Written Answers of 7 June 1996

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Conservation of Seals Act 1970
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the Conservation of Seals Act 1970; and if he will make a statement. [31299]

  Mr. Sackville
  The Government's policy on conservation of seals is kept under review. There are no plans to amend the 1970 Act.

  Explosives
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to make it illegal to explain how to make explosives; and if he will make a statement. [31429]

  Mr. Maclean
  No. There are legitimate users of explosives who make them up themselves and require information on how to do so safely. A person who makes explosives for any unlawful purpose commits a serious offence under the Explosive Substances Act 1883. It is an offence under the Control of Explosives Regulations 1991 to acquire or keep explosives without a certificate from the police.

  Clean Air Acts (Prosecutions)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been brought in each year since 1979 for actions contravening the clean air legislation and regulations concerning smoke controlled areas. [31108]

  Mr. Maclean
  It is not possible from the information held centrally by my Department to identify offences relating to smoke controlled areas from other summary offences under the Clean Air Acts 1956 and 1968.

  The table shows the number of prosecutions for air pollution offences under the two Acts from 1979 to 1994 (latest available).

  It should be noted that the statistics of court proceedings are based on returns made by the police to the Home Office. Although they include offences where there has been no police involvement, such as prosecutions instigated by Government Departments—in this case local authorities—private organisations and individuals, the reporting of this type of offence is known to be incomplete.
  562

  Number of prosecutions for offences under the Clean Air Acts 1956 and 1968, 1979 to 1994 Clean Air Acts 1956 and 1968

  England and Wales

  Offences relating to public health as caused by air pollution

  1979

  133

  1980

  131

  1981

  134

  1982

  145

  1983

  132

  1984

  202

  1985

  143

  1986

  127

  1987

  100

  1988

  128

  1989

  146

  1990

  152

  1991

  156

  1992

  108

  1993

  95

  1994

  82

ENVIRONMENT

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1), pursuant to his answer of 28 March,Official Report, column 710, how much his Department estimated it would have cost to provide the information requested; [31453]

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 14 March, Official Report, column 694, how much his Department estimated it would have cost to provide the information requested. [31449]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  More than £450, the current threshold above which answers are deemed to incur disproportionate cost.

  Thamesmead Town Ltd.
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding service charges to tenants of Thamesmead Town Ltd.; and if he will make a statement. [31946]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Secretary of State received a letter from Greenwich council's housing (private sector) sub-committee on 17 May. The issues raised are under consideration and I will copy my response to the hon. Member in due course. I shall not be making a statement to the House.

  Pennington Sewage Treatment Plant
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to ensure that the secondary biological treatment plant at Pennington is equipped with ultra violet disinfection equipment by Southern Water Services. [31770]

  Mr. Clappison
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 6 June 1996,Official Report, column 505–506.
  563

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  SHL Software
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the contracts his Department and his agencies have with SHL software computer system; what is the current cost; when each contract ends; what are the penalties involved should he seek early termination of the contract; and if he will make a statement. [31438]

  Mr. Willetts
  My Department does not have any contracts with SHL software computer system.

  State Papers
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made in his initiative to release blocks of state papers when requested by historians; how many records have been released under this initiative; what subjects the released records cover; if all these records have been released to the public record office; and if he will make a statement. [31320]

  Mr. Freeman
  Good progress has been made with the reviewing and releasing of records since my right hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Waldegrave), then the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, announced on 25 June 1992, that he was inviting historians to suggest blocks of records withheld by the Government which should be considered for release as part of the Government's initiative on openness.

  More than 53,000 records have been released in the Public Record Office, Kew as a result of the openness initiatives, including those released in response to historians' requests and the review by Government Departments of all over-30-year-old material in accordance with the provisions of the White Paper on open government, Cm 2290, published in July 1993.

  The records that have been released over a wide variety of subjects. It would be disproportionately costly to list them all, but they include, for example, wartime Cabinet records, Joint Intelligence Committee minutes and memorandums, papers relating to the trial and execution of Roger Casement and the Invergordon mutiny, and previously withheld records relating to Suez.

  In addition, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has released four batches of records from the special operations executive—SOE—archive relating to SOE' s activities in Scandinavia, the far east, the middle east and eastern Europe.

  Government Departments continue to re-review withheld records and to respond to requests from historians and others. As a result of these initiatives, many more records are expected to be released in the coming months.

DEFENCE

  Small-arms Weapons
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for each of the armed services,564
  for each of the last four years, the number of small-arms weapons that have been declared surplus to requirements. [31426]

  Mr. Soames
  Our records are not maintained in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the total number of small arms declared surplus to requirements over the last four years is 235,200, of which 44,300 await disposal.

  European Union Flag
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions were issued to his Department's offices and agencies in respect of flying the European Union flag on 8 May; and if he will make a statement. [31502]

  Mr. Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 6 June by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office,Official Report, column 518.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  National Lottery Grants
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list for each parliamentary constituency, the organisations which have received grants from the national lottery and their amounts. [31218]

  Mr. Sproat
  This information is not held centrally. The Department of National Heritage is currently developing a lottery database that will make these figures available.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  UNESCO
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the UK observer to UNESCO will attend the 12th meeting of the Secretaries-General of UNESCO Commissions in the European region in Stockholm from 8 to 12 June. [31623]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  The UK observer to UNESCO will not be attending this meeting.

  EU Council
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union. [32173]

  Mr. David Davis
  The following Councils are scheduled:

  3 June: ECOFIN

  3 June: Agriculture

  3 June: Social Affairs

  4 June: Agriculture

  4 June: Social Affairs

  4 June: Justice and Home Affairs

  5 June: Justice and Home Affairs

  10 June: Fisheries

  10 June: General Affairs Council

  565

  11 June: Fisheries

  11 June: General Affairs Council

  11 June: Culture/Audiovisual

  17 June: Transport

  18 June: Transport

  21 June: European Council

  22 June: European Council

  24 June: Agriculture

  25 June: Agriculture

  25 June: Environment

  26 June: Environment

  26 June: Research (to be confirmed)

  27 June: Telecommunications

  The following subjects are likely to be discussed:

  3 June: Economic and Finance—ECOFIN

  Approval of the agenda;

  Approval of the "A";

  Preparation for European Council in Florence;

  —broad economic guidelines for 1996–97;

  —progress report on preparation for stage 3 of European monetary union;

  —appointment of president of the European Monetary Institute;

  —interim report on employment;

  Excessive deficits procedure.

  European Investment Bank lending to Asia and Latin America.

  VAT—taxation of agricultural outputs.

  Any other business:

  —Jordan (possible item);

  —preview of the Irish presidency;

  —financial repercussions of Commission's BSE measures;

  —revision of the financial perspective.

  3–4 June: Agriculture Council

  Adoption of the agenda;

  Approval of the list of "A" points (possible item);

  Beef and veal:

  —proposal for a Council decision amending Commission decision 96/239/EC on emergency measures to protect against bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)1

  —implementation of paragraph 7 of the conclusions of the Agriculture Council on 29 and 30 April 1996 (support measures in the beef and veal sector).

  Fruit and vegetables:

  —proposal for a Council regulation to the common; organisation of the market in fruit and vegetables1;

  —proposal for a Council regulation on the common organisation of the market in processed fruit and vegetables1;

  Any Other Business:

  —organisation of future work.

  1Denotes item on which a vote may be requested.

  3–4 June: Social Affairs Council

  Approval of the agenda;

  Approval of the list of "A" points;

  Adoption of parental leave directive (likely "A" point);

  Adoption of posted workers directive (likely "A" point);

  Council recommendation on the balanced participation of men and women in decision-making (likely "A"point);

  566

  Essen follow up: interim report in employment for Florence European Council;

  Follow up to Peking UN conference on women;

  Draft decision on a European year against racism (1997);

  Draft resolution on the transparency of training certificates (possible item);

  Orientation debate on the Commission communication on information and consultation (possible item);

  Commission report on the demographic situation;

  Commission information on the state of play on the two social protocol dossiers: burden of proof; and part-time, fixed-time and temporary work;

  Any Other Business:

  Presidency information on the French memorandum for a European social model;

  Joint lunchtime discussion with ECOFIN Ministers about the employment situation.

  4–5 June: Justice and Home Affairs Council

  Draft external frontiers convention: progress report;

  Draft recommendation on combatting illegal employment of third country nationals;

  Eurodac: progress report;

  Europol drugs unit: report on 1995 budget, draft 1997 budget, computer system;

  Terrorism: draft joint action on directory of competences, threat assessment report, statistics of racist offences;

  International Law Enforcement Academy;

  Relations with third countries;

  Crime prevention: results of Stockholm seminar;

  Draft resolution on priorities for co-operation 1996 to 1998;

  Financing of title VI;

  European Court of Justice jurisdiction in Europol and other third pillar conventions;

  Draft extradition convention;

  Fraud: draft corruption convention and second protocol to convention on protection of Community's financial interests;

  Draft convention on mutual assistance in criminal matters: progress report;

  Draft convention on service of documents;

  Common position on draft Hague convention on protection of minors;

  Accession of a new member states to Brussels (and Rome) convention(s).

