Written Answers of 30 June 1997

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Child Protection
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the expenditure by each police force in each of the last five years for which figures are available devoted to enforcing the Protection of Children Act 1978. [5449]

  Mr. Michael
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Child Pornography
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the expenditure of the National Criminal Intelligence Service in each of the last five years for which figures are available devoted to gathering information on child pornography. [5451]

  Mr. Michael
  Gathering information on child pornography is only one area of the work of the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) Paedophile Section and it is not possible to separate expenditure for that purpose from the other activities of the Section. Figures for expenditure by the Paedophile Section, available for the last two years only, are as follows:

  1995–96: £53,027

  1996–97: £61,672.

  These figures are based on staff costs and running expenses but exclude costs of accommodation and other central expenditure.

  Other units in NCIS, such as Interpol and Europol, also conduct work to combat paedophilia and child pornography, but their expenditure on such activity is not separately recorded.

  Primary Purpose Rules
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors underlie the proposed retention of the part of the primary purpose rules which requires the couple to prove that they intend to live together permanently as husband and wife. [5627]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The requirement in the Immigration Rules on marriage to which my hon. Friend refers is not part of the primary purpose rule. It is needed to prevent foreign nationals from using sham marriages as a means to obtain settlement here. The primary purpose rule affected genuine marriages.

  Victim Support
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to review the funding for victim support schemes; [5982]
  2
  (2) when he plans to make a decision on the provision and funding of a helpline service for all victims of crime. [5984]

  Mr. Michael
  We regard support for victims of crime as a priority. We have therefore made available immediately an additional £1 million a year for the work of Victim Support, taking their annual grant to £12.7 million. The extra money will enable Victim Support to set up a national helpline for victims of crime, and to develop further the work of their court-based and local support schemes. We shall maintain a continuing dialogue with Victim Support about their programme of work and funding.

  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the feasibility and cost of providing a nationwide victim support service for witnesses in magistrates courts. [5983]

  Mr. Michael
  We have received a number of representations about the perceived need to improve services for victims, witnesses and other users of magistrates courts, although details have not been collated centrally. A draft final research consultancy report commissioned to assess those needs and to recommend realistic and affordable options for improving support is currently being considered by a standing group of officials from the Government departments and criminal justice agencies with an interest in improving the court/trials process. Victim Support is represented on that group. The group's deliberations should help us to determine priorities for improving services for users of magistrates' courts and how these might best be provided.

  Plastic Baton Rounds
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances plastic baton rounds are used by police in England and Wales. [6116]

  Mr. Michael
  Police forces in England and Wales hold plastic baton rounds for use as a last resort in dealing with serious public disorder. They may be used where conventional methods of policing have been tried and failed or are unlikely to succeed if tried, and where the chief officer decides such action to be necessary because of the risk of loss of life or serious injury, or of widespread destruction of property where the damage may lead to serious risk of loss of life or serious personal injury. Plastic baton rounds have never been used operationally in England and Wales.

  Patrick Nicholls
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 25 June,Official Report, column 510, on the case of Mr. Patrick Nicholls; what part Mr. Nicholls's insistence that he is innocent has played in the Parole Board's decision; and if he will make a statement. [6132]

  Ms Joyce Quin
  The reasons given by the Parole Board for their latest decision in Mr. Nicholls's case do not refer to his insistence on his innocence.

  Community Safety
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to implement the report of the 1991 working party recommendations to give local authorities a statutory duty to organise plans for community safety. [5985]

  Mr. Michael
  We intend to place a new responsibility on local authorities and the police service jointly to develop statutory local partnerships for crime prevention and community safety and to agree, with the key partners, local community safety targets. Our proposals will be developed on the basis of full consultation with all interested parties. This will be included in the forthcoming Crime and Disorder Bill.

  Sex Offenders
  Mr. Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for the home Department when he will implement the provisions of the Sex Offenders Act 1997. [5974]

  Mr. Michael
  We plan to implement the Sex Offenders Act 1997 later this year and we are currently working with the police and others on the systems necessary to achieve early implementation.

  Anti-social Behaviour
  Caroline Flint
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is proposing to tackle anti-social behaviour within neighbourhoods. [5492]

  Mr. Michael
  We intend to introduce Community Safety Orders in the Crime and Disorder Bill.

  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 prevent that person or persons from continuing with specified anti-social conduct.

  A breach of the order will be a criminal offence which would carry stiff penalties— including the possibility of imprisonment.

  Traffic Police
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from ACPO about(a) placing traffic duties within the core objectives for chief constables, (b) the establishment of specialised traffic units and (c) the training of traffic officers. [5432]

  Mr. Michael
  In the current review of the key policing objectives for 1998–99, my Department has been advised that there is some support within the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) for a national objective on traffic policing, but I understand that this view is not supported by ACPO as a whole.

  Issues concerning the organisation of traffic units within police forces and the training of traffic officers fall within the operational responsibilities of individual chief constables. My Department has not received representations from ACPO about those matters.

  Convicted Child Sex Offenders
  Caroline Flint
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he will take to ensure that convicted child sex offenders, during their prison sentence, are not placed on community work programmes which bring them into direct contact with children. [5491]

  Ms Joyce Quin
  Procedures are already in place to identify prisoners convicted of current or previous offences, including sexual offences, against children and young persons under the age of eighteen. In considering applications for release on temporary licence for work outside the establishment, both the nature of the work and the prisoner's offences are taken into account as part of a mandatory rigorous risk assessment process, which includes consultation with the police and probation services in serious cases. These arrangements are designed to prevent the temporary release of any prisoner considered to pose an undue risk to public safety.

  Immigration (Detainees)
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons detained under Immigration Act powers in(a) 1995 and (b) 1996 were subsequently granted leave to remain in the United Kingdom. [5410]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The number of persons granted leave to remain1 in the United Kingdom who had, at some stage2, been detained was 470 in 1995, and 540 in 1996.
  1 Includes cases where enforcement action was withdrawn or abandoned and asylum cases that were granted or given exceptional leave to remain, indefinite leave to remain or exceptional leave to enter.
  2 Detention period does not necessarily relate to the year of decision.

  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average length of detention of persons detained under Immigration Act powers, in the three most recent years for which figures are available. [5413]

  Mr. O'Brien
  Information on the average length of time a person has been kept in detention under Immigration Act powers can be obtained only by examination of individual case records. I regret that the information requested is, therefore, available only at disproportionate cost.

  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of persons detained under Immigration Act powers were reviewed at Immigration Service Headquarters level in(a) 1994, (b) 1995 and (c) 1996. [5401]

  Mr. O'Brien
  Information on the number of cases of persons detained under Immigration Act powers reviewed at Immigration Service Headquarters level can be obtained only by examination of individual case records. I regret that the information requested is, therefore, available only at disproportionate cost.

  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn) of 9 June,Official Report, column 336, what proportion of those currently detained under Immigration Act powers have sought a judicial review of the decision to detain them. [5402]
  5
  Mr. O'Brien
  Information on the proportion of persons detained under Immigration Act powers who have sought a judicial review of the decision to detain can be obtained only by examination of individual case records. I regret that the information requested is, therefore, available only at disproportionate cost.

  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of persons detained under Immigration Act powers for six months or longer in(a) 1995 and (b) 1996. [5403]

  Mr. O'Brien
  Reliable information on the historical flow of persons placed into detention and on the length of such detention can be obtained only through examination of individual case records. I regret that the information requested is, therefore, available only at disproportionate cost.

  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn) of 9 June,Official Report, column 336, what proportion of those currently detained under Immigration Act powers have at some stage applied for bail to an independent adjudicator. [5404]

  Mr. O'Brien
  Information on the proportion of persons detained under Immigration Act powers who have at some stage applied for bail to an independent adjudicator can be obtained only by examination of individual case records. I regret that the information requested is, therefore, available only at disproportionate Cost.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much compensation has been paid out under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme in each of the last five years; and how much he estimates will he paid in the current year. [5809]

  Mr. Michael
  The total compensation paid in each of the last five years is as follows:

  1992–93: £152 million

  1993–94: £165 million

  1994–95: £175 million

  1995–96: £179 million

  1996–97: £211 million (subject to audit).

  Vote provision for compensation in the current year is £214 million. We expect that provision to be taken up in full.

  Member's name

  Appointed

  Qualifications/experience

  Martin J. S. Axtell Esq.

  7 March 1997

  Solicitor, Higher Court Advocate and Recorder.

  George H. Bardwell Esq. CBE

  27 January 1997

  Management consultant and former civil servant. Part time Chairman of the Civil Service Selection Board.

  David Barker Esq. QC

  1 February 1997

  Barrister. [Member of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB)]

  Dr. Thelma Bates

  27 January 1997

  Consultant (retired) in clinical oncology. Chairman of GMC Health Committee.

  W. Keith C. Beattic Esq.

  27 January 1997

  Group Personnel Director in private sector Member of Industrial Tribunals

  6
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases under the Criminal injuries Compensation Scheme which were decided under the illegal tariff scheme remain to be reviewed. [5814]

  Mr. Michael
  None.

  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases have been referred to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeal Board, under the 1995 tariff scheme. [5810]

  Mr. Michael
  In the period 1 April 1996 to 24 June 1997, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel received 1,020 applications for appeal.

  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases were lodged with the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme in each of the last five years. [5812]

  Mr. Michael
  The number of applications received was as follows:

  1992–93: 65,977

  1993–94: 73,473

  1994–95: 71,734

  1995–96: 75,667

  1996–97: 75,032 (subject to audit).

  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time taken to determine an application to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme under the 1995 tariff scheme. [5811]

  Mr. Michael
  The 1996 tariff scheme started on 1 April 1996. In the first year of the scheme's operation, the Authority issued decisions in 75 per cent. of all cases within 8 months of the receipt of the application. 13,566 cases were completely resolved in the year, with the average time for resolution in those cases being 6 months.

  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme lodged prior to the introduction of the illegal tariff scheme remain to be determined. [5813]

  Mr. Michael
  The Board has informed me that some 5,700 cases registered prior to 1 April 1994 still await final resolution. Of these, 5,320 cases are appeals against the original decision.

  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the names, dates of appointment, qualifications and relevant experience of members of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeal Panel. [5116]

  Mr. Michael
  The information requested is set out below.
  7

  Members name

  Appointed

  Qualifications/experience

  Sir Derek Bradbeer OBE

  1 March 1996

  Solicitor. Member of CICB.

  David Brown Esq.

  1 March 1996

  Businessman, Chairman West Sussex Committee for Employment of the Disabled.

  Miss Lesley Clare

  12 February 1997

  Former Scottish Office Civil Servant. Experienced in victims' issues.

  His Honour Sir Jonathan Clarke

  27 January 1997

  Retired judge. [Member of CICB]

  Ms Linda Costelloe Baker

  6 February 1997

  Management consultant and former Probation Service Manager. Member of Parole Board for Scotland.

  Miss Diana Cotton QC

  1 March 1996

  Barrister. [Member of CICB]

  Surgeon Rear Admiral Alexander Craig

  16 May 1997

  Medical Director General (Navy Retired).

  Dr. Ann Fingret

  1 March 1996

  Consultant in Occupational Medicine.

  Jonathan R. Foster Esq. QC

  25 February 1997

  Barrister. [Member of CICB]

  David Gabbitass Esq.

  1 March 1996

  Solicitor. [Member of CICB]

  Sir Richard Gaskell

  27 January 1997

  Retired solicitor. [Member of CICB]

  Edward Gee Esq.

  4 March 1997

  Solicitor. [Member of CICB]

  Dr. Eric Godfrey

  1 March 1996

  GP with mental health and industrial medical experience.

  Alastair M. Hill Esq. QC

  1 March 1997

  Retired barrister. Has worked for the Crown Prosecution Service and is experienced in personal injury matters.

  Frank Howard Esq.

  1 March 1996

  Trade Union Official. JP

  Michael E. A. Innes Esq.

  6 February 1997

  Retired merchant banker. Member of complaints committee of Law Society of Scotland. Accountant

  Michael Lewer Esq. QC

  1 March 1996

  Barrister. Chairman of CICAP [and Member of CICB]

  Miss Geraldine Lindley

  1 March 1996

  Homoeopathist. Trained as Barrister. Founding member of Victim Support in Bristol.

  Crawford Lindsay Esq. QC

  1 March 1996

  Barrister. [Member of CICB]

  Nicholas F. Lowe Esq.

  27 January 1997

  Accountant, JP, Former National Director of Barnados.

  Harley Lumsden Esq. WS

  1 March 1996

  Businessman. Formerly a solicitor in Scotland.

  John M. Lusby Esq.

  27 January 1997

  Former General Manager of Lothian Health Board

  Lord Macaulay of Bragar QC

  26 March 1997

  Barrister. [Member of CICB]

  Roderick MacDonald QC

  16 February 1997

  Barrister. [Member of CICB]

  Mrs. Suzan P. Matthews QC

  1 March 1997

  Practising barrister. Specialist in criminal, civil and family law.

  Dr. G. J. Ross McHardy

  9 February 1997

  Retired consultant physician. Experience in appeals tribunals.

  Alexander E. Mcllwain Esq. CBE WS

  6 February 1997

  Solicitor. Former Scottish Law Society President.

  Major General Anthony L Meier CB OBE

  5 February 1997

  Senior Army Officer (Retired), NHS Trust Board Member.

  Dr. John Miles

  1 March 1996

  Former civil servant and college lecturer. Works for Prince's Trust.

  Terence Molloy Esq. JP

  1 March 1996

  Trade Union Official. Member of Parole Board.

  Charles A. Norris Esq.

  27 January 1997

  Solicitor specialising in personal injury work.

  Miss Erica M. Norton OBE

  27 January 1997

  Former Assistant Chief Constable.

  Michael Park Esq. CBE

  1 March 1996

  Solicitor. [Member of CICB]

  Lawrence Peterken Esq. CBE

  6 February 1997

  Former chief executive Glasgow Health Board, with experience in local government and industry.

  David C. de Peyer Esq.

  27 January 1997

  Former Director General, Cancer Research Campaign.

  Robin Pinto Esq.

  4 March 1997

  Consultant psychiatrist. Experience of Medico-legal work.

  Dame Avril Poole DBE, RGN, RM, RHV,CBIM

  27 January 1997

  Former Chief Nursing Officer, Department of Health

  John Scampion Esq.

  1 March 1997

  Former chief executive of local authority. Commissioner for Social Fund for Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

  John Michael Shorrock Esq. QC

  27 January 1997

  Barrister. [Member of CICB]

  Amolak Singh Esq.

  1 March 1997

  Dental practitioner and general secretary of General Denial Practitioners Association. Experience of Medico-legal work.

  His Honour Eric Stockdale

  27 January 1997

  Retired judge. [Member of CICB]

  Anthony V. Summers Esq.

  9 March 1997

  Solicitor. Senior Partner specialising in Civil Litigation.

  Mrs. Rosemary E. R. Thomson CBE JP MA

  27 January 1997

  Former Chairman of Council. The Magistrates Association.

  Dr. Frances M. Walters

  27 January 1997

  Senior Partner, General Medical Practice.

  Donald Williams Esq.

  11 February 1997

  Former solicitor, Recorder and Chairman of Industrial Tribunals.

  Austin P. Wilson Esq.

  27 January 1997

  Former Home Office Civil Servant, experienced in Criminal Policy matters.

  Dr. D. Pamela Wills

  10 February 1997

  Child/adolescent consultant psychiatrist. Experienced in Tribunals.

