12

  14

  Barnsley

  13

  4

  5

  11

  14

  Doncaster

  13

  10

  3

  9

  15

  Rotherham

  5

  0

  0

  0

  12

  Sheffield

  14

  18

  13

  9

  32

  Bradford

  11

  8

  13

  20

  26

  Calderdale

  8

  13

  26

  24

  13

  Kirklees

  13

  8

  8

  16

  13

  Leeds

  27

  24

  24

  20

  13

  Wakefield

  7

  7

  4

  5

  14

  Gateshead

  10

  11

  6

  0

  23

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  19

  14

  22

  26

  38

  North Tyneside

  11

  15

  25

  15

  22

  South Tyneside

  15

  6

  7

  8

  18

  Sunderland

  6

  8

  8

  6

  12

  Isles of Scilly

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Avon

  21

  17

  17

  18

  17

  Bedfordshire

  8

  9

  7

  8

  19

  Berkshire

  24

  22

  22

  31

  32

  Buckinghamshire

  18

  17

  20

  22

  25

  Cambridge

  6

  6

  9

  20

  18

  Cheshire

  24

  21

  18

  15

  18

  Cleveland

  7

  9

  10

  11

  14

  Cornwall

  13

  6

  6

  10

  13

  Cumbria

  13

  15

  12

  14

  10

  Derbyshire

  9

  7

  10

  14

  15

  Devon

  12

  10

  15

  12

  17

  Dorset

  20

  18

  18

  24

  16

  Durham

  5

  0

  2

  7

  9

  East Susex

  19

  11

  9

  9

  26

  Essex

  17

  22

  17

  14

  15

  Gloucestershire

  13

  11

  14

  16

  14

  Hampshire

  20

  16

  13

  20

  24

  Hereford and Worcester

  10

  13

  11

  8

  12

  Hertfordshire

  17

  13

  19

  22

  22

  Humberside

  16

  14

  18

  20

  20

  Isle of Wight

  6

  0

  10

  14

  19

  Kent

  29

  27

  25

  28

  30

  Lancashire

  10

  10

  7

  8

  16

  Leicestershire

  17

  17

  20

  23

  28

  Lincolnshire

  15

  14

  14

  16

  17

  Norfolk

  14

  13

  13

  9

  12

  North Yorkshire

  12

  10

  24

  10

  14

  Northamptonshire

  18

  15

  10

  20

  21

  Northumberland

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  Nottinghamshire

  15

  10

  10

  11

  20

  Oxfordshire

  7

  4

  15

  19

  20

  Shropshire

  18

  12

  15

  14

  23

  Somerset

  3

  0

  5

  10

  10

  Staffordshire

  12

  6

  8

  8

  15

  Suffolk

  11

  9

  11

  15

  18

  Surrey

  18

  9

  10

  10

  12

  632

  Percentage of secondary school headteachers who were women in each local education authority area in England 1975–19951 2

  Position in January each year

  1975

  1980

  1985

  1990

  1995

  Warwickshire

  22

  17

  12

  16

  32

  West Sussex

  19

  21

  15

  12

  27

  Wiltshire

  9

  10

  14

  9

  16

  England

  18

  16

  16

  18

  21

  n/a not applicable.

  1Excludes sixth form colleges.

  2Excludes headteachers employed by local education authroities who were not attached to a particular school.

  Equal Pay Act 1970 (Claims)
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many new claims were initiated under the 1983 equal value amendment to the Equal Pay Act 1970 in each year since 1983; how many were successful; and what was the average length of each case; [10520]

  (2) how many new claims have been initiated under Equal Pay Act 1970 in each year since 1970; how many were successful; and what was the average length of each case. [10521]

  Mrs. Gillan
  The precise information requested is not available.

  The Equal Pay Act 1970 came into effect on 29 December 1975. Statistics showing the number of equal pay cases disposed of in each year since 1976, and the number of successful cases in each of those years, are shown in the following table.

  Year

  Equal pay cases disposed of1

  Number successful2

  1976

  1,742

  213

  1977

  751

  91

  1978

  343

  24

  1979

  263

  13

  1980

  91

  4

  1981

  54

  6

  1982

  39

  2

  1983

  35

  9

  1984

  70

  11

  1985

  302

  37

  1986

  517

  44

  1987

  1,043

  7

  1988

  813

  14

  1989

  397

  33

  1990

  508

  10

  1991

  227

  5

  1992

  240

  21

  1993

  780

  19

  Total

  8,215

  563

  1Many equal pay cases typically consist of a single complaint to which is linked a number of identical claims made by colleagues of the complainant who are employed by the same employer. When a tribunal disposes of a complainant's case, all other cases linked to it are disposed of in the same way and are recorded as such in tribunal statistics.

  2This column records the actual number of successful complaints decided by tribunals. The figures do not include linked complaints which were not actually heard by tribunals.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is her estimate of her Department's expenditure on newspapers and magazines in(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96 to date; and if she will list the publications purchased for the latest year for which information is available. [11535]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Detailed financial information is not held in the form requested. However, the following annexe lists newspaper and magazine publications currently purchased by the Department's library.

  Annexe: Comprehensive list of newspaper/magazine (mainly weekly) titles obtained by the library

  ABC Guide to International Travel

  ABC Railway Guide

  ABC World Airways Guide

  Accountancy

  Accountant

  Architectural Review

  Asian Times

  Bookseller

  British Journal of Photography

  Building

  Campaign

  Caterer and Hotelkeeper

  Catholic Herald

  Child Education

  Church Times

  Construction News

  Contract Journal

  Cooks European Timetable

  Daily Express

  Daily Mirror

  Daily Star

  Daily Telegraph

  Der Spiegel

  Design

  Economist

  Education

  Engineer

  Engineering

  European

  Evening Standard

  Financial Times

  Gramophone

  Guardian

  Health Service Journal

  History Today

  Independent

  Independent on Sunday

  International Herald Tribune

  Junior Education

  L'Express

  Lloyds List

  Local Government Chronicle

  Mail on Sunday

  Management Today

  Manchester Evening News

  Marketing

  Marketing Week

  Media Week

  Morning Advertiser

  634

  Morning Star

  Municipal Journal

  Nature

  New Law Journal

  New Scientist

  New Statesman

  News of the World

  Newsweek

  Northern Echo

  Nursing Times and Nursing Mirror

  Observer

  Le Point

  Post Magazine and Insurance Monitor

  PR Week

  Printing World

  Private Eye

  Radio Times

  Scientific American

  Sheffield Star

  Sheffield Telegraph

  Spectator

  Stage and Television Today

  Sun

  Sunday Express

  Sunday Mirror

  Sunday People

  Sunday Telegraph

  Sunday Times

  Tablet

  Time International

  Time Magazine

  Time Out

  Times

  Times Education Supplement

  Times Higher Educational Supplement

  Times Literary Supplement

  Today

  Tribune

  TV Times

  The Voice

  UK Press Gazette

  Universe

  Die Zeit

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is her estimate of expenditure on all forms of hospitality and entertainment by(a) her Department, (b) her Department's agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies, for (i) 1979–80, (ii) 1989–90, (iii) 1991–92, (iv) 1993–94, (v) 1994–95, (vi) 1995–96 and (vii) 1996–97. [11531]

  Mr. Squire
  The first year for which figures are readily available for the new Department and its agencies is 1993–94. Figures for earlier years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  The available outturn figures (rounded to the nearest £'000) are:

  £ 000

  1993–94

  1994–95

  DFEE

  121

  88

  Agencies (Teachers' Pensions Agency and Employment Service)

  36

  11

  635
  Latest estimated outturn figures for 1995–96 are:

  £'000

  DFEE

  85

  Agencies (Teachers' Pensions Agency and Employment Service)

  8

  While overall administration budgets for 1996–97 have been settled, detailed budgets for individual activities, such as hospitality and entertainment, have not yet been finalised.

  Information on expenditure on hospitality and entertainment by the Department's sponsored non-departmental public bodies is not available centrally.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is her estimate of the annual cost to her Department and her Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies of their empty and under-utilised properties for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90,(c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11533]

  Mr. Squire
  Information is not held in the form that has been requested.

  However, the Department for Education and Employment currently has 14 empty properties costing around £2.1 million per annum. Only marginal changes are expected in 1996–97. Figures for earlier years could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  For the Department's agencies, the Employment Service currently has 143 empty properties currently costing around £7 million per annum. Most of these have arisen from integrating benefit offices and jobcentres. Figures for earlier years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. In the five years to March 1995, 840 properties were disposed of.

  Information on the Department's non-departmental public bodies could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  For properties occupied by the Department but which currently form part of the common user estate, reference should be made to the answer provided by the Secretary of State for the Environment.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is her estimate of departmental expenditure on administration for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11532]

  Mr. Squire
  Details of the Department's expenditure on administration for the years 1989–90, 1991–92 and 1993–94 are contained in the annual reports of the former Employment Department and Department for Education, Cm 2805 for Employment and Cm 2810 for Education. The annual reports also show expenditure planned at the time of publication for 1995–96 and 1996–97. Expenditure for 1994–95 is included in the Department's published appropriation accounts. Expenditure for 636
  1979–80 is contained in the Government's expenditure plans, Cm 9428-II. Copies of these documents are available in the Library.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is her estimate of the expenditure of her Department, her Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies on all forms of overseas travel, overseas accommodation and other associated expenses for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11534]

  Mr. Squire
  The information is as follows:

  OVERSEAS TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATION AND OTHER ASSOCIATED EXPENSES.

  Expenditure by the Department

  (a) 1979–80: Figures are not available

  (b) 1989–90: Figures are not available

  (c) 1991–92: £792,290

  (d) 1993–94: £892,933

  (e) 1994–95: £842,917

  (f) 1995–96: £810,000 (estimate)

  (g) 1996–97: £810,000 (estimate)

  For 1995–96 and earlier, the figures amalgamate the relevant expenditure of the former Department for Education and the former Department of Employment.

  Expenditure by the Department's Agencies

  Details of overseas travel by staff of the Employment Service are not separately recorded and could not be provided without disproportionate cost. Nil expenditure has been incurred, or is forecast to be incurred, by staff of the Teachers' Pensions Agency.

  Expenditure by Non Departmental Public Bodies (NDPB) sponsored by the Department

  Information about overseas travel costs for the Department's NDPBs is not available centrally.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is his estimate of his Department's expenditure on newspapers and magazines in(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96 to date; and if he will list the publications purchased for the latest year for which information is available. [11504]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The estimated expenditure on newspapers and magazines by the Lord Chancellor's Department, including the Court Service, is as follows:

  1993–94: £53,500

  1994–95: £54,700

  1995–96: £57,500

  The publications that incurred the above expenditure were:

  Newspapers:

  Daily Express, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Daily Star, Daily Telegraph, European, Evening Standard, Financial Times, Independent, Independent on Sunday, Le Monde, News of the World, Observer, People, Sun, Sunday Telegraph, Sunday Times, The Times, Die Zeit.

  Magazines

  Accountancy, Architects Journal, Banking World, Bookseller, Building, Chartered Surveyor, Computing, Construction News, Design Week, Economist, Estate Times, Estates

  637
  Gazette, Justice of the Peace, Law Society's Gazette, The Lawyer, Legal Business, Litigation, Litigation Letter, Magistrate, Management Accounting, Management Matters, Management Services, Management Today, New Law Journal, New Scientist, New Statesman and Society, Online and CD ROM Review, PC Magazine, PC Plus, PC Week, Police Review, Practical Computing, Private Eye, Radio Times, Social Work Today, Socio-Legal Newsletter, Solicitors' Journal, Spectator, Which?, Which Computer?

  Letter from Julia C. Lomas to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  The Parliamentary Secretary has asked me to reply to you as part of the Lord Chancellor's Department's response to your Parliamentary Question, listed on 19 January 1996, regarding the estimated cost of expenditure on newspapers and magazines in 1993–94, 1995–96 to date; and a list of the publications purchased for the latest year for which the information is available.
  The figures provided below indicate the monies spent from the Books and Newspapers budget and will, therefore, include the cost of purchasing books as well as newspapers and magazines. The figures for the cost of newspapers and magazines alone could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  1993–94: £26,208

  1994–95: £26,518

  1995–96: £19,658 (to date)

  The list of publications purchased in 1995–96 are as follows:

  The Times

  The Financial Times

  The Independent

  The Times (Saturday)

  The Independent (Saturday)

  Post Magazine

  Solicitor's Journal

  Taxation

  Estates Gazette

  Country Life

  Money Management

  ABC Railway Guide

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is his estimate of expenditure on all forms of hospitality and entertainment by(a) his Department, (b) his Department's agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies for (i) 1979–80, (ii) 1989–90, (iii) 1991–92, (iv) 1993–94, (v) 1994–95, (vi) 1995–96 and (vii) 1996–97. [11501]

  Mr. Evans
  Expenditure on entertainment including all forms of hospitality are given in the table.

  Entertainment

  Financial year

  LCD1

  Legal Aid Board

  1979–80

  Not available

  Not available

  1989–90

  18,886

  Not exceeding £500

  1991–92

  20,895

  Not exceeding £500

  1993–94

  20,477

  Not exceeding £500

  1994–95

  226,159

  Not exceeding £500

  1995–96*

  327,694

  Not exceeding £500

  1996–97*

  428,456

  Not exceeding £500

  1Includes all non-departmental public bodies except the Legal Aid Board.

  2Includes the Public Trust Office which became an agency on 1 July 1994.

  3Forecast based on expenditure to December 1995. The Court Service became an agency on 3 April 1995.

  4Forecast based on 1995–96 figure.

  638
  The first column of figures is for the whole of my Department apart from those years marked with an asterix which exclude the Court Service and Public Trust Office agencies. I have asked the chief executives of the agencies to reply direct for the years 1995–96 and 1996–97.

  Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  The Parliamentary Secretary has asked me to reply in respect of the Court Service to your question about annual hospitality and entertainment expenditure.
  The estimated annual figures for hospitality and entertainment expenditure from 3 April 1995, the date on which the Court Service was established, are:

  1995–96: £8,800

  1996–97: £8,800

  Letter from Julia C. Lomas to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  The Parliamentary Secretary has asked me to reply to you as part of the Lord Chancellor's Department's response to your Parliamentary Question, listed on 19 January 1996, regarding the estimate for expenditure on all forms of hospitality and entertainment for the years 1979–80, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96 and 1996–97.
  The Public Trust Office became an Agency on 1 July 1994 and the figures prior to that date will be included in our departmental Headquarters response. The estimated expenditure from 1 July 1994 are as follows:

  1 July 1994–95: £530

  1995–96: £685

  1996–97: £705

  Letter from John Manthorpe to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  Parliamentary question—expenditure on hospitality and entertainment in HM Land Registry.
  I have been asked by the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, to reply to your recent question on expenditure on all forms of hospitality and entertainment, I can provide the following information for the years quoted:

  (a) 1979–80: £747

  (b) 1989–90: £6,299

  (c) 1991–92: £13,993

  (d) 1993–94: 7,083

  (e) 1994–95: £12,888

  (f) 1995–96: £8,622 (at 31 December 1995)

  (g) 1996–97: Estimated expenditure figures for 1996–97 are not yet available. The annual non-staff budget setting process is currently taking place and the Land Registry Budget Committee has yet to decide the final budget allocation.

  Letter from Dr. Elizabeth Hallam Smith to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  In the absence of the Chief Executive, who is away from the Office on official business, I have been asked by the Lord Chancellor's Parliamentary Secretary to reply for the Public Record Office to your question about expenditure on hospitality and entertainment in the agencies for which he is responsible.

  Expenditure since 1993–94 has been:

  1993–94: £8,298

  1994–95: £6,752

  1995–96: £7,120

  1996–97: £8,220 (budget)

  Figures for earlier years could only be supplied at disproportionate cost.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is his estimate of the annual cost to his Department and his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies of their empty and under-utilised properties for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97.[11499]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The Lord Chancellor's Department does not keep comprehensive financial records for empty or under-used properties on the departmental estate and the information required could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, or is not available. The chief executives for each of the Department's agencies will be responding separately.

  Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to the above Question about the cost to the Court Service of empty or under used property.
  The Court Service does not keep comprehensive financial records for empty or under used properties on the Departmental Estate and the information required could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  Letter from Julia C. Lomas to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  The Parliamentary Secretary has asked me to reply to you as part of the Lord Chancellor's Department's response to your Parliamentary Question, listed on 19 January 1996, regarding the estimated cost of empty and under utilised buildings for the years 1979–80, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1995–96 and 1996–97.
  The Public Trust Office does not have any empty or under-utilised buildings.

  Letter from John Manthorpe to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  I have been asked by the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, to reply to your recent question on estimates of the costs of empty and under-utilised properties.
  I understand that the Property Holding Division of the Department of the Environment will provide central figures for Common User Estate vacant space from 1990/91 to date. Figures prior to then are held by the Property Services Agency who, I am informed, could only access this information at disproportionate cost.
  As to Land Registry accommodation that is not Common User Estate, I can provide the following estimates of costs of empty property for the years quoted:

  (a) 1979–80: Nil

  (b) 1989–90: Nil

  (c) 1991–92: £15,200

  (d) 1993–94: £244,360

  (e) 1994–95: £240,099

  (f) 1995–96: £379,728

  (g) 1996–97: £397,931

  The 1996–97 estimate represents the maximum potential costs over the full twelve month period. The properties are being actively marketed and the actual annual costs are likely to be lower.
  Surplus accommodation has arisen in the Land Registry following reductions in its staff of some 3400 from the 1989–90 peak.
  The Land Registry does not maintain any central records of the costs of under-utilised properties and this information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
  640
  Letter from Sarah Tyacke to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  I have been asked by the Lord Chancellor's Parliamentary Secretary to reply for the Public Record Office to your question about the cost of empty and under-utilised properties in the agencies for which he is responsible.
  The properties of the Public Record Office form part of the Common User Estate. Since 1979, none has been empty or under-utilised.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is his estimate of departmental expenditure on administration for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11502]

  Mr. Evans
  Details of my Department's running costs and administrative spending for the year 1979–80 are contained in table 3.9 of the "Government's Expenditure Plans 1985–86 to 1987–88", volume II (Cm 9428-II); figures for the years 1989–90 to 1997–98 are contained in table 4 of my Department's annual report published in March 1995 (Cm 2809). Copies of these documents are available in the Members' Library.

  Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  The Parliamentary Secretary has asked me to reply in respect of the Court Service to your Question about estimated annual expenditure on administration.
  The estimated annual figures for expenditure on administration for the Court Service from 3 April 1995, the date on which the Court Service was established, are:

  1995–1996: £32,307,000

  1996–1997: £31,600,000

  Letter from Julia C. Lomas to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  The Parliamentary Secretary has asked me to reply to you as part of the Lord Chancellor's Department's response to your Parliamentary Question, listed on 19 January 1996, regarding the estimated expenditure on administration for the years 1979–80, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96 and 1996–97.
  The Public Trust Office became and Agency on 1 July 1994 and the administration costs prior to that date can be found in the Lord Chancellor's Department's Departmental Report. The Annual Report for 1994–95 provides details of expenditure for that year, a copy of which can be found in the House of Commons Library, however the figure for that year and the estimate for 1995–96 and 1996–97 are given below.

  1994–95: £18.5 million

  1995–96: £19.76 million (estimate)

  1996–97: £19.48 million (estimate)

  It is worth noting that the Public Trust Office is required to cover its cost by fee income.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is his estimate of the expenditure of his Department and his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies on all forms of overseas travel, overseas accommodation and other associated expenses for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11503]

  Mr. Evans
  Except for the Legal Aid Board—established on 1 April 1989—which incurred £4,215 of such expenditure in 1994–95, expenditure on overseas
  641
  travel and accommodation is not monitored separately in my Department and non-departmental public bodies and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. We estimate that the maximum spent in any one year is no more than £35,000. Since this is an operational matter, I have asked the chief executives of the Court Service and Public Trust Office to reply direct for the years since they became agencies.

  Letter from M. D. Huebner to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  The Parliamentary Secretary has asked me to reply in respect of the Court Service to your Question about estimated annual overseas travel and accommodation expenditure.
  The Court Service does not have a budget for overseas travel, accommodation and expenses. Consequently, the estimated expenditure for the financial year 1995–96 is nil and no allocation has been provided for the financial year 1996–97.

  Letter from Julia C. Lomas to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  The Parliamentary Secretary has asked me to reply to you as part of the Lord Chancellor's Department's response to your Parliamentary Question, listed on 19 January 1996, regarding the estimated expenditure for overseas travel for the years 1979–80, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96 and 1996–97.
  The Public Trust Office became an Agency on 1 July 1994, prior to which no separate figures are available for the cost of overseas travel, however, the estimated costs for 1994 onwards are as follows:

  1994–95: No overseas travel

  1995–96: £4,900

  1996–97: £8,850

  Letter from Dr. Elizabeth Hallam Smith to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  In the absence of the Chief Executive, who is away from the Office on official business, I have been asked by the Lord Chancellor's Parliamentary Secretary to reply for the Public Record Office to your question about expenditure on overseas travel, overseas accommodation and associated expenses in the executive agencies for which he is responsible.
  The Public Record Office does not keep separate figures for overseas travel, accommodation and associated expenses. It has found from its experience in calculating 1994–95 expenditure (which was £7,708) in response to an earlier Parliamentary Question (12 July 1995, Official Report, Column 600), that such figures could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

  Letter from John Manthorpe to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  I have been asked by the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, to reply to your recent question on expenditure on all forms of overseas travel, overseas accommodation and other associated expenses. I can provide the following information for the years quoted:

  (a) 1979–80: Figures are not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost:

  (b) 1989–90: Figures are not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost:

  (c) 1991–92: Figures are not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost:

  (d) 1993–94: £3780

  (e) 1994–95: £8084

  (f) 1995–96: £2550 (at 31.12.95)

  642

  (g) 1996–97: Estimated expenditure figures for 1996–97 are not yet available. The annual non-staff budget setting process is currently taking place and the Land Registry Budget Committee has yet to decide the final budget allocation.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what consideration the Lord Chancellor has given to removing responsibility for the grant of criminal legal aid from the magistrates courts. [13087]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  This question highlights a difficult problem to which the Lord Chancellor has accorded high priority for a considerable time.

  The Legal Aid Act 1988 vests in the magistrates courts the function of deciding on the grant or refusal of legal aid in criminal cases. In the performance of their functions the courts act independently of any Government Department.

  In December 1993 my predecessor explained to the House that the Comptroller and Auditor General had repeatedly qualified his opinion on the Department's appropriation account because of material uncertainty as to whether the regulations governing the grant of criminal legal aid were being applied with sufficient rigour. He affirmed to the House that in no circumstances could any irregularity in dispensing public money be acceptable, and he recounted the measures that had been taken to rectify matters.

  Among them was an examination of the feasibility of transferring the function to the Legal Aid Board. My predecessor explained to the House his reasons for declining to take that step at that time, and he undertook to give further consideration to that and alternative measures if other continuing action failed to achieve an acceptable result.

  The Comptroller and Auditor General has again qualified his opinion of the 1994–95 appropriation account. During the last two years a number of statutory and administrative changes have been made, with the help and co-operation of the Legal Aid Board and the Justices' Clerks Society. The results have been closely audited both by my Department and by the National Audit Office. I am pleased to report that significant improvements in the levels of compliance with the regulations have recently become apparent. The improvement is marked enough to give reason to think that satisfactorily high levels of compliance could be achieved under the present arrangements, although further marked improvements are needed to achieve that result.

  The Lord Chancellor has now proposed more fundamental reforms of the legal aid scheme as a whole, as described last year in the Green Paper "Legal Aid—Targeting Need". In these circumstances I do not propose any earlier change in the arrangements for the grant of criminal legal aid in the magistrates courts, so long as the improvement in compliance with the regulations is maintained. I will announce our intentions regarding the wider reforms when our consideration of the public responses to the Green Paper has been completed.

ENVIRONMENT

  Internal Combustion Engines (Emissions)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the level of the noxious emissions from internal combustion engines in 1995 in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [10383]

  Mr. Clappison
  Actual emissions for 1995 are not yet available but a forecast for 1995 based on national road traffic forecasts and the emissions performance of both old and new vehicles has been made. On this basis, we predict that total emissions from road vehicles will fall this year and again next year.

  Village Shops
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to preserve village shops in rural areas. [10384]

  Mr. Gummer
  The Government's plans for preserving village shops and post offices in rural England are set out in the recently published White Paper "Rural England—A Nation Committed to a Living Countryside".

  Housing Management (Compulsory Competitive Tendering)
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about his plans to extend compulsory competitive tendering to housing management. [10385]

  Mr. Curry
  The implementation timetable for housing management CCT provides the work to be phased in. The timetable provides for contracts to be awarded between 1 April 1995 and 1 April 1998, depending upon the size of the authority and its state of preparedness for CCT. Authorities reorganised as a result of the review of local government are allowed an additional 18 months.

  Home Energy Efficiency Scheme
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many households have been assisted through the Government's home energy efficiency scheme during the last year; and what estimates he has been given by neighbourhood energy action for 1996–97 following the budget cut of £31 million. [10387]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  The estimated number of grants for 1995–96 is 600,000. NEA, formerly known as Neighbourhood Energy Action, has suggested that 400,000 grants will be paid next year, but it has not stated its assumptions. We have announced changes in the grant level which will reduce the average grant per installation, while fully protecting low-income households. The provision for next year therefore provides scope for considerably more than 400,000 grants.

  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many households have benefited from home energy efficiency scheme payments over the past two financial years; and what payment he estimates will be made in the current financial year. [10390]
  644
  Mr. Jones
  A total of 270,148 grants were paid under the home energy efficiency scheme in 1993–94, and 449,902 in 1994–95. In the present financial year, I estimate that £98 million will be paid out in grants to around 600,000 households.

  District Auditor Service
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had from local authorities regarding the role of the district auditor service. [10388]

  Mr. Curry
  I have had no such representations, although local authorities do raise audit matters with the Government from time to time.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will increase the number of council tax bands. [10389]

  Mr. Curry
  I have no plans to do so.

  City of Birmingham Housing Department
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date he approved the award of housing management contracts to the city of Birmingham housing department. [10391]

  Mr. Clappison
  The Secretary of State gave his consent to the city of Birmingham carrying out eight housing maintenance contracts on—18 October 1994 four contracts and on 20 November 1995 four contracts—as provided in a direction given to the council under section 19B of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980.

