Written Answers of 18 July 1996

ENVIRONMENT

  Fruit Trees
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to encourage local authorities to promote local food production in inner cities and urban areas by the planting of fruit trees in parks and cities; and if he will make a statement. [37360]

  Mr. Clappison
  There are already a number of Government initiatives which promote local food production and the planting of fruit trees in urban areas. This year we gave a £26,100 grant from the environmental action fund to the charity Common Ground, which successfully encourages volunteer involvement in a number of campaigns including the development in urban areas of community orchards containing indigenous fruit trees, and which promote the annual apple day.

  This year my Department is again funding the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners with a grant of £30,450, part of which is designed to help it to promote allotment gardening and increase the take-up of vacant allotments, including those in inner cities. The NSALG has a number of information leaflets on how to acquire an allotment and how to cultivate it.

  Furthermore, last October I announced the launch of the greening the city initiative which will culminate this autumn in the publication of a good practice guide on urban greening. It will be up to individual authorities and bodies how they implement these guidelines, but the planting of trees is an integral component of the urban greening process. It will be for individual authorities to determine which species are appropriate for specific projects.

  Drought
  Ms Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to help farmers prepare for the possibility of drought. [36434]

  Mr. Clappison
  The Environment Agency has a policy of seeking to minimise the impact of any restrictions which might be necessary on the direct abstraction of water for irrigation purposes. It will provide information in advance of possible restrictions. It is working to encourage farmers to determine the risks to the reliability of their supplies of potential restrictions, and to assess the costs and benefits of providing on-farm winter storage bearing in mind the substantial reductions in charges for winter abstraction which the agency makes.

  Parliamentary Boundary Changes
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 4 July,Official Report, column 500, if he will place in the Library two
  596
  copies of base maps of 1:100,000 scale for each county, bearing the new local authority and new parliamentary boundaries. [37721]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  No. Ordnance Survey does not produce 1:100,000 scale county maps with local authority and parliamentary boundary overprints as a standard, paper-based product. The agency is able to supply a customised product, derived from the computerised national topographic database, at a price estimated for individual requirements.

  Local Education Authorities (Budget)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for local education authorities in England (i) individually, (ii) by class and (iii) in total(a) the actual budget outturn for 1996–97, (b) the provisional budget for 1997–98 and (c) the provisional education standard spending assessment. [37781]

  Mr. Curry
  Budgeted 1996–97 net revenue expenditure information by individual authority has been placed in the Library of the House. Class totals are as follows:

  £ million

  Total net revenue expenditure

  Education net revenue expenditure

  Shire counties

  17,190

  9,956

  Unitary authorities1

  2,136

  1,028

  Isles of Scilly

  3

  1

  Metropolitan districts1

  9,470

  4,462

  City of London

  143

  4

  Inner London boroughs

  2,857

  1,109

  Outer London boroughs

  3,873

  1,849

  All local education authorities1

  35,672

  18,409

  1 Includes estimates for two authorities who have yet to return a valid RA96/97 form.

  Provisional budgets and standard spending assessments for 1997–98 will not be available until after the revenue support grant consultation announcement towards the end of this year.

  Nuclear Waste (Culham)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what proposals he has to give further consideration to the granting of permission for a low-level nuclear waste repository at Culham, what is the minimum distance from a school required for(a) short-term and (b) permanent permission for such a repository; how far the European school is from the site at Culham; and if he will make a statement; [37988]

  (2) what representations he has received against the granting of permission for a low-level nuclear waste repository at Culham. [37989]

  Mr. Clappison
  The Environment Agency is considering an application from Safeguard International for authorisations under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 in respect of a radioactive waste transfer station at Culham. The facility would be a temporary store, not a repository for the permanent disposal of radioactive waste and would handle non-nuclear radioactive waste—e.g. from hospitals,
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  universities, research laboratories and non-nuclear industries. The European school is 1.5 km from the proposed facility. There is no requirement to set minimum distance for schools or any other development, since the surroundings of a facility are taken into account by the Environment Agency when considering applications. The Secretary of State has received one petition and 89 nine letters and will consider whether to call in the application for his own determination under section 24 of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993.

  Empty Homes
  Mr. Merchant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how Departments performed against last year's targets for reducing empty homes; and what new targets have been set for 1996–97. [38816]

  Total slock at 1 April 1996

  1995–96 target for percentage empty

  Achievement against target

  1996–97 target for percentage empty

  1995–96 target for percentage habitable homes empty more than six months

  Percentage achievement against target

  1996–97 target for percentage habitable homes empty more titan six months

  Action being taken to dispose of homes empty more than six months

  Home Office

  3,455

  <11

  7 (242)

  <6

  <3

  0.3 (10)

  1

  —

  Department of Transport

  3,532

  <25

  18.9 (669)

  <17

  <9

  8.3 (293)

  <7

  194 of these homes are in the process of being sold, including 60 being auctioned. 99 are in the process of being let

  Welsh Office

  243

  1<3

  20.5 (50)

  <15

  3

  9.0 (22)

  <5

  Seven sales in progress, one under offer, three to be auctioned. Seven awaiting disposal as part of larger package

  Scottish Office

  213

  10

  9.8 (21)

  1

  <3

  1.8 (4)

  1

  Expected occupation of all houses by winter 1996

  Ministry of Defence

  70,409

  To dispose of 1,500 homes by April 1996 and to dispose of a further 2,500 by end summer 1996

  1,703 disposed of by April

  To dispose of 4,000 empty homes

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1 The 3 per cent. target was based on the position at 1 April 1995. In relation to the properties empty at that time 2.8 per cent. are still empty. However, others have become empty since then. The targets for 1996ߝ97 make realistic provision for properties becoming empty during the year.

  <=less than.

  1. Properties that are "habitable"include all properties except:

  (a) derelict properties that await demolition (e.g., to make way for road schemes),

  (b) those that are expected to be demolished in the near future where the expenditure required to make them habitable would be disproportionate to their expected life (e.g. where substantial investment would be required to connect essential services such as water, sewage or electricity),

  (c) those that cannot be made accessible (e.g., due to adjacent construction works).

  2. Figures for the national health service in England and Scotland are not included in the table. The recent survey figures for England show a decrease in vacant properties from 1,800 at 1 December 1992 to 1,604 at 21 October 1995. The target for this period was to reduce the number of vacant properties to 1,100. The NHS is committed to future reductions in the number of empty properties held, but do not intend to carry out further surveys since the void rate equates to only about 3.5 units per NHS trust. Figures for NHS Trust properties in Scotland at 1 April 1995 were; total stock 1,185—properties empty 113 [9.5 per cent.]. Figures at 1 April 1996 are; total stock 1,087—properties empty 162 [14.9 per cent.]. The NHS in Scotland is also committed to future reductions in the number of empty properties held.

  3. The Welsh Office figure includes information about empty property belonging to health authorities and NHS trusts in Wales.

  4. The total number of empty homes in the civil estate owned by Govnerment Departments—(i.e., excluding MOD and the NHS—was 1,567 on 1 April 1995 and 970 on 1 April 1996, a reduction of 38.1 per cent.

  598
  Mr. Curry
  The number of empty homes in the civil estate owned by Government Departments fell by almost 600 between (1) April 1995 and 1 April 1996, a reduction of nearly 40 per cent.

  In 1995–96, almost all Government Departments reduced the number of empty homes that they hold. I am particularly pleased that the Home Office, Department of Transport and Scottish Office all exceeded their targets.

  Departments' progress demonstrates the Government's continued commitment to reduce the number of empty homes. The new, more exacting targets set for 1996–97 will build on this success. I am also confident that the sale of the Ministry of Defence married quarters estate will lead to an improvement in performance in tackling MOD empty homes.

  Details of achievement against targets for 1995–96, and new targets for 1996–97 are shown in the table:
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  Water Payments
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment by what mechanisms people living in new properties are able to change from meters to rateable value means of paying for water. [37370]

  Mr. Clappison
  Properties built after April 1990 do not have rateable values. Consequently, where a water company has a policy of metering new properties, it is not possible to change to a rateable value basis of paying for water.

  House Condition Survey
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the supplement to the English house condition survey will be published. [37991]

  Mr. Clappison
  The supplementary energy report will be published this summer.

  Footpaths
  Mr. Merchant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in taking forward the commitment in the White Paper, "Rural England", to stimulate the more active participation of parish councils in footpath management and to develop, with the Countryside Commission, a pilot project to build on the experience of the parish paths partnership. [38817]

  Mr. Clappison
  The aims of the local access initiative will be to maximise the role of local people in access management and maintenance, to integrate more fully the rights of way network with other access and recreational opportunities, and to provide opportunities for additional access, on a voluntary basis.

  We also intend that the initiative will consider the relationship of local management to the accurate recording of rights of way and look at the scope for changes to the network. We intend to set up projects in four or five areas in England.

  We have asked the Countryside Commission to manage the initiative. The commission will be seeking to set up schemes involving partnerships of local landowners, farmers, other local people and interested groups of individuals, on a parish basis. Participation in the initiative will be entirely voluntary and management of the scheme is expected to be through the local highway authority. We hope to announce the projects by the end of the year.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Public Record Office
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps he takes to protect from(a) fire and (b) other damage manuscripts and other records at the Public Record Office. [36892]

  Mr. Streeter
  The question concerns a specific operational matter on which the chief executive of the Public Record Office is best placed to provide an answer. I have accordingly asked the chief executive to reply direct.
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  Letter from Duncan Simpson to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 18 July 1996:

  In the absence on leave of the Chief Executive, I have been asked by the Lord Chancellor's Parliamentary Secretary to reply for the Public Record Office to your question about the steps taken to protect from (a) fire and (b) other damage manuscripts and other records at the Public Record Office.

  (a) Protection from fire

  At Kew the two buildings have advanced fire protection systems. Fire detection is provided in offices and plant areas by smoke, heat and beam detectors, and manual call points. Detection in document storage areas is provided by an early smoke detection system. All systems are connected to a central computerised control centre, from which the fire services can be summoned. Document storage areas are divided into fire compartments by walls of two hour fire resistance; doors in these walls are held open on fusible links so that they will close automatically in case of fire.

  At Chancery Lane fire detection is through a manual alarm system linked to a central control centre. Document storage areas are divided into fire compartments by fire resistant walls and doors.

  At both sites the document storage areas are also served by hose reels and extinguishers and are subject to regular round the clock patrols.

  We are currently transferring the Chancery Lane documents to Kew so that all will be protected by the highest modern standards.

  b) Protection from other damage

  The Office has established and promotes a preservation policy. This sets out the obligations of the Office, the staff and the readers protect the documents it its care.

  It also has a preservation strategy and programme which includes:

  Security

  —invigilation of the reading rooms by security staff and, at Kew, by CCTV cameras

  —round the clock security patrols of the buildings, with CCTV monitoring at Kew

  —registering document users

  —computerised tracking of document requisitions and movements

  —prosecuting those who are caught damaging documents

  Storing and protecting material

  —monitoring the environmental conditions in which documents are stored: at Kew documents are stored to the requirements of BS 5454 Recommendations for the storage and exhibition of archival material

  —regular cleaning of document storage areas

  —protecting documents against damage in transit or by fire or water by boxing them

  —providing protective equipment in the reading rooms, for example book supports, melinex sheets through which to trace maps, and cotton gloves for use while handling material such as photographic negatives or prints

  —following recommended standards for the exhibiton of documents

  Training

  —training staff and readers in the care and handling of documents

  —producing leaflets to promote understanding of the physical nature of documents

  —holding workshops for staff and readers on preservation and conservation issues

  Conservation

  —the Office has trained staff to conserve documents

  Disaster control

  —the Office has a disaster control plan which includes staff training and periodic trial exercises
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  Providing surrogates

  —The Office is undertaking a programme of copying heavily used classes of documents, mainly on microfilm, in order to enable readers to access the information without subjecting the originals to wear and tear

  I shall be happy to provide further information about any of these subjects if you require.

  Magistrates Courts
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list those magistrates courts in the Yorkshire and Humberside region that are to be built under the private finance initiative proposals; and if he will make a statement. [36876]

  Mr. Streeter
  PFI bids will be sought for the provision of new or improved magistrates court facilities at: Kingston upon Hull, Beverley, Keighley, Wakefield, Huddersfield, Northallerton, Malton and Doncaster.

  The programme for procuring magistrates courthouse facilities under PFI is now to be taken forward. Details of the programme and guidance are being sent to local authorities and magistrates courts committees this week.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many schemes for the building of magistrates courts are proposed under the private finance initiative. [36887]

  Mr. Streeter
  There are proposals to provide new or improved facilities at 50 magistrates courts under the private finance initiative.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  South Africa
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent advice he has given to the Republic of South Africa on land reform; and if he will make a statement. [38191]

  Mr. Hanley
  Land reform is a major priority for the South African Government. We are currently supporting, with the EU and the Danish Government, a Government pilot programme of land reform which aims to promote land transfer to the rural poor using the market and to develop local capacity for service provision. Her Majesty's Government's contribution is about £7 million including our share of EU funding.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Television Licences (Caravans)
  Mr. Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what are the current television licensing requirements for touring caravans; and if she will make a statement. [38769]

  Mr. Sproat
  As announced on 2 July on Report stage of the Broadcasting Bill, the Government will introduce regulations to take account of the changes in the use of television in recent years. Our intention is that the scope of the television licence will be altered so that a licence will be required only when a television is installed or used in a602
  "fixed abode or permanent place of residence".

  This will be reflected in the regulations which specify the fees. Use of television in touring caravans, and in other vehicles and vessels, will require a separate licence only if they are used as a permanent place of residence or if no licence is held for the normal place of residence. The revised licensing requirements will be set out in detail in new consolidated regulations, which we aim to lay before the end of this calendar year.

  Deregulation
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what deregulation orders her Department has made under sections 1 to 4 of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994. [38770]

  Mr. Sproat
  The Department's first deregulation order was made on 16 July 1996 and will come into force on 16 August 1996. It abolishes the existing statutory requirements for television dealers both to register with the BBC and to hold and pay a fee for a dealer demonstration licence. Dealers will still be required to notify all sales or rentals of television sets to the BBC.

TREASURY

  Abortion Statistics
  Mr. Bendall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give a breakdown by(a) procedure, (b) gestation of pregnancy and (c) technique of the number of abortions performed in the North Thames region in the latest year for which figures are available. [37007]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The figures presented are for legal abortions performed in 1994 on women usually resident in the North Thames health region.1

  (a) Number of abortions by procedure

  Procedure

  Number of abortions

  Hysterotomy (only)

  6

  Hysterectomy (only)

  1

  Vacuum aspiration (only)

  29,416

  Vacuum aspiration with dilation and evacuation

  2,979

  Dilation and evacuation

  745

  Other surgical

  1

  Prostaglandins (only)

  302

  Prostaglandins with other agents

  154

  Antiprogesterone with or without prostaglandins

  595

  Other medical

  30

  Other combined methods

  5

  Total

  34,234

  (b) Number of abortions by gestation of pregnancy

  Gestation in weeks

  Number of abortions

  Under 9

  15,786

  9–12

  15,195

  13–19

  2,865

  20 and over

  388

  Total

  34,234

  (c) Number of abortions by technique Abortion data by technique are not routinely collected.

  11994 Abortion Statistics, England and Wales, Series AB no. 21.

  603
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give a breakdown by the procedure adopted of the number of abortions performed in the Northern and Yorkshire region in the latest year for which figures are available. [36928]

  Mrs. Knight
  [holding answer 16 July 1996]: The figures presented give a breakdown of the number of abortions performed to women usually resident in the Northern and Yorkshire health region by procedure, for the year 19941.

  Procedure

  Number of abortions

  Hysterotomy (only)

  3

  Hysterectomy (only)

  1

  Vacuum aspiration (only)

  13,503

  Vacuum aspiration with dilation and evacuation

  335

  Dilation and Evacuation

  450

  Other surgical

  2

  Prostaglandins (only)

  595

  Prostaglandins with other agents

  203

  Antiprogesterone with or without prostaglandins

  1,130

  Other medical

  24

  Other combined methods

  14

  Total

  16,260

  1 Reference: 1994 Abortion Statistics, England and Wales, Series AB no. 21.

  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give a breakdown by technique of the number of abortions performed in the Northern and Yorkshire region in the latest year for which figures are available. [36930]

  Mrs. Knight
  [holding answer 16 July 1996]: Abortion data are not routinely collected by technique.

  Suicides
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of suicides in England and Wales in each of the last three years. [37842]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The number of deaths from suicide and injury of undetermined intent, ICD1 E950–E959, E980–E989 less E988.8, in England and Wales is shown in the table. The deaths in 1993 and 1994 represent occurrences whereas those for 1995 are registrations.

  Year

  Deaths

  1993

  5,250

  1994

  5,144

  1995

  5,146

  1International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision.

  ICD codes E950–E959 refer to deaths where suicide is the underlying cause of death; ICD codes E950–E989, minus E988.8 relate to deaths where it is undetermined whether the injury was accidentally or purposefully inflicted. The majority of these, however, are regarded as suicides.

  Diesel Duty
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer of reducing the duty on commercial diesel by £0.09 per litre. [37981]
  604
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The last published "Tax Ready Reckoner and Tax Reliefs" by HM Treasury shows that reducing the duty rate on road diesel by 9p would cost around £1.5 billion in the first full year, measured against a non-indexed base.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer of reducing duty on diesel to the European average. [37980]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The last published 'Tax Ready Reckoner and Tax Reliefs" by HM Treasury shows that reducing the duty rate on road diesel by approximately 6p to the European average would cost around £1 billion in the first full year, measured against a non-indexed base.

  Indirect Taxation
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he proposes to take to limit retrospective repayments of VAT and other indirect taxes and duties. [38693]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The Government have become concerned at the increasing amounts of revenue at risk in taxation boundary disputes, particularly VAT. Large sums, collected and paid in good faith, are being repaid to businesses, in some cases many years after the tax was collected and with no possibility that refunds will be passed on to final consumers. The Chancellor therefore asked Customs to undertake a review of the refund provisions applying to VAT and other indirect taxes. I am today announcing the outcome of that review.

