Written Answers of 8 December 1997

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Cigarettes
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee if he will take steps to discourage sales of House of Commons branded cigarettes. [18613]

  Mr. Dennis Turner
  It would be very unusual if a Chairman of the Catering Committee sought to discourage the sale and consumption of items sold as gifts and souvenirs from the Refreshment Department outlets. However, I accept fully that the situation with cigarettes is unique. In the previous Parliament I understand that the view of the Committee was that for as long as the smoking of tobacco products was legal, it was acceptable for the Department's outlets to sell cigarettes. My Committee will consider this subject in due course, and no doubt hon. Members will make representations about it.

  Westminster Hall Cafeteria
  Mrs. Gordon
  To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee if he will allow participants of guided tours to use Westminster Hall Cafeteria; and if he make a statement. [18719]

  Mr. Dennis Turner
  On 12 July 1994, the House approved the First Report of Session 1992–93 from the previous Catering Committee, "Refreshment provision for line of route visitors". One recommendation was that the area currently occupied by the Westminster Hall Cafeteria should be converted to a visitor centre, which would provide light refreshments and toilet facilities for the public, but that this should take place only once a suitable alternative has been found for the present lunchtime users.

  Initial discussions between Officials have been held regarding the proposed nature of a visitor centre, and their proposals will be put before my Committee by Easter 1998. However, I do have to advise my hon. Friend that in excess of 500 people, mainly staff, have lunch daily in the Westminster Hall Cafeteria; the other outlets currently available to staff would not be able to accommodate the extra customers if the Westminster Hall Cafeteria was closed before the opening of the new Cafeteria in Portcullis House, which I understand, will not be until 2001. Therefore, it will not be possible to open a visitor centre before then.

  Blood Donor Sessions
  Mrs. Gordon
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if she will arrange for regular blood donor sessions to be held within the Palace of Westminster. [18720]

  Mrs. Roe
  The North London Blood Transfusion Service operates a two day clinic very near the House in HM Treasury or the Cabinet Office once every six 404
  months, when arrangements are made for hon. Members, their staff and staff of the House who wish to do so to give blood.

  Both a lack of space and an insufficient donor base preclude holding a dedicated clinic on the Parliamentary Estate.

  Car Parking
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee how many car parking spaces are provided for(a) ministers, (b) hon. Members, (c) employees and (d) visitors in the House of Commons car parks. [19458]

  Mrs. Roe
  Details of the number of car park spaces, and who is entitled to use them, are given in the Serjeant at Arms leaflet "Car Parking" dated Spring 1997. I have asked for a copy to be sent to the hon. Gentleman.

  Hearing-impaired People
  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee (1) what the procedures are by which a deaf member of the public can be provided with sign language interpretation of the proceedings of the House within the Strangers Gallery; [18955]

  (2) what the procedures are by which a member may be provided with (a) a sign language interpreter and (b) a portable induction loop in order to facilitate communication with deaf or hard of hearing visitors to the Palace of Westminster and associated buildings. [18956]

  Mrs. Roe
  Portable induction loops can be provided on request to the Serjeant at Arms Office. Forty eight hours notice should be given whenever possible. The House does not provide sign language interpreters; however, arrangements are made for interpreters accompanying deaf members of the public to operate from a suitable place in the Gallery.

  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee if he will list those publicly accessible rooms within the Palace of Westminster and associated buildings which are fitted with an induction loop to assist persons who wear hearing aids. [18957]

  Sir. Sydney Chapman
  The Accommodation and Works Committee has responsibility only for those areas of the parliamentary estate administered by the House of Commons. There are no publicly accessible rooms in outbuildings administered by the House of Commons which are fitted with induction loops. Induction loops are installed in the following places within the Palace of Westminster administered by the House of Commons:The House of Commons Chamber—the floor and galleries;
  All Committee Rooms administered by the House of Commons, with the exception of Nos. 7, 13 and 16;
  The Grand Committee Room.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Visas (India and Pakistan)
  Ms Jenny Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for visitors' visas to the United Kingdom were received between January and October at the posts in(a) Bombay and (b) Islamabad; and how many of these applications were refused. [18667]

  Mr. Fatchett
  Between January and October there were 53,059 applications in Bombay to visit the UK, of which 3,742 were refused; and 22,645 applications in Islamabad, of which 4,044 were refused.

  Correspondence
  Sir Archie Hamilton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons he has not replied to the letter from the right hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell of 1 July concerning his constituent Mr. Ramik Shah. [18884]

  Mr. Fatchett
  The right hon. Member's letter of 1 July was passed to the Home Office for reply since the question of special vouchers falls within its remit. I understand that a Home Office Minister will be replying shortly under file reference IMG/97 366/1205/1.

  Tibet
  Mr. Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to raise the conditions of the Tibetan people with the Chinese Government; and if he will make a statement. [19014]

  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of China concerning human rights in Tibet. [19341]

  Mr. Fatchett
  We are deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Tibet. We take every opportunity to raise the issue of human rights with the Chinese authorities, both nationally and with our European Union partners. Both my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I did so most recently when we met the Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister in London between 3 November and 6 November.

  China and Tibet
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will promote talks between the Chinese authorities and the Tibetan Government-in-exile during the United Kingdom EU Presidency, and encourage the European Union to host such talks. [18743]

  Mr. Fatchett
  [holding answer 5 December 1997]: In our dialogues with China, both bilateral and at EU level, we have sought to encourage talks between the Chinese Government and the Tibetans, including the Dalai Lama. We will continue to do so.

  Nigeria
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning the Vision 2010 project in Nigeria; and if he will make a statement. [19348]
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  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  We are in regular contact with several members of the Vision 2010 Committee. Our High Commission in Nigeria attended the launch of the Vision 2010 report on 27 November. The Report sets out a blueprint for economic reform in Nigeria. We will be following closely the implementation of its recommendations.

  Algeria
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will promote talks during the United Kingdom Presidency of the EU between the French and Algerian Governments and other European Union member states on abuses of human rights in Algeria. [18745]

  Mr. Fatchett
  [holding answer 5 December 1997]: The EU already raises with the Algerian Government its concerns about allegations of human rights abuses. We will continue to monitor the situation closely during our Presidency of the EU.

  Indonesia (Police Training)
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his statement in Jakarta on 29 August, what proposals he(a) has made and (b) plans to make to the Indonesian Government to provide assistance with police training. [19296]

  Mr. Fatchett
  [holding answer 5 December 1997]: Detailed proposals are still being worked out; we shall make an announcement in due course.

  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the lecture on modern policing methods by British police experts in Indonesia, announced in his statement in Jakarta on 29 August, took place; and where. [19297]

  Mr. Fatchett
  [holding answer 5 December 1997]: We have not yet finalised arrangements for the proposed lectures.

  Sudan
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those resolutions Her Majesty's Government has(a) tabled and (b) supported in the United Nations General Assembly concerning the Government of Sudan between January 1992 and November 1997. [19597]

  Mr. Fatchett
  The United Kingdom has supported the following United Nations General Assembly resolutions about Sudan:

  GA RES 47/167 (18 December 1992)

  GA RES 48/201 (21 December 1993)

  GA RES 49/21 (20 December 1994)

  GA RES 50/58 (22 December 1995)

  Emergency assistance to Sudan.

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  GA RES 47/147 (18 December 1992)

  GA RES 48/147 (20 December 1993)

  GA RES 49/198 (23 December 1994)

  GA RES 50/197 (22 December 1995)

  GA RES 51/112 (12 December 1996)

  The situation of human rights in Sudan.

  The United Kingdom co-sponsored all the human rights resolutions, but not those on emergency assistance.

  Iraq
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions since the ending of the war in the Gulf the Iraqi regime has been offered the opportunity of selling oil to buy food and medicines; and if he will make a statement. [19706]

  Mr. Fatchett
  Iraq refused the benefits of SCRs 706 and 712. Because Iraq at first would not co-operate in implementing SCR 986 the implementation of the resolution was delayed until December 1996.

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government in Zimbabwe on their policy towards private farmland; and if he will make a statement. [19119]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Westbury (Mr. Faber) on 4 December 1997,official Report, column 303.

  Car Parking
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many car park spaces are provided for his Department's(a) ministers, (b) employees and (c) visitors in (i) London and (ii) the United Kingdom. [19364]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  The following is the information:

  Ministers

  Employees

  Visitors

  London

  5

  96

  15

  Elsewhere in the United Kingdom

  —

  900

  30

  EU Projects (Funding)
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much funding of European Union projects for 1996 operated through the actions ponctuelles. [17263]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I have been asked to reply. A very small amount of the European Community Budget—less than 1 per cent. of the total—was spent on non-significant actions (including "actions ponctuelles") in 1996.

PRIME MINISTER

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what initiatives Her Majesty's Government propose to take following the visit to Edinburgh of the delegation of the United Nations Legal Affairs Office to make inquiries on behalf of the United Nations about the Scottish legal system with a view to discussing a Lockerbie trial with Libya, the Arab League and the Organisation of African States. [19674]

  The Prime Minister
  We took the initiative to invite the United Nations to send legal experts to visit Scotland to witness at first hand the fairness and impartiality of Scottish justice, and to discuss the modalities of attendance at a trial in Scotland by international observers.

  It remains the Government's view that Libya should comply with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions by surrendering the two accused for trial in Scotland or the United. States, since any other solution will reflect quite wrongly on the quality and standards of justice in either jurisdiction.

  Scottish Parliament
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the role of the Lord Chancellor and his responsibilities as Chairman of the Cabinet Committee responsible for the future constitutional arrangements for the United Kingdom following the creation of a Scottish Parliament. [18018]

  The Prime Minister
  The proceedings of Cabinet Committees necessarily remain private but it will be clear that my right hon. and noble Friend, the Lord Chancellor and his Committees are doing an excellent job in delivering the Government's constitutional reform programme. That will be an on-going task until we have completed the modernisation of the political system in this country.

  Social Exclusion Unit
  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the terms of reference and work programme of the Social Exclusion Unit. [20004]

  The Prime Minister
  I today launched the Social Exclusion Unit at Stockwell Park School Lambeth. Social exclusion is a shorthand label for what can happen when individuals or areas suffer from a combination of linked problems such as unemployment, poor skills, low incomes, poor housing, high crime environments, bad health and family breakdown. The Government have policies that are targeted at reducing all of these individually, but Government programmes have been less good at tackling the interaction between these problems or preventing them from arising in the first place.

  The purpose of the unit is to help break this vicious circle and co-ordinate and improve Government action to reduce social exclusion by first improving understanding of the key characteristics of social exclusion, and the impact on it of Government policies; and, secondly, by promoting solutions, encouraging co-operation, disseminating best practice and, where necessary, making recommendations for changes in policies and machinery or delivery mechanisms. The unit will not cover issues

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  which are of interest to one Department only, or duplicate work done elsewhere. It will focus on areas where it can add value and address the long-term causes of exclusion.

  I have asked the Unit to focus on the following priorities in its first phase to July 1998:

  (a) Truancy and School Exclusion: to make a step change in the scale of truancy and exclusions from school, and to find better solutions for those who have to be excluded—with a report to Ministers by Easter.

  (b) Street living: reducing to as near zero as possible the numbers sleeping rough in towns and cities—with a report to Ministers by Easter.

  (c) Worst estates: developing integrated and sustainable approaches to the problems of the worst housing estates, including crime, drugs, unemployment, community breakdown, bad schools, etc.—with a report by June.

  I will chair one summit involving key interests on each of these topics, starting with one on school exclusion and truancy at Stockwell Park School this morning.

  In addition, in its first phase,. the unit will focus on improving mechanisms for integrating the work of departments, local authorities and other agencies at national level and on the ground, so money spent on excluded groups is used more effectively and has more chance of meeting its objectives. There will be a first report to Ministers by the end of June next year. Secondly, it will feed in to the Comprehensive Spending Reviews any recommendations for redirection of priorities arising from the unit's initial work. Finally, it will draw up key indicators of social exclusion, recommending how these can be tracked to monitor the effectiveness of Government policies in reducing social exclusion and will report to ministers by the end of June.

  The unit should draw on its experience with these first tasks to make recommendations on possible targets for the second half of 1998. Particular areas could include identifying key preventive interventions with children and young people; probing aspects of exclusion which disproportionately affect particular ethnic minority groups; options for improving access to services, public and private, for low income areas or individuals; and ways to encourage and focus individual and business involvement in tackling social exclusion. The unit will discuss those and other areas with interested groups before making recommendations.

  The unit is part of the Economic and Domestic Affairs Secretariat in the Cabinet Office. It will report to me and work closely with the No. 10 Policy unit. It will be staffed by civil servants from other Whitehall departments and secondees from local authorities, voluntary bodies and other main agencies. It is being set up for an initial period of two years and its future will then be reviewed. The Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will consider how best to tackle social exclusion, taking account of the particular needs and characteristics of their respective communities. The Social Exclusion Unit will work closely with the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish offices and the unit's findings will be made available to these departments.

  I will steer the work of the unit personally and chair regular meetings with relevant Ministers to review the initiative. Policy decisions will be cleared through the appropriate Cabinet Committee, and implemented by the departments. I will report to Parliament next summer on
  410
  the work of the unit and on the forward agenda. Any policy changes proposed will have clear targets and evaluation plans. To build on the unit's cross-departmental focus, I have nominated a network of Ministers in the Departments most affected, to draw together exclusion issues in their own departments, and to help present and guide the unit's work as follows; the Minister for Local Government and Housing, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security (Mr. Bradley), the Minister for School Standards, the Minister for Public Health, the Minister without Portfolio, the Minister of State, Home Office, the Paymaster General, the Minister for Small Firms, Trade and Industry.

  The unit will draw extensively on outside expertise and research, and lock into relevant external networks to hear views from local authorities, business, voluntary organisations and other organisations/individuals with experience of dealing with exclusion. The unit will adopt an outward-facing and open approach, participate in relevant seminars and conferences, seek out existing good practice and encourage its wider dissemination.

  Copies of a leaflet setting out the purpose, priorities, working methods and staff in the unit have been placed in the Library.

  Early-Day Motions
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister if hon. Members holding the office of PPS have been requested not to sign early-day Motions critical of the Government; and if he will make a statement. [18909]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 4 December 1997]: The principles which govern the behaviour of Parliamentary Private Secretaries in the House are set out in paragraph 46 of the Ministerial Code, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House in July 1997.

  Cleaner Vehicles
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Prime Minister what account he took of the publishing opinions of Mr. Keith Taylor, Chairman of ESSO, in appointing him to his task force on cleaner vehicles; what assessment he made of their consistency with the Government's policy on global warming; and what consultations he had with the Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions prior to the appointment. [19152]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 4 December 1997]: The Government have a clear commitment to addressing climate change. The Cleaner Vehicles Task Force aims to create a new partnership between Government and the private sector to promote environmentally friendly vehicles that people actually want to drive and buy. It will draw on a cross-section of industry, including the oil industry, and I welcome the participation of a wide range of interests. The members of the Task Force's steering group were nominated by the Minister for Transport, in close consultation with the Science, Energy and Industry Minister and officials from the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Department of Trade and Industry.

  Coal Industry
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will establish a ministerial committee to consider the future of the coal industry, with public membership and terms of reference. [19221]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 4 December 1997]: No.

  E-Mail
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 10 November 1997, from the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster,Official Report, column 441, if he will list his e-mail address along with those of (a) his senior officials and (b) his political advisers. [15863]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 13 November 1997]: No.10 Downing Street has a website on the Internet.

  It is not the current practice to publish the e-mail addresses of my staff.

  Overseas Travel
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Prime Minister what is his estimate of the expenditure by(a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies on overseas travel for (i) 1980–81, (ii) 1987–88, (iii) 1990–91, (iv) 1991–92, (v) 1992–93 (vi) 1993–94, (vii) 1994–95, (viii) 1995–96, (ix) 1996–97 and (x) 1 May to 30 September 1997; and if he will provide a breakdown to show (1) air fares and (2) other expenditure relating to overseas travel. [15275]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 11 November 1997]: For this purpose, my office is part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 5 December 1997, Official Report, column 377.

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Prime Minister what is his estimate of the expenditure by(a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies on official hospitality for (i) 1980–81, (ii) 1987–88, (iii) 1990–91, (iv) 1991–92, (v) 1992–93, (vi) 1993–94, (vii) 1994–95, (viii )1995–96, (ix) 1996–97 and (x) 1 May to 30 September 1997. [15274]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 11 November 1997]: For this purpose, my office is part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service on 5 December 1997, Official Report, column 376–77.

  Table A1.26: Proceedings instituted by HSE by result and by industrial sector 1992–93—1996–971

  Standard Industrial Classification (Sic 92)

  Section year

  Agriculture, hunting forestry and fishing A, B

  Extractive and utility supply industries C, E

  Manufacturing industries D

  Construction F

  Service industries G-Q

  Unclassified—

  All industries—

  Informations laid

  1992–93

  284

  46

  850

  702

  268

  7

  2,157

  1993–94

  276

  50

  664

  531

  253

  19

  1,793

  1994–95

  227

  48

  663

  630

  222

  13

  1,803

  1995–96

  162

  24

  645

  598

  287

  51

  1,767

  1,21996–97

  85

  40

  483

  414

  234

  —

  1,256

  Publicity and Advertising
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Prime Minister what is his estimate of the total expenditure on all forms of publicity and advertising by(a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies for (i) 1993–94, (ii) 1994–95, (iii) 1995–96, (iv) 1996–97, (v) the 1997–98 year to date, (vi) the 1997–98, full year estimate and (vii) the 1998–99 planned expenditure. [15277]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 11 November 1997]: For this purpose, my office is part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service on 5 December 1997, Official Report, column 377.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Construction Industry (Health and Safety)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many prosecutions have taken place against employers for unsafe and dangerous working practices in the construction industry so far in 1997; and if he will make a statement. [18571]

  Angela Eagle
  I regret that this question cannot be answered accurately in the form in which it has been asked. Between 1 January 1997 and 31 October 1997, there were 376 convictions obtained in proceedings instituted by HSE in the construction industry. These figures, which are only provisional, include all those prosecuted. Some offences may have been committed by the self-employed who by their actions put other workers, or members of the public, at risk. In addition, offences by those such as clients and designers, who may have had no direct control of working practices, but who may have failed to play their part in overall risk management and control, are included. To eliminate these cases from the figures and revise the reporting period would involve disproportionate cost.

  The best guide to the pattern of recent prosecutions in the construction industry is provided by Table A1.26 of Health and Safety Statistics 1996–97, which was published recently. A copy of Page 170 of the publication is attached for information.

  The protection of the health and safety of all those working in, or affected by, the construction industry is a high priority. The prosecution of those who breach health and safety law and the penalties the courts impose are important aspects of achieving this protection.
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  Table A1.26: Proceedings instituted by HSE by result and by industrial sector 1992–93—1996–971

  Standard Industrial Classification (Sic 92)

  Section year

  Agriculture, hunting forestry and fishing A, B

  Extractive and utility supply industries C, E

  Manufacturing industries D

  Construction F

  Service industries G-Q

  Unclassified—

  All industries—

  Convictions

  1992–93

  239

  40

  780

  573

  226

  7

  1,865

  1993–94

  227

  45

  585

  415

  217

  18

  1,075

  1994–95

  173

  42

  589

  494

  188

  13

  1,499

  1995–96

  114

  21

  558

  476

  241

  41

  1,451

  11996–97

  73

  35

  416

  339

  189

  —

  1,052

  Average penalty per conviction (£)

  1992–93

  357

  4,469

  1,512

  1,300

  1,776

  397

  1,390

  1993–94

  604

  11,638

  32,973

  43,384

  53,939

  922

  63,103

  1994–95

  794

  9,420

  73,042

  82,697

  3,322

  1,962

  92,873

  1995–96

  1,095

  5,595

  2,678

  2,232

  3,389

  2,820

  2,572

  11996–97

  1,194

  1,903

  108,068

  115,354

  125,592

  —

  135,421

  1 = Provisional

  2 Approximately 300 informations held over from 1995–96 have been transferred to the new computer system but have not yet been validated and, therefore, are not included in the provisional statistics but will be added when final data is released.

  3 Includes fine of £250,000 against Hickson and Welch and the fine of £100,000 against GEC Alsthorn Engineering Systems Ltd. The average fine without these convictions would be £2,383.

  4 Includes the fine of £150,000 against J. Murphy and Sons Ltd. The average fine without this conviction would be £3,030.

  5 Includes the fines of £250,000 against Mersey Docks and Harbour Company. The average fine without this conviction would be £2,799.

  6 Includes the fines of £250,000 against Hickson and Welch and Mersey Docks and Harbour Company, the fine of £150,000 against J. Murphy and Sons Ltd. and the fine of £100,000 against GEC Alsthorn Engineering Systems Ltd. The average fine without these convictions would be £2,612.

  7 Includes the fine of £100,000 against The Balmoral Group. The average fine without this conviction would be £2,877.

  8 Includes the fine of £200,000 against BP Chemicals. The average fine without these convictions would be £2,677.

  9 Includes the fine of £200,000 against BP Chemicals and the fine of £100,000 against The Balmoral Group. The average fine without these convictions would be £2,677.

  10 Includes the fine of £500,000 against Lloyds Register of Shipping, the fine of £750,000 against Fartygsentreprenader AB (part of the Mattson Group), the fine of £250,000 against Fartygoskonstruktioner (part of the Mattson Group), the four fines of £100,000 against Pembroke Cracking Co. Ltd. and the £100,000 fine against Firth Vickers Centrispinning Ltd. The average fine without these convictions would be £3,324.

