Written Answers of 5 June 1996

DEFENCE

  United Nations
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the advantages of establishing a standby military headquarters unit within the UN department of peacekeeping operations in New York; [30732]

  (2) what is his policy in respect of developing and strengthening the ability of the United Nations to undertake effective and detailed military planning; and if he will make a statement; [30733]

  (3) what proposals he has in respect of the development of (a) generic and (b) specific contingency plans for the UN for future peacekeeping operations; and if he will make a statement. [30734]

  Mr. Soames
  The proposal to establish a standby headquarters unit is a natural extension of earlier work by the Secretary-General which identified the need to strengthen the UN's capacity to conduct and plan peacekeeping operations and which the UK has fully supported. The Secretary-General has already taken important steps to improve the UN's capabilities, in particular by the development of a mission planning service. Increasing the operational effectiveness of the UN is one of the Government's principal foreign policy objectives and both the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are involved in discussions aimed at continuing to take these initiatives forward. To give practical help, we currently attach nine military officers and one civil servant to the department of peacekeeping operations, and we continue to co-operate fully with the UN standby forces planning team.

  Defence Evaluation and Research Agency
  Mr. Bernard Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what targets he has set for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency in 1996–97.[31518]

  Mr. Soames
  The targets set for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency in 1996–97 are as follows:

  (a) Consistent with achieving an average of at least 6 per cent. return on capital employed over a period of three years, the target for 1996–97 is 4 per cent.

  (b) Increase DERA overall utilisation target from 57 per cent. in 1995–96 to 62.4 per cent. in 1996–97.

  (c) Increase DERA overall milestone delivery target from 84 per cent. in 1995–96 to 89 per cent. in 1996–97.

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  (d) Increase DERA overall customer satisfaction as measured by the annual survey from 27 percentile points above average in 1995–96 to 30 percentile points in 1996–97.

  (e) To establish an effective capability measurement system through technical assessment and to measure an improvement in the DRA sectors and two protection and life sciences division sectors.

  (f) To have met by 31 March 1997 all the 1996–97 rationalisation project milestones.

  (g) To achieve a non-MOD income of £117 million.

  (h) To achieve formal quality certification to ISO 9000 for all DRA and DERA support services division sectors, plus the centre for defence analysis and the chemical and electronics sector and centre for human sciences sectors of PLSD.

  (i) All division except the defence test and evaluation organisation to demonstrate an improvement in staff satisfaction, and to demonstrate improvements in the working environment, career development and training, and reward and recognition. DTEO to participate to form a baseline.

  (j) To establish a methodology for measuring technology transfer.

  MV Kapitan Mezentsyev (Defects)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 May,Official Report, column 560, if he will list the minor defects identified on the merchant vessel Kapitan Mezentsyev [30731]

  Mr. Soames
  The following defects were identified: A fractured starboard fibreglass lifeboat; inoperable davit switches; badly maintained winch falls and davit; a repair required on a fire station in the after steering compartment and an inoperable watertight door.

  All these were remedied at once, and the vessel inspected to the satisfaction of the US authorities.

  Defence Police and Guarding Structure
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will issue a further consultative document on the Defence police and guarding structure.[31598]

  Mr. Soames
  This consultative document was issued on 29 May. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

HEALTH

  Committee on Safety of Medicines
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the scientific information that has been made available to the Committee on Safety of Medicines since November 1995; and on what dates the committee considered that evidence. [31287]

  Mr. Malone
  Proceedings of meetings of the committee are confidential.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what dates the National Audit Office most recently examined the Medicines Control Agency; and what assessment the National Audit Office made of expenditure relating to the sub-committees of the Committee on Safety of Medicines. [31288]
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  Mr. Malone
  The National Audit Office audit of the Medicines Control Agency's 1995–96 accounts is currently in progress. The audit of the 1994–95 account was completed in May 1995. In the course of that audit the National Audit Office reviewed MCA expenditure generally. No comment was received with regard to expenditure relating to the sub-committees of the Committee on Safety of Medicines.

  GP Fundholders
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what level of general practitioner fundholders saving in each region has been spent other than by fundholders themselves, in each of the last four years. [29666]

  Mr. Malone
  [holding answer 16 May 1996]: Fundholders may choose to return savings for wider use in the national health service. Information about savings returned in this way will be placed in the Library.

  Oral Contraceptives
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 11 December 1995,Official Report column 521, which advisers were given the elements of the data on desogestrel and gestodene; and on which dates. [31289]

  Mr. Malone
  Communications between the Licensing Authority and its independent safety advisers are confidential.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 11 December 1995,Official Report, column 521, on what dates in 1989, 1991 and 1995 the Committee on Safety of Medicines reviewed the safety of oral contraceptives containing desogestrel and gestodene. [31286]

  Mr. Malone
  The safety of oral contraceptives containing gestodene or desogestrel was reviewed in March 1989, February 1991, May 1995 and October 1995.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the estimates made by the Medicines Control Agency of the incidence of venous thromboembolism associated with,(a) desogestrel, (b) gestodene and (c) levonorgestrel both in June 1995 and on 13 October 1995. [31276]

  Mr. Malone
  In June 1995, information on the incidence of venous thromboembolism with specific combined oral contraceptives preparations was not available. By 13 October 1995 new information had become available which provided the following estimates of the incidence of venous thromboembolism: for oral contraceptives containing levonorgestrel approximately 15 cases per 100,000 women each year, for oral contraceptives containing gestodene or desogestrel approximately 30 cases per 100,000 women each year.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health from what location the 190,000 letters relating to oral contraceptives containing desogestrel or gestodene were dispatched. [31277]

  Mr. Malone
  Horndean, Hampshire.
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  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his officials made prior to despatch of the "Dear Doctor" letter of 18 October 1995 relating to oral contraceptives of the proportion of letters that would be received by doctors prior to the public announcement scheduled for the afternoon of Thursday 19 October 1995. [31278]

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made on 23 October 1995 at columns 701–2. The letters were posted by first class post on Wednesday 18 October 1995. Officials expected that most doctors would receive a copy of the letter, by means of at least one of the three mechanisms of communication used, prior to the public announcement scheduled for Thursday 19 October 1995.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the dates on which Ministers received updates regarding the analysis of the World Health Organisation study; and whether Ministers asked the Medicines Control Agency to seek the advice from the Committee on Safety of Medicines on 13 October 1995. [31279]

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 7 March at column 321. Ministers were not updated regarding the analysis of the World Health Organisation's study between July and October since there was no material change in the findings of the study.

  It is normal practice for the Medicines Control Agency to seek the committee's advice on all safety issues with medicines which have important public health implications. Ministers did not ask the MCA to seek the advice of the Committee on Safety of Medicines on this issue.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date, and at what time, the press conference as originally scheduled was made known to the media; and on what date and at what time the revised timing of the public announcement was made available to the media. [31280]

  Mr. Malone
  The public announcement last year about the safety of certain oral contraceptives was originally planned as a press notice, to be issued in the afternoon of 19 October, having allowed time for doctors and pharmacists to receive the information already sent to them. As a result of inquiries from the electronic media, which were received from 9 am that day, it was decided to bring the announcement forward to 12 noon so that it could inform lunchtime news coverage on radio and television. The Department does not keep records showing the precise times at which the media are informed of forthcoming press conferences.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) of 19 December 1995,Official Report, column 1153, what steps his officials took to establish that data collection for the transnational study had been completed and if the stage in the recruitment process was communicated to the Committee on Safety of Medicines prior to or during its meeting on 13 October 1995.[31281]

  Mr. Malone
  Officials from the Medicines Control Agency asked the investigators of the transnational study what stage had been reached in recruitment for their study. They were informed that the data on venous thromboembolism were complete but identification of
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  cases of myocardial infarction was still in progress and it was understood that substantive data would not be available for one to two years. The Committee on Safety of Medicines were informed of this at the meeting on 13 October 1995.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his officials contributed to the drafting of a letter attributed to the chairman of the Committee on Safety of Medicines which was published in the British Medical Journal of 4 November 1995. [31282]

  Mr. Malone
  The letter was written by the chairman of the Committee on Safety of Medicines, who discussed its contents with officials before finalising it.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) of 19 December 1955,Official Report, column 1149, if he will list the United Kingdom representatives on the Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products in October 1995. [31283]

  Mr. Malone
  The two members of the Committee representing the United Kingdom competent authority are Dr. Susan Wood and Dr. David Jefferys.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) of 19 December 1995,Official Report, column 1149, which of the United Kingdom representatives on the Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products made the formal request that the safety of oral contraceptives containing desogestrel and gestodene be placed on the agenda for the meeting of the Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products on 17 and 18 October 1995. [31284]

  Mr. Malone
  Dr. Susan Wood, representing the United Kingdom competent authority.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 11 December 1995,Official Report, column 522, if Professor John Guillebaud attended the meeting on 10 October 1995 relating to desogestrel and gestodene. [31285]

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) on19 December 1995 at column 1151.

PRIME MINISTER

  Running Costs and Cash Limits
  Mr. Cyril D. Townsend
  To ask the Prime Minister what proposals there are to change the 1996–97 cash limit or running costs limit for the Cabinet Office other services vote. [31583]

  The Prime Minister
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for the Cabinet Office other services, class XVIII, vote 1, will be increased by £741,000 from £36,941,000 to £37,682,000 and the running costs limit will be increased by £741,000 from £39,845,000 to £40,586,000.
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  This is to reflect the transfer from the Home Office, class VII, vote 1, of provision for certain Government car service costs; and the transfer from the Office of Public Service, class XVIII, vote 1, of provision for Admiralty house and other central service costs.

  The increases are offset by interdepartmental transfers and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Running Costs and Cash Limits
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proposals there are to change the 1996–97 cash limit or running costs limit for the Office of Public Service and Her Majesty's Stationery Office.[31597]

  Mr. Freeman
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary and revised estimates, the cash limit for the Office of Public Service, class XVII, vote 1, will be increased by £434,000 from £173,540,000 to £173,974,000 and the gross running cost limit will be decreased by £14,411,000 from £88,512,000 to £74,101,000. The cash limit for stationery and printing payments to Her Majesty's Stationery Office, class XVII, vote 4, will be reduced by £1,091,000 from £2,282,000 to £1,191,000. The changes reflect the transfer from HMSO to the Office of Public Service, from the expected date of its sale, of the subsidy to public libraries on Government and other publications, and the supply of publications to United Kingdom members of the European Parliament together with the costs of the HMSO residual body; the transfer of provision for central services to the Cabinet Office: other services, class XVIII, vote 1; and the transfer of the Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency and Occupational Health and Safety Agency from gross to net running costs. The increase in the cash limit for the Office of Public Service will be offset by a transfer and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes are proposed to the Treasury's running costs and cash limits in 1996–97. [31737]

  Mr. Jack
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised estimate, the running costs limit for class XVI, vote 1 will be reduced by £804,000 from £58,122,000 to £57,318,000. The cash limit remains unchanged. The reduction reflects savings which will meet the cost of advisers fees in connection with the privatisation of certain Paymaster functions, which is still subject to ministerial decision.

  Mr. Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes are proposed to the Registry of Friendly Societies' cash and running costs limits in 1996–97. [31738]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XVI, vote 9, the Registry of Friendly Societies will be increased by £1,330,000 from £6,340,000 to £7,670,000. The increase is required for additional capital expenditure in respect of the registry's relocation to Victory house in 1996–97.
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  The increase will be offset by savings on class XVI, votes 1 and 16, and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Buying Agency
  Mr. Booth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what targets he has set for the Buying Agency. [31592]

  Mr. Freeman
  Following the transfer of the agency from the Department of the Environment on 1 January, I have set targets for 1996 as follows:

  Financial

  1. To generate a return on capital employed of 8 per cent.—this was applied to the last six months of 1995 and was achieved.

  2. To achieve a growth in sales of the core business of 20 per cent.—the outturn for 1995 was £137 million.

  Productivity

  3. To reduce the basic cost per £ of core business sales to 2.6p—the outturn for 1995 was 2.8p, additional development costs in 1996 will not be included in this target.

  4. To retain all existing utilities business and achieve a 4 per cent. increase in the number of customers—this is a new target.

  Customer satisfaction

  5. To deliver 93 per cent. of all direct orders by the due date—the outturn for 1995 was 92 per cent.

  6. To resolve 95 per cent. of all customer complaints in one month and the rest within three months—the outturn for 1995 was 94 per cent.

  Internal quality

  7. To gain accreditation as "Investors in People"—this is a new target.

  Environmental

  8. To create an environmental effects register of TBA's activities as described in the BS 7750 standard—this is a new target.

TREASURY

  Mortgage Interest Tax Relief
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost of mortgage interest tax relief would have been in each year since 1994–95 if relief had been available at 25 per cent. [30193]

  Mr. Jack
  The total cost of mortgage interest relief and the estimated cost if relief was available at 25 per cent., for the years 1994–95 to 1996–97 for the UK as a whole, are as follows:

  £ million

  Cost of mortgage interest relief

  Cost of relief if available at 25 per cent.

  1994–95

  3,500

  4,400

  1995–96

  2,700

  4,500

  1996–971

  2,500

  4,200

  1 Estimates for 1996–97 are provisional. They are based on the assumption, by convention, of no change from the current estimated average building society interest rate of 7.03 per cent.

  The rate of relief in 1994–95 was 20 per cent. From 1995–96 onwards it has been 15 per cent.
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  Factor 8
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons the medical aid recombinant factor 8 is not zero-rated; and if he will now zero rate it. [31088]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  In 1977 the then Government agreed with other member states, under the terms of the EC sixth VAT directive, not to extend the scope of our existing VAT zero rates and so it is not now possible to zero rate these products.