  10–11 June: Fisheries Council
  Adoption of the agenda
  Approval of the list of "A" points (possible item)
  Proposal for a Council regulation laying down for 1996 certain conservation and management measures for fishery resources in the technical area of the convention as defined in the convention on future multilateral co-operation in the north-east Atlantic Fisheries (allocation of the NEAFC Redfish quota)1;
  Proposal for a Council regulation amending for the second time regulation (EC) No. 3090/95 laying down for 1996 certain conservation and management measures for the fishery resources in the regulatory area as defined in the convention on future multilateral co-operation in the north west Atlantic fisheries (allocation of the NAFO 3M Redfish quota)1;
  Proposal for a council regulation amending regulation (EC) No. 3074/95 fixing, for certain fish stocks and groups of fish stocks, the total allowable catches for 1996 and certain conditions under which they may be fished (sprat fisheries in the Skagerrak and Kattegat)1;

  567
  European fisheries research: further discussions;
  Proposal for a Council regulation on technical measures for the conservation of fishery resources: presentation by the Commission;
  Multiannual guidance programmes 1997–99: communication from the Commission;
  Communication on the organisation of the second conference on the management of fishery resources in the Mediterranean (Venice, November 1996);
  Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on small-scale Coastal fishing (budget heading B2–521);
  Proposals for the conclusion of fisheries agreements with:

  —Estonia;

  —Latvia;

  —Lithuania;

  (possible items)

  FAO: proposal for a Council decision on accession of the European Community to the agreement to promote compliance with international conservation and management measures by fishing vessels on the high seas1 (possible item);
  Proposal for a Council decision on the signature of the agreement for the implementation of the provisions of the United Nations convention on the law of the sea of 10 December 1982 relating to the conservation and management of straddling stocks and highly migratory fish stocks1 (possible item);
  Report from the Commission on the establishment of a system for monitoring community fishing vessels by satellite: presentation by the Commission (possible item);
  Proposal for a Council regulation amending regulation (EEC) No. 2847/93 establishing a control system applicable to the common fisheries policy: presentation by the Commission (possible item);
  Proposal for a Council regulation amending for the 4th time regulation (EEC) No. 3699/93 laying down the criteria and arrangements regarding community structural assistance in the fisheries and aquaculture sector and the processing and marketing of its products (possible item);
  Commission report on the activities of third countries in Community waters
  Adoption in the language of the Community of:
  —a Council regulation amending Council regulation (EC) No. 3078/95 allocating, for 1996, certain catch quotas between member states for vessels fishing in Faroese waters1;
  —a Council regulation amending Council regulation (EC) No 3077/95 laying down, for 1996, certain measures for the conservation and management of fishery resources applicable to vessels flying the flag of the Faroe Islands1;
  adoption in the official languages of the community of a council regulation amending council regulation (EC) No. 3090/95 laying down, for 1996, certain conservation and management measures for fishery resources in the regulatory area as defined in the convention on future multilateral co-operation in the north-west Atlantic fisheries1;
  Any Other Business:

  —situation on the salmon market (requested by the Irish delegation);

  —organisation of future work.

  1Denotes items on which a vote may be taken.

  10–11 June: General Affairs Council

  Provisional agenda is as follows:

  —Mediterranean policy:

  —follow-up to Barcelona;

  —decision to conclude Euro-Med association agreements;

  MEDA regulation;

  568

  Relations with Syria: common position for Co-operation Council (likely "A" Point);

  Preparation of Florence European Council;

  EEA: common position for EEA Council (likely "A" Point);

  Relations with Chile (likely "A" Point);

  Preparation of EU/Turkey Association Council (possible item);

  Former Yugoslavia;

  Agricultural GSP (possible item);

  Commercial questions;

  —Maritime transport;

  —Commission communication on market access (preparation for Singapore);

  Niger;

  EU/Africa summit;

  Relations with Canada;

  Middle east peace process;

  Relations with US;

  KEDO (possible item);

  New council building.

  11 June: Culture/Audiovisual Council
  Approval of the draft agenda;
  Approval of the list of "A" points;
  Proposal for a directive modifying directive 89/552/EEC of 3 October 1989 "Television without Frontiers": draft common position;
  Proposal for a Council decision setting up a European guarantee fund to encourage cinema and television production: state of work;
  Preparation of joint work between the Council and the PECO countries;
  Proposal for a Council decision establishing an action programme in the field of cultural heritage (RAPHAEL): draft common position;
  Cultural goods: proposal for a Council Regulation modifying the annex of Council Regulation No. 3911/92 on the export of cultural goods, and proposal for a EP/Council directive modifying the annex of directive 93/7/CEE on the return of cultural goods unlawfully removed from the territory of a Member State;
  Access to culture for all: draft resolution;
  Electronic publishing and libraries: draft resolution;
  First report of the Commission on the consideration of cultural aspects in European Community action: general debate;
  Any Other Business:

  —prize for politically persecuted authors (Austrian delegation);

  —encouragement of access of the young to culture: lowering of VAT on records, CDs and tapes (French delegation).

  17–18 June: Transport Council

  Trans-European network transport guidlines (possible item);

  Aviation relations with the US: adoption of mandate;

  Negotiations with Switzerland on air and land transport: Commission report;

  Negotiations with EUROCONTROL and ESA on global satellite navigation: adoption of mandate;

  Commission White Paper on air traffic management: debate;

  Proposed amendment to driving licences directive: harmonisation of codes: political agreement on common position;

  Proposed directive on summertime: political agreement on common position;

  Commission Green Paper on fair and efficient pricing in transport: debate;

  569

  Commission Green Paper on the citizen's network: debate;

  Commission document on maritime strategy: debate

  Proposed directive on safety rules for passenger ships: political agreement on common position.

  21–22 June: European Council
  Agenda not yet available;

  24–25 June: Agriculture Council

  Reform of the fruit and vegetable regime;

  Price fixing;

  Bananas (possible item);

  Set-aside rates for 1997–98 (possible item);

  Amending directive 64/432 on intra-community trade in bovine animals and swine;

  Plant health: solidarity and responsibility (possible item);

  Veterinary and fish fees;

  Italian memorandum on the single market in veterinary matters;

  BSE (possible item).

  25–26 June: Environment Council

  Biocides: adoption of a common position;

  Emissions from off-road vehicles: adoption of a common position;

  5th action programme: orientation debate;

  Climate change: conclusions;

  Convention on biological diversity: state of play;

  Biosafety protocol: conclusions;

  Water policy: debate;

  Auto-oil programme proposals: presentation;

  Leghold traps (mandate): adoption (if not already done);

  Leghold traps: debate;

  CO2 emissions: conclusions;

  Genetically modified organisms (revision of 90/219): state of play;

  Zoos: debate;

  Trade/Environment (at lunch);

  Mandates if necessary;

  2nd reading (landfill/air quality/PCB/IPPC/Vans/Logo "CE"/LIFE);

  Transfer of waste to non-OECD countries: state of play;

  Ant other business;

  —Structured dialogue (Cyprus/Malta): information by the presidency.

  26 June: Research Council (to be confirmed)
  Proposals for decisions adapting the 4th RTD framework Programme (EC) and the EURATOM research framework programme (1994–1998): financial supplement;
  Green Paper on innovation: information from the Commission;
  S/T co-operation with Mediterranean third countries: information from the presidency;
  S/T co-operation agreement with USA: adoption of negotiating mandate (possible "A" point);
  Decision modifying the specific programme on RTD co-operation with third countries and international organisations (INTAS) (possible "A" point);
  Supplementary research programme on the high flux reactor (HRF) (possible "A" point).

  27 June: Telecommunications Council
  Directive on a common framework for general authorisations and individual licences in the field of telecommunications services: common position;
  570
  Directive on common rules for the development of Community postal services and the improvement of quality of service: common position;
  Directive on the processing of personal data and protection of personal privacy in the telecommunications sector, in particular ISDN and digital mobile networks: common position;
  Directive amending ONP directives 90/387 and 92/44 to adapt them to a competitive environment in telecommunications: common position (possible item);
  Decision on the adoption of a multi-annual programme to promote linguistic diversity in the information society: decision (possible item);
  Council Resolution on the development of universal service for telecommunications in the EU.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Prospects Scheme
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement on the prospects scheme for unemployed people aged over 40 years; and what are the principal sources of funding for the scheme. [31826]

  Mr. Forth
  Prospects is the name given on Merseyside to a pilot, led by Knowsley metropolitan borough council, aimed at identifying any new sources of jobs arising from social and economic change. It will run for 18 months from January 1996.

  The pilot is funded by the European Union. Similar pilots are being run in 15 other member states.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 7 May concerning the Construction Industry Training Board which was transferred from the Department of Trade and Industry to her Department. [31575]

  Mr. Paice
  A reply was sent on 5 June.

  Student Loans Company
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the average length of time hon. Members have had to wait for a reply from the chief executive of the Student Loans Company to parliamentary questions that her Department refers to him to answer; and if she will make a statement. [31484]

  Mr. Forth
  I understand that the average length of time taken by the Student Loans Company to reply to parliamentary questions tabled during the past 12 months has been seven days.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) pursuant to her answer of 16 May,Official Report, column 516, when the hon. Member can expect a reply from the chief executive of the Student Loans Company; [31494]

  (2) pursuant to her answer of 1 May, Official Report, column 539, when the hon. Member can expect a reply from the chief executive of the Students Loans Company. [31441]
  571
  Mr. Forth
  I understand that the chief executive has now written to the hon. Member, as requested.