  Regeneration Policies
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on current regeneration policies. [10394]

  Mr. Curry
  Our regeneration policies will focus on the single regeneration budget and this will continue to be distributed on a competitive basis.

  Compulsory Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what savings have been delivered by compulsory competitive tendering in the year 1994–95. [10395]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  This information is not available on a yearly basis. On the basis of research by Birmingham university, it is estimated that average annual savings of 6.5 per cent. have been achieved on services so far subject to CCT.

  Area Cost Adjustment
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for a public consultation on the findings of the review into the area cost adjustment. [10396]
  645
  Mr. Curry
  We have asked the review team to produce a report by June this year with recommendations for determining the area cost adjustment of the standard spending assessment in a way which is conceptually sound, commands the widest possible acceptance among local authorities in all parts of the country and is practical to apply.

  The report, which we are proposing should be available publicly, will be produced only after the review team has considered the representations and comments made to it by local government and other interested bodies and taking account of the results of the research that the review team require.

  We shall consult, in the normal way, on any changes proposed to SSAs for future years which we consider should be made in the light of the review's report.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received concerning his proposals to alter the housing priority for homeless families. [10397]

  Mr. Clappison
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Urban Regeneration to the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Raynsford) on 20 November 1995,Official Report, column 40.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he will publish his Department's evaluation of the homelessness code of guidance commissioned from Birmingham university in 1993; [12144]

  (2) what evaluation he has made of the homelessness code of practice commissioned from Birmingham university; and what account he took of the condition of the report in drawing up his proposed homelessness legislation. [12145]

  Mr. Clappison
  The research, "Evaluation of the 1991 Homelessness Code of Guidance to Local Authorities", will he published shortly. Much of the research relates to matters which will not be affected by the reform of the homelessness legislation, but full account will be taken of the research in preparing a revised code of guidance.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the impact of the provisions of the Housing Bill upon the numbers of homeless families accepted for temporary housing by local authorities. [12140]

  Mr. Clappison
  We expect to see a decline in the number of households accepted as statutorily homeless, both because the legislation will not provide a fast track into a permanent social tenancy and as a result of some applicants finding suitable alternative accommodation.

  New Housing (Insulation Standards)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will commission further research into 646
  insulation standards in newly built housing in the United Kingdom. [10393]

  Mr. Clappison
  The Government already commission a programme of research into insulation standards in newly built housing, and will continue to do so.

  Road Vehicles (Pollution)
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to deal with the long-term effect of pollution caused by road vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [10392]

  Mr. Clappison
  On 1 February, section 80 of the Environment Act will be commenced, requiring us to prepare and publish a national air quality strategy containing policies with respect to the assessment or management of the quality of the air. The strategy will include a chapter concerning transport policies.

  Water Metering
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy that there will be no compulsory provision of metering as a basis for domestic water charges. [10382]

  Mr. Clappison
  It is for water companies to decide the most appropriate basis for charging in their areas. We wish to encourage companies and customers to consider switching to meters; we are not forcing them to do so.

  Water Pipes (Repairs)
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review his policy of making householders liable for the repair of water pipes outwith their property. [10379]

  Mr. Gummer
  The liability of householders for water pipes remain exactly as it was when the industry was nationalised.

  Environment Centres
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many towns and cities in the United Kingdom(a) have established and (b) are in the process of establishing environment centres open to the public in line with agenda 21 as agreed at the Rio summit. [11236]

  Mr. Clappison
  My Department does not hold this information centrally.

  Former Mineworkings, County Durham
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to receive and publish the results of the Coal Authority three-month trial to establish water flow patterns in former mineworkings in County Durham; and if he will make a statement. [11605]

  Mr. Clappison
  The results of the amended pumping regime are being monitored and assessed by the Coal Authority and the National Rivers Authority. If there are
  647
  further changes in the pumping regime, I would expect that the Coal Authority will wish to make this known.

  European Regional Development Fund
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 22 January,Official Report, column 83, on bids under the objective 1 process, if he will list the values of the bids approved for (a) the Wirral and (b) the Liverpool side of the river. [11893]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Projects approved which are based in or being delivered directly in Wirral total £27,868,638, projects operating across more than one borough, including Wirral, or across Merseyside as a whole total £24,599,120, and projects in the rest of Merseyside total £85,518,781.

  Renewal Areas (Research)
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of research undertaken in his Department in the renewal areas; what changes have occurred in respect of work priorities in these areas as a consequence of the research; and when he expects to publish the research report. [12077]

  Mr. Clappison
  The research has now been completed and we are expecting the contractor to deliver a final version of the report at the end of this month. A decision will then be taken about its publication and the form of any further guidance that the Department might produce.

  The 10 local authorities selected as case studies have been informed of the contractor's findings. It is up to each individual authority to decide whether its work priorities towards its renewal areas should change as a consequence of the research.

  Hedgerows
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what new initiatives he plans to stimulate the planting of hedgerows. [12181]

  Mr. Clappison
  Grants for planting new hedgerows are already available as part of both the environmentally sensitive areas scheme and countryside stewardship, which generally operates outside the ESAs. In the light of stewardship's successful pilot phase, and in advance of its transfer to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 1 April 1996, my right hon. Friend the Minister announced in November that an extra £5 million will be available for new management agreements under countryside stewardship for each of the years 1996–97 and 1997–98. This is in addition to the existing £11.625 million already available under the scheme.

  Domestic Gas Appliances
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward measures to assist low-income households to service and repair gas appliances which are at risk of carbon monoxide discharges. [12441]
  648
  Sir Paul Beresford
  No resources are available to assist householders to service and repair gas appliances. For those in rented accommodation, responsibility for the maintenance of gas appliances lies with landlords. Hence low-income households in this sector will not be liable for the maintenance of gas appliances in their homes.

  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the number of households with incomes of under £150 per week which have faulty gas appliances. [12440]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  No assessment has been made of the number of low-income households with faulty gas appliances. However, the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1994 impose a responsibility on landlords to ensure that gas appliances in rented accommodations are maintained in good order and serviced annually. These regulations were introduced in order to achieve a reduction in the number of carbon monoxide poisonings in rented properties, where many of these incidents have occurred in the past.

  Regional Government, East Anglia
  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about regional government in East Anglia. [10516]

  Mr. Curry
  None.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the annual cost to his Department and his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies of their empty and under-utilised properties for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11430]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Prior to 1990 the civil estate was managed by the Property Services Agency. Its archived records could be accessed only at disproportionate cost.

  On 1 April 1990 Property Holdings assumed responsibility for the whole of the Government common user (office) estate in which Government Departments and their agencies are housed. Separate identification of the costs of unoccupied property has been made since 1 April 1993. A considerable amount of surplus space has been disposed of since then. The costs of holding CUE space vacant, together with the costs of disposing of vacant space, have been or are expected to be:

  1993–94: £86.5 million (actual)

  1994–95: £90.9 million (actual)

  1995–96: £161.6 million (estimated)

  From 1 April 1996 individual Departments will be accountable for all the offices in which they have occupations, including any vacant space therein. All wholly vacant buildings on the common user estate will be transferred to a new body, Property Advisers to the

  649
  Civil Estate, for ultimate disposal. The continuing costs of vacant space to be transferred to PACE, together with costs associated with disposal of vacant space, are estimated to be £133 million for 1996–97.

  Since 1990 the marked decline in civil service staff numbers, combined with rationalisation, relocation out of London and the more effective use of office space, has enabled Departments to declare an ever increasing volume of space surplus to requirements. Sluggish market conditions have not enabled disposals to keep pace with these surrenders. In the longer term, reduction in the size of the Government's office estate will provide the taxpayer with even greater value for money.

  So far as the Department of the Environment itself is concerned, estimates of the cost of vacant space are:

  1993–94: £0.6 million (estimated)

  1994–95: £0.9 million (estimated)

  1995–96: £0.5 million (estimated)

  1996–97: £1.4 million (estimated)

  These figures cover the Department and its agencies, including the residual Property Services Agency, as well as the Department's share of costs of unified Government

  Expenditure on hospitality

  £ thousands

  1989–90

  1991–92

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96 (forecast)

  DOE (Central)

  51

  56

  68

  76

  71

  Property Holdings

  n/a

  8

  7

  8

  10

  Total Department

  51

  64

  75

  84

  81

  Planning Inspectorate

  0

  0

  1

  2

  2

  Building Research Establishment

  4

  17

  12

  10

  10

  The Buying Agency

  n/a

  2

  3

  4

  4

  Security Facilities Executive

  n/a

  n/a

  2

  6

  5

  QEII Conference Centre

  n/a

  10

  14

  15

  12

  PSA Services

  0

  98

  50

  2

  0

  The figures for the planning inspectorate for 1989–90 is included within the departmental total.

  The Buying Agency figure for 1991–92 is for the period 1 April to 31 December. The figure for 1993–94 is for the period 1 January to 31 December 1993.

  Expenditure on overseas travel, overseas accommodation and other associated expenses

  £ thousands

  1989–90

  1991–92

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96 (forecast)

  DOE (Central)

  331

  393

  454

  519

  550

  PSA Services

  3,912

  1,213

  120

  0

  0

  These figures exclude Property Holdings.

  The remaining information requested is not held centrally in the form required and could be made available only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of his Department's expenditure on newspapers and magazines in(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96, to date; and if he will list the publications purchased for the latest year for which information is available. [11432]
  650
  offices. Information on costs within the 35 non-Crown NDPBs sponsored by DOE could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is his estimate of expenditure on all forms of hospitality and entertainment by(a) his Department, (b) his Department's agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies, for (i) 1979–80, (ii) 1989–90, (iii) 1991–92, (iv) 1993–94, (v) 1994–95, (vi) 1995–96 and (vii) 1996–97; [11428]

  (2) what is his estimate of the expenditure of his Department, his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies on all forms of overseas travel, overseas accommodation and other associated expenses for (a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11431]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The tables set out the available information in respect of expenditure on hospitality and entertainment, and on overseas travel, accommodation and related expenses.

  Sir Paul Beresford
  My Department's expenditure on newspapers, magazines and other periodicals since 1994 is as follows:

  1994–95: £276,700

  1995–96: £250,700 (to date)

  The figure for 1993–94 was £385,700 which includes expenditure on behalf of the DOE and DOT under joint supply arrangements.
  651
  Titles include daily and regional newspapers, weekly magazines and trade and technical journals. To list each would involve disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of departmental expenditure on administration for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11429]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Figures for departmental administration for year(a) are found in sections 3.7 and 3.8 of the "Government's Expenditure Plans 1985–86 to 1987–88", Cm 9428-II, copies of which are in the Libraries of the House. No separate figures for departmental running costs are available.

  The figures for departmental running costs for years (b) to (f) are set out in my department's 1995 annual report, Cm 2807, copies of which are in the Libraries of the House. Revised figures for 1996–97 taking account of the transfer of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to the Environment Agency will be published in the 1996 departmental report to be published in March.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many hectares within sites of special scientific interest have been(a) seriously damaged and (b) destroyed in respect of their conservation value during the last 10 years. [11486]

  Mr. Clappison
  Statistical information on damage to SSSIs in Great Britain is set out in the annual reports of the former Nature Conservancy Council. Since 1 April 1991 similar details for England, Scotland and Wales have been contained in the annual reports of the country agencies and, for Great Britain, in that of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. Copies of these reports are in the Library.

  Nature Conservation
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment by what percentage the funding of nature conservation is planned to change between 1995–96 and 1996–97. [11702]

  Mr. Clappison
  English Nature's grant in aid settlement for 1995–96 was £40.419 million. In 1996–97 it will be £39.166 million, representing a reduction of 3.1 per cent.

  Biodiversity Action Plan
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional measures will be provided to achieve the awaited biodiversity action plan. [11703]

  Mr. Clappison
  The United Kingdom was one of the first countries to produce a national biodiversity plan when "Biodiversity: The UK Action Plan" was published in January 1994.

  A biodiversity steering group, chaired by my Department, with members drawn from all sectors, was set up to advise the Government on individual costed action plans for selected species and habitats, a forward programme for improving biological recording and
  652
  monitoring in the UK, and a programme for improving public awareness and involvement in conserving biodiversity.

  The group published its findings on 13 December 1995. "Biodiversity: The UK Steering Group Report" contains a number of proposals including costed action plans for 116 species and 14 key habitats. It also recommends that costed action plans for a further 286 species and 24 key habitats be produced within three years.

  The Government expect to publish their response to the report in the spring of 1996.

  Water Quality Improvement
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on plans for water quality improvement within the framework 4 and framework 5 plans of the EC. [11737]

  Mr. Clappison
  Research on water quality issues is included in the fourth European Community framework programme of research, technological development and demonstration, 1994 to 1998. Proposals for the fifth framework programme, beginning in 1998–99, are expected to be submitted to the Council and the European Parliament, by the Commission, next year. My Department's view on plans for "Framework Five" will be strongly influenced by how successful the current programme is at meeting its objectives.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was total Government spending in(a) Pendle, (b) Bath and (c) Bournemouth. [12618]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Central Government support comprises support for capital spending as well as revenue spending. The latest available figures for 1995–96 are as follows. Differences between districts' overall level of revenue support depend on a large number of factors including the size of the tax base from which council tax can be raised, as well as the Government's assessment of relative expenditure needs.

  £ thousand

  Pendle

  Bath

  Bournemouth

  Revenue support grant

  3,462

  3,687

  8,562

  Redistributed non-domestic rates

  2,872

  2,780

  5,347

  Specific and special grants inside AEF, excluding SSA reduction grant

  181

  253

  683

  SSA reduction grant

  540

  0

  646

  Specific and special grants outside AEF

  10,242

  10,939

  34,113

  Total revenue support

  17,297

  17,659

  49,351

  Credit approvals

  1,183

  484

  1,956

  Capital grants

  1,277

  1,517

  480

  Total central Government support

  19,757

  19,660

  51,787

  Source:

  Revenue support items: Budget Estimates from RA96 return.

  Credit approvals and capital grants: most recent capital payments return. The figures for credit approvals relate to basic and supplementary credit approvals issued less receipts of specified capital grant.
  653
  Mr. Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each local authority in(a) Lancashire and (b) the rest of England the capital receipts held by them resulting from the sale of land, property and other assets. [12617]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  A list of the amounts of accumulated usable receipts from all assets at 31 March 1995 for each English local authority was placed in the Library of the House in response to the question of 22 January 1996 from the hon. Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Smith),Official Report, column 85. The figures for authorities in Lancashire are:

  Amounts held at 31 March 1995 (£ million)

  Usable receipts

  Lancashire county council

  0.751

  Blackburn

  0

  Blackpool

  7.480

  Burnley

  2.066

  Chorley

  1.047

  Fylde

  0.451

  Hyndburn

  0.315

  Lancaster

  0

  Pendle

  1.385

  Preston

  1.839

  Ribble Valley

  0.796

  Rossendale

  0.056

  South Ribble

  5.738

  West Lancashire

  1.131

  Wyre

  0.159

  Local authorities are required to set aside 75 per cent. of their capital receipts from the sale of council housing and 50 per cent. of most other receipts, to repay debt. These amounts form part of the provision for credit liabilities, which also includes amounts set aside from revenue. Separate figures for set-aside capital receipts are not available.

  Challenge Funding
  Mr. Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he plans to publish further details of the Government's proposals for the extension of challenge funding to local authority capital spending. [12981]

  Mr. Gummer
  The challenge funding concept has proved itself as one of the best approaches for funding elements of local authority spending. This is a chance to see how it might work when applied to the major areas of councils' capital expenditure.

  Following my announcement on 30 November 1995, Official Report, column 1338, that the Government wish to build on the success of the challenge concept, I am today issuing to local authorities and other interested parties a consultation paper seeking views on one option for applying this approach to the funding of mainstream local authority capital expenditure.

  Our proposals would give the more enthusiastic local authorities the opportunity to bid for a share of a capital challenge fund of up to £250 million and to supplement this with private sector cash. Local authorities will be able to decide their own priorities, so, for example, those who want to improve run down inner-city areas or enhance the rural environment will get more cash if they put their
  654
  backs into developing imaginative projects and partnerships. All have the chance to do this. The best projects will be targeted with the most resources, bringing with it all the benefits of value for money, and the chance to get local people and businesses involved in projects that ultimately use their money.

  Our consultation paper sets out ideas for a challenge fund to support capital spending across all services. In particular, it invites comment on the option of proceeding with a pilot scheme to test a mechanism for distribution a proportion of total credit approvals for capital expenditure in the 1997–98 financial year. This pilot would build on the competitive approach already taken to funding elements of local authority capital expenditure, and would offer local authorities greater freedom to decide on their own spending priorities across the board.

  We will consider carefully all comments made in response to the consultation paper before deciding how best to proceed. A pilot scheme, if undertaken, would inform decisions on how to build on the competitive element which is already part of the capital financial system to enhance local accountability and value for money.

  Copies of the consultation paper have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Drought Orders
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what provisions of European law provide that an application for a drought order, where withdrawal of water from areas of sites of special scientific interest is being considered, is accompanied by an environmental impact assessment [10853]

  Mr. Clappison
  [holding answer 23 January 1996]: Environmental impact assessment is required in accordance with directive 85/337/EEC for projects involving drilling for water supplies where groundwater abstraction is likely to have a significant effect on the environment. No drought orders made during the past 12 months have involved the construction of new boreholes. Environmental impact assessment is not required under the directive for surface water abstraction.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to prevent the incineration of toxic waste at sea; and if he will make a statement. [12383]

  Mr. Baldry
  I have been asked to reply.

  The incineration of toxic waste at sea has been prohibited since the start of 1991.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Military Equipment Embargoes
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his reply to the hon. and learned Member for Fife, North-East (Mr. Campbell), of 27 November 1995, on military equipment embargoes,
  655
  Official Report, columns 426–27, if he will set out which parts and groups of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 apply in each case where an embargo has been imposed. [11051]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The UK interprets the embargoes on Argentina, Burma, Iraq, Liberia, Libya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, UNITA (Angola), former Yugoslavia and Zaire as including all goods in group 1 of part III of schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994.

  In the case of Iran, the embargo also takes in goods or technology on the nuclear materials list in category 0 in annexe I to Council decision 94/942/CFSP on the control of exports of dual-use goods, the export of which is controlled by Council regulation (EC) 3381/94. There are two exceptions: the ban does not include equipment considered essential for the safety of civil aircraft and air traffic control systems, or radioactive material for medical equipment use, but the exceptions do not apply where there is knowledge or reason to suspect that the goods would go to a military end-user or be used for military purposes.

  In the case of China, the scope of the EU ban has been left for national interpretation. We consider the following to be caught by the embargo: weapons and their specially designed components/ammunition, weapons platforms and any equipment which is likely to be used for internal repression. These categories fall under group 1 of part III of schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994.

  The voluntary embargoes on Armenia and Azerbaijan are in respect of arms and we interpret them as covering headings ML1, PL5002, PL5018, PL5021, ML2, ML3, ML4, PL5030, PL5006, ML5, ML6(a) and (b), ML7, ML8, ML9, ML10(a)–(f), ML16 (in respect of goods covered by headings ML1, ML2, ML3, ML4 and ML6(a) and (b), ML9, ML10(a)–(f), ML23 and ML26), PL520, ML23, ML24(a) and (b)2, and ML26 of group 1 of part III of schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994. However, any applications for other military equipment for these countries would receive close scrutiny.

  Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many cases remain pending within his Department under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986; and if he will make a statement. [12207]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  As at 31 December 1995, there were 1,610 cases before the courts under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 which had been commenced by the Department but which had not been concluded.

  Burnley and Pendle Transport
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the Office of Fair Trading has solicited the views of members of the travelling public in Burnley and Pendle concerning the proposed purchase by Stagecoach of Pendle council's 50 per cent. stake in Burnley and Pendle Transport. [12209]
  656
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  No. In the event that such a merger were announced, the Director General of Fair Trading would take account of all relevant factors, including the views of third parties.

  Mr. Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the Director General of Fair Trading consulted him before providing confidential guidance to the parties involved in the proposed sale of Pendle borough council's stake in Burnley and Pendle Transport. [12210]

  Mr. Taylor
  It is not the practice of the Government or the Director General of Fair Trading to disclose whether confidential guidance has been sought or given in specific cases. In general, before giving confidential guidance, the director general will consult my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

  Privatised Utilities
  Mr. Ian McCartney
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many people served on the boards of(a) British Gas, (b) British Telecom, (c) the Central Electricity Generating Board, (d) East Midlands electricity board, (e) Eastern electricity board, (f) London electricity board, (g) Manweb, (h) Midlands electricity board, (i) Northern electricity board, (j) Norweb, (k) South Wales electricity board, (l) South Western electricity board, (m) Southern electricity board and (n) Yorkshire electricity board in the final year before each was privatised. [12215]

  Mr. Page
  The information requested, in relation to the organisations for which my Department has sponsorship responsibility, is as follows:

  Organisation

  Number of people employed

  Number of people on board

  Total remuneration paid to those on board £ million

  Year ended

  British Gas

  89,747

  12

  0.5

  31 March 1986

  British Telecom

  244,592

  13

  0.5

  31 March 1984

  Central Electricity

  47,631

  10

  0.4

  31 March 1989

  Generating Board

  —

  —

  —

  1—

  East Midlands Electricity

  7,478

  11

  0.2

  31 March 1990

  Eastern Electricity

  9,970

  12

  0.2

  31 March 1990

  London Electricity

  6,920

  10

  0.2

  31 March 1990

  MANWEB

  5,551

  12

  0.2

  31 March 1990

  Midlands Electricity

  7,738

  11

  0.2

  31 March 1990

  Northern Electricity

  5,439

  8

  0.2

  31 March 1990

  NORWEB

  8,249

  10

  0.3

  31 March 1990

  SEEBOARD

  6,345

  12

  0.2

  31 March 1990

  Southern Electricity Board

  8,233

  11

  0.2

  31 March 1990

  South Wales Electricity Board

  3,770

  12

  0.2

  31 March 1990

  657

  Organisation

  Number of people employed

  Number of people on board

  Total remuneration paid to those on board £ million

  Year ended

  South western Electricity Board

  5,641

  12

  0.2

  31 March 1990

  Yorkshire Electricity

  7,153

  10

  0.2

  31 March 1990

  Note:

  1The year in which the last Annual Report and accounts for the Central Electricity Generating Board as a whole was produced.

  Sources:

  Annual Reports and Accounts except Electricity Area Boards, where the Main Prospectus for the Regional Electricity Companies Share Offers was used.

  Nuclear Levy
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much money has been raised by the nuclear levy on consumers' bills since 1990 to the present day in 1995 prices. [12477]

  Mr. Page
  The total amount raised by the fossil fuel levy for financing nuclear and renewables generators from 1990–91 to 1994–95—the latest figure available—is £6.686 billion in 1994–95 prices.

  Source:

  Office of Electricity Regulation. Converted to 1994–95 prices using the GDP Market price deflator.

  Nuclear Industry (Insurance)
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the requirements for insurance to cover the risk of accidents including radioactive materials following privatisation of the nuclear industry; what assessment he has made of whether appropriate cover is available from commercial insurance sources; what contingency plans have been drawn up for the Government to continue to cover such risks in the absence of commercial insurance; and what charge would be made to the privatised industry for such state insurance. [12240]

  Mr. Page
  Under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965, a UK nuclear generator is required to have insurance for third party nuclear liability of £140 million for any one incident. For claims over £140 million, compensation may be paid out up to a total of around £280 million, from public funds. Parliament may also vote further funds. These arrangements apply whether the operator is in the public or private sector in accordance with the UK's obligations under the Paris and Brussels conventions on civil nuclear liability. When these limits were set in 1994, they took into account the capacity of commercially available insurance.

  British Energy
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the net present value of estimated future profit of British Energy; and what discount rate this assumes. [12479]
  658
  Mr. Eggar
  The net present value of estimated future profit of British Energy depends on the discount rate used. If such information is to be made available to investors, it will be included in the prospectus.

  Departmental Staff (Energy Matters)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many staff(a) specialise in energy and (b) spend time on energy-related issues. [12481]

  Mr. Eggar
  Within my Department, there are at present 484 staff in the energy command, which deals with energy-related issues. There are also staff elsewhere in the Department who spend time on energy matters where these impact on their main areas of responsibility, but it is not possible to quantify the number of staff falling into this category.

  National Insurance Fund
  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many companies made successful applications to the national insurance fund as a result of failing to meet statutory obligations to provide redundancy payments for employees under the terms of current employment legislation for each year since 1979; and if he will provide the figures for each year with regard to the total cost of the approved applications from the national insurance fund expressing the costs(a) on a consistent basis and (b) at constant 1979 prices. [12612]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information is not available in the form requested. The total cost to the national insurance fund of statutory redundancy payments made to employees under section 106 of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 is set out in the table. The figures include payments to former employees of insolvent businesses.

  Year

  £ million

  £ million at constant 1979 prices1

  1979–80

  19.3

  19.3

  1980–81

  42.0

  35.5

  1981–82

  53.0

  40.8

  1982–83

  72.2

  51.9

  1983–84

  69.0

  47.4

  1984–85

  57.1

  37.4

  1985–86

  54.6

  33.9

  1986–87

  50.2

  30.2

  1987–88

  34.9

  19.9

  1988–89

  32.4

  17.4

  1989–90

  25.7

  12.9

  1990–91

  67.6

  31.3

  1991–92

  131.8

  57.6

  1992–93

  161.9

  67.9

  1993–94

  130.6

  53.2

  1994–95

  89.5

  35.8

  1GDP Deflator used to calculate constant 1979 prices.

  Post Office (Privatisation)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consultation he has had with the Post Office on a timetable for privatisation. [12605]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  None.

  AEA Technology
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress is being made in separating AEA Technology from the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. [13066]

  Mr. Page
  The Secretary of State intends to give a direction to the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority under section 1(1) of the Atomic Energy Authority Act 1995 to make a scheme providing for the transfer, on 31 March 1996, of the property, rights and liabilities of what constitutes AEA Technology to a single successor company, AEA Technology plc, owned by the Secretary of State.

  From that date, the commercial activities of the authority will be carried on by the new company. The authority itself will focus in future on the safe and cost-effective maintenance and decommissioning of its nuclear liabilities. It will also continue to run the UK's nuclear fusion programme.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the findings from the research into the wider effects of inward investment will be made available. [13067]

  Mr. Eggar
  The commissioning Departments for this research have received the consultants' report on the "Assessment of the Wider Effects of Inward Investment in Manufacturing in the UK". I have placed copies of the report in the Libraries of the House. Copies are available from my Department, regional development division, room 3.E.45, 1 Victoria street, London SW1H 0ET.

