Written Answers of 18 March 1997

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Departmental Legislation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Bills his Department has sponsored in each of the last 15 years; and how many have been passed by Parliament. [19774]

  Mr. Howard
  The Home Office has sponsored a total of 60 Bills in the last 15 years. Of these, 54 have been passed by Parliament, with one other being partially enacted. The Bills, arranged according to the relevant parliamentary Session, were as follows:

  1981–82

  Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

  Criminal Justice Bill

  Fire Service College Board (Abolition) Bill.

  1982–83

  Nuclear Material (Offences) Bill

  Marriage Bill

  Data Protection Bill (fell at Dissolution)

  Police and Criminal Evidence Bill (fell at Dissolution).

  1983–84

  Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Bill

  Data Protection Bill

  Cable and Broadcasting Bill

  Repatriation of Prisoners Bill

  Police and Criminal Evidence Bill.

  1984–85

  Prosecution of Offences Bill

  Representation of the People Bill

  Interception of Communications Bill

  Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc.) Bill.

  1985–86

  Animals (Scientific Procedures) Bill

  Drug Trafficking Offences Bill

  Public Order Bill

  Shops Bill (defeated at Second Reading).

  1986–87

  Broadcasting Bill

  Criminal Justice Bill1

  Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Bill

  Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Bill.

  1By agreement with the Opposition Parties in both Houses, Part 1 of the Bill dealing with the setting up of the Serious Fraud Office was enacted before Dissolution: the rest of the Bill fell.

  1987–88

  Criminal Justice Bill

  Firearms (Amendment) Bill

  Immigration Bill

  Licensing Bill.

  488

  1988–89

  Official Secrets Bill

  Police Officers (Central Service) Bill

  Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Bill

  Representation of the People Bill

  Security Service Bill.

  1989–90

  British Nationality Hong Kong Bill

  Broadcasting Bill

  Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) Bill

  War Crimes Bill (defeated at Second Reading).

  1990–91

  Criminal Justice Bill

  Dangerous Dogs Bill

  Maintenance Enforcement Bill

  War Crimes Bill.

  1991–92

  Aggravated Vehicle Taking Bill

  Prison Security Bill

  Charities Bill

  Asylum Bill (fell at Dissolution).

  1992–93

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission Bill

  Asylum and Immigration Appeals Bill

  Criminal Justice Bill

  European Parliamentary Elections Bill

  National Lottery Bill.

  1993–94

  Sunday Trading Bill

  Police and Magistrates' Courts Bill

  Criminal Justice and Public Order Bill.

  1994–95

  Licensing (Sunday Hours) Bill

  Criminal Appeal Bill

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Bill.

  1995–96

  Prevention of Terrorism (Additional Powers) Bill

  Criminal Procedure and Investigations Bill

  Security Service Bill

  Asylum and Immigration Bill.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes were recorded by each police force in England and Wales within each category of crime in 1996; how many incidents of theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle and of theft from a motor vehicle were recorded by each force; how many of the burglaries recorded by each police force in England and Wales in 1996 were in a dwelling; and how many were in another building. [20191]

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: The information requested is given in the table.
  489

  Notifiable offences recorded by the police

  England and Wales 1996

  Police area

  Total crime

  Violence against the person

  Sexual offences

  Robbery

  Burglary

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  Fraud and forgery

  Criminal damage

  Other

  Theft of vehicle

  Theft from vehicle

  Burglary dwelling

  Burglary other

  Avon and Somerset

  156,557

  8,809

  1,037

  2,022

  35,151

  81,096

  4,293

  22,970

  1,179

  16,224

  31,246

  19,320

  15,831

  Bedfordshire

  52,005

  3,396

  412

  658

  10,237

  25,983

  2,033

  8,727

  559

  5,760

  9,157

  5,287

  4,950

  Cambridgeshire

  69,532

  3,246

  427

  427

  14,544

  38,521

  1,500

  10,339

  528

  6,616

  14,127

  6,376

  8,168

  Cheshire

  66,214

  3,616

  575

  390

  15,521

  30,499

  2,359

  11,635

  1,619

  6,402

  9,070

  7,496

  8,025

  Cleveland

  78,608

  2,957

  314

  678

  22,234

  37,230

  1,475

  12,977

  743

  8,615

  12,700

  12,050

  10,184

  Cumbria

  39,739

  2,562

  208

  103

  8,419

  18,184

  995

  8,796

  472

  2,108

  6,571

  3,880

  4,539

  Derbyshire

  78,896

  4,158

  486

  384

  18,856

  38,328

  1,355

  14,558

  771

  8,314

  14,362

  7,967

  10,889

  Devon and Cornwall

  103,121

  6,184

  772

  493

  24,841

  51,549

  2,374

  15,545

  1,363

  5,964

  19,716

  11,365

  13,476

  Dorset

  49,731

  2,019

  324

  189

  9,924

  26,653

  1,303

  8,679

  640

  3,789

  9,904

  4,732

  5,192

  Durham

  51,849

  1,895

  351

  221

  13,084

  22,630

  1,279

  11,575

  814

  5,995

  6,594

  5,885

  7,199

  Essex

  100,758

  4,859

  635

  461

  19,007

  51,937

  2,485

  20,381

  993

  9,410

  17,204

  8,146

  10,861

  Gloucestershire

  53,675

  1,697

  272

  423

  12,928

  29,335

  1,652

  6,962

  406

  4,399

  12,361

  6,626

  6,302

  Greater Manchester

  327,976

  11,069

  1,406

  6,271

  83,780

  144,890

  5,532

  72,272

  2,756

  46,740

  47,006

  49,132

  34,648

  Hampshire

  135,915

  6,745

  1,073

  576

  23,008

  70,517

  3,907

  28,178

  1,911

  8,574

  25,961

  9,804

  13,204

  Hertfordshire

  54,441

  2,108

  300

  326

  10,353

  28,892

  1,237

  10,738

  487

  5,572

  12,886

  4,343

  6,010

  Humberside

  126,932

  6,104

  665

  747

  37,834

  57,406

  2,610

  20,754

  812

  11,133

  17,938

  15,923

  21,911

  Kent

  147,980

  8,891

  908

  747

  32,516

  71,116

  3,155

  28,999

  1,648

  15,078

  22,676

  14,667

  17,849

  Lancashire

  122,487

  3,637

  713

  827

  30,500

  54,644

  3,446

  27,090

  1,630

  8,592

  20,245

  17,103

  13,397

  Leicestershire

  94,125

  5,228

  478

  1,439

  24,997

  43,968

  3,365

  13,897

  753

  9,448

  15,794

  13,417

  11,580

  Lincolnshire

  47,077

  2,701

  293

  138

  12,819

  21,085

  1,148

  8,297

  596

  3,388

  6,568

  5,722

  7,097

  City of London

  4,831

  130

  17

  34

  515

  3,303

  439

  276

  117

  125

  383

  37

  478

  Merseyside

  145,956

  8,236

  891

  2,985

  29,437

  71,393

  4,288

  26,907

  1,819

  18,867

  17,883

  17,920

  11,517

  Metropolitan Police

  841,784

  49,639

  7,355

  32,867

  164,926

  385,160

  38,983

  151,829

  11,025

  60,466

  115,750

  100,216

  64,710

  Norfolk

  55,314

  2,492

  428

  219

  11,751

  28,276

  1,251

  10,222

  675

  3,404

  8,892

  4,186

  7,565

  Northamptonshire

  57,378

  2,766

  345

  473

  12,542

  27,207

  1,246

  12,241

  558

  6,891

  8,894

  6,377

  6,165

  Northumbria

  169,656

  5,148

  601

  1,403

  42,822

  68,692

  2,109

  47,725

  1,156

  17,877

  20,626

  21,409

  21,413

  North Yorkshire

  56,919

  2,333

  311

  177

  13,972

  28,573

  1,052

  10,036

  465

  4,804

  9,024

  6,065

  7,907

  Nottinghamshire

  141,307

  8,529

  820

  1,166

  33,188

  61,603

  3,027

  31,903

  1,071

  14,350

  18,896

  16,671

  16,517

  South Yorkshire

  151,577

  4,427

  570

  1,209

  43,276

  70,448

  2,651

  27,800

  1,196

  22,053

  23,523

  22,392

  20,884

  Staffordshire

  92,155

  7,329

  532

  503

  24,511

  39,561

  2,004

  16,904

  811

  8,487

  13,415

  12,395

  12,116

  Suffolk

  37,094

  2,136

  351

  156

  6,384

  18,134

  1,333

  7,965

  635

  2,008

  5,523

  2,539

  3,845

  Surrey

  42,014

  1,942

  363

  212

  8,476

  21,611

  1,389

  7,457

  564

  2,777

  7,762

  3,777

  4,699

  Sussex

  118,086

  6,407

  759

  682

  21,534

  59,412

  2,815

  25,015

  1,462

  7,424

  20,217

  10,758

  10,776

  Thames Valley

  172,194

  6,606

  779

  1,429

  36,549

  93,239

  4,551

  27,257

  1,784

  17,584

  37,741

  18,678

  17,871

  Warwickshire

  38,926

  1,278

  207

  196

  9,181

  19,915

  975

  6,805

  369

  4,269

  7,227

  3,954

  5,227

  West Mercia

  82,254

  3,085

  526

  331

  16,435

  43,110

  1,894

  15,866

  1,007

  7,168

  14,908

  7,432

  9,003

  West Midlands

  317,892

  8,404

  1,124

  8,150

  88,860

  146,882

  6,365

  55,856

  2,251

  45,383

  50,632

  46,237

  42,623

  West Yorkshire

  268,716

  8,376

  1,588

  3,229

  80,010

  120,801

  5,071

  45,842

  3,799

  27,802

  41,655

  47,582

  32,428

  Wiltshire

  35,911

  2,126

  352

  153

  7,611

  17,854

  920

  6,473

  422

  1,880

  6,297

  3,615

  3,996

  Dyfed-Powys

  19,072

  2,098

  257

  47

  3,041

  7,704

  604

  4,571

  750

  1,010

  1,848

  1,159

  1,882

  Gwent

  44,572

  4,540

  431

  121

  8,717

  19,581

  1,305

  8,925

  952

  3,216

  6,515

  3,663

  5,054

  North Wales

  41,024

  2,467

  420

  111

  8,952

  19,586

  1,022

  7,921

  545

  2,147

  7,165

  3,217

  5,735

  South Wales

  141,578

  6,734

  571

  584

  31,121

  66,448

  3,105

  31,533

  1,482

  21,189

  22,583

  12,472

  18,649

  England and Wales

  5,033,828

  239,109

  31,247

  73,957

  1,164,364

  2,382,956

  135,902

  950,698

  55,595

  493,302

  799,445

  601,992

  562,372

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes were recorded in each borough by the Metropolitan police within each category of crime in 1996; how many incidents of theft or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle and of theft from a motor vehicle were recorded in each borough; how many of the burglaries recorded in each borough were in a dwelling; and how many were in another building. [20192]

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: I will write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes have been reported in each of the London boroughs in 1997 to date, broken down by type of crime and clear-up rate. [20176]

  Mr. Maclean
  This information is not yet available centrally.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the compliance of his Department's policy in respect of the 490
  detention of asylum seekers convicted of using false documents with the terms of article 31 of the UN convention relating to the status of refugees; and if he will make a statement. [20277]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  It is for the prosecuting authorities to decide whether to prosecute a person for using false documents. The prosecution of people who have not sought asylum in the United Kingdom, but have attempted to enter or leave the country using false documents, is not a breach of article 31 of the United Nations convention. Any subsequent application for asylum in the United Kingdom would be determined on its individual merits. Detention solely under Immigration Act powers would be authorised only if there were good grounds for believing that the person would not comply with the terms of temporary admission.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to open a new detention centre for asylum seekers at Dover; and if he will make a statement. [20278]
  491
  Mr. Kirkhope
  We are examining the case for seeking to locate an immigration detention centre in the Dover area, but no firm proposals have yet been developed.

  Police Authorities (Staff)
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each police

  Police and civilian strength in England and Wales

  May 1979

  September 1990

  September 1996

  Force

  Police

  Civilians1

  Police

  Civilians1

  Police

  Civilians1

  Avon and Somerset

  2,829

  683

  3,069

  863

  3,004

  1,209

  Bedfordshire

  900

  280

  1,051

  370

  1,118

  498

  Cambridgeshire

  1,071

  306

  1,193

  460

  1,253

  558

  Cheshire

  1,787

  391

  1,868

  497

  2,016

  755

  City of London

  832

  274

  790

  278

  868

  335

  Cleveland

  1,347

  318

  1,496

  452

  1,444

  599

  Cumbria

  1,064

  252

  1,176

  408

  1,124

  435

  Derbyshire

  1,587

  634

  1,773

  562

  1,795

  684

  Devon and Cornwall

  2,667

  752

  2,870

  964

  2,876

  1,164

  Dorset

  1,140

  277

  1,286

  532

  1,262

  614

  Durham

  1,312

  500

  1,371

  534

  1,426

  542

  Dyfed-Powys

  913

  190

  943

  242

  998

  334

  Essex

  2,490

  686

  2,845

  990

  2,927

  1,266

  Gloucestershire

  1,081

  229

  1,159

  344

  1,139

  425

  Greater Manchester

  6,440

  1,409

  7,019

  2,232

  6,961

  2,719

  Gwent

  971

  203

  1,000

  264

  1,231

  463

  Hampshire

  2,955

  708

  3,160

  967

  3,362

  1,350

  Hertfordshire

  1,455

  374

  1,652

  544

  1,721

  790

  Humberside

  1,861

  504

  1,986

  655

  2,042

  715

  Kent

  2,730

  888

  3,000

  973

  3,227

  1,274

  Lancashire

  3,093

  885

  3,183

  1,137

  3,203

  1,204

  Leicestershire

  1,701

  362

  1,778

  641

  1,933

  708

  Lincolnshire

  1,175

  314

  1,200

  445

  1,157

  489

  Merseyside

  4,441

  910

  4,686

  1,472

  4,271

  1,686

  Metropolitan

  22,225

  11,837

  28,287

  13,447

  27,049

  13,890

  Norfolk

  1,229

  246

  1,389

  426

  1,399

  573

  Northamptonshire

  909

  252

  1,134

  399

  1,186

  560

  Northumbria

  3,285

  773

  3,519

  1,185

  3,693

  1,215

  North Wales

  1,269

  317

  1,335

  437

  1,381

  536

  North Yorkshire

  1,337

  338

  1,386

  441

  1,334

  596

  Nottinghamshire

  2,120

  554

  2,336

  661

  2,339

  989

  South Wales

  2,945

  870

  3,112

  1,134

  2,913

  1,151

  South Yorkshire

  2,560

  599

  2,961

  877

  3,128

  1,316

  Staffordshire

  1,980

  573

  2,197

  667

  2,220

  758

  Suffolk

  1,077

  323

  1,206

  436

  1,159

  500

  Surrey

  1,442

  360

  1,659

  523

  1,632

  760

  Sussex

  2,759

  723

  2,990

  913

  3,097

  1,167

  Thames Valley

  2,653

  970

  3,699

  1,323

  3,682

  1,853

  Warwickshire

  843

  204

  1,022

  339

  948

  393

  West Mercia

  1,752

  501

  2,013

  844

  2,011

  958

  West Midlands

  6,031

  1,426

  6,866

  2,254

  7,203

  2,389

  West Yorkshire

  4,739

  1,191

  5,278

  1,842

  5,154

  2,091

  Wiltshire

  1,001

  252

  1,140

  438

  1,166

  493

  1Excludes traffic wardens.

  Police Cautions
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each police authority the number and percentage of people arrested who were released after receiving a police caution in(a) 1990, (b) 1994 and (c) the latest available date. [20529]

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: Detailed data on the number of people arrested are not collected centrally.

  Information available on the number of people cautioned by police force area is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, Supplementary
  492
  authority in England and Wales the number of (a) police officers and (b) civilian staff employed (i) in 1979, (ii) in 1990 and (iii) at the latest available date. [20649]

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: The information requested is given in the table.

  Tables, Volume 3". Table S3.7(A) in the 1990 and 1994 editions and table S3.6(A) in the 1995 volume contain that information.

  Copies are available in the Library.

  Acquittals
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each(a) magistrates court and (b) Crown court the percentage of defendants acquitted in (i) 1990, (ii) 1994 and (iii) the latest available date. [20530]
  493
  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: Readily available information is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, Supplementary Tables".

  Magistrates court data for individual petty sessional divisions can be found in the 1990 volume 5, table S5.1 and in volume 4, table S4.1, of the 1994 and 1995 editions.

  Data for individual Crown court centres are published in the 1990 volume 3, table S3.6(A) and in volume 2, table S2.3, of the 1994 and 1995 editions.

  Copies are available in the Library.

  Child Support Agency
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the annual additional costs of police time arising out of CSA decisions; and if he will make a statement. [20172]

  Number of persons cautioned, proceeded against' at magistrates' courts and tried at the Crown Court for the offence of Possession of Cannabis by Police Force Area, 1994 and 1995

  Cautioned

  Proceeded against at Magistrates' court1

  Total tried at the Crown Court

  Police Force Area

  1994

  1995

  1994

  1995

  1994

  1995

  Avon and Somerset

  594

  282

  228

  259

  33

  25

  Bedfordshire

  77

  94

  118

  182

  18

  19

  Cambridgeshire

  498

  377

  141

  63

  7

  6

  Cheshire

  784

  590

  290

  360

  8

  17

  Cleveland

  306

  406

  47

  67

  4

  10

  Cumbria

  326

  315

  255

  228

  7

  9

  Derbyshire

  259

  468

  147

  175

  9

  22

  Devon and Cornwall

  1,084

  1,073

  258

  311

  31

  23

  Dorset

  144

  196

  112

  127

  5

  8

  Durham

  153

  217

  103

  147

  2

  5

  Essex

  851

  848

  285

  284

  9

  18

  Gloucestershire

  459

  593

  108

  157

  3

  4

  Greater Manchester

  2,230

  2,032

  722

  767

  48

  58

  Hampshire

  1,380

  1,131

  328

  456

  26

  29

  Hertfordshire

  482

  453

  187

  229

  5

  8

  Humberside

  398

  280

  93

  137

  3

  7

  Kent

  684

  619

  342

  289

  11

  22

  Lancashire

  1,180

  1,341

  256

  407

  26

  27

  Leicesterhire

  380

  337

  130

  174

  6

  6

  Lincolnshire

  198

  235

  203

  191

  13

  16

  London, City of

  347

  535

  33

  64

  2

  2

  Merseyside

  597

  820

  790

  829

  26

  41

  Metropolitan Police

  13,268

  14,007

  4,291

  3,443

  232

  237

  Norfolk

  236

  490

  190

  272

  6

  7

  Northamptonshire

  448

  535

  60

  76

  9

  1

  Northumbria

  832

  1,192

  192

  166

  18

  17

  North Yorkshire

  307

  309

  193

  201

  16

  13

  Nottinghamshire

  361

  378

  188

  218

  19

  20

  South Yorkshire

  728

  731

  237

  336

  13

  18

  Staffordshire

  424

  478

  166

  213

  15

  14

  Suffolk

  537

  494

  82

  119

  10

  7

  Surrey

  —

  235

  142

  183

  7

  16

  Sussex

  821

  937

  361

  366

  11

  16

  494
  Mr. Maclean
  This information is not collected centrally. The cost of specific activities and operations carried out by the police is a matter for chief officers. The Government would not collect data of this kind unless there was a specific and justifiable need to do so.

  Possession of Cannabis (Court Proceedings)
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each police authority in England and Wales the number, and percentage, of people arrested for possession of cannabis who were(a) cautioned, (b) tried in a magistrates court and (c) tried in a higher court in (i) 1990, (ii) 1994 and (iii) the latest available date. [20528]

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: Detailed data on the number of people arrested are not collected centrally.

  Information available on the number of people cautioned, proceeded against at magistrates courts and tried at the Crown court for 1994 and 1995 by police force area is given in the tables. Comparable 1990 data for offences of possession of a controlled drug do not distinguish the type of drug.
  495

  Number of persons cautioned, proceeded against1 at magistrates' courts and tried at the Crown Court for the offence of Possession of Cannabis by Police Force Area, 1994 and 1995

  Cautioned

  Proceeded against at Magistrates court1

  Total tried at the Crown Court

  Police Force Area

  1994

  1995

  1994

  1995

  1994

  1995

  Thames Valley

  795

  692

  548

  594

  16

  16

  Warwickshire

  349

  459

  69

  71

  —

  3

  West Mercia

  773

  824

  187

  247

  10

  9

  West Midlands

  1,632

  1,526

  469

  420

  32

  36

  West Yorkshire

  566

  686

  723

  803

  43

  52

  Wiltshire

  400

  275

  54

  57

  —

  —

  Dyfed-Powys

  470

  469

  153

  206

  5

  7

  Gwent

  494

  497

  106

  130

  8

  8

  North Wales

  820

  837

  297

  292

  7

  8

  South Wales

  500

  578

  409

  402

  21

  20

  England and Wales

  38,172

  39,871

  14,293

  14,718

  800

  907

  1Includes those who were committed for trial at the Crown Court.

  Police Stations
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the parliamentary constituencies in the United Kingdom which do not contain a police station. [20214]

  Mr. Maclean
  My right hon. and learned Friend has responsibility for the police service in England and Wales. The information requested is not kept centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The position in Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for the respective Secretaries of State.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  "Competing for Quality"
  Sir Kenneth Carlisle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the Government's response to the "Competing for Quality" policy review. [21077]

  Mr. Freeman
  The "Competing for Quality" policy review endorsed the Government's policy of improving efficiency and quality through competition and the involvement of the private sector and made a large number of recommendations for enhancing "Competing for Quality" programmes.

  Since the review was published, the Government have been considering their recommendations and have consulted the CBI and the Council of Civil Service Unions.

  I am happy to announce now that the Government accept the large majority of the review's recommendations. I expect Departments to follow the advice of the review in their "Competing for Quality" programmes.

  In particular, I want to stress:
  Departments should continue to develop co-operation with the private sector, in order to maximise the opportunities for improvement in value for money.
  the leadership of senior management in Departments continues to be important for success and they should encourage the scope of innovation and improvement through competition to be continuously widened.
  496
  staff are our key asset and they should be properly trained for and supported in managing competition programmes. The concerns of those affected by competitions should be addressed.
  improving quality and improving value for money should go hand in hand.
  transparency is important for success and will be achieved through the Government's initiatives on open government and by the introduction of resource accounting and budgeting.

  The Government are not able to accept fully the review's recommendations on:
  imposing minimum cost thresholds for competition
  The review points out that high process costs have eroded, or in some cases exceeded, savings made by submitting to competition small or low cost areas of work. It suggests a minimum threshold below which competition should be avoided. The Government consider that this is too inflexible and could inhibit Departments from making worthwhile gains even in relatively small areas. In any competition, Departments should package small activities together as well as looking for other ways to minimise process costs. Then they should satisfy themselves that the benefits would be worth the process costs involved. But the Government do not plan to impose rigid cost thresholds, as proposed by the review.
  restructuring activities in preference to competition
  The review recommends that internal restructuring options should be pursued before putting activities out to competition. It also recommends that, in general, strategic contracting out (that is, competition between private sector organisations to supply services to Government, without any in-house teams competing as in a market test) is to be preferred to market testing, because the net savings are likely to be higher and because it may offer a better way of handling staff interests. The Government's policy, as was set out in the "Continuity and Change" White Paper (Cm 2627), continues to be to improve efficiency and quality through competition and by involving the private sector. But within this policy, Departments are free to make informed judgements of the relative benefits of internal restructuring, market testing and contracting out.
  indemnities for contractors against redundancies after staff transfer under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations, 1981, as amended ("TUPE")
  The review recommends contractors should be indemnified by the Government against the cost of future redundancies in case work is abolished at the end of a contract. Indemnities would create contingent liabilities and, in general, the Government believe the interests of the taxpayer are best served by a clean break. But indemnities can be negotiated exceptionally, with the agreement of the Treasury, on the basis of criteria issued in 1994.