  Barnsley and Doncaster Training and Enterprise Council
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the total amount of money paid to date to the Barnsley and Doncaster TEC to assist with social and economic regeneration in respect of the pit closure programme; and(a) how much has been spent to-date and (b) on what scheme. [31424]

  Mr. Paice
  Over the three financial years 1993–94 to 1995–96, a total of £6.9 million pounds has been paid to the Barnsley and Doncaster training and enterprise council to support the range of activities agreed between the Government office for Yorkshire and Humberside and the TEC under the local coal plan.

  The moneys were used by the TEC to extend and enhance the provision of adult training, business start-up and business support services available to communities that were affected by colliery closures. In addition, a number of local initiatives were developed, using the funding provided, to increase the range of local education, training and employment advisory and guidance services available to those who required help.

  Other Government funding available to the TEC will also have benefited those areas directly affected by colliery closure.

  Additional Educational Needs Funding
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if she will(a) list the change in 1996–97 education standard spending assessment (i) in cash, (ii) as a percentage of total standard spending assessment and (iii) in pounds per pupil aged five to 18 years for each education authority and by class, arising from her decision to reverse the policy of increasing allowances for additional educational needs and free school meals in line with increases in the number

  Table of results

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  Local Education Authority

  1996–97 Education SSA £ million

  Cash difference £ million

  Percentage difference in SSA Percentage

  Actual 5 to 18+ SSA per pupil £

  Adjusted 5 to 18+ SSA per pupil £

  Change in 5 to 18+ SSA per pupil £

  Tower Hamlets

  122.839

  -2.599

  -2.1

  3,547

  3,633

  -86

  Hackney

  92.084

  -1.624

  -1.8

  3,504

  3,579

  -75

  Lambeth

  100.826

  -1.687

  -1.7

  3,542

  3,618

  -75

  Southwark

  109.297

  -1.830

  -1.7

  3,343

  3,411

  -68

  Islington

  81.095

  -1.281

  -1.6

  3,320

  3,383

  -63

  Haringey

  93.427

  -1.567

  -1.7

  3,060

  3,122

  -61

  Camden

  78.312

  -1.147

  -1.5

  3,318

  3,376

  -58

  Newham

  130.381

  -2.118

  -1.6

  3,036

  3,093

  -57

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  56.047

  -0.733

  -1.3

  3,271

  3,324

  -53

  Lewisham

  108.942

  -1.410

  -1.3

  3,244

  3,294

  -50

  Manchester

  188.261

  -2.938

  -1.6

  2,689

  2,738

  -49

  Brent

  109.692

  -1.492

  -1 4

  3,018

  3,066

  -48

  Greenwich

  114.263

  -1.357

  -1.2

  3,177

  3,220

  -43

  Westminster

  58.134

  -0.630

  -1.1

  3,123

  3,164

  -41

  Waltham Forest

  97.421

  -1.129

  -1.2

  2,897

  2,937

  -39

  Knowsley

  73.138

  -0.897

  -1.2

  2,605

  2,642

  -36

  Kensington and Chelsea

  34.193

  -0.299

  -0.9

  3,058

  3,093

  -35

  572
  of children of income support claimants and (b) rank each authority in descending order in terms of cash lost per pupil; [31051]

  (2) if she will list the representations from local authorities to date (a) in favour and (b) against her decision to reverse the policy of increasing additional educational needs allowances and free school meals in line with increases in the number of children of income support claimants; and if she will make a statement; [31052]

  (3) if she will list the proportion of education standard spending assessment distributed by the additional educational needs index (a) in 1990–91, (b) in 1995–96 and (c) in 1996–97 for each education sub-block and in total. [30997]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information is set out in the tables. Options setting out different ways of calculating the allowances in the schools standard spending assessment—SSA—sub-blocks for additional educational needs and free school meals were presented to the local authority associations last year for consultation. The option chosen was to reset the allowances at the levels derived from the 1993 review of standard spending assessments. The option chosen is supported by the Association of County Councils and opposed by the Association of Metropolitan Authorities and the Association of London Government. To date, I have received representations from two local authorities opposing the option chosen.

  Proportion of education standard spending assessments distributed by the additional educational needs index

  SSA Sub-block

  1990–91 Per cent.

  1995–96 Per cent.

  1996–97 Per cent.