  Regional Selective Assistance
  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for each of the English regions the expenditure on regional selective assistance offers accepted by companies in(a) 1991–92, (b) 1992–93, (c) 1993–94 and (d) 1994–95, the proportion of regional selective assistance expenditure on foreign-owned firms and regional selective assistance expenditure per employee in manufacturing. [12703]

  Mr. Eggar
  Offers of regional selective assistance accepted in the period 1991–92 to 1994–95 were as follows:

  RSA offers accepted £000

  Preparation to foreign-owned firms Percentage

  Amount offered by head of employee in manufacturing projects £000

  1991–92

  East

  —

  —

  —

  East midlands

  1,580

  25

  1,834

  London

  —

  —

  —

  Merseyside

  10,266

  13

  5,724

  North east

  16,912

  15

  3,944

  North west

  15,066

  9

  3,203

  South east

  —

  —

  —

  South west

  4,190

  —

  4,889

  660

  RSA offers accepted £000

  Preparation to foreign-owned firms Percentage

  Amount offered by head of employee in manufacturing projects £000

  West midlands

  12,620

  60

  3,032

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  18,012

  72

  7,077

  Total

  78,646

  33

  4,111

  1992–93

  East

  —

  —

  —

  East midlands

  848

  18

  2,681

  London

  —

  —

  —

  Merseyside

  8,861

  42

  6,719

  North east

  25,225

  49

  6,312

  North west

  18,773

  32

  4,281

  South east

  —

  —

  —

  South west

  6,376

  41

  5,643

  West midlands

  7,921

  40

  2,809

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  11,463

  25

  3,647

  Total

  79,467

  39

  4,623

  1993–94

  East

  240

  —

  3,169

  East midlands

  4,244

  50

  2,947

  London

  116

  —

  3,562

  Merseyside

  13,920

  38

  4,375

  North east

  33,698

  50

  5,870

  North west

  18,240

  12

  3,252

  South east

  478

  —

  3,093

  South west

  8,486

  30

  5,149

  West midlands

  21,950

  32

  3,656

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  17,225

  13

  3,756

  Total

  118,597

  32

  4,140

  1994–95

  East

  2,782

  —

  2,525

  East midlands

  5,546

  30

  3,006

  London

  2,396

  —

  2,419

  Merseyside

  13,541

  41

  3,820

  North east

  37,681

  51

  5,730

  North west

  25,382

  43

  2,939

  South east

  3,116

  —

  5,471

  South west

  14,321

  27

  4,771

  West midlands

  33,231

  48

  4,361

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  22,520

  10

  5,519

  Total

  160,522

  37

  4,335

  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of regional selective assistance grants in each intermediate and development area in 1994 and 1995. [12388]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  Offers of regional selective assistance accepted in 1994 and 1995 were as follows:

  £000

  1994

  1995

  DA

  IA

  DA

  IA

  East

  —

  2,273

  —

  1,844

  East Midlands

  4,190

  2,229

  1,739

  4,263

  London

  —

  1,102

  —

  3,643

  Merseyside

  12,104

  357

  14,679

  150

  North-east

  27,680

  1,455

  33,940

  957

  661

  £000

  1994

  1995

  DA

  IA

  DA

  IA

  North-west

  5,845

  17,470

  5,665

  10,278

  South-east

  1,383

  1,502

  2,148

  3,777

  South-west

  3,845

  11,170

  2,518

  9,005

  West Midlands

  10,252

  20,704

  19,467

  9,949

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  6,780

  9,781

  6,492

  14,863

  Total

  72,079

  68,043

  86,648

  58,729

  European Framework Programme for Research and Technological Activities
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give details of the individual awards given to United Kingdom based companies under the European framework programme for research and technological activities in each of the years from the establishment of the programme. [12324]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  Information on the funding provided to individual UK companies under the European Union's framework programme for research and technological development is held only by the European Commission and is not made available to member states.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the expenditure of his Department, his Department's agencies non-departmental public bodies on all forms of overseas travel, overseas accommodation and other associated expenses for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11436]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Disaggregated information on the basis requested is not available for the Department and the non-departmental public bodies and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  I have asked agency chief executives to reply directly to the hon. Member as they have their own budgetary responsibility for travel and subsistence costs.

  Letter from Peter Joyce to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply to your question about expenditure on overseas travel, accommodation and other associated expenses incurred by The Insolvency Service.

  Costs associated with overseas travel by The Service are:

  Financial Year—Costs including VAT

  1994/95: £9,000

  1995/96: £12,500 (to date)

  1995/96: £13,500 (estimated full year)

  1996/97: £12,000 (estimated)

  Prior to 1994/95 overseas travel was paid centrally by the Department of Trade and Industry. A breakdown of expenditure for the financial years preceding 1994/95 could only now be provided at disproportionate cost.
  662
  Letter from Seton Bennett to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 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 about expenditure on overseas travel, accommodation and associated costs. I regret that disaggregated information on the basis you requested is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  Letter from Michael Goddard to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Competition and Consumer Affairs has asked me to reply to your Question about overseas travel and subsistence costs. The information for the Radiocommunications Agency, which is only available in an aggregated form, for the periods quoted is as follows:

  1991–92: £399,185

  1993–94: £454,503

  1994–95: £538,202

  1995–96: £633,263 (estimated outturn)

  1996–97: £615,864 (estimated)

  The Radiocommunications Agency was set up with effect from 2 April 1990. Expenditure on overseas travel and subsistence before that date was the responsibility of the DTI and is not available.

  Letter from P. R. S. Hartnack to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply, in relation to the Patent Office, to your Question about overseas travel.
  The total expenditure on overseas travel, including accommodation and associated expenditure is:

  1993/94: £172,921

  1994/95: £184,754

  1995/96: £245,000 (forecast)

  1996/97: £260,000 (forecast)

  Further disaggregation of the above and expenditure for 1979/80, 1980/90 and 1991/92 are not available and could only he provided at disproportionate cost.

  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 overseas travel by Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC), an executive agency of DTI.
  The following table sets out the information that is readily available.

  Amount excluding VAT

  1991/92: £77,000

  1992/93: £50,000

  1993/94: £72,000

  1994/95: £99,000

  1995/96: £78,000 (estimated to year end).

  Information on 1979/80 and 1989/90 could only be provided at disproportionate cost. A forecast for 1996/97 is not available.

  Letter from David Durham to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  John M 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 expenditure relating to overseas business travel by our staff for certain years since 1979.

  The information you seek is as follows:

  Expenditure on Overseas Travel

  1989–90: £15,000

  1991–92: £26,000

  1993–94: £21,000

  663

  1994–95: £12,000

  1995–96: £20,000 (to date)

  1995–96: £24,000 (full year estimate).

  The expected expenditure for 1996–97 is not available at this stage as Companies House is still developing its budget plans for next year. Information on earlier years can only be provided at disproportionate costs.
  I hope this information is helpful.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of his Department's expenditure on newspapers and magazines in(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96, to date; and if he will list the publications purchased for the latest year for which information is available. [11437]

  Mr. Taylor
  Excluding its agencies, my Department's expenditure on newspapers and mass circulation journals for the years requested was as follows:

  1993–94: £291,270

  1994–95: £255,512

  1995–96: £204,875 (to end December 1995)

  This includes expenditure on national daily and Sunday newspapers, regional newspapers, and mass circulation magazines and journals. A full list of titles cannot be supplied except at disproportionate cost. The titles taken change to meet the changing requirements of the Department.

  I have asked each of the agency chief executives to write to the hon. Member about their expenditure on newspapers and magazines.

  Letter from David Durham to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  You recently asked the President of the Board of Trade for information about his department's expenditure on newspapers and magazines.
  Attached is a summary of Companies House's expenditure for the years you requested to date, together with a list of the publications purchased in 1995–96 to date.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Newspapers and Magazines Expenditure

  1993–1994: £11,201

  1994–1995: £5,488

  1995–1996: £2,235 (to date)

  Newspapers

  Y-Cymro

  Financial Times x 2

  Times

  Western Mail

  Daily Telegraph

  Independent

  Guardian

  Liverpool Daily Post

  South Wales Echo

  Magazines

  U.K. On-Line Users Group Newsletter

  Wordperfect Magazine x 2

  The Mac

  Exhibition Bulletin

  Management Today

  Bulletpoint

  What to buy for business

  664

  What's new in business information

  On-Line CD-ROM

  Health and Safety at work

  Information World Review

  Financial Regulatory Briefing

  The Economist

  The Administrator

  Company Secretaries Review

  Hansards—House of Commons

  Hansards—House of Lords

  Investors Chronicle

  Direct Response

  Equal Opportunity Review

  Inside Release 1–2–3 Release 3

  Windows User

  PC Direct x 2

  PC Magazine x 3

  Inside Wordperfect for Windows

  "Ingenuity" Tech Publication

  Project Manager Today

  Personal Computer World

  PC Pro x 2

  Software Futures

  Computer Finance

  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 expenditure on newspapers and magazines by the Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC), an executive agency of DTI.
  We do not keep sufficiently detailed records of the newspapers and magazines purchased to provide a comprehensive reply to your question. The information sought could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
  However, expenditure on the provision of services by the library (including scientific journals, newspapers and magazines; books; and on-line searches) was as follows:

  Excluding VAT

  1993–94: £89,000

  1994–95: £108,000

  1995–96: £36,000

  Letter from P. R. S. Hartnack to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 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 purchase of newspapers and magazines.
  The total expenditure is shown below and a list of publications purchased for the present year is attached.

  1993–94: £50,903

  1994–95: £59,442

  1995–96: £42,674 (Year to 31 December 1995)

  The range of publications purchased reflects the need for patent examiners, in particular, to have state of the art knowledge of developments in their work area.

  Publications Purchased For 1995–96

  ABC Rail Guide

  ABC World Airways Guide

  Advanced Battery Technology

  Amateur Photography

  American Dyestuff Reporter

  Applied Optics

  Applied Physics Letter

  665

  AT and T Technical Journal

  Australian Law Reports

  Author

  Auto Motor und Sport

  Autocar

  Automative Engineer

  B R E Update Package

  Bike Magazine

  Biotechnology

  Bookseller

  British Food Journal

  British Journal of Photography

  British National Formulary

  British Printer

  British Telecommunications Engineering and Supplement to British Telec Engineering

  Byte

  Cabinet Maker

  Cable and Satellite Europe

  Chemical Abstracts Service

  Chemistry and Industry

  Chilton's Automative Industries

  Commercial Motors

  Common Market law Reports and Antitrust Reports

  Computer—IEEE Computer Magazines

  Computer Journal

  Computer Journal Abstracts

  Control Engineering

  Control and Instrumentation

  Copyright World

  Copyright and Design Law

  Cryogenics

  Current Papers in Electrical and Electronics Engineering

  Daily Express

  Data Communications International

  Database—The Magazine of Databases References and Reviews

  Defense Electronics

  Dr Dobb's Journal—Software Tools For The Professional Programmer

  Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin

  Economist

  Electric World and Wireless

  Electrical Products

  Electronic Engineering

  Electronic Letters Plus All IEE Proceedings

  Electronic Packaging And Production

  Electronic Review

  Electronics—Cleveland

  Electronics and Communication Engineering Journal

  Elektor Electronics

  Engineer

  Eureka

  European Intellectual Property Review

  European Patent Office Reports

  European Patent Sourcefinder

  European Plastics News

  European Production Engineering

  Filtration and Separation

  Financial Times

  Fire

  Fish Farmer

  Fleet Street Reports

  Flight

  Fluid Abstracts—Process Engineering

  Food Trade Review

  Future and The Inventor

  Games and Puzzles

  Glass

  Glass Industry

  Glass Technology and Physics and Chemistry of Glasses

  Gramophone

  Harpers Sports and Leisure

  Heating and Plumbing Monthly

  Hi Fi News

  I P Asia

  666

  IBM Journal of Research and Development

  IEE Review and IEE News

  IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications

  IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications

  IEEE Network—The Magazine of Computer Communications

  IEEE Spectrum

  IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation

  IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems for Video Technology

  IEEE Transactions on Communications

  IEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics

  IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices

  IEEE Transactions on Image Processing

  IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing

  IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology

  IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems

  Industrial Heating

  Industrial Robot

  Industry and Higher Education

  Information Management and Technology

  Information World Review

  Information and Software Technology

  Intellectual Property Decisions

  Intellectual Property Newsletter

  Intellectual Property Reports

  International Defense Review and IDR Despatches

  International Media Law

  ITC—International Review of Industrial Property and Copyright Law

  Journal of Cellular Plastics

  Journal of Chemical Information and Computer Sciences

  Journal of Imaging Science and Technology

  Journal of Medicinal Chemistry

  Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering

  Journal of Plastic Film and Sheeting

  Journal of Systems Management

  Journal of The Acoustical Society of America

  Journal of The American Society for Information Science

  Journal of The Copyright Society of The USA

  Journal of The Patent and Trademark office Society

  Journal of The Society of Dyers and Colourists and Review of Progress in Coloration

  Key Abstracts—Antennas and Propagation

  Key Abstracts—Computer Communications and Storage

  Key Abstracts—Electronic Circuits

  Key Abstracts—Electronic Instrumentation

  Key Abstracts—Factory Automation

  Key Abstracts—Machine Vision

  Key Abstracts—Measurement in Physics

  Key Abstracts—Neutral Networks

  Key Abstracts—Robotics and Control

  Key Abstracts—Telecommunications

  Key Abstracts—Optoelectronics

  Knitting International

  Laboratory News

  Lancet

  Lastauto Und Omnibus

  Leading Edge

  Management Services

  Management Today and Professional Manager

  Managing Intellectual Property

  Manual For The Handling of Applications For Patents, Design, Trademarks Throughout World

  Materials Handling News

  Measurement Science and Technology

  Metal Finishing and Guidebook and Directory

  Microprocessors and Microsystems

  Mims Monthly Index of Medical Specialities

  Mine and Quarry

  Modern Plastics International

  Motorboat and Yachting

  Nature

  New Law Journal and Supplements

  New Scientist

  New Zealand Law Reports

  667

  Nuclear Engineering International and World Nuclear Industry Handbook

  Offshore Engineer

  Online—The Magazine of Online Information Systems

  Online and CD Notes

  Optics and Laser Technology

  OS/2 Pointers

  Packaging—Highlands Ranch

  Packaging Today

  Packaging Week

  Paper Technology

  Patent Throughout The World and Supplements

  Patent World

  PC Support Advisor—Personal Computer

  PC World

  Physics Today

  Pipes and Pipelines International

  Playthings

  Popular Science

  Power Engineering Journal

  Practical Householder

  Proceedings of The Institution of Mechanical Engineers

  Railway Gazette International

  Recherche

  Refrigeration and Air Conditioning

  Research Disclosure

  Road and 4 Wheel

  Science—AAAS—Weekly Paper Edition

  Science Et Vie

  Scientific America

  Solar Energy

  South African Law Reports

  Steel Times

  Sunday Times

  Surveyor

  Television

  Television—London

  Textile Month

  The Daily Telegraph

  The Guardian

  The Independent

  The Observer

  The Times

  Trademark World

  Trademarks Throughout The World

  Trends In Food Science and Technology

  Ultrasonics and Ultrasonics Sonochemistry

  Virtual Reality World

  Water Environment Research

  What PC

  What's New In Building

  Woodworker

  Woodworking

  WordPerfect Magazine UK

  World Intellectual Property Reports

  World Oil

  World Patent Information

  Zeolites

  Letter from Peter Joyce to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply to your question about newspaper and magazine expenditure by The Insolvency Service.
  It is not possible from the existing financial database to specifically identify the cost of newspapers and magazines charged to a General Publications heading, a major part of which relates to legal and accountancy reference books and updates and technical journals covering law, accounting, finance, management and training. Expenditure on all publications in 1994/95 totalled £42,000 and in 1995/96, to date, £46,400. Newspapers purchased across The Service's 34 locations are generally limited to the national daily broadsheets.
  668
  Letter from Michael Goddard to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 January 1996:
  The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply to your Question about expenditure on newspapers and magazines.
  The information for the Radiocommunications Agency for the periods quoted is as follows:

  1993–94: £41,852.15

  1994–95: £28,982.76

  1995–96: £26,322.06 (to date).

  These figures include periodicals in non-paper format; ie microfiche, disc and CD-ROM.
  A list of current subscriptions, which runs to 19 pages and contains nearly 300 titles, is available if required.

  Letter from Seton Bennett to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 30 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 expenditure on newspapers and magazines. Until recently the cost of magazines was not separately identified with the result that we do not have a figure for the cost of magazines in 1993/94. The Agency's expenditure on newspapers and magazines in 199495 was approximately £1,500 and I expect this year's figure to be similar.
  The only newspaper purchased is The Times, and the following list of publications represents the latest position in a continuing review of expenditure on publications.

  BSI News

  Business Briefing

  The Economist

  The Engineer

  Engineering Design and Manufacturing Index

  Health and Safety at Work

  Le Point

  Measurement

  Measurement and Control

  New Scientist

  Personal Computer World

  Precision Engineering

  Quality Today

  Trading Standards Review

  Training Officer

  WordPerfect Magazine.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of expenditure on all forms of hospitality and entertainment by(a) his Department, (b) his Department's agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies, for (i) 1979–80, (ii) 1989–90, (iii) 1991–92, (iv) 1993–94, (v) 1994–95, (vi) 1995–96 and (vii) 1996–97. [11433]

  Mr. Taylor
  Disaggregated information in the form requested in respect of the non-departmental public bodies, and for the financial year 1979–80 in respect of the Department and its agencies, could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Figures for 1996–97 are still subject to the outcome of the Department's management information system for Ministers process. The other information requested is as follows:
  669

  Area of Department

  1989–90 £

  1991–92 £

  1993–94 £

  1994–95 £

  1995–96 Budget £

  Centre DTI (excluding net controlled agencies and trading funds)

  246,601

  399,720

  519,037

  516,357

  580,000

  Net controlled agencies and trading funds

  Accounts Service Agency

  1—

  300

  300

  300

  n/a

  Companies House

  2—

  5,600

  11,542

  18,289

  12,300

  Laboratory of the Government Chemist

  3—

  17,685

  27,122

  29,000

  33,000

  National Engineering Laboratory

  1—

  36,000

  10,000

  13,500

  8,162

  National Physical Laboratory

  1—

  45,881

  70,221

  83,799

  35,307

  Patent Office

  2—

  8,000

  18,000

  15,143

  17,500

  Radiocommunications Agency

  1—

  21,993

  33,575

  35,921

  48,388

  Total

  535,179

  689,797

  712,309

  734,657

  1Established as net controlled agencies after 1989–90.

  2Information not readily available for period before attainment of trading fund status in October 1991.

  3Information not available for this period and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Work previously carried out by the Accounts Services Agency, National Physical Laboratory was contracted-out on 1 April and 1 October respectively. The National Engineering Laboratory was privatised on 31 October 1995.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of departmental expenditure on administration for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11434]

  Mr. Taylor
  Total running cost expenditure, net of VAT, for both the gross and net controlled areas of the Department is set out in the following table:

  £ million

  Year

  DTI running costs

  1979–80 outturn1

  66

  1989–90 outturn2

  371

  1991–92 outturn2

  433

  1993–94 outturn2

  442

  1994–95 outturn3

  401

  1995–96 outturn2

  402

  1996–97 plans2

  350

  Source:

  1Appropriation Accounts 1979–80, Volume 2: Classes IV–IX. This figure reflects the running costs for the then separate Departments of Trade and Industry. It does not reflect any machinery of government changes that took place after 1979–80.

  2Trade and Industry Annual Report 1995.

  3Appropriation Accounts 1994–95, Volume 4: Class IV.

  The fall in expenditure over the years 1993–94 to 1996–97 reflects in part the contractorisation and privatisation of work previously carried out by the Department's agencies. The figures do not reflect the machinery of government changes announced on 5 July 1995. More up-to-date information will be published in March in the Department's 1996 annual report.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the annual cost to his Department and his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies of their empty and under-utilised properties for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11435]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is providing figures for vacant space on the common user estate. These 670
  figures cover most of my Department's properties. This reply supplements the central response by supplying information covering properties classed as departmental estate for which my Department, including its agencies and non-departmental public bodies, currently has direct responsibility.

  The cost of vacant property on the departmental estate for which my Department was responsible in 1995–96 is expected to be £215,000. Figures for empty property prior to 1995–96 are available only at disproportionate cost.

  Responsibility for the remainder of the civil estate occupied by my Department will transfer to my Department from the Department of the Environment on 1 April 1996. The transfer is expected to increase the cost of vacant property for which my Department is responsible by £1,200,000 for 1996–97.

  The annual cost of under-utilised property in my Department can be estimated only at disproportionate cost.

  Export Credit Guarantees
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what level of export credit guarantees extended to companies in or the Government of Nigeria has been claimed by United Kingdom companies; and what is the estimated cost to the taxpayer. [9822]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 16 January 1996]: As at 31 December, 1995 the Export Credits Guarantee Department had paid claims on Nigeria of £1,840 million which were yet to be recovered, the ECGD's records are not held in a way that enables it to arrive at a cumulative total of all claims which it has ever paid on Nigeria.

  Such claims paid by the ECGD on its trading operations do not represent a direct charge against public expenditure, although to the extent payments by the ECGD in any one year exceed receipts there is a corresponding increase in the PSBR.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he has(a) read, collated or received and (b) authorised civil servants or any other persons to read,

  671
  collate or receive copies of draft sections of Sir Richard Scott's report circulated by Sir Richard Scott to Ministers, civil servants and other persons. [10224]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 18 January 1996]: The handling of extracts of Sir Richard's draft report, subject to guidance received from the inquiry, is for those to whom they are sent. The Government do not disclose details of correspondence between the inquiry and individual witnesses.

  Jordan and Saudi Arabia (Export Credits)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will estimate the amount paid under Export Credits Guarantee Department guarantees since 1980 in relation to trade with(a) Jordan and (b) Saudi Arabia; if he will give the amount paid to banks under buyer credit and line of credit facilities, the amount paid directly to exporters under short-term or supplier credit facilities and the amount subsequently recovered; and if he will estimate the proportion of each figure paid in respect of (i) the export of military and related equipment and (ii) the export of military and related equipment where the end user has been assessed to have been Iraq. [11251]

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 24 January 1996]: As at the end of December 1995, the total amount of claims paid and recoveries made since 1980 under ECGD guarantees in relation to trade with Jordan and Saudi Arabia was as follows:

  £ million

  Claims Paid

  Recoveries

  Buyers credit and lines of credit

  Short term and supplier credit

  Buyer credit and lines of credit

  Short term and supplier credit

  Jordan

  273

  14

  38

  14

  Saudi Arabia

  0

  63

  0

  26

  The ECGD estimates that approximately 85 per cent. of the claims paid on Jordan in respect of project and capital goods were in respect of military and related equipment. The ECGD does not maintain its records in a way which enables it to categorise its short-term business by industry sector.

  The ECGD has no record of cases where the end user was in Iraq.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the total principal value of payments by the Export Credits Guarantee Department to the Midland bank since 1980 in respect of trade with Saudi Arabia by(a) Astra Holdings and its subsidiaries, (b) British Aerospace and its subsidiaries, (c) Royal Ordnance and its subsidiaries, (d) Vickers and its subsidiaries, (e) Racal and its subsidiaries, (f) Plessey and its subsidiaries and (g) Thorn EMI and its subsidiaries. [11308]

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 24 January 1996]: The ECGD has no record of payments to Midland bank since 1980 in respect of capital goods and project business with Saudi Arabia by any of the named companies. In the case
  672
  of its now privatised short-term business the ECGD maintains no record of the supplier in cases where it has paid claims to banks.

  Balance of Trade
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the percentage change in each year since 1990 in(a) the volume of manufactured exports and (b) the volume of manufactured imports; and in each year, what proportion of imports consisted of (i) capital and intermediate goods and (ii) consumer goods. [11900]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]: The information is given in the two tables:

  Volume of UK trade in manufactures (percentage changes1 on previous year)

  Exports

  Imports

  1991

  1.0

  -7.0

  1992

  2.0

  7.5

  1993

  -1.0

  2.0

  1994

  13.7

  8.8

  1Changes in the indices of trade in 1990 prices.

  UK imports of capital, intermediate and consumer goods—(proportions1 of total UK imports)

  Capital and intermediate goods Per cent.

  Consumer goods Per cent.

  1990

  30.3

  18.4

  1991

  31.0

  17.2

  1992

  32.0

  18.1

  1993

  33.2

  18.7

  1994

  34.5

  18.5

  Notes:

  1Proportions derived from imports in current prices.

  Source:

  Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics, CSO.

  Stamp Prices
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consultations his Department had with the Treasury prior to the 1995 Budget announcement regarding the impact on small and medium enterprises of a rise in the price of stamps. [11957]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 29 January 1996]: My Department had discussions with the Treasury on a range of issues in determining the financial targets which were set for the Post Office in the 1995 Budget. These did not specifically include the impact on SMEs of an increase in letter tariffs, as it is for the Post Office to assess the detailed impact of such changes on its customers which will depend primarily on the nature of their business. Letter tariff rates were last increased on 1 November 1993 and the Post Office has undertaken to maintain these rates until at least 31 March 1996, the longest period of stability since the late 1960s.

  Business Links
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the members of each business links board. [11961]
  673
  Mr. Page
  [holding answer 29 January 1996]: The information requested is not available. It could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what requirements are placed on business links to publish their membership; [11958]

  (2) what requirement there is on business links to ensure that members of their boards include those working in firms with (a) under 50 employees, (b) 20 employees, and (c) 10 employees; [11960]

  (3) in what form the membership of the boards of business links is published. [11949]

  Mr. Page
  [holding answers 29 January 1996]: Business link proposals to be considered by the business link national assessment panel have details of board membership, giving names and company details, where known. Business links inform training and enterprise councils in their area of business link board membership. Although there are no formal requirements to publish their membership, most business links are required to register board membership with Companies House as private limited companies by guarantee.

  Guidance on board membership is given in the October 1994 supplement to the business link prospectus. This states that the business link board should have a majority of members from private sector businesses.

