Written Answers of 1 March 1996

ENVIRONMENT

  Secondary Liquid Fuels
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if it is his Department's policy to permit the permanent use of secondary liquid fuels. [17912]

  Mr. Clappison
  Each application for the burning of secondary liquid fuels will be determined on its own merit and in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. If the operator of the plant has demonstrated, by trials, that there is no net adverse effect on the environment, authorisation with strict conditions under the Act is likely to be granted.

  Flags
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what planning permission provisions apply to the flying of flags of non-sovereign nations, with special reference to the City of Westminster; what is his policy on this matter; what payment has to be made with a planning application to fly such a flag; and if he will make a statement. [18082]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Provisions in schedule 2 (class I) to the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1992 effectively enable the national flag of any country to be displayed in England and Wales, provided the flag is on a single, vertical flagstaff and there is no advertisement or subject matter additional to the flag's design. If these conditions are fulfilled, no application for planning permission or advertisement consent is required to fly a national flag. No special provisions apply in the City of Westminster.

  My right hon. Friend has no proposals to amend these provisions.

  Groundwater (London)
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with London local authorities, Thames Water and London Underground about rising levels of groundwater underneath London; and if he will make a statement. [18299]

  Mr. Clappison
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Woolwich (Mr. Austin-Walker) on Tuesday 27 February,Official Report, column 479–80.

  Civil Servants (Company Directors)
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which serving civil servants in his Department are presently directors of companies; and if he will indicate for each(a) the name of the company
  728
  concerned and (b) if the annual remuneration was (i) £1 to £5,000, (ii) £5,000 to £10,000 and (c) above £10,000. [18136]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Four serving civil servants in my Department currently hold non-executive company directorships. No fees are payable under the Cabinet Office rules:

  Name

  Company

  Dr. Alan Apling

  H. R. Wallingford Group

  (ex officio)

  Mr. Roger Courtney

  Woods of Colchester

  Mr. William Rickett

  Redland Tile Business

  Mr. John Stoker

  Mersey Partnership Hanson Brick

  (ex officio)

  Hare Krishna Temple, Hertsmere
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received in relation to the appeal over the Hare Krishna temple in Hertsmere, Hertfordshire; and when he expects to make a decision on it. [18505]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  A number of representations for and against the proposals were heard at least year's public inquiry into the planning appeal. We received the inspector's report in December, and we are considering his conclusions and recommendations very carefully. It is too early to say when the Secretary of State's decision will be issued.

  Power Lines
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to meet the chief medical officer to discuss the potential danger to health from power pylons and lines; and if he will make a statement. [17972]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  [holding answer 29 February 1996]: My right hon. Friend has no such plans. The National Radiological Protection Board advises industry, local authorities and other regulators on these matters.

  Mrs. Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from(a) housing organisations, (b) mortgage lenders, and (c) health organisations about the potential danger to health from power pylons and lines. [17971]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  [holding answer 29 February 1996]: As far as is known, my right hon. Friend has received no direct representations from these bodies.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Civil Servants (Company Directors)
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which serving civil servants in his Department are presently directors of companies; and if he will indicate for each(a) the name of the company concerned and (b) if the annual remuneration was (i) £1 to £5,000, (ii) £5,000 to £10,000 and (c) above £10,000. [18141]
  729
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  No central register is kept in this Dapartment of company directorships held by serving civil servants. However, members of staff are required to declare to senior management any commercial interest they may have. This requirement is set out in the Department's personnel management manual. Senior officials are not aware of any such declarations having been made by current members of staff. More detailed research would involve the examination of individual personal files and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what consultations he had with the secretary to the Cabinet concerning the Government's response to the Scott inquiry; and where and when such consultations took place. [16641]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Successive Governments have not disclosed the nature or the specific sources of the advice they receive from the civil service.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Cultural Traditions Group
  Mr. Robert McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what factors led the cultural traditions group to decline to utilise Ulster Scots in its logo; and what is its policy for ensuring a funding balance between Ulster's main cultural traditions and an appropriate input at policy level from each. [16748]

  Mr. Ancram
  The cultural traditions group continues to seek an appropriate expression of the Ulster Scots tradition for inclusion in its logo. The CTG's funding policy is to encourage respect for diversity by spreading knowledge of Northern Ireland's separate and shared traditions. It welcomes funding applications for projects reflecting any aspect of Northern Ireland's cultural heritage and considers each on its merits. Membership of the group and its sub-committees is representative of Northern Ireland's main cultural traditions and it welcomes policy submissions from any interested cultural organisation.

  EDS Ltd.
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those contracts his Department currently holds with EDS Ltd., indicating for each the(a) date of inception, (b) value and (c) duration. [17452]

  Sir John Wheeler
  One contract is currently held with EDS, the date of inception for which was 1 September 1995. This contract is due to last 19 months. I am unable to disclose the value of this contract as it is covered by commercial confidentiality.

  Miss Rita O'Hare
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the arrest of Miss Rita O'Hare is still sought; and what attempts have been made to extradite her from the Irish Republic. [17099]
  730
  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  The arrest warrant for Ms O'Hare is still outstanding and has not been withdrawn.

  The Royal Ulster Constabulary made a request to have Ms O'Hare extradited from the Republic of Ireland. However, she successfully relied on the political offence defence and won her case against extradition in the High Court in Dublin in March 1978.

  Confiscation Unit
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will review with the Director of Public Prosecutions in Northern Ireland the resources allocated to the confiscation unit. [17149]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in Northern Ireland has in this financial year been allocated £7,089,000. The distribution and any reviews of this to specific parts of his office are matters for the director to decide.

  Civil Servants (Company Directors)
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which serving civil servants in his Department are presently directors of companies; and if he will indicate for each(a) the name of the company concerned and (b) if the annual remuneration was (i) £1 to £5,000, (ii) £5,000 to £10,000 and (c) above £10,000. [18143]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Central records indicate that we have no staff in Northern Ireland civil service departments serving as directors of companies.

  Ministerial Accountability
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to paragraph K8.1 of the Scott report relating to ministerial accountability, what additional measures he proposes to ensure his Department's compliance with paragraph 27 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers". [17313]

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  [holding answer 26 February 1996]: I refer the hon. Member to the speech made by my hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on 26 February, Official Report, columns 589–604.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prisoners (Transmissible Disease)
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are taken to ensure the confidentiality of medical checks on prisoners, including when a case of a transmissible disease is identified. [16703]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
  731
  Letter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. Neil Gerrard, dated 1 March 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 confidentiality of medical checks on prisoners.

  All medical information on prisoners is held on the Inmate Medical Record (IMR) which is restricted to the medical team providing care to prisoners. The IMR accompanies transfer in a sealed package. Other communications regarding an inmate's medical status are made doctor to doctor.

  It is Prison Service policy that medical confidentiality on inmates' medical information, including transmissible diseases is maintained.

  All training of health care staff including Medical Officers, nurses, health care officers and counsellors, emphasises the importance of maintaining medical confidentiality.

  Medical officers and nurses working in the Prison Service adhere to their professional codes of conduct concerning confidentiality of medical information. Other members of health care teams work under the supervision of the Medical Officer and adhere to that profession's code of conduct.

  Ministerial Meetings (Immigration)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many meetings were held by Ministers in his Department to discuss immigration cases with hon. Members in each year since 1979. [17061]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. In 1995, over 60 such meetings with hon. Members were held at the Home Office.

  Criminal Cases Review Authority
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 16 February,Official Report, column 720, if he will list the other sources from which candidates were drawn; and how many of the shortlisted candidates were applicants arising from (a) the advertisement and (b) other sources. [18156]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  The other sources from which candidates for the post of chairman of the Criminal Cases Review Commission were drawn were executive search, and lists of volunteers and nominees for public appointments drawn up in government. Of the six short-listed candidates, two responded to advertisements and four were found by executive search.

  Gambling Controls
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Gaming Board has endorsed the changes to the controls over gambling announced on 27 February. [18454]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  The proposals are those of the Government. Nonetheless the Gaming Board has told me that it welcomes the Government's initiative in considering to what extent the controls on casinos and bingo clubs in the Gaming Act 1968 continue to meet present day requirements and in making proposals where the Government believe that controls can be updated or relaxed. The board also welcomes the fact that the Government are putting out their proposals for wide public consultation.
  732
  There is much in the consultation paper published on 27 February with which the board agrees and it will be able to support many of the proposals. There are several significant matters which the board has been asked to discuss with the industries concerned before proposals are finalised; and there are issues on which the board will wish to consider carefully the stance it should adopt.

  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions his Department has had with the Gaming Board over the relaxation of regulations on casinos and other locations for gambling. [18455]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  We have had regular contact with the Gaming Board during the drafting of the proposals in the consultation paper published on 27 February. In particular, the board provided professional advice and comment on the factual analysis underpinning the document and on the practicability of various options for change. Its comments were taken into account in preparing the final version.

  Civil Servants (Company Directors)
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which serving civil servants in his Department are presently directors of companies; and if he will indicate for each(a) the name of the company concerned and (b) if the annual remuneration was (i) £1 to £5,000, (ii) £5,000 to £10,000 and (c) above £10,000. [18139]

  Mr. Howard
  Civil servants do not need permission to undertake and be paid for work outside normal working hours, provided there is no conflict of interest. There is no specific requirement for staff in the Home Office to report directorships held privately and no central record is kept. Any fees paid for such work would in any case be a matter of individual privacy. Only one official of the Home Office and its agencies, Dr. J. Thompson, has been given permission to become a non-executive director of KPMG, for developmental purposes; the appointment has yet to taken up. Under Cabinet Office guidance on developmental directorships, the individuals concerned do not receive payment from the companies concerned.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he first consulted other Cabinet Ministers about the contents of the report of the Scott inquiry; and where and when such discussions took place and with whom. [16515]

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 22 February 1996]: It is not the practice to give details of ministerial meetings.

