Written Answers of 24 January 1997

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Re-entry Refusals
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who were convicted of a criminal offence, punishable by a prison sentence but not served with a deportation order as part of the sentence, were refused re-admission to Britain after leaving Britain to go on holiday in each of the last three years. [12330]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  The information requested is not available.

  Deportations
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who were convicted of a criminal offence, punishable by a prison sentence, as part of their sentence were also ordered to be deported in 1996 and for each of the previous four years; for each year, how many deportations were effected; and what were the(a) nationalities and (b) gender of those deported. [12322]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Complete data for 1996 are not yet available. Information for 1992 to 1995 and January to August 1996 was given in the reply to a question from the hon. Member on 31 October 1996,Official Report, columns 211–13.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals applied for asylum in(a) December 1996 and (b) December 1995. [12050]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Two thousand two hundred and eighty-five applications for asylum in the United Kingdom were lodged in December 1996. The equivalent figure for the same month in 1995 was 3,540.

  Hong Kong Residents
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by occupational category and ethnic background the number of Hong Kong residents who have been granted right of abode in the United Kingdom after 1 July. [12179]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Information is not collected on the ethnic background of those given British citizenship under the British nationality selection scheme. The occupational categories of the 49,842 principal beneficiaries granted citizenship as of 31 December 1996 were as follows:
  754

  Number

  Managers and administrators

  13,956

  Business and professionals

  1,067

  Business and administration associates

  5,429

  Accountants and auditors

  1,733

  Accounting associate professionals

  559

  Engineers and related professionals

  2,651

  Architects, planners and surveyors

  556

  Engineering associate professionals

  1,641

  Information science professionals

  2,583

  News editors and journalists

  219

  Doctors of medicine

  712

  Physical and life science professionals

  94

  Nurses and midwives

  1,740

  Other medical professionals

  198

  Health associate professionals

  758

  Legal professionals

  402

  Legal associate professionals

  153

  Teaching professionals (post-secondary)

  419

  Educational administrators

  298

  Other teaching personnel

  3,133

  Computing equipment controllers

  172

  Life science technicians

  34

  Physical science technicians

  38

  Social work professionals

  144

  Statistical assistants

  56

  Translators/interpreters

  56

  Correctional Services Department

  1,019

  Customs and Excise Department

  501

  Fire Services Department

  1,221

  Immigration Department

  573

  Independent Commission Against Corruption

  105

  Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force

  14

  Royal Hong Kong Police Force

  3,788

  The Garrison (Army)

  224

  The Garrison (Navy)

  57

  Entrepreneurs

  484

  Sensitive service

  3,055

  British Passport Holders
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, in descending order, the estimated number of full British passport holders currently resident in all overseas British territories, Commonwealth and foreign countries who have been registered voters in the United Kingdom. [12453]

  Mr. Sackville
  Information on the countries of residence of overseas electors is not collected centrally. The total number of overseas electors on registers which came into force on 16 February 1996 was 17,886.

  Dog Breeders
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he has made of the current operation of the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973; and if he will make a statement; [12402]

  (2) what plans he has to issue guidance to local authorities on unlicensed dog breeders and the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973; and if he will make a statement; [12403]

  (3) what action he intends to take against unlicensed dog breeders who breach the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973; and if he will make a statement; [12404]

  (4) how many representations he has received regarding the Breeding and Sale of Dogs Bill; and how many of those supported the Bill. [12405]
  755
  Mr. Sackville
  The Breeding of Dogs Acts 1973 and 1991 provide local authorities with wide-ranging powers over dog breeding. They can withhold the granting of a licence to keep a breeding establishment on any grounds, and impose any condition in the licence. Local authority officials and/or veterinary surgeons can inspect licensed premises as often as they wish to check upon the standards of health, welfare and accommodation of dogs.

  The Acts give local authorities powers, subject to obtaining a warrant, to inspect all premises where there is a reasonable suspicion that unlicensed breeding is taking place. The Home Office issued guidance to local authorities in 1992 concerning these, and other, powers available to them in the 1973 and 1991 Acts.

  Current law provides local authorities with sufficient powers to deal with the problem of unscrupulous dog breeders.

  A total of 534 letters have been received about the Breeding and Sale of Dogs Bill. Of this number, 527 have supported the Bill.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Machinery of Government
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what changes in the machinery of government have been made as a result of recommendations made by Lord Justice Scott. [11056]

  The Deputy Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 22 January 1997,Official Report, column 600–01.

  Access to Government Information
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he plans to take to(a) ensure that all Government Departments are informed of, and implement the change in, the code of practice on access to Government information contained in the revised code issued on 14 January and (b) monitor the effectiveness of implementation from 1 February. [11777]

  Mr. Freeman
  Copies of the revised "Code of Practice on Access to Government Information" and its accompanying "Guidance on Interpretation" have been circulated to openness liaison officers in Departments in advance of the changes coming into effect on 1 February. The changes and their effects have been explained to these liaison officers in correspondence and at a meeting. These departmental representatives are charged with ensuring that the revised code and guidance are fully disseminated within their Departments. These working level contacts have been reinforced through discussions of the revised code at meetings of departmental establishment officers and at a recent meeting of permanent secretaries, chaired by the head of the home civil service.

  My Department will continue to report annually to Parliament on the experiences of Departments, agencies and public bodies in implementing the code. The Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, who investigates complaints about departmental
  756
  implementation of the code, also reports annually to Parliament, and has the power to report from time to time on specific issues arising from his work.

  Government Vehicles
  Sir Irvine Patnick
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many official(a) Government and (b) ministerial cars are operating on bi-fuel; and if he will make a statement. [12022]

  Mr. Freeman
  Responsibility for the cars provided by the Government car service has been delegated under the terms of its framework document to the Security Facilities Executive under its chief Executive, Mr. John King. The agency is therefore responding to the question. No record is kept centrally of cars which other Departments and Government agencies may operate.

  Letter from John King to Sir Irvine Patnick, dated 22 January 1997:
  I have been asked by Mr Freeman, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (who has Ministerial responsibility for the Government Car Service (GCS)), to provide you with a response to your Parliamentary Question concerning the number of cars, both for Official and Ministerial use, that are operating on bi-fuel. I am the Chief Executive of the Agency with operational responsibility for the GCS and am able to answer your question with regard only to those cars used by the Government Car Service.
  I can confirm that the Government Car Service currently has two cars that can operate on both Petrol and Natural Gas. One is a Rover 827 which operates within the Ministerial fleet and the other is a Rover Sterling which operates within the pool fleet.

ENVIRONMENT

  Housing Stock
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  The ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which 10 district councils, placed in rank order, have the highest percentage of their housing stock built before 1900. [12467]

  Mr. Clappison
  The 10 district councils with the highest percentage of their housing stock built before 1919 are as follows:

  Percentage

  1. Hammersmith and Fulham

  74.2

  2. Kensington and Chelsea

  70.7

  3. Pendle

  67.2

  4. Westminster

  62.6

  5. Hyndburn

  61.7

  6. Teeside

  60.8

  7. Eden

  60.3

  8. Camden

  58.5

  9. Islington

  58.3

  10. Burnley

  55.7

  1. The figures relate to dwellings of all tenures as at April 1996.

  2. 1919 is the earliest date for which the Department can provide reliable figures.

  Sellafield
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to announce his decision on the planning application for a rocket, characterisation facility laboratory at Sellafield; and if he will make a statement. [12643]
  757
  Sir Paul Beresford
  The planning inspector's report of the inquiry, which was received by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 25 November, is currently being considered with a view to the decision being issued as soon as possible.

  Hedgerows
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what length of hedgerow has been lost in England each year since 1979. [12482]

  Mr. Clappison
  The information is not available in the form requested. The Department commissioned two surveys into hedgerow changes covering the years from 1984 to 1990 and from 1990 to 1993. The latter survey indicated an average annual net loss of 18,100 km of hedges in England and Wales. The comparable annual figure for the previous survey period was 21,900 km. In these figures, the net "loss" of hedges refers to both removal of hedges and changes to other types of field boundary such as relict hedges and fences. No further research into hedgerow loss has been undertaken.

  PSA Projects
  Mr. Stephen
  To ask the Secretary of state for the Environment if he will make a further statement on the sale of PSA Projects. [13204]

  Mr. Gummer
  In December 1992 PSA Projects was sold to Tarmac Construction Ltd. Tarmac was paid £49.6 million as compensation for future losses and commercial risk, to provide funds for a pension fund contribution, investment and working capital. The Department retained £55 million of pre-sale trade debts which were all subsequently collected. In addition to the payment of £49.6 million, Tarmac received £10.5 million for net liabilities transferred with PSA Projects. Under the sale agreement, this sum was subject to pound-for-pound adjustment following the preparation of a completion statement which would provide details of PSA Projects net asset position at the point of sale.

  Tarmac presented a completion statement in June 1993 but difficulties over agreeing adjustments to this resulted in the appointment of an independent expert in October 1995 to review the completion statement and make adjustments. The independent expert has now reported on the net asset position of the business at the point of sale. As a result, Tarmac will make an adjustmenting payment to Government of £19,921,177.00p. In addition Tarmac will pay Government interest totalling £2,612,611.98p.

  Under the sale agreements, the Department's liability to meet the severance costs of staff who were employed in the business was limited to £39.5 million. This limit has been reached and all further costs are to be met by the purchaser.

