Written Answers of 19 July 1996

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prisons (Boards of Visitors)
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 July,Official Report, columns 141–42, concerning membership of boards of visitors, for what reasons the Minister proposes to remove those visitors who have served for longer than 15 years as of January 1997. [37454]

  Miss Widdecombe
  It is a general principle of public appointments that appointments should neither be renewed automatically nor renewed an indefinite number of times. This principle has recently been reaffirmed by Lord Nolan and by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

  Mr. Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the total number of places left vacant on prison boards of visitors on 3 July; [37452]

  (2) what is the estimated average length of time that unoccupied places on prison boards of visitors remain vacant. [37453]

  Miss Widdecombe
  As of 3 July, 254 vacancies were recorded for boards of visitors serving prisons in England and Wales. Information on the estimated average length of time that unoccupied places on boards of visitors remain vacant can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Constituency Visits
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which constituencies he has visited in the last three months on official business and which constituencies he intends to visit in the next three months; and if he will make a statement. [32337]

  Mr. Howard
  During the past three months, I have made official visits to the following constituencies:

  Derby, South

  Derby, North

  Maidstone

  Guildford

  Brighton, Kemptown

  Brighton, Pavilion

  Hove

  Worthing

  Wimbledon

  St. Albans

  Watford

  Scarborough

  672

  Eastleigh

  Arundel

  Crawley

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Central

  Wallsend

  Hendon, South

  Leicester, South

  North-West, Leciestershire

  Bosworth

  Leeds, North-East

  Plymouth, Drake

  Manchester, Central

  Eccles

  Birmingham, Ladywood

  Blaby

  Vauxhall

  Dover

  Manchester, Withington

  Davyhulme

  Stretford

  South Dorset

  Poole

  Bournemouth, West

  Bristol, East

  Aldershot

  Basingstoke

  Ludlow

  Details of future visits are not given for security reasons.

  Internet
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. [37235]

  Mr. Howard
  My Department's plans to ensure that major publications are accompanied by simultaneous release on the Internet are quite well advanced. A departmental home page went live on the Internet last March. Two recent consultation documents have been loaded on to the site—"Proposed European Community (EC) Data Protection Directive (95/46/EC)"; and "Stalking: The Solutions—A Consultation Paper". The proposed EC directive will be taken off this week because the closing date for responses is 19 July.

  I support developments in publishing suitable information by electronic means and my Department plans to release through the Internet all future consultation documents and other major publications.

  The Department's immigration and nationality directorate and the research and statistics directorate have their own home pages. These include summarised background information.

  All Home Office material on the Internet can be reached through the main home page on www.open.gov.uk/home_off/hofront.htm
  673

  Departmental Visits (United States of America)
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the dates in(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95, (c) 1995–96 and (d) 1996–97 on which visits to himself, his Ministers or officials within his Department were made by (i) advisers, consultants or academics from the United States of America, (ii) representatives of American federal or state prison services, (iii) representatives of American companies providing private prison or associated services and (iv) other Americans in connection with criminal justice policy; if he will list the names of those visitors, who they represented, and who they met; what was the purpose of each visit and the outcome of each meeting; and what was the cost to public funds of each visit. [37976]

  Mr. Howard
  The information requested could be collected only at disproportionate cost.

  Immigration
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passengers arriving at United Kingdom ports of entry during 1995 and the first quarter of 1996 were referred to port medical inspectors for examination; what were the most common diagnoses made; and how many people have been(a) refused entry (i) wholly or (ii) partly on medical grounds and for what medical reasons and (b) required to report for further medical treatment after entry, and for what medical reason. [38058]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Four passengers were refused entry principally on medical grounds in 1995 and four during the first quarter of 1996. The other information requested is not available centrally.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in each of the past five years how many people have presented claims for asylum to a British embassy or high commission; and what the number of such claims has been by country of origin of the claimant. [38195]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  [holding answer 18 July 1996]: Aggregate information on the number of claims for asylum made at British embassies or high commissions is not available. However, details of applications made at specific British high commissions is given in explanatory note 14 of the Home Office statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom, 1995", issue 9/96, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in each of the past five years how many people have been granted visas to enter the United Kingdom as a result of presenting a claim for asylum to a British embassy or high commission; and what the number of such cases has been by country of origin of the claimant. [38194]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  [holding answer 18 July 1996]: The requested information is not available.
  674

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the total sum of money paid in(a) legal aid and (b) legal advice services during 1995. [37193]

  Mr. Streeter
  Net expenditure on criminal and civil legal aid in 1995–96 was £1,141 million. In the same period, net expenditure on legal advice and assistance, including the duty solicitor scheme, was £250 million.

  Internet
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 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. [37236]

  Mr. Streeter
  My Department has published a number of documents on the Internet—recent examples include the legal aid White Paper, the Lord Chancellor's Department strategic plan and the charter for court users—and will continue to do so. Such documents are normally available via the Internet within a day of publication.

  Contracts
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 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, Deloitte and Touche, Arthur Anderson, Grant Thornton, DBO Stoy Hayward, Pannel Kerr Forster, and Robson Rhodes and their subsidiaries and associates, during 1995 and 1996. [37313]

  Mr. Streeter
  The information requested is as follows:

  Consultants

  Number of Contracts

  Nature

  Amount £000's

  Coopers and Lybrand

  nil

  —

  —

  KPMG

  nil

  —

  —

  Price Waterhouse

  nil

  —

  —

  Ernst and Young

  1

  External Audit

  179

  1

  Research and advice on civil fees

  193

  Deloitte and Touche

  nil

  —

  —

  Arthur Anderson

  1

  Training

  20

  Grant Thornton

  nil

  —

  —

  DBO Stoy Hayward

  1

  External audit

  3

  Pannel Kerr Forster

  nil

  —

  —

  Robson Rhodes

  nil

  —

  —

  The Lord Chancellor is responsible for four agencies; the Court Service, Her Majesty's Land Registry, the Public Record Office and the Public Trust Office. The question concerns operational matters on which the chief executives are best placed to provide answers. I have accordingly asked them to reply direct.
  675
  Letter from Michael Huebner to Mr. Austin Mitchell, dated 19 July 1996:

  The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to your Question about the number and value of accountancy consultant contracts awarded in 1995 and 1996.

  Six contracts have been awarded to the firms referred to in the Question and these are listed below:

  Consultant

  Nature

  Value

  KPMG

  Provide advice on pay systems used in other organisations and help develop the framework for a Court Service pay system

  £60,000

  KPMG

  Pay and Grading Review—carry out scoping study and assist in preparation of final consultation document

  £82,735

  Price Waterhouse

  Provide expert advice on the framework and selection process for senior managers

  £10,692

  Price Waterhouse

  Develop methodology to identify the key performance drivers in the Crown Court trial process

  £91,000

  Cooper and Lybrand

  Financial advice on accruals accounting requirements

  £14,700

  Binder Hamlyn Fry (part of Arthur Andersen)

  Financial advice on accruals accounting requirements

  £13,165

  Letter from Julia C. Lomas to Mr. Austin Mitchell, dated 19 July 1996:
  The Parliamentary Secretary has asked me to reply to you as part of the Lord Chancellor's Department's response to your Parliamentary Question, listed on 11 July 1996, regarding the number, nature and value of contracts awarded to various firms and their subsidiaries and associates during 1995 and 1996.
  In 1995 a contract was awarded to Ernst & Young to provide consultancy advice on the Public Trust Office's Information Systems Strategy. Two payments were made in 1995 and 1996 in respect of this contract—one for £36,056.75 in 1995 and the other for £21,478.41 in 1996.

  Letter from Stuart Hill to Mr. Austin Mitchell, dated 19 July 1996:
  I have been asked by the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, to reply to your recent question concerning the number, nature and value of contracts awarded to specified companies during 1995 and 1996.
  Two contracts have been awarded to KPMG as follows:
  September 1995—Consultancy Services for Market Testing—£14,720.48 (inc.vat)
  April I996—Business Study and Market Research for National Land Information Service Project—£100,000 (plus vat)

  Letter from Duncan Simpson to Mr Austin Mitchell, dated 19 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 contracts awarded to specified companies during 1995 and 1996.
  One such contract was let, to Ernst and Young, in 1995. It was for a logistical study and review of procedures in connection with removing 44 linear kilometres of historical records to a different site and subsequent services in making them available to users. The value was £99,500.
  676

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Members' Salaries
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many hon. Members have now informed the Fees Office that they do not wish to draw the recently agreed increase in salary. [38245]

  Mr. Newton
  I am advised by the Fees Office that, to date, four hon. Members have informed them that they do not wish to draw the full increase in salary.

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many hon. Members claimed car mileage allowances during the year 1995–96 for a vehicle of(a) less than 1300cc and (b) less than 1000cc. [38443]

  Mr. Newton
  In the financial year 1995–96, 44 hon. Members claimed for vehicles of 1300cc or less. The information relating to vehicles of less than 1000cc is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will estimate the difference since(a) the 1987 and (b) the 1992 general election between the actual cumulative out-of-London parliamentary salaries of hon. Members and the total assuming the salaries were to be at the level recommended by the review body on senior salaries reduced for previous years by the national movement in (i) earnings and (ii) prices. [36850]

  Mr. Newton
  The estimated gross differences are:

  (a) (i): £60,000

  (ii): £120,000

  (b) (i): £40,000

  (ii): £70,000

  These figures are calculated to March 1996, as that is the latest available figure for the average earnings index, and to the nearest £10,000, that being the highest degree of accuracy obtainable on the basis of the published figures for retail prices index.

  Upper Waiting Hall Exhibitions
  Sir Anthony Durant
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to "Still Moving After 100 Years" to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall. [38611]

  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 9 December to Friday 13 December 1996.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the British Epilepsy Association to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall. [38696]

  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 16 December to Friday 20 December 1996.
  677

TREASURY

  Unfunded Pension Liabilities
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the capacity of the United Kingdom economy to meet the costs of public sector pensions which are currently unfunded when such liabilities fall due; and if he will estimate the impact in billions of pounds and as a percentage of gross domestic product such annual costs will have on public finances for each of the next 30 years based on current trends. [36392]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Broadly speaking, unfunded public service pension liabilities rise in relation to GDP as schemes mature. Thereafter, the relationship should be relatively stable, depending on trends in public service pay and employment. Not all the schemes are similarly mature, and detail figuring on the basis proposed in the question is unavailable. Nevertheless, assuming pay rises do not exceed economic growth in the long term, the Government Actuary does not expect a substantial upward movement in unfunded public service pension liabilities in relation to GDP.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the total value of service charges paid by Departments on contracts signed under the PFI in 1993–94, 1994–95 and 1995–96; and how much has so far been committed in all future financial years for which figures are available. [36577]

  Mr. Jack
  This information is not held centrally.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Burundi
  Mr. Sutcliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he intends to take in response to the current political situation in Burundi. [38251]

  Mr. Hanley
  We remain deeply concerned about the situation in Burundi and support the efforts of ex-President Nyerere to negotiate a political settlement. We welcome the decision of regional leaders at the Arusha summit to consider Burundi's request for security assistance, and we await concrete proposals.

TRANSPORT

  Expressways
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what new traffic rules will accompany the designation of a road as an expressway; and to what extent(a) cyclists, (b) pedestrians and (c) other classes of road user will be prohibited from using these roads. [36579]

  Mr. Norris
  I see the designation of expressways primarily as a way of drawing to the attention of road users and business the existence of high quality roads of 678
  near-motorway standard. Restrictions on particular categories of road user are not part of my Department's plans for expressways.

  Marine Environment Protection Committee
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what items are presently on the agenda of the marine environment protection committee at the International Maritime Organisation; and what is Her Majesty's Government's policy in respect of each of them. [37567]

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

  Letter from R. M. Bradley to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 19 July 1996:
  The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your Question about items that are presently on the agenda of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) at the IMO.
  The provisional work programme of MEPC was discussed at the Committee's recent meeting earlier this month. An agenda, as such, does not exist at present, but a list of the issues under consideration is attached to this letter. We take a positive approach to MEPC's work, intended to enhance the prevention and control of marine pollution. Our policy on a number of these issues is reflected in the recent United Kingdom contributions to the Committee, which are also included for your information.

  Cycling
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to take forward the proposals outlined in the national cycling strategy; and if he will make a statement. [38018]

  Mr. Norris
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport has already announced that the Department fully supports the national cycling strategy launched on 10 July. We shall take action wherever we can to implement the strategy, both on our own and in conjunction with others. The process of realising the detailed proposals in the strategy will be guided by the national cycling forum, and I expect a first meeting of the forum to be held this autumn.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which sections of the national cycling strategy it is Government policy to implement. [38005]

  Mr. Norris
  The Government's policy towards cycling was set out in a statement in June 1994. This is relevant to all the sections of the new national cycling strategy. The Department of Transport will work with other Government Departments and organisations in the public, commercial and voluntary sectors to achieve the strategy's objectives.

  Tingewick Bypass
  Mr. Walden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will investigate the reasons for the delay to the Tingewick bypass in Buckinghamshire and act to expedite matters. [38229]

  Mr. Norris
  The reasons for the delay to the Tingewick bypass are set out in my letter of 16 July 1996. Officials will make every effort to expedite a decision on this important local scheme once these issues have been satisfactorily resolved.
  679

  Le Shuttle Services
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if X-ray security checks are undertaken on passengers and vehicles boarding Le Shuttle services at Folkestone. [38594]

  Mr. Watts
  All vehicles and passengers boarding Le Shuttle services at Folkestone are liable to security screening. It is not our practice to reveal details of the actual measures.

  Rail Regulator
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what mechanisms the Rail Regulator has in place to ensure that competition between operators is encouraged after 31 December. [38528]

  Mr. Watts
  The Rail regulator has published a policy statement setting out his approach to competition issues for railway passenger services. He has concluded that no significant competitive new entry should be allowed before 31 March 1999 to allow the railway industry to settle down in the early period of restructuring. He believes the franchising process itself creates considerable potential for competition, even without allowing new entry by open access operators. Substantial restrictions will apply for three years after 31 March 1999—until 31 March 2002. The Rail Regulator intends to review the restrictions in 2001. He believes that these steps are necessary for the development of a more competitive environment for passenger services in the long term.

  Search and Rescue Helicopters
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he plans to improve the helicopter search and rescue coverage in the Dover strait. [38556]

  Mr. Norris
  Following publication of the interdepartmental helicopter review group report, formal consultations are being held on, among other things, the location of the two Coastguard search and rescue aircraft on the south coast. The aim is to provide the optimum helicopter availability to meet the search and rescue requirements along the south coast including the Dover strait and mid-channel. We will await the outcome of those consultations before any decisions are made.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what negotiations he(a) has had and (b) proposes to have with Shell (UK) regarding the continued operation of its offshore-based helicopter used for air rescue; and if he will make a statement. [38445]

  Mr. Norris
  There have been no negotiations with Shell (UK) and none are planned. The helicopter referred to has been provided by Shell Expro as an additional service and is not a declared UK search and rescue facility. Local discussions have taken place with Shell Expro about the effects of its decision, and the extra cover it will make available for night medical emergencies.

  Radioactive Material (Road Accidents)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents have been reported in each year since 1980 involving the transport by road of radioactive material. [38331]
  680
  Mr. Norris
  The information is as follows:

  Year

  Number of Accidents Reported

  1980

  0

  1981

  3

  1982

  1

  1983

  3

  1984

  1

  1985

  4

  1986

  1

  1987

  2

  1988

  5

  1989

  2

  1990

  0

  1991

  2

  1992

  2

  1993

  1

  1994

  1

  1995

  3

  Part-time Employees
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each agency within his Department and the Central Transport Group the number of part-time employees by grade employed in each of the last five years. [38595]

  Mr. Norris
  I have placed the information obtained from our Department's personnel systems in the Library of the House.

