Written Answers of 22 July 1997

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Policy Reviews
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each departmental policy review presently in progress or scheduled,(a) a description of the purpose of the review and (b) its expected date of completion. [10191]

  Mr. Straw
  The information requested for reviews which have already been announced is set out in the table.

  Review

  (a) Purpose

  (b) expected completion date

  Immigration detention policy, Official Report, 23 June, column 358.

  Internal review of all aspects of immigration detention policy

  Autumn 1997

  Vulnerable and intimidated witnesses, Official Report, 3 July, column 236.

  Interdepartmental review to look at further ways of assisting vulnerable witnesses—such as victims of rape and of domestic violence—and providing witnesses with greater protection from intimidation.

  Aims to report to Ministers by end 1997

  Prison and Probation Services, Official Report. 16 July, columns 172–73.

  To look at ways in which the better integration of the two services could improve their performance and effectiveness. The review will include looking at the structure and organisation of the Probation Service, to complement the review of the Prison Service which is already under way.

  Initial report by end 1997

  In addition, my Department will be playing a full part in the Government's comprehensive spending review, details of which will be announced shortly.

  Referendums
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria the Government use to determine whether constitutional changes should be submitted to a referendum. [10206]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Legislation is currently before Parliament to enable referendums to be held on the Government's proposals for devolution to Scotland and Wales.

  We have also indicated that referendums will be held on the proposed strategic authority for London, on the voting system for elections to the House of Commons and in the regions on the questions of whether regional government should be established.
  482
  Our manifesto made it clear that Britain would not join a single currency unless the people had said yes in a referendum.

  Other referendums may also be held when the Government and Parliament consider it appropriate.

  Abbas Radiom Case
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedural changes in respect of appeals concerning right of abode he plans following the European Court ruling in the Abbas Radiom case; and if he will make a statement. [10212]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The Special Immigration Appeals Commission Bill, which is currently before Parliament, would give a right of appeal to European Economic Area nationals in the small number of cases where the Secretary of State has decided that their exclusion, removal or departure from the United Kingdom would be conducive to the public good. There is currently no right of appeal in such cases.

  Dogs (Experimentation)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 4 June,Official Report, column 175, how many of the project licences issued under the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 to experiment on non-purpose-bred dogs in 1995 covered procedures classified as being of (a) mild, (b) moderate and (c) substantial severity; at what kind of establishments these procedures were carried out; what was the nature of the research; and if these dogs were obtained directly from individual owners who had kept them as pets. [9005]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The 66 non-purpose-bred dogs which were acquired from non-designated sources in the United Kingdom were used under four different project licences; three were of mild severity and one of moderate. In all cases, the work was carried out in veterinary schools.

  A variety of breeds was used for studies relevant to the specific breed or type of dog involved. Two of the projects involved research into reproductive hormone levels in dogs. The third was a study of inherited diseases in dogs and the last was an animal welfare study to improve post-operative care of dogs undergoing clinical veterinary surgery.

  The majority of procedures involved taking blood samples for subsequent analysis. The remainder involved administration of analgesia. In all cases, the owner's consent to use the dogs was obtained. The dogs were later certified as fit to be discharged from the controls of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and were returned to their owners.

  Violent Offences
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the main types of offences which fall into the category of violent offences. [9073]

  Mr. Michael
  Violent crime comprises the offences groups of violence against the person, sexual offences and robbery. A breakdown of the offence classifications within each offence group is given in the table.
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  Violence against the person

  Homicide—murder, manslaughter and infanticide

  Attempted murder

  Threat or conspiracy to murder

  Child destruction

  Causing death by dangerous driving or careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs

  Causing death by aggravated vehicle taking

  Wounding or other act endangering life

  Endangering railway passenger

  Endangering life at sea

  Other wounding

  Abandoning a child under the age of two years

  Child abduction

  Procuring illegal abortion

  Concealment of birth.

  Sexual offences

  Buggery

  Indecent assault on a male

  Indecency between males

  Rape of a female

  Rape of a male

  Indecent assault on a female

  Unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13

  Unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 16

  Incest

  Procuration

  Abduction

  Bigamy

  Gross indecency with a child.

  Robbery

  Robbery.

  Private Sector Housing (Neighbours)
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce measures to protect residents in the private housing sector from intimidation, harassment and nuisance from their neighbours. [9172]

  Mr. Michael
  We intend to introduce community safety orders in the Crime and Disorder Bill. Under our proposals, courts will be given the power to grant such orders on the application of a local authority or the police. The order will apply to a named individual or individuals and would require that person or persons to desist from specified anti-social behaviour. A breach of the order will be a criminal offence which would carry stiff penalties—including the possibility of imprisonment. An order will be able to protect the residents of private houses from anti-social behaviour by their neighbours in the same way that it will protect other people.

  Employment Advertisements
  Ms Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how often since 1992 his Department has been responsible for employment advertisements which contained age restrictions upon those who could apply. [9502]
  484
  Mr. Straw
  Recruitment advertisements for assistant immigration officers include a minimum age limit of 18 and advertisements for Prison Officers include minimum and maximum age limits of 20 and 50 respectively. In addition, advertisements for psychological assistants in the Prison Service and for candidates for the prison officer accelerated promotion scheme included age restrictions until 1995.

  Apart from these exceptions, it is not Home Office policy for employment advertisements to include age restrictions. It is possible that a small number of individual advertisements since 1992 may have contained age restrictions, but this could be checked only at disproportionate cost.

  Road Rage
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many motorists were convicted of offences associated with road rage in the greater London area during the last 12 months. [9294]

  Mr. Michael
  The information requested is not available. "Road Rage" is not an offence covered by separate statute and motorists involved in criminal behaviour are likely to be charged with an offence appropriate to the circumstances in each case. None of these can be separately identified, as the statistics do not include details of the circumstances.

  Immigrants (Employment Restrictions)
  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times employers have been investigated under section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996; in how many cases employers have been prosecuted under this act; and what level of fines were imposed in these cases. [9490]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The approach of the Immigration Service towards section 8 of the 1996 Asylum and Immigration Act is that if, during the course of normal operational activity, an employer is found to have breached section 8 they will be advised of its provisions and issued with a warning letter. The warning letter informs them that if they continue to offend consideration will be given to prosecution. There is no central record of the number of warning letters issued and there have been no prosecutions under section 8 to date.

  Immigration (Former Yugoslavia)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his Department's policy in respect of those who entered the United Kingdom under the 1,000 quota rule from the former Yugoslavia; and if he will allow them to regularise their status in the United Kingdom. [9852]

  Mr. Mike O' Brien
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Brigg and Goole (Mr. Cawsey) on 16 July,Official Report, columns 176–78.

  Special Constables
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Police Federation about representation of special constables following the disbandment of NASCO. [9869]
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  Mr. Michael
  I have not yet discussed the special constabulary with the Police Federation. I am aware that the working group on the special constabulary could not find a satisfactory answer to the question of representation and suggested that the Home Office meet the relevant bodies and representatives of the special constabulary to explore whether some form of formal representation for specials would be possible. This will be included in our work following the working group's report. I have an open mind on the issue and will seek the views of the Police Federation and other groups in due course.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the percentage of special constables who have left the force in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [9844]

  Mr. Michael
  The in-post and wastage figures for special constables over the past five years are as follows:

  Year ending

  In-post

  Resignations

  Percentage

  31 December 1992

  19,243

  3,982

  20.7

  31 December 1993

  20,573

  4,224

  20.5

  31 March 1995

  20,026

  4,474

  22.3

  31 March 1996

  19,736

  4,488

  22.7

  31 March 19971

  19,836

  4,169

  21.0

  1 The figures for 1996–97 are provisional.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will assess the advantages of providing special constables with a retainer as an incentive to remain on the force. [9846]

  Mr. Michael
  A pilot scheme, whereby special constables could qualify for a bounty payment of £200 on completion of 125 hours in a six-month period, was conducted in Dorset between 1991 and 1993. The results were inconclusive. While the number of hours performed by the specials increased slightly, the scheme had no effect on recruitment or retention. There is therefore no evidence to confirm that a retainer would have a marked effect on the wastage rate.

  Nevertheless, we will be considering the question of a bounty payment following the report of the working group on the special constabulary. The working group was against such a payment, but the Audit Commission, in its "Streetwise" report of last year, was in favour of retainers. These views will be taken into account and the police staff and local authority associations consulted before decisions are made.

  Police forces are tackling the wastage rate in other ways with the support of the working group's recommendations and over £9 million of Government grant has been

  Grades

  Total number of Staff in Post

  (a) Number

  (a) Percentage

  (b) Number

  (b) Percentage

  2–5

  61

  1

  Approximately 2

  Nil

  —

  6–12

  362

  4

  1

  Less than 1

  12 and Below

  538

  6

  1

  13

  2

  Parliamentary Works Directorate Craft Grades

  83

  2

  2

  3

  4

  Refreshment Department Catering Grades

  266

  10

  4

  20

  8

  Grades have been grouped to protect condidentiality.
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  provided during the past two years to improve the training, equipment, and terms and conditions of specials. This is already having an effect as the number of specials leaving the service in 1996–97 is down by 319 on the previous year.

  Police National Computer
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to update the police national computer directly from courts. [9840]

  Mr. Michael
  The technical options by which court results could be entered directly onto the police national computer are being investigated by the committee for the co-ordination of the criminal justice system, under the direction of the cross-departmental trials issues group. It is too early yet to arrive at any conclusions.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Employment Advertisements
  Ms Perham
  To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how often since 1992 the Commission has been responsible for employment advertisements which contained age restrictions upon those who could apply. [9562]

  Mr. Kirkwood
  It is not the policy of the House of Commons to include age restrictions on eligibility in employment advertisements. The Establishments Office of the House, which is responsible for advising Departments on the content of employment advertisements, is not aware of any instance of age restrictions appearing in an advertisement since 1992.

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many and what percentage of employees in the House of Commons are of(a) Asian origin and (b) Afro-Caribbean origin, broken down by grade. [9561]

  Mr. Kirkwood
  The ethnic monitoring of staff employed by the Commission has been in place since 1988. This is on a voluntary basis and not all staff choose to respond to the ethnic monitoring questionnaire. The numbers and approximate percentages, by grade, of employees of(a) Asian origin and (b) Afro-Caribbean origin are:

  Telephone Number
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire representing the House of Commons Commission if the Commission will consider introducing an 0345 phone number for the House. [9647]

  Mr. Kirkwood
  There are no plans currently to do so, since it would commit the House to bearing a large part of the costs of any call received on such a number.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Housing
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he is having with London borough councils in respect of new proposals to build houses; and if he will make a statement. [9097]

  Mr Raynsford
  The Government's capital receipts Initiative will make additional resources available to local authorities to help meet housing need. In some London boroughs this might entail support for the building of new houses in partnership with registered social landlords. The Government are currently consulting on its proposals and we look forward to receiving local authorities comments.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what support his Department has given to the development and commercialisation of the technology described in FP50 over the last 10 years. [8984]

  Angela Eagle
  Higher efficiency motors have been available for a number of years and my Department recommended their use. However, sales were very low because they were about 25 per cent. more expensive than an equivalent standard motor.

  To overcome this cost barrier my Department supported, through the energy efficiency best practice programme, a club research project that lead to the development of a higher efficiency motor that did not carry a premium price. The project, managed by motor manufacturer Brook Hansen, cost £12 million and the Government's contribution was £4 million. More recently, further support has been provided to disseminate the results of the project via a range of publications and promotional events. We are also supporting the European Commission's work to promote the use of higher efficiency motors.

  The new motors are currently saving industry around £2 million per year in reduced electricity costs. It is estimated that these savings will eventually reach about £120 million per year, when there is a much greater range of models available and other manufacturers catch up. In terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, savings of £120 million wold equate to a reduction of some 3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.

  Air Quality (Brent Cross)
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what are the present air quality standards in the vicinity of Brent Cross shopping centre, with reference to(a) carbon monoxide, (b) nitrogen oxide, (c) nitrogen dioxide and (d) particulate material below 10 microns; what are the pertinent European limits for (a) to (d); and if he will make a statement. [9185]

  Angela Eagle
  As part of its national air quality monitoring programme, my Department, in collaboration with local authorities, monitors air pollutants using automatic and non automatic methods across London. The two automatic monitoring stations closest to the Brent Cross shopping centre are (i) an urban background station in the Kingsbury area of the London boroughs of Brent and (ii) a roadside station situated next to the A41 Great North Way at Swiss Cottage, in the London borough of Camden. The results of this monitoring for carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, nitrogen dioxide and particulate material below 10 microns, measured during 1996, are presented in the Table below.

  Site

  Carbon monoxide—max 8 hour running mean

  Nitrogen oxide—98th percentile of hourly means

  Nitrogen oxide—98th percentile of hourly means

  Particles (PM10) max 24 hour average

  Brent

  8.00 ppm

  191 ppb

  55 ppb

  61 ug/m3

  Camden

  Not measured

  397 ppb

  57 ppb

  77 ug/m3

  My Department also monitors nitrogen dioxide using non-automatic methods, in collaboration with local authorities, in its national diffusion tube survey. The results from the sites nearest to the shopping centre, for 1995, are given in the table.

  London Borough

  Location

  Site type

  Annual mean(ppb)

  Barnet

  158 Burnet Oak Broadway, Edgware

  Kerbside

  21

  Barnet

  32 Sanders Lane, Mill Hill

  Background

  18

  Barnet

  158 Burnt Oak Broadway, Edgware

  Intermediate

  17

  Barnet

  42 Lylton Road, New Barnet

  Background

  17

  Brent

  Abbydale Road, Alperton, Wembley

  Kerbside

  29

  Brent

  Stanley Avenue, Wembley

  Background

  20

  Brent

  66 Lodore Gardens, Kingsbury

  Background

  20

  Brent

  349–357 High Road, Wembley

  Intermediate

  21

  Camden

  Camden Town Hall, Judd Street

  Kerbside

  33

  Camden

  Church Hall, Wakefield Street

  Background

  19

  Camden

  St. Andrew's United Reform Church, Finchley Road

  Intermediate

  23

  Camden

  9–11 Froghal Way

  Background

  18

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  European Community Directive 85/203/EEC sets a limit value for nitrogen dioxide of 104.6 ppb as a 98th percentile of hourly means. There are currently no European limits for nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide or particulate material below 10 microns.

  Asbestos
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions(a) have taken place and (b) are planned between his Department and the Health and Safety Executive on the use and development of safe alternatives to asbestos. [9190]

  Angela Eagle
  As my hon. Friend is aware from the Adjournment debate on 18 June, I have asked the Health and Safety Commission to advise me urgently on a mechanism for introducing a domestic ban on the import, supply and use of asbestos. Safe and effective alternative non-asbestos products are available for some, but possibly not all, uses. The Health and Safety Executive is currently researching the situation with other Government Departments and industry. The commission is consulting widely before giving its formal advice.

  Green Ministers
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the green Ministers appointed to date in other Government Departments; when he intends green Ministers to have been appointed in all departments; and if he will make a statement. [9494]

  Angela Eagle
  The committee of green Ministers is chaired by his right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment. Other members of the committee have been appointed as follows:

  Department

  Minister

  Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Jeff Rooker MP

  Chancellor's Departments

  Dawn Primarolo MP

  Culture, Media and Sport

  Mark Fisher MP

  Defence

  John Spellar MP

  Education and Employment

  Dr. Kim Howells MP

  Environment, Transport and the Regions

  Glenda Jackson MP

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  Derek Fatchett MP

  Health

  Tessa Jowell MP

  Home Office

  Mike O'Brien MP

  International Development

  George Foulkes MP

  Law Officers

  The Lord Falconer QC

  Lord Chancellor's

  Geoff Hoon MP

  Northern Ireland Office

  The Lord Dubs

  Public Service and Science

  Peter Kilfoyle MP

  Scottish Office

  The Lord Sewel CBE

  Social Security

  Keith Bradley MP

  Trade and Industry

  John Battle MP

  Welsh Office

  Win Griffiths MP

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many and what percentage of civil servants in each of the grades 1 to 5 in his Department are of(a) Asian origin and (b) Afro-Caribbean origin. [9564]

  Angela Eagle
  There are no civil servants employed in my Department in the grades 1 to 5 who are of(a) Asian origin or (b) Afro-Caribbean origin.

  Mobile Homes and Caravan Parks
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make it his policy to encourage local planning authorities to allow the provision of residential wardens' accommodation at mobile home and caravan parks. [9171]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Development proposals for on-site residential accommodation for wardens are considered within the framework of Government policy as set out in planning policy guidance notes. PPG7 on "The Countryside—Environmental Quality and Economic and Social Development" restricts the provision of new dwellings in the open countryside in order to protect rural landscapes and the character of the countryside. There is scope for local planning authorities to grant permission for isolated dwellings in the countryside in exceptional circumstances, for example where these are essential for agricultural or forestry workers. The Government have not been persuaded that exceptions should be made to existing policy other than in certain exceptional cases provided for in existing guidance PPG7.

  Policy Reviews
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list for each departmental policy review presently in progress or scheduled,(a) a description of the purpose of the review and (b) its expected date of completion. [10195]

  Angela Eagle
  The Department is undertaking a fundamental review of transport policy whose purpose is to lead a White Paper on an integrated transport policy. We anticipate the White Paper will be published next spring. A review of compulsory competitive tendering regulations and guidance, which seeks to identify changes which will improve the existing regime pending its replacement by a duty of best value, is due to be completed shortly.

  Housing Development, Poulton Le Fylde
  Mr. Dawson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will review his decision in respect of the housing development at Briarfield Nurseries, Blackpool old road, Poulton Le Fylde, Lancashire. [10102]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Secretary of State has no plans to do so.

  Chemical Hazards
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the nature of the proposed directive on the protection of employees from chemical risks; what procedure it will be subject to; and if he will make a statement. [10201]

  Angela Eagle
  The proposed directive on chemical agents would establish minimum standards for the control of hazardous chemicals in the workplace. It is based on article 118A and is subject to the co-operation procedure. It will be a directive under the framework directive 89/391/EEC.
  491
  The UK has secured all its objectives on the proposal which reached political agreement at the Social Affairs Council on 27 June. It is likely to reach common position formally in September 1997 and then be subject to a second reading by the European Parliament towards the end of 1997.

  The UK already has comprehensive regulations covering the health effects of chemicals—principally the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1994—which is one of the most advanced regimes in Europe. The UK has therefore supported this proposal in principle, believing that it would fill an important gap in EU legislation and raise standards elsewhere in Europe.

  Definitive Maps and Statements
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what amendments he proposes to make to the guidance on the interpretation of definitive statements in circular 2/93. [10383]

  Mr. Meacher
  We have revised the guidance in circular 2/93 which deals with the interpretation of information recorded on statements which accompany definitive maps. We have written today to the local government associations and others with an interest to advise them that paragraph 31 of the circular has been replaced with the following."Information recorded in the definitive statement about position or width or as limitations or conditions affecting a public right of way is conclusive evidence of position, width, limitations or conditions. Information may be recorded in the definitive statement which, in practice, restricts the use of the way by those whose rights to use it are recorded on the definitive map. Where such information is not about position or width, or is not recorded as a limitation or condition, highway authorities should examine the evidence in each case in order to resolve the inconsistencies."

  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what advice he proposes to issue on definitive maps and statements in the light of recent High Court judgments. [10384]

  Mr. Meacher
  We have been looking at the implications of a recent High Court judgment for the evidence that is required to prove that vehicular rights of way have been established through regular use. We have concluded that vehicular rights cannot be claimed through 20 years' use, under section 31 of the Highways Act 1980, if access to the route in question was prohibited by the Road Traffic Acts during any of those 20 years. The fact that people have driven along a footpath or bridleway does not mean that it has ceased to be a footpath or bridleway. Vehicle users will not be able to claim new rights of way on the basis of past use unless the landowner has dedicated a way for their use.

  Aircraft Safety
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what assessment he has made of whether the current Civil Aviation Authority minimum seat pitch on aircraft is sufficient to allow for evacuation in an emergency; if he will review the CAA minimum seat pitch; and if he will make a statement;[8229]
  492
  (2) what checks are made to ensure that airlines comply with the Civil Aviation Authority minimum seat pitch. [8228]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The Civil Aviation Authority has set minimum requirements relating to the spacing of passenger seats for aircraft on the UK register as it is one of a number of factors which can have an effect on the evacuation of an aircraft in an emergency. These standards were the results of a thorough assessment by the CAA. In addition to other tests, demonstration evacuations were carried out on two aircraft types before the standard was adopted.

  Compliance with these standards on individual aircraft is initially checked by the CAA when it approves the aircraft's passenger cabin layout. While the operator of an aircraft is responsible for ensuring that the passenger cabin layout continues to meet the required standards, this will be the subject of checks as part of the CAA's on-going aircraft monitoring process.

  I have no evidence to suggest that a review of these standards is necessary.

  Shadow Tolling
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 15 July,Official Report, column 131, (1) whether the results of the development work on refining the shadow toll payment mechanism so that it is less dependent on traffic-related payments will cover those schemes contained in the accelerated review; [9957]

  (2) in what circumstances shadow tolling of roads offers value for money; [9958]

  (3) when he expects to be able to make an announcement on the refinements to shadow toll payment mechanisms to make them less dependent on traffic-related payments. [9959]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  A consideration in selecting design, build, finance and operate projects for competition is potential commercial viability. Whether projects offer value for money depends entirely upon the bids submitted for individual projects. The development work on payment mechanisms was begun initially for possible application to the A40 west London approach and A13 Thames gateway DBFO projects. If this refinement of remuneration arrangements is successful it could be applied elsewhere, and we would announce its introduction when we are able to apply it to a particular project.

  Coach Safety
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he will make to other EU countries to legislate to require all coaches carrying children to have seat-belts fitted. [9795]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  [holding answer 21 July 1997]: Other EU member states are fully aware of the UK's keenness to have seat belts fitted to all coaches, and its national requirement for seat belts to be fitted in coaches used to carry children, but the decision to introduce a similar national requirement must remain one for the Governments of the individual EU member states.