  Primary

  20.0

  17.4

  15.7

  Secondary

  20.0

  17.4

  15.7

  Post-16

  18.0

  17.5

  16.5

  Under fives

  70.0

  37.5

  37.5

  Other

  70.0

  62.9

  63.4

  Total

  24.5

  20.9

  19.3

  573

  Table of results

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  Local Education Authority

  1996–97 Education SSA £ million

  Cash difference £ million

  Percentage difference in SSA Percentage

  Actual 5 to 18+ SSA per pupil £

  Adjusted 5 to 18+ SSA per pupil £

  Change in 5 to 18+ SSA per pupil £

  Liverpool

  209.232

  -2.527

  -1.2

  2,573

  2,608

  -35

  Wandsworth

  86.304

  -0.808

  -0.9

  3,090

  3,124

  -35

  Birmingham

  448.721

  -4.720

  -1.1

  2,538

  2,569

  -30

  Ealing

  112.151

  -0.912

  -0.8

  2,793

  2,820

  -26

  Hounslow

  94.807

  -0.689

  -0.7

  2,759

  2,782

  -23

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  99.652

  -0.764

  -0.8

  2,461

  2,483

  -22

  Middlesbrough

  61.491

  -0.452

  -0.7

  2,449

  2,470

  -20

  Wolverhampton

  99.898

  -0.721

  -0.7

  2,450

  2,470

  -20

  Barking and Dagenham

  69.879

  -0.413

  -0.6

  2,661

  2,679

  -18

  City of Kingston upon Hull

  102.701

  -0.659

  -0.6

  2,408

  2,426

  -18

  Enfield

  117.827

  -0.664

  -0.6

  2,703

  2,720

  -17

  Bradford

  209.868

  -1.217

  -0.6

  2,433

  2,448

  -16

  Coventry

  119.872

  -0.663

  -0.6

  2,395

  2,410

  -15

  Sandwell

  118.096

  -0.643

  -0.5

  2,392

  2,407

  -15

  Salford

  82.496

  -0.413

  -0.5

  2,365

  2,378

  -14

  Wirral

  132.298

  -0.645

  -0.5

  2,384

  2,397

  -13

  Croydon

  118.396

  -0.493

  -0.4

  2,649

  2,662

  -13

  Redbridge

  98.258

  -0.351

  -0.4

  2,657

  2,668

  -11

  Gateshead

  70.844

  -0.246

  -0.3

  2,357

  2,366

  -9

  City of Bristol

  119.870

  -0.386

  -0.3

  2,338

  2,347

  -9

  Rochdale

  82.736

  -0.265

  -0.3

  2,356

  2,364

  -8

  South Tyneside

  59.030

  -0.191

  -0.3

  2,343

  2,352

  -8

  Walsall

  108.588

  -0.331

  -0.3

  2,342

  2,350

  -8

  Redcar and Cleveland

  59.590

  -0.174

  -0.3

  2,377

  2,385

  -8

  Hartlepool

  37.013

  -0.102

  -0.3

  2,337

  2,344

  -7

  Barnet

  117.029

  -0.268

  -0.2

  2,598

  2,605

  -7

  Sunderland

  114.863

  -0.296

  -0.3

  2,342

  2,349

  -7

  Oldham

  94.759

  -0.241

  -0.3

  2,341

  2,348

  -7

  Sheffield

  170.970

  -0.397

  -0.2

  2,331

  2,337

  -6

  Merton

  58.096

  -0.089

  -0.2

  2,574

  2,578

  -5

  Doncaster

  119.68

  -0.205

  -0.2

  2,394

  2,399

  -5

  Hillingdon

  93.797

  -0.133

  -0.1

  2,584

  2,588

  -4

  Calderdale

  77.167

  -0.106

  -0.1

  2,338

  2,341

  -4

  Rotherham

  102.425

  -0.123

  -0.1

  2,325

  2,328

  -3

  Sefton

  106.847

  -0.128

  -0.1

  2,296

  2,299

  -3

  North Tyneside

  68.757

  -0.057

  -0.1

  2,293

  2,295

  -2

  Bolton

  100.891

  -0.078

  -0.1

  2,283

  2,285

  -2

  North East Lincolnshire

  64.840

  -0.045

  -0.1

  2,308

  2,309

  -2

  Stockton on Tees

  71.747

  -0.008

  0.0

  2,310

  2,310

  0

  St. Helens

  66.604

  -0.005

  0.0

  2,291

  2,291

  0

  Nottinghamshire

  365.135

  -0.017

  0.0

  2,312

  2,312

  0

  Harrow

  72.990

  0.007

  0.0

  2,552

  2,551

  0

  Leeds

  252.509

  0.036

  0.0

  2,284

  2,283

  0

  Sutton

  67.782

  0.016

  0.0

  2,554

  2,553

  1

  City of London

  0.759

  0.000

  0.0

  2,866

  2,864

  1

  Kirklees

  141.523

  0.095

  0.1

  2,305

  2,303

  2

  Barnsley

  76.867

  0.059

  0.1

  2,277

  2,275

  2

  Bedfordshire

  220.156

  0.207

  0.1

  2,416

  2,413

  3

  Durham

  216.644

  0.219

  0.1

  2,330

  2,327

  3

  Lancashire

  510.448

  0.766

  0.1

  2,289

  2,285

  4

  Leicestershire

  333.840

  0.588

  0.2

  2,296

  2,291

  4

  East Sussex

  219.761

  0.378

  0.2

  2,390

  2,385

  5

  Bexley

  88.646

  0.157

  0.2

  2,502

  2,497

  5

  Trafford

  76.735

  0.155

  0.2

  2,237

  2,232

  5

  Wakefield

  111.605

  0.262

  0.2

  2,223

  2,217

  6

  Isle of Wight Council

  45.138

  0.099

  0.2

  2,445

  2,439

  6

  Kingston upon Thames

  47.066

  0.099

  0.2

  2,488

  2,482

  6

  Wigan

  110.133

  0.292

  0.3

  2,218

  2,212

  7

  Kent

  581.733

  1.431

  0.2

  2,405

  2,399

  7

  Tameside

  80.591

  0.217

  0.3

  2,210

  2,203

  7

  Dudley

  104.158

  0.292

  0.3

  2,209

  2,202

  7

  Bury

  61.635

  0.184

  0.3

  2,208

  2,201

  7

  Devon

  345.862

  1.070

  0.3

  2,305

  2,297

  8

  Northamptonshire

  222.270

  0.815

  0.4

  2,269

  2,260

  9

  Essex

  566.981

  1.994

  0.4

  2,418

  2,409

  9

  Berkshire

  282.308

  1.009

  0.4

  2,414

  2,405

  10

  Cheshire

  348.970

  1.392

  0.4

  2,238

  2,228

  10

  Havering

  87.183

  0.314

  0.4

  2,473

  2,463

  10

  574 575

  Table of results

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  Local Education Authority

  1996–97 Education SSA £ million

  Cash difference £ million

  Percentage difference in SSA Percentage

  Actual 5 to 18+ SSA per pupil £

  Adjusted 5 to 18+ SSA per pupil £

  Change in 5 to 18+ SSA per pupil £

  Bromley

  103.845

  0.389

  0.4

  2,450

  2,440

  10

  Dorset

  207.427

  0.850

  0.4

  2,257

  2,246

  10

  Derbyshire

  319.922

  1.328

  0.4

  2,245

  2,235

  10

  Bath and North East Somerset

  54.404

  0.230

  0.4

  2,226

  2,216

  10

  Cornwall

  164.930

  0.704

  0.4

  2,330

  2,319

  11

  Cambridgeshire

  237.278

  1.042

  0.4

  2,301

  2,289

  11

  Solihull

  73.069

  0.348

  0.5

  2,184

  2,173

  11

  Hertfordshire

  387.245

  1.663

  0.4

  2,457

  2,445

  12

  York

  52.793

  0.250

  0.5

  2,208

  2,196

  12

  Buckinghamshire

  252.855

  1.155

  0.5

  2,405

  2,393

  12

  Staffordshire

  366.019

  1.826

  0.5

  2,220

  2,208

  12

  Northumberland

  113.513

  0.571

  0.5

  2,301

  2,289

  13

  Norfolk

  243.384

  1.242

  0.5

  2,324

  2,312

  13

  Stockport

  89.804

  0.478

  0.5

  2,156

  2,143

  13

  Hampshire

  525.153

  2.700

  0.5

  2,308

  2,295

  13

  North Lincolnshire

  56.381

  0.301

  0.5

  2,290

  2,276

  13

  Cumbria

  170.602

  0.919

  0.5

  2,305

  2,291

  14

  Gloucestershire

  183.797

  1.014

  0.6

  2,254

  2,240

  14

  West Sussex

  235.410

  1.285

  0.5

  2,343

  2,329

  14

  Warwickshire

  164.025

  0.951

  0.6

  2,237

  2,223

  14

  Lincolnshire

  213.026

  1.197

  0.6

  2,329

  2,314

  14

  Shropshire

  145.332

  0.830

  0.6

  2,279

  2,265

  14

  Hereford and Worcester

  229.005

  1.404

  0.6

  2,251

  2,235

  15

  Wiltshire

  197.517

  1.304

  0.7

  2,246

  2,230

  16

  South Gloucestershire

  78.677

  0.547

  0.7

  2,152

  2,136

  16

  Suffolk

  217.470

  1.476

  0.7

  2,243

  2,227

  17

  North Somerset

  58.642

  0.416

  0.7

  2,203

  2,186

  17

  Somerset

  150.908

  1.093

  0.7

  2,256

  2,238

  18

  Oxfordshire

  192.571

  1.340

  0.7

  2,329

  2,311

  18

  Richmond upon Thames

  45.854

  0.316

  0.7

  2,348

  2,330

  19

  North Yorkshire

  185.854

  1.603

  0.9

  2,287

  2,265

  21

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  102.954

  0.928

  0.9

  2,237

  2,215

  22

  Surrey

  307.474

  2.515

  0.8

  2,393

  2,371

  22

  Isles of Scilly

  1.233

  0.012

  0.9

  4,259

  4,215

  44

  Total

  17764.242

  0.000

  0.0

  2,403

  2,403

  0

  Inner London

  1043.096

  -15.404

  -1.5

  3,314

  3,373

  -59

  Outer London

  1824.526

  -9.019

  -0.5

  2,680

  2,695

  -15

  Metropolitan borough

  4304.322

  -16.400

  -0.4

  2,368

  2,378

  -10

  Shires

  9484.108

  38.362

  0.4

  2,322

  2,311

  10

  New Authorities

  1106.975

  2.449

  0.2

  2,293

  2,288

  6

  Isles of Scilly

  1.233

  0.012

  0.9

  4,259

  4,215

  44

  1. Columns 4 and 5 calculate SSA per 5 to 18+ pupil by dividing the sum of the primary, secondary and post-16 SSA sub-blocks by the sum of pupils aged 5 to 10, 11 to 15 and post-16, as defined in the Local Government Finance Report (England) 1996–97.

  2. Column 4 sets out the actual level of SSA per pupil aged 5 to 18+ for 1996–97. Column 5 sets out what the level of SSA per pupil would have been without the change in methodology.

  3. Column 6 ranks each authority in descending order of the change in SSA funding per pupil.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to lay before Parliament the proposed regulations which affect the payment of the disability living allowance mobility component to certain hospital in-patients. [32222]

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  The Social Security (Disability Living Allowance and Claims and Payments) Amendment Regulations 1996 were placed before the House today, 7 June. These regulations align the payment rules for the mobility component of disability living allowance—DLA—with those for the DLA care component, which is withdrawn after the first 28 days in hospital, 84 days for children.
  576

  Reduced Earnings Allowance
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if a claimant for a backdated award will be advised that he should also make his claim for reduced earnings allowance at the same time; and what form the advice will take. [31259]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The administration of reduced earnings allowance, payable under the industrial injuries scheme, 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. Michael Clapham, dated 6 June 1996:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking if a claimant for a back dated award will be advised that he should also make his claim for Reduced Earning Allowance (REA) at the same time; and what form the advice will take.
  577
  I have assumed, as you have not specified the other benefit, that you are referring to a claim for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB).

  Instructions to Benefit Agency staff provide for the issue of leaflet NI6, together with the relevant claim form, to a person who asks about claiming IIDB in respect of either an accident at work or an industrial disease.

  Leaflet NI6, on page 9, gives information on how and when to claim REA and stresses that a person should not delay claiming REA until after the claim of Disablement Benefit is determined or they may lose benefit for any period more than three months before date of claim.

  I am enclosing a copy of the leaflet NI6 for information. A revised version of this leaflet will be available shortly which will take account of the other REA legislative changes.

  I hope you find this reply helpful.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Coal Industry
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the(a) maximum and (b) minimum cost per hour charged by N. M. Rothschild working on the contract to give advice on the privatisation of the coal industry; what is the total cost to date; what is the estimated final total cost; and if he will make a statement. [31489]

  Mr. Page
  Information relating to hourly rates paid to advisers on coal privatisation is commercially confidential. I can, however, confirm that, since 1991–92, the Department has paid N. M. Rothschild £8.956 million in professional fees. Further payments are expected to be small.

  British Coal (Equal Pay)
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will advise the British Coal Corporation to commit itself to negotiations on the colliery canteen workers' equal pay claim following the dismissal of their appeal to the House of Lords; and what steps he will take to bring the parties together; [31927]

  (2) if he will advise the British Coal Corporation to make a special payment as part of the settlement of the canteen workers' equal pay claim for the undue delay in this case. [31928]

  Mr. Page
  These are matters for British Coal.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list(a) the number of (i) male and (ii) female employees, (b) the number of officials employed at each of the principle grades and the number and percentage of women employed at each of these grades and (c) the number of staff employed at administrative grades and the number and percentage of these staff who are women in his Department on 1 April. [30556]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  On 1 April 1996, the DTI, excluding its executive agencies employed:578

  (a) (i) 3,235 men; (ii) 2,631 women.