  Rail Services (Holyhead)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review on a regular basis under the Railway Acts the provision by the railway operating companies of adequate, prompt and clean railway through services between(a) Holyhead and London and (b) Holyhead and Cardiff; and if he will make a statement. [38565]

  Mr. Watts
  Under the Railways Act 1993, the franchising director has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of passenger railway services either through franchise agreements, or, where services are not yet franchised, through agreements with the British Railways Board or its subsidiaries.

  Levels of service are specified through the passenger service requirement, PSR, included in each franchise agreement. Each PSR is based on the British Rail timetable in operation at the time the PSR is drawn up by the franchising director. Holyhead-Cardiff services are included in the PSR for the South Wales and West franchise, which has now been finalised. This requires the franchise operator to provide on weekdays and Saturdays one through service in each direction between Holyhead and Cardiff. Other services between Holyhead and Crewe, where interchange opportunities exist with services to Cardiff and services between Holyhead and London will be considered as part of the consultation process on respectively the North West Regional Railways and InterCity West Coast PSRs.

  In respect of the quality of railway services, a principal objective of the franchising director is to improve the quality of services available to passengers, so franchise operators must have their own passengers charter which sets targets for operational performance. Where the

  681
  commercial impetus is weak, there are financial incentives to encourage better punctuality and reliability, and a customer satisfaction monitoring regime requires franchise operators to secure an improvement in customer satisfaction during the franchise term.

  Retired Permanent Secretaries
  Mr. Sutcliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many retired permanent secretaries currently serve on the boards of(a) London Regional Transport and (b) London Buses Ltd. [38249]

  Mr. Norris
  (a) One. (b) None.

  Licences
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the licences currently issued by his Department, indicating their function and the annual administrative costs for each. [37817]

  Mr. Norris
  Licences are issued by the Department in respect of the following:

  Driving licences—to ensure that drivers of cars, motorcycles, goods vehicles, public service vehicles meet the necessary standard of competency and maintain standards of road safety.

  Goods vehicle and public service vehicle operator licences—To ensure operators have sufficient financial provisions to maintain their vehicles properly, according to minimum safety standards.

  Testing and examining vehicles—MOT examiners/ tachograph testing centres—To ensure that vehicles are maintained according to the minimum safety and environmental standards, the latter following the recent requirement to test emissions, and that tachographs are properly installed.

  Approved training bodies—learner motorcycle testing—To ensure bodies have the facilities and expertise to provide instruction of learner motorcyclists.

  Approval of business to train for carrying dangerous goods—EU requirement which allows businesses with suitable premises and staff to run their own training courses.

  In-vehicle driver information system—allows access by private companies to public sector infrastructure, which would otherwise require special permission from each highway authority.

  Street works—allows any business to dig up the highway, other than utilities, which already have such powers.

  Marine licences—to ensure an appropriate level of competency for ship officers and crew.

  Although not issued by this Department, the Rail Regulator issues licences that allow businesses to operate networks, passenger services, stations and depots. Operators of stations, trains and networks must normally have an accepted safety case before the regulator will grant a licence for operation. The Civil Aviation Authority also issues various licences which affect air operators, carriers and travel organisers. A full list of its licences can be found in its publication, CAP 393. Similarly, taxi and
  682
  private hire vehicles licences are issued by the Public Carriage Office in London, and district councils outside London.

  Central records are not maintained of the administrative costs of the licensing regimes, but in setting the licence fees, the Department has regard to the Treasury guidelines on fees and charges which require the recovery of costs.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of the Rail Regulator are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [37911]

  Mr. Watts
  [holding answer 18 July 1996]: (a) The central rail users consultative committee, CRUCC, and the rail users consultative committees, RUCCs, are not listed in schedule 2 to the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 and hence their activities are not subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration. However, where a committee acts on behalf of the Office of the Rail Regulator to conduct an investigation, its activities are subject to investigation.

  (b) The CRUCC and RUCCs are not subject to
  investigation by the Audit Commission.

  (c) The Office of the Rail Regulator, ORR, accounts, which include the CRUCC and RUCCs annual accounts, are subject to scrutiny by the National Audit Office.

  (d) The CRUCC and RUCCs are not subject to the code of practice on access to Government information.

  (e) The CRUCC and RUCCs have developed their own performance indicators which are agreed by ORR. They are actively examining a wider range of performance indicators.

  (f) The CRUCC and RUCCs are not subject to the provisions under the citizen's charter.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of the Rail Regulator publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) a register of members' interests; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [37913]

  Mr. Watts
  [holding answer 18 July 1996]: It is a statutory requirement for the central rail users consultative committee, CRUCC, and the rail users consultative committees, RUCCs to publish annual reports. The CRUCC and RUCCs' annual accounts are included in the Office of the Rail Regulator's annual accounts as a statutory requirement. The total spending for each RUCC, broken down by committee and category, is also included in the CRUCC annual report.

  The minutes and agendas for meetings for the CRUCC and RUCCs are available to the public. The former is a voluntary action and is limited by the statutory requirement not to disclose without prior consent information with

  683
  respect to any particular business or individual. The latter is a statutory requirement but does not extend to matters from which the public will be excluded.

  There is currently no register of members' interests and there is no statutory requirement to produce one. A register is currently under consideration as part of the code of conduct for members of the committees.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the statutory base of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of the Rail Regulator; and if they(a) admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public, indicating in both instances whether this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [37912]

  Mr. Watts
  [holding answer 18 July 1996]: The central rail users consultative committee and the eight rail users consultative committees are independent statutory bodies established under sections 2 and 3 of the Railways Act 1993. Under schedules 2 and 3 of the Railways Act 1993, the Office of the Rail Regulator provides finance from within its running cost out of money provided by Parliament, and administrative support and accommodation for the committees.

  Meetings of the committees are required by statute to be open to the public. Members of the public are excluded from meetings when confidential matters or matters the disclosure of which may seriously and prejudicially effect the interest of an individual or body are discussed. In addition, sub-committee meetings are held which are not open to the public.

SCOTLAND

  Computer Sciences Corporation
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps have been taken to assess customer satisfaction with the performance of the company CSC; and what conclusions he has drawn from these assessments. [37375]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Under the terms of the contract with Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) Ltd. the Common Services Agency of the NHS in Scotland provides a contract management service which includes, as a prime task, continuous assessment of CSC performance and customer satisfaction. This has been achieved through a combination of correspondence, meetings of groups of representatives of the health boards and trusts and by customer satisfaction surveys.

  From this survey work, it is clear that the CSC service has taken time to bed in over a period in which it has had to carry out a major reorganisation, concentrating now on two sites—reduced from six—in Scotland. However, a firm implementation plan is now in place and this is being closely monitored by both sides to ensure that the standard of service delivery continues to improve. There are welcome signs of improvement, a fact acknowledged by customers. It is expected that the level of satisfaction will
  684
  continue to rise and that the provisions of the contract will be met.

  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what savings were predicted to accrue from market testing of the computing services in the NHS in Scotland during the first year of the contract with the successful bidder CSC; and what savings are now projected for the first year of the contract. [37374]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The contract with CSC for central computing and IT services agreed for the first year that a static price would be set for the first six months on the basis of current price for current usage. Thereafter, a saving of 5 per cent. would be expected over the second six months. Expected revenue to CSC for the year was estimated to be £16 million and, therefore, expected savings were in the order of £800,000. From April to June 1996, a saving of £220,000 has been made against a revenue of £4.2 million. This represents a saving of 5 per cent. These are unaudited figures.

  Anti-drug Operations
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the application of challenge fund principles to anti-drug efforts. [39103]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  With the strong commitment of the leaders of all the main political parties in Scotland, we now have the ground-breaking and distinctive Scotland against drugs campaign. This reflects concern on all sides about the threat of drug misuse. We must keep on finding innovative ways of dealing with drug misuse—ways that counter its growth and acceptability to young people. I am therefore pleased to announce that I am offering £200,000 in the current financial year, on top of the £1 million already promised to the Scotland against drugs campaign, as a contribution to a new Scottish drugs challenge fund.

  Bids will be invited for projects that will help unite local communities and businesses in the fight against drug misuse. This new challenge fund, to be matched by business, will bring partnership with the private sector into local communities that seek to combat drug misuse.

  Young as it is, the Scotland against drugs campaign is already attracting a high level of business support. The campaign has much in common with the new challenge fund—partnership, local involvement and ownership, media and business participation, and changing the culture—and they will indeed be linked. I shall consider the best way of doing so, and from the autumn we can expect projects which put this money to good effect.

  Rural Land Use
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department has spent on projects dealing with(a) alternations to rural land use, (b) alteration to rural ownership patterns and (c) land management projects since 1990; and if he will make a statement. [38193]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  [holding answer 18 July 1996]: Information is not held in this form, but details of expenditure on the various grants and subsidies administered on behalf of my right hon. Friend are contained in the annual expenditure plans and

  685
  appropriation accounts for the Scottish Office and the Forestry Commission. Copies of these documents are available in the Library of the House.

  Ms Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what conditions are placed on grants and loans of public money made to private landed estates in pursuit of(a) environmental and (b) other strategic aims; and if he will make a statement. [37993]

  Mr. Robertson
  [holding answer 18 July 1996]: The conditions placed on grants and loans of public money to owners and occupiers of land vary according to the nature of the scheme under which the assistance is provided. The conditions are specified in the explanatory literature for each relevant schemes, and, where appropriate, in declarations and undertaking set out in application and claim forms. They may also be set out in the legislation under which the scheme operates.

  Scottish Courts Administration
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the statutory base of the advisory non-departmental public body sponsored by the Scottish Courts Administration; and if it(a) publishes its advice, (b) publishes an annual report and (c) lays an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [37907]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 18 July 1996]: The Scottish Law Commission was set up by the Law Commissions Act 1965. My noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate has an obligation under the 1965 Act to lay before Parliament any proposals for reform formulated by the Scottish Law Commission. The commission is required by the Act to make an annual report to the Lord Advocate which he likewise must lay before Parliament. The commission's reports on law reform and its annual reports are published and are available from HMSO.

  Hip replacements

  Cataract operations

  Median waiting times (days)

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  Hospital

  Aberdare general

  320

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  Amman Valley

  1—

  1—

  20

  1—

  1—

  1—

  Breconshire War Memorial

  1—

  1—

  1—

  8

  22

  39

  Bridgend general

  1

  1—

  1

  312

  165

  150

  Bronglais

  2—

  40

  7

  2—

  2—

  2—

  Caerphilly District Miners

  76

  145

  23

  1—

  1—

  1—

  Cardiff royal infirmary

  128

  115

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  Cymla

  160

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  East Glamorgan

  2—

  2—

  2—

  211

  205

  79

  Glan Clwyd general

  245

  192

  173

  103

  68

  71

  Gorseinon

  308

  3

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  Llwynypia

  1—

  1—

  1—

  20

  19

  44

  Morriston

  178

  224

  1—

  30

  1—

  1—

  Neath general

  59

  78

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  Nevill Hall

  107

  114

  1—

  182

  28

  1—

  Prince Charles

  355

  286

  162

  115

  278

  336

  Prince of Wales

  2—

  2—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  Prince Philip

  8

  11

  18

  7

  7

  2—

  Princess of Wales

  43

  39

  32

  301

  148

  4

  Priory Street

  1—

  1—

  2—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  Royal Gwent

  139

  147

  160

  360

  40

  326

  Singleton

  1—

  1—

  1—

  76

  93

  177

  686

WALES

  Contracts
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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, 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. [37323]

  Mr. Hague
  During the period 1 January 1995 to 30 June 1996, the Welsh Office has awarded contracts to four of the firms mentioned. The value of the contracts awarded cannot be disclosed for reasons of commercial confidentiality. Information on the number and the nature of the contracts awarded is as follows:

  Name

  Consultancy

  Accountancy

  KPMG

  1

  1

  Price Waterhouse

  1

  —

  Grant Thornton

  2

  —

  Pannel Kerr Forster

  1

  —

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the current median waiting periods for patients needing(a) hip replacement treatment, and (b) cataract treatment at (i) each hospital where this operation is provided and (ii) in Wales indicating the equivalent waiting times for the two preceding years. [37500]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The median time between the date of decision to admit and the date of admission is given in the table for patients admitted in 1995–96 and the two preceding years. As some results are based on a small number of operations, there are some large fluctuations from year to year.
  687

  Hip replacements

  Cataract operations

  Median waiting times (days)

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  St. Woolos

  1—

  1—

  1—

  196

  239

  289

  Tredegar

  91

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  University Hospital of Wales

  1—

  1—

  1—

  81

  113

  1—

  West Wales general

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  Withybush general

  453

  400

  286

  31

  267

  2—

  Wrexham Maelor

  160

  133

  174

  360

  385

  228

  Ysbyty Gwynedd

  124

  119

  96

  106

  210

  158

  Source:

  Patients Episode Database for Wales.

  1 Not applicable: the operation was not performed at this hospital.

  2 Not available: although the operation was performed by this hospital the relevant data were not supplied.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to commence(a) collection and (b) publication of statistics on total waiting times for treatment for patients referred on or after 1 April 1995 on an equivalent basis to the combined wait times published in the hospital waiting times bulletin. [38572]

  Mr. Jones
  Information about those patients who (i) were referred on or after 1 April 1995; (ii) are still waiting; and (iii) have a total waiting time of more than 18 months is to be collected on a quarterly basis from December 1996. Information on those with a total waiting time of more than two years will be collected from June 1997.

  The total waiting time is the time elapsed since referral by the patient's GP. It is not equivalent to the likely combined wait as given in the booklet "Waiting Times Information", published by the Welsh Health Common Services Authority.

  Publication of information about total waiting times is planned for the September 1997 issue of "NHS Wales: Quarterly Statistics".

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what statistical information he has collated on the average wait between first out-patient consultation and a decision to admit a patient by(a) health authority, (b) hospital trust and (c) specialism. [38568]

  Mr. Hague
  None.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what considerations underlay his Department's decision to discontinue publication of the quarterly Welsh hospital waiting list bulletin; what consultations he undertook prior to this decision; what representations he has received on this matter; how many issues of the bulletin were published; and at what cost to public funds. [38451]

  Mr. Jones
  This bi-annual publication was discontinued in May 1995 as part of a package of improvements to the programme of health statistics publications which has been welcomed by the NHS in Wales.

  More timely aggregate waiting list figures are now published in "NHS Wales: Quarterly Statistics" which has been issued each quarter since June 1995.

  Detailed waiting list figures continue to be published annually in the new "Health Statistics Wales" series. As a single volume, this new publication provides a definitive official statement on health statistics each year.
  688
  The decision to discontinue the bulletin also reflected reductions to the frequency that hospitals were being asked to return detailed waiting list figures to my Department and the increased availability of alternative information on expected waiting times for individual consultants.

  The changes to the programme of health statistics publications were the subject of consultation with the NHS Welsh information managers group in May 1995.

  In total, 23 issues of the bulletin were published from March 1984 to March 1995. The cost of printing the last bulletin was £1,300, making an estimated total cost of around £30,000, at 1995 prices, for printing the complete series.

  Earlier this year, comments on the new "Health Statistics, Wales" publication were received from 62 respondents to a readership survey; 57 of these said that they used the waiting list chapter. None asked for more information on waiting lists to be published.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will establish a patients charter standard for the length of time a patient waits between out-patient consultation and decision to admit. [38567]

  Mr. Hague
  It would be difficult to develop a standard that would allow for all the clinical factors that sometimes give rise to a delay between the out-patient consultation and the decision to admit. However, the total waiting times guarantee includes this period of time and encourages hospitals to adopt best practice.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the reasons for the fall in the number on hospital waiting lists for first out-patient appointments between 31 March 1994 and 31 March 1995; and what percentage of the change occurred because of increased number of patients seen by consultants. [38573]

  Mr. Hague
  The out-patient waiting list can fall for a number of reasons, including changes in the number of referrals to hospital clinics, the number of new patients seen at these clinics and patients being taken off the list as they no longer require a specialist opinion.