  493
  However, we expect that in the future more foreign coaches will have seat belts, especially from 1 October 1999 when any member state can impose a general requirement for all coaches being registered to have seat belts fitted.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will introduce legislation to prevent foreign coach operators carrying children as passengers in the United Kingdom without having seat belts fitted in their coaches. [9792]

  Ms Jackson
  [holding answer 21 July 1997]: It is a long standing principle that certain of the UK's national vehicle regulations do not apply to vehicles registered abroad which are temporarily visiting this country. Similar arrangements apply when British vehicles travel to other EU countries. We do not require visiting foreign coaches to comply with our domestic regulations by fitting seat belts for children, and I do not believe it would be realistic to alter this. However, we expect that more foreign coaches will be fitted with seat belts in future as an amended seat belt directive starts to take effect that will allow member states to require the fitting of seat belts to all new coaches.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he will take to prevent children being carried in European Union countries on coaches that do not have seat belts fitted. [9794]

  Ms Jackson
  [holding answer 21 July 1997]: When organised trips to European Union countries start in Britain, newer British coaches must have seat belts available for children. This requirement will extend to older coaches in February next year. While such vehicles will often continue to be used for the journey outside Britain, we do not have any jurisdiction over the domestic transport arrangements for children within other countries if they use a local vehicle. However, we would encourage those arranging trips for British children abroad always to use coaches fitted with seat belts.

  Thamesmead Rail Link
  Mr. Austin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the proposal for a rail link to Thamesmead. [10103]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The option of constructing a southerly extension to the docklands light railway to Thamesmead from Gallions Reach is being assessed as a potential public transport component of the Thames gateway bridge, one of the potential new river crossings for east London currently being appraised by my Department.

  Seahorse and Exodus Incident
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the marine accident investigation branch expects to submit its report on the incident between the flagged vessel Seahorse and the Irish vessel Exodus in March. [10208]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The marine accident investigation branch has carried out a joint investigation with the Irish Department of the Marine into this tragic 494
  accident. As this investigation was not an inspector's inquiry the report will not be published through the Stationery Office, but is expected to be available to the Marine Safety Agency and involved parties by the end of September.

  A1
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list the feasibility schemes put up to the Highways Agency by Northumberland county council in respect of the route of the Al in Northumberland; when these schemes were received; and which ones he proposes to implement; [9497]

  (2) if he will list the article 14 highway directives issued in respect of the A1 from the new Tyne crossing to the Gorforth Park iterchange; and if those directions are still in force; [9496]

  (3) for what purpose he has issued article 14 directives in respect of the A1 between the new Tyne crossing and the Gorforth Park interchange. [9515]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 22 July 1997:
  The Minister for Transport in London has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the A1 North of Newcastle.
  You asked for a list of the feasibility schemes which Northumberland County Council have put to the Highways Agency in respect of the route of the A1 in Northumberland.
  The County Council submitted a report on the feasibility of dualling sections of the A1 at the end of March 1997. The recommendations are being studied, but it would be inappropriate to list them at this stage because it could cause unnecessary Blight on long sections of the A1. A decision on the schemes may of course also be affected by the reviews announced recently by the Minister.
  You also asked for a list of all Article 14 Highway Directions issued in respect of the A1 from the new Tyne Crossing to the Gosforth Park Interchange and if those Directions are still in force.
  The Agency has issued two such Directions with respect to planning applications for Newburn Haugh and Newcastle Airport. The purpose for these is:

  Newburn Haugh
  The Agency has directed conditions on an application to cover improvements needed to the A1 southbound of slip road and the Scotswood Road junction as well as improvements to Scotswood Road (local highway). Planning permission was granted on 8 November 1996.

  Newcastle Airport Terminal Extension
  The Agency has directed conditions to cover improvements needed to the A696 and A696/A1 junction to facilitate the development. The development now has planning permission.

  Older Drivers
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will work with the motor industry to develop industry best practice for secondary protection against accidents for older drivers. [9301]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Manufacturers are continuing to improve the overall secondary safety of cars for all occupants. Longer-term departmental research with
  495
  industry participation includes the possibility of tailoring car secondary safety to the physical characteristics of individual occupants.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will review the sight distance standards for non-signalised junction designs to take account of the perception-reaction characteristics of older drivers. [9295]

  Ms Jackson
  I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. David Chidgey, dated 22 July 1997:
  The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has asked me to reply to your recent question concerning a possible review of the sight distance standards for non-signalised junction designs to take account of the perception-reaction characteristics of older drivers.
  The standards issued by the Highways Agency for non-signalled cross-road junctions were reviewed and updated in 1995 and for roundabouts in 1993. UK standards are similar in this respect to most European standards. The sight distance standards in the documents take account of a range of perception-reaction characteristics which includes that of older drivers.
  Perception-reaction characteristics comprise the time taken to see a sign, feature or hazard, decide what action is necessary, and take action: our standards assume two seconds perception-reaction time. Experience and judgement are important to perceiving and avoiding any potential hazard, though perception-reaction processes slow with advancing age, experience and judgement improve.
  In 1995 the Highways Agency reviewed whether road design standards should be amended to allow for demographic changes. Our study concluded that at present sight distance standards are appropriate for drivers with the range of perception-reaction characteristics prevalent in the driving population.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of Devon county council's roadfit scheme. [9299]

  Ms Jackson
  The Department has not made any formal assessment of the Devon county council's roadfit scheme, but is taking a close interest in this and similar schemes directed at older drivers.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures his Department takes to make drivers aware of declining sensory and cognitive abilities as they get older. [9300]

  Ms Jackson
  The present driver licensing system recognises that aging may affect driving ability, although this varies from person to person. Drivers must renew their licences at 70 years of age, at which point they are required to make a declaration about their health. A licence is then issued for up to three years only, subject to a further health declaration at each renewal.

  The Department's leaflet, "Advice to Older Drivers", provides advice on driving skills, legal requirements and guidance on when to consider giving up driving. I will arrange for copies to be deposited in the House Libraries.

  The Department has commissioned research to study the effects of aging on cognitive ability and to develop appropriate measures for elderly drivers in order to help them maintain their mobility safely.
  496
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to work with other European countries towards developing a common approach to helping older drivers. [9302]

  Ms Jackson
  There are no current initiatives at European level to develop a common approach towards older drivers.

  The report on the safety of older car drivers in the European Union recently published by the European Road Safety Federation is a useful contribution to the international understanding of this issue.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will investigate the use of directional arrows at traffic signals with the objective of simplifying decision making for older drivers. [9296]

  Ms Jackson
  Work is being done to increase the conspicuity of traffic signals, including those with directional arrows, particularly in adverse viewing conditions. Some trials are under way to assess improvements that can be made to directional arrow signalling at more complicated junctions. Such improvements would help all drivers.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidelines his Department issues to(a) the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, (b) police authorities, (c) doctors and (d) optometrists in respect of advice to older drivers who are considering giving up driving. [9298]

  Ms Jackson
  Guidance on giving advice to older drivers, including advice on preparing to give up driving when this becomes necessary is included within the publication "Medical Aspects of Fitness to Drive", which is published by the medical commission on accident prevention and endorsed by the Secretary of State's honorary medical advisory panels on driving. This publication is distributed widely to medical practitioners, who may also consult doctors at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency by means of a dedicated telephone line.

  The Department's chief medical adviser regularly meets the Association of Optometrists and issues associated with all aspects of driving are regularly discussed with the police.

  Road Signs
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what arrangements exist for the cleaning and maintenance of road signs on roads for which the Highways Agency is responsible; and if he will review these arrangements to take account of older road users. [9297]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. David Chidgey, dated 22 July 1997:
  The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has asked me to reply to your recent question asking what arrangements exist for the cleaning and maintenance of road signs on roads for which the Highways Agency is responsible; and if he will review these requirements to take account of older road users.

  497
  The Highways Agency is responsible for the management and maintenance of the Trunk Road Network and signs on these roads are cleaned and maintained by Term Contractors under the direction of our Managing Agents. In some areas Local Authorities are our Managing Agents and in others the service is provided by Consulting Engineers. Our requirements for cleaning and inspecting signs are detailed in Volume 8 of our Design Manual for Roads and Bridges and in our Routine Maintenance Management System. In summary they are:-
  Safety Patrols and Inspections are undertaken at frequent intervals and defects which constitute an immediate danger to the public are rectified within 24 hours.
  Inspections to detect failure of lamps and their control mechanism are made at monthly intervals.
  Annual inspections are undertaken to check if foliage is obscuring signs.
  Every two years the condition of all signs is checked.
  Signs are cleaned on an "as required" basis but not less frequently than every three years. The need varies greatly between different locations.
  These requirements for cleaning and inspecting signs are being reviewed taking account of the needs of older road users. At this stage it is not possible to say when this review will be completed or whether the standards I have described will be amended.

  Clean Engine Technology
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the progress made by United Kingdom motor manufacturers in the development of clean engine technology. [9317]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Although development of clean engine and after-treatment technologies is undertaken on an increasingly globalised basis, work done in this area in the UK continues to place its manufacturers among world leaders.

  The speed of development has been largely determined by the increasingly stringent emissions standards which have been set in recent years. Emissions standards recently agreed at the EU Environment Council for passenger cars, for 2000 and 2005, together with proposals in the pipeline for other vehicles, will provide a further stimulus to technological development in this area. Meanwhile, the Government's decision to provide fiscal incentives for heavy vehicles meeting more stringent emissions standards should also stimulate development of new technologies.

  Port of London Authority
  Mr. Pond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many maritime incidents were recorded by the Port of London Authority in each of the last five years. [9807]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The Department does not collect statistics on maritime incidents recorded by individual port authorities. I understand that the Port of London Authority has written to my hon. Friend offering an opportunity to visit it and discuss these matters.

  Epping-Ongar Line
  Mr. John Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will ensure 498
  that gains from property development undertaken by a commercial operator of the Epping to Ongar line are subject to clawback by London Underground Ltd. [9862]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Before making a decision on London Underground's proposed sale of the Epping to Ongar line, the Secretary of State will need to be satisfied that appropriate safeguards are in place concerning the future potential for this land.

  Railtrack
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions in what form he proposes to receive the dividends for Her Majesty's Government's residual shareholding in Railtrack. [9850]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The Government intend to take cash dividends for their residual shareholding in Railtrack; these will be paid into the Exchequer—consolidated fund extra receipts.

  Roads Review
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which representative bodies he intends to consult in July in respect of his roads review. [9866]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  My noble Friend the Minister for Roads and Road Safety held a series of meetings during July on the arrangements for the forthcoming review with representatives of environmental groups; road user and construction groups; local government; statutory bodies; and industry. The bodies represented at these meetings were as follows:

  Alarm UK

  Automobile Association

  British Road Federation

  Confederation of British Industry

  Council for the Protection of Rural England

  Countryside Commission

  English Heritage

  English Nature

  Freight Transport Association

  Friends of the Earth

  Local Government Association

  Quarry Products Association

  Road Haulage Association

  Royal Automobile Club

  Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

  Transport 2000.

  We shall issue a public consultation document shortly.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the total amount of funds which have been recovered by the BCCI liquidators since 1992; and what amount of funds is now held by them. [9998]
  499
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  This information is contained in the report of the joint liquidators to the Secretary of State made up to 15 January 1997 copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House and a copy of which was sent to my hon. Friend on 30 May 1997.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will ask the liquidators to report progress to her Department in respect of their attempts to recover BCCI assets held by the United States Department of Justice; what sums are being claimed; and if she will investigate the delay in recovering those assets. [9999]

  Mr. Griffiths
  The joint liquidators reported on their efforts to recover BCCI assets held in the United States of America in their report to the Secretary of State pursuant to regulation 14 of the Insolvency Regulations 1994 for the period 16 January 1996 to 15 January 1997. Copies of this report have been placed in the Libraries of the House and a copy was sent to my hon. Friend on 30 May 1997.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she last met the liquidators of BCCI.
  [10002]

  Mr. Griffiths
  My officials last met the liquidators of BCCI on 2 July 1997.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the worldwide assets of the BCCI companies, excluding those countries which have ring-fenced their assets; what proportion of the assets is available for distribution to creditors; what factors have led to the remaining assets being unavailable for distribution; what is the aggregate amount for which proofs of debt have been received worldwide, excluding duplicate proofs of debt and proof of debts submitted in countries which have ring-fenced; and what proportion of the amount is disputed. [10003]

  Mr. Griffiths
  These are matters for the liquidators. My Department does not hold this information.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the total worldwide liabilities of the BCCI companies, excluding those countries which have ring-fenced their assets. [1005]

  Mr. Griffiths
  My Department does not have this information.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will investigate the factors underlying the non-distribution of assets retained by the BCCI liquidators since 1992. [9997]

  Mr. Griffiths
  No, but if my hon. Friend will indicate the assets to which he is referring I will cause further inquiries to be made.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the current estimates of the percentage amounts of dividend payments for BCCI creditors; what is the current estimate of the aggregate total of dividends to BCCI creditors which will be paid; and by when they are expected to have been paid. [10001]

  Mr. Griffiths
  These are matters for the liquidators, but I understand that they hope to pay a substantial further dividend as soon as possible.
  500
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of trade if she will set up an inquiry into the conduct of the liquidation of BCCI and the fees charged by the liquidators prior to the payment of the first dividend. [9996]

  Mr. Griffiths
  No. The conduct of the liquidation of BCCI is a matter for the liquidators, for the liquidation committee and for the court. The remuneration payable to the liquidators is a matter for the liquidation committee, the creditors generally or the court.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will investigate the compliance of demand notices issued to former employees by the English liquidators of BCCI with section 84(1) of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. [9892]

  Mr. Griffiths
  I am advised that section 84(1) of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 is unlikely to apply to the transactions in question, although other provisions of the Act may, if my hon. Friend has any concerns regarding them would he please send details to the Director General of Fair Trading, who enforces the Consumer Credit Act.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the global costs of the BCCI liquidation to date. [10006]

  Mr. Griffiths
  None.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what regulations govern the(a) reporting and (b) publication of liquidators' fees and expenses. [1000]

  Mr. Griffiths
  Regulation 14 of the Insolvency Regulations 1994 provides that liquidators shall send in an account of their receipts and payments if required by the Secretary of State at any time. In the case of BCCI the liquidators have made copies of their report available to all creditors and copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the global costs of Deloitte Touche's fees in respect of the BCCI liquidation to date. [1004]

  Mr. Griffiths
  This information is not held by my Department. Information on the total of realisations, remuneration, costs and other expenses of the UK liquidation is given in the joint liquidators' report to the Secretary of State made up to 15 January 1997, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House and a copy of which was sent to the hon. Member on 30 May 1997.

  European Structural Funds
  Barbara Follett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the role of social partners in the implementation of European structural funds in the United Kingdom. [10380]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Government see the advantages of a wider social partnership, bringing employers' and trade union representatives into local European structural funds partnerships. We will expect the social partners to make a real contribution to the programmes, as existing partners do. The precise way in which they participate will be for each monitoring committee to determine locally.

  Monopolies and Mergers Commission (Property Inquiry)
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the experience that the members of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's committee investigating Scottish Residential Estate Agency Services have in respect of(a) Scots law and (b) the Scottish property market. [9953]

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  The role of the members of an inquiry group investigating a reference made to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission is to bring to that investigation a mixture of expertise in legal, economic, industrial, financial and other relevant disciplines. It has not been their function to have detailed expertise and knowledge of a particular market under investigation. In carrying out the investigation, the MMC obtains information from a wide range of experts in relevant fields as required and often retains consultants to provide expert advice.

  The chairman of the MMC informs me that the MMC group investigating this case had access to expert advice on Scottish law and the Scottish property market.

  Private Health Insurance
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the Government's policy on the regulation of the private health insurance sector. [8180]

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  The private health insurance sector is regulated through a combination of statutory legislation and industry best practice. Underwrites of health insurance are subject to prudential supervision under the Insurance Companies Act 1982; insurance intermediaries active in this field are subject to regulation under the Insurance Brokers (Registration) Act 1977 or industry-regulation under the Association of British Insurers general business code of practice. The Government continue to keep this under review.

  Food Safety
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade in what way she plans to implement the product safety directive concerning the mixing of unwrapped non-food articles with food products; what is the purpose of this legislation; what representations she has received from the food industry on this issue; what food products will be exempted; and if she will make a statement. [10204]

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  The general product Ssfety directive lays down general rules for assessing the safety of consumer products. There is concern that if unwrapped non-food items are sold mixed in with food products there would be a possibility that consumers could accidentally ingest them with consequent risk of injury. It has been agreed that European member states will ascertain whether such products are on sale within their national territories and inform the European Commission accordingly. My Department is investigating the position in the UK. I have received no representations from the food industry on this subject.

  National Physical Laboratory
  Mr. Quinn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress is being made towards providing improved facilities for the National Physical Laboratory under the private finance initiative. [10379]

  Mr. Battle
  I am pleased to announce that I have today confirmed Laser—a joint venture between John Laing and Serco—as preferred tenderer for the redevelopment of the National Physical Laboratory's site at Teddington. Laser will now proceed to develop detailed plans to provide serviced accommodation for NPL and I hope to enter into a formal contract with it by November this year.

  Coal Imports
  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the level of coal imports into Britain for each of the last 10 years; and what percentage of these imports are used in British power stations. [9291]

  Mr. Battle
  Available information is as follows:

  Year

  Coal imports into United Kingdom1
  2

  Percentage of imports used in UK power stations3 4

  1987

  9,781

  —

  1988

  11,685

  —

  1989

  12,137

  —

  1990

  14,783

  29.5

  1991

  19,611

  37.2

  1992

  20,339

  37.9

  1993

  18,400

  28.1

  1994

  15,088

  24.4

  1995

  15,896

  27.0

  1996

  17,799

  39.0

  1 The 1993 import figure includes an additional estimate for unrecorded trade.

  2 Source: HM Customs and Excise

  3 Sources: Data for Great Britain from April 1990 provided by Eastern Merchant Generation Ltd., National Power, PowerGen and Scottish Power. Data for Northern Ireland prior to March 1992 provided by Northern Ireland Electricity. Data for Northern Ireland from March 1992 provided NIGEN.

  4 This information was not collected before April 1990.

  Southampton University
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will visit Romsey to discuss with students of Southampton university the employment effects of the Government's minimum wage policy; and if she will make a statement. [9196]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  I have no plans at present to visit the students of Southampton university. The national minimum wage will be introduced sensibly taking account of the economic circumstances prevailing at the time. The independent Low Pay Commission will recommend to Government the level at which the minimum wage might be introduced having considered all relevant economic circumstances, including the possible effect on employment, before formulating its recommendation.

  Consumer Credit Licensing
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the key functions of the consumer credit licensing appeals system; when the system was established; and by what authority. [9634]
  503
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  Under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 the Director General of Fair Trading can decide not to grant, or to revoke, a consumer credit licence.

  In the event that the director general decides to refuse an application for a licence, or to revoke an existing licence, the Act provides for a right of appeal to the Secretary of State. The procedure for appeals is set out in the 1976 appeals regulations.

  I am considering making revisions to the 1976 regulations to speed up the appeals procedure and improve the decision making process. I have issued a consultation paper and will finalise the policy when I have considered the responses. A copy of the consultation paper is in the Library of the House.

  Advisory Committee on Arbitration Law
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the key functions of the advisory committee on arbitration law; when the committee was established; by what authority; and if she will list the names of the chairman and the Secretary. [9632]

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  The departmental advisory committee on arbitration law was set up in March 1985 by the then Secretary of State with the following terms of reference:(i) To consider the draft model law on international commercial arbitration adopted by a working group of the United Nations commission on international trade law in February 1984 and, in the light of any representations made by British interests, to advise the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry:
  (a) Upon any modification which the committee consider should be proposed by Her Majesty's Government to the text of the draft model law prior to its adoption by the commission;
  (b) If and when a model law is adopted by the Commission, upon whether, and to what extent, the provisions of the model law should be implemented in England and Wales and upon what associated changes should be made to the law of England and Wales:
  (ii) To examine the operation of the Arbitration Acts 1950 to 1979 in the light of the model law and to recommend to the Secretary of State any legislative or other steps which the committee considers should be taken to improve the system of arbitration in England and Wales;
  (iii) To advise the Secretary of State, where appropriate, upon the implications which any changes resulting from their recommendations for arbitration in England and Wales may have for arbitration in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

  The DAC's formal work came to an end in January 1997 with commencement in England, Wales and Northern Ireland of the Arbitration Act 1996. The most recent chairman was Lord Justice Saville, now Lord Saville, and the secretariat was provided by the Department of Trade and Industry. A separate committee under the chairmanship of Lord Dervaird is considering aspects of Scottish arbitration law.

  Overseas Projects Board
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the key functions of the Overseas Projects Board; when the board was established; by what authority; and if she will list the names of the chairman and the Secretary. [9630]
  504
  Mrs. Roche
  The Overseas Projects Board was established in 1977 as a separate group within the framework of the British Overseas Trade Board to give Ministers and their officials independent advice on issues affecting UK industry's ability to compete effectively for major project business overseas.

  The present chairman is Andrew Buxton, chairman of Barclays bank and the secretary is Geoffrey Nuttall, an official in the Department of Trade and Industry.

  Travel Industry
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the representatives of the outbound travel industry whom the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs met in the United Kingdom between 1 May and 1 July. [9427]

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  [holding answer 18 July 1997]: Between 1 May and 1 July I have had official meetings in the UK with the following:
  Steven Freudman and Ian Reynolds from ABTA; Alan Fluke and Martin Brackenbury from FTO; Chris Kirker and Julia Hendry from AITO.

  Internet
  Mrs. May
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what data her Department collects on activity on the Internet. [9444]

  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 18 July 1997]: The Department of Trade and Industry subscribes to a number of proprietary studies and surveys of Internet activity. In addition, under the Government's IT for All initiative, run by the Department, two surveys of attitudes towards and usage of the Internet have been conducted. The first of these was published in December 1996 and the second will be published later this year. Also as part of a recent international benchmarking study, commissioned by the Department from Spectrum Strategy Consultants, the NOP research group collected information on, among other things, Internet activity in five countries—UK, USA, Japan, Germany and France. This study will be published by the end of this month. I will ensure that copies of the second IT for All survey and the international benchmarking study are placed in the Library of the House.

  EU Internal Market
  Mrs. May
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the United Kingdom's record on implementing measures to complete the European internal market; and what assessment she has made of the record of other member states of the European Union in this respect. [9452]

  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 18 July 1997]: I am placing a Commission table showing the state of transposition of the single market directives into national law in the UK and other member states in the Libraries of the House.