  497
  The review also recommended that indemnities should be given against the effects of any future amendments to the European acquired rights directive, on which TUPE is based. The Government do not give indemnities against changes in legislation, but would be prepared to consider whether any transitional arrangements were needed in the event of significant changes to the directive which resulted in the need to amend TUPE.

  In due course, the forthcoming Government's "Guide to Competing for Quality" will give fuller guidance to Departments.

  Civil Service Salaries
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the average increase in civil service salaries since February 1993. [20653]

  Mr. Freeman
  This information is not available in the precise form requested but I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Swansea, West (Mr. Williams) on 24 February,Official Report, column 125.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in how many cases, in the last 12 months, he was advised that the cost of answering a parliamentary question would exceed £450; and in how many of those cases he declined to provide an answer on grounds of disproportionate cost. [20652]

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) on 5 March 1997,Official Report, column 618.

  HMSO
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proposals there are to change the 1996–97 cash limit for Her Majesty's Stationery Office. [21044]

  Mr. Freeman
  The cash limit for Her Majesty's Stationery Office, class XVII, vote 4, will be reduced by £50,000 from £1,191,000 to £1,141,000. This reflects the partial offset of increased expenditure in the Office of Public Service, class XVII, vote 1, as announced in a previous answer on 31 January 1997,Official Report, column 386.

  Government Business
  Mr. Forman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidance is issued to Government Departments on the conduct of Government business once an election is announced. [21045]

  Mr. Freeman
  The guidance covering the conduct of Govnerment business once an election is announced was issued to Departments yesterday and copies of it have been placed in the Library of the House.
  498

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Departmental Legislation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many Bills his Department has sponsored in each of the last 15 years; and how many have been passed by Parliament. [19779]

  Mr. Streeter
  The information requested is as follows:

  1981–82: 3

  1982–83: 1

  1983–84: 4

  1984–85: 4

  1985–86: 4

  1986–87: 4

  1987–88: 3

  1988–89: 2

  1989–90: 3

  1990–91: 2

  1991–92: 0

  1992–93: 2

  1993–94: 1

  1994–95: 4

  1995–96: 4.

  With two exceptions—one in 1984–85 and the other in 1994–95—all of the Bills were passed by Parliament. The figures include measures of law reform, but not consolidation Bills.

  Justices Chief Executive (Hartlepool)
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what decision he has reached concerning the application of the justices chief executive in Teeside to acquire the responsibilities of the justices clerk in Hartlepool; and if he will make a statement. [20839]

  Mr. Streeter
  My Department has not yet received such an application.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Departmental Legislation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Attorney-General how many Bills his Department has sponsored in each of the last 15 years; and how many have been passed by Parliament. [19766]

  The Attorney-General
  Save for consolidation Bills, which are not treated as departmental business, none.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  International Treaties
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many international treaties the United Kingdom has signed in each of the last 15 years; how many were judged to
  499
  require Acts of Parliament prior to notification; and how many times in that period a Bill to give effect to a treaty was not passed by Parliament. [19781]

  Dr. Liam Fox
  A total of 1,381 treaties have been signed by the United Kingdom since 1 January 1982:

  1982: 67

  1983: 78

  1984: 69

  1985: 65

  1986: 99

  1987: 105

  1988: 81

  1989: 110

  1990: 113

  1991: 92

  1992: 89

  1993: 122

  1994: 117

  1995: 84

  1996: 90.

  The treaties cover a wide range of subjects and in a majority of cases Government Departments other than the FCO would have been responsible for determining what legislation, if any, was involved. This information is not recorded in treaty records and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Departmental Legislation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Bills his Department has sponsored in each of the last 15 years; and how many have been passed by Parliament. [19764]

  Dr. Liam Fox
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, including the ODA, sponsored the following number of Bills in each of the last 15 years:

  1982: 1

  1983: 0

  1984: 0

  1985: 4

  1986: 2

  1987: 3

  1988: 3

  1989: 3

  1990: 1

  1991: 3

  1992: 1

  1993: 2

  1994: 2

  1995: 3

  1996: 2

  All of the Bills have been passed by Parliament.

  Montserrat
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the new jetty in the north of Montserrat will be completed; and what assessment he has made of the risk from a volcanic eruption to the people working in the harbour. [20840]
  500
  Dr. Liam Fox
  The stub of the new jetty was completed in February 1997. It can now be used for limited movement of people and supplies. The full jetty is due for completion in late May 1997. There is continual appraisal of the risk by the scientific team on the island. Contingency plans are in place for the rapid departure of essential workers from the harbour if the circumstances change.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Trans-Pennine Trail
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what action she is taking to expedite the completion of the trans-Pennine trail. [18481]

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This is a matter for the Millennium Commission. I shall write to the hon. Member in my capacity as chairman of the commission and place copies of my reply in the Libraries of the House.

  Departmental Web Site
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when her Department established its Internet site; what representations she has received and what data she has collated on the use and utility of the site; and what steps she is taking to increase the amount of information available via the site. [19141]

  Mr. Sproat
  The Department of National Heritage web site, www.heritage.gov.uk, was established in March 1996. The Department's web site allows people to provide feedback on the pages. Representations have been received from bodies wishing to have a link to their web site added to the Department's.

  A monthly report is produced which identifies the most commonly accessed information held on the site as well as the total number of people who have visited the site. There are a growing number of DNH publications on the web site with the most recent addition being "Reading the Future—A Review of Public Libraries in England". Future DNH publications will also be posted on the Department's web site and the range of information provided is under review in the light of the recent Green Paper on government.direct.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Treason Charges (Nigeria)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations he has received on the treason charges bought against Nigerian dissidents on 12 March; and if he will make a statement; [20766]

  (2) what reports he has received on (a) the cases of the Nigerian political activists charged with treason by the Nigerian authorities on 12 March and (b) the conditions in which those detained are being held. [20767]

  Dr. Liam Fox
  Our high commission in Lagos has reported that, on 12 March, 15 people were arraigned before a magistrates court in Lagos, four in absentia, charged with two counts of treason against the Nigerian
  501
  Government. The case has been adjourned until 9 May. We have no information, at this stage, about the conditions in which the 11 Nigerian-based detainees are being held, but our high commission is following the case closely.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  McDermott v. Diana, Princess of Wales
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the industrial tribunal application in the case McDermott v. Diana, Princess of Wales, was withdrawn or an award was made consequent on negotiations between the applicant and the respondent. [19960]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: The industrial tribunal application in the case of McDermott v. Diana, Princess of Wales was settled prior to the tribunal hearing on 5 March, as result of an agreement reached between the applicant and the respondent.

  Internet
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps here Department is taking to prevent access by children to the adult material content of the Internet. [20195]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: My Department has worked extensively with the industry, the Home Office and the police to develop an appropriate approach to this important issue. We have encouraged the industry in a self-regulatory approach, backed-up by the application of existing law, and the existing penalties, in the Internet environment. As a result, on 23 September 1996, I was able to launch an industry led initiative— now known as "Internet Watch"—with the backing of the police and the Home Office.

  An independent "Internet Watch Foundation"—IWF— was created by the industry to provide a hot-line service where illegal material can be reported and acted upon with the involvement of the service providers and the police as necessary. IWF is also developing, with the help of an advisory board which includes child protection organisations, ratings systems to advise users and suppliers of the normal content of news groups and web pages. This provides both the means to uphold the existing law "on-line", and to provide advisory ratings for other material, which while legal, might be considered unsuitable for children or other vulnerable groups.

  Service providers have undertaken to support the availability of ratings material and the facilities in browsing software to screen out material which parents do not wish their children to encounter. This is a major step forward in promoting responsible use of the Internet and in giving parents the tools with which to exercise their own responsibilities for their children "on-line". Copies of the proposal describing the scheme, which has been operating successfully for several months, were placed in the Library of the House at the time the scheme was launched, under the name of "R3 Safety-Net".
  502

  British Bankers Association (Code of Practice)
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the British Bankers Association proposal to produce a binding code of practice in respect of holders of floating charges giving notice to companies of their intention to appoint an administrative receiver. [21261]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The British Bankers' Association—BBA—has today launched a statement of principles entitled, "Banks and Businesses: Working Together". I, along with my hon. Friends the Minister for Small Firms and the Economic Secretary, believe that this is a positive step in the direction of better communications between bankers and their business customers. As such, we believe it should be of major benefit to both small to medium enterprise—SME—companies and other businesses.

  The primary aim of the statement of principles is to bring about increased and improved communications in bank-customer relationships, particularly where financial difficulties are encountered. The banks will aim to provide businesses with early warning of any concerns they may have together with a reminder of the benefits of taking appropriate advice. By addressing problems at an early stage the statement of principles will underpin the banks' stated commitment to support sustainable rescues. It will also give business access to banks' complaints procedures and, where applicable, the banking ombudsman. For these reasons the statement of principles has potential additional benefits which would not be delivered by the five days notice proposal. At present 90 per cent. of the SME market will be covered by it.

  All the major clearing banks have agreed to be bound by the statement of principles but some of the smaller banks have yet to sign up. I strongly encourage them to do so without delay.

  The Government welcome the statement of principles and the issue of whether legislation is still needed will be reviewed in the light of whether it is delivering the expected benefits to business.

  National Minimum Wage
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 10 March,Official Report, column 35, if he will make a statement on how the methodology set out in the note placed in the Library on 2 February 1990 was used to assess the employment consequences of a national minimum wage on the basis of the 1995 new earnings survey. [20763]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The methodology was used in the same way as set out, in detail, in the note placed in the Library of the House on 2 February 1990. The calculation incorporated the latest earnings data from the April 1995 NES and employment figures for the first quarter of 1995 from the "Workforce in Employment". This gave a figure of around 1 million jobs lost from the introduction of a national minimum wage set at £4 an hour, assuming half restoration of pay differentials.
  503

TRANSPORT

  Ringway Parliamentary Support Group
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on each meeting between Ministers in his Department acting in an official capacity and the ringway parliamentary support group. [20313]

  Mr. Bowis
  My right hon. Friend met the group on 26 February 1997. The main subject of discussion was the liberalisation of bilateral air services agreements.

  In addition, my right hon. Friend attended a reception organised by the group in Westminster Hall in July 1995 and opened a small exhibition about the airport in the Upper Waiting Hall in July 1996. My noble Friend the Minister for Aviation and Shipping also attended a reception held in conjunction with the above exhibition in July 1996.

  Bus Working Group (Consultation)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultation has taken place between the bus working group and its sub-groups and(a) local authorities and (b) members of the public. [20445]

  Mr. Watts
  Consultation takes place by means of the membership of the bus working group and its sub-groups, all of which include representatives of the local authority associations and the National Federation of Bus Users. The membership of the bus working group was set out in my answer of 18 December columns 658–59 to the hon. Member.

  Bus Companies (Customer Complaints)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to encourage bus companies to follow good practice in handling customer complaints. [20444]

  Mr. Watts
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 25 February,Official Report column 142–43.

  Departmental Legislation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many Bills his Department has sponsored in each of the past 15 years; and how many have been passed by Parliament. [19763]

  Mr. Bowis
  The information is set out in the table. All of the Bills were passed by Parliament, with the exception of one—the Civil Aviation Bill of 1985—which was withdrawn.

  Year

  Number of Bills

  1982

  3

  1983

  3

  1984

  3

  1985

  4

  1986

  1

  1987

  2

  1988

  2

  1989

  2

  1990

  2

  1991

  5

  1992

  1

  1993

  1

  504

  Year

  Number of Bills

  1994

  0

  1995

  0

  1996

  3

  Total

  32

  Salisbury Bypass
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the Highways Agency report on its reviews of the crossing of the River Avon south of Salisbury by the proposed Salisbury bypass. [21014]

  Mr. Watts
  Copies of the Highways Agency review report, which is in three volumes, were placed in the Library on 17 March. The report identified two possible alternative routes to the published route for the bypass which would avoid land having to be taken from the newly designated East Harnham meadows site of special scientific interest in the Avon valley. In accordance with undertakings given when my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Transport and for the Environment announced their views on the proposed bypass last October, we will shortly be affording interested parties an opportunity to comment on the agency's report.

  Marine Aids to Navigation
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the future provision of marine aids to navigation by the general lighthouse authorities. [21125]

  Mr. Bowis
  The general lighthouse authorities carried out a consultation exercise during 1996 to determine user views on the future provision of marine aids to navigation. The major proposals, which were supported by respondents, were that the UK should provide a differential global positioning system, adopt the Loran C system as provided by the north-west Europe Loran C system agreement and discontinue the Decca navigator system and the radiobeacon service as soon as was reasonable. The GLAs proposed to maintain traditional aids to navigation, subject to regular reviews.

  We welcome the GLAs' proposals and accept the need to establish a civil marine navigation plan as a sound basis for planning the future provision of aids to navigation into the next century.

  We support the broad thrust of the proposals which are in line with developments in the international maritime community and will assist the transition to a civil global navigation satellite system. The balance of opinion following the consultation exercise supports the provision by the GLAs of DGPS for marine users based on the global positioning system at a relatively small cost to the general lighthouse fund. The system offers improved navigational accuracy while maintaining the system integrity of GPS, as well as the prospective benefits of providing future interface with electronic charting, integrated bridge system vessel traffic services and transponder systems.

  The UK is interested in adopting the NEL system to replace the Decca navigator system as the terrestrial back-up to GPS. We cannot commit the UK to NELS until

  505
  its future has been placed beyond doubt. In the meantime, users should be aware that the GLAs are unlikely to operate the Decca navigator system beyond the year 2000.

  The GLAs' proposals can be implemented within the income provided by the reduced level of light dues that we announced on March 6. They will save an estimated £32 million over the next 20 years while offering the prospect of improved accuracy to the navigator. Further reductions in user costs after 2000 are expected from the GLAs' on-going reviews of traditional aids to navigation which will be carried out in consultation with users.

  East London River Crossing
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Government will revoke the line orders for the east London river crossing. [21126]

  Mr. Bowis
  I am pleased to announced that the ELRC revocation order has now been made and is being prepared for publication on 26 March.

  The ELRC orders have remained in place while alternatives for crossing the Thames between Beckton and Thamesmead were being considered in order that businesses and residents directly affected by the scheme could continue to benefit from the statutory compensation which accompanied the orders.

DEFENCE

  Future Large Aircraft
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment the Royal Air Force has made of the European staff requirement for the European future large aircraft. [20709]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  We assess that the European staff requirement for the future large aircraft, as it is currently drafted, satisfies the United Kingdom's minimum technical requirements for a tactical military airlifter. We are currently considering whether our conditions for re-entry to the FLA programme set out by my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Edinburgh, Pentlands (Mr. Rifkind) on 16 December 1994—Official Report, column 823—have been met.

  Dr. Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if it remains his policy to seek to purchase between 40 and 50 future large aircraft. [20694]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside on 11 February this year—Official Report, column 131–32.

  Army Technical Support Agency
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the key targets for the chief executive of the Army Technical Support Agency for 1997–98. [21122]

  Mr. Soames
  The chief executive of the Army Technical Support Agency has been set the following key targets for 1997–98.506

  1. Influence equipment design by attaining a 15 per cent. increase to 80 per cent. in Procurement Executive integrated logistic support project involvement where ATSA's contribution is equal to or greater than one half-year-man effort.

  2. Achieve a 10 per cent. gross cost saving in advanced order recommended spares purchasing without reducing sustainability or availability of land systems equipment.

  3. Answer 92 per cent. of ad hoc inquiries within two working days.

  4. Achieve an average response time of nine working days for demand for technical publications.

  5. Complete 90 per cent. of operational projects and 75 per cent. of priority A projects before the agreed target date.

  6. Ensure for at least 70 per cent. of projects that the maintenance specific spares, required to support an equipment throughout its service life, are identified and encoded on to the stores system record by the target date agreed with the equipment manager.

  7. Satisfy 90 per cent. of customers when undertaking technical projects.

  8. Improve efficiency by 3.6 per cent. over 1997–98 outturn.

  9. Respond to 100 per cent. of equipment failure report (or its equivalent) submissions within 14 calendar days of receipt.

  RAF (Reserve Personnel)
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the use of the RAF's Reserve personnel; and if he will make a statement. [21154]

  Mr. Soames
  I am delighted to announce that three new Royal Auxiliary Air Force squadrons are to be formed. An Air Transportable Surgical Squadron will form at Royal Air Force Leuchars on 1 April 1997, with an establishment of 71 reservist personnel. Two Training and Standardisation Squadrons are also to be formed—the first at Royal Air Force Halton also on 1 April 1997, with an establishment of 21 personnel, and the second at Royal Air Force Shawbury on 1 June 1997, with an establishment of nine. In addition, the establishment of No. 4624 (County of Oxford) Movements Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force based at Royal Air Force Brize Norton will increase by 69 posts from 1 April 1997. From the same date, the establishment of the Inspectorate Royal Auxiliary Air Force also at Royal Air Force Brize Norton will increase from two posts to four. The new Role Support Squadron concept, which I announced in the House last year with the formation of the Helicopter Support Squadron, is developing in an encouraging way.

  Service Personnel
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of personnel have(a) committed suicide and (b) suffered a fatal accident in each of the armed services in each of the past seven years; and if he will make a statement. [20033]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 13 March 1997]: This is a matter for the chief executive of the Defence Analytical Services Agency. I have asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.
  507
  Letter from Mr. Paul Atobell to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 18 March 1997:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the percentages of personnel in the Services who have committed suicide or died as result of an accident since 1990. As Chief Executive of Defence Analytical Services Agency this matter falls within my area of responsibility.

  The percentage of armed forces personnel who committed suicide or who were killed in accidents from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 1996 (based on information reported to DASA as at 3 March 1997)

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  Tri-service1

  Average strength (000s)2

  311.1

  305.4

  296.9

  276.3

  254.1

  234.9

  224.1

  Coroner verdicts of suicide (number)

  42

  34

  30

  323

  329

  318

  35

  Percentage

  0.014

  0.011

  0.010

  30.008

  30.011

  30.008

  30.002

  Accidents (number)

  159

  141

  124

  129

  107

  101

  75

  Percentage

  0.051

  0.046

  0.042

  0.047

  0.042

  0.043

  0.033

  Navy

  Average strength (000s)2

  62.7

  62.3

  61.5

  58.4

  54.4

  50.2

  47.1

  Coroner verdicts of suicide (number)

  8

  5

  6

  1

  6

  1

  32

  Percentage

  0.013

  0.008

  0.010

  0.002

  0.011

  0.002

  30.004

  Accidents (number)

  22

  26

  21

  34

  11

  16

  13

  Percentage

  0.035

  0.042

  0.034

  0.058

  0.020

  0.032

  0.028

  1Includes Gurkhas.

  2Average strength calculated by taking the strength at 1 January, 1 April, 1 July, 1 October of the year in question and 1 January the following year, divided by five. Strength shown in thousands.

  3The numbers and percentages of suicides are provisional, representing the current known position, based on medical events data supplied to DASA as at 3 March 1997. These figures are subject to change once coroners' verdicts have been made and information becomes available.

  The percentage of armed forces personnel who committed suicide or who were killed in accidents from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 1996 (based on information reported to DASA as at 3 March 1997)

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  Army1

  Average strength (000s)2

  159.1

  155.3

  150.9

  138.5

  125.6

  114.7

  113.4

  Coroner verdicts of suicide (number)

  20

  22

  19

  18

  318

  315

  33

  Percentage

  0.013

  0.014

  0.013

  0.013

  30.014

  30.013

  30.003

  Accidents (number)

  92

  91

  75

  65

  71

  55

  46

  Percentage

  0.058

  0.059

  0.050

  0.047

  0.057

  0.048

  0.041

  RAF

  Average strength (000s)2

  89.3

  87.8

  84.5

  79.4

  74.1

  70.0

  63.6

  Coroner verdicts of suicide (number)

  14

  7

  5

  34

  35

  32

  30

  Percentage

  0.016

  0.008

  0.006

  30.005

  30.007

  30.003

  30.000

  Accidents (number)

  45

  24

  28

  30

  25

  30

  16

  Percentage

  0.050

  0.027

  0.033

  0.038

  0.034

  0.043

  0.025

  1Includes Gurkhas.

  2Average strength calculated by taking the strength at 1 January, 1 April, 1 July, 1 October of the year in question and 1 January the following year, divided by five. Strength shown in thousands.

  3The numbers and percentages of suicides are provisional, representing the current known position, based on medical events data supplied to DASA as at 3 March 1997. These figures are subject to change once coroners' verdicts have been made and information becomes available.

  Loan Service Personnel
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for 1991 those countries(a) where British service personnel categorised as loan service personnel were based and (b) in which training exercises took place involving British service personnel. [19914]

  Mr. Soames
  According to available records, in 1991 British loan service personnel were deployed in the following countries:

  Antigua

  Australia

  Bahrain

  508
  The information you request is detailed in the attached table. Please note that the figures and percentages shown in the table represent the position based on information we have received as at 3 March 1997 for compatibility with your earlier questions. The figures for suicides ware still provisional for the later years as some Coroners verdicts' are still awaited.

  I hope you find these figures useful.

  Bangladesh

  Barbados

  Belize

  Bermuda

  Brunei

  Colombia

  Dominica

  Fiji

  Gambia

  Ghana

  Grenada

  Hong Kong

  Jordan

  509

  Kenya

  Lesotho

  Malaysia

  Mauritius

  Namibia

  New Zealand

  Nigeria

  Oman

  Qatar

  Saudi Arabia

  Singapore

  St. Lucia

  St. Vincent

  Swaziland

  Turks and Caicos Islands

  United Arab Emirates

  Zimbabwe

  The full records of exercises involving British service personnel in 1991 are not available. According to available records, British service personnel exercised in or with forces from the following countries and dependent territories in 1991:

  Ascension Island

  Australia

  Bahamas

  Bahrain

  Belgium

  Belize

  Bermuda

  Botswana

  Brunei

  Canada

  Colombia

  Cyprus

  Denmark

  Dominica

  Falkland Islands

  France

  Germany

  Gibraltar

  Greece

  Hawaii

  Hong Kong

  Italy

  Jamaica

  Jordan

  Kenya

  Kuwait

  Luxembourg

  Malaysia

  Namibia

  Netherlands

  Netherlands Antilles

  New Zealand

  Norway

  Oman

  Portugal

  Saudi Arabia

  510

  Singapore

  Spain

  Sweden

  Thailand

  Trinidad and Tobago

  Turkey

  UAE

  United Kingdom

  United States

  In addition, UK forces exercised with the states of the regional security system and the West Indies Guardship, as part of her routine deployment, would have exercised with many of the Caribbean countries and dependent territories.