  Human blood and substances derived from it, including plasma-derived factor 8, are exempt from VAT under items 6 and 7 of group 7 of schedule 9 to the Value Added Tax Act 1994. However, recombinant factor 8, being synthetic and not derived from human blood, does not fall within this exemption and so is subject to VAT at the standard rate.

  Invalid Care Allowance
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the number of people who pay income tax on invalid care allowance; and how much was received in tax on invalid care allowance in 1995–96. [30713]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 4 June 1996]: The estimated revenue yield for 1995–96 is about £5 million. This is an estimate of the income tax attributable on the benefit, by applying the recipients' average rate of income tax on the whole of their income to the amount of benefit received. About 100,000 individuals who receive invalid care allowance were liable to income tax.

ENVIRONMENT

  Housing Bodies
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet (Sir S. Chapman) of 15 May,Official Report, column 489 on the future of the Commission for the New Towns, what representations he has received on the need for an overarching body to control the sale of assets by (a) his Department, (b) the Ministry of Defence and (c) other Departments of State, with particular reference to the impact of sales of land on land values in new town areas. [31016]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  We see no case for setting up an overarching body. The announcement on 15 May concerned the assets, rights and liabilities of new towns, urban development corporations and housing action trusts only. We believe that this proposal provides the best way of maximising returns to the Exchequer from sales of land in new town areas and for handling residual matters from the urban development corporations and housing action trusts effectively and economically. The general policy on disposing of Government land is a matter for my right hon. Friend and the learned Chancellor of the Exchequer.
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  Development Plans
  Mr. Dover
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements he is putting in place for the consideration of further changes to the system of development plans prepared under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. [31792]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  On 13 March I published proposals to amend the code of practice on development plans and the development plan regulations in order to help speed up the process of adoption by local authorities of area-wide local plans and unitary development plans. The changes proposed in those documents have been broadly welcomed and, subject to consideration of the detailed comments received, will be implemented as soon as possible. I also indicated that I had not ruled out further changes, if these were wanted by the users of the development plan system. Meetings are now being held with a range of organisations representing those with an interest in the operation of the system, including the local authorities, developers and environmental groups. Suggestions for change can also be submitted in writing to: The Secretary, Development plans review, room C13/20, 2 Marsham street, London SW1P 3EB, to arrive not later than 30 June. If it is decided to bring forward further firm proposals for changes to the system, these will be subject to consultation in the usual way.

  Blight Working Group
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the interdepartmental working group on blight will issue a paper summarising the main issues for consideration. [31793]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  A paper has been published today, and copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House. The paper, which covers the whole of Great Britain, seeks views on whether any practical changes can be made to the existing arrangements for property purchase and compensation, bearing in mind the particular concerns of the Select Committee on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Bill about those whose properties decline in value because of the perception of potential purchases rather than because of any physical effects.

  Comments are invited by 31 July from all those with an interest in generalised blight.

  Running Costs and Cash Limits
  Mr. Dover
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to change his Department's cash and running costs limits for 1996–97. [31802]

  Mr. Gummer
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised and summer supplementary estimates, the following cash limit changes will be made.

  The cash limit for class VI, vote 1—housing and construction, England—covering sections A, D to G and J to L of that vote, will be decreased by £10,950,000 from £341,518,000 to £330,568,000. This change reflects transfers of £2,000,000 to provide for a new asylum
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  seekers' special housing grant which will not be cash limited; £5,200,000 to class VI, vote 2—regeneration, countryside and wildlife—and a transfer of £4,300,000 within the rough sleepers initiative from current to capital expenditure, the latter of which falls within the DOE/HC non-voted cash limit. The decreases are partially offset by an increase of £550,000 in Housing Corporation administration provision.

  The DOE/HC—Housing Corporation—cash limit will be increased by £4,300,000 from £1,030,199,000 to £1,034,499,000 because of the transfer of provision for the rough sleepers initiative from current to capital expenditure.

  The cash limit for class VI, vote 2—regeneration, countryside and wildlife—will be increased by £6,656,000 from £1,452,787,00 to £1,459,443,000. This reflects a transfer of £5,200,000 from class VI, vote 1—housing and construction—to the Docklands light railway and the London docklands development corporation to cover repair costs following the bombing at south quay in February 1996. An increase of £1,456,000 is also required to pay European regional development fund claims not accepted for payment by the European Community. The increase will be met by a transfer from the DOE/ERDF non-voted cash limit and will therefore not add to the planned control total of public expenditure.

  The DOE/RCW—regeneration, countryside and wildlife—non-voted cash limit will also be increased by £6,656,000 from £1,434,387,000 to £1,441,043,000 for the reasons given in paragraph 4.

  The DOE/ERDF—European regional development fund—non-voted cash limit will be reduced by £1,440,000 from £184,222,000 to £182,782,000. This reflects a transfer of £16,000 from the Department of Health for the St. Gabriel's church scheme and a transfer of £1,456,000 to DOE/RCW for the new ERDF sections to cover gross payments in place of European Community receipts.

  The external financing limit for urban development corporations will be increased by £5,200,000 to £207,050,000 to cover repair costs for Docklands light railway and London docklands development corporation following the bombing at south quays. The external financing limit for the Urban Regeneration Agency, English Partnerships, will be increased by £13,652,000 for provision for current spending which was incorrectly omitted from the introduction to the 1996–97 supply estimates.

  The cash limit for class VI, vote 4—local government and planning, England—covering sections A to F of that vote, will be reduced by £80,000 from £31,128,167,000 to £31,128,087,000 to reflect reductions in the payments made to the Valuation Office Agency in section A valuation services. The savings will be used within vote 4, to cover a payment in South Yorkshire fire and civil defence authority under the Bellwin scheme in section H, other grants, which is outside the cash limit on the vote.

  All the increases will be offset either by savings or transfers from other Government Departments and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.
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TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Nuclear Power
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what comparative studies he had initiated of the policies and principles informing the time scale for full dismantling of nuclear power generating plants in(a) the USA, (b) France and (c) Germany; and if he will make a statement. [31084]

  Mr. Lang
  None.

  All UK nuclear power generating plants but one are gas cooled, whereas almost all the plants in the three countries identified are water cooled. There would, therefore, be little purpose in conducting such studies.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the advertising budget for nuclear privatisation in the current year; and what it has been in each of the last two years. [31142]

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 4 June 1996]: There was no expenditure on advertising for the privatisation of the nuclear industry in the year 1994–95. Actual expenditure on privatisation of the nuclear industry, including advertising, will be reported to Parliament in the normal way.

  Running Costs and Cash Limits
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what
  changes will be made to his Department's cash and running costs limits for 1996–97. [31801]

  Mr. Lang
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised estimate, the cash limit for class IV, vote 1—programmes and administration—will be reduced by £8,416,000 from £1,310,071,000 to £1,301,655,000. This net reduction results from:

  (i) the transfer on to the vote of the external financing limit of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (-£5,600,000);

  (ii) a reduction of expenditure on both international subscriptions (-£2,461,000) and consultancy (-£210,000) the sum of which will be used to find a non-voted increase in the external financing limit of Companies House; and

  (iii) the transfer of responsibility for Southampton buildings to the Department of National Heritage (-£145,000).

  Within this total, the gross running cost limit for the Department of Trade and Industry is being increased by £4,800,000 from £3,359,237,000 to £364,037,000. This change comprises:

  (i) an adjustment in Insolvency Service fee income required for accounting purposes (£5,000,000);

  offset by transfers of provision to:

  (ii) the Department of National Heritage (£145,000); and

  (iii) the non-cash-limit agency and central services area of the vote (£55,000).

  On a net basis, the Insolvency Service adjustment sums to zero as a fully compensating increase in receipts is also required.

  Additionally, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class IV, vote 12—Office of Gas Supply—will be increased by
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  £2,000,000 from £5,743,000 to £7,743,000 and the running costs limit by £825,000 from £7,627,000 to £8,452,000.

  The requirement for an increase results from the necessary costs associated with introduction of domestic competition and the transfer of the gas measurement branch from class IV, vote 1. This will involve expenditure on consultancy and staff related costs together with urgent expenditure on accommodation to comply with health and safety requirements.

  The increase will be offset by savings or charged to the reserve and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Radiocommunications Agency
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what targets he has set his Department's Radiocommunications Agency for 1996–97. [31799]

  Mr. Lang
  I have set my Department's Radiocommunications Agency the following quality of service targets for 1996–97 in respect of its licensing work and enforcement activities. These are in addition to achieving an overall efficiency improvement of 6 per cent. over 1995–96 and to continue to recover the full costs of its activities from customers.

  Licensing
  Category A: Licences that involve no frequency assignment, site clearance or international co-ordination; 100 per cent. of applications and amendments to be processed and despatched within five working days.
  Category B: Licences that involve frequency assignment but no site clearance or international co-ordination; 90 per cent. of applications and amendments to be processed and despatched within 15 working days, with the remainder to be processed and despatched within 25 working days or an explanation for the delay provided to the applicant.
  Category C: Licences that require frequency assignment and site clearance and/or international co-ordination, 90 per cent. of applicationsand amendments to be processed and despatched within 40 working days and the remainffder to be processed and despatched within 60 working days or an explanation for the delay provided to the applicant.
  Category D: Renewals of all licences in category A to be processed and despatched within 5 working days, renewals of licences in categories B and C to be processed and despatched within 10 working days.

  Enforcement

  100 per cent. of safety of life services complaints to be investigated within 24 hours;

  98 per cent. of business complaints to be investigated within five days;

  98 per cent. of domestic interference complaints to be investigated within one month.

  I also expect the agency's enquiry point to improve its response rate to calls within 30 seconds to 92 per cent. and for 95 per cent. and for 95 per cent. of all invoices to be paid within 30 days, or within the timescale agreed with suppliers. In addition, the chief executive will continue to reply within 10 working days to all letters from Members of Parliament delegated to him for reply.
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  Worker Information and Consultation
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will report on the consultation exercise recently undertaken by his Department in relation to the European Commission's communication on worker information and consultation. [31803]

  Mr. Lang
  I have today placed a summary of the responses to the consultation in the Library of the House, together with a copy of the Government's response to the European Commission's communication.

  National Weights and Measures Laboratory
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what targets he has set his Department's National Weights and Measures Laboratory for 1996–97. [31800]

  Mr. Lang
  I have set National Weights and Measures Laboratory the following targets for 1996–97:

  to ensure that external fee-earning activities remain self-financing;

  to reduce the real cost of a programme hour by 1 per cent.;

  to complete 85 per cent. of European type approvals within 10 weeks;

  to complete 95 per cent. of all calibration jobs—including preparation of certificates—within 18 working days.

  On moving to net running costs control, I expect NWML to meet its net vote target in 1996–97.

  In addition, I expect the chief executive of NWML to continue to reply within 10 working days to all letters from Members of Parliament delegated to him for reply.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to visit the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement. [30259]

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 22 May 1996]: Diary commitments preclude my visiting the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the foreseeable future.

  Information Society Initiative
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the operation of the two pilot schemes running in Manchester and Harlow under the information society initiative. [30728]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 4 June 1996]The information society initiative pilot local support centres at Manchester and Harlow are both open. The Manchester centre, based at the national computing centre, was formally opened on 13 February and the Harlow centre, which is based at the Harlow information and technology training centre, ITEC, was opened on 19 March 1996.

  Both have facilities for businesses to get "hand-on" experience of using the Internet, world wide web, etcetera for commercial purposes, to encourage electronic commerce, and provide advice sessions and training courses for small businesses. Both are working with local business link partnerships in the development of services. The Manchester centre has been running training course for business link advisers and counsellors.
  458
  A countrywide network of local support centres will be established over the course of the information society initiative.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  State Pensions
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the gross annual cost of increasing the basic state pension by(a) £5, (b) £10 and (c) £20 a week; what would be (x) the annual savings in means-tested benefits and (y) increased Treasury receipts from income tax if the basic state pension was increased by (i) £5, (ii) £10 and (iii) £20 a week; and what increase in national insurance contributions would be needed to meet the net cost from increasing the basic state pension by (1) £5, (2) £10 and (3) £20 a week. [30165]

  Mr. Heald
  The information is in the tables:

  Cost and benefit effects of increases to basic state pension 1996–97 prices

  £ billion

  Gross cost to national insurance fund

  Saving in income related benefits

  Increase in treasury income tax receipts

  Basic retirement pension increased by £5

  2.7

  0.7

  0.2

  Basic retirement pension increased by £10

  5.4

  1.5

  0.5

  Basic retirement pension increased by £20

  10.8

  2.9

  1.1

  1. Estimates of cost to the national insurance fund are supplied by the Government Actuary's department.

  2. Calculations are based on increasing basic retirement pension only and assume that increases are applied to all recipients of any basic RP.

  3. Savings in income-related benefits are calculated using the policy simulation model 1996–97, based on the family expenditure surveys 1991, 1992 and 1993.

  4. Income tax effects have been calculated by the Inland Revenue using a projection of the 1994 family expenditure survey and are provisional.