  11 Includes the fine of £100,000 against Cheetham Hill Construction Ltd. The average fine without this conviction would be £3,068.

  12 Includes the fine of £200,000 against Port Ramsgate Ltd. The average fine without this conviction would be £4,558.

  13 Includes the fines of £500,000 against Lloyds Register of Shipping, the fine of £750,000 against Fartygsentreprenader AB (part of the Mattson Group), the fine of £250,000 against Fartygskonstruktioner (part of the Mattson Group), the four fines of £100,000 against Pembroke Cracking Co. Ltd. the £100,000 fine against Firth Vickers Centrispinning Ltd. the fine of £100,000 against Cheetham Hill Construction Ltd. and the fine of £200,000 against Port Ramsgate Ltd. The average fine without these convictions would be £3,266.

  Radioactive Materials
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the United Nations International Maritime Organisation's conclusion on the safety of ro-ro vessels for the transport of radioactive materials; and if he will make a statement. [18849]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The statement attributed to the IMO in a recent press article that ro-ro vessels are"exceptionally vulnerable to human error"
  is taken from a 33 page IMO background information paper entitled "IMO and ro-ro safety" The paper deals with ro-ro safety in general and makes no reference to the transport of radioactive materials in particular. However, in 1993 the IMO Assembly adopted, and has recently amended, the Code for the Safe Carriage of Irradiated Nuclear Fuel, Plutonium and High-Level Radioactive Waste in Flasks on board Ships (INF Code). UK companies involved in the transport of materials covered by the INF Code use ships complying with the Code.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures are being taken to ensure than shipments of radioactive material comply with safety and security regulations; and if he will make a statement. [18850]
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  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Officials of my Department's Radioactive Materials Transport Division are responsible for the safety assessment of package designs for the safe transport of radioactive material, requiring competent authority approval, by all modes. Their compliance assurance branch monitors the design, manufacture and operation of all packages and is responsible for enforcement of the radioactive material road transport regulations. Enforcement during carriage by rail, air and sea, is carried out respectively by HM Railways Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive, the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department's Marine Safety Agency.

  Matters of physical security are for my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on(a) the public safety implications and (b) the security issues involved in the use of roll-on roll-off ferries to transport plutonium around the United Kingdom; and what action he is taking to monitor this activity. [18848]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Public safety is ensured by enforcing the Merchant Shipping (Dangerous Goods and Marine Pollutants) Regulations 1990 monitored by the Department's Marine Safety Agency. These regulations require such material to be carried in packages which are
  415
  resistant to severe accident conditions and which have been approved by my Department. UK companies involved in the transport of plutonium by sea use ships meeting the International Maritime Organisation's "Code for the Safe Carriage of Irradiated Nuclear Fuel, Plutonium and High-Level Radioactive Wastes in Flasks on board Ships" (INF Code).

  The UK applies the requirements of the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. Matters of physical security are for my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

  Household Projections
  Mr. Tom King
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimates of the levels of cohabitation were included in the latest household projections; and to what extent these differ from previous projections. [18604]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The most recent, 1992-based household projections were the first to use co-habiting couples as a separate household category for estimation purposes. This followed the inclusion of "living together as a couple" for the first time as a recognised relationship in the 1991 Census. It is not possible, therefore, to make comparisons with previous projections about assumed levels of cohabitation.

  The levels of co-habitation assumed for the latest households projections were the 1992-based projections of marital status made by the Government Actuary's Department. A detailed description of the methodology and statistical assumptions underlying the latest household projections is set out in the annexes of "Projections in

  Thousands

  Housebuilding

  Household projections—increase in households 1991–96

  1991–96

  1981-based

  1983-based

  1985-based

  1989-based

  1992-based

  Cleveland

  8.1

  2

  4

  2

  3

  7

  Durham

  7.8

  3

  2

  3

  4

  8

  Northumberland

  4.7

  2

  3

  4

  4

  5

  Tyne and Wear

  13.0

  -2

  -4

  0

  6

  17

  Cheshire

  15.7

  14

  15

  17

  22

  20

  Cumbria

  7.4

  3

  3

  6

  10

  8

  Greater Manchester

  36.0

  2

  6

  11

  25

  35

  Lancashire

  20.3

  11

  10

  12

  23

  22

  Merseyside

  20.0

  -4

  -2

  -4

  0

  14

  Humberside

  16.0

  7

  6

  6

  15

  17

  North Yorkshire

  14.2

  9

  10

  14

  21

  16

  South Yorkshire

  14.4

  9

  6

  5

  15

  18

  West Yorkshire

  27.0

  11

  11

  15

  28

  38

  Derbyshire

  17.0

  8

  11

  12

  18

  19

  Leicestershire

  15.4

  14

  13

  15

  22

  23

  Lincolnshire

  16.3

  5

  12

  15

  17

  17

  Northamptonshire

  14.3

  14

  13

  16

  20

  14

  Nottinghamshire

  14.9

  11

  12

  17

  22

  21

  Hereford and Worcester

  15.6

  15

  14

  15

  18

  18

  Shropshire

  9.9

  8

  8

  11

  12

  10

  Stafforshire

  17.3

  14

  13

  15

  21

  18

  Warwickshire

  8.8

  8

  8

  9

  9

  10

  West Midlands

  26.0

  11

  6

  13

  22

  29

  Bedford

  11.2

  10

  10

  12

  13

  14

  Cambridgeshire

  15.1

  14

  15

  23

  28

  25

  Essex

  29.4

  27

  25

  30

  34

  34

  Hertfordshire

  17.8

  20

  19

  22

  18

  22

  Morfolk

  19.7

  11

  11

  16

  19

  19

  Suffolk

  13.6

  11

  13

  16

  14

  12

  Greater London

  75.5

  12

  37

  80

  74

  144

  416
  Households in England to 2016", published by the Stationery Office in March 1995. The treatment of the marital status projections and cohabitation is provided in Annexes D and G of this publication, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Tom King
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many homes were built in each English county between 1991 and 1996; and what change in the number of households was previously projected over those years. [18598]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The information requested is provided below. The total number of new dwellings built, by county, covers the period from July 1991 to June 1996. The figures for successive sets of household projections are the differences between the published projected figures for mid-year 1996 and mid-year 1991. These are subject to rounding error as the published figures are only readily available to the nearest thousand.

  It is not appropriate to make a direct comparison between the number of dwellings built between 1991 and 1996 and the projected number of households forming over that period, for two reasons. First, the household projections are not an estimate of the number of additional houses which have to be built in any period. Rather, they represent one of the factors to be taken into account by local planning authorities when arriving at figures for housing provision to be included in regional guidance and development plans. Secondly, the housebuilding figures do not include other sources of new dwellings such as conversions. Furthermore, the 1992-based household projections were not published until March 1995 and most county structure plans prepared since 1991 have used earlier household projections as the basis for planning housing provision.
  417

  Thousands

  Housebuilding

  Household projections—increase in households 1991–96

  1991–96

  1981-based

  1983-based

  1985-based

  1989-based

  1992-based

  Berkshire

  11.5

  23

  20

  19

  25

  24

  Buckinghamshire

  18.8

  21

  21

  24

  27

  23

  East Sussex

  10.9

  13

  5

  14

  17

  13

  Hampshire

  26.4

  27

  40

  45

  41

  36

  Isle of Wight

  1.9

  2

  1

  2

  2

  1

  Kent

  20.2

  23

  22

  27

  32

  27

  Oxfordshire

  12.9

  15

  11

  15

  21

  16

  Surrey

  14.4

  17

  17

  21

  12

  17

  West Sussex

  12.9

  18

  14

  17

  17

  14

  Avon

  13.9

  16

  10

  17

  19

  22

  Cornwall

  6.4

  9

  9

  11

  11

  11

  Devon

  16.7

  15

  17

  22

  27

  23

  Dorset

  13.0

  16

  13

  16

  19

  16

  Gloucestershire

  10.8

  9

  8

  10

  13

  13

  Somerset

  6.8

  10

  9

  10

  12

  12

  Wiltshire

  13.8

  10

  15

  17

  19

  18

  England

  753.5

  522

  544

  714

  874

  962

  Mr. Tom King
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which county councils have been written to by Ministers in respect of the housing numbers being proposed in structure plans. [18607]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Since the responsibility for adopting structure plans passed to local authorities, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has written to the following county councils in respect of proposed housing numbers in their plans:

  Bedfordshire

  Berkshire

  Cheshire

  Devon

  Dorset

  Hampshire

  Hertfordshire

  Kent

  Oxfordshire

  Somerset

  West Sussex

  Wiltshire.

  Mr. Tom King
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which county structure plans have been adopted with housing requirements lower than those set out in regional planning guidance. [18606]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Of the counties that have adopted their structure plans after the publication of the Regional Planning Guidance for the region concerned, two have adopted housing figures lower than those in the RPG. In both cases the differences were marginal. The counties concerned were Buckinghamshire (64,000 compared to an RPG figure of 65,340) and Surrey (35,600 compared to an RPG figure of 36,000).

  Local Government Finance
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the effect on local authority costs of inflation at 2.75 per cent. per annum during the period 1997–98 to 1999–2000. [18803]
  418
  Mr. Raynsford
  The impact of inflation on local authority costs would depend on the rate of increase in prices for the particular services and goods purchased by authorities.

  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list for 1998–99 the annual(a) SSA and (b) capping limit for Harrogate Borough Council for each year between 1990–91 and 1998–99. [19474]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Standard Spending Assessment and capping limit for Harrogate Borough Council for each year between 1990–91 and 1998–99 is as follows:

  £ million

  SSA

  Capping limit

  1990–911

  8.679

  —

  1991–922

  11.119

  15.000

  1992–93

  11.663

  15.000

  1993–94

  11.718

  15.234

  1994–95

  12.841

  15234

  1995–96

  12.594

  15.234

  1996–97

  11.867

  14.936

  1997–98

  11.853

  14.942

  1998–993

  12.925

  14.942

  1 Harrogate Borough Council was not given a capping limit.

  2 Harrogate Borough Council had a budget less than £15 million and under the capping regime of 1991–92 the cap limit was effectively 15 million.

  3 The 1998–99 SSA and capping limit are provisional.

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list for 1998–99 the proposed(a) revenue support grants and (b) standard spending assessments for (i) district councils and (ii) shire councils as a sum per head of their populations ranked and numbered in descending order. [19526]

  Mr. Raynsford
  As the tables showing the figures for shire districts and shire countries are lengthy, I have placed them in the Library.

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the percentage changes in(a) standard spending assessments and (b) revenue support grants for (i) shire

  419
  counties and (ii) district councils between the settlement for 1997–98 and the proposals for 1998–99, ranked and numbered in descending order. [19525]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The figures for shire counties and shire districts are shown in tables which I have placed in the Library. The 1997–98 figures for Revenue Support Grant and Standard Spending Assessments are not comparable with the provisional figures for 1998–99 because of changes in local authority functions (e.g. in relation to under-fives) and local government reorganisation (for 1998–99 this affects the county areas of Berkshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Devon, Essex, Hereford and Worcester/Worcestershire, Kent Lancashire, Nottinghamshire and Shropshire).

  Empty Council Properties
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many council properties in each of the London boroughs are empty; and how many have been empty for(a) up to six months, (b) up to one year and (c) over one year. [18581]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Local authorities in England report the numbers of their vacant dwellings at 1 April each year, together with the length of time they have been vacant, in their annual Housing Investment Programme (HIP1) returns. The latest available figures for the London boroughs relate to the position on 1 April 1996 and are given in the 1996 "HIP 1 All Items Print", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Air-Sea Rescue Service
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has for changes in the operation of, and what assessment he has made of future employment levels at, the air-sea rescue service from HMS Daedalus. [18881]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  HMS Daedalus was a former naval base and is where the Coastguard Agency leases accommodation for Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopter facilities from the Ministry of Defence. Following the announcement of HM Coastguard' s five-year strategy, there will be no change to the Coastguard helicopter provision at Portland and Lee-on-Solent. New five-year contracts have been let recently to Bristows Helicopters Ltd. for the provision of Coastguard (SAR) helicopters at both locations thus ensuring their continuing presence until at least 2002. There are no plans to relocate these major SAR resources. The crewing of these helicopters is a matter for the contractor.

  Heathrow Airport
  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will(a) obtain from BAA plc and (b) publish details of those flights which landed at or departed from Heathrow Airport between midnight and 7 am on Christmas morning 1996, indicating airline, aircraft, origin or destination and schedules and actual times of arrival and departure. [18995]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The information from Heathrow Airport Ltd. is as follows:420

  Arrivals

  Airline

  Aircraft

  Origin

  Actual time of arrival

  Due

  British Airways

  B747

  Hong Kong

  0417

  0425

  Virgin Atlantic

  A340

  Hong Kong

  0421

  0445

  British Airways

  B747

  Hong Kong

  0432

  0430

  British Airways

  B777

  Jeddah

  0503

  0520

  British Airways

  B777

  Boston

  0509

  0520

  British Airways

  B747

  Kuala Lumpur

  0512

  0520

  Singapore Airlines

  B747

  Singapore

  0516

  0530

  Lufthansa

  B737

  Bonn

  0520

  0520

  British Airways

  B747

  Singapore

  0526

  0535

  British Airways

  B747

  Delhi

  0533

  0510

  Cathay Pacific

  B747

  Hong Kong

  0536

  0515

  Qantas

  B747

  Singapore

  0538

  0530

  British Airways

  B747

  Bangkok

  0541

  0540

  British Airways

  B747

  Johannesburg

  0556

  0525

  British Airways

  B767

  Kuwait

  0603

  0620

  Malaysian Airlines

  B747

  Kuala Lumpur

  0606

  0555

  American Airlines

  B767

  New York

  0608

  0625

  United Airlines

  B777

  Newark

  0610

  0640

  United Airlines

  B777

  Washington DC

  0613

  0630

  American Airlines

  MD11

  Chicago

  0615

  0630

  Qantas

  B747

  Bangkok

  0617

  0625

  Royal Brunei Airlines

  B767

  Dubai

  0620

  0630

  Thai Airways

  B747

  Bangkok

  0621

  0620

  British Airways

  B747

  Buenos Aires

  0622

  0625

  Japan Airlines

  B747

  Anchorage

  0624

  0605

  Virgin Atlantic

  A340

  Washington DC

  0626

  0645

  British Airways

  B747

  Singapore

  0627

  0620

  British Airways

  B747

  New York

  0629

  0655

  British Airways

  B767

  Bahrain

  0631

  0640

  Canadian

  B767

  Toronto

  0633

  0625

  United Airlines

  B767

  New York

  0635

  0655

  Air Canada

  B767

  Montreal

  0637

  0645

  British Airways

  B747

  Bombay

  0639

  0650

  United Airlines

  B767

  Delhi

  0642

  0650

  American Airlines

  B767

  New York

  0643

  0650

  United Airlines

  B767

  Chicago

  0645

  0710

  Virgin Atlantic

  B747

  New York

  0648

  0710

  Pakistan International Airlines

  B747

  Lahore

  0650

  0625

  Air Canada

  B747

  Toronto

  0656

  0650

  Kenya Airways

  A310

  Rome

  0700

  0640

  Of these landings, all those between midnight and 0600 counted against the movements limit and against the noise quota, in accordance with the night flying restrictions. There were no departures between midnight and 7 am.

  Tyne and Wear Fire and Civil Defence Authority
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action he will take to ensure that the Tyne and Wear Fire and Civil Defence Authority has sufficient funds to meet(a) its statutory duties and (b) its minimum recommended standard of service in 1998–99; and if he will make a statement. [18989]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Statutory responsibility rests with the Tyne and Wear Fire and Civil Defence Authority to set a budget which will allow it to meet its statutory duties and maintain the national standards of fire cover. As part of the provisional local government finance settlement, announced by the Deputy Prime Minister on 2 December,
  421
  the Authority will be able to increase its budget requirement for 1998–99 by up to £1.736 million (4.5 per cent.)

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects work on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link(a) to begin and (b) to be completed; and if he will make a statement on negotiations concerning the construction of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. [19236]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Under the Development Agreement with the Government, London and Continental Railways (LCR) are contracted to complete the Channel Tunnel Rail Link within five and a half years of raising finance for the project. LCR say that this is planned for around mid-1998, that they are currently discussing related proposals with a number of parties and that main construction should begin next April.

  Railtrack
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he last met the Chief Executive of Railtrack; and how often he(a) has met the Chief Executive and (b) officials in his Department have met officials of Railtrack. [19223]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has met the Chief Executive of Railtrack once, on 30 October. Officials from the Department meet Railtrack officials frequently to discuss various railways issues.

  Mobile Phones
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to prohibit the use of mobile phones by drivers in charge of their vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [19465]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The police can and do prosecute motorists using mobile phones for failing to have proper control of a vehicle, careless and inconsiderate driving or other more serious offences where appropriate. The Association of Chief Police Officers considers that existing road traffic legislation is sufficient to deal with cases arising from the use of a mobile phone while driving.

  Our aim is to persuade motorists not to use phones while driving. One of the principal changes proposed in the recent consultation on the new edition of the Highway Code was a strengthening of the advice on this issue. We are drawing up good practice guidelines for drivers and for employers; and are considering what other measures may be necessary to reinforce the advice in the Highway Code.

  Discharges to Water
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many discharges to water in excess of permitted limits were 422
  identified by the Environment Agency in 1996; how many prosecutions resulted; how many were successful; and what penalties were applied. [18683]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 4 December 1997]: The number of discharges which exceeded their consented limits in 1996 was 3,448. Inevitably, this headline figure disguises a considerable range of cases from marginal exceedances to substantial failures. The Agency brought 18 prosecutions under section 85(6) of the Water Resources Act 1991 for breaches of consent in 1996. All were successful and the fines imposed ranged from £450 to £10,000. However, the majority of prosecutions brought by the Agency are for the general offence of causing water pollution under section 85(1) of the 1991 Act. Some of these cases may also be attributable to a consented discharge. One of the reasons for the low number of prosecutions in relation to breaches of consent is that, on being notified of a failed sample, most dischargers take prompt action to remedy matters. In other cases, the Environment Agency may issue a formal caution.

  Car Parking
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many car park spaces are provided for his Department's(a) Ministers, (b) employees and (c) visitors in (i) London and (ii) the United Kingdom. [19366]

  Mr. Raynsford
  My Department provides the following car parking spaces:

  London

  United Kingdom

  (a) Ministers

  9

  0

  (b) Employees

  405

  5,406

  (c) Visitors

  204

  1.242

  Slurry Lagoons
  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his Department's policy on the requirement for a site investigation covering the hydraulic properties of soil, subsoil and bedrock as a prerequisite to the granting of permission for slurry lagoons in areas of high groundwater vulnerability. [19120]

  Angela Eagle
  Any person having custody or control of slurry must store it in accordance with the requirements of the Control of Pollution (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) Regulations 1991. Slurry storage systems covered by the regulations include lagoons. The regulations require the base and walls of any effluent tank, channels and reception pit and the walls of any pipes to be impermeable. The regulations do not require a site investigation to be undertaken. However, no part of the storage tank, any effluent tank, channels, pipes or reception pit is to be situated within 10 metres of any inland freshwater which slurry could enter if it were to escape unless this has been agreed by the Environment Agency on the basis of suitable precautions to avoid any significant risk of pollution of controlled waters. The Department has issued general guidance to farmers on the regulations. The Code of Good Agricultural Practice for
  423
  the protection of water issued by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food also contains advice to farmers in respect of slurry storage.

  Carbon Dioxide Emissions
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the Government's target for a 20 per cent. reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010 is contingent upon the carbon dioxide emission targets of other countries; and if he will make a statement. [19264]

  Angela Eagle
  Our domestic aim is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to 20 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2010. After Kyoto we will be launching a national debate on how we might move over time towards this level of reduction. However, this is not an offer to take on a legally binding target of 20 per cent. regardless of the commitments other countries are prepared to make. In Kyoto we are supporting the EU proposal that all developed countries should reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases to 15 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2010.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reasons the Government is awaiting the outcome of the Kyoto environment conference before setting out the measures which will be taken to achieve its 20 per cent. carbon dioxide reduction target; and if he will make a statement. [19263]

  Angela Eagle
  As a first stage, we will consult next year on a programme of measures which will largely focus on delivering our legally binding commitment from Kyoto. We will also launch a national debate on how we might move over time towards our 20 per cent. aim. Our programme must take account of decisions reached at Kyoto, including those on targets, policies and measures, and the scope for using instruments such as emissions trading and joint implementation. It must also reflect the outcome of a number of policy reviews in progress, such as on renewable energy and development of an integrated transport policy.

  Bicycles
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the depreciation associated with the average use of an average bicycle. [18791]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I have been asked to reply.

  Tax relief for depreciation on the cost of a bicycle used for the purposes of a business or employment is available through capital allowances at 25 per cent. per year. The allowance is adjusted for any private use.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total public expenditure in each district council area in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years. [18933]
  424
  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The information requested is not available. Public expenditure allocations are generally not recorded by District Council area.