  Ministerial Accountability
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to paragraph K8.1 of the Scott report relating to ministerial accountability, what additional measures he proposes to ensure his Department's compliance with paragraph 27 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers." [17311]
  733
  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 26 February 1996]: I refer the hon. Member to the speech made by my hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on 26 February, Official Report, columns 589–604.

TRANSPORT

  Roads
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list(a) the number of kilometres of motorway renewed, (b) the number of kilometres of trunk road renewed, (c) the number of bridges assessed for structural capacity and (d) the number of bridges strengthened by his Department in each financial year since 1989–90, including plans for the current year. [18166]

  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 1 March 1996:

  As you know, the Minister for Railways and Roads, Mr. John Watts, has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list (a) the number of kilometres of motorway renewed, (b) the number of kilometres of trunk road renewed, (c) the number of bridges assessed for structural capacity and (d) the number of bridges strengthened by his Department in each of the financial years since 1989–90 including plans for the current year.

  The information requested for financial years 1989–90 to 1992–93 can be found in "Transport Report 1994—The Government's Expenditure Plans 1994–95 to 1996–97", Cm 2506, presented to Parliament in March 1994. For subsequent years the figures are as follows.

  1993–94 outturn

  1994–95 outturn

  1995–96 plans1

  Motorway renewal (nlks2)

  234

  277

  110

  Other trunk road renewal (nlks2)

  293

  563

  220

  Bridges assessed

  1,793

  1,254

  820

  Bridges strengthened

  46

  164

  77

  1 Revised plans announced to Parliament on 10 January 1996.

  2 Nearside lane kilometres.

  Road Deaths
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of road deaths in the last year was caused by inappropriate speeds, in respect of(a) urban and (b) rural roads. [18180]

  Mr. Norris
  Figures are not available for percentage of road deaths caused by inappropriate speed in the last year. Various sources show that inappropriate speed is a factor in a third of all road accidents.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to include a section on walking in the next transport policies and programme circular. [18178]

  Mr. Norris
  I am currently considering the content of the next TPP circular. We will be consulting the local authority associations on this, and will take their views into account.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are being taken to encourage journeys on foot within the context of transport policy. [18179]
  734
  Mr. Norris
  I have had meetings with a number of interested organisations to investigate the scope for taking forward new initiatives to encourage journeys on foot. In the meantime, my Department encourages local authorities in the TPP guidance and related guidance notes to promote modal shift to walking, along with other alternatives to the car, and to take the needs of pedestrians into account in the devising of transport strategies and the design of schemes. It also issues technical advice on the design of facilities for pedestrians.

  Walking and Traffic Calming
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the local transport settlement in December 1995 was spent on(a) measures to improve walking and (b) traffic calming measures. [18177]

  Mr. Norris
  This information is not available. Pedestrian and traffic calming schemes generally cost less than £2 million each. Local authorities have discretion to allocate resources to schemes costing less than £2 million according to their own priorities. It is therefore up to them to decide, in drawing up their plans for 1996–97, what proportions of the resources allocated to them in the December 1995 settlement should be allocated to pedestrian and traffic calming schemes.

  Cones Hotline
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many calls to the cones hotline(a) did and (b) did not result in remedial action; and what is the average cost per call, including his Department's internal costs. [18504]

  Mr. Watts
  In respect of the cones hotline, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) on 6 November 1995,Official Report, at column 759, and to my reply to the hon. Member's earlier question on 10 July 1995, Official Report, at column 403.

  Since September 1995, the cones hotline has been replaced by the Highways Agency information line.

  Tri-star Ambulance
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library reports commissioned by the Department of Transport on the safety aspects and specifications of the General Motors Corporation Tri-star ambulance; and if he will make a statement on its road safety record. [18556]

  Mr. Norris
  We have not commissioned any reports on the safety of the GMC Tri-star ambulance. Two accidents involving the vehicle were, however, examined by the Department's vehicle inspectorate as part of its routine accident investigation activities. The conclusion in both cases was that the accidents were due primarily to lack of driver familiarisation with the vehicle.

  Oil Pollution
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what elements of public expenditure will not be eligible for reimbursement from insurers of the Sea Empress or the international oil pollution compensation fund. [18359]
  735
  Mr. Norris
  The international oil pollution compensation fund will not reimburse those elements of public expenditure which fall outside the definition of pollution damage under the relevant international conventions and the criteria for admissibility which have been agreed by its executive committee. The criteria for admissibility are described in the IOPC's claims manual, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of the total amounts available within the international oil pollution compensation fund; and if he will list the contributors to the fund and the amount each has contributed. [18355]

  Mr. Norris
  The total amount of compensation available from the vessel's insurers and the international oil pollution compensation fund is 60 million special drawing rights, which is approximately equivalent to £57 million. The contributions to the fund are levied against major oil companies in each of the 67 member states of the fund. Information on individual contributors is not held by the Government.

  Civil Servants (Company Directors)
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which serving civil servants in his Department are presently directors of companies; and if he will indicate for each(a) the name of the company concerned and (b) if the annual remuneration was (i) £1 to £5,000, (ii) £5,000 to £10,000 and (c) above £10,000. [18150]

  Mr. Norris
  There are two civil servants in the Department who are non-executive directors of companies. John Denning is a non-executive director of Lloyds Register Quality Assurance Ltd. and David McMillan is a non-executive director of the P & O European Transport Services. No payment is made to the civil servants.

  Search and Rescue Helicopters
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to publish his consultation document on the distribution of search and rescue helicopters around the United Kingdom coast. [18459]

  Mr. Norris
  We hope to consult on the recommendations of the report of the interdepartmental helicopter review group shortly.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  China
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government will make on the suppression of human rights in China at the forthcoming UN human rights conference in Geneva. [17959]

  Mr. David Davis
  We continue to be deeply concerned about the human rights situation in China. We and our European Union partners are at present discussing the possibility of co-sponsoring a resolution on human rights in China at the forthcoming UN Commission on Human Rights.

  Wei Jingsheng
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what inquiries about the health of the Chinese pro-democracy activist Wei Jingsheng have been made recently by Her Majesty's embassy in Beijing. [17963]

  Mr. David Davis
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary expressed the Government's deep concern about this case during his talks with the Chinese Premier and Foreign Minister in Peking on 9 and 10 January. The case was also discussed during the second series of meetings under the EU/China human rights dialogue in Peking on 22 and 23 January.

  We have urged the Chinese authorities to show clemency in this case, and to allow Mr. Wei's early release.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what severance pay will be paid to the present governor of Hong Kong on his retirement; and what proportion of that sum will be tax free. [18084]

  Mr. David Davis
  The term of employment applying to the present governor, and to others employed in the Hong Kong Government on contract terms including the governor's predecessors, provide for him to receive, upon the completion of the period of his appointment in Hong Kong, a gratuity of 25 per cent. of his total basic salary in lieu of pension. The governor's gratuity would be paid by the Hong Kong Government and would not be subject to tax.

  Overseas Visits
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a list of all overseas visits made by all Ministers of his Department since 1990, including(a) details of the places visited and brief reasons for the visit, (b) details of the size, composition and cost to public funds of the delegation and (c) the names of non-ministerial members of each delegation and the capacity in which each was present. [17483]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  The lists for the years 1992 to 1995 have been placed in the Libraries of the House. Recovery of data for the years 1990–92 would incur disproportionate costs. A list of standard delegations accompanying my right hon. and learned Friend, the Foreign Secretary or one of his Ministers is also placed in the Libraries of the House. The need for officials to accompany Ministers is reviewed periodically on a case-by-case basis. To provide further details of the composition of each delegation, its function and its cost would also incur a disproportionate expense of public funds.

  Foreign Affairs Council
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council on 26 and 27 February. [18508]
  737
  Mr. David Davis
  The A points listed in document 5157/96, which will be deposited in the Libraries of the House as soon as it is available, were approved except item 15.

  The Council took note of the European Parliament resolutions in documents 4306/96 and 4709/96, PE-RE 6 and PE-RE 9. Copies of these documents will be deposited in the Libraries of the House as soon as they are available.

  The Council discussed former Yugoslavia and agreed conclusions on a regional approach, refugees and reconstruction. The Council invited the Commission to prepare, at the right time, negotiating directives for agreements with all the countries of the region which meet the necessary conditions and accept the regional approach.

  The Council discussed preparations for the European Council in Turin and the practical organisation of the intergovernmental conference.

  The Council discussed the proposed mandate for an EU/South Africa trade agreement but failed to reach a decision. The matter was referred to COREPER for further work. Her Majesty's Government continue to believe that it is essential that the EU fulfils its commitments to agree a mandate for a free trade agreement with South Africa as soon as possible.

  The Council discussed a draft mandate for a new EU/Mexico agreement. The presidency gave a brief situation report on the preparations for the forthcoming Asia/Europe meeting on 1 and 2 March in Bangkok. The Council approved the appointment of a special envoy, Aldo Ajello, to the great lakes region for six months. The Council discussed Greece-Turkey relations.

  The Council discussed EU policy towards the Baltic sea region. The Council agreed a one-off 5 m ecu contribution from the EU budget to the Korean Energy Development Organisation.

  The Council discussed the own resources decision and noted that formal ratification by the Netherlands Parliament could follow shortly after approval by the First Chamber on 16 April. This would complete the national ratifications

  In the margins of the Council, the EU/Morocco Euro-Mediterranean Association agreement and the EC/Morocco fisheries agreement were signed. Mr. Davis signed the association agreement on behalf of the UK. On 27 February there were association councils with Slovakia and Romania; and a joint meeting with the Foreign Ministers of the associated central European countries.