  Foreign Military Personnel (Training)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many foreign military personnel were in the United Kingdom undergoing military training on 1 March; and if he will list the countries from which they came. [20175]

  Mr. Soames
  According to our records, on 1 March 1997, a total of 831 military personnel from the following countries were attending training courses in the United Kingdom;

  Antigua

  Australia

  Austria

  Bahrain

  Bangladesh

  Belarus

  Belgium

  Belize

  Botswana

  Brazil

  Brunei

  Bulgaria

  Canada

  Chile

  China

  Czech Republic

  Denmark

  Egypt

  Estonia

  Fiji

  France

  Germany

  Georgia

  Ghana

  Greece

  Guatemala

  Guyana

  Hungary

  India

  Indonesia

  Ireland

  Israel

  Italy

  Jamaica

  511

  Japan

  Jordan

  Kenya

  Kuwait

  Latvia

  Lebanon

  Lesotho

  Former Yugoslavia

  Republic of Macedonia

  Malawi

  Malaysia

  Malta

  Mauritius

  Morocco

  Mozambique

  Namibia

  Nepal

  Netherlands

  New Zealand

  Norway

  Oman

  Pakistan

  Paraguay

  Poland

  Portugal

  Qatar

  Romania

  Russia

  Saudi Arabia

  Senegal

  Sierra Leone

  Singapore

  Slovakia

  Slovenia

  South Africa

  Spain

  Sri Lanka

  Sweden

  Tanzania

  Thailand

  Tonga

  Trinidad and Tobago

  Turkey

  Ukraine

  Uruquay

  United Arab Emirates

  USA

  Yemen

  Zimbabwe

  In addition, an exercise involving some 2,021 personnel from Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain and USA was taking place in UK waters on that date.

  Gulf War
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each of the vaccinations administered to armed services personnel and medical 512
  support staff who served in Operation Granby, indicating the reasons in each case for the decision to administer the respective vaccination. [20454]

  Mr. Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I have the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours) on 21 January 1997—Official Report, column 550.

  Service Accommodation
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 21 January 1997,Official Report, column 552, when the Treasury initially introduced the non-movers package; when responsibility for relocation expenses was transferred to Government Departments; and what additional changes to the terms originally on offer they are permitted to make. [20209]

  Mr. Soames
  The arrangement for civilian staff that is not known in the Ministry of Defence as the non-mover's package was first introduced by the Treasury in 1989.

  The Treasury delegated to Departments the responsibility for determining relocation expenses for civil servants in May 1993.

  Departments have a degree of flexibility to make changes within the rules laid down in the civil service management code.

  Nuclear Test Programme (Participation)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what account he has taken of(a) the case of Kenneth McGinley and EE v. United Kingdom and (b) the ensuing report of the Europe Commission of Human Rights in determining his policy towards compensating participants in the nuclear test programme. [19136]

  Mr. Soames
  The European Commission of Human Rights concluded in its report on the case of McGinley and EE v. UK that there was a violation of article 6(1) of the convention because, in its opinion, the applicants' lack of access to "relevant records", defined as yield and radiation level records contemporary with the nuclear tests, prevented effective access to the pensions appeal tribunal. It is normal for the Commission to make proposals for compensation to provide "just satisfaction" for a breach of the convention. The Commission's proposals on compensation, however, expressly did not relate to a finding of increased mortality, cancers or other illnesses with participation in atmospheric nuclear tests. As the Committee of Ministers has referred the case to the European Court of Human Rights, the question of compensation no longer falls to be considered at this stage. Compensation would be a matter for the court to decide should it determine a violation of the convention. The Government intend to contest the case.

  Departmental Legislation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Bills his Department has sponsored in each of the last 15 years; and how many have been passed by Parliament. [19765]
  513
  Mr. Soames
  The number of Bills sponsored by my Department in each of the past 15 years is as follows:

  1982: 1

  1983: nil

  1984: 1

  1985: nil

  1986: 2

  1987: 1

  1988: nil

  1989: nil

  1990: 1

  1991: 2

  1992: 1

  1993: 1

  1994: nil

  1995: nil

  1996: 2

  All the Bills were passed by Parliament.

  Retirement Pensions
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the names of each former two-star appointment and above in(a) the Army, (b) the Royal Air Force and (c) the Royal Navy who is currently in receipt of a retirement pension and the date of their retirement. [20056]

  Mr. Soames
  This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Gulf War Syndrome
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 6 March,Official Report, columns 710–11, if the organophosphate pesticide investigation team report has been sent to the organisations which represent service men and women who served in the Gulf war; and if he will list the main conclusions of the report. [20342]

  Mr. Soames
  The OPPIT substantive report—Parts One to Three—which contains details of what is now known about the use of organophosphate pesticides by British service personnel during the Gulf War, was published on 10 December 1996 and a copy was placed in the Library of the House. Copies were requested by and sent to a number of Gulf veterans, but not specifically to any veterans organisations. Further copies are available from the Ministry of Defence. The report contained 14 findings and eight observations.

  Otterburn Training Area
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for how many years the(a) multi-launch rocket system and (b) AS90 self-propelled gun are planned to be in service in the Otterburn training area. [20553]

  Mr. Soames
  The multiple-launch rocket system is due to remain in service until 2025. The AS90 is expected to remain in service until at least 2020. The Army has made proposals for the development of the Otterburn training area to provide facilities for training regiments equipped with MLRS and AS90 throughout their in-service lives.
  514
  The notice of proposed development of Otterburn is now subject to a non-statutory public inquiry which commences on 22 April.

  Defence Estate Organisation
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the future of the Defence Estate Organisation. [21121]

  Mr. Soames
  The Defence Estate Organisation will launch as a defence agency of the Ministry of Defence, on 18 March 1997. The agency will be responsible for assisting MOD in managing the optimum estate of land, buildings and installations to meet the operating needs of the Department. While the management of the estate will remain the responsibility of the occupying MOD budget holder, the DEO plays a vital role in: supporting budget holders estate staff; improving MOD's stewardship of the estate; ensuring MOD receives best value for money for estate services, property management and new works procurement; acting as MOD's centre of estate expertise; and maintaining a strategic overview of the defence estate.

  The DEO agency has about 1,400 staff in offices throughout the UK and abroad. The DEO's new headquarters will be at Sutton Coldfield.

  The DEO's chief executive, Mr. Brian Hirst, is a widely experienced chartered surveyor recruited from the private sector, who has considerable public sector experience. He has been set the following key targets to be achieved by March 1998, by the end of DEO's first full year of operation:

  1. Strategic Overview:

  (a.) To develop the information systems infrastructure necessary to support a strategic overview of the Defence Estate by March 1998.

  (b.) To develop a series of output-based targets for strategic overview.

  2. To complete 30–35 establishment development plans across the Defence estate in FY 97–98.

  3. To achieve 90 per cent. of total disposals' receipts within year against the 1997–98 target.

  4. To meet the following contracts targets:

  (a.) To complete 75 per cent. of construction contracts within one month of the contracted completion date.

  (b.) To complete 90 per cent. of construction contracts within three months of the contracted completion date.

  (c.) To have less than 10 per cent. average variation on financially complete construction contracts.

  5. To meet the following efficiency targets:

  (a.) To achieve a reduction in operating costs of 25 per cent. compared with the 1996–97 outturn.

  (b.) To develop a volume measure for all of DEO's business, baseline it and propose targets for subsequent years.

  6. To complete the rural defence estate maintenance CFQ scoping and feasibility studies by end of March 1997 and to complete a CFQ scoping study for the whole of the DEO by December 1997.

  7. To develop a mechanism for measuring customer satisfaction, establish a baseline by September 1997 and propose targets for subsequent years.

  8. To put in place an integrated compliance audit and effectiveness review system for projects by March 1998.

  I have arranged for copies of the agency's framework document and corporate plan to be placed in the Library of both Houses.
  515

  Gulf War (Carcases)
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the carcases of camels, sheep and other animals killed during the Gulf war were(a) flow to Boscombe Down airfield, (b) transported thence to the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down and (c) tested for the causes of their deaths, indicating the results of the tests. [19518]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 10 march 1997]: At present my Department has no verified information concerning reports of dead animals being found during the Gulf war. The Chemical and Biological Defence sector of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, situated at Porton Down, has no record of any dead animals being received or analysed in connection with the Gulf war. However, a search for information relevant to this subject is currently underway.

PRIME MINISTER

  Official Visits
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to make an official visit to Romford. [19196]

  The Prime Minister
  During the next few weeks, I hope to visit all parts of the United Kingdom.

  Employment Prospects (Lichfield)
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the effects of Her Majesty's Government's policies on employment prospects in Lichfield. [19200]

  The Prime Minister
  The Government's sound economic policies and labour market reforms have encouraged employment creation throughout the country. Unemployment has fallen by more than a million in the United Kingdom, by more than 20,000 in the county of Staffordshire, and by more than 2,000 in Lichfield.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 18 March. [19537]

  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 18 March. [19538]

  The Prime Minister
  This morning, I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

ENVIRONMENT

  Homelessness (Disabled People)
  Sir John Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many disabled people were accepted as homeless and in priority need by local authorities in England during 1996. [20352]
  516
  Mr. Curry
  Information is given on the numbers of households for whom local authorities accepted responsibility to secure accommodation, under the homelessness provisions of the Housing Act 1985, in the quarterly information bulletin entitled, "Households found accommodation under the homelessness legislation: England", the latest issue covers 1996. Table 3 provides a breakdown of acceptances by category of priority need, including one for households with a member who is vulnerable due to physical disability. Copies of the bulletin are in the Library.

  Hedgerows
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice his Department offers to local planning authorities on how to ensure that a hedgerow's importance is accurately evaluated within the statutory 28 days if those days fall outside the wildlife breeding season; and if he will make a statement. [20272]

  Mr. Clappison
  The draft Hedgerows Regulations, which were laid in both Houses on 3 March, allow a local planning authority a period of 42 days to respond to a hedgerow removal notice, and so to evaluate the importance of the hedge. The draft regulations also provide that whether the hedgerow contains rare or endangered wildlife species shall be determined either by a site survey or by reference to previous records, as set out in schedule 1. Guidance on the implementation of the regulations, including how local planning authorities should apply the evaluation criteria, will be issued before they come into effect.

  Mr. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made over the last two months of the representations he has received regarding hedgerow protection; and if he will make a statement on how future(a) proposals and (b) legislation will ensure that targets set out in the biodiversity action plan are achieved. [20273]

  Mr. Clappison
  A total of 465 responses to the Government's consultation on draft Hedgerows Regulations were included in the analysis reported on by the consultants ERM. A copy of their report is in the House Library. These reponses were carefully considered and taken into account in the revised draft regulations laid in Parliament on 3 March 1997.

  Once passed by Parliament, implementation and enforcement of these regulations to protect important hedgerows will contribute towards the targets set out in the biodiversity action plan on ancient and/or species rich hedgerows. The group which will review progress and take forward this action plan, chaired by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, will meet on 24 April.

  Straw Bale House Construction
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the scope for straw bale house construction in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [20270]

  Mr. Clappison
  The Department of the Environment has made no assessment of the use of straw bales for house construction in the UK. However, at the end of last year, staff of the Building Research Establishment
  517
  inspected a single storey demonstration project in Belfast and it has since agreed to undertake some monitoring studies.

  Mr. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment his Department has made of the(a) environmental and (b) financial benefits of straw bale built housing; what Government training opportunities are available in this construction method; and if he will make a statement. [20271]

  Mr. Clappison
  The Department of the Environment has made no assessment of the environmental and economic benefits of straw bale built housing. There are no Government training opportunities available at present.

  Water Pollution
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many prosecutions have been made under section 85 of the Water Resources Act 1991 for offences in north Staffordshire; and if he will make a statement. [20165]

  Mr. Clappison
  There have been 11 prosecutions for illegal discharges under section 85 of the Water Resources Act 1991 in the two Environment Agency pollution control districts which cover most of north Staffordshire. Seven of these offences related to pollution caused by agricultural discharges, three to industrial premises and one breach by a sewage treatment works of a consent condition in respect of colour.

  Sewerage Discharges
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received on sewerage discharge in upper Trent; and if he will make a statement. [20166]

  Mr. Clappison
  None.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many samples of discharge have been taken by the Environment Agency since 1 April 1996 in Stoke-on-Trent, North; of these, how many showed a breach of discharge consent under the Water Resources Act 1991; and in each case what was the nature of the breach. [20167]

  Mr. Clappison
  Statistics relating to the area of Stoke on Trent, North are not available. However, for the two relevant pollution control districts of the Environment Agency, since 1 April 1996, 567 sampling visits have been undertaken during which 364 samples were obtained. Of these, 19 indicated a breach of the conditions of a discharge consent. I understand that the Environment Agency has already provided the hon. Member with details of these cases and the results of subsequent investigations.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in how many cases the Environment Agency has granted new discharge consent without advertisement in north Staffordshire. [20168]

  Mr. Clappison
  Since the formation of the Environment Agency only one discharge consent has been issued in the two relevant pollution control districts of the agency. This related to the discharge of minewater and site drainage and was not advertised.
  518

  Water Protection Policy
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the answer of 5 March,Official Report, column 682, when he estimates his Department will issue the discussion paper on using economic instruments to achieve water protection policy objectives; and if he will make a statement. [20312]

  Mr. Clappison
  The Government intend to issue the paper during the spring.

  UN Environment Programme
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the current financial position of the UN Environment Programme. [19137]

  Mr. Clappison
  The 19th governing council of the United Nations environment programme met in Nairobi from 27 January to 7 February. The Government's main objective was to secure decisions which would restore confidence in UNEP and hence reverse the sharp decline in UNEP's funding over recent years. Satisfactory proposals on the governing structure and UNEP's mandate were proposed by the president of the Governing Council, and gathered a wide measure of support from developed and developing countries, but were resisted by some member of the Committee of Permanent Representatives. The governing council was suspended and the Secretary of State took the view that we should suspend our voluntary contribution to the environment fund until these issues are resolved. The United States and Spain took the same view. The Government are now actively seeking ways of resolving this problem with all interested parties.

  Chemicals Convention
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards proposed negotiations on a chemicals convention at the UN General Assembly special session. [19138]

  Mr. Clappison
  The Government supported the recent UNEP governing council decisions on negotiation of legally binding instruments on prior informed consent for trade in certain hazardous chemicals, and on persistent organic pollutants. The governing council also invited the executive director of UNEP to develop a report outlining options for enhanced coherence and efficiency among international activities related to chemicals, including the instrument on the prior informed consent procedure under development and a likely future agreement on persistent organic pollutants. We will consider the conclusions of the report, including any proposal for a chemicals convention, when it is completed.

  Departmental Legislation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many Bills his Department has sponsored in each of the last 15 years; and how many have been passed by Parliament. [19770]
  519
  Sir Paul Beresford
  My Department has been responsible for a total of 63 Government Bills between 1982 and 1996. The breakdown for each year is as follows:

  1982: 4

  1983: 5

  1984: 5

  1985: 9

  1986: 2

  1987: 5

  1988: 5

  1989: 2

  1990: 6

  1991: 9

  1992: 3

  1993: 2

  1994: 1

  1995: 2

  1996: 3

  All of these Bills were approved by Parliament, except for one in 1983.

  Water and Sewerage Companies
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total indicative value of the water and sewerage companies calculated for each year between 1989 and 1994. [20339]

  Mr. Clappison
  The total indicative value of the 10 water and sewerage companies calculated in 1989 was £15.2 billion. Indicative values were not recalculated for subsequent years.

  Show Houses (Taxation)
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conclusion he has reached following his consideration of the representations recently made to him about the taxation of show houses; and if he will make a statement. [20554]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  We are still considering our response to representations from the House Builders Federation and the Manufacturing and Construction Alliance that shows houses should be subject to the council tax rather than non-domestic rates. If we decide that show houses should be treated as domestic, we could effect this change through secondary legislation.

  Advisory Committee on Release to the Environment
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the dates of, and attendees at, the meetings of his Department's release committee since its inception; what matters were discussed at each meeting; and if he will place in the Library copies of the agendas and papers discussed at each meeting. [20759]

  Mr. Gummer
  The Advisory Committee on Release to the Environment—ACRE—has been meeting several times a year since its inception as a statutory committee in 1993. I will write shortly to the hon. Gentleman with a list of dates of meetings, and attendees at the meetings. However, a description of the matters which were discussed at each meeting could be compiled only at 520
  disproportionate expense. It would be impracticable to place in the Library copies of the agendas and papers discussed at each meeting, but the advice provided by ACRE on consent application for the release and marketing of genetically modified organisms, together with key papers, is maintained in a public register at the Department of the Environment offices in Romney house, Marsham street, London.

  Genetically Modified Organisms
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with the Health and Safety Executive in regard to proposed amendments to European Council directive GO/219/EEC on genetically modified micro-organisms; what action he has taken following the consultations; and if he will make a statement. [20760]

  Mr. Gummer
  Following the European Commission's adoption in December 1995 of its proposed amendment to the directive, I agreed a strategy for negotiation of the proposal with the Health and Safety Executive based on support for its essential elements. This was reflected in an explanatory memorandum cleared by the Scrutiny Committees of both Houses of Parliament last year.

  The proposal has been discussed at three meetings of the Environment Council which I have attended during 1996. The Health and Safety Executive was consulted and full account was taken of its advice. At the last Council, held on 9 December 1996, there was broad agreement between member states that the essential elements of the Commission's proposals should be supported.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what reports he has received from the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes in respect of the environmental implications of genetically modified organisms. [20761]

  Mr. Gummer
  None. The Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes advises Health and Agriculture Ministers and the heads of Departments of Health and Social Services and of Agriculture for Northern Ireland on any matters relating to the irradiation of food or to the manufacture of novel foods or foods produced by novel processes.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the amendments proposed by the European Parliament report, A4–0070/97, to the proposal for a Council directive amending directive 90/219/EEC on the contained use of genetically modified micro-organisms (COM (95) 0640-C4–0271/96–95/0340 SYN). [20764]

  Mr. Gummer
  The Health and Safety Executive, in consultation with officials in the Department of the Environment and other interested Departments, studied the amendments in the light of the objectives which I agreed following the European Commission's adoption of its original proposal. Most of the amendments were consistent with the United Kingdom's objective of reducing ineffective administrative burdens at the same time as improving protection of human health and the environment by targeting areas of highest risk. A substantial number, however, would have undermined that objective.
  521
  The European Parliament voted on the proposed amendments on Wednesday 12 March. I am pleased that most of the amendments contrary to our objectives were rejected. A significant minority, however, were passed. Of particular concern is the proposal to alter the legal base of the directive from that which provides for the establishment of minimum safety standards for human health and the environment to that concerned with the establishment of harmonised standards to enhance the functioning of the internal market. The contained use of genetically modified micro-organisms has nothing to do with the internal market, so the proposed change of legal base would be quite inappropriate.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conferences his Department(a) has sponsored and (b) been represented at since January 1996 on genetically modified organisms and the environment. [20765]

  Mr. Gummer
  (a) On 10 March, my Department sponsored a national conference on biotechnology at which I made the opening speech. This conference was chaired by Lord Selborne, and the outcome of the conference will be reported to me shortly. The conference was informed by the outcome of three consultation conferences. One of those, on the environment applications of biotechnology, was sponsored by my Department.

  (b) My officials attend conferences on genetically modified organisms from time to time, but we do not keep a central register of such attendances.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the(a) containment measures, (b) targeting of areas of risk, (c) incorporation of technological changes and (d) notification periods in Council directive GO/219/EEC on the contained use of genetically modified micro-organisms. [20771]

  Mr. Gummer
  In administering and enforcing the regulations which implement this directive inadequacies have been shown in all four areas.

  (a) The containment measures set out in the directive are based on what is appropriate to large-scale activities. Safety would be better ensured by a more flexible approach to containment measures which would enable users of genetically modified micro-organisms to select those most appropriate to the particular type of activity they propose to undertake.

  (b) The directive bases notification requirements on the classification of GMMs according to their inherent properties and on an inflexible test of the purpose and scale of intended activities. These criteria are not properly risk-based and therefore result in a disproportionate focus by competent authorities on activities of negligible risk.

  (c) The procedure for amending some of the key technical annexes to the directive is far too protracted to allow scientific developments to be taken quickly into account.

  (d) The notification periods are unnecessarily long. We have found that notifications can be processed long before the expiry of the periods prescribed in the directive. Notifiers must, however, observe the prescribed periods. The consequence is that the planning schedules of those engaged in contained use activities are needlessly extended and work is delayed.

  522
  I am pleased that the European Commission's proposal for amendment of the directive, currently under negotiation, includes provisions which would go a long way to remedying these inadequacies.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has evaluated from the Nuffield Council on Bioethics on the impact of the release of genetically modified organisms into the environment on human health and environmental protection. [20772]

  Mr. Gummer
  I have received no recent representations from the Nuffield Council on Bioethics on this subject.

  Abattoirs (Liquid Waste Discharges)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what regulations cover the discharge of liquid wastes from abattoirs; how these regulations are implemented; and what plans he has to review their operation. [20768]

  Mr. Gummer
  Discharges from abattoirs into the public sewer are regulated by the relevant sewerage undertaker under powers contained in the Water Industry Act 1991. Discharges from abattoirs directly into controlled waters are regulated by the Environment Agency under powers contained in the Environment Act 1995.

  Slaughtered Cattle (Disposal)
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what advice he has issued on the environmental implications arising from the disposal by(a) landfill and (b) incineration of cattle slaughtered in connection with the BSE crisis; [20828]

  (2) what advice has been requested in the last year from (a) his Department and (b) the Environment Agency on the best practical environmental option of disposing of the backlog of cattle slaughtered under the over-30-months scheme. [20829]

  Mr. Clappison
  Cattle suspected of displaying signs of BSE are slaughtered and their carcases sent for direct incineration in plants contracted to MAFF, which are subject to authorisation by the Environment Agency or relevant local authority under part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  My right hon. and learned Friend the Minister for Agriculture made it clear in the House on 16 April 1996 that cattle wastes from the over-30-months scheme would be treated primarily by rendering, with the resultant material being disposed of by the best practicable environmental option. The disposal of wastes from the scheme is subject to Commission Regulation (EC) 716/96. The regulation requires that the wastes be directly incinerated, or processed at a rendering plant and then destroyed. The regulation does not permit landfill. Rendered material—meat and bonemeal and tallow—is either being incinerated or stored safely pending destruction by the best practicable environmental option—for example, incineration, burning for energy recovery by power stations.
  523
  The Government have sought advice from the independent Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee on methods of dealing with cattle wastes. SEAC's conclusions were published on 7 June 1996 in a news release issued by MAFF. A copy is available in the Library of the House. SEAC's advice has been made available to relevant enforcement bodies.

  Green Belt, Nottinghamshire
  Sir Jim Lester
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he will take to protect the Nottinghamshire green belt from development proposals in the local plan. [21015]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Following a public local inquiry last year into objections to the Nottingham local plan, I understand that the inspector has recommended acceptance of the city council's proposals to release some green belt land for development. It is now for the council to decide whether to accept the inspector's recommendations, and publish any proposed modifications prior to adoption of the local plan.

  In making this decision, the council will need to take account of national planning policies. In this regard, the Government remain committed to the protection of green belts, and to ensuring that opportunities for reuse of urban land for developments are maximised. I shall therefore need to be fully satisfied that loss of green belt land is unavoidable in order to meet the future development needs of Nottingham, when I come to consider the council's proposed modifications to its draft plan.

  Ordnance Survey
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what performance targets have been set for the Ordnance Survey executive agency in the year 1997–98. [21123]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The following performance targets have been set for Ordnance Survey in 1997–98:

  1. To recover at least 86 per cent. of the costs incurred by the agency, representing an increase of 3 per cent.

  2. To ensure that, by 31 March 1998, 97 per cent. of existing major detail is surveyed and available to customers in the national topographic database at any one time—an increase of 1 per cent. over 1996–97. The target will increase to 99 per cent. by the year 2002.