  European Regional Development Fund
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the indicative allocations in(a) ecu and (b) pounds (i) for the United Kingdom in total and (ii) by standard region, from (a) the European regional development fund and (b) the European social fund under objective 2 for the period 1997 to 1999. [11699]

  UK European regional development fund allocations 1989 to 1995 under objectives 1, 2 and 5B

  million ecu, 1994 prices

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1989–95 Total

  Objective 1

  Merseyside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  65

  71

  136

  Highlands and Islands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  22

  27

  49

  Northern Ireland

  79

  88

  92

  129

  120

  96

  103

  707

  Total Objective 1

  79

  88

  92

  129

  120

  183

  201

  892

  Objective 2

  North east England

  52

  62

  59

  81

  77

  73

  77

  480

  Eastern England

  80

  95

  90

  124

  118

  —

  —

  507

  West Midlands

  60

  71

  67

  93

  89

  88

  92

  560

  North west England

  70

  83

  79

  108

  103

  73

  76

  592

  West Cumbria

  3

  3

  3

  4

  4

  6

  6

  30

  East Midlands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  19

  20

  39

  East London and Lea Valley

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  18

  18

  36

  Plymouth

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7

  8

  15

  Thanet

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  4

  8

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  75

  78

  153

  674
  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 29 January 1996]: Indicative allocations of objective 2 grant from the European structural funds in 1997–99 will not be set until later in 1996. The European Commission will calculate a total for each eligible member state; the Government will allocate shares to each of the eligible areas of the United Kingdom and Gibraltar. Indicative figures for grants from each fund are also due to be settled before the end of 1996.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what estimate he has made of the number of jobs to be safeguarded by the European regional development fund's supported activities in the United Kingdom between 1994 and 1999; [11697]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the number of jobs to be created by European regional development fund supported activities in the United Kingdom between 1994 and 1999. [11698]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answers 29 January 1996]: No such estimates have been made, but the 52 current single programming documents and community initiative programme documents, which provide for grants over varying periods of years from this and the other European structural funds, include targets for jobs to be created and safeguarded, as well as many other quantified objectives.

  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 under the European regional development fund over the last available five years. [11658]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 29 January 1996]: The full information requested could be made available only at disproportionate cost. Allocations of ERDF grant money from 1989 to 1995 for the principle eligible areas are set out in ecu in the table. The table does not include the structural funds community initiatives, which are not generally allocated regionally, or some other minor schemes of ERDF grant. Receipts arise over varying periods subsequent to the allocations, and at varying exchange rates.
  675

  UK European regional development fund allocations 1989 to 1995 under objectives 1, 2 and 5B

  million ecu, 1994 prices

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1989–95 Total

  Western Scotland

  69

  82

  78

  107

  102

  71

  74

  583

  Eastern Scotland

  22

  27

  25

  35

  33

  31

  32

  205

  South Wales

  34

  41

  39

  53

  51

  45

  47

  310

  North east Wales

  10

  12

  11

  16

  15

  —

  —

  65

  Total Objective 2

  400

  477

  451

  621

  593

  510

  532

  3,584

  Objective 5b

  South west England

  11

  28

  24

  16

  13

  17

  23

  132

  The Marches

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  4

  8

  Midlands Uplands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  2

  Northern Uplands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  8

  10

  18

  Lincolnshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  6

  10

  East Anglia

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5

  6

  11

  Rural Wales

  16

  41

  34

  23

  19

  14

  18

  165

  Highlands and Islands

  15

  38

  32

  21

  17

  —

  —

  124

  Dumfries and Galloway

  2

  5

  4

  3

  2

  4

  5

  24

  Borders of Scotland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  3

  5

  Central Scotland/Tayside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  3

  5

  Grampian

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  4

  7

  Total Objective 5b

  44

  112

  93

  62

  51

  64

  83

  510

  Total England

  276

  343

  321

  426

  404

  467

  500

  2,737

  Total Scotland

  108

  152

  139

  166

  155

  135

  148

  1,002

  Total Wales

  61

  94

  84

  92

  85

  59

  65

  539

  Total Northern Ireland

  79

  88

  92

  129

  120

  96

  103

  707

  Total Objectives 1, 2 and 5 b

  524

  677

  636

  812

  764

  757

  816

  4,986

  £ million, 1994 prices

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1989–95 Total

  Objective 1

  Merseyside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  54

  59

  113

  Highlands and Islands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  18

  23

  41

  Northern Ireland

  53

  63

  64

  95

  93

  80

  86

  535

  Total Objective 1

  53

  59

  62

  87

  80

  153

  168

  661

  Objective 2

  North east England

  35

  44

  41

  59

  60

  61

  64

  365

  Eastern England

  54

  68

  63

  91

  92

  —

  —

  368

  West Midlands

  40

  51

  47

  68

  69

  73

  77

  426

  North west England

  47

  59

  55

  79

  81

  61

  63

  445

  West Cumbria

  2

  2

  2

  3

  3

  5

  5

  23

  East Midlands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  16

  17

  33

  East London and Lea Valley

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  15

  15

  30

  Plymouth

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6

  7

  13

  Thanet

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  3

  7

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  63

  65

  128

  Western Scotland

  46

  59

  54

  79

  80

  59

  62

  439

  Eastern Scotland

  15

  19

  18

  25

  26

  26

  27

  155

  South Wales

  23

  29

  27

  39

  40

  38

  39

  235

  North east Wales

  7

  9

  8

  12

  12

  —

  —

  47

  Total Objective 2

  269

  340

  315

  456

  463

  425

  443

  2,712

  Objective 5b

  South west England

  8

  20

  16

  12

  10

  14

  19

  99

  The Marches

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  3

  7

  Midlands Uplands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  2

  Northern Uplands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7

  8

  15

  Lincolnshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  5

  8

  East Anglia

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  5

  9

  Rural Wales

  11

  29

  24

  17

  15

  12

  15

  122

  Highlands and Islands

  10

  27

  22

  16

  14

  —

  —

  89

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1

  3

  3

  2

  2

  3

  4

  18

  676 677

  £ million, 1994 prices

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1989–95 Total

  Borders of Scotland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  3

  4

  Central Scotland/Tayside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  3

  4

  Grampian

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  3

  6

  Total Objective 5b

  30

  80

  65

  46

  40

  53

  69

  383

  Total England

  185

  245

  225

  313

  316

  389

  417

  2,090

  Total Scotland

  73

  108

  97

  122

  121

  113

  123

  757

  Total Wales

  41

  67

  59

  68

  66

  49

  54

  404

  Total Northern Ireland

  53

  63

  64

  95

  93

  80

  86

  535

  Total Objectives 1, 2 and 5 b

  352

  483

  445

  597

  597

  631

  680

  3,785

  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 has received under the trans-European network programmes to date; [11670]

  (2) how much in (a) ecu and (b) pounds by standard region and in total is allocated to the United Kingdom from the trans-European network programmes under the current financial perspective. [11671]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answers 29 January 1996]: The size of the trans-European networks—TENs—budget is determined annually through the EU budget process. Amounts are not pre-allocated to member states, nor are receipts divided by region.

  From the 1995 budget, the first year for which TENs grants became available, the United Kingdom expects to receive some 30 mecu, or £25 million, for UK TENs

  UK SPD Allocations: 1994–99

  million ecu, 1994 prices

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  Total

  Objective 1

  Merseyside ERDF

  65

  71

  76

  81

  88

  95

  475

  Highlands and Islands ERDF

  22

  27

  28

  31

  34

  38

  180

  Northern Ireland ERDF

  96

  103

  110

  119

  121

  129

  677

  Total UK Objective 1 ERDF

  183

  200

  214

  231

  243

  262

  1,332

  Estimated UK SPD Allocations: 1994–99

  (£ million, 1994 prices (Using an exchange rate of £1=1.20 ecu)

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  Total

  Objective 1

  Merseyside ERDF

  54

  59

  63

  67

  73

  79

  396

  Highlands and Islands ERDF

  18

  22

  24

  26

  28

  32

  150

  Northern Ireland ERDF

  80

  86

  92

  99

  101

  107

  564

  Total UK Objective 1 ERDF

  152

  167

  178

  192

  202

  218

  1,110

  UK SPD allocations: 1994–96

  Million ecu, 1994 prices

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  Total

  Objective 2

  North-east England ERDF

  73

  77

  81

  —

  —

  —

  231

  West Cumbria ERDF

  6

  6

  7

  —

  —

  —

  19

  678
  projects, plus an as yet unquantifiable amount from some joint projects in which it has an interest.

  It is too early to estimate 1996 receipts.

  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 is allocated to the United Kingdom from the European regional development fund under the present structural funds agreement. [11659]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 29 January 1996]: There is no single agreement. Currently, 26 single programming documents and 26 community initiative programme documents provide for grants, over varying periods of years, from this and the other European structural funds. The Community initiative programmes are not generally allocated regionally. The figures for grants from the European regional development fund in the single programming documents—SPDs—for eligible UK areas are set out in the table.
  679

  UK SPD allocations: 1994–96

  Million ecu, 1994 prices

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  Total

  Yorkshire and Humberside ERDF

  75

  78

  81

  —

  —

  —

  234

  East Midlands ERDF

  19

  20

  21

  —

  —

  —

  59

  West Midlands ERDF

  88

  92

  97

  —

  —

  —

  278

  North-west ERDF

  73

  76

  81

  —

  —

  —

  230

  East London and Lea valley ERDF

  18

  18

  19

  —

  —

  —

  56

  Thanet ERDF

  4

  4

  4

  —

  —

  —

  12

  Plymouth ERDF

  7

  8

  8

  —

  —

  —

  23

  Total England Objective 2 ERDF

  364

  379

  400

  —

  —

  —

  1,142

  Industrial South Wales ERDF

  45

  47

  49

  —

  —

  —

  141

  Eastern Scotland ERDF

  31

  32

  34

  —

  —

  —

  97

  Western Scotland ERDF

  71

  74

  78

  —

  —

  —

  223

  Total Scotland Objective 2 ERDF

  102

  106

  112

  —

  —

  —

  320

  Total United Kingdom Objective 2 ERDF

  510

  531

  561

  —

  —

  —

  1,603

  Estimated UK SPD allocations: 1994–96

  £Million, 1994 prices (Using an exchange rate of £1 = 1.20 ecu)

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  Total

  Objective 2

  North-east England ERDF

  61

  64

  68

  —

  —

  —

  193

  West Cumbria ERDF

  5

  5

  6

  —

  —

  —

  16

  Yorkshire and Humberside ERDF

  63

  65

  68

  —

  —

  —

  195

  East Midlands ERDF

  16

  16

  17

  —

  —

  —

  49

  West Midlands ERDF

  74

  77

  81

  —

  —

  —

  232

  North-west ERDF

  61

  64

  67

  —

  —

  —

  192

  East London and Lea valley ERDF

  15

  15

  16

  —

  —

  —

  46

  Thanet ERDF

  3

  3

  3

  —

  —

  —

  10

  Plymouth ERDF

  6

  6

  7

  —

  —

  —

  19

  Total England Objective 2 ERDF

  303

  315

  333

  —

  —

  —

  952

  Industrial South Wales ERDF

  37

  39

  41

  —

  —

  —

  118

  Eastern Scotland ERDF

  26

  27

  28

  —

  —

  —

  81

  Western Scotland ERDF

  59

  62

  65

  —

  —

  —

  186

  Total Scotland Objective 2 ERDF

  85

  88

  93

  —

  —

  —

  266

  Total United Kingdom Objective 2 ERDF

  425

  443

  468

  —

  —

  —

  1,336

  UK SPD Allocations: 1994–99

  million ecu, 1994 prices

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  Total

  Objective 5b

  South West England ERDF

  17

  23

  26

  26

  26

  26

  145

  The Marches ERDF

  4

  4

  4

  4

  4

  4

  24

  Midlands Uplands ERDF

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  8

  Northern Uplands ERDF

  8

  10

  12

  12

  12

  12

  65

  Lincolnshire ERDF

  4

  6

  6

  6

  6

  7

  36

  East Anglia ERDF

  5

  6

  7

  7

  7

  7

  41

  Total England Objective 5b ERDF

  38

  50

  57

  57

  58

  58

  318

  Rural Wales ERDF

  14

  18

  21

  21

  21

  21

  115

  Borders of Scotland ERDF

  2

  3

  4

  4

  4

  4

  21

  Dumfries and Galloway ERDF

  4

  5

  6

  6

  6

  6

  34

  Central Scotland/Tayside ERDF

  2

  3

  3

  3

  3

  3

  17

  Grampian ERDF

  3

  4

  5

  5

  5

  5

  29

  Total Scotland Objective 5b ERDF

  12

  16

  18

  18

  18

  18

  101

  Total United Kingdom Objective 5b ERDF

  64

  83

  96

  96

  97

  98

  534

  680 681

  Estimated UK SPD Allocations: 1994–99

  £ million, 1994 prices (Using an exchange rate of £1 = 1.20 ecu

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  Total

  Objective 5b

  South West England ERDF

  14

  19

  22

  22

  22

  22

  121

  The Marches ERDF

  3

  3

  3

  3

  3

  4

  20

  Midlands Uplands ERDF

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  7

  Northern Uplands ERDF

  6

  8

  10

  10

  10

  10

  54

  Lincolnshire ERDF

  3

  5

  5

  5

  5

  5

  30

  East Anglia ERDF

  4

  5

  6

  6

  6

  6

  34

  Total England Objective 5b ERDF

  32

  41

  48

  48

  48

  48

  265

  Rural Wales ERDF

  11

  15

  17

  17

  17

  18

  96

  Borders of Scotland ERDF

  2

  3

  3

  3

  3

  3

  17

  Dumfries and Galloway ERDF

  3

  4

  5

  5

  5

  5

  29

  Central Scotland/Tayside ERDF

  2

  2

  3

  3

  3

  3

  14

  Grampian ERDF

  3

  4

  4

  4

  4

  4

  24

  Total Scotland Objective 5b ERDF

  10

  13

  15

  15

  15

  15

  84

  Total United Kingdom Objective 5b ERDF

  53

  69

  80

  80

  81

  81

  445

  Lloyds and Unichem Merger
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what study his Department is undertaking to ascertain the effect on small pharmacies of the Lloyds and Unichem merger. [12161]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  [holding answer 29 January 1996]: In the first instance, it is for the Director General of Fair Trading to advise my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on qualifying mergers. In giving his advice, the director general will take account of all relevant factors.

  Pharmacy Industry
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his Department's policy in respect of vertical integration in the pharmacy industry. [12162]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  [holding answer 29 January 1996]: My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has no general policy in respect of vertical integration in the pharmacy industry. Each case on which he is required to make a decision, whether or not involving vertical integration, must be considered on its own merits.

  Industrial and Provident Societies
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will amend the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts to increase the limit on shareholding to £50,000 to facilitate higher levels of capital formation. [9948]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  I have been asked to reply.

  The shareholding limit for industrial and provident societies was doubled to £20,000 in 1994. Since then, there has been little demand from the movement for a further increase and the Government have no current plans to review the existing level.

WALES

  Local Government Finance
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will announce his decision on the 1996–97 local government revenue settlement; and if he will make a statement. [13086]

  Mr. Hague
  I have given careful consideration to the representations that I have received on my provisional settlement proposals for local authorities and police authorities in Wales, which I announced on 28 November and 30 November. I chaired a meeting of the Welsh Consultative Council on Local Government Finance on 18 December, at which settlement matters were discussed.

  Having taken account of all the representations, I believe that my proposals provide the new unitary authorities with the appropriate level of funding in 1996–97, their first year of operation. Like the rest of the public sector, the new authorities will need to assess their budget priorities carefully. However, inflation remains low and the Government have made it clear that pay increases should be met from efficiency savings and other economies.

  I also believe that, subject to a small adjustment in the figures due mainly to the postponement of the transfer of responsibility for warrant enforcement work from police authorities to magistrates courts, my provisional settlement proposals provide an appropriate level of funding for police authorities in Wales.

  I have therefore decided to set total standard spending at £2,867.6 million and aggregate external finance at £2,517.9 million for 1996–97. The settlement provides for an increase in standard spending of £85.6 million, 3.1 per cent. on the comparable amount of 1995–96. Total standard spending includes £149.6 million for community care and £331.7 million to fund police services. Police funding comprises £165.5 million in cash-limited police grant provided by the Home Secretary and £166.2 million in standard spending assessments.
  683
  Aggregate external finance will comprise £1,792 million in revenue support grant, £459 million in distributable non-domestic rates, £237.8 million in specific grants, and £29.1 million to damp council tax increases arising from the disaggregation of county and district councils' 1995–96 standard spending assessments and budgets to unitary authorities.

  My settlement proposals take account of a number of minor changes to specific grants within total standing spending and aggregate external finance. My decisions are subject to the approval of the House of Commons.

  I have considered the representations that I have received about the potential average council tax increases which could arise if authorities budget to the maximum indicated by the provisional capping criteria which I announced on 13 December. I have decided that, in addition to the £29 million I am making available for damping within aggregate external finance, I will make available an extra £15.9 million for damping. This will be targeted so as to ensure that no council tax increase, excluding community council precepts, can exceed 25 per cent. This is a maximum figure, and I expect the great majority of increases to be well below this figure. I have assumed that authorities will make reasonable collection rate assumptions for 1996–97 and that capping principles will be adhered to. Details of the amounts proposed for individual unitary authorities under the two elements of the damping scheme are as follows:

  £000 (rounded)

  Disaggregation

  Targeted

  Total

  Anglesey

  0

  0

  0

  Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire

  1,450

  541

  1,991

  Aberconwy and Colwyn

  0

  0

  0

  Denbighshire

  3,139

  0

  3,139

  Flintshire

  393

  248

  641

  Wrexham

  16

  1

  16

  Powys

  0

  0

  0

  Cardiganshire

  3,684

  0

  3,684

  Pembrokeshrie

  0

  0

  0

  Carmarthenshire

  0

  119

  119

  Swansea

  0

  0

  0

  Neath and Port Talbot

  3,293

  452

  3,745

  Bridgend

  0

  1,877

  1,877

  Vale of Glamorgan

  0

  0

  0

  Rhondda, Cynon, Taff

  6,432

  3,916

  10,348

  Merthyr Tydfil

  687

  394

  1,081

  Caerphilly

  1,509

  2,453

  3,962

  Blaenau Gwent

  3,631

  1,005

  4,635

  Torfaen

  0

  1,163

  1,163

  Monmouthshire

  0

  0

  0

  Newport

  0

  0

  0

  Cardiff

  4,895

  3,621

  8,517

  Total

  29,128

  15,789

  44,917

  Actual council tax levels will depend on the budgetary decisions of individual local authorities.

  I envisage this additional assistance as a "one off", giving authorities time to adjust service expenditure and bring it more in line with their standard spending assessments. In looking at next year's settlement, I shall have regard to the efforts of unitary authorities in this respect.
  684
  I propose to lay the local government finance report (Wales) 1996–97 before the House, for its approval, later this week. At the same time, I shall be laying for the house's approval the limitation of council tax and Precepts (notional amounts) report (Wales) 1996–97.

  I am placing final settlement details for individual unitary authorities and police authorities in the Library of the House.

  Paediatric Emergency Services
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which units in Wales offer paediatric emergency services; and, of these, which currently do not have their full establishment of nursing staff. [11977]

  Mr. Hague
  This information is not collected centrally. The majority of NHS trusts/health units with casualty units are able to offer paediatric emergency services. Further information should be obtained directly from the relevant chief executives.

  Dentists
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much of the additional finance for NHS dentists in Wales has been spent; what assessment he has made of the response to the initiative; and if he will make a statement. [11965]

  Mr. Hague
  Recent reports from family health services authorities indicate that 26 general dental practitioners have so far been offered grants either to establish new, or to expand existing, dental practices. In addition, 12 NHS trusts have plans to recruit additional dentists.

  More than £1 million has already been reserved but, in most instances, it will take a few months for the new dentists to become operational and the grant payable. To date, £50,000 has been issued to support the community dental service appointments.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of departmental expenditure on administration for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11404]

  Mr. Hague
  The recorded running cost figures for my Department are as follows:

  £ million

  1979–80

  17.8

  1989–90

  45.7

  1991–92

  58.1

  1993–94

  76.5

  1994–95

  77.4

  1995–96 budget

  75.9

  These figures are not strictly comparable over time; for example, running costs in 1979–80 did not include superannuation charges, the training and enterprise council management fee and various overhead costs including accommodation, which have added at least £22 million to the 1995–96 figure. The Welsh Office has

  685
  assumed additional functions over this period, for example, further responsibilities for industry, higher education and training. Information for 1996–97 will be published in March in the Welsh Office departmental report.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the expenditure of his Department, his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies on all forms of overseas travel, overseas accommodation and other associated expenses for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11406]

  Mr. Hague
  Records are not held separately for expenditure on overseas travel by the Welsh Office or its agency, and are not held centrally for NDPBs.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of expenditure on all forms of hospitality and entertainment by(a) his Department, (b) his Department's agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies, for (i) 1979–80, (ii) 1989–90, (iii) 1991–92, (iv) 1993–94, (v) 1994–95, (vi) 1995–96 and (vii) 1996–97. [11403]

  Mr. Hague
  The figures are as follows:

  (a) Welsh Office £

  (b)Agency (Cadw) £

  1991–92

  35,982

  481

  1993–94

  26,818

  2,248

  1994–95

  28,784

  1,734

  1995–96

  113,713

  1346

  1995–96

  228,000

  21,500

  1996–97

  3—

  3—

  1Spend to 31 December 1995.

  2Budget for year.

  3Not yet determined.

  Records for earlier years are not available and expenditure by NDPBs is not held centrally.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of his Department's expenditure on newspapers and magazines in(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96, to date; and if he will list the publications purchased for the latest year for which information is available. [11407]

  Mr. Hague
  My Department's expenditure on newspapers and magazines is as follows:

  1993–94: £82,760

  1994–95: £74,820

  1995–96: £50,295 (April to December)

  Details of the publications purchased have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the annual cost to his Department and his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies of their empty and under-utilised properties for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–094, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11405]
  686
  Mr. Hague
  Welsh Office accommodation is part of the common user estate held in the name of the Secretary of State for the Environment and managed by Property Holdings, a directorate of DOE. Surplus accommodation and space on the common user estate are the responsibility of Property Holdings. Information for the common user estate will be provided by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment in his reply.

  Information is not held centrally for agencies and NDPBs which are not housed on the common user estate.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his latest calculation of the numbers of Welsh jobs that have been moved out of Wales in each of the past five years indicating those which have been relocated(a) elsewhere in the United Kingdom, (b) elsewhere in the EU and (c) elsewhere in the world. [12167]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No estimates of this kind have been made by the Welsh Office.

  Pemrhiwceiber School
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will be making additional funds available to build a new school at Pemrhiwceiber in the Cynon valley. [12738]

  Mr. Richards
  My right hon. friend is making available more than £508 million for local authority capital spending in 1996–97.

  It is for individual local authorities to determine how the resources that are made available are allocated between services, including education, in the light of their statutory responsibilities and their perception of local needs and priorities.

  Health Service (Consultants)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with trusts and health authorities in relation to the performance of consultants who are listed in the waiting times information bulletin of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority published in November 1995 as having total combined out-patient and in-patient waiting times in excess of 104 weeks. [12532]

  Mr. Hague
  The purpose of the waiting times information bulletin is to help GPs offer informed advice to those patients who need to be referred to hospital. Patients are, of course, entitled to be referred to the consultant of their choice, even where charter targets may not be met, provided that they are aware of this and are offered alternative referrals.

  My Department continues to work closely with health authorities and hospitals in Wales to reduce hospital waiting times, and my officials are currently visiting hospitals where progress has been below expectation. The waiting times information bulletin serves as useful background information to this dialogue with the NHS and for the hospital visits in particular.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to issue new guidelines on the private earnings of medical consultants employed by NHS trusts;
  687
  and what plans he has to make their NHS earnings directly proportionate to the number of sessions worked for the NHS. [12570]

  Mr. Hague
  I have no plans to issue new guidelines on the private earnings of medical consultants.

  NHS earnings of consultants employed on national terms and conditions of service are already directly proportionate to their NHS work.

  Regional Selective Assistance
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all(a) loans, (b) grants and (c) other payments in excess of £100,000 made in each of the last five years by the Welsh Office to (a) the Tesco company and (b) other companies; and if he will make a statement. [12719]

  Mr. Hague
  The Welsh Office made an offer of regional selective assistance of £2 million in 1989 to the Tesco company in respect of a project to locate its administration centre in Cardiff. In 1992, an offer of £3.8 million was made to encourage the company to locate a distribution centre in Magor. Details of the amounts paid against these offers are commercially confidential.

  The Welsh Office has made no other loans or payments to the company.

  Details of regional selective assistance payments to other companies are also covered by commercial confidentiality. Total payments of RSA made in respect of projects in Wales in the last five years are shown in the table.

  £ million

  RSA payments £ million (Gross)

  1999–91

  31.0

  1991–92

  55.1

  1992–93

  61.7

  1993–94

  50.8

  1994–95

  56.9

  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the expenditure on regional selective assistance offers accepted by companies in(a) 1991–92, (b) 1992–93, (c) 1993–94 and (d) 1994–95, the proportion of regional selective assistance expenditure on foreign-owned firms and regional selective assistance expenditure per employee in manufacturing. [12702]

  Mr. Hague
  The information is given in the following table.

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Value of RSA

  offers

  £76.9

  £72.5

  94.6

  38.2

  accepted

  million

  million

  million

  million

  Percentage to

  foreign-owned

  firms

  55.7

  42.2

  58.2

  33.0

  Grant per job

  in

  manufacturing

  projects

  £5,764

  £5,784

  £7,361

  £6,031

  Welsh Health Common Services Authority (Correspondence)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he willl place in the Library a copy of the corrective letter issued by the Welsh Health Common Services Authority to its September 1995 waiting times information bulletin with respect to the information on the orthopaedic waits for the University hospital of Wales; if he will specify what the inaccuracies were in that corrective letter, as referred to in the apology issued in the November information bulletin; and if he will make a statement. [12572]

  Mr. Hague
  A copy of the letter of 4 October 1995, distributed with the September 1995 edition of the NHS Wales waiting times information bulletin, will be placed in the Library of the House.