  Asylum Seekers
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proportion of those asylum seekers currently detained under Immigration Act powers were first detained at a time when(a) their asylum claim had yet to be determined by the Home Office, (b) their appeal against a refusal of asylum had yet to be determined by an adjudicator or the immigration Appeal tribunal and (c) they had exhausted all appeal rights; [5412]
  8
  (2) if he will provide a breakdown of the total number of asylum seekers currently detained under Immigration Act powers by (a) nationality, (b) gender, (c) length of time in detention, (d) location and (e) immigration status at the time of detention. [5405]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The available information on those persons recorded as detained under Immigration Act powers as at 31 May 1997, and who had sought asylum at some stage, is given in the tables.
  9
  I regret that information on the stage at which these persons were first placed into detention could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Table 1. Number of people recorded as being detained1 2 on 31 May 1997 who had sought asylum at some stage, by gender and immigration status

  Gender

  Port

  Illegal entrants

  Subject to deportation action

  Total

  Male

  297

  334

  49

  680

  Female

  29

  19

  5

  53

  Total

  326

  353

  54

  733

  1 Provisional figures.

  2 Persons detained solely under the powers contained in Schedule 2 or 3 of the Immigration Act 1971.

  Table 2: Number of people recorded as being detained1 2 on 31 May 1997 who had sought asylum at some stage, by stage of application and immigration status

  Stage of application

  Port

  Illegal entrants

  Subject to deportation action

  Total

  Awaiting initial decision

  82

  87

  5

  174

  Awaiting result of appeal

  139

  132

  33

  304

  Awaiting removal3

  105

  134

  16

  255

  Total

  326

  353

  54

  733

  1 Provisional figures.

  2 Persons detained solely under the powers contained in Schedule 2 or 3 of the Immigration Act 1971.

  3 Includes cases where the result of a further challenge is awaited or where another bar to removal currently exits.

  Table 3. Number of people recorded as being detained1 2 on 31 May 1997 who had sought asylum at some stage, by length of detention3 and immigration status

  Length

  Port

  Illegal entrants

  Subject to deportation action

  Total

  0–1 Month1

  77

  80

  8

  165

  1–2 Months

  59

  81

  4

  144

  2–6 Months

  131

  143

  18

  292

  6–12 Months

  48

  44

  19

  111

  12 Months+

  11

  5

  5

  21

  Total

  326

  353

  54

  733

  1 Provisional figures.

  2 Persons detained solely under the powers contained in Schedule 2 or 3 of the Immigration Act 1971.

  3 In some cases the date a person enters detention may be understated due to the method of recording.

  Table 4: Number of people recorded as being detained12 on 31 May 1997 who had sought asylum at some stage, by nationality and immigration status

  Nationality

  Port

  Illegal entrants

  Subject to deportation action

  Total

  India

  19

  100

  4

  123

  Nigeria

  49

  38

  15

  103

  Algeria

  15

  55

  6

  76

  China

  38

  13

  0

  51

  Pakistan

  21

  23

  5

  49

  Ghana

  12

  12

  3

  27

  Turkey

  16

  5

  1

  22

  Bangladesh

  3

  13

  3

  19

  10

  Table 4: Number of people recorded as being detained1 2 on 31 May 1997 who had sought asylum at some stage, by nationality and immigration status

  Nationality

  Port

  Illegal entrants

  Subject to deportation action

  Total

  Cyprus

  14

  2

  0

  16

  Sri Lanka

  8

  5

  0

  13

  Columbia

  11

  1

  0

  12

  Kenya

  9

  2

  1

  12

  Yugoslavia

  10

  1

  1

  12

  Angola

  6

  4

  1

  11

  Gambia

  7

  3

  1

  11

  Poland

  6

  5

  0

  11

  Romania

  1

  10

  0

  11

  Albania

  3

  7

  0

  10

  Liberia

  10

  0

  0

  10

  Uganda

  6

  2

  0

  8

  Jamaica

  3

  4

  0

  7

  Lithuania

  4

  3

  0

  7

  Somalia

  6

  0

  1

  7

  Ethiopia

  3

  3

  0

  6

  Morocco

  1

  4

  1

  6

  Ivory Coast

  1

  3

  1

  5

  Russia

  1

  4

  0

  5

  Sierra Leone

  5

  0

  0

  5

  Bulgaria

  3

  1

  0

  4

  Iran

  3

  1

  0

  4

  South Africa

  3

  0

  1

  4

  Tunisia

  1

  2

  1

  4

  Zaire

  3

  0

  1

  4

  Afghanistan

  1

  2

  0

  3

  Cameroon

  1

  2

  0

  3

  Ecuador

  3

  0

  0

  3

  Lebanon

  1

  2

  0

  3

  Sudan

  1

  2

  0

  3

  Other

  18

  16

  6

  40

  Nationality Doubtful

  0

  3

  0

  3

  Total

  326

  353

  54

  733

  1 Provisional figures.

  2 Persons detained solely under the powers contained in Schedule 2 or 3 of the Immigration Act 1971.

  Table 5. Number of people recorded as being detained1 2 on 31 May 1997 sought asylum at some stage, by location of detention and immigration status

  Port

  Illegal entrants

  Subject to deportation action

  Total

  Prisons

  HMP Rochester

  57

  58

  7

  122

  HMP Haslar

  28

  31

  10

  69

  HMP Greenock

  1

  15

  0

  16

  HMP Magilligan

  0

  12

  0

  12

  HMP Birmingham

  1

  7

  1

  9

  HMP Wormwood Scrubs

  2

  5

  1

  8

  HMP Brixton

  0

  5

  2

  7

  HMP Manchester

  0

  4

  0

  4

  HMP Armley

  0

  2

  1

  3

  HMP Holloway

  0

  1

  2

  3

  HMP Wandsworth

  0

  1

  2

  3

  HMP Bristol

  0

  2

  0

  2

  HMP Liverpool

  0

  1

  1

  2

  Other prison

  8

  6

  5

  19

  11

  Table 5. Number of people recorded as being detained1 2 on 31 May 1997 sought asylum at some stage, by location of detention and immigration status

  Port

  Illegal entrants

  Subject to deportation action

  Total

  Other Places of Detention

  Campsfield House

  68

  52

  9

  129

  Tinsley House

  56

  41

  7

  104

  Hammondsworth

  50

  29

  5

  84

  Police Cells

  18

  61

  1

  80

  Queens Building

  10

  5

  0

  15

  Manchester Airport

  3

  6

  0

  9

  Dover Harbour

  8

  0

  0

  8

  Other place

  16

  9

  0

  25

  Total

  326

  353

  54

  733

  1 Provisional figures.

  2 Persons detained solely under the powers contained in Schedule 2 or 3 of the Immigration Act 1971.

  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons applying for asylum at ports of entry were detained under Immigration Act powers for one night or longer in each month of(a) 1995 and (b) 1996. [5411]

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

  Number1 of persons who had applied for asylum on arrival in the United Kingdom and were placed into detention under Immigration Act powers2 3 1995 and 1996 by month

  Month

  1995

  1996

  January

  155

  140

  February

  140

  135

  March

  160

  150

  April

  185

  130

  May

  135

  125

  June

  175

  150

  July

  155

  155

  August

  145

  160

  September

  145

  200

  October

  185

  145

  November

  165

  145

  December

  195

  150

  Total

  1,945

  1,785

  1 Provisional and estimated figures rounded to the nearest 5.

  2 Persons detained solely under the powers contained in Schedule 2 or 3 of the Immigration Act 1971.

  3 Includes those placed into detention on the day of their arrival in the United Kingdom, or the following day, but excludes those cases where detention length can be established as being less than one night in duration.

  Singh Shingara Case
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the implications of the judgment by the European Court of Justice in the Singh Shingara case for rulings by his Department. [5395]

  Mr. Straw
  The implications of this judgment will be taken into account by the High Court when it resumes its consideration of Mr. Shingara's application for judicial review of the decision to exclude him from the United Kingdom.

  Privately Managed Prisons
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the estimated cost savings attributed by his Department to privately managed prisons is accounted for by(a) lower pay and shorter pay scales, (b) longer working hours, (c) less generous pension provision and (d) less generous provision in respect of sick pay and holidays; and which of these policies he proposes to introduce to the publicly managed Prison Service. [5803]

  Ms Joyce Quin
  A research report published on 29 October 1996, a copy of which is in the Library, showed that on 1995–96 figures, prisons operated by the private sector are 11–17 per cent. cheaper than comparable prisons operated in the public sector. A further study is now under way, with the co-operation of contractors, to define in more detail how the private sector operators achieve lower operating costs. The work is not yet completed, and I will consider the implications of its findings when I receive the final report.

  Asylum and Immigration Act
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) 9 June,Official Report, column 323, which organisations he (a) is consulting and (b) plans to consult, in relation to his review of the provisions of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996. [5406]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  We will consult widely before taking any decisions about the 1996 Act. A number of organisations have already given us their views.

  Nuclear Materials
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the success of Europol in(a) detecting and (b) preventing the illegal movement and trade of nuclear materials. [5957]

  Mr. Michael
  The mandate of the Europol Drugs Unit to assist member states in tackling serious trans-national crime was extended to cover illicit trafficking in radioactive and nuclear substances in March 1995. Since then, the Unit has received only a small number of requests from member states for assistance in this area. The Unit has also undertaken strategic work on the threat to the European Union from this form of crime.

  The assistance which the Unit will be able to offer member states will be augmented on entry into force of the Europol Convention. A key change will be Europol's ability to pool and analyse intelligence in central databases.

  Crime Prevention
  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he plans to take to co-ordinate the work of voluntary organisations concerned with the prevention, detection and effects of crime with special reference to Victim Support and Crime Concern with those from the statutory authorities with special reference to the Safer Cities Project. [4810]
  13
  Mr. Michael
  [holding answer 25 June 1997]: The Government are committed to reducing crime through the enhancement of local partnership arrangements. That is why we intend to create a statutory duty for local authorities and the police service jointly to ensure that the vital work of all key agencies—voluntary and statutory—is brought together locally within a co-ordinated multi-agency framework.

  The local community—which includes residents, voluntary organisations and the business community—will be involved in identifying local problems of crime and disorder and together will then draw up and implement plans to tackle those identified local problems.

  In this way, everyone's effort will be complementary, mutually supportive and, above all, better focused on local problems.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the balance held by each TEC at the end of 1996–97. [4290]

  Dr. Howells
  A list of Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs), their surpluses and accumulated reserves, as shown in their audited annual statutory accounts, at the end of the financial year 1995–96 is shown in the following table. This is the most recent year for which information is available.

  TECs are allowed to generate surpluses and create reserves by subcontracting training at a lower unit price than that negotiated with the Department. Surpluses are used by TECs on activities in support of their corporate and business plan objectives which are agreed with the Government.

  TECs have provided further information which reports that the total reserves of almost £260 million comprised £51 million for investment in capital assets, £86 million for working capital and £123 million for discretionary expenditure. Of the sum available for discretionary expenditure, TECs report that £102 million was earmarked for planned expenditure in 1996–97 and beyond, for training, enterprise and economic regeneration initiatives.

  TECs/CCTEs by region

  Post tax surplus/deficit 1995–96 £

  Reserves 1995–96 £

  Northern

  Country Durham

  (646,364)

  6,413,585

  Northumberland

  475,842

  6,511,028

  Teesside

  437,000

  7,234,000

  Tyneside

  2,101,000

  4,407,000

  Sunderland (Wearside)

  1,590,984

  4,725,925

  3,958,462

  29,291,538

  Merseyside

  CEWTEC

  897,592

  3,424,783

  Merseyside

  (2,867,096)

  4,455,012

  St. Helens

  (293,520)

  832,294

  (2,263,024)

  8,712,089

  14

  TECs/CCTEs by region

  Post tax surplus/deficit 1995–96 £

  Reserves 1995–96 £

  North West

  Bolton/Bury

  (238,453)

  3,867,289

  Manchester

  560,301

  5,155,404

  METRO

  213,325

  971,827

  Oldham

  102,240

  1,240,279

  Rochdale

  138,448

  1,932,813

  South and East Cheshire

  1,322,376

  3,808,389

  Stockport and High Peak

  (48,248)

  2,715,158

  Cumbria

  422,291

  3,121,591

  ELTEC

  (74,614)

  3,259,567

  LAWTEC

  (337,754)

  5,626,129

  NORMID

  539,256

  2,996,717

  2,599,168

  34,695,163

  Yorkshire and the Humber

  Barnsley/Doncaster

  2,552,000

  5,948,000

  Bradford

  (436,245)

  2,311,416

  Calderdale and Kirklees

  97,846

  1,986,121

  Humberside

  419,280

  6,229,229

  Leeds

  207,287

  4,228,110

  North Yorkshire

  (132,000)

  5,535,000

  Rotherham

  1,074,660

  4,419,256

  Sheffield

  788,000

  5,717,000

  Wakefield

  500,611

  4,107,933

  5,071,439

  40,482,065

  Eastern

  Bedfordshire

  392,006

  1,347,628

  Cambs

  378,209

  1,286,849

  Essex

  2,459,798

  7,066,397

  Greater Peterborough

  (75,628)

  1,408,067

  Hertfordshire

  520,000

  3,770,000

  Norfolk and Waveney

  1,372,000

  4,260,000

  Suffolk

  1,158,123

  2,290,854

  6,204,508

  21,429,795

  East Midlands

  Greater Nottingham

  817,000

  2,394,000

  Leicester

  1,252,154

  6,472,807

  Lincolnshire

  652,071

  2,295,863

  Northamptonshire

  443,441

  1,991,332

  North Derbyshire

  138,008

  1,238,306

  North Nottinghamshire

  280,867

  3,111,550

  South Derbyshire

  642,000

  3,961,000

  4,225,541

  21,464,858

  West Midlands

  Birmingham

  1,013,000

  3,987,000

  Central England

  255,810

  1,798,394

  Coventry/Warwick

  976,966

  2,835,271

  Dudley

  (277,643)

  940,007

  HAWTEC

  309,857

  1,164,866

  Sandwell

  385,104

  1,691,913

  Shropshire

  497,489

  2,273,100

  Staffordshire

  385,000

  5,629,000

  Walsall

  563,982

  1,254,626

  Wolverhampton

  161,000

  1,700,000

  4,270,565

  23,274,177

  South West

  Westec

  341,000

  4,316,000

  Devon/Cornwall

  (620,000)

  3,465,000

  Dorset

  (264,911)

  2,626,165

  Gloucester

  980,410

  3,619,487

  Somerset

  (48,000)

  2,003,935

  Wiltshire

  28,106

  1,551,212

  416,605

  17,581,799

  15

  TECs/CCTEs by region

  Post tax surplus/deficit 1995–96 £

  Reserves 1995–96 £

  London

  AZTEC

  884,679

  4,397,861

  CENTEC

  (22,482)

  2,701,498

  CILNTEC

  54,123

  2,405,603

  LETEC

  2,505,452

  8,530,616

  North London

  802,634

  7,066,973

  North West London

  1,051,535

  2,581,550

  SOLOTEC

  2,575,000

  6,249,000

  South Thames

  0

  0

  West London

  1,383,308

  2,608,221

  9,234,249

  36,541,322

  South East

  Hampshire

  (1,077,933)

  3,758,587

  Isle of Wight

  140,565

  921,777

  Kent

  1,385,448

  6,189,635

  Milton Keynes/North Buckinghamshire

  222,758

  1,151,259

  Heart of England

  (352,446)

  2,340,596

  Surrey

  (56,808)

  2,043,823

  Sussex

  (960,000)

  4,595,000

  Thames-Valley Ent.

  333,309

  5,332,077

  (365,107)

  26,332,754

  Grand Total

  33,352,406

  259,805,560

  Further Education Colleges
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many further education colleges in England and Wales face budget reductions for the financial year 1997–98. [5330]

  Dr. Howells
  The Further Education Funding Council has determined final allocations for the academic year 1997–98 in respect of 227 colleges. 109 of these colleges have reduced allocations compared to their funding allocations at the start of 1996–97. 202 of these colleges have reduced allocations compared to their estimated out-turn for 1996–97. Final allocations have still to be made for the remaining 220 colleges.

  The responsibility for colleges in Wales lies with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many further education colleges in England and Wales are currently operating with a financial deficit. [5329]

  Dr. Howells
  Based on audited accounts for the academic year ending July 1996, the number of colleges in England with an operating deficit is 275. The total operating deficit involved is £112 million, equivalent to 2.9 per cent. of total income.

  The responsibility for colleges in Wales lies with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many students were enrolled in further education colleges in England and Wales during 1992–93; [5327]
  16
  (2) how many students are enrolled in further education colleges in England and Wales during the current financial year. [5328]

  Dr. Howells
  The figures in table 1 below show the number of FE and HE students in further education colleges in England in the academic years, 1992–93 and 1996–97. In order to provide data on a comparable basis, the 1992–93 figure includes information for sixth form colleges which became part of the FE sector in April 1993. Information for 1996–97 is provisional.

  Table 1: Number of students in further education colleges in England (thousands)

  Academic year

  Number of students in further education colleges1

  1992–93

  1,952.5

  1996–97 (Provisional)

  2,351.8

  Note:

  1 As at 1 November.

  Mr. Truswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what criteria he will employ in considering proposed mergers of further education colleges; and if continuity, choice and accessibility of courses will be essential requirements. [5277]

  Dr. Howells
  My right hon. Friend will normally consider proposed mergers on the basis of a formal proposal from the Further Education Funding Council for England. The Council assesses proposals against criteria which include the benefits to existing and future students in terms of access and choice. It is also a statutory requirement, contained in S.I. 1992 No. 2361, that public notices in respect of proposals shall include the educational provision to be made for those students who have not completed their courses at the time of the merger.

  Mr. Truswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to review the effects of the incorporation of colleges and of the further education funding council system, particularly as regards areas served by a number of further education institutions. [5315]

  Dr. Howells
  My right hon. Friend expects the further education sector to continue to be funded by the Further Education Funding Council for England and for colleges to continue to be governed as independent institutions. In areas served by a number of colleges, he would welcome greater collaboration between them.

  Departmental Advisers
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the special advisers in his Department, the Minister to whom each is responsible, the subjects on which they advise and the number of advisers in his Department in the year up to 1 May. [5359]

  Mr. Blunkett
  I refer my hon. Friend to my replies given to the hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham on 10 June and 19 June,Official Report, cols. 369 and 258 respectively.