  In the event of the purchaser's bankruptcy in the first five years post sale that is to 1 December 1997, the Department has also guaranteed the redundancy entitlements of transferring staff. The maximum value of this contingent liability is now estimated to be £10.3 million.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Sustainable Development
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how his Department has used the "UK Indicators of Sustainable Development" in(a) the production of the Department's annual report, (b) monitoring progress towards meeting the objectives set out in the UK sustainable development strategy and (c) assessing the environmental implications of policy options; and what plans there are to extend their use in future within the Department. [12273]

  Mr. Lang
  The "UK Indicators of Sustainable Development", published last March, and the information underlying those of most direct relevance to the responsibilities of the Department have been used to inform decisions about priorities for action and work programmes for the year ahead. This will be reflected in the annual White Paper on sustainable development and the Department's annual report, both of which will be published shortly. The data are also used as appropriate to inform consideration of the environmental implications of policy options.

  Overseas Investment
  Sir Michael Marshall
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent studies his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated to assess the current levels of British private investment overseas; what assessment he has made of its impact on the United Kingdom economy; and if he will make a statement. [12569]

  Mr. Lang
  Following a commitment given in the first Competitiveness White Paper (Cm 2563) my Department commissioned, in 1994, KPMG to undertake a study of UK outward investment with the remit to consider what further support the Government might offer overseas investors. The results of this study were published in May 1996.

  My Department constantly monitors the levels of British overseas investment and, from time to time, evaluates relevant studies on this subject.

  The Government believe that domestic firms and their employees gain from the freedom available to business to invest overseas. Direct investment can be an effective means of delivering goods and services to particular markets and in this way complements direct exports. Overall, the UK stands to benefit if firms are allowed to direct their resources to their most profitable use. The Government seek international agreement to liberalise regimes governing outward and inward foreign direct investment.

  Coal Stocks
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his current estimate of the stocks of coal held at(a) collieries and (b) power stations. [11852]
  759
  Mr. Page
  [holding answer 23 January 1997]: The levels of stocks held by the coal and electricity generating industries at the end of October are as follows:

  thousand tonnes

  Collieries

  Power stations

  October 1996

  4,862

  9,590

  Source:

  Energy trends.

  Power Stations (Petrol Coke)
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to prevent the burning of petrol coke at power stations. [11851]

  Mr. Page
  [holding answer 23 January 1997]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 5 December 1996, Official Report, column 756.

  Export Winners
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he intends to issue the "Export Winners" report. [13143]

  Mr. Nelson
  The "Export Winners" report will be published today. It draws on interviews with 75 of the best United Kingdom exporting companies and highlights the key factors behind their success. I believe it will provide a valuable guide to export success, particularly for new or less experienced exporters.

  I have placed copies of the report in the Library of the House.

  Insurance Companies
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes he proposes to the legislation relating to insolvent non-life insurance companies. [13144]

  Mr. Nelson
  My Department issued a consultative document in December 1994 on proposals for dealing with insolvent non-life insurance companies. The proposals seek to provide a more satisfactory legal basis for dealing with the affairs of an insolvent non-life insurance company through a scheme of arrangement under section 425 of the Companies Act 1985, developed in a period of provisional liquidation. Responses to the consultative document generally supported a change in the law and I therefore propose to bring forward legislation, when parliamentary time permits. The principal features of the new arrangements would be:provision for an insolvent insurance company to apply to the court for a stay on proceedings against it by unsecured creditors while a scheme of arrangement is being drawn up;
  some modifications to the requirements of section 425 of the Companies Act 1985, for the purposes of schemes subject to the new provisions;
  provision for the insolvency practitioner overseeing an agreed scheme to have certain powers, in relation to fraudulent and wrongful trading and preferences and undervalues, which are not currently available to the administrators of section 425 schemes.

  Late Payments
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to implement the proposal to require large companies to publish details of their payment practices, contained in the consultative document, "Tackling Late Payment: Stating Payment Practice in the Directors" report. [13142]

  Mr. Page
  Late payment was one of the main concerns highlighted by small firms and their advisers during the nation-wide series of "Your Business Matters" conferences which culminated in the national conference last March. Whilst there are no easy answers to the problems caused by late payment of commercial debt, we in Government are committed to doing all we can to help small firms get their bills paid promptly.

  The draft regulations, amending the Companies Act 1985, which I am today laying before Parliament, will mean that all public limited companies and their large private subsidiaries will have to disclose how long, on average, it takes them to pay their bills. This additional information, which builds on the payment policy disclosure introduced last year, will give small firms more details of the payment records of the larger companies with whom they may be considering doing business. This annual disclosure of a performance figure should help small firms monitor year-on-year, in a relatively straightforward way, the payment records of large companies. Whilst it will never substitute for thorough credit management, the additional information provided will be useful to suppliers.

  Fireworks
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 21 January,Official Report, columns 572–73, if he will list the representatives of the firework industry he met to discuss aerial shells between 21 November and 19 December indicating the dates on which he met each. [12620]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I treat the meetings I have with individuals and organisations, on any topic, as private unless it is agreed that the details should be made public. The meetings I had between 21 November and 19 December 1996 took the form of private discussions on a range of issues relating to fireworks, including commercial matters, and I am not therefore at liberty to disclose details.

  Dounreay
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what data his Department collates in respect of the environmental monitoring conducted by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority of employees at Dounreay following reportable radiological incidents; and if(a) current and (b) former UKAEA staff are covered by the Official Secrets Act 1911 in respect of such incidents. [11914]

  Mr. Page
  These data are not collated by my Department. Under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985 the UKAEA is responsible for monitoring the radiation doses received by its employees. The data are then collated by the Health and Safety Executive.
  761
  Information on radiation doses would be covered by The Official Secrets Act only if there were clear national security implications.

WALES

  A550
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the official opening of the roads grade interchange at the entrance of the Deeside industrial park. [12281]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The interchange has been in use since December. No formal opening ceremony is intended.

  Ministerial School Visits
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many(a) high schools, (b) primary schools, (c) infants schools, (d) nursery schools and (e) further education colleges he has visited in (i) the former county of Clwyd and (ii) in the new county of Flintshire; and if he will make a statement. [12277]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Since July 1995; my right hon. Friend has visited one secondary school in the area covered by the former county of Clwyd. In the same period, in addition to a number of constituency visits, my predecessor visited two primary schools, two secondary schools and two colleges of further-higher education. Of these, one primary school and one college are located in the new county of Flintshire. Since my appointment in June 1996, I have yet to make such a visit but intend to do so as soon as possible.

  Rail Services
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what initiatives he is taking to improve rail services between Holyhead and Crewe and Wrexham and Birkenhead; and if he will make a statement. [12285]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I understand that the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising is currently evaluating bids for both the North West Regional Railways and the Intercity West Coast franchises. The franchising director will take account of any proposals by bidders to improve the level and quality of services over and above the minimum standards specified in the passenger service requirements.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the level of inward investment to(a) the former county of Clwyd and (b) the former district council of Alyn and Deeside in the years 1994, 1995 and 1996. [12279]

  Mr. Hague
  In 1994, Clwyd attracted 878 new jobs, 734 safeguarded jobs and investment of £98.5 million; in 1995, 491 new jobs, 222 safeguarded jobs and investment of £50 million; and, in 1996, 1,053 new jobs, 334 safeguarded jobs and investment of £108.8 million. Alyn and Deeside saw 122 new jobs, 30 safeguarded jobs and investment of £49.6 million in 1994; 77 new jobs and investment of £1.9 million in 1995; and 50 new jobs and investment of £45 million in 1996.
  762
  Mr. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he is taking to attract inward investment to Deeside and Buckley. [12278]

  Mr. Hague
  The inward investment drive continues to be very active and the Welsh Office and Welsh Development Agency will continue to make every effort to ensure that all parts of Wales benefit from inward investment. 1996 was an exceptional year which demonstrates that the policies of economic discipline are working well. North Wales is sharing in this success and the North Wales Economic Forum will help increase that success.

  River Dee Crossing
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the new River Dee crossing at Connahs quay to open. [12282]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Flintshire county council is responsible for the River Dee crossing. It estimates completion in late 1997.

  Meningitis
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date he was first informed of the probability of the connection between the meningitis outbreak of mid-November 1996 in the Penylan halls of residence of the University College of Wales, Cardiff, and the earlier case notified on 16 October; by whom he was informed; and if he will make a further statement on the nature of the connection. [12740]

  Mr. Hague
  Officials initially advised me on 29 November 1996 about the outbreak following notification from Bro Taf health authority. On 6 December I was advised of the outcome of the routine retrospective testing on the 16 October case. The results were described as compatible with meningococcal infection although not indicating the type. I do not propose to make any further statement until I have received, and considered fully, the outbreak report which I have asked the authority to submit by the end of January.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to receive the full report of the(a) university and (b) health authorities on the meningococcal C strain of meningitis at the university halls of residence, Penylan, Cariff. [12741]

  Mr. Hague
  Both reports are expected by the end of January.