  5. All cost are rounded to the nearest £100 million, 1996£97 prices.

  Effects of increasing basic state pension on class 1 national
  insurance contribution rates

  Percentage

  Employee main rate

  Employer main rate

  Current rates

  10.0

  10.2

  Basic retirement pension increased by £5

  10.8

  10.7

  Basic retirement pension increased by £10

  11.6

  11.3

  Basic retirement pension increased by £20

  13.4

  12.4

  1. Rates are rounded to the nearest 0.1 per cent.

  2. The new contribution rates are derived by maintaining equity between the burden of extra contributions borne by the employee and the employer for an employee on average earnings.
  459

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the types of non-advanced courses which are recognised for the purpose of claiming child benefit for a child aged between 16 and 19 years. [30240]

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

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Peter L. Pike, dated 4 June 1996:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking if he will list the types of non-advanced courses which are recognised for the purpose of claiming child benefit for a child aged between 16 and 19 years.
  There are nearly 90 courses of education which are classed as non-advanced. They include GCE "A" level, GCSE and SCE Higher Grade or equivalent, GNVQ/NVQ levels 1,2 and 3, B/TEC National Diploma, SCOTVEC National Certificate of 6th Year Studies, Foundation art course and secretarial course with GCSE entry. Others, such as Pathway, Horizon and Gateway, can be grouped together under "Special Needs" courses. The remainder can be grouped together as "Job Specific".
  This would include courses such as Hotel and Catering, Travel and Tourism.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Child Support Agency
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what monitoring the Child Support Agency undertakes(a) of the number of its clients who become insolvent following its intervention and (b) of the change in the number of clients becoming insolvent; and what procedures the agency adopts to avoid a client becoming insolvent following its intervention. [30692]

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

  Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 4 June 1996:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency clients.
  No formal records are kept of the number of clients who report that they have become insolvent following contact with the Agency, nor does the Agency petition for bankruptcy.
  Absent parents are always left with at least 70% of their income (67% if paying arrears) after a child maintenance assessment has been made. It should also be remembered that it could be the parent with care who has been made insolvent because legally due child maintenance has not been paid.
  The Agency has a legal liability to enforce maintenance payments in suitable cases even if it reaches the stage of court proceedings, to protect the interest of the taxpayer and the parent with care.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list(a) the number of (i) male and (ii) female employees, (b) the number of officials employed at each of the principal grades and the numbers and percentages of women employed at each of these grades and (c) the number of staff employed at administrative grades and the numbers and percentage of these staff who are women in his Department on 1 April. [30555]
  460
  Mr. Burt
  The information is set out in the tables:

  Permanent staff in post at l April 1996

  Number

  Male

  31,709

  Female

  65,797

  Principal grades

  Grade

  Total staff

  Total women

  Percentage women

  1–4

  29

  8

  27.6

  5

  105

  25

  23.8

  6

  434

  130

  30.0

  7

  641

  165

  25.7

  Senior Executive Officer

  1,256

  381

  30.3

  Higher Executive Officer

  5,204

  2,394

  46.0

  Executive Officer

  26,314

  16,513

  62.8

  Total

  33,983

  19,616

  57.7

  Administrative grades

  Grade

  Total staff

  Total women

  Percentage women

  Administrative Officer

  48.982

  36,409

  74.3

  Administrative Assistant

  11,452

  7,876

  68.8

  Total

  60,434

  44,285

  73.2

  Staff numbers in grades not regarded as either principal or administrative, e.g. support grade bands 1 and 2

  Total staff

  Total women

  Percentage women

  3,089

  1,896

  61.4

  Disabled Employees
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many registered disabled people are employed by his Department; and what percentage this is of the total figures. [30772]

  Mr. Burt
  The Department employs 1,675 registered disabled people. This represents 1.8 per cent. of the total number of staff employed by this Department.

  Benefits Agency
  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the savings to the Benefits Agency of the arrangements whereby mail hand-delivered to the agency in Stockport is re-delivered to that agency by the Royal Mail via Crewe. [31054]

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

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Ms Ann Coffey, dated 4 June 1996:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what assessment he has made of the savings to the

  461
  arrangements whereby mail hand-delivered to the Agency in Stockport is re-delivered to that Agency by the Royal Mail via Crewe.
  As part of the 'Competing for Quality' initiative the BA has market tested its accommodation and office services, which includes arrangements for the collection, sorting and opening of post. The in-house team won the contract and sub-contracted the post opening service for the Greater Manchester Area to Royal Mail.
  This means that as District Office staff are no longer involved in the post opening process they can now concentrate on the core business of the Agency, which is the processing of benefits.
  All BA offices in Manchester have external boxes where our customers can hand-deliver items of post. All post is opened by Royal Mail and distributed across the District within 24 hours. There are notices on the external boxes telling customers at what times the boxes are emptied.
  The post opening arrangements are just one of a whole package of services delivered under the accommodation and office services contracts and therefore it is not possible to attribute a financial saving to one specific task within the package.
  However, it is estimated that savings of 29 per cent. will be made for the whole of the Greater Manchester area in respect of accommodation and office services, which include post opening, over the duration of the contract.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Southport (Mr. Banks) of 15 May,Official Report column 451 (1) how many home visits were made by Benefits Agency staff for the periods (a) April 1980 to April 1984, (b) April 1985 to April 1989, (c) April 1990 to April 1991 and (d) April 1992 to April 1994; [31089]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the discrepancy between the figures quoted in the answer and the answer given to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Garscadden (Mr. Dewar) on 19 July 1995, Official Report, column 1503. [31090]

  Mr. Evans
  The information is not available in the format requested as figures on some areas of work are not collated nationally. Such information as is available is set out in the table:

  The error in the written answer given to the hon. Member for Garscadden related to the number of effective supplementary benefit visits for April 1979 to March 1980. This was due to a clerical error and resulted from double counting of data.

  The table also includes data on effective contributory benefit visits in 1979–80 and 1984–85 which were erroneously omitted from my written answer of 15 May to the hon. Member for Southport (Mr. Banks).

  Effective supplementary benefit/income support visits

  Effective contributory benefit visits

  18 April 1979–15 April 1980

  —

  428,784

  16 April 1980–14 April 1981

  3,490,320

  309,094

  15 April 1981–13 April 1982

  3,554,302

  220,495

  14 April 1982–12 April 1983

  3,385,476

  180,068

  13 April 1983–10 April 1984

  3,515,234

  128,778

  11 April 1984–9 April 1985

  —

  129,627

  10 April 1985–8 April 1986

  2,356,203

  129,664

  9 April 1986–7 April 1987

  1,578,038

  352,728

  8 April 1987–8 April 1988

  1,228,694

  174,653

  11 April 1988–31 March 1989

  960,746

  n/a

  462

  Effective supplementary benefit/income support visits

  Effective contributory benefit visits

  April 1990–March 1991

  580,900

  n/a

  April 1992–March 1993

  509,722

  n/a

  April 1993–March 1994

  505,507

  n/a

  1. The table includes supplementary benefit and income support visits for all the periods requested and contributory benefits visits for April 1980 to April 1988.

  2. The contributory benefits figures include visits made to employers in relation to national insurance contributions.

  3. Information is not available for contributory benefits for 1988–89, 1990–91, 1992–93 and 1993–94 as there were no figures collated for this period.

  4. Data in respect of periods prior to 1989 may not be directly these comparable with one in respect of later periods as the Benefits Agency no longer holds detailed guidance on interpretation of the earlier data.

  5. Contributory benefit data were not collected for the period April 1990 to March 1994.

  6. Data are provisional and subject to amendment.

  Access Committee for England
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he plans to make a statement on the review of the role of the Access Committee for England. [31735]

  Mr. Burt
  I am pleased that the review acknowledged the valuable work undertaken by the Access Committee for England in providing a forum for discussion that involves all interested parties and in fostering local access groups. The review also found that the committee's ministerial advisory role had worked less well. This finding, allied with the setting up of the National Disability Council to advise the Government on issues relating to discrimination against disabled people, has persuaded me and my hon. Friends the Minister for Construction, Planning and Energy Efficiency and the Under-Secretary for Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis), that this aspect of ACE' s work should cease. We have therefore agreed to offer funding for the committee for two years from April 1996 to allow time for it to continue to develop those areas where it has proved most effective. These arrangements will be reviewed before the end of that period.

  This revised remit will enable ACE to focus more clearly on promoting the accessibility to disabled people of buildings and of indoor and outdoor environments—including housing—by:
  actively promoting the formation of local access groups and providing them with advice and support;
  providing a focal point for information on access matters for individual disabled people and others, referring them where appropriate to other agencies;
  consulting and offering practical advice on access matters to local government associations, industrial and commercial representative organisations. professional bodies, voluntary organisations and other interested groups; and
  advising local authorities and other agencies which may be considering the designation of access officers.

  In view of the committee's changed role, I shall no longer have any responsibility for appointing members or determining its constitution.
  463

  Family Credit
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he proposes to implement the measure he announced in November 1995 to terminate payment of family credit when the last remaining dependent child in a family leaves full-time education. [31736]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  I am today laying before the House the Family Credit (General) Amendment Regulations 1996, which will give effect to that measure, and the associated report of the Social Security Committee with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's response to it. The regulations, subject to negative resolution, will come into effect from 2 July 1996.

  Lone Parents
  Mr. Peter Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will publish the Social Security Advisory Committee's report about his proposals to restructure benefits for lone parents and his response to it. [31796]

  Mr. Lilley
  I am today publishing the committee's report and my response to it, together with draft regulations. From April 1997, the lone parent premium in the income-related benefits will be replaced by an additional element to be incorporated into the family premium. One parent benefit will be replaced by an additional element to be incorporated into the main child benefit rates. The benefits system is relatively more generous to lone parents than to couples. The regulations will provide a more flexible mechanism for adjusting the relative level of support provided to these different types of households. I intend, over time, and without cash losses to individuals, to narrow the gap between benefits that go to lone parents and those that go to couples.

  Housing Benefit Fraud
  Mr. Bernard Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will publish a response to the third report of the Social Security Committee of Session 1995–96 on housing benefit fraud HC 90. [31797]

  Mr. Lilley
  I have today laid copies of the Government's response to the Social Security Select Committee's report "Housing Benefit Fraud" before the House and copies have been placed in the Library. I am also announcing two new measures to reinforce our anti-fraud initiatives. First, we will be setting up a ministerial group on countering benefit fraud, which will focus on cross-Government action and include all Departments with a role in tackling benefit fraud.

  Secondly, there will be an improved flow of information from Inland Revenue to DSS officials under section 122 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992. The development of data matching to combat serious social security fraud means that the undertaking to limit the transfer of information, given on 22 April 1986, Official Report, column 1603, should be relaxed.

  Taken together with other measures, these represent a further considerable step forward in our fight to stop benefit fraud.
  464

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Housing Benefit Fraud
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals have been successfully prosecuted for fraudulent claims relating to housing benefit in each year since 1991; what assessment he has made of the correlation between the number of criminal prosecutions for fraudulent claims of housing benefit and the total amount of housing benefit fraud; and what joint initiatives he has undertaken with the Department of Social Security on the matter. [29970]

  Mr. Maclean
  It is not possible from the information held centrally by my Department to identify offences relating to fraudulent claims of housing benefit from other summary offences.

  There are no joint initiatives between the Home Office and the Department of Social Security on this matter.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence he has evaluated of links between organised crime and systematic abuse of the housing benefit system. [30450]

  Mr. Maclean
  Organised criminals have been involved in serious fraud against the benefit system, including housing benefit. The National Criminal Intelligence Service and the police are working closely with other agencies to identify and tackle this type of crime.

  Police Morale
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to improve the morale of Britain's police officers. [30451]

  Mr. Maclean
  Morale is high, and will continue to improve as a consequence of the Government's effective policies to combat crime and deter criminals, and the continued significant investment in the police service.

  Domestic Burglaries
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the clear-up rate of recorded domestic burglaries in(a) Coventry and (b) the west midlands for each year since 1990; and for each year what was the percentage change on (i) the previous year and (ii) 1990. [30647]

  Mr. Maclean
  Information for Coventry is not collected centrally. Figures for the west midlands are given in the table.

  Clear-up rate for offences of burglary in a dwelling recorded by the police in the west midlands

  Year

  Clear-up rate (percentage)

  Percentage point change on previous year

  Percentage point change over 1990

  1990

  39

  1—

  1—

  1991

  31

  -8

  -8

  1992

  24

  -7

  -15

  1993

  31

  +7

  -8

  1994

  32

  +1

  -7

  1995

  38

  +6

  -1

  1Not applicable.

  465
  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average value of items stolen in recorded domestic house break-ins in 1995 in(a) Coventry and (b) the west midlands. [30648]

  Mr. Maclean
  Information for Coventry is not collected centrally. The available information for the west midlands is for 1994. For offences of burglary in a dwelling where property was stolen, the average value was £1,054.

  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recorded domestic burglaries there were in(a) Coventry and (b) the west midlands in each year since 1990; and for each year, what was the percentage change on (i) the previous year and (ii) 1990. [30659]

  Mr. Maclean
  Information for Coventry is not collected centrally. The available information for the west midlands is given in the table.

  Offences of burglary in a dwelling recorded by the police in the west midlands

  Year

  Number of offences

  Percentage change on previous year

  Percentage change over 1990

  1990

  35,613

  1—

  1—

  1991

  41,624

  +17

  +17

  1992

  52,202

  +25

  +47

  1993

  51,815

  -1

  +45

  1994

  48,241

  -7

  +35

  1995

  46,368

  -4

  +30

  2 Not applicable.

  Private Investigators
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what use his Department has made of private detective agencies or investigators during 1995–96 and 1994–95; what agencies have been employed; for what purposes; and at what cost to his Department. [30561]

  Mr. Howard
  The Home Office and its agencies did not employ private detective agencies or investigators for detective or investigative work during 1995–96 and 1994–95. However, during 1995–96, three companies were employed by the Prison Service to carry out pre-occupation searches of establishments following construction work etc. It is understood that these companies carry out private investigative work for other organisations.