  Mrs. May
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps her Department is taking to ensure completion of the European internal market; and within what timetable. [9440]
  505
  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 18 July 1997]: Enhancement of the single market is a Government priority. We have helped to secure a warm welcome at the Amsterdam European Council for the Commission's action plan for the single market. The plan detailed an ambitious set of objectives for the next three presidencies of the Council of Ministers—Luxembourg, UK and Austria—to achieve practical improvements in the single market. The action plan closely reflects key UK priorities for the single market, including:

  Improvements in the enforcement of single market rules;

  Measures to simplify existing legislation and reduce burdens on business;

  A tightening up of rules on state aids;

  Measures to liberalise public utilities.

  In addition, the Department has a unit called "action single market" which helps UK business overcome illegal state aids and trade barriers in other single market countries. It has scored successes in overcoming barriers across a wide range of sectors and problems types.

  Debt Payment
  Mrs. May
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she will publish the planned Green Paper on late payment of debt; and what will be the consultation programme on it. [9439]

  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 18 July 1997]: The Green Paper will be published before the summer recess. The closing date for responses will be 3 October. During the consultation period we will welcome views in writing or in person from all those who have an interest.

  Mrs. May
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what her Department's policy is on the timely payment of debt; and what its record has been on debt payment in the current financial year. [9324]

  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 18 July 1997]: All Departments are required to pay all their bills within agreed contract terms, or 30 days from receipt of the goods or service or a valid invoice, whichever is the later, where no such terms exist. The Government will publish a league table of departmental payment performance for 1996–97 in the autumn.

  Consumer Issues
  Mrs. May
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the hon. Members with whom she or her Ministers had meetings to discuss consumer issues following the questionnaire on that topic. [9442]

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  [holding answer 18 July 1997]: No. I have met a number of hon. Members from all parts of the House to discuss matters relating to the consumer questionnaire and received letters of thanks from several of her hon. Friends.

  Mrs. May
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the hon. Members who responded to the questionnaire on consumer issues. [9441]

  Mr. Griffiths
  [holding answer 18 July 1997]: No.

  Nuclear Fusion
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of the results of her Department's research into nuclear fusion; and if she will list the projects funded by her Department's expenditure on nuclear fusion since 1986. [8920]

  Mr. Battle
  [holding answer 16 July 1997]: My Department' s expenditure on nuclear fusion is managed by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, which uses it to pay its subscription to the Joint European Torus project and to carry out fusion research that is part of the European Union's fusion programme. The EU programme—including JET—is evaluated regularly, and the report of the most recent evaluation under the chairmanship of Professor Barabaschi was published in December 1996. I shall arrange for copies of the report to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

  The UKAEA' s research is regularly monitored by the European Commission and by officials of my Department.

  The projects funded by this expenditure since 1986 include:

  Three conventional tokamak devices: Closed Line Experiment (CLEO—to 1987), Divertor and Injection Tokamak Experiment (DEATH—to 1989), Compact Assembly (COMPASS—from 1989)

  Two spherical tokamak devices: Small Tight Aspect Ratio

  Tokamak (STARTfrom 1990), Mega-Amp Spherical

  Tokamak (MATST under construction)

  Reverse field pinch device: High Beta Toroidal Experiment (HBTX—to 1991)

  Negative Ion Neutral Bema Development Project (to 1992)

  Microwave heating systems—Electron Cyclotron Resonant Heating (ECRH—from 1990)

  Materials Development Projects (to 1990)

  Reactor design studies

  Safety and Environmental Assessments (from 1992).

  Sustainably Produced Timber
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make it her policy to ban imports of timber other than from sustainable managed forests. [9535]

  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 21 July 1997]: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made clear the Government's commitment to sustainable forestry in his answer of the 3 July, Official Report, column 234.

  The UK intends to adopt a new forest standard which will provide a benchmark for the regeneration of forests.

  We believe that the best way to protect the world's forests is by extending this approach multilaterally rather than by imposing a unilateral ban on timber imports. We will continue to work with timber-producing countries to help improve forest management standards world wide and ensure long-term conservation.

  Press Releases
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much her Department spends on biking press releases to(a) hon. Members and (b) other individuals or groups, each time her Department issues a press release; how many such press releases were issued by her Department (i) in the period 1 May to 1 July and (ii) in the period 1 January to

  507
  1 March; and if she will review her Department's use of couriers to deliver press releases and investigate the possibility of using fax or e-mail. [8813]

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  [holding answer 17 July 1997]: The DTI does not bike press releases. Such information is distributed by the Central Office of Information's news distribution service, NDS.

  NDS's delivery mechanisms include a newswire service which supplies press release to the Parliamentary Online Information Service, POLIS, which can be accessed by all MPs and Lords, hand deliveries, fax and postal deliveries, online database and a widely accessed web site on the Internet.

  These mechanisms are used either singly or in combination to ensure the most cost effective methods are used to reach the relevant target audiences and to suit the nature of the documents—for instance, whether press releases are dispatched on their own, or accompanied by reports, consultation documents etc; no separate costing is available for the hand delivery service alone.

  The number of press releases that my Department put out through NDS for the period 1 May to 1 July was 115. For the period 1 January to 1 March there were 180 press releases issued through NDS. My Department and the COI keep a watching brief on new developments to ensure the most cost effective delivery mechanism are used at all times.

  International Development
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the civil servants who are co-ordinating her Department's input into the White Paper on International Development. [9313]

  Mrs. Roche
  The preparation of the forthcoming White Paper on international development involves input from a number of different DTI directorates with the new issues and developing countries directorate acting as a liaison point within the Department.

  Electro-shock Batons
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what trans-shipment licences the Government have granted for electro-shock batons since 1990; and if she will list both originating and recipient countries. [9468]

  Mrs. Roche
  One trans-shipment licence has been granted since 1990. This was granted on 19 April 1993 for goods originating in the USA and destined for Saudi Arabia.

  Petrol Pumps
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when new regulations will be introduced to tighten controls on the verification of petrol pumps by repairers. [7785]

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  I am currently examining how best to protect consumers following the decision announced by the last Government on 10 June 1996 to deregulate weights and measures and allow self verification by manufacturers and others.
  508
  At my invitation, representatives of the Information Technology Services Agency and Local Authorities Co-ordinating Body on Trading Standards met me with the chief executive Seton Bennett of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory. Hewill hold further discussions with ITSA and LACOTS on how best to protect consumers and will report to me as soon as practicable.

  Rights of Trade Union Members
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to review the financing, terms of reference and working of the committee for the rights of trade union members; and if he will make a statement. [9779]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  My Department intends to consider the role and functions of the Commissioner for the rights of trade union members, together with other fairness at work issues, later this year.

  Aid and Trade
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 11 July,Official Report, column 646, if she will list the representations which her Department has received on retaining the aid and trade provisions and place a copy of each in the Library. [9476]

  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 18 July 1997]: Nearly all the representations received since 1 June have been oral.

  The Department has also received written representations from the Export Group for the Constructional Industries and Major British Exporters. With the agreement of those organisations, I am placing copies of their letters in the Library of the House.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many and what percentage of employees in his private office are(a) of Asian origin and (b) of Afro-Caribbean origin. [8943]

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has five employees in his private office, none of whom is of Asian or Afro-Caribbean origin.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many and what percentage of employees, in each pay band, in the quangos for which his Department is responsible, are of(a) Asian origin and (b) Afro-Caribbean origin. [8944]

  Mr. Clarke
  It is not possible to provide the information requested without incurring a disproportionate cost to the Department.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many civil servants there are on each payband in his Department. [8945]
  509
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  The number of civil servants in each pay band within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as at 17 July 1997 is shown in the following table:

  Number

  SCS

  21

  A(U)

  7

  A(L)

  48

  B

  83

  HEOD

  4

  C

  68

  D(U)

  74

  D(L)

  31

  Grade equivalents:

  SCS: Grade 5 and above

  Grade A(U): Grade 6 and equivalent grades

  Grade A(L): Grade 7 and equivalent grades

  Grade B: HEO/SEO and equivalent grades

  HEOD: Combined admin trainee HEO (development) grade

  Grade C: EO and equivalent grades

  Grade D(U): AO and equivalent grades

  Grade D(L): AA and equivalent grades.

  Welfare to Work
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the work opportunities which the tourism industry can offer under the welfare-to-work programme. [7523]

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  [holding answer 21 July 1997]: Tourism is one of the UK's leading growth industries. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will shortly be calling together people from tourism, hospitality and leisure to discuss how we can achieve our welfare to work objectives and help meet the industry's staffing needs.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what evidence he has evaluated that a not-for-profit national lottery would generate as much money for the good causes as the present lottery; [9445]

  (2) what success he has had in attracting interests from companies to bid for the opportunity to run the national lottery in 2001 on a non-profit-making basis; [9449]

  (3) if the Government plan to consider a bid to run the national lottery by Camelot in 2001 on a profit-making basis; [9447]

  (4) what is his policy towards the continuation of a profit-making national lottery; [9446]

  (5) if the Government remain committed to the principle of operating the national lottery on a non-profit-making basis; [9451]

  (6) what representations he has received from companies showing an interest in operating the national lottery on a non-profit-making basis when the present contract expires in 2001. [9448]
  510
  Mr. Chris Smith
  [holding answer 18 July 1997]: Lottery proceeds should go to the good causes, with the minimum necessary being used to run the lottery efficiently and in the public interest. We will seek an efficient, not-for-profit and competitive operator on this basis. I made a statement about this matter to the House on 21 July, Official Report, columns 685–98.

  Camelot, if it chooses to bid, will be properly considered as a candidate to manage the new arrangements at the end of the current licence period.

  To date, I have received no formal representations from any other companies wishing to run the lottery after the year 2001.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportions of(a) the national lottery, (b) bets on the Irish lottery and (c) other numbers draws are taken for (i) tax and (ii) good causes. [9900]

  Mr. George Howarth
  I have been asked to reply. Twelve per cent. tax is deducted from national lottery stakes and 6.75 per from bets on the Irish lottery and other numbers draws; 30 per cent. of national lottery stakes go to good causes; there is no statutory good causes deduction from Irish lottery or other numbers bets.

  Works of Art
  Sir Patrick Cormack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the allocations made to public institutions in the United Kingdom during the half year ended 30 June of individual works of art and museum objects pre-eminent for national, scientific, historic or artistic interest which have been accepted in satisfaction of inheritance tax, together with information, where applicable, as to conditions or wishes expressed by testators or executors in the matter of allocation; and if he will list the works of art and museum objects which are still awaiting allocation with the respective dates of their acceptance in satisfaction of inheritance tax. [8978]

  Mr. Fisher
  [holding answer 21 July 1997]: The information which the hon. Member requests is as follows:

  Item(s)

  To whom allocated

  Conditions/wishes expressed

  Landscape with Lord Coventry on a Blue Roan Horse and Deer, Hounds and Attendants and a Dead Stag (painting) by John Wootton

  The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty (for display at Antony House, Cornwall)

  Conditional offer

  Still Life with an upturned roemer (painting) by Willem Claez. Heda

  Norfolk County Council (for display at the Castle Museum, Norwich)

  Wish as to allocation

  Two German Drawings: one by Martin Schongauer and one by Jörg Breu the Elder

  Board of Trustees of the British Museum

  Conditional offer

  The House of Worth Peacock Gown

  The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty (for display at Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire)

  Conditional offer

  511

  Item(s)

  To whom allocated

  Conditions/wishes expressed

  Two archives of documents relating to estates in Cumbria and Somerst

  Cumbria County Council (for retention at the Cumbria Record Office) and Somerset County Council (for retention at the Somerset Record Office

  Wish as to allocation

  A Seventeenth century pair cased alarm striking clock watch by Edward East

  Board of Trustees of the National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside (for display at the Prescot Museum of Clock and Watch Making, Prescot)

  Unconditional offer

  Staffelsee (painting) by Wassily Kandinsky

  Chancellors, Masters and Scholars of the University of Oxford (for display at the Ashmolean Museum)

  Wish as to allocation

  Items awaiting allocation

  Date of acceptance

  Library Furniture by William Gomm

  19 January 1994

  Christ Brought before Pontius Pilate (painting) by Luca Cambiaso

  25 January 1996

  18th-century French furniture

  28 March 1996

  Stepping Stones on the Wharfe (painting) by Thomas Girtin

  27 August 1996

  A Queen Anne year-going longcase clock by Daniel Quare

  5 December 1996

  A portrait of Lord Thurlow by George Romney

  21 March 1997

TREASURY

  Public Utilities
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is his Department's definition of a public utility; [7577]

  (2) if his Department defines Railtrack plc as a public utility. [7703]

  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  There is no single, commonly accepted definition of a utility. The Concise Oxford Dictionary defines a public utility as"an organisation supplying water, gas, etc to the community".

  Strategic Defence Review
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the dates and attendees by Department and grade of meetings of officials which have taken place in his Department on the strategic defence review. [6761]
  512
  Mr. Darling
  Various meetings have been held on various dates. It is not practical to list those attending. In any event, it is a long-established convention that Ministers are responsible for all policy decisions.

  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the Ministers and Treasury officials who attended the Foreign Office seminar on the strategic defence review. [7825]

  Mr. Darling
  No Treasury Ministers or officials attended the first strategic defence review seminar on 3 July. An official attended the second seminar on 11 July.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Bernard Jenkin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate what additional revenue in Scotland would be raised by a 1p in the pound increase in the rate of income tax at(a) the 20p lower rate, (b) the 23p basic rate and (c) the 40p top rate. [9114]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 17 July 1997]: The latest estimates, which relate to 1995–96, are as follows:

  Full year yield at 1995–96 income levels £ million

  a. Increase lower rate by 1p

  60

  b. Increase basic rate by 1p

  150

  c. Increase higher rate by 1p

  30

  Mortgage Interest Tax Relief
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to make further changes to the level of mortgage interest tax relief at source; and if he will make a statement. [9487]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 21 July 1997]: The level of mortgage interest relief is a matter to be considered each year in the Budget. The costs and benefits of all reliefs are kept under review to ensure that they continue to provide best value for money, and mortgage interest relief is no exception.

  Business Investment
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the impact on United Kingdom business investment in(a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99 and (c) 1999–2000 consequent on the reforms in the taxation of businesses and dividends contained in his Budget; and if he will make a statement. [9485]

  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  [holding answer 21 July 1997]: The corporation tax reforms will encourage better quality and more long-term investment and so benefit the economy. They encourage companies to retain and reinvest profits and, with the substantial tax rate cuts, provide a very attractive environment in which to do so.

  Windfall tax
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the potential legal obstacles to the timely collection of the windfall tax. [9701]
  513
  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  [holding answer 21 July 1997]: The Government are satisfied that the legislative provisions for the implementation of the windfall tax are legally robust.

  Construction Industry
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what checks are being made by Inland Revenue inspectors to ensure that some companies in the construction industry do not gain an unfair advantage by classing employed labour as self-employed. [9791]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 21 July 1997]: Specialist Inland Revenue staff involved in the review and checking of payroll records are working to ensure that construction businesses comply with their legal liabilities for PAYE and national insurance contributions. Where they find that contractors are not properly accounting for these duties, they will normally seek arrears back to 6 April 1997. Where there is evidence of evasion, payment will be sought for earlier years. Interest and penalties may also be charged in appropriate cases.

  Offshore Trusts
  Mr. Prior
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the cost to the Exchequer of tax avoidance schemes involving the holding shares in offshore trusts in which Government Ministers are beneficiaries since 1 May. [9796]

  Pay bands

  Asian

  Afro-Caribbean

  Number

  Percentage of total number of staff in those pay bands

  Number

  Percentage of total number of staff in those pay bands

  Total numbers of staff

  Equivalent FCO

  0

  0

  0

  0

  191

  Senior management structure pay bands 1–7

  Equivalent FCO

  15

  3.2

  6

  1.3

  468

  DS6/SEO-DS5S/HCS6

  Equivalent FCO

  50

  7.8

  39

  6.1

  641

  AA-DS7/HEO

  Totals

  65

  5

  45

  3.4

  1,300

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what percentage of employees in his private office are(a) of Asian origin and (b) of Afro-Caribbean origin. [8955]

  Mr. Fatchett
  Staff within this Department are not obliged to report their ethnic origins. A voluntary staff survey into ethnic origins was carried out in 1989 and 89 per cent. of staff responded. We have since invited all new entrants to complete the questionnaire. Staff are assured that the information gathered from their responses to the survey will be used for statistical purposes only.

  Staff working in my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's office have been asked if they would be prepared to have the results of their own returns to the
  514
  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 21 July 1997]: I do not accept the premise of the hon. Member's question. Comprehensive information about the beneficiaries of offshore trusts is not held, nor required in all cases, by the Inland Revenue.

  Sustainably Produced Timber
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the Government's purchasing policy in respect of timber from sustainably managed forests. [9534]

  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  [holding answer 21 July 1997]: Decisions regarding the procurement of goods and services, including timber or related products, are the responsibility of individual Departments. In taking such decisions, Departments must have regard to the need to secure best value for the taxpayer's money, to EU and other international rules on procurement and to their strategies for environmentally friendly housekeeping. In pursuing these aims, Departments can be expected to seek timber from sustainable sources where practicable.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what percentage of employees, in each pay band, responsible, are of(a) Asian origin and (b) Afro-Caribbean origin. [8956]

  Mr. Fatchett
  It is not possible to give precise statistics because the information we hold concerning ethnic origins is based on questionnaires completed voluntarily by staff. On the basis of those questionnaires, the position is as follows:

  survey made public. Since some of them are not so prepared, I regret that I cannot give the information requested.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what percentage of civil servants in each of grades 1 to 5 in his Department are of(a) Asian origin and (b) Afro-Caribbean origin. [9567]

  Mr. Fatchett
  Staff within this Department are not obliged to report their ethnic origins. According to a regular survey of staff, conducted on a voluntary and confidential basis, this Department employs no civil servants of Asian or Afro-Caribbean origin in the equivalents of home civil service grades 1 to 5.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many civil servants there are on each pay band in his Department. [8957]

  Mr. Fatchett
  Hitherto pay bands have been introduced into this Department only for the senior management structure. The numbers at each pay band are:

  Number

  Grade 1

  10

  SMS9

  1

  SMS8

  7

  SMS7

  22

  SMS6

  16

  SMS5

  46

  SMS4

  69

  SMS3

  71

  SMS2

  92

  SMS1

  117

  The numbers employed in the remainder of this Department, classified by grade level, are:

  Number

  DS5S/HCS6

  86

  DS5/HCS7

  574

  DS6/SEO

  370

  DS7M/HEO

  870

  DS7D/8/HEO(D)

  162

  DS9/EO

  1,524

  DS10/EA/AO

  1,421

  AA

  233

  Australia
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his Department's role in sponsoring the EU-Australia declaration on closer ties; and what assessment he has made of the effect of the declaration on Britain's Commonwealth links with Australia. [9645]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  We have always advocated closer EU-Australia relations. This Department together with other Whitehall Departments has worked hard to ensure a good EU-Australia joint declaration. We therefore warmly welcome the signature of the joint declaration as a foundation for strengthened EU-Australia co-operation into the next century. The joint declaration is unlikely to have any direct effect on our Commonwealth links with Australia, but as the prime proponent of the declaration the UK has reinforced its role as Australia's partner of choice in the EU, building on an already excellent bilateral relationship.

  Police and Judicial Co-operation
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role the European Commission played at Denver on the issue of international police and judicial co-operation; if(a) the Schengen Agreement and (b) the Title VI material of the draft Amsterdam treaty were discussed during the proceedings at Denver; and if he will make a statement. [9690]
  516
  Mr. Doug Henderson
  International crime was one of the main focuses of discussion at the Denver summit of the G8. The European Commission was fully involved in the discussion on crime, but neither the Schengen agreement nor title VI issues were raised.

  Amsterdam Treaty
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the text of the Amsterdam treaty deposited in the Library is the final draft; if articles in that text may be altered substantially before the treaty is signed; which articles are currently under negotiation; and if he will make a statement. [9692]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  The text placed in the Libraries of the House is a provisional version of the draft treaty of Amsterdam. The presidency is reviewing its contents, in consultation with the member states, to ensure that it accurately reflects what was agreed at Amsterdam. The text will also be recorded and scrutinised by jurist-linguists, which may result in technical changes to a number of articles.

  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under what provisions of the Amsterdam treaty information may be passed(a) from EU institutions to the Schengen secretariat and (b) from the Schengen secretariat to EU institutions. [9642]

  Mr. Henderson
  There are no provisions in the Amsterdam treaty relating to the passage of information between the EU institutions and the Schengen Secretariat. Under article F of the Schengen protocol"the Council, shall, acting by a qualified majority, adopt the modalities for the integration of the Schengen Secretariat into the General Secretariat of the Council".

  European Documents (Access)
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions the European Commission has denied a request for access to documents from an outside source since the establishment of the European Ombudsman; and what is the nature of the documents which have been withheld. [9644]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  Under the code of conduct approved by the Council and the Commission concerning public access to documents, it is for each institution to implement the principles in the code as they concern access to its documents. We do not therefore hold detailed information on the requests for access to documents that have been refused by the Commission.

  Sri Lanka
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his Department's recent discussions with the Minister of Justice of Sri Lanka. [9841]

  Mr. Fatchett
  I met the Sri Lankan Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs and Deputy Minister of Finance, Professor G. L. Peiris, on 19 June. We discussed bilateral economic relations and the current situation in Sri Lanka, including the Sri Lankan Government's efforts to find a resolution to the ethnic conflict.

  Pakistan (Bear Baiting)
  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of Pakistan about the suffering of bears in bear-baiting contests. [9769]

  Mr. Fatchett
  Our high commission in Islamabad has made representations to the Pakistani authorities in the past about the practice of bear baiting. In view of recent reports, they will raise the issue again and urge the Government of Pakistan to take steps to enforce the law banning this abhorrent practice.

  Strategic Defence Review
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the conclusions of phase 1 of the strategic defence review. [10105]

  Mr. Fatchett
  Work on stage 1 of the strategic defence review is continuing. No decision has been taken on publication.

  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the submissions that he has received as part of the strategic defence review. [10145]

  Mr. Fatchett
  The Ministry of Defence and this Department have received a large number of submissions. These are the property of the authors and may not be circulated outside Government without the author's consent. We shall seek that consent and place in the libraries of the House copies of submissions whose authors consent.