  Hedgerows
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what length of hedgerow has been lost in Wales in each year since 1979. [12484]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The information is not available in the form requested. However, two sample surveys covering the periods from 1984 to 1990 and from 1990 to 1993 indicated net losses of hedgerows in Wales of 18,000 km and 5,500 km respectively at an average annual net loss of 2,570 km for the first period and 1,830 km for the second period.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  EU Budget
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest estimate of the net contribution of each EU member state to the EU budget; and what this figure is in terms of pounds sterling per head of population in each member state. [11800]

  Mr. David Davis
  Net contributions by member states to the EC budget for 1995—the latest year for which figures are available—are as follows:

  Member state

  Net contribution (£ million)

  Net contribution per head (£)

  Belgium

  +254.9

  +25.5

  Denmark

  -250.3

  -48.9

  Germany

  +10,999.1

  +135.8

  Greece

  -2,857.2

  -280.1

  Spain

  -5,911.1

  -149.7

  France

  +1,414.5

  +25.0

  Ireland

  -1,545.2

  -439.0

  Italy

  +502.9

  +8.9

  Luxembourg

  +36.7

  +96.5

  Netherlands

  +1,641.7

  +109.4

  Austria

  +741.2

  +95.0

  Portugal

  -1,950.0

  -188.8

  Finland

  +134.8

  +27.2

  Sweden

  +767.6

  +90.1

  UK

  +3,865.5

  +67.5

  Figures are drawn from the European Court of Auditor's report on the 1995 budget. They do not take account of expenditure not attributable to individual member states, such as administration, and should not therefore be regarded as definitive.

  Convention on the Rights of the Child
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government have to adopt and adhere to the draft optional protocol to the convention on the rights of the child on the age of recruitment and participation in armed forces. [12355]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  A UN Commission on Human Rights working group is currently meeting to continue drafting the optional protocol. The United Kingdom is participating in negotiations.

  It is not yet possible to determine the outcome of those negotiations.

  Antarctic Treaty
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made to the Government of Japan concerning ratification of the Antarctic treaty; and if he will make a statement. [12460]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 28 October 1996,Official Report, column 32–33. The Japanese Government are still considering the detailed technical aspects of the environmental protocol. We continue to correspond and to urge Japan to ratify the protocol as soon as possible.

  Gibraltar
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions the Spanish Government have objected to a separate Gibraltar presence at talks concerning affairs in the colony. [12612]

  Mr. David Davis
  The Spanish Government have always objected to Gibraltar's representatives forming a separate delegation at Brussels process talks. However, they have also made clear that they would welcome the participation of Gibraltar's representatives as part of the British delegation. Sr. Matutes repeated this on 22 January in talks with my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

  Mr. Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent contacts there have been with the Spanish Government concerning Spanish recognition of British passports issued in Gibraltar; and if he will make a statement. [12618]

  Mr. David Davis
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs raised this issue when he met the Spanish Foreign Minister in Madrid on 22 January. The Spanish Government reaffirmed that they have never questioned, nor shall question, the right to free movement of Gibraltarians throughout the EU and shall always act in accordance with EU law. We welcome this assurance. We have offered to set up a committee of experts to discuss a number of outstanding technical points concerning non-EU passports issued in Gibraltar.

DEFENCE

  Ministerial Speeches (Conferences)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the conferences at which he spoke during 1996 as Secretary of State for Defence, indicating their dates and subject matter. [12621]

  Mr. Portillo
  During 1996 I spoke at the following conferences in my capacity as Secretary of State for Defence:

  Conference

  Date

  Subject

  World Economic Forum

  2 February

  Russia and Security

  Defence Export Services Organisation Symposium

  5 March

  Defence Exports

  Joint MoD/FCO/RUSI

  1 May

  Partnership for Peace

  Seminar Conservative Party Conference

  10 October

  Defence Debate speech

  CBI National Conference

  11 November

  Defence Industry and its importance to UK

  Junior Leaders
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to reintroduce the junior leaders scheme; and if he will make a statement. [12622]

  Mr. Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 29 October 1996,Official Report, column 74.

TRANSPORT

  Corridor Assessments
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many stage 1 corridor assessments were undertaken by his Department between 1992 and 1996; and if he will(a) list and (b) publish these assessments. [12457]

  Mr. Watts
  None. Stage 1 assessment reports for completely new schemes entering the national trunk road programme were introduced in August 1993. There have been no introductions of new schemes, in need of a Stage 1 assessment, into the national roads programme since then.

  Heavy Goods Vehicles (Motorways)
  Mr. Atkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will launch a campaign to discourage heavy goods vehicles from using the overtaking lane on motorways; [12305]

  (2) if he will institute an investigation into the prevalence of heavy goods vehicles using the overtaking lane on motorways. [12304]

  Mr. Bowis
  We have no plans for a specific campaign. The Department's publicity priorities remain the "Kill Your Speed" and the drink drive campaigns which address those areas where the greatest savings in life and injury are to be gained.

  Goods vehicles, currently those having a maximum laden weight exceeding 7.5 tonnes, have been banned from using the overtaking lane on motorways since 1966. This is in the "Highway Code" and other publications. Enforcement is a matter for the police.

  Mr. Atkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents have been caused in the last year by heavy goods vehicles using the overtaking lane of motorways. [12291]

  Mr. Bowis
  National statistics do not record the causes of accidents.

  Civil Aviation Authority
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action the Civil Aviation Authority has taken in response to the recent conclusions reached by the United States Federal Aviation Administration in respect of digital flight management systems. [5564]

  Mr. John Bowis
  The report, "The Interfaces Between Flight Crews and Modern Flight Deck Systems" was published by the US Federal Aviation Administration in June 1996. The report was produced by a task force comprising representatives from the FAA and the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration together with nominees from the joint aviation authorities including two representatives from the UK Civil Aviation Authority.

  The CAA is considering the 51 recommendations made in the report and has yet to give a formal response. Any resulting regulatory action will be determined by the JAA with appropriate reference to comments received from the aviation authorities of member states. The CAA will
  766
  continue to ensure that its own human factors initiatives follow a similar approach to that of the FAA, especially in its contributions to the regulatory work of the JAA.

  The FAA has also yet to respond to the recommendations contained in the report.

  Re-opened Railway Tracks
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the total length of formerly closed railway track which has been re-opened since 1967. [12378]

  Mr. Watts
  I understand from the British Railways Board that 242 miles of railway track have been re-opened since 1967.

  Sea Empress
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the cost to public funds to date for the clean-up of the Sea Empress oil pollution accident; and what assessment he has made of the future costs to be incurred. [11937]

  Mr. Bowis
  We estimate that the cost to central and local government of clean-up work following the Sea Empress has been in the order of £17 million, and that future costs are likely to be less than £2 million. Reasonable clean-up costs should be eligible for compensation from the shipowner's insurer and from the international oil pollution compensation fund.

HEALTH

  Methadone
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued in respect of the maximum limit on the quantity of methadone that a doctor can prescribe with a single prescription for an individual; and what estimate he has made of the most common prescribed daily dosage. [11342]

  Mr. Malone
  The amount of methadone prescribed is a matter of individual clinical judgment, and no assessment has been made of the most common prescribed daily dosage. Clinical guidelines on drug misuse and dependence were issued to all doctors in 1991. A task force to review services for drug misusers was established in 1994; following its report in May 1996, a working group has been set up to review the clinical guidelines. The revised guidelines will provide guidance for doctors on good prescribing practice and on the most effective management of drug misusers who are prescribed methadone.

  Multiple Sclerosis
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has evaluated from other EU countries regarding the efficacy of beta interferon in the treatment of MS. [11880]
  767
  Mr. Malone
  Efficacy of Betaferon, the only preparation of beta interferon currently licensed in the United Kingdom is a matter for the European Medicines Evaluation Agency.

  A European public assessment report (EPAR), which summarises the data on which the decision to grant the marketing authorisation are made, is available from the European Medicines Evaluation Agency, 7 Westferry circus, London E14 4HB.

  Food Poisoning (Deaths)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the bacterial infections which caused death from food poisoning in each year since 1990 indicating the(a) number and (b) percentage in each category. [12059]

  Mr. Horam
  The information is provided in the following table:

  Food poisoning deaths notifications

  Numbers

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  Cholera ICD 1001

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Salmonella infections ICD 002, 003, 008.1

  70

  62

  60

  39

  35

  36

  Other food poisoning and intestinal infections ICD 005, 008.4

  11

  11

  55

  121

  62

  155

  Listeriosis ICD 027.0

  9

  6

  5

  11

  9

  11

  Total

  90

  79

  121

  171

  106

  202

  1International Classification of Diseases. 9th Revision.

  Percentages

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  Cholera ICD 1001

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Salmonella infections ICD 002, 003, 008.1

  78

  78

  50

  23

  33

  18

  Other food poisoning and intestinal infections ICD 005, 008.4

  12

  14

  45

  71

  58

  77

  Listeriosis ICD 027.0

  10

  8

  4

  6

  8

  5

  Total

  100

  100

  100

  100

  100

  100

  1 International Classification of Diseases. 9th Revision.

  From 1990 to 1992, the deaths are those that were registered in each year; from 1993 to 1995, the deaths are those that occurred in each year.