  The table of hospital waiting times at University Hospital of Wales Healthcare NHS trust, which accompanied the letter, quoted a zero waiting time or that no data were available for first out-patient appointments in respect of the consultants listed for trauma and orthopaedic specialities. This mistake was corrected in the November 1995 edition of the bulletin.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of his Department's expenditure on administration for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11424]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Information for 1979–80 could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Details of my Department's expenditure on administration for the years 1989–90 to 1996–97 are contained in table 11.1 of my Department's annual report, Cm 2816, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northerr Ireland what is his estimate of the annual cost to his Department and his Department's agencies and non-departmental Ministerial public bodies of their empty and under-utilised properties for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11425]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Mr. Shiji Lapite
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Attorney-General what action he proposes to take following the jury verdict of unlawful killing of Mr. Shiji Lapite; and if he will make a statement [12763]
  689
  The Attorney-General
  Following the verdict of the inquest jury, the Crown Prosecution Service has requested transcripts of the evidence given at the inquest together with copies of any documents which may have been produced to the jury. Once this material has been carefully considered, together with the pre-inquest evidence, and any further inquiries which may prove necessary have been completed, the Crown Prosecution Service will decide whether criminal proceedings should be instituted.

PRIME MINISTER

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 9 January,Official Report, column 17, if Her Majesty's Government will discuss with the Libyan Government guarantees that the two Libyans accused of crimes in relation to the destruction of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie would be made available for trial in The Hague if Britain set up a trial in Holland; and if he will examine the related issues of the absence of an extradition treaty with Libya. [11738]

  The Prime Minister
  No. The Government's position on a trial in a third country is clear.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Cardiff Bay Opera House
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will require the Millennium Commission to release the contents of all reports concerning the proposed Cardiff Bay opera house to the Cardiff Bay Opera Trust. [8694]

  Mr. Sproat
  Directions issued to the Millennium Commission under section 26 require it, where it considers it necessary, to take expert advice into account when making funding decisions. It is for the Millennium Commission to decide what information to publish.

  Disabled People (Sport)
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make a statement on her Department's policy in relation to the development of sports for disabled people. [9215]

  Mr. Sproat
  The Government fully support sport for people with disabilities. The Sports Council gives annual grants to the main disability sports organisations and has recently announced an additional grant of £200,000 to the British Paralympic Association to assist with training and participation in the Atlanta Paralympic games. The Government's sportsmatch scheme specifies sport for people with disabilities as one of its priority areas disability sport projects are also eligible for national lottery funding. The Sports Council is also working closely with the disability sports organisations and the governing bodies of sport on the implementation of the recommendations of the ministerial review report on sport for people with disabilities "Building on Ability".

  British Library
  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what measures her Department has made to monitor the efficiency and spending on the British Library building project. [10906]

  Mrs. Virginnia Bottomley
  Following its creation in 1992, the Department of National Heritage assumed responsibility for this project. I attach great importance to its successful delivery. A steering committee, chaired at a senior level, meets monthly to review progress and to take strategic decisions. The Department's project team, headed by a very experienced project director, is based at the site, and works closely with the consultants, contractors and project managers who are under contract to us. Progress is monitored against budget and a detailed programme of work, covering many thousands of activities. Spending is constantly under review, through detailed reports which show expenditure and expected outturn against each parcel of work.

  Positive about Disabled People Symbol
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage 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 about disabled people symbol for(a) external recruitment and (b) internal recruitment and promotion. [11908]

  Mr. Sproat
  This Department undertakes very little external recruitment. The positive about disabled people symbol is not currently used for either external recruitment or internal recruitment and promotion. However, my officials are currently considering its use for external recruitment. The Department has responsibility for two agencies: the Historic Royal Palaces agency and the Royal Parks agency. The agencies have their own arrangements for recruitment and promotion. At present, neither agency uses the symbol.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is her estimate of the number of people who purchase national lottery tickets regularly; and what is the average sum spent each week by those purchasing such tickets. [7441]

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 16 January 1996:]: This is an operational matter. I have therefore asked the Director General of the National Lottery to write to the hon. Member and to place copies of the reply in the Libraries of the House.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage 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) 1991–92, (ii) 1993–94, (iii) 1994 –95, (iv) 1995–96 and (v) 1996–97; and if internal telephone directories are available to staff in all areas of (a) to (c). [11342]
  691
  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]: While all the information requested is not available, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost, the available information is as follows:

  1993–94 actual £

  1994–95 actual £

  1995–96 estimate £

  1996–97 estimate £

  Department of National Heritage

  168,000

  203,598

  257,000

  n/a

  Historic Royal Palaces Agency

  109,702

  158,349

  158,824

  202,000

  Royal Parks Agency

  163,031

  190,871

  196,000

  160,000

  My Department makes use of CCTA's metropolitan telephone service, which provides us with fully managed telephone and directory services. Internal telephone directories are available to staff in my Department and both agencies.

  1993–94 actual £

  1994–95 actual £

  1995–96 spend to date £

  1995–96 estimate £

  1996–97 estimate £

  Department of National Heritage

  1,547,360

  467,497

  276,376

  460,000

  n/a

  Historic Royal Palaces Agency

  3,708,000

  1,381,000

  282,000

  545,000

  n/a

  Royal Parks Agency

  748,195

  848,033

  486,427

  810,000

  750,000

  Information on non-departmental public bodies is not available, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage 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) 1991–92, (b) 1993–94, (c) 1994–95 and

  1993–94 (actual) £

  1994–95 (actual) £

  1995–96 (spend to date) £

  1995–96 (estimate) £

  1996–97 (estimate) £

  Department of National Heritage

  103,850

  57,000

  192,353

  302,000

  n/a

  Advertising

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  n/a

  Press and PR

  78,850

  Nil

  5,352

  Nil

  n/a

  Historic Royal Palaces Agency

  1,161,047

  1,065,018

  1,250,742

  1,245,742

  n/a

  Advertising

  1,019,047

  955,417

  1,140,516

  1,120,516

  n/a

  Press and PR

  102,000

  88,000

  90,000

  105,000

  n/a

  Royal Parks Agency

  46,240

  52,459

  65,110

  103,672

  107,610

  Advertising

  240

  2,262

  1,063

  1,063

  1,500

  Press and PR

  Nil

  5,197

  12,547

  19,109

  19,110

  Information on DNH non-departmental public bodies is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
  692
  The Government telephone network connects over 1,000 Government offices nationwide. As a user of the GTN, a GTN dialling codes booklet is also available to all members of staff in this Department.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment she has made of the expenditure of her Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies on all external consultants including management consultants for each of the years(a) 1991–92, (b) 1993–94, (c) 1994–95 and (d) 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 estimate the savings accruing to her Department from the use of consultants in each of these years. [11339]

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]: My Department uses consultants for a wide variety of tasks, only a small proportion of which are aimed at achieving cost savings. No central record is held on overall savings and it would not be possible to isolate those consultancies and quantify the cost savings without incurring disproportionate cost. The available information is given in the following table:

  (d) 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. [11340]

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]: While all the information requested is not available, the available figures are as follows:

  Windsor castle
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to her answer of 17 January,Official Report, columns 625–26, if she will list the name

  693
  of each of the 13 military knights in residence at Windsor castle, their rank at the end of military service and the principal ceremonial duties they undertake. [11565]

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 29 January 1996]: There are normally 13 military knights at Windsor, although at present only 12 of the appointments are held. They are as follows:

  1. Major General P. A. Downward—Governor

  2. Brigadier A. L. Atkinson

  3. Brigadier J. F. Lindner

  4. Major W. L Thompson

  5. Major L. W. Dickerson

  6. Major J. C. Cowley

  7. Lieutenant Colonel N. L. West

  8. Major G. R. Mitchell

  9. Lieutenant Colonel R. Tamplin

  10. Major P. H. Bolton

  11. Brigadier T. Hackworth

  12. Major R. J. Moore

  The military knights undertake ceremonial duties at St. George's chapel on Sunday mornings, the Queen's official birthday, Garter day, St. George's day, the quarterly obit services and state visits when held at Windsor.

  Mr. Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to her answer of 18 January 1996,Official Report, columns 625–26, from what sources the balance of £25.2 million for that restoration of Windsor castle will he found. [11564]

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 29 January 1996]: The balance will be met from the net surplus from visitor admissions to the state rooms at Buckingham palace and the precincts at Windsor castle.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  EC Dairy Regime
  Sir Roger Moate
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in pounds sterling and ecu, the EC expenditure on the dairy regime in the latest year for which figures are available in each member state showing the average support per cow in each state and the European average. [10673]

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

  1994 expenditure on the CAP dairy regime

  Average support per cow

  MECU

  £ million

  ECU

  £

  Netherlands

  995.1

  762.5

  566.4

  434.0

  France

  942.7

  722.4

  198.7

  152.3

  Germany

  677.5

  519.1

  129.5

  99.2

  Denmark

  381.5

  292.3

  532.1

  407.7

  Ireland

  320.2

  245.4

  252.3

  193.3

  Belgium

  311.2

  238.5

  453.6

  347.6

  UK

  290.7

  222.8

  106.3

  81.5

  Italy

  187.7

  143.8

  90.7

  69.5

  Spain

  74.1

  56.8

  55.3

  42.4

  Portugal

  57.9

  44.4

  162.6

  124.6

  Greece

  7.6

  5.8

  35.2

  27.0

  694

  1994 expenditure on the CAP dairy regime

  Average support per cow

  MECU

  £ million

  ECU

  £

  Luxembourg

  2.6

  2.0

  53.1

  40.7

  EC12 average

  —

  —

  219.7

  168.3

  Emtryl (Game Birds)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to enforce European Commission regulation EC 1798 banning the use of Emtryl in treating game birds; what penalties he plans to apply to offences against the regulation when it comes into force; and what warnings have been issued to(a) landowners, (b) breeders, (c) owners of shooting rights and (d) others involved against using Emtryl. [11625]

  Mrs. Browning
  Banning therapeutic products containing dimetridazole, the active ingredient of Emtryl, would have serious health and welfare consequences for turkeys, game birds and pigs. The UK believes that such products can be used safely and, pending discussions with the European Commission, no action has been taken to withdraw the marketing authorisations for them. The use of DMZ for disease prevention, in accordance with EEC directive 70/524, is not affected by these regulations.

  The Animals, Meat and Meat Products (Examination for Residues and Maximum Residue Limits) Regulations 1991, as amended—the residues regulations—make it an offence to administer substances in annexe IV of the Council regulation to an animal, or to sell for human consumption any meat or meat product containing such a substance, provided the relevant amending Commission regulation is contained in schedule 1 to the residues regulations. The penalties for non-observance of these regulations are set out in regulation 21, which provides for a fine.

  The application of the Commission regulation has been the subject of several discussions with game birds, poultry, farming and distribution interests.

  Veterinary Staff
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the range of hourly rates; and what is the overall average hourly rate charged to abattoirs for the services of official veterinary surgeons. [11892]

  Mrs. Browning
  The range of official veterinary surgeon hourly rates provided by the Meat Hygiene Service is from £17.50 to £140 before the application of capping for the 1995–96 financial year, which keeps the normal time rate to a maximum of £35 per hour. Overtime rates are not capped.

  The overall average hourly rate charged to abattoirs for OVS services is £32.42.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many local veterinary inspectors there are currently; and how they are(a) selected and (b) paid. [11692]
  695
  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]: At 1 January 1995 there were 5,722 local veterinary inspectors. Data for 1 January 1996 have not yet been collated.

  Before an LVI is appointed, he/she must be a member of an established veterinary practice. For an initial appointment they must have spent at least three months in the practice. They will be subject to interview and procedural training carried out by MAFF. The initial LVI appointment is provisional for a period of six months during which time a field assessment may be carried out by the divisional veterinary manager or one of his or her veterinary officers. If duties have been carried out satisfactorily, full appointment will be granted at the end of the six months period, otherwise further training must be undertaken.

  Where LVIs carry out services directly for the Minister, they are paid in accordance with the scale of fees agreed between the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the British Veterinary Association. Where an LVI carries out work directly for his/her client, the fee is a private matter between the client and the LVI.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the certification procedures operated by the local veterinary inspectors. [11693]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]: A working party was set up by senior managers of the state veterinary service in September 1993. This working party was chaired by Mr. Hugh Morris, a divisional veterinary officer.

  The terms of reference were to examine existing export procedures in both animal health offices and the field; to make recommendations to policy divisions and senior managers to ensure that high standards of veterinary health certification would be maintained and that there were mechanisms in place to monitor those standards.

  The report of the working party, which has become known as the Morris report, was written for internal management purposes and was not intended for publication. It confirmed that the necessary information and instructions were already available. However, some deficiencies were identified both in the administrative procedures in some animal health offices and in the standards of identification and examination of animals by local veterinary inspectors. The report made more than 80 recommendations to correct these deficiencies, including the re-writing of existing instructions to make them more user friendly.

  All necessary action has been taken on the major recommendations of the report to ensure that high standards of veterinary export certification are maintained.

  Positive about Disabled People Symbol
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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. [11920]
  696
  Mr. Boswell
  Neither the Ministry, nor its agencies nor the Intervention Board executive agency currently uses the Employment Service's positive about disabled people symbol for external recruitment or for internal recruitment and promotion. The Ministry is consulting the Employment Service about the steps necessary for approved use of the symbol.

  Live Animal Transport
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what action his Department has taken to supervise collection centres for intra-Community trade in livestock; [11978]

  (2) what responsibilities his Department has for the supervision of dealers' premises in respect of intra-Community trade in livestock. [11979]

  Mrs. Browning
  Local veterinary inspectors or veterinary officers are present to inspect animals during assembly at collection centres and dealers' premises of consignments for export to other member states. In relation to imports from other member states, dealers' premises are subject to random non-discriminatory checks as provided for under EC rules.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many breeding cattle were imported into the United Kingdom during the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [9856]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 17 January 1996]: Official overseas trade statistics recorded 3,842 pure-bred breeding cattle as having been imported into the United Kingdom during the period October 1994 to September 1995. Imports of non-pure-bred breeding cattle are not separately available.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are(a) the guidelines, (b) the enforcement procedures and (c) the monitoring arrangements in respect of the certification of live animals for export by local veterinary inspectors. [11690]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]: Written instructions are issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in the form of animal health circulars and in sets of instructions. They are sent to all veterinary practices which have local veterinary inspectors approved for the certification of live animals for export. Notes for guidance of LVIs on completion of an individual certificate may also be issued with the certificate. In addition, it is incumbent upon every local veterinary inspector to follow the ethical guidance concerning veterinary certification given in the guide to professional conduct issued by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

  Where there is evidence of statutory or procedural deficiencies, appropriate action is taken, including prosecution by local authorities.

  Where an LVI infringes or fails to comply with his/her conditions of appointment, performs duties unsatisfactorily or is guilty of conduct which indicates that suspension or termination of the appointment may be necessary, an investigation will be mounted and the appropriate action taken.
  697
  Where a veterinary surgeon has issued misleading, inaccurate or untrue certificates, the matter may be considered by the disciplinary committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. In several cases, the disciplinary committee has held that the issue of inaccurate certificates has amounted to disgraceful professional conduct. The veterinarian's name has been removed from the Register of Veterinary Surgeons and the veterinarian has been unable to practise.

  To monitor the arrangements for veterinary certification, audit visits are carried out by members of the veterinary field service to LVI practices to check that, among other things, the practice has a current set of instructions and that individual LVIs are aware of current procedures. LVIs are required to return copies of completed export certificates to animal health offices. These are checked to see that they have been completed correctly. Apparent errors in certification and non-receipt of copy certificates are followed up with the LVI concerned. Unannounced audit visits are carried out by members of the veterinary field service to check on LVIs carrying out export certification. In addition, certification and consignments of live animals may be checked at the port of export by Ministry staff. Any deficiencies found in certification or procedures are followed up.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he plans to take to ensure that local veterinary inspectors carry out their duties in accordance with his instructions in animal health circular 94/31 on "Procedures for checking the identification of cattle to be exported to EC Member States", and if he will make a statement. [12164]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 29 January 1996]: Procedures are already in hand to monitor the duties carried out by LVIs in respect of export certification. I refer to my earlier reply today.

  Animals (Definition)
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will press for a redefinition of animals in the treaty of Rome from agricultural products to sentient beings; and if he will make a statement. [12163]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 29 January 1996]: The Government attach high priority to animal welfare. We secured the declaration, attached to the Maastricht treaty, which calls for full account to be taken of animal welfare in agricultural and other policies. We are considering possible options for building on this declaration as part of our detailed preparations for the intergovernmental conference later this year.

  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 Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund over the last available five years in respect of (i) the structural funds and (ii) the price guarantees. [11654]

  Mr. Boswell
  [holding answer 29 January 1996]: A table containing details of UK receipts under the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund is set
  698
  out. A breakdown by standard region is not available. The guidance section is one of the structural funds. The guarantee section finances market support.

  Total UK receipts under the EAGGF guidance and guarantee sections

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  11994–95

  (a) Ecus (million)2

  (i) Guidance section3

  93

  134

  100

  104

  82

  (ii) Guarantee section

  2,226

  2,457

  2,150

  3,569

  3,141

  (b) £ (million)

  (i) Guidance section3

  66

  94

  71

  82

  63

  (ii) Guarantee section

  1,579

  1,718

  1,525

  2,810

  2,416

  Notes:

  1Estimated outturn.

  2Exchange rates used are as follows: 1990–91: £1 = 1.41 ecu, 1991–92: £1 = 1.43 ecu, 1992–93: £1 = 1.41 ecu, 1993–94: £1 = 1.27 ecu, 1994–95: £1 = 1.30 ecu.

  3Up to and including 1993–94 an element of EAGGF guidance section funding related to fisheries.

  Source:

  1990–91 to 1993–94: 1995 departmental report of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's smaller departments, table 9.4, "Receipts from European Institutions analysed by Department".

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Information Technology
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer of 23 January,Official Report, column 131, if he will list all cases where spare computer capacity has been sold to other Departments since 1987, giving the value of each contract. [12075]

  Mr. Willetts
  Information on the sale of spare computer capacity between Departments is not held centrally.

  Chauffeurs
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many chauffeurs are employed by Her Majesty's Government; and what percentage of them are disabled. [12227]

  Mr. Willetts
  This is an operational matter on which I have asked the chief executive of the Security Facilities Executive—SAFE—to write to the hon. Member direct.

  Letter from John King to Mr. Gordon McMaster, dated 29 January 1996:
  I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Deputy Prime Minister seeking information on the number of chauffeurs employed by the Government and what percentage are disabled.
  My Agency is responsible for the Government Car Service which employs the majority of the governments' chauffeurs. There are currently 148 GCS drivers/chauffeurs, none of which are at present registered disabled.
  The nature of the GCS drivers duties, which includes security and safety considerations, call for people who can meet the exacting physical requirements for the job.

  Absenteeism
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of absenteeism rates in days per annum for staff in his Department for 1995–96. [11373]

  Mr. Willetts
  The table gives the available absenteeism figures for the central Cabinet Office, including No. 10 and the executive agencies for which I am responsible. Figures for previous years and 1995–96 are not available.

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Central Department

  8.48

  8.45

  COI

  7.76

  9.67

  CS college

  7.00

  6.40

  HMSO

  9.86

  7.03

  OHSA

  8.82

  14.52

  RAS

  8.58

  12.99

  Chessington

  9.00

  10.37

  SAFE

  4.34

  11.05

  TBA

  9.97

  8.70

  Total

  8.35

  8.61

  Absence rates represent total days absent divided by total number of staff.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what is his estimate of departmental expenditure on administration for(a) 1995–96 and (b) 1996–97. [11505]

  Mr. Willetts
  Details of running costs and administrative spending by the Cabinet Office, including the Prime Minister's Office, and the Office of Public Service for the years 1989–90 through to 1997–98 are contained in tables 7.5 and 7.6 of my Department's annual report, Cm 2820, copies of which are available in the Members' Library. This years' report, due to be published at the end of March, will reflect the Cabinet Office's new responsibilities, following the machinery of government and other changes.

  Public Information Films (Cold Weather)
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many public information films on the effects of cold weather on plumbing have been shown in the cinema or on television since 1966, indicating who produced the films and when they were shown on television and cinema screens. [12704]

  Mr. Willetts
  Many energy efficiency campaigns have been run since 1966. All have contained information on the effects of cold weather on pipes. Details of these campaigns cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.

  Deregulation
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the deregulation task force's priority areas for 1996; and what action has arisen as a result of priority area status. [12262]

  Mr. Freeman
  The priority areas for work in 1995–96 identified by the deregulation task force in its first annual report are: the labour market; planning; building regulations; financial services; the health sector; and 700
  longer-term issues, such as risk pricing and reviewing legislation. The task force is also following up areas covered in its 1994–95 report, such as taxation and national insurance, and health and safety.

  The task force has been holding meetings with Ministers and officials from the relevant Government Departments. It expects to make recommendations on these areas in its next annual report.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Residence and Asylum Status (Revocation)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the incidences since 1979 when Her Majesty's Government have(a) refused an asylum application and (b) revoked an existing residency or asylum permission granted to a foreign national as a result of the overriding interests of British diplomatic or trade relationships with the country of origin of the individuals concerned. [8646]

  Miss Widdecombe
  No asylum application has been refused and no grant of refugee status has been revoked on foreign relations or economic grounds.

  Crime (Old People)
  Sir Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what number and proportion of recorded crimes were committed against people aged over the state retirement age in(a) 1975, (b) 1985 and (c) 1995; and if he will provide a breakdown by type of recorded crimes. [10202]

  Mr. Maclean
  Information on the victims of recorded crime is not routinely collected by the Home Office. However, extracts from an ad hoc survey giving, information on the age and gender of victims of recorded offences of violence against the person for 1990 to 1992 were published in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1994", a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Asylum Seekers
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, after 5 February, in respect of asylum seekers (i) appealing against a negative decision and (ii) applying for asylum in-country, lack of funds will he considered an acceptable reason for failing to attend an interview; and if his Department plans(a) to start interviewing asylum applicants at their homes and (b) to fund their travel-to-interview costs. [11831]

  Miss Widdecombe
  After 5 February, as at present, applicants will be expected to attend interviews. The immigration rules make it clear that failure, without reasonable explanation, to comply with a request to attend for interview may lead to the refusal of the application. Any reasons put forward by an applicant for failing to attend an interview will continue to be considered against his or her individual circumstances.

  The Home Office has no plans to interview asylum applicants at their homes or to pay their travel costs.
  701
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the practice of withholding permission to work to asylum applicants for six months after 5 February. [11803]

  Miss Widdecombe
  The employment concession for asylum seekers is kept under regular review.

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the administrative costs that might arise after 5 February in the serving of papers on asylum applicants not receiving benefits who are(a) homeless and (b) living in temporary nightshelters. [11804]

  Miss Widdecombe
  In cases where the Home Office has been supplied with details of a representative but does not know the whereabouts of the applicant, the decision will be served on the representative. The Immigration Appeals (Notices) Regulations 1984 provide that the requirement to serve a notice is satisfied if the notice is served on a person appointed to act on behalf of the applicant.

  However, the Immigration Appeals (Notices) Regulations 1984 also make it clear that there is no requirement to give written notice of a decision if the officer or authority responsible for giving it has no knowledge of the whereabouts or place of abode of the person concerned. The onus will continue to be on the asylum applicant to maintain contact with the Home Office.

  Metropolitan Police (Arrests)
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were(a) arrested and (b) charged by the Metropolitan police in the latest available period; and if he will break down the figures by age group. [11856]

  Mr. Maclean
  The available information has been provided by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and is contained in the table.

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  Overall Man days (average per day)

  13,684

  14,000

  13,431

  12,915

  12,704

  12,768

  13,121

  13,384

  Percentage of time spent on street duties

  31.1

  31.8

  31.9

  31.8

  32.3

  34.6

  34.9

  35.0

  Crime (Young People)
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to combat crime among young people. [11857]

  Mr. Maclean
  Provisions in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 strengthened the powers of the courts to deal with the most serious and persistent juvenile offenders. The single regeneration budget supports many crime prevention activities with a youth focus. My Department also provides core funding for Crime Concern, which works closely with the business sector on a wide range of youth crime prevention programmes. The aim of the new ministerial group on juveniles, which held its first meeting on 18 January, is to strengthen measures to intervene effectively with those children who are most likely to offend.
  702

  Arrests and charges in the Metropolitan police district—12 months to June 1995

  Age group

  Number of arrests

  Number of charges

  10–16

  20,937

  5,045

  17–18

  13,513

  7,879

  19–20

  11,508

  7,252

  21–30

  46,768

  33,299

  31–40

  21,650

  16,016

  41–50

  7,307

  5,180

  51 and over

  3,541

  2,277

  Unrecorded age

  15,601

  4,845

  Total

  140,825

  81,793

  Police (Complaints)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 16 January,Official Report, columns 484–85, what explanation has been made to him regarding the increase in complaints against the North Wales police for 1994 compared with 1993. [11874]

  Mr. Maclean
  This is a matter for the chief constable of North Wales, but I understand that the figures for 1995 are expected to show a fall in the number of complaints recorded.

  Police (London)
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in each of the London divisions in each year since 1988–89; and how many of these officers were allocated to foot patrols. [11855]

  Mr. Maclean
  Information on the number of officers attached to individual divisions is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Information on the total number of officers attached to divisions over the past eight years and the overall percentage of this time which was spent on street duties are set out in the table:

  Mr. J. M. Roberts
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he is proposing to give a substantive response to the submission made on behalf of Mr. J. M. Roberts, J43565, following his letter of 11 July 1995, Ref. PO 11651/95. [12092]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Since receiving the letter of my hon. Friend the Member for North Dorset (Mr. Baker), my officials, in consultation with Mr. Roberts' solicitors, have acted to secure further material which may he relevant to Mr. Roberts's conviction. As a result, we expect to he in a position to take a decision about the case soon.

  Crime Prevention
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total amount spent by each
  703
  police force area on crime prevention for each year since 1990. [10517]

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is not available.

  Private Security Industry
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce legislation for the regulation and licensing of the private security industry. [11849]

  Mr. Maclean
  We are currently considering the case for statutory regulation of the private security industry.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of expenditure on all forms of hospitality and entertainment by(a) his Department, (b) his Department's agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies, for (i) 1979–80, (ii) 1989–90, (iii) 1991–92, (iv) 1993–94, (v) 1994–95, (vi) 1995–96 and (vii) 1996–97. [11443]

  Mr. Howard
  Following is the information about expenditure on hospitality and entertainment by my Department:

  Year

  Department (excluding agencies and non-departmental public bodies) £

  Agencies £

  Non-departmental public bodies £

  1989–90

  28,630

  —

  527

  1991–92

  28,094

  —

  766

  1993–94

  15,233

  33,784

  2,270

  1994–95

  15,990

  11,478

  1,552

  1995–96 (provisional)

  27,970

  32,600

  6,227

  1996–97 (provisional)

  30,300

  13,000

  7,029

  Details of expenditure in 1979–80 are not available.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of departmental expenditure on administration for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11444]

  Mr. Howard
  Expenditure by my Department on administration, as set out at annexe 3 to the Home Office annual report 1995, Cm 2808, is as follows:

  £ million

  1989–90

  Outturn

  1,085

  1991–92

  Outturn

  1,441

  1993–94

  Outturn

  1,623

  1994–95

  Estimated outturn

  1,729

  1995–96

  Plans

  1,746

  1996–97

  Plans

  1,780

  Comparable details of expenditure in 1979–80 are not available.
  704
  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the expenditure of his Department, his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies on all forms of overseas travel, overseas accommodation and other associated expenses for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11446]

  Mr. Howard
  The estimate of expenditure for my Department on all forms of overseas travel, overseas accommodation and other associated expenses is as follows:

  (a) 1979–80: not available.