  I am proposing that with effect from today a three-year limit will be introduced for retrospective refund claims, applying to VAT and other indirect taxes, and to associated statutory interest. This will be subject to parliamentary approval.

  I also propose to recommend changes to the unsatisfactory law on unjust enrichment. Draft legislation effecting these changes will be published shortly and will subsequently be included in the 1997 Finance Bill.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prisons (Costs Review)
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 July,Official Report, column 145, when the cost of implementing the recommendations arising from the review of the open prison estate will be made available. [37451]

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

  Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. George, dated 18 July 1996:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about when the cost of implementing the recommendations arising from the review of the open prison estate will be made available.
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  The Prison Services' plan for the implementation of the open prisons review is intended to be completed by December 1996. The plan will include details of the costs of implementation.

  Sexual Offences (Re-offenders)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what records his Department collates in respect of re-offending by those convicted of sexual offences against children. [37786]

  Mr. Maclean
  Offenders who are convicted of sexual offences against a child can be charged with any one of a number of offences. The legal categories of sexual offence do not always differentiate between child and adult victims. This means that the Department's centrally available records cannot be used to determine reconviction rates for offenders convicted of sexual offences against children.

  House Fires (Deaths)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deaths in England and Wales in house fires occurred in each of the last three years. [37792]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  The number of fire-related deaths from dwelling fires attended by local authority fire brigades in England and Wales in the last three years for which figures are available are 502 in 1992, 406 in 1993 and 383 in 1994.

  Electoral Registration (Homeless Persons)
  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account will be taken of the judgment in the case of Kevin Lippiatt v. the Electoral Registration Officer, Penwith district council in the guidelines to be issued to electoral registration officers concerning the registration of homeless people. [38167]

  Mr. Sackville
  The guidance will take the judgment fully into consideration, within the context of existing legislation.

  Dangerous Dogs
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many dangerous dogs have been registered under the Dangerous Dogs Acts; and how many people have been(a) injured and (b) killed by dogs in each year since 1988; [38009]

  (2) what plans he has to extend the categories of dog in the provisions of the Dangerous Dogs Acts; [38007]

  (3) if he will make a statement on the operation of the Dangerous Dogs Acts; [38006]

  (4) what plans he has to make ownership of a dangerous dog, as specified under the provisions of the Dangerous Dogs Acts, illegal; and if he will make a statement. [38008]

  Mr. Sackville
  The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 imposed controls on dogs bred for fighting. The dogs so designated are the types known as the pit bull terrier, the Japanese Tosa, the Dogo Argentino and Fila Braziliero. There are no plans to extend this designation.

  Section 1 of the Act makes it an offence to possess a designated type of dog unless the owner had the dog registered, neutered, tattooed, and insured by
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  30 November 1991. It is also an offence to allow such a dog to be in a public place without being muzzled or on a lead. A total of 8,600 pit bull terriers were notified to the police and the index of exempted dogs. Of these, 5,223 were issued with certificates of exemption, of which 3,609 are currently valid.

  Section 3 of the Act also created new offences, applying to all types of dog, of owning or being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control in a public place. A conviction for an offence in respect of one of the designated types of dog or for any dog not kept under proper control, and when there is an injury to the person, results in mandatory destruction of the dog. These provisions are intended to encourage more responsible dog ownership.

  Information on attacks by dogs is not collected centrally. The Act has resulted in a substantial reduction in pit bull ownership, in line with eliminating this type of dog in the United Kingdom. The Government remain committed to the objectives of the Act and have no plans to amend the law.

  Betting and Gaming
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a further announcement on the future of the Tote. [38626]

  Mr. Howard
  I announced last year that I intend to carry out a review of the options for the future of the Tote in a way which preserves the extent to which racing benefits from the Tote's activities.

  Since that time, my officials have been carrying out preparatory work including informal consultations with a number of interested parties. The conclusion which I have drawn from this preliminary work is that those options which involve changing the existing statutory framework might put at risk the contribution which the Tote makes to racing.

  I have concluded that, pending further work on these issues, I should end the uncertainty surrounding the future of the Tote by retaining the present statutory framework for the present. In reaching this conclusion, I have had regard to the wish of the British Horseracing Board to take on responsibility for the Tote. However, while it is the representative body of racing, transfer of a public asset to a private body such as the BHB raises complex issues which are unlikely to be settled in the short term.

  I am laying in the Library a brief explanatory note about the Tote and the issues which have led to this conclusion.

  I intend to begin very shortly the search for a new chairman to take on responsibility for the organisation and to work with racing when Lord Wyatt retires in April 1997. The post will be advertised. In view of the importance of the Tote to racing, I intend to consult the BHB and other interested parties about the appointment and the responsibilities of the post so far as is consistent with the statute and the code of practice on public appointments.

  The new chairman will be tasked both with supporting racing and with conducting a wide-ranging review of the Tote's operations. I would expect them to pursue further

  607
  the improvements in efficiency the Tote has made in recent years. The Government will wish to return to the issue of the Tote's status in the future.

  The Government wish to enhance further their working relationship with the horseracing industry. I have therefore accepted a proposal from the chairman of the British Horseracing Board that he should personally select a small horseracing advisory group, who will meet me from time to time to discuss the general state of, and key issues affecting, the horseracing industry. The group will complement, not replace, the established arrangements for regulation and communication between government and the industry.

  Lord Wakeham has agreed to select the group, to which appointments will be personal, not formally representative of any particular interest, by the autumn and I look forward to a first meeting later in the year.

  Drug Prevention Initiative
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish a report on the progress of his Department's drug prevention initiative. [38627]

  Mr. Sackville
  I am publishing today the drugs prevention initiative's sixth annual progress report which covers the period from 1 April 1995 to 31 March 1996. The report describes the varied and extensive programme of community-based drugs prevention work which the initiative has developed during the first year of its expanded operation in 12 areas in England. The programme will run until 1998–99, and aims to show by then what people can do to respond to local drugs problems. I have placed a copy of the report in the Library.

  Manchester Bomb Incident
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has determined the materials used to produce the explosive mixture used in the Manchester bomb; and if Semtex was used in the device. [34844]

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 1 July 1996]: The investigation into the bombing in Manchester on Saturday 15 June is a matter for the police. It is for them to decide if, having regard to any possible future criminal proceedings, they should make public the results of their current forensic inquiries.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Afghan Refugees (Pakistan)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Pakistan on the issue of refugees from Afghanistan living in Pakistan. [37785]

  Mr. Hanley
  We regularly discuss with the Government of Pakistan a wide range of issues including Afghan refugees. Officials last discussed the issue with Pakistani counterparts during the annual aid talks in Islamabad in December 1995.

  Albania
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had on the recent elections in Albania and with whom. [37791]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  We have had discussions in the European Union and continue to work with our partners in the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Council of Europe to establish a dialogue between the Government and the Opposition with the aim of agreeing steps to restore confidence in the democratic process.

  Westminster Foundation for Democracy
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the annual report of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy will be available. [38625]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  Copies of the foundation's annual report for 1995–96 will be placed in the Libraries of the House during the week beginning 22 July. The foundation received £2.5 million from the FCO for its activities in 1995–96. With this grant it has supported 426 projects, compared with 244 last year. Its priority areas for assistance have been central and eastern Europe, central Asia and anglophone Africa, but it has also funded projects elsewhere. The foundation continues to make a valuable contribution to the promotion of democracy overseas. Projects have included work with political parties, the independent media, trade unions, human rights groups, women's group and other non-governmental organisations involved in political development.

  Overseas Visits (Royal Family)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 June,Official Report, column 28, if he will provide a breakdown of the main spending involved in the miscellaneous expenditure of £4,600 incurred by his Department on the visit of the Duchess of Kent to the Seychelles on 3 to 6 December 1993; and if he will break down the travel cost to show the methods and people carried. [35875]

  Mr. Rifkind
  [holding answer 8 July 1996]: The main expenditure was for clothing, which cost £4,300 for the whole party.

  Commercial flights were used. Four staff accompanied the Duchess of Kent, at a total cost for the whole party of £15,500.

  Mr. Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 June,Official Report, column 26, if he will itemise the main spending involved in the miscellaneous expenditure of £7,500 on the official visit by the Duke and Duchess of Kent to Hong Kong from 25 November to 2 December 1994. [35740]

  Mr. Rifkind
  [holding answer 8 July 1996]: The main miscellaneous expenditure was for clothing, which cost £7,400 for the whole party.

  Mr. Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 June,Official Report, column 27, if he will itemise

  609
  the main spending involved in the miscellaneous expenditure of £7,400 on the official visit by the Duke of Edinburgh to the Caribbean in March 1993. [35742]

  Mr. Rifkind
  [holding answer 8 July 1996]: The main headings of expenditure in the miscellaneous categories were as follows:

  Clothing for the whole party: £1,800

  Expenditure on royal yacht: £4,400

  Mr. Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 June,Official Report, column 27, if he will give details of the methods and costs of travel for the visit by the Prince Edward to Swaziland between 4 and 7 September; and if he will give a breakdown of the main spending involved in the miscellaneous expenditure of £4,900. [35873]

  Mr. Rifkind
  [holding answer 8 July 1996]: The party travelled by commercial flight at a total cost of £11,600. The main expenditure in the miscellaneous heading was as follows:

  Clothing for the whole party: £2,200

  Reconnaissance visit: £2,600

  Mr. Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 June,Official Report, column 29, if he will give a breakdown of the main spending in the expenditure of £6,300 incurred by his Department arising from the visit by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester to Mexico on 20 to 23 November 1995. [35877]

  Mr. Rifkind
  [holding answer 8 July 1996]: The main headings of expenditure in the miscellaneous category were as follows:

  Clothing for the whole party: £3,000

  Reconnaissance visit: £3,300

  Mr. Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 June,Official Report, column 28, if he will provide a breakdown of the miscellaneous expenditure of £8,100 incurred by his Department for the visit of Princess Alexandra to Hong Kong and India on 14 to 27 October 1994. [35874]

  Mr. Rifkind
  [holding answer 8 July 1996]: The main expenditure in the miscellaneous category was for clothing for the whole party at £7,000.

  Mr. Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 June,Official Report, column 28, if he will give the dates of the visit and the engagements undertaken by the Princess Margaret to San Francisco in 1995; and if he will give a breakdown of the main spending involved in the miscellaneous expenditure of £10,300 incurred by his Department as part of the visit. [35876]

  Mr. Rifkind
  [holding answer 8 July 1996]: The visit by Princess Margaret to San Francisco was from 23 to 29 June 1995.

  Engagements included attendance at events celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations, a concert by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and official receptions including for the English Speaking Union.
  610
  The main headings of expenditure in the miscellaneous category were as follows:

  Clothing for the whole party: £7,200

  Reconnaissance visit: £2,200

  Mr. Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 June,Official Report, columns 26–27, if he will list those countries visited by the Duke of Edinburgh in the Caribbean in March 1993 and Her Majesty the Queen in the same area in 1994. [35741]

  Mr. Rifkind
  [holding answer 8 July 1996]: In 1993, the Duke of Edinburgh visited Dominica, Montserrat, St. Christopher and Nevis, Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

  In 1994 the Queen visited Puerto Rico, Anguilla, Dominica, Guyana, Belize, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, the Bahamas and Bermuda.

  Mr. Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 June,Official Report, column 27, if he will provide a breakdown of the main items comprising the £13,400 miscellaneous expenditure incurred by his Department in respect of the visit by the Princess of Wales to Nepal on 2 to 6 March 1993; and how much of the expenditure related to clothes for the princess. [35872]

  Mr. Rifkind
  [holding answer 8 July 1996]: The main headings of expenditure in the miscellaneous category were:

  Clothing for the whole party: £4,800

  Reconnaissance visit: £7,000

  It would be inappropriate to provide further details. High-profile and worthy representation of Britain abroad inevitably involves additional expenditure on clothes by members of the royal family and certain of those accompanying them. It is right that such expenditure should be met by the Government for visits undertaken at our request.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Disability Discrimination Act
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will seek to ensure that at least one member of an industrial tribunal dealing with cases raised under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 is a person with special knowledge or experience of disability issues in the employment field; and if he will make a statement. [37894]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The constitution of individual tribunals is a matter for the president of the industrial tribunals and their regional chairmen. However, my Department and the industrial tribunals are currently considering the implications of the employment provisions contained in the Disability Discrimination Act. As part of this, special efforts were made in October last year to recruit new lay members who are disabled or have a special interest in disability matters. Eight per cent. of those appointed were people with disabilities. We also added the Employers Forum on Disability and the
  611
  National League of the Blind and Disabled to the list of sponsor bodies which provide nominations to the Secretary of State.

  Queen's Moat Houses plc
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his Department's investigation into the Queen's Moat Houses group, indicating the costs to public funds incurred to date. [37822]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  On 12 November 1993 inspectors were appointed under section 432(2) of the Companies Act 1985 to investigate and report on the affairs of Queen's Moat Houses plc. Their inquiries are continuing. The cost of the inspection to date is £2.5 million.

  Brick Industry
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what steps he is taking to promote competition in the manufacture and supply of bricks; and if he will make a statement; [38039]

  (2) what steps he intends to take to prevent the creation of a duopoly in the supply of bricks to the building industry. [38036]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Director General of Fair Trading has a duty to keep markets under review and to consider taking action where he believes there may be anti-competitive behaviour.

  Mr. Winterton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to refer to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission the proposed acquisition of Redland Brick plc by Ibstock Building Products Ltd; and if he will make a statement. [38034]

  Mr. Taylor
  As my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade made clear on 11 July,Official Report, column 284, on the advice of the Director General of Fair Trading he will refer this proposed acquisition to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission unless suitable undertakings are given by Ibstock to remove the competition concerns arising from the acquisition. A public consultation exercise is under way on the form and content of those undertakings and it would be wrong to prejudge the final outcome.

  Mr. Winterton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received to date from the housebuilding industry about the proposed acquisition of Redland Brick plc by Ibstock Building Products Ltd. [38035]

  Mr. Taylor
  One has been made to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade. Representations about mergers under consideration by the Director General of Fair Trading would usually be made to the DGFT in the first instance so that he could include them in his advice to my right hon. Friend.

  Export Guarantees Advisory Council
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the Export Guarantees Advisory Council(a) holds public meetings, (b) conducts public consultation exercises, (c) conducts consultation exercises with outside
  612
  interests, (d) publishes a register of members' interests, (e) publishes agendas for meetings and (f) publishes the minutes of meetings; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [37904]

  Mr. Nelson
  The Export Guarantees Advisory Council is a purely advisory body appointed under the terms of the Export and Investment Guarantees Act 1991. Its function is to advise the Secretary of State, at his request, in respect of any matter relating to the exercise of his functions under the Act. Its members receive no remuneration.

  The answers to the specific questions are no in every case except that in respect of (d); the Export Credits Guarantee Department's annual report lists the main interest of each of the advisory council members. A full register of interests is not published.

  Office of Electricity Regulation (Sponsored Bodies)
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Electricity Regulation(a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary; [37905]

  (2) what is the statutory base of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Electricity Regulation; and if they (a) publish their advice to OFFER, (b) publish an annual report and (c) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [37906]

  Mr. Eggar
  There are 14 electricity consumers committees, which are independent bodies established under section 2 of the Electricity Act 1989. Section 52 of the Electricity Act requires each committee to report annually to the Director General of Electricity Supply and to include a statement on all the matters on which the committee has advised the director during that period. Section 52 enables the director to publish the reports of the consumers committees. In practice he has done this by incorporating them into the Offer annual report, which is published and laid before Parliament. Schedule 2 of the Act requires that the meetings of the committees, with certain exceptions, shall be open to the public and that agendas be published. Copies of the minutes of public meetings are available on request. Section 51 of the Act requires each committee to consult with and make representations to the relevant public electricity supplier. The consumers committees consult local consumer groups. A register of members' interests is not published.

  The National Consumers Consultative Committee was established under section 53 of the Act. Its statutory duty is to keep under review matters affecting the interests of electricity customers generally and to facilitate the exchange of information between the director and the consumers committees. Its membership is made up of

  613
  the chairmen of the electricity consumer councils. Details of the work of the National Consumers Consultative Committee appears in the Offer annual report.

  Departmental Bills (Payment)
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of bills were paid on time by Government Departments and their agencies during the financial year 1995–96. [38855]

  Mr. Lang
  Government Departments and their agencies are required to monitor their payment performance and to publish the results in their departmental or annual reports. The following table lists, by Department, the proportion of bills paid within 30 days, or other agreed credit period, of receipt of a valid invoice for financial year 1995–96.

  The figures in the tables have been calculated using different monitoring methods and concerns have been expressed that these differences have made comparisons between Departments difficult.

  The Prime Minister therefore announced on 11 March this year that more consistent monitoring requirements were to be placed on Departments and that they were to publish their performance against strict targets in an annual league table. This would allow more valid comparison between Departments in addition to the year on year comparisons possible under the previous monitoring system.

  The new monitoring requirements have been in place since 1 June 1996 and the first league table of performance based on these requirements will be published in the autumn. It is currently the intention to publish the information annually thereafter, following the end of each financial year. All Departments should aim to pay 100 per cent. of invoices, including disputed invoices once the dispute has been settled, on time. No Department should fall below 95 per cent. for undisputed bills.