  Policy Reviews
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list for each departmental policy review presently in progress or scheduled,(a) a description of the purpose of the review and (b) its expected date of completion. [10192]

  Mr. Fatchett
  We are the lead Department in a review of the detailed criteria used in considering licence applications for the export of conventional weapons. Its purpose is to give effect to the Government's commitment not to sell arms to regimes that might use them for internal repression or international aggression.

  The review is being concluded as a matter of urgency. The new criteria will be published shortly.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Procurement Policies
  Mr. Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she expects to complete the social audit of her Department's procurement policies. [7833]

  Clare Short
  We are currently examining the feasibility of a social audit. We have no specific timetable. We have started to review our procurement policies, initially with respect to contracts for Department for International development-funded construction projects.
  518
  We are drawing up a detailed proposition for a DFID code of conduct for works contracts, to ensure that no project with which DFID is associated has unacceptable health and safety or employment practices. In support of this work, the development co-operation office in Delhi is studying the situation of construction workers on DFID-funded projects in India. The conclusions from this particular study will be available by November.

  policy Review
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list for each departmental policy review presently in progress or scheduled,(a) a description of the purpose of the review and (b) its expected date of completion. [10181]

  Clare Short
  My Department is currently undertaking two key exercises; the preparation of a White Paper on development and the departmental spending review.

  The purpose of the White Paper is to set out the Government's development agenda for the elimination of poverty and coherence of policies towards developing countries. The White Paper will be published in October.

  The departmental spending review will examine all DFID' s programme to ensure that the resources allocated to my Department contribute directly to the achievement of the Government's development objectives as set out in the White Paper. Emerging conclusions are expected by November.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Office Refurbishment
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his answer of 7 July,Official Report, column 323, if he will set out a schedule of the proposed refurbishment of the Lord Chancellor's official residence and offices within the Palace of Westminster, together with estimated costs. [9342]

  Mr. Hoon
  I confirm that the cost of the proposal will be in the region of £650,000. The bulk of the costs will be incurred on the restoration and refurbishment of the state rooms. I can also confirm that the following works are included in the proposals:

  Replacement and/or restoration of furniture

  Redecoration, including wallcoverings

  Replacement of soft furnishings, such as carpets, curtains and blinds

  Replacement of light fittings

  Miscellaneous work and services, including plumbing, heating, fire detection systems, electrical works and porterage charges.

  The total estimated cost of £650,000 also includes fees to cover the work of a structural engineer, the preparations of designs—for light fittings and reproduction furniture—and the services of a quantity surveyor. In addition to these works, the residence will be further enhanced by the loan of very many paintings and sculptures, free of any charge, by major national institutions. The Palace of Westminster—House of Lords is moreover considering the implications of a proposal to open the state rooms to the public so that the public could benefit from viewing

  519
  both the residence, restored in accordance with an historically authentic scheme, and the works of art and sculpture within it.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Policy Reviews
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list for each departmental policy review presently in progress or scheduled,(a) a description of the purpose of the review and (b) its expected date of completion. [10190]

  Dr. Howells
  The Department is undertaking two departmental policy reviews. Details for each are as follows:

  First, a review of the Equal Opportunities Commission is being undertaken during 1997–98. The aim is to review the functions of the EOC, the effectiveness with which they have been carried out and the likely need in the future for these functions. The review will consider the case for the continued existence of the EOC and how its functions can be best fulfilled. It will also consider the powers, constitutional status, membership and terms of reference of the EOC. The review will have regard to the Government's equal opportunities policies and to the duties of the commission as laid down in statute.

  The Outcome of the review will be reported by 11 September 1997.

  Secondly, a review of the Employment Service performance targets is being undertaken to ensure that the nature and level of targets set enable the ES to deliver to Ministers' priorities and have the maximum positive impact on the labour market while maintaining a high level of customer contact.

  The review will report to Ministers by December of this year and will give details of the development of targets for 1998-99 and beyond.

  Sir Christopher Hatton School, Wellingborough
  Mr. Stinchcombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he will determine the reference to him by the Sir Christopher Hatton school, Wellingborough, under section 432(3) of the Education Act 1996. [10381]

  Mr. Byers
  The Secretary of state has today determined that Sir Christopher Hatton school should admit all of the children concerned.

  National Disability Council
  Caroline Flint
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the National Disability Council will report on its activities during the 1996–97 financial year. [10345]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  I am pleased to announce that the Secretary of State has today laid the National Disability Council's second annual report before Parliament.
  520
  The NDC has reported on its activities from April 1996 to March 1997 and set out what it hopes to achieve during 1997-98. Copies of the report have been placed in the Library.

  Chefs (Work Permits)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to the meeting between the hon. Member for Leicester, East and the Under-Secretary of State for Employment on 30 June, if he will make a statement on what action he has taken with regard to the case of Mr. Roy. [9563]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  As my hon. Friend is aware, the Department's overseas labour service has already issued a work permit for Mr. Roy to work in the UK as a chef. Mr. Roy also requires an entry visa which, I understand, has been refused. Visas are the responsibility of the migration and visa department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and I understand that that Department is currently looking into its decision in this case.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many work permits were issued for(a) Indian food and (b) Chinese food chefs in 1996. [9885]

  Mr. Howarth
  The specific information requested is not available. However, about 200 work permits were issued to chefs in 1996.

  Work Permits
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many persons are employed on work permit issues in his Department. [9886]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Department's overseas labour service, which deals with work permit issues, has 120 staff.

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many and what percentage of employees in his private office are(a) of Asian origin and (b) of Afro-Caribbean origin. [8961]

  Dr. Howells
  The number of staff of Asian origin in private office is fewer than six and is therefore not shown, in accordance with the Department's agreed code of conduct on the use of ethnic monitoring data.

  The number of staff of Afro-Caribbean origin in the private office is seven. The percentage of staff of Afro-Caribbean origin in private office is 14 per cent. of those who have chosen to state their ethnic origin, 11 per cent. of the total number of staff.

  Youth Service
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the audit of Youth Service provision will be completed; and if he will make a statement. [9478]

  Dr. Howells
  The Department is consulting currently about the form and content of the audit of youth service provision. We intend to write to local authorities in the
  521
  late autumn when the responses have been fully considered. Authorities will be given about three months to respond.

  Student Governors
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to increase the number of student governors in further education in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. [9135]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 18 July 1997]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 15 July, Official Report, column 122. Matters concerning further education institutions in Wales are for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  GCSE Performance Tables
  Mrs. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his Department's assessment of the advantages of(a) including the number of pupils on the roll in September of year 11 in the performance tables for GCSE results and (b) including only those pupils who take GCSE exams. [9011]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The 1997 secondary school performance tables will be based on the achievements of all pupils of the relevant age on roll at the time of the schools census in January. The tables will not therefore be influenced by different school policies on the entry of pupils for GCSE examinations, but will allow comparisons to be made on the basis of the achievements of all pupils by the end of compulsory schooling. Schools are, however, already able to provide for publication the GCSE achievements of all pupils in year 11, regardless of age, and value added measures will soon help give a fuller picture of school performance.

  Excluded Pupils
  Mrs. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will ensure that when a school permanently excludes a pupil that place is made available to an excluded pupil from another school. [9085]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Where a school has spare places they must be offered to any suitable applicants, regardless of their disciplinary record.

  Early Years Development Plans
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make it his policy, when considering interim early years development plans submitted to him, not to approve plans which do not include provision for the reduction in numbers of four-year-olds currently in reception classes; and if he will make a statement. [8494]

  Mr. Byers
  The Secretary of State approved 79 interim early years development plans on 11 July, all of which include proposals for raising standards. This is an encouraging response to the Government's early years policy. We are grateful to local authorities for all their hard work on the plans, particularly given the tight timetable.

  Schools (Capital Funding)
  Mr. Fitzpatrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will be taking into account factors relating to economic and social deprivation when assessing the improvement in performance that schools need to make in order to be eligible for a share of the £1.3 billion set aside for capital funding to deal with their disrepair; and how these factors will be weighted in the analysis. [9010]

  Mr. Byers
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 17 July,Official Report, column 308.

  Employment Advertisements
  Ms Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how often since its establishment his Department has been responsible for employment advertisements which contained age restrictions upon those who could apply. [9509]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  For jobs within the Department and the Employment Service, no age restrictions apply with the exception of places on the modern apprenticeship scheme where age limits reflect the requirements of the national program.

  When advertising posts for other employers, the Employment Service challenges age restrictions placed on vacancies to try to persuade employers to consider jobseekers on their merits. However, no records are kept of the number of vacancies displayed with age restrictions.

  New Deal
  Mr. Tony Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what use will be made of local partnerships under his Department's new deal proposals for providing employment for young people. [8679]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The Employment Service, working closely with the Government and the Scottish and Welsh Offices, will act as the lead agency in the delivery of new deal. This will be done in partnership with other agencies and organisations—including employers, local authorities, training and enterprise councils, career service, further education bodies, voluntary and environmental organisations, and others.

  Bringing together the knowledge, services and initiative of all those who can play a part will be an important factor in delivering the new deal for unemployed people.

  During the next few months, we shall be building on existing local partnerships where feasible, or establishing new ones where necessary. These partnerships will help ES in planning the nature, volume and delivery arrangements for new deal in each location.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if the employment option in the new deal will require minimum pay and conditions from employers who agree to take part. [8209]

  Mr. Smith
  The design of the new deal will be developed alongside the Government's other employment policies, so that the benefits of all are maximised.

  Welfare to Work
  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will ensure that communication support is provided under the welfare-to-work scheme for all deaf young people who require it; and how the provision of communication support will be administered. [9768]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  We intend that disabled young people will get the help they need to meet the aim of improving their long-term employability. Detailed proposals about how this help can be provided will be developed.

CABINET OFFICE

  Prime Minister's Questions
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio what is his role in the drafting and distribution of Prime Minister's Questions. [10112]

  Mr. Mandelson
  None.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Ministerial Accountability
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what factors led his Department to undertake a review of ministerial accountability; and what is its remit and scope. [10108]

  Dr. David Clark
  Our manifesto promised that"Ministerial accountability will be reviewed so as to remove recent abuses".
  My right hon. Friend the President of the Council has invited the Select Committee on the Modenisation of the House of Commons to look at the means by which the House holds Ministers to account, and the Government will be ready to put papers to that Committee in the autumn. Our review will also cover the guidance given to Ministers on matters of conduct and procedure.

  Policy Reviews
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list for each Cabinet Office policy review currently in progress or scheduled(a) a description of the purpose of the review and (b) its expected date of completion. [10196]

  Dr. David Clark
  We are committed to reviewing ministerial accountability, and my right hon. Friend the President of the Council has asked the House of Commons Modernisation Select Committee to consider the means by which the House holds Ministers to account. The Government will be ready to put a paper to the Select Committee in the autumn.

  On quangos, we have announced that our intention is to reduce overall numbers, Official Report, 4 June 1997, column 192, and we are also committed to enhancing the openness and accountability of these bodies.
  524
  The outcome of both these reviews will be set out in the White Paper on "Better Government", the publication of which I announced in answer to my hon. Friend the Member for the City of Durham (Mr. Steinberg), Official Report, 3 June 1997, column 119.

  We have conducted a review of the existing code of practice on access to Government information to ensure that it can provide an adequate level of openness in the period until our proposed freedom of information Act comes into force. We have concluded that the discretionary elements of the code allow sufficient flexibility to achieve this. However, changes to the code may be considered if this proves not to be the case.

  Like all Government Departments, we are also participating in the comprehensive spending review, the results of which will be published in the next 12 months.

WALES

  Further Education Report
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the conclusions and recommendations of the second report of the Welsh Affairs Committee into further education in Wales, HC 64 96–97. [10386]

  Mr. Ron Davies
  The Government have today published a command paper, Cm 3708, responding to the Committee's conclusions and recommendations. On behalf of this House, I thank the Committee for their thorough and wide-ranging inquiry into further education in Wales. The Government's response, so soon after the publication of our first White Paper on Education in Wales, further demonstrates our firm commitment to making education and training more relevant and accessible to our young and adult people, and it will make a significant contribution to delivering the Government's plans for promoting life-long learning.

  Welsh Assembly
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his statement in "Wales Deserves a Voice", how a Welsh Assembly will ensure that a future government would no longer be able to impose legislation such as the poll tax. [9554]

  Mr. Ron Davies
  [holding answer 21 July 1997]: The Welsh Assembly would be the credible voice of the Welsh people. The White Paper, "A Voice for Wales", makes it clear that the Government expect the Welsh Assembly to work in partnership with the Westminster Parliament and the Government of the day. Any attempt to override the clearly expressed views of the Assembly would put that partnership in jeopardy.

  Implementation of the poll tax depended upon the exercise by the Secretary of State of a multiplicity of orderand regulation-making powers. If a Government wished to impose on Wales legislation which the Assembly opposed and which related to matters such as education or health that would normally be dealt with by the Assembly, it would either have to put all the detail in the new primary legislation or have to give all the powers in that legislation to the Secretary of State.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what innovations he will make it his policy to assist small businesses; [7861]

  (2) what discussions he has had with the Welsh Development Agency to ensure improved services for new and small businesses. [7862]

  Mr. Hain
  We are committed to developing Business Connect, ensuring that it is able to respond more effectively to the needs of the small business sector. Specific initiatives will include: introducing new measures to tackle late payment; enhancing support for high technology start-ups; and better regulation. We also hope that small firms in Wales will take advantage of UK-wide initiatives like the university for industry. The Welsh Development Agency is a key player in Business Connect and will have a vital role in our efforts to support the development of the small firms sector. I met the North Wales Federation of Businesses in St. Asaph in May to discuss these and related matters.

  Mr. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his latest estimate of the number of small businesses in Wales. [7860]

  Mr. Hain
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave him on 3 June 1997,Official Report, column 128.

  Regional Policy
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on how his regional policies will assist the location of new industries at(a) Engineer Park, Deeside, Flintshire, (b) Deeside Industrial Park, Flintshire and (c) Buckley, Flintshire; and if he will make a statement. [7864]

  Mr. Hain
  The main form of regional aid available for companies wishing to pursue investment projects in Wales is regional selective assistance. The RSA scheme provides discretionary grants to viable businesses for investment projects which create or safeguard employment in assisted areas. Engineer Park and Deeside Industrial Park lie within the assisted area. Therefore, investment projects at these locations are eligible for RSA support.

  A range of other general industrial support measures is available throughout Wales with the objective of improving the performance of new and existing businesses and in particular supporting the development of small and medium sized enterprises. Buckley, and other non-assisted areas, will benefit from those measures.

  North Wales Health Authority
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what meetings and discussions have taken place between the chief executive of the North Wales health authority and(a) the chairpersons of the acute trusts in North Wales and (b) the Director of the Health Division at the Welsh Office. [8332]

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  Meetings between staff of the North Wales health authority and chairmen and staff of NHS trusts in the area are a matter for those concerned. The director of the Welsh Office health department has frequent discussions with chief executives of all health authorities on a wide range of issues.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many sites of special scientific interest in Wales he estimates will be denotified in 1998 as a result of Government funded schemes; and if he will list them. [8785]

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  The Countryside Council for Wales is responsible for designating sites of special scientific interest. There are currently no plans to denotify any SSSI in Wales during 1998.

  Assisted Areas
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the designated assisted areas lying within(a) the M4 corridor and (b) the A55 corridor. [10148]

  Mr. Hain
  The assisted areas in the eastern M4 corridor, are all of those within the Cardiff and Newport travel-to-work areas, and the southern parts of those within the Pontypool and Cwmbran, Pontypridd and Rhondda, and Bridgend travel-to-work areas.

  The assisted areas in the eastern A55 corridor are all of those within the Shotton, Flint and Rhyl and the Wrexham travel-to-work areas.

  Policy Reviews
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each departmental policy review presently in progress or scheduled,(a) a description of the purpose of the review and (b) its expected date of completion. [10182]

  Mr. Ron Davies
  My Department's significant reviews are: a comprehensive spending review, to be completed in the next 12 months; a fundamental review of transport policy, to be completed spring 1998. In addition, my Department has an on-going programme of policy evaluations and reviews.

DEFENCE

  Naval Aircraft Repair Organisation
  Mr. Dennis Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Naval Aircraft Repair Organisation defence agency for 1997–98. [10382]

  Dr. Reid
  The agency's key targets for 1997–98 are as follows:

  Quantity
  Target: To achieve 98 per cent. of scheduled quantity of MOD sales orders in year and thereby achieve the master schedule.

  Customer satisfaction
  Target: To achieve no more than 90 customer complaints.

  Timeliness
  Target: To achieve 93 per cent. of the delivery dates agreed with MOD customer.

  Cost
  Target: To achieve a reduction in the full operating cost of the NARO DA, from the 1995–96 figure, of at least 2.9 per cent. This is to include a reduction of at least 5.25 per cent

  527
  (£2.3 million) in operating costs, of which £1.5 million is mortgaged, and at least a 1.5 per cent. (£1.2 million) reduction in the cost of material consumed, and assumes constant output.

  Volume
  Target: To utilise 100 per cent. of the available capacity by ensuring existing and, when required, additional customers furnish the programmes of work against which resources have been allocated.

  European Fighter Aircraft
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if consideration of the number of European fighter aircraft to be purchased will form part of the strategic defence review. [9516]

  Mr. Spellar
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Fylde (Mr. Jack) on 26 June,Official Report, column 627.

  Atomic Weapons Establishment
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 2 July,Official Report, column 180, how many series of technical reports and pages are in current use by the atomic weapons establishment. [9495]

  Mr. Spellar
  The four main series of technical reports listed in the answer given to the hon. Member on 2 July 1997,Official Report, column 180, are still open but little used. Other internal reports and papers are produced by the various divisions of AWE, but numerical details are not held centrally and a census would require unreasonable diversion of resources. I am, therefore, in accordance with exemption 9 of the code of practice for open government, withholding this information.

  Mr. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many papers have been produced in the CXD memoranda series of technical papers and reports from the atomic weapons establishment at Aldermaston; when the papers were first produced in this series; when this series ended; and how many of the papers in this series are currently unclassified. [9472]

  Mr. Spellar
  There are 686 papers in the CXD—chemistry and explosives division—memoranda series, 230 of which are currently unclassified. The series started in 1979 and ended in 1991. More recent papers of this type are known as CXD technical reports, of which, from 1991 to date, there have been 255; 74 of these are currently unclassified.

  Service Personnel (Exposure to Radioactivity)
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research has been carried out with radioactive substances at the nuclear, biological and chemical centre at Winterbourne Gunner in Wiltshire since 1967; if service personnel have been exposed to radioactive substance(a) intentionally and (b) accidentally during this work; what radioactive substances were involved in this work; for what purposes this work was carried out; and what the results of this work were. [6359]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Defence Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Centre at Winterbourne Gunner does not conduct research with radioactive substances and available records show no evidence that such research has 528
  ever been conducted there. However, DNBCC does conduct training courses in NBC defence involving the use of low-level radioactive sources. Available records show that, during such training, no service personnel have been intentionally or accidentally exposed to radioactive sources, but that six personnel stationed at DNBCC at various times received small doses of radiation as a consequence of working with ionising radiation. In all cases, these were well within prescribed safe limits. The radioactive substances used at DNBCC are: tritium(H-3), cobalt-60, caesium-137, radium-226, chlorine-36, strontium-90 and nickel-63.

  Organophosphates
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the link between exposure of soldiers to organophosphates during the Gulf war and Gulf war syndrome; and if he will make a statement. [8553]

  Dr. Reid
  [holding answer 16 July 1997]: Research is currently under way to try to determine the effects of low-level exposure to organophosphate pesticides on human health in the context of ill health claimed by some farm workers. This work is sponsored jointly by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Department of Health and the Health and Safety Executive and is due to report in 1999. This will be an important step towards understanding the possible effects of potential exposures to organophosphorous-based products of British troops during the Gulf war. However, pending the outcome of this and other work, there is no firm evidence to support a link between low level exposure to OPs and adverse health effects.

  HMY Britannia
  Mr. Desmond Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to proceed with proposals for the preservation of the royal yacht Britannia provided that they are viable. [9019]

  Dr. Reid
  [holding answer 17 July 1997]: The Government are currently considering the future of HMY Britannia. An announcement will be made as soon as a decision has been reached.

  Invincible Class Carriers
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the procurement of replacements for the Invincible class carriers; and when a decision on replacement of the class is expected to be made. [9421]

  Mr. Spellar
  The requirement to provide platforms to support maritime fixed-wing air power beyond the projected lives of the current Invincible class carriers will be considered as part of the strategic defence review.

  Departmental Contractors
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many firms are on his Department's contractors list. [9404]

  Mr. Spellar
  Since 1994, the MOD has not maintained its own defence contractors list. Generally, for UK contractors, MOD now uses appropriately certified
  529
  companies listed in the Department of Trade and Industry's United Kingdom register of quality assessed companies. As an indication of the number of contractors with whom MOD deals, in June 1997 the Defence Bills Agency database showed that there were extant contracts with 10,320 contractors.

  Research and Development
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total expenditure on defence industry research and development in 1996. [9403]

  Mr. Spellar
  My Department does not maintain statistics covering expenditure by the UK defence industry on research and development. Information, based on data collected by the Office of National Statistics, can be found in table 4.1 of "Science, Engineering and Technology Statistics 1996", Cm 3257-11, which is available in the Library of the House.

  Courts Martial
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many persons were court-martialled in each year since 1990. [9884]

  Dr. Reid
  The number of persons court-martialled in each year since 1990 is set out in the table:

  Year

  RN

  Army

  RAF

  Total

  1990

  38

  917

  145

  1,100 (989)

  1991

  50

  718

  153

  921 (884)

  1992

  82

  763

  149

  994 (892)

  1993

  115

  677

  128

  919 (774)

  1994

  113

  600

  91

  804 (676)

  1995

  111

  430

  104

  645 (515)

  The figures shown are the latest we have available to date and represent the total number of service personnel tried by court-martial within that period. The figures in brackets show the number of persons actually convicted of one or more offences.

  Under-18 Service Personnel
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the Government's policy on the recruitment of volunteers under the age of 18 years into the armed forces. [9813]

  Dr. Reid
  The minimum age of recruitment of volunteers into the armed forces is 16 years.