  Planning Application (Portadown)
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with regard to the application for planning permission for land to the south of No. 68 Mahon Road, Portadown, made on 28 July 1996 (N/96/0564), what were the original observations of the Roads Service when consulted by the Planning Service; what previous applications were made in respect of that land; what was the outcome of such applications; and what were the reasons for refusal. [18958]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Planning Service under its chief executive, Mr. T. W. Stewart. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from H. S. McKay to Mr. David Trimble, dated 5 December 1997:
  The Secretary of State has asked Mr. T. W. Stewart, Chief Executive of the Planning Service, to reply to your recent Question about a planning application for land to the south of No. 68 Mahon Road, Portadown (N/96/0564). I am responding on Mr. Stewart's absence on annual leave.
  The Roads Service was formally consulted about this planning application on 9 September 1996 and in its consultation response to the Planning Service of 10 February 1997 commented as follows:
  "Safety and Convenience of Traffic
  Roads Service has no objection to this application. The access must be located close to the southern end of the site to provide adequate forward visibility on Mahon Road. The existing footway along the site frontage must be widened to 1.8m"
  On foot of Roads Service advice a condition and informative relating to sight distances and access were included in the decision notice.
  The Planning Service has no record of any previous applications having been made in respect of this land.
  I do hope this clarifies the position.

  Departmental Pay
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the lowest hourly rate paid by her Department to(a) full-time employees, (b) part-time employees, (c) persons employed under personal contract and (d) persons employed by firms undertaking contracted-out services for central government offices, defining the job title in each case. [18106]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  [holding answer 2 December 1997]: For the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments, the information is as follows:

  Hourly rate (£)

  Job title

  (a)

  3.27

  Administrative Assistant

  (b)

  3.27

  Part-time Administrative Assistant

  (c)

  3.42

  Typist

  (d)

  1—

  —

  1 Information is not readily available.

  Republic of Ireland
  Mr. Robert McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to her answer of 25 July 1997,Official Report, column 773, on the Irish Government's territorial claim to Northern Ireland, what steps her Department has taken subsequently to establish confidence-building measures in respect of the Irish constitutional claim to Northern Ireland. [18934]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  Constitutional issues have been discussed by the two Governments in meetings as part of the talks process. The Government have always made clear their view that there is a need for amendments to relevant constitutional legislation, reflecting the widespread support which exists for the consent principle in all its aspects.

  The Government remain of the view, expressed by the Prime Minister in his speech in Northern Ireland on 16 May, that changes to the Irish constitution to reflect the principle of consent would be a helpful confidence-building step in advance of any settlement.

  Miss Mildred McIlveen
  Mr. Robert McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make it her policy to permit Miss Mildred McIlveen to purchase her Housing Executive flat at 24c Ardgeehan Gardens, Bangor; and if she will make a statement on long term residency and purchase rules. [18935]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The House Sales Scheme operated by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive broadly mirrors the Right to Buy scheme operated by housing authorities in England and Wales. Its operation is a matter for the Executive's Chief Executive and it would be improper for me to intervene. The Chief Executive informs me that the period of residency in Executive or other social housing determines the percentage discount that a tenant may qualify for, against the valuation price of the house. The basic rules for purchase are that, with certain exceptions, tenants may purchase the dwelling they are living in. The exceptions are sheltered dwellings and those dwellings considered suitable for the elderly, the rationale being that there is constant demand for these properties and it is likely to increase. In the case of dwellings considered suitable for the elderly, such dwellings are single storey properties and ground floor accommodation with no more than two bedrooms and which have been let to, or are for, someone over age 60. Where a dwelling was let to someone over 60 at the time

  Company name

  Divisional Planning Office

  Belfast

  Craigavon

  Ballymena

  Downpatrick

  Omagh

  Londonderry

  Cabletel

  1(0)

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Vodafone

  0

  1(1)

  0

  0

  1(1)

  0

  Orange PCS

  0

  4(0)

  11(7)

  7(0)

  9(4)

  12(5)

  Millennium Communications

  0

  1(1)

  1(1)

  0

  2

  0

  Telecom Securior Radio

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2(1)

  0

  Castle Transmission

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2(1)

  3(2)

  Teleport (NI) Ltd.

  0

  0

  2(1)

  0

  0

  0

  Others

  5(2)

  1(1)

  2(2)

  3(3)

  1(1)

  1(1)

  Total

  6(2)

  7(3)

  16(11)

  10(3)

  17(8)

  16(8)

  Figures refer to planning applications for all types of telecommunications equipment.

  ( ) Refer to numbers approved.

  I do hope this is helpful.
  426
  when the tenancy began, the successor in title may not buy the dwelling. If, in very exceptional circumstances, a dwelling considered suitable for the elderly is let to someone less than age 60, the house is not exempted from the House Sales Scheme.

  Chief Executive of the Housing Executive has advised me that there are no plans to change the House Sales Scheme as it applies to exempted properties.

  Telecommunications Masts
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if she will list the telecommunications masts which have been erected without the benefit of planning permission due to permitted development rights; [18129]

  (2) on how many occasions the Department of the Environment Planning Service has withdrawn permitted development rights in respect of the erection of telecommunications masts; and what were the locations of these masts; [18130]

  (3) how many applications for planning permission for telecommunications masts have been made to each of the divisional planning offices since 1 April; what applications were approved; what are the locations of these masts; and how many have been erected. [18196]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  Responsibility for these matters has been delegated to the Planning Service under its Chief Executive, Mr. T. W. Stewart. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from M. S. McKay to Mr. Eddie McGrady, dated 5 December 1997:
  The Secretary of State has asked Mr. T. W. Stewart, Chief Executive of the Planning Service, to reply to your recent Questions about the erection of telecommunications masts throughout Northern Ireland. I am responding on Mr. Stewart's absence on annual leave.
  The Planning Service does not hold records of the number of telecommunications masts actually erected. However, I can say that since 1994 there have been 236 requests for determinations as to whether telecommunications equipment of various types could be erected under the permitted development, of which 203 requests were confirmed 7 were not permitted development, and the remainder are currently outstanding. Once confirmed that a proposal is permitted development, there is no time-scale laid down within which it has to be erected. To date, the Department has withdrawn the permitted development rights in respect of one telecommunications mast in the Downpatrick area.
  As regards the number of planning applications submitted and approved for telecommunications masts since 1 April 1997, the information is not readily available in the precise form requested. The available information is as follows:

  Departmental Accounting Systems (Payment)
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list each of the functions relating to payment for goods or services supplied for which her Department is responsible indicating the management systems purchased, all sub-contractors involved in the work, co-operative arrangements with other Departments; and the costs of the systems and processes in the last year for which figures are available. [12555]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The Departments of Agriculture, of Economic Development, of Environment and Health and of Social Services use accounts systems based on Oracle Financials software. All these Departments use ICL CFM as sub-contractors and have a basic overall maintenance contract costing around £830,000. The Department of Health and Social Services in addition employed Deloitte Touche and the Helm Corporation in the implementation of the system.

  The Department of Education use McDonnell Douglas "Reality" system operating CAFIS software with an annual maintenance cost of £14,000.

  The Department of Finance and Personnel use IFMIS Financial System maintained by McDonnell Douglas at a cost of £11,000.

  The Northern Ireland Office use the Integra Accounting Package, Sage Sovereign Accruals Package from Microcare (NI) Ltd, a Selima Purchase Ledger from Sanderson and a package where payments are made via payable order, BACS or occasionally a tele-banking facility.

TREASURY

  Teachers (Tax Relief)
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what relief from taxation was allowed to teachers in 1995–96 in respect of claims for(a) books and (b) computer software. [18558]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 1 December 1997]: Teachers may claim a deduction for income tax purposes for books and computer software if these expenses are incurred wholly, exclusively and necessarily in the performance of the duties of their employment. Although Tax Offices establish what deductions are valid in relation to the individual's employment, information on the numbers and amounts claimed for particular types of employment is not routinely collected. The amount of deductions claimed for particular items by teachers is not, therefore, available.

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amount of tax relief was claimed by teachers in 1995–96 for professional association fees. [18557]

  Dawn Primarole
  [holding answer 1 December 1997]: Teachers may claim a deduction for income tax purposes for annual subscriptions paid to certain approved professional bodies or learned societies, where the body's activities are relevant to the duties of their employment. Although the Tax Offices establish that any deductions are valid in relation to the individual's employment, information on the numbers and amounts claimed for
  428
  particular types of employment is not routinely collected. The amount of deductions claimed by teachers is, therefore, not available.

  VAT (Health Service)
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the annual cost to(a) the NHS and (b) social services of the Value Added Tax (Drugs, Medicines and Aids for the Handicapped) Order 1997. [18641]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 3 December 1997]: The NHS and Local Authorities are funded to take account of VAT. The Order seeks to close tax avoidance arrangements.

  Charity Shops
  Mr. Green
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes he is planning to the VAT status and business rate status of charity shops; and if he will make a statement. [18996]

  Dawn Primarolo
  A Review of Charities' Taxation was announced in the July Budget. Since then charities have been giving their views and proposals to Customs and Excise, who are now analysing them. We expect to publish a consultation document in Spring 1998.

  The Department of the Environment, Transport, and the Regions is also considering the issue of business rates reliefs for charity shops as part of their Review of Local Authority Finance. A consultation document is due to be published shortly.

  Insurance Premium Tax
  Mr. Green
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reform insurance premium tax; and if he will make a statement. [18997]

  Dawn Primarolo
  As with all taxes, insurance premium tax is kept under review and changes will be made if and when appropriate.

  Smuggling
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is taking to eliminate the smuggling into the United Kingdom of goods which are subject to substantially lower rates of duty and taxation in other parts of the European Union; and what representations he has received from proprietors of convenience stores on those measures. [19204]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The number of front-line Customs staff to deal with Single Market Excise smuggling has been significantly increased in the last 15 months. An extra 70 have been allocated throughout the country under the Spend to Save initiative. In addition, a further 30, backed up by specialist investigation officers, are currently being deployed at Dover to intensify the drive against illegal trade. Customs announced new measures on 26 September 1997 to crack down on hired vehicles used for smuggling.

  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor announced in his Budget a review of the effects on the Exchequer and the industry of alcohol and tobacco fraud, smuggling and cross-border shopping. The review, which is being

  429
  conducted in partnership with all the trade sectors concerned and with key Government Departments, will be completed by the end of the year.

  I have received a number of representations on this subject from businesses and members of the public; the records do not separately distinguish those from proprietors of convenience stores.

  Family Tax Credit
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the proposed working family tax credit will(a) be available only to families with dependent children and (b) only benefit those who currently have zero tax liabilities. [19031]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 4 December 1997]: The Government are considering all options.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the proposed working family tax credit will be withdrawn as income rises. [19032]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 4 December 1997]: The working families tax credit could provide a highly effective way of targeting help at low-income families. The Government are considering all the options for its potential design and delivery.

  Child carers
  Audrey Wise
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much time the young people who are to be trained as child carers under his proposals will spend on that training in hours per week and over what period of time; and to what level they will be trained. [18824]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  I have been asked to reply. Under the New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds, young people undertaking training as child carers through the Full Time Education and Training option will spend up to 12 months in full-time study towards approved qualifications at NVQ Level 2 or, exceptionally, NVQ Level 3. Those undertaking training through the Employment or Voluntary Sector options will study for a minimum of the equivalent of one day per week, for up to 6 months, towards approved qualifications at NVQ Level 2 or, if appropriate, Level 3.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Higher Education
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to encourage young people to enter higher education and to complete their courses. [18798]

  Mr. Byers
  The Government's approach to raising school standards, exemplified by our School Standards and Framework Bill, is designed to raise educational achievement. While there are other factors influencing the participation of young people in higher education, achievement of the required entry qualifications is by far the most significant.

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the estimated cost of 430
  preparing, printing and publishing his Department's communications which have been sent to educational institutions explaining the Government's policies on higher education. [19506]

  Dr. Howells
  The cost, since 1 May 1997, of preparing, printing and publishing communications explaining the Government's policies on higher education is £64,500.

  UK universities and colleges have traditionally achieved high retention rates and we see no reason for this changing. Research evidence suggests there are several reasons why students drop out of higher education and it is primarily for universities and colleges, through appropriate support, counselling and advice both before and after admission, to address these.

  We expect our plans to introduce a fairer system of financial support for students will help encourage young people to participate, and subsequently complete their courses, in higher education.

  Summer Literacy Schools
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment his Department has made of the effect of this year's summer literacy schools on the reading standards of the pupils who participated. [19505]

  Mr. Byers
  The Department published its assessment of the effect of this year's Summer Literacy Schools scheme in a summary report published on 20 November. A copy is in the Library.

  Students (Benefits)
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if students attending further education colleges as part of the New Deal programme will continue to receive social security benefits. [19524]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  Participants on the Full-Time Education and Training Option of the New Deal for young people aged 18 to 24 will receive an allowance equivalent to their usual Jobseeker's Allowance payments, and will retain entitlement to any passported benefits.

  Young people in the other three New Deal options may attend a further education college part-time, under the education and training element of those options. Participants in the Employment option will be paid a wage. Those in the Environment Task Force and Voluntary Sector Options will receive either a wage or an allowance equivalent to their usual benefits plus a grant amounting to £15.38 per week, plus any passported benefits to which they are entitled.

  Car Parking
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many car park spaces are provided for his Department's(a) Ministers, (b) employees and (c) visitors in (i) London and (ii) the United Kingdom. [19367]
  431
  Dr. Howells
  Car park spaces used by the Department for Education and Employment are detailed in the table.

  Ministers

  Employees

  Visitors

  Total

  DfEE London HQ

  6

  40

  7

  53

  DfEE HQ Outside London

  Nil

  703

  109

  812

  Employment Service (ES)

  Nil

  7,200

  7,200

  Total

  6

  743

  116

  8,065

  ES figure includes 200 spaces in central London.

  Compulsory Retirement
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his Department's policy on compulsory retirement ages for its employees. [19507]

  Dr. Howells
  The normal retirement age for all staff in this Department is 60. Some staff may be retained past age 60, but only if they are fit and efficient and there is a need for their service.

  Class Sizes
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on his decision to compel St. Andrew's GM Church of England Primary School, Weeley, Essex, to take an extra pupil into their year I class; and what is his policy in circumstances when such enrolments result in class sizes of over 30. [19490]

  Mr. Byers
  The Government have pledged to reduce class sizes for all five, six or seven-year-olds to 30 or below. We will achieve this by the end of the Parliament. The School Standards and Framework Bill will impose a duty on LEAs and schools to comply with class size limits prescribed by the Secretary of State. Until such limits come into force, there may continue to be circumstances in which infant class sizes exceed 30. This may, very occasionally, follow a direction under section 431 of the Education Act 1996. In the case of St. Andrew's School in Weeley, the Secretary of State decided that the LEA's direction should stand.

  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what target date he has set for every child aged between five and seven years to be taught in a class of 30 pupils or fewer. [19182]

  Mr. Byers
  We shall honour our pledge to reduce class sizes to 30 or below for every five, six and seven year-old by the end of this Parliament.

  New Deal
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many young people aged between 18 and 24 years, unemployed for over six months, will benefit from the new deal in the first year of operation. [19134]
  432
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  It is not possible to provide precise estimates of the total numbers of young people who will require help from the New Deal. In its first year, we will offer to help everyone who becomes eligible for the New Deal, and sufficient places will be available to meet this commitment.

  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of the new deal resources for education and training he expects to be allocated to the further education sector. [19192]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  FE Colleges will have the opportunity to bid for well over £100 million-worth of New Deal resources next year.

  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what action he will take to ensure that unemployed adults participating in the new deal will be able to continue their training beyond NVQ Level 2 or equivalent. [18992]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The Full-Time Education and Training Option in the New Deal for unemployed people aged 18 to 24 is primarily aimed at helping young people who do not hold qualifications at or above N/SVQ2 or equivalent. In circumstances where it will clearly enhance their employability, young people who already hold Level 2 qualifications will be able to work towards a higher level qualification. Under the education and training element of the other three options, participants will pursue an approved qualification, which might be at NVQ Level 3, or equivalent, if appropriate.

  The education and training element of the New Deal for adults will allow the long-term unemployed to study on full-time employment related courses for qualifications broadly up to NVQ3 level for up to a year while receiving Jobseeker's Allowance.

  School Classroom Technicians
  Mr. Sawford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people are currently employed as school classroom technicians. [18128]

  Mr. Byers
  The available information is shown in the table.

  Full-time equivalent numbers of education support staff in schools in England: January 1997

  Technicians1

  Nursery

  n/a

  Primary

  n/a

  Middle

  173

  Secondary

  12,420

  Special2

  256

  Pupil Referral unit

  n/a

  City Technology Colleges

  143

  Independent

  n/a

  n/a = not available.

  1 Includes laboratory assistants/technicians, design technology assistants/technicians (including home economics assistants, craft technicians), IT technicians.

  2 Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Immigration Service
  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many telephone lines are in service at Lunar House; and how many telephone operators are on duty during daytime working hours. [18397]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  [holding answer 4 November 1997]: There are 162 telephone lines connecting either to an operator, or to a recorded message or directly to a member of staff. Of these, 28 are to the Telephone Inquiry Bureau which is staffed by an average of 20 staff on weekdays from 9am (10am Thursday) to 4.45pm (4.30pm Friday). The precise number of operators depends upon the demands of the Public Inquiry Office, with which staffing is shared.

  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what studies he has carried out into improving the Immigration Service by decentralising immigration control functions to offices outside London. [18398]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  [holding answer 4 November 1997]: Fewer than half the staff of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate work at the Croydon headquarters. The rest are at locations around the United Kingdom including sea and airports, enforcement offices, detention centres, presenting officer units and the Nationality office in Liverpool. The use of accommodation is kept under review but in present circumstances significant shifts of work away from Croydon are unlikely to be cost effective.

  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints have been received regarding accessibility of the Immigration Service at Lunar House by telephone in the last 12 months. [18395]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  [holding answer 4 November 1997]: This information is not collated centrally. The Telephone Inquiry Bureau received 13 complaints.

  Computers (Century Date Change)
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contingency measures he has established against failures in millennium compliance in each emergency service. [19197]

  Mr. Straw
  [holding answer 4 November 1997]: It is the responsibility of each police force and fire brigade to ensure that its information technology and communications systems are Year 2000 compliant.

  The Police Information Technology Organisation (PITO) is co-ordinating the police response to the millennium problem. PITO has issued a guide to the police which provides a blueprint for action and has also held two conferences this year to disseminate best practice. A national electronic police bulletin-board is regularly updated to provide on-going advice and guidance to forces. Forces are engaging their information technology (IT) suppliers to ensure their local systems will be complaint and are also writing to other organisations in their area, whose millennium compliance may be crucial to police operations, to seek assurance that those systems will be ready. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary is monitoring the progress of forces
  434
  during its regular inspections. The Police National Computer, which is operated by PITO, will be compliant by early 1999.

  In the case of the fire service, discussions have been held with the relevant fire service committees and central guidance, in the form of a Home Office Circular, will be issued to brigades later this month. Her Majesty's Fire Service Inspectorate will also be monitoring progress within brigades.

  If, during its audit of IT systems, a force or brigade establishes that there is a problem which cannot be, or is unlikely to be resolved before the millennium, it will be expected to establish contingency plans to ensure the continued integrity of its emergency service.

  I have placed a copy of the guidance issued by PITO in the Library. A copy of the Home Office circular to chief fire officers will also be placed in the Library as soon as it is published.

  The contingency arrangements made by the Coastguard Agency and the ambulance service are a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions and for Health respectively.

  MI5
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances MI5 is permitted to determine that a file is not suitable for Ministerial eyes. [18685]

  Mr. Straw
  [holding answer 4 November 1997]: By virtue of section 2(2)(a) of the Security Service Act 1989, the Director General of the Security Service is under a duty to ensure that there are arrangements in place for securing that no information is disclosed by the Service except so far as is necessary for the proper discharge of its functions, for the purpose of preventing or detecting serious crime or for the purpose of any criminal proceedings. The Director General must have regard to these provisions in deciding what information in the possession of the Service should be disclosed to persons or organisations outside the Service.

  Group 4
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 13 November 1997,Official Report, column 647, if he will list those former Home Office officials and Prison Service staff who have taken paid employment with Group 4 Prison and Court Services Ltd. after leaving his Department; and if he will list all their former responsibilities within his Department. [17770]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 25 November 1997]: We now understand from Group 4 Prison and Court Services Ltd. that they have employed a total of 40 former Prison Service employees. This includes 14 former governor grades, not 20 as previously stated in my answer to a Question from the right hon. Member on 13 November 1997, official Report, column 647, and two Psychologists. The remainder were either prison officers of differing grades and specialisms, or prison auxiliaries.
  435
  It is not general policy to mention officials or former officials by name.

  Details of posts held by former officials are not kept centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Prison Service (Health Care)
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he intends to take to enable health care staff in prisons to develop the skills of practice as community nurses; and if he will make a statement. [19294]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 5 November 1997]: The Prison Service supports the training and development of nurses through a variety of health-related training programmes including England National Boards courses, National Vocational Qualifications, diplomas and university degrees in health care. Prison health care centres have developed and continue to develop close links with community nursing teams in local National Health Service Trusts and General Practitioner practices, contributing to the development of community nursing skills of prison health care staff, along the more formal training courses.