  The results for 1995–96 based on the previous monitoring procedures are:

  Departmental payment performance 1995–96

  Department

  Percentage of invoices paid on time

  Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food

  83

  Registry of Friendly Societies

  96

  Charity Commission

  88.8

  HM Customs and Excise

  94

  Cabinet Office

  84

  Central Statistical Office

  88

  Crown Prosecution Service

  94.3

  Ministry of Defence

  99.9

  Department for Education

  75.2

  Employment Department

  97.1

  Employment Service

  98.5

  Office of Electricity Regulation

  99.66

  Office for Standards in Education

  96.3

  Department of the Environment (incl. Office of Water Services)

  92

  Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre

  90

  Ordnance Survey

  91

  PSA Services

  100

  Health and Safety Executive

  93.8

  Office of Fair Trading

  96

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  93.5

  614

  Departmental payment performance 1995–96

  Department

  Percentage of invoices paid on time

  Forestry Commission

  86

  Office of Gas Supply

  99.8

  Department of Health

  95.2

  Home Office

  91

  Inland Revenue

  92.3

  National Investment and Loans Office

  100

  Office of the National Lottery

  89

  Lord Chancellors Department/The Court Service

  93.9

  Department of National Heritage

  91

  Department for National Savings

  99.2

  Northern Ireland Office

  96.6

  Overseas Development Administration

  90

  HM Paymaster General

  84.6

  Office of Passenger Rail Franchising

  97.4

  Office of the Rail Regulator

  98.7

  Serious Fraud Office

  92

  Office of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools (Wales)

  98.5

  The Scottish Office

  94

  Department of Social Security

  96

  Office of Telecommunications

  94

  Department of Trade and Industry

  93

  Department of Transport

  90.3

  HM Treasury

  86

  The Welsh Office

  95

  Export Initiatives
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what new initiatives he is planning to secure business for the United Kingdom in(a) the middle east and (b) the far east; and if he will make a statement. [36381]

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 17 July 1996]: Through the overseas trade services organisation the Government spend more than £200 million a year on a wide range of export promotion services and support helping to secure business of UK companies across the world. For the markets of the middle east and the far east, my Department is supporting an extensive programme of trade missions, trade fairs, exhibitions, seminars, sectoral and market promotions, and is planning ministerial and other high-level visits with accompanying business delegations. Examples of initiatives include:

  (a) Middle east.

  A major exhibition in Bahrain in February 1997 to highlight British design excellence.

  A programme of Gulf update conferences through the UK to promote the Gulf as an export destination and to market the 14 DTI supported trade missions to the Gulf between autumn 1996 and spring 1997.

  A series of initiatives to encourage British business women to visit the Gulf and to access the extensive network of Arab women who own businesses in the region. My Department took a team of British business women to Saudi Arabia in March—to demonstrate that women can do business there.

  The Israel-Britain Business Council, a new forum for business, has been established and has now held its second meeting.
  615
  (b) Far east.

  Visits in September by the President of the Board of Trade to China, by myself to east Asia, and by Lord Fraser to south-east Asia, all with UK business delegations.

  Hosting the meeting of the Singapore British Business Group in October in the UK and supporting the first meeting of the British Philippines business group in Manila in September.

  Working with UK business to set up a British industrial centre in Japan, where British businesses can share facilities.

  Running a regular programme of "Key Contacts Japan" events where high-level UK-based Japanese contacts are introduced to quality British manufacturers.

  Supporting UK participation in over 100 trade fairs and trade missions throughout the region over the next six to nine months.

  Research Councils
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the book value of each research institute site of the research institutes of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Medical Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council and Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council:. and who is the registered owner of each site. [37399]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 15 July 1996]: The information is as follows:

  Institute site

  Owner

  Net book value (£ million)1

  BBSRC2

  Institute for Arable Crops Research:

  Rothamsted experimental station

  Lawes Agricultural Trust

  30.4

  Long Ashton research station

  University of Bristol

  11.3

  Broom's Barn

  Lawes Agricultural Trust

  2.5

  Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research:

  Aberystwyth research centre

  University of Wales

  12.1

  North Wyke research centre

  Crown Commissioners

  2.0

  Bronydd Mawr research station

  Crown Commissioners

  0.8

  Trawsgoed research farm

  BBSRC

  2.8

  John Innes Centre

  John Innes Foundation

  28.2

  Silsoe Research Institute

  Part BBSRC; part Department of the Environment

  12.7

  Roslin Institute:

  Edinburgh

  Part BBSRC; part University of Edinburgh

  7.0

  Blythbank

  BBSRC

  1.5

  Babraham Institute

  BBSRC

  30.4

  616

  Institute site

  Owner

  Net book value (£ million)1

  Institute for Animal Health:

  Compton laboratory

  BBSRC

  34.0

  Pirbright laboratory

  BBSRC

  29.0

  Neuropathogenesis unit

  BBSRC

  2.0

  Institute for Food Research:

  Reading laboratory

  Reading University

  10.0

  Norwich laboratory

  BBBSRC

  9.6

  MRC

  National Institute for Medical Research

  MRC

  16.6

  Laboratory of Molecular Biology

  Addenbrookes Hospital NHS Trust

  1.5

  Clinical Sciences Centre

  Hammersmith Hospital NHS Trust

  11.0

  NERC British Geological Survey

  Eskdalemuir

  NERC

  0.3

  Keyworth

  NERC

  8.3

  Hartland

  NERC

  0.2

  Exeter

  NERC

  0.2

  Murchison House

  Edinburgh University

  2.9

  Institute of Freshwater Ecology

  East Stoke

  NERC

  0.2

  Wareham

  Freshwater Biological Association

  nil

  Windermere

  Freshwater Biological Association

  nil

  Institute of Hydrology

  Wallingford

  NERC

  2.8

  Balquidder

  NERC

  0.0

  Staylittle

  Forestry Commission

  nil

  Stirling

  Scottish Metropolitan

  nil

  Institute of Terrestrial Ecology

  Furzebrook

  NERC

  0.3

  Merlewood

  NERC

  0.4

  Monks Wood

  NERC

  0.7

  Limegarth Wood

  NERC

  0.0

  Banchory

  NERC

  0.3

  Bangor

  NERC

  0.1

  University of Wales

  nil

  Bush

  NERC

  0.8

  Abergwyngregyn

  University of Wales

  nil

  Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory

  Bidston

  NERC

  0.0

  Borough of Birkenhead

  0.5

  Victoria Dock

  Mersey Docks and Harbour Company

  nil

  NERC Scientific Services

  NERC

  0.0

  British Antartic Survey

  Cambridge University

  5.0

  Plymouth Marine Laboratory

  Raglan barracks

  Department of Trade and Industry

  nil

  Citadel Hill

  Crown Estate

  nil

  Prospect Place

  City of Plymouth

  2.5

  Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory

  Scottish Association for Marine Science

  Nil

  617

  Institute site

  Owner

  Net book value (£ million)1

  Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology:

  Oxford

  University of Oxford

  2.4

  Wytham

  University of Oxford

  0.0

  Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory

  Scottish Enterprise

  Nil

  Southampton Oceanography Centre

  Associated British Ports

  430.2

  PPARC

  Royal Greenwich Observatory

  Science and Engineering Research Council

  5.2

  Royal Observatory Edinburgh

  PPARC

  7.4

  Joint Astronomy Centre, Hawaii

  University of Hawaii

  13.5

  Iaac Newton Telescopes, La Palma

  Government of Spain

  15.5

  1 Values are for land and buildings. 2Existing use values based on 1992 prices.

  3 Open Market values for alternative use.

  4 Depreciated replacement cost.

  Post Office
  Mr. Merchant
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to suspend the Post Office's statutory monopoly on delivery of letters under £1. [38854]

  Mr. Lang
  I wrote last week to the chairman of the Post Office initiating consultations on the implications of suspension of the monopoly. These consultations are continuing.

SCOTLAND

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list each occasion in the last two months in which his Department has consulted fanners directly about policy development concerning the BSE and beef crisis; and if he will make a statement. [37363]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  During May to July my Department has consulted directly with the beef industry on the following specific occasions:

  3 May: Mature beef assurance scheme

  6 June: Proposals for compulsory cattle passports

  10 June: Mammalian meat and bonemeal—proposed legislation (The Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Amendment) (No 2) Order 1996)

  11 June: specified bovine material controls in abattoirs

  3 July: BSE accelerated slaughter scheme

  10 July: meat and bone meal proposed legislation

  11 July: Mammalian meat and bonemeal—proposed legislation (The Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Amendment) (No 2) Order 1996)

  Where direct consultation with individual farmers is not possible, my Department works closely with the main representative bodies involved in the industry. I am particularly appreciative of the way in which the industry in Scotland has been co-operating throughout the BSE
  618
  crisis. Individual beef producers are kept abreast of developments, through the regular newsletter distributed by my Department.

  Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assistance he has given to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in pursuit of its Doomsday 2000 initiative; and if he will make a statement. [37992]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The keeper and chief executive of the Registers of Scotland executive agency is actively assisting and co-operating with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in pursuit of the ScotLIS initiative, the Scottish version of Domesday 2000.

  The agency is currently chairing a core group of interested parties, including the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Scottish Homes, Scottish Enterprise and Ordnance Survey, which is considering how best to take forward the development of a national land information system for Scotland.

  Scottish Courts Administration
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the advisory non-departmental public body sponsored by the Scottish Courts Administration(a) holds public meetings, (b) conducts public consultation exercises, (c) conducts consultation exercises with outside interests, (d) publishes a register of members' interests, (e) publishes agendas for meetings and (f) publishes the minutes of meetings; and if in each case this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [37908]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Law Commission does not hold public meetings, publish a register of commissioners' interests or publish agendas or minutes of meetings. The commission does hold public consultation exercises and consultation exercises with outside interests. It does so voluntarily in order to carry out effectively its statutory duty to keep the law under review and make proposals for its reform.

  Prison Service Targets
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what targets he has set the Scottish Prison Service for 1996–97. [38628]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth: I have set the chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service the following targets:

  Performance measures

  Key targets

  The number of prisoners unlawfully at large

  No 'A' category prisoners should escape.

  The number of escapes by 'B' category prisoners should be no higher than 2 per 1,000 prisoners.

  The number of escapes by 'C' category prisoners should be no higher than 2.5 per 1,000 prisoners.

  619

  Performance measures

  Key targets

  The number of serious assaults on staff and prisoners

  The number of serious assaults on staff should be no higher than 3 per 1,000 staff.

  The number of serious assaults on other prisoners should be no higher than 10 per 1,000 prisoners.

  The amount of available opportunities for prisoners' self development

  To ensure that 400 prisoners have completed a cognitive skills programme and 100 prisoners have completed a sex offender programme during 1996–97.

  Average annual cost per prisoner place

  To keep costs within £27,392 per place available for use.

  The level of absence through staff sickness

  To reduce the average number of days lost per person per year through staff sickness to 16.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Upper Waiting Hall Exhibition
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the Association for Science Education to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall. [38230]

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 25 November to Friday 29 November 1996.

  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Chairman of the administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to "Tackling Drugs Together—Those Who Make it Possible", to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall. [38474]

  Mr. Martin
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 2 December to Friday 6 December 1996.

  Sir Gerard Vaughan
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to 100 years of British mycology to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall. [38514]

  Mr. Martin
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 11 November to Friday 15 November 1996.

  House of Commons Staff Salaries
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what was the average annual salary, including where appropriate any overtime, on 620
  1 October 1971 of (i) (a) a Senior Library Clerk, (b) the highest paid Chef, (c) a Senior Clerk in the House of Commons and (ii) a ministerial car driver; if he will indicate in each of those cases what that salary would be today if it had been increased annually in line with inflation; and what is the current annual salary for each of those grades.

  Mr. Beith
  Figures for salaries of Commission staff prior to 1978 are not available centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Since the establishment of the House of Commons Commission in 1978, staff salaries have been included in the Commission's annual reports. Figures for ministerial car drivers are a matter for the Cabinet Office. The earliest figures readily available are those for 1 April 1978.

  London-based salaries are as follows:

  Senior Clerk: £7,315–£9,235 p.a.

  Senior Library Clerk: £5,917–£8,879 p.a.

  Executive Chef: £9,980 p.a. (at 1 January 1980)1

  1 The Refreshment Department did not become a Department of the House until 1980 and staff salaries for that Department did not appear in the Commission's report until that for 1979–80

  Those Senior Clerks and Senior Library Clerks who performed additional night duty were paid an allowance of £1,555 p.a.

  Applying the inflation factors for 1 April 1978 (x 3.093) and 1 April 1980 (x 2.454), respectively, these figures become:

  Senior Clerk: £22,625–£28,619 p.a.

  Senior Library Clerk: £18,301–£27,463 p.a.

  Executive Chef: £24,490 p.a.

  The night allowance becomes £4,810 p.a.

  Current salaries for the above grades are as follows:

  Senior Clerk: £28,954–£43,802 p.a.

  Senior Library Clerk: £28,954–£43,802 p.a.

  Executive Chef: £28,954–£43,802 p.a.

  The current rate of night allowance is £4,010 p.a.

  In 1992 staff pay scales were radically restructured and they now include an element for performance-related pay so that strict comparison with the earlier pay scales is not valid.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Contracts
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish a list showing the number, nature and value of contracts awarded by his Department to Coopers and Lybrand, KPMG, Price Waterhouse, Ernst and Young, Deloitte and Touche, Arthur Andersen, Grant Thornton, BDO Stoy Hayward, Pannel Kerr Forster, and Robson Rhodes and their subsidiaries and associates, during 1995 and 1996. [37312]

  Mr. WIlletts
  In 1995–96 the number and value of contracts let to these consultancy firms, and their subsidiaries and associates, by the Cabinet Office including the Office of Public Service and its executive
  621
  agencies, the Central Office of Information and Her Majesty's Stationery Office was as follows:

  Firms

  Total value (£)

  Contracts let

  Coopers and Lybrand

  1,147,000

  9

  KPMG

  928,000

  16

  Price Waterhouse

  292,000

  6

  Ernst and Young

  43,000

  3

  Deloitte and Touche

  180,000

  5

  Arthur Andersen

  41,000

  1

  Grant Thornton

  Nil

  0

  BDO Stoy Hayward

  Nil

  0

  Pannel Kerr Forster

  130,000

  2

  Robson Rhodes

  Nil

  0

  Internet
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to ensure that major publications from his Department are accompanied by a simultaneous electronic release of the text on the Internet. [37230]

  Mr. Willetts
  Several divisions and groups within the Office of Public Service and its agencies have Internet websites which provide electronic versions of published documents; these include the Civil Service Employer Group, citizens charter unit, Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency and Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Ministers also have addresses on Internet.

  Civil Service College
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what key performance targets he has set for the Civil Service College executive agency for the current year. [38694]

  Mr. Freeman
  The key performance targets for the Civil Service College executive agency for 1996–97 are:

  to break even in accrual accounting terms;

  to earn £1,600,000 from consultancy work;

  to attract 2,400 students from the senior civil service;

  to attract 1,400 students from the private sector;

  to earn 83 per cent. of course evaluations in the two highest of six categories.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister on how many occasions during the current parliamentary Session his office has co-ordinated responses from his ministerial colleagues to parliamentary questions. [36110]

  The Deputy Prime Minister
  The reply that I gave to the hon. Member in answer to a previous question on this matter,Official Report, 2 April 1996, column 86, sets out the circumstances in which procedures for co-ordinating responses to parliamentary questions come into play. Such co-ordination takes place on an ad hoc basis, and advice is often sought, and provided, informally. I am not, therefore, able to give the hon. Member a figure for the number of times responses have been co-ordinated in the course of the current parliamentary Session.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Housing Benefit
  Sir Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what account he took of the research by York university, commissioned by his Department, in drawing up the Housing Benefit General Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 1996; [34333]

  (2) when he intends to publish the research commissioned by his Department into service charges in relation to supported housing; and if he will make a statement. [34334]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The proposed amendment would restate the current position concerning which service charges can be met by housing benefit on the basis that the service relates to the provision of adequate accommodation. It was proposed after a commissioner's decision in an income support case cast doubt on the meaning of binding case law on this point, possibly leading to unplanned housing benefit expenditure in respect of charges for personal services. Early results of research by the centre for housing policy at the university of York suggested that payments of housing benefit were already being used for this purpose, confirming the need to regularise the position. We expect to publish the final results of the research before the end of the year.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the impact of the proposed Housing Benefit (General) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 1996 on(a) the availability of (i) sheltered accommodation, (ii) departments' supported accommodation where housing benefit is currently payable and (iii) residential accommodation provided by social services departments and (b) community care policy. [35688]

  Mr. Evans
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has already advised the chairman of the Social Security Advisory Committee and the hon. Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Waterson), that these regulations have been withdrawn pending an inter-departmental review of the funding of services in supported accommodation. This review will consider matters such as the impact of the proposed legislation on accommodation supply and community care policy.

  Sir Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list as a proportion of all pensioners those(a) pensioners, (b) single male pensioners aged under 75 years, (c) single female pensioners aged under 75 years, (d) single pensioners aged under 75 years, (e) pensioner couples aged under 75 years, (f) single male pensioners aged 75 years and over, (g) single female pensioners aged 75 years and over, (h) single pensioners aged 75 years and over and (i) pensioner couples where at least one partner is aged 75 years and over receiving income from occupational pensions; and if he will provide figures for the mean and median amount received for the latest year for which figures are available. [36257]
  623
  Mr. Heald
  The information is in the table.

  Proportion with income from occupational pensions (per cent.)

  Mean amount (£ per week)

  Median amount (£ per week)

  All pensioner units

  62

  73.60

  38.60

  Single male pensioners under 75

  50

  180.80

  141.60

  Single female pensioners under 75

  64

  51.00

  29.20

  Single pensioners under 75

  61

  58.10

  31.00

  Pensioner couples with head under 75

  74

  100.10

  60.60

  Single male pensioners 75 and over

  61

  164.10

  132.40

  Single female pensioners 75 and over

  49

  42.60

  21.30

  Single pensioners 75 and over

  52

  49.00

  23.80

  Pensioner couples with head over 75

  66

  81.40

  44.10

  1 These results are based on a relatively small sample size. Therefore these results should be treated with a higher degree of caution than usual.

  1. Proportions are rounded to the nearest whole percentage, amounts are rounded to the nearest 10p.

  2. Information is based on the family expenditure Survey 1993 and the GAD survey of occupational pension schemes. All amounts are in July 1993 prices.