  During 1994–95, hospitals saw 25,000 more new out-patients than in the previous year, an increase of 4 per cent. Between 31 March 1994 and 31 March 1995, the total out-patient waiting list fell by 17,000. As information is held centrally only on the number of

  689
  new out-patients seen, it is not possible accurately to assess what proportion of the fall in the total list is due to the number of people seen by consultants.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to publish(a) hospital waiting list data for the year ended 31 March and (b) quarterly data for the period up to 31 December. [38571]

  Mr. Hague
  Information relating to the number on hospital waiting lists at 31 March 1996 was published in the release of "NHS Wales: Quarterly Statistics" issued on 12 June 1996. Copies were placed in the House Library and the Vote Office. The publication of releases including information on waiting lists for June, September, and December 1996 is planned for 18 September 1996, 18 December 1996 and 12 March 1997 respectively.

  General Practitioner Services
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has collated on the number of whole-time equivalent(a) GPs, (b) practice nurses and (c) other staff employed at GP surgeries at any date since October 1994. [38606]

  Mr. Hague
  The estimated whole-time equivalent number of unrestricted general medical practitioners, based on contractual commitment, was 1,628 and 1,632 at 1 April 1995 and 1 October 1995 respectively. Reliable information on practice nurses and other staff employed by GPs since October 1994 is not yet available.

  Disabled and Elderly People
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what additional resources he plans to make available to county social service departments in Wales, following recent court cases, to ensure that they can respond adequately to the establishment needs of disabled and elderly people who require additional services to enable them to live in the community; and if he will make a statement. [38562]

  Mr. Hague
  The Government are considering the implications of the recent judgment by the Court of Appeal in Rv. Gloucestershire County Council ex parte Michael Barry and R v. Lancashire County Council ex parte (1) Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation and (2) Beryl Gilpin.

  Rough Sleepers Initiative
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what money is made available through his Department for implementing the rough sleepers initiative in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [38566]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  There is not a rough sleepers initiative in Wales on the English model because the scale and distribution of rooflessness here requires a different approach. My Department can assist specific initiatives to tackle rooflessness under section 73 of the Housing Act 1985 and we have agreed to support a project in Cardiff. An advisory group on rooflessness, which includes local authorities, voluntary organisations and the police, to help us to consider what further action is required to ensure that nobody in Wales needs to sleep rough, has also been established.
  690

  Gwent Health Authority
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what consolations he has had with the chairman of the Gwent health authority concerning the commissioning of specialist legal advice by the health authority between 5 and 11 July; and when he was notified of the reasons for commissioning such advice; [38457]

  (2) on how many occasions his special independent observer attended meetings of the working party of the non-executive directors of Gwent health authority considering the appointment of a senior manager in January 1996; how many meetings occurred in her absence; how many of these she was invited to attend; and what recommendation she has made to him. [38482]

  Mr. Hague
  My Department has been kept informed of the inquiry's progress, including the views of the independent adviser which are of necessity confidential. Information on her attendance at meetings is not held centrally. It is a matter for the authority to decide on the legal advice it requires, and I have had no discussions with the chairman.

  Development Land (Caernarfon)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will now take urgent steps to release the strip of land owned by the Welsh Office in the vicinity of Pool-side in Caernarfon, to enable this redevelopment plan for that area to go ahead. [38560]

  Mr. Hague
  I understand the land in question is in the ownership of Gwynedd county council. I have received an application from the authority under section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972 seeking my agreement to its disposing of the land at less than market value. My officials have written to the authority seeking information which will enable me to make a decision.

  Health Statistics
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of Wales when he proposes to publish health statistics to bring his provisional 1994–95 hospital activity figures for 1992–93 and 1993–94 new patients equivalent to those published for 1990–91 and 1991–92 and provisionally for 1994–95. [38607]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I hope that final information on hospital in-patient day case activity for 1994–95 will be published during September 1996. Figures on new out-patients for 1992–93 and 1993–94 have not been published due to inconsistencies in data definitions at NHS trusts in the former health authority area of Dyfed. These problems have now been rectified. In future, data for new out-patients will be published at the same time as in-patient and day case data, but it is not possible to amend past data.

  Nurses' Grading
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many nurses have received back-dated pay awards following successful appeals against re-grading decisions(a) eight, (b) seven, (c) six, (d) five, (e) four, (f) three and (g) two years late. [38458]

  Mr. Hague
  The information requested is not held centrally.
  691

  Benefits Agency (Welsh Language Freeline)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will intervene with the Benefits Agency to safeguard the Welsh language telephone freeline. [38561]

  Mr. Hague
  This is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security. I understand, however, that arrangements have been made to ensure customers receive appropriate advice in the language of their choice from either their local office or the office which handles any existing benefits.

ENVIRONMENT

  Asbestos
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans his Department has to provide assistance to Bermuda in respect of the disposal of asbestos waste. [37573]

  Mr. Clappison
  Decision on the disposal of Bermuda's asbestos wastes are matters for the Government of Bermuda. I understand that a number of options are under consideration, including seeking disposal on land in the United Kingdom, but no final decisions have been taken.

  Should Bermuda wish to export asbestos waste to the United Kingdom for disposal on land, this would require a formal agreement between the two Governments for the purpose of the Basel convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous waste and their disposal.

  Any request from Bermuda for such an agreement would be considered on its merits, in accordance with the policies set out in the United Kingdom management plan for exports and imports of waste, copies of which are in the Library.

  Mr. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those sites in the United Kingdom licensed to take(a) blue, (b) brown and (c) white asbestos waste. [37571]

  Mr. Clappison
  This information is not held by my Department. The Environment Agency is required to maintain a public register of waste management licence applications made to it and of licences which it has granted. Whether or not a particular site would take asbestos waste would depend on the terms of the licence granted by the agency.

  Mr. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the imports of asbestos for disposal into the United Kingdom from(a) OECD and (b) non-OECD countries in each of the last of 10 years. [37572]

  Mr. Clappison
  I will write to the hon. Member shortly.

  Agency Printing Costs
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each of his Department's agencies the cost of printing(a) all publications and (b) the annual report in the latest available year. [37808]
  692
  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Secretary of State for the Environment is responsible for three agencies of the Department of the Environment and for Ordnance Survey, a separate department and agency. For the four agencies, the information requested is set out in the table. The expenditure is in respect of the 1995–96 financial year.

  All publications £

  Annual report £

  Building Research Establishment

  21,000

  21,000

  Planning Inspectorate

  14,953

  3,295

  Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre

  12,263

  12,263

  Ordnance Survey

  425,000

  2,500

  The Building Research Establishment's technical publications are published by Construction Research Communications Ltd., CRC is a commercial organisation which is jointly owned by EMAP Architecture and the Secretary of State for the Environment. The cost of printing such technical publications is not included above.

  Statistical Forms
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the forms his Department issues annually to businesses to gather statistics, indicating the number of each distributed. [37809]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The forms the Department of the Environment issues on a regular basis1 to businesses to gather statistics and the number of each distributed are shown in the table.

  1The table excludes ad hoc surveys not repeated on a regular basis. The number of ad hoc surveys varies from year to year: 39 were undertaken in 1995.

  Survey title

  Number of forms distributed in a year

  Merseyside Development Corporation Employment and Investment Survey1 (Annual)

  2,000

  Plymouth Urban Development Corporation: Survey of Economic Activities1 (Annual)

  32

  Teeside Urban Development Area: Survey of Economic Activities1 (Annual)

  800

  Minerals Raised Inquiry (Annual)

  2,400

  Building and Civil Engineering Work Overseas (Annual)

  40

  Small Firms Enquiry—Construction Activity (Annual)

  150,000

  Making a Corporate Commitment: Top Management Campaign Evaluation (Annual)

  500

  Making a Corporate Commitment: Signatories Research (Annual)

  1,600

  ECO Management and Audit: Pre-Promotion Research (Annual)

  800

  Tyne and Wear Development Corporation Business Survey1 (Bi-Annual)

  2not available

  Building Materials Inquiries (Quarterly/Monthly)

  3,300

  Firm Based Enquiry: Construction Activity (Quarterly)

  66,000

  693

  Survey title

  Number of forms distributed in a year

  Quality of Service of the Rural Development Commission1 (Quarterly)

  1,440

  Project Based Enquiry: Construction Activity (Quarterly)

  9,200

  New Orders Enquiry: Construction Activity (Monthly)

  66,000

  Survey of Mortgage Lenders (Monthly)

  2,220

  1 Surveys undertaken by the department's agencies and non-department public bodies.

  2 In 1996 this survey will be undertaken as a sample rather than a census. Size of sample not yet determined.

  Planning Permission
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to ensure that outline planning permissions over 10 years old which have been commenced only technically shall be permitted to go ahead only if(a) the local planning authority or (b) the Secretary of State confirms their validity. [38563]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Government do not consider it reasonable to impose a general time limit for completion as there could be many valid reasons why development could take longer than envisaged.

  However, section 94 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 empowers a local planning authority to serve a completion notice in an individual case. Such a notice, which requires the confirmation of the Secretary of State, terminates a planning permission at the end of a specified period if the development is not completed.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to announce the arrangements that will govern the handing over of Hong Kong to the Chinese authorities; and if he will make a statement. [37784]

  Mr. Hanley
  The 1984 Sino-British joint declaration provides the legal basis for the restoration of Hong Kong to China. We are still discussing with China arrangements to mark the handover at midnight on 30 June 1997.

  Working Holidaymakers
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for entry clearance as working holidaymakers have been(a) received, (b) granted and (c) refused in (i) India, (ii) Bangladesh, (iii) Australia, (iv) Canada, (v) Nigeria, (vi) Ghana, (vii) Pakistan, (viii) Sierra Leone, (ix) Gambia and (x) Jamaica during 1995 and 1996 to the latest convenient date. [38056]

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. I refer the hon. Member to the letter I sent him on 30 January 1996.
  694
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for entry clearance as working holidaymakers have been(a) received, (b) granted and (c) refused in (i) India, (ii) Bangladesh (iii) Pakistan, (iv) Australia, (v) Canada, (vi) Ghana, (vii) Nigeria and (viii) Malaysia during 1995 and 1996. [38077]

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. I refer the hon. Member to the letter I sent him on 30 January 1996.

  Immigration
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many(a) men, (b) women and (c) children were waiting in each queue in respect of entry into the United Kingdom at each post in the Indian sub-continent on (i) 1 January (ii) 30 June and (iii) the latest convenient date. [38063]

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how long a person applying for entry clearance on 31 March or the latest convenient date at each post in the Indian sub-continent could expect to wait, in each queue, for(a) a first interview, (b) referral of the case to the Home Office and the requested information being received by the post, (c) a decision after first interview and (d) for the explanatory statement prepared by the post in the case of appeal against a refusal to be dispatched to the immigration appellate authorities in the United Kingdom. [38057]

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. I refer the hon. Member to the letter that I sent him on 30 January 1996.

  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the present waiting times to first interview for each category of applicant in respect of entry into the United Kingdom in(a) each country and at each post in the Indian sub-continent, (b) Bangkok, (c) Manila, (d) Lagos, (e) Accra, (f) Kingston, (g) Addis Ababa, (h) Sana'a, (i) Moscow and (j) Warsaw. [38064]

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. I refer the hon. Member to the letter that I sent him on 30 January 1996.

  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how long a person applying for entry clearance for settlement at the British post in(a) Manila, (b) Accra, (c) Lagos, (d) Kingston, (e) Nicosia, (f) Cairo, (g) Bangkok, (h) Rabat and (i) each post in each country of the Indian sub-continent on 30 June or the latest convenient date could expect to wait for (i) interview, (ii) referral of the case to the Home Office and the requested information being received by the post, (iii) decisions and (iv) an explanatory statement

  695
  prepared by the post in the event of an appeal against a refusal to be dispatched to the immigration appellate authorities in the United Kingdom. [38055]

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. I refer the hon. Member to the letter that I sent him on 30 January 1996.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 2 July,Official Report, columns 423–24, when decisions are to be taken on the passport applications made by Tahira Jabeen, Fazal Ur Rahman Hussain and Noor Ur Rahman Hussain by the post in Islamabad; if the report requested from the Home Office was received at the post in November 1995; and if he will make a statement. [38449]

  Mr. Hanley
  The report has been received from the Home Office. However, the passport officer in Islamabad is not yet in a position to take a decision on these applications. Further inquiries are necessary it is hoped that the matter can be resolved before the end of the year.

  Bosnia-Herzegovina
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons Her Majesty's Government have not supported self-rule for the Serbian minority in Bosnia-Herzegovina. [38002]

  Mr. Hanley
  We fully support the general framework agreement for peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, under which Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of two entities—the Federation and the Republika Srpska. Each entity has extensive governmental functions and powers, as set out in article III of the constitution agreed at Dayton.

  DNA Tests
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of his Department's funded DNA tests to prove family relationships for immigration purposes have been carried out, by country, in each country apart from those of the Indian sub-continent, in each year since the inception of the scheme; and in how many tests the applicant was found to be related as claimed to(a) both parents, (b) one parent and (c) neither parent. [38062]

  Mr. Hanley
  In view of the amount of detail needed to answer this question, I will write to the hon. Member shortly.

  Burundi
  Mr. Sutcliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the implementation of the proposal of the United Nations Secretary-General for a United Nations contingency force for Burundi. [38247]

  Mr. Hanley
  Contingency planning on Burundi is continuing in New York arid in the sub-regional area. The most likely option appears to be a sub-regional peacekeeping force, though it is not yet clear on what terms. We are considering how we might help with planning.
  696
  Mr. Sutcliffe
  To ask the Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on plans for the expansion fo the international criminal tribunal for Rwanda to enable it to prosecute in Burundi. [38250]

  Mr. Hanley
  We are not aware of any initiative within the UN to expand the remit of the international criminal tribunal for Rwanda to include Burundi.

  Any extension of the Rwanda tribunal's mandate would require a Security Council resolution.

  Burma
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current policy of Her Majesty's Government towards imposing sanctions against the Burmese junta. [38248]

  Mr. Hanley
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State the Member for Upminster (Sir N. Bonsor), to the hon. Member for Hammersmith (Mr. Soley) on 10 July,Official Report, column 396.

  Dalai Lama
  Mr. Sutcliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to promote dialogue between the Chinese and the Dalai Lama. [38252]

  Mr. Hanley
  We consider that the best way forward for Tibet is through dialogue between the Chinese authorities and the Tibetans, including the Dalai Lama, without preconditions. We have consistently urged both sides to enter into such a dialogue without delay.

  BBC World Service
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the value for money of the new structures in the BBC in respect of World Service programming relative to those that they replaced. [38484]

  Mr. Hanley
  We are in consultation with the BBC about the implications for the World Service of the proposed reorganisation of the BBC, including the financial implications.

  General Affairs Council
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the General Affairs Council and the intergovernmental conference ministerial meeting of 15 and 16 July. [38630]

  Mr. David Davis
  The A points in documents 9021/96—add.1 and add.2—which will be placed in the Library of the House as soon as they are available, were approved.

  The Council noted the resolutions adopted by the European Parliament in documents EP 8001/96 PE-RE45, 8162/96 PE-RE51 and 8751/96 PE-RE56.

  The Council began with a televised debate on the Irish presidency programme. The President of the Council, Irish Foreign Minister Dick Spring, presented

  697
  his priorities, including preparation for European monetary union, employment, EU enlargement, the intergovernmental conference and work on the third pillar. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs highlighted the need to get down to discussion of specific IGC treaty language to press ahead with reform of the common agricultural policy and the structural fund which is necessary for enlargement, and the importance of progress in the middle east peace process.