  (b) the following number of staff and women in its main grade levels:

  Grade level

  Total number of staff

  Women

  Percentage of women in grade level

  G1

  2

  0

  0

  G2

  9

  0

  0

  G3

  43

  8

  18.6

  G4

  7

  3

  42.9

  G5

  156

  25

  16.0

  G6

  121

  29

  24.0

  G7

  664

  153

  23.0

  SEO

  406

  76

  18.7

  HEO

  1,034

  314

  30.4

  EO

  1,121

  531

  47.3

  (c) the following number of staff and women in its administration grade levels:

  Per cent.

  AO

  1,544

  1,003

  65.0

  AA

  759

  490

  64.6

  The figures are provided on a headcount basis. They exclude casual staff and staff currently out of the Department, such as those on loan, career breaks.

  I have asked the chief executives of this Department's agencies to respond to the hon. Member direct.

  Letter from P. R. S. Hartnack to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 31 May 1996:
  I am responding in relation to the Patent Office to your Parliamentary Question to the President of the Board of Trade about male and female employees. The information requested is set out in the following tables:

  Principal and specialist grades

  Grade

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Percentage female

  Grade 3

  1

  0

  1

  0

  Grade 5

  2

  1

  3

  33

  Grade 6

  5

  0

  5

  0

  Grade 7

  6

  2

  8

  25

  Assistant comptroller

  1

  0

  1

  0

  Superintending examiner

  3

  0

  3

  0

  Principal examiner

  16

  2

  18

  11

  Senior examiner

  126

  13

  139

  9

  Examiner

  41

  3

  44

  7

  Administrative support and secretarial grades

  Grade

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Percentage female

  SEO

  17

  3

  20

  15

  HEO

  37

  17

  54

  31

  EO

  95

  75

  170

  44

  AO

  82

  128

  210

  61

  AA

  45

  65

  110

  59

  Support grades

  4

  5

  9

  55

  Personal secretaries

  0

  7

  7

  100

  Typists

  0

  8

  8

  100

  579
  Letter from Seton Bennett to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 31 May 1996:
  The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to provide additional information on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory in reply to your question about the number and percentages of women employed on 1 April 1996.
  For NWML, the information you request is summarised in the following table. This Agency employs a significant number of staff in the Scientific and the Professional and Technology grades and I have included these in the figures for the appropriate levels.

  Number of employees

  Number of women

  Percentage women

  Chief executive

  1

  0

  0

  Grade 7

  3

  0

  0

  SEO level

  8

  1

  12.5

  Companies House

  Analysis—Employee by substantive grade and gender

  Male

  Female

  FTE

  Percentage

  Headcount

  Percentage

  FTE

  Percentage

  Headcount

  Percentage

  G4

  1.0

  100.0

  1

  100.0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  G5

  2.0

  100.0

  2

  100.0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  G7

  7.0

  65.7

  7

  65.7

  3.7

  34.3

  4

  37.6

  SEO

  12.0

  92.3

  12

  92.3

  1.0

  7.7

  1

  7.7

  SPTO

  1.0

  100.0

  1

  100.0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  HEO

  32.0

  54.9

  32

  54.9

  26.3

  45.1

  28

  48.0

  EO

  63.5

  57.4

  64

  57.9

  47.1

  42.6

  56

  50.6

  AO

  112.0

  36.8

  112

  36.8

  192.2

  63.2

  221

  72.6

  AA

  54.4

  44.6

  55

  45.0

  67.8

  55.4

  79

  64.6

  SPS

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1.0

  100.0

  1

  100.0

  PS

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2.0

  100.0

  3

  150.0

  TM

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1.0

  100.0

  1

  100.0

  TYP

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.0

  100.0

  8

  133.3

  SM2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1.0

  100.0

  1

  100.0

  SM3

  4.0

  42.1

  4

  42.1

  5.5

  57.9

  6

  63.2

  SGB1

  10.0

  27.0

  10

  27.0

  27.0

  73.0

  34

  92.0

  SGB2

  45.1

  22.7

  52

  26.2

  153.7

  77.3

  230

  115.7

  Total

  344.2

  39.1

  352.0

  40.0

  535.2

  60.9

  673.0

  76.5

  Figures excluded casuals. Figures included Career Breaks, Unpaid Maternity, Special Leave Without Pay, Secondments or on Loan, Staff Counselling Unit.

  Letter from Jim Norton to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 7 June 1996:
  Question: To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if he will list (a) the number of (i) made 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 that are women, in his Department on 1st April.
  I have been asked to answer the questions you raised on behalf of the Radiocommunications Agency.

  (a) (i) 408 male employees

  (ii) 110 female employees

  (b)

  Grade

  Total

  Female

  Male

  3

  1

  0

  0

  5

  6

  0

  0

  6

  7

  0

  0

  7

  33

  3

  9.1

  SEO and equivalent

  59

  4

  6.8

  HEO and equivalent

  95

  5

  5.3

  EO and equivalent

  178

  18

  10.1

  AO and equivalent

  100

  53

  53

  AA and equivalent

  39

  27

  69

  580

  Number of employees

  Number of women

  Percentage women

  HEO level

  12

  0

  0

  EO level

  11

  4

  3.6

  Administrative grades

  13

  12

  92.3

  Total

  48

  17

  35.4

  Letter from John Holden to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 31 May 1996:
  I am replying as Chief Executive of Companies House Executive Agency, concerning your recent request to the President of the Board of Trade for information regarding employees within his department.
  The attached table sets out the information you require for this Agency.

  (c) Administrative grades

  Total:121

  Female:78

  Percentage female:64

  Letter from Peter Joyce to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 31 May 1996:
  The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply to your question about the numbers and grades of staff and the percentage of those who are female employed by the Insolvency Service as at 1 April 1996.

  Grade

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Percentage female

  3

  1

  0

  1

  0

  4

  2

  0

  2

  0

  5

  1

  1

  2

  50

  6

  0

  0

  0

  n/a

  Inss Grade

  A

  10

  0

  10

  0

  7

  1

  0

  1

  0

  Inss Grade

  B

  53

  4

  57

  7

  SEO

  6

  1

  7

  14

  Inss Grade

  C

  86

  29

  115

  25

  HEO

  18

  13

  31

  42

  581

  Grade

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Percentage female

  HPTO

  1

  0

  1

  0

  Inss Grade

  D

  201

  116

  317

  37

  EO

  63

  61

  124

  49

  PTO

  1

  0

  1

  0

  Inss Grade

  E

  44

  35

  79

  44

  AO

  134

  191

  325

  59

  PS

  0

  13

  13

  100

  SBG1

  1

  1

  2

  50

  SM3

  0

  1

  1

  100

  AA

  59

  84

  143

  59

  SGB2

  19

  5

  24

  21

  TYP

  2

  137

  139

  99

  Div. totals

  703

  692

  1,395

  50

  Source DTI PERMIS Computer Records.

  Staff included in the data comprise permanent staff, staff on loan from other Government Departments, staff seconded from the private sector (who have been allocated to the grades which reflect their salaries) and staff on paid maternity and sick leave.

  The data does not include casual staff and those on short term appointments from agencies.

  Minimum Wage
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the employment effects in the United Kingdom of the introduction of a statutory national minimum wage set at(a) £3 per hour, (b) £3.50 per hour and (c) £4 per hour; and if he will make a statement. [31291]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Assuming a half restoration of differentials, a minimum wage set at the levels indicated would destroy in excess of 1 million jobs.

  Mr. Bruce
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer from the introduction of a statutory national minimum wage of(a) £3 per hour, (b) £3.50 per hour and (c) £4 per hour; and if he will make a statement on the basis for the calculations. [31290]

  Mr. Taylor
  I have made no such assessment. However, it is clear that a minimum wage would destroy hundreds of thousands of jobs, which would have an adverse effect on the Exchequer.

  Disabled Employees
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many registered disabled people are employed by his Department; and what percentage this is of the total figures. [30766]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The figures for DTI, excluding its executive agencies, are set out below:

  Total staff: 6,511

  Registered disabled: 67

  As a percentage of total staff: 1.03

  The DTI also employs a number of staff with disabilities who have chosen not to register.

  Agency chief executives have been asked to respond direct to the hon. Member.
  582
  Letter from Peter Joyce to Mr. Elfyn Llwyd, dated 30 May 1996:
  The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply to your question about the number of registered disabled people employed by The Insolvency Service; and what percentage this is of the total figure.
  As at 18 April 1996, 17 registered disabled persons were employed by The Insolvency Service, representing 1.24% of the total permanent staff in post.
  In addition, there are 28 permanent members of staff with disabilities who have chosen not to register. This represents 2.05% of the total permanent staff in post.

  Letter from Jim Norton to Mr. Elfyn Llwyd, dated 7 June 1996:
  I am replying on behalf of the Radiocommunications Agency to your question to the President of the Board of Trade about the percentage of disabled people employed.
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, how many registered disabled people are employed by his Department; and what percentage this is of the total figures.
  The Radiocommunications Agency has no registered disabled staff.
  However, there are a number of staff with disabilities who have chosen not to register.

  Letter from John Holden to Mr. Elfyn Llwyd, dated 7 June 1996:
  You recently asked the President of the Board of Trade, how many registered disabled people are employed by his Department and what percentage this if of the total figures. I am replying as Chief Executive of Companies House.
  There are 13 members of staff in Companies House who are registered disabled. This represents 1.2% of total staff.
  There are, however, a further 20 members of staff who have identified themselves as disabled but are not registered disabled. This in total represents 3% of Companies House staff with disabilities.