  3. A pensioner unit is defined as a single pensioner over state pension age (SPA) and a couple where the husband, or head, is over SPA. To provide consistency the age of the head has been used to define the age of the couple.

  Family Credit
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the number of claimants for family credit in(a) Crewe and Nantwich and (b) Cheshire for each of the last five years. [36335]

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

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody, dated 17 July 1996:

  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking if he will list the number of claimants for Family Credit (FC) in (a) Crewe and Nantwich and (b) Cheshire for each of the last five years.

  The information is not available in the format requested. The FC computer system holds records of the total number of claims received, awarded and disallowed on a national basis. Statistics are available which provide the number of families in receipt of FC within a BA office area on a given date. These offices do not correspond to constituency boundaries or to specific geographical areas.

  Details relating to FC claims are normally destroyed after 18 months, therefore the information is available from 1993 only. The statistics available are shown in the attached Annex.

  I hope you find this reply useful.
  624

  Families in receipt of Family Credit at that date

  Date of Scan

  BA office-Crewe

  Cheshire

  20 August 1993

  1,393

  13,895

  15 April 1994

  1,455

  14,686

  10 November 1994

  1,563

  15,553

  13 April 1995

  1,676

  16,252

  10 November 1995

  1,785

  17,503

  16 February 1996

  1,862

  18,164

  7 June 1996

  1,966

  19,380

  Figures are provisional and subject to amendment. The BA office at Crewe includes details for Nantwich.

  Cheshire covers the following BA officesi:-Chester, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Hyde, Macclesfield, Manchester-Sale, Northwich, Stockport, Warrington, Widnes and Wilmslow.

  Whilst these offices will primarily deal with their relevant part of the Cheshire County, they may also service parts of neighbouring counties. It is not possible to separate the figures presented and exclude any customers in receipt of Family Credit in those other countries.

  Pensioner Incomes
  Sir Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage and number of(a) single pensioners and (b) pensioner couples have a total income of at least £125 per week; and what percentage and number of pensioner couples have a total income of at least (i) £200 per week and (ii) £250 per week. [36823]

  Mr. Heald
  The number of single pensioners with gross income of at least £125 per week is 1,200,000, or 28 per cent. of all single pensioners. The number of pensioner couples with gross income of at least £125 per week is 2,250,000, or 85 per cent. of all pensioner couples.

  The number of pensioner couples with gross income of at least £200 per week is 1,150,000, or 43 per cent. of all pensioner couples. The number of pensioner couples with gross income of at least £250 per week is 800,000, or 29 per cent. of all pensioner couples.

  Notes:

  1. Income is measured as gross income before housing costs.

  2. Information is based on the family expenditure survey 1993. All amounts are in July 1993 prices.

  3. The numbers of pensioner units are rounded to the nearest 50,000. Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole percentage.

  4. A pensioner couple is defined as a couple where the head, or husband is over state pension age.

  Doctors' Fees
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the(a) current hourly rate and (b) current payment per half-day session for fee-paid part-time doctors. [36908]

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

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Alan Howarth, dated 1 July 1996:

  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent parliamentary question asking what is the (a) current hourly rate and (b) current payment per half-day session for fee-paid part-time doctors.

  Examining doctors are paid £30.70 per hour, and £107.45 per half-day session of 3.5 hours.

  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Medical Examinations
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average number of appointments for a medical examination for the all-work test of incapacity which are lost in each half-day session. [36910]

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Benefits Agency medical services is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Alan Howarth, dated 17 July 1996:

  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent parliamentary question asking what is the average number of appointments for a medical examination for the all-work test of incapacity which arc lost in each half-day session.

  The information is not available in the format requested.

  Separate figures are not available in respect of the All Work Test. However, figures are available for all medical examinations for Incapacity Benefit. In the first six months of this year an average of 1.15 appointments per session were lost. The majority of these appointments will have been for the All Work Test, with a small proportion being in respect of the Own Occupation Test.

  I hope you find this reply useful.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 3 April,Official Report, column 345, about the cost of answering written questions, what work would be necessary to collate the information requested. [37513]

  Mr. Burt
  The examination of over 12,000 files dating back to 1989–90.

  Disabled People (Discrimination)
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent action the Government have taken to tackle discrimination against disabled people. [37155]

  Mr. Burt
  The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 makes discrimination against disabled people unlawful in employment, access to goods, facilities, services and premises. These areas of the Act come into force on 2 December this year.

  I have today laid the Disability Discrimination (Services and Premises) Regulations before the House under part III of the DDA. These regulations relate to: insurance, where the way in which the Act operates needs to be qualified so that objective underwriting decisions are not restricted; guarantees and refundable deposits; education-related services; and people who have a power of attorney and act on behalf of a disabled person.

  I have placed in the Library copies of the analysis of responses to our recent consultation on these regulations. I have also placed in the Library copies of the National Disability Council's analysis of responses to its recent consultation exercise on proposals for a code of practice on the first of the rights of access to goods, facilities, services and premises under the DDA.

  The council is to be commended for all its efforts in producing a code of practice to such a high standard so quickly after its creation.

  Meal Costs
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the 15p limit on the allowable cost of a meal during working hours, stipulated under regulation 4 of the Social Security Benefit (Computation of Earnings) Regulations 1978, was last increased; what estimate he has made of the percentage increase in restaurant meal prices since then; and if he will increase the limit by a similar percentage. [37841]

  Mr. Burt
  The 15p limit reflects the treatment, for tax purposes, of employees who receive luncheon vouchers. It has not been increased since its introduction in 1967. No estimate has been made of the increase in restaurant meal prices and we have no plans to increase the limit.

  Child Benefit
  Mrs. Maddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for the latest year for which figures are available the distribution of child benefit expenditure among families with children, broken down into equal value income bands before and after housing costs. [37915]

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  The latest available information is in the table:

  Distribution of child benefit expenditure by equivalised income band, UK 1992–93

  Percentages

  Equivalised weekly household income (January 1993 prices)

  Before housing costs

  After housing costs

  £100 or less

  12

  28

  > £100 to £150

  26

  21

  > £150 to £200

  19

  18

  > £200 to £250

  15

  13

  > £250 to £300

  10

  8

  > £300 to £350

  7

  4

  Over £350

  11

  8

  1. Information in the table is derived from the 1992–93 households below average income dataset; 1992–93 figures are for two calendar years data combined.

  2. Income bands are based on the standard households below average income definition of income—weekly household disposable income adjusted for household size and composition (equivalised).

  3. Estimates are shown by £50 income bands except where figures would be unreliable due to small sample sizes. All estimates are subject to sampling error.

  Road Tax (Disabled People)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to revise the arrangement whereby people in receipt of the higher rate of the mobility component of disability living allowance are exempt from payment of the vehicle road fund tax on their personal vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [37985]

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport is considering options for changes to the law relating to disabled vehicle excise duty exemptions to be introduced within the November budget. We are assured that, in the meantime, no disabled person will lose entitlement to free vehicle excise duty, even if they are affected by the disability living allowance changes.

  Motability
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action has been taken by his Department in respect of the National Audit Office's study into Motability; and if he will make a statement. [38629]

  Mr. Burt
  The National Audit Office report has just been received and is now being studied by the Department.

  The motability scheme was founded in 1977 by the late Lord Goodman and Lord Sterling with all-party support. It is a unique example of collaboration between the public, voluntary and private sectors. This independent charity enables severely disabled people receiving mobility allowance—replaced by the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance from April 1992—or war pensioners mobility supplement to gain access to personal transport. Currently, over a quarter of a million disabled people enjoy the benefits of the scheme.

  The NAO report examines whether the scheme offers value for money to disabled people and how Motability monitors the quality of service the scheme provides. The report also looks at how the Department monitors Motability's activities against the conditions of the grant in aid provided. The NAO report concludes that the scheme provides good value for money to disabled people. It also notes that the Department has improved its oversight of Motability by setting out in a financial memorandum the accountability arrangements for the grant in aid towards Motability's administration costs, and holding six-monthly meetings to monitor progress.

  The NAO makes sensible recommendations for improvements in Motability's customer service and oversight of service providers. Motability has already begun to implement these recommendations and many are now in place.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  British Beef
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will undertake discussions with major fast food chains in the United Kingdom to encourage them to revert to the serving of British beef. [36414]

  Mrs. Browning
  We have already had several productive discussions with representatives of those companies who have not reverted to the serving of British beef. We continue to do all that we can in consultation with the Meat and Livestock Commission to persuade such establishments to restore British beef to their menus.

  Roseclear
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into products with similar ingredients to Roseclear remaining on the market; and if he will make a statement. [36415]
  628
  Mrs. Browning
  We are assessing whether other amateur use products may present similar risks to consumers as Roseclear. In the light of this, we may require the manufacturers to carry out further safety studies.

  Subsidies
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the level of agricultural subsidy in the United Kingdom which went to(a) production, (b) non-production and set-aside and (c) organic farming for each of the last five years. [36416]

  Mr. Boswell
  The information requested is contained in table 9.1 of "Agriculture in the United Kingdom 1995", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Crops
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assistance is available to develop uses for residual raw material from crops. [36417]

  Mr. Boswell
  The Government have funded research into industrial uses for crop by-products such as cereal and linseed straw, and there are grant-aided schemes which can be used to help projects in this area.

  Food Purity
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to provide consumers with information on the purity of the food they buy. [36418]

  Mrs. Browning
  It is an offence under the Food Safety Act 1990 to label or advertise food in a way which is likely to mislead as to the nature, substance and quality of the food. Enforcement of these requirements is the responsibility of local authorities.

  Beef Processing (Job Losses)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the number of jobs lost since March in the beef processing industries on a regional basis. [36419]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Job losses resulting from the bovine spongiform encephalopathy crisis are being monitored by the Employment Service, which is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment. Reliable regional or sectoral analysis is not available, but it is estimated that nationally up to 10,000 jobs might have been lost across all sectors affected.

  Coastal Erosion (Isle of Wight)
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assistance and advice his Department has given the Isle of Wight on coastal erosion in the last three years. [36420]

  Mr. Boswell
  In the last three years, the Ministry has provided the Isle of Wight council and all other coast protection authorities with(a) written guidance on the strategic approach to coastal defences and their environmental and economic appraisal, and (b) the results

  629
  of the Ministry's coast protection survey and of the commissioned research programme. The regional engineer has advised on individual proposals for studies and schemes, and approval for grant aid has been given to 13 such schemes and studies at an estimated cost of £4.2 million.

  EU Farm Holdings
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the distribution of payments under the common agricultural policy to EU farm holdings. [36421]

  Mr. Boswell
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given earlier today by my hon. Friend the Minister of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton, South-West (Mr. Budgen).

  Beef Export Ban
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in having the EU's ban on the export of British beef lifted. [36422]

  Mrs. Browning
  We have agreed a framework for lifting the ban, based on objective scientific criteria. We are working hard to fulfil the conditions attached to the agreement to secure the earliest possible removal of the ban.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects the ban on British beef exports to be fully lifted. [36423]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Florence agreement provides a framework for lifting the ban, with decisions based on objective criteria. We hope to be in a position by November to meet the necessary conditions for decisions to resume an export trade worth £530 million.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which directives with their relevant treaty articles have been quoted by official bodies of the European Community in respect of(a) restriction of inter-community trade in beef or derived foods and (b) prohibition of export of beef from the United Kingdom to any third nation not prohibiting its import. [24442]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 2 April 1996]: I very much regret that the hon. Member has had to wait so long for a reply.

  Commission decision 96/239/EC of 27 March 1996, which prohibited both the dispatch to other member states and the export to third countries of British beef and beef products from the UK, and Commission decision 96/362/EC of 11 June, amending decision 96/239/EC and allowing the export of certain beef products from the UK under strictly controlled conditions, were based on Council directives 90/425/EEC and 89/662/EEC. The treaty base of both these directives is article 43 EC. This treaty provision allows the Council to adopt proposals relating to implementation of the common agricultural policy.

  Cattle Slaughter Scheme
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cattle from Cornish farms have gone for slaughter under the 30 months scheme in each week since it started. [36424]

  Mr. Baldry
  Numbers of cattle slaughtered under the over 30 months scheme by farm of origin are not available.

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what response he has received from animal welfare groups to his proposal to seek to add a protocol on animal welfare to the treaty of Rome. [36425]

  Mrs. Browning
  The Government's proposal has been broadly welcomed by the welfare groups. Some argue that we should go further—for example, by pressing for an amendment to the body of the treaty with explicit reference to animals as sentient beings. However, the addition of a protocol would create a legally binding obligation and so be sufficient to meet our objective.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received on farm animal welfare. [36428]

  Mrs. Browning
  We continue to receive a high volume of comment on animal welfare issues.

  Fish Stocks
  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the efficacy to date of the European common fisheries policy in conserving herring stocks in the British sector of the North sea. [36426]

  Mr. Baldry
  Fish stocks, including North sea herring, are not constrained by national boundaries, which is why international co-operation on their conservation is essential. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, before the creation of the common fisheries policy, the North sea herring stock was subject to a total moratorium due to overfishing. Since 1983 the stock has, under joint management by the EU and Norway, been able to sustain a viable fishery. However, in the light of new and urgent scientific advice, the European Commission, with the support of member states, has agreed a reduced total allowable catch with Norway and introduced an emergency regulation to halve the catches of North sea herring in 1996. This came into effect on 2 July. This swift action is a good example of the common fisheries policy working in a responsible way to conserve fish stocks for the long-term benefit of the industry.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals Her Majesty's Government have made recently for improvements in the common fisheries policy that are aimed at conserving fish stocks and the livelihoods of those employed in the fishing industry. [36427]

  Mr. Baldry
  In December last year I launched the Fisheries Conservation Group, which brought together the industry, fisheries scientists and Fisheries Department experts to look at new ways to conserve fish stocks. Their findings were issued as a consultation document last
  631
  month and the European Commission have been kept in touch with developments as they prepared their own proposals on technical conservation.

  In addition, the CFP review group established in January 1995 by the then Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Waldegrave), has almost completed its work and is expected to report before the summer recess. I will give serious consideration to all constructive suggestions for improved fish stock conservation.

  The Government have already made it clear that it will be putting proposals to the intergovernmental conference to tackle the problem of quota hoppers. These proposals are designed to ensure that the economic benefits of UK quotas accrue to the UK's fishing communities.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he is next meeting his EU counterparts to discuss BSE. [36429]

  Mrs. Browning
  My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will attend the Agriculture Council on 22 and 23 July and expects to discuss BSE during that meeting.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what warranties will be provided regarding freedom from BSE of cattle imported to the United Kingdom as herd replacements. [37720]

  Mrs. Browning
  The existing arrangements for the importation of cattle and other livestock from the European Community and from third countries already provide for a veterinary inspection to certify that the livestock are free from any clinical signs of disease. These arrangements are on-going and apply to animals imported now as herd replacements and imported in the past as herd replacements and will continue to apply for the future. Although BSE is present in a number of other countries the incidence is much lower than in the United Kingdom, and the certification requirements which are recommended by the international animal health code of the Office International des Epizoöties are much less stringent. Purchasers may, however, specify whatever warranty they wish when buying cattle, and should take veterinary advice before doing so.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the number of cattle that contracted BSE as a result of failures of animal feed producers to implement fully BSE-related control regulations in the production, distribution and supply of animal feed since 1989. [31251]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 4 June 1996]: No such estimates are available. It has however been estimated that the introduction of the ruminant feed ban prevented more than 150,000 cases of BSE.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the results to date of the Weybridge study into possible maternal transmission of BSE. [32196]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 10 June 1996]: The work being undertaken at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency will be published in the scientific literature in due
  632
  course. We have undertaken to make known any significant findings when the interim results of the experiment are evaluated.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the 10 most recent dates of birth of cattle confirmed since 1 January as carrying the BSE agent. [32097]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 10 June 1996]: As at 17 July, the 10 most recent dates of birth for BSE cases confirmed since 1 January 1996 are:

  28 October 1992

  31 October 1992

  31 October 1992

  01 November 1992

  03 November 1992

  05 November 1992

  12 November 1992

  01 December 1992

  05 December 1992

  31 December 1992

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent(a) antibody and (b) other research carried out at the central veterinary laboratory into the infectivity of BSE in the ileum indicates infectivity of BSE eight months prior to an animal displaying clinical signs of BSE. [32324]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 17 June 1996]No PrP antibody test has been established that in BSE can specifically detect the altered protein in the ileum—assuming the protein to be a proxy for infectivity. Further work is planned in this area.

  Research at CVL into infectivity of BSE in the ileum has been confined to mouse bioassay of this tissue from cattle experimentally infected by oral dosing using a large dose of affected cow brains. Groups of infected cattle were then killed at sequential four month intervals and their tissues were sampled for bioassay of infectivity. Results of the study are incomplete, but so far infectivity has been detected in ileum of cattle from six months to 18 months after dosing. Those cattle which remained in the study developed clinical signs of BSE at 35 to 37 months after dosing. The results of assays started after 18 months post challenge are not yet available. Thus the studies indicate that, under these specified experimental conditions, infectivity is detectable by bioassay in mice from six months to at least 18 months after dosing.