  (b) 1989–90: this information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  (c) 1991–92: this information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  (d) 1993–94: this information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  (e) 1994–95: £1,758,692.

  (f) 1995–96: expenditure to date £2,055,439. An estimate of the total for the year can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  (g) 1996–97: an estimate for the year can only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of his Department's expenditure on newspapers and magazines in(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96, to date; and if he will list the publications purchased for the latest year for which information is available. [11447]

  Mr. Howard
  The information requested is as follows:

  1993–94: £232,800

  1994–95: £226,154

  1995–96: £110,338 (to date).

  These figures relate to newspapers and magazines purchased centrally through the Home Office information and library services for the Home Department, including the Prison Service headquarters and the immigration and nationality department. No central record is held of materials purchased from divisional funds, or in respect of purchases by non-departmental public bodies for which my Department is responsible.

  My Department purchases or obtains free of charge a wide range of newspapers and periodical publications. A list of their titles has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the annual telephone costs to(a) his Department, (b) his Department's agencies and (c) his 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). [11386]
  705
  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 25 January 1996]: The annual telephone costs to my Department are as follows:

  £ thousands

  Year

  Department (excluding agencies and non-departmental public bodies)

  Agencies

  Non-departmental public bodies

  1993–94

  4,706

  8,400

  392

  1994–95

  4,577

  8,995

  381

  1995–96 (provisional)

  5,019

  1647

  406

  1996–97 (provisional)

  4,816

  11,055

  455

  1Details of the provisional expenditure by the Prison Service executive agency in 1995–96 and 1996–97 are not yet available.

  Details of expenditure prior to 1993–94 are not available.

  Staff of my Department in central London offices make use of CCTA's metropolitan telephone service—MTS—which provides fully managed telephone and directory services. The MTS requires the Department to maintain a current directory of staff, location and telephone extensions to enable the MTS operators to provide a directory inquiry service to internal and external callers. All offices on the MTS are connected to the Government telephone network–GTN–as are many other offices of my Department outside the central London area. The GTN dialling codes booklet is available to all staff in these offices. It enables them to identify the operator in any other Government building for inquiry services.

  The Home Office staff telephone directory is available to all staff in my Department and its agencies, and to staff in certain Home Office sponsored non-departmental public bodies. Other non-departmental public bodies produce their own internal telephone directories.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the annual cost to his Department and his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies of their empty and under-utilised properties for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11445]

  Mr. Howard
  The Home Office, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies assume accountability for all the offices in which they have occupations, including any vacant space therein, from 1 April 1996 only. Up to that date, responsibility for the whole of the Government common user office estate—CUE—in which Government Departments were housed, rests with Property Holdings, and, prior to 1 April 1990, rested with the Property Services Agency. That part of the question covering previous years is, therefore, a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

  For 1996–97, the Home Office received a transfer of £1.4 million from Property Holdings to cover the costs of vacant space in offices occupied by the Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies.

  For future years, efficiency plans being prepared within the Department are expected to lead to a reduced requirement for office accommodation, and the resultant
  706
  rationalisation of the estate will enable the Home Office to deliver greater value for money across the range of services it provides.

  Holding Centre (Glasgow Airport)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has held with the British Airports Authority concerning the building of a holding centre at Glasgow airport; what estimate he has made of the cost of construction; and if he will make a statement. [11675]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  There have been no discussions with the British Airports Authority about building a holding centre at Glasgow airport.

  Criminal Cases Review Commission
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce the appointment of a chairman for the Criminal Cases Review Commission. [12323]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  An announcement will be made once the process of selection and appointment currently under way is completed.

  British Nationality (Hong Kong)
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made as to likely changes in the ratio of dependants to principal beneficiaries under the British nationality (Hong Kong) selection scheme. [12526]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  With almost 97 per cent. of the principal registrations under the scheme now completed, we do not expect there to be any change in this ratio. Some spouses and dependants who were not included in the original application may apply for registration before the end-1996 deadline, but these are not likely to affect the figure significantly.

  Restraint Techniques
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the commissioner of police for London on(a) the conduct of individual police officers and (b) the practices in respect of the unlawful killing of Mr. Shiji Lapite; what action he proposes to take to compensate Mr. Lapite's family; what measures he proposes to alter the practices which led to Mr. Lapite's death; and if he will make a statement. [12764]

  Mr. Maclean
  I understand that, following the verdict of the coroner's inquest, the case has been referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions who will again consider the criminal aspects of the case. It would not he appropriate for me to comment further on the details of the case at this stage.

  The Association of Chief Police Officers is currently considering its guidelines on the use of restraint techniques. I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that no claim for compensation has yet been received from Mr. Lapite's family.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ban the use of neck choke holds by
  707
  (a) the police and (b) prison officers; and if he will make a statement. [12722]

  Mr. Maclean
  No. The law provides that any person may use reasonable force in upholding the law. What particular means of restraint is reasonable is a matter for the courts in the circumstances of the particular case.

  Police Grant
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he plans to allocate police grant in 1996–97. [13101]

  Mr. Howard
  I yesterday laid before the House the police grant report (England and Wales) 1996–97. This should be read in conjunction with, for England, the Local government finance report, the special grant report (No. 16) and, for Wales, with the information laid before the House this afternoon by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  The police grant report includes the allocation of funding for the 5,000 extra officers announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

  Funding figures for each police authority are set out in the table:

  £ million

  Police force area

  1995–96 funding1

  1996–97 funding1

  English Shire Forces

  Avon and Somerset

  147.8

  154.6

  Bedfordshire

  55.4

  57.3

  Cambridgeshire

  62.7

  66.4

  Cheshire

  93.1

  98.5

  Cleveland

  70.7

  73.3

  Cumbria

  54.3

  57.1

  Derbyshire

  88.3

  92.5

  Devon and Cornwall

  146.5

  153.4

  Dorset

  62.6

  64.9

  Durham

  68.0

  71.5

  Essex

  146.7

  151.7

  Gloucestershire

  56.3

  58.5

  Hampshire

  169.0

  175.3

  Hertfordshire

  87.0

  89.9

  Humberside

  98.1

  103.1

  Kent

  158.1

  163.9

  Lancashire

  155.5

  163.5

  Leicestershire

  89.9

  94.8

  Lincolnshire

  57.1

  59.0

  Norfolk

  71.2

  76.0

  Northamptonshire

  55.8

  58.4

  North Yorkshire

  66.7

  69.7

  Nottinghamshire

  110.2

  115.2

  Staffordshire

  101.2

  108.9

  Suffolk

  58.5

  61.7

  Surrey

  85.1

  88.0

  Sussex

  145.8

  151.1

  Thames Valley

  192.8

  202.6

  Warwickshire

  47.7

  49.2

  West Mercia

  97.8

  103.5

  Wiltshire

  58.7

  60.7

  English Metropolitan Forces

  Greater Manchester

  327.1

  342.5

  Merseyside

  215.0

  221.9

  Northumbria

  179.6

  188.2

  South Yorkshire

  147.2

  154.7

  West Midlands

  329.3

  344.0

  West Yorkshire

  249.8

  260.9

  708

  £ million

  Police force area

  1995–96 funding1

  1996–97 funding1

  London Forces

  Metrpolitan Police2

  1,628.7

  1,649.6

  City of London3

  57.3

  59.1

  English Total

  6,092.6

  6,314.9

  Welsh Forces

  Dyfed-Powys

  46.3

  458.6

  Gwent4

  60.1

  62.8

  North Wales

  66.0

  69.3

  South Wales4

  143.4

  151.1

  Welsh Total

  315.8

  331.7

  Total

  6,408.4

  6,646.7

  1Includes SSA, Police Grant and Special (SSA) Reduction) Grant (Police Funding Review). Figure are rounded to the nearest £100,000.

  2Figure for the Metropolitan Police does not include funding allocated to the Receiver under the Other Services Block SSA for school crossing patrols, Magistrates' Courts and the Probation Service.

  3Figure for the City does not include Capital Financing and Other Services Block SSAs which are allocated to the Common Council of the City of London as a whole in respect of all its functions.

  4Figures for South Wales and Gwent police authorities have been adjusted to show what they would have received in 1995–96 had the transfer of the Rhymney Valley from South Wales to Gwent, due to take effect on 1 April 1996, been effective for 1995–96. These adjustments enable valid comparisons to be made between these forces' allocations for 1995–96 and 1996–97.

  Police Cautions (Burglary)
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the practice and policy of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis in respect of cautioning persons who have been apprehended following a reported or suspected burglary; and if he will make a statement; [11261]

  (2) how many people have been cautioned in the Metropolitan police area over the past two years following their being apprehended following a reported or suspected burglary. [11262]

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answers 29 January 1996]: I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that Metropolitan police practice and policy on the cautioning of offenders follows guidance provided in the Home Office circular number 18 of 1994 "The Cautioning of Offenders".

  During 1994, 959 people were cautioned in the Metropolitan police district for burglary offences. Figures for 1995 are not yet available.

  Rough Sleepers
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will given an estimate on the number of physical attacks on rough sleepers in 1995; and if he will make a statement; [9974]

  (2) if his Department keeps official statistics on the number of physical attacks on rough sleepers; and if he will make a statement. [9975]

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answers 29 January 1996]: This information is not collected centrally and there are no plans to do so.

HEALTH

  Doctors and Nurses
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors and nurses worked in the NHS in each year from 1992 to 1995; and how many currently work in the NHS. [9504]

  Mr. Malone
  For figures relating to doctors, I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Health gave the hon. Member for Fife, Central (Mr. McLeish) on 18 December 1995,Official Report, columns 947–50. For the figures relating to the nurses, I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Health gave the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 8 November 1995, Official Report, column 973.

  Tobacco Advertising
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of the Government health warnings on tobacco advertisements on the consumption of tobacco by teenagers. [10762]

  Mr. Horam
  We are not aware of any research which looks specifically at the effect of health warnings on consumption of tobacco by teenagers. In practice, many factors influence the teenagers' consumption of tobacco—notably, price and parental influence. It is very difficult to isolate the specific effect of health warnings on consumption from the influence of other factors.

  District Nurses
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patient contacts there were with district nurses in each year since 1989–90. [10928]

  Mr. Horam
  The information requested is published in "Patient Care in the Community, District Nursing, Summary for Information for 1994–95, England", copies of which are available in the Library.

  NHS Finance
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the overall NHS outturn against revenue and capital cash limits in 1994–95. [10934]

  Mr. Horam
  The information is shown in the table.

  National Health Service Cash Limited Spending (Voted) 1994–95

  £ million

  Final cash limit

  Outturn

  Revenue1

  22,386

  22,289

  Capital

  947

  881

  Total

  23,333

  23,170

  Source:

  Department of Health Appropriation Accounts 1994–95.

  Notes:

  1Includes amounts earned by NHS trusts through contract prices to fund capital spending and the costs of drugs prescribed by general practitioner fundholders.

  1. Includes voted loans from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to NHS Trusts to finance trust capital spending.

  HealthNet
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the proposed applications for data to he transmitted on HealthNet; and how patient consent will be obtained for these purposes. [11189]

  Mr. Horam
  The following applications will not process patient identifiable information, so that the question of patient consent does not arise:

  purchase of and payment for supplies;

  knowledge bases;

  bulletin boards;

  statistical databases;

  clinical education and training applications.

  Patient information is involved in the following applications:

  Test investigation requests and results;

  GP referrals;

  discharge information;

  shared patient record information;

  patient administration information;

  commissioning and contracting information services;

  prescription information.

  In August 1994, the Department issued draft guidance on confidentiality of patient information. The guidance has been re-drafted to address many comments received, including those from the British Medical Association and the Data Protection Registrar. The guidance, which will be published shortly, will clarify who may have access to patient information and will require the national health service to inform patients about the purposes for which patient information is used. The guidance will apply to all patient information, whether conveyed on paper or via computer systems and networks. Copies of the guidance will be placed in the Library.

  Personal Information
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the categories of those who will have authorised access to patients' identifiable personal health information through the HealthNet network; what will be the process for obtaining patients' consent for such information to be available to these categories; and how patients will be informed that access has been made. [11679]

  Mr. Horam
  The categories of those who have authorised access to patients' identifiable personal health information, and the process for obtaining patients' consent and for informing patients are the same, whether or not the information is to be passed over a network.

  In August 1994, the Department issued draft guidance on confidentiality of patient information. The guidance has been re-drafted to address many comments received, including those from the British Medical Association and the Data Protection Registrar. The guidance, which will be published shortly, will clarify who may have access to patient information and will require the national health service to inform patients about the purposes for which patient information is used. The guidance will apply to all patient information, whether conveyed on paper or via computer systems and network. Copies of the guidance will be placed in the Library.

  Psychiatric Hospitals
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will write to the chairs of all health authorities with a psychiatric hospital due to close by the year 2000 to ask for evidence to satisfy him that there are adequate replacement services. [12292]

  Mr. Bowis
  The national health service executive have already made it clear that no psychiatric hospital should close until appropriate replacement services are in place.

  General Practitioner Practices
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of general practitioner practices were below minimum standards by family health services authority for each year since 1990. [10519]

  Mr. Malone
  Available data are contained in health service indicators, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Insulin Injections
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to provide free injection pens for insulin injections were a clinical need for such injections has been approved. [10687]

  Mr. Malone
  The clinical needs of people requiring insulin injections may be met through the existing provision of disposable syringes and needles on general practitioner prescription. Disposable injection pens are also available on GP prescription and insulin injection systems may be provided free through the hospital service.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the annual cost to his Department and his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies of their empty and under-utilised properties for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11538]

  Mr. Horam
  The buildings occupied by the Department of Health and its agencies formed part of the Government civil estate and then, from 1990, the Government common user estate. Vacant space has been the responsibility of Property Services Agency for the civil estate, then Property Holdings for the common user estate. From 1 April 1996, Departments take over responsibility for the vacant space in their buildings on the common user estate.

  The estimated annual cost to the Department of Health, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies of their empty and under-utilised properties is £200,000 in 1991–92, £200,000 in 1993–94 and £910,000 in 1996–97. The increase in 1996–97 reflects the transfer of responsibility for vacant space from property holdings to the Department.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of departmental expenditure on administration for(a) 1979–80,
  712
  (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11537]

  Mr. Horam
  Details of the Department's administration costs from 1989–90 to 1993–94 are provided in the Department's annual report for 1995–96 to 1997–98, Cm 2812, copies of which are available in the Library. Figures for the Department of Health for 1979–80, prior to the split of the DHSS, are not available.

  Departmental expenditure for 1994–95 was £242 million, and the estimated outturn for 1995–96 is £235 million. The planned expenditure for 1996–97 is £281 million, but this is on a new basis which is not comparable with previous figures.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the expenditure of his Department and his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies on all forms of overseas travel, overseas accommodation and other associated expenses for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11539]

  Mr. Horam
  Estimates of the expenditure of the Department of Health, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies on all forms of travel, overseas accommodation and other associated expenditure for 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96 and 1996–97 are shown in the table.

  1993–94: £1,823,000

  1994–95: £1,698,000

  1995–96: £1,436,000 (estimate)

  1996–97: £264,000 (non-departmental public bodies only)

  Figures for the central Department and its agencies and complete data for the non-departmental public bodies are not available for 1979–80, 1989–90 and 1991–92. The Department formed part of the Department of Health and Social Security until July 1988 and for 1989–90 and 1991–92 the Department's accounting records did not separately identify overseas travel costs from United Kingdom travel expenditure. Estimates for 1996–97 for the central Department and its agencies are not yet available.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of expenditure on all forms of hospitality and entertainment by(a) his Department, (b) his Department's agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies, for (i) 1979–80, (ii) 1989–90, (iii) 1991–92, (iv) 1993–94, (v) 1994–95, (vi) 1995–96 and (vii) 1996–97. [11536]

  Mr. Horam
  For the amount spent on hospitality expenditure by the Department and its agencies for 1994–95, I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the then Under-Secretary of State for Health gave the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) and the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 1 May 1995,Official Report, column 23. For details of expenditure for the years 1990–91 to 1993–94, I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the then Under-Secretary of State for Health gave the hon. Member for Truro (Mr. Taylor) on 1 November 1994. Official Report, columns 1073–74.
  713
  For the amount spent on hospitality during 1995–96, I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave the hon. Member for Newham, North-West on 18 December 1995, Official Report, column 935. Estimates of expenditure in 1996–97 are not yet available.

  Information on hospitality expenditure for non-departmental public bodies is not available for 1979–80. Figures for the other years requested are shown.

  NDPBs

  1989–90: £10,918

  1991–92: £16,416

  1993–94: £21,208

  1994–95: £21,152

  1995–96: £14,378

  1996–97: £15,000

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of his Department's expenditure on newspapers and magazines in(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96, to date; and if he will list the publications purchased for the latest year for which information is available. [11540]

  Mr. Horam
  The expenditure in the Department was as follows:

  1993–94: £45,740

  1994–95: £44,130

  1995–96: £31,087 (up-to end December 1995)

  A list of the titles currently received follows.

  List of Newspapers currently received by the Department of Health Title

  Daily Express

  Daily Mirror

  Daily Mail

  Daily Record

  Daily Star

  Daily Telegraph

  European

  Evening Standard

  Financial Times

  Guardian

  Independent

  Mail on Sunday

  Morning Star

  Observer

  News of the World

  Northern Echo

  South London Press

  Sun

  Sunday Express

  Sunday Mirror

  Sunday People

  Sunday Telegraph

  Sunday Times

  Times

  Wall Street Journal

  Weekly Guardian

  Yorkshire Post/Evening Post

  List of Magazines currently received by the Department of Health Title

  Big Issue

  Campaign

  Care Weekly

  Caterer and Hotel Keeper

  Community Care

  Computer Weekly

  Economist

  Health Service Journal

  Mac User

  714

  Mac World

  Media

  Nature

  Net

  New Scientist

  New Statesman

  Nursery World

  Nursing Times

  Private Eye

  Spectator

  Tablet

  TV/Radio Times

  Voice

  Population Statistics
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the total number and percentage of the population of(a) men aged 65 years or over and (b) women aged 60 years or over in the years 2017 to 2040. [12168]

  Mr. Horam
  The latest available information using the mid-1992—based national population projections is shown in the table. Mid-1994-based projections will be available shortly. Summary figures will be published in Office of Population Censuses and Surveys monitor in February.

  England and Wales

  Men aged 65 and over

  Women aged 60 and over

  Year

  Thousands

  As percentage of total male population

  Thousands

  As Percentage of total female population

  2017

  4,568

  16.7

  7,276

  26.3

  2018

  4,635

  16.9

  7,370

  26.6

  2019

  4,701

  17.1

  7,470

  26.9

  2020

  4,759

  17.3

  7,575

  27.3

  2021

  4,824

  17.5

  7,694

  27.7

  2022

  4,897

  17.8

  7,822

  28.1

  2023

  4,977

  18.1

  7,957

  28.6

  2024

  5,061

  18.3

  8,097

  29.0

  2025

  5,152

  18.7

  8,235

  29.5

  2026

  5,256

  19.0

  8,362

  30.0

  2027

  5,366

  19.4

  8,478

  30.4

  2028

  5,480

  19.9

  8,579

  30.7

  2029

  5,599

  20.3

  8,675

  31.1

  2030

  5,713

  20.7

  8,752

  31.4

  2031

  5,816

  21.1

  8,830

  31.7

  2032

  5,907

  21.5

  8,885

  31.9

  2033

  5,983

  21.8

  8,917

  32.0

  2034

  6,054

  22.1

  8.926

  32.1

  2035

  6,110

  22.3

  8,921

  32.1

  2036

  6,164

  22.6

  8,902

  32.1

  2037

  6,199

  22.7

  8,868

  32.0

  2038

  6,211

  22.8

  8,836

  32.0

  2039

  6,199

  22.8

  8,824

  32.0

  2040

  6,176

  22.8

  8,820

  32.0

  Hospices
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the separate dedicated registration of(a) adult and (b) children's hospices. [12391]

  Mr. Horam
  None at present.
  715
  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what factors underlay his decision to end the separate central funding of children's hospices from 1994–95; and what consultations his Department undertook with(a) children's hospices and (b) local health authorities prior to that decision; [12393]

  (2) what discussions he has had with local health authorities in respect of the target of 50:50 funding for children's hospices from health authority purchasers; [12390]

  (3) if it is his policy that children's hospices should be eligible for matching funding from the NHS. [12394]

  Mr. Bowis
  There was never separate central funding for children's hospices. The target of 50:50 funding was a national target and did not apply to individual hospices. It was never applied to children's hospices. From 1994–95, funding for specialist palliative care has been built into health authorities' general allocations. This was announced in the NHS executive letter EL(93)14 issued in February 1993, copies of which are available in the Library. Services for children with life-threatening illnesses are now eligible for funding and health authority commissioners can negotiate with children's hospices for the services that they wish to purchase in the same way as they do for adult hospices.

  Mr. Cunnigham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were cared for in each of the last three years in children's hospices in the United Kingdom. [12392]

  Mr. Bowis
  This information is not available centrally.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospice beds there were in each of the last five years. [12716]

  Mr. Horam
  The available information is shown in the table.

  Number of hospice beds from 1991 to 1995 (England)

  Year

  Number of beds

  1991

  2,171

  1992

  2,321

  1993

  2,409

  1994

  2,521

  1995

  2,587

  Source:

  St. Christopher's Hospice Information Service.

  Deregulation (Still Birth Death Registration) Order 1996
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what cost-benefit analysis has been made of the saving to(a) business and (b) public funds accruing from the Deregulation (Still Birth and Death Registration) Order 1996. [12259]

  Mr. Horam
  I am advised by the Registrar General that he does not anticipate that there will be a large take-up of the proposed facility for the making of declarations of death and still birth before any registrar in England and Wales. There is likely to be no impact on business. Local authorities may incur some small additional expenditure in postage and telephone costs.

  Methadone (Child-proof Bottles)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines his Department issues in respect of regulating the dispensing of methadone into child-proof bottles. [12290]

  Mr. Malone
  None. However, the council of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain has, since 1991, recommended that all dispensed preparations of methadone mixture should be supplied in containers with child-resistant closures. From 1 January 1995, it has been a professional requirement that all liquid medicines dispensed by pharmacists are dispensed in child-resistant containers.

  Sheffield Children's Hospital
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 16 January,Official Report, column 549, on what date he invited the Sheffield children's hospital to co-ordinate the monitoring of the occupancy of intensive care paediatric beds; on what date the hospital agreed to co-ordinate the monitoring; and if the decision was taken by the trust. [12319]

  Mr. Bowis
  We asked the chief executive of Sheffield children's hospital national health service trust to help us arrange this exercise on 20 December 1995 and he agreed immediately. I am most grateful for the trust's co-operation.

  Mrs. Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 16 January,Official Report, column 549, on what date the Sheffield children's hospital commenced the monitoring of the occupancy of intensive care paediatric beds; what resources are to be put into the monitoring exercise; and at what intervals each hospital asked for an information update. [12321]

  Mr. Bowis
  On 23 January. An administrator has been appointed to collect and analyse daily returns from the paediatric intensive care units.

  Mrs. Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what basis Ministers judged the adequacy of intensive care paediatric beds before their monitoring by Sheffield Children's hospital. [12322]

  Mr. Bowis
  It is for health authorities to assess the health needs of their resident populations and contract for the services necessary to meet their needs. The arrangements we have made for Sheffield children's hospital to undertake a national survey of occupancy and demand for paediatric intensive care beds will assist them with this task.

  Children (Life-threatening Illnesses)
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on services to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families; and if he will publish the results of those studies. [12389]

  Mr. Bowis
  In February 1992, we announced that £1 million would be provided each year for five years to pilot new services in England for children with
  717
  life-threatening conditions and their families. A number of projects have been commissioned, spread evenly across England, which have included both statutory and voluntary initiatives. These projects cover hospital-based services, community home nursing services, voluntary respite and sitting services, counselling and psychological support.

  This initiative still has a year to run, but in June 1994 an interim report was prepared jointly by the Association for Children with Life-threatening or Terminal Conditions and their Families—ACT—and the Department of Health. Copies of this report can be obtained from ACT.

  NHS Staff
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 23 January,Official Report, columns 161–62, on NHS staff, if he will provide a regional breakdown of the figures. [12775]

  Mr. Malone
  Provisional expenditure, by region is shown in the table.

  Hospital and Community Health Service Salary Costs for Managerial, Administrative Clerical Staff and Nursing and Midwifery staff 1994–95

  £000

  Managerial expenditure

  Administrative and clerical expenditure

  Nursing and midwifery expenditure

  Northern and Yorkshire Region

  100,963

  199,367

  856,849

  Trent Region

  59,387

  139,380

  598,343

  Anglian and Oxford Region

  70,363

  148,005

  586,048

  North Thames Region

  122,388

  285,923

  974,093

  South Thames Region

  112,835

  243,981

  843,465

  South and West Region

  91,730

  183,010

  808,721

  West Midlands Region

  70,588

  166,298

  624,969

  North West Region

  93,474

  212,515

  885,259

  Special Health Authorities

  1,633

  3,650

  6,268

  Total England

  723,361

  1,582,129

  6,184,015

  Sources:

  1. The annual financial returns of district and regional health authorities and the special health authorities of the London postgraduate teaching hospitals.

  2. The annual financial returns of NHS trusts.

  Notes:

  1. The figures are provisional.

  2. Salaries and wages costs incurred by family health services authorities and the special hospital service authority (HQ London, Broadmoor, Ashworth and Rampton hospitals) and the UK transplant support services are excluded as corresponding costs are not identified on the same basis.

  3. Managerial staff consists of general and senior managers for health authorities and executive board members and senior managers for NHS trusts.