  Nurses
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) school nurses, (b) district nurses, and (c) psychiatric nurses there were by (i) trust, (ii) health authority and (iii) region in each of the last three years. [12039]

  Mr. Horam
  This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Junior Doctors
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many junior doctor posts by region do not meet the new deal targets. [12062]
  768
  Mr. Malone
  The new deal targets are contained in the "New Deal on Junior Doctors' Hours", copies of which are available in the Library. At 30 September 1996 regional task forces reported that 22,221 junior doctors, or 78.4 per cent. of all juniors, were complying in full with all the new deal hours limits. The posts by region not meeting the targets were as follows:

  Number

  Northern and Yorkshire

  1,116

  Trent

  239

  Anglia and Oxford

  532

  North Thames

  1,297

  South Thames

  814

  South and West

  731

  West Midlands

  434

  North West

  958

  Total

  6,121

  Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the latest research published by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine into the projected number of cases of new variant CJD. [12161]

  Mr. Horam
  The Government recognise the need for predictions of the possible number of new variant CJD cases in the future, and welcome any work which leads towards this. However, there is still much we do not know about the disease, including important information on the incubation period, the route of infection, the level of exposure required to cause disease and the role of genetic susceptibility, so any predictions must be viewed with extreme caution. It is likely to be some time before we have enough information to make firm predictions of future numbers of cases.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the United Kingdom(a) contracted and (b) died from CJD in each of the last four years; and how many are estimated to have (i) contracted and (ii) died from the new variant of CJD. [13044]

  Mr. Horam
  The latest available information on Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease cases, including deaths, was published in a Department of Health press release on 6 January 1997, copies of which are available in the Library.

  NHS General Managers
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the arrangements for discretionary additions to the remuneration of general managers in the NHS outlined in "Personnel Memorandum PM (86)7" are still current. [12602]

  Mr. Malone
  No. The pay system for general managers was updated in March 1990 when the former grade rates, discretionary additions and separate performance-related pay were replaced by a single set of pay ranges. This is set out in health circular (HC)(90)8, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Consultants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates he has made of the amount spent on external consultants by his Department's non-departmental public bodies in each of the last five years. [10160]

  Mr. Horam
  [holding answer 13 January 1996]: The Department of Health non-departmental public bodies have spent the following amounts from running costs on consultancy in each of the last five years:

  1992–1993: £991,664

  1993–1994: £661,256

  1994–1995: £664,984

  1995–1996: £568,488

  1996 to date: £542,674.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  National Insurance
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the rules in respect of the granting of national insurance numbers, with special reference to how they relate to(a) nationals of other member states of the European Union and (b) nationals of other foreign countries. [11057]

  Mr. Heald
  Anyone who does not already have one is required to apply for a United Kingdom national insurance number if he is liable or entitled to pay UK national insurance contributions, irrespective of nationality. For administrative purposes, anyone claiming a UK social security benefit who does not already have a number will be asked to apply for one.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost of aligning the lower earnings limit for national insurance contributions with the personal tax allowance for the year 1997–98. [10976]

  Mr. Heald
  In a full year the estimated loss in revenue from employee national insurance contributions would be £1,075 million and the gain in revenue from employer national insurance contributions would be £225 million.

  Note:

  The estimated net gain in revenue from employers' national insurance contributions arises from the counter effect of the contracted-out rebate being applied to a narrower band of earnings.

  Source:

  Government Actuary's Department.

  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many Spanish fishermen have applied for national insurance numbers at Falmouth in the past 12 months; and how many applications have been granted. [11030]

  Mr. Heald
  During the past 12 month, 38 Spanish nationals have been registered at Falmouth for national insurance purposes in order to meet their liability to pay a class 2 share fisherman's contribution under the United Kingdom national insurance scheme. These individuals have been accepted as self-employed and therefore allocated a national insurance number on the basis that they receive a share of the proceeds from the catch.

  Independent Tribunal Service
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the report of the review of the organisation and management of the independent tribunal service referred to in paragraph 3.16 of the consultation paper on decision making and appeals, Cm 3328, and the report of the independent tribunal service issued on 20 September 1996. [11090]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The results of the review of the organisation and management of the independent tribunal service were summarised in the consultation paper. We do not intend to publish the report as a whole.

  Disability Premium
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of(a) the cost and (b) the numbers gaining from an increase in the earnings disregard to £25 for people in receipt of the disability premium in (i) income support, (ii) housing benefit and (iii) council tax benefit. [10990]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The estimated cost and number of cases gaining from a £10 increase in the earnings disregard is set out in the table:

  Benefit

  £ million

  Gainers

  Income support

  5

  15,000

  Housing benefit

  10

  20,000

  Council tax benefit

  5

  25,000

  1. The answer is for 1996–97 and has been modelled on the May 1995 "Income support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry" and the 1994–95 "Family Resources Survey" uprated to 1996–97 levels of benefit and earnings.

  2. It has been assume that all disregards are increased simultaneously.

  3. Costs are rounded to the nearest £5 million and gainers to the nearest 5,000.

  4. This is a deadweight estimate: behavioural changes have not been costed.

  5. The housing benefit and council tax benefit changes, brought about by people floating onto income support, are included in the cost of and number of gainers in housing benefit and council tax benefit rather than income support.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Hoon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many Child Support Agency cases of a maintenance inquiry form being incorrectly issued following an identity check of the absent parent against centrally held departmental records have been recorded by his Department on the latest date for which figures are available. [11160]

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

  Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Geoffrey Hoon, dated 23 January 1997:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about maintenance enquiry forms by the Child Support Agency.
  The Agency has monitored the numbers of incorrectly issued maintenance enquiry forms (MEFs) only since April 1994. Information is not therefore available for the first year of operation.

  771
  Before any MEF is issued, the identity of the absent parent concerned is verified against the Department's Central Index. A MEF can be issued incorrectly either where the parent with care has given the Agency incorrect or incomplete information or where the Agency has incorrectly identified an absent parent. From April 1996, I am able to provide a breakdown of figures identifying clearly who was responsible for the incorrect MEF issue.
  In the period 1 April 1994 to 30 November 1996 (the latest date for which published figures are available), the Agency recorded a total of 186 incorrectly issued MEFs. The majority (115) occurred in 1994/95, with a further 45 in the following year. In the current year (since 1 April 1996) the figure is 26; of these, 11 were the fault of the Agency.
  In total, these cases represent 0.03% of the total number of MEFs issued in the same period, i.e. approximately 605,000.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims for child support were being(a) paid and (b) processed by the Child Support Agency at 31 July 1996. [11295]

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

  Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Hugh Bayley, dated 23 January 1997:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question asking for the number of claims to child support which were being paid and processed by the Child Support Agency at 31st July 1996.
  I must explain that the Child Support Agency does not receive claims for child support nor does it make payments for this purpose. Instead, an application must be made to the Agency by the absent parent or the parent with care for an assessment of child support liability to be made. Any money that is subsequently paid, comes from the absent parent—the Agency holds no funds of its own.
  Since the inception of the Agency up to the 31 July 1996, the Agency had received 1.73 million applications for a child support assessment. This figure included cases where the parent with care was in receipt of Income Support, Family Credit or Disability Working Allowance where there is a requirement upon the parent with care to make an application.
  At 31 July 1996 the Agency had cleared 1.33 million applications for a child support assessment.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many claims were submitted to the special payments unit of the Child Support Agency in each of the last three years for which figures are available; how many(a) have been settled, (b) have been refused and (c) are outstanding; and what was the total amount of money paid out; [12434]

  (2) against which vote payments by the special payments unit of the Child Support Agency are charged. [12430]

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

  Letter from Ann Chant to Mr. Terry Rooney, dated 23 January 1997:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the Child Support Agency Special Payments Unit.
  The total number of claims submitted to the Special Payments Unit of the Child Support Agency for the years 1994/95, 1995/96 and 1996/97 (to 31 December 1996) were 545, 1013 and 1567 respectively. Of the total 3125 received, 962 have been settled and 1138 have been refused.
  772
  At 31 December 1996, there were 643 cases at various stages of action in the Special Payments Unit, and 382 cases where additional information was required before a decision could be reached. The total monies paid out during the period is £641,863.
  All special payments made by the Child Support Agency are charged through Vote 3.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of(a) the cost and (b) the numbers gaining if the child care disregard were extended to (i) children over the age of 11 years for whom disability living allowance or the disability premium is payable, (ii) each child under 11 years in the family and (iii) children under 16 years during school holidays. [10991]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  It is estimated that each option would affect fewer than 2,500 families, and cost less than £2.5 million per annum.

  Notes:

  1. Estimates are based on the May 1996 family credit statistics and 1994–95 family resources survey uprated to 1997–98 prices, taxes and benefit levels. 2. They refer to child care from sources other than relatives, friends or neighbours.

  The estimates do not allow for behavioural effects.

  3. These estimates are based on small samples and should be treated with caution.

  Appeal Tribunals
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which venues have ceased to be used by social security appeal tribunals since January 1996; and which venues it is proposed to cease using. [2025]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  [pursuant to his reply of 4 November, Official Report, column 386]: Unfortunately, the reply I gave was open to misinterpretation. A more appropriate answer is as follows:

  The following nine venues have ceased to be used by social security appeal tribunals since January 1996: Mansfield, Brigend, Meerthyr Tydfil, Pontypridd, Gloucester, Yeovil, Huddersfield, Scunthorpe and Paisley.

  The independent tribunal service constantly reviews and examines its running costs of which tribunal accommodation forms a large part. I understand that the ITS is currently considering the continued usage of a number of current premises and that liaison with tribunal users is taking place. No firm decisions have been taken at this time.