  The Council acknowledged Slovenia's letter of application for EU membership.

  The Commission gave a progress report on relations with Switzerland. The Council reaffirmed the EU's wish to conclude negotiations as soon as possible.

  The Council had a wide ranging discussion on the Former Yugoslavia, including an exchange of views on the future of the EU's presence in Mostar. The Council approved a joint action on Mostar and agreed the appointment of Sir Martin Garrod as EU special envoy in Mostar.

  The President of the Council and Commissioner Van den Broek reported on their recent visit to the region.

  The Council agreed conclusions on Former Yugoslavia which note among other things that the requirements of the Florence European Council declaration on the peace process, including that for the removal of Radovan Karadzic from the Republika Srpska political scene, had not yet fully been complied with.

  The Council reached political agreement on the MEDA regulations on aid to countries in the Mediterranean.

  The Council adopted conclusions on the US "Helms-Burton" legislation on companies trading with Cuba, calling on President Clinton to waive the provisions of title III of the Act and identifying possible counter measures.

  The Council held an exchange of views on the political situation in Russia, and adopted conclusions welcoming the successful conclusion of the presidential elections. The Council also reaffirmed its readiness to continue to contribute to the reform process and to complete ratification of the partnership and co-operation agreement, but decided to convey its concern about the recurrence of violence in Chechnya to the Russian authorities.

  The Council discussed the middle east peace process.

  The Council declared its concern over the continuing deterioration of the political situation in Burma and urged the State Law and Order Restoration Council to restore democracy and respect human rights. The Council reiterated its call for a full and satisfactory explanation from the Burmese authorities of the circumstances leading up to and surrounding the death in custody of James Leander Nichols.

  The Council agreed a declaration welcoming the 10 July resolution of the Organisation of African Unity Heads of State and Government on Burundi.

  The presidency announced the appointment of Ambassador Kester Heaslip as the presidency's special representative on Cyprus.
  698
  There was a general debate on preparation for the World Trade Organisation ministerial meeting in Singapore in December. The presidency drew procedural conclusions: the Council will return to the subject in the autumn.

  On 15 July there was an IGC ministerial meeting. Foreign Ministers had a brief discussion on handling of the IGC. The Irish presidency confirmed that there would be a special European Council in October, and that it would prepare a draft revised treaty text for the second European Council in December.

  There was also the customary briefing session with representatives of the European Parliament.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Internet
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Attorney-General 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. [37246]

  The Attorney-General
  The Crown Prosecution Service makes press notices available to the public on the Internet via the Central Office of Information. The Department has commissioned an internal study to assess the benefits of developing a separate connection to the Internet.

  The Serious Fraud Office is exploring with the Central Computer Telecommunication Agency the use of the Government information service website.

  The Treasury Solicitor's Department will assess the appropriateness of simultaneously releasing on the Internet the text of future major publications.

  Contracts
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Attorney-General 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. [37314]

  The Attorney-General
  The information with respect to the firms used by the departments and agencies for which I am responsible is as follows. It related to the financial year 1995–96.

  Treasury Solicitor's Department

  On behalf of clients:

  Coopers and Lybrand: 41 (1)

  KMPG: 1 (1)

  Binder Hamlyn: 4 (1)

  Administration:

  Pannel Kerr Forster: 19 (1)

  699

  Government Property Lawyers: Nil

  Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers: Nil

  Crown Prosecution Service

  KPMG—for training: 44(1)

  Price Waterhouse—for consultancy: 8(1)

  Ernst and Young—for market testing/consultancy: 18(2)

  Touche Ross and Co.—for contract advice: 8(1)

  Serious Fraud Office

  For fraud investigation and the secondment of accountants to the SFO:

  Coopers and Lybrand: 335

  KPMG: 170

  Price Waterhouse: 1

  Ernst and Young: 14

  Arthur Andersen: 4

  Grant Thornton: 85

  Panel Kerr Forster: 66

  Robson Rhodes: 541

  Notes:

  1. Figures before the brackets represent expenditure in £000, to the nearest £1,000, on contracts both new and continuing—new contract only in the case of the CPS—during the financial year 1995–96.

  2. Figures in brackets represent the number of new contracts entered into during that financial year. Information about the number of new contracts entered into by the SFO is not available.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Banned Feed
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how his Department plans to enforce legislation making it illegal for farmers to have outstanding stocks of banned feed on their premises when that legislation comes into force; and if he will make a statement. [37354]

  Mrs. Browning
  On 29 March, the sale or supply of any mammalian meat and bone meal, MBM, for the purposes of feeding to farmed animals, including poultry, horses and farmed fish, was prohibited. From 4 April, it has also been an offence to use any MBM, or feed containing it, for feeding to farmed animals.

  The 4 April ban was set around a fortnight after the feed compounders announced an immediate voluntary ban on the incorporation of MBM in farmed animal feed. Advice from the industry supported our understanding that little MBM would, accordingly, be left on farms by 4 April.

  Our enforcement strategy in ensuring that the prohibition from farms, feed mills and feed merchants of MBM and feed incorporating it from 1 August has three primary strands.

  First, on 10 June we launched the Government-funded feed recall scheme to give farmers, feed compounders and feed merchants every opportunity to dispose of MBM and feed containing it before its presence on their premises became illegal.

  By the end of this month we shall have collected over 10,000 tonnes of this material, mostly, as we expected from feed compounders, with only small residual amounts to be collected from farms.
  700
  Secondly, since the Government introduced temporary financial assistance to the rendering industry from 1 April, we have detailed information on the disposal or incorporation into pet food of all the MBM produced in the UK. Continued access to this information is to be confirmed in law from 1 August with the establishment of record keeping requirements on MBM produced in the UK or entering the UK from elsewhere, covering dispatch, transportation and receipt.

  Finally, the State Veterinary Service inspects all rendering plants at least weekly which, combined with extensive inspection and sampling of feed compounders, should provide every confidence that no MBM is going to farms, feed mills or feed merchants and that no feed being produced contains MBM.

  Beef Exports
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many beef meat animals, under industry defined categories, separately, were exported(a) live and (b) in carcase form to each (i) European Union country and (ii) non-EU country in each of the last two years. [29618]

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

  Provisional figures for exports of live beef meat animals as recorded in the overseas trade statistics are as follows:

  Number: Thousands

  1994

  1995

  EC Countries

  France

  238

  227

  Netherlands

  161

  138

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  79

  55

  Irish Republic

  1

  1

  Non EC countries

  0

  0

  The number of beef meat animals exported in whole carcase form are not separately available. However provisional figures for the weight and value of exports of whole and half carcases as recorded in the overseas trade statistics, are as follows:

  1994

  1995

  Tonnes

  £000s

  Tonnes

  £000s

  EC countries

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  87.8

  101.3

  181.3

  379.1

  Denmark

  137.9

  301.7

  132.0

  321.8

  France

  2,755.7

  5,108.9

  6,466.6

  14,267.8

  Germany

  79.3

  154.6

  37.2

  87.1

  Greece

  3.3

  7.6

  11.6

  28.4

  Irish Republic

  6,563.5

  13,326.2

  8,457.1

  16,658.3

  Italy

  4,816.7

  10,774.0

  7,358.1

  17,565.9

  Netherlands

  103.5

  237.8

  516.1

  1,119.0

  Portugal

  861.7

  1,956.4

  2,038.5

  4,829.6

  Spain

  1,457.9

  3,275.6

  2,001.9

  4,283.4

  Non-EC countries

  Albania

  0.0

  0.0

  16.0

  8.1

  Japan

  2.5

  5.6

  0.0

  0.0

  New Zealand

  0.0

  0.0

  35.8

  44.3

  Pakistan

  0.0

  0.0

  2.0

  2.6

  Russia

  0.5

  2.3

  0.0

  0.0

  701

  1994

  1995

  Tonnes

  £000s

  Tonnes

  £000s

  Singapore

  0.1

  1.6

  0.0

  0.0

  Sri Lanka

  0.2

  2.2

  0.0

  0.0

  Switzerland (including Liechtenstein)

  0.2

  0.8

  0.0

  0.0

  Trinidad and Tobago

  0.4

  1.9

  0.0

  0.0

  Venezuela

  0.4

  0.9

  0.0

  0.0

  Phosmet
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which other(a) EU and (b) Organisation for Economic Co-operation countries (i) have used and (ii) continue to use phosmet. [37717]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 18 July 1996]: The Government do not hold any information on the use, either in the past or at present, of veterinary medicines in other countries. This is a matter for the appropriate regulatory authority in any particular country. However, we understand from the industry body, the National Office of Animal Health Ltd., that phosmet is currently authorised for use as a veterinary medicine in several countries including France and the Republic of Ireland,

  Product name

  Marketing authorisation holder

  Authorisation number

  Dosage and administration

  Poron 20

  Young's Animal Health Ltd.

  PL 1447/4007

  For use in cattle

  1. Treatment of warble fly infestation or mange— 10ml/100kg bodyweight up to 350kg; over 350kg bodyweight—40ml. To be given as single dose.

  2. Treatment of lice infestation only—5ml/100kg bodyweight up to 350kg; over 350kg bodyweight—20ml. To be repeated after 10 to 14 days.

  3. Treatment of warble fly, lice and mange infestation— treat first at the warble/mange dose followed 10 to 14 days later by the louse dose.

  Porect

  Pfizer Ltd.

  PL 11061/4001

  For use in pigs to treat and control mange and louse infestation.

  This product is in a ready to use form and should be applied at a dosage rate of 1ml/10kg bodyweight.

  Vet-Kem Sponge—On For Dogs

  Sanofi Animal Health Ltd.

  PL 12501/4003

  To be used as a solution containing 30mls of sponge-on with 3.8 litres of water. Repeat treatment may be necessary after 14 days if treating for sarcoptic mange, or 16 days for the control of flea infestations.

  Fishing Vessels
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what tonnage of fishing vessels in England and Wales have been(a) permanently transferred to a third country and (b) permanently reassigned for purposes other than fishing in the waters of the European Community since 1993; how many of these would have been covered under article 8 of European Council regulation 3699/93; and if he will make a statement. [38343]

  Mr. Baldry
  No record is kept of the destination of vessels leaving the fleet without Government assistance. Under the Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) Schemes 1993 to 1996, no decommissioned vessels have been
  702
  which are members of both the EU and the OECD, and Australia and New Zealand, which are also members of the OECD.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in what veterinary products(a) phosmet has been used since 1966 and (b) continues to be used. [37718]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 18 July 1996]: There are currently three authorised veterinary medicinal products available in the United Kingdom containing phosmet. These are listed below with their marketing authorisation numbers. Information on products which are no longer authorised is not readily available.

  Poron 20 PL 1447/4007, Porect PL 11061/4001 and Vet-Kem Sponge-on For Dogs PL 12501/4003.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at what times of the year, at what strength and at what frequency phosmet has been used in veterinary products in the United Kingdom in the last 20 years. [37719]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 18 July 1996]: Listed below are the veterinary medicinal products, currently authorised for use, that contain phosmet, with their recommended dosage rates. These products can be used at any time of year as required. Information on products which are no longer authorised is not readily available.

  either permanently reassigned for purposes other than fishing in the waters of the European Community or have been permanently transferred to a third country.

  Service Delivery Targets
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress his Department has made in meeting service delivery targets set out in "Commitment to Service". [39008]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The table sets out the performance achieved by regional service centres against the targets set in "Commitment to Service", second edition.
  703

  RSC performance data (percentage) for financial year 1995–96 unless otherwise specified

  Total1

  Arable area payments scheme2

  Payments

  86

  Beef special premium scheme3

  Advance payments (1994)

  97

  Balance payments (1994)

  99

  Applications (1995) CID return

  99

  Claims (1995) CID Return

  99

  Suckler cow premium scheme

  Balance payments 1994

  99

  Advance payments 1995

  99

  Hill livestock compensatory allowances4

  Claims 1995

  83

  Sheep annual premium scheme5

  Claims marketing year 1995

  99

  Agricultural improvement scheme

  Plan claims

  94

  Environmentally sensitive areas

  Applications

  99

  Claims

  99

  Environmentally sensitive areas conservation plan

  Applications

  97

  Claims

  96

  Farm and conservation grant scheme 1989

  Plan claims

  99

  Non plan claims

  99

  Farm and conservation grant scheme 1991

  Plan applications

  100

  Plan claims

  99

  Farm diversification grant scheme (capital items)

  Claims

  100

  Farm diversification grant scheme (feasibility and marketing)

  Claims

  100

  Farm woodland premium scheme

  Applications

  96

  Claims

  99

  Injurious weeds

  Complaints

  99

  Pilot nitrate sensitive areas scheme

  Claims

  100

  Nitrate sensitive areas scheme

  Applications

  96

  Claims

  99

  Protection of Badgers Act 1992

  Licence applications

  93

  Five year set aside scheme

  Claims

  100

  Short-term lettings

  Applications

  95

  Strychnine permits

  Applications

  99

  Agricultural wages

  Complaints

  100

  704

  RSC performance data (percentage) for financial year 1995–96 unless otherwise specified

  Total1

  Wildlife and Countryside Act

  Applications

  95

  Correspondence

  95

  Nine complaints were received by the MAFF adjudicator, all of which were resolved.

  1 The total percentage has been calculated by setting the entire number of applications or claims cleared within the target time against the total number received. Applications and claims not cleared due to reasons beyond our control—such as incorrect information supplied by applicant—are not included as failures to meet target.

  1 The total percentage has been calculated by setting the entire number of applications or claims cleared within the target time against the total number received. Applications and claims not cleared due to reasons beyond our control—such as incorrect information supplied by applicant—are not included as failures to meet target.

  2 The failures resulted from unforeseen administrative complexities in checking all claims to the exacting standards required under the integrated administration and control system—IACS—rules.

  3 The period covered is January to December 1995.

  4 The period covered is November 1994 to June 1995. The high number of failures was due to the payment round being initially delayed due to the regulation coming into force later than usual and because of problems with the digitisation of less favoured area land from 1994 IACS records which required the manual checking of over 35,000 individual fields.

  5 Final payments made by 30 April 1996.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of confirmed BSE cases in England for each of the past 36 months. [33306]

  Mrs. Browning
  [pursuant to her reply, 10 July 1996, c. 245]: The number of confirmed BSE cases by date of confirmation in England for each of the last 36 months is:

  Month/year

  Cases

  July 1993

  1,876

  August 1993

  2,322

  September 1993

  2,210

  October 1993

  2,228

  November 1993

  2,762

  December 1993

  2,013

  January 1994

  1,678

  February 1994

  2,655

  March 1994

  2,754

  April 1994

  2,141

  May 1994

  1,634

  June 1994

  2,140

  July 1994

  1,223

  August 1994

  1,338

  September 1994

  1,612

  October 1994

  1,757

  November 1994

  1,642

  December 1994

  1,004

  January 1995

  1,441

  February 1995

  1,746

  March 1995

  1,434

  April 1995

  967

  May 1995

  1,220

  June 1995

  1,098

  July 1995

  1,080

  August 1995

  894

  September 1995

  827

  October 1995

  920

  November 1995

  945

  December 1995

  655

  January 1996

  785

  February 1996

  1,000

  March 1996

  736

  705

  Month/year

  Cases

  April 1996

  545

  May 1996

  515

  June 1996

  939

  Total

  52,736

  There is a delay of several weeks, while diagnostic tests are completed between the slaughter of BSE suspect animals and the confirmation of the case as being BSE. Procedural changes within the veterinary investigation service significantly reduced processing capacity from March to May, and the subsequent increase in June represents clearance of the backlog. A similar backlog resulting from public holidays and Christmas was cleared in February.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Education and Library Boards
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will list the number and value of(a) mandatory awards, (b) discretionary awards and (c) educational maintenance allowances provided by each individual education and library board since 1988–89; [37207]

  (2) what would be the cost of introducing education maintenance allowances at the same rates as (a) income support for young people and (b) training allowances paid to 16 and 17 year-olds on job skills programmes; [37169]

  (3) what are the present administration costs of educational maintenance allowances. [37480]

  Mr. Ancram
  The information on mandatory and discretionary awards is:

  Year

  Numbers (thousands)

  Expenditure

  Tuition fees and maintenance

  Academic year

  Financial year

  Mandatory

  Discretionary

  Mandatory

  Discretionary

  1988–89

  19.7

  1.9

  37.4

  3.8

  1989–90

  21.0

  2.0

  42.1

  4.2

  1990–91

  22.6

  2.5

  256.2

  4.6

  1991–92

  128.5

  2.8

  191.2

  5.0

  1992–93

  30.5

  3.2

  110.9

  5.8

  1993–94

  33.9

  3.1

  3117.2

  6.2

  1994–95

  36.6

  2.7

  4102.1

  6.8

  1995–96

  37.2

  2.7

  592.1

  6.8

  Source:

  Northern Ireland Expenditure Plans and Priorities 1994–95–1996–97 and 1996–97–1998–99.