  4. The figures are based upon gross costs including employers' national insurance and superannuation contributions.

  Casualty Departments
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of casualty departments by region. [12632]

  Mr. Horam
  The latest available figures are shown in the table. Information is collected on the basis of trusts and directly managed units with accident and emergency services. Some trusts include more than one hospital each with its own accident and emergency department.

  Trusts and directly managed units with accident and emergency departments by region in England 1994–95

  Number

  Northern

  11

  Yorkshire

  16

  Trent

  19

  East Anglian

  11

  North-west Thames

  13

  North-east Thames

  18

  South-east Thames

  18

  South-west Thames

  14

  Wessex

  12

  Oxford

  9

  South Western

  15

  West Midlands

  27

  Mersey

  12

  North Western

  21

  Total

  216

  Source:

  KHO3 returns

  Mental Health Beds (Wandsworth)
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mental health beds there were in Wandsworth health authority area in each of the last five years. [12636]

  Mr. Horam
  Information on ward beds for patients with mental illness is published annually in "Bed availability for England", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Cancer-related Deaths
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will estimate the number of patients who died in hospital in each of the last five years as a result of cancer. [12717]

  Mr. Horam
  The number of deaths from cancer in hospitals and communal establishments for the care of the sick are published, for 1990–92, in "Mortality statistics—general", OPCS series DH1 Nos. 24, 26 and 27 (table 7), copies of which are available in the Library. Figures for 1993 onwards are not yet available.

  Tuberculosis
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the notification rate of tuberculosis by health authorities in each of the last five years. [12620]

  Mr. Horam
  The figures are shown in the table
  719

  All tuberculosis rates per 100,000 population (excluding chemoprophylaxis)

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995 Provisional

  RHA

  Northern

  7.60

  8.65

  8.22

  6.29

  6.83

  Yorkshire

  13.31

  10.57

  12.57

  10.75

  12.15

  Trent

  9.46

  8.87

  10.87

  9.60

  10.52

  East Anglian

  4.03

  3.69

  3.39

  2.87

  4.23

  North-west Thames

  22.13

  25.61

  24.17

  28.35

  30.21

  North-east Thames

  19.99

  22.35

  21.14

  23.93

  23.51

  South-east Thames

  9.88

  10.32

  11.41

  11.45

  10.97

  South-west Thames

  7.73

  8.14

  9.07

  8.78

  8.45

  Wessex

  3.33

  3.41

  3.65

  4.03

  5.10

  Oxford

  7.19

  7.48

  8.21

  5.32

  7.96

  South Western

  3.61

  4.10

  4.65

  5.37

  4.54

  West Midlands

  15.55

  16.47

  14.90

  13.79

  12.50

  Mersey

  4.55

  5.64

  7.42

  4.27

  6.14

  North Western

  13.76

  15.80

  15.08

  13.10

  12.36

  Wales

  5.74

  6.93

  6.85

  6.21

  6.18

  England and Wales

  10.64

  11.31

  11.51

  10.83

  11.18

  NHS Eyesight Tests
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS eyesight tests were conducted in each year since 1978. [12622]

  Mr. Malone
  The numbers of national health service sight tests paid for by family health services authorities in England in each year since 1978 are as follows:

  1978–79: 7.894 millions

  1979–80: 8.331 millions

  1980–81: 8.332 millions

  1981–82: 8.469 millions

  1982–83: 8.678 millions

  1983–84: 9.266 millions

  1984–85: 9.882 millions

  1985–86: 10.246 millions

  1986–87: 10.615 millions

  1987–88: 11.695 millions

  G&A Non-elective FCEs1

  Q1

  Q2

  Q3

  Q4

  Q1

  Q2

  Q3

  Q4

  Q1

  Q2

  Region

  1993–94

  1993–94

  1993–94

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1994–95

  1994–95

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1995–96

  Northern and Yorkshire

  142,361

  138,971

  143,879

  147,711

  144,692

  148,375

  152,309

  150,440

  153,811

  154,312

  Trent

  92,432

  92,814

  101,048

  101,871

  101,016

  102,026

  104,242

  109,248

  105,211

  107,594

  Anglia and Oxford

  86,480

  86,147

  90,419

  91,085

  89,674

  90,288

  96,997

  97,991

  93,873

  95,553

  North Thames

  121,632

  122,159

  122,454

  132,467

  126,881

  126,972

  128,533

  131,102

  128,551

  125,863

  South Thames

  112,589

  125,229

  119,552

  117,715

  118,540

  122,221

  123,613

  127,016

  122,827

  125,031

  South and West

  116,155

  121,228

  123,401

  125,056

  124,826

  122,042

  127,908

  129,339

  130,744

  132,950

  West Midlands

  100,397

  100,536

  102,638

  102,143

  101,067

  103,052

  111,984

  107,956

  105,957

  111,828

  North-west

  148,074

  142,317

  154,767

  155,404

  155,341

  152,765

  146,889

  165,908

  157,420

  163,281

  England

  920,119

  929,401

  958,159

  973,451

  962,039

  967,740

  992,476

  1,019,001

  998,394

  1,016,412

  Source:

  Fast Track NHS Executive.

  Notes:

  1. All estimates are derived from the NHS Executive's quarterly fast track management system. Figures for 1993–94 and 1994–95 have been adjusted to take account of definitional changes to allow direct comparison with 1995–96 figures.

  2. The estimates are on a "purchaser basis" and relate to activity purchased using NHS funds by health authorities and GP fundholders in England. This includes activity purchased from private hospitals and NHS hospitals outside England, but excludes private patients and patients from outside England treated in English hospitals.

  3. The figures are on a different basis to the long standing series published annually in "Ordinary and day case Admissions for England". The annual series is on a "provider basis", and counts all patients treated in NHS hospitals in England, including private patients and patients from outside England.
  720

  1988–89: 12.493 millions

  1989–90: 5.280 millions

  1990–91: 4.154 millions

  1991–92: 4.979 millions

  1992–93: 5.528 millions

  1993–94: 5.935 millions

  1994–95: 6.383 millions

  In April 1989, NHS sight tests were restricted to certain groups of the population. The figures for 1989–90 include some sight tests paid for in 1989–90 but conducted in 1988–89 under the previous scheme and are not, therefore, directly comparable with those for 1990–91 onwards.

  Hospital Admissions
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many non-elective general and acute admissions there were by region and quarter for(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96. [12624]

  Mr. Horam
  The information is shown in the table.

  Nurse Prescribing
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on nurse prescribing. [12628]

  Mr. Malone
  Preliminary findings show that the existing nurse prescribing pilot scheme is improving patient health care. Plans are being developed to test the scheme on a wider basis.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the effect nurse prescribing has on quality of care for patients. [12629]

  Mr. Malone
  My Department has commissioned Professor K. Luker, department of nursing, at the university of Liverpool, to carry out a detailed evaluation into the nurse prescribing pilot project, currently under way at eight sites.

  General Practitioner Beds
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total number of GP beds in each of the last five years. [12630]

  Mr. Horam
  The available information on hospital beds, including information on general practitioner maternity beds, is classified by ward category, recognising the flexible use of bed facilities, and is published annually in "Bed availability for England", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Hospital Beds
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) beds and (b) acute beds there were at St. George's, Tooting, and Guy's and St. Thomas's trusts in each of the last five years. [12634]

  Mr. Horam
  The national health service trusts were established on 1 April 1993. Details by trust are therefore available from 1993–94 and can be found in the publication "Bed availability for England 1993–94 and 1994–95", copies of which are available in the Library.

  "Employer's Guide to Stress"
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 28 November,Official Report, column 602, how many copies of the document "Employer's Guide to Stress" were printed; and if he will list all other costs incurred in connection with the document. [12773]

  Mr. Bowis
  Some 5,000 copies of this document were printed. No costs other than those set out in my reply to the hon. Member on 28 November,Official Report, column 602, have been incurred by the Department of Health.

  Prescription Charges
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if his Department employed consultants to advise on the form used to apply for rebates on prescription charges for 60 to 65-year-old men following the decision of the European Court; [12533]
  722
  (2) how many men between the ages of 60 and 65 years have claimed rebates on prescription charges following the decision of the European Court to treat men between these ages equally; and if he will make a statement. [12534]

  Mr. Malone
  No consultants were involved in advising the Department on the design of the refund claim form.

  About 195,000 registrations in total have been received by the prescription claims processing unit. The unit expects to have issued all remaining claim forms by the end of this week. To date, 114,350 completed claim forms have been received.

  Drug Misuse Database
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his reply of 16 January,Official Report, column 557, on the ownership of the drug misuse database, if he intends to make the data codes and structure of the database available to all those organisations that supply software to local drug agencies; and if he will make a statement. [12613]

  Mr. Bowis
  Yes, provided any other copyright owners agree to the information being used for this purpose.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the PFI initiatives that have been approved so far in London indicating the capital cost and revenue cost for each scheme for the NHS in each of the next five years. [12631]

  Mr. Horam
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 15 January,Official Report, column 343, and to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Attercliffe (Mr. Betts) on 6 December, Official Report, column 224.

  National Health Service (capital Projects)
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the capital projects in the NHS with works costs of over £1 million(a) in the primary sector, hospital sector and (b) in total in each financial year since 1990–91; if he will indicate the cost of each project; and if he will make a statement. [12633]

  Mr. Horam
  The national health service has invested over £1.594 billion in big building projects over the period 1990–91 to date. The majority of these projects will be in the hospital sector. The information does not distinguish between capital projects in the primary or hospital sectors. For information from 1990–91 to 1993–94, I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the then Under-Secretary for Health gave the right hon. Member for Derby, South (Mrs. Beckett) on 23 February 1995,Official Report, column 329. Information on the spending for each project with a works cost of over £1 million for the financial year 1994–95 will also be placed in the Library.

  Acute Hospital Beds
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of acute hospital beds in each of the last five years. [12718]
  723
  Mr. Horam
  The information is published annually in "Bed availability for England", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Emergency Admissions
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has carried out on the changes in levels of emergency admissions to hospitals in the last two years; and if he will make a statement. [12619]

  Mr. Horam
  National data are backed by a number of local studies which confirm that the rise is genuine. We are supporting five local projects to identify any lessons which can be learnt and examples of good practice.

  National Health Service (complaints)
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of complaints about the NHS in each of the last five years. [12623]

  Mr. Horam
  The most recent available figures are shown in the tables.

  Year

  Number of complaints

  Hospital and community health services

  1990–91

  37,350

  1991–92

  51,511

  1992–93

  58,889

  1993–94

  87,184

  1994–95

  100,033

  Family health services

  1990

  2,025

  1991

  2,205

  1992

  1,974

  1993

  2,520

  1994

  2,490

  These figures should be seen in the context of total NHS activity.

  The number of complaints for hospital and community health services represents only 0.4 per cent. of the number of in-patient episodes and first out-patient attendances.

  The increase in number of complaints over the last five years reflects rising public expectations in general as well as the specific impact of the patients charter in making patients more aware that their complaints will be taken seriously.

  Official Hospitality
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the budget for official hospitality by his Department for 1995–96. [12625]

  Mr. Horam
  For the projected amount of expenditure on hospitality during 1995–96, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) on 18 December 1995,Official Report, column 935.

  Casualty Units (Vacancies)
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of vacancies in medical posts in casualty units around the country. [12627]

  Mr. Malone
  This information is not available centrally.

  Ward Closures (London)
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what notification has been received by his Department in respect of ward closures at St. George's, Tooting, and Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS trust. [12635]

  Mr. Horam
  Neither of these trusts has recently notified the Department of ward closures.

SCOTLAND

  Locate in Scotland (Inward Investment)
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he plans next to meet representatives in the Galloway and Nithsdale area to discuss how Locate in Scotland can best attract industry and inward investment to that area; if he will liaise with the President of the Board of Trade on such matters; and if he will make a statement. [9287]

  Mr. Kynoch
  My right hon. Friend has no plans at present for such a meeting. I have, however, recently agreed to meet representatives of Dumfries and Galloway regional council to discuss the economy of Upper Nithsdale and the Machars and this meeting is currently being arranged.

  My right hon. Friend liaises closely with the President of the Board of Trade on a wide range of issues affecting industry throughout Scotland.

  Speech and Language Therapy
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Scotland if he will make a statement on the funding provided to local authorities for the purchase of speech and language therapy for children with a record of needs. [11637]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  Where they make provision for a recorded child, education authorities have a statutory duty to ensure adequate provision of speech and language therapy where this has been identified as one of the child's special educational needs. The sum of £3 million is included in the annual local government financial settlement to enable education authorities to discharge this duty by contracting with health boards and other providers of speech and language therapy services.

  Monofilament Nets
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received, and from whom on the Inshore Fishing (Prohibition of Carriage of Monofilament Gill Nets) (Scotland) Order 1986 as part of the consultation process. [11577]
  725
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  Of the 95 organisations and interests consulted about the proposed amendment, responses were received from:

  Atlantic Salmon Trust

  Association of Scottish District Salmon Fishery Boards

  West of Scotland Fish Producers' Organisation

  Clyde Fishermen's Association

  Scottish Fishermen's Federation

  Anglo Scottish Fish Producers' Organisation Ltd.

  South Wales, Sea Fisheries Committee

  Highland Regional Council

  Mallaig and North West Fishermen's Association

  Highlands and Islands Enterprise

  Federation of Highland and Islands Fishermen

  Northern Ireland Fishermen's Federation

  Hooktone Ltd.

  National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations

  Macduff Shipyards

  United Fish Selling Ltd.

  Salmon Net Fishing Association of Scotland

  Scottish Natural Heritage

  Joint Nature Conservation Committee

  English Nature

  Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

  River Tweed Commissioners

  Association of Chief Police Officers (Scotland)

  Marine Conservation Society

  The Fishmongers Company.

  In summary, the sea fishing organisations favoured the proposed change. The majority of the salmon fishing interests could accept a derogation for large mesh nets. Conservation interests were concerned that the change might lead to an increase in the incidental capture of marine mammals, and asked for this to be monitored.

  Mrs. Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what research he(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effect of the ban on the carriage and use of monofilament gill nets in Scottish waters prior to the consultation process. [11578]

  Mr. Robertson
  Research undertaken by the marine laboratory, Aberdeen shows no evidence that large mesh monofilament nets will result in a larger by-catch than similar sized nets made of other synthetic materials.

  Mrs. Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the results of the consultation exercise before making changes too the legislation on the Inshore Fishing (Prohibition of Carriage of Monofilament Nets) (Scotland) Order 1986. [11579]

  Mr. Robertson
  Copies of the responses to the consultation exercise are available from the Scottish Office Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Department on request.

  Mrs. Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for the future monitoring of the use of monofilament gill nets. [11580]

  Mr. Robertson
  The arrangements already in place for monitoring by-catches of cetaceans in fishing nets will be extended to any large mesh monofilament gill nets.

  EU Funding
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the schemes approved for European funding in Scotland by(a) name, (b) region and (c) level of expenditure under (i) PESCA and (ii) Leader II. [11588]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Implementation of the UK PESCA programme and the Leader II programmes in Scotland is carried out at a local level as provided for in the approved programmes.

  For PESCA, the two Scottish sub-programmes are delivered by local partnerships responsible for implementing business plans approved by the Scottish Office. For Leader II, separate programmes are managed by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise through business plans prepared and implemented by local action groups. Individual projects are selected for support by these local groups, within the terms of the approved business plans.

  The tables detail the groups and the approved budgets for each plan.

  Table 1: PESCA (UK Programme)

  Local PESCA Group

  Value of Business Plan (1995–1999)

  Approximate value in £'s

  Objective 1 subprogramme (mecu)

  Argyll

  0.676

  571,342

  Caithness and Sutherland

  0.860

  726,856

  Lochaber

  0.189

  159,739

  Orkney

  0.286

  241,722

  Wester Ross

  0.218

  184,250

  Shetland

  0.442

  373,570

  Skye and Lochalsh

  0.297

  251,019

  Western Isles

  0.608

  513,870

  Total

  3.576

  3,022,368

  Regional projects

  0.387

  327,082

  Management

  0.398

  336,382

  Total

  4.361

  3,685,836

  Non-objective 1 subprogramme (mecu)

  Grampian

  8.149

  6,887,383

  Tayside/Fife

  1.34

  1,132,430

  South West Scotland

  1.34

  1,132,430

  Borders

  1.34

  1,132,430

  Total

  12.169

  10,284,673

  Table 2: Leader II (two Scottish programmes)

  Local action group

  Value of business plan (1995 and 1996)1

  Approximate value in £'s

  Objective 1 programme (mecu)

  Argyll

  0.736268

  622,280

  Caithness and Sutherland

  0.153125

  129,418

  Ross and Cromarty

  0.487500

  412,026

  Inverness and Nairn

  0.177500

  150,002

  727

  Table 2: Leader II (two Scottish programmes)

  Local action group

  Value of business plan (1995 and 1996)1

  Approximate value in £'s

  Moray, Badenoch and Strathspey

  0.158125

  133,644

  Western Isles and Skye

  1.052500

  889,553

  Orkney

  0.350000

  295,813

  Shetland

  0.404750

  342,087

  Lochaber

  0.475000

  401,146

  Total

  3.994768

  3,375,969

  1Figures have yet to be finalised for 1997–99. (Total value for five year programme is 11.962 mecu).

  Local action group

  Value of business plan (1995 and 1999)

  Approximate value in £'s

  Objective 5B programme (mecu)

  Dumfries and Galloway

  2.771845

  2,342,712

  North and West Grampian

  2.300047

  1,943,957

  Rural Stirlingshire

  0.356348

  301,179

  Scottish Borders

  1.769266

  1,495,351

  Upland Tayside

  1.118042

  944,948

  Total

  8.315548

  7,028,146

  Housing
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authority houses have been sold under the right-to-buy scheme in rural Scotland; what is the remaining stock of(a) land authority and (b) housing association rented housing in rural Scotland; and what is the level of homelessness in rural Scotland. [11968]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  Information on the sales and remaining stock of local authority dwellings in each district and islands area will be published in the Scottish Office statistical bulletin HSG/1996/1 "Housing Trends in Scotland: Quarter ended 30 June 1995" on 31 January. A copy will be placed in the Library. Information on homelessness applications was published in the Scottish Office statistical bulletin HSG/1995/7 "Operation of the Homeless Persons Legislation in Scotland 1983–84 to 1993–94: District Analyses". A copy is available in the Library. Information on housing association dwellings available for letting in rural local authorities is set out in the table.

  District/islands area

  Housing association letting stock at 31 March 1994

  Berwickshire

  247

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  441

  Roxburgh

  400

  Tweeddale

  412

  Stirling

  617

  Annandale and Eskdale

  115

  Nithsdale

  370

  Stewartry

  150

  Wigtown

  336

  North East Fife

  401

  Banff and Buchan

  990

  728

  District/islands area

  Housing association letting stock at 31 March 1994

  Gordon

  361

  Kincardine and Deeside

  404

  Moray

  856

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  121

  Caithness

  525

  Inverness

  308

  Lochaber

  292

  Nairn

  99

  Ross and Cromarty

  576

  Skye and Lochalsh

  159

  Sutherland

  112

  Argyll and Bute

  1,265

  Clydesdale

  230

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  134

  Kyle and Carrick

  222

  Angus

  867

  Perth and Kinross

  1,289

  Orkney Islands

  188

  Shetland Islands

  181

  Western Isles

  102

  Total rural authorities

  12,770

  Source:

  Housing Associations Statistics 1994.

  Scottish Homes.

  Mr. Stefan Adolf Kock
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in which years since 1990 Mr. Stefan Adolf Kock has appeared on the register of potential public appointees. [12732]

  Mr. Kynoch
  Mr. Kock does not appear on the current Scottish Office public appointments list and as far as I am aware has never applied for an appointment on a body sponsored by my Department.

  Departmental Properties
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the annual cost to his Department and his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies of their empty and under-utilised properties for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11410]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Most of the office space occupied by the Scottish Office is part of the Government's common user estate—CUE—and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment will provide the details of vacant space on the CUE which are available centrally. Information regarding other property occupied by the Scottish Office, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies is not held centrally and details could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the expenditure of his Department, his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies on all forms of overseas travel, overseas accommodation and other associated expenses for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11411]
  729
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information on overseas travel and accommodation costs in the Scottish Office and its individual agencies is not held separately. It cannot be disaggregated from total expenditure on travel and accommodation without disproportionate costs in staff time.

  Information on non-departmental bodies is not kept centrally.

  Children (Scotland) Act 1995
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of state for Scotland if he will make a statement on the necessary implications for the new unitary authorities of the implementation of the Children (Scotland) Act. [11618]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Many of the provisions in the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 require significant preparation and training if they are to be successfully implemented. For this reason, the views of a number of organisations, including the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, were taken into account in setting a date of April 1997 for the implementation of those provisions involving local authorities.

  Nursery Voucher Scheme
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how the loss of income to local authorities as a result of parents choosing non-local authority provision for the nursery voucher scheme will be calculated; and at what stage in the year a local authority will know how its funding has been affected. [11619]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  When an authority learns how many vouchers parents have presented at its schools, it wil be able to calculate the resulting income.

  Voluntary Organisations
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the allocations of funding for the current year and each of the past five years to voluntary organisations eligible for assistance under section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968. [11673]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is set out in the table. Allocations of funding provided by the Scottish Office to voluntary organisations under section 10(1) of the Social Work (Scotland) Act for the current year and each of the past five years are:

  1990–91: £4.483 million

  1991–92: £4.830 million

  1992–93: £5.213 million

  1993–94: £5.373 million

  1994–95: £6.745 million

  1995–96: £7.202 million (budget figure)

  Voluntary organisations are eligible for assistance from local authorities under section 10(3) of the Act. Information on this funding is not held centrally.

  Prisoners (Escapes)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) male prisoners and (b) female prisoners have escaped from custody while (i) travelling to and from hospital and (ii) undergoing hospital
  730
  treatment in each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [11674]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The subject of the question relates to matters undertaken by the Scottish Prison Service. I have asked its chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell, to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 30 January 1996:
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question about the number of male and female prisoners who have escaped from custody whilst (i) travelling to and from hospital and (ii) undergoing hospital treatment in each of the past 10 years.
  To provide the information you requested would only be achieved at disproportionate cost but you may find it helpful to have the number of escapes of category B prisoners from hospital escort since 1991. The information is as follows:

  Year

  Male

  Female

  1991

  4

  —

  1992

  8

  —

  1993

  8

  1

  1994

  6

  —

  1995

  6

  —

  Advocates Depute
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce the results of his review of the role and remuneration of advocates depute. [12128]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The review is being carried out by my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate. A working group, appointed by his predecessor and chaired by the Solicitor-General for Scotland, has completed taking evidence and hopes to report to my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate by the middle of March.

  Mr. Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current salary of an advocate depute; and what has been the average length of service of advocates depute in the last 10 years for which information is available. [12135]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The current salary of an advocate depute is £43,147. The average length of service of advocate deputes in the last 10 years has been three years.

  Departmental Vacancies
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what in the current establishment of(a) the Crown Office and (b) the procurator fiscal service; and how many vacancies there are in each. [12129]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The current establishment of the Crown Office is 140.1 and there are three vacancies—two administrative and one typing grade.

  The current establishment of the procurator fiscal service is 920.3 and there are four vacancies—legal grades.
  731
  A legal recruitment board is scheduled to take place next month to fill the current vacancies and any which arise during this year.

  Alcoholic Liquor Sales (Prosecutions)
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many licence holders were prosecuted for selling alcoholic liquor to persons who were under age in the last 10 years for which information is available; and in how many cases convictions were obtained. [12130]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The number of persons proceeded against where the main offence was under section 68(1) of the Licensing (Scotland) Act is in the table.

  Year

  Number proceeded against

  Charge proved

  1985

  175

  90

  1986

  212

  106

  1987

  231

  113

  1988

  270

  106

  1989

  156

  78

  1990

  134

  68

  1991

  151

  63

  1992

  80

  39

  1993

  77

  35

  1994

  81

  29

  Mr. Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many licence holders were prosecuted by the procurator fiscal at Linlithgow for selling alcoholic liquor to persons who were under age in the last 10 years for which information is available; and in how many cases convictions were obtained. [12131]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The number of persons proceeded against in Linlithgow sheriff court and West Lothian district court where the main offence was under section 68(1) of the Licensing (Scotland) Act is as follows:

  Year

  Number proceeded against

  Charge proved

  1985

  2

  0

  1986

  0

  0

  1987

  3

  1

  1988

  2

  2

  1989

  3

  2

  1990

  7

  6

  1991

  0

  0

  1992

  0

  0

  1993

  1

  1

  1994

  0

  0

  Mr. Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Lord Advocate last issued directions to procurators fiscal with regard to the policy to be adopted in relation to prosecutions for the sale of alcoholic liquor to persons who are under age. [12132]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate has not issued directions to procurators fiscal with regard to the prosecution of persons who are alleged to have contravened the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976. General 732
  guidelines on the prosecution of all summary offences, and on the use of alternatives to prosecution, were issued to procurators fiscal on 1 December 1995.

  Mr. Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy with regard to the prosecution of(a) licence holders who sell alcoholic liquor to persons who are under age and (b) persons who are under age who purchase alcoholic liquor. [12133]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The prosecution of persons charged with a contravention of section 68 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976—prohibition on sale of alcoholic liquor to a person under 18—is a matter for my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate. Procurators fiscal will take court proceedings in cases where there is sufficient evidence and where, having regard to all the circumstances, a prosecution would be in the public interest.

  Labour Statistics
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new jobs were created in Scotland in each year since 1979 to the last date for which figures are available; and if he will list how many in each year were(a) part time and (b) full time. [12709]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The information requested is not available.

  Ms Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the number of jobs which have been moved out of Scotland in each of the past 16 years; and if he will indicate how many went to(a) the rest of the United Kingdom, (b) the rest of the EU and (c) the rest of the world. [12710]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The information requested is not available.

  Pre-school Education Initiative
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made with arrangements for the evaluation of the pre-school education initiative as proposed in the invitation to local authorities to submit pilot schemes issued by his Department last month. [13127]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  The Scottish Office is today inviting several research institutions to respond to a specification for an implementation evaluation of the pilot. The remit for this evaluation is wide. It demands that the evaluators look at the experience of parents and providers; examine the way vouchers are used and their effects; and look at the patterns of provision that emerge and at the growth in places that is achieved. We are serious about learning from the pilot; and we are demonstrating that in what we do.