  No votes were taken at this Council.

  Departmental Meetings (Claude de Kemoularia)
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what occasions representatives of his Department or employees of other Departments of Her Majesty's Government met Claude de Kemoularia of Banque Paribas during 1995 and 1996; and if he will make a statement. [18509]
  738
  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  Members of the Paris embassy have had occasional contact with Mr. de Kemoularia during the period in question. My right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary is not aware of any contacts he may have had with other Government Departments.

  British Tourists
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidelines are given to British tour operators on the removal of British tourists from areas abroad where there is a reported threat to health or safety. [18309]

  Mr. David Davis
  Tour operators have access to FCO travel advice on threats to personal safety arising from political unrest, lawlessness, violence, natural disasters and epidemics. When the safety of British tourists overseas is threatened, British consular staff liaise closely with tour operators to ensure that effective action is taken.

  If the local security situation is serious enough for evacuation of British nationals to be considered, consuls advise tour operators to withdraw their tourists as soon as possible. The Department of Health takes the lead on threats to the health of British travellers abroad, liaising as necessary with the Federation of Tour Operators, the Association of British Travel Agents and British consular staff.

HEALTH

  EDS Ltd.
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those contracts his Department currently holds with EDS indicating for each the(a) date of inception, (b) value and (c) duration. [17444]

  Mr. Horam
  The Department has no contracts with EDS.

  Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995
  Mr. Wicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what extra resources he is making available to social services departments towards the implementation of the Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995; [17546]

  (2) what estimates he has made of the cost in 1996–97 of (a) carers' assessments and (b) consequential extra support services under the provisions of the Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995. [17548]

  Mr. Bowis
  The Act should not involve significant extra costs. It enshrines in statute many of the principles of good practice which we had recommended local authorities follow.

  NHS Superannuation Scheme
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the employing authorities whose payments represent the additional receipts to the NHS superannuation scheme accounts in respect of early retirements. [17804]
  739
  Mr. Malone
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the NHS Pensions Agency under its chief executive, Mr. A. F. Cowan. I have asked him to reply to the hon. Member.

  Letter from A. F. Cowan to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 1 March 1996:

  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question as it falls within my area of responsibility.

  The employing authorities whose payments represent the additional receipts to the NHS Superannuation Scheme accounts in respect of early retirements are as follows:

  Addenbrookes NHS Trust

  Airedale Health Authority

  Airedale NHS Trust

  Anglia Harbours NHS Trust

  Avon and Gloucestershire College of Health

  Aylesbury Vale Community Healthcare NHS Trust

  Barnet Health Authority

  Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Ambulance Services NHS Trust

  Bedfordshire and Shires Health and Care NHS Trust

  Birmingham and Solihull College of Nursing and Midwifery

  Bradford Health Authority

  Brent and Harrow Health Authority

  Brighton Health Care NHS Trust

  Bromley Health Authority

  Cambridge Health Authority

  Cambridgeshire Family Health Services Authority

  Canterbury and Thanet Community Health Care NHS Trust

  Cleveland Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  Croydon Health Authority

  Dental Practices Board

  Devon and Exeter Health Authority

  Devon Family Health Services Authority

  Dorset Healthcare NHS Trust

  Dudley Priority Health NHS Trust

  East Berkshire Trust for People with Learning Disabilities

  East Kent Health Authority

  East Norfolk Health Authority

  Eastbourne Health Authority

  Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust

  Greenwich Health Authority

  Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust

  Haringey Healthcare NHS Trust

  Hartlepool and Peterlee Hospitals NHS Trust

  Hastings and Rother NHS Trust

  Hereford and Worcester Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  Huddersfield NHS Trust

  Humberside Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  Kent and Sussex Weald NHS Trust

  Kingston and Richmond Health Authority

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham Family Health Services Authority

  Lancaster Priority Services NHS Trust

  Leeds Community and Mental Health Services Teaching NHS Trust

  Leeds Health Authority

  Leicester Royal Infirmary NHS Trust

  Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust

  Maidstone Health Authority

  740

  Medway NHS Trust

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth Health Authority

  Milton Keynes Community Health Services NHS Trust

  National Hospital for Nervous Diseases

  Newcastle City Health NHS Trust

  NHS Supplies Authority

  Norfolk Mental Healthcare NHS Trust

  North Lincolnshire Health

  North Manchester Health NHS Trust

  North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust

  North Thames Regional Healthcare Authority

  North West London Mental Health NHS Trust

  North West Regional Health Authority

  Northern Regional Health Authority

  Northgate and Purdoe NHS Trust

  Pathfinder Mental Health Services

  Pilgrim Health NHS Trust

  Portsmouth and South East Hampshire Health Authority

  Premier Health NHS Trust (Staffs)

  Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  Salisbury Health Care NHS Trust

  Sandwell Healthcare NHS Trust

  Selca

  Shropshire Health Authority

  Shropshire Community Health Service NHS Trust

  Somerset Family Health Services Authority

  Somerset Health Authority

  South and West Regional Health Authority

  South Birmingham Mental Health NHS Trust

  South Buckinghamshire NHS Trust

  South Devon Health Care NHS Trust

  South Downs Health NHS Trust

  South Tees Community and Mental Health NHS Trust

  South Thames Regional Health Authority

  South Warwickshire Mental Health Services NHS Trust

  South West Surrey District Headquarters.

  Southampton Community Health Services NHS Trust

  Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust

  St. Georges Healthcare NHS Trust

  Staffordshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  Tameside and Glossop Acute Services NHS Trust

  Taunton and Somerset NHS Trust

  The Avalon, Somerset NHS Trust

  The Cardiothoracic Centre Liverpool NHS Trust

  The Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust

  Tor and South West College of Health

  Trent Regional Health Authority

  United Bristol Health Care NHS Trust

  Wakefield District Health Authority

  West Cheshire NHS Trust

  West Midlands Blood Transfusion

  West Surrey and North East Hampshire Health Authority

  West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust

  West Yorkshire Health Authority

  Weston Area Health NHS Trust

  Wiltshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  York Health Services NHS Trust.

  NHS Administration
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many senior managers in the NHS have either resigned after being requested to do so or had their contracts terminated and were appointed to another post within the NHS within(a) five years, (b) three years, (c) two years and (d) 12 months. [17544]

  Mr. Malone
  This information is not available centrally.

  Bristol Oncology Centre
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure that patients turned away from the Bristol oncology centre due to its financial circumstances are promptly readmitted and receive the necessary care. [17943]

  Mr. Horam
  Patients are not being refused treatment. All emergency and urgent treatments are continuing as normal, and curative treatment is not affected. Patients requiring palliative care for non-curable conditions will be treated in the community by general practitioners, district nurses and St. Peters hospice. Help and advice will be provided from the palliative care team at the oncology centre.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what priorities govern the treatment of patients form(a) Avon, (b) Somerset, (c) Dorset and (d) Gloucester at the Bristol oncology centre. [17889]

  Mr. Horam
  Decisions regarding what priorities govern the treatment of patients at the Bristol oncology centre are the responsibility of the clinicians managing their care.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the current work of the Bristol oncology centre in respect of treating cancer patients with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. [18062]

  Mr. Horam
  This is a mater for Avon Health Commission and the United Bristol Health Care national health service trust. The hon. Member may wish to contact the respective chairmen, Mrs. Martha Perriam and Mr. Robert McKinlay for more information.

  Kirby-Harris Libel Case
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 9 February,Official Report, column 25, if the non-executive members of Cornwall Health Care trust sought legal advice from (a) the regional health authority and (b) the Department of Health before releasing the statements which resulted in the Kirby-Harris libel case. [18081]

  Mr. Malone
  It is not the function of the regional health authority or the Department of Health to provide legal advice to national health service trusts or their directors. Mrs. Kirby-Harris has accepted that the publication of the statement was not authorised by the non-executives.

  Bogus Doctors
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to issue guidance to NHS employers on how to prevent the employment of bogus doctors. [17953]

  Mr. Malone
  Guidance was issued in June 1987, PM(87)7, and updated in November 1992, EL(92)84. We are committed to reviewing the guidance in June 1996.

  Public Bodies (Women Appointees)
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he gives to health authorities and health trusts on the number of women appointees as non-executive directors. [18304]

  Mr. Malone
  An equal opportunities policy is adopted in the selection process for appointments. Under the Opportunity 2000 women in the national health service initiative we have set a goal to increase the number of women appointed to health authorities and NHS trusts to 43 per cent. by 30 September 1998. Currently the national percentages of women non-executive appointments is 41.62 per cent. for NHS trusts, 51.45 per cent. for district health authorities and 36.6 per cent. for family health services authorities.

  Overseas Visits
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a list of all overseas visits made by all Ministers of his Department since 1990, including(a) details of the places visited and brief reasons for the visit, (b) details of the size, composition and cost to public funds of the delegation and (c) the names of the non-ministerial members of each delegation and the capacity in which each was present. [17491]

  Mr. Horam
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Member for Peterborough (Dr. Mawhinney), then Minister for Health, gave the hon. Member for Newport, East (Mr. Hughes) on 3 November 1993 at columns 222–24 for information covering the period April 1992 to mid-October 1993.

  Information on the dates, destinations and purpose of visits made by my right hon. Friend and ministerial colleagues since mid-October 1993 is shown in the tables. The total cost of overseas travel by Ministers and private secretaries in each financial year is also shown.