  1 Includes teacher training and EC students from September 1991.

  2 Shift in institutional funding towards the fee introduced in September 1990.

  3 Shift of fees towards institutional funding from September 1993 and reduction of 10 per cent. in maintenance grant with effect from 1 September 1994.

  4 Reduction of 45 per cent. institution fees across fee bands and reduction of 7.7 per cent. in maintenance grant with effect from 1 September 1995.

  5 Reduction of 8.5 per cent. in maintenance grant with effect from 1 September 1996.

  706
  The information requested in part (c) of question 37202 and in question 37480 is not readily available. I will write to the hon. Member when it becomes available and place a copy in the Library.

  The information requested on the possible introduction of education maintenance allowances is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the advice of the working groups which evaluated the practicality of providing a range of education and library board services on a regional basis. [37218]

  Mr. Ancram
  Copies of the report of each of the six working groups which were established to examine the practicalities of providing a range of services on a regional basis have been sent to the education and library boards and the NI public service alliance, which had requested copies. Further work has been commissioned on grants and awards and on capital planning and construction services.

  I will arrange for a copy of each report and the Department's response to be sent to the hon. Member and placed in the Library.

  Live Animal Exports
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 11 June,Official Report, columns 140–41, on cattle exports from Northern Ireland, how many of the cattle exported to Italy were calves under six months of age; and if the cattle exported to Spain were born in the United Kingdom. [37082]

  Mr. Ancram
  All of the cattle exported to Italy were calves under six months of age; 101 cattle exported to Spain were born outside the United Kingdom. The remainder of the cattle exported to Spain were calves under six months of age which were born in the United Kingdom.

  Further Education Colleges
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the percentages of students in further education who received student financial support in the form of(a) discretionary awards, (b) mandatory awards and (c) educational maintenance allowances in each of the last three years. [37215]

  Mr. Ancram
  The information is not available in the form requested. Available information is that 6 per cent., 9 per cent. and 11 per cent. of students in further-education institutions received mandatory awards in the years 1993–94 to 1995–96 respectively.

  Information on the percentages who received discretionary awards and educational maintenance allowances could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Student Unions
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the funds received by each individual further and higher education student union over the past five years. [37216]
  707
  Mr. Ancram
  Grants paid by the Queen's University of Belfast and the University of Ulster to their student unions over the past five academic years are:

  Academic year

  Queen University £

  University of Ulster £

  1990–91

  630,000

  632,000

  1991–92

  599,000

  686,000

  1992–93

  683,000

  751,000

  1993–94

  731,000

  877,000

  1994–95

  757,000

  807,000

  The information is not readily available in respect of colleges of further education as they are currently closed for the July vacation. I will write to the hon. Member when this information becomes available and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

  Student Grants
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he applied policy appraisal and fair treatment processes to his decision to withdraw grants from students studying at private colleges in the Republic of Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [37200]

  Mr. Ancram
  No formal policy appraisal and fair treatment appraisal was undertaken, though PAFT principles, with other factors, were considered in reaching the decision.

  Postgraduate Awards
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of postgraduate awards and expenditure thereon in each of the past five years. [37210]

  Mr. Ancram
  The information is as follows:

  Year

  Number per academic year

  £ millions expenditure per financial year

  1991–92

  878

  4.6

  1992–93

  825

  5.6

  1993–941

  730

  5.0

  1994–95

  682

  4.8

  1995–96

  645

  4.5

  1 Awards to NI students for postgraduate studentships in higher education institutions in GB became the responsibility of the British Academy and the research councils.

  Incorporated Colleges
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the annual administrative costs of incorporated colleges; and what are the equivalent present administration costs under education and library boards. [37166]

  Mr. Ancram
  The Department, in conjunction with the education and library boards, is identifying current administrative and other costs associated with all aspects of further education. These resources will transfer to the colleges on incorporation.
  708
  It will be for the colleges to determine their management and other structures and to meet the costs from within their overall budgets.

  Agency Printing Costs
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the agencies for which his Department is responsible and the costs incurred by each for printing(a) all publications and (b) its annual report in the last year for which figures are available. [37462]

  Sir John Wheeler
  [holding answer 16 July 1996]:

  The information in respect of the Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office is as follows:

  Printing costs

  Agency

  Year

  All publications £

  Annual reports £

  Department of Economic Development

  Training and Employment Agency

  1995–96

  293,214

  23,650

  Industrial Research and Technology Unit

  1995–96

  108,229

  22,102

  Department of Environment

  Construction Service 1

  1996–97

  12,455

  —

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Northern Ireland

  1995–96

  7,865

  2,196

  Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency

  1995–96

  12,977

  8,129

  Environment and Heritage 1 Service

  1996–97

  15,000

  —

  Land Registers of Northern Ireland1

  1996–97

  7,183

  —

  Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland

  1995–96

  10,106

  4,390

  Planning Service

  1996–97

  2,000

  —

  Public Record Office for Northern Ireland

  1995–96

  10,500

  5,500

  Rate Collection Agency

  1995–96

  8,500

  3,700

  Road Service1

  1996–97

  12,000

  —

  Water Service1

  —

  —

  —

  Department of Health and Social Services

  Social Security Agency

  1995–96

  20,963

  8,500

  NI Child Support Agency

  1995–96

  63,763

  211,228

  Health Estates Agency1

  —

  —

  —

  Northern Ireland Office

  Compensation Agency

  1994–95

  3,200

  2,100

  Northern Ireland Forensic Science

  1995–96

  16,970

  —

  Northern Ireland Prison Services

  1995–96

  43,999

  24,480

  1 These agencies were established recently therefore no figures are available for printing costs of the annual report.

  2 1994–95.

  The Department of Finance and Personnel has three agencies, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, Valuation and Lands Agency, and Government Purchasing Agency. The chief executive in each of these agencies has written directly to my hon. Friend.

  709
  Letter from D. J. Court to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 16 July 1996:
  You recently tabled a question asking the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the agencies for which his Department is responsible and the costs incurred by each for printing (a) all publications and (b) its annual report in the last year for which figures are available.
  In answer to your question the Government Purchasing Agency has incurred £5,028 on the printing and publication of its Framework Document and Corporate and Business Plans. As the Agency was launched as a Next Steps Agency in April this year it has not yet produced an Annual Report.

  Letter from D. J. Bell to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 16 July 1996:
  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked that I write to you in my capacity as Commissioner and Chief Executive of the Valuation and Lands Agency to give the information requested in your Parliamentary Question of 11 July 1996.
  This Agency has relatively few publications each year. However last year, the latest for which figures are available, the Corporate & Business Plan and the Annual Report were based on a single design format. I have apportioned this design cost between the two publications. The following is the specific information which you requested:

  (a) all publications (excluding Annual Report)—£9,978.76

  (b) Annual Report—£7,175.00

  I trust this information is sufficient for your purposes, however if I can be of further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.

  Letter from Edgar F. Jardine to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 16 July 1996:
  Sir John Wheeler has asked me to reply in my capacity as Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency to your Parliamentary Question on the printing costs incurred in the preparation of Agency publications.
  The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency was established as an Agency within the Department of Finance and Personnel on 1 April 1996. The role of the Agency is to provide statistics and social research services to inform Government and the wider public, undertake the census of population in Northern Ireland and to administer the civil registration of births, deaths and marriages.
  The cost of printing the Agency's Framework Document, Corporate and Business Plans and Charter Statement in 1995–96 was £7,760. The Agency will publish its first Annual Report after 31 March 1997.

  Nursery Voucher Scheme
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has to require the Department of Health and Social Services to supply social security information to(a) the Department of Education for Northern Ireland, (b) education and library boards and (c) private firms under the education voucher scheme; and what information will be supplied and for what purpose. [37793]

  Mr. Ancram
  I refer the hon. Member to the provisions in the proposal for a draft Education (No. 2) (Northern Ireland) Order 1996, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the(a) extra staffing and (b) full financial costs to (a) DENI and (b) education and library boards of his Department's education voucher scheme. [37794]
  710
  Mr. Ancram
  The Department of Education proposes to make one permanent and four temporary additional appointments to the education and training inspectorate for the purpose of inspecting providers who wish to register under the scheme. No estimate has been made of the financial costs of the administration of the scheme to DENT or to education and library boards: it is expected that the scheme will be implemented through existing and projected administrative staff complements.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the administrative costs to the Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment of his education voucher proposals. [37795]

  Mr Ancram
  It is estimated that costs of approximately £17,000 will be incurred by the Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment, NICCEA, in preparing and consulting on a pre-school curriculum for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the roles of the inspectorate and the Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment in respect of his Department's education voucher scheme. [37796]

  Mr. Ancram
  I refer the hon. Member to the proposals set out in paragraphs 4.3 to 4.6, and in paragraph 5.3 of the publication "Pre-School Education: The Voucher Scheme in Northern Ireland", a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to what extent private providers of nursery education under the voucher scheme will have to meet the(a) staffing and (b) health and safety requirements of the Department of Education or the Department of Health and Social Services. [37797]

  Mr. Ancram
  It is proposed that the staffing regimes of private providers of pre-school education under the voucher scheme will be subject to the requirements of the Department of Health and Social Services under the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995. All providers of pre-school education will be subject to the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the(a) educational and (b) other differences between present courses of nursery education in Northern Ireland and those provided under the voucher scheme. [37798]

  Mr. Ancram
  No courses of nursery education have yet been provided under the voucher scheme. An assessment of any differences between current and future practice cannot be undertaken until after the completion, approval and implementation of the pre-school curriculum currently being prepared by the Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the cost differences per place between present nursery education and the proposed nursery voucher scheme. [37799]
  711
  Mr. Ancram
  The average cost of a full-time nursery place in a nursery school based on education and library boards' planned expenditure for 1996–97 is £2,130. The value of a voucher under the pre-school voucher scheme will be set at £1,100 and is intended to cover the cost of five half-day sessions per week for three terms.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the education and training inspectorate will require the same standards from the providers of places for voucher holders as it does for present provision of nursery education. [37800]

  Mr. Ancram
  All providers who wish to register under the pre-school voucher scheme will be required to meet specified standards, some of which will be specific to particular types of provision. Private and voluntary sector providers will not therefore be expected in all respects to meet the standards required from nursery schools.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Earnings Disregard
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants of income support are in receipt of part-time earnings at the level of the earnings disregard, where the disregard is(a) £5, (b) £10 and (c) £15. [36903]

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

  Claimants/partners with part-time earnings

  Number of cases with earnings

  Part-time earnings of £5 per week

  5,000

  Part-time earnings of £10 per week1

  nil

  Part-time earnings of £15 per week

  3,000

  Source:

  Income support quarterly inquiry, August 1995.

  Notes:

  1 There is no disregard at this level at the material date.

  1. There are no cases on the August 1995 inquiry where both the claimant and partner have earnings of £5 each. Where a claimant and their partner are both working and have been in receipt of benefit for less than two years, they qualify for a £5 disregard on both sets of earnings.

  2. The figures are rounded to the nearest thousand. Due to rounding, totals may not sum.

  3. Part-time earnings includes cases with self-employed earnings, and may be the claimant's earnings, their partners, or both.

  Benefits Agency Medical Service
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the number of(a) adjudication officers and (b) clerical officers employed to work with the Benefits Agency medical service in each disability benefit centre. [36911]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  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.
  712
  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Alan Howarth, dated 18 July 1996:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent parliamentary questions asking if he will give the number of (a) Adjudication Officers and (b) clerical officers employed to work with the Benefits Agency Medical Service (BAMS) in each Disability Benefits Centre (DBC).
  The information is not available in the format requested. This is because BAMS staff, both medical and clerical, work at Medical Services Centres (MSCs), most of which are located with DBCs. In the circumstances I have interpreted your question as asking for details of BAMS staff, rather than for staff at DBCs.
  Adjudication Officers are not employed by BAMS, but by the Benefits Agency. Their relationship to BAMS is that of customers, for whom BAMS provides medical advice across a range of benefits.
  Details of the number of BAMS staff in MSCs are in the enclosed table. I should explain that the Benefits Agency no longer employs clerical officers. The present equivalent is staff in Pay Band A4.
  I hope you find this reply useful.

  Staff in pay band A4 employed in medical services centres

  Medical services centre

  Pay band A4

  Birmingham

  34

  Bootle

  29

  Bristol

  19

  Cardiff

  27

  Edinburgh

  20

  Glasgow

  33

  Leeds

  12

  Manchester

  27

  Newcastle

  27

  Nottingham

  23

  Sutton

  35

  Wembley

  36

  Figures are provisional and subject to amendment.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are his estimates of the average difference between actual housing costs and the amount of eligible housing benefit as a result of the proposed Housing Benefit (General) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 1996. [35687]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The proposed regulations would not have affected housing benefit eligibility as they were intended to import relevant case law into legislation. The representations that have been received indicate that significant amounts of housing benefit may be being paid in respect of personal services in supported accommodation. Sudden removal of this income would cause significant difficulties for vulnerable people in supported accommodation.

  Students (Benefits)
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many students, for the academic years(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96, who did not attend their course for part or all of the academic year due to ill health were refused (i) income support and (ii) housing benefit during their period of absence, because they were treated as still attending a full-time course for the purposes of the Income Support (General) Regulations and the Housing Benefit (General) Regulations. [38570]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information is not available.
  713

  Statistical Forms
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the forms his Department issues annually to businesses to gather statistics, indicating the number of each distributed. [37807]

  Mr. Burt
  The Department carries out one annual statistical survey which involves business—the Contributions Agency's customer satisfaction survey. This year, some 6,500 customers will be interviewed, of whom is expected that approximately 60 per cent. will be self-employed or employers. From this year, this survey will no longer be carried out on an annual basis, but will instead take place every two years.

  Agency Printing Costs
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each of his Department's agencies the cost of printing(a) all publications and (b) the annual report in the latest available year. [37806]

  Mr. Burt
  The information is as follows:

  Cost of printing external publications by agency in 1995–96

  Cost £

  Benefits Agency

  3,814,497

  Contributions Agency

  2,961,502

  Child Support Agency

  365,669

  Information Technology Services Agency

  11,933

  War Pensions Agency

  162,597

  Resettlement Agency

  8,835

  Cost of printing 1995–96 annual report

  Cost £

  Benefits Agency

  8,765

  Contributions Agency

  13,013

  Child Support Agency

  18,562

  Information Technology Services Agency

  7,950

  War Pensions Agency

  16,720

  Resettlement Agency

  17,718

  1 Estimated figures.

  Cold Weather Payments
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received regarding the suitability of the Mumbles weather station in assessing cold weather payments for pensioners; and on what proposals he has decided in respect of next winter's assessment. [38483]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  Representations have been received from two hon. Members, one borough council and one member of the public.