  There is no evidence from the research or otherwise at present that infectivity and/or the altered PrP protein in BSE can be detected eight months prior to the onset of clinical disease.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment has been made of the potential for securing an end to the European ban on beef on the basis of introducing post mortem tests in abattoirs for diagnosing the pre-clinical incidence of BSE in animals using ileum and or brain material; and what is his assessment of the costs and efficacy of such tests. [32309]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 17 June 1996]: It is impractical to use brain material for diagnosing pre-clinical BSE as the tests which exist are effective only

  633
  on clinically affected cattle, or on cattle that are about to develop clinical disease. Immunological tests using the ileum are still being evaluated.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the usefulness of cattle post mortem antibody testing for pre-clinical diagnosis of BSE which provides for results within 15 hours of testing taking place. [32320]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 17 June 1996]: Several potential diagnostic tests exist—some rapid, others slow—which are effective only on clinically affected cattle, or on cattle that are about to develop clinical disease within three to four months. Neither the specificity of PrP antibodies nor the sensitivity of the current diagnostic immunological methods allow detection of the accumulated disease specific protein in tissues at earlier stages of incubation.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the advantages of introducing a national screening programme on the basis of amending current diagnostic procedures for BSE detection in abattoirs to include a three-month retrospective pre-clinical assessment of BSE infectivity. [32321]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 17 June 1996]: We see no benefit from doing this. Only three clinical cases of BSE have occurred since the beginning of 1995 in animals young enough to be eligible for human consumption under existing rules. The currently available diagnostic techniques do not identify cattle at the earliest stages of disease although the exact correlation between clinical symptoms, histopathology and infectivity in different tissues will not be established until the completion of the pathogenesis experiment currently under way at CVL, Weybridge.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research he has(a) commissioned, and (b) evaluated concerning the survival of BSE infectivity through the rendering processes as used by Prosper De Mulder. [33141]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 19 June 1996]: Research into the inactivation of the BSE agent was commissioned jointly by MAFF, the EU and the European and UK rendering industry. The results were published in The Veterinary Record on 9 December 1995.

  Genetically Engineered Food
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his Department's policy towards genetically engineered food. [36430]

  Mrs. Browning
  The UK has a well established and internationally respected system for the approval of novel foods including genetically modified foods. The safety of novel foods is assessed by the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes, an independent body of experts set up to advise Agriculture and Health Ministers, and the need for labelling by the independent Food Advisory Committee.

  The Government support the concept of an EU regulation on novel foods and novel food ingredients and are actively participating in discussions on the details.
  634
  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy on the labelling of foods which have been subject to genetic engineering. [36432]

  Mrs. Browning
  The Government have accepted the advice of the independent Food Advisory Committee in this area, and have supported the proposed EC regulation on novel foods and novel food ingredients. This would require special labelling for genetically modified foods where these may be significantly different from conventional foods.

  Bovine Offals
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many breaches of the ban on specified bovine offals have occurred in abattoirs since 1 May. [36433]

  Mrs. Browning
  The Meat Hygiene Service is responsible for the day to day enforcement of the specified bovine material controls in licensed fresh meat premises. Between 1 May and 10 July the agency identified three breaches of the SBM legislation. It is following up each of these cases.

  As at 10 July, the State Veterinary Service had reported 599 unannounced inspection visits to abattoirs since the 1 May. Of these two 0.3 per cent. were unsatisfactory. Problems encountered related to a number of relatively minor infractions, such as incorrect record keeping and storage. Any case involving a serious breach of these provisions will be investigated with a view to prosecution.

  Birds (Insect Control)
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the insect pest control benefits of certain species of bird; and if he will make a statement. [37366]

  Mrs. Browning
  This Department has commissioned no research on this subject and therefore has had none to evaluate.

  Sheep Dip
  Mr. Chris Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many deaths amongst farmers and agricultural workers have been attributed to the use of organophosphate sheep dips and similar treatments since 1980. [37440)

  Mrs. Browning
  Under the suspected adverse reaction surveillance scheme, officials at the Veterinary Medicines Directorate are aware of a total of four deaths in connection with OP sheep dips since the records were computerised in 1984.

  Mr. Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated which shows a correlation between the use of organophosphate sheep dips and similar treatments, and the incidence of suicide amongst farmers; and if he will make a statement. [37439]
  635
  Mr. Bowis
  I have been asked to reply.

  A three-year study by the institute of occupational medicine at Edinburgh university, to examine the neuropsychological effects of the use of organophosphate sheep dips, was commissioned jointly by the Department of Health, the Health and Safety Executive and the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food, in November 1995. The study will seek to establish whether there are any links between abnormalities of the human nervous system and exposure to sheep dips.

  Animal Feed (Wood Flour)
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what analysis he has made of wood flour as used in animal feeds; and if he will make a statement. [37914]

  Mrs. Browning
  We are not aware of the use of wood flour in animal feeds. The Feeding Stuffs Regulations 1995 prohibit the use in compound feeds of wood, sawdust or other materials derived from wood if they have been treated with wood protection products. In addition under the Agriculture Act 1970, it is an offence to sell, or have in possession with a view to sale, any material which is deleterious to animals or, through the consumption of animal products, deleterious to human beings.

  Pesticides Safety Directorate
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the Pesticides Safety Directorate has revised its framework document since its launch as an executive agency on 1 April 1993. [38777]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Pesticides Safety Directorate has revised its framework document with effect from 1 April 1996. The revised document, a copy of which will be placed in the Library of the House, reflects the changes and developments that have occurred since the directorate's launch as an agency three years ago. The changes will help the agency to build upon its record of success in the coming years.

  Central Science Laboratory
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of the prior options review of the Central Science Laboratory. [38775]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Following the prior options review of the Central Science Laboratory, the Government have decided to seek the views of independent consultants. My Department has approached potential consultants and expects to make an appointment shortly.

  This further study will consider the options of retention in the public sector as an executive agency, contractorisation and privatisation. It is expected to be completed in October 1996.

  ADAS (Research and Development)
  Mr. Marland
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the 636
  outcome of the prior options review of Agricultural Development Advisory Service research and development. [38776]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Following the prior options review the Government have decided that all of ADAS's research and development functions are suitable for privatisation. I announced on 28 June 1995 at column 696 that most of ADAS's non-research and development functions would be privatised. The ADAS research centres will therefore form part of the body to be transferred to the private sector.

  My Department is now appointing financial advisers to assist us in managing the sale of all the ADAS functions which do not need to be retained in the public sector. The timing of the sale will be decided in the light of their advice.

  Slaughtered Cattle (Disposal)
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to the oral statement of 20 March,Official Report, columns 375–86, what research he (a) has commissioned and (b) plans to commission into the effects on the water supply of the disposal of (i) offal and (ii) other waste from the slaughter of cattle on agricultural land. [23005]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 26 March 1996]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her on 16 April, Official Report, column 466.

  Beef Exports
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the cash value of(a) imports and (b) exports of beef meat and beef meat products for the United Kingdom in each of the last three years for each trading partner. [29622]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 16 May 1996]: I very much regret that the hon. Member has had to wait so long for a reply.

  Total imports and exports of beef meat and beef meat products, as recorded in the overseas trade statistics, and for the United Kingdom's top 10 trading partners for each of the last three years, are as follows:

  Exports of meat and meat offal of bovine animals

  £ thousand

  1993

  19941

  19951

  Total all countries

  389,634

  500,744

  604,525

  of which to:

  France

  183,443

  221,674

  251,952

  Italy

  48,280

  59,892

  92,224

  Netherlands

  51,180

  58,747

  66,679

  Irish Republic

  19,516

  43,736

  55,876

  South Africa

  3,956

  9,440

  23,834

  Spain

  11,654

  20,851

  18,318

  Denmark

  5,301

  7,719

  17,263

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  11,478

  12,965

  17,150

  Germany

  10,441

  10,348

  9,144

  Portugal

  991

  2,985

  8,356

  Other

  43,394

  52,387

  43,729

  1 Provisional.

  637

  Exports of prepared and preserved beef

  £ thousand

  1993

  19941

  19951

  Total all countries

  8,273

  12,179

  11,711

  of which to:

  Irish Republic

  3,779

  4,237

  4,221

  Germany

  1,440

  2,708

  2,088

  France

  555

  1,060

  1,158

  Netherlands

  438

  466

  640

  Greece

  42

  693

  616

  Portugal

  1

  714

  432

  Spain

  316

  346

  406

  Sweden

  131

  205

  310

  Denmark

  31

  203

  279

  Belgium/Luxembourgg

  220

  235

  241

  Other

  1,319

  1,310

  1,323

  1 Provisional.

  Imports of meat and meat offal of bovine animals

  £ thousand

  1993

  19941

  19951

  Total all countries

  406,719

  323,456

  400,187

  of which from:

  Irish Republic

  180,262

  136,836

  158,787

  France

  29,258

  23,980

  32,841

  Zimbabwe

  31,764

  20,137

  30,296

  Australia

  30,921

  24,256

  25,623

  Argentina

  7,138

  10,442

  24,006

  Netherlands

  28,541

  27,032

  23,535

  Uruguay

  12,514

  11,808

  22,796

  Botswana

  17,417

  12,457

  17,682

  Namibia

  14,394

  16,117

  17,544

  Brazil

  13,992

  9,542

  11,740

  Other

  40,519

  30,851

  35,338

  Imports of prepared and preserved beef

  £ thousand

  1993

  19941

  19951

  Total all countries

  159,841

  148,905

  201,602

  of which from:

  Brazil

  86,036

  68,793

  85,533

  Argentina

  20,457

  22,121

  40,270

  Irish Republic

  24,652

  24,945

  35,837

  Mauritius

  3,180

  7,678

  8,215

  Zimbabwe

  8,536

  6,770

  8,085

  Uruguay

  4,511

  5,119

  7,674

  Netherlands

  1,199

  3,225

  6,262

  Switzerland

  0

  0

  2,137

  Botswana

  2,075

  1,931

  1,945

  United States of America

  77

  618

  1,477

  Other

  9,118

  7,705

  4,167

  1 Provisional. Bovine meat which is not separately identifiable is excluded.

  638
  Totals do not necessarily equal the sum of their components due to rounding.

  Gelatine
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what experiments have been carried out on gelatine purified from cattle sources to indicate whether it might be contaminated with the infectious agent responsible for bovine spongiform encephalopathy. [31066]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 4 June 1996]: Work has been published which has examined the effects of various of the several steps involved in making gelatine. This research indicates that each stage is likely to be able to reduce any infectivity. It is important to note, however, that the raw materials for gelatine production—from animals fit for human consumption and not including specified bovine materials—should not include potentially infectious material since infectivity has never been detected experimentally in any bovine tissue not covered by the current specified bovine material ban.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps have been taken to act on the outcome of research concerning the treatment processes of(a) heating and (b) caustic soda used in gelatine purification in respect of the inactivation of BSE infectivity, funded by his Department, carried out at the neuropathogenisis unit, Edinburgh and published in the 1994 archives of virology, Vol. 139; and if he will make a statement. [33136]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 19 June 1996]: This experiment examined the reduction in infectivity of the BSE agent when exposed to caustic soda only and was therefore representative of one of the processes to which bone material is subjected in order to produce gelatine. A number of other steps are involved, including acid treatment, sterilisation and filtration, each of which contributed to the level of inactivation provided by the entire gelatine making process. The raw materials used to make gelatine do not include any tissues which have ever been found to harbour BSE infectivity. Information about all the processing steps was available to the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee when it prepared its advice to Ministers on the safety of gelatine.

  Beef Farmers
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will match by way of a national top-up payment to farmers who have sold finished stock since 20 March, the sum agreed by EU Agriculture Ministers to be distributed to beef farmers in special difficulties. [36839]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 11 July 1996]: I have no plans to do so at the present time.

WALES

  Social Services Inspectors
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many social services inspectors were employed in each year since 1991 in Wales. [36507]

  Mr. Hague
  The number of social services inspectors employed by my Department for the years 1991 to date are as follows:

  1991: 7

  1992: 8

  1993: 8

  1994: 8

  1995: 8

  1996: 6

  Three additional inspectors will be appointed as set out in my answer of 4 July 1996, Official Report, columns 507–08

  Internet
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to ensure that major publications from his Department are accompanied by a simultaneous electronic release of the text on the Internet. [37244]

  Mr. Hague
  My Department already makes some use of the Internet to publish major publications, and is considering extending its use more generally.

  Training for work expenditure 1995–96

  £ million

  TEC

  Starts

  Job outcome

  Disabled1 job outcome

  Disabled start1

  Disabled1 NVQ level 2–3

  Gwent

  0.786

  1.704

  0.325

  0.151

  0.035

  Mid Glamorgan

  0.539

  1.943

  0.242

  0.094

  0.082

  North-east Wales

  0.182

  0.987

  0.187

  0.047

  0.046

  Powys

  0.222

  0.463

  0.169

  0.087

  0.047

  South Glamorgan

  0.578

  1.922

  0.378

  0.178

  0.093

  Targed

  0.886

  1.743

  0.519

  0.262

  0.137

  West Wales

  1.026

  3.755

  1.240

  0.386

  0.307

  Total Wales

  4.219

  12.517

  3.059

  1.205

  0.747

  Source:

  TEC105B provisional 1995–96 out-turn.

  Note:

  1 These figures are for all disabled persons not only those"registered".

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what sums have been allocated by his Department to each TEC in Wales for those on training for work who gain an NVQ level 2/3 qualification(a) in total and (b) for youth trainees. [37386]

  Mr. Evans
  The information requested is contained in the following table:

  Expenditure 1995–96 £ million

  TEC

  Youth training NVQ level 2–3

  Training for work NVQ level 2–3

  Gwent

  1.381

  0.289

  Mid Glamorgan

  1.718

  0.410

  North East Wales

  1.562

  0.140

  Powys

  0.306

  0.141

  South Glamorgan

  0.902

  0.473

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 26 March,Official Report, column 521, about parliamentary questions, what method would be used by his Department in collating the information requested. [37529]

  Mr. Hague
  The examination of over 17,000 files dated back to 1989–90.

  Source:

  POLIS.

  Training for Work
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what sums have been allocated by his Department to each training and enterprise council in Wales in respect of(a) those starting training for work, (b) those in employment for seven days or more following training for work (i) in total (ii) in respect of the registered disabled, (c) registered disabled starting training for work, (d) weekly allowances for youth training and (e) disabled people on a training for work programme gaining a national vocational qualification level 2–3 qualification. [37385]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The information requested for parts(a), (b), (c) and (e) is contained in the following table. The amounts paid to youth trainees for weekly allowances are not collected centrally by the Welsh Office.

  Expenditure 1995–96 £ million

  TEC

  Youth training NVQ level 2–3

  Training for work NVQ level 2–3

  Targed

  0.895

  0.522

  West Wales

  2.536

  0.916

  Total Wales

  9.300

  2.890

  Source:

  TEC105B provisional 1995–96 out-turn.

  Obesity
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the estimated percentage of(a) men and (b) women, aged (i) 16 to 64 years and (ii) 64 years and over, who were obese for each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement. [37369]
  641
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Health Promotion Wales carried out surveys concerning obesity in 18 to 64-year-olds in 1985, 1988, 1990 and 1993 and for 65 to 75-year-olds in 1993. The information is given in the following table. The 1996 survey is currently being undertaken and results should be available next spring.

  Per cent. of the population who were obese1

  1985

  1988

  1990

  1993

  Residents aged 18 to 64:

  Men

  7.2

  7.3

  7.9

  10.8

  Women

  14.5

  15.3

  16.7

  18.3

  Residents aged 65 to 74:

  Men

  2—

  2—

  2—

  10.1

  Women

  2—

  2—

  2—

  21.0

  1 Overweight or obese is defined as body mass index (weight (Kg)/(height (m))

  2 of 30 or more for males, 28 or more for females based on self reported weight and height.

  2 Not available.

  Bus Drivers and Conductors (Assaults)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set up a study of incidents of public service bus drivers and conductors in Wales suffering from assault in the course of their work, with a view to publishing guidelines to improve their safety. [37117]

  Mr. Hague
  There is already a programme of research into assaults on bus staff and passengers which covers Wales together with England and Scotland. The programme is overseen by a standing panel on assaults on bus staff.

  Guidance for bus operators is provided in the recently revised booklet "Protecting Bus Crews", published by the Department of Transport.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the 10 largest industrial or commercial developments in Wales which resulted from inward investment since 1993; and, in each case, what estimate he has made of the number of jobs created and the average cost to public funds for each of these jobs. [37635]

  Mr. Hague
  All our dealings with inward investors are undertaken on a commercially confidential basis and we do not therefore publish details of individual projects except in cases where details of the project have been announced by the company itself. The following table contains details of the 10 largest inward investment projects, in terms of planned new jobs, which have been attracted to Wales since 1 January 1993 and which have been the subject of public announcements:

  Published figures for:

  Company

  Planned investment (£ million)

  Planned new jobs

  RSA (£ million)

  LG

  1,700

  6,100

  1—

  ASAT

  42

  1,000

  17

  Newport Wafer-Fab

  230

  768

  1—

  642

  Published figures for:

  Company

  Planned investment (£ million)

  Planned new jobs

  RSA (£ million)

  Ocean Technical Glass

  193

  750

  1—

  Aiwa

  25

  480

  5

  Ford Motor Company

  300+

  480

  1—

  Legal and General

  1—

  463

  1—

  Matsushita

  1—

  453

  1—

  Fenner

  12

  377

  1—

  Midland Bank

  1—

  370

  No support

  1 Not published.

  Details of the financial assistance offered to inward investors are commercially confidential. All such assistance complies with the rules of the relevant schemes and with EC state aid rules. The principal form of assistance offered in support of inward investment projects is regional selective assistance and where the amount offered is £75,000 or more, the total amount offered is published in "Labour Market Trends" in the quarter after the first instalment of grant is paid. Where such publication has already taken place, the relevant figure is included in the table.

  Most of the above projects are still in the process of being implemented and up-to-date information on the number of new jobs so far created by them is not held centrally.

  School Security
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make additional sums available to individual nursery, infant, primary and high schools for the purpose of adopting security measures against intruders; and if he will make a statement. [38090]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Funds have already been provided from my Department to enable eight schools in Wales to benefit from the Home Office's closed circuit television challenge. In addition, all the recommendations of the working group on school security, which included providing funding for security measures in schools, were welcomed and accepted by the Government and consideration is currently being given as to how best to implement them in Wales.