  3. In order to provide a quality service to customers, to despatch products in response to orders as follows:

  95 per cent. of all land-line digital map units within five working days—reduced from six days; and

  92 per cent. of small scale products within five working days—an increase of 2 per cent.

  4. To increase by 3 per cent. the annual revenue earned per number of staff employed.

  These targets are closely associated with the main corporate aims of Ordnance Survey and demonstrate the agency's continuing commitment to customers and to improved value for money for all its stakeholders. These more stringent targets represent significant improvements and will deliver an increasing level of services.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further action he proposes to take 524
  against those local authorities whose direct labour and direct service organisations failed to meet their statutory financial objectives in 1995–96. [21124]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  On 14 January this year, 52 statutory notices were served on 36 local authorities concerning the failure of their direct labour and service organisations to meet the required financial objectives in 1995–96. My right hon. Friend has now considered the responses to those notices, and has decided to give 40 directions to 31 local authorities.

  The directions take the following forms:

  Preventing the authority from carrying out the work if it fails to meet the financial objective in 1996–97 or 1997–98.

  for Wolverhampton MBC (grounds maintenance),

  Preventing the authority from carrying out the work if it fails to meet the financial objective in 1997–98 or 1998–99.

  for Liverpool city council (other catering, building maintenance)

  for New Forest district council (other catering),

  Requiring the authority to retender the work and to seek the consent of the Secretary of State if proposing to award the work in-house.

  for Aylesbury Vale district council (refuse collection),

  for Carrick district council (other catering),

  for Cheltenham borough council (highways and sewers),

  for Harborough district council (refuse collection),

  for London borough of Merton (vehicle maintenance),

  for London borough of Newham (grounds maintenance),

  for North Hertfordshire district council (building maintenance),

  for Oxfordshire county council (schools and welfare catering),

  for Peterborough city council (other cleaning),

  for Rochdale MBC (building maintenance),

  Requiring authorities to retender work if they fail to meet the financial objective in 1996–97 or 1997–98, and to seek the Secretary of State's consent where the work has to be retendered and where the authority subsequently wish to award work in-house.

  for Amber Valley district council (other cleaning),

  for Bassetlaw district council (refuse collection),

  for Birmingham city council (grounds maintenance),

  for London borough of Brent (other cleaning),

  for Knowsley MBC (other catering),

  for London borough of Newham (highways and sewers),

  for Northumberland county council (schools and welfare catering),

  for Nottinghamshire county council (schools and welfare catering),

  for Pendle borough council (refuse collection),

  for Rochdale MBC (schools and welfare catering),

  for Sefton MBC (vehicle maintenance),

  for South Lakeland district council (refuse collection),

  for South Tyneside MBC (schools and welfare catering),

  for Stoke on Trent city council (highways and sewers),

  for Westminster city council (grounds maintenance),

  for Wolverhampton MBC (schools and welfare catering).

  525
  Requiring authorities to retender work if they fail to meet the financial objective in 1997–98 or 1998–99, and to seek the Secretary of State's consent where the work has to be retendered and where the authority subsequently wish to award work in-house.

  for Amber Valley district council (grounds maintenance),

  for Barnsley MBC (schools and welfare catering),

  for Cannock Chase district council (highways and sewers),

  for Cheltenham borough council (building maintenance),

  for Oldham MBC (vehicle maintenance, building maintenance, highways and sewers),

  for Peterborough city council (building maintenance),

  for Wyre borough council (other cleaning).

  Requiring authorities to retender work if they fail to meet the financial objective in 1998–99 or 1999–2000, and to seek the Secretary of State's consent where the work has to be retendered and where the authority subsequently wish to award work in-house.

  for Tynedale district council (building maintenance).

  The Secretary of State has also decided to take no further statutory action in respect of financial failure in 1996–96 by:

  Bedfordshire county council (building cleaning, grounds maintenance, other catering)

  Co. Durham district council (new construction over £50,000),

  Corby borough council (sports and leisure management),

  Hart district council (other catering),

  London borough of Merton (other catering),

  North Hertfordshire district council (sports and leisure management),

  Peterborough city council (grounds maintenance),

  Preston borough council (highways and sewers),

  Wyre borough council (highways and sewers, vehicle maintenance).

  This action demonstrates our commitment to protect the interests of local taxpayers, and ensure that they receive value for money services from their local authorities. Where authorities' in-house teams have failed to achieve their financial targets, and where they do not seem to have taken the steps necessary to bring about an improvement in their performance, we will not hesitate to take statutory action.

  Community Alarm Systems
  Mr. Channon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has following his recent consultation exercise on local authorities' powers to provide community alarm systems; and if he will make a statement. [21127]

  Mr. Curry
  Having carefully considered the more than 100 responses received to our consultation, we have concluded that local authorities should be empowered to provide community alarms to anyone resident in their area, and to be able to charge for such services. Community alarms can help the elderly to continue to live in their own homes, disabled people to lead independent lives, and can also be useful in tackling crimes such as repeat burglary, domestic violence or racial harassment. We intend to bring forward legislation at the next convenient opportunity.
  526

  Central-local Government Information Flows
  Mr. Channon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to publish the Government's response to the recent efficiency scrutiny on information flows between central and local government; and if he will make a statement. [21128]

  Mr. Curry
  I have today published the Government's response to the report of the efficiency scrutiny on information flows between central and local government.

  This scrutiny, which was published on 14 November 1996, forms part of the Government's war on waste campaign and was the first in a rolling programme of efficiency scrutinies on local government matters designed to cut the burden of paperwork and unnecessary bureaucracy between central and local government. The scrutiny focused in particular on certain key services— personal social services, education, housing and transport—and looked at the European regional development fund, the European social fund and monitoring of local government spending. The scrutiny report concluded that the paper flow could be cut by up to one third, and set out specific recommendations for streamlining information flows.

  We have now consulted the local authority associations and other interested bodies, including the Audit Commission and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy—CIPFA—on the report and its recommendations. Responses we have received have been overwhelmingly supportive of the thrust of the report. In the light of this consultation, the Government have prepared their response to the scrutiny's recommendations, which takes the form of an action plan for implementation of the report's recommendations.

  In recognition of the need for central and local government to work closely together, the implementation of the action plan will be overseen by the joint group of senior officials and representatives of the local authority associations, the Audit Commission and CIPFA which I established with local government when the report was published last November. The Government will also establish, with local government, a task force with a remit to make rapid progress in developing and facilitating electronic data transfer between local authorities and Government Departments. The task force has been asked to report by the summer.

  The action plan sets out a substantial programme of work, involving a number of Government Departments, to rationalise the data that the Government require of local authorities and the arrangements for its collection. This work reflects the Government's on-going commitment to removing unnecessary burdens on local authorities in their dealings with central Government and should deliver considerable benefits for both central and local government in terms of efficiency gains and better quality information.

  I am arranging for copies of the Government response to be placed in the Library of the House. Copies are being sent to the local authority associations and to individual local authorities in England.
  527

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Jobcentre Vacancies
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what plans her Department has to ensure that jobcentres accept individual vacancies for display from private employment agencies only when there is a genuine vacancy; [19756]

  (2) if she will make a statement on the Government's policy regarding jobcentre vacancies. [19757]

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 18 March 1997]: Responsibility for the subject of the questions has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Leigh Lewis to Mr. Jim Cunningham, dated 18 March 1997:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your questions about Jobcentre display of vacancies from private employment agencies and the policy on Jobcentre vacancies.
  In accordance with Employment Service (ES) policy on working with external labour market organisations, the ES has an agreement with the Federation of Recruitment and Employment Services (FRES), the national umbrella body for private employment agencies, under which unemployed jobseekers have access to agency vacancies which are advertised in Jobcentres. This increase the number of jobs available to them through the Jobcentre network. Agency vacancies are accepted for display in Jobcentres only where there is a genuine vacancy; that is where there are details of a specific job, and where a contract exists between the agency and the employer. The service is at the discretion of ES local Business Managers who have guidance which sets out clear criteria for accepting agency vacancies.
  Your second question relates to our policy regarding Jobcentre vacancies more generally. Jobcentres provide vacancy advertising services to employers under the provisions of the Employment and Training Act 1973. In 1996 Jobcentres handled over 2.5 million vacancies and helped over 2 million people into jobs. These included both full time and part time jobs and covered a range of occupations and pay levels.
  Jobcentres work to guidance which advises them to get full information from employers about each vacancy to enable jobseekers and the ES to determine the suitability of the vacancy for individual clients. The guidance also stipulates that Jobcentres must not accept vacancies from employers which are illegal; would result in a breach of the law; or might put jobseekers at risk.
  Once a vacancy has been accepted from an employer it is normally put on the Jobcentre vacancy display boards. The information displayed includes the job title, description of main duties, experience/qualification requirements, hours of work, salary and any additional relevant information.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Jobseeker's Direction
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if the instruction to Employment Service adjudication officers contained in the "Adjudication Offices Guidance", volume IV, paragraph 26664.4, is required to be taken into account when a jobseeker's direction is issued to a claimant. [20295]

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 18 March 1997]: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
  528
  Letter from Leigh Lewis to Mr. Terry Rooney, dated 18 March 1997:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question asking whether the instruction to Employment Service adjudication officers contained in paragraph 26664.4 of the Adjudication Officer's guidance, is required to be taken into account when a Jobseeker's Direction is issued to a claimant.
  The Adjudication Officer's guidance states that it is not reasonable to expect claimants to take steps that could result in an offer of employment that they would have good cause for refusing if it was notified to them by an employment officer. I can confirm that this is required to be taken into account when a Jobseeker's Direction is issued to a jobseeker.
  I hope this clarifies the position.

  Jobseeker's Allowance
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if(a) drug and (b) alcoholism related conditions qualify as good causes for reducing the prospects of employment due to circumstances beyond their control for claimants of jobseeker's allowance. [20329]

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Leigh Lewis to Mr. Terry Rooney, dated 18 March 1997:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about whether drug and alcohol related conditions qualify as good causes for reducing the prospects of employment due to circumstances beyond their control for claimants of Jobseeker's Allowance.
  Jobseekers are generally required to be available for work for at least 40 hours or more each week. There are, however, exceptions to this rule. People who suffer from a mental or physical condition that limits the work they are able to do can restrict their availability for work in any way providing their restrictions are reasonable in the light of their condition. They do not have to have reasonable prospects of securing employment.
  If an employment adviser accepts that a jobseeker has either a physical or mental health problem and that the restrictions placed are reasonable in the light of that condition no further action is taken on the claim and there would be no referral to adjudication on that account.
  Drink and drug problems can interfere with mental and physical health and any jobseekers with a known problem will have their circumstances taken into account when considering their availability for employment. Advisers encourage such jobseekers to seek specialist help and employment as getting and keeping a job may go part of the way to solving the problem. However, should the problem affect their ability to do any work they would be referred to the Disability Employment Adviser in the Jobcentre who in turn may suggest they see their doctor or seek specialist help.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many primary schools in England and Wales have opted into grant-maintained status; and what are the average league tables scores for(a) grant-maintained schools and (b) schools under local education authority control. [20675]
  529
  Mrs. Gillan
  There are now 486 grant-maintained primary schools in England. Pupil attainments are generally higher in GM schools than LEA schools; details of their relative performance in national curriculum assessments and GCSE examinations are given in the following tables.

  Grant-maintained schools in Wales are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Table 1: Percentage of 7-year-old pupils achieving National Curriculum level 2 and above, 1996

  English

  Mathematics

  Science

  Key stage 1

  TA

  Test

  TA

  Test

  TA

  Test

  LEA schools

  79

  —

  82

  82

  84

  —

  Reading

  78

  78

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Writing

  76

  80

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Speaking and listening

  82

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  GM schools

  85

  —

  86

  87

  88

  —

  Reading

  84

  84

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Writing

  82

  85

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Speaking and listening

  85

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TA = teacher assessment.

  Test = national test.

  Table 2: Percentage of 11-year-old pupil Curriculum level 4 and above achieving Native, 1996

  English

  Mathematics

  Science

  Key stage 2

  TA

  Test

  TA

  Test

  TA

  Test

  LEA schools

  60

  57

  60

  54

  65

  62

  GM schools

  64

  63

  64

  60

  69

  68

  TA = teacher assessment.

  Test = national test.

  Table 3: Percentage of 14-year-old pupils achieving National Curriculum level 5 and above, 1996

  English

  Mathematics

  Science

  Key stage 3

  TA

  Test

  TA

  Test

  TA

  Test

  LEA schools

  60

  56

  61

  56

  59

  55

  GM schools

  68

  65

  69

  65

  68

  65

  TA = teacher assessment.

  Test = national test.

  Table 4: Percentage of 15-year-old pupils achieving graded GCSE results in 1996

  GCSE passes

  5A+-C

  5A+-G

  1+A-G

  4A: all schools

  LEA schools

  40.6

  87.1

  93.4

  GM schools

  50.1

  91.1

  95.3

  4B: comprehensive schools only

  LEA comprehensives

  40.0

  87.0

  93.3

  GM comprehensives

  46.4

  91.1

  95.6

  Football Pools Industry
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate she has made of the change in the number of jobs in the football pools industry in(a) Liverpool and (b) Merseyside since the national lottery was established; and if she will make a statement. [20769]
  530
  Mr. Paice
  The Government are aware that some jobs are being lost in the football pools industry on Merseyside. We naturally regret job losses in any sector of the economy. While jobs will inevitably disappear as markets change in a successful and vibrant economy they will be replaced by new jobs providing new products and services. On balance, over 900,000 extra jobs have been created in Britain over the last four years, and unemployment on Merseyside has fallen by nearly 30,000. A wide range of employment and training measures is available to help those who lose their jobs take advantage of the employment growth currently taking place in the UK.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Customer Charters
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department and its executive agencies have spent drafting, publishing and circulating each of their customer charters and customer standard documents; and how many copies of each document have been issued. [19382]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Seven charters and 25 charter standard statements have been published by Government Departments and agencies in Northern Ireland. The table gives details of the cost of publication and circulation of the charters and charter statements and the number issued in each case. Individual public service organisations are responsible for producing and distributing their own charters for those who use their services. The table shows costs of production and distribution in so far as they are available centrally.

  The drafting of charters and charter standard statements is generally carried out as an integral part of the work of the services concerned and therefore the cost of drafting is not available.

  Northern Ireland charters and charter standard statements

  Charter/charter standard statement

  Costs of publication and circulation(£)

  Number of copies issued

  Charters

  Northern Ireland Citizen's Charter

  34,200

  3,500

  Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland: "Our Service Standards"

  22,776

  34,000

  Parents Charter

  114,000

  347,000

  Further Education

  29,500

  31,000

  Patients and Clients Charter

  87,110

  18,000

  Social Security Agency

  6,885

  16,000

  Child Support Agency

  4,135

  3,700

  Charter statement

  Northern Ireland Citizen's Charter Unit

  1,161

  11.000

  Rivers Agency

  3,300

  1,100

  Training and Employment Agency

  43,968

  60,000

  Redundancy Service

  2,800

  13,000

  Trading Standards Branch

  3,838

  1,370

  Industrial Research and Technology Unit

  3,200

  200

  Government Purchasing Agency

  1,933

  9,500

  Valuation and Lands Agency

  1,485

  4,000

  Statistics and Research Agency

  2,220

  410

  Community Services

  36,132

  100,000

  Maternity Services

  14,041

  100,000

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing (NI)

  2,930

  2,750

  Public Record Office (NI)

  875

  630

  Planning Service

  8,000

  1,500

  Rate Collection Agency

  4,443

  4,700

  Construction Service

  1,130

  1,400

  531

  Northern Ireland charters and charter standard statements

  Charter/charter standard statement

  Costs of publication and circulation(£)

  Number of copies issued

  Roads Service

  7,543

  7,800

  Water Service

  8,440

  7,000

  Land Registry of Northern Ireland

  8,000

  1,500

  Environmental and Heritage Service

  10,000

  6,800

  Belfast Action Teams

  8,245

  5,000

  Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency

  1,800

  5,000

  Northern Ireland Prison Service

  4,810

  8,500

  Prison Visitors

  8,500

  Compensation Agency

  2,000

  1,400

  Ceasefire
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what savings to public funds he estimates occurred as a result of the IRA ceasefire; and if he will indicate where these sums were spent, breaking the figures down by heading. [19363]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Following the provisional IRA and loyalist ceasefires, the 1994 Northern Ireland public expenditure survey identified some £180 million over the period 1995–96 to 1997–98 which could be prudently reallocated from the plans for the law and order budget. The 1995 survey identified a further £106 million which could be reallocated from the Police Authority for Northern Ireland grant over the period 1996–97 to 1998–99. In addition to the survey changes, it was possible to release a further £12 million and £13 million during 1994–95 and 1995–96 respectively, largely from the PANI grant.

  Resources reallocated from law and order, together with other easements internal to the Northern Ireland block, are included in an undifferentiated pool of resources available for reallocation within the block. Moreover, the pool of resources is also affected by external changes driven by national fiscal policy—that is, the Northern Ireland totals were reduced in the 1994 survey and increased in the 1995 survey. Consequently, while it is not possible to identify allocations to individual programmes as coining specifically from law and order, it is a fact that the totals allocated to Northern Ireland programmes, other than those from which the law and order savings were withdrawn, were enhanced by the value of those savings.

  As a result of the breakdown of the PIRA ceasefire in February 1996, and of major public order problems, some £36 million had to be reallocated back into the PANI grant

  Total properties

  Increases

  Decreases

  Above 25 per cent. below 50 per cent.

  Above 50 per cent. below 75 per cent.

  Above 75 per cent. below 100 per cent.

  Above 100 per cent.

  Antrim

  1,458

  187

  116

  70

  123

  606

  Ards

  2,514

  410

  341

  125

  219

  952

  Armagh

  2,291

  390

  203

  92

  99

  840

  Ballymena

  2,321

  248

  71

  38

  81

  1,224

  Ballymoney

  1,053

  88

  30

  12

  27

  609

  Banbridge

  1,623

  175

  93

  58

  129

  831

  Belfast

  15,639

  2,130

  1,512

  945

  2,347

  5,141

  Carrick

  1,050

  78

  37

  23

  58

  721

  Castlereagh

  1,157

  198

  165

  69

  113

  407

  Coleraine

  2,483

  288

  131

  61

  86

  1,411

  Cook stown

  1,518

  309

  213

  89

  101

  519

  Craigavon

  3,062

  590

  387

  142

  113

  1,069

  Down

  2,349

  382

  209

  105

  173

  994

  532
  and compensation for 1996–97 and a further £120 million added back in the 1996 survey, covering the plans for the period 1997–98 to 1998–00.

  Harryville Chapel Protest
  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many police officers have been injured while policing the protest at Harryville chapel.[19830]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Ten police officers have been injured while policing the protests at Harryville.

  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many police officers have been deployed at the Harryville chapel protest over the past 26 weekends. [19832]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The average number of police officers deployed at Harryville chapel at weekends since Saturday 14 September 1996 is 180.

  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people(a) from and (b) from outside the Ballymena area have been arrested or cautioned over incidents related to the protest at Harryville chapel. [19831]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Twenty persons from the Ballymena area have been arrested in relation to incidents at Harryville chapel. One arrest has been made from outside Ballymena sub-division.

  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the cost of the policing operation at Harryville chapel in Ballymena for the past 26 weekends. [19829]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The cost of the policing operation at Harryville chapel from Saturday 14 September 1996 to Saturday 1 March 1997 has been calculated at £984,000, including all police manpower and associated costs.

  Rate Bills
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many establishments in each council area in Northern Ireland will have their rate bill increased by more than(a) 25 per cent., (b) 50 per cent., (c) 75 per cent. and (d) 100 per cent., and how many will have their bill reduced in the 1997–98 financial year as a result of the recent rates revaluation. [20317]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The table provides the information requested:
  533

  Total properties

  Increases

  Decreases

  Above 25 per cent. below 50 per cent.

  Above 50 per cent. below 75 per cent.

  Above 75 per cent. below 100 per cent.

  Above 100 per cent.

  Dungannon

  2,325

  377

  291

  159

  202

  807

  Fermanagh

  2,745

  497

  383

  174

  196

  959

  Larne

  1,207

  99

  41

  23

  53

  803

  Limavady

  982

  168

  106

  29

  47

  442

  Lisburn

  3,020

  290

  160

  97

  279

  1,562

  Derry

  3,293

  396

  193

  64

  177

  1,786

  Magherafelt

  1,646

  302

  184

  74

  110

  670

  Moyle

  782

  57

  16

  13

  34

  518

  Newry and Mourne

  3,433

  485

  219

  98

  177

  1,641

  Newtownabbey

  2,207

  272

  101

  38

  155

  1,127

  North Down

  2,251

  460

  180

  139

  260

  396

  Omagh

  2,017

  387

  290

  143

  130

  682

  Strabane

  1,419

  250

  195

  64

  105

  534

  Totals

  65,845

  9,513

  5,867

  2,944

  5,594

  27,251

  The figures for increases above 25 per cent., 50 per cent., 75 per cent. and 100 per cent., 23,918 properties in total, include those who will benefit from the transitional relief scheme announced in February. Approximately 19,000, 79 per cent. of the 23,918, will qualify for relief having NAV £10,000 or less.

  Department of Education
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the budgeted capital expenditure at DENI headquarters, Bangor, for the last financial year; what is the figure for the present financial year; and what estimate he has made for the next financial year. [20353]

  Mr. Moss
  The budgeted capital expenditure for the three years is as follows:

  1995–96: £0.075 million

  1996–97: £2 million

  1997–98: £2.4 million

  Earth Summit
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what preparations his Department is making for the UN General Assembly special session to review progress since the Rio earth summit of 1992, and for the preparatory committees leading up to the summit; and what consultations he has undertaken. [19139]

  Mr. Moss
  The Secretary of State for the Environment is taking the lead within Government on the preparations for the UN General Assembly special session in June to review progress since the Rio earth summit of 1992.

  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given on Wednesday 5 March 1997 to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (Mr. Yeo), Official Report, column 634.

  Departmental Legislation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Bills his Department has sponsored in each of the past 15 years; and how many have been passed by Parliament. [19771]

  Sir John Wheeler
  All the Bills sponsored by the Northern Ireland Office in the last 15 years have been passed by Parliament. The details are as follows:

  1982

  The Northern Ireland Act

  1985

  The Elections (Northern Ireland) Act

  The Northern Ireland (Loans) Act

  534

  1987

  The Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act

  1989

  The Elected Authorities (Northern Ireland) Act

  The Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act

  1991

  The Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act

  1Social Security Contributions Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act

  1Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act

  1Social Security (Consequential provisions) (Northern Ireland) Act

  1995

  Northern Ireland (Remission of Sentences) Act

  1996

  The Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act

  The Northern Ireland (Entry to Negotiations, etc) Act

  1Statute Law Revision or Consolidation Act

  Ulster Hospital (Union Flag)
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if a Union Flag has been provided to the Ulster hospital, Dundonald; if the Ulster hospital has been provided with the dates for flying the Union flag; if the Union flag was flown at this hospital on Commonwealth day; if the person responsible for flying the Union flag at the Ulster hospital is prepared to carry out this duty; and if he will make a statement. [20506]

  Mr. Moss
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: The Ulster, North Down and Ards hospital health and social services trust has confirmed that it owns a Union flag and that it was flying on 6 February 1997, Commonwealth Day. However, the trust has advised that the flag was wrapped round the flag pole and had to be unwrapped by a member of staff once the wind died down. The schedule of the dates for flying the Union flag has been advised to staff and the person responsible for carrying out this duty has no difficulty in fulfilling same. However, there is no requirement for the trusts to fly the Union flag on these dates, and it is at the discretion of each organisation whether the flag should be flown on those buildings occupied by its staff.
  535

WALES

  Customer Charters
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department and its executive agencies have spent drafting, publishing and circulating each of their customer charters and customer standard documents; and how many copies of each document have been issued. [19387]

  Mr. Hague
  The available information is shown in the following table. Expenditure on drafting cannot be identified separately.