  The companies in question are:

  Network Security Management

  Pinkerton Consultancy and Investigation

  Sigma Projects

  Payments made to these companies by the Prison Service for search activities during 1995–96 total £188,000.

  Car Theft
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the clear-up rate for recorded car theft in(a) Coventry and (b) the west midlands in each year since 1990; and for each year, what was the percentage change on (i) the previous year and (ii) 1990. [30655]
  466
  Mr. Maclean
  Information for Coventry is not collected centrally. The available information for West Midlands is given in the table.

  Clear-up rate for offences of theft of a vehicle recorded by the police in the west midlands

  Year

  Clear up rate (percentage)

  Percentage point change on previous year

  Percentage point change over 1990

  1990

  35

  1—

  1—

  1991

  30

  -5

  -5

  1992

  25

  -5

  -10

  1993

  25

  —

  -10

  1994

  21

  -4

  -14

  1995

  20

  -1

  -15

  1 Not applicable.

  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cars were recorded as stolen in(a) Coventry and (b) the west midlands in each year since 1990; and for each year, what was the percentage change on (i) the previous year and (ii) 1990. [30654]

  Mr. Maclean
  Information for Coventry is not collected centrally. The available information for the west midlands is given in the table.

  Offences of theft of a vehicle recorded by the police in the west midlands

  Year

  Number of offences

  Percentage change on previous year

  Percentage change over 1990

  1990

  34,236

  1—

  1—

  1991

  41,415

  +21

  +21

  1992

  39,632

  -4

  +16

  1993

  40,184

  +1

  +17

  1994

  40,347

  —

  +18

  1995

  45,102

  +12

  +32

  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many car break-ins were recorded in(a) Coventry and (b) the west midlands in each year since 1990; and for each year, what was the percentage change on (i) the previous year and (ii) 1990. [30656]

  Mr. Maclean
  Information for Coventry is not collected centrally. The available information relates to offences of theft of and from a motor vehicle and figures for the west midlands are given in the table.

  Offences of theft of and from a vehicle recorded by the police in the west midlands

  Year

  Number of offences

  Percentage change on previous year

  Percentage change over 1990

  1990

  84,321

  1—

  —

  1991

  95,775

  +

  +14

  1992

  95,881

  —

  +14

  1993

  94,925

  -1

  +13

  1994

  90,061

  -5

  +7

  1995

  95,596

  +6

  +13

  1 Not applicable.

  467
  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average value of items recorded as stolen from cars in(a) Coventry and (b) the west midlands for the latest available year. [30658]

  Mr. Maclean
  Information for Coventry is not collected centrally. The available information for the west midlands is for 1994. For offences of theft from a motor vehicle where property was stolen, the average value was £279.

  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average age of people convicted of(a) car theft and (b) burglary in the west midlands in the latest year for which statistics are available. [30649]

  Mr. Maclean
  Information for 1994 on the number of offenders convicted at all courts in the West Midlands police force area by age is given in the table.

  Data for 1995 will not be available until the autumn.

  Number of persons convicted at all courts of (a) car theft and (b) burglary offences in the West Midlands police force area by age, 1994

  Age

  Car theft1

  Domestic burglary

  Burglary Non-domestic burglary

  Total burglary

  10

  —

  —

  —

  —

  11

  1

  5

  2

  7

  12

  9

  4

  10

  14

  13

  25

  18

  19

  37

  14

  73

  32

  29

  61

  15

  99

  70

  61

  131

  16

  127

  79

  73

  152

  17

  157

  129

  99

  228

  18

  172

  93

  104

  197

  19

  101

  91

  117

  208

  20

  105

  68

  90

  158

  21 and under 25

  235

  194

  258

  452

  25 and under 30

  294

  125

  175

  300

  30 and under 40

  62

  81

  127

  208

  40 and under 50

  21

  18

  24

  42

  50 and under 60

  3

  2

  9

  11

  60 and over

  1

  —

  —

  —

  All ages

  1,280

  1,009

  1,197

  2,206

  1 Car theft includes the indictable offences of aggravated vehicle taking—injury to person, damage to property of car; theft from vehicles; theft or unauthorised taking of motor vehicle car and the summary offences of stealing and unauthorised taking of a conveyance and aggravated vehicle taking where criminal damage of £2,000 or under.

  2 Includes persons, convicted of summary offences, given the default age of 25 where the exact age was not known.

  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the clear-up rate of recorded car break-ins in(a) Coventry and (b) the west midlands in each year since 1990; and for each year, what was the percentage change on (i) the previous year and (ii) 1990. [30657]

  Mr. Maclean
  Information for Coventry is not collected centrally. The available information relates to offences of theft of and from a motor vehicle and figures for the west midlands are given in the table.
  468

  Clear-up rate for offences of theft of and from a motor vehicle recorded by the police in the west midlands

  Year

  Clear-up rate (percentage)

  Percentage point change on previous year

  Percentage point change over 1990

  1990

  34

  —

  —

  1991

  26

  -8

  -8

  1992

  22

  -4

  -12

  1993

  21

  -1

  -13

  1994

  19

  -2

  -15

  1995

  18

  -1

  -16

  1 Not applicable.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of recorded crimes in(a) Coventry and (b) the west midlands in 1979. [30650]

  Mr. Maclean
  Information for Coventry is not collected centrally. There were 156,671 recorded offences in the west midlands in 1979.

  Mr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of recorded crimes in each year since 1990; and for each year what was the percentage change on(a) the previous year and (b) 1990. [30651]

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Notifiable offences recorded by the police in England and Wales

  Year

  Number of offences

  Percentage change on previous year

  Percentage change over 1990

  1990

  4,543,611

  1—

  1—

  1991

  5,276,173

  +16

  +16

  1992

  5,591,717

  +6

  +23

  1993

  5,526,255

  -1

  +22

  1994

  5,249,478

  -5

  +16

  1995

  5,123,638

  -2

  +13

  1 Not applicable.

  Buckley Hall Prison
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff have left the employment of Group 4 at Buckley Hall since the prison opened. [30677]

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

  Letter from A. J. Pearson to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 5 June 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the numbers of staff who have left the employment of Group 4 at Buckley Hall prison since it opened.
  Since the prison opened there have been twenty eight resignations and two redundancies.
  469

  Trooping of the Colour
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will request(a) the Metropolitan police and (b) Buckingham palace authorities to move the trooping of the colour ceremony on 15 June to 16 June to avoid a clash with the England v Scotland Euro 96 cup match at Wembley. [31026]

  Mr. Maclean
  Arrangements for both events, including appropriate security measures, are far advanced and I am confident that the Metropolitan Police Commissioner will allocate resources in the most appropriate way in order to ensure that any problems of crime and disorder in London will be dealt with.

  Prison Escapes
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) escapes and (b) attempted escapes there have been at each male category C prison since 14 December 1994. [30807]

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

  Letter from A. J. Pearson to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 5 June 1996:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking how many (a) escapes; and (b) attempted escapes there have been at each male category C prison since 14 December 1994.

  The following table shows the position as at 18 May 1996.

  KPI escapes and attempted escapes from category C establishments 14 December 1994 to 18 May 1996

  Establishment

  Escapes from establishments

  Attempted escapes from establishments

  North

  Acklington

  Nil

  3

  Ashwell

  1

  6

  Brockley

  Nil

  Nil

  Buckley Hall

  5

  4

  Everthorpe

  Nil

  Nil

  Featherstone

  Nil

  Nil

  Haverigg

  Nil

  4

  Kirklevington

  Nil

  Nil

  Lancaster

  1

  1

  Lindholme

  1

  12

  Ranby

  8

  10

  Risley

  2

  Nil

  Stafford

  2

  3

  Stocken

  2

  2

  Wealstun (C)

  Nil

  2

  Whatton

  Nil

  Nil

  Wymott

  Nil

  Nil

  South

  Aldington

  7

  1

  Blantyre House

  Nil

  1

  Camp Hill

  Nil

  3

  Channings Wood

  Nil

  3

  Coldingley

  1

  Nil

  Downview

  1

  Nil

  Erlestoke

  5

  Nil

  Guys Marsh

  Nil

  1

  Highpoint

  Nil

  2

  Latchmere House

  Nil

  Nil

  470

  KPI escapes and attempted escapes from category C establishments 14 December 1994 to 18 May 1996

  Establishment

  Escapes from establishments

  Attempted escapes from establishments

  Littlehey

  4

  1

  The Mount

  Nil

  1

  Oxford

  1

  Nil

  Send

  1

  Nil

  Shepton Mallet

  Nil

  1

  Usk/Prescoed

  Nil

  1

  The Verne

  7

  4

  Wayland

  Nil

  Nil

  Wellingborough

  2

  1

  Haslar

  3

  Nil

  Civil Defence Grant
  Sir Irvine Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the total expenditure in 1996–97 approved as eligible for civil defence grant aid for(a) London FCDA, (b) Hounslow London borough, (c) Newham London borough, (d) Hull unitary authority, (e) North Lincoln unitary authority, (f) North East Lincoln unitary authority and (g) East Riding of Yorkshire unitary authority. [31087]

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is as follows:

  £

  London fire and civil defence authority

  388,000

  Hounslow London borough council

  35,000

  Newham London borough council

  35,000

  East Riding unitary authority

  266,000

  Hull unitary authority

  East Riding acts as host authority

  North Lincolnshire

  East Riding acts as host authority

  North East Lincolnshire

  East Riding acts as host authority

  Sexual Offences Against Children
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of prisoners convicted of sexual offences against children were re-convicted for a sexual offence against a child within two years of their discharge from prison in each year since 1980 for which figures are available. [30783]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Offenders who are convicted of sexual offences against a child can be charged with any one of a number of offences. The legal categories of sexual offence do not always differentiate between child and adult victims. This means that the information requested is not centrally available.

  Driving Offences
  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average fine levied for drivers in the last year who(a) do not have insurance and (b) have not stopped after an accident; what assessment he has made of the desirability of a review of the penalties for such offences; and if he will make a statement. [31163]
  471
  Mr. Maclean
  The average fine imposed for the offence of using a motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks at all courts in England and Wales in 1994—the latest year for which figures are available—was £209. For the offence of failing to stop after an accident it was £133.

  For both offences the maximum fine is £5,000, accompanied by obligatory licence endorsement and discretionary disqualification. In addition, for failing to stop after an accident, a sentence of up to six months' imprisonment can be imposed. The Government are satisfied that these penalties adequately reflect the seriousness of the two offences, but remain committed to keeping all penalties under review to ensure that they remain appropriate.

  Mr. Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases in each of the last five years there have been where a motorist is found not to have the legal insurance required. [31164]

  Mr. Maclean
  The available information relates to the number of findings of guilt for using a motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks in England and Wales, and is as follows:

  Findings of guilt for using a motor vehicle uninsured against third
  party risks in England and Wales

  Year

  Number

  1990

  209,463

  1991

  225,910

  1992

  246,054

  1993

  281,136

  1994

  286,252

  Figures for 1995 are not yet available.

  Running Costs and Cash Limits
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for changes to the 1996–97 cash and running costs limits within his responsibilities. [31593]

  Mr. Howard
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised and supplementary estimates, the cash limit for class VII, vote 1—Home Office administration, police, probation, immigration and other services, England and Wales—will be decreased by £14,447,000 from £4,611,752,000 to £4,597,305,000 and the cash limit on class VII, vote 2—prisons, England and Wales2—will be increased by £589,000 from £1,521,081,000 to £1,521,670,000. This decrease in the cash limit for vote 1 is the net effect of transfers to the Department for National Heritage, the Cabinet Office and the Prison Service Agency, class VII, vote 2. The increase in provision for vote 2 is the net effect of the delegation from Home Office central services, class VII, vote 1, of office support services, reclassification of some refunds of value added tax for business activity and of the running cost element of the Parole Board's costs when it becomes an executive non-departmental body.

  The Home Office running cost limit will be decreased by £584,000 from £1,802,065,000 to £1,801,481,000.

  Passport Agency
  Sir Irvine Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the United Kingdom Passport 472
  Agency performed against its targets in 199–6; and what performance targets he has set for the agency in 1996–97. [27769]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  [pursuant to his reply, 30 April 1996, column 431]I am pleased to say that the United Kingdom Passport Agency achieved all its targets in 1995–96. The targets for processing properly completed straightforward applications were met despite a 20 per cent. increase in demand for passport services with an average turnround time for the whole year of 6.1 working days, well within the average target of seven working days. The Passport Agency's financial target was to reduce its unit cost by 5 per cent. in real terms. The latest indications are that the agency has achieved a 7.25 per cent. real terms reduction in its unit cost. Another notable achievement was the re-award of the Chartermark in December 1995.

  During 1996–97, I shall expect the Passport Agency to continue to improve its standard of service to the public, while seeking further efficiency savings in its operations.

  I have set the agency the following key targets:

  1. to process properly completed straightforward applications within a maximum of 15 working days between April and October 1996, and 10 working days from 1 November 1996 onwards.

  2. to reduce unit costs by a further 3 per cent. in real terms in comparison with the outturn for 1995–96.

  The chief executive will remain directly accountable to me for the performance of the Passport Agency. An advisory board, including two private sector members with experience of delivering services to the public, will continue to provide me with an independent assessment of the agency's performance.