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what circumstances volunteers under the age of 18 years are(a) required and (b) permitted to be on active service in areas of armed conflict. [9815]

  Dr. Reid
  The armed forces comprise entirely of volunteers, regardless of the age of enlistment. Therefore, no service personnel are forced into active service in areas of armed conflict. However, once fully trained, all members of the armed forces are required to deploy to any area or duty, on orders from higher authority.

  Members of the armed forces are not deployed operationally until they are fully trained. As a general rule therefore, due to the period of training, personnel are not
  530
  deployed below the age of seventeen and a half years. Exceptions to this general rule may be personnel on board ship and members of the Royal Marines who could be re-deployed directly into an area of conflict from a location beyond the UK base.

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the Government's policy towards weapons training for volunteers aged under 18 years in the armed forces. [9811]

  Dr. Reid
  The policy towards weapons training in the armed forces is the same for all ages of volunteers. Weapons training and discipline forms an integral and essential part of the normal training programme.

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of those persons aged under 18 years in the armed forces have been killed on active service since 1993. [9809]

  Dr. Reid
  No persons aged under 18 years in the armed forces have been killed on active service since 1993.

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to change his Department's policy towards volunteers aged under 18 years in the armed services being placed in situations of danger. [9812]

  Dr. Reid
  There are currently no plans to change the rules governing the deployment of under-18-year-olds in the armed forces in situations of danger, although our policies remain under constant review.

  Army Foundation College
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the Government's policy on the Army Foundation College. [9808]

  Dr. Reid
  The Army Foundation College is part of the manning of the army strategy, which aims to return the Army to full manning by 2002. The college will provide young people aged between 16 and 17 destined for the Royal Armoured Corps, the Royal Artillery and the infantry, with vocational, adventurous leadership and basic military training and will also give them a good grounding in six NCVQ key skills. On graduation from the college, they will go on to trade training before joining the Field Army. The intention is that the college will be funded through the private finance initiative. Until this process is complete, we cannot therefore be certain of the college's location, although the successful contractor will be offered the site of the former Apprentices' college in Harrogate.

  West Indies Guard Ship
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from the Department for International Development concerning the West Indies guard ship. [10104]

  Dr. Reid
  My Department has received no representation from the Department for International Development concerning the West Indies gaurd ship.

  Defence Review
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of all the submissions made to his Department on the strategic defence review. [9985]

  Dr. Reid
  We have received a large number of inputs from outside bodies and individuals. These submissions are the property of the authors and the Department may not circulate them outside Government without the authors' consent. Our intention is to seek that consent and to place in the Library of the House copies of these inputs where consent has been given.

  Reservist Aircrew
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what further arrangements have been made for the wider employment of reservist aircrew in the Royal Air Force. [10387]

  Dr. Reid
  I am pleased to announce that, following the success of trials using reservist aircrew to augment regular personnel on the Hercules aircraft and Wessex helicopter, a trial is to be conducted between 1 October 1997 and 30 September 1998 to evaluate the feasibility of recruiting and training volunteer reservist aircrew for employment on the Tornado F3 aircraft. Trials involving other aircraft types may follow next year.

SCOTLAND

  Hunting
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has received from(a) supporters and (b) opponents of hunting on the subject of hunting on Forestry Commission land; and if he will list them. [8894]

  Mr. Chisholm
  Ministers and the Forestry Commission have received thousands of representations on this matter in recent years, both from supporters and opponents of hunting. Listing these representations could be done only at disproportionate cost.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many civil servants there are on each pay band in his Department. [8939]

  Mr. Dewar
  A pay and grading review is currently underway in The Scottish Office and its executive agencies other than the Scottish Prison Service, but has not been completed. Staffing figures are therefore shown on the basis of standard civil service grades in the table.

  The Scottish Office and its executive agencies (excluding SPS) at 1 April 1997

  Grade equivalent

  Full-time equivalent

  Senior civil service

  151.4

  Grade 6

  151.2

  Grade 7

  396.5

  Senior executive officer

  350.1

  Higher executive officer

  733.6

  Executive officer

  877.8

  532

  The Scottish Office and its
  executive agencies (excluding SPS) at 1 April 1997

  Grade equivalent

  Full-time equivalent

  Administrative officer

  990.6

  Administrative assistant

  997.8

  Industrial

  305.0

  Total

  4,954.0

  As a pay and grading review has taken place in the Scottish Prison Service it is possible to provide a breakdown by pay band, although numbers are available on a headcount rather than an FTE basis. The information is set out in the table.

  The Scottish Prison Service at 1 April 1997

  Band

  Pay range

  Headcount

  Senior civil servants

  I

  £33,700–£52,100

  6

  H

  £28,100–£43,400

  6

  G

  £23,500–£35,750

  58

  F

  £17,900–£30,650

  296

  E

  £14,300–£25,550

  563

  D

  £11,450–£21,450

  2,261

  C

  £9,300–£16,350

  1,194

  B

  £7,350–£11,450

  200

  A

  £6,150–£9,600

  40

  Total

  4,654

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many and what percentage of employees in his private office are(a) of Asian origin and (b) of Afro-Caribbean origin. [8937]

  Mr. Dewar
  At 1 July 1997 none of the 46 staff employed in the Scottish Office ministerial private offices was of Asian or Afro-Caribbean origin.

  Children (Scotland) Act 1995
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate was made by the reporters service of the additional resources required to administer the Children (Scotland) Act 1995; and what additional resources have been provided. [9616]

  Mr. Galbraith
  The Scottish Children's Reporter Administration's estimate to implement its responsibilities under the 1995 Act was for an additional £804,000. This additional requirement was taken into account along with other factors in setting the administration's baseline of £10,300,000, an increase of £200,000 over the previous year's provision.

  Capital Receipts Initiative
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the consultation process which will take place on the distribution of funds under the capital receipts initiative. [9956]

  Mr. Chisholm
  My right hon. Friend announced on 3 July that he would wish to discuss with local government and Scottish Homes how we might deploy
  533
  the additional £12.5 million made available for housing investment in Scotland this year and the additional £43.7 million made available next year. He indicated that he was in favour of using the resources to support welfare to work schemes directed at improving the energy efficiency of our housing stock, and to take forward our policy of new housing partnerships. The Department is consulting the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and Scottish Homes accordingly and a further announcement will be made as soon as possible.

  Scottish Arts Council Inquiry
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 9 June,Official Report, column 321, (1) if he will identify the report produced at the conclusion of the Scottish Arts Council inquiry into the production assisted by the Scottish film production fund; who wrote it; if copies will be publicly available; and what is its projected date of publication; [9960]

  (2) when the Scottish Arts Council inquiry into productions assisted by the Scottish film production fund was instituted; what was the total cost of producing the inquiry's report; and if he will indicate those individuals and bodies which have had sight of the report prior to publication.

  Mr. Galbraith
  The Scottish Arts Council commissioned Morgan Harris Burrows in February 1997 to report on the handling of national lottery film-related applications in Scotland. The cost of producing the report was £12,867. The report has not been published, but is available on request from the Scottish Arts Council. Arrangements are being made to place a copy in the Library of the House.

  Policy Reviews
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each departmental policy review presently in progress or scheduled,(a) a description of the purpose of the review and (b) its expected date of completion. [10187]

  Mr. Dewar
  The following major departmental policy reviews are in progress:

  Purpose of review

  Review of transport policy

  The purpose of this review is to enable a White Paper setting out our proposals for an integrated transport policy to be published early next year.

  Review of the Scottish trunk roads programme

  The purpose of this review is to enable decisions to be taken on the future roads programme which complement our overall approach on transport policy. It is expected to be completed by summer 1998.

  Strategic review of Scottish Enterprise and the Local Enterprise Companies

  The purpose of the review is for SE, in consultation with the department, to examine their strategic objectives with a view to improving the effectiveness, responsiveness and the accountability of the enterprise network in Scotland. The review is expected to be completed during the course of the Summer.

  534

  Purpose of review

  Water authorities review

  The purpose of the review is to consider the steps which might be taken to strengthen local democratic control of the three Scottish water authorities. It is expected to be completed in November.

  Review of planning policy for opencast coal mining in Scotland

  The purpose of this review is to follow up the 10-point plan for opencasting, published in April 1997. Consultation on the issues will commence shortly with a view to completion of the review by the autumn.

  Housing reviews

  There are to be two reviews relating to housing. The first is to examine the way in which Scottish Homes supports social rented housing; the second is to review the various home ownership schemes administered by Scottish Homes. The reviews are expected to be completed by spring 1998.

  Best value regime in local government

  The purpose of the review by the joint Scottish Office/Convention of Scottish Local Authorities task force is to develop the essential elements of the new best value arrangements. The task force's first draft report was presented to the Secretary of State and COSLA on 4 July and councils will be required to assess by Autumn how far they meet the essential elements; if they wish to apply for further exemption from compulsory competitive tendering.

  Review of development planning in Scotland

  The purpose of this review is to identify aspects of the present development plan procedures which prevent effective and efficient preparation and processing of plans, and changes which could be introduced to minimise their effect. The review is due to be completed by the end of 1997.

  Review of further education colleges' funding methodology

  The purpose is to review the current arrangements for the distribution of Government grant funding for further education colleges in Scotland to determine that these efficiently and effectively support and deliver the objectives for the sector set out by Ministers and reflect appropriate funding principles; and to identify the scope for improvement in consultation with the sector. The review is presently expected to be completed in September.

  Scottish Community Education Council
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the forthcoming policy and financial review of the Scottish Community Education Council. [10344]

  Mr. Dewar
  My Department will conduct a review of the Scottish Community Education Council during 1997 under the programme of five yearly non-departmental public body reviews. The review will examine the status and functions of the Scottish Community Education Council in accordance with Cabinet Office guidance.

  The first stage of the review will take the form of a "prior options" study. This will assess the extent to which the functions that the Scottish Community Education

  535
  Council performs are necessary for the achievement of the Government's policies, and whether there is scope for privatising, contracting out or transferring all, or part of its functions to another body. The results of the prior options study will inform a detailed review of the Council's policy and financial management systems.

  The review will also examine the roles of other organisations involved in the development of community education in Scotland and the scope for co-ordination of their activities with those of the Council to ensure maximum value for money from the central government resources available for community education in Scotland.

  This study will commence in the late summer. In order to help ensure that all options are considered fully, comments from interested parties will be welcome. Comments should be sent by 12 September 1997 to:

  Mrs. P. A. Morrison Head of the Community Education Branch

  Type of birth

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  19961

  Twins:

  2 live

  711

  682

  790

  751

  762

  780

  775

  1 live, 1 stillbirth

  15

  22

  11

  25

  13

  31

  22

  2 stillbirth

  5

  5

  6

  4

  3

  5

  3

  Triplets:

  3 live

  14

  18

  15

  10

  16

  27

  27

  2 live, 1 stillbirth

  2

  4

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  1 live, 2 stillbirth

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Quadruplets:

  4 live

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  3 live, 1 stillbirth

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Quintuplets

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sextuplets

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Number of maternities

  65,556

  66,630

  65,307

  62,946

  61,224

  59,271

  58,831

  1Provisional

  Information on the number of multiple births in Scotland attributed to assisted conception is not available. The tables show, on a UK basis, the information on pregnancies and births following assisted conceptions provided by the annual reports of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

  Pregnancies conceived from 1990 to 1994 through IVF or Donor insemination

  Singleton

  Twin

  Triplet

  Quad or greater

  IVF clinical pregnancies (includes frozen embryo transfer and ISCI)

  19901

  1,404

  411

  69

  1

  19912

  1,491

  503

  75

  1

  1992

  2,109

  709

  118

  0

  1993

  2,807

  847

  148

  1

  1994

  3,064

  1,009

  197

  3

  1995

  To be published in 1997 annual report (October 1997)

  Notes:

  1Data collected by OPCS for the Interim Licensing Authority.

  2 Data for 1 January 1991 to 31 July 1991 collected by OPCS 1 August 1991 to 31 December 1991 collected by the HFEA.
  536
  The Scottish Office Education and Industry Department

  Area 2A West

  Victoria Quay

  Edinburgh

  EH6 6QQ.

  Infertility Treatment
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sets of(a) twins, (b) triplets, (c) quadruplets, (d) quintuplets and (e) sextuplets were born in Scotland in each year since 1990; how many maternities there were in each year; and how many multiple births in each category were conceived as a result of (i) in-vitro fertilisation, (ii) gamete intra-fallopian transfer and (iii) other forms of assisted conception. [8177]

  Mr. McLeish
  [holding answer 21 July 1997]: The information is as follows:

  Pregnancies conceived from 1990 to 1994 through IVF or Donor insemination

  Singleton

  Twin

  Triplet

  Quad or greater

  IVF Live births events (includes frozen embryo transfer and ICSI)

  1990

  No figures available

  1991

  No figures available

  1992

  1,592

  627

  99

  0

  1993

  2,164

  790

  134

  1

  1994

  2,376

  929

  170

  2

  1995

  To be published in 1997 annual report (October 1997)

  Pregnancies conceived from 1990 to 1994 through IVF or Donor insemination

  Singleton

  Twin

  Triplet

  Quad or greater

  Donor insemination clinical pregnancies (includes GIFT with donor sperm)

  1990

  No data available

  19911

  545

  31

  3

  0

  1992

  1,527

  93

  10

  1

  1993

  1,678

  123

  218

  537

  Pregnancies conceived from 1990 to 1994 through IVF or Donor insemination

  Singleton

  Twin

  Triplet

  Quad or greater

  1994

  1,838

  110

  17

  1

  1995

  To be published in 1997 annual report (October 1997)

  Notes:

  1Data available from 1 August 1991 to 31 December 1991 only. Prior to 1 August 1991 data was collected by the OPCS and did not include Donor Insemination data.

  2Includes three clinical pregnancies/live birth events which were reported as "triplet or greater".

  Pregnancies conceived from 1990 to 1994 through IVF or Donor insemination

  Singleton

  Twin

  Triplet

  Quad or greater

  Donor insemination live birth events (includes GIFT with donor sperm)

  1990

  No figures available

  1991

  No figures available

  1992

  1,212

  83

  10

  1

  1993

  1,387

  112

  118

  1994

  1,549

  105

  16

  1

  1995

  To be published in 1997 annual report (October 1997)

  Note:

  1 Includes three clinical pregnancies/live birth events which were reported as "triplet or greater".

  Pupil Exclusions
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children with statements of special educational needs were permanently excluded from schools in Scotland in(a) 1993–94 and (b) 1994–95; and what each figure was as a proportion of the total number of children permanently excluded from schools. [8724]

  Mr. Wilson
  [holding answer 21 July 1997]: Information on the number of pupils with statements of special educational needs who were permanently excluded from school is not held centrally.

  Information on the total number of pupils permanently excluded from school is available for 1994–95 but was not collected in prior years. The information for 1994–95, consistent with that set out in the report on attendance and absence in Scottish schools, 1994–95 published by the audit unit of HM inspectors of schools, is set out in the table.

  Number of pupils permanently excluded from schools in 1994–95

  Primary pupils

  47

  Secondary pupils

  296

  Debt Payment
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the policy of his Department on the timely payment of debts; and what is his Department's record on the payment of debts in the current financial year. [9525]
  538
  Mr. Chisolm
  [holding answer Friday 18 July 1997]: All Departments are required to pay all their bills within agreed contract terms, or 30 days from receipt of the goods or service or a valid invoice, whichever is later, where no such terms exist. Information on payment performance for the current financial year could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The Government will publish a league table of departmental payment performance for 1996–97 in the autumn.

  HIV-AIDS
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new HIV infections there have been among(a) intravenous drug users, (b) heterosexuals and (c) homosexuals in the age groups (1) 16 to 25, (2) 26 to 35, (3) 36 to 45, (4) 46 to 55 and (5) over 55s by health authority (i) each year since 1985 and (ii) in total; if he will list the year on year change in each group in percentage terms; and if he will make a statement about the Government's targeting of HIV-AIDS prevention materials. [9221]

  Mr. Galbraith
  [holding answer Monday 21 July 1997]: Information about diagnosed HIV infections in Scotland is held in the transmission categories and age groups shown in table 1. Individuals often do not seek testing unless they believe themselves to be at risk or develop symptoms and hence reported HIV infections underestimate the true number of cases. In addition, these figures may be subject to under-reporting.

  The figures are given on an all-Scotland basis because presenting data by health boards may threaten confidentiality in low prevalence areas. Table 2 shows the year on year change in each group in percentage terms.

  The Government's targeting of HIV-AIDS prevention materials is in line with the UK health Departments' Strategy, "HIV and AIDS Health Promotion: An Evolving Strategy", November 1995. This emphasised the need for better targeting of vulnerable groups such as gay men, as well as the need to inform the general population about the continuing potential risks from HIV.

  In Scotland, recent data indicate that new infections among gay men remain the highest of all transmission categories. In line with the strategy, The Scottish Office Department of Health is funding a project involving prevention work for gay men in Scotland. In addition to work aimed at the general population, The Health Education Authority carry out a limited amount of prevention work UK-wide targeted at gay and bisexual men. HIV-AIDS is one of the priority areas for the Health Education Board for Scotland; and its work at national level is complemented by the local activities of health boards.
  539

  Table 1: HIV reports, Scotland by transmission category, age group at report, and year of report—1985 to 1996

  Transmission category

  Age group

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Injecting drug use

  0–4

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  15–24

  88

  143

  106

  31

  32

  18

  25–34

  60

  80

  57

  30

  14

  13

  35–44

  8

  12

  8

  5

  4

  4

  45–54

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  55+

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Not known

  5

  6

  3

  1

  0

  0

  Total

  161

  241

  175

  67

  50

  35

  Sexual intercourse between men and women

  0–14

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  15–24

  1

  4

  8

  5

  9

  15

  25–34

  0

  15

  10

  18

  10

  14

  35–44

  0

  0

  5

  7

  5

  7

  45–54

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  55+

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  2

  Not Known

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  1

  20

  24

  31

  26

  40

  Sexual intercourse between men

  0–14

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  15–24

  19

  23

  19

  14

  7

  7

  25–34

  33

  31

  26

  22

  24

  26

  35–44

  14

  11

  16

  8

  10

  20

  45–54

  6

  6

  4

  3

  5

  3

  55+

  1

  1

  1

  0

  2

  1

  Not known

  1

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  74

  74

  67

  47

  48

  57

  Other (e.g. blood transfusion, mother to child, undetermined)

  0–14

  15

  3

  7

  0

  3

  3

  15–24

  5

  4

  1

  2

  2

  0

  25–34

  4

  4

  2

  3

  2

  5

  35–44

  5

  1

  1

  1

  2

  0

  45–54

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  55+

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  Not known

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  32

  15

  14

  6

  10

  8

  Total

  0–14

  15

  3

  7

  0

  3

  3

  15–24

  113

  174

  134

  52

  50

  40

  25–34

  97

  130

  95

  73

  50

  58

  35–44

  27

  24

  30

  21

  21

  31

  45–54

  7

  7

  5

  3

  7

  5

  55+

  2

  2

  3

  1

  3

  3

  Not known

  7

  10

  6

  1

  0

  0

  Total

  268

  350

  280

  151

  134

  140

  Transmission category

  Age group

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  Totals 1985–96

  Injecting drug use

  0–14

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  15–24

  12

  14

  16

  2

  3

  1

  466

  25–34

  31

  19

  34

  14

  18

  21

  391

  35–44

  6

  6

  5

  9

  6

  5

  78

  45–54

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  3

  6

  55+

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Not known

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  15

  Total

  30

  39

  56

  26

  27

  307

  957

  Sexual intercourse between men and women

  0–14

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  15–24

  8

  13

  7

  7

  0

  8

  85

  25–34

  19

  23

  24

  25

  22

  21

  201

  35–44

  8

  4

  6

  2

  25

  14

  83

  45–54

  4

  4

  3

  2

  7

  4

  28

  55+

  3

  2

  1

  3

  3

  1

  16

  Not known

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Total

  42

  46

  41

  39

  57

  48

  415

  540 541

  Transmission category

  Age group

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  Totals 1985–96

  Sexual intercourse between men

  0–14

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  15–24

  10

  3

  10

  8

  5

  12

  137

  25–34

  23

  29

  38

  37

  40

  31

  360

  35–44

  19

  18

  20

  25

  28

  26

  215

  45–54

  9

  7

  5

  8

  6

  12

  74

  55+

  3

  4

  1

  3

  1

  3

  21

  Not known

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  4

  Total

  64

  61

  74

  81

  80

  84

  811

  Other(e.g. blood transfusion, mother to child, undermined)

  0–14

  6

  0

  3

  2

  4

  0

  46

  15–24

  0

  1

  0

  1

  2

  0

  18

  25–34

  0

  2

  0

  1

  3

  5

  31

  35–44

  1

  1

  2

  0

  2

  2

  18

  45–54

  2

  0

  1

  2

  2

  1

  11

  55+

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  6

  Not known

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Total

  9

  4

  6

  7

  13

  9

  133

  Total

  0–14

  6

  0

  3

  2

  4

  0

  46

  15–24

  30

  31

  33

  18

  10

  21

  706

  25–34

  73

  73

  96

  77

  83

  78

  983

  35–44

  34

  29

  33

  36

  61

  47

  394

  45–54

  16

  11

  10

  13

  15

  20

  119

  55+

  6

  6

  2

  7

  4

  5

  44

  Not known

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  24

  Total

  165

  150

  177

  153

  177

  171

  2,316

  Table 2: Percentage change from previous year

  Transmission category

  Age group

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Injecting drug use

  0–14

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  15–24

  5

  63

  -26

  -71

  3

  -44

  25–34

  107

  33

  -29

  -47

  -53

  -7

  35–44

  60

  50

  -33

  -38

  -20

  0

  45–54

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  55+

  —

  —

  —

  -100

  —

  —

  Not known

  67

  20

  -50

  -67

  -100

  —

  Total

  33

  50

  -27

  -62

  -25

  -30

  Sexual intercourse between men and women

  0–14

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  15–24

  -50

  300

  100

  -38

  80

  67

  25–34

  -100

  —

  -33

  80

  -44

  40

  35–44

  —

  —

  —

  40

  -29

  40

  45–54

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  55+

  —

  —

  —

  —

  -100

  —

  Not known

  —

  —

  0

  100

  —

  —

  Total

  -67

  1,900

  20

  29

  -16

  54

  Sexual intercourse between men

  0–14

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  15–24

  533

  21

  -17

  -26

  -50

  0

  25–34

  560

  -6

  -16

  -15

  9

  8

  35–44

  1,300

  -21

  45

  -50

  25

  100

  45–54

  500

  0

  -33

  -25

  67

  -40

  55+

  —

  0

  0

  -100

  —

  -50

  Not known

  —

  100

  -50

  -100

  —

  —

  Total

  640

  0

  -9

  -30

  2

  19

  Other (e.g. blood transfusion, mother to child, undetermined)

  0–14

  400

  -80

  133

  -100

  —

  0

  15–24

  67

  -20

  -75

  100

  0

  -100

  25–34

  -43

  0

  -50

  50

  -33

  150

  35–44

  -58

  -80

  0

  0

  100

  -100

  45–54

  -67

  0

  0

  -100

  —

  —

  55+

  —

  0

  0

  -100

  —

  -100

  Not known

  —

  0

  0

  -100

  —

  —

  Total

  14

  -53

  -7

  -57

  67

  -20

  542 543

  Table 2:Percentage change from previous year

  Transmission category

  Age group

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Total

  0–14

  400

  -80

  133

  -100

  —

  0

  15–24

  23

  54

  -23

  -61

  -4

  -20

  25–34

  131

  34

  -27

  -23

  -32

  16

  35–44

  50

  -11

  25

  -30

  0

  48

  45–54

  75

  0

  -29

  -40

  133

  -29

  55+

  —

  0

  50

  -67

  200

  0

  Nor known

  133

  43

  -40

  -83

  -100

  —

  Total

  65

  31

  -28

  -46

  -11

  4

  Note:

  A dash denotes that there were no cases reported during the previous year.