  A Charter

  B cost of publishing (£)

  C cost of distribution(£)

  D Number of copies issued

  Parents charter for Wales

  1st Edition 1991

  150,076

  Included in B

  60,000

  2nd Edition 1993

  73,943

  Included in B

  250,000

  3rd Edition 1994

  138,595

  100,402

  1,252,000

  Patients charter for Wales

  1st Edition 1991

  250,000

  100,000

  Over 1 million

  2nd Edition 1994

  43,793

  Included in B

  150,000

  3rd Edition 1996

  33,993

  7,978

  160,000

  Further Education charter for Wales

  1993

  41,354

  1,175

  40,000

  Higher education charter for Wales

  1993

  40,362

  1,175

  35,000

  Tenants charter for Wales

  1992

  175,987

  Included in B

  250,000

  Heritage charter Statement

  1994

  14,000

  No added costs incurred

  100,000

  A Charter standard for farmers in Wales

  1995

  15,391

  Included in B

  7,400

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people he has appointed to non-departmental public bodies in Wales. [20284]

  Mr. Hague
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 29 November 1996,Official Report, column 439.

  Mr. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total amount of money paid to members of non-departmental public bodies in Wales for their service as members of organisations in the last year for which figures are available. [20282]
  536
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The latest year for which figures are available is 1995–96. The information requested is contained in "Public Bodies" 1996, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Upland Species and Habitats
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of state for Wales what targets the Government have endorsed in the UK biodiversity steering group report for the conservation of certain upland species and habitats. [20171]

  Mr. Hague
  I refer the hon. Member to the "Government's Response to the UK Steering Group Report on Biodiversity", published in May 1996 (Cm 3260).

  Overgrazing
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 24 February,Official Report, column 91, on overgrazing, how many cases of overgrazing ADAS is currently investigating in Wales; when the investigations are expected to be completed; and if the results will be made public. [20210]

  Mr. Hague
  At my Department's request, ADAS is carrying out work in relation to the overgrazing and supplementary feeding conditions which attach to the payment of livestock production subsidies at 12 locations in Wales.

  I have no plans to publish any reports which ADAS produce. Some reports will be made available to graziers and landowners affected as the basis for discussion where my Department believes it has demonstrated that livestock are grazing land in such numbers as to adversely affect the growth, quality or species composition of vegetation—other than vegetation normally grazed to destruction—on that land to a significant degree.

  ADAS work currently under way will result in reports to my department during 1997.

  Lamb and Beef Exports
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the value of(a) lamb and (b) beef exported from Wales in (i) 1985 and (ii) the latest year for which figures are available. [20285]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Exports from Wales are not separately recorded.

  NHS Trusts (Expenses and Rewards)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the amount of cash paid to members of NHS trusts as(a) expenses and (b) rewards for service in the last year for which figures are available. [20283]
  537
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  NHS trusts board members' costs for 1995–96 are as follows:

  £000

  Non-executive directors' remuneration

  1,067

  Executive directors' remuneration:

  basic salaries

  6,703

  benefits

  362

  performance related bonuses

  204

  pension contributions

  278

  Compensation for loss of office

  66

  Other board members' costs1

  329

  9,009

  Note:

  1Includes: recharges to any other health body; employers, NI contributions; reimbursement of "out-of-pocket" expenses; and reimbursement of travelling and other allowances, including home to work travel costs.

  Source:

  NHS trust's annual accounts.

  Mandatory exceptions

  Discretionary exceptions outside the PSB

  Discretionary exceptions within the PSB

  Aggregated schools budget

  Local authority

  Average sum per pupil (£)

  Percentage of the GSB

  Average sum per pupil (£)

  Percentage of the GSB

  Average sum per pupil (£)

  Percentage of the GSB

  Average sum per pupil (£)

  Percentage of the GSB

  Blaenau Gwent

  144

  6.1

  235

  9.95

  178

  7.5

  1,806

  76.4

  Bridgend

  148

  6.2

  241

  10.1

  189

  7.9

  1,804

  75.7

  Caerphilly

  99

  4.3

  243

  10.5

  196

  8.5

  1,770

  76.7

  Cardiff

  386

  16.0

  149

  6.2

  187

  7.8

  1,692

  70.0

  Carmarthenshire

  350

  12.7

  266

  9.7

  194

  7.1

  1,935

  70.5

  Ceredigion

  264

  9.3

  313

  11.0

  226

  7.9

  2,041

  71.8

  Conwy

  408

  15.4

  254

  9.6

  191

  7.2

  1,794

  67.8

  Denbighshire

  262

  10.95

  183

  7.7

  189

  7.9

  1,754

  73.45

  Flintshire

  360

  14.6

  213

  8.6

  188

  7.6

  1,712

  69.2

  Gwynedd

  181

  6.8

  284

  10.7

  219

  8.2

  1,977

  74.3

  Isle of Anglesey

  166

  6.5

  263

  10.35

  208

  8.2

  1,904

  74.9

  Merthyr Tydfil

  209

  8.45

  221

  8.95

  203

  8.2

  1,837

  74.4

  Monmouthshire

  168

  6.7

  274

  11.0

  201

  8.1

  1.847

  74.2

  Neath Port

  Talbot

  272

  10.4

  191

  7.3

  171

  6.6

  1,969

  75.6

  Newport

  272

  11.4

  211

  8.9

  174

  7.3

  1,718

  72.3

  Pembrokeshire

  256

  9.5

  268

  9.9

  216

  8.0

  1.958

  72.6

  Powys

  338

  11.8

  372

  13.0

  186

  6.5

  1,968

  68.7

  Rhondda

  Cynon Taff

  239

  9.4

  281

  11.1

  176

  6.9

  1,841

  72.55

  Swansea

  123

  5.4

  150

  6.6

  161

  7.1

  1,847

  81.0

  Tarfaen

  111

  5.0

  195

  8.7

  180

  8.0

  1,743

  78.2

  Vale of Glamorgan

  287

  12.4

  199

  8.6

  128

  5.55

  1,699

  73.4

  Wrexham

  125

  5.7

  201

  9.1

  176

  8.0

  1,704

  77.2

  Source:

  Section 122 (formerly section 42) LEA budget statements for 1996–97 (where available audited figures have been used) and the 1996 school census pupil numbers.

  Departmental Legislation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Bills his Department has sponsored in each of the past 15 years; and how many have been passed by Parliament. [19777]

  Mr. Hague
  Eight Bills have been sponsored by my Department in the last 15 years; Seven have so far been passed by Parliament, as follows: one in 1983, one in 1988, one in 1990, one in 1991, two in 1993, one in 1994.
  538

  Schools Budgets
  Mr. Sweeny
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is(a) the average sum per pupil and (b) the average percentage of the general schools budget allotted by each local education authority int he current financial year for discretionary exceptions outside the potential schools budget and which is (i) delegated and (ii) not delegated to schools; [20564]

  (2) what is (a) the average sum per pupil and (b) the average percentage of the general schools budget, allotted by each local education authority in the current financial year for (i) mandatory exception from delegation, (ii) discretionary exceptions outside the potential from delegation, (ii) discretionary exceptions outside the potential schools budget, (iii) discretionary exceptions within the potential schools budget and (iv) the aggregate schools budget. [20563]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The information requested is as follows:

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much rate support grant the Welsh Office(a) provided to the Vale of Glamorgan in 1996–97 and (b) plans to provide in 1997–98. [20527]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The rate support grant system was replaced in 1990–91 by one that provides central Government support to local authority revenue expenditure by way of revenue support grant and
  539
  redistributed non-domestic rates. The allocations in respect of the Vale of Glamorgan for the years requested are given in the following table:

  Central Government support for the Vale of Glamorgan county borough council

  £ thousand

  Revenue support grant

  Share of redistributed non-domestic rates

  Total support

  1996–97

  62,358

  16,300

  78,658

  1997–98

  59,798

  20,543

  80,341

  Premature retirement costs

  School transport

  Statement etc.

  School meals net of income

  Local authority

  Average sum per pupil

  Percentage of the GSB

  Average sum per pupil

  Percentage of the GSB

  Average sum per pupil

  Percentage of the GSB

  Average sum per pupil

  Percentage of the GSB

  Blaenau Gwent

  40

  1.7

  42

  1.8

  27

  1.1

  91

  3.8

  Bridgend

  13

  0.5

  71

  3

  37

  1.5

  96

  4

  Caerphilly

  21

  0.9

  79

  3.4

  61

  2.7

  75

  3.3

  Cardiff

  18

  0.7

  27

  1.1

  80

  3.3

  64

  2.6

  Carmarthenshire

  14

  0.5

  97

  3.5

  106

  3.8

  99

  3.6

  Ceredigion

  15

  0.5

  155

  5.5

  96

  3.4

  91

  3.2

  Conwy

  28

  1

  108

  4.1

  41

  1.5

  53

  2

  Denbighshire

  39

  1.6

  85

  3.6

  17

  0.7

  38

  1.6

  Flintshire

  36

  1.5

  98

  4

  39

  1.6

  44

  1.8

  Gwynedd

  29

  1.1

  103

  3.9

  85

  3.2

  86

  3.2

  Isle of Anglesey

  22

  0.9

  99

  3.9

  75

  2.9

  65

  2.5

  Merthyr Tydfil

  11

  0.4

  59

  2.4

  35

  1.4

  105

  4.3

  Monmouthshire

  32

  1.3

  132

  5.3

  32

  1.3

  69

  2.8

  Neath Port

  Talbot

  27

  1

  80

  3.1

  17

  0.7

  32

  1.2

  Newport

  33

  1.4

  51

  2.2

  23

  1

  78

  3.3

  Pembrokeshire

  13

  0.5

  126

  4.7

  69

  2.6

  96

  3.6

  Powys

  17

  0.6

  182

  6.4

  77

  2.7

  62

  2.2

  Rhondda

  Cynon Taff

  13

  0.5

  97

  3.8

  20

  0.8

  115

  4.5

  Swansea

  25

  1.1

  48

  2.1

  24

  1

  39

  1.7

  Torfaen

  32

  1.4

  49

  2.2

  17

  0.8

  76

  3.4

  Vale of Glamorgan

  16

  0.7

  65

  2.8

  73

  3.2

  54

  2.3

  Wrexham

  38

  1.7

  110

  5

  18

  0.8

  41

  1.8

  Source:

  Section 122 (formerly section 42) LEA budget statements for 1996–97 (where available audited figures have been used) and the 1996 school census pupil numbers.

  A487 (Bypass)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the earliest possible commencement date for the construction of the bypass for Llanllyfni, Penygroes and Groeslon on the A487 in Gwynedd. [20744]

  Mr. Hague
  All major schemes—those costing over £3 million—in the forward trunk road programme have been reviewed in the light of the spending priorities I announced in the House of Commons on 12 December 1996, columns 405–19, on public expenditure in Wales in 1997–98. The competing priorities of individual schemes have been reassessed given the limited resources available. Details of the revised forward trunk road programme will be published on 20 March in the Welsh Office's departmental report. Copies of the report will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Therapy Services
  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what(a) treatment units, (b) professional staff and
  540
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is(a) the average sum per pupil and (b) the average percentage of the general schools budget allotted by each local education authority in the current financial year for (i) money allocated to schools via age-weighted pupil units, (ii) premature retirement compensation, (iii) school transport, (iv) statementing and support for statemented pupils and (v) school meals, net of income. [20513]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Local education authorities must allocate at least 80 per cent. of the aggregated schools budget on the basis of pupil numbers. To break down the ASB on the basis of age-weighted pupil units could be done only at disproportionate cost. Details of the other elements, of all of which are retained centrally by the local authority are as follows:

  (c) financial resources are being made available to provide physiotherapy treatment, occupational therapy and physical rehabilitation for patients in south-east Wales from March 1997 to 1 January 2000. [20548]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Detailed informed on services is not held centrally. It is primarily the responsibility of Bro Taf and Gwent health authorities to purchase services and for the relevant trusts to provide appropriate numbers of staff and the facilities to deliver them.

  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of patients awaiting(a) physiotherapy treatment, (b) occupational therapy and (c) physical rehabilitation in the borough counties of Rhondda Cynon Taff, Cardiff, Vale of Glamorgan, Ogwr, Aberavon Neath, Merthr Tydfil, Powys, Swansea, Caerphilly, Newport, Torfaen and Monmouth; and what was the total number of patients awaiting such treatment in 1995 and 1996. [20549]

  Mr. Jones
  The information requested is not available centrally.
  541
  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the planned(a) capacity and (b) resources for providing physiotherapy treatment, occupational therapy and physical rehabilitation for patients at the new district general hospital at Llantrisant. [20551]

  Mr. Jones
  Detailed planning of facilities is a matter for the East Glamorgan NHS trust.

  Talygarn Treatment Centre
  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which organisation owns the Talygarn treatment centre at Pontyclun in south Wales. [20550]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Talygarn rehabilitation centre is owned by the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Dr. Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many patients were referred to, and treated at, the Talygarn treatment centre in 1995 and 1996; how many are currently being treated; and how many are proposed to be treated in 1997, 1998 and 1999. [20552]

  Mr. Jones
  In the financial year 1995–96, 417 new patients were reported as attending the Taylgarn treatment centre. Information on the number of referrals is not centrally available. Proposed levels of activity are a matter for the East Glamorgan NHS trust in contract negotiations with Bro Taf health authority and GP fundholders.

TREASURY

  Cardiff Bay Barrage
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 27 January,Official Report, column 35, if he will list the main differences between the main Peat Marwick consultancy cost-benefit analysis study on the Cardiff bay barrage presented to his Department in November 1987 and the second version presented in mid 1988. [16994]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The economic evaluation report on a Cardiff bay barrage received in June 1988 was a revision of the one presented in November 1987. A valid detailed comparison cannot be made except at disproportionate cost. However, the revised study took account of the completion, by the board of the Cardiff Bay development corporation, of a regeneration strategy for the bay and the choice of a single barrage option. These led to significant changes in the assumptions made in the first study, including increases in infrastructure costs and land disposal values. The net present value of the barrage option remained positive. The estimated betterment figure of £227 million remained as in the original 1987 study.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, as part of the programme for a common system of VAT, he will agree to changing the status of the EC VAT Committee from an advisory committee to a regulatory committee with powers of implementation. [20075]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The Government support limited reform of the VAT Committee with a view to improving its operation, but would oppose a change in its status to 542
  that of a regulatory Committee. The Government believe that unanimity in the Council should remain the basis for EC decisions on VAT matters.

  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the steps taken in ECOFIN(a) to change the status of the EU VAT and Tax Committee following the Verona summit decision and (b) to create the provisional timetable for the European Commission's proposal for a common VAT system for member states. [20157]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  ECOFIN has taken no steps to change the status of the VAT Committee which was established by the sixth VAT directive in 1977. The informal Verona ECOFIN of April 1996 did, however, establish a new high-level working group on tax.

  The European Commission's suggested programme for a "common system" for VAT to apply throughout the Community was presented to ECOFIN in October 1996, on a "take note" basis with no debate or discussion. There has been no other discussion or debate at ECOFIN about the suggested programme or its timetable.

  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the VAT and Tax Committee established by ECOFIN has completed the draft code of conduct on VAT harmonisation. [20158]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The Verona informal ECOFIN of April 1996 established the high-level group on tax—the Monti group—to examine member states' tax systems and to consider issues of fiscal erosion. Monti recommended in a personal report to the Dublin European Council that the high-level group be continued in the form of a taxation policy group. This report was submitted to Parliament with an explanatory memorandum. The Dublin Council agreed to the continuation of the group and the taxation policy group met for the first time on 11 March 1997. The question of a code of conduct on unfair tax competition was raised but there are no proposals on the table. There is no code of conduct on VAT harmonisation.

  Inland Revenue (Standard Letters)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost of issuing a standard letter by the Inland Revenue requesting payment of a tax underpayment. [20314]

  Mr. Jack
  The individual cost of issuing a standard letter is not calculated, but it will vary according to the type of letter and method of issue.

  Century Date Change (Computers)
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce measures to ease the financial burden of millennium compliance of computer systems for companies. [20162]

  Mr. Jack
  As far as taxation is concerned, the position is that companies will normally be able to deduct the cost of making amendments to their existing software in computing their taxable profits. Capital expenditure on purchases of new software to deal with the millennium will normally qualify for capital allowances. Thus, I see no need for any special tax measures.
  543

  Earnings Statistics
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current average wage for(a) men and (b) women. [20213]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Dennis Roberts to Mr. John Battle, dated 18 March 1997:
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked the Director of the Office for National Statistics to reply to your recent question about current average wages for men and women. In his absence, the Director has asked me to reply.
  The latest information, from the April 1996 New Earnings Survey, is shown below. I will also arrange for a copy of this letter to be placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Average gross weekly earnings of full-time employees on adultrates, whose pay for the survey pay period was not affected by absence

  At April 1996

  £

  All males

  391.30

  All females

  283.00

  Tax Underpayment
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the minimum sum of tax underpayment for which the revenue will issue a letter requesting payment. [20315]

  Mr. Jack
  The Inland Revenue will generally issue a letter for payment where the circumstances of the case make it cost-effective to do so.

  Abortions
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many abortions have been performed on girls under the age of 16 years (i) at Kettering general hospital and (ii) nationally in each year since 1987; and in each case what that figure was as a percentage of abortions performed(a) at the hospital and (b) nationally. [20207]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from John Fox to Mr. William Powell, dated 18 March 1997:
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked the Director of the Office for National Statistics to reply to your recent question on how many abortions have been performed on girls under the age of 16 years (i) at Kettering General Hospital and (ii) nationally in each year since 1987; and in each case what was that figure as a percentage of abortions performed (a) at the hospital and (b) nationally. In his absence, the Director has asked me to reply.
  544
  For confidentiality reasons, abortion data are not released for individual hospitals. Figures for legal abortions performed on resident and non-resident girls aged under 16 in England and Wales for the years 1987–1995 are presented below:

  Year

  Number of abortions on girls under 16

  As a percentage of total abortions on women of all ages

  1987

  4,075

  2.3

  1988

  3,804

  2.1

  1989

  3,576

  1.9

  1990

  3,622

  1.9

  1991

  3,317

  1.8

  1992

  3,167

  1.8

  1993

  3,269

  1.9

  1994

  3,399

  2.0

  1995

  3,401

  2.1

  Source:

  Abortion statistics 1987–1995, England and Wales, series AB numbers 14–21, 96/5.

  Live Births
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the number of live births in each of the last three years. [20860]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Hugh Bayley, dated 18 March 1997:
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply to your recent question asking for the number of live births that occurred in England and Wales in each of the last three years for which data are available.
  The figures requested are shown in the table below.

  Live births in England and Wales

  Year

  Live birth

  1995

  648,138

  1994

  664,726

  1993

  673,467

  These figures are published in the annual reference volume "Birth Statistics" Series FM1, copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library.

  EU Countries (Income)
  Mrs. Currie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the countries of the European Union in rank order of income per head, using the latest available figures. [19277]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Tim Holt to Mrs. Edwina Currie, dated 18 March 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 income per head in the EU.

  545
  The latest figures for GDP per head relate to 1996 and are based on projections made by the OECD using the relative rates of inflation between OECD countries and the USA as measured by their implicit price deflators for GDP. These projections are published in the February 1997 edition of the OECD publication Main Economic Indicators a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library. Too much emphasis should not be placed on the rankings when as in the case of income per head, countries are bunched closely together.

  Michael Allcock Case
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many public interest immunity certificates were issued in the case of Inland Revenue v. Michael Allcock. [18855]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: No certificates or affidavits claiming public interest immunity were issued in this case, which was a criminal prosecution conducted by the Crown Prosecution Service and not by the Inland Revenue.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the levels of overseas investment in (1) the United Kingdom, (2) France and (3) Germany from (i) other EU members and (ii) countries outside the EU for the years 1979 to 1996,(a) in cash terms, (b) as a percentage change on the previous year and (c) as a real figure calculated on 1996 values; [20098]

  (2) what were the levels of direct foreign investment in the United Kingdom from (i) the United States and (ii) Canada in each year from 1979 to 1996. [20099]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: Figures for the levels of foreign direct investment of each OECD country, by region and by country of origin, can be found in the OECD International Direct Investment Yearbook which is available in the House of Commons Library.

  Landfill Tax
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to meet representatives of the construction industry to discuss the implementation of landfill tax exemptions for waste from contaminated sites; and if he will make a statement. [20320]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: I have no such plans. Officials of HM Customs and Excise will meet representatives of the Building Employers Confederation on 20 March, and will give a full report of their meeting to Treasury Ministers.

  Nomura Securities
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the possible impact of the current circumstances of Nomura Securities on United Kingdom companies in which it has an interest; and if he will make a statement. [20438]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: It is for the companies concerned to consider the situation and take such steps as they consider appropriate in their own commercial interests.
  546

  Investment Income (Tax)
  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the average amount of income tax paid on investment income by(a) pensioner and (b) non-pensioner households with annual investment income of (i) less than £50, (ii) £50 to £99, (iii) £100 to £499 and (iv) over £500 for the most recent year for which information is available. [20555]

  Mr. Jack
  Reliable information on the investment income of households is not available. Information on individual taxpayers' investment income was given in my answer to the hon. Member on 18 February 1997—Official Report, columns 441–42.

  Abortion and Maternal Deaths
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many surgical terminations of pregnancy there were in each of the last 15 months for which figures are available; and how many maternal deaths there were in each month. [20150]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from John Fox to Mr. Simon Hughes, dated 18 March 1997:
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked the Director of the Office for National Statistics to reply to your recent question on how many surgical terminations of pregnancy were performed in each of the last 15 months for which figures are available, and how many maternal deaths there were in each month. In his absence, the Director has asked me to reply.
  The monthly number of surgical terminations of pregnancy performed on women residents and non-residents of England and Wales in the last 15 months for which data are available, namely April 1995-June 1996, are as follows:

  Number of surgical terminations

  1995

  April

  12,150

  May

  13,479

  June

  14,358

  July

  13,880

  August

  13,971

  September

  13,484

  October

  13,503

  November

  13,448

  December

  12,368

  1996

  January

  14,558

  February

  15,360

  March

  15,494

  April

  14,549

  May

  15,793

  June

  14,809

  There were no maternal deaths recorded over the 15 month period.

  Dependent Children
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the percentage of families with dependent children which are(a) married couples and (b) cohabiting couples in the category of families with dependent children designated as married/cohabiting couple family type for 1995 in table A4 of "Living In Britain". [20374]
  547
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Julian Calder to Mr. Edward Leigh, dated 18 March 1997:
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked the Director of the Office for National Statistics to reply to your recent question about the percentage of families with dependent children which are either married couples or cohabiting couples. In his absence, the Director has asked me to reply.
  The following table, taken from the 1995 General Household Survey, provides this information.

  Family type and marital status of lone mothers: families with dependent children, Great Britain 1995

  Number

  Per cent.