  Performance Bonds
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 20 May,Official Report, column 20, how many (a) unconditional on-demand bonds, (b) performance bonds, (c) parent company guarantees, (d) advance payment bonds and (e) retention bonds were required by his Department in the last five years. [31235]

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 4 June 1996]The information required to answer this question is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Dangerous Dogs
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the cost to the Metropolitan police of kennelling dogs detained under the terms of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in each year since 1991. [31075]

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 4 June 1996]The following is the information requested:

  £

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  Kennelling

  1,263,763

  773,469

  443,646

  368,000

  Veterinary

  66,075

  77,418

  57,829

  47,000

  Total

  1,329,838

  850,887

  501,475

  1415,000

  1 Estimated costs.

  473

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  China
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what discussions her Department had with the Chinese Minister for the State Family Planning Commission during her visit to Britain on 17 and 18 May on(a) the male to female birth ratio and (b) covert abortions and sterilisations in China; [30758]

  (2) what assurances were sought from the Chinese Minister for the State Family Planning Commission during her recent visit to Britain that there would be a halt to coercive birth control policies in Tibet and China. [31092]

  Mr. Hanley
  In her meeting with Mrs. Peng Peiyun, Chinese State Councillor with responsibilities that include family planning, Baroness Chalker of Wallasey discussed UK concerns about human rights abuses, such as forced sterilisations and abortions, in the implementation of Chinese family planning policy. In order that such informal contacts continue to be constructive, ODA believes that it is not appropriate to release details of these discussions.

  HIV and AIDS Funding
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which United Kingdom based non-governmental organisations have been allocated funding for HIV and AIDS programmes for(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96. [30229]

  Mr. Hanley
  UK-based NGOs receiving funding for specified HIV/AIDS programmes in developing countries 1993–94 to 1995–96 are as follows:

  1993–94

  Agency for Cooperation and Research in Development (ACORD)

  Action Aid

  Appropriate Health Resources and Technology Action Group (AHRTAG)

  African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF)

  Associated Country Women of the World

  Catholic Fund for Overseas Development

  CARE—UK

  Christian Aid

  Health Aid Moyo

  International HIV/AIDS Alliance

  International Planned Parenthood Federation

  Marie Stopes International

  Oxfam

  Panos Institute

  Plan International

  Save the Children Fund

  United Kingdom Foundation for the Peoples of the South Pacific

  1994–95

  Action Aid

  Appropriate Health Resources and Technology Action Group (AHRTAG)

  African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF)

  Associated Country Women of the World

  Catholic Fund for Overseas Development

  474

  CARE-UK

  Christian Aid

  Concern

  Concern Universal

  International Childcare Trust

  International Children's Trust

  International Family Health

  International HIV/AIDS Alliance

  International Planned Parenthood Federation

  Marie Stopes International

  National Network of Body Positive Groups

  Oxfam

  Panos Institute

  Plan International

  Save the Children Fund

  Tear Fund

  United Kingdom Foundation for the Peoples of the South Pacific

  1995–96

  Action Aid

  Appropriate Health Resources and Technology Action Group(AHRTAG)

  African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF)

  Associated Country Women of the World

  CARE

  Catholic Fund for Overseas Development

  Christian Aid

  Concern

  Concern Universal

  International Childcare Trust

  International Children's Trust

  International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS

  International Family Health

  International HIV/AIDS Alliance

  International Planned Parenthood Federation

  Medicines Sans Frontieres-UK

  Marie Stopes International

  Oxfam

  Plan International

  Population Concern

  Save the Children Fund

  Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF)

  Tear Fund

  Uganda AIDS Action Fund

  Urban Aid

  World Vision

  Many other UK NGOs receive funds to implement community development and health programmes which will influence the well-being of people exposed to or affected by HIV.

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the £39.3 million allocated specifically for HIV/AIDS in 1995–96 was distributed through(a) multilateral agencies, (b) bilateral agencies and (c) non-governmental organisations. [30230]

  Mr. Hanley
  The table gives a breakdown of the £39.3 million allocated to HIV/AIDS—related activities in 1995–96 by spending channel.
  475

  Spending channel

  HIV/AIDS spend £million

  Per cent. of spend

  Baiateral

  33.815

  86.0

  Multilateral

  5.035

  12.8

  Non-governmental

  1.2

  organizations

  0.450

  Total expenditure

  39.3

  100.0

  In addition, a significant number of reproductive health projects approved during this period include prevention of HIV transmission as one of several objectives.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Exports and Imports
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the value of(a) exports from and (b) imports to Northern Ireland in each of the last five years for which figures are complete. [30828]

  Mr. Ancram
  Statistics on Northern Ireland's exports are currently available only for the financial years 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95 and are provided. These are taken from a survey undertaken on behalf of the Department of Economic Development and the Industrial Development Board by the Northern Ireland Economic Research Centre and published on 1 May 1996.

  Statistics on imports to Northern Ireland are not available.

  Year

  Exports £ million (excluding sales to GB)

  1991–92

  1,784

  1992–93

  1,980

  1993–94

  2,175

  1994–95

  2,637

  Nursery Voucher Scheme
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which standards which apply to the provision of nursery education will be relaxed under the voucher scheme. [30476]

  Mr. Ancram
  I do not propose to relax any standards applying to the provision of nursery education.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of(a) the number of children who will qualify for nursery vouchers and (b) the lengths of time they will be qualified. [30481]

  Mr. Ancram
  I estimate that approximately 19,500 children annually will be eligible for a voucher. The length of time for which they will be eligible will depend on the date of their fourth birthday. For planning purposes we have assumed the following distribution:

  Three terms: 4,400 children

  Two terms: 8,600 children

  One term: 6,500 children

  476
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the secretary of state for Northern Ireland how many inspectors are competent and qualify to investigate provision under the nursery voucher scheme; and what proposals he has to increase these numbers. [30482].

  Mr. Ancram
  At present five inspectors of the Department of Education's inspectorate are competent and qualified to inspect provision under the nursery voucher scheme.

  Arrangements are being made for the recruitment of up to five additional specialist inspectors of pre-school education.

  Pre-five Services
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he collates on the provision on(a) public and (b) private provision of pre-five services apart from those in state nursery schools and nursery classes. [30480]

  Mr. Moss
  The Department of Health and Social Services collates information on the number of day nursery, play group and child-minding places available in public facilities provided by health and social services boards and private facilities registered with health and social services trusts.

  At 31 March 1995, the latest date for which figures are available, the position was as follows:

  Type of facility

  Number of premises

  Average available places

  Day nursery

  Public

  4

  81

  Private

  104

  3,083

  Total

  108

  3,164

  Play group

  Public

  10

  270

  Private

  624

  15,539

  Total

  634

  15,809

  Child-minding

  Private

  4,225

  16,564

  School Meals
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he has taken to improve the nutritional value of schools meals since receiving the report of the school meals project in December 1995; and if he will make a statement on his proposals for future action. [30477]

  Mr. Ancram
  Following consultation with the Department of Health and Social Services and the Health Promotion Agency, the Department of Education has accepted that the existing nutritional guidelines for school meals should be reviewed having regard to the guidelines issued by the Committee on the Medical Aspects of Food Policy. A working group has been set up to take this review forward. The Department for Education and Employment is in the process of preparing voluntary nutritional guidelines for school meals in England and
  477
  Wales and the working group will be liaising closely with DfEE to ensure that all available information is taken into account before final guidelines are issued.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has for education expenditure under the private finance initiative. [30478]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Two PFI projects for the provision of new accommodation at the North West Institute for Higher and Further Education and for the development of a new visitors centre at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum have been advertised in the Official Journal of the European Community. The Department of Education is also considering projects under the PFI for schools, other further education colleges, higher education institutions, libraries and its periphery activities.

  Youth Training Scheme
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the numbers involved in the youth training scheme, the completion rate, the qualifications achieved and the numbers who are in or moved on to full-time work. [303791

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

  Letter from Ian Walters to Mr. Tony Worthington, dated 5 June 1996:
  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me, as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency to reply to your question.
  In the year ended 31 March 1996, a total of 10,543 young people aged 16 and 17 years entered the Agency's Jobskills training programme which was introduced in Northern Ireland on 3 April 1995 to replace the Youth Training and Job Training Programmes. During that period 3,534 left without completing their programme, of whom 1,620 (46%) entered employment, full-time education or another form of training.
  Training periods in the new programme range from 39 weeks to 156 weeks depending on the occupational area and level of qualification being followed. The large majority of young people did not join the programme until after 30 June 1995, the single school leaving date in Northern Ireland. More than 90% of the trainees are in training programmes lasting 52 weeks ore more and will not complete their training until 30 June 1996 at the earliest. Information on completion rates, qualifications achieved and numbers of trainees moving into employment will be available in due course.
  However, I can provide data from the Jobskills pilot programme which operated in two areas of Northern Ireland from 1 September 1992 to 31 March 1995. A total of 7,311 people, including 4,417 young people started training in the pilot programmes. In excess of 50% of those who joined these programmes achieved a full National Vocational Qualification at Level 2 or above. To date, 68% of those who left the pilot programmes have found employment.
  The figures for residual trainees in the Youth Training Programme for the year ended 31 March 1996 show that 29.8% of leavers achieved a NVQ at Level 2 or above. 7,089 young people left the programme during this period of whom 3,312 (65%) entered employment and 210 (4%) full-time education.
  I hope you find this helpful
  478

  Running Costs and Cash Limits
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the 1996–97 running costs limit for the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments. [31798]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The gross running cost limit for 1996–97 for the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments is £787,695,000. Details of the provision for individual Northern Ireland Departments are set out in the Northern Ireland estimates published today and are available in the Library.

  Performance Bonds
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his Department's policy on the use of performance bonds; in what circumstances they are used; what was the total sum paid by bond in each of the last five years; and if his Department requires bonds from businesses with fewer than(a) 100, (b) 50 and (c) 20 employees. [29500]

  Sir John Wheeler
  [holding answer 20 May 1996]The Northern Ireland Office and Nortern Ireland Departments' policy on the use of performance bonds is in accordance with HM Treasury central unit on procurement's guidance on bonds and guarantees.

  The potential exists for demanding performance bonds in the allocation of construction contracts. The facility has been used by the Department of the Environment's roads service, which requests performance bonds for all contracts costing £200,000 or more which are awarded by open contract. For contracts less than £200,000, bonds may be requested where there is concern about the capacity of the lowest tenderers to perform the contracts. The roads service has had no occasion to receive payments by bond in the last five years.

  The number of staff employed by businesses is not a factor in deciding whether a bond is necessary.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Cattle Slaughter Scheme
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the capacity of incinerators in the United Kingdom to dispose of culled cattle. [30412]

  Mr. Boswell
  [holding answer 21 May 1996)The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food announced in the House on 16 April that cull cows would be rendered and the resultant material disposed of by the best practical environmental option. At present there are 10 incinerators approved to burn suspect BSE cases, with an estimated capacity of 40,000 carcases per annum. Some of the limited spare capacity available in these incinerators is being used to be dispose of casualty over 30-month animals which are slaughtered on-farm.

  Mr. Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the alternatives his Department has assessed other than incineration, for the disposal of culled cattle, indicating the reasons for their rejection. [30413]
  479
  Mr. Boswell
  [holding answer 21 May 1996]The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food announced in the House on 16 April,Official Report, columns 513–16, that cattle over 30 months would be rendered and the resultant material disposed of by the best practical environmental option. The Government have since been working intensively with the trade to examine means of disposal of the material derived from rendered carcases. A number of options for the eventual disposal of meat and bonemeal are under active consideration and in all cases full weight will be given to protection of the environment. These options include incineration, use as fuel in power generation and eventual landfill.

  Agriculture Council
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Luxembourg on 3 and 4 June; and if he will make a statement. [31740]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I represented the United Kingdom at the Agriculture Council on 3 and 4 June in Luxembourg. I was accompanied by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Welsh Office, and my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Scottish Office.

  The Council considered the proposal by the Commission to lift the EU-wide export ban on United Kingdom produced gelatine, tallow and bull semen. This proposal had failed to attract a qualified majority in the EU Standing Veterinary Committee on 20 May, and the Commission therefore submitted it to the Council for a decision. The proposal was supported in the Council by nine member states but as this did not amount to a qualified majority, the Agriculture Commissioner announced that the Commission would implement the proposal under its own powers. It is likely that this will take effect from 10 June.

  I presented to the Agriculture Council the United Kingdom's comprehensive eradication programme for BSE, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. I expect that the programme will be examined in detail by EU veterinary experts in the near future.

  The Council also discussed a proposal from the Commission to increase the payments to EU beef producers by way of top-ups to the 1995 beef special premium and Buckler cow premium schemes in order to give some urgent income support to those affected by the BSE crisis. The proposal envisages in addition an allocation of Community funds to member states, based on the size of the national beef herd, to provide further assistance to beef producers according to national priorities. The proposal also provides for an increase in the age limit for calves brought forward under the calf processing scheme. Ministers in the Council welcomed the Commission's proposal, though recognised that, pending an opinion from the European Parliament, it could not be formally adopted. It will be discussed further at the Agriculture Council meeting on 24 and 25 June.

  The Presidency also undertook further bilateral contacts with member states on the reform of the EU fruit and vegetable regime. It is expected that, in the light of these discussions, a compromise proposal will be put before the late June Agriculture Council meeting.

  Set-aside Land
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how he proposes to implement the EU Commission regulation authorising the United Kingdom to permit cattle aged over 30 months to graze on set-aside land. [31741]

  Mr. Baldry
  I welcome the Commission's agreement to our request to allow cattle to graze set-aside land in view of the difficulties currently facing our cattle farmers. The relevant Commission regulation, which is expected to come into force shortly and will run until 31 August, requires the United Kingdom authorities to take the measures necessary to ensure that only cattle aged over 30 months are permitted to graze set-aside and that the existing rules restricting lucrative use of set-aside land are observed. We shall therefore be laying before Parliament a statutory instrument subject to negative resolution procedure which will require those farmers wishing to take advantage of this facility to return a simple form to their agriculture departments. The instrument will also enable authorised persons to inspect cattle on set-aside land to ensure compliance with the regulations.