  Information on visits between 1990 and 9 April 1992 and full information on officials accompanying Ministers could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Financial year April 1993 to March 1994

  Destination

  Purpose

  Minister of State for Health-Dr. Mawhinney

  7–15 November 1993

  USA

  Fact finding visit in connection with Ministerial responsibilities

  13 December 1993

  Brussels

  EC Health Council

  Total spend for 7 November to March 1994

  £4,643

  743

  Financial year April 1994 to March 1995

  Destination

  Purpose

  Secretary of State for Health—Mrs. Bottomley

  17–18 November 1994

  Brussels

  To address OECD High Level Conference of National Experts on Health Reform

  1 December 1994

  Paris

  Worlds Aids Summit

  21–22 December 1994

  Brussels

  EC Health Council

  13–17 March 1995

  Japan

  Trade Mission to promote inward investment (Prescribe UK)

  Minister of State for Health—Dr Mawhinney

  4 March 1994

  Dublin

  Meeting with Irish Health Minister

  30 March 1994

  Brussels

  EC Health Council—bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) meeting

  19 June 1994

  Helsinki

  European Conference on environmental health

  Parliamentary Under Secretary of State—Mr. Bowis OBE

  3 February 1994

  Strasburg

  European Council Meeting on Drugs

  13 May 1994

  Rhodes (Greece)

  EC Health Council Informal

  2 June 1994

  Luxembourg

  EC Health Council

  30 June 1994

  Amsterdam

  European Social Services Conference

  15 September 1994

  Berlin

  Informal Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Family Affairs

  18–24 September 1994

  Netherlands, Germany and Hungary

  Fact finding visit on child care, drug abuse and AIDS. Signing Health Cooperation Agreement in Hungary

  3–8 January 1995

  Lebanon

  Bilateral visit to Health Ministers and Lebanese Government and All Party Parliamentary Group visit arranged by the Council for the Advancement of Arab-British Understanding

  Parliamentary Under Secretary of State—Baroness Cumberlege CBE

  3–4 May 1994

  Geneva

  World Health Assembly

  17–18 June 1994

  Paris

  AIDS Summit

  Total annual spend

  £30,507

  Financial year April 1995 to date

  Destination

  Purpose

  Secretary of State for Health—Mrs. Bottomley

  2–3 May 1995

  Geneva

  World Health Assembly

  29 May—2 June 1995

  USA

  Fact finding visit in connection with Ministerial responsibilities

  Minister of State for Health—Mr. Malone

  11–14 September 1995

  Singapore

  Accompanied a Trade Delegation to promote International Trade and other health related issues.

  14–16 September 1995

  Thailand

  Accompanied a Trade Delegation to promote International Trade and other health related issues.

  18–20 September 1995

  Malaysia

  Accompanied a Trade Delegation to promote International Trade and other health related issues.

  Parliamentary Under Secretary of State—Mr. Sackville

  25–28 April 1995

  Hamburg

  Trade Mission to promote health exports.

  13–16 November 1995

  Hanover and Dresden Colombia

  To promote British Health exports and expertise.

  Parliamentary Under Secretary of State—Mr. Bowis OBE

  1–2 June 1995

  Luxembourg

  EC Health Council

  22 June 1995

  Copenhagen

  European Social Services Conference

  744

  Financial year April 1995 to date

  Destination

  Purpose

  30–31 November 1995

  Brussels

  EC Health Council

  14 December 1995

  Paris

  WHO Conference on alcohol

  Parliamentary Under Secretary of State—Baroness Cumberlege CBE

  2–5 December 1995

  South Africa

  Commonwealth Health Ministers Conference

  Total spend to end January 1996

  £37,950

  Deaths (Drugs)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 19 February,Official Report, column 34, in how many cases of deaths in which Ecstasy was involved, Ecstasy was identified as the main cause of death; and what other legal or illegal drugs were involved. [17844]

  Mr. Bowis
  The table shows the number of deaths registered in England and Wales from 1990 to 1994 from drug poisoning where Ecstasy was the only drug mentioned.

  Year

  Deaths

  1990

  1

  1991

  6

  1992

  5

  1993

  12

  1994

  10

  Civil Servants (Company Directors)
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which serving civil servants in his Department are presently directors of companies; and if he will indicate for each(a) the name of the company concerned and (b) if the annual remuneration was (i) £1 to £5,000, (ii) £5,000 to £10,000 and (c) above £10,000. [18138]

  Mr. Horam
  Civil servants are permitted to undertake and be paid for work outside official time, for example, directorships, if there is no conflict of interest. Staff who disclose relevant interests to their managers do so on the understanding that the declaration, like all employment matters, is confidential between them and their employer. We do not hold central records of these declarations.

  British Tourists
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for health what structures are in place to ensure that when(a) the Association of British Travel Agents or (b) the Federation of Tour Operators are advised of possible health and safety hazards to tourists at a resort overseas, customers are informed. [18306]

  Mr. Horam
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 11 December 1995,Official Report, at column 529, which gave details of the Department of Health's agreement with the Association of British Travel Agents about notifying it of outbreaks of disease. The Department now has a similar agreement with the Federation of Tour Operators. Once in receipt of the information, it is for the travel industry to decide when it is appropriate to inform customers.
  745
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he is taking to ensure that British tour operators' staff working abroad have training in control procedures concerning legionnaires and other infectious diseases; [18311]

  (2) what plans he has to review communications concerning outbreaks of serious diseases, between the United Kingdom Government, British tour operators and holiday resort hotels used by United Kingdom tourists; [18312]

  (3) what discussions he has had with United Kingdom tour operators in respect of the factors underlying the delay in informing British tourists of the occurrence of legionnaires disease in the Hotel Imbat, Kusadasi, Turkey. [18313]

  Mr. Horam
  Officials from the Department of Health and the Public Health Laboratory Service are liaising with the Association of British Travel agents and the Federation of Tour Operators to review communications between organisations and clarify what action needs to be taken in response to future reports of travel-related legionnaires disease.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will initiate an inquiry into the role of(a) ABTA and (b) the Federation of Tour Operators in allowing customers to travel to the Hotel Imbat, Kusadasi, Turkey in September 1995. [18314]

  Mr. Horam
  The Department of Health will follow the recommendations of the Public Health Laboratory Service's report, copies of which are available in the Library, into the recommendations into the outbreak of legionnaires disease at the Hotel Imbat, and will review, with United Kingdom tour operators, the exchange of information on outbreaks associated with tourist hotels abroad.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what action he is taking to monitor whether Public Health Laboratory Service recommendations relating to the Hotel Imbat, Kusadasi, Turkey, in 1995 are carried out by the Turkish authorities; and if he will make a statement; [18307]

  (2) what steps he is taking to ensure that the results of recommendations made by the Public Health Laboratory Service in its report dealing with an outbreak of legionnaires disease at the Hotel Imbat, Kusadasi, Turkey, in 1995 are relayed to potential British visitors. [18308]

  Mr. Horam
  The Public Health Laboratory Service's report, copies of which are available in the Library, into the outbreak has been sent to the travel industry. The PHLS is in contact with the Turkish authorities through the European working group for legionalla infection to monitor that the recommendations are being followed up. A member of the PHLS investigation team is planning to revisit the Hotel Imbat to monitor that all of the recommendations relating to the hotel itself are carried out. It is for those tour operators who have contracts with the Hotel Imbat to ensure that the hotel has taken the relevant steps to safeguard the health of tourists.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Civil Servants (Company Directors)
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Attorney-General which serving civil servants in his Department are presently directors of companies; and if he will indicate for each(a) the name of the company concerned and (b) if the annual remuneration was (i) £1 to £5,000, (ii) £5,000 to £10,000 and (c) above £10,000. [18140]

  The Attorney-General
  There is no requirement, in the Departments and agency for which I am responsible, for civil servants to report privately held company directorships. However, civil servants faced with a conflict of interest must declare their interest to senior management in accordance with the staff handbook of each Department and agency. Staff who disclose relevant interests do so on the understanding that the declaration, like other employment matters, is confidential between them and their employer. There are no civil servants in the Departments and agency for which I am responsible who hold directorships of companies for developmental reasons or on an ex officio basis.

DEFENCE

  Married Quarters Discounted Sale Scheme
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to replace the married quarters discounted sale scheme for regular members of Her Majesty's armed forces; and if he will make a statement. [19077]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The purpose of the married quarters discounted sale scheme has been to assist service personnel into home ownership. It has been popular, but has over the years necessarily helped a relatively modest number of personnel. This, combined with the proposed sale of the married quarters estate, has resulted in consideration of a replacement scheme.

  We now intend to replace the MQDSS with an interest-free advance of pay for house purchase which is based on the current scheme available in the Royal Navy. The replacement scheme will come into effect on 1 August 1996.

  The scheme will allow us to target resources more effectively to assist retention. It will be available to all regular Army and RAF personnel aged 35 and over, on pensionable engagements or commissions. The advance will be a maximum of £8,500 and will be repayable over 10 years of service. The qualifying age for the Royal Navy scheme will reduce from 25 to 23 years.

  Overseas Visits
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a list of all overseas visits made by all Ministers of his Department since 1990, including(a) details of the places visited and brief reasons for the visit, (b) details of the size, composition and cost to public funds of the delegation and (c) the names of non-ministerial members of each delegation and the capacity in which each was present. [17490]
  747
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Yes. A list is being prepared and will be placed in the Library shortly.

  Civil Servants (Company Directors)
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which serving civil servants in his Department are presently directors of companies; and if he will indicate for each(a) the name of the company concerned and (b) if the annual remuneration was (i) £1 to £5,000, (ii) £5,000 to £10,000 and (c) above £10,000. [18134]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  There are five MOD civil servants who hold non-executive directorships arranged by the Department for career developmental reasons. These directorships are with the following companies:

  Northern British Newsprint

  Rank Organisation

  Marks and Spencer Subsidiary Board

  Avery Berkel

  Thorn Security.