  Married couple

  2,153

  71

  Cohabiting couple

  207

  7

  Lone mother

  610

  20

  single

  237

  8

  widowed

  30

  1

  divorced

  207

  7

  separated

  136

  5

  Lone father

  52

  2

  All lone families

  662

  22

  Base

  3,022

  Heads of Households
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he
  will list the percentage of households headed by a person who is(a) married, (b) co-habiting, (c) single, (d) widowed, (e) divorced, (f) separated and (g) co-habiting with someone of the same sex.[20375]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Julian Colder to Mr. Edward Leigh, dated 18 March 1997:
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked the Director of the Office for National Statistics to reply to your recent question on the marital status of the heads of households. In his absence, the Director has asked me to reply.
  The following table, derived from the 1995 General Household Survey, gives the information requested.

  Marital status of head of household

  Frequency (per cent.)

  Married

  54

  Cohabiting

  6

  Single

  14

  Widowed

  14

  Divorced

  8

  Separated

  3

  Same-sex cohabiting

  1—

  1 Estimated at 0.1 per cent.

  548

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the advisory cost limit for replies to parliamentary questions; when it was last increased; and if he will make a statement.[19354]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  [holding answer 10 March 1997]: The advisory cost limit for replies to Parliamentary questions is £450. It was last increased in 1993—Official Report, 18 February 1993, column 307.

  Labour Statistics
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average length of time that currently unemployed men aged(a) 50 to 54, (b) 55 to 59 and (c) 60 to 64 years have remained unemployed. [19249]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  [holding answer 10 March 1997]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Tim Holt to Ms Harriet Harman, dated 18 March 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 the average length of time that currently unemployed men, by varying age groups, have remained unemployed.
  The information you requested is given in the table below of median durations of spells of unemployment which were uncompleted in January 1997. Figures are not available for the 60–64 age band, and those for 60 and over are shown instead.

  Median durations of male claimant unemployment in the UK in January 1997

  Age

  Median duration of unemployment (weeks)

  50–54

  46.6

  55–59

  56.4

  60 and over

  20.3

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer
  how many(a) men, (b) women and (c) men and women
  aged (i) 16 and 17 years, (ii) 18 and 19 years, (iii) 20 to 24 years and (iv) over 24 years have never had a paid job since leaving school.[19586]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  [holding answer 10 March 1997]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Alan Milburn, dated 18 March 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 how many people, broken down by age and sex, have not had a paid job since leaving school.
  Estimates from the Labour Force Survey are shown in the attached table.
  To help put the information into context I have provided an additional table which shows the total broken down by educational and economic status. For example, you can see that of the total of 1,675,000 nearly 80 per cent (1,329,000) were economically

  549
  inactive, that is they had not looked for work in the past four weeks or were not available to start work in the next two weeks or were not waiting to start a job they had already obtained.
  These breakdowns are probably very seasonal especially for the younger age groups.

  People who have not had a paid job since leaving school by age and sex

  Great Britain, summer 1996

  thousands

  Not seasonally adjusted

  Total

  Male

  Female

  Total

  1,675

  624

  1,051

  16–17

  308

  170

  138

  18–19

  267

  130

  137

  20–24

  431

  205

  227

  25+

  669

  120

  549

  Source:

  ONS, Labour Force Survey.

  People who have not had a job since leaving school by educational and economic status

  Great Britain, summer 1996

  thousands

  Not seasonally adjusted

  All

  (of which:)

  Full-time student (not at school)

  Not full-time student

  All (of which:)

  1,675

  438

  1,237

  ILO unemployed

  346

  68

  279

  Economically inactive

  1,329

  371

  958

  Source:

  ONS, Labour Force Survey.

  Government Expenditure
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the general Government's expenditure per head in(a) Scotland and (b) the United Kingdom in the last year for which figures are available. [19552]

  Mr. Wldegrave
  [holding answer 10 March 1997]: In 1994–95, identifiable expenditure per head was £4,505 in Scotland and £3,760 on average for the United Kingdom, as given in table 7.6B of Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 1996–97 (Cm 3201).

  Data Collection (Postcodes)
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 27 February,Official Report, column 389, if he will list those categories of data collected by the Office of National Statistics which are based on postcode areas. [19629]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  [holding answer 12 March 1997]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Harry Barnes, dated 18 March 1997:
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply as the Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to your recent Question on categories of data collected by the ONS which are based on postcode areas.
  550
  All data collected by ONS use post code reference systems where representative geographical samples are necessary and for the purposes of any geographical analysis. However local area data can only be provided to the extent that they are of sufficient quality and do not breach confidentiality obligations.

  Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his current estimate of the future annual totals of MRSA deaths in England if present trends continue. [20028]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  [holding answer 13 March 1997]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from John Fox to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 18 March 1997:
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked the Director of the Office for National Statistics to reply to your recent question asking what is his current estimate of the future totals of MRSA deaths in England if present trends continue. In his absence, the Director has asked me to reply.
  Staphylococcus aureus is one of the more common causes of severe invasive bacterial disease in England and Wales. Each year the Public Health Laboratory Services' Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre receives at least 7,000 reports of blood stream infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Methicillin resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus account for a minority of these reports (less than 25% in 1996).
  There is no specific code for methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) within the international classification used for recording deaths in this country. Deaths resulting from such infections will be counted within the total number of deaths from all forms of Staphylococcus aureus infection. Statistical data on deaths from MRSA are not, therefore, available.
  Mention of antibiotic resistance might be made on death certificates of patients whose death is due to Staphylococcus aureus infection, and such information could be ascertained by searching the text from death certificates. However, such data are likely to be liable to bias, as the probability that methicillin resistance is mentioned on a death certificate is likely to change with the perception of the public health importance of the condition. Registration data on deaths from Staphylococcus aureus infection are not suitable, therefore, for making reliable estimates of future trends in mortality from this condition.

  Unemployment-related Benefits
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many(a) men, (b) women and (c) men and women have made (i) one, (ii) two and (iii) three or more claims for unemployment-related benefits in (1) Great Britain, (2) each standard region of England, (3) Wales and (4) Scotland for each major group of the standard occupational classification since January 1995. [19584]:

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  [holding answer 10 March 1997]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Alan Milburn, dated 18 March 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 how many people have experienced at least one, two and three or more spells of claimant unemployment since January 1995, broken down by sex, region, and by major occupational group.

  551
  I have attached tables of the information requested, copies of which have been placed in the Library.
  Please note that for claimants who have had more than one spell of claimant unemployment since 1 January 1995, the information from their most recent claim has been used to determine the claimant's region and usual occupation.

SCOTLAND

  Land Purchases (Grants)
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list each grant which has been made to a voluntary body for the purchase of land by Scottish Natural Heritage since its inception to the latest available date, naming the area of land and the cost involved. [20015]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The information requested is set out in the table:

  Applicant

  Sites

  Hectares

  Grant (£)

  Central Scotland Countryside Trust

  Eastfield, West Lothian

  18.3

  14,615

  Central Scotland Countryside Trust

  Back of Moss, West Lothian

  33.5

  85,000

  Central Scotland Countryside Trust

  Easter Breich, West Lothian

  33.00

  75,000

  Central Scotland Countryside Trust

  Roughcastle, Falkirk District Lothian

  32.00

  12,000

  Central Scotland Countryside Trust

  Swinabbey, West Lothian

  12.00

  15,000

  Central Scotland Countryside Trust

  Wester Moffat, Monklands

  6.00

  3,900

  Central Scotland Countryside Trust

  Chapelhall, Monklands

  5.1

  5,400

  Central Scotland Countryside Trust

  Longriggend Farm

  67.6

  70,000

  Central Scotland Countryside Trust

  Easter Dunsyston

  42.7

  52,000

  Crinan Harbour Association

  Land purchase at Crinan Harbour

  unknown

  536

  James Rice Memorial Trust

  Shillay, Sound of

  54.90

  8,000

  John Muir Trust

  Oldshoremore & Sandwood Estates

  4,400.00

  28,000

  John Muir Trust

  Torrin Estate

  2,024.29

  40,000

  Kilmuir Village Woodland Association

  Kilmuir Wood

  12.00

  500

  Lochielside Crofters Woodland Trust Ltd.

  Camasnagaul & Achaphubuil

  30.77

  7,957

  National Trust for Woodland Trust Ltd

  Blackpotts Farm— St. Abbs Head

  50.00

  41,000

  National Trust for Scotland

  Kiltyrie Farm—Ben Lawer

  82.00

  50,000

  National Trust for Scotland

  Morenish Estate— Ben Lawers

  1,303.00

  20,000

  National Trust for Scotiand

  Glencoe, visitors centre/campsite

  17.81

  178,750

  National Trust for Scotland

  An Torr Wood, Glencoe

  18.00

  24,607

  National Trust for Scotland

  Corrieshalloch

  12.00

  13,000

  North Assynt Crofters Trust

  North Assynt Estate

  21,000.00

  20,000

  Royal Society for the protection of Birds

  Purchase of Mersehead Farm

  —

  63,000

  Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

  Insh Marshes

  —

  63,000

  Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

  Mosstown Farm, Loch of Strathbeg

  —

  20,000

  Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

  Fannyside Mill Farm—Lanark

  154.00

  15,000

  Scottish Wildlife Trust

  Rossie Braes and Salty Dyke— Montrose Basin

  4.4

  4,452

  Scottish Wildlife Trust

  Halls Farm, Woodhall Dean— East Lothian

  24.00

  5,000

  552

  Applicant

  Sites

  Hectares

  Grant (£)

  Scottish Wildlife Trust

  Purchase of Dullatar Marsh

  41.7

  5,539.75

  Scottish Wildlife Trust

  Purchase of Carsegowan Moss

  49.9

  5,833.50

  Scottish Wildlife Trust

  Purchase of South Shian Wood

  21.7

  8,235

  Scottish Wildlife Trust

  Purchase of Blackcraig Wood

  17.00

  6,900

  Scottish Wildlife Trust

  Gight Wood

  —

  2,800

  Scottish Wildlife Trust

  Eastbister Farm, Hill of White Hamars Reserve

  —

  7,800

  Wigtown Bay Wildfowlers Club

  Purchase of Maidland Merse

  89.5

  35,000

  Woodland Trust

  Backmuir Wood— Dundee

  42.00

  29,333

  Woodland Trust

  Ledmore and Migdale Woods

  710.00

  128,000

  Woodland Trust

  Portmoak Moss— Perth and Kinross

  42.00

  37,975

  Woodland Trust

  Abriachan Woods

  133.60

  7,471

  Woodland Trust

  Urquhart Bay Woods

  0.80

  2,500

  Woodland Trust

  Purchase of Aldouran Glen

  12.00

  8,750

  Local Government Reforms
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what sums his Department has spent on promoting local government reforms in each of the last three years. [20185]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The amount which the Scottish Office has spent on public information about local government reform in the most recent three financial years is set out in the table:

  Financial year beginning:

  Amount (£)

  1 April 1994

  139,507

  1 April 1995

  997

  1 April 1996

  13,790

  External Consultants
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department has spent on external consultants in each year since 1979. [20485]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Expenditure over the past five years by the Scottish Office and its associated agencies on external consultants was:

  1991–92: £10,836,000

  1992–93: £4,370,000

  1993–94: £5,383,000

  1994–95: £4,079,000

  1995–96: £5,440,000

  No comparable data are available for the periods prior to 1991.

  Departmental Legislation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Bills his Department has sponsored in each of the past 15 years; and how many have been passed by Parliament. [19768]
  553
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The following Scottish Bills were sponsored by my Department during the past 15 years:

  1996–97

  Crime and Punishment (Scotland) Bill

  Transfer of Crofting Estates (Scotland) Bill

  Contract (Scotland) Bill

  Flood Prevention and Land Drainage (Scotland) Bill

  Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman and Commissioner for Local Administration (Scotland) Bill

  1995–96

  Education (Scotland) Bill

  Deer (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill

  Licensing (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill

  Deer (Scotland) Bill*

  1994–95

  Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill

  Children (Scotland) Bill

  1993–94

  Local Government etc. (Scotland) Bill

  1992–93

  Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Bill

  Bankruptcy (Scotland) Bill

  Crofters (Scotland) Bill*

  Scottish Land Court Bill*

  1991–92

  Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Bill

  1990–91

  Natural Heritage (Scotland) Bill

  Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Bill*

  1989–90

  Enterprise and New Towns (Scotland) Bill

  Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Bill

  1988–89

  Transport (Scotland) Bill

  Self-Governing Schools etc. (Scotland) Bill

  Prisons (Scotland) Bill*

  1987–88

  Housing (Scotland) Bill

  School Boards (Scotland) Bill

  Civil Evidence (Scotland) Bill

  Electricity (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Bill

  Scottish Development Agency Bill

  1986–87

  Debtors (Scotland) Bill

  Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill

  Abolition of Domestic Rates etc. (Scotland) Bill

  Animals (Scotland) Bill

  Housing (Scotland) Bill*

  1985–86

  Housing (Scotland) Bill

  Salmon Bill

  Legal Aid (Scotland) Bill

  1984–86

  National Heritage (Scotland) Bill

  Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Bill

  Rating (Revaluation Rebates) (Scotland) Bill

  Family Law (Scotland) Bill

  554

  1983–84

  Tourism (Overseas Promotion) (Scotland) Bill

  Tenants Rights etc. (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill

  Inshore Fishing (Scotland) Bill

  Rating and Valuation (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill

  Roads (Scotland) Bill

  Foster Children (Scotland) Bill*

  Mental Health (Scotland) Bill*

  Rent (Scotland) Bill*

  1982–83

  Electricity (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Bill

  Land Valuations Amendment (Scotland) Bill

  Divorce Jurisdiction, Court Fees and Legal Aid (Scotland) Bill

  Mental Health (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill

  Agricultural Holdings (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill

  The 1996–97 Bills have yet to receive Royal Assent. All the other Bills were enacted. The list includes consolidation Bills, which are marked with an asterisk, but excludes private members' Bills. In addition, we have co-sponsored a large number of Great Britain-United Kingdom Bills during this period.

  Health Service Property (Ayrshire and Arran)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the properties formerly used for health service purposes in Ayrshire and Arran, which are currently unoccupied and in the ownership of(a) Ayrshire and Arran health board, (b) the Ayrshire NHS trusts and (c) the Secretary of State; what is the total annual cost involved; what action is being taken to dispose of these proprieties; and if he will make a statement. [20726]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Any such property formally in the ownership of the Secretary of State if accounted for, and managed by, individual health boards and NHS trusts. The information requested is not held centrally.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many inward investment projects have been attracted to Scotland in the 11 months to the end of February; what is the value of the planned investment concerned; and how many planned jobs will be created or safeguard thereby. [21155]

  Mr. Kynoch
  In the 11 months to the end of February 1997, Locate in Scotland and the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department helped to attract to Scotland a total of 80 inward investment projects. These projects involve planned investment of £3.0 billion and the expected creation or safeguarding of 13,679 jobs.

  Electronic Surveillance
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what guidance chief constables in Scotland operate under in relation to electronic surveillance of suspects; and what is his Department's involvement in the process; [14131]
  555
  (2) on how many occasions chief constables in Scotland have authorised electronic surveillance of suspects outside the terms of the Interception of Communications Act 1985 in each of the last five years; [14132]

  (3) what new proposals he has in respect of the powers of chief constables in Scotland to implement electronic surveillance of suspects; in what circumstances electronic surveillance operations are currently permissible. [14135]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 3 February 1997]: Electronic surveillance of suspects may be authorised by chief constables in Scotland in accordance with non-statutory guidelines on intrusive surveillance issued by the Scottish Office in 1985.

  Under the current guidelines, intrusive surveillance may be authorised only in circumstances where the investigation concerns serious crime, normal methods of investigation have been tried and failed, or are unlikely to succeed, and there is good reason to think that the use of equipment would be likely to lead to an arrest and a conviction or, where appropriate, to the prevention of acts of terrorism.

  Figures for each of the last five years are not available centrally.

  Consumer Protection
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will assess the advantages of extending the provisions of part V of the Crime and Punishment Bill (Scotland) to members of the Faculty of Advocates to enhance consumer protection. [19073]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 18 March 1997]: My right hon. Friend has no immediate plans to extend the provisions of part V to members of the Faculty of Advocates. Such a proposal would require consultation with those affected and further detailed consideration in the light of experience of the implementation of these provisions in relation to solicitors.

  Children (Sexual Abuse)
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) rape and (b) sexual assault victims were under the age of 16 in each of the last five years. [19123]

  Charter

  Drafting £

  Publishing £

  Distribution £

  Total costs £

  Number issued

  Patients

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  41,729

  33,350

  Parents (1991)

  n/a

  170,782

  24,365

  195,147

  36,000

  (1995 up-date)

  n/a

  77,452

  24,530

  101,982

  75,067

  Tenants

  n/a

  69,000

  n/a

  69,000

  32,000

  Further and higher education

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  144,700

  64,800

  Justice

  n/a

  61,362

  1,700

  63,062

  29,000

  Local environment

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  20,600

  n/a

  Serving crofting

  First edition

  n/a

  5,117

  n/a

  5,117

  10,000

  Second edition

  n/a

  4,282

  4,362

  3,000

  Serving farmers

  First edition

  n/a

  5,304

  n/a

  5,304

  4,500

  Second edition

  n/a

  Nil

  n/a

  4,000

  Rent registration service

  1,720

  n/a

  n/a

  1,720

  100

  Scottish Office statistical services

  600

  Nil

  Nil

  600

  n/a

  Scottish Office inquiry reporters unit

  565

  878

  700

  2,143

  3,500

  Scottish Office planning services

  6,000

  3,200

  1,300

  10,500

  6,000

  556
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 10 March 1997]: Information is not collected centrally on the age of victims in recorded crimes of rape, assault with intent to rape or ravish or indecent assault.

  Sex Offenders
  Mr. McFall:
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will assess the advantages of extending the length of probation orders for those who commit sexual offences to a maximum of five years.[19074]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 10 March 1997]: No representations have been received proposing such a change. Any views put forward will be considered by the working group tasked with any future review of the national objectives and standards for social work services in the criminal justice system in respect of probation. Any legislative changes recommended by that group would be considered.

  Salmon Strategy Task Force
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to implement recommendation No. 33 of the report of the Scottish Salmon strategy task force.[20816]

  Mr. Baldry
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has received a copy of the task force report. This Department will be closely involved in formulating the Government's formal response to the recommendations affecting fisheries in England. However, no decisions will be taken until the consultation process is complete.

  Customer Charters
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department and its executive agencies have spent drafting, publishing and circulating each of their customer charters and customer standard documents; and how many copies of each document have been issued.[19395]

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give a breakdown of his Department's spending on each charter produced under the citizens charter programme.[20183]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is set out in the table:
  557

  Charter

  Drafting £

  Publishing £

  Distribution £

  Total costs £

  Number issued

  Executive agencies

  Scottish fisheries protection agency

  250

  150

  50

  450

  200

  Scottish agricultural science agency

  First edition (1994)

  n/a

  950

  n/a

  950

  150

  Second edition (1996)

  n/a

  1,248

  n/a

  1,248

  173

  Historic Scotland

  n/a

  1,350

  n/a

  1,350

  6,500

  Scottish prison service 3 charter standard documents

  (1) public

  200

  408

  —

  608

  2,982

  (2) prisoners

  200

  760

  No extra costs incurred

  960

  12,008

  (3) visitors

  200

  222

  —

  422

  43

  Scottish Office pensions agency

  148

  1,619

  No extra costs incurred

  1,767

  37,500

  Students awards agency for Scotland

  500

  5,000 per annum

  No extra costs incurred

  5,000 per annum

  225,000 per annum

  n/a indicated that the information requested is either not available or is not known.

  Figures on numbers issued are actual numbers issued where known or numbers printed where not known.
  The SAAS charter is incorporated in the booklet "Student Grants in Scotland" which is revised and re-issued each year to all students.
  The statistical services charter is published on the back of all statistical bulletins, so there are no separate costs and it is difficult to estimate numbers issued.

  Glenfeshie and Rothiemurchus Estates
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been paid from public funds in each of the past 20 years to the owners of(a) Glenfeshie and (b) Rothiemurchus estates for the purposes of (i) conservation and (ii) forest regeneration. [19911]

  Mr. Kynoch
  Information in the form requested on payments by Scottish Natural Heritage and its predecessor bodies is not available, but I have asked the SNH to write to the hon. Member.

  Payments made by the Forestry Commission for the purposes of replanting after felling; work to encourage natural regeneration; and new planting are set out in the table:

  Year

  Amount (£)

  Glenfeshie

  1979

  1,860

  1987

  8,370

  Rothiemurchus (figures prior to 1983 not available)

  1987

  2,970

  1989

  10,265

  1990

  2,773

  1991

  263

  1992

  5,336

  1993

  57,535

  1994

  273,549

  1995

  85,859

  1996

  419,893

  Mr. W. J. Duff
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on each investigation since 25 August 1986 into the claims for treatment made by Mr. W. J. Duff. [19050]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 12 March 1997]: Mr. Duff has been the subject of checks under random sampling arrangements and more systematic monitoring. As a result of such monitoring, Mr. Duff was referred to a service committee in December 1990 in respect of one patient. Mr. Duff was found not to be in breach of his terms. He was referred in January
  558
  1994 to the NHS tribunal and then to the General Dental Council. Subsequently, his name was removed from the dental list of Greater Glasgow health board, he was excluded from practising in the NHS and his name was removed from the council's register.

  Slaughterhouse Hygiene
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what date his Department first received a copy of(a) the draft report on slaughterhouse hygiene written by Mr. Swann, and (b) the final report issued by the Meat Hygiene Service; what was the grade of the civil servants who assessed each report; and what reports of their contents were made to Ministers, and on what dates. [20125]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 13 March 1997]: My Department received the report written by Mr. Swann on the afternoon of 6 March 1997 and the final report issued by the Meat Hygiene Service earlier that day. I discussed the contents with officials on 6 and 7 March.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland with which external bodies the Scottish Office consulted on the draft report on slaughterhouse hygiene written by Mr. Swann; and to which such bodies it made the report available. [20124]

  Mr. Forsyth
  [holding answer 13 March 1997]: The report which was received by my Department on 6 March 1997 has been made available to the Pennington Group, which is considering its contents in finalising its report on E. coli.

  Assisted Businesses (Political Objectives)
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if businesses and organisations with declared political objectives can, or could obtain, financial support in the form of grants, loans and other assistance from(a) local enterprise companies, (b) Highland and Islands Enterprise, (c) Scottish Enterprise and (d) any of their predecessor bodies. [20416]

  Mr. George Kynoch
  It is very unlikely that a business or organisation whose declared objectives were exclusively or largely political would qualify for financial support from any of these bodies. Applications for
  559
  assistance for projects are normally considered against a number of criteria including commercial viability, number of jobs created or safeguarded and conformity to the objectives of the scheme in question.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Milk Quota
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list(a) for each member state in the European Union and (b) (i) England, (ii) Wales, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland the current milk quota (1) in tonnes and (2) per head of the population; and what is the average milk quota per head of population in the European Union as a whole. [20536]

  Mr. Baldry
  The table shows the milk quota allocated to each member state in the 1995–96 quota year, its population in 1995 and quota per head. The table also includes quota registered to producers in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland which has been used to determine the quota per head in these countries.