  Both of my advisers are employed under terms and conditions based on the model contract for Special Advisers. In accordance with Schedule 1 (part 1) of the

  17
  model contract, Conor Ryan is advising me on press and policy presentation strategy; school standards; lifelong learning; University for Industry; information technology; Welfare to Work and the Education White Paper. Sophie Linden (part time) is advising me on Nursery and Primary (literacy and numeracy) education; Teacher training; Millennium volunteers; Young People/Pupil welfare and links with Parliament.

  Any additional provision will be directed at the development of employment and employability issues, together with specific support to me in dealing with confidential written material, reflecting the particular circumstances I face in undertaking my job on equal terms with my other ministerial colleagues.

  The Department employed two advisers in the year up to 1 May 1997.

  Pupils, Gloucestershire
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many children in Gloucestershire are in full time education in(a) primary and (b) secondary schools. [5368]

  Mr. Byers
  In January 1997 (provisional estimates), the numbers of full time children in maintained primary and secondary schools in Gloucestershire Local Education Authority area were 46,152 and 34,961 respectively.

  Class Sizes
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many primary school children in Gloucestershire have been taught in class sizes larger than 29 in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [5369]

  Table 2: Numbers of classes and pupils by class size for classes taught by one teacher in maintained primary schools in the Harrow Parliamentary Constituencies in January 1997 (Provisional Estimates)

  Size of class

  1–20

  21–30

  31–35

  36–40

  41 or more

  Total

  Number of classes

  Number of pupils

  Number of classes

  Number of pupils

  Number of classes

  Number of pupils

  Number of classes

  Number of pupils

  Number of classes

  Number of pupils

  Number of classes

  Number of pupils

  Harrow West

  23

  321

  181

  5,073

  57

  1,818

  0

  0

  0

  0

  261

  7,212

  Harrow East

  20

  291

  256

  7,031

  58

  1,845

  0

  0

  0

  0

  334

  9,167

  Further Education (Funding)
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proposals he has to review(a) the Further Education Funding Council's funding methodology and (b) its policy of funding convergence. [5325]

  Dr. Howells
  The report of a working group of the Further Education Funding Council on the funding methodology is due to be published shortly. The Council's announcement last month on funding convergence policy followed consultation with colleges earlier in the year.
  18
  Mr. Byers
  The information requested is shown in the following table.

  Numbers of pupils in one teacher classes of 30 or more in maintained primary schools in Gloucestershire Local Education Authority Area: 1988–1997

  Position as at January

  Number

  1997 (provisional estimates)

  19,630

  1996

  17,936

  1995

  15,975

  1994

  14,693

  1993

  13,172

  1992

  12,483

  1991

  12,054

  1990

  13,588

  1989

  13,468

  1988

  15,298

  Mr. McNulty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what are the average and maximum numbers of children in primary school classes in (i) Harrow, East and (ii) Harrow, West; and how many are educated in class sizes of over 30 pupils. [5352]

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

  The information in Table 2 puts into context the information on maximum class sizes in Table 1.

  Table 1: Average and maximum class size and number of pupils in classes of 31 or more pupils for classes taught by one teacher in maintained primary schools in the Harrow Parliamentary Constituencies in January 1997 (Provisional Estimates)

  Average class size

  Maximum size class

  Pupils in classes of 31 or more

  Harrow West

  27.6

  35

  1,818

  Harrow East

  27.4

  35

  1,845

  Further Education (Strategic Planning)
  Mr. Truswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he intends to introduce a system of strategic planning into the further education sector, particularly in areas served by a number of colleges. [5314]

  Dr. Howells
  In order to assess whether it is fulfilling its statutory duties in respect of the provision of adequate and sufficient further education in England the Further Education Funding Council for England requests all further education sector colleges to produce strategic plans covering a three year period.

  School Playing Fields
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in what form the Government plans to replace DES Circular 909 in order to stop encouraging schools from selling their playing fields. [6080]

  Mr. Byers
  The Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981 were replaced last year by the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1996, which set out minimum areas of grassed playing field for all schools with pupils over 8 years old.

  We intend to make sure that those playing fields which schools and their local communities need are not sold in future.

  My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Education and Employment and the Secretary of State for the National Heritage are discussing this as a matter of urgency. We are looking at a wide range of options to ensure that all school pupils will have access to proper sports facilities.

  Funding
  Mr. Fitzpatrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he will announce the allocation of credit approvals to local education authorities and of capital grant to the governors of voluntary aided schools. [6357]

  Mr. Byers
  I shall announce the allocation of £33 million of credit approvals to local education authorities under the 1997–98 round of the Schools Renewal Challenge Fund and £3.9 million of grant to governors of voluntary aided schools under the Voluntary Aided Schools Minor Works Challenge on Tuesday 1 July. Details of these allocations will be placed in the Library.

  Nursery Vouchers
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement about the Government's response to the report of the Education and Employment Committee on the operation of the nursery voucher scheme, published on 12 March. [6386]

  Mr. Byers
  The Government's response to this report has been laid before Parliament today.

  Higher Education Statistics
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the OECD figures for higher education expenditure per student in each year since 1992 for(a) the United Kingdom, (b) each other EU country, (c) Pacific rim countries and (d) the USA. [5131]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 25 June 1997]: The OECD's Education at a glance figures are at present available only for 1992 and 1993: copies are available in the Library. Comparisons between the figures for these years are particularly difficult because of changes in the basis of some of the calculations. In the case of the UK, these changes account for some of the 20 per cent. decline in the UK's spending per student per year on tertiary
  20
  education between these years. The 1993 figures show that the UK spends more per student on tertiary education than Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Japan and New Zealand; but less than Austria, Netherlands, Sweden, Australia and the USA.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his assessment of the minimum rate of unemployment for adult men consistent with full employment at a high and sustainable rate of growth. [2282]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  [pursuant to his reply, 16 June 1997, c.48]: It may clarify the position further if I advise that the government has placed no such minimum figure on the rate of unemployment for adult males. Our aim is a high and stable level of employment, to be achieved by running a successful low inflation economy, with macro-economic stability as a platform for sustainable growth, and by enhancing skills and improving the operation of the labour market to open up job opportunities to all groups in society—men and women, young and old.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Utilities (Regulation)
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on regulation of the utilities. [6217]

  Mrs. Beckett
  I am announcing today an inter-departmental review of the regulation of the utility industries. My aim is for the review to report to Ministers by the end of the year.

  The Government's objective for the review is to set a long-term stable framework for utility regulation which is seen as fair by all the interest groups involved, particularly by consumers. Without fairness, there can be no long-term stability. We want the regulatory framework to deliver value, quality and choice to consumers while providing incentives to managers to innovate and improve efficiency. The guiding principles must be transparency, consistency and predictability of regulation.

  The terms of reference for the review are to consider whether changes are required to the system of regulation of the utility industries in order to ensure open and predictable regulation, fair to all consumers and to shareholders, and which promotes the Government's objectives for the environment and sustainable development, whilst providing sufficient incentives to managers to innovate, raise standards and improve efficiency.

  The review will concentrate on the regulation of gas, electricity, telecommunications and water in the context of the development of competition in the regulated markets, and against the background of general competition law, where we will be legislating in the autumn. It will also consider whether there are lessons to

  21
  be learnt from this and other regulatory experience, to inform the development of regulatory principles of general applicability.

  In short it is time to take stock to see how the existing framework can be updated, modernised and refreshed.

  Arms length independence of regulators will be preserved, although after 13 years we need to ensure that the balance between Ministers and regulators is correct. Also, while the review will be examining the formula for determining prices, it will not consider rate of return regulation.

  There has been extensive consideration of utility regulation issues. The review will take this into account, together with the conclusions and recommendations recently made to the Public Accounts Committee, the Trade and Industry Select Committee, and the UK Round Table on Sustainable Development. This work has already identified many of the key issues, and provides a helpful and well developed starting point for the review. Any further representations to the review may be made in writing by 5 September.

  Ministers will consider advice emerging from the review in the autumn. If changes are contemplated, the Government will consult fully then.

  Collective Redundancies
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals are currently under discussion in the European Union on approximation of member states' laws over collective redundancies. [6089]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  A proposal to consolidate the two existing Directives relating to this matter is currently under discussion. It would make no substantive changes.

  Standing Committee on Standardisation
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what moves have been made towards the creation of a standing committee on standardisation, pursuant to COM(96)642; and if she will make a statement. [6094]

  Mr. Battle
  The proposal presented by the European Commission for a European Parliament and Council Directive laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations (codified version)—COM(96)642—consolidates the text of Directive 83/189/EEC as amended by Directive 88/182/EEC and Directive 94/10/EC. The Standing Committee established under Directive 83/189/EEC meets on a regular basis. At least twice a year it also meets with representatives of the European and national standardisation bodies.

  Genetic Material (Health Prognoses)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of the implications for the insurance industry of developments which allow prognosis of an individual's future health based on analysis of genetic material. [5947]

  Mr. Battle
  The Human Genetics Advisory Commission (HGAC) has been established to take a broad overview of developments in human genetics. It has 22
  identified the implications of genetic testing for Insurance as an immediate priority. An Insurance sub-group is taking this forward, and I look forward to receiving the HGAC's advice in due course.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consideration she is giving to the recommendations of the Science and Technology Committee that a Genetics Commission with regulatory powers should be established in its Third report, 1994–95, Human Genetics: the science and its consequences, (HC41); and what discussions she has had on this subject with the Association of British Insurers. [4565]

  Mr. Battle
  Human genetics is a fast-moving field which requires a flexible approach, avoiding undue regulation. I look forward to receiving advice in due course from the Human Genetics Advisory Commission (HGAC), which has identified the implications of genetic testing for insurance as an immediate priority.

  My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has not yet had discussions on this subject with the Association of British Insurers.

  Minimum Wage
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate she has made of the impact of a national minimum wage set at(a) £3.50, (b) £4.00 and (c) £4.42 per hour on employment in the (i) retail sector, (ii) catering industry, (iii) hotel management industry and (iv) textile industry. [5595]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  We will ask the independent Low Pay Commission, before it reaches a recommendation on the level at which the national minimum wage might be set, to take into account all economic circumstances, including its likely impact. I will not speculate about the possible effects of hypothetical levels before the Commission has had a chance to consider the issues. Professor George Bain will chair the Commission and we are currently looking to recruit other suitably qualified members, including individuals with experience of the range of industries and services likely to be affected by the introduction of the national minimum wage.

  International Trade Fairs
  Mr. Green
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to promote United Kingdom participation in international trade fairs. [4737]

  Mrs. Roche
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on 21 May 1997,Official Report, column 67.

  Reviews
  Mr. Page
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list by name and subject the reviews initiated by her Department since 1 May. [4591]

  Mrs. Roche
  Since 1 May the Department of Trade and Industry has initiated the following reviews:

  The Post Office Review
  To examine the options for granting greater commercial freedom to the Post Office to enable it to meet new challenges and opportunities,
  23
  The Foresight Audit
  To establish the level of Foresight activity currently underway and to formulate plans for improving coordination between departments.

  Export Forum
  To review the effectiveness of current official export promotion programmes and to make recommendations.

  In addition, the Department is taking part in the Comprehensive Spending Review announced by the Chief Secretary of the Treasury in the House on 11 June and has established the Low Pay Commission to examine the options for the nature and level of a national minimum wage.

  Petrol Prices
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will investigate the reasons for significant variations in average petrol prices between different part of the country. [5628]

  Mr. Battle
  No such particular investigation is currently proposed. However, the Director General of Fair Trading is to review the retail petrol market in the UK. He will look at market structure, profitability and prices throughout the country. The review is scheduled to be completed in the Autumn.

  Business Link Wirral
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of the situation at Business link Wirral following Cewtec's decision to request the Government Office for Merseyside to investigate the circumstances surrounding events in 1996. [5817]

  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 27 June 1997]: Officials from the Government Office for Merseyside have already begun a detailed investigation as requested by CEWTEC. I have asked for that investigation to be conducted speedily and have written to the Chief Executive of CEWTEC to that effect. When the report is received I will be in a position to consider what action needs to be taken.

  National Minimum Wage
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what(a) published and (b) unpublished estimates her Department has made of the impact on employment of a national minimum wage set at (a) £3.50, (b) £4.00 and (c) £4.42 per hour. [5616]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  [holding answer 27 June 1997]: We will ask the independent Low Pay Commission, before it reaches a recommendation on the level at which the national minimum wage might be set, to take into account all economic circumstances, including its likely impact. I will not speculate about the possible effects of hypothetical levels before the Commission has had a chance to consider the issues. Professor George Bain will chair the Commission and we are currently looking to recruit other suitably qualified members, including individuals with experience of the range of industries and services likely to be affected by the introduction of the national minimum wage.

  Working Time Directive
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she expects to introduce legislation implementing the working time directive. [4914]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  [holding answer 23 June 1997]: We shall implement the Directive without any further avoidable delay.

PRIME MINISTER

  Residential Care Homes
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Prime Minister what action he is taking to ensure that pensioners with savings below £16,000 are not obliged to pay residential care home costs; and what representations he has received on this subject in respect of Sefton Borough Council. [5986]

  The Prime Minister
  I am concerned about the implications of the Court of Judgment on the Judicial Review of Sefton Borough Council's decision not to provide residential care for people until their capital has reached £1,500. I understand that Help the Aged, which brought the judicial review, have been given leave to appeal, and they will need to consider the outcome of that. If legislation is required to reverse the effect of the judgment, I am pleased to see that my Honourable Friend the Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Singh) intends to introduce a Bill to rectify the position which I hope will receive all party support.

  As far as I am aware, my office has received one representation concerning Sefton Borough Council, which is being dealt with in the normal way.

  Thirty-Year Rule
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with former Prime Ministers in respect of Her Majesty's Government's proposals to relax the 30-year-rule. [5589]

  The Prime Minister
  None. My Right Honourable Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will be publishing a White Paper shortly. Any changes to the existing rules would conform with normal conventions of consultation.

  Child Pornography and Paedophile Activity
  Ms Beverley Hughes
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral statement of 24 June,Official Report, columns 671–73, concerning the main issues at the next G7 conference, if he will consider adding to the crime agenda the problems of child pornography and paedophile activity and their international dimension. [5977]

  The Prime Minister
  During my statement on 24 June,Official Report, column 684, I said that we would look at the evidence that paedophilia and pornography was being organised across national boundaries. We will certainly consider the problem in that context in the preparations for the Birmingham Summit. It is important that we use every opportunity to co-operate in tackling international crime.

  Strategic Defence Review
  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will name the ministers, officials and advisers in his private office, political policy unit and the Cabinet Office who will be involved in the Strategic Defence Review. [5609]

  The Prime Minister
  Work on the Strategic Defence Review will involve the appropriate Ministers, officials and advisers from all relevant Government Departments.

  Political Appointees
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Prime Minister which political appointees have been given civil service administrative or secretarial support at public expense; and at what cost. [2859]

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the replies that I gave to the hon. Members for Chichester (Mr. Tyrie) and Worthing, West (Mr. Bottomley) 2 June,Official Report, columns 97–99.

  In accordance with the practice of previous administrations, all Special Advisers, with the exception of those appointed to my right hon. Friends, the Secretary of State for International Development and the Lord Privy Seal, have been provided with Civil Service administrative and/or secretarial support. The estimated staff cost is £570,000. This will be met from within existing budgets.

  Office Accommodation
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Prime Minister what expenses he has authorised to decorate, refurbish or enhance office accommodation(a) in Whitehall and (b) in official homes within his gift. [2860]

  The Prime Minister
  Decoration and other such work undertaken on office accommodation in Whitehall is the responsibility of individual departments. Within No. 10, two offices have been redecorated at a cost of about £1,500, out of a minor works and general maintenance budget for 1997–98 of £25,000.

  Some offices in the Cabinet Office have been refurbished—principally to accommodate the Constitution Secretariat—at a total cost in the region of £80,000, out of a minor works and general maintenance budget for 1997–98 of £397,010.

  Redecoration or refurbishment of official homes within my gift is a matter for the individual board of trustees or departments.

  Discharged by judge1

  Directed acquittal2

  Year

  Custody

  Bail

  Total

  Custody

  Bail

  Total

  1992

  671

  5,970

  6,641

  497

  3,129

  3,626

  1993

  676

  5,574

  6,250

  386

  2,619

  3,005

  1994

  871

  6,615

  7,486

  402

  2,659

  3,061

  1995

  896

  7,047

  7,943

  481

  2,799

  3,280

  1996

  789

  5,698

  6,487

  424

  2,505

  2,929

  1 Judge orders an acquittal, no jury sworn in.

  2 Judge directs the jury to find the defendant not guilty on a count to which the defendant pleaded not guilty.

  26
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish the assessments provided to him by the Minister without Portfolio of the performance of other Ministers. [5416]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 25 June 1997]: There are no such assessments.

  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Prime Minister what system of monitoring of the performance of the Minister without Portfolio he has put in place; and if he will publish the results. [5426]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 25 June 1997]: The Minister without Portfolio is subject to the normal conventions on accountability.