  Source:

  Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health (as at 30 June 1997).

  Transmission category

  Age group

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  Injecting drug use

  0–14

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  15–24

  -33

  17

  14

  -88

  50

  -67

  25–34

  138

  -39

  -79

  -59

  29

  17

  34–44

  50

  0

  -17

  80

  -33

  -17

  45–54

  —

  -100

  —

  0

  -100

  —

  55+

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Not known

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  43

  -22

  44

  -54

  4

  11

  Sexual intercourse between men and women

  0–14

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  15–24

  -47

  63

  -48

  0

  -100

  —

  25–34

  36

  21

  4

  4

  -12

  -5

  35–44

  14

  -50

  50

  -67

  1,150

  -44

  45–54

  100

  0

  -25

  -33

  250

  -43

  55+

  50

  -33

  -50

  200

  0

  -67

  Not known

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  5

  10

  -11

  -5

  46

  -16

  Sexual intercourse between men

  0–14

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  15–24

  43

  -70

  233

  -20

  -38

  140

  25–34

  -12

  26

  31

  -3

  8

  -23

  35–44

  -5

  -5

  11

  25

  12

  -7

  45–54

  200

  -22

  -29

  60

  -25

  100

  55+

  200

  33

  -75

  200

  -67

  200

  Not known

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  12

  -5

  21

  9

  -1

  5

  Other (e.g. blood transfusion, mother to child, undetermined)

  0–14

  100

  -100

  —

  -33

  100

  -100

  15–24

  —

  —

  -100

  —

  100

  -100

  25–34

  -100

  —

  -100

  —

  200

  67

  35–44

  —

  0

  100

  -100

  —

  0

  45–54

  —

  -100

  —

  100

  0

  -50

  55+

  —

  —

  —

  —

  -100

  —

  Not known

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  13

  -56

  50

  17

  86

  -31

  Total

  0–14

  100

  -100

  —

  -33

  100

  -100

  15–24

  -25

  3

  6

  -45

  -44

  110

  25–34

  20

  0

  32

  -20

  8

  -6

  35–44

  10

  -15

  14

  9

  69

  -23

  45–54

  220

  -31

  -9

  30

  15

  33

  55+

  100

  0

  -67

  250

  -43

  25

  Not known

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  18

  -9

  18

  -14

  16

  -3

  Note:

  A dash denotes that there were no cases reported during the previous year.

  Source:

  Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health (as at 30 June 1997).
  544

  Sustainably Produced Timber
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps his Department is taking to encourage the use of timber from sustainably managed forests. [9536]

  Mr. Chisholm
  [holding answer 21 July 1997]: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced at the recent UN General Assembly special session that the Government are preparing a new forest standard to provide a benchmark for the management of our forests. The Forestry Commission will monitor achievement against that standard. This initiative will help assure consumers that timber grown in Britain comes from sustainably managed forests. In addition, we are working to promote sustainable forestry abroad through our development assistance programme.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Public Order Offences (Londonderry)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many illegal republican parades and demonstrations her Department assesses to have taken place in Londonderry city during the last year; and how many persons have been charged with public order offences as a consequence. [4062]

  Mr. Ingram
  During the past year, there was one illegal Republican parade in Londonderry city. To date, no persons have been charged with public order offences.

  Killyleagh Community Hall
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what dates the central community relations unit received the outline design for the Killyleagh community hall from Down district council; on what dates the CCRU decided to appoint independent consultants to prepare an economic appraisal of the project; when the consultants were advised of their appointments by the CCRU; and when the CCRU received the economic appraisals from the consultants. [4785]

  Mr. Worthington
  The central community relations unit received the outline design for Killyleagh community hall on 21 February 1996; CCRU decided to appoint independent consultants to assess the proposal as a stand-alone project on 16 December 1996; the consultants were given written confirmation of their appointment on 21 March 1997; and the economic appraisal was received on 17 June 1997.

  This application was unusual as a separate application for a capital project with a cross community dimension in the same area was also received in 1996. It was important to consider the relationship between both projects and to avoid duplication. Consequent on the economic appraisal, CCRU will recommend grant aid for the community hall and has informed Down district council accordingly.

  Absent Voting Papers
  Mr. Robert McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the number of absent voting papers issued in(a) each parliamentary constituency and (b) in Northern Ireland for the (i) 1992
  546
  and (ii) 1997 elections, and the percentage difference between 1992 and 1997 for each constituency; and if she will make a statement. [7722]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  The information is as follows:

  1992 and 1997 Northern Ireland general election: absent voting

  Parliamentary constituency

  Absent voting

  Percentage difference

  1992

  1997

  North Down

  1,048

  1,052

  0.40

  Strangford

  938

  1,271

  35.50

  South Down

  5,359

  3,504

  34.61

  Lagan Valley

  1,104

  1,443

  30.71

  Upper Bann

  1,854

  1,759

  -5.12

  Newry and Armagh

  3,580

  3,960

  10.61

  Fermanagh and South

  Tyrone

  5,847

  5,996

  2.55

  Mid-Ulster

  3,638

  5,047

  38.73

  Foyle

  1,531

  1,460

  -4.64

  East Londonderry

  2,409

  2,128

  -11.66

  North Antrim

  1,032

  1,467

  42.15

  East Antrim

  1,002

  793

  -20.86

  South Antrim

  962

  884

  -8.11

  Belfast north

  615

  847

  37.72

  Belfast east

  638

  912

  42.93

  Belfast south

  856

  886

  3.50

  Belfast west

  757

  1,104

  45.84

  West Tyrone

  —

  4,372

  —

  Totals

  33,170

  38,885

  17.23

  These figures show a significant rise in the numbers of absent votes in Northern Ireland over the last two general elections. Due to boundary changes which increased the number of Northern Ireland constituencies by one in 1995, there is no strict comparison between the two elections.

  However, in just under a third of Northern Ireland parliamentary constituencies the number of absent votes issued was greater in 1992 than at the 1997 general election. In those constituencies which did see an increase in the absent votes issued, in a quarter of these cases the percentage increase was less than 5 per cent. It is the case that in just under half of the 17 constituencies there has been an increase of more than 30 per cent. in the numbers of absent votes issued.

  The Government have made it clear that they are concerned at the increase in the numbers of absent votes issued at the last election, and that will study with interest the results of the study begun by the chief electoral officers into all absent vote applications in Northern Ireland for the last three elections.

  Orange March, Garvaghy Road
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the decision was taken to allow the Orange Order march down the Garvaghy road on 5 July; and what criteria were used in coming to that decision. [8481]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 14 July 1997]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 18 July 1997, Official Report, column 338.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Members' Interests
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what occasions(a) Ministers and (b) officials have refused to (i) arrange and (ii) attend meetings with hon. Members to discuss matters relating to interests registered by those hon. Members under categories 1, 2, 3, 4(b), 8 and 9 in the Register of Members' Interests. [8113]

  Dr. Jack Cunningham
  The first report from the Committee on Standards in Public Life (Cm 2850) made it clear that, when Members are meeting Ministers or others on topics in which they have an interest, the onus is on the Member to declare that interest, not the Minister to knowparagraph 63 of Cm 2850). It is not practicable for Ministers and officials, among their other duties, to vet requests for meetings against the Register of Members' Interests.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ensure that(a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department refuse requests from hon. Members to (i) arrange and (ii) attend meetings relating to interests held by those hon. Members under categories 1, 2, 3, 4(b), 8 and 9 in the Register of Members' Interests. [8110]

  Dr. Cunningham
  The first report from the Committee on Standards in Public Life, Cm 2850 recognised the value of enabling Members to retain interests outside the House, provided that these were properly declared, both in the Register of Members' Interests and on other occasions. Subject to these requirements, and to the rules of the House relating to delegations to Ministers, Members are free to seek meetings with Ministers and officials, who will consider such requests alongside the many other approaches from individuals and organisations concerned to press their own interests or those of others.

  Commercial Lobbyists
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) on what dates since 1 May(a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have met commercial lobbyists to discuss matters relating to the business of his Department; and if he will introduce a register of such meetings; [8111]

  (2) on what dates since 1 May (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have attended meetings with organisations representing (i) commercial and (ii) non-commercial interests organised by commercial lobbying firms; and if he will introduce a register of such meetings. [8112]

  Dr. Jack Cunningham
  As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister explained in his reply to my hon. Friend for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 2 June 1997,Official Report, column 99, Ministers and officials in my Department receive deputations from many groups which are concerned to press their own interests or those of their clients, which Ministers and officials take due care to consider within the wider public and Government policy. As it is not practicable to distinguish particular groups as lobbyists, my Department cannot and does not keep a register of such meetings.

  Live Animal Transport
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what regulations govern the transportation of poultry between farms and slaughterhouses. [8663]

  Mr. Morley
  Welfare provisions for the transport of poultry, and other animals, are contained in the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the compliance of transporters with laws protecting animals during international transit. [8660]

  Mr. Morley
  It has been stated in a European Commission report, and is widely acknowledged, that transporters commonly flout the rules on welfare in transit when transporting livestock over long distances on the continent. The Department has undertaken no research on this, but has arrangements in place with certain other member states to undertake spot checks on compliance with route plans declared in advance when animals are sent from Great Britain. These arrangements will continue, in support of the activities of local authorities in pursuit of their statutory responsibility to enforce the tougher controls we have now introduced in the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many(a) inquiries and (b) applications have been received by his Department for licences for exporting animals under the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1957; and how many licences have been granted. [8677]

  Mr. Morley
  There is no requirement in the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997 for exports of animals to be licensed. However, the order does require that, from 1 October 1997, anyone transporting cattle, sheep, pigs, goats or horses on a journey over eight hours must have a specific authorisation to engage in this activity. The process of receiving and processing applications for these authorisations is at an early stage: we have received 67 applications to date.

  Broiler Chickens
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to restrict the selective breeding for rapid growth of broiler chickens. [8656]

  Mr. Morley
  Selective breeding for rapid growth of broiler chickens is not, of itself, a cause for concern. It is, however, important to consider the implications for the welfare of the birds. An independent review by the Farm Animal Welfare Council, which will cover all aspects of the broiler breeding industry including selection procedures, is currently under way. I look forward to receiving the council's recommendations as to the direction of any future controls.

  Hunting (Forestry Commission Land)
  Mrs. Ballard
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the review of hunting on
  549
  Forestry Commission land will be completed; what is the composition of the body undertaking it; and what its terms of reference are. [8729]

  Mr. Morley
  The review of hunting on Forestry Commission land is an internal review which is being carried out by the forestry commissioners and commission officials as a normal part of their duties. The commissioners aim to complete their review later this summer.

  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with the Forestry Commission regarding the review of hunting with hounds on forestry commission land. [8891]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 15 July 1997]: The forestry commissioners are reviewing their policy on hunting with hounds on commission land, and will advise us of their conclusions in due course.

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many and what percentage of employees in his private office are(a) of Asian origin and (b) of Afro-Caribbean origin. [8967]

  Mr. Morley
  Of the individuals working in the Minister's Private Office, one is of Asian origin—16.66 per cent. of staff—and two—33.3 per cent. of staff are of Afro-Caribbean origin.

  Jules Hurry
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what investigation was carried out into the political activities of the civil servant Jules Hurry. [9015]

  Mr. Morley
  The Department has recently concluded a full investigation under its disciplinary procedures. It is long-established Government practice that the results of such investigations are not made public.

  Sheep Exports
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking (a) to ensure that sheep exported from the United Kingdom on 5 July and currently held at two Italian abattoirs whilst a dispute about their health certification is resolved are properly cared for and (b) to resolve that dispute; and if he will make a statement. [9410]

  Mr. Morley
  Responsibility for the welfare of the exported sheep now rests with the Italian authorities We have pressed them to fulfil this responsibility, and understand that the Italian authorities are regularly checking the animals and the conditions in which they are being kept. We have made it clear to the Italian authorities that the certification that they are demanding has no basis in Community law and that we cannot provide it. We have also drawn the position to the attention of the European Commission. As we have stressed to the Italian authorities, it is vital, in the absence of an immediate solution to this problem, that what is to happen to the sheep is quickly resolved.

  Employment Advertisements
  Ms Perham
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how often, since 1992, his Department has been responsible for employment advertisements which contained age restrictions upon those who could apply. [9513]

  Mr. Morley
  Since 1992, neither the core Department nor its agencies have used age restrictions in any recruitment advertisements.

  Bovine Tuberculosis
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to receive Professor Krebs's report on bovine tuberculosis; what compensation he intends to make to farmers for damage suffered as a result of the current curtailment of badger removal operations; and if he will make a statement. [9464]

  Mr. Rooker
  Professor Krebs's report is expected later this year. Compensation is already paid to farmers for animals compulsorily slaughtered as reactors to the tuberculin test or as contacts.

  Flax
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement on his policy towards flax sowing, with special reference to the Offham marshes site of special scientific interest near Lewes; [9518]

  (2) what plans he has to amend the fibre flax regime to prevent previously uncultivated land which is ploughed from qualifying for payments under the regime; and if he will make a statement. [9520]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 18 July 1997]: The Government consider that fibre flax is a useful alternative crop, whose production we should in general like to encourage. A number of changes have recently been made to the EU regime which should ensure that flax is grown on suitable land, appropriately cultivated and processed for a definite end use.

  However, in view of recent concern, we are looking at a range of options specifically to address the problem of flax cultivation on valuable wildlife sites.

  As regards the Offham marshes site of special scientific interest, I understand that ploughing and cultivation of crops is considered to be an acceptable operation, provided certain safeguards are observed.

  Honey
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the proposal for a European Council Regulation to improve the production and marketing of honey (Com 96/0596). [9329]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 18 July 1997]: The Commission proposal for a regulation concerning the production and marketing of honey was adopted at the Council of Ministers meeting of 23 to 25 June. I welcome the regulation, which mainly aims to assist the beekeeping sector in dealing with the burden of the bee disease varroa. We are currently assessing how the UK might

  551
  make the best use of the expenditure reimbursement provisions of the regulation and will consult the industry and others about it.

  Cattle Cull
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he is taking to ensure that the reduction in abattoir contracts does not increase the backlog of cattle awaiting slaughter. [9544]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 21 July 1997]: The indicative throughputs associated with the new abattoir contracts are based on regional forecasts of animals expected to enter the scheme with a sufficient margin to allow for seasonal fluctuations.

  The current bottleneck at abattoirs has risen because producers are seeking to bring forward their culling plans before changes to the over-30-months scheme are introduced on 4 August. For the two weeks leading up to these changes, the indicative throughputs will be increased substantially to assist producers.

  In addition, the Intervention Board has issued instructions to scheme abattoirs to ensure, as far as possible, that priority is given to those producers whose animals were already booked into the scheme, and that the available capacity is otherwise distributed as equitably as possible.

  Truro Regional Service Centre Office
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the estimated performance improvements from the closure of the Truro office of the regional service centre. [9663]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 21 July 1997]: We expect to deliver high-quality services at a saving of some £100,000 a year to the taxpayer.

  BSE
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which European Union member states currently face infringement proceedings in relation to bovine spongiform encephalopathy; what assessment his Department has made as to the health risks that result from such countries to consumers in the United Kingdom; if his Department has made representations for an export ban on beef products from those countries; and if he will make a statement. [10202]

  Mr. Rooker
  At the Standing Veterinary Committee on 3 July, the EU Commission's intention to take infraction proceedings against 10 member states for various reasons related to the EU measures in place in relation to BSE, was discussed. Action was to be taken against France, Germany, Portugal, Sweden, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, Finland and Italy.

  These measures were to be taken as a result of the report of Commission inspections which were shown by the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee at its meeting on 23 May. On the basis of this, SEAC issued advice to Government which was published on 5 June and which resulted in the reply the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food gave to the House on that day, Official Report, columns 227–28. This reply made it clear that the
  552
  Government proposed to extend the controls on beef from animals slaughtered in the UK to material once imported into the UK. We are not banning imports as such. The Agriculture Council on 22 to 23 July will be deciding on the introduction of EU-wide controls on cattle, sheep and goat offals.

  Fish Stocks
  Mr. Jim Murphy
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list by port of registration the number of pressure stock licensed to be sold outside the United Kingdom. [10180]

  Mr. Morley
  Under the UK's restrictive licensing arrangements for fishing vessels, no new licences are issued. Licences may be transferred from one UK registered fishing vessel to another at the discretion of Ministers. We have no information readily available about the number of such transfers which may take place in the future. However, we estimate that currently there are some 160 UK-registered and licensed fishing vessels which have significant foreign interests in their ownership.

  Cod Quotas
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much cohesion cod is allotted annually to each European Union state; what criteria determine such allocations; and if he will make a statement. [10211]

  Mr. Morley
  This quota to fish cod in Norwegian waters north of 62N, granted to the European Union by Norway as part of the European Economic Area agreement, is allocated to the four cohesion countries on the basis of fixed allocation keys. The shares, and quantities received in 1997 are as follows:

  Per cent.

  Tonnes

  Greece

  5

  550

  Ireland

  5

  550

  Portugal

  45

  4,950

  Spain

  45

  4,950

  Beef Exports
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the risks to health posed by British beef exported in breach of the beef export ban. [10013]

  Mr. Rooker
  Health and identification marks have been partly or wholly removed from beef which has been seized in another country on suspicion that it has been illegally exported from the UK. Without those marks, it is not possible to confirm either that it met hygiene standards at the time of slaughter or its origin. Standards for the production of beef in the UK are, nevertheless, as high as anywhere in Europe. There are stringent safeguards to ensure that carcases from BSE suspects cannot enter the human food chain and UK controls to prevent specified bovine material from entering the human food chain are the toughest in Europe.

  Hormones
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made of the World Trade Organisation hormone panel conclusions; and if he will make a statement. [10203]

  Mr. Rooker
  The disputes panel has upheld complaints by the US and Canada about the EU's ban on meat from animals treated with growth promoting hormones, finding it to be inconsistent with the World Trade Organisation agreement on sanitary and phytosanitary measures. The reports cannot be adopted by the WTO until the appeals process has been completed; we expect this will not be before the autumn at the earliest.

PRIME MINISTER

  Law Agent's Letter
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what response he has sent to the letter of 14 July of the law agent, George More, of Edinburgh, relating to the suffering of the Libyan people. [9829]

  The Prime Minister
  As far as I am aware, I have not yet received this letter.

  House of Commons (Radio Broadcasts)
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to consult leaders of other parties represented in the House over the future radio reporting of the House; and if he will make a statement. [9832]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 21 July 1997]: None; in all matters concerning the editorial content and scheduling of programming, responsibility rests with the BBC itself. I am sure, however, that the BBC will take into account the strong views which have been expressed on the matter by Madam Speaker and by hon. Members on both sides of the House.

  Offshore Trusts
  Mr. Prior
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to prohibit the holding of shares in offshore trusts by Ministers. [9786]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 21 July 1997]: "Questions of Procedure for Ministers" is currently being reviewed. Until the review is complete, I have asked my ministerial colleagues to abide by the general principles contained in the 1992 version, which has been published.

  Honours
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister how many staff are employed in preparation and scrutiny of applications for honours; and what was the annual cost of(a) preparation of the honours list and (b) the Political honours scrutiny committee, in the latest year for which figures are available. [9412]

  The Prime Minister
  The ceremonial branch of the Cabinet Office which handles all honours applications and related matters, including public nominations, comprises 18 people and has an annual budget of £368,000. The wider cost of operating the honours system, including estimates of small parts of the work of many people at 554
  home and overseas, could not be provided other than at disproportionate cost. Members of the Political Honours Scrutiny Committee receive no remuneration.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has for changes in the procedures for the allocation and scrutiny of honours. [9411]

  The Prime Minister
  I plan to continue recommending bi-annual honours lists, for which the sole criterion will be quality of service in a wide range of areas of national life. I have asked that those scrutinising nominations should give weight to achievements in areas of service identified by the Government as priorities for improvement.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the names of the members of the Political Honours scrutiny committee and the number of occasions on which it met in each of the last five years. [9413]

  The Prime Minister
  The members of the political honours scrutiny committee are Lord Pym MC DL, chairman, the Lord Cledwyn of Penhors CH and the Lord Thomson of Monifieth KT. The number of meetings to scrutinise those proposed on account of their political services, including working life peers, were as follows:

  1993: 4

  1994: 3

  1995: 4

  1996: 4

  1997: 2 (to date)

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 16 July,Official Report, columns 387–88, in reference to the letter from Alain Dejammet, Stephen Gomersall and Bill Richardson, permanent representatives of France, the United Kingdom and the USA, to the President of the Security Council, what recent review of the evidence relating to the Lockerbie case has been conducted by the UN Security Council. [9830]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 21 July 1997]: None. It is not the Security Council's job to do so. The evidence is held by the national investigating and prosecuting authorities and is not in the public domain.