  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the implications for Wales of the Government's acceptance of the recommendations of the working group on school security regarding the provision of additional long-term funding specifically allocated for improving school security. [37846]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Funds have already been provided from my Department to enable eight schools in Wales to benefit from the Home Office's closed circuit television challenge. In addition, all the recommendations of the working group on school security, which included providing funding for security measures in schools, were welcomed and accepted by the Government and consideration is currently being given as to how best to implement them in Wales.

  Cardiff Bay Barrage
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what consultations he has had with the Environment Commissioner of the European Commission concerning the lawfulness of expenditure on the Cardiff bay barrage, in the light of the Lappel Bank judgment at the European Court of Justice; [37984]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the impact of the European Court of Justice judgment on the Lappel Bank case on the status of the Cardiff bay barrage scheme; [37990]

  (3) what independent legal advice he (a) has received and (b) proposes to commission on the impact of the Lappel Bank judgment on the exclusion of the Cardiff bay site of special scientific interest from the lower Severn estuary special protection area; if he will re-insert it into the SPA; and if he will make a statement. [37987]

  Mr. Hague
  My Department has been in regular consultation with the European Commission about the development of the Cardiff bay barrage. The Commission have accepted the UK Government's view that the construction of the Cardiff bay barrage is justified for reasons of overriding socio-economic interest. Furthermore, they are satisfied that the compensation measures under way meet the requirements of article 6(4) of Council directive 92/43/EEC. The European Court of Justice's judgment on Lappel Bank does not, therefore, have any implications for the Cardiff bay barrage.

  Beef
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make available top-up payments to producers of clean beef carcases under 30 months of age; and if he will make a statement. [38091]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Top-up payments of £23.13 and £19.70 per animal under the suckler cow and beef special premium schemes respectively will be made this summer. In addition a further £29 million is being made available to help beef producers and we are considering in consultation with the Welsh farming unions how to put this to best use.

  Gwent Health Authority
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place a copy in the Library of the Gwent health authority's report into the appointment of a senior manager in January; if he was consulted on the decision not to proceed with the report's publication on 12 July; if he has received a report back from his special independent observer on the working party of non-executive directors; and if he will make a statement. [37983]

  Mr. Hague
  No. The report was not published on legal advice and, since this was a decision for the authority to take, I was not consulted. The independent adviser does not report to me but provides advice to the sub-committee inquiring into the appointment and my Department is being kept informed of her views which are of necessity confidential. I support the authority's determination to publish a full and correct account and this will be done with as little further delay as possible.

DEFENCE

  Military Service
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the advice given to individuals liable to military service who have sworn allegiance to the Crown but whose domicile subsequently becomes independent of the United Kingdom. [36921]

  Mr. Soames
  Since the UK does not have conscription into the armed forces, on the basis that all those joining the services do so voluntarily, the question of liability for military service arises only for those members of the reserve forces with a residual call-out liability. No advice is provided to reservists whose domicile subsequently becomes independent of the UK.

  Parliamentary Question
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 25 March,Official Report, column 441, about parliamentary questions, what method would be used by his Department in collating the information requested. [37521]

  Mr. Soames
  The examination of over 27,500 files dating back to 1987–88.

  Residential Property
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many properties there are in the Ministry of Defence's stock of residential property; what is the current average rent; how many are detached single storey dwellings and what is their average rent; and how many properties are empty. [37695]

  Mr. Soames
  My Department owns 73,873 properties, including civilian dwellings, in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Some 14,498 of these are currently empty. Average weekly rents, which are set by the independent armed forces pay review body and are based on the most commonly occupied type of unfurnished accommodation, are £46.13 for officers and £30.10 for other ranks.

  There are 157 detached single storey dwellings, for which the average rent conforms with the figures given above.

  Service Men (Active Service)
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 9 July,Official Report, column 126, to the hon. Member for Congleton (Mrs. Winterton), if he will list those countries where (a) British service personnel categorised as loan service personnel are based and (b) training exercises involving British service personnel are being conducted. [37836]

  Mr. Soames
  British loan service personnel are currently based in the following countries:

  Angola

  Australia

  Barbados

  Belize

  Bermuda

  645

  British Virgin Islands

  Brunei

  Ghana

  Indonesia

  Italy

  Kenya

  Kuwait

  Latvia

  Malaysia

  Mauritius

  New Zealand

  Oman

  Portugal

  Saudi Arabia

  Sierra Leone

  Singapore

  South Africa

  Turks and Caicos Islands

  United Arab Emirates

  Zimbabwe

  Training exercises involving British service personnel are currently being conducted in the following countries:

  Australia

  Belize

  Canada

  Cyprus

  Denmark

  France

  Germany

  Gibraltar

  Jordan

  Netherlands

  Norway

  United Arab Emirates

  USA

  Market Testing
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when market testing of support services in Defence Test and Evaluation Organisation and the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency took place; what the outcome was; and if he will make a statement. [37900]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The Defence Evaluation and Research Agency was formed as an agency within the Ministry of Defence on 1 April 1995. The separate organisations which came together to form the agency each had their own market testing policies in place before 1995 operating under the umbrella of the MoD competing for quality initiative. The Defence Research Agency, for example, had already undertaken the market testing of its engineering services and support services at a number of sites. This led to the implementation of a number of different arrangements involving a mixture of outsourcing and retention of restructured in-house services. In the Defence Test and Evaluation Organisation, the support operations at several ranges have for many years been run on our behalf by contractors. I will be considering whether the entire support services division of DERA, known as DSSD, could be privatised; the feasibility of this,646
  including the possibility of incorporating some elements of support for the DTEO ranges which are not yet contractorised is currently being examined.

  Mr. Gordon Foxley
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 27 June to the hon. Member for Warley, West (Mr. Spellar),Official Report, column 63, what actions his Department has taken against Mr. Gordon Foxley following the expiry of the time limits on payment on midnight 8 and 10 July. [38189]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Mr. Gordon Foxley did not contest the statutory demand, nor did he remit to my Department the sum adjudged by the court to be due by way of compensation in respect of his actions. As a result, my Department has taken appropriate legal action. I regret that, for legal reasons, I am unable at this stage to disclose what that action is.

  Joint Rapid Deployment Force
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to improve the capability of the joint rapid deployment force. [38804]

  Mr. Portillo
  The Government are committed to the joint rapid deployment force which will become operational on 1 August. Our amphibious capability will play a key role in that force: the Royal Marines' ability to mount amphibious operations is critically dependent on the landing platform docks, currently HMS Fearless and HMS Intrepid. Both vessels have given long and distinguished service, including in the Falklands campaign, but will soon be approaching the end of their operational lives. I am pleased, therefore, to be able to announce that I am today placing a contract with GEC Marine to design and build two replacement ships at the Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd. shipyard at Barrow-in-Furness. The new LPDs will be called HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark. They displace 13,000 tonnes, have a maximum speed of 18 knots and have a crew of just over 320. They can carry up to 650 troops, a range of vehicles, including tanks, and eight landing craft. They also have a flight deck that can accommodate two EH101 helicopters or one Chinook. They are expected to enter service early in the next decade. This order will be warmly welcomed by the Royal Navy and will also be good news for Barrow and for the many subcontractors throughout the UK, providing weapons systems, marine equipments and other components for the ships. The order, worth more than £450 million to GEC Marine and its sub-contractors, will help to sustain some 2,000 jobs in the UK.

  Married Quarters
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many units of service married quarters accommodation are currently under construction; and at what cost to his Department. [37738]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 16 July 1996]: Some 53 officers' married quarters are currently being demolished and rebuilt at an estimated cost of £4.5 million.

  Dr. Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the cost of constructing new married quarters at Catterick garrison. [37737]
  647
  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 16 July 1996]: The provision of 86 quarters at Belton park, Catterick, at the end of last year cost £4.7 million. Further plans to demolish and rebuild 529 quarters at Pleasantdale, Leadmill and Waitwith/Warell estates will cost in the region of £33 million.

  Benefit Fraud
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what inquiries to detect fraud by cross-checking his Department's payroll with details of those claiming benefit he has undertaken; when these exercises took place; and how many staff were(a) suspended, (b) dismissed and (c) prosecuted as a result. [37705]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  [holding answer 17 July 1996]: None. The Ministry of Defence has neither the information nor the responsibility to make such checks. However, it would respond to inquiries made by the Benefits Agency if there were reasonable grounds for suspicion that an individual might be involved in benefit fraud.

  Britannia
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the programme for Her Majesty's yacht Britannia up to decommissioning. [37722]

  Mr. Soames
  Her Majesty's yacht Britannia is to be decommissioned in 1997. Until then, she will fulfil an active programme in support of the royal family's commitments at home and abroad, and of promotion of British commercial interests overseas. However, as with all Royal Navy vessels, we do not provide details in advance of Britannia's programme.

PRIME MINISTER

  European Central Bank
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister what consultations the Governor of the Bank of England held with him in drawing up the Maastricht proposals for a European central bank; and if he consented to those proposals. [37825]

  The Prime Minister
  The predecessor of the existing Governor of the Bank of England was a member of a committee which compiled the so-called Delors report on economic and monetary union, published in April 1989. Although influenced by this report, the plans for economic and monetary union set out in the EC treaty as amended at Maastricht were the result of negotiations between member states' Governments and were ratified according to national constitutional requirements. In particular, protocol No. 11 to the EC treaty requires Parliament and the Government to give consent to the United Kingdom's participation in the third stage of economic an monetary union, on the terms contained in the treaty, before the United Kingdom would be able to take part. The Government have stated that they will seek to participate in the third stage only if they believe that it would be in the national interest to do so, on the basis of a full assessment of the implications for the United Kingdom at the appropriate time.
  648

  Monetary and Exchange Rate Policy
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) what steps he will take in the intergovernmental conference to ensure that decisions of the EU, the European system of central banks and the European Court of Justice concerning monetary and exchange rate policy are not binding on the United Kingdom; [37829]

  (2) if he will ensure at the intergovernmental conference that no restriction, with special reference to the role of the Bank of England and EU institutions, is placed directly or indirectly on the power of the United Kingdom Government to determine monetary and exchange rate policy. [37828]

  The Prime Minister
  Protocol No. 11 to the EC treaty on certain provisions relating to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland states that the United Kingdom shall not be obliged or committed to participate in the third stage of economic and monetary union without a separate decision to do so by the Government and Parliament. Paragraph 4 of the protocol states that the United Kingdom would"retain its powers in the field of monetary policy according to national law"
  were it to notify the Council of Ministers that it did not intend to move to the third stage. Paragraphs 5 and 8 of the protocol list those articles from the treaty and the statute of the European system of central banks from which the United Kingdom would be specifically excluded in these circumstances.

  As the Government's White Paper on the intergovernmental conference, "A Partnership of Nations", made clear, it is not expected that economic and monetary union will be discussed at the IGC. The Government have no reason to challenge that expectation, and will not be seeking to change the treaty arrangements relating to the United Kingdom.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will set up an inquiry to examine(a) the reasons for the spread of BSE, (b) the use of animal material in feedstuffs, (c) the effectiveness of the measures taken to deal with the situation since 1986 and (d) the quality of the advice available to the Government on this matter. [38003]

  The Prime Minister
  No. These are essentially technical scientific issues which have been considered many times by the Government's own committee of independent scientific advisers, the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee. I have every confidence in the quality of the advice from SEAC.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 18 July. [36683]

  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 18 July. [36685]

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

  Burma
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has made to the Burmese Government about the death of James Leo Nichols, a United Kingdom citizen; and if he will make a statement. [37477]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 17 July 1996]: Together with our EU partners, we issued a statement on 5 July calling for a full and satisfactory explanation from the Burmese authorities of the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the death on 22 June of Mr. Nichols, who was a Burmese citizen. The statement also called for an investigation into Mr. Nichols' death by the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Burma.

HEALTH

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will ensure that health authorities consult community health councils on proposals to establish GP out-of-hours treatment centres; and if he will make a statement; [36191]

  (2) if he will ensure that community health councils are given the right to be formally consulted about the services commissioned from general practitioners; and if he will make a statement; [36189]

  (3) if he will make it his policy that health authorities consult community health councils on proposals to establish general practitioner out-of-hours treatment centres; and if he will make a statement. [36293]

  Mr. Horam
  Under the Community Health Councils Regulations 1996, health authorities are required to consult their local community health council"on any proposals which the Health Authority may have under consideration for any substantial development of the health service in the Council's district and on any proposals to make any substantial variation in the provision of such service".

  There is no explicit requirement for health authorities to consult CHCs about general medical services, which are the responsibility of general medical practitioners and governed by the National Health Service (General Medical Services) Regulations 1992.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the total number of general practitioners(a) born outside the EC and (b) who qualified outside the EC by region. [37147]

  Mr. Malone
  [holding answer 12 July 1996]: The latest available information is shown in the table. Data on country of birth of general practitioners is derived from General Medical Council data, which are incomplete and unreliable.

  Number of unrestricted principals who qualified outside the European Community by region at 1 October 1995

  Region

  Total number of unrestricted principals

  Number of unrestricted principals qualified outside EC

  Northern and Yorkshire

  3,749

  550

  Trent

  2,555

  406

  650

  Number of unrestricted principals who qualified outside the European Community by region at 1 October 1995

  Region

  Total number of unrestricted principals

  Number of unrestricted principals qualified outside EC

  Anglia and Oxford

  2,932

  258

  North Thames

  3,776

  1,144

  South Thames

  3,640

  669

  South and West

  3,860

  111

  West Midlands

  2,799

  672

  North Western

  3,391

  770

  Total

  26,702

  4,580

  NHS Staff Morale
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will commission research into the factors underlying staff morale in the NHS. [37188]

  Mr. Malone
  It is the responsibility of local employers to ensure good morale is maintained within the national health service work force. The NHS executive maintains a national overview of human resource effectiveness in the NHS and commissions, and collaborates with, research studies into human resource management issues.

  Hospital Readmissions
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 7 June,Official Report, column 585, to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Dr. Jones), if he will publish the information on hospital readmissions. [37505]

  Mr. Bowis
  We shall publish information on hospital re-admissions in the next "NHS Quarterly Review".

  Saquinivir
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has commissioned into an extended access programme for saquinivir; and if he will make a statement. [37183]

  Mr. Horam
  Where different drug regimes are available, it is a matter for individual clinicians to discuss with patients and decide on the best form of treatment. We do not run extended access programmes in the United Kingdom.

  Hepatitis C
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has in respect of haemophilia and the hepatitis C virus to increase the resources for
  (a) reatment and support services for those infected,(b) research, (c) core funding to the Haemophilia Society to provide services and support on a continuing basis and (d) funding for recombinant products. [37875]

  Mr. Horam
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Nottingham, East (Mr. Heppell) on 15 July,Official Report, columns 376–77.
  651

  Clinical Waste
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS hospitals in the Greater London area currently have facilities to incinerate their own clinical waste. [37861]

  Mr. Malone
  This information is not held centrally.

  NHS Purchasing
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library the research brief on alternative models for purchasing in the NHS on which he plans to seek tenders. [38033]

  Mr. Malone
  Work on primary care models of purchasing has already been tendered. There is, as yet, no commitment to support further research.

  Yorkshire Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will establish a public inquiry into the irregular payments made to senior officers at the Yorkshire regional health authority. [38320]

  Mr. Malone
  No.

  Tobacco Advertising
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the ninth annual report of the Committee for Monitoring Agreements on Tobacco Advertising and Sponsorship. [38806]

  Mr. Horam
  The chairman of the Committee for Monitoring Agreements on Tobacco Advertising and Sponsorship has submitted the ninth report to Health Ministers and the Secretary of State for National Heritage. Copies will be placed in the Library. I am very grateful to the committee, and particularly the chairman, Sir Clive Whitmore, GCB CVO, for their valuable work in monitoring the agreements. The report shows that the industry has continued to honour its commitments.

  Royal Victoria Infirmary
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the business case for a multi-storey car park at the Royal Victoria infirmary was received; when a partner company was selected; when the proposals was submitted for private finance initiative approval; and when he expects to announce the commencement of construction. [38093]

  Mr. Horam
  The full business case for this development was received by the former Northern and Yorkshire regional health authority in August 1994. A partner company was selected in March 1993. The proposal was submitted for private finance initiative approval and it was approved by the national health service executive in February 1995. The Royal Victoria and Associated Hospitals national health service trust expects to announce commencement of construction shortly.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence he has received from the German 652
  Government to support allegations that the slaughter measures originally proposed by the British Government in March in respect of BSE were inadequate on health grounds. [31819]

  Mrs. Browning
  I have been asked to reply.

  None. The Government's bovine spongiform encephalopathy eradication plan was approved unanimously by the Commission's Standing Veterinary Committee on 19 June and adopted unanimously by the European Council at Florence on 21 June. The Prime Minister made a full statement to the House on 24 June, Official Report, columns 21–24.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Traditional Engineering Apprenticeships
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many hours are spent (a) in the classroom studying the theoretical subjects and(b) gaining practical experience under the traditional engineering apprenticeship. [37077]

  Mr. Paice
  This information is not available.

  School Security
  Mr. Chris Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of expenditure within the 1997–98 grant for education support and training programme will be allocated to the improvement of school security. [37438]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Government have accepted all the recommendations of the working group on school security, including the need for additional funding. This will be made available through the GEST programme from 1997–98 as indicated in the Department for Education and Employment circular 13/96 issued to LEAs on 12 July. Funding levels within the 1997–98 GEST programme will be determined as part of the public expenditure survey and announced after the Budget. A copy of the circular 13/96 has been placed in the Library.

  Children (Mobility Impairments)
  Mr. Khabra
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what measures she has taken to secure access to nursery education for children with mobility impairments. [3726]

  Mrs. Gillan
  Proposals in the Nursery Education and Grant-Maintained Schools Bill and the associated requirements of grant will ensure that all children, including those with disabilities, have the opportunity to experience good quality nursery education.