  Conservative Leadership Elections
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Prime Minister what response his chief press secretary made to questions received at briefings of the press in Amsterdam about the possible actions of Conservative hon. Members in response to the outcome of the Conservative leadership elections. [5199]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 24 June 1997]: He answered them.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Crown Court Trials
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many Crown court trials were abandoned by(a) the CPS and (b) trial judges in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [5701]

  Mr. Hoon
  The question relates to matters which are the ministerial responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General and also matters which have been assigned to the Court Service under the terms of its framework document. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive of the Court Service to write to the hon. Member and the Attorney-General to write directly to the hon. Member, a copy of which will be placed in the libraries of the House.

  Letter from Michael Huebner to Mr. John Hutton, dated 30 June 1997:
  The Parliamentary Secretary of the Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to your question about the number of Crown Court trials abandoned by the trial judge in each of the last five years.
  The figures below show the number of defendants who, on some or all counts have been discharged by the judge or where acquittal has been directed.

HEALTH

  GP Fundholding
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to reform the GP fundholding arrangements. [4286]

  Mr. Milburn
  We mean to work with all in the National Health Service, including fundholders, to develop new arrangements for primary care led commissioning which best meet our objectives of providing equal access to high quality care to all, on the basis of need, cutting out inefficiency and bureaucracy.

  To create time for this, entrance to fundholding has been made biennial, deferring entry to the 8th fundholding wave until July 1999. We have also taken steps to reduce bureaucracy and tackle the financial advantages of fundholders, ensuring that the patients of non-fundholders are no longer disadvantaged.

  For the future, we shall wish to draw on good practice from the range of existing models of General Practitioner activity in this field. We are also mounting a programme of pilot projects for GP commissioning groups, to complement existing models and explore new approaches to meeting our objectives.

  Mr. Truswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he plans to ensure(a) that GP fundholding budgets are spent, (b) that such expenditure is clearly focused on patient care and (c) that underspends are either properly planned and sanctioned or recouped. [5283]

  Mr. Milburn
  We have made it clear, in EL(97)33, that savings which arise from one-off windfalls or from random dips in demand should be returned to the Health Authority or held against future budget pressures. It is for fundholders and Health Authorities to work together to determine the underspend value which falls into these categories.

  The application of fundholders' budgets is governed by regulations. These provide that budgets may be used in year only for patient care and the management of the practice; and that audited savings may be used for the same purposes or for a range of additional specified purposes, namely improvements or extensions to premises; material or equipment for healthcare, management or health education; clinical audit; research and development; and training.

  Fundholders' proposals to use savings are set out in their annual practice plans, and those for the additional purposes are dependent on Health Authority agreement that they represent value for money and will benefit patients. Savings must be applied within 4 years or they revert to the Health Authority.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he proposes to promote dental registration and regular dental check-ups. [4985]

  Mr. Milburn
  These are important issues which the Government is considering, among other aspects of the provision of National Health Service dentistry services.
  28
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for North-East Derbyshire (Mr. Barnes) of 10 June,Official Report, column 423, if he will make a statement on the number of adult dental registrations which lapsed in 1996–97. [4984]

  Mr. Milburn
  4.1 million registrations lapsed automatically in 1996–97. Adult registrations stood at 19.8 million at March 1996 and 19.3 million at March 1997.

  Caesarian Section Births
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of babies were born by Caesarian section in(a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales in (i) 1994, (ii) 1995 and (iii) 1996. [5273]

  Ms Jowell
  The caesarian section figures for England for the last three years available are shown in the following table.

  Year

  Caesarean sections as percentage of deliveries

  1992–93

  14

  1993–94

  15

  1994–95

  15

  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics.

  Questions relating to Scotland and Wales are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales, respectively.

  Free Prescriptions
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people aged over 60 years resident in Eastbourne are currently in receipt of free prescriptions under the NHS. [5480]

  Mr. Milburn
  The number of prescription items dispensed in 1996 for men and women aged 60 and over by community pharmacists and appliance contractors in East Sussex, Brighton and Hove Health Authority, which includes Eastbourne, was 4 million. This figure includes prescriptions written in other health authorities but dispensed by East Sussex, Brighton and Hove Health Authority contractors.

  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pensioners in the United Kingdom are currently in receipt of free prescriptions under the NHS. [5481]

  Mr. Milburn
  All people aged 60 and over are entitled to free National Health Service prescriptions.

  The number of prescription items dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors in England in 1996 for men and women aged 60 and over was 213 million.

  Long-term Care
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to set up a Royal Commission to inquire into the provision of care of the elderly; and if he will make a statement. [5870]
  29
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Government will make a statement on his plans for legislation on long-term care, with particular reference to the establishment of a Royal Commission on the funding of long-term care. [5859]

  Mr. Boateng
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Suffolk, West (Mr. Spring) on 20 May, at column 58.

  Financial Deficit (Northern Region)
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the deficit for each(a) Northern region and (b) Teesside area NHS trust in (i) 1996–97 and (ii) the current financial year. [5963]

  Mr. Milburn
  Information on the deficits for all trusts for 1996–97 has been placed in the Library.

  Information for 1997–98 will be made available shortly following the agreement of contracts and submission of revised financial plans.

  Patient Visit Charges
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for health if he will make a statement regarding his Department's policy on charging patients for visits to the doctor and to hospital and for stays in hospital. [5626]

  Mr. Milburn
  The comprehensive spending review will review all aspects of Government spending. In the Department of Health, the review will be carried out in the context of the Government's election manifesto commitment which states: "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—not on your ability to pay, or on who your GP happens to be or on where you live".

  E. Coli
  Mr. Rhodri Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of cases recorded of human infection with E. coli 0157 from(a) horse and (b) other animal sources excluding conventionally consumed meat, (i) in the United Kingdom and (ii) in other countries; what assessment his Department has made of the route by which infection is transferred; and what proposals he has to guard against future infection. [5840]

  Ms Jowell
  Information on the number of individual E. coli 0157 cases associated with animal contact is not available. The Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) has identified 3 general outbreaks of E. coli 0157 (general outbreaks involve residents of more than one household) since 1992 where contact with animals was suspected as the source of infection. The results of a case control study funded by the Department of Health and currently undertaken by the PHLS should provide more information on the number of sporadic cases associated with contact with animals.

  The PHLS do not routinely collate information from other countries. Information on incidence in Northern Ireland and Scotland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland and for Scotland respectively.
  30
  Following the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food's 1995 report on "Verocytotoxin-Producing Escherichia coli" the Department of Health commissioned a comprehensive research programme into this organism. The programme includes projects aimed at identifying the sources and vehicles of E. coli 0157 infection and evaluating the relative importance of risk factors for its acquisition. The results of this research should be available over the next 2–3 years.

  Like other forms of food poisoning, the risk of E. coli 0157 infection from non-food sources can be greatly reduced by following simple rules of basic personal hygiene and all suitable opportunities are taken to remind the public of these. In particular advice on avoiding the risk of infection during farm visits has been issued by the Health and Safety Executive, the National Farmers' Union and the Department for Education and Employment has recently sent a check list to all Chief Education Officers.

  Dementia
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to develop with the NHSE a national strategy on dementia care. [5879]

  Mr. Boateng
  The elderly mentally ill are one of the six medium-term priorities for the National Health Service in the NHS Priorities and Planning Guidance for 1997–98. Statutory authorities were issued guidance in March 1997 to help them carry out their responsibilities in the publication "A handbook on the Mental Health of Older People".

  Drug Abuse Treatment
  Ms Beverley Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes have been made in the past year to the formula for distribution of NHS money for drug abuse treatment, indicating the impact of such changes on the level of funding in areas of need, with special reference to Old Trafford. [5990]

  Ms Jowell
  The formula for distributing the Drug Misuse Special Allocation changed in April 1997. Prior to the current financial year the formula for central allocation was based on that used by the former regional health authorities. From this year, the formula is based on the health authority population aged 15–44, and a further element based on an indicator of need for drug misuse services. The new formula is being phased in over four years, with health authorities receiving their full target allocation from 2001.

  The Special Allocation for drug misuse nationally has risen by over 9 per cent. in real terms in 1997–98, and the allocation to Salford and Trafford has increased by around 5 per cent. in real terms. No assessment of the impact of the changes on individual health authorities has been made.

  Volatile Substance Abuse
  Mr. Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the most recent figures available on deaths associated with volatile substance abuse; and if he will make a statement. [5991]
  31
  Ms Jowell
  Statistics collected by St. George's Hospital Medical School and published today show that there were 68 deaths in the United Kingdom in 1995 associated with Volatile Substance Abuse (VSA). This is an increase over the 58 deaths in 1994 which had been the lowest level of mortality since 1981. We take any death associated with VSA very seriously and are committed to taking action to prevent further tragedy occurring.

  Copies of this report are available in the Library.

TREASURY

  Departmental Files
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason his Department's file class mark T225/1311, held at the Public Record Office is closed to the public; and if he will make a statement. [5680]

  Mrs. Liddell
  T225/1311 was re-reviewed, under the Open Government Initiative, and cleared for release to the Public Office in 1996. It is available for public viewing.

  Premium Bonds
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will lower the minimum value of Premium Bond purchases to facilitate regular purchases on behalf of children. [3739]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Government regrets that it is not possible to lower the minimum values premium bond purchase. Small purchases of Premium Bonds are disproportionately expensive to administer. National Savings are not in a position to reduce the £100 minimum purchase when, like other Agencies and departments, they must achieve economies in running costs as part of the process of controlling public expenditure.

  Since the return on Premium Bonds takes account of management costs, the relatively higher cost of small purchases would also mean that any reduction in the minimum purchase would reduce the return to holders in general.

  National Savings do recognise the need to offer savings opportunities for smaller investments and savings on behalf of children. These include tax-free Children's Bonus Bonds, which can be bought by anyone over the age of 16 for anyone under 16 in units of £25, up to a maximum holding of £1,000 for each issue of the bonds.

  Local Authority Capital Receipts
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely impact on the PSBR of the release by local authorities of(a) all and (b) half of housing capital receipts over (i) one year, (ii) three years or (iii) five years from 1 April. [3563]

  Mr. Darling
  No such estimates have been made. The release of capital receipts will be phased to meet the requirements of prudent management of the public finances, including having regard to the effect on the PSBR.
  32
  Mr. Green
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effect the phased release of local authorities' capital receipts will have on the public sector borrowing requirement. [3329]

  Mr. Darling
  The release of capital receipts will he phased to meet the requirements of prudent management of the public finances, including having regard to the effect on the PSBR.

  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the increase in council tax necessary to reinstate local authorities to the position they would have been in without the release of housing capital receipts if housing capital receipts are released over(a) one year, (b) three years and (c) five years from 1 April 1997. [3553]

  Mr. Darling
  No such estimate has been made.

  Earnings (Torbay)
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people in Torbay earning less than(a) £2.50 per hour, (b) £3.00 per hour, (c) £3.50 per hour, (d) £4.00 per hour and (e) £4.50 per hour. [5586]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange a reply to he given.

  Letter front Tim Holt to Mr. Adrian Sanders, dated 30 June 1997:
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply as the Director of the Office for National Statistics to your recent question on earnings in Torbay.
  The latest information, from the New Earnings Survey (NES) April 1996, is given below for the parliamentary constituency of Torbay.

  Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence, NES April 1996

  Perrentage of employees with hourly earnings (excluding overtime) less than:

  Torbay

  £2.50

  £3.00

  £3.50

  £4.00

  £4.50

  Full-time

  0.0

  2.8

  5.6

  15.0

  24.3

  Part-time

  4.3

  14.9

  38.3

  51.1

  61.7

  All

  1.3

  6.5

  15.6

  26.0

  35.7

  Strategic Defence Review
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what involvement his Department has in the formulation of the policy baseline for the Strategic Defence Review. [5578]

  Mr. Darling
  [holding answer 26 June 1997]: The preparation of a policy baseline for the Strategic Defence Review is being undertaken jointly by the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Other Government Departments, including the Treasury, will be involved as appropriate depending on the issues that arise.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Theatres (Funding)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage which theatres in England have received Arts Council grants in(a) 1996 and (b) 1997; and how much they received in each case. [5262]

  Mr. Fisher
  Grant in aid funding to building-based theatre companies is channelled through the Arts Council of England and the 10 Regional Arts Boards.

  During 1996–97, 54 building-based producing theatre companies received grants totalling £16,845,664 from the Regional Arts Boards. In 1997–98 53 such companies received a total of £17,006,814. A further four building-based companies received funding directly from the Arts Council of England. This totalled £20,698,000 in both years.

  A complete list of the grants received in 1996–97 and 1997–98 is as follows:

  Grant aid to building based, producing theatre companies by Regional Arts Board

  RAB/ACE expenditure on building based theatre companies

  1996–97 (actual) £

  1997–98 (budget) £

  Eastern Arts Board

  Cambridge Arts Theatre

  50,000

  50,000

  Colchester Mercury Theatre

  220,000

  220,000

  Ipswich Wolsey Theatre

  322,750

  322,750

  Theatre Royal, Bury St. Edmunds

  45,000

  45,000

  Westcliffe Palace Theatre

  45,000

  45,000

  Watford Palace Theatre

  204,500

  204,500

  East Midlands Arts Board

  Derby Playhouse

  273,100

  313,100

  Leicester Haymarket

  858,450

  908,450

  Northampton Rep.

  184,310

  184,310

  Nottingham Theatre

  714,300

  714,300

  London Arts Board

  Almeida Theatre

  408,182

  408,182

  Bush Theatre

  206,500

  206,500

  Gate Theatre

  15,352

  15,352

  Greenwich Theatre

  191,000

  191,000

  Hampstead Theatre

  234,400

  234,400

  Kings Head Theatre

  38,222

  38,222

  Lyric Theatre

  307,300

  307,300

  Orange Tree

  136,557

  136,557

  Polka Theatre

  221,200

  221,200

  Soho Theatre

  119,000

  119,000

  Theatre Royal Stratford

  392,237

  392,237

  Tricycle Theatre

  224,735

  224,735

  Unicorn Theatre

  307,500

  307,500

  Warehouse Theatre Croydon

  39,675

  39,675

  Young Vic

  518,714

  518,714

  Northern Arts Board

  Northern Stage

  639,250

  664,250

  North West Arts Board

  Bolton Octagon

  255,600

  255,600

  Chester Gateway

  148,500

  148,500

  Liverpool Everyman

  210,000

  170,000

  Manchester Royal Exchange

  1,333,250

  1,333,250

  Contact Theatre

  425,100

  425,100

  Oldham Coliseum

  224,400

  224,400

  Liverpool Repertory Theatre

  430,000

  430,000

  Dukes Theatre

  173,850

  173,850

  34

  Grant aid to building based, producing theatre companies by Regional Arts Board

  RAB/ACE expenditure on building based theatre companies

  1996–97 (actual) £

  1997–98 (budget) £

  Southern Arts

  Basingstoke Haymarket

  90,000

  90,000

  Southampton Nuffield Theatre

  328,000

  343,000

  Salisbury Playhouse

  292,900

  292,900

  Newbury Watermill

  20,000

  20,000

  South East Arts

  Yvonne Arnaud Theatre

  125,000

  40,000

  Chichester Festival Theatre

  8,050

  75,000

  Leatherhead Thorndike Theatre

  180,100

  —

  South West Arts

  Bristol Old Vic

  550,250

  585,250

  Gloucestershire Everyman Theatre

  234,830

  234,830

  Exeter Northcott Theatre

  233,000

  233,000

  Plymouth Theatre Royal

  505,450

  570,450

  West Midlands Arts Board

  Coventry Belgrade Theatre

  465,000

  515,500

  Birmingham Repertory Theatre

  870,000

  870,000

  New Victoria Theatre

  399,000

  499,000

  Worcester Swan Theatre

  164,500

  164,500

  Yorkshire and Humberside Arts Board

  Harrogate Theatre

  176,300

  176,300

  Sheffield Theatres

  641,400

  641,400

  Stephen Joseph Theatre

  211,200

  230,000

  York Theatre Royal

  392,000

  392,000

  West Yorkshire Playhouse

  840,750

  840,750

  Arts Council of England

  Royal National Theatre

  11,167,000

  11,167,000

  Royal Shakespeare Company

  8,470,000

  8,470,000

  The Royal Court (English Stage Co.)

  911,000

  911,000

  Donmar Warehouse

  150,000

  150,000

  Total

  37,543,664

  37,704,814

  Compiled from RAB and ACE annual budget.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) who benefits from interest earned by the national lottery distribution fund; and if he will make a statement. [5021]

  (2) how much money for good causes lying in the national lottery distribution fund is committed to projects which do not require the money in (a) the current financial year and (b) the financial years up to (i) 1998–99, (ii) 1999–2000 and (iii) 2000–2001; and if he will make a statement; [5022]

  (3) what the current balance is in the national lottery distribution fund; and if he will make a statement; [5023]

  (4) how much interest has been earned by the national lottery distribution fund; and if he will make a statement. [5020]

  Mr. Banks
  Proceeds from the National Lottery are held in the National Lottery Distribution Fund (NLDF) and invested by the National Debt Commissioners until required by the eleven distributing bodies. The balance in the NLDF at 31 May 1997 was £2,825,835,638. Investment returns received from the start of the National
  35
  Lottery to 31 May 1997 total £239,291,980. This interest is split between the distributors in line with the proportion of the NLDF attributable to each of them.