  Milk quota allocation to member states in 1995–96

  Member state

  Total quota (000 tonnes)

  Population (000)

  Quota per head (tonnes)

  Belgium

  3,310

  10,145

  0.33

  Denmark

  4,455

  5,214

  0.85

  Germany

  27,865

  81,944

  0.34

  Greece

  631

  10,442

  0.06

  Spain

  5,567

  39,170

  0.14

  France

  24,263

  58,048

  0.42

  Ireland

  5,246

  3,580

  1.47

  Italy

  9,930

  57,344

  0.17

  Luxembourg

  269

  405

  0.66

  Netherlands

  11,075

  15,433

  0.72

  Austria

  2,737

  8,054

  0.34

  Portugal

  1,872

  9,951

  0.19

  Finland

  2,366

  5,109

  0.46

  Sweden

  3,303

  8,810

  0.37

  United Kingdom

  14,590

  58,606

  0.25

  England

  10,429

  48,903

  0.21

  Wales

  1,487

  2,917

  0.51

  Scotland

  1,225

  5,137

  0.24

  Northern Ireland

  1,440

  1,649

  0.87

  Total EU 15

  117,478

  372,255

  0.32

  Source:

  1. Quota information for EU member states—Council Regulation 3950/92.

  2. Quota information for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland—Intervention Board.

  3. Population information for EU member states (excluding the UK)—EU Commission.

  4. Population and Northern information for the UK, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland—The Office for National Statistics.

  Note:

  Quota information for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland reflect the quota registered with producers in these countries. The sum of the quota registered in these countries will not equal the UK total allocation because of the quota held in the national reserve.
  560

  Correspondence
  Mr. Chris Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a substantive reply will be made to the letter of 20 January from the hon. Member for Littleborough and Saddleworth to the Minister of State concerning Mr. Harvey Richmond. [20115]

  Mr. Baldry
  The matter raised in the letter from the hon. Member is a complex one requiring detailed investigation. A reply will be forwarded to the hon. Member by 24 March at the latest.

  Cattle Feed
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if avoparcin was licensed as a feed additive in the rations of non-lactating cows prior to the introduction of the Beef (Emergency) Control Order 1996; and if he will make a statement. [20752]

  Mrs. Browning
  I can confirm that avoparcin was authorised as a feed additive for non-lactating cows prior to the introduction of the Beef (Emergency) Control Order 1996.

  Mr. Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action his Department took to revoke the licence for the use of avoparcin as an in-feed antibiotic in dairy cows after the Council of Ministers declined to add it to annexe 1 of directive 70/524/EEC and on what dates; and if he will make a statement. [20751]

  Mrs. Browning
  As a result of concerns expressed by Denmark and Germany, in July 1995, the Council of Ministers decided not to support the entry of avoparcin into annexe 1 of directive 70/524/EEC for use in feed for dairy cows and member states were requested to withdraw project licences. We did not do so as the independent scientific Veterinary Products Committee—VPC—which advises the Government, had been satisfied that the criteria of safety, quality and efficacy had been met for avoparcin, and because the Scientific Committee on Animal Nutrition—SCAN—was examining evidence submitted by the Danes and the Germans in support of their bans on avoparcin as a feed additive for all species. SCAN concluded that, on the basis of science, the evidence presented did not establish a risk to human health, animal health or the environment. The VPC welcomed the SCAN report and its conclusions but expressed some concern about the non-therapeutic use of antibiotics as additives in animal feed and over the misuse of antibiotics. However, at the December 1996 Standing Committee on Animal Nutrition, the Commission proposal banning the use of avoparcin as an additive to animal feed was agreed. We will therefore be implementing the ban and revoking existing product licences by the 1 April 1997 deadline.

  Incineration Contracts
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the locations in respect of which the Intervention Board has offered contracts to incinerator companies for which planning permission has subsequently been(a) refused and (b) granted. [20811]
  561
  Mr. Baldry
  The Intervention Board offers contracts to incineration companies only when it has obtained all necessary consents and licences.

  Mrs. Jackson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the incinerator companies to whom the Intervention Board has issued letters of intent for the burning of(a) cattle carcases and (b) the rendered meat and bonemeal remains of slaughtered cattle in the past six months. [20809]

  Mr. Baldry
  Nine letters of intent have been issued to prospective suppliers of carcase burning facilities. The companies are:

  P. J. Hayman

  Euromet

  Kingsclear Technologies and Associated Companies Ltd.

  Sacone Industries Ltd.

  Canfield Incineration Ltd.

  Time-Right Ltd.

  WRE Services Ltd.

  Durga Environmental Ltd.

  Bronzeoak Thermal Processing Ltd.

  No letters of intent have been issued in respect of incineration of rendered meat and bonemeal although there have been expressions of interest by potential suppliers in a current tender.

  Earth Summit
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what preparations his Department is making for the UN General Assembly special session to review progress since the Rio Earth summit of 1992 and for the preparatory committees leading up to the summit. [19135]

  Mr. Boswell
  The Department of the Environment is taking the lead within the Government on preparations for the UN General Assembly special session. Officials in the Ministry have provided advice, as appropriate, for the preparatory discussions taking place in sessions of the secretariat of the UN commission on sustainable development, particularly in relation to agricultural, ocean resource and land use issues.

  Scrapie
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the incidence of scrapie-associated fibrils in the central nervous system of dogs in the United Kingdom. [19437]

  Mrs. Browning
  No case of scrapie-like transmissible spongiform encephalopathy has ever been confirmed in a dog in the United Kingdom, or reported in any other country in the world.

  Brains from culled hounds in packs throughout Great Britain, which are traditionally fed fallen livestock, and so may be considered a high risk population exposed to potentially infected tissues before controls were introduced in September 1990, have been examined and the results considered by Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee in August 1994 and subsequently re-evaluated by it in June 1995. The committee concluded that the results were inconclusive because there were certain limitations in the protocol of the study. It was
  562
  recognised however, that the study established that in the dogs studied there was no evidence of a pathologically overt SE similar to that reported in the domestic cat.

  Feline Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what date his scientists first reported to him their view that the occurrence of feline spongiform encephalopathy was causally linked with the epidemic of BSE. [19438]

  Mrs. Browning
  This was first reported in 1993 and recorded in the report of the chief veterinary officer— "Animal Health—1993", a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. It stated that the uniformity of the lesion profile in feline spongiform encephalopathy— FSE—complements the results of primary transmission of FSE and BSE to mice, in which similarities suggest that FSE is the result of exposure of cats to the BSE pathogen prior to September 1990 when statutory controls were introduced.

  Chlamydial Disease Research Unit
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to close the unit researching chlamydial disease at the central veterinary laboratory; what alternative research he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on this disease. [19439]

  Mrs. Browning
  In deciding to reduce MAFF support for research on chlamydia when the existing projects came to an end, the programme of chlamydia research supported by the Scottish Office Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Department—£460,000 in 1996–97—was taken into account.

  Departmental Legislation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many Bills his Department has sponsored in each of the last 15 years; and how many have been passed by Parliament. [19767]

  Mr. Boswell
  The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has sponsored the following numbers of Acts over the last 15 years, all of which have been passed by Parliament:

  Session

  Number of Bills

  1981–82

  1

  1982–83

  4

  1983–84

  2

  1984–85

  2

  1985–86

  1

  1986–87

  0

  1987–88

  1

  1988–89

  1

  1989–90

  1

  1990–91

  1

  1991–92

  0

  1992–93

  2

  1993–94

  0

  1994–95

  1

  1995–96

  0

  563

  Mineral Hydrocarbons
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the ban was implemented on the use of mineral hydrocarbons in food manufacture; and what were the reasons for the ban. [20697]

  Mrs. Browning
  Restrictions on the use of mineral hydrocarbons in food have been in place since at least 1949. The current regulations came into force in 1966. These are based on the general principle applying to the use of all food additives, that they should be permitted only under strict control and where there is a demonstrated technological need, and take account of the duty of Ministers to have regard to the desirability of restricting so far as practicable the use of substances of no nutritional value as ingredients of food.

  Channel Tunnel (Animal Electrocution Apparatus)
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what advice he has issued to the operators of the channel tunnel with regard to recommissioning the animal electrocution apparatus in the channel tunnel; and if he will make a statement; [20710]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the cost of recommissioning the animal electrocution apparatus in the channel tunnel. [20712]

  Mrs. Browning
  The Department has drawn to the attention of Eurotunnel its obligation to maintain electrified grids in the channel tunnel. These grids are designed to deter animals from passing through the tunnel, not to electrocute them. This is one of a series of measures intended to prevent animals entering the channel tunnel.

  The electrified grids currently installed in the tunnel are not operational. I met Eurotunnel's chairman this morning to discuss this. Eurotunnel is working urgently on devising a technical solution which is capable of being implemented. The cost of that work is a matter for Eurotunnel.

  Rabies
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the relative risk of rabies infection entering Britain from(a) free-living animals entering via the channel tunnel and (b) animals entering by other means; and whether he has commissioned a risk assessment. [20711]

  Mrs. Browning
  Measures are in place to prevent rabies infection entering Great Britain either from(a) animals entering the channel tunnel or (b) animals entering by other means.

  (A) The controls in place to prevent animals from entering the channel tunnel include fencing, video recording, routine surveillance by service personnel, deterrent lighting, and routine baiting for small animals.

  Electrified grids have been installed in each of the tunnels as an additional deterrence to animals. However, due to technical difficulties, these are not currently operational. I met the chairman of Eurotunnel this morning to discuss this. He assured me that Eurotunnel is working urgently on devising a technical solution capable of being implemented very rapidly.
  564
  The environment in the channel tunnel is extremely hostile and would not sustain any animal life because of the train movement—the air vortex created by a train in the tunnel is likely to kill any animal the size of a dog or fox—and because of arrangements designed to ensure that the tunnel is not a source of food.

  (B) The legislation on rabies quarantine is in place to prevent rabies infection entering by other means.

  Slaughtered Cattle (Disposal)
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list, in date order, the consultation papers and research reports which he has commissioned, since 20 March 1996, on the options for, and public health and environmental implications of, the disposal of cattle slaughtered as a result of BSE-related programmes; and if he will set out the bodies producing each document. [20827]

  Mrs. Browning
  As on other issues in relation to spongiform encephalopathies, the Government look to their independent Spongiform Encephaphalopathy Advisory Committee. A special sub-group was set up to look at a range of environmental issues which met on 6 May 1996. The report of that group to the main committee was discussed at the committee meeting on 29 May 1996 and resulted in a public document which was issued by the Department on 7 June 1996. A copy is in the Library of the House.

  Meat Hygiene Service
  Mr. French
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements he has made to ensure that the information paper on meat hygiene which he promised in his statement on 12 March,Official Report, columns 372–74, is publicly available. [21264]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I laid in the Library of the House on 18 March 1997 a copy of the information paper, "Driving up meat hygiene standards". It is freely available on request from the MAFF helpline—phone 0645–33–55–77. My hon. Friend the Member for Tiverton (Mrs. Browning) is also sending copies to industry, enforcement and consumer organisations.

  Departmental Cash Limits
  Mr. French
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes are proposed to the cash limit for class III, vote 2-Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for 1996–97. [21265]

  Mr. Boswell
  The cash limit for class III vote 2 for 1996–97 will be reduced by £280,000 from £892,586,000 to £892,306,000. This reduction covers the surrender by the Ministry to the Exchequer of funds matching payments to the tanning industry.

  "Agriculture in the United Kingdom"
  Mr. French
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects the latest volume of "Agriculture in the United Kingdom" to be published. [21266]
  565
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  "Agriculture in the United Kingdom 1996" was published today and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Slaughter Practices
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he plans to support the European Commission's proposals that(a) minimum stunning currents should be laid down by law and (b) the 1993 directive on welfare at slaughter should be amended to require both carotid arteries to be severed at slaughter. [20077]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 13 March 1997]: Interested organisations have been asked for their comments on proposals received from the European Commission in respect of directive 93/119/EC on the protection of animals at the time of slaughter or killing. The UK approach to both issues identified by the hon. Member will be carefully considered, taking into account the views expressed by all those consulted.

  BSE
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place in the Library a copy of(a) the contract between the Ministry of Agriculture and Electrophoretics International covering work to develop a diagnostic test for BSE and (b) a copy of the evaluation made of that work. [20664]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: (a) MAFF has no contract with Electrophoretics International—EI—to develop a diagnostic test for BSE. It did, however, have an agreement with EI which was one of collaboration. As required by the terms of that agreement, we have written to EI requesting its agreement in writing to our placing a copy in the Library of the House. If EI agrees, we will do so once we have its reply.

  (b) Since no work was commissioned by MAFF from EI, no such evaluation has been made.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received over the past 12 months regarding the disposal of BSE-infected carcases to landfill sites. [20523]

  Mrs. Browning
  Between 21 March 1996 and 14 February 1997, the Department's BSE correspondence unit dealt with in excess of 7,200 letters on BSE-related issues, some of which would have concerned the disposal of BSE suspect carcases to landfill sites. Establishing the precise number could be done only at disproportionate cost.

  State Veterinary Service
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many vets were employed by the State Veterinary Service in each year from 1979 to present. [17629]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [pursuant to his reply 27 February 1997]: The number of veterinary surgeons employed by the State Veterinary Service at 1 January each year since 1980 is detailed in the table. Since 1980, the structure of the State Veterinary Service has changed several times. The central veterinary laboratory which previously
  566
  formed part of the State Veterinary Service, became the Veterinary Laboratories Agency in April 1990. The CVL figures are incorporated in this return for the years 1 January 1980 to 1 January 1990. As from 1 June 1990, the figures do not include the CVL. The veterinary investigation service became part of the VLA on 1 October 1995 and is not included in these figures since then.

  Year

  Number of vets

  1980

  583.0

  1981

  571.0

  1982

  549.0

  1983

  549.5

  1984

  545.5

  1985

  530.5

  1986

  511.5

  1987

  464.5

  1988

  442.5

  1989

  442.0

  1990

  450.0

  1991

  407.0

  1992

  414.5

  1993

  420.0

  1994

  410.3

  1995

  394.5

  1996

  301.2

  1997

  289.5

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Departmental Legislation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many Bills his Department has sponsored in each of the past 15 years; and how many have been passed by Parliament. [19773]

  Mr. Burt
  The information is in the table:

  Parliamentary session

  Bills

  Sponsored by the Department of Social Security

  1995–96

  1

  1994–95

  4

  1993–94

  3

  1992–93

  2

  1991–92

  1

  1990–91

  4

  1989–90

  1

  1988–89

  1

  Sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Security

  1987–88

  2

  1986–87

  1

  1985–86

  2

  1984–85

  3

  1983–84

  2

  1972–83

  3

  1981–82

  3

  All Bills received Royal Assent. 1. The Department of Social Security was formed in July 1988. The figures given for 1981–82 to 1987–88 are for Bills sponsored by the former Department of Health and Social Security.

  All-work Test
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations his Department has had from the Disability Alliance in
  567
  relation to the Benefits Agency medical services and complaints from disabled people about the all-work test for incapacity benefit; what reply he is sending; what action he will be taking; and if he will make a statement. [20057]

  Mr. Burt
  No recent representations have been received by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. However, I received a letter from the Disability Alliance on 12 March. I have replied to the Disability Alliance today, sending it the information that it has requested. I have also sent a copy of my reply to the right hon. Member.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what was the expenditure on rent rebate and council tax benefit for unemployed claimants in each year from 1978–79 to 1996–97; [20297]

  (2) what was the expenditure on housing benefit for unemployed claimants in each year from 1978–79 to 1996–97. [20298]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the table:

  Disaggregated information is not available for the years before 1994–95 and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Expenditure on unemployed a claimants

  Total housing benefit and Council tax benefit1 (or community charge benefit or rate rebates)

  Housing benefit (rent rebate)

  Housing benefit (rent allowance)

  Council tax benefit

  1978–79

  241

  —

  —

  —

  1979–80

  270

  —

  —

  —

  1980–81

  354

  —

  —

  —

  1981–82

  555

  —

  —

  —

  1982–83

  700

  —

  —

  —

  1983–84

  814

  —

  —

  —

  1984–85

  912

  —

  —

  —

  1985–86

  1,015

  —

  —

  —

  1986–87

  1,101

  —

  —

  —

  1987–88

  1,142

  —

  —

  —

  1988–89

  1,211

  —

  —

  —

  1989–90

  1,127

  —

  —

  —

  1990–91

  1,489

  —

  —

  —

  1991–92

  1,747

  —

  —

  —

  1992–93

  2,187

  —

  —

  —

  1993–94

  2,331

  —

  —

  —

  1994–95

  2,626

  738

  1,542

  346

  1995–96

  2,679

  617

  1,765

  297

  Note:

  1 Council tax benefit was introduced in 1993–94 and replaced
  community charge benefit, formerly rate rebates.

  Sources:

  1. Figures underlying table 5 in the 1996 departmental report.

  2. Housing benefit management information system.

  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list(a) the number of 18 to 24-year-olds claiming housing benefit and (b) the average housing benefit payment to 18 to 24-year-olds. [20343]
  568
  Mr. Evans
  The information is set out in the table.

  Housing benefit recipients

  Average weekly housing benefit

  Claimants aged 18 to 24

  452,000

  £45.61

  Source:

  Housing benefit management information system, annual 1 per cent. sample May 1995.

  Notes:

  1.Figures exclude cases eligible for housing benefit but whose entitlement was 'nil'

  after account taken of non-dependant deductions.

  2. Age is given as age of claimant only.

  3.Recipients may be single persons or couples.

  Savings
  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide data from the family resources survey on the average amount of savings held per household in(a) Post Office accounts, (b) tax-exempt special savings accounts, (c) building society accounts, (d) bank accounts, (e) other accounts, (f) gilts, (g) unit trusts, (h) stocks and shares,(i) personal equity plans,(j) national savings bonds,(k) save-as-you-earn and(l) premium bonds, broken down by gross weekly household income divided into £100 bands. [20478]

  Mr. Burt
  This information is not available.

  The family resources survey collects data on the amount of money respondents have in different accounts, but only for those respondents who are willing to provide an estimate of the value of their total savings and report a value between £1,500 and £20,000. Around 35 per cent. of all households surveyed fall into this category.

  Income Support
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list(a) the number of 18 to 24-year-olds claiming (i) income support and not housing benefit and (ii) income support and housing benefit and (b) the average payment in each case. [20299]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The information is set out in the table.

  Housing benefit and income support claimants aged 18–24 years (Great Britain, May 1995)

  Number of claimants (000s)

  Average weekly amount of housing benefit (£s)

  Average weekly amount of income support (£s)

  Income support without housing benefit

  482

  —

  41.52

  Income support with housing benefit

  382

  47.58

  54.33

  Notes:

  1.Average amounts have been rounded to the nearest penny, recipients to the nearest thousand.

  2.Housing benefit figures excludes cases where there is no entitlement because of non-dependant deductions.

  3.Age is given as age of claimant only.

  4.From October 1996, most 18 to 24-year-olds would receive jobseeker's allowance instead of income support.

  Sources:

  1.Housing benefit management information system, annual 1 per cent. inquiry, with income support, taken at the end of May 1995.

  2.Income support statistics quarterly inquiry, May 1995.
  569
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the number of 18 to 24-year-olds claiming income support by benefits office in each year since 1992. [20300]

  Mr. Evans
  The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list(a) the number of 18 to 24-year-olds claiming income support and (b) the average income support payment to 18 to 24-year-olds. [20340]

  Mr. Evans
  The information is set out in the table:

  Income support claimants aged 18–24 years (Great Britain)

  Number of claimants (000)

  Average weekly income support (£)

  May 1995

  864

  47.18

  May 1996

  804

  48.21

  Notes:

  1.Average amounts have been rounded to the nearest penny, claimants to the nearest thousand.

  2.Sample size 5 per cent.

  3.Age is given as age of claimant only.

  4.From October 1996, most 18 to 24-year-olds would receive jobseeker's allowance instead of income support.

  Source:

  Income support statistics quarterly inquires, May 1995 and May 1996.

  War Pensions (Gulf War)
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 6 March,Official Report, column 719, what research his Department has evaluated to indicate that present medical evidence does not support a causal relation between increasing disablement and exposure to organophosphates. [20344]

  Mr. Heald
  My answer of 6 March,Official Report, column 719, referred to the pattern of claimed disablement seen to date in Gulf claimants. The immediate toxic effects arising from exposure to high-dose organophosphates are the subject of medical consensus. The longer-term disabling effects of high exposure are not established; nor are the effects of low-dose exposure known, either short-term or chronic.

  These conclusions are based on evaluation of the medical and scientific literature and discussion with expert toxicologists in academic departments, at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.

  Child Benefits
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the combined value of child dependency addition and child benefit for the child of a widowed mother in(a) cash and (b) real terms as a percentage of average earnings, in November 1979 and at each subsequent uprating date; and what were the factors underlying each fall in value which occurred. [20650]
  570
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  The information is in the tables:

  Child benefit and widowed mothers allowance child dependency increase for first child

  Uprating date

  Cash as a percentage of average earnings at each uprating date

  Real terms as percentage of average earnings at April 1996

  November 1979

  11.0

  8.0

  November 1980

  10.2

  7.7

  November 1981

  9.8

  7.2

  November 1982

  9.7

  7.2

  November 1983

  9.0

  7.1

  November 1984

  8.7

  6.9

  November 1985

  8.4

  6.8

  July 1986

  8.0

  6.7

  April 1987

  7.7

  6.5

  April 1988

  7.2

  6.4

  April 1989

  6.8

  6.2

  April 1990

  6.4

  5.9

  April 1991

  6.3

  5.9

  October 1991

  6.5

  6.1

  April 1992

  6.4

  6.1

  April 1993

  6.2

  6.1

  April 1994

  6.1

  6.0

  April 1995

  6.0

  5.9

  April 1996

  5.9

  5.9

  Child benefit and widowed mothers allowance child dependency increase for subsequent Children

  Uprating date

  Cash as a percentage of average earnings at each uprating date

  Real terms as percentage of average earnings at April 1996

  April 1991

  6.3

  5.9

  October 1991

  6.2

  5.8

  April 1992

  6.1

  5.8

  April 1993

  6.0

  5.9

  April 1994

  5.9

  5.8

  April 1995

  5.8

  5.7

  April 1996

  5.7

  5.7

  1. The average earnings of full time adult employees were calculated using the new earnings survey and average earnings Index, both produced by the Office of National Statistics.

  2. The retail prices index (all items) was used to put child benefit and widowed mothers allowance child dependency addition into real terms as at April 1996. This was then compared with average earnings for April 1996 to give the percentage quoted.

  3. The factors underlying the fall in value are:(a) Since 1980, CDIs have been uprated on the basis that the uprated amount of the CDI is reduced by an amount equal to the cash increase in child benefit.

  (b) The rate of child benefit was not increased in 1988, 1989 and 1990.

  Appeal Tribunals
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 11 March,Official Report, column 199, how many and what proportion of medical examinations in connection with claims for disability living allowance or attendance allowance were carried out in February by doctors who were members of disability appeal tribunals. [20959]

  Mr. Burt
  The information is not available in the format requested.
  571
  It is estimated that, out of a total of 24,401 medical examinations in connection with claims to disability living allowance and attendance allowance which were allocated to examining medical practitioners in February, approximately 5 per cent. were allocated to doctors who also sit as members of disability appeal tribunals.

  Note:

  The total number of examinations allocated includes those which may have been subsequently aborted or have not yet been carried out.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the impact of the recent amendments to the Social Security (Adjudication) Regulations on the number of and hearings of appeals. [20963]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 6 March,Official Report, column 718.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will amend the Social Security (Adjudication) Regulations 1995 to require tribunal members to inform appellants of any salary or fees they have received from his Department, other than for their work as tribunal members, in the preceding six months. [20962]

  Mr. Evans
  No such amendment is considered necessary.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will instruct the Benefits Agency medical services not to use doctors who are members of disability appeal tribunals for the purpose of examining claimants in connection with claims for disability living allowance or attendance allowance. [20960]

  Mr. Burt
  No.