  Prison Suicides
  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases involving suicides in prison establishments in the last 10 years the families of victims have sought compensation from the Prison Service; and in which cases compensation has been paid. [18842]

  Ms Quin
  Centrally available records do not provide information in the form required. This could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Algerians have sought asylum in the United Kingdom in 1997 to date; and how many have been(a) granted and (b) refused asylum. [18964]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Decisions on applications1,2 for asylum in the United Kingdom from Algerian nationals, excluding dependants, in 1997 to date (January to October)

  Number of principal applicants

  Asylum applications

  545

  Total decisions3

  710

  Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum

  80

  Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave to remain4

  *

  Total refusals

  630

  1 Figures rounded to the nearest 5 with "*" = 1 or 2.

  2 Provisional figures.

  3 Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the period.

  4 Usually granted for a year in the first instance, subject then to further review.

  436
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress is being made with the review of asylum seekers procedures. [18929]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The review team has made substantial progress and will shortly start drafting its report. Proposals will be submitted to Ministers in the new year.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) men and (b) women were being held on rule 43 in prisons in England and Wales on 1 November. [18961]

  Ms Quin
  The available provisional information is for 31 October 1997. On that date, the number of inmates held on Prison Rule 43 or Young Offender Institution Rule 46 were:

  Good order and discipline

  Own protection

  Males

  468

  1,297

  Females

  8

  28

  Total

  476

  1,325

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the age profile of prison inmates in England and Wales. [18960]

  Ms Quin
  The information requested is as follows:

  Population in prisons in England and Wales on 31 October 1997: by, age1

  Age

  Number

  15–17

  2,451

  18–20

  7,659

  21–24

  11,808

  25–29

  13,753

  30–39

  17,184

  40–49

  6,528

  50–59

  2,880

  60 and over

  963

  Total

  63,226

  1 Provisional figures.

  Citizenship Applications
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for British nationality are under consideration by his Department. [18962]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  As at 30 November 1997, there were 75,015 applications for British citizenship awaiting determination, of which 35,518 were at various stages of consideration.

  Stonnall Road Bail Hostel
  Mr. Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out the legal costs incurred by the West Midlands Probation Committee in its unsuccessful challenge, in the High Court and the Court of Appeal, to the decision of the Planning Inspector not to grant permission to extend the Stonnall Road Bail Hostel. [18877]
  437
  Ms Quin
  The legal costs incurred by the West Midlands Probation Committee in the High Court were £21,000. Provisional estimates are that the costs incurred in the Court of Appeal will be in the region of £13,000, to which any legal costs incurred by the Crown in the appeal would be added.

  Gloucester Prison
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons funding has been withdrawn from the job focus courses at HMP Gloucester; and what alternative provision will be made available for inmates who are about to be released. [18928]

  Ms Quin
  Job focus courses run at Gloucester prison and other prisons in England and Wales are funded by the Employment Service of the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE). A decision was made a year ago to cease funding for these courses and concentrate resources on people already in the labour market.

  The current contract for the provision of the job focus course at Gloucester prison, involving a prison officer and a tutor from Gloucester College of Art and Technology, will cease on 31 March 1998. The governor of Gloucester prison will maintain the job focus club by continuing the involvement of the prison officer but does not have the resources available to replace the funding from DfEE for the tutor.

  Help for ex-offenders from Employment Services will be available nationally through a number of measures including:

  specialist advice and guidance from Employment Service staff to ex-offenders about their jobsearch;

  allowing time spent in custody to count towards eligibility for Employment Service programmes;

  maintaining Employment Service contact with prison authorities at local level to provide advice on programmes and services as part of a pre-release programme;

  allowing prison staff to attend Jobclub leader training courses (where places are available) without charge;

  continuing the availability of Jobclubs in prisons where all parties consider them to be useful.

  National Hunt Racing
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the problems facing National Hunt racing; and if he will make a statement. [17991]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The Government have not carried out their own assessment. We have seen the British Horseracing Board's assessment of the impact a hunting ban would have on National Hunt racing. There will be an opportunity to discuss this during the Committee Stage of the Wild Mammals (Hunting with Dogs) Bill.

  Car Parking
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many car park spaces are provided for his Department's(a) Ministers, (b) employees and (c) visitors in (i) London and (ii) the United Kingdom. [19372]
  438
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The Home Office Central London Estate, which comprises six buildings, has a total of 155 car park spaces. Ministerial vehicles are parked in the outside courtyard of the Home Office. No other spaces are normally provided for Ministers. Eighteen are reserved for staff with medical or child care needs. The remainder are used for staff, visitors and contractors as appropriate to their needs. Figures for the rest of the Home Office estate could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Immigration
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by nationality the(a) men and (b) women who were being held in custody in England and Wales under immigration laws on 1 November. [18963]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The available information on persons held in detention in England and Wales under immigration powers as at 31 October 1997, but nationality and gender, is given in tables 1 and 2.

  Table 1: Males recorded as being in detention1,2 under Immigration Act powers in England and Wales, by nationality as at 31 October 19973

  Nationality

  Total detainees

  Afghanistan

  4

  Albania

  6

  Algeria

  57

  Angola

  13

  Bangladesh

  21

  Bulgaria

  10

  Burundi

  2

  Chile

  2

  China

  25

  Colombia

  9

  Cyprus

  12

  Czech Republic4

  26

  Democratic Republic of Congo5

  8

  Ecuador

  8

  Egypt

  2

  France

  2

  Gambia

  12

  Ghana

  34

  Greece

  3

  Guyana

  2

  India

  123

  Iran

  10

  Iraq

  3

  Israel

  2

  Ivory Coast

  7

  Jamaica

  29

  Kenya

  16

  Lebanon

  7

  Liberia

  6

  Libya

  4

  Morocco

  6

  Nepal

  2

  Netherlands

  3

  Nigeria

  88

  Pakistan

  73

  Palestine

  2

  Poland

  2

  Romania

  18

  Sierra Leone

  4

  Slovakia

  22

  Somalia

  3

  South Africa

  4

  Spain

  2

  Sri Lanka

  14

  St. Lucia

  3

  Sudan

  5

  Tanzania

  3

  Tunisia

  3

  439

  Table 1: Males recorded as being in detention1,2 under Immigration Act powers in England and Wales, by nationality as at 31 October 19973

  Nationality

  Total detainees

  Turkey

  34

  Uganda

  3

  USA

  3

  Venezuela

  2

  Former USSR

  18

  Former Yugoslavia

  17

  Stateless6 and Nationality Doubtful

  7

  Other

  25

  Total

  831

  1 Persons detained in prisons or immigration detention centres.

  2 Excluding persons detained in police cells.

  3 The data are provisional.

  4 Figures for the Czech Republic may include persons holding Czechoslovakian passports.

  5 Formerly Zaire.

  6 Excluding Palestine and Hong Kong stateless persons.

  Table 2: Females recorded as being in detention1,2 under Immigration Act powers in England and Wales, by nationality, as at 31 October 19973

  Nationality

  Total detainees

  Angola

  5

  Colombia

  2

  Czech Republic4

  2

  Ghana

  6

  Jamaica

  11

  Kenya

  4

  Nigeria

  18

  USA

  2

  Other5

  20

  Total

  70

  1 Persons detained in prisons or immigration detention centres.

  2 Excluding persons detained in police cells.

  3 The data are provisional.

  4 Figures for the Czech Republic may include persons holding Czechoslovakian passports.

  5 The category "Other" includes persons whose nationality is doubtful or for whom no nationality is recorded.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Know How Fund
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is the total budget of the Know How Fund. [19555]

  Clare Short
  We plan to spend £89 million on Know How Fund programmes in 1997–99.

  Strategic Defence Review
  Sir Alastair Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's contribution to the Strategic Defence Review. [17745]

  Clare Short
  I had a very interesting and constructive meeting with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Sir Charles Guthrie, which covered a number of subjects of mutual interest, and plan to meet the Secretary of State for Defence later this month.
  440
  We have been consulted on the Strategic Defence Review and continue to participate in the discussions and seminars. DFID has participated as a member of the Defence Review Steering Group chaired by the Cabinet Office, and in more detailed discussions of particular issues. These include consideration of the Government's wider international responsibilities, particularly in relation to the maintenance of peace, international order and stability, humanitarian principles and democratic rights. Particular issues of interest to us include:
  Disaster preparedness;
  international conflict prevention and peacekeeping;
  humanitarian relief and reconstruction—DFID and MOD have collaborated on peacebuilding in Bosnia;
  controlling arms exports;
  anti-personnel landmines—co-ordination of resources to focus better military expertise in demining sector, including adaptation of existing technologies to the specific needs of humanitarian demining and the provision of training facilities;
  military training and promoting civilian control of the armed forces in developing countries—Work in this field can make a significant contribution to our efforts to promote good governance and the rule of law and in curbing excessive military expenditure in poor countries;
  the respective roles and responsibilities of individual countries and international organisations in emergency situations and areas of conflict; and how we can work together;
  sharing relevant experience and expertise;
  developing regional and local capacity in peace building and conflict management.

DEFENCE

  Car Parking
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many car park spaces are provided for his Department's(a) Ministers, (b) employees and (c) visitors in (i) London and (ii) the United Kingdom. [19365]

  Mr. Spellar
  This information is not held centrally and could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

  Service Personnel (Compensation)
  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to review the arrangements for compensating service personnel for death or injury due to service. [20025]

  Dr. Reid
  The Government share a number of concerns about the anomalous and complex nature of the current arrangements for paying compensation to Service personnel who are killed, injured or suffer serious illness as a result of their service. Experience from the Gulf conflict and operations in Bosnia underline the need for arrangements which properly reflect the special nature of the commitment which Service men and women make to the defence of our country.

  We have therefore decided there should be a comprehensive review of the arrangements for compensating Service personnel (or their dependants) and for the payment of death and invaliding pension benefits. Our aim is to devise a modern, fair and simplified scheme which could apply to all Service personnel injured or

  441
  killed on peacetime duties—in training or on operations—where death or injury was attributable to military service, to replace the current complex arrangements.

  The main aim of the review will be to recommend new arrangements for the future, but it will also examine the extent to which personnel currently serving may be able to benefit from a simpler and more comprehensive approach. The War Pensions Scheme will continue to be available to existing ex-Service personnel.

  The review will be conducted jointly with the Department of Social Security, the Department responsible for the War Pensions Scheme. We intend to publish the results of the review in a consultation document.

  A review of compensation for Service personnel was recommended in the House of Commons Defence Committee Sixth Report on Gulf War illness, published earlier this year. I hope that the whole House will support the initiative we are now taking.

  Drug Misuse
  Mr. Cox
  to ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reported incidents involving drug misuse in the armed forces there have been in each of the last three years. [18586]

  Dr. Reid
  It is not yet possible to provide confirmed figures for 1996 and 1997. However, figures for 1993–1995 are as follows:

  Drug offences dealt with by Court Martial, Summary Trial or Summon' Proceedings, or civilian courts

  RN/RM

  Army1

  RAF

  Total

  1993

  286

  627

  79

  992

  1994

  236

  355

  48

  639

  1995

  111

  174

  7

  292

  1 The Army figures may be subject to slight revision.

  Those dismissed for drug related offences following a sentence of dismissal from Service at Court Martial, Summary Trial or Summary Proceedings, or a sentence of imprisonment from a Service or civilian courts:

  RN/RM

  Army

  RAF

  Total

  1993

  51

  81

  20

  152

  1994

  45

  68

  8

  121

  1995

  31

  37

  1

  69

  (Latest figures available).

  In addition to the above figures, the numbers of those administratively discharged for drug related incidents are:

  RN/RM

  Army

  RAF

  Total

  1993

  2

  204

  10

  216

  1994

  0

  136

  22

  158

  1995

  0

  253

  14

  267

  Publicity and Advertising
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the total expenditure on 442
  all forms of publicity and advertising by (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies for (i) 1993–94, (ii5 1994–95, (iii) 1995–96, (iv) 1996–97, (v) the 1997–98, year to date, (vi) the 1997–98 full year estimate and (vii) the 1998–99 planned expenditure. [15269]

  Dr. Reid
  [holding answer 11 November 1997]: Details of central MOD expenditure on publicity and advertising are contained in the annual MOD Departmental Reports. For 1993–94, the information is shown on page 39 of Cm 2801; for 1994–95, the information is shown on page 43 of Cm 3055; for 1995–96, the information is shown on page 32 of Cm 3448; and for 1996–97, the information is shown on page 49 of Cm 3781. Copies of these Reports are available in the House.

  Estimated expenditure for 1997–98 is £40.97 million. We do not publish detailed future plans as approval to commit expenditure is subject to formal endorsement through Ministers and the Parliamentary supply system.

  Expenditure by non-departmental public bodies for the years in question is set out below.

  £

  1993–94

  629,262

  1994–95

  487,663

  1995–96

  456,644

  1996–97

  408,826

  1997–98 to date

  291,816

  1997–98 full year

  421,995

  1998–99

  1—

  1 Detailed figures not yet agreed.

  Publicity expenditure for Departmental Agencies is not held centrally. I have asked Chief Executives, where appropriate, to write direct to the hon. Member.

  Letter from J. R. Drew to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about how much was spent by Defence Agencies on publicity and advertising, as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Army Base Repair Organisation (ABRO).
  I attach a table with the appropriate breakdown of costs for 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98 year to date and the 1997–98 full year estimate. The substantial increase in 1997–98 is due to our involvement, as part of the Army's presence, in the Royal Navy and British Army Equipment Exhibition in September 1997.

  Total expenditure on all forms of publicity and advertising for the Army Base Repair Organisation

  £

  1993–94 (Actual)

  5,036

  1994–95 (Actual)

  7,618

  1995–96 (Actual)

  30,026

  1996–97 (Actual)

  37,721

  1997–98 (Forecast)

  176,868

  Total

  257,269

  1997–98 (To date)

  77,943

  443
  Letter from M. J. Heritage-Owen to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about total expenditure on all forms of publicity and advertising on behalf of the Chief Executive of the Royal Air Force Maintenance Group Defence Agency who is away on duty, as this matter falls within his area of responsibility.
  The information requested, broken down by financial year, is as follows:

  Financial year

  Total (£)

  1995–96

  54,460

  1996–97

  359,741

  1997–98 (To end of October)

  135,668

  1997–98 (Estimated full year)

  405,531

  1998–99

  1—

  1 Detailed figures not yet available. Information for FY 1993/94 and FY 1994/95 is not available in the format requested and is, therefore. not provided. Expenditure includes advertising and promotional costs. The increase since 1995/96 is due primarily to increased civilian recruiting costs resulting from the drawdown of Service manpower.

  I hope this information is helpful.

  Letter from David G. Wadsworth to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about recruitment and advertising expenditure, as this matter falls within my areas of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Service Children's Education Agency.
  The SCE Agency recruits teaching and specialist staff in UK and overseas. Details of the past, current and future recruitment advertising budget is attached at Annex A.
  In addition to this, each of the 56 SCE Schools around the world is required to produce a school brochure in line with the practice followed by LEA maintained schools in the UK. These brochures are used largely as information for parents. However, in a few cases they may be used to advertise the benefits of attending an SCE school, where more than one is available in a given location or where irreducible spare capacity can be offered to fee paying parents.
  Information on school brochure expenditure is not collected as a matter of course, as most are produced locally at very little cost. Based upon information available so far in this financial year, I would not expect the total sum to exceed £15K.
  If I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact my office.

  Annex A: Expenditure on all forms of recruitment advertising

  £000

  1993–94

  1—

  1994–95

  32

  1995–96

  52

  1996–97

  66

  1997–98 (year to date)

  18

  1997–98 (full year estimate)

  51

  1998–99 (planned expenditure)

  2—

  1 No information available.

  2 Not yet finally agreed.

  Letter from Peter Ewins to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about expenditure on publicity and advertising. For the Meteorological Office, this matter falls to me as Chief Executive.
  444
  Expenditure by the Meteorological Office on publicity and advertising (in thousands of pounds) is estimated to be as follows:

  Period

  Expenditure £000

  1993–94

  777

  1994–95

  758

  1995–96

  735

  1996–97

  666

  1997–98 (to date)

  288

  1997–98 (full year estimate)

  765

  1998–99 (planned expenditure)

  955

  This should be set against income from our commercial activities as a Trading Fund, currently running at over £22 million per annum.

  Letter from D. L. Burden to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  I am replying to your question (PQ 1029i) to the Secretary of State for Defence concerning the total expenditure on all forms of publicity and advertising by the MOD, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies, in so far as it applies to the Army Personnel Centre (APC).
  I should explain that the only expenditure incurred separately by my Agency which falls into these categories is related to civilian staff recruitment advertising costs during FY 1996/1997. These, inclusive of VAT, were as follows:

  £

  First advertisement, April 1996

  3,578

  Second advertisement, April 1996

  1,037

  Total

  4.615

  There is no planned expenditure of this nature for the remainder of this FY or during FY 1998/1999.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Letter from D. J. Stevens to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about expenditure on publicity and advertising in respect of the Naval Bases and Supply Agency.
  This agency was launched in December 1996 and is formed from a number of management areas within the MOD. The information which you requested is not available therefore for the years prior to 1996/97. The figures requested for 1996/97 and 1997/98 are given below and cover mainly recruitment advertising and external publicity, including attendance at exhibitions, advertising our irreducible spare capacity from which we earn income. I am unable to give a figure for 1998/99 as detailed budgets have yet to be agreed.

  £

  1996–97

  19,464

  1997–98 (to date)

  37,035

  1997–98 (full year estimate)

  48,035

  Letter from T. McG. Brown to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence regarding expenditure on publicity and advertising. As Chief Executive of the Defence Postal and Courier Services Agency (DPCSA) I am responsible for expenditure within my Agency and I am therefore providing the details you have requested.
  All publicity costs are for the production of our Annual Report and Accounts. In accordance with our Accounts Direction (issued by HM Treasury) and our Framework Document the Agency is obliged to present an annual report to Parliament. Some of the publicity costs shown below were incurred on my Agency's behalf by other areas of the MOD. All advertising costs are for staff recruitment.

  445

  £000

  Year

  Publicity

  Advertising

  Total

  1993–94

  10.9

  0.0

  1,210.9

  1994–95

  16.9

  0.0

  216.9

  1995–96

  18.6

  7.6

  26.2

  1996–97

  23.2

  6.6

  29.8

  1997–98 (to date)

  0.7

  4.2

  34.9

  1997–98 (year end estimate)

  20.0

  10.0

  330.0

  Detailed figures for 1998–99 are not available at present.

  1 Production costs for the first Annual Report, a smaller document containing unaudited accounts, were significantly lower than for subsequent larger Annual Reports with complete audited accounts.

  2 During 1993–94 and 1994–95 there were no advertising costs as staff recruitment for the Agency was the responsibility of central MOD organisations at that time.

  3 Final costs for the latest Annual Report have not been finalised.

  I hope this information is helpful.

  Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Malcolm Bruce dated 8 December 1997:
  Thank you for your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about estimates of expenditure on publicity and advertising. I am replying on behalf of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA).
  The following figures for graduate recruitment advertising represent the majority of expenditure in this area:

  £

  i.1993–94

  1—

  ii.1994–95

  888,000

  iii.1995–96

  1,366,000

  iv.1996–97

  1,392,000

  v.1997–98 (to date)

  1,033,000

  vi.1997–98 (full year estimate)

  1,570,000

  vii.1998–99 (planned expenditure)

  1,685,000

  1 Information not available.

  Other advertising and publicity costs are in the region of £200,000 per annum. This figure includes the cost of the DERA Press Office and the Annual Results Press Conference.
  I hope this information is helpful.

  Letter from M. J. A. Smallwood to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about publicity and advertising, on behalf of the Chief Constable/Chief Executive of the Ministry of Defence Police Agency, as this falls into this area of responsibility. The Chief Constable/ Chief Executive is away from the office at present.
  I have identified the following expenditure in respect of publicity and advertising: 1993–94 £6,572; 1994–95 £6,985; 1995–96 £36,659; 1996–97 £28,164; 1997–98 £13,775 up to 28 November 1997. I expect the final outturn for the current Financial Year to be £20,000. Spending plans for 1998–99 have not yet been finalised.

  Letter from Brian Raine to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  I have been asked to respond to your Question regarding all forms of publicity and advertising and give our response below.
  The amount spent on advertising is as follows:

  1993–94: £4,116

  1994–95: £2,100

  1995–96: £3,451

  1996–97: £6,929

  1997–98: £5,297 to date

  1997–98: £5,750 full year estimate

  1998–99: Details not yet agreed

  446
  Letter to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  In November you asked the Secretary of State for Defence a Parliamentary Question relating to expenditure on all forms of publicity and advertising. As this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKIIO), I have been asked to reply to your direct.
  The information you requested is as follows

  UKHO—Total expenditure on all forms of publicity and advertising

  Financial year

  Amount (£)

  1993–94

  228,741,97

  1994–95

  226,396.90

  1995–96

  340,446.88

  1996–97

  323,672.13

  1997–98 (to date)

  239,776.25

  1997–98 (full year estimate)

  1494,887.15

  1998–99 (planned expenditure)

  687,000.00

  1 Includes to date figure.

  As the UKHO operates in an international commercial market, the attainment of Trading Fund status has provided the UKIIO with additional flexibility to respond to commercial activities. In the first year of operating as a Trading Fund the UKHO achieved a net profit of £3.7M which clearly demonstrates that costs are more than fully recovered by sales activities.
  I hope the above has been of assistance. Should you require any further information please do not hesitate to get in touch with my Office.