  Departmental Costs
  Sir Malcolm Thornton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what are the total aggregate costs to her Department of administration, oversight, audit and other regulation of each of the non-departmental public bodies, agencies and similar bodies sponsored by her Department. [37503]
  653
  Mr. Robin Squire
  The costs of overseeing the bodies sponsored by the Department cannot easily be disaggregated from the costs of related activities. However, estimated total aggregate costs of a recurring nature for the 1996–97 financial year in respect of the Department's oversight of the Employment Service, the Teachers' Pensions Agency and the 25 non-departmental public bodies and similar bodies sponsored by the Department are £1.4 million.

  Teachers (Redundancies)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many teachers have been made redundant in each year since 1979. [37752]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Teachers
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many qualified(a) maths, (b) English and (c) science teachers there were in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools, in each year since 1979. [37753]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Information about the qualifications of all secondary teachers is available only from the secondary school staffing surveys, which were conducted in 1984, 1988, and 1992. The number of full-time teachers in maintained secondary schools in England who had a post A-level qualification in one of the subjects requested was as follows:

  Thousands

  Year

  Maths1

  English1

  Science1

  1984

  47.9

  54.6

  n/a

  1988

  42.0

  45.7

  49.6

  1992

  38.1

  40.1

  46.2

  1 Some teachers counted in more than one of the three subjects listed.

  Primary teachers are generally trained to teach the full range of the primary curriculum.

  Nursery Voucher Scheme
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will give the approximate expenditure expected to be incurred prior to the end of July 1996 in relation to the scheme for under-five pre-school settings by(a) her Department, (b) Capita Managed Services, (c) each of the education authorities now operating phase 1 of the scheme, (d) inspection activities, (e) surveys or investigations
  and (f) information. [38089]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  To date, the following sums have been paid to the local education authorities operating phase 1 of the scheme:

  Norfolk LEA: £2,266,668

  Wandsworth: £863,600

  Westminster: £358,318

  Kensington and Chelsea: £255,750.

  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on 20 February, Official Report, column 120, to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Warrington, South
  654
  (Mr. Hall) on 26 June, Official Report, column 758, to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Brentford and Isleworth (Mr. Deva) on 7 March, Official Report, column 348, to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend for Chingford (Mr. Duncan Smith) on 19 April, Official Report, column 621 and to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 16 July, Official Report, column 466.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will place in the Library the tender documents received by the Office for Standards in Education for the main contract for inspection of(a) nursery settings in the area of the four education authorities receiving nursery vouchers and (b) other settings elsewhere which she expects to participate in the scheme after April 1997. [38088]

  Mr. Squire
  I understand the tenders received by Ofsted for the administration of the contracting for the inspections of private and voluntary sector providers in the nursery education voucher scheme are still under evaluation. It is inappropriate to release information regarding commercially sensitive pricing.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will place in the Library a list of the surveys, investigations or evaluations which have been commissioned in respect of the scheme for nursery vouchers, and for each give(a) the cope and purpose of each investigation, (b) the terms of reference, (c) the questions asked, (d) the body or organisations (i) commissioning and (ii) undertaking the study, (e) the cost, (f) the body providing the finance and (g) the date or planned date of publication. [38087]

  Mr. Squire
  I gave details of research projects relating to phase 1 of the nursery education voucher scheme in my reply to a question from the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 16 July,Official Report, column 466. The two surveys were commissioned by the Central Office of Information on behalf of the Department, and undertaken by the British Market Research Bureau International. I am arranging for copies of the questionnaires employed to be placed in the Library. The analyses of data on voucher issue and redemption are being conducted internally.

  Tenders for a longitudinal research study of effective pre-school education are currently being considered. Details will be announced if and when a contract results.

  In addition, the nursery education voucher scheme comes within the ambit of the Department's internal audit division and will be reviewed in the usual way.

  Langham School, Haringey
  Mr. Forman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement on the future of Langham secondary school, Haringey.[38773]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The following letter was today sent by an official of the Department to the chairman of the governing body of Langham school, Haringey:I am directed by the Secretary of State to thank you for your letter received on 14 June 1996 giving the governing body's response to Mr. Stark's letter of 9 May 1996, which consulted you on a proposal to provide for Langham School to be conducted by an Education Association.

  655
  The Secretary of State has considered carefully all the responses she has received, including the representations made by the school's governors and the chief education officer of Haringey when they met with the Minister for Schools, Mr. Squire on 2 July.
  The Secretary of State notes that the Governors have a clear sense of purpose and show dedication to the school. She notes that they have taken a firm grip on finance and management, and that in June they appointed a substantive head teacher and deputy head teacher. She also notes that in the past few months there have been encouraging signs of improvement at the school, including a sharp fall in permanent exclusions, an improvement in the key stage 3 SAT results, and an increase in the proportion of pupils entered for GCSEs. She also notes the Governors' assurances that measures are in hand to improve the quality of teaching, including where necessary competence proceedings. She has also noted the assurances from Haringey LEA that it will provide continued support to underpin improvements at the school.
  Therefore the Secretary of State has decided not to transfer Langham School to the conduct of an Education Association at the present time. However, the Secretary of State's power to transfer Langham School to the conduct of an Education Association remains in force until such time as the school receives an HMI report stating that it no longer requires special measures. The Secretary of State will continue to watch carefully developments of the school and will pay particular attention on to the report of the next HMI monitoring visit, which we understand is likely to be in November.
  The Secretary of State remains concerned by one aspect of the responses from the Governors and LEA. In the earlier stages of consultation the chief education officer of Haringey contested the validity of the HMI monitoring report of March 1996. Subsequently, however, the chief education officer has said that standards of teaching had in fact fallen sharply between November 1995 and March 1996, but has argued that remedial measures had begun to remedy the situation by the time of the March 1996 HMI visit. The Secretary of State is disappointed that the governors and LEA did not make this complete view of the position clear to her much earlier, especially since they were given the opportunity to do so. In particular, the Secretary of State considers that the action of Haringey LEA in impugning the validity of the HMI monitoring report was unjustifiable and reprehensible.
  The Secretary of State believes that Langham School and others in its position can recover only if their governors and local education authorities are open in their reports on the situation. She is concerned that this has not happened at Langham, and proposes that you and the chief education officer of Haringey meet the Minister for Schools, Mr. Robin Squire, at this Department to discuss this further. A meeting has been arranged for 3.00pm this afternoon, Thursday 18 July.
  I am also writing in similar terms to the Director of Education Services at Haringey Council, the Head Teacher of Langham School and the Chief Executive of the Funding Agency for Schools.
  N J Sanders
  Director, School Funding and Effectiveness and Teachers

  Self-employment
  Mr. Mark Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement on her Department's plans to encourage self-employment in rural areas. [38774]

  Mr. Paice
  Since the issue of the White Paper "Rural England—A Nation Committed to a Living Countryside" in October 1995, we have worked closely with the Rural Development Commission, RDC, and the Consortium of Rural Training and Enterprise Councils, CORT, to evaluate possible new arrangements to encourage business start-ups in rural areas.

  The Government continue to provide a wide range of services for people, including those living in rural areas, who are either already in self-employment or are considering starting up in business. The services are used
  656
  extensively by people who live in rural areas, but there is scope to improve access for people who live in remote areas. Consequently, we intend to strengthen the delivery of these services in rural development areas through:

  (a) local projects contributing to a national focus for good practice and innovation in promoting self-employment in emote rural areas;

  (b) a new brochure for self-employed people living in remote rural areas, outlining what help is available through trainin and enterprise councils—TECs—colleges, business links and other agencies;

  (c) a conference for TECs and their partners on effective strategies for promoting self-employment in remote rural areas, and

  (d) increased attention to the needs of remote rural areas when greeing plans for support services for self-employed people.

TRANSPORT

  Maritime Skills Report
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will publish the report of the study into the requirement for United Kingdom maritime skills. [38856]

  Mr. Norris
  The report, "A Study of the UK Economy's Requirements for People with Experience of Working at Sea" commissioned jointly by the Department of Transport, the Chamber of Shipping and the Marine Society has been published today. I have placed copies of the report in the Library.

  The Government have long recognised the importance of trained seafarers for defence and economic reasons and provides targeted support for Merchant Navy training, principally through the Government assistance for training and the development of certificated seafarers schemes.

  The Government will consider the report's findings very carefully. The shipping and related shore-based industries will also want to consider how best to meet the potential problems highlighted in the report.

  Rail Franchising
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by how much the subsidy requirements of the railway franchises which have so far been let fall below the claim made by British Rail for financial support less any administered profit; and if he will list the reductions for each franchise over the next seven years. [35986]

  Mr. Watts
  The table shows the reductions in support for passenger rail services required by private sector franchisees compared with the BR budget, excluding budgeted administered profit. The grant figures for franchisees include costs associated with the substantial additional investment in rail services to which they are committed. Because the BR figures exclude administered profit, this comparison makes no allowance for the additional benefit to the taxpayer of transferring financial risk from the public to the private sector through franchising. Nonetheless, the figures show that, after an initial increase, the net financial burden on the taxpayer will fall by nearly £200 million by the seventh year.
  657

  £ million

  Franchise year

  BR budget

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  South West Trains

  65,940

  -4.632

  -5.275

  -7.561

  -12.527

  -17.189

  -22.340

  -25.668

  Great Western

  45.690

  15.185

  10.943

  6.279

  0.409

  -5.146

  -8.180

  -10.456

  Inter City East Coast

  56.890

  9.497

  -4.139

  -23.157

  -42.399

  -51.589

  -55.092

  -56.890

  Midland Main Line

  10.480

  7.001

  -3.168

  -8.555

  -9.696

  -11.143

  -13.088

  -14.888

  Gatwick Express

  -3.930

  -0.597

  3.930

  -3.917

  -5.727

  -6.551

  -7.309

  -7.794

  Network South Central

  93.030

  -6.362

  -22.449

  -43.063

  48.138

  -51.356

  -56.346

  -58.388

  London, Tilbury Southend

  30.670

  -1.180

  -4.064

  -6.673

  -8.143

  -9.523

  -10.819

  -12.035

  Chiltern

  16.470

  0.052

  -3.474

  -4.613

  -7.870

  -10.896

  -12.348

  -13.600

  Total

  315.240

  18.964

  -27.696

  -91.260

  -134.091

  -163.393

  -185.522

  -199.719

  The BR budget is the latest available. For GW and SWT it is the revised 1995–96, for the others the preliminary 1996–97.

  Positive numbers indicate price increases, negative numbers price decreases.

  The BR budget figure for South West Trains and Great Western refers to the final 1995–96 budget, since these two franchises began operations during the financial year 1995–96. The remaining BR budget figures refer to the preliminary 1996–97 budget, which is still subject to negotiation between the BR Board and the franchising director.

  Contracts
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number, nature and value of contracts awarded by his Department to Coopers and Lybrand, KPMG, Price Waterhouse, Ernst and Young,

  Number and value of contracts let during 1995–96

  Coopers and Lybrand

  KPMG

  Price Waterhouse

  Ernst and Young

  Deloitte and Touche

  Arthur Andersen

  Grant Thornton

  BDO Stoy Hayward

  Pannel Kerr Forster

  Robson Rhodes

  Total number

  Total value £

  Privatisation

  2

  2

  2

  1

  1

  2,680,250

  Market testing

  1

  1

  17,900

  Management advice

  0

  0

  Accounting

  1

  1

  2

  17,600

  Audit

  4

  2

  2

  8

  198,776

  Consultancy

  2

  1

  1

  7

  196,316

  Other

  1

  1

  80,000

  Total

  4

  7

  4

  6

  3

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  26

  3,190,842

  Number and value of contracts let during current financial year to June 1996

  Coopers and Lybrand

  KPMG

  Price Waterhouse

  Ernst and Young

  Deloitte and Touche

  Arthur Andersen

  Grant Thornton

  BDO Stoy Hayward

  Pannel Kerr Forster

  Robson Rhodes

  Total number

  Total value £

  Privatisation

  2

  2

  202,000

  Market testing

  0

  0

  Management advice

  0

  0

  Accounting

  0

  0

  Audit

  1

  1

  37,541

  Consultancy

  1

  1

  1

  3

  13,526,150

  Other

  1

  1

  35,000

  Total

  2

  2

  —

  1

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7

  3,800,691

  1 One contract includes a joint award with a contractor not listed in the question.

  Rail Ticket Sales
  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will institute a review of rail ticket sales following the research findings of the Consumers Association relating to the compliance of train operators with their licence obligations in respect of ticket advice, a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will fine those companies found to be in breach of their licences. [37845]

  Mr. Watts
  The enforcement of licence obligations is a matter for the independent rail regulator. He has said that the intends shortly to launch a wide-ranging consultation exercise on the practical application of train operators' obligations on impartial ticket retailing.
  658
  Deloitte and Touche, Arthur Andersen, Grant Thornton, BDO Stoy Hayward, Pannel Kerr Forster, and Robson Rhodes and their subsidiaries and associates, during 1995 and 1996. [37320]

  Mr. Norris
  The information requested is set out in the following tables.

  Heavy Goods Vehicle Licences
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if "grandfather rights" under the requirements of the second EC directive on licences will be revoked from 1 January 1997 for all existing lorry licence holders when they apply to renew a licence. [38182]

  Mr. Norris
  We propose that existing holders of group 2 driving licences should be able to renew their licences as long as they continue to meet present eyesight standards. Drivers who cannot meet these standards, but who have been allowed to continue driving under "grandfather rights" will also be able to renew their licences if they are regular drivers and have not been involved in an accident where eyesight might have been a factor. These proposals will shortly be the subject of consultation.

  Trans-European Transport Network
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in reaching the necessary European Parliament and Council co-decision on Community guidelines for the development of the trans-European transport network. [38857]

  Mr. Watts
  Negotiations to agree a suitable text for the transport TENS guidelines have reached a successful conclusion. The text of the agreement was deposited before the Scrutiny Committee of the House, and that of another place, on 12 July. It was adopted formally by the Council by means of the written procedure on 16 July, and on the same day by the European Parliament after a formal debate.

  Adoption of the guidelines means that member states can now proceed to decide on the allocation of the TENS funds available for transport projects in 1996. The TENS financial assistance committee, which is composed of representatives of member states, is to meet to determine this allocation on 25 July.

  North Circular Road
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the various contracts to upgrade the A406—north circular road—at Sterling way, Fore street, Angel road and Lea valley viaduct to be completed; what steps he is taking to overcome the delays announced on some of them; and if he will make a statement. [36843]

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

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Ms Clare Short, dated 18 July 1996:

  As you know I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the A406 London North Circular Road.

  There are three adjoining contracts to improve this road between Stirling Way and Hall Lane. Contract A, the Fore Street Underpass section, is expected to be completed in December 1997, Contract B, the Angel Road Viaduct section, is scheduled for completion in December 1996 and Contract C, the Lea Valley section should be finished in August this year.

  Delays have been caused by several factors including having to contend with uncharted essential utility service pipes and cables, unexpected ground conditions and unforeseen obstructions encountered during piling work. To try to overcome some of the problems, the Contractors are working longer hours, increasing resources and reviewing their methods and sequence of construction.

  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how far negotiations have proceeded with the London borough of Enfield regarding compensation for the removal from Pymmes park, N18 of a cedar tree as part of the compulsory purchase of licence land relating to the widening of the A406 at Sterling way—north circular road; what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the current replacement offer from the Highways Agency; what further compensation is due as a result of the compulsory purchase order procedures and carrying out of highway and other works in the vicinity of Pymmes park; and if he will make a statement. [36844]

  Mr. Norris
  I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to the hon. Member.
  660
  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Ms Clare Short, dated 18 July 1996:

  As you know, The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent question about the compensation being claimed by Enfield Borough Council in respect of land taken from Pymmes Park for the widening of the A406 North Circular Road.

  The plot of land on which the cedar tree was located is required under an essential licence for the purpose of providing the contractor with working space for the duration of the adjacent roadworks. The District Valuer has reached agreement with the Council on the compensation payable for the use of this land and the Highways Agency propose to arrange for this to be settled shortly. The Council have not raised the possibility of submitting a further claim in respect of the loss of the tree itself.

  The major part of the land taken at Pymmes Park is required for the permanent works and is proceeding on the basis of an exchange of land. The Highways Agency is arranging for the former Willoughby Gas Works Site to be upgraded and given to the Council as replacement pubic open space for that which has been lost as a result of the highway scheme.

  Lighthouses
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has held with(a) the Lights Advisory Committee, (b) the Marine Safety Agency, (c) Trinity House, (d) the Northern Lighthouse Board and (e) the Commissioners for Irish Lights concerning the advisability of constructing lighthouses in particular locations; and if he will make a statement. [37264]

  Mr. Norris
  All significant changes to the provision of aids to navigation around the coasts of the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, proposed by the general lighthouse authorities, are discussed with the Lights Advisory Committee and the Marine Safety Agency. Recent discussions have been held regarding the provision of leading lights at Corlis Point—Shannon estuary—by the commissioners for Irish Lights, construction of a major light at Haskeir island and minor lights at Monach and Gasker islands in the deep water route west of the Hebrides and marking of the south eastern extremity of the 8 m islet to the west of Eileanan Dubha by the Northern Lighthouse Board.

  Cycling Accidents (Children)
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many children received head injuries in cycling accidents in each of the past five years. [38234]

  Mr. Norris
  National statistics are not available.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many children(a) died and (b) were injured in cycling accidents in each of the past five years. [38233]

  Mr. Norris
  The information is shown in the following table:

  Child casualties (0 to 15 years in cycling accidents)1

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  Child fatalities

  50

  48

  37

  42

  48

  Child injured

  8,132

  7,677

  7,349

  8,033

  8,085

  Total child casualties

  8,182

  7,725

  7,386

  8,075

  8,133

  1 The child casualties relate to those killed or injured while cycling and exclude children injured in cycling accidents who were not cycling.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Queen's University, Belfast
  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many actions have been brought by the Fair Employment Commission against Queen's university, Belfast in each of the last 10 years. [36600]

  Mr. Ancram
  The Fair Employment Commission for Northern Ireland was established on 1 January 1990. Since that date, the commission has provided limited assistance to 35 complainants involving Queens university, Belfast.