  At 31 May, £3.47 billion had been raised by the Lottery for the good causes and this was matched by awards totalling £3.46 billion. The funds in the NLDF are therefore committed to projects that will be developed over the next few years. The majority of these projects will be completed before 2000–2001, but a few will require funding beyond that date.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will be publishing a White Paper next month setting out the Government's proposals to deliver our commitments to widen access to the benefits of Lottery, introduce a more strategic and co-ordinated approach to distribution of proceeds and ensure that as much money as possible goes to the good causes.

  Football
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what support is available for smaller professional football clubs which secure promotion to higher divisions to improve and increase their seating capacity to cope with higher attendances. [5178]

  Distributor

  Date

  Recipient

  Amount £

  Arts Council of England

  13 May 1997

  South Devon College

  20,000

  Arts Council of England

  19 March 1997

  The Newton Abott Folk Festival

  987

  Heritage Lottery Fund

  21 May 1997

  Torquay Natural History Society

  26,400

  National Lottery Charities Board

  17 December 1996

  Exeter and South Devon Deaf Children's Society

  66,500

  National Lottery Charities Board

  11 August 1996

  Acorn Youth Community and Sports Centre

  48,596

  National Lottery Charities Board

  19 December 1995

  Torbay Child Linkline for the Southwest

  45,000

  English Sports Council

  6 June 1995

  South Devon Sports Association for the Disabled

  102,732

  Total

  310,215

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, if he will publish the total awards made by(a) the Heritage Fund and (b) the Millennium Commission, by administrative counties in England. [4272]

  Mr. Banks
  [pursuant to his reply, 20 June 1997, c. 322]: The table of awards made by the Heritage Lottery Fund contained some inaccuracies. The correct information is contained in the following table, provided by the Heritage Lottery Fund, which sets out the value and number of awards by English county as at 27 June 1997.

  Heritage Lottery Fund

  HLF Figures to 26 June

  County

  Total number

  Total amount £

  Avon

  12

  2,438,475

  Bedfordshire

  4

  117,300

  Berkshire

  2

  3,865,525

  Buckinghamshire

  6

  1,367,750

  Cambridgeshire

  25

  26,647,329

  Cheshire

  11

  2,065,058

  Cleveland

  8

  6,131,230

  Cornwall

  18

  3,678,535

  Cumbria

  19

  4,102,987

  36
  Mr. Banks
  Financial assistance is available to football clubs for ground improvement and redevelopment work through the Football Trust. I recently announced a £55 million cash injection to the Trust for clubs at all levels of the game. I am very grateful to the English Sports Council for their contribution to this work and to the Football Association and the FA Premier League for agreeing to match Lottery funds pound for pound.

  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proposals he has to encourage smaller professional football clubs to develop closer links with their local communities. [5177]

  Mr. Banks
  I am aware that many clubs have already done a lot of good work in developing links with their communities, which I welcome. This is also an area that I have in mind for the proposed Football Task Force, to see what more might he done.

  Lottery Grants (Torbay)
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many Lottery grants have been awarded to organisations and groups in the Torbay constituency; and what are the values of those grants.
  [5585]

  Mr. Banks
  At 22 June, 7 grants totalling £310,215 had been made to organisations and groups in Torbay. The details are as follows:

  Heritage Lottery Fund

  HLF Figures to 26 June

  County

  Total number

  Total amount £

  Derbyshire

  14

  3,882,428

  Devon

  24

  7,712,000

  Dorset

  20

  6,559,050

  Durham

  11

  1,208,955

  East Sussex

  12

  2,050,380

  Essex

  13

  7,337,845

  Gloucestershire

  17

  5,775,060

  Greater Manchester

  24

  54,435,410

  Hampshire

  24

  14,327,296

  Hereford and Worcester

  17

  8,907,642

  Hertfordshire

  8

  16,595,075

  Humberside

  13

  1,257,900

  Isle ot Wight

  2

  57,000

  Kent

  36

  9,958,565

  Lancashire

  27

  5,976,362

  Leicestershire

  10

  458,750

  Lincolnshire

  9

  495,739

  Liverpool

  14

  13,803,500

  London

  109

  186,298,303

  Middlesex

  7

  2,177,736

  Norfolk

  19

  5,630,511

  North Yorkshire

  28

  5,132,422

  Northamptonshire

  6

  1,037,550

  37

  Heritage Lottery Fund

  HLF Figures to 26 June

  County

  Total number

  Total amount £

  Northumberland

  13

  699,400

  Nottinghamshire

  11

  15,137,544

  Oxfordshire

  11

  4,806,916

  Shropshire

  9

  2,973,596

  Somerset

  18

  2,623,250

  South Yorkshire

  11

  8,183,710

  Staffordshire

  16

  1,269,775

  Suffolk

  33

  4,506,373

  Surrey

  18

  6,578,519

  Tyne and Wear

  19

  19,260,203

  Warwickshire

  2

  7,506,000

  West Midlands

  21

  9,904,501

  West Sussex

  12

  848,320

  West Yorkshire

  42

  20,857,026

  Wiltshire

  14

  34,757,735

  Wirral

  2

  468,600

  Grand total

  821

  551,871,136

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Departmental Advisers
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Llanelli, (Mr. Davies) of 2 June.Official Report, column 85, what other personal appointees are working in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; what is their status; and if he will make a statement. [5575]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  I have appointed Dr. David Mathieson as my adviser with special responsibilities for media matters involving party political issues. This appointment is not remunerable from public funds.

  Strategic Defence Review
  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will name the Ministers, officials and political advisers in his Department who will be involved directly in the Strategic Defence Review. [5610]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs is closely involved in the Government's Strategic Defence Review, as it is foreign policy led. He involves other Ministers, officials and special advisers as necessary.

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it remains the Government's assessment that there is no evidence for the involvement of any nation other than Libya in the Lockerbie bombing. [4566]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  The independent criminal investigation concluded that there was evidence to support charges against the two Libyans accused. The investigation has not established evidence of involvement of the nationals of any other country in the bombing.

  Amsterdam European Council
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the subject areas under(a) the existing Treaty provisions and (b) the proposed new Treaty provisions in respect of which it was agreed at the Amsterdam European Council that co-decision procedure should be extended. [5625]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  Copies of the relevant extracts from the provisional version of the draft Treaty of Amsterdam circulated by the Netherlands Presidency have been placed in the Libraries of the House. The Presidency is reviewing its contents in consultation with Member States to ensure that it accurately reflects what was agreed at Amsterdam.

  WPC Yvonne Fletcher
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Adjournment debate of 11 June,Official Report, columns 1253–60, if he will review his approach to the United Nations policy on sanctions against Libya, on the basis of the film which has been sent to him relating to the death of WPC Yvonne Fletcher. [5854]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  The United Nations Security Council resolutions set out the requirements which Libya must meet before sanctions are lifted. These requirements do not relate to the murder of WPC Fletcher.

  Gibraltar
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiatives he plans to include Gibraltar airport in EC air liberalisation measures. [6121]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  We are prepared to consider any practicable proposal for developing Gibraltar airport which is acceptable to all parties. This would open the way for EC air liberalisation measures to apply to Gibraltar.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy on the enfranchisement of Gibraltarians in elections to European Parliament. [6122]

  Mr. Henderson
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 5 June,Official Report, column 216.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements have been made at the Amsterdam summit for Gibraltar to he able to enter the Schengen area it it decides it is in its interests to do so. [6120]

  Mr. Henderson
  It is for the United Kingdom as the Member State to decide whether or not to apply to join in any, or all, of the Schengen arrangements.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Katse Dam, Lesotho
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contribution her Department is making to seismology research in respect of the Katse Dam in Lesotho. [4503]
  39
  Mr. Foulkes
  DFID provides no direct support for seismological research in respect of this Dam. Seismic activity associated with the project is however being continuously monitored by the Government of Lesotho (Lesotho Highlands Water Authority) and a panel of experts.

  Sierra Leone
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the projects supported by Britain in Sierra Leone in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement on aid to Sierra Leone. [5018]

  Claire Short
  I have placed in the Library of the House a list of projects supported under the bilateral aid programme to Sierra Leone between 1992–93 and 1996–97.

  We have suspended all current aid activities in Sierra Leone following the coup and made clear that existing plans will not be continued under a military régime.

  Ghana
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the projects supported by Britain in Ghana in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement on aid to Ghana. [5017]

  Clare Short
  I have placed in the Library of the House a list of the projects supported under the bilateral aid programme for Ghana between 1992–93 and 1996–97.

  We are working in close partnership with the Ghanian Government and people to support their efforts to achieve sustainable growth and reduce poverty.

  Tropical Deforestation
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what research her Department has evaluated into the links between land clearance for cattle farming and tropical deforestation. [5849]

  Clare Short
  My Department has evaluated substantial research carried out by US and Brazilian institutions, some of which has been commissioned by the Inter-American Development Bank and by the World Bank into links between land clearance from cattle farming and tropical deforestation. Staff in my Department use this information when they appraise project proposals.

WALES

  Welsh Office Overseas Trade Services
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of operation of the Welsh Office Overseas Trade Services section; and if he will make a statement. [5696]

  Mr. Hain
  [holding answer 27 June 1997]: I have recently reviewed the services and work of the Overseas Trade Services in the Welsh Office. My officials are also ensuring that they keep in close touch with the review being carried out by the national export forum. The
  40
  recently formed International Business Services in Wales Steering Group will keep under the review the services provided in Wales to firms wishing to enter the export market.

  Health Bodies (Funding)
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total amount of the borrowings from his Department of (i) the Dyfed-Powys health authority and (ii) the Morriston Hospital Trust, at the latest available date. [5644]

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  [holding answer 27 June 1997]: To date, Dyfed Powys Health Authority has received loans totalling £2.510 million from the Department.

  Since Morriston NHS Trust was established on 1 April 1994 it has borrowed some £21 million. The balance of principal outstanding is £16.5 million.

  Departmental Advisers
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the special advisers in his Department, the Minister to whom each is responsible, the subjects on which they advise and the number of advisers in his Department in the year up to 1 May. [5345]

  Mr. Ron Davies
  I have appointed John Adams and Huw Roberts as my Special Advisers. The terms and conditions of each appointment are set out in the draft model contract, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. Both advise me on a full range of subjects under my responsibility in accordance with Schedule 1 (Part 1) of the Model Contract.

  During the year 1996–97 there was one Special Adviser.

  Farmers
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each of the unitary authorities and for Wales for(a) 1980, (b) 1990 and (c) the last two available years (i) the estimated number of farmers and (ii) the estimated number of organic farmers, indicating (ii) as a percentage of (i). [4858]

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  As at June 1997, there are 86 farms held on the United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards (0.3 per cent. of the total number of Welsh main holdings). No figures are available for earlier dates, or for unitary authorities.

  Figures are available for Wales of the area of land registered as organically farmed. These are given as follows:

  Year

  Organically farmed land (hectares)1

  Total agricultural land area (hectares)2

  Organically farmed land as percentage of total land

  1995

  3,058

  1,498,718

  0.2

  1996

  3,287

  1,509,061

  0.2

  1 Figures supplied by the United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards, land in conversion and converted.

  2 Excludes Common rough grazing land.

  Beef
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which health trusts in Wales purchase beef from Wales or elsewhere in the United Kingdom for consumption by hospital patients. [5987]

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  The information requested is not held centrally. Decisions on the purchase of food lie with each NHS Trust in Wales.

  Mr. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many local education authorities allow beef to be included on school menus; and what is the policy of each local education authority in Wales on the purchase of British beef for school meals. [5988]

  Mr. Hain
  The information requested is not held centrally, but I am, of course, keen to see the highest nutritional standards in school meals. Local education authorities and schools will wish to take into account parents' views and to offer a choice of dishes whenever possible.

  Persons proceeded against for possession of a controlled drug in a Magistrates Court or in a Crown Court 1994–96

  Persons proceeded against

  1994

  1995

  1996

  Offence

  Magistrates Court

  Crown Court

  Magistrates Court

  Crown Court

  Magistrates Court

  Crown Court

  Possessing controlled drug (inc. attempts)

  397

  9

  492

  18

  379

  39

  Possessing controlled drug intent to supply (inc. attempts)

  54

  23

  90

  48

  45

  158

  Total

  451

  32

  582

  66

  424

  197

  Unemployment
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if she will make a statement on the costs of implementing her Department's proposals to deal with long-term unemployment assuming a scheme to cover 40,000 persons; [5141]

  (2) if she will list the measures available for unemployed people to seek (a) training and (b) retraining. [5139]

  Mr. Worthington
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its Chief Executive, Mr. Ian Walters. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to he given.

  Letter from Ian Walters to Rev. Martin Smyth, dated 27 June 1997:
  PARLIANLESTALLY QUESTION No. 5141
  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency to reply to your question regarding the costs of implementing proposals to deal with long-term unemployment.
  In the current financial year the Agency will be spending over £37 million to assist people unemployed for at least a year, back to work through the Action for Community Employment programme, the pilot Community Work Programme and Enterprise Ulster. These three measures provide over 6,700 places for the long-term unemployed.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Drugs
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list by type of drug the number of persons for each police authority in England and Wales(a) cautioned, (b) proceeded against in a Magistrate's Court and (c) tried at the Crown Court for possession of a proscribed drug in (i) 1994, (ii) 1995 and (iii) the last 12-month period for which figures are available. [4795]

  Mr. Ingram
  The information is not available in the format requested and would incur disproportionate cost to provide.

  However, the number of persons who were cautioned for the possession of controlled drugs in 1994 and 1995 was 363 and 286 respectively. Figures will not be available liar 1996 until the end of July 1997.

  The following table sets out the number of persons proceeded against for possession of a controlled drug in a Magistrate's Court and in a Crown Court between 1994 and 1996.

  In order to ensure the most effective and efficient use of existing resources the Agency is currently engaged in a review of its measures. The results of the initial stages of the review, which involved a public consultation process, are currently being assessed. Our work is continuing within the wider context of the Government's Welfare to Work proposals and the priority attached to them.
  With regard to projected costs, we are of course currently committed to plan within the limits set by the 1996 Public Expenditure Survey.
  I hope that you find this reply useful.

  Letter from Ian Walters to Rev. Martin Smyth, dated 27 June 1997:
  PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION No. 5139
  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me, as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency, to reply to your question about the measures available for unemployed people seeking training and retraining.
  The Agency administers a broad range of programmes to assist the unemployed who are seeking training or retraining. These are:
  Jobskills Programme
  Jobskills is an integrated programme which provides high quality NVQ based training to unemployed persons aged between 16 and 59. There are approximately 15,000 places available during 1997/98.
  Young people aged 16 and 17 are guaranteed a Jobskills training place. Places are available also for adults seeking training or retraining.
  43
  Training Centre Network
  The Agency's network of Training Centres provides for young people and adults full-time training and re-training leading to NVQ level 2 in a chosen skill or tade. On completion of the training, which usually lasts for 12 months, trainees are normally placed with employers to continue their training towards the achievement of NVQ level 3 under the guidance of Training Centre staff. The Centre also provides tailored pre-employment training in connection with new inward investment projects, usually for a period of 6–10 weeks, to enable unemployed people to improve their prospects of getting a job.

  Open Learning Centres
  The Agency also supports the work of 12 Open learning Access Centres which provide flexible job-related training for those for whom traditional forms of education and training are inappropriate. The main client groups for these Centres are the unemployed, women returning to the labour market and those with disabilities.

  Enterprise Ulster
  Enterprise Ulster is a statutory organisation which provides employment, training and work experience for adults, particularly 18– 25 year olds, who have been unemployed for more than three months. Its programmes include training in projects of an environmental and amenity nature. Enterprise Ulster provides an average of 1,260 places each year.

  Community Work Programme
  The Community Work Programme offers long-term unemployed adults employment and training placements of up to three years duration in worthwhile and meaningful work of community benefit. It has been operated on a pilot basis since 1995 and provides 1,000 places which have been filled.

  Action for Comnutnity Employment
  The Action for Community Employment (ACE) programme provides temporary employment, with training, of up to one year's duration for long-term unemployed adults in projects of community benefit. The essential purpose of the scheme is to enable participants to complete more effectively for available jobs. ACE employees differ from participants on other Agency programmes in that they are treated as being in paid employment and receive a wage based on the local rate for the job. ACE is providing an average of 5,200 places during 1997/98.