  Letter from J.D. Coles to Mr. Malcolm Bruce dated 8 December 1997:
  I am replying to your question to the Minister of State for the Armed Forces about the estimate of total expenditure on all forms of publicity and advertising, as it relates to the Ships Support Agency, for which I am responsible.
  The Agency was established on II December 1996 and the estimate of expenditure since that date is as follows:

  £

  (b)(iv) 1996–97

  30,000

  (b)(v) 1997–98, year to date

  15,000

  (b)(vi) 1997–98, full year estimate

  15,000

  Detailed budgets for 1998–99 have not yet been agreed.
  The figures relate to actual and planned expenditure associated with: Agency launch; the printing of the Agency's Framework Document, Corporate Plan, and Annual Report and Accounts; and the Agency's input to the International Maritime Defence Exhibition 1997 at the Royal Naval College Greenwich.

  Letter from P. D. Foxton to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  I am replying to the recent question you tabled to the Secretary of State for Defence for those matters that fall within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Army Base Storage and Distribution Agency (ABSDA). You asked about the expenditure by ABSDA on all forms of publicity and advertising for Financial Years 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97 and the year 1997–98 to date, and the 1997–98 full year estimate.
  For clarity I have incorporated the answer in the form of a table.

  Financial Year

  Cost (£)

  Estimate(£)

  1994–95

  3,788

  n/a

  1995–96

  10,379

  n/a

  1996–97

  5,824

  n/a

  447

  Financial Year

  Cost (£)

  Estimate £

  1997–98

  3,649

  8,248

  1998–99

  n/a

  The Agency was not formed until 1995 and therefore no expenditure is recorded for the Financial year 1993–94.
  I trust I have answered your questions satisfactorily.

  Letter from S. R. Hill to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  1 I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the expenditure on publicity and spending by Defence agencies as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Naval Aircraft Repair Organisation (NARO).
  2. Attached is a summary of the figures for this Agency.

  Parliamentary Question—Expenditure on Publicity and Advertising by Defence Agencies

  Financial year

  Recruitment costs (civilian)£

  PR/Marketing and business support£

  1993–94

  934

  988

  1994–95

  1,205

  3,153

  1995–96

  1,478

  0

  1996–97

  4,154

  45,416

  1997–98 (to date)

  5,604

  2,606

  1997–98 (forecast)

  11,083

  15,000

  The recruitment costs are for advertising.

  Letter from K. A. Bradshaw to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence/Her Majesty's Government about Advertising and Publicity Costs as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of Defence Codification Agency.
  The Defence Codification Agency has expenditure for the years quoted as follows:

  £

  1996–97

  38,438

  1997–98 (to date)

  14,525

  1997–98 (forecast)

  21,000

  1998–99 (yet to be finalised)

  —

  For background information, the Defence Codification Agency was launched in June 1996. At that time funds were disaggregated from the Defence Information Division (DINFOD) for our Marketing function.

  Letter from I. G. McIntyre to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about expenditure on publicity and advertising as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Defence Dental Agency.
  During 1996/97 my Agency spent £13,738. This figure includes the cost of the national advertising for the national advertisement for the post of Chief Executive. The spend to date in 1997/98, the current financial year, is £1,020 with the full year estimate being £2,000. Details of budgets for future years have not yet been finalised.

  Letter from R. J. Mealing to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  In response to your Question, and in the unavoidable absence of the Chief Executive on business, I am writing to inform you of expenditure on all forms of publicity and advertising in so far as it effects the Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency.
  448
  Most of the expenditure incurred on publicity and advertising by my Agency is attributable to job advertising in newspapers. The following table shows the information you have requested.

  Financial year

  Expenditure (£)

  1993–94

  1—

  1994–95

  Nil

  1995–96

  5,901

  1996–97

  24,261

  1997–98 (so far)

  24,650

  1997–98 (estimate)

  27,053

  1998–99

  2—

  1 DCTA not formed as an Agency.

  2 Detailed budget not yet agreed.

  Letter from Malcolm Westgate to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about advertising and publicity costs. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Disposal Sales Agency.
  During 1995/96 my Agency spent £6,844.37 on advertising the post of Chief Executive. All other publicity and advertising expenditure has been included in the reply given by the Minister of State for the Armed Forces.

  Letter from P. R. Wildman to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about expenditure on publicity and advertising as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive.
  Military Survey's expenditure on publicity and advertising since 1993 is as follows:

  1993–94: NIL

  1994–95: NIL

  1995–96: £16,737 Intl VAT

  1996–97: NIL

  1997–98: £18,893.07 incl VAT (to-date; none further planned)

  1998–99: NIL planned.

  The expenditures were on recruitment advertising for civilian posts with the Agency.

  Letter from M. I. Laurie to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about expenditure on publicity and advertising as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Defence Intelligence and Security Agency. The Agency was formed on 1 October 1996 and the figures below represent expenditure after that date:

  £

  (a) 1996–97 (October 96-March 97

  2,686

  (b) 1997–98 (to date)

  5,370

  (c) 1997–98 (full year estimate)

  6,694

  (d) 1998–99 (estimated)

  Nil

  On its formation the Agency began a collocation programme, moving from five previous sites to one. The expenditure detailed above relates to newspaper advertising of job vacancies at the new site.

  Letter from G. Jones to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the expenditure on all forms of publicity and advertising, by his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies, in each of the last four financial years, the current financial year to date with a full-year estimate, and that planned

  449
  for 1998–99, for which figures are available, as these matters fall within my responsibility as Chief Executive of the Royal Air Force Signals Engineering Establishment Defence Agency.
  Advertising by the Royal Air Force Signals Engineering Establishment Defence Agency has, to date, been confined to that required for the recruitment of civilian staff. We have no record of any expenditure prior to 1996–97 because most recruitment was conducted centrally. In September 1996 the Agency was delegated additional responsibility for recruitment and, as a result, the expenditure on recruitment advertising in 1996–97 was £61,685. In 1997–98 the expenditure to date has been £43,435, with a forecast for the complete year of £120,000. Expenditure for 1998–99 is expected to be similar to that for the current year, but the funding is still the subject of the 1998 Long Term Costing process.

  Letter from D. D. Allan to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  1.I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about estimates of expenditure on publicity and advertising as this matter falls within my area of responsibility. I am replying in the absence of the Chief Executive of the Logistics Support Services Agency who is away on business.
  2.Our expenditure on publicity and advertising, both actual and estimate, is detailed in the table below and the figures are exclusive of VAT.

  Total

  1993–94

  0

  1994–95

  0

  1995–96

  0

  1996–97

  6,990

  1997–98(spend)

  5,360.08

  1997–98(estimated)

  8,100

  1998–99

  1—

  1 Planned figures not yet accepted.

WALES

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with(a) the President of the Board of Trade and (b) the Chairman of the Welsh Development Agency concerning inward investment; and if he will make a statement. [19532]

  Mr. Hain
  My right hon. Friend has had discussions about inward investment with both the President of the Board of Trade and the Chairman of the Welsh Development Agency. We all recognise the importance of continued inward investment success to our aims of economic and industrial strength and stability.

  Welsh Assembly
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the advantages of establishing the National Assembly for Wales at the Flintshire County Council Offices at Ewloe, Deeside, Flintshire; and if he will make a statement. [19528]

  Mr. Ron Davies
  The Council Offices at Ewloe, and a wide range of other options, are being assessed against the criteria described in my consultation paper, "The National Assembly for Wales; Accommodation Options". I now wait to hear the views of the people of Wales before deciding where the Assembly will be located.
  450
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the range of estimates of the cost of the proposed locations for the National Assembly for Wales. [19599]

  Mr. Ron Davies
  My consultation paper sets out the range of options across Wales which we have considered in most detail. It also gives indicative costs for the different approaches to housing the Assembly, within the cost ceiling the Government have established.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce the location of the National Assembly for Wales. [19529]

  Mr. Ron Davies
  I shall announce the location of the Welsh Assembly within the next few months, following my consultation with the people of Wales which ends on 30 January 1998.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received regarding the location of the National Assembly for Wales. [19530]

  Mr. Ron Davies
  I have already received a number of representations about the location of the Welsh Assembly, and expect to receive more during the period of my consultation with the people of Wales.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the' reconfiguration of NHS trusts in North Wales; when he will announce his decision; and if he will make a statement. [19531]

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  I have received representations from a number of hon. Members, NHS Trusts, Community Health Councils, General Practitioners, Local Authorities, NHS staff groups and the general public. Public consultation on our proposals for a new configuration of NHS Trusts in Wales, in line with statutory requirements, will take place next summer. Following this, I expect a decision to be announced in October 1998.

  Public Transport
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to increase the use of public transport in rural and urban areas; and if he will make a statement. [19533]

  Mr. Hain
  The Government are currently embarked on a review with the aim of producing a White Paper next year setting out proposals for a new Integrated Transport Policy. Reducing dependence on car travel and the promotion of public transport will be among the key objectives of that policy. The Welsh Office is participating fully in the review and will be producing its own Welsh Transport Policy statement at around the same time as the White Paper is published.

  Job Creation (Alyn and Deeside)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the Chairman of the Welsh Development Agency to discuss job creation in Alyn and Deeside. [19534]
  451
  Mr. Hain
  My right hon. Friend regularly meets the Chairman of the Welsh Development Agency to discuss a range of issues. The creation and safeguarding of jobs in Wales continues to be a priority for the Agency and I know that the Chairman has recently visited Alyn and Deeside constituency and met my hon. Friend and representatives of the workforce and management of the British Aerospace plant to discuss their expansion plan.

  Sheep Annual Premium
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the reasons for the delays in paying sheep annual premium payments to Welsh farmers; and if he will make a statement. [19099]

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  The timetable of payments has been delayed by the need to comply with additional information requirements to support European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF) payments made after the start of the new EAGGF financial year on 16 October 1997. Without the new supporting information any payments made will be subject to disallowance by the European Commission. The Welsh Office has been working to address these new requirements and this has involved substantial computer reprogramming. The position on Sheep Annual Premium is that some 85 per cent. of first advances in Wales had been paid by early October, and the payment of the second advance is now well under way.

  Charities and Voluntary Groups
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the charities and voluntary groups which received grants and other assistance from his Department in the financial year 1996–97 together with the amounts given. [19096]

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  I have asked for the information to be collated. I will write to my right hon. Friend as soon as the exercise has been completed and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

  Disability Benefits
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on welfare reform for disability benefits. [19527]

  Mr. Denham
  I have been asked to reply.

  We are committed to modernising the Social Security system so that it helps people to work as far as they are able; provides appropriate support to those who cannot work; and makes the most effective use of the resources available.

  As a first step we are undertaking a comprehensive review of the Department's expenditure. The review is wide-ranging and includes consideration of the complex range of benefits paid to people who are disabled or have health problems. We want to end the exclusion of disabled people; to empower them to play a full part in society, and to develop an approach which focuses on people's abilities and their capacities, rather than only their disabilities and incapacity.
  452
  As part of this process, up to £195 million has been made available from the Windfall Tax to test a range of options to help people with long-term health problems or disabilities to move into, or remain in, work.

  We will, in due course, consider how many proposals for change should be taken forward.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Public Record Office
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to increase the availability of documents in the Public Record Office. [18017]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Government are committed to ensuring that public access to public records is improved. There is a vigorous review of all files to ensure that as many as possible are released. In July we announced that over 77,500 records that had previously been withheld, had been released in the Public Record Office, after the Departments had reconsidered them. Further updated figures should be available soon.

  Lord Chancellor (Accommodation)
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he has received about the Lord Chancellor's accommodation. [18019]

  Mr. Hoon
  I presume that the hon. Gentleman is referring to the Lord Chancellor's Official Residence in the Palace of Westminster. This is the fifth question I have answered on this topic from hon. members, and I have received eight letters from members of the public.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the redecoration of the Lord Chancellor's official residence will be completed. [18020]

  Mr. Hoon
  It is expected that the redecoration will be substantially completed by February, 1998.

  Magistrates Courts
  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what responses he has received following his statement on the changes to the magistrates courts procedures; and if he will make a statement. [18023]

  Mr. Hoon
  A range of responses have been received to the statement we made on 29 October concerning the future structure of the magistrates courts service. Responses have been received from 10 magistrates courts committees, 3 Members of Parliament, the Magistrates Association, the Justices Chief Executives Group and West Sussex County Council.

  Criminal Justice (Keighley)
  Mrs Ann Cryer
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has for improvements in the administration of criminal justice in Keighley. [18024]
  453
  Mr. Hoon
  My statement of 29 October 1997,official Report, columns 901–05 set out the Government's view of the future structure of the magistrates courts service. I believe there should be fewer and larger MCC areas, more closely aligned to the areas served by other justice agencies. My first priority is to consider the position of metropolitan areas. I have recently written to the Chairman of the West Riding MCC on this subject and have indicated that, in the absence of any proposals from the committees themselves concerning the organisation of MCCs in West Yorkshire, it is likely that I will wish to consider, in the autumn of 1998, whether amalgamation is appropriate in the area.

  Court Officials (Training)
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to review the guidance and training available to judges, magistrates and other court officials in dealing with witnesses with learning or communication difficulties. [18986]

  Mr. Hoon
  Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB), which is a non-departmental governmental body. The JSB has held a number of sessions in both induction and continuation training on equal treatment, including dealing with people with learning or communication difficulties, and is considering how training in this area might be developed.

  Lay Magistrate training is organised and delivered by Magistrates Courts Committees based on syllabuses, advice and guidance from the JSB. Lay magistrates already address the issue of equality of treatment for all in the light of their judicial oath and the JSB has recently begun a project to develop and pilot training materials to ensure equality of treatment issues are incorporated into all aspects of magistrates training.

  Staff in the Court Service receive training on customer service skills as part of an induction programme. This programme includes training on communication skills and dealing with customers including those with special needs. Further training in this area is also available to all staff whose work brings them into contact with members of the public. The Court Service makes no distinction in the training of court officials dealing with witnesses—all customers should be treated appropriately and with courtesy.

  A review of the induction programme for court staff is planned as part of the work towards achieving recognition as an "Investor in People" in 1999.

HEALTH

  Community Health Councils
  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review the operation of community health councils; if he will list the areas which are under review; what representations he has received about their(a) role, (b) independence and (c) duties; and if he will make a statement. [17210]
  454
  Mr. Milburn
  No immediate changes to Community Health Councils are planned. We have received a small number of letters mainly about the role of CHCs in relation to primary care and membership matters. In addition the Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales has sent to Ministers a copy of its report "Making a Difference".

  Pathology Services (Kent)
  Dr. Ladyman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine refused training recognition to the Kent and Canterbury Hospitals NHS Trust Pathology Service; and what progress has been made by the Kent and Canterbury Hospitals NHS Trust to address the concerns of the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine expressed at the time they refused the Pathology Service training recognition. [17789]

  Mr. Milburn
  The Boards of the Council are the statutory bodies responsible for training recognition. The Medical Laboratory Technicians (MLT) Board withheld training recognition for the Histopathology/Cytology Department on 15 September 1992. This decision did not affect the clinical chemistry, haematology and hospital transfusion science or microbiology, which all received approval.

  Subsequent inspection has shown that some improvements have been made; however, the MLT Board decided on 14 January 1997 to withhold approval for training in cellular pathology (histopathology) until the Board's requirements have been met.

  Older People's Services Report
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to implement the recommendations of the recent Audit Commission report. "The Coming of Age: Improving Services For Older People". [18137]

  Mr. Boateng
  We welcome the publication of the Audit Commission's report "The Coming of Age: Improving Care Services for Older People". The Department has already looked in detail at the recommendations made in the report and these will contribute to work we already have in hand, which is actively addressing issues of particular concern to elderly people. This area includes the Long-Term Care Charter and the Royal Commission on long-term care for the elderly, announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 4 December. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has already issued instructions to health authorities, the National Health Service and local authorities on services for the elderly setting out priority areas to meet their medium and long-term needs.

  Prescription Drugs
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what audit procedures exist to deal with the disposal of returned prescription drugs by health authorities; [18815]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the cost to the National Health Service of items prescribed but returned to community pharmacists or GPs unused; [18814]

  (3) what audit procedures exist to deal with the return of prescription drugs to community pharmacists. [18816]
  455
  Mr. Milburn
  We encourage the public to take unused medicines to a community pharmacy for safe destruction. This reduces the risk of accidental ingestion, especially by children, and allows the medicines to be destroyed in line with environmental law. Prescription-only medicines have to be disposed of as clinical waste. Funding has been made available to the National Health Service since 1993 to run schemes through community pharmacies for the safe disposal of waste medicines. As at 31 March 1997 schemes were running in every health authority area in England and Wales, and 98 per cent. of community pharmacies in these areas were taking part in these schemes. No national estimate has been made of the value of returned medicines.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for further regulation of the dental profession. [18861]

  Mr. Milburn
  The General Dental Council has made proposals for changes in the Dentists Act 1984, which would give it more appropriate powers for professional regulation and protection of the public. We intend to address these issues when a suitable legislative opportunity arises.

  NHS Bureaucracy
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 24 November 1997,Official Report, column 427, on savings in NHS bureaucracy, if he will list by health trust the trust management costs for the last two years. [18624]

  Mr. Milburn
  National Health Service trust management costs are available for 1994–95 and 1995–96 listed by trust in Trust Management Costs 1994–95 (published December 1995) and Health Authority Costs and Management Costs in NHS Trusts Financial Year 1995–96 and planned costs for 1996–97 (published March 1997). Copies are available in the Library. Figures for 1996–97 together with 1997–98 plans will be published shortly.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 24 November 1997,Official Report, column 427, on savings in NHS bureaucracy, if he will list by health authority the quarterly management costs for the last six quarters. [18623]

  Mr. Milburn
  Health authority costs are published annually. 1995–96 figures are listed by health authority in Health Authority Costs and Management Costs in NHS Trusts Financial Year 1995–96 and Planned costs for 1996–97 (published March 1997). Copies are available in the Library. Figures for 1996–97 together with 1997–98 plans will be published shortly.

  The quarterly monitoring of health authority costs, referred to in my reply to the hon. Member on 24 November at column 427, provides regional offices of the National Health Service Executive with information on the likely year-end position of health authorities to assist with in-year performance management.

  Health Service Funding (North Yorkshire)
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make available additional resources to the NHS Hospital in Northallerton through the North Yorkshire Health Authority to compensate for the scaling down of the military hospital in Catterick. [18802]

  Mr. Milburn
  We understand the Defence Secondary Care Agency is currently considering various options for the future of the Duchess of Kent Military Hospital at Catterick and is assisting with a consultation exercise led by North Yorkshire Health Authority.

  North Yorkshire Health Authority has recently been allocated £1.7 million for winter pressures. It will also receive a £14.3 million increase in its allocation for next year, of which £5.8 million is growth funding. Any additional pressures due to changes at the Duchess of Kent Military Hospital would be expected to be met by this extra funding.

  Alcohol and Drugs
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision has been made in the current year to provide assistance to those with alcohol and drug problems. [19108]

  Ms Jowell
  Health and local authorities are responsible for assessing the level of need for alcohol and drug services locally, and making arrangements to meet that need in accordance with local priorities and the resources available.

  The Drug Misuse Special Allocation is a significant element in the resources available to health authorities to address the needs of drug misusers. In 1996–97 the special allocation stands at £37.191 million. This will rise to £41.296 million in 1998–99, an increase of 8 per cent. in real terms.

  Mobile Phones
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what discussions he has had with the mobile phone industry as to whether a health and safety warning is needed on all handsets; [19127]

  (2) what discussions he has had with the National Radiological Protection Board about potential health risks from use of mobile phones. [19130]

  Ms Jowell
  The Department regularly discusses advice on the health implications of exposure to electromagnetic fields, including mobile phone frequencies, with the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB). NRPB's view is that mobile phones currently used in the United Kingdom comply with the recommended exposure limit. The Department has had no discussions concerning health and safety warnings with the mobile phone industry.

  Health Promotion
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision has been made in the current year by his Department to promote healthy living through general practitioner practices and primary healthcare services. [19109]
  457
  Mr. Milburn
  Advice on healthy living and disease prevention is integral to the activity of general practitioners and primary health care teams. Most consultations in primary care will include an element of opportunistic health promotion. A patient is entitled to a health check on registering with a doctor or after three years without a consultation and patients over 75 years are entitled to an annual health check. The health of children is promoted through the immunisation and child health surveillance programmes. Most practices engage in chronic disease management programmes in asthma and diabetes, in the national cervical cytology screening programme and in structured health promotion activity under arrangements introduced in October 1996.

  The initial cash-limited and non-cash limited total general medical services allocation for 1997–98 is £2,980 million. This figure will however be reviewed shortly at spring supply and will be subject to change.

  Meningitis
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to combat recent outbreaks of meningitis. [19012]

  Ms Jowell
  The Department takes meningococcal disease very seriously.

  Guidance on the control of meningococcal infection is issued by the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS). The most recent guidelines were issued on 8 December 1995 and guidance on the management of clusters of meningococcal disease was issued in January 1997. Copies of this guidance are sent to all Directors of Public Health and local Consultants in Communicable Disease Control and it is published. The guidance is constantly under review and careful thought is given to whether any lessons can be learnt from any incident and to whether any revision of the guidance might be required. The guidance was last reviewed on 21 November 1997 drawing on recent experiences in Southampton and it was agreed that no change to the guidance was necessary.