  Political Appointments
  Mr. Tyrie
  To ask the Prime Minister how many political advisers or their political appointees have been appointed since 1 May, who are not paid from public funds; if he will name them and their departments; if each such appointment has been approved by him; by whom they are paid; whether they are in all other respects subject to the same rules of employment as political advisers paid from public funds; and if he will list the precedents for such appointments. [2838]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 10 June 1997]: The appointment of unpaid political advisers is subject to the same rules as were followed by the previous Administration. Unpaid advisers are personal appointments by the Minister concerned and carry no remuneration or reimbursement from public funds. They are not civil servants and are not subject to the same rules of employment as special advisers paid for from public

  555
  funds. In making an appointment, Ministers and unpaid advisers must ensure that there is no conflict between the issues on which the unpaid adviser will be advising and their private concerns; unpaid advisers are also subject to the normal rules of confidentiality. I am notified before these appointments are made.

  In addition to the political office in No. 10 Downing street, the following appointments have been made:

  Appointing Minister

  Appointee

  Individual or organisation paying their salary

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  Sue Nye

  Not in receipt of any pay

  Deputy Prime Minister

  David Taylor

  Lancashire Enterprises PLC

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  David Mathieson

  Labour Party

  Minister without Portfolio

  Benjamin Wegg-Prosser

  Labour Party

  President of the Board of Plc Trade

  Lord Hollick

  United News and Media

  Secretary of State for Social Security

  Anna Coote

  Institute of Public and Policy Research

  There are precedents for appointments on the same basis under previous Administrations.

HEALTH

  Child Care
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve the arrangements for the care of pre-school age children. [7960]

  Mr. Boateng
  My hon. Friends the Under-Secretaries of State for Education and Employment, the Members for Birmingham, Yardley (Ms. Morris) and for Newport, East (Mr. Howarth), met me on 30 June to discuss our plans to create a fully integrated early years service for all pre-school children. I shall ensure that we protect the care needs of very young children and in particular children in need as we develop our plans, but I believe that integrating services as we propose will greatly benefit young children.

  Health Inequalities
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what inequalities in Health and life expectancy exist between different regions in England. [7961]

  Ms Jowell
  Substantial inequalities in health and life expectancy exist between different regions in England. For example, in the early 1990s, there were regional variations in life expectancy at birth of more than three years for males and two and a half years for females. In 1992 East Anglia had the longest life expectation at 75.4 years for men and 80.3 years for women, while North Western had the worst at 72.3 years for men and 556
  77.6 years for women. Regional variations in certain measures of health are even greater. On the basis of the 1991 census question on limiting long standing illness, it has been estimated that the expected number of years of life in good health varies between the best and the worst region by six and a half years for men and five years for women.

  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the relative(a) health and (b) life expectancy of different ethnic groups in England. [7979]

  Ms Jowell
  Information on health in certain ethnic groups is available from various surveys and the 1991 census included specific questions on health and ethnicity. A collation of key information, "Ethnicity and Health: a guide for the NHS" was published in 1993 by the Department of Health and a new edition is in preparation.

  The fourth national survey of ethnic minorities, which was co-ordinated by the Policy Studies Institute, was the largest study of ethnic minorities ever carried out in Britain. An initial report which included a chapter on health was published earlier this year. More detailed reports on the physical and mental health of ethnic minorities are due out shortly.

  Although there are currently no data readily available on life expectancy in different ethnic groups the Acheson inquiry will be looking at inequalities in health, including those related to ethnicity, since this is a topic of considerable importance. Furthermore, detailed studies of mortality by country of birth have been performed which indicate marked differences from the national average in specific sub groups. For example, there are high rates of stroke mortality in people under 65 years among those born on the Indian subcontinent and in the Caribbean and African Commonwealth.

  Abortion
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his attendance at the Devolution, Scotland, Wales and Regions Cabinet Committee, with particular reference to discussions relating to abortion. [7962]

  Ms Jowell
  The Government's forthcoming White Paper will set out our proposals on all aspects of devolution, including abortion.

  NHS Appointments
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria he will be using to decide whom to appoint to the boards of NHS trusts. [7963]

  Mr. Milburn
  The Department has recently issued revised guidelines on the qualities we will be looking for in non-executive directors of NHS trusts. The guidelines are designed to make boards much more representative of the communities they serve; to encourage more NHS users and carers to become members of boards; and to ensure that all candidates are personally committed to the national health service.

  Public Health Strategies
  Ms Blears
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to address the problems of want, idleness, squalor, ignorance and disease. [7964]

  Ms Jowell
  I addressed Beveridge's five giants in my speech on our new health strategy on 7 July, a copy of which is available in the Library. Our new health strategy will be wider and focus on determinants in health. Want will be tackled through the minimum wage. Idleness through the Welfare to work programme. Squalor through improved housing through the phased release of council house sale receipts; and through policies to improve the environment. Ignorance through education, by encouraging schools to promote health and well-being. Disease through rescuing the NHS banning tobacco advertising, establishing the food standards agency and a £1,000,000 programme of research into the effects of air pollutants commonly found in the home. This will complement research on outdoor pollutants which is already under way.

  Mr. Prosser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to ensure that the Government's public health strategy for England will address the issues of social exclusion. [7971]

  Ms Jowell
  As announced in my speech on 7 July, improving the health of our nation and tackling the legacy of inequality are matters not just for the Department of Health but are jobs to be confronted across Government. We aim to tackle poverty and inequality through our commitment to helping people move from welfare to work, to ending poverty pay by introducing a national minimum wage, and to improve housing conditions by the phased release of local authority capital receipts.

  Of all the important aspects of public health, none exacts a heavier toll in terms of disease and death than smoking. And smoking is a clear proxy for inequalities. There are more poor smokers, and as a result, poor people suffer disproportionately from preventable illness and premature death. That is why the Government have given an undertaking to ban tobacco advertising and promotion, and why we are determined to tackle smoking with the seriousness it deserves. On 14 July, we held an international anti-smoking summit to galvanise concerted action across society, and to learn from the experience of experts from around the world on how best to proceed. We will use the knowledge gained at the summit to inform the development of a White Paper which will be published later this year. The White Paper will set out in full our plans for measures to curb smoking, including our proposals for legislation to ban tobacco advertising.

  Private Medical Insurance
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many retired people he expects to relinquish private health cover as a consequence of the loss of tax relief. [7965]

  Mr. Milburn
  Few.

  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of the abolition of tax relief on private medical insurance for the over-60s on the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [7973]
  558
  Mr. Milburn
  Any impact on the national health service will be dwarfed by the additional resources of £1.2 billion recently announced by the Chancellor.

  Management and Office Costs
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health authorities have achieved the previous Government's targets for reduction in management costs; and what assessment he has made of how soon health authorities will implement the £120 million of further cuts required in management and office costs. [7968]

  Mr. Milburn
  Final accounts figures for health authority costs and trust management costs in 1996–97 are expected to be available towards the end of the year.

  On 22 May, we announced that national health service management costs would be reduced by £100 million in 1997–98.

  Health Service Review
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when he intends to publish a White paper on the future of the NHS; [7970]

  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he now expects the review of the NHS to be completed; and if he will make a statement. [7972]

  Mr. Milburn
  We intend to publish a White Paper on the national health service this autumn which will set out the Government's plans to replace the NHS internal market.

  Accident and Emergency Facilities (Solihull)
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy towards the undertakings provided by the former Minister for Health on 20 March 1996 regarding services at Solihull hospital, with particular reference to 24 hour accident and emergency facilities; and if he will make a statement. [7969]

  Mr. Milburn
  The future of Solihull hospital within the Birmingham Heartlands NHS trust is secure. We will look to the trust to continue to provide high quality health services for the people of Solihull.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the role and responsibilities of NHS trusts and their non-executive directors. [7974]

  Mr. Milburn
  National Health Service trusts exist to provide a range of vital health services to the communities they serve. Non-executive directors are appointed to guide the work of the trust and to take decisions about policy and strategic direction to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of services.

  Operations
  Dr. Tony Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of whether operations are being performed by appropriately qualified and supervised doctors. [7975]
  559
  Mr. Milburn
  We do not collect details about the medical staff who carry out operations. Hospital consultants are responsible for supervising the work of doctors in training. All doctors have a professional responsibility to ensure that they only undertake operations within their clinical competence.

  Waiting Lists
  Ms Beverley Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about hospital waiting lists in(a) Stretford and Urmston and (b) Greater Manchester. [7976]

  Mr. Milburn
  Information about numbers of patients waiting for admission to national health service trusts in England is published quarterly in "Hospital Waiting List Statistics: England", copies of which are available in the Library. The latest information available gives the position on 31 March 1997. This shows that the numbers of patients waiting for admission on either an in-patient or day case basis to the two major trusts in Stretford and Urmston have increased by 20 per cent. since 31 March 1996. In Greater Manchester the numbers waiting have increased at nine of the 12 major trusts serving the area, by 10 per cent. overall. The latter is in line with the increase nationally over the period.

  Nutrition
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to promote a greater awareness of nutrition in relation to the causes of ill health; and if he will make a statement. [7977]

  Ms Jowell
  Research by the Health Education Authority shows that most people in all social classes now know the key messages of healthy eating.

  The Department will continue to secure and publish expert independent advice from the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy; to work with the Health Education Authority and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in developing and publishing materials for health professionals and the general public on healthy eating throughout the age range; and to continue work to ensure that nutrition features in the training of health professionals and teachers.

  On 7 July I announced the Department's plans to publish a Green Paper in the autumn on a strategy for health which will be subject to wide consultation.

  Primary Care Commissioning
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when primary care commissioning pilots will commence. [7978]

  Mr. Milburn
  A programme of primary care-led commissioning pilots was announced on 26 June. Applications to take part in the programme should be made by 31 August and the final selection will be made by 30 September. Following a preparatory period, the evaluation will start on 1 April 1998.

  Insulin Pens
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if it is his Department's intention to put insulin pen needles on prescription. [7980]

  Mr. Milburn
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Greenock and Inverclyde (Mr. Godman) on 17 June,Official Report at column 102.

  Health Service Funding
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements he has made to ensure that services are not affected in the present financial year by the deficits in health authority and health trust budgets. [7981]

  Mr. Milburn
  We are under no illusions about the legacy we inherited. We know that the national health service is under considerable pressure this year. The first duty of the NHS is to respond to those in greatest need, ensuring capacity to respond to emergencies. This it must do. We are also actively taking steps to ensure full co-operation between local social services and the health service to help cope with winter pressures.

  Efficiency Savings (Lichfield)
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to visit the Premier Health NHS trust headquarters in Lichfield to discuss efficiency savings in the national health service. [7967]

  Mr. Milburn
  We have no plans to visit the Premier Health National Health Service Trust, but are aware of the trust's improving efficiency and its streamlined management structure. The Government welcome this, given our firm commitment to reducing bureaucracy in the NHS.

  NHS Sale and Lease Arrangements
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the applicability of sale and lease arrangements to the NHS. [6790]

  Mr. Milburn
  Sale and leaseback may be appropriate where value for money to the national health service can be clearly demonstrated. However, the consequences of any such arrangements need to be carefully considered to ensure they are to the long term benefit of the NHS.

  Private Finance Initiative (Hospital Projects)
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consider hospital PFI proposals which include the provision by the contracting body of any form of clinical support services. [7418]

  Mr. Milburn
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 10 July 1997,Offical Report, at column 578.

  Private finance initiative schemes which come forward for approval before the announcement at the end of the year will not be approved if they include services which Ministers consider, in the interests of the national health service, to be inappropriate.

  Immunisation Campaigns
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent by his Department on mumps, measles and rubella vaccination campaigns for each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what is the amount of expenditure planned for(a) 1997; (b) 1998 and (c) 1999. [7838]

  Ms Jowell
  It is not possible to identify expenditure on measles, mumps and rubella immunisation separately within the childhood immunisation programme.

  Immunisation expenditure is made up of three components: the cost of buying the vaccines; the cost of giving the vaccines; and the cost of the accompanying information materials. Only vaccine purchase expenditure can be identified for each vaccine, and is shown in the table.

  Expenditure on giving measles, mumps and rubella immunisations cannot be separately identified since general practitioners receive a target payment for immunisation based on the percentage of children on their list who are immunised against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, haemophilus influenzae type B, and measles, mumps and rubella. Similarly information expenditure, through the Health Education Authority and the Department of Health's own immunisation materials for parents, covers the whole immunisation programme: as such it is not possible to identify expenditure which might be attributable to measles, mumps and rubella immunisation.

  The cost of purchasing measles, mumps and rubella vaccines in each of the last five financial years is in the table:

  1992–93: £4.3 million

  1993–94: £5.3 million

  1994–95: £16.8 million

  1995–96: £6.8 million

  1996–97: £9.7 million

  The figures include:

  (i) all years: a single dose of measles, mumps and rubella(MMR)—vaccine offered to all children at age 12 to 15 months;

  (ii) all years: rubella vaccine offered to sero-negative women;

  (iii) 1994–95: measles and rubella vaccine offered to all children aged between 5 and 16 during a nationwide campaign to avert a predicted epidemic;

  (iv) until October 1996: rubella immunisation offered to all girls at age 10–14;

  (v) from October 1996: a second dose of MMR vaccine offered to all children at the time they receive their pre-school immunisations.

  (vi) a catch-up second dose MMR programme also initiated from October 1996. Full details are in EL(96)61, copies of which are available in the Library.

  The estimated cost of measles, mumps and rubella vaccines purchased over the next three years is:

  1997–98: £7.9 million

  1998–99: £7.9 million

  1999–2000: £7.8 million

  Note: includes the forecast of two doses of MMR vaccine offered to all children before school entry; and rubella vaccine offered to sero-negative women.
  562

  Care Homes (Wiltshire)
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultation Wiltshire social services undertakes with a referred patient before placing that patient in(a) a local authority home and (b) a private sector home. [8424]

  Mr. Boateng
  Wiltshire social services department has informed the Department of Health that it will first assess the needs of the person. If it decides that the person requires to be placed in a residential home, it encourages the person to consider at least three homes, two of which it would expect to be within the independent sector.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many formal notifications were made to Wiltshire's director of social services and chief executive in the last five years as a result of requirements set at inspections of care homes which have not been complied with against specified time scales. [8414]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Department does not specifically collect this information. However, registration authorities should return to the Department details of those home owners whose registration they refuse or cancel. This is compiled on the national list of refused and cancelled registrations which is then circulated to all local authorities in England. For Wiltshire in this period we have been notified of only one cancellation. In addition, for this period, the registration of one further home owner in Wiltshire was cancelled following appeal to the registered homes tribunal.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much he estimates could be saved if Wiltshire county council moved its residential homes into private sector management. [8415]

  Mr. Boateng
  We have not made such an estimate because centrally available information does not include sufficient detail. In particular, the routine statistics do not distinguish the expenditure on placements in private care homes from those in the voluntary sector.

  It is for each local authority to decide how best to arrange their community care services to meet the needs of their population. We have made it clear that it is not important whether services are provided by the public, private or voluntary sector. What is important, and what the Government are committed to, is that people will receive services which are of high quality, are responsive to their needs and wishes, and which deliver value for money.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) local authority and (b) private sector homes have block bookings by Wiltshire social services. [8417]

  Mr. Boateng
  Wiltshire social services has informed the Department that it gives its in-house residential homes an annual budget. The majority of the places that it purchases from the independent sector are "spot purchased".

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) county council run and (b) private sector care homes have (i) opened and (b) closed in Wiltshire in each of the last five years. [8419]

  Mr. Boateng
  Information on the number of residential care homes opened and closed in the former county of Wiltshire in the years 1993–94 to 1995–96, together with
  563
  the total number of residential care homes at 31 March 1996, is given in the following table. Reliable information is not available for earlier years. Comparable information is not available centrally for nursing care homes.

  Residential care homes in Wiltshire, 1993–94 to 1995–9611

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  Local authority homes:

  opened in year

  2

  0

  0

  closed in year

  2

  1

  0

  number open at end of year

  33

  32

  32

  Private sector:

  opened in year

  10

  6

  1

  closed in year

  6

  5

  5

  number open at end of year

  121

  122

  118

  Voluntary sector homes:

  opened in year

  5

  6

  5

  closed in year

  2

  1

  0

  number open at end of year

  56

  61

  66

  Source:

  Department of Health Annual Statistical return (RAC5).

  Note:

  1 April to 31 March of the following year in each case.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what projections his Department has evaluated of the number of council-run care places and private sector care places which will be needed in the future in Wiltshire. [8422]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Department has not made any such evaluation. It is for each local authority to plan its community care services to meet the needs of its population.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the names by sector of the nursing home and residential care providers used by Wiltshire health authority indicating the percentage of clients funded by Wiltshire social services at each and the average weekly cost to Wiltshire county council per resident at each home. [8426]

  Mr. Boateng
  At 31 March 1996, there were 32 local authority care homes, 66 voluntary sector residential care homes and 118 private sector residential care homes in former county of Wiltshire. In addition there were a further 85 private nursing homes within the Wiltshire and Bath health authority area at the same date. A list of the names of all these homes has been placed in the Library.

  Information is not collected centrally on the numbers of residents in each home who are supported financially by the local authority nor on expenditure related to such placements, so costs cannot be calculated at the level of individual homes. Such expenditure information as has been provided in respect of the former Wiltshire is of total, rather than the usual gross, expenditure by sector. Weekly costs based on this measure of expenditure could not take account of income received from other local authorities in respect of residential provision in Wiltshire of clients normally resident outside the county boundary and would not be comparable with weekly costs produced for other local authorities.
  564
  Information on the numbers of residents financially supported by Wiltshire social services at 31 March 1996 in homes within Wiltshire, by sector, is shown in the table.

  Residents financially supported by Wiltshire social services, 31 March 1996

  Local authority

  Voluntary sector residential care

  Private sector residential care

  Private nursing care

  Number of financially supported residents supported in homes in Wiltshire

  963

  78

  681

  611

  Percentage of all residents in homes in Wiltshire

  91

  13

  35

  27

  Number of financially supported residents supported in homes outside Wiltshire

  —

  16

  94

  120

  Source:

  Department of Health Annual Statistical returns (RAC5, SR1).

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing home patients have been placed in council-run residential homes in Wiltshire in the last five years. [8423]

  Mr. Boateng
  Local authorities are required to provide services which meet the assessed needs of the individual. If a person has been assessed as needing care in a nursing home the local authority cannot place them in a residential home.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much Wiltshire social services has spent on places in(a) council and (b) private care homes in each year since 1991. [8425]

  Mr. Boateng
  Routine financial statistics returned by the former Wiltshire county council have wrongly included expenditure on independent sector provision along with that on local authority homes and therefore do not provide the information requested. The following breakdown of the statistics has been obtained specially from the authority but the figures are of total expenditure rather than the usual gross expenditure and so take no account of any income received by the authority from other local authorities in respect of residential provision in Wiltshire of clients normally resident outside the county boundary.

  Total expenditure on residential provision for adults (excluding nursing provision), Wiltshire, 1993–94 to 1995–96

  £million

  Sector of home

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  (a) Local authority

  17

  16

  16

  (b) Independent sector

  5

  15

  20

  (c) Total

  22

  31

  35

  Comparable figures for earlier years are not available from the authority.
  565
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much he estimates needs to be spent on Wiltshire county council care homes to bring them up to(a) 1984 Government minimum standard and (b) 1997 Government standards. [8413]

  Mr. Boateng
  The information needed to make such an estimate is not available centrally. The Government have made no changes to the Registered Homes Act 1984 and associated regulations which sets out the requirements which care homes must meet to obtain and retain registration under the Act.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the patient/staff ratio in(a) local authority and (b) private nursing and residential homes in Wiltshire. [8420]

  Mr. Boateng
  Latest centrally available information for 1995–96 shows that the ratio of residents to directly employed staff in local authority residential homes for adults in the former county of Wiltshire was 1.36 to 1 and the ratio of residents to nursing staff in private nursing homes in the Wiltshire and Bath health authority area was 1.08 to 1. Staffing information is not collected centrally in respect of private residential homes.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the Pannell Kerr Forster review of services for the elderly commissioned by Wiltshire county council. [8416]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Department has not assessed the Pannell Kerr Forster Review of Services report. This review was commissioned by Wiltshire county council, and it is for them to consider its findings.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the present number of vacancies in(a) council-run and (b) private nursing and residential homes in Wiltshire. [8418]

  Mr. Boateng
  Information on the number of vacancies in residential and nursing care homes in the former county of Wiltshire as at 31 March 1996, the latest date for which information is available centrally, is given in the table.

  Vacancies in care homes in Wiltshire at 31 March 1996

  Sector and type of care home

  Number of vacancies

  As percentage of total places

  Local authority care homes

  114

  9.7

  Private residential care homes

  449

  18.6

  Voluntary residential care homes

  79

  11.3

  Private nursing homes1

  454

  16.7

  Source:

  Department of Health annual statistical returns (RAC5 and K036)

  Note:

  1 Private and voluntary nursing homes registered with Wiltshire and Bath health authority.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the(a) average and (b) the longest stay in hospital of a patient awaiting placement in long-term care by Wiltshire social services. [8421]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Department does not have this information. Wiltshire has informed the Department that their policy on this issue is that they aim to place people in a care home as soon as possible after the assessment has taken place, and the person has decided on a care home of his/her choice.

  Missed Appointments
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what cost is incurred by the NHS through the failure of patients to turn up for scheduled operations; how this figure is calculated; and if he will make a statement. [8740]

  Mr. Milburn
  Information is not available on the costs incurred by the national health service for patients who miss their operations. Hospitals may be able to redirect resources, for example for the treatment of emergency cases that need to be fitted in during the day. In 1996–97 223,000 patients failed to turn-up for in-patient treatment. The average cost for a finished consultant episode in 1995–96—the latest figure available—was £1,103.

  Aricept
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance his Department has issued regarding protocols for the use of the drug Aricept; [8782]

  (2) if he will list the health authorities in England and Wales which have agreed to fund the use of Aricept by (a) general practitioners and (b) hospital consultants; [8783]

  (3) if he will list the hospitals in England and Wales whose hospital formulary includes Aricept. [8781]

  Mr. Milburn
  Guidance has been prepared by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and endorsed by the standing medical advisory committee. We are currently considering whether to issue management guidance to the NHS, together with the clinical guidance on the prescribing of Aricept. Many health authorities and hospitals are still in the process of determining their local policy on the use of this drug.