  Producers may allow another farmer's cattle to graze their set-aside, but they may not receive any payment in cash or kind for the use of the set-aside as grazing.

  We will be writing to all cattle farmers early next week explaining how they can take advantage of this provision. Farmers should not begin to graze cattle on set-aside until receipt of their notification form has been acknowledged by their agriculture departments as to do so would jeopardise set-aside payments and associated crop area aid payments.

  Running Costs and Cash Limits
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes are proposed to his Department's running costs and cash limits for 1996–97. [31831]

  Mr. Baldry
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate the cash limit for the Intervention Board Executive Agency (class III vote 1 section B) will be increased by £9,388,00 from £47,429,000 to £56,817,000. The increases are to cover the administration costs associated with the implementation of emergency measures to protect against bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the United Kingdom. Capital will be increased by £370,000 to £1,979,000 and agents' services by £6,715,000 to £18,427,000.

  The running cost cash limit for the Intervention Board executive agency will be increased by £2,303,000 from £34,515,000 to £36,818,000 to reflect the additional costs of operating BSE measures in the UK.

  The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class III, vote 2—Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: departmental research, advisory services and administration, executive agencies and certain other services—will be increased by £206,700,000 from £704,618,000 to £911,318,000. The £206,700,000 all

  481
  relates to additional responsibilities arising in response to the BSE crisis. The gross running costs limit for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will be increased by £50,066,000 from £304,702,000 to £354,768,000.

  The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.

SCOTLAND

  Vandalism and Burglary (Shops)
  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps are being taken to protect shopkeepers and shops in Scottish cities and towns from vandalism and burglary. [30090]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Two key steps are "Operation Shopkeep", which is a campaign specifically against crime facing small shopkeepers, and our £4 million closed circuit television challenge competition, which will extend closed circuit television to more communities in Scotland.

  Housing, Glasgow
  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whn he intends to meet Glasgow city council to discuss housing conditions. [30092]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  I last met representatives of Glasgow city council on 21 March 1996 to discuss housing. In addition, I met a number of hon. Members representing Glasgow constituencies on 14 February to discuss housing matters.

  Education Assistance
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assistance he can give to ensure that children aged 16 years or over are not discouraged from staying on in full-time education. [30093]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  We are already developing a new system of courses and assessment, Higher Still, to give all young people from age 16 the opportunity to study and gain relevant qualifications to the highest standard they can reach.

  Financial support is available for this age group through child benefit and bursaries amounting to over £91 million.

  Primary Schools
  Sir David Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was spent per pupil in primary schools in Scotland in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what was the figure in 1978–79 at constant prices. [30094]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  Current expenditure per primary pupil in 1993–94 was £1,773. That is 58 per cent. higher in real terms than in 1978–79.

  Party Conferences
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who is responsible for meeting the cost of security for political party conferences. [30095]
  482
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Under section 170 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 my right hon. Friend may contribute towards the cost of security at each qualifying party's main annual conference. Policing costs incurred on all party conferences are met from the budget of the police authority or joint board concerned, with the assistance of police specific grant, normally at 51 per cent. of the budget, from the Scottish Office.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to attract inward investment to Scotland. [30098]

  Mr. Kynoch
  Locate in Scotland will continue to promote Scotland's advantages as a business location, working in partnership with the local enterprise companies and other bodies in both the public and private sectors. Its resources will be targeted on those markets which generate the strongest flows of outward investment and where Scotland's competitive strengths make it an attractive location.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the impact of Scottish inward investment on Scotland's economy. [30100]

  Mr. Kynoch
  Inward investment has been—and continues to be—a very important element in the Scottish economy. Not only does it create new jobs but it helps introduce new technologies and new management practices, generates wealth, contributes significantly to our exports and creates opportunities for subcontractors and suppliers, many of which are indigenous companies.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about inward investment into Scotland. [30103]

  Mr. Kynoch
  1995–96 was another very successful year for inward investment in Scotland. Locate in Scotland and the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department helped to attract to Scotland 84 inward investment projects involving planned investment of nearly £1 billion and the expected creation or safeguarding of over 12,500 jobs.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of homeless people in Scotland in 1996; and what was the equivalent figure in 1986. [30099]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  In 1994–95, the most recent year for which figures are available, 25,100 households were assessed as homeless by Scottish local authorities following applications under the homeless persons legislation. The corresponding figure for 1986–87 was 10,600.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children aged three to five years are currently in education; at what cost; what were the equivalent figures in(a)M 1976 and (b) 1986; and if he will make a statement. [30102]
  483
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  At September 1994, the total number of children in education in Scotland aged three to five years, inclusive, was 125,720. The equivalent figures for 1976 and 1986 were 118,455 and 117,428 respectively. Information on costs is not available in the form requested.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received about the Scottish beef industry; and if he will make a statement. [30104]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my noble Friend the Minister with responsibility for agriculture, forestry and environment have received many representations about the state of the Scottish beef industry from all sectors, including the National Farmers Union, the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers, the Auctioneers Association, Transport haulier associations, individual companies and farmers affected by the BSE crisis.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement regarding compensation to those companies which have lost business in the meat industry. [30106]

  Mr. Robertson
  The Government have not sought to provide compensation for any individual or company that has lost business. The package of measures introduced is designed to provide support to the vital parts of the beef chain to help restore consumer confidence, and to get the whole sector moving again.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 23 April,Official Report, column 129, on the incidences of BSE within East Kilbride and Lanarkshire, when he plans to place the information requested in the Library. [31229]

  Mr. Robertson
  [holding answer 4 June 1996]The information was placed in the Library of the House on 23 May 1996.

  Tenants' Rights
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on tenants' rights; and if he will make a statement. [30105]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  The Government are committed to protecting and strengthening the rights of tenants through legislation and through the implementation of the commitments made in the tenants charter for Scotland.

  National Health Service
  Mr. Mark Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to reduce bureaucracy in the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [30107]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  NHS trusts and health boards in Scotland have been asked to reduce their administration costs by at least 5 per cent. in 1996–97 and to contain their total management costs to £10 per head of weighted population in 1997–98. This is expected to release around £25 million a year for investment in patient care.
  484

  Local Government Finance
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the benefits of the current block grant system for the public finances in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [30087]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The block and formula arrangements have resulted in a spending level over 35 per cent. higher per head than England.

  Mr. Stephen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average expenditure per head by local authorities in Scotland in 1995–96; and what was the United Kingdom average figure. [30108]

  Mr. Kynoch
  Comprehensive outturn data for 1995–96 are not yet available. However, on the basis of budgeted expenditure data, the relevant Scottish figure is £1,270 and that for Great Britain is £970. A figure for the UK as a whole would not be meaningful because local authorities in Northern Ireland provide a far narrower range of services.

  Sir Irvine Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about his review of local authority spending. [30101]

  Mr. Kynoch
  Our current timetable is to award a contract, or contracts, for the study of local government current expenditure later this month. We hope that the study will be completed by the end of the year and that the results will inform a more rational debate about the levels of local authority expenditure.

  Health and Social Services
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make an official visit to the Scottish borders to discuss health and social services. [30089]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I would be very happy to receive an invitation to do so.

  Scottish Record Office
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the targets he expects the Scottish Record Office to achieve in 1996–97. [31594]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I have set the Scottish Record Office the following key targets for 1996–97:

  to reduce the unit cost of preserving and making available the records of Scotland by 10 per cent. in real terms;

  to increase the number of catalogue entries available for public scrutiny on the electronic system by 46,000;

  to produce material for readers in 92.5 per cent. of cases in 30 minutes or less for material from the same building and in two days or less for material from elsewhere;

  to answer 85 per cent. of correspondence within 10 days, absorbing up to a 2 per cent. increase in demand; and

  to publish the "Guide to the Records of Scotland".

  Pensioners (Home Ownership)
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated number of senior citizens who are home owners in Scotland. [30109]
  485
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  Almost 241,000 household heads of pensionable age were identified as owner occupiers in the 1991 census of population, the latest date for which complete information is available.

  Running Costs and Cash Limits
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes he intends to make to the cash limits and running costs provision for 1996–97 within his responsibility. [31596]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, I intend to make changes to three voted cash limits and two non-voted cash blocks.

  The cash limit for class XIII, vote 2, local government, housing, transport, other environmental services and European funds, Scotland, will be increased by £23,075,000 from £5,545,508,000 to £5,568,583,000. The increase will be offset by savings of £12,000,000 from cash limit Scottish Office European regional development fund; £5,000,000 from cash limit SO/LA1 and £6,075,000 from class XIII, vote 3.

  The cash limit for class XIII, vote 3, education, industry, arts, and libraries, Scotland, will be reduced by £6,075,000 from £1,602,605,000 to £1,596,530,000. The reduced cash limit takes account of the transfer of £75,000 to class XIII, vote 2, in respect of consultancies in relation to European Community structural funds and the transfer of £6,000,000 to class XIII, vote 2, in respect of increased support for local authorities. Provision for self-governing schools in respect of annual recurrent grant has been increased by £540,000. This has been offset by a corresponding amount taken as appropriations in aid.

  The cash limit for class XIII, vote 5, law, order and protective services, police grant and social work services, Scotland will be decreased by £810,000 from £625,209,000 to £624,399,000. This reduction takes account of a transfer of £500,000 to the non-voted SO/LA1 cash limit to meet the costs of a Scottish DNA database; and a reduction of £310,000 in police capital grant. The reduction in the grant will result in a corresponding increase in net capital allocations.

  The non-voted cash limit SO/LA1, which covers non-housing capital expenditure by local authorities, will be decreased by £4,500,000 from £431,120,000 to £426,620,000. This reflects a reduction of £5,000,000 transferred to class XIII, vote 2 and an increase of £500,000 transferred from class XIII, vote 5.

  The non-voted cash limit SO/ERDF which covers European regional development fund payments in Scotland will be decreased by £12,000,000 from £109,079,000 to £97,079,000. This reflects the transfer to class XIII, vote 2.

  These increases will be offset by savings and will not therefore added to the total of planned expenditure.

  Officials (Meetings)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what meetings have taken place between officials of the Scottish Office and Scottish hon. Members during the past three months without Ministers present. [25771]
  486
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 24 April 1996]Officials of the Scottish Office have met hon. Members without Minister present on the following occasions in the last three months:19 January 1996: The chief executive of the Student Awards Agency for Scotland met the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Dr. Strang).
  22 January 1996: Two senior officials from the Education and Industry Department met the hon. Members for Dumbarton Mr. (McFall) and for Monklands, East (Mrs. Liddell).
  4 April 1996: The chief medical officer met the hon. Member for Hamilton (Mr. Robertson).

  Severe Weather Working Party
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects the report of the working party, which he established to review the experiences of the severe weather at the end of 1995, to be published. [31595]

  Mr. Kynoch
  I have received the severe weather working party's report and have today placed copies of the report in the Library of the House.

  Unemployment
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on unemployment levels in Scotland. [30096]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The seasonally adjusted level of unemployment in Scotland has fallen by more than 53,000 since December 1992. The unemployment rate in Scotland is well below the European Union average.

  Cairngorms Funicular Railway
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will call in the planning application for the Cairngorms funicular railway. [30097]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The relevant considerations remain as described in my reply to the hon. Member on 14 March,Official Report, column 730.

WALES

  Mobile Snack Bars
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what objections he had received to the proposal to introduce clearway orders which would result in a trading ban over the length of the A55 in north Wales in respect of mobile snack bars. [31027]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  None. The draft orders have not yet been advertised.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the provision of snack bar facilities in lay-by areas along the A55 in north Wales. [31028]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  There have been 14 such representations about the proposed ban on lay-by trading along the A55 trunk road, nine against and five in favour.
  487

  Hospital Care
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how he proposes to enable hospital doctors to participate in decisions about hospital care; and if he will make a statement. [31003]

  Mr. Hague
  All NHS hospital services in Wales are provided by NHS trusts. To achieve such status all applicants were required to demonstrate the full involvement in management of their senior professional staff, especially clinical consultants. It is also a statutory requirement that the executive directors of each hospital trust should include a medical practitioner.

  UK Forum of Mobility Centres
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what further assistance he plans to give the United Kingdom forum of mobility centres to promote and develop its work. [31020]

  Mr. Hague
  There are no members of the UK forum in Wales. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) by my hon. Friend the Minister for Social Security and Disabled People on Wednesday 14 February,Official Report, column 650.

  Wind Turbines
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the gross output of electricity produced from wind turbines in Wales in each year since 1993; and if he will make a statement. [30737]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Electricity generated by wind schemes in Wales in each of the years since 1993 was approximately as follows:

  Year

  GWh

  1993

  110

  1994

  167

  1995

  171

  I expect the output to continue to rise year by year as more wind farms come into operation.

  Tai Cymru
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of Tai Cymru's annual budget is spent on central administration; and if he will make a statement. [30738]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  In the current year, I expect Tai Cymru's administration costs to be less than 2 per cent. of its total programme.