  These appointments are unpaid, although in accordance with Cabinet Office guidelines, individuals may accept payment of expenses incurred while carrying out the duties of the directorship.

  Other staff may have privately held non-executive directorships, for example, the board of a family company. If there is no conflict of interest and the duties are performed outside official time there would normally be no bar to an individual holding a directorship and being paid accordingly.

  Greenham Common
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what decision has been made with regard to the sale of Greenham Common to the Greenham Common Management Company Ltd. [18310]

  Mr. Soames
  No decision has yet been reached on the sale of Greenham Common.

  Dartmoor National Park
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the advertised usage in days of(a) Okehampton, (b) Merrivale and (c) Willsworthy ranges in Dartmoor national park for live firing in the year ended December 1995; and how many days firing took place. [18350]

  Mr. Soames
  The advertised usage in days for the ranges in question was 78 days for Okehampton, 118 days for Merrivale and 145 days at Willsworthy. The following actual firing days took place: 53 at Okehampton, 93 at Merrivale and 107 at Willsworthy.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations he had with the secretary to the Cabinet concerning the Government's response to the Scott inquiry; and where and when such consultations took place. [16604]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  [holding answer 22 February]: Successive Governments have not disclosed the nature or the specific sources of the advice they receive from the civil service.

  Kentigern House, Glasgow
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations his Department has received in relation to arrangements, in the case of fire, for disabled employees at Kentigern house in Glasgow not to be evacuated but to go to facilities described as fire-proof; what reply has been made; what action he will be taking; and if he will make a statement. [17916]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  [holding answer 29 February 1996]: At local health and safety and Whitley committees, the trades unions have asked what arrangements are available for staff in wheelchairs in the event of fire and the arrangements have been explained to them. The provision of fire protection areas, which can serve as refuges for disabled people including those injured in the incident itself, is in accordance with regulations and standards which apply equally to the Ministry of Defence, other Government Departments and the private sector.

  The trades unions are content with both existing and proposed arrangements. Action will continue, in consultation with the trades unions, to improve emergency evacuation procedures and to ensure that planned building re-development meets current building regulations and British standards.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Cold Weather Payments
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many cold weather payments were made in the winter of 1994–95; and what was the total amount paid. [17538]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  During the period 1 November 1994 to 31 March 1995, 10,969 cold weather payments were made totalling £76,786.

  Civil Servants (Company Directors)
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which serving civil servants in his Department are presently directors of companies; and if he will indicate for each(a) the name of the company concerned and (b) if the annual remuneration was (i) £1 to £5,000, (ii) £5,000 to £10,000 and (c) above £10,000. [18148]

  Mr. Burt
  Under the rules set out in the civil service management code, a copy of which is held in the Library, staff must report business interests, including directorships, which might conflict with their work in the Department. Any such details are treated as confidential and no central record is kept.

  In-work Benefit Project (Newcastle)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was, for each year since the project's inception, the cost of the in-work benefit project in Newcastle, breaking down costs separately for the Benefits Agency and each other agency involved. [18240]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  This is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
  749
  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Gerry Steinberg, dated 29 February 1996:

  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what was, for each year since the project's inception, the cost of the in-work benefit project in Newcastle, breaking down costs separately for the Benefits Agency (BA) and each other agency involved.

  The costs incurred by the BA's Newcastle office for their involvement in the In Work Benefit Project are as follows:

  1992/93: £15057.00

  1993/94: £15208.00

  1994/95: £15520.00.

  Salary costs for one Executive Officer on full time secondment to City Challenge (sponsors of the In Work Benefit Project).

  Due to the success of the project the need for advice and information has diminished and the post is now on a part time basis. Therefore, from April 1995 to date the cost is approximately £7500.

  During 1993/94 a high level evaluation of the Project was carried out at a cost of £32,000. This cost was shared equally between Employment Service, Benefits Agency and Newcastle City Council.

  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate in 1996–97 and 1997–98(a) the cost of producing and posting the child benefit statement sent to recipients each year showing the general increase in benefit rates payable as a result of the benefit uprating, and (b) the cost of new notifications of entitlement. [18099]

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

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Keith Bradley, dated 29 February 1996:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary question asking if he will estimate in 1996–97 and 1997–98 (a) the cost of producing and posting the child benefit statement sent to recipients each year showing the general increase in benefit rates payable as a result if the benefit uprating, and (b) the cost of new notifications of entitlement.The estimated costs in 1996–97 and 1997–98 for producing and posting Child Benefit statements as a result of a benefit uprating are £546,185 and £556,562 respectively.The estimated costs in 1996–97 and 1997–98 of producing and posting new notifications of entitlement are £227,200 and £226,404 respectively.These estimated costs are based on current day prices.I hope you find this reply helpful.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Hain
  to ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he intends to take in respect of Sir Richard Scott's conclusion in section K8.16 that Ministers have an obligation to provide information to Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [16949]

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to the speeches made by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade and myself on 26 February.

  Compliance Cost Assessments
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the cost in each case to businesses and others of complying with the regulations set out in "Compliance Cost Assessments: 1 January 1995 to 30 June 1995". [17954]

  Mr. Freeman
  The compliance cost assessment procedure requires Departments to show a number of different costs including recurring and non-recurring costs for a typical business and for all businesses affected by the proposed regulation. Details for the period 1 January 1995 to 30 June 1995 can be found in the individual compliance cost assessments, copies of which are available in the House Libraries.

  Special Advisers
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what account is taken of Ministers' pay in relation to the pay of special advisers. [18503]

  Mr. Willets
  No account is taken of Ministers' pay in determining the pay of special advisers.

  Deregulation
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many responses he has received to the Cabinet Office news release on 28 December 1995—Office of Public Service 315/95—from(a) members of the public, (b) the self-employed, (c) small business men and (d) company directors; and which rules and regulations they each identified as suitable for deregulation. [18351]

  Mr. Freeman
  I have received 60 responses to the news release and a further 420 responses from members of the Federation of Small Businesses in response to my invitation to write to me about regulations which are hampering their business. The 60 responses are mostly from small business people and members of the public. In the majority of cases the responses do not identify specific rules or regulations but the main issues raised were planning and building; metrication; health and safety: various licensing issues: and VAT. I shall reply to each letter individually.

  Overseas Visits
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library a list of all overseas visits made by all Ministers of his Department since 1990, including(a) details of the places visited and brief reasons for the visit, (b) details of the size, composition and cost to public funds of the delegation and (c) the names of non-ministerial members of the delegation and (d) the names of non-ministerial members of each delegation and the capacity in which each was present. [17496]

  Mr. Freeman
  Details of the information requested for the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Parliamentary Secretary have been placed in the Library of the House. The information covers the Office of Public Service and Science—April 1992 to July 1995—and the Office of Public Service from July 1995.
  751
  The Deputy Prime Minister has made no overseas visits.

  Civil Service (Employment Law)
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what anomalies remain since United Kingdom law relating to employment in the civil service was brought into line with EC law in 1991. [19076]

  Mr. Freeman
  The European Communities (Employment in the Civil Service) Order 1991 brought United Kingdom law into line with European Community requirements by permitting nationals of other member states to apply for certain civil service posts, but a number of anomalies remain. One of these is that citizens of the Republic of Ireland—and of Commonwealth countries—are currently eligible for recruitment to a wide range of posts in the home civil service, including those which constitute"employment in the public service"
  in EC treaty terms, whereas nationals of other European Economic Area countries are eligible only for those posts which do not constitute such employment.

  It is clear that we need to amend the current rules. Recruitment schemes with closing dates for the receipt of applications on or after 1 June 1996 for posts which constitute
  "employment in the public service"
  will therefore be reserved for United Kingdom nationals and will not be open to Irish or Commonwealth citizens. Applications from citizens of these countries will from 1 June be treated on the same basis as those from citizens from other European Economic Area countries.

  The change will not affect the position of citizens of the Republic of Ireland and of Commonwealth countries already in post on 31 May 1996. Neither will it affect the position of candidates from those countries for recruitment schemes with a closing date for the receipt of applications before 1 June 1996.

  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is making arrangements for changes to the rules for entry to the Northern Ireland civil service which will achieve the same position there in the same timescale.

  Seconded Staff
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the individuals, by name and company, who are engaged on temporary secondments in the Cabinet Office and Office of Public Service; and if he will list the type and nature of the secondment. [14675]

  Mr. Willetts
  [pursuant to his reply, 16 February 1996, c. 728]: I regret that the list of staff seconded into the Cabinet Office, Office of Public Service, from industry and commerce was incorrect. It should have included Ms R. Haddow. The correct list is as follows:

  Name

  Company

  Mr. M. Blessing

  PA Consulting

  Mr. S. Culhane

  Lloyds Bank

  Mr. M. B. De Ferranti

  GEC/Marconi Ltd.

  Mrs. L Emin

  Cable and Wireless plc

  Ms M. Guiot

  British Telecom

  752

  Name

  Company

  Mr. S. Greenstreet

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Ms R. Haddow

  Binder Hamlyn

  Mr. A. Harris

  Clifton Corporate Services Ltd.

  Mr. S. Hoffman Womersley

  Shandwick Communications Ltd.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Electricity Generation
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of gas-fired electricity generation in the United Kingdom currently; and what the estimated capacity is likely to be based on section 36 consents by(a) the end of 1998 and (b) 2000. [17198]

  Mr. Page
  At present, combined cycle gas turbines—CCGT—provide 9.5 GW of electricity generating capacity. Another 5.7 GW of CCGT capacity is currently under construction and should be completed by 1998. A further 7.6 GW of CCGT capacity has received section 36 consent and applications totalling 2.8 GW of CCGT capacity are currently under consideration. The decisions on whether to proceed with construction and its timing are matters for the companies concerned.