  Cold Weather Payments
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what account is taken on the level of house insulation in calculating cold weather payments. [12060]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The Department of Environment has provided grants to low income households for home insulation through the home energy efficiency scheme since 1991. We have increased the amount for cold weather payments by 70 per cent. since 1990. In doing so, we have not taken increasing levels of insulation into account.
  773
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on how many occasions each of the weather stations serving Batley and Spen have triggered cold weather payments in the last three months of 1996 and the first two weeks of January 1997. [11966]

  Mr. Evans
  The administration of the social fund is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mrs. Elizabeth Peacock, dated 23 January 1997:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question requesting information on how many occasions each of the weather stations serving Batley and Spen have triggered cold weather payments in the last three months of 1996 and the first two weeks of January 1997.
  The Batley and Spen area is served by the Benefits Agency (BA) District of Kirklees which includes the BA offices at Huddersfield and Dewsbury. Postal codes within the Kirklees District are linked to the weather stations at Bingley and Leeds.
  To date this winter, Bingley Weather Station has identified a forecast of cold weather, from 3 January 1997 to 9 January 1997 inclusive. Leeds Weather Station has not identified any periods of cold weather so far this winter.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Unfit Meat
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases there have been since 1979 of contaminated or unfit meat from knackers' yards(a) entering and (b) being prevented from entering food for human consumption; and how many prosecutions have resulted. [12093]

  Mrs. Browning
  During the period 1979 to date, there has been legislation in force, currently the Animal By-Products (Identification) Regulations 1995, which require that, subject to exemptions—mainly for poultry meat—meat is sterilised or stained before it can be removed from a knacker's yard. This ensures that unfit meat from knackers' yards is readily identifiable and should not therefore enter the food chain. The regulations are enforced by local authorities and the information requested is not held centrally.

SCOTLAND

  Local Government Employees
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of local government employees, by category, in Scotland at 30 September in (i) 1979, (ii) 1989, (iii) 1994, (iv) 1995 and (v) 1996. [11870]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The available information, from the published results of Scottish joint staffing watch surveys, is given in the tables. Table 1 gives the full-time equivalent number of employees by category for September 1979, 1989, 1994 and 1995. These figures are not directly comparable. The footnotes to the table identify major 774
  breaks in comparability in the data over the period. Table 2 provides the latest available information, giving full-time equivalent number of employees by local authority service for July 1996. This is taken from the published results of the revised joint staffing watch survey introduced following local government reorganisation in Scotland.

  Because of changes in definitions and coverage these data are not directly comparable with staffing figures for earlier periods. In particular the figures exclude some 7,000 full-time equivalent staff in services such as water and sewerage transferred from local authorities at the time of reorganisation.

  The press release "Joint Staff Watch—July 1996 Return—Scotland", a copy of which is available in the Library, describes the results of the survey in more detail and explains the differences between this and earlier surveys. Joint staffing watch figures for September 1996 will be published shortly.

  Table 1: Full-time equivalent staff in Scottish local authorities:

  September 1979

  September 1989

  September 1994

  September 1995

  Education

  Lecturers and teachers

  64,128

  59,860

  52,757

  52,507

  Other staff

  42,407

  35,912

  24,433

  24,628

  Transport services

  9,074

  714

  893

  938

  Social services

  27,803

  35,419

  38,661

  38,349

  Cleansing

  10,646

  8,889

  8,156

  8,031

  Environmental health

  2,563

  2,496

  2,712

  2,580

  Housing

  4,422

  6,956

  7,797

  7,916

  Libraries, museums, art galleries

  3,677

  4,349

  4,704

  4,734

  Recreation, leisure, tourism

  13,390

  13,581

  13,735

  13,830

  Policy planning

  158

  165

  367

  334

  Physical planning

  1,539

  1,912

  2,270

  2,166

  Technical services

  1,094

  1,190

  2,199

  2,259

  Roads

  12,533

  10,184

  9,241

  8,862

  Direct works

  15,346

  13,861

  12,994

  12,822

  Water

  3,986

  4,626

  5,128

  5,121

  Sewerage

  2,157

  1,537

  1,618

  1,562

  Assessor and electoral registration

  934

  1,230

  1,129

  1,058

  Consumer protection, weights and measures

  390

  476

  618

  609

  Chief Executive's department

  237

  1,056

  1,629

  1,663

  Finance

  3,985

  5,328

  5,821

  5,761

  Legal and administrative services

  3,700

  4,186

  4,844

  5,144

  Architecture and related services

  3,677

  3,670

  3,454

  3,432

  Personnel

  456

  798

  921

  930

  775

  Table 1: Full-time equivalent staff in Scottish local authorities:

  September 1979

  September 1989

  September 1994

  September 1995

  Management services

  957

  530

  384

  322

  Computer services

  687

  1,491

  1,851

  1,727

  Public relations

  90

  88

  128

  120

  Estates

  349

  694

  758

  772

  Internal transport

  864

  1,335

  1,447

  1,401

  Other central services

  1,304

  6,347

  17,482

  17,066

  Fire services

  Regular firemen

  4,441

  4,587

  4,669

  4,643

  Other staff

  534

  552

  578

  594

  Police and related services

  Police officers

  12,756

  13,542

  14,163

  14,336

  Police cadets

  514

  39

  27

  21

  Other staff

  3,594

  4,253

  4,679

  4,723

  Traffic wardens

  640

  528

  553

  523

  Other services

  1,587

  1,382

  2,347

  2,287

  Staff of district court

  85

  139

  159

  159

  Total1

  256,704

  253,902

  255,306

  253,930

  Total adjusted for breaks in comparability listed below

  243,865

  244,726

  255,306

  253,930

  1 Major breaks in comparability over the period are: (a) From 1981 the figures include some 2,298 relief workers omitted by some authorities prior to 1981.

  (b) From 1987, this excludes some 5,961 full-time equivalent staff transferred from local authorities on the creation of public transport companies in October 1986.

  (c) From 1993 the figures exclude some 6,347 full-time equivalent lecturers and teachers and some 2,829 full-time equivalent other education employees transferred from local authorities following the transfer of further education from local authority control.

  (d) September 1995 staffing totals were affected as authorities prepared for local government reorganisation in the following spring. A number of staff had transferred to shadow councils, which were not covered in the JSW survey. Also authorities were generally not filling vacant posts in the period up to reorganisation. 1. The analysis excludes any staff on government training programmes who were not also local authority employees.

  Table 2: Full-time equivalent staff in Scottish local authorities

  July 1996

  Corporate services

  3,480

  Central support services

  13,083

  Planning and economic development

  3,667

  Education

  Teachers

  52,589

  Other staff

  22,123

  Social work

  38,387

  Housing

  7,928

  Roads and transport

  6,024

  Arts, sport and leisure

  7,787

  Libraries, museums and galleries

  4,183

  Trading standards

  939

  Environmental services

  3,448

  776

  Table 2: Full-time equivalent staff in Scottish local authorities

  July 1996

  DLO/DSO

  49,259

  Police and related services

  18,902

  Fire services

  5,805

  Staff of District Court

  204

  Other staff

  387

  Total all staff

  238,192

  1. The joint staffing watch survey was revised following local government reorganisation. For most services the full-time equivalent staff estimates given in the new survey are not directly comparable with those supplied to the previous surveys.

  2. From July 1996 the joint staffing watch excludes some 7,000 staff in services such as water, sewerage and the children's reporters service, transferred from local authority control at the time of reorganisation.

  Irvine Development Corporation
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much the Scottish Office raised from disposing of assets of the Irvine development corporation; and what was the turnover of Irvine development corporation in each of the last five financial years. [11918]

  Mr. Kynoch
  During wind-up Irvine development corporation repaid £52.7 million to my right hon. Friend from the receipts generated from disposal of its assets. This sum has been used to extinguish the corporation's indebtedness to the national loans fund. While the annual accounts of the corporation do not use the term "turnover", they disclose all the income generated from operating and investing activities and the financing received by the corporation. Copies of the corporation's annual reports, which incorporate the accounts, are held in the Library of the House.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Road Accidents
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimates he has made of the number of persons(a) killed and (b) injured as a result of icy conditions on roads in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years, and the current year to the latest available date; and how many such deaths and injuries occurred on (i) gritted and (ii) non-gritted roads. [11909]

  Mr. Moss
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Roads Service under its chief executive, Mr. W. J. McCoubrey. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from W. J. McCoubrey to Mr. William Ross, dated 23 January 1997:
  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me to respond to your Parliamentary Question about deaths and injuries as a result of icy conditions on roads in Northern Ireland.
  The information is not available in the precise format requested and could only be provided at disproportionate costs.

  777
  However, the most recent records available indicate that, in the period 1 January 1993–31 December 1995, there were a total of 20,092 injury accidents in which 444 people were killed and 34,475 injured. Ice, snow or frost was a factor in 490 of the total injury accidents which resulted in 8 deaths and 880 injuries. Of these accidents 148 were on roads which were not on the gritting schedule.
  I hope you find this information helpful.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average weekly cost of a place in(a) a private residential home, (b) a voluntary residential home and (c) a statutory residential home for an individual, over pension age, who is in receipt of income support. [11686]

  Mr. Moss
  The information is not available in the exact form requested.

  The table discloses for each of the four boards the average weekly cost of a place in a private-voluntary and statutory residential home for an elderly person. It is not possible to identify the cost for an elderly person in receipt of income support.