  The breakdown of cases lodged by calendar year is as follows:

  Year

  Cases lodged

  1990

  4

  1991

  2

  1992

  10

  1993

  11

  1994

  5

  1995

  3

  1996

  10

  1 To date.

  Drumcree, Portadown
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if razor wire is being used by the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Army at Drumcree, Portadown; and if he will make a statement. [37162]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The use of barbed wire in the Drumcree area was an operational decision taken by the Chief Constable and a direct result of the public order situation prevailing at that time. The security forces did not use razor wire.

  Mr. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if armed forces are deployed on the line between Drumcree cemetery and the Derryonville road, Portadown. [37127]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The Army was deployed in support of the RUC operation in the Greater Portadown area.

  Mr. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what requirements are placed on members of the RUC to display their service numbers when on duty; for what reasons RUC officers serving at Drumcree parish church since Sunday 6 July have not been displaying their service numbers; if he will make arrangements to ensure that all officers of the RUC display service numbers when on duty; and if he will make a statement. [37160]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The display of service numbers is a matter for the Chief Constable. RUC directions require constables and sergeants to wear their service number on the epaulettes of all outer garments when in uniform. Officers of inspector rank and above display rank only on their epaulettes when in uniform.

  Mr. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many plastic bullets have been fired in the vicinity of Drumcree, Portadown since Sunday 6 July; how many civilians have been injured by the use of these bullets at Drumcree; and how many of the bullets have been fired at close range. [37161]
  662
  Sir John Wheeler
  Plastic bullets are not in use in Northern Ireland, but 90 plastic baton rounds were fired in the Portadown sub-divisional area between 6 am on Sunday 7 July and noon on Thursday 11 July. Four persons are alleged to have been injured as a result. The RUC has strict guidelines governing the use of plastic baton rounds, including the range of fire; their usage is carefully monitored as a matter of policy.

  Royal Ulster Constabulary
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he has taken to ensure the primacy of the RUC in operations in Portadown and district. [37128]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The fact that the police have complete primacy in operational matters has been well established throughout Northern Ireland.

  Education and Library Boards
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when his proposals for reducing the number of education and library boards will be implemented. [37217]

  Mr. Ancram
  In my statement of 25 June, I undertook to consult the education and library boards before finalising a date for the implementation of the new structure. Those consultations are continuing.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what factors underlay his policy of appointing representatives to education and library boards. [37221]

  Mr. Ancram
  The present arrangements for appointments to education and library boards are set out in schedule 2 of the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money will be saved under his proposals for reducing the number of education and library boards; and if he will itemise the savings. [37168]

  Mr. Ancram
  My estimate is that the restructuring will save approximately £2 million, of which one half is expected to come from a reduction in senior management structures and central service functions and one half from efficiencies in the delivery of executive services. These estimates will be updated as detailed planning proceeds for the implementation of the new structure.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the extent to which his proposals for reducing the number of education and library boards ensure greater uniformity of provision for comparable schools. [37220]

  Mr. Ancram
  One of the objectives in reducing the number of education and library boards from five to three is to reduce the number of different school funding formulae presently used by the boards and to develop, in conjunction with the newly restructured boards, a greater uniformity of approach in allocating resources to similar schools under the local management of schools funding arrangements.

  Creches
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the capital expenditure on creche provision in further education in each of the last five years. [37165]

  Mr. Ancram
  Capital expenditure on creche provision has been an integral part of capital works at colleges of further education and is not separately identifiable.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 1 April,Official Report, column 68, on parliamentary questions, what method would be used by his Department in collating the information requested. [37537]

  Sir John Wheeler
  To collate the information for the Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office would require the examination of over 11,000 files dating back to 1989–90.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 27 March,Official Report, columns 613–14, about parliamentary questions, what method would be used by his Department in collating the information requested. [37536]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The method used by the Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office would be an examination of over 15,000 files dating back to 1987–88.

  Further Education Colleges
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consultation papers he has produced on the policy of incorporation of further education colleges; and if he will make them available. [37201]

  Mr. Ancram
  The planning and funding system for further education colleges has been discussed widely as part of the work of the review group on further education which reported in 1992 and as part of the review of educational administration from 1993 to 1995. The documents relating to these reviews are widely available. Since the announcement of incorporation in September 1995, the planning process has involved widespread dialogue and consultation with education and library boards, colleges, governors and unions. There will also be a period of formal consultation following the publication of the draft order.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which further education colleges involve students in their managing bodies. [37209]

  Mr. Ancram
  The Belfast institute of further and higher education is the only further education college whose constitution specifically provides for student representation on its governing body.

  Full-time Students
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of young people are full-time students for each year group in the age cohort 16 to 25 years and for the cohort as a whole. [37203]
  664
  Mr. Ancram
  Information in respect of Northern Ireland domiciled students in 1994–95 is set out in the table:

  Age

  Estimated full-time students as percentage of home population

  16

  75

  17

  62

  18

  48

  19

  36

  20

  32

  21

  23

  22

  14

  23

  8

  24

  5

  25

  3

  16 to 25

  30

  Graduates (Employment)
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what statistics he collates on the number and percentage of graduates obtaining employment after leaving Northern Ireland higher education establishments. [37205]

  Mr. Ancram
  Data on the first destinations of students qualifying at higher education institutions throughout the United Kingdom are collated by the Higher Education Statistics Agency, and the standard tabulation breaks employment into paid full-time permanent employment in the UK, other employment in the UK, and employment overseas. Further breakdowns by age, sex, subject of study, standard industrial classification of employer, standard occupational classification, and geographical region of employment can be produced.

  Book Allowances
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list, by institution, the number and value of book allowances made available to students in further education. [37213]

  Mr. Ancram
  No specific book allowances are made available to students in colleges of further education in Northern Ireland. Colleges' delegated budgets, which are allocated by education and library boards on a formula funding basis, include provision for expenditure on books.

  Internet
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has ensure that major publications from his Department are accompanied by a simultaneous electronic release of the text on the Internet. [37238]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The Department of Finance and Personnel has had a presence on the Internet since May 1995 and provides an electronic publication service for Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office.

  Each Department has identified a senior official who is responsible for co-operating with departmental business managers to determine which publications should be published on the Internet.

  Nursery Voucher Scheme
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what will be the charge of the firm, Capita, for administering the nursery voucher scheme in Northern Ireland; and what will be the cost per voucher. [37167]

  Mr. Ancram
  No contract has yet been entered into with any firm for the administration of the voucher scheme in Northern Ireland.

  Obesity
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the estimated percentage of(a) men and (b) women, aged (i) 16 to 64 years and (ii) 64 years and over, who were obese for each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement. [37367]

  Mr. Moss
  The Northern Ireland health and activity survey, which was published in April 1994, provides data on obesity in Northern Ireland in 1992. This information is given in the following table in the age groups used in the survey. Data on obesity for other years since 1979 are not available.

  Per cent. of the population who were obese in 1 1992

  Aged

  16–24

  25–34

  35–44

  45–54

  55–64

  65–74

  Men

  3

  9

  25

  18

  25

  23

  Women

  16

  15

  23

  30

  33

  23

  1 Obese is defined as Body Mass Index (weight (KG)/height (m))2 of 30 or more for males and 28.6 for females.

  Incorporated Colleges
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make available the interim report of the Department of Education and education and library boards working groups and the guidance documents relating to incorporation of further education colleges. [37202]

  Mr. Ancram
  The interim report is an internal document prepared by a working group for use by colleges and education and library boards in taking forward various issues relating to the transfer of responsibilities. It was not intended for publication. A guidance document is currently being prepared for publication and will be widely available.

  Further Education Students
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what analysis he has conducted of the characteristics of students entering further education; and if he will make a statement. [37208]

  Mr. Ancram
  Analysis which has been conducted on the profile of further education students has related to all such students, rather than entrants alone. This indicates that, in 1994–95, 71 per cent. of further education enrolments were part-time; 60 per cent. were female; 52 per cent. were aged 19 years or under and 34 per cent. aged 26 years or over; 25 per cent. were studying "science only" subjects and 42 per cent. "arts only"; and the breakdown of enrolments by course was A/AS level 11 per cent. GCSE 15 per cent., Business and Technician 666
  Education Council 17 percent., city and guilds 17 percent., Royal Society of Arts 18 per cent., professional bodies 6 per cent., others 16 per cent.

  Student Awards
  Mr. Wothington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will express expenditure on student awards as a percentage of the Northern Ireland gross domestic product in each of the past five years. [37206]

  Mr. Ancram
  The information is set out in the table.

  £ million

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  Expenditure on student awards

  107.7

  131.3

  141.5

  131.9

  130.8

  As percentage of Northern Ireland GDP2

  0.97

  1.13

  1.15

  1.00

  n/a

  1 Provisional.

  2 Northern Ireland gross domestic product figures are expressed in calendar year terms.

  Staff-student Ratios
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list staff-student ratios in(a) further education and (b) higher education for the past five years. [37212]

  Mr. Ancram
  The Northern Ireland average staff-student ratios in further education colleges for the five years ending 1994–95 are as follows:

  1990–91: 1: 12.21

  1991–92: 1: 13.24

  1992–93: 1: 13.15

  1993–94: 1: 13.65

  1994–95: 1: 13.68.

  The figures for 1995–96 are not yet available.

  The staff-student ratios for higher education are as follows:

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Universities

  1:14.5

  1:15.6

  1:15.7

  1:16.4

  1 1: 14.4

  Colleges of education

  1:10.7

  1:10.6

  1:11.5

  1:12.0

  1:13.1

  1 The ratio for universities in 1994–95 is not comparable with the ratios for earlier years, because of a change in the basis of the count of staff in 1994–95.

  Voluntary and Community Sector Funding
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has relating to the ring fencing of the funding of adult and community education in the voluntary and community sectors; and if he will make a statement. [37259]

  Mr. Ancram
  [holding answer 17 July 1996]: The funding of adult and community education is not ring fenced and there are no plans to change this. Adult and community education in Northern Ireland is an integral part of normal further education provision and this will remain the case following the planned incorporation of further education colleges.
  667
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met representatives of the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action to discuss continuing financial support for the(a) community and (b) voluntary sectors; and if he will make a statement. [37260]

  Mr. Moss
  [holding answer 17 July 1996]: My right hon. and learned Friend last met representatives of the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action on 30 May 1996 to discuss a wide range of issues affecting the voluntary and community sector, including funding for the sector. The Government remain committed to working in partnership with the sector and to continuing to support it so far as the inevitable constraints upon the availability of resources permit.

  Child Benefits
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number and value of child benefits payable to those past the minimum school leaving age in each of the last five years. [37164]

  Mr. Moss
  The information is presented in the table.

  Number of children past school-leaving age in receipt of child benefit and amount payable 1

  Amounts of benefit payable (£) 3

  Number of children past minimum school leaving age 2

  First child

  Subsequent child

  1991

  43,540

  8.25

  7.25

  1992

  44,052

  9.65

  7.80

  1993

  45,254

  10.00

  8.10

  1994

  45,864

  10.20

  8.25

  1995

  47.814

  10.40

  8.45

  1 Child benefit is normally paid up to the age of 16 but may be paid up to the age of 19 if the child is in full-time non-advanced education.

  2 At 31 December for each year.

  3 At April for each year. Total child benefit expenditure on 16 to 18-year-olds is not available. Child benefit is accounted for as a whole and is not apportioned between different age bands.

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what performance targets have been set for Driver and Vehicle Licensing Northern Ireland in 1996–97. [38771]

  Mr. Moss
  For 1996–97 the following key performance targets have been set for the agency:

  To meet an overall efficiency gain of 2 per cent.

  To reduce the unit cost per vehicle excise enforcement case by 0.5 per cent. in real terms compared with 1995–96.

  To dispatch 94 per cent. of registration books for new vehicles in 16 working days from receipt.

  To dispatch 92 per cent. of refunds of vehicle excise duty in 10 working days from receipt.

  To dispatch 93 per cent. of vehicle excise licences in five working days from receipt of postal applications.

  To dispatch 93 per cent of duplicate vehicle registration books in six working days from receipt of applications.

  To dispatch 93 per cent. of ordinary driving licences in 10 working days of receipt of applications.

  To dispatch 96 per cent. of vocational driving licences in 10 working days from receipt of applications.

  668

  To dispatch 95 per cent. of provisional driving licences in 10 working days from receipt of applications.

  To dispatch substantive replies to 95 per cent. of written inquiries for information from the drivers and vehicles registers in three working days from receipt.

  To limit maximum waiting time at local vehicle licensing offices so that 95 per cent. of customers are attended to within 23 minutes during peak periods-the first eight and last two working days of each month—and within 10 minutes at other periods.

  To limit the error rate—errors on any item sent out by the agency—to a maximum of 0.5 per cent. of total agency output.

  Valuations and Lands Agency
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what performance targets have been set for the Valuation and Lands Agency in 1996–97. [38772]

  Sir John Wheeler
  For 1996–97, the following key performance targets have been set for the agency:

  (1) To complete 40,000 rating cases—equivalent to 22,000 work units.

  (2) To complete 24,600 client service cases—equivalent to 20,050 work units.

  (3) To have met by 31 March 1997, all 1996–97 non-domestic revaluation project milestones as specified in the business plan.

  (4) To have completed by 31 December 1996 the action plan activities implementing the recommendations of the efficiency scrutiny on Government-owned land.

  (5) To achieve a productivity for case working valuers of 327 work units.

  (6) To achieve at least a 2 per cent. efficiency saving on the 1995–96 allocation in real terms.

  (7) To reduce the unit cost of casework by 3 per cent. in real terms.

  (8) To issue 94 per cent. of certificates for rating cases subject to backdating within 12 months of the events giving rise to revisions of the valuation list.

  (9) To achieve a standard in rating valuations such that 88 per cent. of those determined on appeal are within (plus) + or (minus) —10 per cent. of the initial assessment.

  (10) To complete 85 per cent. of rating appeals within six months of receipt.

  (11) To complete 93 per cent. of a representative sample of client services casework within agreed time limits.

  Full details are set out in the agency's corporate and business plans, copies of which are being placed in the Library of the House.

  Benefit Fraud
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what inquiries to detect fraud by cross-checking his Department's payroll with details of those claiming benefit he has undertaken; when these exercises took place; and how many staff were(a) suspended, (b) dismissed and (c) prosecuted as a result. [37707]

  Mr. Moss
  [holding answer 17 July 1996]: Responsibility for the subject has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alex Wylie and I have asked him to arrange for a response to be given.
  669
  Letter from Alec Wylie to Mr. Frank Field dated 17 July 1996:
  I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question on the detection of social security fraud by cross-checking Department's payroll with details of those claiming benefit.
  The Social Security Agency has not carried out any data matching exercises where Departmental payroll information has been cross-checked against benefit details. Northern Ireland Departments currently respond to enquiries made by the Agency's Fraud and Prosecutions Branch and relevant information appropriate to an investigation is provided where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that an individual member of staff has been involved in benefit fraud. No separate records are kept on these cases.
  670
  I hope this explains the position for you but I would be happy to provide any further information you require.

  Mature Students
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people aged 65 years or over were engaged in full-time or part-time education(a) in
  1990–91 and (b) at the latest available date; and what percentage this represents of the age group. [37204]

  Mr. Ancram
  In 1994–95, some 600 Northern Ireland domiciled students were aged 65 or over; this represents 0.3 per cent. of the age group. Reliable information for 1990–91 is not available.

  The Tote
  The Tote
  Drugs Prevention Initiative: Progress
  Drugs Prevention Initiative: Progress
  Conventions on the Rights of Migrant Workers and of Women
  Conventions on the Rights of Migrant Workers and of Women
  Deportation: Matters Considered before Enforcement
  Deportation: Matters Considered before Enforcement
  Westminster Foundation for Democracy
  Westminster Foundation for Democracy
  Trade Unions in the Public Service: Strikes
  Trade Unions in the Public Service: Strikes
  Government Departments: Payment of Bills
  Government Departments: Payment of Bills
  Post Office: Statutory Monopoly
  Post Office: Statutory Monopoly
  Drought Management: Environment Agency
  Drought Management: Environment Agency
  Surface Water Abstraction: Licensing Policy
  Surface Water Abstraction: Licensing Policy
  Empty Homes in the Civil Estate
  Empty Homes in the Civil Estate
  Footpath Management
  Footpath Management
  Defence Procurement
  Defence Procurement
  Defence Procurement; Proportion of Budget Spent in USA
  Defence Procurement; Proportion of Budget Spent in USA
  Defence Procurement: Evolving Technologies
  Defence Procurement: Evolving Technologies
  Trident
  Trident
  US Intelligence Sorties from British Bases: Terms of Use
  US Intelligence Sorties from British Bases: Terms of Use
  US Intelligence Sorties: Access to Information
  US Intelligence Sorties: Access to Information
  Gulf Veterans: Brainstem Encephalitis
  Gulf Veterans: Brainstem Encephalitis
  Gulf Veterans: Gynaecological Opinion
  Gulf Veterans: Gynaecological Opinion
  Gulf War: Research into Health Issues
  Gulf War: Research into Health Issues
  Arms Sales: Replies to Parliamentary Questions
  Arms Sales: Replies to Parliamentary Questions
  Technologies to Determine Foetal Sex
  Technologies to Determine Foetal Sex
  Abortion of Female Babies
  Abortion of Female Babies
  House of Lords: Times of Sitting
  House of Lords: Times of Sitting
  UK Maritime Skills: Report
  UK Maritime Skills: Report
  Mauritania: Fisheries Agreement Compensation
  Mauritania: Fisheries Agreement Compensation
  Mauritania: Beneficiaries of Fisheries Agreement
  Mauritania: Beneficiaries of Fisheries Agreement
  Senegal: Fisheries Agreement
  Senegal: Fisheries Agreement
  Common Fisheries Policy
  Common Fisheries Policy