  Electricity Consumption
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the gross consumption of electricity in Wales in each year since 1993; and if he will make a statement. [30739]
  488
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Gross electricity consumption in Wales in each of the financial years since 1993 was as follows:

  Year

  GWh

  1992–93

  16,363

  1993–94

  16,589

  1994–95

  15,869

  Eisteddfodau
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what evaluation he has made of the attraction to tourists of the annual international eisteddfod at Llangollen; and if he will make a statement. [30741]

  Mr. Hague
  The Wales tourist board has made no evaluation of the international eisteddfod specifically as a tourist attraction.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what evaluation he has made of the attraction to tourists of the(a) annual national eisteddfod and (b) national Urdd eisteddfod; and if he will make a statement. [30743]

  Mr. Hague
  The national eisteddfod and Urdd national eisteddfod are important culture festivals which annually attract upwards of 150,000 and 80,000 visitors respectively. It has been estimated that the national eisteddfod brings over £3 million to the local economy of the area it visits.

  Vaccination and Immunisation
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children have been vaccinated in schools as part of the school health service; and if he will make a statement. [30742]

  Mr. Hague
  The information requested is not collected in this format.

  Pontypool Bypass
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the name of the contractor currently working on the Pontypool bypass; and if financial penalty clauses were included in the contract. [30808]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Shepherd Hill Civil Engineers Ltd. is the contractor for the A4042 Cwmbran roundabout improvement.

  The contract allows for liquidated damages to be applied in the normal way for late completion.

  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when roadworks on the Pontypool bypass, A4042, will be completed. [30979]

  Mr. Jones
  The roadworks on the A4042 Cwmbran roundabout are currently scheduled to finish on 15 June 1996.

  Prostate Cancer Screening
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to improve prostate cancer screening; and if he will make a statement. [30780]
  489
  Mr. Hague
  I have no plans at present to introduce a NHS screening programme for prostate cancer in Wales. They key aim of any screening programme must be to secure a demonstratable improvement in health by increasing length of life and enhancing quality of life. There is, as yet, no evidence that this would be achieved in relation to prostate cancer. Although screening is not routinely available to NHS patients, individual patients can be tested on request. This may be of benefit where there is a family history of the disease.

  The Government remain interested in assessing the value of prostate cancer screening programmes.

  Unitary Authorities
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the age profile and employment status of the current unitary authority councillors in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [30752]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Care and Repair Cymru
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what changes his Department is evaluating in respect of the existing funding arrangements for Care and Repair Cymru; and if he will make a statement. [30760]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  There are currently no proposals to change the funding arrangements for Care and Repair Cymru.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the future of Care and Repair Cymru. [30750]

  Mr. Jones
  Care and Repair Cymru has been developing and monitoring roles for new and existing schemes respectively. Its future roles will be considered in the light of responses to the consultation paper "The Welsh Office and Local Government: Redefining the Relationship" and the plans of local authorities.

  Open Heart Surgery
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the present waiting list for open heart surgery in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [30762]

  Mr. Hague
  About 400 patients are currently waiting for open heart surgery in Wales and will be treated within 12 months.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what steps he is taking to safeguard NHS dentistry services in(a) Torfaen, (b) Gwent and (c) Wales; [30981]

  (2) what measures he is taking to increase the number of NHS dentists in Wales; [31006]

  (3) what steps he is taking to increase the number of dentists in (a) Torfaen, (b) Gwent and (c) Wales. [30982]

  Mr. Hague
  On 21 September last year, my hon. Friend the Member for Clwyd, North-West (Mr. Richards) announced details of a £3 million initiative to attract more dentists into Wales. The initiative enabled Welsh health 490
  authorities to offer grants of up to £50,000 to attract new dentists into their areas. Grants of £25,000 were available for most parts of the Torfaen area.

  By the end of April, nearly £2 million has been offered in grants for:

  Wales

  Gwent

  Torfaen

  New practices

  20

  2

  1

  Existing practices being expanded

  12

  2

  New community dental service posts

  16

  3

  1

  School Inspections
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list(a) pre-school, (b) primary, (c) secondary and (d) special school registered inspectors and their teams who are currently involved in school inspections, and, using the same categories, those registered inspectors and their teams who are not currently involved in inspections; [30840]

  (2) if he will list the current (a) levels and (b) types of other full or part-time employment of registered inspectors and their teams, and, in the case of retired inspection personnel, their last paid employment. [30841]

  Mr. Hague
  These are matters for Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools in Wales. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member, and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much additional finance has been provided to teach Welsh as a second language to students of constituent colleges of the university of Wales for each year since 1989; and if he will make a statement. [30747]

  Mr. Hague
  The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales has made the following allocations to the constituent colleges of the university of Wales under its Welsh for adults programme:

  1993–94: £304,500

  1994–95: £431,600

  1995–96: £1,116,255

  1996–97: £1,179,500.

  Colleges are also able to use the general funding made available to them by the funding council to increase the resources for teaching Welsh to their students. In addition, the allocations in 1993–94 and 1994–95 were supplemented by the colleges from the funding for extra mural activities made available by the funding council.

  Comparable information for the period prior to 1993–94 is not available.

  Rental Housing
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he will take to increase the number of affordable homes for rent; and if he will make a statement. [31004]
  491
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Some £85.390 million is being made available during the current year to housing associations enabling the provision of at least 3,500 additional homes, some 80 per cent. of which will be for rent.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what properties are owned or leased by his Department for the use of Ministers; what was the total running cost for each property for the latest year available; and if he will make a statement. [30748]

  Number of full-time qualified teachers employed by each LEA in Wales1

  19932

  19943

  1995

  Local education authority

  Schools3

  Further education institutions4

  Schools3

  Further education institutions4

  Schools3

  Further education institutions4

  Clwyd

  3,315

  686

  3,006

  0

  2,898

  0

  Dyfed

  3,341

  364

  3,241

  14

  3,171

  15

  Gwent

  3,743

  414

  3,710

  8

  3,674

  7

  Gwynedd

  2,053

  203

  1,987

  0

  1,928

  0

  Mid Glamorgan

  5,138

  508

  5,078

  1

  5,138

  1

  Powys

  1,085

  118

  1,084

  2

  1,053

  2

  South Glamorgan

  3,537

  347

  3,347

  66

  3,404

  69

  West Glamorgan

  3,212

  464

  3,256

  12

  3,226

  11

  Wales

  25,424

  3,104

  24,709

  103

  24,492

  105

  Notes:

  1 At January each year.

  2 From 1 April 1993 sixth form colleges and FE colleges became autonomous institutions funded by the Further Education Funding Council for Wales and teachers at these institutions were no longer employed by the local authority.

  3Includes full-time qualified teachers based in schools, pupil referral units, peripatetic teachers, advisory teachers, teachers providing education otherwise than at school and in 1993 teachers in two sixth form colleges.

  4Full-time lecturers employed by local authorities to provide further education in adult or community centres, youth clubs and centres, other establishments and in 1993 in FE colleges.

  Source: Form 618G.

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how he proposes to recruit more general practitioners. [31001]

  Mr. Hague
  Government policy is to secure an adequate supply of appropriately trained doctors in each sector and specialty, including general practice. This is achieved through advisory and planning mechanisms at a UK and Wales level.

  The medical work force standing advisory committee considers the longer-term need for doctors and makes recommendations on the intake of medical schools. In 1995, the committee recommended an increase of 11 per cent. in UK medical school intakes by the year 20000 to a total of 4,970. The Government have accepted that recommendation.

  The Welsh Office is involved in UK work force planning through its representation on the advisory group on medical education and staffing. This group is examining the issue of recruitment and retention of GPs. The Welsh Office also has regular discussions with education providers in Wales to ensure that there are appropriate training opportunities to potential GPs.
  492
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Welsh Office has no properties for the sole use of Ministers. Ministers have rooms in properties in Cardiff and London. The cost of these properties are included in the running cost expenditure published in the Welsh Office departmental report 1996, Cm 3215.

  Teachers
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many full-time teachers were employed by Welsh local education authorities in(a) 1993, (b) 1994 and (c) 1995; and if he will make a statement. [30749]

  Mr. Hague
  Information on full-time qualified teachers is given in the following table:

  Home Ownership
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to make mortgages more affordable for young people; and if he will make a statement. [31005]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  We already have schemes which make home ownership more affordable for those on lower incomes, including young people, who cannot raise a sufficient mortgage to buy a home of their own. The successful homefinder and homebuy option schemes, operated by councils and housing associations respectively, allow people to buy a home for 70 per cent. of its value. The remaining 30 per cent. is held as a charge on the property and does not have to be repaid until the home is sold.

  Rural Railways
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received during the last 12 months on the future of rural railway services; and if he will make a statement. [30746]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Fifteen representations were received in the 12 months ended 30 April 1996.
  493

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what progress he is making on the elimination of bureaucracy, waste and maladministration in the conduct of non-departmental public bodies in Wales; and if he will make a statement; [30744]

  (2) what new measures he will introduce to make quangos democratically accountable; and if he will make a statement. [30745]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Welsh Office continues to remind public bodies of the need for the highest standards of propriety in the conduct of public affairs in Wales. We have developed the arrangements previously introduced for monitoring and controlling the performance of public bodies in Wales. This work has meant that the Welsh Office has already been able to put into effect a number of recommendations of the first report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life.

  My right hon. Friend and I hold regular meetings with each Welsh executive public body to consider targets and performance; and they are provided with clear statements of their responsibilities, the roles of the board and staff and of the Welsh Office. Each pubic body is also expected to adopt, with such adaptations as are appropriate to its circumstances, the code of best practice for board members of public bodies published by HM Treasury in June 1994. This requires public bodies and their boards to:
  observe the highest standard of impartiality, integrity and
  objectivity in relation to their stewardship of public funds;
  comply with Government policy on openness and to respond to all reasonable requests for information;
  be accountable to Parliament, individual citizens and staff for the activities of the bodies concerned, their stewardship of public funds and the extent to which key performance targets have been met;
  maximise value of money by ensuring their activities are carried out in the most efficient and economical way.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Travel-to-interview Scheme
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people, eligible for assistance under the travel-to-interview scheme, were unemployed for(a) longer than four weeks and (b) longer than 13 weeks in each year since 1993–94. [30541]

  Mr. Forth
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Mike Fogden to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 5 June 1996:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions on how many people, eligible for assistance under the Travel to Interview Scheme (TIS), were employed for longer than four weeks and longer than 13 weeks in each year since 1993–94.
  I am unable to provide the information you ask for, as my Jobcentres do not record how long people who apply for TIS have been unemployed. However, in the sample taken for a recent study, 26% of applications were from people unemployed for less than 13 weeks.
  I am sorry I cannot be more helpful.
  494

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what research she has(a) undertaken and (b) evaluated into the potential benefits to trainees of encouraging TECs to award longer-term contracts to training providers; and if she will make a statement; [31216]

  (2) what measures she plans to introduce to encourage TECs to extend longer-term contracts to local, regional and national training providers; and if she will make a statement. [31217]

  Mr. Paice
  There has been no research specifically into this issue.

  The precise nature of training and enterprise councils' contracts with their providers is a matter for individual TECs. However, we hope that the greater stability afforded by three-year TEC licensing arrangements will lead TECs to offer greater stability in turn to their providers. Some TECs are already starting to do so. We will be encouraging others, via the TEC National Council, to also consider the opportunities for this.

  Social Affairs Council
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement on the outcome of the EU Social Affairs Council of 3 June. [31734]

  Mr. Forth
  I attended the Social Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 3 June.

  In the light of the Prime Minister's statement on BSE to the House on 21 May, I was unable to agree to four items on the agenda: a Council recommendation on balanced participation of men and women in decision making; a resolution on the transparency of training certificates; a resolution on a European year against racism; and Council conclusions on a Commission report no the demographic situation. It is likely that, in other circumstances the United Kingdom would have been able to agree to the adoption of these proposals.

  An interim report on employment was forwarded to the Florence European Council with no discussion.

  There was a short orientation debate on a Commission communication on information and consultation, on which the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry leads. I made clear that the UK does not believe that there is any need for legislation in this area, either at national or at European level.

  Running Costs and Cash Limits
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans she has to announce changes to cash limits and running costs on votes within her responsibility for 1996–97. [31739]

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the cash limits for class IX, vote 1, Department for Education and Employment: programmes and central services; class IX. vote 3, Employment Service; class IX, vote 4, office of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools in England will be amended as follows:
  495

  Class

  Vote

  Existing cash limit

  Change

  New cash limit

  IX

  1

  8,751,429,000

  -6,484,000

  8,744,945,000

  IX

  3

  1,287,560,000

  1,417,000

  1,288,977,000

  IX

  4

  117,600,000

  5,067,000

  122,667,000

  The cash limit for class IX, vote 1 will be reduced by £6,484,000 from £8,751,429,000 to £8,744,945,000. This is as a result of transfers to Ofsted of £5,055,000 for work in connection with inspection of providers of under-fives education, and £12,000 for the inspection of careers education. An additional £1,500,000 has been transferred to the Employment Service to increase the provision for the access to work programme. This transfer has been partially offset by a transfer of £83,000 from the Employment Service in respect of salary costs of staff transferred from the Employment Service to the Department of Education and Employment.

  The cash limit for class IX, vote 3 will be increased by £1,417,000 from £1,287,560,000 to £1,288,977,000. This is the result of a transfer of £1,500,000 from the Department for Education and Employment in respect of additional provision for the access to work programme, which is partially offset by a transfer of £83,000 to the Department for Education and Employment in respect of salary costs of staff transferred from the Employment Service to the Department for Education and Employment.

  The running costs provision for class IX, vote 1 will be increased by £83,000 from £366,622,000 to £366,705,000 and the running costs provision for class IX, vote 3 will be decreased by £83,000 from £910,234,000 to £910,151,000. There is no change to the overall DfEE gross running costs limit.