  The review of last winter's scheme is under way and will be concluded shortly. Any proposals to change the existing weather stations or post code links will be laid before the House in the autumn.

  Benefits Agency (Welsh Language)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will undertake an investigation into the manner in which the Benefits Agency has published a consultation document on its Welsh language policy, with 714
  particular reference to the accuracy of its description of current policy; and if he will arrange to meet the chairman of the Welsh Language Board to discuss this matter. [38564]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  I am satisfied that the procedure adopted by the Benefits Agency, BA, for publishing a consultation document on its proposed Welsh language policy was carried out in accordance with the guidance provided to the agency on 22 May 1996 by the Welsh Language Board.

  The consultation document does not cover the BA's current voluntary Welsh language policy, which has been in operation since 1990, but states its intended policy under the requirements of the 1993 Welsh Language Act.

  Since publishing the document on 14 June 1996, the BA has decided to withdraw all its freeline services from 15 July 1996. This decision has impacted on that part of the proposed scheme which refers to general benefit advice and information available from the Welsh language freeline service. The BA's policy statement that all customers who contact the agency by telephone may use the language of their choice—either English or Welsh—is unchanged, as are the arrangements for providing this service.

  All other measures outlined in the consultation document accurately state the proposed Welsh language policy to be adopted by the BA.

  I will be happy to meet chairman of the Welsh Language Board.

  Widows (Child Benefit)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many widows with(a) one child and (b) two children are currently in receipt of child benefit. [38447]

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is as follows:As at 30 September 1995, there were 27,880 widows receiving an increase of widowed mothers allowance for one child, and 16,160 widows receiving an increase of widowed mothers allowance for two children. To receive an increase of widowed mothers' allowance, the widow must be entitled to child benefit.
  Of all widowed mothers allowance recipients, about 10,000 have a youngest child aged 16 or over.

  Note:

  Figures exclude the small number of widowed mothers who receive child benefit but do not qualify for widowed mothers allowance.

  Departmental Efficiency
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what further measures he is planning to improve the efficient running of his Department. [38987]

  Mr. Lilley
  In February, I launched the change programme to achieve a step change in the effectiveness of the Department of Social Security and all its agencies. It will involve streamlining benefit processes, introducing new information technology and greater involvement of the private sector.
  715
  I have today approved three initiatives involving greater collaboration with the private sector as the next stage of the Department's drive to review and improve the delivery of social security.

  The first initiative will involve an invitation to the private sector to submit proposals for taking over the operation of the child benefit centre in Washington, Tyne and Wear. This will involve the administration of child benefit, one-parent benefit and guardian's allowance. The intention is that staff working in these areas will be taken on by the appointed contractor.

  The second initiative will involve three private companies, or consortiums, appointed following open competition to work in conjunction with the Benefits Agency in running benefit delivery in three of its 13 areas—Yorkshire, west country and east London and Anglia area directorates—for 12 months. All three companies will assist the Benefits Agency with the development of new business processes and information technology. They will be invited during the 12 month period to submit proposals for any elements of the agency's business which could be run differently, including the possibility of further parts of the operation being run by the private sector.

  The third initiative is to launch the procurement process for an information systems/information technology strategy to enable greater sharing of data between benefit systems, working closely with the private sector to provide the most up-to-date technologies, expertise and funding.

  These initiatives are designed to improve the administration of the benefit system. They will not change any individual's benefit entitlement.

  Income Support
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he intends to review the income support direct payments scheme for fuel and water. [39007]

  Mr. Lilley
  I have asked my officials to consider with the regulators the fuel and water companies and with appropriate consumer bodies the scope for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the direct payments scheme.

  The scheme was introduced for fuel in 1976 and for water in 1991 as a last resort measure to help prevent disconnections. The number of direct payment deductions has steadily increased, from around 100,000 in the late 1970s to over half a million now, yet in recent years, although water prices have increased, fuel prices have fallen or remained stable. There have been significant improvements to the range and quality of payment schemes provided by all the utility companies and there has been a vast reduction in the number of disconnections. Technological advances, such as the benefit payment card due to be launched later this year, create new opportunities for providing alternative methods of payment for customers. I believe it is time to review the operation of the scheme to ensure that, in protecting the supply of fuel and water for people receiving income support, the right balance is struck between the companies' own payment and collection schemes, the responsibility of the individual, and the role of the state.
  716

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Sports Council
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) if she will list all the members, past and present, of the United Kingdom Sports Council together with the number of times they have attended meetings, including those who have not attended a meeting; [37087]

  (2) how many times the United Kingdom Sports Council has met. [37086]

  Mr. Sproat
  The formal establishment of the UK Sports Council is subject to the granting of a royal charter. In the meantime, a UK sub-committee of the Sports Council has met formally nine times. Sir Ian MacLaurin, chairman, has attended all nine meetings, Mr. O. Wheatley, eight; Mr. C. Reedie, Mr. G. Simmers and Dr. S. Springman, seven; Sir Rodney Walker, six; Mr. D. Allen, five; and Mr. C. Lloyd, one. Mr. R. Andrew and Mr. G. Lineker have been unable to attend any of the meetings. Official of the Sports Council were present as necessary. An observer from the department of National Heritage and observers from the home country sports councils and the British Olympic Association have also attended.

  World Heritage
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what financial contribution Her Majesty's Government have made to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation as a participant in its world heritage programme; what contributions will be made in the future; and if she will make a statement on the value for money to the UK of such contributions; [37970]

  (2) if she will list all sites and monuments in the United Kingdom which have been preserved as part of the world heritage convention; [37969]

  (3) what action Her Majesty's Government have taken to establish Greenwich as a world heritage site under the UNESCO convention concerning the protection of world cultural and national heritage; what advantages would attach to Greenwich of such recognition in terms of preservation and culture; and if she will make a statement. [37971]

  Mr. Sproat
  Last month, my right hon. Friend submitted a formal nomination to UNESCO to have maritime Greenwich inscribed in the list of world heritage sites. Inscription in the list is essentially honorific and no additional statutory controls follow. It does, however, highlight the outstanding international importance of a site as a material consideration to be taken into account by those deciding planning and listed building consent applications. A full statement of our policy for world heritage sites is set out in planning policy guidance note 15 "Planning and the Historic Environment" UNESCO's world heritage committee places great importance on the production of management plans for all inscribed sites, and the Government will shortly be consulting interested parties about the development of such a plan for Greenwich. The Government pay an annual subscription to UNESCO's world heritage fund; in 1996, this was
  717
  £126,000. Our contribution helps UNESCO support endangered sites throughout the world. There are currently 16 sites for which the UK has responsibility.

  Durham cathedral and castle

  Fountains abbey, St. Mary's church and Studley royal park

  Ironbridge gorge

  Stonehenge, Avebury and associated sites

  Blenheim palace and park

  Palace of Westminster, St. Margaret's church and Westminster
  abbey

  City of Bath

  Hadrian's wall military zone

  The Tower of London

  Canterbury cathedral, with St. Augustine's abbey and St. Martin's church

  Castles and towns walls of Edward I in Gwynedd

  Edinburgh old and new towns

  St. Kilda

  Giant's causeway and causeway coast

  Henderson island, south Pacific ocean

  Gough island wildlife reserve, south Atlantic ocean

  Sport in Schools
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what priority she attaches to competitive sport in schools; and if she will make a statement. [38219]

  Mr. Sproat
  Competitive sport in schools is extremely important. It teaches valuable lessons which last for life. Last July, we published "Sport: Raising the Game" which aims to promote sport, especially competitive sport, in schools and beyond. The revised physical education curriculum, introduced last August, places greater emphasis on team games. From this summer, in all standard inspections, Office for Standards in Education inspectors will report on games, including competitive team games, which are offered as part of the physical education curriculum. The inspectors will also report on extra-curricular sporting activity.

  Rugby Union
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proposals she has to call together representatives of the governing bodies of the four home nations rugby unions to discuss the threat to the future of the five nations championship; if she will list the five nations championship as listed events under the Broadcasting Acts; what representations she has received on the matter; and if she will make a statement. [37982]

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will take steps to resolve the dispute over the financial arrangements for the broadcasting of the five nations championship. [37917]

  Mr. Sproat
  The five nations championship is an historically important event in the sporting calendar, which is enjoyed by many. However, the sale of broadcasting rights is a matter for the relevant governing bodies to determine, and it is not appropriate for my Department to become involved in what is a private contractual matter. The question of listing the five nations 718
  championship cannot arise until the future of the tournament is clearer. I have received no recent representations on this matter.

  Works of Art
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if, pursuant to her answer of 11 July,Official Report, columns 250–51, relating to export licences for works of art and museum objects temporarily withheld by her, she will provide equivalent information in respect of the final five cases listed as unresolved in her answer of 16 January, Official Report, column 512. [38196]

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 18 July 1996]: The information is as follows:

  Description of item

  Valuation (£)

  Outcome

  A painting The Holy Family with the Infant Saint John, by Fra Bartolommeo (1472–1517)

  14,000,000

  Export licence granted

  A painting Lord Willoughby de Broke and his family at breakfast, by Johan Zoffany, c. 1766

  3,500,000

  Export licence granted

  A lady's secretary by Thomas Chippendale (1718–1779)

  570,000

  Acquired by the National Trust

  An archive of manuscripts relating to the editing of Principia Mathematica by Sir Isaac Newton, c. 1726

  400,000

  Export licence granted

  A collection of architectural drawings for Trentham Hall signed or annotated by Sir Charles Barry and others, 1834–1914

  75,820

  Acquired by Stoke on Trent City museum

  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to her answer of 11 July,Official Report, column 250, if the valuations of the works of art listed are equivalent to the figures which have to be offered by a United Kingdom museum or gallery in order to warrant a definitive withholding by her of an export licence, or whether the sums required may be varied; and if she will list the items where the figure may vary indicating the factors underlying the variation. [37805]

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 18 July 1996]: The valuations listed in the answer of 11 July are the fair market prices accepted by Ministers following recommendations made by the reviewing committee on the export of works of art. The principle behind each price is that the vendor should receive a compensating offer from a UK buyer which should not put him in a worse position than had he sold to a foreign buyer. Offers to purchase by a UK museum or gallery must accord with this principle. The listed valuations exclude any value added tax liability, and they may be varied by additional elements including the buyer's premium, the dealer's commission and reasonable conservation costs. They may also be varied by agreement between the parties. My Department is aware that there is a VAT liability to be added to the valuation of the "ideal" bust by Antonio Canova. A private treaty sale may also be negotiated between a vendor and a UK museum or gallery for a figure different from that listed. My Department is aware

  719
  of negotiations for such a sale in the case of the Il Guercino painting "Erminia finding the wounded Tancred".

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many grant-maintained schools there are in each London borough. [37862]

  Mrs. Gillan
  The requested information is in the table:

  Borough

  Number

  Barking and Dagenham

  0

  Barnet

  12

  Bexley

  8

  Brent

  16

  Bromley

  23

  Camden

  3

  Corporation of London

  0

  Croydon

  12

  Ealing

  9

  Enfield

  6

  Greenwich

  1

  Hackney

  1

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  1

  Haringey

  0

  Harrow

  1

  Havering

  4

  Hillingdon

  22

  Hounslow

  2

  Islington

  0

  Kensington and Chelsea

  3

  Kingston upon Thames

  5

  Lambeth

  16

  Lewisham

  1

  Merton

  1

  Newham

  1

  Redbridge

  1

  Richmond upon Thames

  0

  Southwark

  10

  Sutton

  11

  Unfilled places on initial teacher training courses 1988–89 to 1995–96

  Numbers

  England and Wales

  England

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  Total

  326

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  632

  286

  Maths

  429

  395

  636

  167

  —

  —

  300

  472

  English

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Science

  229

  146

  410

  —

  —

  242

  340

  608

  Geography

  12

  27

  51

  —

  —

  —

  27

  4

  Religious education

  109

  74

  136

  67

  34

  54

  59

  16

  Modern foreign languages

  177

  211

  344

  37

  —

  123

  288

  302

  Where no number is given, target was met or exceeded.

  Percentage

  England and Wales

  England

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  Total

  1.6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2.1

  1.0

  Maths

  27.3

  25.7

  36.8

  9.7

  —

  —

  13.5

  20.8

  English

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Science

  12.8

  8.3

  19.9

  —

  —

  9.3

  10.6

  17.9

  Geography

  3.4

  7.5

  12.9

  —

  —

  —

  4.2

  0.6

  Religious education

  29.4

  19.8

  35.1

  16.5

  8.4

  12.8

  11.8

  3.1

  Modern foreign languages

  18.0

  20.4

  25.0

  2.7

  —

  7.4

  14.0

  14.5

  Where no number is given, target was met or exceeded.

  720

  Borough

  Number

  Tower Hamlets

  1

  Waltham Forest

  4

  Wandsworth

  8

  Westminster

  0

  Education Maintenance Allowance
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 15 July,Official Report, columns 397–99, from which funds allocated by his Department local education authorities award discretionary educational maintenance allowances; on what occasions such allowances have been independently assessed in respect of value for money over the last five years; what conclusions were drawn; and if he will make a statement. [38444]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Local authorities pay discretionary educational maintenance allowance from the general funds available to them, including revenue support grant.The Department does not make any specific payments in support of such allowances, although we take account of them in education standard spending assessments.

  I am not aware of any assessment in the last five years of the value for money of educational maintenance allowances.

  Teacher Training
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the(a) actual number and (b) percentage of unfilled places on initial teacher training courses for each year since 1987–88, including 1996–97 (i) in total and (ii) for (1) maths, (2) english, (3) science, (4) geography, (5) religious education and (6) modern foreign languages. [37865]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The number and percentage of unfilled places on initial teacher training courses for the academic years 1988–89 to 1995–96 are given in the table. Data for 1996–97 are not yet available.
  721

  Teacher Training Agency
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how much was spent on administration, separately identifying staff costs in cash and real terms(a) by the Teacher Training Agency in the current year and (b) by the Higher Education Funding Council for England in discharging its teacher training functions in the final year before the transfer of those responsibilities to the Teacher Training Agency; [38334]

  (2) how many (a) full-time equivalent staff have been employed by the Teacher Training Agency in the current year and (b) full-time equivalent staff were employed by the Higher Education Funding Council for England involved in discharging its teacher training functions in the final year before the transfer of those responsibilities to the Teacher Training Agency. [38336]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  In 1995–96, the latest year for which accounts are available, the Teacher Training Agency, TTA, spent £2.414 million on administration costs, of which £1.303 million was spent on staff costs. The average number of full-time equivalent—FTE—staff employed by the agency in 1995–96 was 42.

  The academic year 1993–94 was the last complete year in which the HEFCE had responsibility for the administration of teacher training allocations and quality assessment. The HEFCE estimates its administration costs for the allocation intake targets and funding in respect of teacher training were some £80,000, of which £66,000 relates to staff costs. The FTE of staff involved in work on teacher training in 1993–94 was 2.5.

  In addition to developing the functions transferred from the HEFCE, the TTA has taken on tasks which were previously the responsibility of the teaching as a career unit, the Council for the accreditation of Teacher Education and the then Department for Education, as well as a number of new functions under the Education Act 1994.