  Letter from J.C. Octon to Mr. Elfyn Llwyd, dated 31 May 1996:
  In the absence of the Comptroller General on official business I am replying for the Patent Office to your question on the number of registered disabled staff employed in the Office. The figures are:

  Total number of staff as at 1 April 1996: 810

  Number of registered disabled staff: 12

  Disabled as percentage of total staff: 1.5%

  The Office also has staff with disabilities who have chosen not to register.

  Letter from Seton Bennett to Mr. Elfyn Llwyd, dated 31 May 1996:
  The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to provide information on behalf of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory in reply to your question about the number of disabled people employed by DTI.
  This Agency has no registered disabled among its 51 employees.

TREASURY

  Abortions
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many deaths were recorded as a result of abortion operations in England and Wales in 1995 [31317]
  583
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The information requested is not yet available. The 1994 deaths following legal abortions will be presented in the Office for National Statistics annual reference volume "Abortion Statistics 1994 Series AB No. 21" due for publication in July 1996.

  Drugs-related Deaths
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many drugs-related deaths occurred in(a) Coventry and (b) the west midlands for each year since 1990. [31094]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The number of drugs-related deaths' to residents of Coventry district health authority and West Midlands regional health authority for each year since 1990 are shown in the table.

  Coventry

  West Midlands

  1990

  5

  30

  1991

  1

  26

  1992

  2

  29

  1993

  1

  33

  1994

  1

  25

  1 International Classification of Diseases 9th Revision codes 304 (drug dependence) and 305.2–305.9 (non-dependent abuse of drugs).

  Deaths for 1992 and earlier years represent the number of deaths registered in each year, while deaths for 1993 and 1994 are deaths which occurred in these years. Also, new procedures for coding cause of death from 1993, and the absence of medical inquires, mean that figures for 1993 onwards may not be exactly comparable with earlier years. For most conditions, however, these effects are small. More details may be found in Office of Population Censuses and Surveys series DH2 for 1993, which was published in October 1995, a copy of which may be accessed by the House of Commons Library.

  Child Maintenance
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the availability of tax relief on the cost of child maintenance for(a) married and (b) unmarried absent parents. [31202]

  Mr. Jack
  For maintenance arrangements entered into since 1988, tax relief is available only for payments made to a divorced or separated spouse for their own maintenance or the maintenance of a child living with them. The relief is subject to certain conditions and to a limit equal to the married couple's allowance.

  EDS Computer Systems
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has revised his estimate of the savings to be made from his Department's information technology partnership with the firm EDS; and if he will make a statement. [31783]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The Treasury and its agencies do not have a technology partnership with the firm EDS.

  CRESTCo
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he will take on the Director General of Fair Trading's report on CRESTCo. [32400]
  584
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  My right hon. and learned Friend and I have now considered the Director General of Fair trading's report and we agree with his conclusion that the rules proposed by CRESTCo do not pose any significant competition problems. Accordingly, I have written to the chairman of the Securities and Investments Board to inform him that the Treasury gives the SIB leave to recognise CRESTCo as a recognised clearing house under the Financial Services Act 1986 and to approve CRESTCo as an operator of a relevant system under the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 1995 (SI 1995 No. 3272.

HEALTH

  Emergency Ambulance Calls
  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average response time to a 999 call for an ambulance in London. [31321]

  Mr. Horam
  Average response time figures are not available centrally.

  Ms Hodge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what basis need is assessed in response to 999 calls in London; and what system of prioritisation is employed. [31323]

  Mr. Horam
  All 999 calls are given equal priority at present.

  Doncaster Health Authority
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many applications, broken down by gender, were received for the position of chairman of the new Doncaster health authority; how many candidates matched the criteria for selection; how many were considered for the shortlist; and what criteria were used for the final selection. [31495]

  Mr. Malone
  Following a regional advertising campaign and review of the regional database of candidates, two suitable candidates, both male, were identified. Both were interviewed and assessed against the job description for health authority chairmen, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list(a) the contracts for hospital and health services awarded under the competitive tendering process to date by Doncaster health authority, (b) the successful tenderers and (c) the value of the contracts. [31493]

  Mr. Horam
  This is a matter for Doncaster health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Keith Jones, chairman of the authority for details.

  Hospital Readmissions
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 1 April,Official Report, column 52, when the information which the national health service executive is collecting about the number of patients aged between 16 and 64 years who have been (a)discharged within the previous 90 days and(b) re-admitted to hospital within 90 days of discharge will be available. [31938]
  585
  Mr. Bowis
  The national health service executive will receive the first returns of this information, covering the period April to June 1996, some time after the end of that period.

  Mental Health Challenge Fund
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those health authorities and their approved projects which have received grants from the mental health challenge fund. [31940]

  Mr. Bowis
  I announced details of the successful bids on 23 April.

  Mental Illness
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State of Health what action he plans to take to ensure that, as the number of psychiatric nurses increases, a higher proportion focus on people with a severe mental illness. [31939]

  Mr. Bowis
  The national health service executive has made it clear that is the responsibility of health authorities, in partnership with providers of mental health services, to ensure that appropriate services are provided for people with a severe mental illness, based upon an assessment of local need.

  Yorkshire RHA
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list(a) the research experience, (b) the job held prior to their final appointment with Yorkshire regional health authority and (c) the terms agreed on transfer from the regional health authority into other public employment for staff on senior managers pay point 9 or above, employed in the final year of its existence by the Yorkshire regional health authority. [30599]

  Mr. Malone
  Such data on employees of the former Yorkshire regional health authority are not available centrally.

  Hospitals
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the hospitals which have been opened in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement. [31219]

  Mr. Horam
  The information is not available centrally in this form. For major national health service capital projects completed on site, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms Harman) on 20 March,Official Report, columns 247–48.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the hospitals which have been closed in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement. [31220]

  Mr. Horam
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Water Fluoridation
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many water companies have fluoridated their water since 1985. [31381]
  586
  Mr. Malone
  In England, since 1985, eight water undertakers have operated fluoridation schemes.

  General Practitioners
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of GPs at present per head of population(a) per health authority and (b) per family health services authority. [31380]

  Mr. Malone
  Family health services authorities ceased to exist on 1 April 1996. The number per health authority is not yet available.

  Hepatitis B Vaccinations
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates he has made of(a) the extra costs of universal hepatitis B vaccinations; (b) the total cost of such a vaccination programme and (c) the cost of administering the vaccinations. [31371]

  Mr. Horam
  I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave her on 6 March,Official Report, column 294, for information on costs.

  Haemophilia
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in relation to haemophilia, what guidance he issues in respect of(a) a patient's consent to blood tests for hepatitis C and (b) a patient being told about positive results. [31372]

  Mr. Horam
  The Department of Health issued general guidance in 1990 on consent for examination and treatment. Doctors treating patients with haemophilia will be aware of the risk of infection with hepatitis C in the case of patients treated with blood products before they began to be heat treated to destroy viruses in 1985. The majority of patients at risk have already been tested and advised of the results as part of the management of their condition.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is(a) the number of haemophiliacs and(b) the number who have been infected with hepatitis C; [31373]

  (2) if he will list the percentage of partners of haemophiliacs who have been infected with hepatitis C; [31376]

  (3) if he will list the percentage of children of haemophiliacs who are infected with hepatitis C. [31377]

  Mr. Horam
  This information is not available centrally.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the rate of hepatitis C infection in haemophiliacs in each European country. [31374]

  Mr. Horam
  We have no information about the rates of hepatitis C infection in haemophiliacs in other European countries.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the countries that have given compensation to haemophiliacs infected with hepatitis C. [31375]

  Mr. Horam
  No.
  587

  Breast Cancer
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued on the maximum waiting time for surgery for breast cancer. [31378]

  Mr. Horam
  No such guidance has been issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. However, the national health service breast screening programme recommends that 90 per cent. of women should be admitted within three weeks of being informed of the need for surgical treatment.