  Average weekly costs for elderly persons in residential homes for 1996–97

  Board area

  Private/voluntary £

  Statutory £

  Northern

  203

  254

  Southern

  203

  208

  Homes expenditure 1994–95: Programme of care

  Board area

  Childrens

  Elderly

  Type of home Mentally ill adults

  Learning disability

  Physical and sensory disability

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  NHSSB

  1,815,023

  7,253,242

  289,803

  1,066,052

  —

  SHSSB

  1,355,282

  5,703,021

  63,404

  1,760,732

  109,207

  EHSSB

  4,945,163

  14,607,968

  1,419,042

  3,933,663

  —

  WHSSB

  1,706,173

  4,116,216

  81,985

  19,179

  135,192

  Northern Ireland Total

  9,821,641

  31,680,447

  1,854,234

  6,779,626

  244,399

  Homes expenditure 1993–94: Programme of Care

  Board area

  Childrens

  Elderly

  Type of home Mentally ill adults

  Learning disability

  Physical and sensory disability

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  NHSSB

  1,869,904

  7,374,143

  350,226

  1,156,149

  —

  SHSSB

  1,175,166

  6,278,050

  221,471

  1,864,175

  47,328

  EHSSB

  3,437,158

  11,714,559

  1,052,623

  3,378,013

  —

  WHSSB

  1,675,304

  5,327,074

  62,560

  67,040

  —

  Northern Ireland total

  8,157,532

  30,693,826

  1,686,880

  6,465,377

  47,328

  778

  Average weekly costs for elderly persons in residential homes for 1996–97

  Board area

  Private/voluntary

  Statutory £

  Eastern

  203

  285

  Western

  234

  248

  The information is a board average obtained from costs supplied from individual HSS community trusts for each board area.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the average annual expenditure from public funds, per individual, on(a) private, (b) voluntary and (c) statutory placements in residential homes in each financial year since 1990. [11687]

  Mr. Moss
  The information is not available in the exact form requested. The tables disclose the total expenditure on categories of homes in each board area for the years 1990–91 to 1994–95. The expenditure for 1995–96 is not yet available.

  This information has been extracted from supplementary statements produced by HPSS boards and HSS trusts to provide further analysis of the expenditure disclosed in the financial accounts. These supplementary statements analyse expenditure over categories of homes rather than over private, voluntary or statutory residential homes. The format of these statements was revised in 1992–93 to provide an analysis of expenditure by care area and a further change was introduced in 1993–94 to provide an analysis of expenditure over programmes of care.

  In order to calculate the average expenditure per individual it is necessary to have access to information on the number of individuals covered by the expenditure. This information is not available from financial records.
  779

  Homes expenditure 1992–93: Care area

  Type of home

  Board area

  Children

  Elderly

  Mentally ill adults

  Physical and sensory disability

  £

  £

  £

  £

  NHSSB

  1,887,535

  7,405,782

  -

  —

  SHSSB

  1,196,924

  5,187,129

  622,038

  15,364

  EHSSB

  3,313,574

  11,506,556

  —

  —

  WHSSB

  1,363,037

  4,895,666

  —

  —

  Northern Ireland total

  7,761,070

  28,995,133

  622,038

  15,364

  The information has been extracted from the analysis of expenditure reported in the Financial returns FR22 of each HPSS board and HSS trust for 1992–93 to 1994–95.

  Board area

  Homes for the elderly

  Childrens homes

  Psychiatric hostels

  Learning disability

  Residential accommodation

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Homes expenditure 1991–92

  NHSSB

  7,426,832

  1,495,673

  226,962

  964,685

  —

  SHSSB

  4,523,386

  966,229

  98,123

  1,073,689

  383,513

  EHSSB

  14,140,346

  3,110,188

  685,824

  3,498,786

  —

  WHSSB

  4,826,257

  1,233,872

  510,042

  156,978

  —

  Northern Ireland Total

  30,916,821

  6,805,962

  1,520,951

  5,694,138

  383,513

  Homes expenditure 1990–91

  NHSSB

  7,094,844

  1,208,935

  216,871

  816,774

  —

  SHSSB

  4,393,806

  810,833

  88,265

  1,018,871

  402,732

  EHSSB

  13,525,112

  2,907,622

  638,064

  3,266,726

  —

  WHSSB

  4,763,878

  926,964

  425,159

  139,734

  —

  Northern Ireland Total

  29,777,640

  5,854,354

  1,368,359

  5,242,105

  402,732

  The information has been extracted from the analysis of expenditure reported in the A B statements 1990–91 to 1992–93 produced by each board accounts.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the formula used to determine the income support entitlement of an individual in a(a) private, (b) voluntary and (c) statutory residential home. [11688]

  Mr. Moss
  People who were living in private or voluntary residential care homes on 31 March 1993 came under the preserved rights rules and may be entitled to the special higher levels of income support. The higher levels available are the amount of the fees charged by the home or a set national limit, whichever is the lower, and an amount for personal expenses.

  From April 1993, people entering private or voluntary residential care homes for the first time may be entitled to income support at the normal rates applicable as if they were living in their own home plus a residential allowance to help with the accommodation costs.

  People living in homes owned or managed by health and social services boards may be entitled to a fixed rate allowance of £61.15, less any other income they possess. This rate of income support recognises that health and social services boards received additional funding from Government and prevents duplicate funding for the same individual.

  Carriageway Gritting
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what length of carriageway is currently on the main-line gritting schedule in each district council area. [11690]
  780
  Mr. Ancram
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Roads Service under its chief executive, Mr. W. J. McCoubrey. I have asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from W. J. McCoubrey to Mr. Seamus Mallon, dated 22 January 1997:
  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me to reply to your question about the lengths of carriageway included in the gritting schedule.
  The information requested is as follows:—

  District council area

  Length gritted KMs

  Antrim

  345

  Ards

  185

  Armagh

  348.8

  Ballymena

  260

  Ballymoney

  147.7

  Banbridge

  231.9

  Belfast

  376.8

  Carrickfergus

  111

  Castlereagh

  158.4

  Cooktown

  220.5

  Coleraine

  189

  Craigavon

  284

  Derry

  316.2

  Down

  340.1

  Dungannon

  275.7

  Fermanagh

  418.2

  Larne

  132

  Limavady

  170.3

  Lisburn

  521.7

  Magherafelt

  252

  Moyle

  133.5

  Newry and Mourne

  382.2

  Newtonabbey

  228.4

  North Down

  180.5

  781

  District council area

  Length gritted KMs

  Omagh

  365.5

  Strabane

  171

  Total

  6,745.4

  I hope you find this information helpful.

  Hedgerows
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what length of hedgerow has been lost in Northern Ireland in each year since 1979. [12483]

  Mr. Moss
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Environment and Heritage Service under its chief executive, Mr. Robert C. Martin. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Robert C. Martin to Dr. Gavin Strang, dated 24 January 1997:
  As Chief Executive of Environment and Heritage Service, I am responsible for all operational aspects of the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland's environment policies.
  I am therefore responding to the Parliamentary Question which you put down in the House of Commons on 22 January 1997:
  "to ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what length of hedgerow has been lost in Northern Ireland in each year since 1979."
  The Northern Ireland Countryside Survey 1990 indicated the amount of hedgerow existing at that date, and it will not be until the results of the second such survey are available that any comparisons will be possible. This survey is currently planned for the year 2000.
  I therefore regret that I am unable to provide you with the information you seek.

  Bloody Sunday
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further investigations are being mounted into the killings in Deny in 1972 known as Bloody Sunday. [12459]

  Sir John Wheeler
  None. These events were fully investigated at the time by the tribunal headed by Lord Widgery.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Project Work Pilots
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on what date project work pilots will commence; and when she expects regulations will be laid before Parliament. [10260]

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, to my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, North-East (Mr. Congdon) on 12 December 1996,Official Report, columns 315–16.

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many assisted places have been taken up by pupils; and at what average cost. [12419]
  782
  Mrs. Gillan
  In the last academic year—1995–96—for which final figures are available, 29,917 pupils held assisted places in England at an average cost to the Department of £3,816 per pupil.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the schools offering assisted places in 1996–97 and 1997–98, indicating for each(a) the number of places offered, (b) the income received and (c) the proportion of the schools' intake covered by assisted places. [12189]

  Mrs. Gillan
  I am placing in the Library a list of the 355 schools participating in the assisted places scheme in England showing the total number of places on offer at each school in the current academic year 1996–97. Final figures for the amounts paid to each school will not be available until after the end of the school year. Information relating to the proportion of the schools' intake covered by assisted places is not yet available.

  For the academic year 1997–98, I have invited eligible schools to bid for a further tranche of places to complete our commitment to double the scheme over time. Further information about the number of participating schools and places on offer will be made available in due course.

  Mr. Olner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what measures she has taken to establish whether those schools receiving funding under the assisted places scheme are conducted for charitable purposes only. [12617]

  Mrs. Gillan
  All schools applying for participation in the assisted places scheme are required to confirm in writing that they are conducted for charitable purposes only and to provide relevant details such as their registered charity number allocated by the Charity Commissioners. Additional checks are made against information held on the Department's register of independent schools, which is updated on an annual basis, and by examining schools' audited financial accounts.

  Early Retirement
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many responses she has received to the consultation paper on changes to teachers' superannuation scheme early retirement arrangements; and if she will(a) provide a summary of the responses and (b) indicate the proportion of consultees in favour of the proposed arrangements. [12195]

  Mrs. Gillan
  My right hon. Friend has so far received written representations from 35 consultees in respect of the proposed changes to early retirement provisions for teachers. She will provide a summary of responses when she announces conclusions on the consultation.