  PHLS experts are routinely involved in dealing with serious outbreaks of disease. Advice on the diagnosis of meningitis is contained in the Department's memorandum "Immunisation against infectious disease" which is provided free to all doctors. Additionally, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) writes annually to all doctors alerting them to the expected winter rise in cases of meningococcal infection and reminding them of the value of early antibiotic treatment and urgent referral to hospital. The Department contributes to the many information articles in newspapers and the medical press, and television and radio programmes that appear during the winter increase in cases.

  The CMO also holds an annual press briefing for journalists to raise public, professional and media awareness of meningococcal disease. This year's briefing was held on 3 November and CMO was supported by representatives of the National Meningitis Trust and the Meningitis Research Foundation. The vital message at the briefing was that, in the absence of an effective meningococcal Group C vaccine suitable for routine use, and with no Group B vaccine at all, it remained essential that parents and, in places of further education, students, are aware of the signs and symptoms of meningitis and
  458
  septicaemia and remain alert to seek urgent treatment if illness is suspected. Information materials continue to stress this message as well. This year, the Department's information leaflet "Knowing about meningitis and septicaemia" has been rewritten; it is available to the public from general practitioners' surgeries. The Health Education Authority (HEA), funded by the Department, has also relaunched its leaflet, "Look out for your mate", which is targeted at students. This year about 1.2 million "Look out for your mate" fliers and posters were distributed to over 750 colleges in England and Wales; 4,000 leaflets and 40 posters were sent to Southampton University before the recent outbreaks there. Information on recognising the signs and symptoms of meningitis is provided to new parents in the HEA's booklet "A Guide to Childhood immunisations". The Department also provides funding under Section 64 of the Health and Personal Social Services Act to support the work of the two meningitis charities in raising awareness among health care professionals.

  Studies to evaluate meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccines in United Kingdom children, funded by the Department at a total cost of over £1 million, are being carried out by the PHLS in collaboration with the National Institute for Biological Standards and Controls, the Centre of Applied Microbiology and Research and the Institute for Child Health. These studies have shown very encouraging results already for Group C vaccines and early indicators for Group B are encouraging. There are reasonable prospects that these vaccines will eventually be able to induce long-term immunity although more research is needed before their suitability for widespread use can he considered.

  Hospital Complaints Procedures
  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will review the effectiveness of hospital complaints procedures in order to establish a code of best practice. [19453]

  Mr. Boateng
  We will be commissioning an independent evaluation of the National Health Service complaints procedures during 1998. It is intended that one of the areas on which the evaluation focuses should be the identification of good practice.

  Health Council
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Health Council on 4 December. [20003]

  Ms Jowell
  Following discussion, the Council reached a common position on a proposed Directive on tobacco advertising. The Council also reached political agreement on the Commission's proposal for a programme of Community action on rare diseases. The Council discussed the public health aspects of food safety. The Council agreed the text of a resolution following up the Commission's report on the state of women's health in the European Community. The Council also agreed conclusions of the European Union-United States Task Force on communicable disease, emphasising the importance of co-ordination between the activities of the Task Force and other appropriate bodies working on disease surveillance. The Council also took note of developments since its last discussion of Transmissible
  459
  Spongiform Encephalopathies and agreed to keep the subject under review. There was a brief discussion of the Commission's proposals for programmes of Community action on injury prevention and pollution-related diseases. Finally, the Council took note of a Commission proposal for a Recommendation on the suitability of blood and plasma donors and the screening of donated blood.

  Car Parking
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many car park spaces are provided for his Department's(a) Ministers, (b) employees and (c) visitors in (i) London and (ii) the United Kingdom. [19369]

  Ms Jowell
  The Department has 288 car parking spaces associated with its London buildings, of which 14 are specifically allocated to visitors and six are shared between Department of Health and Department of Social Security Ministers. The remainder are allocated to staff but available to visitors when not in use.

  In the rest of the United Kingdom there are a further 1,504 car parking spaces associated with Department of Health buildings, of which 66 are specifically allocated to visitors, 476 to staff and the remainder are available for both staff and visitors.

  Incontinence Products
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much is provided in this year's allocations for NHS for the cost of VAT on incontinence products. [19717]

  Mr. Milburn
  Resources are not allocated to fund particular services or costs. It is for health authorities and general practitioners to use these resources to plan and arrange services for their residents, following an assessment of their needs, and to make decisions about the level of resources required for any particular service. However, the National Health Service has always been liable to Value Added Tax and NHS funding allocations take account of this.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how health authorities and trusts are notified of the amounts in their allocations which are provided to fund them to meet the costs of VAT on incontinence products. [19715]

  SCE Ordinary/Standard Grade

  SCE Higher Grade

  1986–87

  1994–95

  11996–97

  1986–87

  1994–95

  11996–97

  Total number of schools

  440

  405

  401

  440

  405

  401

  Number of schools with leavers presented in more than one modern language

  379

  323

  336

  343

  247

  271

  of which making presentations in:

  French

  379

  323

  336

  343

  246

  271

  German

  336

  296

  301

  279

  212

  239

  Spanish

  127

  113

  134

  78

  66

  100

  Other languages

  118

  79

  95

  74

  48

  70

  1 Based on pupils in school at the end of session.

  460
  Mr. Milburn
  There is no separate allocation of funds to health authorities in respect of Value Added Tax liability.

  National Health Service trusts receive most of their income through contracts with commissioners of health care services, i.e. health authorities and general practitioner fundholders. Contract prices are intended to recover all relevant costs including liability to VAT.

  Drugs, Medicines and Aids (VAT)
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date his Department was notified of the Treasury's intention to table the Value Added Tax (Drugs, Medicine and Aids for the Handicapped) Order 1997. [19718]

  Mr. Milburn
  The Department was notified of the intention to legislate on 13 August 1997.

  Medical and Dental Students
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will fund the cost of the special support covering the proposed tuition fees beyond year four for English and Welsh medical and dental students studying at Scottish universities; and what estimate he has made of the costs. [19589]

  Mr. Milburn
  It is the Government's intention that all eligible United Kingdom medical and dental students should benefit from the special provisions announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 23 September. Clarification of the arrangements and costs will be the subject of discussions between the departments concerned.

SCOTLAND

  Language Teaching
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many secondary schools offer the opportunity to study two languages at each level indicating the number offering(a) French, (b) German, (c) Spanish and (d) any other modern languages; and what were the figures (a) two years ago and (b) 10 years ago. [18132]

  Mr. Wilson
  The information requested is not available centrally in the form requested. The table shows the number of education authority secondary schools with pupils presented in more than one modern language subject at SCE Ordinary or Standard Grade and at SCE Higher Grade by the time they had left school.

  Student Tuition Fees
  Dr. Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations he has had with the CBI regarding the effect on the labour market of the introduction of tuition fees for students. [18349]

  Mr. Wilson
  I wrote to Mr. Lain McMillan, Director, CBI Scotland on 23 July, inviting the CBI Scotland to comment inter alia on the Government's preferred approach to future funding arrangements for higher education, which were announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in Parliament on that day,Official Report, columns 949–51. I received the CBI Scotland response on 26 September.

  Dr. Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations he had with Sir Ron Dearing prior to his announcement of tuition fees for students. [18350]

  Mr. Wilson
  I have not met with Sir Ron Dearing. However, I met Sir Ron Garrick, Chairman of the Scottish Standing Committee of the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education, on two occasions prior to the Government's announcement on 23 July 1997,Official Report, columns 949–51, of its plans to reform higher education funding, and also when I addressed the COSHEP Annual Forum on 27 October.

  Dr. Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from the principals of higher education institutions in Scotland regarding the introduction of tuition fees. [18358]

  Mr. Wilson
  In addition to various informal discussions with individuals and representative bodies, I received a paper from the Committee of Scottish Higher Education Principals responding to various aspects of the Dearing and Garrick Reports including the introduction of tuition fees. I am placing copies of the paper in the Libraries of both Houses.

  School Transport
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will issue guidance to Scottish local authorities to require them to provide free school transport for all children whose families are in receipt of means-tested benefits. [17206]

  Mr. Wilson
  [holding answer 1 December 1997]: No. It is entirely a matter for each authority to decide whether or not to provide free school transport, taking account of individual circumstances.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to reinstate the cost floor arrangement for council house sales; and if he will make a statement. [18649]

  Mr. Chisholm
  The current cost floor rules relating to sales of council houses in Scotland have been in place since 1989. My right hon. Friend is considering possible changes to these rules. Any changes proposed would be subject to consultation.
  462
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of council houses sold for less than the outstanding debt in each of the past five years and the amount of remaining debt involved(a) in total and (b) in each council area. [18608]

  Mr. Chisholm
  Information on the selling prices and outstanding debt of individual council houses is not held centrally.

  Schools
  Mr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for repeal of the legislation which allows schools to opt out of education authority control; and if he will make a statement. [18906]

  Mr. Wilson
  [holding answer 4 December 1997]: My right hon. Friend will bring forward legislation to repeal these provisions at the earliest opportunity.

  Mr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many schools have opted out of education authority control; where they are located; and if he will make a statement. [18905]

  Mr. Wilson
  [holding answer 4 December 1997]: Two—St. Mary's Episcopal Primary School, Dunblane and Dornoch Academy. Fort William Primary School's proposal for self-governing status was accepted last December but it has not been implemented.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Guinness Affair
  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will place in the Library the text of the legal advice taken by her Department on which she based her decision not to institute proceedings under the Companies Act 1985 against any of the individuals referred to in her Department's report on Guinness PLC. [19459]

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  No. The decision by the President of the Board of Trade not to institute proceedings under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 against any of the individuals referred to in the inspectors' report into Guinness PLC was based on, and in accordance with, the legal advice she had received. That legal advice included advice from independent Counsel.

  Technology Foresight Programme
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress is being made with the technology foresight programme; and if she will make a statement. [19289]

  Mr. Battle
  The Government are committed to driving forward the Foresight programme. They have brought Foresight into the heart of Government policy on business competitiveness. Soon after the election, the President of the Board of Trade commissioned an audit to assess the level of departmental activity in support of Foresight and identify areas where more emphasis is required. The findings and recommendations were published in October. Following the audit, the Government have set up a Ministerial Foresight Group, to provide top-level co-ordination of the programme across Whitehall. Progress is also being made in increasing business
  463
  participation in Foresight, the top priority for the current phase of the Programme and a key objective for the next round of Foresight which will start in 1999. Planning for this exercise is already under way. A consultative document seeking views from interested parties will be published in the Spring of next year.

  As a practical demonstration of its commitment to Foresight, the Government has launched the Foresight LINK awards, which bring together business and the science base to work together on projects addressing Foresight priorities. We have also launched several new LINK programmes in response to Foresight, notably the Foresight Vehicle programme, which will develop the technologies for cleaner, leaner and safer vehicles of the future.

  Coal Industry
  Mr. Prior
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the future of the Coal Research and Development Programme. [19330]

  Mr. Battle
  My Department has undertaken a detailed review of the UK's future clean coal technology requirements in consultation with industry and universities. This review has just been completed and examined what further support the Government should provide to clean coal technology research, development and demonstration. An announcement will be made about the outcome of the review in the New Year.

  India
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which Indian-based British firms she visited and how many contracts were signed during her trip to India; and if she will make a statement. [18820]

  Mrs. Beckett
  I attended a breakfast meeting involving some 30 members of the British Business Group in Delhi and spoke at a lunch hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry for the local business community. I visited Rolls-Royce's premises. I was able to announce the creation of 10 Golden Jubilee Fellowships under the Indo-British Partnership and witnessed the signing of a joint venture agreement between Libra Weighing Machines Ltd., Sheffield, and Giri Brothers P Ltd. based in Chennai. The visit followed on from the successful Towards 2000 exhibition in October and re-emphasised the Government's strong commitment to the Indo-British Partnership.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what powers she has to require the energy utilities to provide annual figures for energy consumption by postcode area. [18993]

  Mr. Battle
  Under the Statistics of Trade Act 1947, the President of the Board of Trade has powers to ask for information from any undertakings on questions about matters in the schedule to the Act. This includes consumption by locations. The use of these powers to collect information must be balanced against a clear need for the data and the compliance burden placed on the companies in question.

  Arms Export Licences (Indonesia)
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which companies were awarded a licence to export machine guns to Indonesia in 1995. [14827]

  Mrs. Roche
  As I stated in my answer to my hon. Friend of 21 July 1997,Official Report, column 451, one such licence was granted during 1995.

  Inquiries are being made as regards the release of the identity of the licensee concerned under the non-statutory Code of Practice on Access to Government Information and, since this is confidential information, the consent of the licensee is being sought for its disclosure. I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible and place a copy of that letter in the Library.

  Genetic Testing
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if NHS trusts will have to negotiate their own licences to test with or for a patented gene; and if she will make a statement on the Government's policy in respect of ensuring that genetic testing is equally available throughout the United Kingdom. [16372]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 17 November 1997]]: I have been asked to reply.

  It is for a patent owner to give permission for someone else to use his invention by granting a licence. The terms of this licence is a matter for the patent owner and the potential licensee. As separate legal entities, trusts, individually or as members of consortia are in a position to negotiate their own patent licences. Genetic testing is usually provided through clinical genetic services purchased by health authorities for their local population.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Eastern Arts Council
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the funding available to the Eastern Arts Council. [17984]

  Mr. Fisher
  Grant-in-aid, distributed through the Arts Council of England to the Eastern Arts Board during the financial year 1997–98 totalled £4,985,614.

  Additional funding from the British Film Institute and the Crafts Council gives an overall total of £5,425,060.

  Sports Sponsorship
  Mr. Prior
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations he has received from sports bodies on business sponsorship; and if he will make a statement. [17985]

  Mr. Banks
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, my hon. Friend the Minister for Public Health and I recently met governing bodies of sports in receipt of tobacco sponsorship. We discussed how to end tobacco advertising and sponsorship while minimising any damage to the sports concerned. Agreement has now been reached on the EU Directive and as a result, all sports have five years in which to find alternative sponsors. I am also setting up a task force of sports and business interests to help them do just that.
  465
  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on sources of sponsorship available to United Kingdom sporting events. [18002]

  Mr. Banks
  The sports sponsorship market has grown to over £300 million a year. We estimate that it increased by 6 per cent. last year alone. It is flourishing. I congratulated 700 delegates at a sportsmatch sponsorship award ceremony some three weeks ago.

  Public Libraries (Information Services)
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to develop information services in public libraries. [17986]

  Mr. Fisher
  New Technology presents public libraries with the opportunity to enhance their traditional services and provide information to users in new and exciting ways. We are currently considering a report from the Library and Information Commission which recommends the development of IT in public libraries. We will be responding to the report's recommendations early in the New Year.

  Cricket
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he last met the President of the MCC; and what subjects were discussed. [17987]

  Mr. Banks
  Neither my right hon. Friend I nor have had the opportunity to date to meet the President of the MCC

  Film Industry
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary for State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the future of the British film industry. [17988]

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  The British film industry is booming. However, we cannot be complacent about its continuing success, which is why I am co-chairing with Stewart Till of PolyGram Filmed Entertainment a comprehensive Film Policy Review. The Review Group will report early next year with an agenda for action by the industry and Government.

  Tourism
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to encourage financial institutions to invest in tourism projects. [17990]

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  A Tourism Forum working group led by Charles Allen of Granada is working on ways of helping investors to reassess the industry. In addition, the need to raise the profile for tourism opportunities in the financial sector was highlighted in the report, "Visitors Welcome", produced by the CBI's Tourism Action Group, on which my Department is represented.

  Mr. Savidge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the work opportunities which the tourism industry can provide for the welfare-to-work programme. [17992]
  466
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  At the New Deal Conference which I hosted on 24 November, I was greatly encouraged by the very positive response to the New Deal from almost 160 key industry leaders present. Further, a survey recently conducted by the British Hospitality Association suggests that 86 per cent. of the BHA membership is willing to offer placements under the programme.

  Mrs. Humble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to boost the United Kingdom's income from tourism. [18000]

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  At a meeting of the new revitalised Tourism Forum on 26 November, I announced that I would be developing a strategy for tourism, for publication next summer, which will specifically address the issue of enabling further growth in tourism.

  Football
  Ms Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on his Department's assistance for the bid for the soccer World Cup in 2006. [17993]

  Mr. Banks
  The Government are committed to attracting major sporting events to the UK, and are giving the fullest possible promotional and diplomatic support to the Football Association's bid to host the 2006 World Cup. I have written to hon. Members asking them to back the bid whenever an opportunity arises.

  Ms Christine Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to encourage families to support their national soccer team at the 1998 World Cup finals. [17997]

  Mr. Banks
  I hope that next year's World Cup Finals will be enjoyed by all football supporters both at home, and those fortunate enough to travel to France. The Government are offering the French authorities every assistance so that those genuine supporters from this country attending this celebration of world football can have a safe and memorable time.

  Media Ownership
  Mr. Hammond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received concerning media ownership. [17994]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  I have received representations about the public interest test applying to mergers between local newspapers and local radio stations and about a possible EC Directive on Media Ownership in the Internal Market.

  Inner-city Theatres
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is the Department's strategy in promoting inner-city theatres. [17995]

  Mr. Fisher
  The arts have an important part to play in the regeneration and building of local communities; this can have particular importance in inner city areas. Strategic funding decisions for theatres are made by the Arts Council of England and the regional arts boards in conjunction with local authorities and other funding
  467
  partners. I know that none of them underestimate the wider benefits which the arts can bring to their audiences and communities.

  Development Through Play
  Mr. Pollard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to encourage children's development through play. [17998]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The National Playing Fields Association is currently carrying out work for the Department in the areas of information dissemination, playwork education and training and play safety. I also made it clear in the White Paper "The People's Lottery" that we are particularly committed to the development of children's play. I am currently discussing with Lottery distributors how we can best ensure that Lottery funding for it is more easily accessible.

  Jazz
  Ms Beverley Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is his policy on the role of the Arts Council of England in developing audiences for jazz. [18001]

  Mr. Fisher
  All the Arts Council's funding for jazz is designed to develop and build new audiences: the Government agree that the development of audiences in all art forms is a high priority.

  Athletics Training
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to help improve the quality of training for British athletes. [18003]

  Mr. Banks
  We are committed to improving the quality of training for our athletes. In particular, the United Kingdom Sports Institute will provide our athletes with the best training facilities possible and the English Sports Council's World Class Performance Programme provides Lottery support to our best athletes.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Derek Twigg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with the lottery distribution fund boards. [18004]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  I hold regular meetings with the Lottery distributors. I last met the Chairmen and the Chief Executives of the London-based Lottery distributors on 26 November. This was the fourth in a regular series of such meetings. The main topic of discussion was the Lottery Bill.

  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate his Department has made of the effect on the share of funding which will be received by humanitarian charities from the national lottery as a result of the introduction of a sixth good cause. [17975]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The National Lottery Charities Board can expect to receive £1.8 billion over the period of the current licence. This matches its original expectation when the Lottery was launched. In addition,468
  charities can expect to benefit from projects funded under the new good cause, covering health, education and the environment.

  Subtitling and Sign Language
  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will take steps to ensure that the agreed levels of subtitling and sign language inserts that will apply to terrestrial television over the next 10 years will apply equally to United Kingdom providers of satellite and cable television service. [18788]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  Channel 3 and 5 licensees are required to meet targets set out in the Broadcasting Act 1990 for the provision of subtitling. The BBC, Channel 4 and S4C, in pursuit of their public service commitments, aim to provide a similar amount of subtitling. Digital terrestrial television programme service licensees will be required to meet the subtitling and signing targets set under the Broadcasting Act 1996.

  There are no statutory subtitling or signing targets for cable and satellite broadcasters. I am nevertheless keen that cable and satellite channels should provide more subtitling and sign language services. I am therefore asking them what plans they have to make their services more accessible in the future.

  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of television football coverage is supplemented with live subtitling on(a) terrestrial and (b) satellite television stations. [18789]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  From 1 January-2 November 1997, the BBC provided live subtitling for 63.25 per cent. of its network football coverage. I understand from the Independent Television Commission that during the same period, the ITV Network subtitled all its live coverage of football matches. Neither Channel 4, Channel 5 nor, as far as the Commission are aware, any satellite television services provided any live subtitling of football coverage.

  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to extend to satellite television channels the obligations regarding subtitling set out in the Broadcasting Acts. [19563]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  I have no plans (and no current powers) to extend the statutory subtitling targets for subtitling to satellite broadcasters, but I am, nevertheless, keen that satellite channels should provide more subtitling services. I am therefore asking them what plans they have to make their services more accessible in the future to viewers with hearing difficulties.