  Film Production
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to increase film production in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [13139]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend attaches great importance to the development of the film industry in Scotland. Scottish Office funding for film has risen from £1 million in 1993–94 to almost £1.5 million
  733
  in the current financial year. This includes an additional £180,000 for the Scottish Film Council to enable it to commission a CD-ROM, for delivery in April this year, which will give film makers throughout the world access to information about Scotland.

  My noble Friend the Minister with responsibility for the arts in Scotland has held a number of discussions with leading figures in the UK and overseas film industry to seek their views on what more can be done to stimulate film production in Scotland. In addition, two studies have been commissioned from Hydra Associates. One is examining measures that might be taken to stimulate the film and television industry in Scotland and the other focuses on the need to improve the present arrangements for funding major film productions. Both studies are due to be completed next month.

  Mental Health (Hospital Transfers)
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the security arrangements at Dykebar hospital, Paisley, with particular reference to an incident involving a patient who had been transferred from Carstairs state hospital. [9370]

  Lord James Douglas Hamilton
  [holding answer 23 January 1996]: The security arrangements for restricted patients at Dykebar hospital are kept under review by Renfrewshire Healthcare NHS trust. The level of security and supervision imposed on individual patients will reflect the circumstances of each case and, in particular, considerations of public safety.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements are in place for assessing the security risk of patients who have been transferred from Carstairs state hospital to community-based mental health hospitals and who have subsequently escaped or left such hospitals; and if he will make a statement. [9373]

  Lord James Douglas Hamilton
  [holding answer 23 January 1996]: Public safety is the prime consideration when a restricted patient escapes or absconds from a mental health hospital. Any subsequent action to alert the general public and to effect recapture will reflect that priority. The procedures followed when any such incident occurs are set out in the Scottish Office memorandum on procedure, copies of which have been placed in the Library. The circumstances of any escape or absconding are carefully reviewed. Where appropriate, the patient is returned immediately to the state hospital.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is the procedure for transferring an individual committed to Carstairs state hospital to mainstream community hospitals dealing with mental health; what is the range of security measures which can be made available; what restrictions are placed upon the free movement of such patients outwith the curtilage and precincts of the hospital; how(a) the risks to the community and (b) the needs of the individual are assessed and by which bodies; and if he will make a statement; [9372]

  (2) if patients transferred from the Carstairs state hospital who are transferred to community-based hospitals dealing with mental health are, or can be, made subject to security restrictions; what options are available for dealing with such individuals; who
  734
  determines what arrangements should be put in place; and if he will make a statement; [9369]

  (3) what arrangements are in place to ensure the safety of the community in the vicinity of local mental health hospitals, with particular reference to patients transferred from Carstairs state hospital; what assessment is made of the need for security when such a patient is transferred; what reassessment is made when such a patient absents him or herself from the hospital; and if he will make a statement. [9368]

  Lord James Douglas Hamilton
  [holding answer 23 January 1996]: The transfer of a patient, who is subject to the special restrictions in section 62 of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984, from the state hospital, Carstairs, to a local mental health hospital requires my consent, which will be given only when I am satisfied, on the basis of reports from the responsible medical officer, my Department's psychiatric adviser and other relevant information, that the patient no longer requires treatment in the special security of the state hospital and that the arrangements proposed for treatment and supervision in the local hospital are appropriate. Such transfers constitute an important step in the rehabilitation of the patient and are designed to begin a gradual but supervised process towards eventual integration into the community. Treatment plans in each case are geared to individual circumstances and reflect both the health and safety requirements of the patient and public protection considerations.

  Movement outwith the hospital is permitted only following careful assessment by the clinical team, in collaboration, where appropriate, with other professional interests, and with the approval of my Department. Initially, the patient will be escorted by hospital staff.

  The progress of a restricted patient in a local hospital is carefully monitored and regular reports are submitted to the Scottish Office. In addition, my Department's psychiatric adviser visits each patient annually and will do so more frequently, if required. Should a patient not respond satisfactorily or abscond from the hospital, the treatment plan is completely re-assessed. Where necessary, the patient can be returned immediately to the state hospital.

  The procedures to be followed, in cases where transfer or leave of absence of restricted patients fail to be considered, are set out in a Scottish Office memorandum on procedure, a copy of which I have placed in the Library.

  Highway Maintenance Contracts
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many contracts for the maintenance of highways in Scotland have been put out to public tender; what proportion of the contracts now let on this basis have been won (i) by private contractors and (ii) by local authority consortia; and if he will make a statement. [11846]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 29 January 1996]: There have been eight contracts for the maintenance of trunk roads in Scotland that have been put out to public tender by the Scottish Office; three of the contracts have been awarded to local authority consortia; and the remaining five contracts are currently being assessed.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Motability
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the Schroeders merchant bank report on Motability Finance Ltd. [5092]

  Mr. Burt
  The Schroeders merchant bank report was commissioned by the governors of Motability and is confidential to them.

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when his Department expects to agree the National Audit Office report on Motability and its associated financial arms. [5138]

  Mr. Burt
  The NAO study on Motability has been received in draft and we are currently discussing with the National Audit Office a timetable for clearance.

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if Motability controls the moneys in the Motability 10th anniversary fund. [5142]

  Mr. Burt
  No. The Motability Tenth Anniversary Trust is an independent charity and a registered company. Its moneys are controlled by trustees who are appointed by Motability, the Secretary of State for Social Security and by the bankers who fund the Motability scheme.

  Child Support Agency
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many of the Child Support Agency cases deferred in December 1994 were taken on in(a) November 1995 and (b) December 1995; and what he estimates to be the month-by-month take-up until the end of the current financial year. [10182]

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

  Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 29 January 1996:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the take on of Child Support Agency cases deferred in December 1994.
  The special take on of such cases in November and December 1995 was as follows:

  November 1995—292

  December 1995—178

  As you are aware at the time of deferral some 340,000 cases were affected. The Secretary of State set the Agency a milestone target to commence the take on of these cases by the end of 1995. We formally started taking on the remaining cases in November last year, but in practice had already dealt with many of them because the parent with care had either specifically asked us to do so, or had made a repeat claim to a prescribed benefit, and had therefore been treated as a new claim.
  I expect the rate of special take on of deferred cases to remain steady for the remainder of the financial year.
  I hope this is helpful.
  736
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many incoming telephone calls were made to(a) the Child Support Agency centres and (b) the national inquiry line month by month since September 1994. [11195]

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

  Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 29 January 1996:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about telephone calls made to the Child Support Agency.
  The numbers of incoming calls made to Child Support Agency Centre Client Help Lines and the National Enquiry Line for the period requested are set out in the attached table.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Calls made to client help line and national enquiry line from September 1994

  Month

  Calls made to client help line (a)

  Calls made to national enquiry line (b)

  Totals

  September 1994

  274,722

  75,952

  350,674

  October 1994

  324,905

  65,786

  390,691

  November 1994

  384,181

  62,205

  446,386

  December 1994

  365,813

  45,393

  411,206

  January 1995

  316,345

  69,377

  385,722

  February 1995

  252,743

  46,010

  298,753

  March 1995

  300,610

  67,148

  367,758

  April 1995

  848,089

  76,028

  924,117

  May 1995

  306,152

  53,001

  359,153

  June 1995

  205,732

  52,229

  257,961

  July 1995

  203,482

  56,697

  260,179

  August 1995

  293,351

  55,603

  348,954

  September 1995

  499,104

  59,639

  558,743

  October 1995

  318,824

  55,941

  374,765

  November 1995

  553,986

  58,861

  612,847

  December 1995

  446,909

  40,327

  487,236

  Totals

  5,894,948

  940,197

  6,835,145

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes were made on what dates to the arrangements for answering incoming calls at the Child Support Agency between September 1994 and September 1995; and when they were made. [11181]

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

  Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 29 January 1996:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about changes made in the arrangements for answering incoming calls received in the Child Support Agency.
  To improve customer services, management decided to centralise the National Enquiry Line and to create a section within each Child Support Agency Centre (CSAC) that would deal solely with incoming calls.
  The National Enquiry Line based in Liverpool became fully operational on 21 June 1994 and the Central Call Handling sections with Automatic Call Distribution equipment within each CSAC were fully operational on the following dates:-

  Belfast: 8 August 1994

  Birkenhead: 8 August 1994

  Dudley: 11 July 1994

  737

  Falkirk: 5 September 1994

  Hastings: 1 August 1994

  Plymouth: 22 August 1994

  I hope this is helpful.

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 18 December,Official Report, column 894, how the total figures for reduced benefit directives imposed by each Child Support Agency centre were arrived at. [11194]

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

  Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 29 January 1996:

  Good cause accepted

  Absent parent named

  Good cause not accepted

  Reduced benefit direction implemented

  Investigations completed

  Dudley

  April

  335

  63

  580

  311

  978

  May

  503

  98

  617

  306

  1,218

  June

  450

  243

  820

  389

  1,513

  July

  493

  354

  548

  265

  1,395

  August

  576

  371

  749

  531

  1,696

  September

  541

  370

  599

  464

  1,510

  October

  619

  391

  682

  384

  1,692

  November

  568

  386

  595

  386

  1,549

  Total

  4,085

  2,276

  5,190

  3,036

  11,551

  Hastings

  April

  321

  n/a

  522

  721

  843

  May

  460

  111

  790

  785

  1,361

  June

  469

  222

  723

  631

  1,414

  July

  544

  219

  679

  466

  1,442

  August

  472

  207

  687

  361

  1,366

  September

  495

  273

  582

  532

  1,350

  October

  555

  300

  727

  836

  1,582

  November

  540

  335

  716

  537

  1,591

  Total

  3,856

  1,667

  5,426

  4,869

  10,949

  Falkirk

  April

  369

  94

  471

  283

  934

  May

  534

  161

  833

  335

  1,528

  June

  626

  345

  944

  242

  1,915

  July

  589

  331

  645

  219

  1,565

  August

  642

  408

  939

  276

  1,989

  September

  633

  448

  862

  306

  1,943

  October

  572

  428

  757

  394

  1,757

  November

  637

  463

  918

  362

  2,018

  Total

  4,602

  2,678

  6,369

  2,417

  13,649

  Birkenhead

  April

  389

  96

  470

  510

  955

  May

  556

  185

  615

  511

  1,356

  June

  592

  287

  713

  445

  1,592

  July

  625

  361

  786

  278

  1,772

  August

  582

  334

  637

  430

  1,553

  September

  678

  428

  686

  455

  1,792

  October

  722

  536

  775

  401

  2,033

  November

  801

  567

  951

  382

  2,319

  Total

  4,945

  2,794

  5,633

  3,412

  13,372

  Belfast

  April

  418

  137

  540

  260

  1,095

  May

  599

  195

  740

  473

  1,534

  June

  488

  271

  689

  250

  1,448

  738
  I am reply to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking how the totals for reduced benefit directions (RBD) imposed by each Child Support Agency Centre were arrived at in Official Report, column 894 of 18th December 1995.

  I do apologise that having looked again at the totals detailed for the RBD section of the tables provided in the above report, I can see that they were wrong. The sum shown at the bottom of these particular columns is not the the total of the individual figures in them.

  I have enclosed an updated version of the full tables supplied by way of answer to your Parliamentary Question set out in Official Report, column 894. You will note that the relevant columns do now show their correct totals. I am very sorry I did not spot this error in my previous reply.

  I hope this is helpful.
  739

  Good cause accepted

  Absent parent named

  Good cause not accepted

  Reduced benefit direction implemented

  Investigations completed

  July

  544

  427

  680

  393

  1,651

  August

  631

  425

  744

  392

  1,800

  September

  668

  526

  805

  336

  1,999

  October

  624

  561

  736

  347

  1,921

  November

  676

  780

  789

  300

  2,245

  Total

  3,348

  1,981

  4,198

  2,751

  13,693

  Plymouth

  April

  340

  100

  452

  276

  892

  May

  467

  112

  617

  458

  1,196

  June

  508

  216

  684

  389

  1,408

  July

  494

  294

  680

  392

  1,468

  August

  438

  259

  575

  373

  1,272

  September

  508

  267

  490

  274

  1,265

  October

  450

  264

  567

  474

  1,281

  November

  641

  364

  559

  341

  1,564

  Total

  2,755

  1,248

  3,498

  2,977

  10,346

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what consultations his Department has had with(a) the Australian and (b) New Zealand Governments on the operation of the Child Support Agency; [11801]

  (2) what plans he has to commission research into the workings of the child support agencies of (a) Australia, (b) New Zealand and (c) North America. [11805]

  Mr. Mitchell
  There have been a number of visits by officials from this Department to Australia and New Zealand to examine their schemes. There have also been discussions with officials from those countries at international conferences on child support and when officials from Australia and New Zealand have visited this country.

  Building on these contacts, officials regularly exchange information about their schemes, including the results of studies into the workings of the schemes in the different countries.

  Employees (Data-matching Exercise)
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many employees(a) were discovered to be involved in breaches of confidence and illegal benefit claims and (b) have subsequently faced (i) dismissal and (ii) disciplinary action in the data-matching exercise on employees in his Department in November 1995; and what evaluation his Department will undertake of the exercise. [10834]

  Mr. Burt
  No such data-matching exercise has taken place. The Department has in place effective security measures to reduce the risk of internal fraud, and to identify and deal with it if it occurs.

  Housing Benefit Fraud
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate his Department has made of the level of housing benefit fraud which is organised internally within local authorities; and what guidance, instructions and financial incentives his Department provided to local authorities to minimise organised housing benefit fraud. [10831]
  740
  Mr. Roger Evans
  Local authorities, as employers and the bodies responsible for housing benefit administration, must take action against benefit fraud by their own employees. The information requested about such fraud is not collected centrally.

  Medical Tests
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps his Department are taking to monitor the precision with which the all-work tests for incapacity benefit are conducted. [11187]

  Mr. Burt
  We continue to monitor closely all stages of the all-work test to ensure that it is operating as intended.

  Medical examinations conducted as part of the all-work test for incapacity benefit are undertaken by fully qualified medical practitioners, recruited and trained by the Benefits Agency to an approved standard. The standard is maintained through continuous quality monitoring supported by sampling exercises, annual review of individual performance and careful monitoring of any complaints and appropriate remedial action where necessary.

  The standard of adjudication decisions on incapacity benefit is monitored routinely by the chief adjudication officer and his staff, and a special sampling exercise has been conducted to examine a higher proportion of cases following introduction of the benefit.

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many appeals against the all-work medical test for incapacity benefit have resulted in a tribunal decision; and in how many cases the original decision was upheld. [11186]

  Mr. Burt
  Up to 30 November 1995, 993 appeals against the all-work test for incapacity benefit resulted in a tribunal decision. The original decision was upheld in 525 cases.

  Divorce
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to give couples considering(a) divorce and (b) judicial separation

  741
  information about their state earnings-related pension scheme rights. [11633]

  Mr. Heald
  Currently, anyone who thinks that he or she may have SERPS entitlement rights can apply to the Benefit Agency's retirement pension forecasting and advice unit—RPFA—for a forecast of his or her retirement pension position. This will include details of his or her potential SERPS entitlement.

  In order to facilitate the operation of the measures in section 166 and section 167 of the Pensions Act 1995, the Department is currently considering the feasibility of the RPFA providing a valuation of SERPS entitlement for the purposes of divorce and judicial separation.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have applied for disability living allowance due to the loss of a finger or thumb or the loss of the use of a finger or thumb; and how many have been awarded disability living allowance with this condition. [11724]

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  The information requested is not available.

  Housing Insurance
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what powers local authorities that operate contents insurance schemes for the tenants of their housing stock have to make deductions from housing benefit to cover the premiums of claimants who(a) participate and (b) are eligible to participate in such schemes; what guidelines he issues to local authorities on such matters; and if he will make a statement. [12221]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Local authorities are required to adjust the rent eligible for housing benefit to reflect the cost of any ineligible services, such as contents insurance, included in the rent. This Department's guidance makes it clear that this duty applies even where the charge is not specified or separately identified. There is no need to adjust housing benefit where people who are eligible to participate in such schemes choose not to do so.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of his Department's expenditure on newspapers and magazines in(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96 to date; and if he will list the publications purchased for the latest year for which information is available. [11530]

  Mr. Burt
  The available information on expenditure is in the table. In addition, local offices of the Department's agencies may subscribe to local or specialist publications, details of which are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
  742
  Expenditure on weekly/daily journals and newspapers recorded centrally by the Department and its agencies is as follows:

  Year

  Amount £

  1993–94

  25,707

  1994–95

  29,041

  1995–96 (up to end of December 1995)

  23,451

  Publications currently purchased include:

  Accountancy Age

  Benchmarking

  Blesmag

  Campaign

  Caterer and Hotel Keeper

  Certified Accounting

  Community Care

  Computer Weekly

  Consult

  Customer Service Manager

  Daily Mail

  Daily Telegraph

  Daily Express

  Daily Mirror

  Daily Record

  Daily Star

  Economist

  Euromoney

  European

  Evening Chronicle

  Evening Standard

  Financial Times

  Gee's Pay Monthly

  Guardian

  Handelblatt

  Health Service Journal

  Independent

  Internet

  Investors Chronicle

  IR Tax Bulletin

  Le Monde

  Mail on Sunday

  Management Accounting

  Managing Service Quality

  Money Marketing

  Morning Star

  Nature

  New Scientist

  New Statesman

  New of the World

  Northern Echo

  Nursing Times

  Observer

  Pay Advice

  743

  Payroll Managers Review

  Payroll News

  Pensions Management

  PR Weekly

  Private Eye

  Scotland on Sunday

  Spectator

  Sun

  Sunday People

  Sunday Telegraph

  Sunday Express

  Sunday Sun

  Sunday Mirror

  Tax Journal

  Taxation Practitioner

  The Journal

  The Bullet Point

  The Big Issue

  The Herald

  Times

  Wall Street Journal

  Watsons

  Weekly Guardian

  West Lancashire Evening Gazette

  Word Processing

  Word Perfect

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the expenditure of his Department, his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies on all forms of overseas travel, overseas accommodation and other associated expenses for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11529]

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

  1989–90 £

  1991–92 £

  1993–94 £

  1994–95 £

  11995–96 £

  Department

  25,477

  54,036

  38,525

  40,492

  19,313

  Agencies

  163

  37,898

  125,944

  86,647

  86,925

  Non-departmental public bodies2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  400

  1Estimated outturn.

  2Prior to 1995–96 NDPB figures are subsumed within category (a).

  No information is available for 1979–80 and NDPB expenditure is not separately identifiable before 1995–96. However, because DSS NDPBs are on-Vote NDPBs, their expenditure is subsumed within the Departmental figures provided.

  Maxwell Pension Scheme
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guarantees the Maxwell pension scheme has given to him that there will be no pension holidays before the repayment of the state scheme premiums owed to the Exchequer. [12527]

  Mr. Heald
  All Maxwell pension schemes which owe state scheme premiums have commenced winding up and have no active members. The question of pension holidays for these schemes does not therefore arise.
  744

  Expenditure on all forms of overseas travel for the Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies

  Year

  Cost £

  1989–90

  224,884

  1991–92

  429,013

  1993–94

  348,152

  1994–95

  389,610

  1995–96

  316,617

  1. Figures for 1979–80 are not available.

  2. Figures for 1995–96 are estimated.

  3. Detailed spending plans for 1996–97 are yet to be finalised.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of his Department's expenditure on administration for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11527]

  Mr. Burt
  The information is in the table:

  Year

  Cost £ million

  1979–80

  837

  1989–90

  2,765

  1991–92

  3,470

  1993–94

  4,176

  1994–95

  4,223

  1995–96

  4,225

  1996–97

  4,207

  Source:

  Government's Expenditure Plans 1985–86—1987–88.

  Social Security Departmental Report, 995–96—1997–98.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of expenditure on all forms of hospitality and entertainment by(a) his Department, (b) his Department's agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies, for (i) 1979–80, (ii) 1989–90, (iii) 1991–92, (iv) 1993–94, (v) 1994–95, (vi) 1995–96 and (vii) 1996–97. [11526]

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

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the annual cost to his Department, his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies of their empty and under-utilised properties for(a) 1979–80, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1991–92, (d) 1993–94, (e) 1994–95, (f) 1995–96 and (g) 1996–97. [11528]

  Mr. Burt
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
  745
  In respect of DSS departmental estate, the cost of empty and under-utilised properties is shown in the table.

  Year

  Vacant or under-utilised properties

  Cost £000

  1979–80

  Minimal

  Minimal

  1989–90

  Minimal

  Minimal

  1991–92

  Minimal

  Minimal

  1993–94

  Minimal

  Minimal

  1994–95

  8,830m2

  420

  1995–96

  8,830m2

  1,682

  1996–97

  131,593m2

  15,500

  Providing the information for each executive agency and non-departmental public body could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  In response to the information required regarding the current and past financial years in respect of properties on the common user (office) estate, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

  Child Rearing Costs
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 23 January,Official Report, column 213, if he will cite the evidence which is available on the relative costs of bringing up children by lone parents and by couples; and if he will place copies of the evidence in the Library. [12457]

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  Extensive research has been carried out on the costs of children. A list of the published research findings includes:

  Bayley, R. et al (Ed), (1995), Policies for families: work, poverty and resources, London, Family Policy Studies Centre.

  Bradshaw J., (1993) Household Budgets and Living Standards, York; Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

  Bradshaw, J., and Morgan, J., (1987), Budgeting on Benefit: The consumption of families on Social Security, London, Family Policy Studies Centre.

  Buck, N. et al, (1994), Changing Households: The British Household Panel Study 1990–1992, ESRC, Colchester.

  Dickens, R. et al, (1995), The cost of children and the welfare state, Social Policy Research Findings, December 1995, York, Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

  Family Policy Studies Centre, (1995), Children in Britain, Family Report 2, London, Family Policy Studies Centre.

  Field, F., (1985), What price a child? A historical review of the relative cost of dependants, London, Policy Studies Institute.

  Ford, R., Marsh, A. and McKay, S., (1995), Changes in Lone Parenthood 1989 to 1993, DSS Research Series, Report no. 40, London, HMSO.

  Marsh, A. and McKay, S., (1993), Families, Work and the Use of Childcare, Employment Gazette, August.

  Middleton, S. et al, (1994), Family Fortunes, London, Child Poverty Action Group.

  Oldfield, N., and Yu, A., (1993) The Cost of a Child, London, Child Poverty Action Group.

  Oppenheim, C., (1990), The Cost of Child, London, Child Poverty Action Group.

  746

  Oppenheim C., (1993), Poverty: The Facts, London, Child Poverty Action Group.

  Piachaud, D., (1979), The Cost of a Child: A modern minimum, London, Child Poverty Action Group.

  Roll, J., (1986), Babies and money: birth trends and costs, London, Family Policy Studies Centre.

  Walker, R. et al, (1993), Mostly on the children, Working Paper 218, Centre for Research in Social Policy, University of Loughborough.

  All the above are publicly available. Work sponsored by the Government has been placed in the Library.

  Child Care Disregard
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants who have benefited from the child care disregard have child care costs of(a) between £40 and £60 per week and (b) over £60 per week. [12528]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  As at 30 September 1995, approximately 5,000 families receiving family credit had child care charges of between £40 and £60 a week, and a further 2,000 had child care charges of over £60 per week.

  Source:

  5 per cent. sample of family credit awards as at 30 September 1995.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants have benefited from the child care disregard in family credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit. [12530]

  Mr. Evans
  As at 30 September 1995, approximately 21,000 families were benefiting from help with child care charges in family credit. Information on families receiving help through housing benefit and council tax benefit will not be available until later this year.

  Source:

  5 per cent. sample of family credit awards as at 30 September 1995.

  Housing Benefit Fraud Review
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the statistical basis on which Cardiff was placed in a list of declining industrial towns and cities in the recent housing benefit fraud review. [12571]

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  The classification of local authorities used in the report of the housing benefit review was defined in terms of a comprehensive set of 37 social and economic variables drawn from the 1991 census to make the places in each of six types similar to each other while making each type clearly distinct from the others. Unfortunately, the description of the group including Cardiff was so abbreviated as to be inappropriate and misleading. The report has been amended to describe that group as "Ex-mining and industrial towns and other cities" and an apology has been sent to Cardiff and the other places affected.

  Executive Agencies (Overseas Travel)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for. Social Security if he will list for each of his executive agencies
  747
  for the last financial year in respect of overseas travel by staff of the agency (a) the cost, (b) the countries visited and (c) the posts held by the staff involved. [2357]

  Mr. Burt
  [pursuant to his reply, 7 December 1995,c. 378]The information that I gave regarding the cost of overseas travel within the Department's executive agencies was incorrect. The correct information is as follows:

  Cost of overseas travel

  Agency

  Cost £

  Benefits Agency

  113,266

  Child Support Agency

  9,584

  Resettlement Agency

  nil

  Contributions Agency

  15,040

  War Pensions Agency

  3,975

  Information Technology Services Agency

  56,364

  The principal countries visited were:

  Republic of Ireland

  Belgium

  France

  Germany

  USA

  The Netherlands

  Luxembourg

  Italy

  Australia

  Switzerland.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Delegated Legislation
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the number of statutory instruments considered by the House in each parliamentary Session from 1974 to date. [10768]

  Mr. Newton
  The figures for the numbers of statutory instruments considered by the House, in Standing Committee and on the Floor of the House, for each Session since 1974 are as follows:

  Standing Committee

  Floor of the House

  1994–95

  126

  81

  1993–94

  69

  88

  1992–93

  199

  82

  1991–92

  60

  42

  1990–91

  139

  48

  1989–90

  114

  56

  1988–89

  117

  68

  1987–88

  156

  99

  1986–87

  69

  68

  1985–86

  97

  83

  1984–85

  100

  106

  1983–84

  96

  147

  1982–83

  70

  53

  1981–82

  80

  99

  1980–81

  62

  109

  1979–80

  131

  126

  1978–79

  70

  48

  1977–78

  138

  65

  1976–77

  126

  72

  1975–76

  96

  92

  1974–75

  101

  67

  1974

  38

  33

  Ministers: Public Statements
  Ministers: Public Statements
  Mr. Nicholas Soames
  Mr. Nicholas Soames
  UN War Crimes Tribunal: Assistance by IFOR
  UN War Crimes Tribunal: Assistance by IFOR
  South Korea: Military Exercises
  South Korea: Military Exercises
  Criminal Legal Aid in the Magistrates' Courts
  Criminal Legal Aid in the Magistrates' Courts
  Common Land: Management
  Common Land: Management
  Alnwick: Development Proposal
  Alnwick: Development Proposal
  HIV and AIDS: Treatment and Care Funding
  HIV and AIDS: Treatment and Care Funding