  Mr. Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment she has made of the efficiency of the Teacher Training Agency in discharging its duties under the Education Act 1994. [38333]

  Mr. Squire
  The Teacher Training Agency's objectives and targets are published annually in its corporate plan and progress on them is recorded in its annual report. The Department will carry out a financial management survey during the current financial year, in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines, to consider the agency's system of financial management and control. This will include an examination of performance measures, targets and other indicators of efficiency in accordance with standard practice. The results will be published.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the working groups established by the national committee of inquiry into higher education chaired by Sir Ron Dearing, and the members and chairmen of each group. [38335]

  Mr. Forth
  The national committee of inquiry into higher education expects to announce details of the working groups and their membership at the end of July. I shall place a copy of that announcement in the Library.
  722

  Teachers
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was(a) the target and (b) the actual intake for teachers in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools, broken down into subjects, in each year from 1990–91, with such figures as are available for 1996–97. [37782]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 18 July 1996]: The number of teachers who entered teaching in mainstream nursery, primary and secondary schools in England and Wales for the first time each year from 1990–91 to 1993–94 are given in the table. The Secretary of State does not set targets for entrants into teaching.

  New entrants into full-time and part-time teaching in the nursery, primary and secondary sector

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Subject (1)

  Maintained nursery and primary sector

  Maths

  267

  303

  296

  362

  English

  1,232

  1,315

  1,501

  1,734

  Science

  1,002

  1,008

  1,042

  1,302

  MFL

  218

  202

  235

  253

  Technical

  127

  168

  227

  265

  History

  558

  587

  624

  771

  Geography

  418

  429

  485

  542

  Art

  451

  445

  555

  610

  Music

  288

  329

  300

  323

  RE

  277

  270

  237

  328

  PE

  172

  232

  253

  319

  Other

  2,141

  2,409

  2,082

  1,768

  Not known2

  1,115

  784

  847

  867

  Total

  8,266

  8,481

  8,684

  9,444

  Maintained secondary sector

  Maths

  675

  665

  832

  1,055

  English

  846

  939

  1,044

  1,138

  Science

  1,137

  1,149

  1,311

  1,512

  MFL

  669

  742

  930

  1,071

  Technical

  755

  693

  778

  1,112

  History

  332

  393

  433

  536

  Geography

  264

  259

  375

  416

  Art

  311

  301

  349

  368

  Music

  237

  249

  293

  320

  RE

  209

  202

  243

  275

  PE

  538

  580

  624

  608

  Other

  348

  309

  327

  372

  Not known2

  421

  329

  261

  413

  Total

  6,742

  6,810

  7,800

  9,196

  1 Subject of ITT where known otherwise subject of first degree.

  2 Includes non-graduates.

  3 Figures as at March of each year.

  Student Grants
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many students, in the academic years(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96 under provisions of the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulation 26 (3) (a), (i) had their student grant withdrawn, (ii) had their grant reduced and (iii) had their grant continued at the rate awarded, because they were unable to attend their course due to illness. [38569]
  723
  Mr. Forth
  The information required is not collected centrally. The administration of mandatory awards is a matter for local education authorities, who make decisions on individual cases according to the relevant regulations.

  Schools Renewal Challenge Fund
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when she expects to take a decision on the submission from Bradford local education authority to the schools renewal challenge fund; and if she will make a statement. [38094]

  Mrs. Gillan
  [holding answer 18 July 1996]: I expect to announce decisions on all the 400 bids which were submitted to the schools renewal challenge fund very soon.

HEALTH

  HIV
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the infectivity of HIV. [37190]

  Mr. Horam
  Most Government-funded HIV research is commissioned by the Medical Research Council. The Department has not commissioned any recent research into HIV infectivity as the main transmission routes for HIV are well established. HIV is transmitted by unprotected intercourse, through infected blood—which in the United Kingdom is usually a result of injecting drug use—and from an infected mother to her child.

  Mental Health
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that effective controls are in place to protect mental health patients from injury or death while undergoing(a) electroconvulsive therapy and (b) powerful drug therapy; and if he will make a statement. [37180]

  Mr. Bowis
  Guidelines have been issued by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the second report of the special committee on electro-convulsive therapy and in the consensus statement on the use of high dose antipsychotic medication. Copies are available in the Library.

  Learning Disabilities
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Gravesham (Mr. Arnold) of 2 July,Official Report, column 371, if he will list (a) the names, qualifications and affiliations of the members of the advisory panel for the interim report on residential provision for people with learning disabilities, (b) the criteria used to choose the advisory panel (c) the number of times the advisory panel met; and what assessment he has made of the degree of unanimity in agreeing the report. [37433]

  Mr. Bowis
  The members of the advisory panel were:Professor David Felce PhD. Professor of Research in Learning Disabilities, University of Cardiff;
  Dr. Margaret Flynn BA Hons. Psychology, PhD, Assistant Director, National Development Team, Prince of Wales Fellow Royal College of General Practitioners;
  724
  Professor Sheila Hollins MB BS FRC Psych, Head of Department of Psychiatry of Disability, St. George's Medical School; Chair of the Learning Disability Executive of the Royal College of Psychiatry;
  Professor Martin Knapp BA, MSc, PhD, Professorial Fellow and Director of the Personal Social Services Research Unit, London School of Economics and Political Science; Professor of Health Econometrics and Director of the Centre for Economics of Mental Health, Institute of Psychiatry;
  Professor Jim Mansell MSc.(Econ) AFBPsP CPsychol, Director of the Tizard Centre, Professor of the Applied Psychology of Learning Disability, University of Kent at Canterbury;
  Professor Norma Raynes, BA MSc PhD, Professor of Social Care in the School of Human and Health Sciences, University of Huddersfield;
  Professor David Sines PhD, BSc (lions), RMN, RNMH, FRCN, Department of Nursing and Health Visiting, University of Ulster; Chair of Learning Disabilities Coalition; and
  Dr. Lorna Wing MB BS FRC Psych, Psychiatric Consultant to the National Autistic Society.

  Members of the panel were selected on the basis of their academic standing and expertise in learning disability. They were asked to help ensure that the literature review took account of all research studies on the topic published since 1980. The advisory panel was not asked to meet formally, nor was it essential for members to reach unanimity on all aspects of the research findings. The researchers were able to look to the panel for professional and academic input into the wide range of issues covered. This has been an important strength of the research.

  Mr. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Gravesham (Mr. Arnold) of 2 July,Official Report, column 371, if he will set out the terms of reference for the report on residential provision for people with learning disabilities; and what was the cost of the report. [37428]

  Mr. Bowis
  The first phase of the evaluation of the costs and outcomes of various types of residential provision for people with learning disabilities was in two parts. First, a review of literature on residential provision for people with learning disabilities. The terms of reference were:"to assess the state of knowledge about effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different forms of residential accommodation for people with learning disabilities."

  Secondly, an analysis of available information on the costs of village communities. The terms of reference were:
  "to analyse and compare any information which is readily available on the financial costs of village communities and other forms of residential provision for people with learning disabilities".

  Phase one of the evaluation cost £26,471.

  Community Health Councils
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy on the relationship between the NHS executive and community health councils; and if he will make a statement. [37843]

  Mr. Malone
  The position is set out in guidance issued by the Department last year as EL(95)142, copies of which have been placed in the Library.
  725

  Health Advice Telephone Lines
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what health advice services are offered by the NHS over the telephone; and what best practice the Department recommends on the use of health telephone lines to reduce pressure on general practitioners. [38016]

  Mr. Horam
  Health authorities have a responsibility to ensure that a freephone health information service is available to their local population. The service must be provided in line with health service guidance HSG(5)44, copies of which are available in the Library. Additionally, the Health Education Authority sometimes provides for helplines on health promotion issues in its campaigns.

  Hospital Readmissions
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 7 June,Official Report, column 585, by what date the NHS executive has asked for returns about patients between 16 and 64 years (a) discharged within the previous 90 days and (b) re-admitted to hospital within 90 days of discharge to be provided; and when the information will be published. [38435]

  Mr. Bowis
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) on 18 July,Official Report, column 650.

  Research Establishments
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made with prior options reviews of public sector research establishments which his Department sponsors. [38988]

  Mr. Horam
  As indicated by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade in his announcement of the timetable for prior options reviews on 26 January 1996,Official Report, columns 421–23, the outcome of the reviews of the National Radiological Protection Board, National Biological Standards Board, and the Public Health Laboratory Service are due to be reported to Ministers by December 1996.

  Work is drawing to a close on the first of these reviews relating to the National Radiological Protection Board. Reviews of the National Biological Standards Board, and the Public Health Laboratory Service have recently commenced, and will be formally announced in the August edition of "Government Opportunities". Views are being invited from any interested parties, with a direct approach being made to key organisations and individuals.

  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the annual report of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to be published. [39051]

  Mr. Horam
  The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority will be publishing its fifth annual report on Monday 22 July. Copies of the report will be available in the Library on that day.
  726

  Operations (Waiting Times)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) hip replacements, (b) hysterectomies, (c) cataract extractions, (d) tonsillectomies, (e) kidney transplants and (f) hernia operations were carried out by the NHS in England and Wales in each of the last three years; and what was the average waiting time for each operation in each year. [37496]

  Mr. Horam
  Figures for kidney transplants are set out in the table:

  Year

  Number of kidney transplants performed in England

  1992–93

  1,445

  1993–94

  1,401

  1994–95

  1,461

  Source:

  The United Kingdom Transplant Support Service Authority.

  Waiting times for kidney transplants depend on the availability of suitably matched kidneys and information on average waiting times is not comparable with other waiting times available.

  Questions relating to Wales are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current average cost to the NHS of(a) a hip replacement, (b) a hysterectomy, (c) a cataract extraction, (d) a tonsillectomy, (e) a kidney transplant and (f) a hernia operation. [37499]

  Mr. Horam
  This information is not available centrally.

  Mr Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people received open-heart surgery within(a) one month, (b) three months, (c) six months, (d) nine months, (e) 12 months (f) 15 months and (g) 18 months in the most recent year for which figures are available. [38042]

  Mr. Horam
  Information on times waited for various cardiac procedures is given in "Hospital Episode Statistics, Volume 2". The latest year for which information has so far been published is 1993–94. Copies are available in the Library.

  Personal Social Services
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by charging procedure the costs for personal social services that were recouped through charging in the last year; and what proportion of personal DSS expenditure this entailed. [37996]

  Mr. Bowis
  In 1993–94, the latest year for which information has been published, approximately 10 per cent. of gross current expenditure by local authorities on personal social services was recouped through fees and charges, including charges to clients. Data on amounts raised for each charging procedure are not held centrally.
  727

  Statistical Forms
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the forms his Department issues annually to businesses to gather statistics, indicating the number of each distributed. [37813]

  Mr. Horam
  The information requested in respect of forms for which the primary purpose is statistical is given in the table. This does not include administrative forms that can be used in preparation of statistics.

  Annual statistical surveys of businesses carried out in 1995 by Department of Health

  Survey

  Business type

  Number of forms issued

  Dentists' status—non associates

  Dentists

  1,500

  Dentists' status—associates

  Dentists

  10,500

  Discount inquiry

  Pharmacies

  325

  Container cost inquiry

  Pharmacies

  300

  Study of GP accounts

  GPs/accountants

  700/100

  Sight tests volumes and manpower

  Optometrists and ophthalmic medical practitioners

  1,400

  South Manchester University Hospital
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will urgently reconsider the question of access for the South Manchester community health council to the findings of the inquiry report of an investigation into the recent financial difficulties at South Manchester University Hospitals NHS trust; and if he will make a statement; [37879]

  (2) what representations he has had from the South Manchester community health council in relation to obtaining the findings of the inquiry report of an investigation into the recent financial difficulties at South Manchester University Hospitals NHS trust; what reply he has sent; and if he will make a statement; [37878]

  (3) what fees have been and are being paid by South Manchester University Hospitals NHS trust to the Audit Commission; what role the Commission played in finding the financial accounting error that led to the trust's recent financial difficulties; what role was played by the trust's own audit; and if he will make a statement. [37881]

  Mr. Horam
  I responded on 9 July to a letter from the community health council, stating that the question of access is a matter for the trust itself to decide, taking legal advice into account. The Audit Commission played no part in discovering the recent financial error.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are currently waiting for open-heart surgery in each health region. [38041]

  Mr. Horam
  Waiting list information is collected on the basis of clinical specialities and not individual procedure level.
  728

  Nurses' Pay
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses have received backdated pay awards following successful appeals against regrading decisions(a) eight, (b) seven, (c) six, (d) five, (e) four, (f) three and (g) two years late. [38459]

  Mr. Malone
  Almost all the 100,000 appeals against clinical regrading lodged in 1988 have now been resolved. Information held centrally does not record the time at which payments were made.

  Ethnic Minority Staff
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what percentage of NHS trusts and health authorities have included in their business plan a local objective to increase the proportion of ethnic minority staff in areas and grades where they are under-represented within a specified time scale; [37095]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the progress made towards the eight goals set out in the NHS executive publication, "Ethnic Minority Staff in the NHS: a Programme of Action"; [37040]

  (3) what guidelines for training for NHS employees he has issued relating to particular needs of members of ethnic minorities. [37028]

  Mr. Malone
  [holding answer 12 July 1996]: It is for trusts and health authorities to implement the goals of "Ethnic Minority Staff in the NHS: a Programme of Action" locally, in accordance with advice issued by the national health service executive and as set out in the priorities and planning guidance, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Racial Harassment
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what surveys he has conducted into the extent of racial harassment in NHS workplaces. [37139]

  Mr. Malone
  [holding answer 12 July 1996]: The Department of Health commissioned the Policy Studies Institute report "Nursing in a multi-ethnic NHS", which was published in autumn 1995. Copies are available in the Library.

  Extra-contractual Referral Scheme
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what revisions he proposed to the extra-contractual referral scheme; if he has issued a consultation paper to trusts and health authorities; and when he proposes to make a formal announcement. [37609]

  Mr. Horam
  [holding answer 16 July 1996]: The efficiency scrutiny into the burdens of paperwork in national health service trusts and health authorities consulted trusts, health authorities and general practitioners on ways in which the extra-contractual referral system could be streamlined.

  We have consulted and will continue to consult, health authorities, trusts and other interested parties as detailed proposals for implementing the recommendations are developed.
  729

  Health Authority Expenditure
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average expenditure per head for each health authority, and the average for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, in the current financial year. [37515]

  Mr. Horam
  [holding answer 15 July 1996]: The average per capita expenditure figures for the current financial year will not be available until all health authorities have completed their annual accounts after the end of the financial year.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Economic Development (North-East)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much(a) his Department and (b) the European Community provided to (i) south Tyneside borough council, (ii) North Tyneside borough council, (iii) Gateshead borough council and (iv) Newcastle upon Tyne City council in terms of funding for economic development in each of the last three years. [37740]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 17 July 1996]: The figures are as follows:

  (a) Nil;

  (b)

  Financial year

  1993–94 £

  1994–95 £

  1995–96 £

  (i) South Tyneside borough council

  2,549,274

  1,533,604

  224,890

  (ii) North Tyneside borough council

  2,039,790

  2,394,670

  1,542,919

  (iii) Gateshead borough council

  2,054,573

  1,947,557

  448,802

  (iv) Newcastle-upon-Tyne city council

  4,313,249

  3,115,628

  1,091,056

  My Department is not the primary source of funding for local authorities. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment makes provision for the local authorities in his estimates.

  Supervisory Bodies
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of his Department's supervisory bodies have responsibility for(a) Jersey and (b) other Channel Islands. [37830]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The recognised supervisory bodies for auditors and the recognised professional bodies for insolvency practitioners have no responsibility under UK law for Jersey and the other Channel Islands. However, the bodies are responsible to the Secretary of State for supervising the audit and insolvency work of their members in matters relating to the Companies Act and the Insolvency Act 1986 respectively, regardless of the location of those members.