  British Library
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if the British Library(a) Board and (b) Management Committee are required to publish details of their remuneration in the annual report; [19054]

  (2) what information the British Library is required to provide in its annual report in respect of income from the disposal of (a) freehold and (b) leasehold properties. [19055]
  469
  Mr. Fisher
  Under arrangements agreed with the Treasury, the British Library and other Non-departmental Public Bodies may produce summary financial information in their Annual Reports, indicating that the detail is available in the Annual Accounts. The Library's Accounts, which are published after the Annual Report, disclose remuneration of members of the British Library Board, the pay bands of senior employees earning more than £40,000 and the remuneration of the Chief Executive. The Accounts also show the income from the sale of freehold and leasehold properties.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what revenue was generated by readers in the British Library in respect of(a) London and (b) Boston spa reading room, in the last five years for which figures are available. [19045]

  Mr. Fisher
  Reading room revenue for the last five years was as follows:

  £000

  London reading rooms

  Boston Spa reading rooms

  Total

  1992–93

  510

  14

  1—

  1993–94

  537

  19

  1—

  1994–95

  835

  25

  1—

  1995–96

  1,019

  31

  1,050

  1996–97

  729

  34

  1,007

  1 Prior to 1993–94, no distinction was made in revenue from readers and remote users.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the number of reader places for science and medical readers in the new British Library; and what previous estimates of these numbers have been presented to Parliament. [19046]

  Mr. Fisher
  The total number of reader desks in the Science reading rooms is 273, with a further 41 dedicated for special functions such as CD-ROMS. These are available on a general basis and not specifically designated as "science" or "medical". Previous estimates of this provision were presented to Parliament on the following occasions:8 December 1988 (OR, WA, col 255) 238 reader seats for science and technology in the first phase of the new building.
  NAO Report, October 1990: New Building for the British Library: Revised reader seat provision for Science Reference Information Services: 242.
  National Heritage Committee Report, July 1994, The British Library: Reading rooms for science, technology and business: 209 desks in Phase 1A; 61 desks in Completion Phase.
  NAO Report, May 1996: Progress in Completing the New British Library: Capacity of the science and oriental reading rooms … 351 seats [i.e. 273 science and 78 oriental desks].

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what are his proposals for 29 Exhibition Road, South Kensington, when the National Sound Archive vacates the building; [19052]
  470
  (2) what are his plans for 25 Southampton Buildings, Holborn, when the present tenants vacate these buildings. [19051]

  Mr. Fisher
  Subject to approval by the relevant authorities, the Library will sell the freehold of the property at 29 Exhibition Road in 1998–99. The freehold of the property at 25 Southampton Buildings will be sold after their present tenants have vacated the buildings in 1999.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is the floor area of the office accommodation in the British Library St. Pancras building; and how many offices it contains. [19053]

  Mr. Fisher
  The total floor area of office accommodation in the St. Pancras building is 11,500 sq m. Under current plans, the number of individual offices is expected to be 40, as well as some 22 large open plan areas.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if 17 deg. C. and 50 per cent. relative humidity has been achieved in all the vault areas in the British Library. [19044]

  Mr. Fisher
  Tests in the vault areas have confirmed that the plant has achieved and maintained environmental conditions of 17 deg. C. (plus or minus one degree) and 50 per cent. relative humidity (plus or minus 5 per cent.) in accordance with the technical specifications laid down for the areas.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the cost of the(a) new and (b) proposed British Library buildings at Boston Spa. [19047]

  Mr. Fisher
  In 1995 the Library completed construction of a storage building at Boston Spa to accommodate reference material at a cost of £2.25 million. The Library is considering leasing additional office space to accommodate staff for functions relocated from London.

  Ballet and Opera
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what initiatives he proposes to increase access for young people and those on low pay to ballet and opera. [17982]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  Access is a central theme of my Department's policies for the arts. The public has a right to expect a return for the substantial public funding which the arts receive. The Government are considering proposals for a number of initiatives to enhance access, such as an artscard scheme for young people and open theatre nights. More recently, we have asked Sir Richard Eyre to look at the future of the Royal Opera House companies and English National Opera, to see how the future of all the companies can best be secured, and how the work of each company can become more accessible to all of us—whether through more touring activity, through education work or broadcast opportunities.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Benefit Upratings
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what would have been the extra cost to the National Insurance Fund that would have arisen from uprating contributory invalidity benefit or incapacity benefit by the higher of average earnings or prices in each year since 1980–81; [15452]

  (2) what the basic rate of invalidity benefit or incapacity benefit would have been in each year since 1980–81 if it had been uprated by the higher of average earnings or prices; and what was the actual rate for each of these years. [15453]

  Mr. Denham
  The information is in the table.

  Year

  Actual rate of basic invalidity benefit (incapacity benefit from April 1995)(£s per week)

  Rate if uprated by the higher of earnings of prices

  Estimated additional annual costs £s million

  1980–81

  26,00

  26.45

  5

  1981–82

  28.35

  29.60

  40

  1982–83

  31.45

  32.10

  60

  1983–84

  32.60

  34.90

  75

  1984–85

  34.25

  36.70

  160

  1985–86

  38.30

  41.60

  190

  1986–87

  38.70

  43.45

  325

  1987–88

  39.50

  45.90

  490

  1988–89

  41.15

  49.50

  650

  1989–90

  43.60

  53.90

  795

  1990–91

  46.90

  59.15

  925

  1991–92

  52.00

  65.60

  1,065

  1992–93

  54.15

  70.80

  1,335

  1993–94

  56.10

  74.25

  1,530

  1994–95

  57.60

  76.40

  1,645

  1995–96

  58.85

  79.45

  1,620

  1996–97

  61.15

  82.55

  1,575

  1997–98

  62.45

  86.00

  1.560

  Notes:

  1. In April 1995 invalidity benefit was replaced by incapacity benefit. The amounts shown are those for the long term rate of incapacity benefit.

  2. Uprating indices used are the Retail Prices Index (all items) and the Average Earnings Index (whole economy) as supplied by the Office of National Statistics.

  3. The uprated figures have been rounded to the nearest five pence.

  4. Estimates of additional costs are:

  (i) rounded to the nearest £5 million,

  (ii) cover invalidity pension-basic incapacity benefit and adult dependency additions and invalidity allowance only (IVA was replaced by age additions in April 1995),

  (iii) converted to 1997–98 prices using the GDP deflator and take account of offsetting costs in the income related benefits using family expenditure survey data.

  Source:

  Analytical Services Division.

  Website for Women
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the cost of the new Website for Women and how many visits have been made since the site went on-line. [17272]

  Ms Ruddock
  The new website of the Ministers for Women was set up at a total cost of £2,450 (£2,200 staff time, plus £250 for registration of the domain and IP address http://www.womens-unit.gov.uk).
  472
  The number of unique hosts accessing the site in the weeks since the site has been on-line are as follows:

  Weeks-ending

  Number

  8 November

  508

  15 November

  332

  22 November

  175

  Child Support
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many parents without care and control have been assessed by the CSA as having arrears in excess of £15,000. [16917]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  We expect the Child Support Agency to provide an efficient and effective service to all its clients throughout the child support assessment process. We are looking for substantial and sustained operational improvements from the Agency, in particular on getting more maintenance paid, reducing the backlog and improving customer service.

  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mrs. Faith Boardman. She will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Faith Boardman to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 5 December 1997:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the number of parents without care (normally known as absent parents) that have maintenance outstanding in excess of £15,000.The number of maintenance assessments completed and recorded on the Child Support Computer System currently stands at approximately 679,000; at 19 November 1997, the total number of cases with more than £15,000 of maintenance arrears outstanding was 18,890.In 90% of these cases (16,912), the arrears recorded as outstanding are the result of a Category A interim maintenance assessment. This measure, which sets maintenance at a punitive rate for absent parents who fail to co-operate, is imposed until the Agency is provided with the information needed to complete a full maintenance assessment. The Agency issued many interim maintenance assessments in its first two years—73,303 in 93/94. The emphasis now is to encourage absent parents to co-operate early and therefore avoid building up excessive maintenance arrears; the number of interim maintenance assessments has now greatly reduced to 11,718 in 1996/97.From April 1995 regulations were changed, so that the liability under an interim maintenance assessment reverts to the level of the full maintenance assessment once the absent parent co-operates; once sufficient information is provided to complete a full maintenance assessment in the interim maintenance cases the amount of arrears actually owed will be considerably reduced.I hope this is helpful.

  Weather Stations
  Mr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security pursuant to her answer of 17 November 1997,Official Report, column 79, if she will indicate the location of the two new weather stations; and if she will make a statement. [17528]

  Mr. Denham
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the member for Streatham (Mr. Hill) on 30 October 1997,Official Report, columns 855–56.
  473
  The Government are determined that pensioners will stay warm in their homes this winter. In his pre-budget report on 25 November, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced additional help for pensioners, to help with winter fuel bills for this winter
  and next.

  A payment of £50 will be made to pensioners receiving Income Support and £20 to other pensioners. This is in addition to any Cold Weather Payments they may also receive.

  Housing Benefit (Young People)
  Mr. Hesford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when she expects the review of the operation of the changes in eligibility for housing benefit for under-25s to be completed. [17315]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  We want to build up a national picture of the effects of this change. In order to enable us to do that, we are gathering evidence from a variety of sources and, in addition, we have commissioned research jointly with Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions to ascertain the effects of this change on Housing Benefit and the private rented sector. We will consider fully all the available evidence which will be coming on stream over the next few months. We will then decide on the way forward.

  Lone Parents
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many parents in the London, south-east and eastern regions, receive the lone parent element of(a) income support (b) child benefit. [19359]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The administration of Income Support and Child Benefit 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. Harry Cohen, dated 5 December 1997:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many parents in the London, south-east and eastern regions, receive the lone parent element of (a) Income Support (IS) and (b) Child Benefit (CHB).
  The information is not available in the format requested. The Benefits Agency (BA) collates statistics by BA District Offices. These Districts do not correspond to constituency boundaries or specific geographical areas.
  From April this year, the lone parent premium was replaced by a higher rate of family premium for lone parents. Information relating to parents in receipt of the lone parent rate of family premium is shown in the attached Annex.
  Information relating to parents in receipt of the lone parent element of CHB could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Annex: Income support customers in receipt of the lone parent rate of family premium as at 31 August 1997

  Number of lone parent rate of family premium recipients

  Benefits Agency Area Directorates

  AD1—East London and Anglia1

  108,666

  AD21—Chilterns2

  104,289

  SD31—London South3

  147,945

  474

  Annex: Income support customers in receipt of the lone parent rate of family premium as at 31 August 1997

  Number of lone parent rate of family premium recipients

  London4

  193,948

  The BA collates statistics by Distric Offices. These Districts do not correspond to constituency boundaries or this specific geographical area. The 125 Districts are grouped together into 13 Area Directorates.

  1 Includes the BA Districts of Barking and Havering, Cambridgeshire, City East, Essex South East, Essex South West, Hackney and Islington, Lea Roding, Leaside, Newham, North Essex, Norwich and Suffolk.

  2 Includes the BA Districts of Barnet, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Ealing, Euston, Harrow and Hillingdon, Neasden, North and East Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Thames Valley and West Hertfordshire.

  3 Includes the BA Districts of Bankside, East Kent, East Sussex, Hampshire North, London Central, North and West Kent, Palace, Solent and New Forest, South Circular, Central Sussex, South East Hampshire and Isle of Wight, South West Thames, Surrey Unit, Thameside and West Sussex.

  4 Includes the BA Districts of City East, Hackney and Islington, Lea Roding, Leaside, Newham, Barnet, Ealing, Euston, Neasden, Harrow and Hillingdon, Bankside, London Central, Surrey Unit, Palace, South Circular, South West Thames, Thameside and North and West Kent.

  The information has been provided by the BA's Central Data Unit, it is provisional and maybe subject to change. The figures provided relate to the number of income support customers in receipt of the lone parent rate of family premium as at 31 August 1997. It does not include those lone parents customers who are pensioners nor those registered sick who would qualify for a higher rate premium such as a pensioner or disability premium.

  Car Parking
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many car park spaces are provided for his Department's(a) Ministers, (b) employees and (c) visitors in (i) London and (ii) the United Kingdom. [19370]

  Mr. Field
  The breakdown of car park spaces provided for Ministers, employees and visitors is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Department of Social Security Ministers are accommodated in Richmond House. Facilities in this building, including car parking, are provided by the Department of Health as the major civil service occupier.

  The numbers of car park spaces provided within the Department of Social Security for all users are as follows:

  Number

  In London

  293

  In the United Kingdom

  10,945

  Advertising Campaigns
  Mr. Swinney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the costs and media of advertising campaigns designed(a) to combat benefit fraud and (b) to encourage benefit take-up for the year 1996–97. [19237]

  Mr. Field
  The costs of advertising combat benefit fraud and to encourage benefit take-up for the year 1996–97 were £3.776 million and £3.991 million respectively.

  Media used for advertising are as follows:

  Media

  Fraud

  Take-up

  National press

  Yes

  No

  Local and regional press

  Yes

  Yes

  Direct mail

  Yes

  Yes

  Specialist press

  No

  Yes

  Radio

  Yes

  Yes

  Posters

  Yes

  Yes

  Promotional events

  No

  Yes

  Leaflets and alternative formats

  Yes

  Yes

  Unclaimed Benefits
  Mr. Swinney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate she has made of the value of unclaimed benefits for the year 1996–97 in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) Scotland. [19234]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  Estimates for 1996–97 are not yet available. The total amount of unclaimed income-related benefits in Great Britain in 1995–96 is estimated as between £2.3 billion and £3.5 billion. The total amount of unclaimed benefit in Scotland in 1995–96 is estimated as between £200 million and £300 million.

  Estimates relating to Northern Ireland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Source

  Family Resources Survey.

  Notes

  1. Estimates relate to the four main income related benefits: Income Support, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Family Credit only. All take-up estimates exclude the self-employed as their entitlement to income-related benefits cannot readily be established from survey data.

  2. Estimates for 1996–97 are not yet available.

  3. The estimate for Scotland should be regarded as indicative only, as it is based on modest sample sizes.

CABINET OFFICE

  Millennium Experience
  Mr. Prior
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio what estimate he has made of the entrance fee for the millennium experience. [18006]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The New Millennium Experience Company is actively considering a range of entrance fees and ticketing arrangements, with a view to ensuring that as many people as possible have the opportunity to visit the Experience at Greenwich.
  476
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio what steps are being taken to promote the Millennium Experience to visitors from overseas. [18007]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The New Millennium Experience Company is in detailed discussions with the domestic and overseas travel trade and journals. Initial promotion began at the World Travel Market in London last month. Detailed promotion will begin in Spring 1998, including a feature stand at the British Travel Trade fair in March.

  The Millennium Experience will be featured in all relevant travel guides and programmes as a focal event in 2000. The NMEC will participate with British Incoming Tour Operators Association and other appropriate trade groups. The Millennium Experience will feature prominently in the British Tourist Authority's and the London Tourist Board's promotional and liaison programmes. The NMEC's ticketing strategy will recognise the importance of the travel trade to the Millennium Experience.

  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio what is his policy on encouraging private sector contributions to the cost of the Millennium Experience. [18009]

  Mr. Mandelson
  My policy is, with the New Millennium Experience Company, to give every possible encouragement to the private sector to contribute to the cost of the Millennium Experience.

  Ms Ward
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio when he proposes to publish the names of the successful contractors, and their plans, for the exhibitions within the millennium dome. [18008]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) announced on 2 December that they had concluded contracts with the first 10 designers for the large-scale exhibition structures within the Millennium-Experience. They are Bentheim, Eva Jiricna Architects, HP:ICM LTD., Jasper Jacob Associates, Land Design Studio Ltd., Media Projects International, MUF Architects, Park Avenue, Spectrum, and Work. In association with the NMEC, sponsors and specialist advisers, these designers are now developing further the concepts for the Experience attractions. I have placed a copy of the NMEC'S press release in the Library of the House. Since that announcement the company has concluded a contract with Zaha M. Hadid.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio what will be the contents of the Millennium Dome. [18984]

  Mr. Mandelson
  [holding answer 4 December 1997]]: The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) announced on 2 December that it had concluded contracts with the first 10 designers for the large-scale exhibition structures within the Millennium Experience. They are Bentheim, Eva Jiricna Architects, HP:ICM Ltd., Jasper Jacob Associates, Land Design Studio Ltd., Media Projects International, MUF Architects, Park Avenue, Spectrum, and Work. In association with the NMEC,

  477
  sponsors and specialist advisers, these designers are now developing further the concepts for the Experience attractions. I have placed a copy of the NMEC's press release in the Libraries of the House. Plans for a spectacular central experience that will be shared by all who visit the Dome are also well under way.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Official Hospitality
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the expenditure by(a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies on official hospitality for (i) 1980–81, (ii) 1987–88, (iii) 1990–91, (iv) 1991–92, (v) 1992–93, (vi) 1993–94, (vii) 1994–95, (viii) 1995–96, (ix) 1996–97 and (x) 1 May to 30 September 1997, [15226]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 11 November 1997]]: Expenditure on hospitality by Ministers and officials is shown in the table.

  MAFF

  1980–81

  n/a

  1987–88

  30,291

  1990–91

  54,420

  1991–92

  64,852

  1992–93

  72,986

  1993–94

  79,758

  1994–95

  64,092

  1995–96

  59,646

  1996–97

  70,104

  1997–98 (May-September)

  39,143

  n/a = not available.

  These figures do not include the expenditure by the Department's Agencies nor its non-departmental public bodies. Agencies will respond independently. The Department does not hold information about its NDPBs, and it could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Letter from Michael Finnigan to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  The Minister has asked me to reply to your question about expenditure on official hospitality within the Farming and Rural Conservation Agency (FRCA).
  FRCA is a new agency which came into being on I April 1997, and cannot, therefore show expenditure for financial years prior to 1997/98.
  For the period 1 May 1997 to 30 September 1997 expenditure on official hospitality was £5,805. This figure includes costs of refreshments for meetings, which are not separately identifiable from hospitality.

  Letter from Johnston McNeill to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  As Chief Executive of the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS), your question to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food concerning the level of expenditure on official hospitality for various periods has been passed to me for reply with regard to this Executive Agency.
  478
  The MHS was established as an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 1 April 1995. It therefore does not have any information on expenditure on official hospitality prior to 1995.
  I can advise you that the MHS spent the following sums, on an accruals basis on hospitality during the respective financial years:

  Year

  Expenditure (£)

  1995–96

  5,750

  1996–97

  13,011

  1 April 1997–30 September 1997

  4,697

  Letter from Dr. J. M. Rutter to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  The Minister has asked me to reply to your question about expenditure on official hospitality by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, for (i) 1980–81, (ii) 1987–88, (iii) 1990–91, (iv) 1991–92, (v) 1992–93, (vi) 1993–94, (vii) 1994–95, (viii) 1995–96, (ix) 1996–97 and (x) 1st May to 30th September 1997, as this is an operational matter for which I am responsible.
  The Directorate was established as a Next Steps Agency on 2 April 1990 and did not maintain its own accounts until 1991/92. Since that date expenditure on official hospitality is as follows:

  £

  1991–92

  1,239

  1993–94

  1,035

  1994–95

  1,817

  1995–96

  123

  1996–97

  186

  1 May 1997–30 September 1997

  Nil

  The figures shown for the years up to 1994–95 included the cost of lunches for industry liaison meetings and advisory groups which is now accounted for separately.

  Letter from P. W. Greig-Smith to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  In response to your Parliamentary Question on official hospitality, I have been asked to provide you with the relevant figures covering the Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (CEFAS). These are as follows:

  £

  1980–81

  n/a

  1987–88

  n/a

  1990–91

  1,000

  1991–92

  645

  1992–93

  213

  1993–94

  1,645

  1994–95

  1,491

  1995–96

  1,292

  1996–97

  1,614

  1997–98 April-September

  1,026

  n/a = not available.

  Letter from G. K. Bruce to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has asked me to reply, in respect of the Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD), to your question concerning expenditure incurred by PSD on official hospitality.

  479
  The Directorate was launched as an Executive Agency on 1 April 1993. Figures prior to this date are not available. Expenditure from this date is set out below:

  Year

  £

  1993–94

  380

  1994–95

  422

  1995–96

  1,269

  1996–97

  1,609

  1997–98(May to September)

  964

  Letter from P. I. Stanley to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997.
  The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has asked me to reply, in respect of the Central Science Laboratory (CSL), to your question concerning expenditure on official hospitality
  Expenditure prior to 1992, when CSL was first launched as an Agency, is included in Departmental Figures. The Agency was significantly enlarged and relaunched in 1994 and collocated to a new side between 1996 and the summer of 1997.
  Expenditure on hospitality within CSL is shown below:

  Year

  £000

  1992–93

  4.2

  1993–94

  4.7

  1994–95

  12.5

  1995–96

  23.6

  1996–97

  9.4

  1997–98(May -September)

  4.0

  Expenditure on hospitality in 1995–96 includes the cost for the Visiting Group to CSL's Agriculture and Environment Directorate. The purpose of Visiting Group was to assess the quality and management of the science delivered by Directorate.

  Letter from T. W. A. Little to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  The Minister has asked me to reply to your question on expenditure by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) on official hospitality.
  The VLA was launched as an Agency on I October 1995 as a result of the merger between the Central Veterinary Laboratory, already an Agency since April 1990, and the Veterinary Investigation Service, which was formerly part of the State Veterinary Service.
  Figures for expenditure on hospitality are as follows:

  £

  1993–94

  16,720

  1994–95

  12,076

  1995–96

  18,900

  1996–97

  27,152

  May-September 1997

  14,392

  Figures prior to 1993–94 are included in MAFF figures.

  Figures from 1996–97 include the Veterinary Investigation Service following the merge in 1995.