  Teacher Training
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many and what percentage of those enrolled on teacher training courses in each of the last five years including 1995–96 failed to complete the course. [12193]
  783
  Mr. Forth
  The information requested is not available centrally. The available information is given in the following tables.

  New entrants to Initial Teacher Training 1992 to 1995

  England and Wales

  1992–93

  31,980

  1993–94

  33,220

  1994–95

  31,500

  1995–96

  31,020

  Notes:

  From 1993–94 figures include School Centred ITT (SCITT) and Open University.

  Source:

  England: DFE Annual Recruitment Survey 1992–93 and 1993–94; Higher Education.

  Students Early Statistics Survey 1994–95; TTA Survey of ITT Providers 1995–96.

  Wales: Welsh Office 1992–93-1994–95; Higher Education Students Early Statistics Survey 1995–96.

  Numbers of successful completers from Initial Teacher Training courses

  Calendar year

  England and Wales

  1992

  20,900

  1993

  23,400

  1994

  25,600

  1995

  27,700

  Notes:

  Includes School Centred ITT (SCITT) Completers.

  Source:

  Numbers of successful completers are taken from the Database of Teachers' Records.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of non-technology teachers in the current work force have received(a) initial training and (b) in-service training in information technology. [12194]

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested is not collected centrally.

  Pupil Exclusions
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many and what proportion of permanently excluded children at(a) primary and (b) secondary level were looked after by local authorities at the most recent date for which figures are available. [12207]

  Mr. Forth
  This information is not held centrally.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the average number of days worked per week by the chairman of each non-departmental public body sponsored by her Department in the last year. [11359]
  784
  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 17 January 1997]: The average number of days worked per week by the chairmen of each of the non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Department in the last year are as follows:

  NDPB

  Average number of days worked per week

  Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research (CILT)

  0.1

  Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)

  3.0

  Education Assets Board (EAB)

  2.0

  Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB)

  1.0

  Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC)

  4.0

  Funding Agency for Schools (FAS)

  2.0

  Further Education Funding Council (FEFC)

  2.0

  Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)

  2.0

  Investors in People (liP)

  0.5

  National Council for Educational Training (NCET)

  0.5

  National Council for Vocational Qualifications (NCVQ)

  1.0

  Remploy

  2.0

  School Curriculum and Assessment Authority (SCAA)

  1.0

  Student Loans Company (SLC)

  1.5

  Teacher Training Agency (TTA)

  1.0

  Mr. Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the names and current salaries and other emoluments of the (i) chief executive and (ii) chairman of the(a) National Youth Agency, (b) National Council for Vocational Qualifications, (c) National Council for Education Technology, (d) Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research, (e) Education Assets Board, (f) School Curriculum and Assessment Authority, (g) teaching as a career unit, (h) Further Education Funding Council, (i) Higher Education Funding Council for England, (j) Funding Agency for Schools, (k) Teacher Training Agency and (l) the Office for Standards in Educations. [11361]

  Mr. Squire
  [holding 24 January 1997]: The names of the chief executive and chairman of the non-departmental public bodies requested that are sponsored by the Department are as follows. Total costs of the salaries and other emoluments for the current financial year will not become available until the year end.

  The national youth agency is no longer classified as a non-departmental public body and the teaching as a career unit closed in October 1994. Ofsted is a Government Department in its own right; questions relating to Ofsted's running costs and other related expenditure should be addressed directly to Her Majesty's chief inspector, Mr. Chris Woodhead. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member.
  785

  NDPB

  Chairman

  Chief Executive

  National Council for Vocational Qualifications (NCVQ)

  Sir Michael Heron

  John Hillier

  Nationals Council for Educational Training (NECT)

  Heather Du Quesney

  Margaret Bell

  Centre for information on Language Teaching and Research (CILT)

  Stephen Jones

  Dr. E. King

  Education Assets Board (EAB)

  Keith Bridge

  Stuart Hoare

  School Curriculum and Assessment Authority (SCAA)

  Graham McKenzie

  Dr. Nick Tate

  Further Education Funding Council (FEFC)

  Robert Gunn

  Prof Melville

  Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE)

  Brandon Gough

  Prof Brian Fender

  Funding Agency for schools (FAS)

  Sir Christopher Benson

  Mike Collier

  Teacher Training Agency (TTA)

  Geoffrey Parker

  Anthea Millett

  Mr. Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the total expenditure on the salaries and other emoluments of the chief executives and the chairmen of all non-departmental public bodies sponsored by her Department, for each year since 1987. [11438]

  Mr. Squire
  [holding answer 17 January 1997]: The total expenditure on the salaries and other emoluments of the chief executives and chairmen of all the non-departmental public bodies sponsored currently by the Department for Education and Employment, for each year since 1987, is set out as follows. Details of the salaries and other emoluments for the current financial year are not yet available.

  Full qualification, highest equivalent NVQ level of full qualification, credit towards a qualification and leavers not gaining a qualification. Training for work, England and Wales, financial year 1995–96, all leavers.

  Per cent.

  Highest equivalent NVQ levels

  Full qualification

  Full literacy/numeracy

  Full level 1

  Full level 2

  Full level 3

  Full level 4

  Full other1

  Credit towards a qualification

  No qualification gained2

  South East

  46

  1

  8

  23

  4

  1

  7

  6

  49

  London

  39

  2

  6

  17

  8

  1

  6

  8

  54

  Eastern

  44

  2

  9

  20

  8

  1

  5

  6

  50

  South West

  45

  1

  11

  20

  5

  1

  6

  6

  49

  West Midlands

  43

  2

  10

  17

  5

  1

  7

  7

  50

  East Midlands

  38

  1

  8

  15

  4

  1

  9

  5

  56

  Yorkshire and

  Humberside

  38

  1

  7

  16

  5

  1

  8

  7

  56

  Merseyside

  44

  2

  7

  21

  7

  1

  6

  6

  51

  North West

  36

  2

  6

  16

  5

  1

  6

  6

  58

  North East

  45

  3

  8

  20

  8

  1

  6

  7

  49

  Wales

  39

  2

  9

  17

  3

  1

  6

  7

  55

  England and

  Wales'

  41

  2

  8

  18

  6

  1

  7

  6

  52

  1 Includes those achieving a full qualification who did not state the level.

  2 Includes those still awaiting their results.

  3 Includes trainees not separately identified to a region.

  786
  Ofsted is a Government Department in its own right; questions relating to Ofsted's running costs and other related expenditure should be addressed directly to HMCI, Mr. Chris Woodhead. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member.

  Details for non-departmental public bodies sponsored previously by the former Department for Education and the Employment Department group are not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Financial year

  Chief executives

  Chairmen

  £

  £

  1987–88

  142,149

  47,831

  1988–89

  184,533

  84,307

  1989–90

  212,713

  88,314

  1990–91

  348,626

  57,786

  1991–92

  484,769

  82,162

  1992–93

  561,516

  143,772

  1993–94

  805,557

  210,702

  1994–95

  1,005,539

  326,244

  1995–96

  1,131,629

  352,862

  Qualifications
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list for the latest date for which there are available figures from the training for work leavers survey, for (i) each standard region and (ii) England and Wales, the number of(a) full NVQs, (b) NVQ levels, (c) credits towards NVQs, (d) other full qualifications, (e) credits toward other qualifications and (f) no qualifications secured by those leaving the programme. [12432]

  Mr. Paice
  [holding answer 23 January 1997]: The information requested is given in the following table. As the information comes from surveys, it is only possible to give percentages and not actual number. The training for work national follow-up survey covers all qualifications not just NVQs. The table shows the highest NVQ or equivalent qualification gained.

  Special Needs Teachers
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many qualified specialist teachers of the deaf are currently employed in mainstream schools. [12423]

  Mrs. Gillan [holding answer 24 January 1997]: Returns submitted by schools in January 1996 show that approximately 1,000 qualified teachers of the deaf are currently employed in mainstream schools.

  Discretionary Awards
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many discretionary awards were made by each local authority(a) to people aged 16 to 17 years and (b) people aged 18 years and over in the last year for which figures are available. [12433]

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 23 January 1997]: Information in the age categories requested is not available. The numbers of discretionary awards made by local education authorities in England and Wales in the academic year 1994–95, the latest for which data are

  Contributions to and receipts from the EC budget in 1995

  net contribution (-) net receipt (+)