  The Department does not prepare forecasts of electricity capacity, but in the scenarios produced to assess energy related emissions of CO2—published in Energy Paper 65—it was assumed that, in the year 2000, CCGT capacity would be in the range 16 to 18 GW.

  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he is taking under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1990 to ensure diversity of supply in the electricity generating industry. [17199]

  Mr. Page
  In considering an application for consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1990, my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade would as a general rule treat matters such as the choice of fuel to be used and type of plant as commercial matters for the applicant concerned.

  Fireworks
  Mr. Chris Davies
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many people were killed or injured as a result of accidents involving fireworks in each year since 1990. [18298]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The number of people killed or who attended an accident and emergency department as a result of accidents involving fireworks in the last five years in Great Britain are as follows:

  Year

  Injuries

  Fatalities

  1990

  805

  0

  1991

  723

  0

  1992

  942

  0

  1993

  1,058

  0

  1994

  1,574

  2

  1995

  1—

  1—

  1 Figures not yet available.

  North Sea
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much was spent by(a) the previous Department of Energy and (b) the Department of Trade and Industry on research work into the decommissioning of fixed installations in the North sea in the past five years. [17840]

  Mr. Eggar
  Research into the decommissioning of offshore oil and gas installations on the UK continental shelf is funded primarily by industry. In the past five years neither the Department of Energy nor the Department of Trade and Industry has commissioned research related directly to decommissioning. My Department is currently considering the scope of a generic study relating to the best practicable environmental option for the decommissioning of installations in the southern sector of the North sea.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to publish new guidelines pertaining to decommissioning of North sea installations in the oil and gas sector; and what estimate has been made of the number of fixed installations requiring to be decommissioned up to 2005. [17839]

  Mr. Eggar
  I expect to publish guidance notes for industry on the decommissioning of offshore installations after I have had the opportunity to consider the report of the House of Lords Science and Technology sub-committee II on the subject.

  Depending upon field performance and economic factors at the time, current estimates indicate that some 40 fixed offshore installations on the UK continental shelf could be decommissioned by 2005.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much his Department intends to spend on research into the removal of drill workings in the North sea. [17838]

  Mr. Eggar
  A study has recently been commissioned to assess the environmental implications of the presence of drilling cuttings piles. The cost of this study will be shared by Government and industry. Future research into the removal of drill cuttings in the North sea will be influenced by the findings of the study and funds will be made available as required. The Government do not expect to incur high expenditure as the research should be primarily funded by industry.

  German Construction Sector
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the impact on the employment of British construction firms and workers in Germany of the recent decision by the German Government to enforce common pay and conditions on all workers in the German construction sector. [17962]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  It is too early to assess the likely impact of the new law but I shall continue to monitor the situation carefully.

  Minimum Wage
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the President of the Board of 754
  Trade what proportion of the work force is covered by the minimum wage in each EU state according to the latest available evidence. [16282]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The following table shows the latest available evidence on the proportions of the work force covered by the minimum wage in a number of countries in the form requested:

  Country

  Coverage of national minimum wage

  Netherlands

  All employees

  Luxembourg

  All employees

  Spain

  All employees except civil servants and local government officers

  France

  All employees

  Greece

  45–65 per cent.

  Portugal

  All employees over 18

  Petroleum Coke
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action is being taken to ensure householders are warned of the dangers of the storage and use of pet coke. [17945]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I am not aware of a particular hazard associated with the storage of petroleum coke. Suppliers of this material have been advised, in fulfilling their obligations under the General Products Safety Regulations 1994, to provide clear written instructions to anyone buying petroleum coke for domestic use.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) a register of members' interests, indicating in each case if this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [16817]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  [holding answer 27 February 1996]: I will ascertain the information requested and write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

  Statistics (Gender Breakdown)
  Ms Jowell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps his Department is taking to collect statistics broken down by gender where relevant. [17690]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  [holding answer 29 February 1996]: Statistics concerning staff employed in my Department are normally based on pay and personnel records which include information on gender. Statistical information about personnel can therefore usually be broken down by gender.

  The regular statistical surveys run by the DTI are business surveys, where questions on gender are not relevant. In addition, statistics on individual insolvencies are collected from official receivers' offices. There are no plans to break these statistics down by gender. The home accident and European home leisure accident surveillance systems collect gender statistics on home and leisure accidents.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from small business organisations concerning companies purporting to offer advisory services about Government and European grants available to small businesses; what proposals he has to regulate the activities of such companies; and if he will make a statement. [18130]

  Mr. Page
  [holding answer 29 February 1996]: I have received representations from a number of hon. Members and from one small business organisation concerning companies offering advisory services about Government and European grants available to small businesses.

  There are many reputable private sector providers of grant information in addition to organisations such as local business links in England, business connect in Wales, together with local enterprise companies and business shops in Scotland, which offer easy access to such information. However, I remain concerned about the activities of some grant consultants and the DTI is doing what it can to stop such practices.

  Misleading claims made by sales people are a trading standards matter, and my Department is assisting trading standards departments in taking forward their inquiries. This is leading to direct action. For example, trading standards officers in Birmingham are pursuing inquiries under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 against a company known as Business Grants Advisory Group Ltd, operating in their area. My Department has also recently issued a press notice advising companies how to avoid being taken in by so called grant "cowboys" and how to find a reputable consultant.

  I do not believe further regulation is necessary or desirable.

TREASURY

  Customs and Excise Management Act
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will carry out a review of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979. [17223]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  On 15 June,Official Report, column 627, I announced in the House that Customs and Excise had set up a three-year wide-ranging review of the various Customs enactments as part of the Government's wider deregulation drive and this review is in progress. Part of this review is to rationalise and simplify both existing and new Customs provisions into consolidation Acts, including a replacement for the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979.

  Furthermore, on 26 February 1996, Official Report columns 596–97, my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade announced in the House that the Government largely accept the recommendations of the Scott report in relation to Customs legislation and have asked for these recommendations to be implemented subject only to further consideration of some detailed technical legal matters.

  Tax Reliefs
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total tax relief, expressed in terms of revenue lost to public funds in each of the last three years benefiting(a) partners and (b) closed company men. [18174]

  Mr. Jack
  No special reliefs are available to individuals in partnerships or to directors or participators in close companies. Information is not available about the total value of reliefs given to these two groups of taxpayers.

  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals declared themselves as partners for the purposes of tax relief in each of the last three years. [18173]

  Mr. Jack
  According to the latest information available from the "Survey of Personal Incomes", the number of individuals regarded as partners for tax purposes was about 1.3 million in 1993–94 and in each of the previous two years. Individuals who carry on business in partnership are not entitled to any tax reliefs other than those they would be entitled to if they were in business on their own account.

  Written-off Debts
  Ms Short
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the value of debt to Government written off in each privatisation since 1979. [18487]

  Mr. Jack
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my predecessor to the hon. Member for North-West Durham (Ms Armstrong) on 23 March 1995,Official Report, columns 286–88.

  Profit-related Pay
  Mr. Sutcliffe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost to the Treasury of profit-related pay schemes in lost public revenues. [18315]

  Mr. Jack
  Estimates of the cost of income tax relief for profit-related pay schemes in 1994–95 and 1995–96 are published in table 1.6 of "Inland Revenue Statistics 1995", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Tax Law
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress HM Customs and Excise is making on simplification of tax law. [19022]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Inland Revenue produced a report on tax simplification in December 1995 under Section 160 of the Finance Act 1995 entitled "The Path to Tax Simplification". HM Customs and Excise (Customs) shares with the Inland Revenue the objective of seeking to simplify legislation and reduce burdens on business.

  The two departments have already started working closely together wherever possible to reduce burdens, particularly on small and new businesses. Early benefits include, for new businesses, a joint leaflet, "Starting Your Own Business" to help them assimilate information on VAT, income tax and national insurance; the provision of a joint notification form for business start-up and the availability of joint seminars. Other developments include

  757
  the provision of each other's leaflets at inquiry points and the extension last year of the Inland Revenue independent adjudicator's role to cover complaints against Customs. A trial is also taking place in Scotland to assess the value to business of a single low-cost telephone number for inquiries about taxation issues.

  However, because of significant differences in their role, Customs is following a different approach to simplification. Like the Revenue, Customs collects taxes for the UK Government: VAT and excise duties—oils, tobacco and alcohol; insurance premium tax; and, in due course, landfill tax. Unlike the Revenue, however, Customs also has other obligations. Customs collects customs duties for the EC; operates a range of duty relief and suspension regimes; protects society and UK trade by operating import and export prohibitions and restrictions; and collects trade statistics.

  The separate legislation—either UK or EC or both—for each of the taxes operated by Customs creates complexity for business through the different requirements for similar activities, such as registration. Many of Customs' legal requirements also apply to non-fiscal regimes such as the collection of trade statistics or licensing. Altogether, Customs legislation encompasses over 40 Acts of Parliament and more than 500 statutory instruments, together with over 200 Community instruments.

  Customs recognises that these different legal requirements impose costs on business, and the importance of removing or reducing them, wherever possible, across nearly 50 duty and suspension regimes it operates. In some cases, complexities are created by exemptions and special rules introduced to meet the needs of businesses. Where appropriate, existing reliefs will need to be retained, but keeping tax legislation simple may well mean resisting the introduction of new reliefs.