  Bridge to Employment Pilot
  The Agency, with support from the EU Special Programme for Peace and Reconciliation, is piloting a Bridge to Employment programme under which long-term unemployed adults and those in

  Cigarette smoking among adults, by age and gender, Northern Ireland 1995

  Per cent./numbers

  Males

  Females

  Age

  Percentage of smokers

  Estimated number of cigarette smokers

  Percentage of smokers

  Estimated number of cigarette smokers

  16 to 24

  29

  33,903

  31

  33,636

  25 to 34

  34

  42,384

  35

  44,745

  35 to 44

  32

  33,277

  33

  34,706

  45 to 54

  32

  28,680

  29

  26,738

  55 to 64

  28

  19,298

  23

  17,399

  65 to 74

  23

  12,429

  17

  11,745

  75 and over

  13

  3,790

  9

  5,112

  All persons

  29

  170,317

  27

  171,517

  Notes:

  1. The percentages have been calculated from the NISRA (Central Survey Unit) Continuous Household Survey 1994–95.

  2. The number of smokers has been estimated using NISRA (Demography and Methodology Branch) mid-year population estimates, and the percentages of smokers.

  3. Percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole figure.

  Source:

  Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).
  44
  danger of becoming long-term unemployed, can obtain the minimum skills necessary to enable them to compete for known job opportunities on equal terms with other applicants. Typical training would be for a period of up to 13 weeks to a specification agreed with participating employers.

  Management Development
  The Agency provides programmes aimed at developing management skills and competencies in recently qualified graduates. Almost 400 places are available in 1997/98.

  New Horizons
  New Horizons provides retraining for experienced managers who have been made redundant. The programme provides 36 places.
  I hope you find this information helpful.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the special advisers in her Department, the Minister to whom each is responsible, the subjects on which they advise and the number of advisers in her Department in the year up to 1 May. [5371]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  I have appointed Nigel Warner and Anna Healy as my special advisers. They are employed under terms and conditions based on the model contract for special advisers, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. Mr. Warner and Ms Healy are advising me in accordance with Schedule 1 (Part 1) of the Model Contract. The previous Secretary of State for Northern Ireland employed one special adviser between 26 February and 20 December 1996.

  Smoking
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what percentage of adult(a) men and (b) women in Northern Ireland are cigarette smokers in each 10 year age band; and if he will make a statement. [4760]

  Mr. Worthington
  [holding answer 24 June 1997]: Estimates of the number and percentage of adult men and women cigarette smokers in Northern Ireland in 1995 are shown in the table.

  Plastic Raton Rounds
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary asked for information on the testing of(a) the weapons used to fire plastic baton rounds and (b) plastic baton rounds during his inspection in 1996. [6114]

  Mr. Ingram
  Her Majesty's Inspector was asked to examine the RUC's use of plastic baton rounds, not the baton rounds themselves and the weapons used to fire them. Nevertheless, during the course of his inspection he satisfied himself that all weapons are tested prior to being taken into use and in the event of a complaint being received as a result of an incident involving the use of a baton gun, the weapon is tested to assess the accuracy of its sighting system and to assess that it functions correctly.

  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary was informed of the results of tests carried out in 1995 on plastic baton rounds when he discussed the subject with officers at all levels during 1996. [6112]

  Mr. Ingram
  At the time Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary carried out his inspection it would have been impossible for the RUC to inform him of the results of tests carried out in 1995 on plastic baton rounds, since they were not aware of them.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Crown Immunity
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Right hon. Member representing the House of Commons Commission if she will make a statement on Crown immunity in the Palace of Westminster. [4833]

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  [holding answer 27 June 1997]: Legislation affecting Crown immunity in the Palace of Westminster is a matter for HM Government.

  However, it is the policy of the Commission, notwithstanding immunities and exemptions provided for in legislation, to apply relevant statutory provisions throughout the parliamentary estate. These include building and asbestos regulations, planning regulations, standards under the Fire Precautions Act 1971 (the Palace and outbuildings have now been issued with individual fire certificates) and requirements under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Housing Conditions
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what proposals he has for consultation with interested bodies following publication of the report of the 1996 English House Condition Survey: [5144]

  (2) what evaluation of the risks to the health and safety of occupants of living in unfit and otherwise inadequate dwellings will be included in the 1996 English House Condition Survey; [5145]
  46
  (3) what assessment of the costs to the NHS of people living in unfit houses will be included in the 1996 English House Condition Survey; [5146]

  (4) what account the 1996 English House Condition Survey will take of the impact of proposals for amending the housing fitness standard. [5189]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The results of the 1996 EHCS will be widely disseminated. We shall consider arrangements for consultation with those bodies which have an interest in housing conditions when these results are published.

  The first report of the 1996 EHCS, to be published later this year, will show the number of dwellings that were, al the time of the survey, unfit under the current housing fitness standard, and those that were in other respects inadequate. The report will also identify the occupants of poor housing, in terms of their age, income, and other characteristics. Some information on the health of occupants was recorded during the course of the survey and the analysis of this information will he included in future reports.

  There are no plans to include an estimate of the cost to the NHS of people living in unfit dwellings in any report of the 1996 EHCS. Further research is required to identify specific costs to the health service which might be directly attributable to people living in unfit homes.

  The 1996 EHCS will report housing conditions in terms of the fitness standard as it is now defined. However, 1996 EHCS data will be helpful in assessing the effect of any changes to the standard proposed in the current review.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what research has been undertaken to ascertain the costs to the NHS of people living in dwellings which are unsatisfactory on grounds of(a) dampness, (b) inadequate fire precautions, (c) poor indoor air quality, with particular reference to radon, (d) hazardous internal design features and (e) homes energy rating (SAP) of 30 or less; [5149]

  (2) what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the effects on demand on the national health service from increased investment in improving housing conditions; and to what extent health and safety issues are taken into account when local authorities devise their housing strategies. [5150]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The reviews conducted by the Building Research Establishment of Building regulation and health and Building regulation and safety, published in 1995, and Building regulation and fire safety, to be published later this year, give an indication of the relative risks to health and safety of dampness, inadequate fire precautions, poor indoor air quality and radon, hazardous internal design features and cold homes.

  The Department has also contributed recently to the fifth sweep of the National Child Development Study which includes housing and health data and we are currently considering options of the analysis of this material. We have also seen studies made by others in London, Sheffield and elsewhere.

  A common feature of all this research is the lack of reliable evidence of changes in health which follow from changes in housing conditions. However, the Department

  47
  has recently published a research report Housing and Health Research: measuring the health benefits of housing improvements which explores the feasibility of researching the links between health and housing conditions and we are considering with the Department of Health ways in which these could be established.

  In developing their housing strategies it is for local authorities to take account of the needs of all people in their areas and decide on priorities accordingly.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what assessment he has made of the current definition of fitness used in the review of the housing fitness standard; [5148]

  (2) when he expects to publish the outcome of the review of the housing fitness standard which was announced by the previous Government; and what plans he has for subsequent consultation. [5147]

  Mr. Raynsford
  We are looking at the definition of fitness as part of the current review of the housing fitness standard. We plan to publish a consultation paper in the autumn setting out our proposals in the light of the review.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the special advisers in his Department, the Minister to whom each is responsible, the subjects on which they advise and the number of advisers in his Department in the year up to 1 May. [5349]
  48
  Mr. Prescott
  There are three special advisers in my Department. They are employed under terms and conditions based on the model contract for special advisers, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House of Commons. Joe Irvin currently advises me on all areas which are my responsibility. David Taylor advises me chiefly on Regional and Regeneration issues, and Kate Davies advises Gavin Strang on Transport Issues.

  There were four advisers in the Department of the Environment in the year to 1 May (Keith Adams, who started in June 1993, Tom Burke, who started in March 1991, Gavin Barewell, who started in May 1993 and Liam O'Connor, who started in March 1994) and one in the Department of Transport (Lucy Miller, who started in July 1995).

  Planning Policy Guidance
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will review planning policy guidance to give greater preference to the regeneration of town centre and district centre shops and retail outlets, as against out-of-town and greenfield retail developments; and if he will make a statement. [5456]

  Mr. Raynsford
  PPG6 already gives strong preference to the regeneration of existing centres and sets tough tests for out-of-centre developments, including retail, office and leisure. My Department is closely monitoring the way in which this guidance is being followed. We have no plans to revise it at this moment.

  Recycled Paper
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what has been the price per tonne of recycled newsprint in(a) January and (b) June for each year since 1987; and what steps he proposes to facilitate a stable market for recycled paper collected within the United Kingdom. [5454]

  Angela Eagle
  The Government does not collect these statistics. However, the Paper Federation of Great Britain has collected information on the average prices, paid by British mills, for old newspapers for recycling into newsprint and other paper grades since 1989. These are as follows:

  £ per tonne

  Year

  January

  June

  1989

  39.93

  38.89

  1990

  34.41

  29.44

  1991

  28.77

  28.16

  1992

  28.25

  26.38

  1993

  24.50

  22.98

  1994

  20.93

  21.44

  1995

  46.72

  116.76

  1996

  55.05

  47.40

  1997

  28.53

  1—

  1 Not yet available.

  Average prices for newsprint made from recycled fibres are not available, and are based on private contracts. The Government will consider whether any measures are required to improve the market for recycled paper.

  Local Government Planning
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on his Department's policy towards the practice of some local authorities of seeking planning gain. [5607]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Current policy on planning gain is set out in DoE Circular 1/97. If or when my right hon. Friend proposes a new policy we shall issue a consultation paper for public comment.

  Climate Change Convention, Kyoto
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which Ministers will represent the United Kingdom at the Climate Change Convention in Kyoto in December; and what submissions the United Kingdom is making for the Conference Agenda. [4499]

  Angela Eagle
  My right hon. Friend, the Deputy Prime Minister, intends to go to the Kyoto Conference, but the full UK Ministerial representation will be decided nearer the time. The Conference will focus primarily on negotiation of an agreement on post-2000 commitments to mitigate climate change, in the form of a protocol to the Convention or other legal instrument. A copy of a draft protocol submitted by the European Union has been 50
  placed in the Library. We expect the UK and the EU to play a leading role in those negotiations.

  Cadmium Disposal
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to deal with the disposal of cadmium after the 1998 ban on the disposal of sludge at sea. [4501]

  Angela Eagle
  Those responsible for disposing of sewage sludge containing cadmium will have to comply with the existing requirements applying to incineration, spreading on land or other lawful means of disposal.

  Algal Blooms
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what initiatives he is taking to deal with the problems associated with eutrophication, with particular reference to the spread of algal blooms. [4502]

  Angela Eagle
  Localised adverse effects from eutrophication in inland waters are being addressed by requiring the installation of phosphorus removal at 41 sewage treatment works discharging into 29 designated eutrophic Sensitive Areas in England and Wales, as part of the implementation of the EC Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.

  The Environment Agency is currently monitoring some 150 additional potentially sensitive inland waters for the first review in 1997 of Sensitive Area designations under the Directive. As a result of this review, additional water bodies may be designated resulting in new requirements for phosphorus removal at sewage treatment works.

  This year we shall also review the position regarding eutrophication problems in coastal waters as part of the implementation of this Directive and the Nitrate Directive. The Environment Agency is currently monitoring 40 potentially eutrophic sites in coastal waters for this purpose.

  Mahogany
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to the Under-Secretary of State's oral statement of 11 June,Official Report, column 1099, if he will make a statement on efforts to reach agreement to prevent the wanton destruction of mahogany. [4563]

  Angela Eagle
  At the recent CITES conference in Harare, the UK and other EU Member States voted in support of a proposal by the USA and Bolivia to list Swietenia macrophylla (Big Leaf Mahogany) on Appendix II of the Convention. The countries present voted in favour of the proposal by 67 to 45, but as at the 1994 conference, this was not sufficient to reach the two thirds majority required to add a new species to CITES. Instead, the conference agreed to set up a working group to protect mahogany from unsustainable logging.

  Earlier this week, at the UN General Assembly Special Session, the Prime Minister argued for an early start to negotiations on a Forest Convention as a means of progressing effective international action towards achieving sustainable forestry management.

  Housing Benefit (War Pensioners)
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to amend the formulae for determining local authority standard spending assessments to reflect the costs of granting disregards to war pensioners eligible for housing benefit; and if he will make a statement. [5588]

  Mr. Raynsford
  We have no plans to do so.

  Compulsory Competitive Tendering
  Professor Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will review the decision not to extend the moratorium on CCT for recently formed English unitary authorities. [5880]

  Mr. Raynsford
  An urgent review of the current CCT framework is already underway in consultation with the Local Government Association. This is considering how the existing CCT legislation and guidance might be brought more into line with the principles of Best Value which we made available to this House on 2 June. Amongst the issues being considered are the timetables for recently formed English unitary authorities. We expect to consult on proposals in mid July with a view to laying new regulations and issuing new guidance in the autumn.

  Housing (London)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list for each London borough for each year since 1993 the average rent levels of(a) local authority tenants, (b) housing association tenants, (c) housing co-operatives, (d) private sector in receipt of housing benefit. (e) other private sector and (f) housing companies in which the local authority is involved. [4412]

  Mr. Raynsford
  [holding answer 23 June 1997]: The available information on average rents in London boroughs for local authority tenants, housing association tenants (including tenants of housing co-operatives) and private sector tenants in receipt of housing benefit is set out below.

  Information on overall average private sector rents and rents for tenants who are not on housing benefit is available only from sample surveys which are not large enough to produce reliable figures for individual local authorities. Data from the 1995–96 Survey of English Housing and Family Resources Survey show that, in overall terms, the average rent in London for households renting in the private sector who are not in receipt of housing benefit was little different from the average rent for households receiving housing benefit. Like all estimates for surveys, the average rent figures are subject to sampling variability.

  No data are available on average rents for housing companies, as none has yet been registered with the Housing Corporation.

  Local authority rents (£ per week)

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  Barking and Dagenham

  30.65

  34.75

  37.42

  39.71

  Barnet

  48.65

  50.09

  51.44

  52.11

  Bexley

  43.11

  45.39

  49.32

  53.02

  Brent

  50.18

  50.18

  57.55

  69.81

  52

  Local authority rents (£ per week)

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  Bromley

  40.47

  40.47

  41.28

  42.72

  Camden

  48.35

  51.32

  57.56

  58.71

  City of London

  45.59

  51.56

  54.14

  55.34

  Croydon

  50.93

  51.86

  61.03

  62.10

  Ealing

  62.84

  59.19

  59.15

  59.17

  Enfield

  46.73

  49.63

  51.63

  51.98

  Greenwich

  41.68

  44.58

  48.56

  50.50

  Hackney

  43.91

  46.42

  52.15

  54.79

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  46.45

  48.19

  52.38

  53.77

  Haringey

  52.48

  53.98

  56.87

  57.54

  Harrow

  56.81

  62.97

  64.12

  64.68

  Havering

  36.91

  36.91

  41.84

  44.59

  Hillingdon

  59.48

  59.48

  61.98

  63.24

  Hounslow

  37.57

  39.97

  48.59

  49.81

  Islington

  47.05

  49.95

  54.99

  56.16

  Kensington and Chelsea

  57.10

  60.28

  63.23

  68.72

  Kingston upon Thames

  60.27

  60.27

  60.48

  61.15

  Lambeth

  40.70

  42.11

  48.67

  50.04

  Lewisham

  41.34

  42.58

  44.46

  46.73

  Merton

  49.20

  49.94

  51.89

  52.56

  Newham

  36.98

  39.88

  43.05

  43.72

  Redbridge

  61.30

  63.75

  65.41

  65.89

  Richmond upon Thames

  48.24

  48.24

  51.38

  52.92

  Southwark

  44.36

  44.36

  48.47

  50.07

  Sutton

  41.98

  43.02

  47.21

  50.97

  Tower Hamlets

  35.52

  37.71

  42.75

  45.01

  Waltham Forest

  39.87

  42.40

  43.38

  46.37

  Wandsworth

  55.64

  55.64

  58.97

  59.68

  Westminster

  59.60

  61.43

  62.69

  64.62

  London

  45.72

  47.05

  51.08

  52.97

  Source:

  Housing Subsidy Claim Forms.

  Note:

  The average rent figures are not directly comparable between local authorities as they take no account of differences in the composition of stock, eg size and type of dwellings, their age and condition.