  South-West Industrial Development Board
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 18 June,Official Report,
  730
  column 458–59, if Mr. A was a member of his Department's south-west regional office at the time of (i) the regional selective assistance grant to company L for the second project and (ii) the grants to company N since 1991; if Mr. A was a director of these companies at the time of the offers of financial assistance; and if Mr. A subsequently became a director of these companies. [35265]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 1 July 1996]: Mr. A's period as a member of the south-west industrial development board spans the dates of the grants mentioned. Mr. A was a director of company L when the application for assistance for the company's second project was considered and therefore saw no departmental papers relating to the application and absented himself from the relevant discussion by the industrial development board. Mr. A has also been a director of company N since 1987, but none of the grants to that company—because they were not regional selective assistance—were considered by the industrial development board.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those employees and external advisers that took part in the assessment of the regional selective assistance grant offered to Porthcurno Management Company Ltd. in December 1993; how many of these subsequently acted as directors of this company; and on what date they became directors. [35221]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 1 July 1996]: Departmental officials principally involved in the assessment were John Bowder, Mike Twomey and Nalem Iqbal all of the south-west office; Margaret Nimmo, economics and statistics division, and lain Osborne, industrial competitiveness division. As I explained in my answer of 29 April, Official Report, columns 363–64, Kenneth Holmes, an external accountancy adviser, was also involved in the assessment.

  The case was also considered by the south-west industrial development board.

  Of the individuals named, one—Mr. Holmes—subsequently became a director of the company on 22 February 1994.

  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what dates his Department's south-west industrial development board has met since 1990. [37641]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 17 July 1996]: The south-west industrial development board has met on the following dates:

  1990

  30 January

  27 February

  27 March

  24 April

  22 May

  26 June

  30 October

  27 November

  731

  1991

  19 March

  30 April

  25 June

  30 July

  24 September

  26 November

  1992

  31 March

  28 April

  30 June

  27 October

  15 December

  1993

  23 February

  30 March

  27 April

  25 May

  29 June

  27 July

  28 September

  26 October

  30 November

  21 December

  1994

  26 January

  23 February

  23 March

  27 April

  25 May

  29 June

  27 July

  11 August

  28 September

  26 October

  16 and 30 November

  30 November

  21 December

  1995

  25 January

  22 February

  12 April

  28 June

  26 July

  30 August

  27 September

  25 October

  29 November

  20 December

  1996

  10 and 24 April

  26 June

  732
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 18 June,Official Report, columns 461–64, what potential conflict of interest obliged Messrs Jordan and Harris to absent themselves from the meeting of his Department's south-west industrial development board discussing the application of Magrathea (Pendennis) Ltd. for financial assistance. [37648]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 17 July 1996]: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 16 July, Official Report, column 463.

  Insolvency Practitioners
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many complaints against insolvency practitioners were received by his Department and the regulatory bodies sponsored by his Department since 1990 if he will indicated the outcome of each complaint. [37338]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  Detailed information about the number of complaints to my Department and the recognised professional bodies about insolvency practitioners is not available prior to 1992. Since that date, the figures are as follows:

  Year

  Complaints

  1992

  391

  1993

  532

  1994

  587

  1995

  567

  Information about the outcome of each complaint is not available. However, in the period from 1 January 1992 to 31 December 1995, 21 insolvency practitioners had their authorisations revoked or their application for renewal of their authorisation refused. The recognised professional bodies also took appropriate regulatory action in other cases, but the majority of complaints, after investigation, revealed no evidence of misconduct.

  Footwear Industry
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for(a) 1975, (b) 1979 and (c) 1995 in terms of current and constant values United Kingdom imports and exports of footwear with (i) leather soles and (ii) uppers of leather or composition leather. [38174]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the effect of the change in the real value of sterling since the second half of 1973 on the reduction in output and employment in the footwear industry. [38173]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  To isolate the effects of currency movements from other influences on the output and employment of individual industries would be a major research task, which the Department has not undertaken.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the value in constant prices of United Kingdom imports and exports of footwear in 1975, 1979 and 1995. [38172]
  733
  Mr. Oppenheim
  Information in constant prices is not available. Current price figures for United Kingdom imports and exports of footwear are published by HM Customs and Excise in "overseas trade statistics of the United Kingdom" which is available in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will estimate the effect on the level of(a) imports and (b) exports of footwear of the change in real value of the pound since the second quarter of 1993. [38175]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  Information on the levels of United Kingdom trade in footwear, and the real effective exchange rate since the second quarter of 1993 are given in the table. To isolate the effect of exchange rate movements from other major influences on UK trade would be a major research tasks, which the Department has not undertaken.

  UK trade in Footwear

  Imports £ million

  Exports current price

  Real effective exchange rate (1990=100)

  1993

  Q1

  323

  97

  86.6

  Q2

  278

  84

  88.7

  Q3

  310

  107

  90.2

  Q4

  323

  131

  90.2

  1994

  Q1

  395

  130

  90.7

  Q2

  335

  107

  89.1

  Q3

  363

  122

  87.9

  Q4

  348

  117

  89.1

  1995

  Q1

  409

  130

  87.2

  Q2

  345

  107

  84.3

  Q3

  389

  143

  84.3

  Q4

  385

  130

  83.5

  1996

  Q1

  470

  156

  83.5

  Sources:

  Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom, HM Customs and Excise.

  Economic Trends, Office for National Statistics.

  Financial Services Practitioners
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when members of his Department last met representatives of(a) Price Waterhouse, (b) Ernst and Young, (c) Bank of Credit and Commerce International depositors and (d) Maxwell pensioners to discuss auditor liability. [37826]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  Members of my Department have had no such meetings. Investigations of the auditors' role in the BCCI and Maxwell cases are in the hands of the joint disciplinary scheme, and my Department is kept informed of progress regularly.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many practitioners are regulated by each of the bodies acting as regulators under the Insolvency Act 1986; and what plans he has to merge them. [37827]
  734
  Mr. Oppenheim
  The number of practitioners authorised by each of the recognised professional bodies as at 31 December 1995 was as follows:

  Number

  Chartered Association of Certified Accountants

  112

  Insolvency Practitioners Association

  283

  Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales

  914

  Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland

  78

  Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland

  185

  Law Society

  195

  The Law Society of Scotland

  27

  In addition, the Secretary of State also authorises 145 practitioners.

  There are no plans to merge the regulatory responsibilities of the bodies in relation to insolvency practitioners.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received on limitation of liability for partners in audit firms; what further limitation he proposes in respect of(a) those firms and (b) other businesses; and what safeguards will be put in place to protect consumers. [37831]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  My Department has recently carried out a consultation into the law of joint and several liability as it affects providers of professional services, including auditors. The 134 responses to the consultation represent a wide range of views and are currently being analysed. Any proposals arising from the consultation will of course take into account the balance of interests between all concerned, including the preparers and users of accounts as well as the auditors.

  Directors' Remuneration
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will bring forward proposals to allow employees to vote on the size of director remuneration. [37225]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The Government do not intend to require companies to allow employees to vote on directors' remuneration arrangements.

  Output Increases
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the average annual increase since 1972 in output per head in(a) manufacturing and (b) non-manufacturing in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) Germany. [37486]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  For the UK. the average annual increase since 1972 in output per person employed is 1.8 per cent. for manufacturing industries and 3.2 per cent. for the whole economy. Comparable information for Germany is not available.

  Auditing Requirements
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the average annual cost to British businesses as a percentage of turnover, of the annual auditing requirements. [37381]
  735
  Mr. Oppenheim
  I have made no such estimate. To extract this information from the audited accounts of even a statistical sample of companies could be done only at disproportionate cost.

  Export Guarantees Advisory Council
  Mr. Wright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the Export Guarantees Advisory Council(a) publishes its advice to Government and (b) publishes an annual report; and if in each case this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [37903]

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 18 July 1996]: 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 both the specific questions are no.

  Agency Printing Costs
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for each of his Department's agencies the cost of printing(a) all publications and (b) the annual report in the latest available year. [37811]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I am asking the chief executive of each DTI agency to reply to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Jim Norton to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 19 July 1996:
  The President of the Board of trade has asked me to reply to your request for details of my Agency's cost for printing (a) all publications and (b) the Annual Report in the last available year.

  (a) The cost of printing all publications in the financial year 1995–96 was £402,959.26

  (b) The cost of printing the Agency's Annual Report for 1994/95 was £9,218 (in addition the Agency produced a Business Review for 1994/95, the cost of which was £10,735).

  Letter from Seton Bennett to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 19 July 1996:
  The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to rely on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory to your question about the cost of printing (a) all publications and (b) the annual report in the latest available year.

  In 1995/96 this Agency's costs of printing were:

  (a) Publications £2,420.00

  (b) Annual Report (1994/95) £5,426.00

  Letter from P. R. S. Hartnack to Mr Anthony Steen, dated 19 July 1996:
  I am responding in relation to the Patent Office to your Parliamentary Question to the President of the Board of Trade about the cost of printing of publications and annual reports. The information requested is set out in the following table:

  1995–96

  £ thousands

  Publications for sale and office use such as the official journals, reports on patent cases, and specifications

  435

  736

  1995–96

  £ thousands

  Free literature distributed by our marketing and
  information service

  211

  Annual report and accounts

  16

  Letter from Peter Joyce to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 19 July 1996:
  The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply to your question about the cost to The Insolvency Service of printing its publications, including its Annual Report, in the latest available year.
  During the 1995–96 financial year The Insolvency Service spent £9,897 on the printing of its Annual Report and £19,325 on the printing of its other publications.

  Letter from John S. Holden to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 19 July 1996:
  You recently asked the President of the Board of Trade for information about printing costs. I am replying in respect of Companies House.

  The figures for the financial year 1995/96 are as follows:

  Overall printing cost for publications: £257,000

  Cost of printing 1994/95 annual report and accounts: £14,300

  I should explain that the annual report figure is included in the overall print figure. It may also help if I explain that over three-quarters of the remaining printing cost are accounted for by notes for guidance that Companies House issues free of charge to help people understand their obligations under the Companies Act, and various aspects of our procedure.

DEFENCE

  1238 Anti-tank System
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make an announcement regarding the contract for the 1238 anti-tank system. [38454]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  I expect an announcement to be made shortly.

  Burundi
  Mr. Sutcliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what military equipment Her Majesty's Government have sold to the Government of Burundi in the last 12 months. [38246]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  This is a matter for the Disposal Sales Agency under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Keith Ellender to Mr. Gerry Sutcliffe, dated 19 July 1996:
  I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about sales of military equipment to the Government of Burundi. This matter falls to me as Chief Executive of the Disposal Sales Agency.
  There have been no sales of military equipment by my Agency to the Government of Burundi in the last 12 months.

  Ministry of Defence Police
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the total number of(a) members of the public, (b) civilian employees of his Department, (c) defence contractors and (d) service dependants who at

  737
  present come into contact each week with the Ministry of Defence police based at (i) Chilwell and (ii) Chetwynd. [38340]

  Mr. Soames
  This is a matter for the chief constable and chief executive of the Ministry of Defence Police. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from A. V. Comben to Mr. Graham Allen, dated 19 July 1996:
  I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the Ministry of Defence Police at Chilwell/Chetwynd Barracks, as it falls into the area of responsibility of the Chief Constable and, in his absence on duty, I am responding on his behalf.
  The MOD establishment at Chilwell was renamed Chetwynd Barracks on 10 June 1995. Currently some 300 civilians are employed by the Ministry at the site and there are about 550 Service dependants in the Quarters there. At weekends there are approximately 300 Regular and Territorial Army soldiers additionally accommodated at the Barracks. Visitors to the site vary in number and include members of the public, MOD employees from other sites and contractors, who are estimated to total around 150 each week. The Ministry of Defence Police could come into contact with all of these people as the officers go about their various duties. Records are not kept of every contact between MDP and other individuals.

  Greenham Common (Accident)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the study conducted in 1987 by W. N. Saxby at the safety division of the atomic weapons research establishment at Aldermaston, into the accident that took place at Greenham common on 28 February 1958. [38238]

  Mr. Soames
  There is no record of any study of this kind on Greenham common by a Mr. Saxby in 1987. Copies of a 1986 report concerning Greenham common have recently been placed in the Library of the House.

  Brunei
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British troops are presently serving in Brunei; and what is the estimated annual cost of this deployment. [38239]

  Mr. Soames
  There are currently 1,005 British military personnel serving in Brunei. The cost to the British Government is currently some £4 million per year to cover the British jungle training team there. All other costs are met by the Brunei Government.

  Military Provost Guard Service
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the legal powers and jurisdiction of the Military Provost guard service over(a) members of the public, (b) civilian employees of his Department, (c) defence contractors and (d) service dependants. [38339]

  Mr. Soames
  In the absence of special legislation or other emergency powers, members of the Military Provost guard service, like all service personnel in Great Britain, have the same general powers as a private citizen when dealing with crime or when helping the civil police. They may also have powers in respect of any person committing an offence under Military Lands Act 1892 byelaws if so authorised by those byelaws.
  738
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what grounds Chilwell station was selected as a site for the pilot study into the Military Provost guard service. [38341]

  Mr. Soames
  The sites chosen for the Military Provost guard service pilot scheme were selected as representative of the different types of Army establishments at which it is proposed to replace Ministry of Defence police employed only on guarding duties with Military Provost guard service personnel.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has for the Military Provost guard service to function outside the perimeter fence of an MOD establishment in(a) an unarmed capacity and (b) an armed capacity. [38337]

  Mr. Soames
  Military Provost guard service personnel, like other service personnel, would undertake general security patrols off-base as required by the unit's commanding officer. There is close co-operation with the local police over security arrangements for protecting Defence property and personnel. Armed patrolling by service personnel off-base takes place only if specifically authorised by the local chief constable.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations have taken place between his Department and the chief constable of the Nottinghamshire constabulary regarding(a) the replacement of Ministry of Defence police stationed at Chilwell with the Ministry Provost guard service and (b) the planned role and tasking of the Military Provost guard service, (i) within and (ii) outside the perimeter fence of Chilwell station and Chetwynd barracks. [38338]

  Mr. Soames
  None so far. There will, however, be full discussions with the Nottinghamshire constabulary about security and policing arrangements to protect Defence personnel and property in the Chilwell area.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the advantages of piloting the Military Provost guard service scheme at locations where the level of security is not so great as to require constabulary powers. [38342]

  Mr. Soames
  The pilot scheme sites have been chosen to reflect the different types of Army establishments at which the Military Provost guard service could be deployed. There would be no advantage in confining the pilot scheme to locations at which there is no requirement for constabulary powers. At those sites where a civil police presence is required, it will continue to be provided by the Ministry of Defence or the local police.

  1236 Stand-off Missile
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make an announcement regarding the contract for the 1236 conventionally armed stand-off missile. [38455]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  I expect an announcement to be made shortly.

  Landing Platform Dock Replacements
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make an announcement of the order for the landing platform dock replacements for HMS Fearless and HMS Intrepid. [38452]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced on 18 July our decision to place a contract with GEC-Marine to build two replacement landing platform docks.

  Maritime Patrol Aircraft
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make an announcement for the contract for the replacement maritime patrol aircraft. [38456]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  I expect an announcement to be made shortly.

  AWE Aldermaston (Accident)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the causes and 740
  consequences of the plutonium contamination accident at atomic weapons establishment Aldermaston at the beginning of July. [38450]

  Mr. Soames
  During a routine analysis procedure on 4 July, a member of staff at AWE Aldermaston inhaled a microscopic quantity of radioactive material. The amount was a fraction of the safe limit. The relevant area of the site was closed immediately and the Health and Safety Executive, informed. There was at no time any danger to other employees or the public. The incident is the subject of an AWE investigation in which staff representatives and the HSE are involved. The latter has indicated that it is satisfied with the actions taken to date.

  Eurofighter
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement regarding the number of Eurofighter aeroplanes to be ordered by his Department. [38453]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  I refer the hon. Member to table 9 of the 1996 "Statement on the Defence Estimates", Cm 3223, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.