  Asthma
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the NHS expenditure on the treatment of asthma in the latest year for which figures are available; and what proportion of the total NHS budget this represents; [8863]

  (2) what was the cost to the NHS of providing acute care to adults suffering from occupational asthma attacks in the last five financial years; [8859]

  (3) what was the cost to the NHS of treating adult occupational asthma sufferers, in each year since 1989–90; [8864]

  (4) if he will list NHS expenditure on treatment for asthma broken down by sub-head in the latest year for which information is available; and what proportion of this expenditure was spent on prescriptions. [8862]

  Mr. Boateng
  The bulk of the costs of asthma to the national health service is attributable to prescriptions. Information on the cost of other NHS services is for individual conditions and is only available locally. However, the Department of Health's "Burdens of Disease" analysis estimated that the cost of services for asthma was 150 million in 1993. On this basis, asthma
  567
  accounted for under 2 per cent. of NHS net expenditure—including drugs—in 1992–93. The net ingredient cost of national health service prescriptions for asthma medication in 1996 was £438 million, which is 11 per cent. of the total net ingredient cost of prescriptions in that year. It is not possible to separate out the costs to the NHS of occupational asthma.

  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the net ingredient cost for preparations used in treatment of asthma(a) in total and (b) per health authority, in each of the last four years; [8861]

  (2) how many prescriptions for the treatment of asthma (a) in total and (b) per health authority were issued in each of the last four years; [8860]

  (3) what was the expenditure on general practitioner-prescribed anti-asthma medication and preparations in each health authority broken down by (a) net ingredient costs and (b) net ingredient costs per capita in England. [8856]

  Mr. Milburn
  The available information has been placed in the Library. Information on the use of specific drugs in hospitals is not available.

  Hospital Waste
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to encourage hospitals to adopt sustainable waste policies; and if he will make a statement. [8737]

  Mr. Milburn
  Waste strategy in hospitals should reflect the policies of "Making Waste Work—a strategy for sustainable waste management in England and Wales" published by the Department of the Environment in December 1995. However, in view of the inherent nature of health care provision, the reuse and recycling elements of the waste hierarchy have to be considered particularly carefully to avoid any risk of cross-infection. National Health Service Estates, an executive agency of the Department of Health, is preparing health technical memorandum 2065 "Waste Guidance", due for publication in September, dealing with the minimisation and segregation of clinical waste.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many civil servants there are on each pay band in his Department. [8954]

  Ms Jowell
  The information requested is shown in the table:

  Pay band

  Total

  Permanent secretary

  3

  Senior civil service pay band 8

  7

  SCSPB7

  7

  SCSPB6

  3

  SCSPB5

  1

  SCSPB4

  36

  SCSPB3

  17

  SCSPB2

  24

  SCSPB1

  264

  568

  Pay band

  Total

  Integrated pay band 4

  772

  IP3

  1,144

  Fast stream

  45

  IP2

  966

  IP1

  1,423

  Total

  4,712

  1. There are also some 150 staff who have not yet been assimilated into the new pay band structure.

  2. These above figures are a head count and exclude casual staff, and staff out on loan, secondment, or special leave without pay.

  July 1997.

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of employees in his private office are(a) of Asian origin and (b) of Afro-Caribbean origin. [8952]

  Ms Jowell
  Of 47 staff working in the private office, five or 11 per cent. are of ethnic minority origin and there are three or 6 per cent. whose ethnic origin is not known. To protect the confidentiality of staff, we cannot provide a further breakdown.

  Accident and Emergency Departments (North Thames Region)
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the average waiting times at accident and emergency departments for patient requiring admission at(a) Hillingdon, (b) Ealing, (c) Northwich Park and (d) West Middlesex hospitals. [9174]

  Mr. Milburn
  The Department collects information by health authority which shows the percentage of patients requiring hospital admission through accident and emergency who were admitted within two hours. This information for the quarter ending 31 March 1997 for health authorities in north-west London is set out in the following table:

  Health authority

  Patients admitted within 2 hours Percentage

  Brent and Harrow HA1

  84

  Ealing, Hammersmith and Houslow HA2

  50

  Hillingdon HA3

  84

  1 Covers Northwick Park and St.Marks NHS trust

  2 Covers Ealing Hospital NHS trust and West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust.

  3 Covers Hillingdon Hospital NHS trust.

  Action is being taken within the NHS to ensure that the needs of the emergency patient are met as effectively as possible.

  Hospital Admissions (North Thames Region)
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people aged over 60 years have been admitted to hospital for one or more nights in each of the last three years at(a) Hillingdon, (b) Mount Vernon, (c) West Middlesex, (d) Ealing and (e) Northwick Park hospitals. [9183]
  569
  Mr. Boateng
  Because of the changes and amalgamations that have taken place in the trust during the period concerned, the information given is the best estimate the national health service executive has available. The most recent information held is as follows:

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Hillingdon Hospital NHS trust

  6,073

  6,496

  5,906

  Mount Vernon and Watford Hospital NHS trust

  6,352

  5,963

  12,632

  West Middlesex University Hospital NHS trust

  6,420

  5,897

  6,087

  Ealing Hospital NHS trust

  5,224

  5,318

  5,648

  Northwick Park and St. Mark's NHS trust

  6,370

  5,875

  6,368

  The incorporation of Watford Trust into the Mount Vernon NHS Trust from 1994–95 explains the marked increase in cases recorded for the 1994–95 year.

  School Nurses (North Thames Region)
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of school nurses employed by each community health trust within .the(a) Hillingdon, (b) Brent and Harrow, (c) Ealing, (d) Hammersmith and (e) Hounslow health authorities. [9175]

  Mr. Milburn
  Up to date information is not available centrally because from 1994 the Department of Health's non-medical work force census ceased to distinguish school nurses from other qualified nurses working in community services, excluding health visitors and district nurses. My hon. Friend may wish to contact the chairman of the individual health authorities for the information.

  Alzheimer's Disease
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what code of practice and treatment recommendations are issued by his Department for the treatment of sufferers from Alzheimer's disease. [9493]

  Mr. Boateng
  Decisions about the treatment of Alzheimer's disease are a matter for the judgment of the medical practitioners in consultation with other members of the multi-disciplinary team.

  Nye Bevan Anniversary
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Nye Bevan. [9182]

  Mr. Milburn
  Although there are no national plans to mark the centenary of Nye Bevan's birth, there will be events and initiatives throughout the country during 1998 to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the national health serviceNye Bevan's greatest achievement.

  Employment Advertisements
  Ms Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how often since 1992 his Department has been responsible for employment advertisements which contained age restrictions upon those who could apply. [9503]
  570
  Ms Jowell
  Information on the wording of all advertisements since 1992 is not available except at disproportionate cost, but it is not normal practice to have age restrictions for posts in the Department of Health.

  Dentists' Pay
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the levels of pay for salaried dentists working in the national health service; what other benefits are available to such dentists; and if he will make a statement. [9192]

  Mr. Milburn
  The salary scale for salaried dentists currently ranges from £21,360 to £31,080. Benefits available to salaried dentists are removal expenses, the same sick leave entitlements as community dental staff, paid annual leave discretionary additional leave to enable them to attend appropriate postgraduate refresher courses, and eligibility for the national health service superannuation scheme.

  Recovered Memory Therapy
  Mrs. Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has made to the Royal College of Psychiatrists on the Brandon report on recovered memory therapy. [9867]

  Mr. Boateng
  We understand that the Brandon report has not yet been published and look forward to reading it in due course.

  Prescription Fraud
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the annual cost of prescription fraud in(a) Tamworth, (b) Staffordshire and (c) the west midlands. [9777]

  Mr. Milburn
  The report of the efficiency scrutiny into prescription fraud, published last month, estimated levels of prescription fraud in England and Wales as £85 million£115 million per year. Based on the six-monthly exemption checking exercise carried out by family health services authorities, it is estimated that in 1995–96 the loss of revenue from patient charge evasion was about £0.4 million in Staffordshire family health services authority and about –5 million in West Midlands regional health authority. The total loss of revenue from patient charge evasion for that year, calculated on a different basis to that used by the efficiency scrutiny, was an estimated £34.5 million. It is not possible to estimate the loss in Tamworth alone.

  Medicines Control Agency
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the revised framework document for the Medicines Control Agency. [10346]

  Mr. Milburn
  We have today published the revised Medicines Control Agency framework documents and copies have been placed in the Library.

  NHS Pensions Agency
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the annual report and accounts of the NHS Pensions Agency. [10347]
  571
  Mr. Milburn
  We have approved the report and accounts which have today been laid before both Houses of Parliament in accordance with the requirements of section 5(2) and 5(3) of the Exchequer and Audit Departments Acts 1921. Copies have also been placed in the Library.

  Palliative Care
  Mr. David Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to increase access to palliative care; [7902]

  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the development of palliative care. [8179]

  Ms Jowell
  The Government are aware of the valuable work of hospices and specialist palliative care units in this country. The development of palliative care has done much to change our attitude to death and the process of dying, demonstrating the positive aspects of good management of the patient up to the point of death. With appropriate palliative care, pain and other distressing symptoms can be greatly reduced and people helped to cope. We are committed to expanding palliative care for the dying in all settings. It is our policy that specialist palliative care should be available to all those in need of it, wherever they may live, as is recognised in the report "A Policy Framework for commissioning cancer services"—the "Calman/Hine" report—and the associated guidance in Executive Letter EL(96)85 "A Policy Framework for Commissioning Cancer Services: Palliative Care Services". Copies of both these documents are available in the Library. We look to all health authorities to ensure that they have a strategy in place to achieve this and we are encouraging increasing provision throughout the national health service.

  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that the Government's review of the NHS takes full account of the relationship between the NHS and the independent hospice movement; and if he will make a statement. [8181]

  Mr. Milburn
  The comprehensive spending review will review all aspects of Government spending in the context of the Government's election manifesto commitment:"if you are ill or injured there will be a National Health Service there to help; and access to it will be based on need and need alone—and not on your ability to pay, or on who your general practitioner happens to be or where you live".

  We welcome any contributions from interested parties such as the independent hospice movement.

  Oral Contraceptives
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received alleging that prescription charges for oral contraception would be discriminatory. [8354]

  Mr. Milburn
  None.
  572
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce prescription charges for oral contraceptives. [8355]

  Mr. Milburn
  We shall be examining prescription charges as part of the Government's comprehensive spending review. The Government remain committed to the historic principle of the national health service that health services will be available to all and access will be based on need, not on ability to pay.

  Foster Care
  Mr. Dawson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will review foster care, with special reference to the views of young people in care and foster carers. [8484]

  Mr. Boateng
  There have been a number of departmental initiatives to review the foster care service. The Social Services Inspectorate recently carried out a national inspection to review foster care services. This included interviewing children in foster care and their carers. Their report, "Inspection of Local Authority Fostering 1995–96, National Summary Report", was published in December 1996. In addition, the Department has funded three other research reports. They were: a study undertaken by the National Foster Care Association into "The Organisation of Fostering Services," published in March 1997; "Foster Care, A Research Review", published in March 1997; and "Private Fostering: Development of Policy and Practice", published in March 1997 by the Save the Children Fund. Copies of all these reports were placed in the Library.

  The review of safeguards for children living away from home, currently being conducted by Sir William Utting, has also looked at children in foster care. Consultation with young people formed part of the review process.

  In 1995, the Department launched the "Looking After Children: Good Parenting, Good Outcomes" materials. They provide the opportunity to engage children, wherever they are placed, in their own care plans and encourage communications between all those involved in the care of the child. In the light of this, we do not consider a further review is necessary.

  Embryos
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many frozen embryos have been destroyed to date(a) under the provisions of the Human Embryology and Fertilisation Act 1990 and (b) under other authority. [9705]

  Ms Jowell
  The figures requested are not routinely collected.

  The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 regulates, among other things, the storage of embryos. The Act requires embryos to be removed from storage and allowed to perish if the consent of the patients whose eggs and sperm created the embryos is withdrawn, or if the period of storage permitted under the Act comes to an end. For embryos stored on or before 1 August 1991, when the Act came into force, the maximum period for storage was five years, that is, until 31 July 1996.
  573
  Regulations came into effect on 1 May 1996 which extended the maximum storage period for embryos from five to 10 years, or longer in particular circumstances, if certain conditions were met. Effective consent under the Act for the extended storage period must be obtained in all cases.

  Embryos stored on or before 31 July 1991 for which the required consent for extended storage was not given had, under the terms of the 1990 Act, to be allowed to perish on 1 August 1996. Information provided by licensed clinics to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority shows that 4,402 embryos were removed from storage on or about that date.

  Licensed Drugs
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the differences between health authorities regarding funding for the prescribing of certain licensed drugs; to what extent health authorities are free to refuse to prescribe certain drugs on the grounds of cost; and if he will review the disparities. [10106]

  Mr. Milburn
  Purchasers are responsible for funding those services which are clinically effective and meet the needs of local people in the light of the resources available.

  Policy Reviews
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each departmental policy review presently in progress or scheduled,(a) a description of the purpose of the review and (b) its expected date of completion. [10186]

  Ms Jowell
  The Department of Health has set up the following reviews:A review of the law relating to surrogacy, which is expected to report at the end of this year or at the start of next.
  A review of the evidence relating to possible health risks associated with silicone breast implants, which is expected to report to the chief medical officer in late 1997.
  A review of the breast cancer screening service in Devon and its implications for the breast cancer screening programme as a whole, which is expected to report in the next few weeks.
  The independent advisory panel for the review of London's health services, the main elements of whose work are due to be completed by October 1997.
  A review by Sir Donald Acheson into inequalities of health and life epectancy, which is expected to report during 1998.
  An independent review of some key lessons to be drawn from experience of the "Health of the Nation", which is expected to report in the second quarter of 1998.

  Health Promotion in Schools
  Dr. Ladyman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what improvements he proposes to promote good health in schools. [7956]
  574
  Ms Jowell
  I refer my hon. Friend to the oral answer that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Warrington, South (Ms Southworth) earlier today.

  Cross-departmental Co-operation
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to promote cross-departmental co-operation in the development of the Government's public health strategy. [7950]

  Ms Jowell
  There is a commitment across Government to improve the overall health of the nation and to share responsibility for the new health strategy for England. We have set up a Cabinet Sub-committee to oversee the new strategy which is chaired by my right hon. Friend the President of the Council and will be attended by Ministers from 13 Government Departments, including myself and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. I shall also be meeting a range of ministerial colleagues from other Departments as we develop "Our Healthier Nation".

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Mortgage Benefit
  Mr. Pond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate she has made of the cost of introducing a mortgage benefit equivalent to housing benefit for low income owner occupiers in work. [5442]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  Our objective is to reduce poverty and welfare dependency and to promote work incentives. We will develop a system that supports work, savings and honesty, whilst keeping to our commitment to work within announced spending totals for the first two years of the Government.

  Various forms of mortgage benefit for low-income owner-occupiers in employment have been suggested. The cost could be up to £1 billion per year, if the benefit was fully taken up.

  Pensions Review
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what timetable has been set for her Department's review of pensions; what areas will be covered in this review; and if she will make a statement. [6846]

  Mr. Denham
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, to my right hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Pollock (Mr. Davidson) on 17 July,Official Report, columns 239–41.

  Asthma
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many registered days of certified incapacity due to sickness and invalidity caused by asthma there were in 1995; and how much this cost in benefits payments. [8858]
  575
  Mr. Denham
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

  14 April 1994 to 12 April 1995

  Number of days of certified incapacity due to asthma, excluding days for which statutory sick pay is payable.

  217,061,000

  Estimated cost of sickness and invalidity benefit

  3£179 million

  1 The year ending April 1995 is the latest period for which figures are available.

  2 Source: 1 per cent. sample of all claims in Great Britain. Diagnosis taken from the International Classification of Diseases [1975 edition].

  3 It is not possible to provide figures for other benefits, such as income support which may be payable in addition to or in place of incapacity benefit.

  Policy Reviews
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will list for each departmental policy review presently in progress or scheduled,(a) a description of the purpose of the review and (b) its expected date of completion. [10184]

  Ms Harman
  The major components of this Department's programme are being reviewed as part of the comprehensive spending review, the terms of reference of which will be announced shortly.

  As my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary said in answer to a question from the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Mr. Forth) on 14 July, Official Report, column 3, we expect the comprehensive spending review to last approximately 12 months.

  On 17 July I also announced a view of the central areas of insecurity for elderly people including all aspects of the basic pension and its value and second pensions including SERPS. The purpose of the review is to build a sustainable consensus for the long-term future of pensions. It will enable the Government to publish an initial framework for change in the first part of 1998. There will then be a period of further consultation before firm proposals are developed.

  Child Support
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will give a breakdown of the compensation applications and awards made to Child Support Agency clients in(a) 1995–96 and (b) 1996–97. [5272]

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

  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Mrs. Faith Boardman. She will write to the hon. Member.
  576
  Letter from Faith Boardman to Mr. Archy Kirkwood, dated 21 July 1997:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency compensatory applications and awards. These are referred to as special payments.
  The table attached indicates the number of applications and awards made to customers during the requested periods, against the Agency's live and assessed caseload of over half-a-million.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Child Support Agency live and assessed caseload 579,200

  Total awards made

  Special payments applications made

  Number of cases

  Total amount paid

  1995–96

  1,013

  186

  £115,000

  1996–97

  2,177

  983

  £656,000

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if she will list for each financial year since the establishment of the Child Support Agency(a) how much the agency has paid out in compensatory payments, (b) in how many case compensatory payments have been made, (c) the average amount paid out in compensatory payments, (d) in what proportion of cases dealt with by the CSA compensatory payments have been made and (e) the total number of maintenance assessments carried out by the CSA in each of these periods; [7213]

  (2) if she will list for each financial year since the establishment of the Child Support Agency in how many instances the CSA has made compensatory payments between (a) £0 and £100, (b) £100 and £500, (c) £500 and £1,000 and £5,000 and (e) in excess of £5,000. [7212]

  Mr. Bradley
  [holding answer 9 July 1997]: We expect the Child Support Agency to provide an efficient and effective service to all its clients throughout the child support assessment process. We are looking for substantial and sustained operational improvements from the agency, in particular on getting more maintenance paid, reducing the backlong and improving customer service.

  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Mrs Faith Boardman. She will write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Faith Boardman to Mr. Brian Donohoe, dated 21 July 1997:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency compensatory payments.
  The tables attached provide all the available information regarding compensatory payments. A breakdown of payments into monetary values is not available for 1994/95 or 1995/96 and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Child Support Agency compensatory payments—miscellaneous

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  Amount paid

  £100

  £10,200

  £115,000

  £656,000

  Number of payments made

  1

  77

  186

  983

  Average amount

  £100

  £133

  £779

  £667

  577

  Child Support Agency compensatory payments—miscellaneous

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  Percentage proportion of compensatory payments to total clearances

  0.0003

  0.01

  0.06

  0.28

  Number of maintenance assessments

  205,000

  251,000

  128,000

  129,000

  Child Support Agency compensatory payments—payments breakdown

  Amount

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  £0–99.99

  —

  Not available

  257

  £100–499.99

  1

  Not available

  334

  £500–999.99

  —

  Not available

  180

  £1,000+

  —

  Not available

  212

  Total

  1

  77

  186

  983

  Executive Agencies
  Mrs. Betty Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when she will make available the 1996–97 annual reports and accounts for each of her next steps agencies. [10330]

  Ms Harman
  The 1996–97 annual reports and accounts have been laid before Parliament today for the Benefits, Child Support, Contributions, Information Technology Services, and War Pensions Agencies.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the new level of child care costs disregard 578
  proposed for family credit will come into effect; and if (a) new and (b) existing claimants, will have access to the higher level of disregard from that date. [9560]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  This measure forms part of the Government's commitment to develop a national child care strategy. Within that strategy, the Government will plan provision to match requirements of the modern labour market and provide the help needed by parents to balance the demands of family and working life.

  The proposed improvements to the child care disregard will be brought in at the earliest opportunity, in the summer of 1998. Following the date of introduction, all new awards, for both new and existing claimants, will take account of the new level of disregard. Family credit is awarded at a fixed rate for 26 weeks and existing recipients will be eligible from the first renewal claim following the date of introduction.

  Pension Review Cases
  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will give for the Review of Pension cases(a) the expected completion date and (b) the cost of conducting the review. [8251]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I have been asked to reply.

  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer of 24 June, Official Report, column 454, in which I repeated the Government's challenge to the 24 firms which are together responsible for nearly three-quarters of the cases requiring review, that they should better the targets set by the Securities and Investments Board and the Personal Investment Authority. It is the Government's view that all firms should endeavour to meet, if not better, the targets set by their regulators. The costs of conducting the review are a matter for the firms.

  Life Peers Created Since 1979
  Life Peers Created Since 1979
  Ministers: Private Investments
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  Food Chemical Surveys: Information
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  Maps: Circular 2/93 Guidance
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  Vehicular Rights of Way: High Court Judgment
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  Goodwin v. UK: Judgment
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  Written Answers: Advisory Cost Limit
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  Ministers: Security Vetting
  Ministers: Security Vetting
  Guide to Government Procedures
  Guide to Government Procedures
  Ministers and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
  Ministers and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
  EC Staff: Equal Opportunities
  EC Staff: Equal Opportunities
  Digital Broadcasting: Channel Bundling
  Digital Broadcasting: Channel Bundling
  Law of the Sea Convention
  Law of the Sea Convention
  THORP: Plutonium Recovery
  THORP: Plutonium Recovery
  Sellafield: Plutonium Recovery
  Sellafield: Plutonium Recovery
  Lord Simon of Highbury: Government Responsibilities
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  Wine sold by the Glass
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  Medicines Control Agency: Framework Document
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  Asylum Seekers: Local Authority Costs
  Asylum Seekers: Local Authority Costs
  Terminally Ill Patients: Assessment of Suffering
  Terminally Ill Patients: Assessment of Suffering
  Genetically Engineered Human Blood Components
  Genetically Engineered Human Blood Components
  NHS Pensions Agency Report and Accounts
  NHS Pensions Agency Report and Accounts