  Housing association and Housing Cooperative rents at 31 March (£ per week)

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  Barking and Dagenham

  42.15

  53.47

  59.78

  63.81

  Barnet

  39.62

  42.34

  49.33

  55.07

  Bexley

  38.55

  44.60

  45.14

  48.61

  Brent

  40.92

  45.36

  46.56

  49.94

  Bromley

  39.31

  47.50

  50.45

  53.63

  Camden

  45.35

  46.38

  48.20

  51.55

  City of London

  41.18

  n/a

  41.15

  45.58

  Croydon

  47.68

  53.50

  56.84

  60.48

  Ealing

  39.45

  43.86

  47.12

  52.49

  Enfield

  41.40

  47.93

  52.27

  55.84

  Greenwich

  38.23

  44.08

  49.78

  55.57

  Hackney

  36.46

  40.87

  42.18

  47.08

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  37.14

  38.76

  42.41

  46.12

  Haringey

  n/a

  39.08

  46.04

  48.11

  Harrow

  38.77

  43.73

  50.32

  50.30

  Havering

  38.71

  42.67

  47.05

  49.04

  Hillingdon

  37.60

  44.57

  47.42

  51.55

  Hounslow

  39.35

  43.00

  48.34

  53.24

  Islington

  40.53

  42.39

  43.79

  49.12

  Kensington and Chelsea

  36.24

  37.49

  40.91

  44.11

  Kingston upon Thames

  35.55

  46.23

  47.95

  51.88

  Lambeth

  35.26

  37.39

  42.25

  45.47

  Lewisham

  34.27

  38.71

  41.90

  49.00

  Merton

  41.94

  47.80

  49.13

  54.15

  Newham

  38.49

  43.45

  48.52

  51.58

  53

  Housing association and Housing Cooperative rents at 31 March (£ per week)

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  Redbridge

  34.62

  45.56

  51.05

  55.50

  Richmond upon Thames

  44.56

  47.56

  50.66

  58.92

  Southwark

  37.82

  39.92

  43.86

  48.37

  Sutton

  36.42

  39.65

  43.68

  49.71

  Tower Hamlets

  40.02

  40.13

  45.73

  47.93

  Waltham Forest

  36.87

  43.28

  46.31

  49.90

  Wandsworth

  45.51

  44.69

  48.46

  52.43

  Westminster

  42.95

  42.18

  44.43

  48.85

  London

  39.90

  42.74

  46.25

  50.28

  Source:

  Housing Corporation HAR 10/1 returns collected from housing associations and Housing Cooperatives with more than 250 dwellings or, if developing new stock, 100 dwellings.

  Note:

  The average rent figures are not directly comparable between local authorities as they take no account of differences in the composition of stock, e.g., size and type of dwellings, their age and condition.

  n/a=not available.

  Private sector rents—housing benefit referrals to Rent Officers (£ per week)

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  Barking and Dagenham

  80.77

  85.23

  91.39

  Barnet

  91.69

  100.63

  114.51

  Bexley

  79.92

  85.62

  82.40

  Brent

  69.40

  70.75

  75.64

  Bromley

  78.13

  86.35

  89.32

  Camden

  118.02

  116.81

  120.00

  City of London

  n/a

  n/a

  103.66

  Croydon

  76.75

  85.29

  90.14

  Ealing

  78.52

  81.63

  89.94

  Enfield

  81.62

  88.85

  93.24

  Greenwich

  71.54

  77.33

  83.12

  Hackney

  81.62

  84.00

  89.58

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  99.98

  109.08

  118.06

  Haringey

  82.77

  90.19

  95.57

  Harrow

  92.60

  94.90

  99.35

  Havering

  77.15

  80.04

  87.05

  Hillingdon

  94.56

  94.71

  98.28

  Hounslow

  77.63

  79.85

  90.97

  Islington

  99.04

  97.44

  102.60

  Kensington and Chelsea

  121.65

  127.85

  125.96

  Kingston upon Thames

  81.19

  92.98

  93.06

  Lambeth

  80.75

  81.46

  87.86

  Lewisham

  68.92

  73.42

  79.24

  Merton

  78.21

  86.73

  92.06

  Newham

  78.92

  88.27

  90.50

  Redbridge

  88.58

  96.13

  97.25

  Richmond upon Thames

  98.58

  99.33

  106.85

  Southwark

  79.40

  78.60

  81.45

  Sutton

  81.21

  85.83

  88.49

  Tower Hamlets

  86.29

  97.71

  103.89

  Waltham Forest

  75.94

  82.67

  95.22

  Wandsworth

  84.67

  93.94

  102.10

  Westminster

  123.08

  121.65

  119.47

  London

  87.67

  91.00

  95.76

  Source:

  Rent Officer Statistics.

  Notes:

  The averages are for appropriate rents from 2 January 1996 and determined rents prior to that date. The average rent figures are not directly comparable between local authorities as they take no account of differences in the composition of stock, e.g. size and type of dwellings, their age and condition.

  n/a = not available.

  Home Energy Efficiency Scheme
  Mr. Leslie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what targets he intends to set for the revised Home Energy Efficiency Scheme. [6159]

  Angela Eagle
  Major changes to the scheme come into force on 1 July and I want to monitor their performance. Accordingly, I have set two targets for the current year: the payment of 400,000 grants, and, for each grant, the achievement of an average energy efficiency improvement of 5 points as measured by the mean Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP). The changes were made by the previous administration, and it is now not practicable to stop their coming into effect on 1 July. But I shall take an early opportunity to review the scheme in order to check that it is meeting the needs of customers.

  Bus Route Tenders (London)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable), of 19 June,Official Report, column 278, whether the invitation to tender documents for London bus routes are regarded as commercially confidential. [6119]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  This is a matter for London Transport Buses, which advises me that it does regard invitation to tender documents as commercially confidential.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Twickenham of 19 June,Official Report, column 278, whether standards of service in respect of London bus routes form part of the consideration in the tendering process. [6118]

  Ms Jackson
  I understand from London Transport Buses that it does.

  Roads Programme Review
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to complete the Roads Programme Review. [5961]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  We hope to announce the conclusions of the Review next Spring.

  Cycling
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will meet local government representatives to discuss the contribution of local authorities towards the Government's target of a four-fold increase in cycling by 2012; and if he will make a statement. [5805]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The National Cycling Strategy is not the Government's, though we have given it our early endorsement. We intend to work with other to implement it. The Strategy has a common ownership, having been established by consensus involving a wide range of interested bodies.

  I shall he meeting representatives of local government when I chair the national Cycling Forum on 16 July. We shall he discussing a range of the issues involved in taking

  55
  the National Cycling Strategy forward. That will inevitably focus on progress to implement the targets identified in the Strategy for increasing cycle use.

  Channel Tunnel (Safety)
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the number of incidents involving Channel Tunnel trains colliding with obstacles on the track and the cause of each incident in (i) 1995–96 and (ii) 1996–97. [5678]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  It is the responsibility of the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority to ensure the safe operation of the Channel Tunnel. To assist in its task the Authority receives reports on incidents and accidents from the operator—Eurotunnel.

  During the periods 1995–96 and 1996–97 only one report was received involving an obstacle on the track. Details of this incident are given in paragraphs 70–72 of the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority Annual Report for 1995–96.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the areas of concern expressed by the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority over the proposals from Eurotunnel regarding the immobilisation of coaches in single deck shuttles as referred to in paragraph 50 of the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority Annual Report 1995–96. [5675]

  Ms Jackson
  The principal concern of the Safety Authority was to ensure that coaches were immobilised during travel on single deck Tourist Shuttles. Eurotunnel's proposal for the use of chocks, in addition to the application of the coach parking brake, was accepted by the Safety Authority following tests carried out by Eurotunnel and witnessed by the Safety Authority on 1 June 1995 and a special meeting of the Safety Authority to consider this issue on 7 June 1995.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the number and cause of incidents involving drivers of channel tunnel trains passing closed markers or signals at danger in (i) 1995–96 and (ii) 1996–97. [5677]

  Ms Jackson
  During the period 1995–96 there were seven incident reports concerning drivers passing closed markers. Details of these and the way in which the Safety Authority dealt with these are given in paragraphs 67–69 of the Safety Authority Annual Report for 1995–96.

  Nine further incidents were reported during 1996–97 and will be included in the Safety Authority Annual Report for that period.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the number of incidents which occurred in(a) 1995–96 and (b) 1996–97 where coaches carried through the channel tunnel have rolled into the fire barrier at the front of a wagon as referred to in paragraph 56 of the channel tunnel safety authority report 1995–96. [5676]

  Ms Jackson
  The Safety Authority's Annual Report for 1995–96 gives details in paragraph 56 of two incidents which occurred during the two month period immediately 56
  following the decision to accept Eurotunnel's proposal to cease chocking coaches on single deck tourist shuttles. In one of these incidents the coach rolled into the fire barrier.

  No other incidents have been reported since Eurotunnel resumed the chocking of coaches.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the dates of emergency exercises undertaken in the channel tunnel during 1996–97. [5687]

  Ms Jackson
  There were three emergency exercises in the Channel Tunnel during this period.

  TABLEX III was a table-top exercise held on 9 May. 1996 in Folkestone. The exercise scenario was of a fire in a heavy goods vehicle on board an HGV shuttle travelling from the UK to France.

  BINAT 8 was a full binational emergency exercise which took place during the night of 9 and 10 November 1996. The scenario was of an accidental explosion in a single deck tourist shuttle, followed by a fire.

  There was also a Eurostar evacuation exercise staged to support Eurotunnel's submission to restart Eurostar and Tourist shuttle services following the fire in the tunnel on 18 November 1996.

  A report on each of these exercises will be included in the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority Annual Report for 1996–97.

  Train Services (Safety)
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will ensure that research undertaken by individual train operating companies will be disseminated to all other train operating companies if it contains important safety implications. [5602]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The results of research commissioned by an individual train operating company would normally be the company's intellectual property and is therefore disclosed at the company's discretion. I understand, however, that if the results of any research are known to have wider safety implications for the railway industry, the Health and Safety Executive's Railway Inspectorate would expect the information to be communicated to these companies by those who commissioned the work.

  The Health and Safety Commission's Railway Industry Advisory Committee (RIAC) is developing proposals to ensure that key health and safety information continues to reach all those who need it.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the number of incidents in (i) 1995–96 and (ii) 1996–97 when contractors have been directed to work on the wrong track, similar to that referred to in paragraph 75 of the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority report 1995–96. [5670]

  Ms Jackson
  There have been no other reported incidents similar to that reported in paragraph 75 of the Safety Authority Annual Report for 1995–96.

  School Buses
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action the Traffic Commissioners propose to take in respect of the discovery of substandard school buses by Suffolk Education Authority and Suffolk Constabulary. [5448]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  All operators of school buses are subject to the licensing requirements and disciplinary procedures exercised by the Traffic Commissioner. I understand that, following recent checks carried out by the Vehicle Inspectorate Agency accompanied by the Suffolk Police, the Traffic Commissioner for the area will shortly be receiving recommendations from the Eastern Traffic Area Licensing Review Board. It will then be for him to decide what further action is appropriate.

  Ozone Layer (Concorde)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what study he is making of the impact of Concorde on the ozone layer relative to that of aerosols and sulphur particles; and if he will make a statement. [4505]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The importance of aerosols and particles emitted from aircraft has only recently been recognised and there is still uncertainty about the effects. Some data on emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) from Concorde are in the ANCAT/EC Global Inventory of NOx Emissions from Aircraft, in which the UK has taken a leading role. The date are being used extensively by stratospheric ozone researchers and climate modellers internationally.

  Heathrow Airport (Terminal 5)
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if it is his Department's policy that the construction of Heathrow Terminal 5 is conditional on the widening of the M25. [5648]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The Government remains strictly neutral in respect of the planning application by BAA plc for a fifth terminal at Heathrow. Arrangements for surface access to the M25 are being considered by the current public inquiry.

SCOTLAND

  East of Scotland Water
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in what parts of their area of operations East of Scotland Water propose an embargo on all future developments because no additional effluent can be accommodated in the existing sewerage systems. [4612]

  Mr. Chisholm
  East of Scotland Water has no plans to introduce any such embargoes nor has any power to do so. When the Authority was established last year, however, it inherited insufficient capacity in the public sewerage system in a number of areas which prevents new connections. The areas principally affected are West Edinburgh and South East Edinburgh, and part of West Lothian and Midlothian. The Authority has made 58
  substantial progress in procuring additional infrastructure which should result in the lifting of restrictions in these areas from the year 2000.

  There are a number of other parts of the Water Authority's area, mainly small towns and rural areas, where restrictions on new connections to the public sewer may also apply. In all of these areas, the Authority plans to take appropriate action as soon as possible to resolve any problems.

  Interception of Communications
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what notification his Department receives in respect of the interception of telephone lines by Scottish police forces other than those carried out by the security services under the terms of the Interception of Communications Act 1985; and on how many occasions in the last twelve months Scottish police forces have intercepted telephone lines of suspected criminals. [5129]

  Mr. McLeish
  Telephone communications may be intercepted only under the personal authority of a Secretary of State. Where an address in Scotland is concerned, it would normally by me right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland whose authority is sought. Information about the number of occasions telephone interception took place is not available in the form requested. But, in 1996, 228 new telephone warrants were issued.

  Plastic Baton Rounds
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in what circumstances plastic baton rounds are used by police in Scotland. [6117]

  Mr. McLeish
  Plastic baton rounds have not been used by the police in Scotland.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Animal Breeding (Ethics)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what he is doing to respond to the recommendations of the committee chaired by Michael Banner, Professor of Moral and Social Theology at King's College, London, on the ethical implications of new technologies in animal breeding. [4500]

  Mr. Rooker
  Much progress has already been made on the various recommendations in this report, but we will be considering what more is needed.

  MAFF already holds annual meetings on the need to conserve farm animal breeds, maintains a register of breeds and supports research on animal biodiversity. In addition, following discussions with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, a working party was set up last year to look into the role of non-veterinarians in relation to the artificial insemination (AI) of cattle and horses. The results of this exercise, which may affect the way the recommendations of the Banner Committee are taken forward in relation to AI, are currently awaited.
  59
  The Fann Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) has been operating the general principles set out in the report for some time now and has established arrangements for liaison with the Animal Procedures Committee. Additionally, an ethicist has been appointed to the Council.

  Finally, the Government is presently seeking an acceptable outcome from negotiations on the EC patents Directive taking account of the Banner recommendations.

  Food Poisoning
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the work of the Institute of Food Research in Reading in relation to E. coli 157 and bifidobacteria; and if he will make a statement. [4504]

  Mr. Rooker
  The project in question began just over a year ago. The work is not yet sufficiently advanced to make an assessment of the potential benefits of the results.

  Fish Stocks
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he plans to take to implement the recommendations of the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, Fourth report, 1996–97, sustainable management of North Sea fisheries, (HL 63) into fisheries research relevant to the setting of quotas, and the provision of data on fish stocks. [4564]

  Mr. Morley
  The Government will be responding to the report in the near future, and I shall send my hon. Friend a copy of the response.

  Farmers
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list for(a) 1980, (b) 1990 and (c) the latest two available years (i) the estimated numbers of farmers and (ii) the estimated numbers of organic farmers, indicating (ii) as a percentage of (i). [4859]

  Mr. Morley
  Figures are available on the numbers of registered organic holdings rather than on the numbers of organic farmers as such. No figures are, however, available for 1980 and 1990.

  Registered organic holdings and total main holdings in the United Kingdom in the latest two available years are given below. It should be noted that because the organic and general figures are collected on different bases they are not strictly comparable.

  Year

  (A) Registered organic holdings

  (B) Total main holdings

  (C) (A) as percentage of (B)

  1995 (June)

  784

  234,921

  0.33

  1996 (June)

  867

  234,268

  0.37

DEFENCE

  Organophosphates
  Mr. Rapson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the disposal of army surplus tents and other equipment sprayed with organophosphates during the Gulf war, indicating whether any equipment was passed on the Scouts movement. [5665]

  Dr. Reid
  As my noble Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement has said in another place, what is now known about the use of organophosphate (OP) pesticides during the Gulf War was described in the organophosphate pesticides investigation team report which was published last December. Some of the tents used by British troops were sprayed whilst in theatre with organophosphate-based residual insecticide, which was applied to the outside surfaces. The investigation found no evidence that any clothing, bedding or personal kit was treated with organophosphate-based products, although there exists the possibility that some clothing was contaminated whilst being worn by those using such products for other purposes.

  Many of the tents used by British troops during the Gulf war were subsequently burned or buried in theatre because it was generally thought not to be cost-effective to ship such material back to the UK or Germany. It is not now possible to identify those tents which were brought back from the Gulf; some of them are likely to have been retained by units or at depots, while some others will probably have since been sold as surplus stock.

  The amount of OP pesticide remaining on a treated surface reduces over time, which is why regular re-application is normally necessary to maintain its effectiveness. Beyond this initial period of effectiveness, those traces of OP pesticide that remain break down naturally through exposure to air and water and normally disappear completely over a period of years. The break down process may be delayed if the compounds are used on material that has been treated with a wax finish, as was the case for tents which were used in the Gulf. However, any traces of OP pesticide that remain on a surface after the initial period of effectiveness would be in small and ever decreasing quantities, which would be unlikely to cause a risk to human health.

  Nevertheless, the specific tents which were reported as being a source of illness have been identified by the Scout Association and, at their request, my Department has made arrangements for appropriate tests to be carried out by the Laboratory of the Government Chemist. The results of these tests will be made public as soon as possible.