  Community Pharmacy Bills
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the time scale for payment by his Department of bills submitted by community pharmacies; and what estimate he has made of the number of bills in each of the last five years which were paid after this period. [31379]

  Mr. Malone
  A payment representing approximately 80 per cent. of the amount due for dispensing prescriptions is made to community pharmacies on the first day of the month following that in which the correctly endorsed prescription is submitted for pricing. The remainder is paid on the first day of the following month. The costs to pharmacies of payment to this time scale are included in pharmacists' pay for providing NHS pharmaceutical services. Payments made beyond this time scale are not contemplated and information on any possible instances is therefore not collected centrally.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the stage reached for the planned private finance initiatives for each of the proposed new hospitals in(a) Norfolk and Norwich, (b) Amersham, (c) Carlisle, (d) Swindon, (e) north Durham, (f) Bishop Auckland, (g) the Royal London hospital and (h) St. Thomas's hospital. [31876]

  Mr. Horam
  Full business cases for Norfolk and Norwich, Amersham, and Swindon have been approved, and the full business case for Carlisle is currently being considered for approval. Outline business cases for the remaining schemes have been approved. At north Durham and Bishop Auckland, the trusts concerned have identified preferred bidders and are preparing full business cases. At the Royal London hospital and St. Thomas's hospital, the trusts concerned have prepared shortlists from which they will identify their preferred bidder.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will publish the terms of the proposed private finance initiatives for the proposed new hospitals in(a) Norfolk and Norwich, (b) Amersham, (c) Carlisle, (d) Swindon, (e) north Durham, (f) Bishop Auckland, (g) the Royal London hospital and (h) St. Thomas's hospital; [31880]

  (2) what is the length of repayment periods for the proposed private finance initiatives for the proposed new hospitals in (a) Norfolk and Norwich, (b) Amersham, (c) Carlisle, (d) Swindon, (e) north Durham and (f) Bishop Auckland; [31879]
  588
  (3) what is the repayment period for the proposed private finance initiatives for the Royal London hospital and St. Thomas's hospital. [31877]

  Mr. Horam
  The contract terms in these private finance initiative projects are being negotiated between the trusts and their private sector partners. A privately financed solution is acceptable only if it offers better value for money overall than a publicly funded alternative.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much is being sought through the private finance initiative for the proposed new hospitals in(a) Norfolk and Norwich, (b) Amersham, (c) Carlisle, (d) Swindon, (e) north Durham, (f) Bishop Auckland, (g) the Royal London hospital and (h) St. Thomas's hospital. [31878]

  Mr. Horam
  The capital values of private finance initiative schemes approved in the full business cases for the following hospitals are:

  £ million

  Norfolk and Norwich

  170

  South Buckinghamshire NHS trust, which includes:

  Amersham general hospital

  38

  Swindon

  90

  The other hospitals mentioned in the question are in the process of negotiation with private sector partners or potential private sector partners and the total value of any proposed scheme is part of the negotiating process.

  Infections(Schools)
  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures his Department is pursuing to combat head lice infestation in schools. [31621]

  Mr. Horam
  The Department launched an information campaign on 22 April. This was ably assisted by the voluntary organisation Community Hygiene Concern—CHC—which provides support and advice to families on dealing with this problem. CHC currently receives grant aid from the Department of £75,000 over three years.

  Our campaign leaflet, "The Prevention and Treatment of Head Lice" gives advice to parents and teachers on the options available. The campaign has proved popular with community health professionals, including those in the school health service. In excess of 750,000 leaflets have been distributed.

  Paediatric Intensive Care Beds
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the provision of paediatric intensive care beds per head in(a) Yorkshire and (b) England; [31989]

  (2) what is the number of paediatric intensive care beds per capita in each of the regional health authorities in England. [31899]

  Mr. Horam
  A recent survey of dedicated general and specialist paediatric intensive care beds open in England, by regional health authority, indicates current bed distribution relative to resident child populations as shown
  589
  in the table. This does not take account of intensive care for children provided in adult intensive care units or of care provided outside the region in question. A report by the chief executive of the national health service executive on paediatric intensive care was published last month, copies of which are available in the Library. The report describes plans to develop this service further, and to provide additional beds.

  Region

  Beds open: April 1996

  Population (0 to 16 years)1

  Bed per capita ratio

  Northern and Yorkshire

  28

  1,463,395

  1:52,264

  Anglia and Oxford

  8

  1,163,777

  1:145,472

  North Thames

  43

  1,474,719

  1:34,296

  South Thames

  29

  1,404,969

  1:48,447

  South and West

  13

  1,353,775

  1:104,136

  North West

  37

  1,490,184

  1:40,275

  Trent

  21

  1,023,528

  1:48,739

  West Midlands

  17

  1,181,847

  1:69,520

  England total

  196

  10,556,194

  1:53,858

  1Source Office for National Statistics (1994 estimate)

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Sharks
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures have been taken over the last five years to assess the stock size of the basking shark in United Kingdom waters; and what the stock size is currently estimated to be. [31329]

  Mr. Baldry
  Between 1987 and 1992, the basking shark was the subject of a survey programme carried out by the Marine Conservation Society. The Scottish Office Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Department monitored the very limited Scottish basking shark fishery while it was in operation, and collated data from other nations. However, no estimates of basking shark stock size were made, due in part to their erratic and highly variable appearances off western European coasts.

  Live Animal Exports
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) who is the legally responsible attendant for livestock on vehicles carried by sea between Dover and Dunkirk when the driver of the vehicle is travelling on an alternative sea route; [31774]

  (2) what measures are in place to ensure that vehicles carrying livestock between Dover and Dunkirk keep within their journey plans, in the event that they must wait at Dunkirk for absent drivers travelling on other sea routes. [31775]

  Mrs. Browning
  The Welfare of Animals during Transport Order 1994, as amended, requires every person in charge of any animal transport undertaking that transports animals in the course of business or trade to ensure that, when animals are unaccompanied, the consignee is prepared to receive them and, to ensure that the animals are transported without delay to their place of destination.
  590
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many communications he received in 1995 regarding the export of live farm animals; and how many were from hon. Members. [31786]

  Mrs. Browning
  In 1995, the Ministry received 19,695 communications regarding the export of live farm animals, of which 1,966 were from hon. Members.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects(a) interim judgment and (b) full judgment in the case on BSE which he is placing before the European Court of Justice. [31828]

  Mrs. Browning
  The United Kingdom's challenge to the legality of the export ban was placed before the European Court of Justice on 24 May. We have not yet been given a date for the hearing on the application for an interim injunction, but expect this to take place in about three to four weeks, with the ECJ issuing its interim judgment within a further week. Given the usual timetable for this type of case, we expect final judgment to take about 18 months.

SCOTLAND

  Compulsory Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland for what reasons he changed the terms of previous Scottish Office guidance issued to Scottish local authorities relating to the compulsory competitive tendering of council services under the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1986. [30537]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The early reintroduction of compulsory competitive tendering of services under the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 is designed to ensure value for money for council tax payers. The decision follows complaints that some councils have failed to obtain value for money when existing arrangements expire, notwithstanding a warning issued on 15 November 1995 that the Government would reconsider the length of the CCT moratorium if authorities did not approach the suspension of CCT in a constructive manner.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the value of services that will be subject to the competitive tendering exercise under the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980; and how many jobs in Scottish councils will be covered by these contractual arrangements. [30595]

  Mr. Kynoch
  Precise information is not available. However, we estimate that in 1994–95 local authorities were carrying out in-house work valued at about £560 million and employing 20,000 following competitive tendering exercises under the 1980 Act.

  The extent to which this work will be subject to a competitive tendering exercise for re-introduction on 1 January will depend on when the present arrangements expire.
  591
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy to reverse his recent change of guidance to Scottish local authorities, issued on 13 May, relating to the compulsory competitive tendering of services under the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 and to extend the deadline for this exercise to 1 July. [30540]

  Mr. Kynoch
  No.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to publish information on the private finance initiative in Scotland. [32461]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I am publishing today a document entitled "Private Finance and Public Services: A Partnership for Scotland". It summarises guidance on the preparation of private finance initiative projects and lists sources of advice for those sponsoring projects in Scotland. It also describes the progress and potential of the initiative in Scotland and includes a list of actual and potential projects. I shall arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Development Corporations
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what valuation was put on the housing stock of each of Scotland's development corporations by the appropriate district valuer; and when these valuations were made. [30543]

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

  Corporation

  District valuer's valuation £ million

  Date

  Glenrothes

  47.673

  31 March 1994

  East Kilbride

  57.277

  30 November 1993

  Cumbernauld

  29.835

  31 March 1995

  Livingston

  42.133

  8 August 1995

  Irvine

  33.043

  17 August 1995

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the organisations that were allowed to bid for the housing stock of each development corporation in Scotland, the valuations put on the housing stock of each corporation by each bidder, the names of the successful bidders, the number of properties successfully bid for in each case and the amounts that each organisation paid for these properties. [30551]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The guidance issued by the Scottish Office on the disposal of tenanted housing owned by the new town development corporations provided that local authorities, registered housing associations or approved landlords could bid for the stock. The table shows in column 2 the organisations that submitted bids, in column 3 the number of areas of each town for which each organisation submitted bids and in column 4 the total of the cash bids made by each organisation. The successful bidders for the tenanted stock in Glenrothes and East Kilbride, the new towns where disposal has been completed, were Kirkcaldy district council, which paid £51.682 million for 4,783 houses, and East Kilbride 592
  district council, which paid £56.2 million for 7,834 houses. The purchase prices are lower than the cash bids as the number of tenanted houses fell, mainly due to sales to tenants, in the period between submission of the bids and completion of the sale.

  Corporation

  Bidders

  Number of areas bid for

  Cash bids £ million

  (1)

  (2)

  (3)

  (4)

  Glenrothes

  Kirkcaldy District Council

  15

  53.619

  Hillcrestt Housing Association

  4

  15.340

  Kingdom Housing Association

  3

  4.843

  (15 areas)1

  Glenrothes Community Housing Association

  13

  37.236

  Collydean Community Housing Association

  1

  5.800

  The Munro Trust

  15

  45.798

  East Kilbride

  East Kilbride District Council

  10

  63.582

  (10 areas)

  The Munro Trust

  10

  44.173

  Cumbernauld

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth District Council

  5

  20.108

  (5 areas)

  Abronhill Housing Association

  1

  5.238

  Livingston

  West Lothian District Council

  10

  40.026

  (10 areas)

  Almond Housing Association

  3

  14.482

  Castle Rock Housing Association

  3

  10.975

  Edinvar Housing Association

  3

  10.159

  Bield Housing Association

  1

  0.825

  Viewpoint Housing Association

  1

  0.860

  Irvine

  Cunninghame District Council

  5

  32.375

  (5 areas)

  Irvine Housing Association

  5

  22.777

  1 Each Corporation divided the housing stock into discrete geographical areas for the purposes of disposal of the tenanted stock. Bidders could bid for any number or all of the areas.