  The cash limit for class IX, vote 4 will be increased by £5,067,000 from £117,600,000 to £122,667,000. The running costs limit will be increased by £2,185,000 from £27,429,000 to £29,614,000. These increases are to enable Ofsted to undertake work in connection with the inspection of providers of under-fives education and the inspection of careers education. The increase in the cash limit will be offset by the reduction to the cash limit for class IX, vote 1 mentioned above.

  The increases will be offset by savings elsewhere or charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the total of planned public expenditure.

TRANSPORT

  Railway Stations
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many railway stations have been(a) opened and (b) re-opened since 1993 on the initiative of (i) local government, (ii) British Rail Railtrack and (iii) central Government. [31130]

  Mr. Watts
  It is for train operators, and local authorities or passenger transport executives, to decide which stations they wish to open or re-open for the benefit of the local travelling public. Since 1993 14 new stations have been opened and 28 stations have been re-opened as a result of close co-operation between those organisations and British 496
  Rail and/or Railtrack. In addition, Waterloo and Ashford International stations were opened by European Passenger Services for international passenger traffic.

  Airworthiness
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the countries receiving advice from the Civil Aviation Authority on(a) airworthiness and (b) other issues. [30493]

  Mr. Norris
  The following have current agreements for the provision of airworthiness advice by the UK CAA.

  Bahrain

  Falklands

  Cyprus

  Hong Kong

  Brunei

  Fiji

  Solomons

  Kiribati

  Malaysia

  Bahamas

  Cayman Islands

  Jamaica

  Turks and Caicos

  Belize

  Trinidad and Tobago

  Guyana

  Suriname

  British Virgin Islands

  Anguilla

  Antigua

  Dominica

  Grenada

  Montserrat

  St. Christopher and Nevis

  St. Lucia

  St. Vincent

  The Grenadines.

  In addition, 109 nations have now attended the UK CAA airworthiness course and many others seek advice on an ad hoc basis.

  Advice on other aspects of civil aviation regulation, operation and development has been provided to more than 150 countries in the past 25 years.

  MV Derbyshire
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will initiate an up to date report into the arrangements to undertake the second survey of the MV Derbyshire wreckage field; [31270]

  (2) for what reasons his Department has refused to form a formal partnership with the technical advisers to the Derbyshire Families Association. [31271]

  Mr. Norris
  The return expedition to the wreck of the Derbyshire will take place in two phases. The first phase will be a limited sonar and photographic survey of the wreckage field, to be carried out in late June or early July by Oceaneering Technologies, who undertook the initial
  497
  expedition in 1994. It is expected that the main expedition will take place early next year. The Department of Transport and the European Commission are sharing the costs of both phases.

  The first phase will involve a detailed survey of the wreckage field with the aim of identifying individual parts of the ship and, in particular, to establish the location and accessibility of the ship's stern. The material collected is intended to assist in the detailed planning of the main expedition.

  The purpose of the return to the Derbyshire is to see what lessons can be learnt from the loss of this particular ship which could help avoid future bulker losses and the continuing loss of life such losses involve. Planning and control of both phases rests with the three independent technical assessors. Ministry of Defence officials will act as project managers overseeing the activities of the appointed contractor or contractors.

  On completion of the second phases, they will prepare a report on their findings and conclusions which will be submitted to Ministers and the European commission. Their report will be published and, following its completion, the data recovered will be made available to interested parties.

  It is possible that this report may lead to the reopening of the formal Investigation into the loss of the Derbyshire and the taking forward of specific safety initiatives through the International Maritime Organisation.

  We have given sympathetic consideration to the request from the Derbyshire Families Association that they should be represented on, or have a degree of control over, the return to the ship. We have concluded that this would not be appropriate. The association is one of a number of parties with an interest in the outcome of the return expedition. For one of these parties, but not the others, to be represented on the return expedition could lead to suggestions that the findings lacked balance or objectivity., For all the parties to be represented on the return would be impractical given the nature of the operations to be undertaken. To allow the independent assessors to complete their task, without any risk that they could be considered to have been influenced in any way, it has also been decided that the Department of Transport, Marine Safety Agency and Marine Accident Investigation Branch will not be represented on either phase of the return.

  We continue to welcome the advice and involvement of all parties in the planning of the return. The independent technical assessors stand ready to discuss matters with any interested party.

  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the names of each technical expert who has been engaged to take part in the second survey of the MV Derbyshire wreckage field. [31272]

  Mr. Norris
  The following are expected to be on board the survey vessel carrying out phase 1 of the return expedition.

  Dr. Remo Torchio: EU technical assessor

  Robin Williams: UK technical assessor

  Professor Douglas Faulkner; UK technical assessor

  Morgyn Davies: Ministry of Defence salvage officer and project manager

  Steve Quin: Ministry of Defence, salvage officer.

  498

  Running Costs and Cash Limits
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to change his Department's cash limits for 1996–97. [31923]

  Sir George Young
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised estimate, the cash limit for class V, vote 5 will be amended as follows:the cash limit for class V, vote 5—roads and local transport—is reduced by £3,382,000 from £392,962,000 to £389,580,000. The reduction is one of a number of revisions to realign entries in the main estimates with the published local transport settlement.

  The Department's local authority capital cash limit covering supplementary credit approvals for local authority spending on public transport programmes will be increased by £3,382,000 from £304,732,000 to £308,114,000, all of which is derived from the transfer from the transport supplementary grant, class V, vote 5.

  The increase to the Department's local authority capital cash limit will not add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Railway Stations (Disabled Parking)
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evaluation he has made of the practice at railway stations of charging severely disabled orange badge holders for parking; what is his policy in this regard; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement. [30228]

  Mr. Watts
  Car parking charges at railways stations are matters for individual station operators. The Rail Regulator is responsible for protecting the needs of disabled passengers and has required all station operators to produce and comply with a disabled people's protection policy as a condition of their licence. The Rail Regulator will consider taking action if operators introduce any measures which result in a reduction in present levels of access for disabled passengers across the rail network.

  Accidents (Failure to Stop)
  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cases in each of the last five years there have been where drivers involved in reported accidents have failed to stop. [31162]

  Mr. Norris
  The information requested is shown in the following table. Figures for 1995 should be available in July.

  Injury road accidents in Great Britain in which one or more vehicles failed to stop after a collision: 1990–94

  Year

  Total reported injury road accidents

  Injury road accidents in which one or more vehicles failed to stop

  (b) as a percentage of (a)

  1990

  258,441

  19,354

  7.5

  1991

  235,798

  18,360

  7.8

  1992

  233,025

  18,114

  7.8

  499

  Injury road accidents in Great Britain in which one or more vehicles failed to stop after a collision: 1990–94

  Year

  Total reported injury road accidents

  Injury road accidents in which one or more vehicles failed to stop

  (b) as a percentage of (a)

  1993

  228,865

  17,358

  7.6

  1994

  234,101

  17,980

  7.7

  1. Police reports of injury accidents may include vehicles not physically involved in the collision if they are deemed to have contributed to the accident. These vehicles are not included in this analysis, as their drivers may have been unaware of the accident.

  Collisions at Sea (Liability)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what international conventions govern liability for(a) private shipping and (b) Government-owned vessels in cases of accidental collisions with oil industry installations in United Kingdom waters. [31207]

  Mr. Norris
  There is no international liability and compensation regime that applies specifically to collision damage caused by ships involved in accidental collisions with oil industry installations. Following such a collision, the shipowners may generally limit liability to an amount determined in accordance with the convention on the limitation of liability for maritime claims 1976. There are also two international conventions which could govern the shipowners's liability for damage caused by the ship's cargo following such a collision. The civil liability convention 1992 makes shipowners liable for pollution damage caused by oils spills from tankers, whatever the cause of the spill. When it enters into force, the hazardous and 'noxious substances convention 1996 would extend the liability of shipowners to damage caused by all hazardous and noxious cargoes carried on ships. All three international conventions apply to all commercially operated ships, whether owned by a private individual, by a private company or by a Government.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Running Costs and Cash Limits
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what changes she proposes to make to her Department's cash limits and running costs limits for 1996–97. [31794]

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the cash limit for class X, vote 1 will be increased by £17,519,000 from £931,241,000 to £948,760,000. The increase will be to transfer responsibility for the voluntary services from the Home Office to the Department of National Heritage, and for a building from the Department of Trade and Industry to the British library and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Indemnity Undertakings
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list(a) the number of indemnity undertakings given by Departments under section 16 of the National Heritage Act 1980 for the six-months period ended 31 March 1996 and (b) the value
  500
  of any contingent liabilities in respect of such undertakings given under that section which remained outstanding as at 31 march. [31795]

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information is as follows:

  (i) in the six-month period ended 31 March 1996 the following undertakings to indemnify were given by the relevant Departments for hems on loan to national and non-national institutions:

  Number

  Department of National Heritage

  452

  Scottish Office Education Department

  52

  Welsh Office Education Department

  30

  Department of Education for Northern Ireland

  12

  (ii) the value of contingent liabilities in respect of such undertakings given at any time under section 16 and outstanding at 31 March are:

  £

  Department of National Heritage

  1,366,004,790

  Scottish Office Education Department

  75,901,633

  Welsh Office Education Department

  81,430,000

  Department of Education for Northern Ireland

  4,186,274

  Underwater Archaeological Sites
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when she expects English Heritage to take over responsibility for the protection of underwater archaeological sites. [31015]

  Mr. Sproat
  The Department published, on 22 May, the consultation paper "Protecting Our Heritage" which includes details of the proposed transfer of underwater archaeology to English Heritage. The proposed transfer will be considered in the light of comments on the Government's proposals. It will require legislation.

  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what funding her Department provides for the protection of underwater archaeological sites. [31013]

  Mr. Sproat
  The Department's expenditure on underwater archaeology for 1995–96 was £220,000. This provided for the cost of marking historic wrecks on land and at sea and for the archaeological diving unit based at St. Andrews university to provide advice in relation to wrecks of historical, archaeological, or artistic interest. The Department also meets the costs of the Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites.

  In addition, two voluntary organisations were given grants from the Heritage grant fund 1995–96 for underwater archaeology projects. The Hampshire and Wight Trust for Maritime Archaeology received £16,000 and the Nautical Archaeological Society received £18,000.

  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many officials in her Department are involved with the protection of underwater archaeological sites. [31014]
  501
  Mr. Sproat
  Three officials spend part of their time on the protection of underwater archaeological sites. The percentage of time spent by the three officials on underwater archaeology is the equivalent to approximately one full-time member of staff.

  Angling
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what responsibility her Department has for the funding of angling. [31011]

  Mr. Sproat
  My Department does not fund any sports directly. The majority of Government money specifically allocated to sport and active recreation is channelled through the Sports Council. While operating within a policy framework set by Government, the Sports Council has a degree of independence under its royal charter. In 1994–95, Sports Council grants to the governing bodies of angling totalled £54,125. The Department also funds Sportsmatch, the business sponsorship incentive scheme, which provided £42,250 in awards for angling schemes in 1994–95.

  Television Licence Fees
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) if she will estimate the additional cost of reducing the level of the colour TV licence fee to the same level as the black and white TV licence fee for pensioners in receipt of means-tested state support; [30839]

  (2) what plans she has to increase the concessions available to retired people for colour television licences. [30838]

  Mr. Sproat
  The Government have no plans to extend the existing concessionary television licence scheme. This would lead to a reduction in television licence revenue, on which the BBC depends for its home broadcasting grant. To make good the shortfall, we would have to increase the licence fee for all other licence payers, regardless of their means. The additional cost of providing 502
  colour licences at £30—the current black and white licence fee—for all pensioners in receipt of one or more means tested benefit would be approximately £165 million.

  White Paper
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when she now expects to publish a Heritage White Paper. [31012]

  Mr. Sproat
  The consultation document, "Protecting Our Heritage" was published on 22 May. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House.

  Disabled Employees
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many registered disabled people are employed by her Department; and what percentage this is of the total figures. [30773]

  Mr. Sproat
  A central record of disabled people in the Department of National Heritage shows that there are nine currently in employment. This represents 2.7 per cent. of the total staff in post in the Department. We no longer differentiate between registered and non-registered disabled people in our central records.

  Television Violence
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what consultations her Department held with the Home Office in preparing the provisions of the Broadcasting Bill concerning the depiction of violence on television. [30508]

  Mr. Sproat
  [holding answer 4 June 1996]Policy responsibility for broadcasting issues rests with my Department. Consultations were held with a number of other Government Departments in the course of preparing the provisions of the Broadcasting Bill; there was no policy matter in the Bill in respect of the depiction of violence on television requiring consultation with the Home Office.

  Police Search Warrant: Wording
  Police Search Warrant: Wording
  Judges' Clerks
  Judges' Clerks
  Cattle: Permission to Graze Set-aside Land
  Cattle: Permission to Graze Set-aside Land
  Europe: Human Rights
  Europe: Human Rights
  UN Human Rights Committee: Annual Report
  UN Human Rights Committee: Annual Report
  Israel: Nuclear Programme
  Israel: Nuclear Programme
  Smarden Incident
  Smarden Incident
  Mental Illness: Residential Care
  Mental Illness: Residential Care
  French and German Learning in UK Schools
  French and German Learning in UK Schools
  Youth Services
  Youth Services
  Primary and Nursery Pupils: Costs
  Primary and Nursery Pupils: Costs
  Pay Review Bodies: Membership Criteria
  Pay Review Bodies: Membership Criteria
  Pay Review Bodies: Remuneration
  Pay Review Bodies: Remuneration
  Statutory Bodies: Bylaw-making Powers
  Statutory Bodies: Bylaw-making Powers
  Women Offenders: Sentence Information
  Women Offenders: Sentence Information