  Beef
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the(a) Army, (b) Royal Air Force and (c) Royal Navy purchase British beef for consumption by service personnel stationed in the United Kingdom; and what are the countries of origin of beef purchased by each of the services from overseas. [5989]

  Mr. Spellar
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Naval Bases and Supply Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
  61
  Letter from J. A. Trewby to Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones, dated 30 June 1997:
  The Secretary of State for Defence has asked me to reply to your Question about the supply of beef to the Armed Forces stationed in the United Kingdom.
  The task of procuring food for the Army. Royal Air Force and Royal Navy is contracted to the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI). We do not specify the source of origin from which NAAFI should obtain beef (or any other meat), but expect them to seek the best market price for the product. British meat products are considered equally with all others available on the open market. A range of products including sirloin, forerib, minced and diced beef are normally sourced in the UK. However the Armed Forces' requirement is mainly for frozen products and the majority of beef joints are sourced, on cost grounds, from Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, New Zealand and Australia.

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors underlay the exclusion of representatives of the UK Lockerbie Families group from the explosives test at Bruntinghthorpe aerodrome on 17 May. [4498]

  Mr. Spellar
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Tam Dalyell, dated 30 June 1997:
  I have been asked to reply to your question about the exclusion of representatives of the UK Lockerbie Families group from the recent explosive tests at Bruntingthorpe since, as Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) which undertook the tests, this matter is my responsibility.
  The research being carried out by DERA is on behalf of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and is aimed at exploring what physical effects would result from an explosion in an aircraft at altitude and subsequently what measures might be introduced to contain those effects and limit the structural damage to the aircraft. It was those measures that were being tested in the trial.
  Although the media were allowed to cover the event, both DERA and its customers were concerned to ensure that the trial was reported factually as part of a disciplined and ongoing programme of scientific work. To that end DERA agreed to requests from its customers to make it a condition of entry to the site by media crews that they should not be accompanied by other parties who might seek to broaden the coverage into areas not directly concerned with the trial itself. This condition was enforced rigidly and therefore included representatives of the UK Lockerbie Families group. In fact, before the event, several television companies requested that Dr Jim Swire of the 'UK Families—Flight 103' group be allowed to accompany them to watch the trial and were informed that this would not be possible.
  The position taken over the trial does not indicate any lack of compassion for the victims and families involved in the Lockerbie disaster. Indeed it is precisely the scale of that tragedy that has prompted the research programme which culminated in the trial at Bruntingthorpe and which, we hope, will eventually bring real benefit to aircraft safety.

  Combined Cadet Forces
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the amount of money received by each(a) state and (b) independent school in support of combined cadet force activities in each year from 1994–95 to 1997–98. [6074]
  62
  Dr. Reid
  The Ministry of Defence support to the combined cadet force is principally through access to service facilities and instructors. However, some money is made available to schools with CCFs to defray expenses incurred during cadet activities, and for administration.

  This takes the form of an Annual Establishment Grant, calculated on the following basis. The rates given are for 1997–98
  A flat rate of £252 per contingent.
  A grant of £17.57 for each of the first 40 cadets in each Service section.
  A grant of £12.32 for each subsequent cadet in each Service section.
  An additional grant of £4.90 for each cadet in an Army section.

  The allocation is based on the number of cadets on the strength of the contingent at 1 April each year.

  I am placing a detailed list of the amount of money received by each school in support of combined cadet force activities in each year from 1994–95 to 1997–98 in the Library of the House.

  Plastic Baton Guns
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidelines for the use of plastic bullets. [6110]

  Dr. Reid
  I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who authorises the use of plastic baton rounds by the Army in Northern Ireland. [6111]

  Dr. Reid
  Normally the use of plastic baton rounds must be authorised by a commander not below the rank of sergeant.

  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the Heckler and Koch baton gun (Model L104A1) was introduced for use in Northern Ireland. [6108]

  Dr. Reid
  The Heckler and Koch baton gun (Model L104A1) was introduced for use in Northern Ireland on 1 June 1994.

  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) who is responsible for testing the accuracy of the plastic baton rounds used by the RUC and the Army in Northern Ireland. [6109]

  (2) who is responsible for testing the accuracy of plastic baton rounds fired by the RUC and the Army in Northern Ireland. [6105]

  Mr. Spellar
  The baton gun manufacturer was responsible for testing the accuracy of all guns as a part of the manufacturer's acceptance test. The user of the gun is responsible for maintaining its accuracy during training.

  The baton round manufacturer is responsible for testing all batches of baton rounds at the time of manufacture, including accuracy firings, to enable the Ministry of Defence to accept them against the proof specification.

  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what circumstances routine Army foot patrols in Northern Ireland carry plastic baton guns. [6113]
  63
  Dr. Reid
  All routine Army foot patrols in Northern Ireland carry plastic baton guns.

  Expenditure
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the relationship between the strategic defence review and the fundamental expenditure review. [5259]

  Dr. Reid
  There will be one coherent review of defence. The strategic defence review will be the Ministry of Defence's contribution to the comprehensive spending review. It is envisaged that work on the strategic defence review will be completed around the turn of the year.

  Atomic Weapons Establishment
  Ms Julie Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the present (i) land owning and (ii) leasing arrangements between his Department, AWE and Hunting and Brae in respect of the former AWE site at Llanishen, Cardiff; what proposals he has to(a) decontaminate and (b) redevelop the site; and what consultation he will undertake with the local authority, other agencies and local residents on these proposals. [5499]

  Mr. Spellar
  holding answer 26 June 1997]: The land which forms the AWE sites is owned by the MOD. There are no land owning or leasing arrangements between MOD, AWE plc. and the present operating contractor Hunting-BRAE. The operating contractor's use of the sites is licensed under the term contract between MOD and the company.

  The Cardiff site closed on 28 February 1997, and the process to decommission the facilities has started. There will also be a complementary site decontamination process. All work will be undertaken in a careful and progressive manner, in conformity with all relevant guidelines and legislation and the requirements of the regulatory bodies. The MOD has consulted the local authorities as necessary. The local liaison committee was also kept fully informed of the MOD's plans to close the site. The whole process will take a number of years, following which we intend to dispose of the site.

  Equipment Exhibition, Farnborough
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will invite hon. Members to attend the forthcoming Royal Navy and British Army Equipment Exhibition at Farnborough. [5694]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 27 June 1997]: Invitations to RNBAEE are extended to members of the Defence Select Committee, the Trade and industry Select Committee, and the All Party Defence Study Group. Exhibitors are also free to invite individual hon. Members. While a blanket invitation is not normally extended to all hon. Members, the Government would be willing to host any Members who express a firm interest in attending.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Desmond Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on her plans in respect of the functions of the Child Support Agency. [4341]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  As I indicated when we debated Child Support on Friday 20 June, we intend to look closely at all aspects of the Child Support Agency to ensure that it provides an efficient and effective service. Children are entitled to the support of both parents wherever they live. My key objectives for the Child Support Agency during the coming year are to sort out cases faster, tackle the backlog of cases, and chase up fathers who avoid paying.

  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of Child Support Agency orders for payment are in arrears. [4355]

  Mr. Bradley
  The latest figures show that over two thirds of absent parents with a full maintenance assessment and paying through the Child Support Agency are in arrears. This is not an acceptable situation and we are determined to ensure that the Agency improves its performance in pursuing absent parents for the maintenance that they owe.

  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on the workings of the Child Support Agency. [4368]

  Mr. Bradley
  We intend to review all aspects of the Child Support Agency to ensure that it provides an efficient and effective service. Our key objectives for the Child Support Agency over the coming year are to sort out cases faster, tackle the backlog of cases, and chase up fathers who avoid paying.

  Ms Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures she intends to take concerning the operation of CSA appeals procedures. [4373]

  Mr. Bradley
  We believe that there are a number of changes which can be made to streamline the child support appeals process to provide a better, simpler, more efficient service to clients. We intend to bring forward legislation to improve current appeals arrangements. Further details will be announced in due course.

  Pensions
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will introduce measures to ensure that the basic pension is increased in line with increasing national prosperity. [4354]

  Mr. Denham
  There are many ways in which pensioners can share in rising national prosperity—through contributory pension entitlements, through other benefits, or through the income derived from savings.

  Our review of pensions will consider the central areas of insecurity for elderly people including all aspects of the basic pension and its value. We will retain the basic pension as the foundation of security in retirement and we will increase it at least in line with prices.
  65
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to introduce a flexible decade of retirement. [4356]

  Mr. Denham
  The pensions review, details of which my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, will announce in due course, will examine all aspects of basic pension and its value.

  Poverty
  Mr. Goggins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on her priorities for the reduction of poverty in the United Kingdom. [4358]

  Ms Harman
  Our priorities in tackling low incomes are to help young people, the long-term unemployed and lone parents into work, and to get help to up to a million pensioners not claiming the Income Support to which they are entitled.

  Benefit Claimants
  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to improve social security office services to those claiming benefit. [4360]

  Mr. Field
  We are reviewing the way that the Department does business to ensure the system is more accessible and more responsive to our clients' needs.

  There are over 400 sites offering a full range of services. Services for job seekers are provided in over 1,000 job centres.

  Benefit Entitlement
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures she proposes to ensure that those entitled to benefit have access to, and are aware of, their entitlement. [4362]

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps she is taking to increase the take-up of benefits by people entitled to them. [4370]

  Mr. Field
  We are concerned that up to 1 million pensioners currently miss out on the Income Support to which they are entitled. We want to get help to Britain's poorest pensioners and are commissioning research into the reasons why pensioners fail to claim the Income Support which is their due.

  Jobseeker's Allowance
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to repeal the jobseeker's Allowance. [4363]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The Government believes that work is the best form of welfare for people of working age. A programme of monitoring and evaluation is under way to enable us to ensure that Jobseeker's Allowance contributes to achieving our objectives.

  Benefit Fraud
  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals she has to tackle fraud in the benefit system. [4364]
  66
  Mr. Denham
  We will be vigilant in tackling fraud, ensuring value for taxpayers' money and rebuilding confidence in the Social Security system. A number of measures to help prevent, deter and detect benefit fraud will he brought in over the next few months and we shall consider what additional measures are needed.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate she has made of the level of benefit fraud in the Social Security system. [4365]

  Mr. Denham
  The previous administration estimated about £4 billion of benefit fraud in the system of which £1 billion is detected. We shall be looking at the assumptions underpinning these figures, and at new information from an on-going programme of work and benefit reviews, to ensure we have a robust measure of the level of fraud. Our aim is to tackle fraud to ensure value for tax payers' money and to rebuild public confidence in the Social Security system.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. WcAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations she has received relating to the proposal to restrict housing benefit entitlement for single claimants under 60 years of age. [4369]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  We have received a considerable number of representations relating to this restriction. These were taken account of in our review of the regulations. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, announced her decision on 18 June to revoke the extension of the single room rent for claimants between the ages of 25 and 59.

  Mr. Lawrie Quinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on her plans for housing benefit. [4371]

  Mr. Bradley
  On 18 June, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, announced her decision to revoke the extension of the single room rent to those aged 25 or over.

  More broadly, we will be working with other Government Departments to develop a housing policy which does not trap people on benefit and which generates personal responsibility.

  We want a modernised Social Security system which will tackle poverty and welfare dependency and promote work incentives. We will develop a system which supports work, savings and honesty. We will be vigilant in tackling fraud and ensuring value for taxpayers' money. We are, therefore, committed to a review of the Social Security system as a whole, including housing benefit.

  Lone Parents
  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on the Government's policy to help lone parents into work. [4372]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The Government believes that the best form of welfare for people of working age is a job and we are committed to a package of measures as part of our welfare to work strategy which will help lone mothers to move off benefit and into work.

  Young People
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has for helping young unemployed people off benefit dependency. [4348]

  Mr. Field
  We believe that work is the best form of welfare for people of working age. Our new deal for young people will offer opportunities for work, volunteering, training and education.

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on her plans to reform child benefit. [4361]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  Modernising the Social Security system is a key priority of the Government. We are committed to retaining universal child benefit from birth to age 16 and to uprate it at least in line with prices. We are reviewing educational finance and maintenance for those older than 16 to ensure higher staying-on rates at school and college, and that resources are used to support those in most need.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps she is taking to ensure fair medical evaluation of people claiming disability benefits. [4366]

  Mr. Denham
  As part of our general review of Social Security provision, we will be looking at a number of eligibility issues including the requirements for medical assessment for benefit purposes. A key priority will be to ensure that procedures for determining entitlement are fair and that claimants receive an efficient and high quality service.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment she has made of the powers of the Independent Tribunal Service in respect of the disability appeal tribunal system with particular reference to the case of Mr. M. McCall of Broughton. [4367]

  Mr. Denham
  We intend to bring forward legislation to improve current decision making and appeals arrangements in the Social Security system. Further details will be announced in due course.

  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for what reasons the mobility component of the disability living allowance is restricted to people over the age of five years; and if she will make a statement. [5590]

  Mr. Denham
  We are committed to a review of Social Security with the objective of reducing poverty and welfare dependency and to provide work incentives. Provision for disabled people will form part of that review. We will announce the details in due course.

  The mobility component of disability living allowance is paid primarily to help people become independently mobile. Children under the age of five cannot be independently mobile as they need guidance and supervision whilst out of doors.

  Benefits Claimants (Medical Examination)
  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations she has received on changes to the procedure for DSS medical examinations for claimants; and if she will make a statement. [4357]

  Mr. Field
  I have received a number of representations about DSS medical assessments from a number of groups representing sick and disabled people, other interested organisations and DSS staff representatives, as part of our general review of Social Security provision we will be looking at a number of eligibility issues including the requirements for medical assessment for benefit purposes. Key priorities will be to ensure that procedures for determining entitlement are fair and that claimants receive an efficient and high quality service and that taxpayers' funds are fully protected.

  Appeals
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will set a maximum time for the hearing of appeals to the social security and other related appeals tribunals as part of the Citizen's Charter Initiative; and if she will make a statement. [5993]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  Modernising the Social Security system is one of our key priorities. We will streamline services to provide better, simpler more efficient services to clients. We intend to bring forward legislation to improve current decision making and appeals arrangements for all Social Security matters. Further details will be announced in due course.

  Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority
  Mr. Alan Keen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when she expects to receive the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority's first annual report; and if she will make a statement. [6358]

  Mr. Denham
  We have laid the first report of the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (OPRA) before both Houses today. It covers the first 12 months of OPRA's existence in which it made the necessary preparations to take up its statutory responsibilities on 6 April 1997.

  OPRA has the leading role in helping to ensure that the interests of all members of occupational pension schemes are safeguarded, we are pleased that the efforts made by the Authority during its start up year enabled it to be fully operational from day one.

  In-house Bids
  Dr. Tony Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if she will allow West Mercia Services to make an in-house bid to continue to provide the services it currently undertakes; [4980]

  (2) if she will allow in-house bids for departmental contracts. [4988]

  Mr. Field
  West Mercia Services are part of the Department's Accommodation and Office Services project. This is one of a range of initiatives the Department of Social Security is engaged in to test the value for money of involving external contractors. We
  69
  will review these initiatives, including Partnerships Schemes, in the light of our objectives for modernising the delivery of the welfare system; the implications for customer service, staff and the taxpayer; our commitment to work within the announced spending totals for the first
  70
  two years of Government; our aim of getting best value for public money; the scope to apply the private sector's expertise, discipline and economies of scale in procuring public services and securing investment; and the flexibility for government to make changes at a later date.

  SOE Records: Release
  SOE Records: Release
  Arms Exports: Payment to Exporters
  Arms Exports: Payment to Exporters
  Arms Exports: Evasion of Controls
  Arms Exports: Evasion of Controls
  Arms Exports to Turkey and Indonesia
  Arms Exports to Turkey and Indonesia
  Child Benefit Centre: Telephone Contact
  Child Benefit Centre: Telephone Contact
  Mixed Sex Wards
  Mixed Sex Wards
  Extradition Requests
  Extradition Requests
  Referendums
  Referendums
  Police and Fire Service Pensions
  Police and Fire Service Pensions
  Buses: EU Directive Proposal
  Buses: EU Directive Proposal
  Train Passenger Capacity: Monitoring
  Train Passenger Capacity: Monitoring
  Voluntary Bodies: Withdrawal of Funding
  Voluntary Bodies: Withdrawal of Funding
  Government Political Advisers: Costs
  Government Political Advisers: Costs
  Atomic Weapons Establishment Sites: Licensing
  Atomic Weapons Establishment Sites: Licensing
  Agriculture Council, 23–25 June
  Agriculture Council, 23–25 June
  Subsidence: Claims
  Subsidence: Claims
  Trend Rate of Growth
  Trend Rate of Growth
  Economic Fluctuations: Figures
  Economic Fluctuations: Figures
  Employment: Figures
  Employment: Figures
  Industrial Base
  Industrial Base
  Sixth Form Colleges: Funding
  Sixth Form Colleges: Funding
  Youth Services: Provision
  Youth Services: Provision
  Higher Education
  Higher Education
  Communication Skills in Schools
  Communication Skills in Schools
  Education: Spending
  Education: Spending
  School Balances
  School Balances