  Customs is working through a rigorous deregulation programme, which has already included repealing a number of unnecessary or redundant provisions. Clause 20 of the Finance Bill is an example of a current proposal here. Likewise, legal consolidation contributes to deregulation, for example The Value Added Tax Regulations 1995, where 62 sets of existing regulations were brought together into a single document.

  As a Government we have encouraged the EC to deregulate. Some EC law, such as the Community customs code, is directly applicable and wherever opportunities are identified, Customs presses the Commission to simplify regulations. In co-operation with UK trade representatives, Customs has contributed significantly to a review of inward processing relief which, subject to agreement by a majority of member states, should result in simplification.

  Similarly, we have to have regard to existing Community obligations in relation to a number of fiscal regimes. Nevertheless, there have also been a number of recent simplification initiatives. The measure to simplify the EC VAT system is one which the UK has actively encouraged. Another is the relaxation in the financial security requirements for excise warehousekeepers achieved following UK representations.
  758
  As I announced in June 1995, Customs has started a project, known as LEGIS, with two goals. The first is to converge and simplify common procedures and rationalise individual enactments. The second is to simplify the structure of the law by consolidating the revised legal provisions. This will reduce burdens for businesses which have dealings with Customs on more than one tax or relief regime and result in a more coherent body of law for the benefit of taxpayers, practitioners and revenue officers alike.

  Customs has identified the main processes which it needs to review in order to assess the scope for rationalising policies, procedures and legislation across all the tax and other regimes. These are: registration and authorisation, declaration, payment and repayment, reviews and appeals, compliance assurance, debt management, civil penalties, and offence procedures.

  The reviews are under way. I expect most of them to be completed by the end of the year and the remainder to be completed early in 1997. Customs will consult business on emerging findings later in the year and I expect to introduce simplification and deregulatory measures flowing from the project as soon as is practicable thereafter.

  Press Gallery Writing Rooms
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Ministers in his Department entered the writing rooms of the Press Gallery on 15 February. [16471]

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 1 February 1996]: None.

  BSA Tools
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if access has been granted to Iraqi assets frozen in the United Kingdom in pursuance of a legal action against the Birmingham-based company BSA Tools. [16505]

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  [holding answer 26 February 1996]: The Bank of England advises that Iraqi funds were released on application to pay expenses incurred in pursuance of a legal action against BSA Tools, which was eventually settled out of court. This is in accordance with long established policy, where sanctions have been imposed, of allowing access to frozen funds to pay the cost of legal representation.

SCOTLAND

  Special Protection Areas
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to complete the designation of special protection areas under article 4 of EU directive 79/409. [16268]

  Mr. Kynoch
  An accelerated classification programme for Scotland is now in place. On current estimates the UK's special protection area network should be virtually completed in the year 2000.

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what guidance he(a) has issued and (b) plans to issue to planning authorities to ensure that current or

  759
  proposed developments are consistent with the requirements of EU directives on the conservation of birds (79/409) and natural habitats (82/43); [16269]

  (2) what guidance he has given to the skiing industry and local authorities on his policy towards protecting mountain areas from environmentally inappropriate development and the requirements under international obligations to protect the flora and fauna of such areas. [16270]

  Mr. Kynoch
  Comprehensive guidance on the implementation of the habitats and birds directives is contained in circular No. 6/1995 which was issued to Scottish regional, island and district councils by the Scottish Office environment department in March 1995. A draft national planning policy guideline for skiing developments in Scotland was issued by the Scottish Office for consultation on 19 February 1996. When finalised the NPPG will supersede existing guidelines published in 1984. The draft NPPG reflects the Government's policies for both the environment and skiing interests.

  Nursery Voucher Scheme
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the expansion of provision for pre-fives within the voluntary sector that will arise from the voucher initiative. [17537]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  In the voluntary sector, as elsewhere, the expansion of provision will follow demand.

  Grants (Voluntary Bodies)
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has reached a decision on the allocation to voluntary bodies of grants under the special grants (environmental) programme in 1996–97. [19145]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I am pleased to have been able to offer 53 individual grants totalling £450,000 to 46 voluntary bodies in Scotland to assist them in carrying out their valuable environmental conservation, improvement and education work. The sums available in the special grants (environmental) programme in 1996–97 match those available in 1995–96. This continued level of support reflects the Government's commitment to the voluntary sector, and its role in carrying out the Government's environmental objectives.

  Organisation

  Grant £

  Association of Deer Management Groups

  3,000

  Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland

  3,000

  Biological Recording in Scotland Campaign

  4,000

  Buchan Countryside Group

  2,000

  Centre for Environment and Business in Scotland (CEBIS)

  8,000

  Council for Scottish Archaeology

  16,000

  CSV Scotland

  17,000

  Easter Ross Rights of Way Society

  800

  Education for Sustainability Development Group

  10,000

  Friends of the Earth Scotland

  36,300

  Game Conservancy Limited

  4,000

  Game Conservancy Trust

  4,000

  Garden History Society

  3,000

  Glasgow Building Preservation Trust

  8,000

  Heatwise Glasgow

  4,000

  Heather Trust

  7,000

  Highland and Islands Forum

  18,000

  760

  Organisation

  Grant £

  Kilmartin House Trust

  8,000

  Lothian and Edinburgh Environmental Partnership

  4,000

  National Society for Clean Air

  4,400

  Planning Aid for Scotland

  17,000

  Plantlife

  3,000

  Recycling Advisory Group Scotland

  8,000

  Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

  20,000

  Rural Forum Scotland

  24,000

  Scottish Conservation Projects Trust

  27,000

  Scottish Ecological Design Association

  6,000

  Scottish Environmental Education Council

  37,000

  Scottish Environmental Forum

  7,000

  Scottish Farm and Countryside Educational Trust

  4,000

  Scottish Historic Buildings Trust

  11,700

  Scottish Native Woods Campaign

  5,000

  Scottish Redundant Churches Trust

  2,300

  Scottish Rights of Way Society

  7,000

  Scottish Wildlife and Countryside Link

  12,000

  Scottish Wildlife Trust

  38,500

  Strathclyde Greenbelt Trust

  8,000

  Sustrans (Sustainable Transport Scotland)

  8,000

  Treewise

  5,000

  Venture Scotland

  3,000

  Vision 21

  3,000

  West Galloway Fisheries Trust

  3,000

  West Sutherland Fisheries Trust

  5,000

  Woodland Trust

  4,000

  World Wide Fund for Nature

  9,000

  Youth Clubs Scotland

  8,000

  Total

  450,000

  Ministerial Accountability
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to paragraph K8.1 of the Scott report relating to ministerial accountability, what additional measures he proposes to ensure his Department's compliance with paragraph 27 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers". [17316]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 26 February 1996]: I refer the hon. Member to the speech made by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on 26 February 1996, Official Report, columns 589–604.

  Forestry Commission Land
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many hectares and what proportion of Forestry Commission land in Scotland is(a) leased, (b) held in dominion directum and (c) held in vassal; [17381]

  (2) how many hectares and what proportion of Forestry Commission land in England is (a) leasehold and (b) freehold; [17382]

  (3) how many hectares and what proportion of Forestry Commission land in Wales is (a) leasehold and (b) freehold. [17383]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 28 February 1996]: The information is as follows:

  Scotland

  Hectares

  Proportion per cent.

  Leasehold

  5,829

  1

  Held in dominion directum (freehold)

  560,460

  81

  Held in vassal (feu)

  121,912

  18

  761

  England and Wales

  England

  Wales

  Hectares

  Proportion per cent.

  Hectares

  Proportion per cent.

  Leasehold

  73,958

  28

  24,905

  19

  Freehold

  192,956

  72

  108,962

  81

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Sex Education
  Dame Jill Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in what circumstances parents have the right to withdraw their children from classes in maintained schools in which sexually explicit materials are used. [16749]

  Mr. Paice
  Parents can withdraw their children from all or part of sex education provided beyond the requirements of national curriculum science. The parental right of withdrawal applies to all pupils attending maintained schools.

  Young People (Formal Qualification)
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people aged 16 to 24 years in(a) Coventry and (b) the west midlands have no formal qualification. [17200]

  Mr. Paice
  Estimates from the summer 1995 labour force survey show that 21 per cent, of people aged 16 to 24 years in the west midlands metropolitan area reported that they had no formal qualifications. Data for Coventry are not available.

  Woodland Management
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps further to encourage coppice management. [16810]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 28 February 1996]: We have recently taken steps to encourage coppice management, particularly by helping to develop markets for coppice timber. The Forestry Commission has, for example, launched a sales magazine in partnership with East Sussex council, organised seminars, and appointed a market development officer.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on Government policy towards woodlands management and woodland conservation. [16811]

  Mr. Kynoch
  [holding answer 28 February 1996]: One of the key aims of the Government's forestry policy is the sustainable management of our existing woods and forests. Our policy is set out in detail in "Forestry Policy for Great Britain" and "Sustainable Forestry: The UK Programme", copies of which are in the Library.

  Nuclear Reprocessing
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what powers the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority has to enter into binding agreements for fuel reprocessing at Dounreay in advance of a new authorisation by the chief inspector of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution. [17709]

  Mr. Richard Page
  I have been asked to reply.

  The UKAEA has powers to enter into binding arrangements under the provisions of the Atomic Energy Authority Act 1954. The UKAEA enters into binding agreements only for fuel reprocessing at Doureay which it can carry out under current regulatory authorisation.