  Overseas Travel
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list each of the overseas trips made by himself and other members of his ministerial team since 2 May, specifying in each case(a) the participating Minister or Ministers, (b) the destination of the trip, (c) the purpose of the trip and (d) the cost of the trip; and if he will make a statement. [15228]
  480
  Dr. John Cunningham
  [holding answer 11 November 1997]]: The costs of each overseas trip undertaken by myself or by members of my Ministerial team, including the costs of accompanying officials, since 2 May are as follows:

  Date

  Destination

  Purpose

  Costs £

  20 May 1997 to 21 May 1997

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council (Dr. Cunningham)

  1.840.72

  20 May 1997

  Brussels

  Bilateral with Fisheries Commissioner (Mr. Morley and Dr. Cunningham—see above)

  807.00

  25 May 1997 to 27 May 1997

  Netherlands

  May Informal Council (Dr. Cunningham)

  2,288.00

  15 June 1997 to 16 June 1997

  Stockholm

  Bilateral with Swedish Agriculture Minister (Dr. Cunningham)

  2,051.60

  23 June 1997 to 24 June 1997

  Luxembourg

  Agriculture Council (Dr. Cunningham)

  2,566.62

  15 July 1997 to 16 July 1997

  Strasbourg and Bonn

  To meet the Temporary Committee European Parliament and then to Bonn for a bilateral (Dr. Cunningham)

  3,340.00

  21 July 1997 to 22 July 1997

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council (Dr. Cunningham)

  3,150.24

  06 October 1997 to 7 October 1997

  Poland

  Meeting with Ministers on CAP Reform and EU Enlargement (Lord Donoughue)

  1,900.00

  16 September 1997

  Spain

  Meeting of Fisheries Ministers (Mr. Morley)

  2,300.40

  22 September 1997 to 23 September 1997

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council (Dr. Cunningham)

  2,625.20

  9 September 1997 to 12 September 1997

  Czech Republic and Hungary

  Meeting with Ministers on CAP Reform and EU Enlargement (Lord Donoughue)

  3,050.00

  10 October 1997 to 12 October 1997

  Rome

  Bilateral with Italian Agriculture Minister (Dr. Cunningham)

  1,593.00

  13 October 1997

  Cologne

  ANUGA Food Fair (Dr. Cunningham)

  547.80

  16 October 1997

  Indonesia

  Trade Promotion (Lord Donoughue)

  26,500.00

  20 October 1997 to 21 October 1997

  Luxembourg

  Agriculture Council (Dr. Cunningham)

  2,726.40

  18 October 1997 to 26 October 1997

  Monaco

  Meeting of International Whaling Commission (Mr. Morley)

  1,298.00

  30 October 1997

  Luxembourg

  Fisheries Council (Mr. Morley)

  2,849.40

  7 November 1997 to 12 November 1997

  South Africa

  Trade Bilaterials (Dr. Cunningham)

  13,415.60

  17 November 1997 to 19 November 1997

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council (Dr. Cunningham)

  3,266.00

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the expenditure by(a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies on overseas travel for (i) 1980–81, (ii) 1987–88, (iii) 1990–91, (iv) 1991–92, (v) 1992–93, (vi) 1993–94, (vii) 1994–95, (viii) 1995–96, (ix) 1996–97 and (x) 1 May to 30 September 1997; and if he will provide a breakdown to show (1) air fares and (2) other expenditure relating to overseas travel. [15227]
  481
  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 11 November 1997]]: Expenditure on overseas travel by Ministers and officials is shown in the table:

  MAFF

  1980–81

  n/a

  1987–88

  953,392

  1990–91

  1,444,905

  1991–92

  1,954,412

  1992–93

  2,159,191

  1993–94

  2,127,316

  1994–95

  1,910,202

  1995–96

  1,641,245

  1996–97

  1,834,381

  1997–98 (May-September)

  558,788

  n/a = not available.

  These figures do not include the expenditure by the Department's Agencies nor its non-departmental public bodies. Agencies will respond independently. The Department does not hold this information about its NDPBs, and it could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Letter from Dr. J. M. Rutter to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  The Minister has asked me to reply to your question about expenditure on overseas travel by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, for (i) 1980–81, (iv) 1991–92, (v) 1992–93, (ii)(vi) 1987–88, (iii)1993–94, (vii) 1990–91, 1994–95, (viii) 1995–96, (ix) 1996–97 and (x) 1st May to 30th September 1997, as this is an operational matter for which I am responsible.
  The Directorate was established as a Next Steps Agency on 2 April 1990 and did not maintain its own accounts until 1991–92. Details of expenditure on overseas travel and subsistence since that date are shown below. Expenditure for airfares is not separately identifiable.

  £

  1991–92

  95,848

  1992–93

  112,386

  1993–94

  118,009

  1994–95

  126,864

  1995–96

  112,501

  1996–97

  98,676

  1 May to 30 September 1997

  24,289

  The main element of overseas travel was in respect of inspections of manufacturing premises in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the USA and Europe.

  Letter from P. I. Stanley to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has asked me to reply, in respect of the Central Science Laboratory (CSL), to your question concerning expenditure on overseas travel.
  Expenditure prior to 1992, when CSL was first launched as an Agency, is included in Departmental figures. The Agency was significantly enlarged and relaunched in 1994.
  Expenditure on overseas travel within CSL is shown below:

  Year

  All £000

  1992–93

  98.7

  1993–94

  57.4

  1994–95

  155.8

  1995–96

  175.2

  1996–97

  198.3

  1997–98 (April-October

  105.4

  Expenditure for air fares is not separately identifiable.

  482
  Letter from G. K. Bruce to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has asked me to reply, in respect of the Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD), to your question concerning expenditure on overseas travel.
  The Directorate was launched as an Executive Agency on 1 April 1993. Figures prior to this date are not available. Expenditure by PSD on all forms of overseas travel since this date are set out below:

  Actual expenditure

  £

  1993–94

  97,668

  1994–95

  74,980

  1995–96

  107,914

  1996–97

  80,819

  1997–98 (May to September)

  34,128

  Letter from P. W. Greig-Smith to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  In response to your Parliamentary Question on overseas travel, I have been asked to provide you with the relevant figures covering the Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (CEFAS). These are as follows.

  £

  1980–81

  n/a

  1987–88

  n/a

  1990–91

  98,173

  1991–92

  122,525

  1992–93

  126,244

  1993–94

  98,554

  1994–95

  130,259

  1995–96

  154,883

  1996–97

  162,125

  1997–98 April—September

  4,672

  n/a = not available.

  Unfortunately it is not possible to separate the air fare costs.

  Letter from Johnston McNeill to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  As Chief Executive of the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS), your question to the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food concerning the level of expenditure on overseas travel for various periods has been passed to me for reply with regard to this Executive Agency.
  The MHS was established as an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 1 April 1995. It therefore does not have any information on expenditure on overseas travel prior to 1995.
  I can advise you that the MHS spent the following sums, on an accruals basis, on the overseas travel during the respective financial years:

  Year

  Expenditure

  1995–96

  Nil

  1996–97

  Nil

  1997–98 (to date)

  £878 (£245 air travel)

  Letter from Michael Finnigan to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  The Minister has asked me to reply to your question about expenditure on overseas travel within the Farming and Rural Conservation Agency (FRCA).
  FRCA is a new agency which came into being on 1 April 1997, and cannot, therefore show expenditure for financial years prior to 1997–98.

  483
  For the period 1 May 1997 to 30 September 1997 expenditure on overseas travel was £485.

  Letter from T. W. A. Little to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  The Minister has asked me to reply to your question on expenditure by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) on overseas travel.
  The VLA was launched as an Agency on 1 October 1995 as a result of the merger between the Central Veterinary Laboratory, already an Agency since April 1990, and the Veterinary Investigation Service, which was formerly part of the State Veterinary Service.
  Figures for expenditure on overseas travel are as follows:

  £

  1993–94

  61,700

  1994–95

  66,200

  1995–96

  63,900

  1996–97

  111,900

  May-September 1997

  74,300

  Figures prior to 1993–94 are included in MAFF figures. Figures from 1996–97 include the Veterinary Investigation Service following the merger in 1995. It is not possible to break down expenditure into air fares and expenditure relating to overseas travel.

  Publicity and Advertising
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the total expenditure on all forms of publicity and advertising by(a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies for (i) 1993–94, (ii) 1994–95, (iii) 1995–96, (iv) 1996–97, (v) the 1997–98, year to date, (vi) the 1997–98, full year estimate and (vii) the 1998–99 planned expenditure. [15229]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 11 November 1997]]: Expenditure on publicity and advertising by Ministers and officials is shown in the table:

  MAFF

  1980–81

  —

  1987–88

  —

  1990–91

  —

  1991–92

  —

  1992–93

  —

  1993–94

  4,649,589

  1994–95

  4,961,303

  1995–96

  5,324,791

  1996–97

  5,138,192

  1997–98 (year to date)

  1,948,160

  These figures do not include the expenditure by the Department's Agencies nor its non departmental public bodies. Agencies will respond independently. The Department does not hold this information about its NDPBs, and it could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Letter from T. W. A. Little to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  The Minister has asked me to reply to your question on expenditure by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) on publicity and advertising.
  484
  The VLA was launched as an Agency on 1 October 1995 as a result of the merger between the Central Veterinary Laboratory, already an Agency since April 1990, and the Veterinary Investigation Service, which was formerly part of the State Veterinary Service.
  Figures for expenditure on publicity and advertising are as follows:

  Publicity1£

  Advertising2£

  1993–94

  68,500

  7,656

  1994–95

  47,000

  13,429

  1995–96

  42,000

  15,787

  1996–97

  52,800

  42,000

  April-October 1997

  47,400

  52,653

  1997–98 estimate

  61,200

  70,000

  1998–99 planned

  62,000

  40,000

  1 This includes annual reviews, marketing brochures, customer newsletters and leaflets

  2 The majority of advertising is for staff recruitment in newspapers and specialist journals

  The figures from 1996–97 include the Veterinary Investigation Service following the merger.

  Letter from Michael Finnigan to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  The Minister has asked me to reply to your question about expenditure on publicity and advertising within the Farming and Rural Conservation Agency (FRCA).
  FRCA is a new agency which came into being on 1 April 1997, and cannot, therefore show expenditure for financial years prior to 1997–98.
  For the period 1 May 1997 to 30 September 1997 expenditure on publicity and advertising was £19,291, which includes £10,842 spent on advertising staff vacancies.

  Letter from Johnston McNeill to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  As Chief Executive of the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS), your question to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food concerning the level of expenditure on publicity and advertising for various periods has been passed to me for reply with regard to this Executive Agency.
  The MHS was established as an Executive Agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 1 April 1995. It therefore does not have any information on expenditure on this item prior to 1995.
  The MHS spent the following sums, on an accruals basis, on the requested items during the respective financial years:

  Year

  Expenditure (£)

  1995–96

  1,000

  1996–97

  34,000

  1997–98 (forecast)

  49,000

  1998–99 (estimate)

  49,000

  The expenditure on publicity and advertising predominantly covers expenditure on the Agency's Annual Report and Accounts. It excludes recruitment advertising.

  Letter from Dr. J. M. Rutter to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  The Minister has asked me to reply to your question about expenditure on all forms of publicity and advertising by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, for (i) 1993–94, (ii) 1994–95, (iii) 1995–96, (iv) 1996–97, (v) the 1997–98 year to date, (vi) the 1997–98, full year estimate and (vii) the 1998–99 planned expenditure, as this is an operational matter for which I am responsible.

  485
  Expenditure on publicity and advertising is as follows:

  £

  1993–94

  80,106

  1994–95

  52,129

  1995–96

  48,723

  1996–97

  63,917

  1 April to 31 October 1997

  43,614

  1997–98 forecast

  65,000

  1998–99 forecast

  65,000

  The above figures cover the announcement of the grant and expiry of marketing authorisations in the official gazettes, direct recruitment advertising, the VMD's Annual Report and Accounts, publicity relating to the safe use of organophosphorus sheep dips and expenditure on the VMD's quarterly newsletter MAVIS. This newsletter is circulated to the veterinary profession, the veterinary medicinal products industry, representative bodies and opinion formers.

  Letter from P. W. Greig—Smith to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  In response to your Parliamentary Question on publicity and advertising, I have been asked to provide you with the relevant figures covering the Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (CEFAS). For clarity, the figures are shown in separate categories: staff advertising/recruit-ment, and publicity/marketing.

  Staff advertising recruitment£

  Publicity/ marketing£

  1980–81

  n/a

  n/a

  1987–88

  n/a

  n/a

  1990–91

  7,000

  n/a

  1991–92

  3,191

  n/a

  1992–93

  7,128

  n/a

  1993–94

  50,686

  n/a

  1994–95

  12,817

  n/a

  1995–96

  35,292

  38,880

  1996–97

  36,106

  1145.665

  1997–98 April-September

  29,646

  17,500

  1997–98 full year estimate

  57,000

  76,000

  1998–99 planned expenditure

  budgets not yet agreed

  1 Includes Agency launch expenditure

  Letter from G. K. Bruce to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has asked me to reply, in respect of the Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD), to your question regarding expenditure on all forms of publicity and advertising.
  The Directorate was launched as an Executive Agency on 1 April 1993. Figures prior to this date are not available. Direct expenditure by PSD on all forms of publicity and advertising from this date is set out below. PSD makes use of MAFF advertising and publicity where appropriate and the costs are borne directly by MAFF on PSD's behalf.

  Year

  £

  1993–94

  15,471

  1994–95

  4,400

  1995–96

  0

  1996–97

  0

  1997–98 (April to October)

  0

  1997–98 (estimate)

  0

  1998–99 (estimate)

  0

  486
  Letter from P. I. Stanley to Mr. Malcolm Bruce, dated 8 December 1997:
  The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has asked me to reply, in respect of the Central Science Laboratory (CSL), to your question concerning expenditure on all forms of publicity and advertising.
  CSL was first launched as an Agency in 1992. The Agency was significantly enlarged and relaunched in 1994.
  Expenditure on publicity and advertising within CSL is shown below:

  Year

  £000

  1993–94

  16.4

  1994–95

  41.1

  1995–96

  26.5

  1996–97

  32.4

  1997–98 (April-October)

  12.6

  Agenda 2000
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his assessment of the impact in the United Kingdom of Agenda 2000 on each of the agricultural sectors where proposals have been made. [19549]

  Dr. John Cunningham
  Formal legislative proposals to implement the ideas outlines in Agenda 2000 are not expected to be published by the European Commission until the first part of 1998.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food pursuant to the Sixth Report of the Select Committee on European Legislation's considerations of Agenda 2000 (HC 155-vi), if he will list the environmental and rural development measures referred to in paragraph 2.5; which Commission rural policy and targeted agri-environmental measures referred to in paragraph 2.6 he supports and for what reasons; if he will set out the basis for his calculation of the savings to consumers in paragraph 2.7; and which member states had the difficulties with the proposed level of the cuts in support prices for cereals and milk referred to in paragraph 2.8; and for what reasons. [19594]

  Dr. John Cunningham
  No. I will formulate my detailed response to the Commission's legislative proposals giving effect to Agenda 2000 when they are tabled next year.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of its EU budget he estimates would be spent on agriculture if the current Agenda 2000 proposals were adopted in full. [19545]

  Dr. John Cunningham
  The Commission estimate that the agricultural guideline would stand at 50 billion ecu in 2006 (at 1997 prices), out of total budgetary commitments of 114.5 billion ecu. The Commission envisages that actual spending on agriculture would be less than the guidelines, at 46 billion ecu (at 1997 prices). This estimate includes expenditure in new Member States and on pre-accession aid for countries which have yet to join the EU.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the United Kingdom will press the Council to review the level of its agriculture guidelines as part of the Agenda 2000 negotiations. [19541]
  487
  Dr. John Cunningham
  Decisions on the level of the agricultural guideline are for ECOFIN, not the Agriculture Council. The Commission has proposed keeping the method of calculating the guideline unchanged and reviewing this in about 2005. The UK will be pressing for agricultural spending to be set well below the guideline, which should be a ceiling, not a target, as I made clear at the November Agriculture Council.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the way in which Agenda 2000 will affect the prospects for the production of bio-mass for energy usage. [19544]

  Dr. John Cunningham
  It is not yet clear what effect Agenda 2000 will have on the prospects for the production of biomass for energy usage. While the Commission's paper recognises that renewable energy crops represent a new opportunity for agriculture, forestry and rural job creation, it also proposes to suspend obligatory set-aside and reduce the aid for voluntary set-aside, measures which currently support these crops.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which proposals in Agenda 2000 will help(a) improve the environment, (b) encourage reduced usage of agro-chemicals, (c) protect wildlife, (d) increase organic production, (e) prepare the community for enlargement, (f) assist the community to negotiate successfully in the next World Trade Organisation round, (g) enable the Community's expenditure on agriculture to stay within its guidelines, (h) allow efficient British farmers to prosper, (i) require environmental objectives to be achieved before CAP payments are made or received, (j) set environmental objectives for the CAP, (k) encourage the production of non-food crops, (l) affect forestry, (m) help the beef sector and (n) affect hill farmers. [19546]

  Dr. John Cunningham
  In the Government's view, the Agenda 2000 proposals are a step in the right direction towards a market-oriented CAP with less production-related support and more emphasis on agri-environmental and rural development objectives. A CAP which is radically reformed along these lines, as favoured by the Government, should be beneficial in most of the areas identified by the right hon Member.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the required increase in productivity in each sector affected by the Agenda 2000 proposals to trigger a reduction in levels of direct payments; and what recommendations the United Kingdom Government will make on this matter to the Council. [19539]

  Dr. John Cunningham
  None. In the Government's view, direct payments should be time-limited and degressive, giving producers time to adjust their businesses to a market-oriented system which does not rely on production-related subsidies.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if Agenda 2000 is to be fully implemented before further Community enlargement takes place. [19540]
  488
  Dr. John Cunningham
  Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy is essential to enable the EU to meet its future challenges, including early successful enlargement. I will use our Presidency to launch negotiations in the Agriculture Council as soon as the Commission's legislative reform proposals appear.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reasons peas and beans will receive supplementary aid under the Commission's proposals for Agenda 2000. [19550]

  Dr. John Cunningham
  The Commission has explained the purpose of its proposal as being to maintain the competitiveness of protein crops with cereals and to encourage their production.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the environmental impact studies of Agenda 2000 carried out by his Ministry or any of its specialised advisory groups. [19542]

  Dr. John Cunningham
  My Department is in the process of commissioning one project from the Centre for Agricultural Strategy at Reading to assess the implications of Agenda 2000 for land use in England and Wales, using the Land Use Allocation Model, and another desk top study to identify the likely consequences for the environment if the Agenda 2000 reforms are implemented. It is normal practice to allow researchers to publish the results of their work.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the impact of Agenda 2000 on the countryside stewardship scheme; and if he will make a statement. [19538]

  Dr. John Cunningham
  In the absence of detailed legislative proposals, the impact of Agenda 2000 on the Countryside Stewardship Scheme cannot be assessed.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if the removal of crop specific payments for oilseeds proposed under Agenda 2000 will end the requirements for a maximum area for these crops; [19547]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the Agenda 2000 proposals for non-specific payments in respect of oilseed crops with existing World Trade Organisation rules. [19548]

  Dr. John Cunningham
  The compatibility with WTO rules of any trade arrangement can only be definitively determined under WTO dispute settlement procedures. The Commission's preliminary view, which we share, is that the introduction of a non-crop specific aid for oilseeds would relieve the EU from the restrictions on the maximum area of oilseeds laid down in the 1992 Blair House Agreement between the EU and the USA.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the financial effects which Agenda 2000 will have on the United Kingdom beef sector; and if he will make a statement. [19543]

  Dr. John Cunningham
  The effects of the Commission's proposals for the reform of the beef regime will depend upon the extent to which the proposed cut in support prices is reflected in market prices.
  489
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at what rate and over what time scale under the terms of Agenda 2000 the Government propose that direct payments should be decoupled from production and reduced. [19537]

  Dr. John Cunningham
  The Commission has not yet tabled legislative proposals to implement the ideas set out in the Agenda 2000 series of papers. The Government will respond appropriately to those proposals when we receive them.

  Food Safety
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food pursuant to his answer of 27 November 1997,Official Report, column 640, on food safety, what factors in respect of the management of risk his research programme is examining; what are the programme's findings to date on the public perceptions of food safety risk; which other relevant opinion surveys he has assessed; and what were their results. [19595]

  Dr. John Cunningham
  My Department's risk management research programme, which has been running for five years, covers all aspects of risk management including perceptions of risk, the way that risk messages are received by the public, risk communication and methods by which consumer views on food safety might be best taken into account in decision making. Other relevant opinion surveys are published by others, such as, for example, the Consumers Association, as a result of research into a variety of food-related issues.

  Scientific Research (Corporation Tax)
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made of the Board of Trade's proposed changes to the guidelines on granting exemptions from corporation tax to scientific research associations. [19551]
  490
  Dr. John Cunningham
  The proposed changes to the guidelines would have a significant impact on a number of bodies under my Department's sponsorship and, following representations from several of these, both my noble Friend the Parliamentary Secretary and I, have raised the matter with colleagues at the Department of Trade and Industry.

  Support Schemes
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which Community funded agricultural support schemes he estimates will underspend their budgeted amounts in 1997–98; and by how much. [19552]

  Dr. John Cunningham
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given to him on 21 November 1997,Official Report, column 356.

  Hill Farming
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those elements of his hill farming policy which are compatible with Article 33 of the treaty establishing the European Community. [19536]

  Dr. John Cunningham
  Hill farmers receive specific financial help via the Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances scheme. This has been approved under the terms of the EC farm structures Regulation 950//97, and is therefore compatible with Article 33 (ex 39) of the Treaty.

  Unpasteurised Milk
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reasons he decided to consult publicly on the banning of unpasteurised milk following his receipt of the scientific advice from the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food. [19585]

  Dr. John Cunningham
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on 4 December 1997,official Report, column 357.