  Gross contribution

  Gross receipts

  Net Contribution/ received

  No. of house

  Net per head

  Net per household

  mecu

  £ million

  mecu

  £ million

  mecu

  £ million

  Population millions

  holds millions

  ecu

  £

  ecu

  £

  Belgium

  2,680.1

  2,194.8

  2,368.9

  1,940.0

  -311.2

  -254.9

  10.0

  4.0

  -31.1

  -25.5

  -78.8

  -64.5

  Denmark

  1,295.4

  1,060.8

  1,601.1

  1,311.2

  305.7

  250.3

  5.1

  2.3

  59.9

  49.1

  134.7

  110.3

  Germany

  21,324.1

  17,463.0

  7,893.1

  6,463.9

  -13,431.0

  -10,999.1

  79.8

  35.3

  -168.3

  -137.8

  -380.9

  -311.9

  Greece

  985.2

  806.8

  4,474.1

  3,664.0

  3,488.9

  2,857.2

  10.3

  3.2

  338.7

  277.4

  1,090.3

  892.9

  Spain

  3,645.2

  2,985.2

  10,863.3

  8,896.3

  7,218.1

  5,911.1

  38.9

  11.8

  185.6

  152.0

  609.6

  499.3

  France

  11,876.8

  9,726.3

  10,149.6

  8,311.8

  -1,727.2

  -1,414.5

  56.7

  21.5

  -30.5

  -24.9

  -80.2

  -65.7

  Ireland

  664.8

  544.4

  2,551.7

  2,089.7

  1,886.9

  1,545.2

  3.5

  1.0

  539.1

  441.5

  1,831.9

  1,500.2

  Italy

  6,413.7

  5,252.4

  5,799.6

  4,749.5

  -614.1

  -502.9

  56.8

  19.9

  -10.8

  -8.9

  -30.8

  -25.3

  Luxembourg

  167.6

  137.3

  122.8

  100.6

  -44.8

  -36.7

  0.4

  0.2

  -112.0

  -91.7

  -298.7

  -244.6

  Netherlands

  4,349.6

  3,562.0

  2,344.9

  1,920.3

  -2,004.7

  -1,641.7

  15.1

  6.2

  -132.8

  -108.7

  -325.4

  -266.5

  Austria

  1,762.9

  1,443.7

  857.8

  702.5

  -905.1

  -741.2

  7.8

  3.0

  -116.0

  -95.0

  -300.7

  -246.3

  Portugal

  864.9

  708.3

  3,246.0

  2,658.3

  2,381.1

  1,950.0

  9.9

  3.2

  240.5

  197.0

  755.9

  619.0

  Finland

  887.4

  726.7

  722.8

  591.9

  -164.6

  -134.8

  5.0

  2.0

  -32.9

  -27.0

  -80.7

  -66.1

  Sweden

  1,658.3

  1,358.0

  721.0

  590.5

  -937.3

  -767.6

  8.6

  3.8

  -109.0

  -89.3

  -244.7

  -200.4

  UK

  9,251.6

  7,576.4

  4,531.4

  3,710.9

  -4,720.2

  -3,865.5

  56.5

  22.4

  -83.5

  -68.4

  -210.5

  -172.4

  Notes:

  1. Sources: Court of Auditors Report on 1995 Community Budget and Eurostat.

  2. The Court of Auditors uses ecu figures. These have been converted to sterling using the annual average £ sterling/ecu exchange rate for 1995, = 1.2211 ecu.

  3. Contribution figures are after account has been taken of the UK's abatement.

  4. The Court of Auditors Report does not allocate all Community spending to the Member States so that the receipts figures in the table may not represent the full amount of expenditure by the Commission in each Member State. Consequently the net figures in the table are likely only to be indicative of the amount of Member States' net contributions.

  5. Figures for both population and the number of households are the latest available (Eurostat figures) and relate to 1990–91.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in respect of which goods or services the rate of tax payable is dependent on the vendor from whom the product is purchased. [11651]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  There are a number of occasions when the status of the vendor affects the chargeability to VAT of goods and services. No tax at all is due if the supplier is not registrable for VAT, or if the supplies are made outside the UK, and certain VAT reliefs are
  788
  available, is published in tables 8(a) and 9(a) of "Statistics of Education, Student Support Volume, 1994–95"-copies of which are in the Library. Table 8(a) shows data for section 1(6) and section 2 awards in higher education; table 9(a) shows data for section 2 awards in further education and gives separate data on awards to students aged 16 to 18 years and to those aged 19 and over.

TREASURY

  EU Budget Contributions
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for each member country net and gross contributions to the current EU budget, including net receipts or contributions broken down by(a) household and (b) population. [11486]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The latest year for which information on member states' contributions is available is 1995. The information in respect of that year is set out in the form requested. As is evident from the table the average number of persons per household can vary significantly between member states.

  dependent on the status of the supplier, for example in the area of postal and education services. In addition, the Budget proposed a higher rate of insurance premium tax, as an anti-avoidance measure which depends on the status of the vendor.

  Internet
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his letter of 17 December, when he expects to
  789
  make a statement on a derogation from the sixth VAT directive in relation to Internet access services. [10830]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 23 January 1997]: All member states have now lodged a request for a general derogation from the sixth VAT directive in relation to telecommunications services, including Internet access services. The European Commission is expected to submit a proposal for such a derogation to the Council of Ministers later this month or shortly thereafter. Once the Council has agreed the proposal, UK secondary legislation giving effect to the derogation will follow.

  Shares of gross incomes before tax

  Group of taxpayers

  Top 1 per cent.

  Top 5 per cent.

  Top 10 per cent.

  Bottom 70 per cent.

  Bottom 10 per cent.

  1978–79

  5

  15

  24

  50

  4

  1992–93

  8

  19

  29

  44

  3

  Amount of gross incomes before tax (£ billion)

  Top 1 per cent.

  Top 5 per cent.

  Top 10 per cent.

  Bottom 70 per cent.

  Bottom 10 per cent.

  All taxpayers

  1978–79

  5.0

  14.9

  24.2

  50.9

  3.7

  102.8

  1992–93

  29.6

  72.5

  109.0

  163.4

  11.1

  373.7

  Average amount of gross income before tax (£ per year)

  Top 1 per cent.

  Top 5 per cent.

  Top 10 per cent.

  Bottom 70 per cent.

  Bottom 10 per cent.

  All taxpayers

  1978–79

  23,300

  13,900

  11,300

  3,400

  1,700

  4,800

  1992–93

  115,900

  57,100

  42,900

  9,200

  4,400

  14,700

  Shares of total income tax liability

  All taxpayers

  Top 1 per cent.

  Top 5 per cent.

  Top 10 per cent.

  Bottom 70 per cent.

  Bottom 10 per cent.

  1978–79

  11

  24

  35

  38

  1—

  1992–93

  16

  33

  44

  29

  1—

  1 Less than 1 per cent.

  Amount of total income tax liability (£ million)

  Top 1 per cent.

  Top 5 per cent.

  Top 10 per cent.

  Bottom 70 per cent.

  Bottom 10 per cent.

  All taxpayers

  1978–79

  2.3

  4.9

  7.0

  7.6

  0.1

  20.3

  1992–93

  9.5

  19.8

  26.5

  17.5

  0.3

  60.7

  VAT Harmonisation
  Mr. Porter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the increase in the costs of(a) housing, (b) travel, (c) books and newspapers, (d) children's clothes and (e) food after 2005 when the definitive system of VAT is introduced in the EU; and if he will make a statement. [11103]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 21 January 1997]: No such estimate has been made. No agreement has been reached to introduce a definitive system of VAT in the European Community from 2005 or any other future date.

  Mr. Porter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the EU Commission's plans for VAT after 2005; what decisions have been made about the United Kingdom's transitional system of VAT after 2005; what is the definitive system to which the Government have already agreed; and if he will make a statement. [11188]

  Taxation
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Answer of 13 January,Offical Report, cols 21–22 relating to taxation, if he will provide equivalent figures for (a)1978–79 and (b) 1992–93. [11449]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 17 January 1997]: Estimates are given in the tables. For 1978–79 married couples are counted as one taxpayer and their incomes are combined; for 1992–93 husbands and wives are counted separately.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 21 January 1997]: In July 1996 the European Commission produced a suggested programme for a common system of VAT, or "definitive system", to apply throughout the European Community. This programme contains no specific legislative proposals, but outlines a series of steps which the Commission proposes should be taken toward the creation of a common system. An explanatory memorandum on the Commission's proposals was submitted to Parliament last September.

  Any change to the EC VAT system requires the unanimous agreement of member states, and the current transitional regime continues automatically in the absence of an agreement upon a definitive regime. Discussion of the programme within the EC has so far been very limited, and no decisions have been made about the programme itself or about the future shape of the VAT system.

  791
  Contrary to recent assertions in the press, the Government have agreed no changes, whether from 2005 or any other date.

  Mr. Porter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the goods and services to be subject to a VAT rate above 0 per cent. after 2005; what exemptions from VAT will be abolished; when he agreed such changes with his EU counterparts; and if he will make a statement. [11104]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 21 January 1997]: I have agreed no such changes. The current EC VAT regime—including its provisions for the United Kingdom's zero rates, and those in respect of exemptions—cannot be changed without the unanimous agreement of member states, and so will automatically continue to apply in the absence of any agreement to amend it.

  Treasury Building
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which bodies or individuals have been consulted about the security implications of the Treasury building 792
  redevelopment (a) before 25 November 1996 and (b) since 25 November 1996; and if he will make a statement. [12147]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 22 January 1997]: The relevant security authorities have been consulted about the proposals. It would not be appropriate to give further details.

  Teachers (Early Retirement)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the level of savings to public funds arising from the proposed change in the regulations regarding teachers' early retirement. [11166]

  Mrs. Gillan
  I have been asked to reply.

  If the proposed change goes ahead, employers' contributions to the teachers' superannuation scheme will be 7.2 per cent. of salary rather than 8.8 per cent. of salary. That will save public sector employers about £200 million a year. To offset that, employers will need to fund the direct costs of premature retirement. The cost of that will depend on the numbers of premature retirements that employers decide to award: at the illustrative levels of premature retirement that we have forecast, the extra cost to public sector employers of these direct costs would be about £30 million a year.

  Licensing Hours: Consultations
  Licensing Hours: Consultations
  Police Bill: Northern Ireland
  Police Bill: Northern Ireland