  Tertiary Education Teachers, Northamptonshire
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many full-time equivalent teachers were employed in tertiary education in Northamptonshire in each year since 1979. [17553]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The available information on full-time equivalent staff in further and higher education is shown in the table:

  Academic years

  Further education FTES

  Higher education FTES

  1987–881

  646.8

  182.1

  1988–89

  621.4

  183.0

  1989–90

  693.0

  187.3

  1990–91

  652.3

  224.8

  1991–922

  695.4

  246.9

  1992–93

  694.5

  312.9

  1993–94

  695.4

  381.3

  1 Figures prior to 1987–88 are incomplete.

  2 HE colleges transferred from LEA control to the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council.

  Academic year

  FTE providing teaching and learning (Provisional)

  Higher education FTES

  1994–95

  3621.3

  n/a

  3 From 1994–95 onwards, data are being collected by different systems, and the figure does not include as high a proportion of teacher time as the former measure.

  Nursery Voucher Scheme, Westminster
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if the refusal of a child's parents to participate in the nursery voucher experimental pilot scheme in Westminster will lead to the exclusion of that child from a local education authority nursery school. [17956]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  A valid nursery education voucher will be necessary for a school to claim grant. It is therefore in the interests both of the parent and the school that all eligible parents apply for vouchers. In the most exceptional cases where a parent does not apply for a voucher, and subject to certain conditions, the headteacher will be able to do so on their behalf. The admissions policies local education authority maintained schools will remain the responsibility for the LEA or the governing body as the case may be.

  Employment Agencies (Insurance)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what statutory provisions cover the requirement for persons supplied by employment agencies to clients under contracts for service to possess adequate insurance in the event of claims for liability incurred in the execution of such contracts; and if she will make a statement. [17353]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  [holding answer 27 February 1996]: I have been asked to reply.

  There are no statutory requirements for insurance in the circumstance described where the contract is for service. However, if the contract is one of service, an employer is required to insure against liability for personal injury or disease sustained in the course of employment.

WALES

  Bridges
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of(a) bridges on trunk roads and (b) bridges on country roads which require strengthening to carry 40-tonne lorries; and what is his estimate of the total cost of undertaking this for (a) and (b) [17227]

  Mr. Hague
  It is estimated that 160 trunk road—including the M4 motorway—bridges will require strengthening. This work is estimated to cost £20 million of which £6 million has been expended to date.

  Local authorities are responsible for bridges on non-trunk roads.

  Vandalism
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures his Department has adopted to combat vandalism; and if he will make a statement. [17378]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Welsh Office has adopted a number of measures to combat vandalism. In 1994 we published a good practice guide with the safe neighbourhoods unit. We have urged housing authorities to fill empty properties as quickly as possible, to reduce potential for vandalism. The estate partnership programme provides an opportunity for authorities to introduce anti-vandalism measures, and the Welsh Office has approved strategic development scheme grants totalling over £3 million for some 40 crime prevention-related schemes in 1995–96 and 1996–97. The current Housing Bill also contains proposals which are designed to combat the problem.

  Mostyn Docks
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the planning application for the development at Mostyn docks, Mostyn, Clwyd was(a) first presented to Delyn borough council, (b) called in by his Department, (c) considered by the public inquiry and
  764
  (d) completed at public inquiry; when the report was presented to his Department; and when he plans to announce his decision. [17046]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The application currently before the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Transport was received by Delyn borough council on 16 December 1994 and called in on 7 March 1995. The public local inquiry was held between 6 July and 8 August 1995 and the inspector's report was received by the Department on 7 November 1995. A decision will be issued as soon as possible.

  Chungwha Picture Tubes
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total cost of the package offered by his Department to Chungwha Picture Tubes; and if he will make a statement. [17733]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The potential package of support discussed with the company, the detail of which must remain confidential, was the best that could be made available for the location in Wales considered by the company.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when his Department was informed that Chungwha Picture Tubes would not be investing in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [17740]

  Mr. Jones
  The company's position became clear at the end of August last year. Whilst the project will not be going ahead in Wales, I am delighted that the United Kingdom, rather than one of our other competitors for inward investment, will benefit from this investment.

  Employment (Overseas Companies)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are employed by companies from(a) Canada and (b) Australia in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [17525]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Canadian owned manufacturing companies employ 2,870 people in Wales and Australian owned manufacturing companies employ 670 people in Wales. They form a small but important part of Wales' inward investment success.

  Siemens and Samsung
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations were made by his Department to the Invest in Britain Bureau concerning recent projects with special reference to Siemens and Samsung; and if he will make a statement. [17730]

  Mr. Hague
  My Department and the Welsh Development Agency are in regular contact with the Invest in Britain Bureau. Siemens and Samsung chose locations elsewhere in the United Kingdom which met their particular requirements.

  A465
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the construction companies currently working on the A465 Aberdulais to Glynneath project.[17565]
  765
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The main contractor on the A465 Aberdulais to Glynneath scheme is Alfred McAlpine Construction Ltd.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 19 February,Official Report, column 56, if he will publish the views expressed to him by the Welsh Language Board. [17769]

  Mr. Hague
  The views of the Chairman of the Welsh Language Board on the European charter for regional or minority languages were made public in a press release dated 29 April 1995. Views expressed by Welsh Language Board officials in discussion with my officials were consistent those expressed by Lord Elis Thomas.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representation Wales has on the Invest in Britain Bureau; and if he will make a statement. [17808]

  Mr. Hague
  The Welsh Development Agency is represented on the Committee on Overseas Promotion. There is also regular dialogue and contact with the bureau by both my Department and the Welsh Development Agency.

  Employment
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list his Department's estimates of(a) full-time and (b) part-time, (i) males and (ii) females in employment in agriculture, forestry and fishing in (1) 1995, (2) 1992 and (3) 1990 within the areas covered by the valleys initiative; and if he will make a statement; [16750]

  (2) if he will list his Department's latest estimates of (a) full-time and (b) part-time females in employment in construction in (i) 1995, (ii) 1994 and (iii) 1993 within the area covered by the valleys initiative; and if he will make a statement; [16755]

  (3) if he will list his Department's latest estimates of (a) full-time and (b) part-time, (i) males and (ii) females in employment in metal manufacture and chemicals in (1) 1995, (2) 1990 and (3) 1985 within the areas covered by the valleys initiative; and if he will make a statement; [16763]

  (4) if he will list his Department's latest estimates of (a) full-time and (b) part-time, (i) males and (ii) females in employment in manufacturing industries in (1) 1995, (2) 1993 and (3) 1991 within areas covered by the valleys initiative; and what percentage change in each category level occurred in 1995 against 1993 and 1991; [16761]

  (5) if he will list his Department's latest estimates of (a) full-time and (b) part-time males in employment in construction in (i) 1995, (ii) 1994 and (iii) 1992 within the areas covered by the valleys initiative; and if he will make a statement; [16765]

  (6) if he will list the latest estimates of (a) full-time and (b) part-time, (i) males and (ii) females in employment in transport and communications in (1) 1990, (2) 1987 and (3) 1984 within the areas covered by the valleys initiative;
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  and what percentage change in each category level occurred in 1990 against (x) 1987 and (y) 1984; [16764]

  (7) if he will list his Department's latest estimates of (a) full-time and (b) part-time males in employment in banking, insurance and finance in (i) 1995, (ii) 1990 and (iii) 1985 within the areas covered by the valleys initiative; and what percentage change in each category level occurred in 1995 against (1) 1990 and (2) 1985; [16754]

  (8) if he will list his Department's latest estimates of (a) full-time and (b) part-time, (i) males and (ii) females in employment in service industries in (1) 1995, (2) 1990, (3) 1985 and (4) 1980 within the areas covered by the valleys initiative; and if he will make a statement; [16762]

  (9) if he will list his Department's latest estimates of (a) full-time and (b) part-time, (i) males and (ii) females in employment in metal goods, engineering and vehicles in (1) 1995, (2) 1992 and (3) 1990 within the areas covered by the valleys initiative; and what percentage change in each category level occurred in (x) 1992 and (y) 1990. [16766]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information on the number of full-time and part-time employees by gender and industry at ward level is available from the 1981, 1984, 1987, 1991 and 1993 censuses of employment. The programme for the valleys area can be approximated by 1981 and 1991 wards as detailed in annex 1 and annex 2 of the Welsh Office report "Programme for the Valleys, A Statistical Profile, 1993". The report is available in the Library of the House. Census of employment data are available from the NOMIS database which can be accessed by the staff of the Library of the House. It may not be possible to release all the data due to confidentiality restrictions.

  Overseas Visits
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library a list of all overseas visits made by all Ministers of his Department since 1990, including(a) details of the places visited and brief reasons for the visit, (b) details of the size, composition and cost to public funds of the delegation and (c) the names of non-Ministerial members of each delegation and the capacity in which each was present. [17493]

  Mr. Hague
  I have arranged for a list containing appropriate details of overseas visits made by Ministers of my Department since 1990, to be placed in the Library of the House. However, information on costs is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Civil Servants (Company Directors)
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which serving civil servants in his Department are presently directors of companies; and if he will indicate for each(a) the name of the company concerned and (b) if the annual remuneration was (i) £1 to £5,000, (ii) £5,000 to £10,000 and (c) above £10,000. [18152]
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  Mr. Hague
  Staff in my Department are required to declare an interest if they are a director of a company or companies. This requirement is set out in the Welsh Office terms and conditions of service code. Staff who disclose relevant interests do so on the understanding that the declaration, like all employment matters, is confidential between them and their employer.

  Oil Pollution
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for 768
  Wales what estimate he has made of the threat to migrating birds in those areas affected by oil from the Sea Empress. [18357]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Countryside Council for Wales is collating data on dead and affected birds and it is too early to assess the full effect of the incident on any species. Particular concern has been expressed about the wintering Common Scoter population in Carmarthen bay, where up to 700 dead and over 1,000 oiled birds have been recovered by the RSPCA.