  Inverclyde Enterprise Zone
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many companies have been recruited to designated sites by Locate in Scotland during the existence of the Inverclyde enterprise zone; and if he will make a statement. [30181]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 4 June 1996]: Four companies operating from sites within the Inverclyde enterprise zone have been attracted to those sites by Locate in Scotland since the zone was established.
  593

TRANSPORT

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 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 number and percentage of these staff who are women in his Department on 1 April. [30553]

  Mr. Norris
  The answer, as recorded in the Department's two computerised personnel records systems, is in the tables.

  (a) Total staff in the Department of Transport as at 1st April 1996 broken down by gender

  Number

  Females

  5,240

  Males

  6,552

  Total

  11,792

  (b) Number of staff at each grade level as at 1st April 1996 (including what percentage are female)

  Grade level

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Percentage who are female

  Grade 1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  Grade 2

  4

  0

  4

  0

  Grade 3

  15

  3

  18

  16.66

  Grade 4

  13

  0

  13

  0

  Grade 5

  77

  12

  89

  13.48

  Grade 6

  94

  4

  98

  4.08

  Grade 7

  503

  60

  563

  10.66

  SEO

  659

  75

  734

  10.22

  HEO

  784

  264

  1,048

  25.19

  EO

  2,217

  723

  2,940

  24.59

  AO

  1,325

  1,985

  3,310

  59.97

  AA

  381

  1,746

  2,127

  82.08

  Others

  479

  368

  847

  43.45

  Total

  6,552

  5,240

  11,792

  44.44

  (c) Number of administrative staff at each grade level as at 1 April 1996 (including what percentage are female)

  Grade level

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Percentage who are female

  Grade 1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  Grade 2

  4

  0

  4

  0

  Grade 3

  12

  3

  15

  20

  Grade 4

  4

  0

  4

  0

  Grade 5

  49

  8

  57

  14.04

  Grade 6

  23

  3

  26

  11.54

  Grade 7

  187

  44

  231

  19.04

  SEO

  175

  61

  236

  25.85

  HEO

  424

  239

  663

  36.04

  EO

  553

  574

  1,127

  50.93

  AO

  814

  1,807

  2,621

  68.94

  AA

  341

  1,417

  1,758

  80.60

  Others

  6

  0

  6

  0

  Total

  2,593

  4,156

  6,749

  61.58

  594

  Highways Agency
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the Highways Agency's 1996–97 proposed expenditure in each of the regions for(a) new network enhancement schemes, (b) new motorway communications projects and (c) new local safety schemes. [31310]

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

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Graham Allen, dated 7 June 1996:
  The Secretary of State for Transport has asked me to reply to your recent question asking if he will list the Highways Agency's 1996–97 proposed expenditure in each of the regions for (a) new network enhancement schemes (b) new motorway communication projects and (c) new local safety schemes.
  The Highways Agency proposed to spend during 1996–97 the amounts (in £) set out below in each of its four regions on new network enhancement schemes, new motorway communication projects and new local safety schemes respectively:

  Southern

  London

  Midland

  Northern

  Network enhancements

  0

  290,000

  400,000

  0

  Communications1

  1,753,000

  395,000

  135,000

  500,000

  Safety schemes

  450,000

  225,000

  550,000

  500,000

  1 In addition to these amounts 973,000 will be spent on new communications projects which will be managed centrally by the HA.

  All these sums will be in addition to expenditure on schemes which began before the start of the current financial year, but will incur further expenditure during it.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 26 March,Official Report, column 546, (1) how much his Department estimated it would have cost to provide the information requested; [31457]

  (2) how much his Department estimated it would have cost to provide the information requested. [31448]

  Mr. Norris
  More than £450, the current threshold above which answers are deemed to incur disproportionate cost.

  Road Accidents
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many serious injuries, deaths or other appropriate and broadly comparable indicators of road accidents occur annually per unit of vehicle/miles travelled in each member state of the Europe Union; and what studies have been made of variations. [32016]

  Mr. Norris
  International comparisons of road accident data are difficult because of national difference in definition, reporting procedures, reporting rates of both the public and collecting authorities, the legal requirement to report injury accidents and different levels of enforcement of road safety legislation. The table, which
  595
  includes European member states, presents available data which are regarded as reasonably comparable between the countries shown. Such comparisons provide a benchmark for a wide variety of more detailed studies of international variation in road accident casualties and rates or reporting procedures.

  Road user fatalities, OECD member states, 19941

  Road deaths per 100,000 population

  Road deaths per 10,000 motor vehicles

  Road deaths per billion vehicle km

  United Kingdom

  6.5

  —

  8.8

  Great Britain

  6.4

  1.5

  8.7

  Austria

  16.7

  3.1

  21.0

  Belgium

  16.8

  3.4

  —

  Denmark

  10.5

  2.6

  13.6

  Finland

  9.5

  2.2

  11.5

  France

  15.6

  3.2

  18.5

  Germany

  12.1

  2.1

  16.6

  Germany (East)

  19.3

  4.0

  32.0

  Germany (West)

  10.3

  1.7

  13.7

  Greece

  20.2

  6.2

  —

  Ireland

  11.4

  3.4

  14.8

  Italy

  12.6

  2.0

  —

  Luxembourg

  18.5

  2.4

  —

  Netherlands

  8.5

  1.9

  12.4

  Portugal

  28.7

  5.4

  —

  Spain

  14.4

  3.1

  —

  Sweden

  6.7

  1.4

  —

  Hungary

  15.2

  6.1

  —

  Iceland

  6.4

  1.3

  9.1

  Norway

  6.5

  1.3

  —

  Switzerland

  9.7

  1.7

  11.3

  Turkey

  14.0

  —

  —

  Australia

  11.1

  1.9

  —

  Canada

  12.4

  2.0

  —

  Japan

  10.2

  1.8

  18.7

  New Zealand

  16.5

  2.5

  —

  USA

  15.8

  2.1

  10.7

  1 Figures in bold are for 1993.

  Hackney Carriage Licences
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has, following the Smith and Kelly v. Wirral metropolitan borough council decision, for re-instating the rights of courts to override the refusal of councils to grant hackney carriage licences. [31351]

  Mr. Norris
  As I do not share the hon. Member's view of the implication of this decision, I have no plans of the sort he suggests.

  Railtrack Share Flotation
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the cost to public funds of Railtrack's celebration of its share flotation held at the natural history museum; and if he will make a statement. [31430]

  Mr. Watts
  None.

  Forth Rail Bridge
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much Railtrack is planning to spend on the remedial works identified by the Health and Safety Executive's recent report on the Forth rail bridge; what projects have been delayed because of the emergency 596
  nature of the repairs to the Forth rail bridge; and what expenditure Railtrack is planning on the Forth rail bridge over the next three financial years. [31474]

  Mr. Watts
  This is an operational matter for Railtrack.

  Live Animal Exports
  Mr. Morley
  To. ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures are taken to ensure that vessels carrying vehicles containing livestock between Dover and Dunkirk do not exceed the number of passengers a cargo ship is licensed to carry. [31773]

  Mr. Norris
  All ships trading internationally to and from UK ports are subject to inspection by the Marine Safety Agency to ensure that they comply with the appropriate standards, including the requirement that any ship carrying more than 12 passengers must have a passenger safety certificate.

  Performance Bonds
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 20 May,Official Report, column 38, what was the sum required for each of the bonds; and what was the size of the company to which each related. [31231]

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 4 June 1996]: In one case, the value of the bond was £2.5 million in respect of a contract with a tender value of approximately £25 million awarded to a company with a turnover for a year in which the bond was placed of around £350 million.

  In the second case, the value of the bond was £4.75 million in respect of a group of contracts with total value of approximately £38 million awarded to a company whose turnover was around £95 million for the year in which the bond was placed.

  In neither case was it ultimately necessary to call on the bonds protection, though such additional protection was considered prudent to protect the Department as a client.

WALES

  Archive Services
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the provisions of section 60 of the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 on archive services in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [31482]

  Mr. Hague
  I have received several representations from hon. Members and others. Section 60 of the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 requires councils to consult with Ministers about the schemes which they prepare under that section and to have regard to ministerial advice. It imposes no onus on myself or
  597
  colleagues to monitor the implementation or operation of the schemes, but using reserve powers in sections 32 to 34 of the Act I could intervene where appropriate. I trust that it will not prove necessary to use those powers.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  AIDS Conference
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and 598
  Commonwealth Affairs if representatives from his Department will be attending the 11th international conference on AIDS in Vancouver in July. [31018]

  Mr. Hanley
  The Overseas Development Administration will be funding the attendance of a researcher in HIV/AIDS at this meeting. The ODA is also providing grants for five scholars from developing countries to enable them to attend.