  There is no reason why membership of a disability appeal tribunal should be incompatible with work for Benefits Agency medical services as long as appeals do not relate to cases specifically handled by the doctor. To limit BAMS to using, for the examination of claimants at the request of the adjudication officer, only those doctors who are not members of disability appeals tribunals would unnecessarily reduce the number of people who could be involved on this work.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will amend the Social Security (Adjudication) Regulations 1995 to require that the action taken by a tribunal clerk to supply tribunal members with copies of documents relating to an appeal should be the same, irrespective of whether the appeal is to be decided without an oral hearing. [20961]

  Mr. Evans
  This is a procedural matter which is not appropriate for regulation.

  War Pensions
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the outcome of the meeting of the Minister of State, the right hon. Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish, with representatives of the Royal British Legion and of the Royal National Institute for Deaf People on 12 March to discuss noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss and war pensions. [20762]
  572
  Mr. Heald
  My right hon. and noble Friend Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish explained that the change in the approach to noise-induced hearing loss in war pensions was made neither as a matter of policy nor of re-interpretation of the legislation, but because of the requirement to reflect current medical understanding. As a consequence, and as with all such changes, he was obliged under the existing legislation to introduce it as soon as it was identified. He also confirmed that no pensioner would have their pension reduced: all existing awards would be honoured using exceptional powers to maintain payment even where the award had no foundation. Those claiming for the first time, who were suffering from service-related NISHL assessed at 20 per cent. or above, would receive a pension.

  The experts advising the Royal British Legion raised the issue of the relationship between hearing loss (impairment) and speech-hearing disability. It was agreed that the Department's medical advisors would meet the experts to discuss the possible relevance of this complicated area; officials have already written to Professor Lutman. We remain satisfied that we are applying current medical understanding in the way that the law on war pensions requires.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes he proposes to the national insurance contributions rules before the beginning of the next tax year. [21042]

  Mr. Heald
  The Social Security (Contributions) Amendment (No. 3) Regulations were laid on Friday 14 March and will come into force by 6 April. These make three changes to national insurance contributions. First, they maintain the alignment of tax and NICs treatment of jobmatch work incentive allowances. Secondly, they change the date of payment of class 1A contributions for employers ceasing to trade or transferring business to another company. Thirdly, they exempt from NICs allowances paid to service personnel, other Crown servants and employees of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the British Council based overseas. A similar exemption has existed in tax legislation for some years. These regulations therefore bring the treatment of overseas allowances for crown servants under national insurance legislation into line with their tax treatment.

  I also intend to introduce a fourth measure, also to come into force from 6 April. This will also maintain alignment of tax and NICs on employer-funded training. Regulations for this will be laid shortly.

  Departmental Agencies (Performance Targets)
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what performance targets he has set his Department's agencies for 1997–98; and if he will make a statement. [21043]

  Mr. Lilley
  The targets I have set my Department's executive agencies for 1997–98 are as set out.

  The targets represent a significant challenge to each agency, and focus effort on the key elements of their individual businesses.
  573
  Further information on the agencies' plans for 1997–98 is contained in their indvidual business plans which have been published today. Copies have been placed in the Library.

  The targets for 1997–98 are:

  BENEFITS AGENCY

  1.Benefit accuracy

  Income support accuracy—to pay the correct amount in 87 per cent. of cases.

  Jobseeker's allowance accuracy—to pay the correct amount in 87 per cent. of cases.

  Incapacity benefit accuracy—to pay the correct amount in 94 per cent. of cases.

  Family credit accuracy—to pay the correct amount in 91 per cent. of cases.

  Disability living allowance accuracy—to pay the correct amount in 96 per cent. of cases.

  Claims clearance times

  Jobseekers' allowance claims—65 per cent. in 10 days and 90 per cent. in 21 days.

  Faster family credit—90 per cent. in 5 days.

  Financial recovery and financial control

  160,000 claims of those obtaining benefit by deception to be withdrawn within 10 days of fraud investigation and 185,000 within 28 days.

  Security savings—£2100 million.

  Overpayment recovery—£120 million.

  Social fund loans recovery—£333 million.

  Resource management

  To manage the agency's resources to deliver its business plan within allocations.

  To keep to the cash limit agreement with Treasury for the discretionary social fund budget approved by Parliament.

  CONTRIBUTIONS AGENCY

  1. Records Maintenance

  New accounts properly registered for: 95 per cent. of juveniles in advance of their 16th birthday, and 90 per cent. of adults without NI accounts within eight days of receipt of complete application forms.

  Changes to personal details properly recorded, completing 92 per cent. of cases within 15 days.

  NI contributions properly recorded for: 98 per cent. of appropriate notifications for class 1 contributors by 31 December 1997 or within 30 days thereafter; 90 per cent. of class 2–3 contributors within five days of receipt of payment.

  NI details properly recorded following investigation: for 90 per cent. of cases by 31 March 1998 where there are inappropriate submissions by employers; for 85 per cent. of cases in 90 days where contributors/others identify an inaccuracy.

  2.Information provision

  95 per cent. of requests from Government agencies and Departments within: three days when no clerical action is required; 10 days with clerical involvement; and 45 days when detailed investigation is necessary to establish the NI position.

  92 per cent. of requests from pension providers and scheme administrators completed within 25 days.

  95 per cent. of customer inquiries and complaints within 20 days.

  Conformance

  £3.55 billion of NI contributions collected by the NI fund.

  £170 million of arrears identified and reference made to the Inland Revenue for collection.

  NI rebates accurately paid to pension providers, with 98 per cent. of cases completed within one calendar month after the recording of an accurate end of year return.

  574

  Contracting-out certificates properly issued, clearing 99 per cent. within five days.

  Variation and surrender action properly completed, clearing 96 per cent. within 10 days.

  Initiate investigation action within 10 days, where schemes are in breach of contracting-out conditions.

  CHILD SUPPORT AGENCY

  1. Performance

  £500 million of maintenance to be collected or arranged.

  97 per cent. of payments to parents with care to be made within 10 working days of receipt.

  Cash value of all assessments checked in the year to be correct in at least 85 per cent. of cases.

  60 per cent. of second-tier reviews to be cleared within 13 weeks and 95 per cent. within 26 weeks.

  A minimum of 525,000 cases to be cleared; 60 per cent. of new maintenance applications to be cleared within 26 weeks and on 31 March 1998 no more than 5 per cent. of all applications received by the agency to be over 52 weeks old.

  WAR PENSIONS AGENCY

  1.Performance

  Disablement Claims—66 per cent. cleared in 145 days.

  War Widows' Claims—82 per cent. cleared in 70 days.

  Claims accuracy—95 per cent.

  Appeals status—At 31 March 1998, to have no more than 28 per cent. of outstanding appeals more than 260 days old.

  Appeals volume—To clear 10,000 appeals during 1997–98.

  Resource Management

  To manage the agency's administration resources so as to deliver the business plan within budget allocation.

  Customer satisfaction

  To complete a survey of welfare service clients by 31 March 1998.

  INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES AGENCY

  1. Financial targets

  Manage the agency's income and expenditure (derived from normal trading activities), as presented on audited accruals accounts, so that the agency recovers its full economic costs through receipts from customers within a tolerance of plus or minus 2 per cent.

  Manage the ITSA purchaser vote so that the agency's expenditure outturn is in line with allocations and estimates— final outturn to be within 1 per cent. of the forecast provided for the end-of-year review of expenditure in December 1997.

  To reduce unit costs and prices in order to deliver to overall business efficiency improvement of 5 per cent.

  Customer service targets

  Measure customer satisfaction using the business excellence model, an industry standard and achieve a 10 per cent. BEM score improvement for customer satisfaction.

  Deliver 95 per cent. of services to customers to service levels for budget, time and quality as agreed within contracts.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what procedures exist to ensure that parents whose children are sentenced to be detained do not continue to receive(a) child benefit and (b) other benefits in respect of them. [18099]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  This is an operational matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.
  575
  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. David Shaw, dated 17 March 1997:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what procedures exist to ensure that parents whose children are sentenced to be detained, do not continue to receive a) Child Benefit and b) other benefits in respect of them.
  Customers receiving Child Benefit are obliged to report any changes of circumstances in accordance with the instructions contained in their order book. This would include instances when a child is detained in legal custody. Similarly, those in receipt of Widows Benefit, Retirement Pension, Income Support or short term benefits which include an additional amount for a dependent child must report the changes.
  Customers receiving benefit by Automated Credit Transfer are periodically sent details of what changes of circumstances should be reported.
  The position is different for people receiving Family Credit (FC). Entitlement is calculated and benefit is awarded for a fixed period for a family's circumstances at the date of the claim. If a child subsequently leaves a household, entitlement continues unless the child is included within another family claiming FC. There are no provisions within FC legislation for payments to cease in any other circumstances involving children.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Truro Benefits Agency
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many information officers are currently employed at Truro Benefits Agency to give advice on the types and amounts of benefits available on retirement. [20197]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  This is an operational matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. David Jamieson, dated 17 March 1997:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many information officers are currently employed at Truro Benefits Agency (BA) to give advice on the types and amounts of benefits available on retirement.
  It is one of the aims of the BA to provide the best service in the most cost effective way. We are aware that the provision of distinct Customer Service roles are extremely valuable in providing customer groups with increased access to the Benefit Agency. With this in mind the provisions of outreach and liaison work have been examined to confirm that they are the best and most cost-effective ways of meeting local needs. District Managers have the flexibility and local knowledge to target resources and continue to provide the most appropriate services for their local community.
  Cornwall District includes the BA offices at Falmouth, Launceston, Penzance, St. Austell and Truro (Lemon Quay House). There is currently a Customer Service Manager for the District based at Truro. The Customer Service Manager is available to give information and advice on the best way of accessing BA services. The District Information Officer (DINO) has recently been moved to Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) Implementation duties. The reinstatement of the full range of DINO responsibilities for Truro will be considered in late Summer when the conversion of all JSA will have taken place.
  All reception staff are trained to give information and advice on benefits on retirement. In addition to this eight members of staff are available to answer telephone queries on Retirement Pension and to discuss complicated matters face to face with customers in the Truro office. Customers are welcome to call at Truro Office (Lemon Quay House) or to telephone (01872 355000) for the information.
  576
  There is also a national telephone service "Pensions Info-Line" for DSS material on pensions, the telephone number is 0345 313233 and is charged at the rate of a local call.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

HEALTH

  Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the extent of MRSA and measures taken to combat its spread. [19172]

  Mr. Horam
  The Department is currently working with professional groups on the revision of clinical guidelines on MRSA. We have also sponsored an educational video for nurses and issued an information leaflet on MRSA to nursing and residential homes. The public health laboratory service recorded incidents of MRSA in 177 hospitals in England last year, affecting just over 19,000 patients. Health authorities are required—through their contracts with providers—to ensure that adequate infection control arrangements are in place within hospitals. Hospitals are similarly required to ensure that their hospital infection control team covers all hospital facilities.

  Insulin Pens (Disposable Needles)
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received about disposable needles for insulin pens. [19174]

  Mr. Malone
  We have received a number of representations in favour of allowing general practitioners to prescribe insulin injection pen needle on the national health service.

  St. Cross Hospital, Rugby
  Mr Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about clinical services at St. Cross hospital at Rugby. [19175]

  Mr. Malone
  The delivery of safe and effective clinical services is a matter for health authorities and trusts which are best placed to take into account local needs and circumstances.

  Health Boards and Trusts (Membership)
  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to review the membership of health boards and trusts following criticisms by the health service ombudsman. [19176]

  Mr. Malone
  We are currently studying the report of the Select Committee on the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration on the issues raised in the health service commissioner's report for 1995–96.

  Factor 8
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the availability throughout England of recombinant factor 8. [19177]

  Mr. Horam
  Our aim is to ensure that the best health care is obtained for the resources available. We believe that aim is best achieved when decisions on appropriate
  577
  treatments are made locally, taking account of the patient's individual needs, the alternative treatments available, and the availability of resources.

  Community Pharmacies
  Mr. Pope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve assistance to small community pharmacies; and if he will make a statement. [19178]

  Mr. Malone
  The essential small pharmacy scheme already provides financial support to pharmacies located more than 1 km from the next nearest pharmacy and which dispense at least 6,000 and fewer than 18,636 national health service prescriptions in a year.

  Tobacco Companies
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will encourage tobacco companies to enter into an agreement to make available the same sum of money as they spend on advertising and promotion to health promotional groups. [19179]

  Mr. Horam
  The Government have no such plans.

  Drugs Budget
  Sir Roger Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the analysis his Department has carried out of the drugs budgets of general practitioner fundholders and of non-fundholders. [19180]

  Mr. Malone
  Health authorities allocate prescribing budgets annually, to both fundholding and non-fundholding general practitioners, to meet patient needs. Guidance is issued to help health authorities achieve equity between fundholding and non-fundholding practices and the national health service executive's regional offices oversee the whole process to ensure fairness. Analysis of the management of drugs budgets by fundholders and non-fundholders shows a 6 per cent. saving by each wave of fundholders compared with trends in expenditure by non-fundholders. These savings are "locked in" and currently represent some £100 million each year.

  Prescription Charges
  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on prescription charges. [19181]

  Mr. Malone
  Only those who can afford to do so are asked to pay prescription charges. Extensive exemption arrangements mean that 85 per cent. of prescription items are dispensed free to patients, for example because of their age, income or medical condition.

  Cancer Treatment (Lancashire)
  Mr. Atkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provisions he proposes to make to improve hospital cancer treatment facilities in Lancashire. [19182]

  Mr. Horam
  Four Calman cancer units are being developed, at Preston and Chorley; Blackburn and Burnley; Blackpool; and Lancaster, Kendal and Barrow.
  578
  A new radiotherapy facility has been built at Preston acute hospitals national health service trust. The radiotherapy unit opened and treated the first patient on 24 February 1997.

  The cancer unit at Preston and Chorley will be developed in due course into a Calman cancer centre— over the next five years.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the contribution the private finance initiative is making towards capital expenditure in the NHS. [19183]

  Mr. Horam
  The contribution that the private finance initiative will make to national health service capital spending is estimated to be as follows:

  Year

  Amount £ million

  1996–97

  65

  1997–98

  166

  1998–99

  307

  1999–00

  4212

  Orthodontists (North West)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to address the shortage of orthodontists in the north west. [19184]

  Mr. Malone
  Orthodontics is one of the priority areas for training additional specialist registrars in the year 1997–98, and as shown in the table, the number of specialist orthodontists in training has risen significantly in the last two years.

  Numbers of orthodontic specialists in training

  Whole time equivalent registrars

  Senior registrars

  30 September 1994 (England and Wales)

  50

  28

  30 September 1995 (England and Wales)

  56

  34

  28 February 1996 (All UK)

  85

  42

  For 1997–98 the standing workforce advisory group (SWAG) has recommended that not less than six and not more than 21 orthodontic specialist posts should be created.

  Bed Blocking
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on bed blocking. [19185]

  Mr. Burns
  We have consistently emphasised the need for health and local authorities to work closely together in this area. The implementation of the community care reforms required health authorities and local authorities to reach agreements about arrangements for hospital discharge. It is also a key element of the work which health authorities undertook to implement the guidance on national health service responsibilities for continuing care.
  579
  On 28 November 1996, we announced the continuing care challenge fund which is targeted at initiatives which aim to alleviate delays in discharge by avoiding inappropriate admissions to acute hospitals, facilitating discharge following rehabilitation and avoiding unnecessary readmissions by ensuring the availability of support at home. A total of £16 million has been allocated to 69 health authorities in 1996–97 and £20 million, matched by £40 million from health and/or local authorities will be available to 95 health authorities in 1997–98.

  Doctors (Training)
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the correlation between the numbers of students entering medical schools and the shortfall of doctors in the NHS. [19186]

  Mr. Malone
  The Government are advised by the Medical Workforce Standing Advisory Committee— MWSAC—on the balance between future supply and demand for doctors. In 1995, we accepted the MWSAC recommendation for an increase of the target medical school intake by 500 to 4,970 by 2000; and funds are being provided for this through the higher education funding councils.

  MWSAC is now working towards its third report and has taken evidence from a number of interested parties. It will make recommendations based on the evidence and analysis.

  NHS Budgets
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the percentage change in the proportion of NHS budgets spent on administration since 1989. [19187]

  Mr. Horam
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Sutcliffe) on 3 December 1996, column 635.

  Changes over the years in the roles and responsibilities of family practitioner committees, family health services authorities, district health authorities, and regional health authorities, and the transfer of functions to national health service trusts, mean that the figures are not directly comparable. These figures also include expenditure on medical negligence, capital charges grants to voluntary bodies and some health care services, for example, health promotion.

  NHS Capital Expenditure
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on capital expenditure in the health service. [19188]

  Mr. Horam
  The last 10 years have seen the largest sustained building programme in the history of the national health service with over 700 schemes each costing over £1 million being completed. It is anticipated 580
  that £1.9 billion will be spent in 1996–97 on constructing, improving and modernising NHS buildings using both public capital.

  NHS Waiting Lists
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total number of people on NHS waiting lists at the latest available date. [19189]

  Mr. Horam
  Provisional figures show that, on 31 December 1996, there were 1,095,940 parents waiting for admission to national health service hospitals in England on an in-patient or day case basis, only 2 per cent. of whom had been waiting more than a year.

  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were waiting(a) over one year and (b) over 18 months for treatment (i) in each region and (ii) nationally in December 1996; and how many (1) in each equivalent region and (2) nationally were waiting for (a) and (b) in March 1991. [20370]

  Mr. Horam
  The table gives the information requested. Information on the number of patients waiting over 18 months is not available for 1991. Regions have been adjusted as far as possible to allow comparisons between 1991 and 1996, but some differences remain, notably due to boundary changes in south Humber, Bedfordshire and Morecambe bay.

  Patients Waiting over one year at end December 1996 (provisional)

  Region

  Patients waiting over one year

  Of which: Patients waiting over 18 months

  Northern and Yorkshire

  2,563

  0

  Trent

  5,277

  0

  Anglia and Oxford

  1,561

  22

  North Thames

  4,007

  59

  South Thames

  2,924

  28

  South and West

  2,507

  12

  West Midlands

  288

  0

  North West

  2,813

  2

  England

  21,940

  123

  Patients waiting over one year at end March 1991

  Region

  Patients waiting over one year

  Northern and Yorkshire

  17,801

  Trent

  10,525

  Anglia and Oxford

  19,713

  North Thames

  36,593

  South Thames

  26,265

  South and West

  24,452

  West Midlands

  17,473

  North West

  16,939

  England

  169,761

  Regions not directly comparable due to boundary changes, notably in south Humberside, Morecambe bay and Bedfordshire.

  Primary Care
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to meet general practitioners from north Derbyshire to discuss his Department's plans for primary care. [19190]
  581
  Mr. Malone
  We have already sent copies of the White Papers "Primary Care: The Future—Choice and Opportunity" and "Primary Care: Developing the Future", to all general medical practitioners. Subject to parliamentary approval of the NHS (Primary Care) Bill, we shall be writing to all general medical practitioners, and issuing guidance to health authorities and NHS trusts, advising them how they can pilot some of the new arrangements for the delivery of primary care.

  Special Hospitals
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health pending the result of the inquiry by Judge Fallon, what action should be taken by the chief executive of a special health authority high-security psychiatric hospital on receipt of a dossier of allegations concerning another special hospital; and if he will make a statement concerning the reporting relationships between the chairmen and chief executives of the special hospitals and the chairman and chief executive of the High Security Psychiatric Services Commissioning Board. [17802]

  Mr. Burns
  It would not be appropriate to comment on matters that may be considered by his honour, Mr. Peter Fallon in the course of his deliberations.

  Chairmen and chief executives of the three hospital authorities are responsible for providing high secure psychiatric services, as commissioned by the NHS executive on behalf of the Secretary of State, taking advice from the High Secure Psychiatric Services Commissioning Board.

  Prescriptions
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of(a) the value of prescribed products which are imported from overseas having been manufactured in the United Kingdom and (b) the savings achieved as a result of not purchasing direct from a United Kingdom manufacturer. [18874]

  Mr. Malone
  The information requested is not available.

  Medical Officers
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those responsible for the duties formerly carried out by municipal authority medical officers of health; for which geographical areas each is responsible; who appoints such people; what are their usual minimum qualifications; to whom they are accountable; what statutory provisions relating to the former duties of these medical officers(a) apply and (b) do not apply to these persons; and what subsequent legislation governs their activities. [20012]

  Mr. Horam
  The Local Government Act 1972 provides for the appointment by the local authority of'Such officers as they think necessary'
  such for the proper discharge of their functions and obligations. Each local authority may appoint "proper officers" (defined in s270 of the 1972 Act) for particular purposes.
  582

  Children in Need
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children below the age of 16 years were found in need in central London in the last year for which figures are available. [20410]

  Mr. Burns
  The relevant figures are not available centrally.

  GP Fundholding
  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) GPs and (b) GP practices the Government estimate will become fundholders from April 1997; and what projections he has made for subsequent years.[20371]

  Mr. Malone
  A total of 1,714 general practitioners in 646 practices will join the fundholding scheme on 1 April this year. This will give a total of 15,137 GP fundholders in 4,381 practices. This means that 58 per cent. of people in England will have a fundholder as their GP from this April.

  GPs have until 31 July 1997 to apply to join the eighth wave of GP fundholding.

  Hepatitis B
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what expert advice he has received or has requested about the advantages of(a) antenatal screening for and (b) infant vaccination against hepatitis B; and if he will make a statement. [20211]

  Mr. Horam
  The United Kingdom has one of the lowest prevalence rates of hepatitis B carriage in the world. Our current policy is to target immunisation at groups at increased risk of infection including babies born to women who are chronic carriers of the hepatitis B virus or who have had acute hepatitis B infection during pregnancy.

  The National Screening Committee is considering the antenatal screening programme for hepatitis B and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation is considering what may be the most appropriate future strategy for the control of hepatitis B, in the context of the whole childhood immunisation programme.

  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received from the Children's Liver Disease Foundation about(a) antenatal screening for and (b) infant vaccination against hepatitis B; and if he will make a statement. [20212]

  Mr. Burns
  I met representatives of the Children's Liver Disease Foundation on 11 March. Antenatal screening for hepatitis B and childhood Immunisation against hepatitis B were among the matters discussed at the meeting.

  Ondine's Curse
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data his Department has collated concerning the incidence in the United Kingdom of congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (Ondine's curse); and if there is any record of a patient outgrowing the disorder. [20208]
  583
  Mr. Horam
  The Department does not collate this data. The national health service executive is currently funding a research project into the management of children who require long-term ventilation support. This study includes the collation of data on children affected by congenital central hypoventilation syndrome. There is no record of a patient outgrowing this condition.

  Medicines Control Agency
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of employees of the Medicines Control Agency who possessed a qualification in(a) epidemiology and (b) statistics on (i) 1 June, (ii) 1 August, (iii) 1 October and (iv) 1 November 1995. [20558]

  Mr. Malone
  It is not possible to state how many employees employed by the Medicines Control Agency had a qualification in either epidemiology and statistics as the agency does not keep such records.

  Social Services Expenditure
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the expenditure on social services in 1979–80; what estimate he has made of the level of that expenditure in the present year; and what is the real terms percentage change in expenditure between the two years. [20687]

  Mr. Burns
  In 1979–80, net expenditure on personal social services was £1,314 million. Local authorities have budgeted to spend £7,923 million on personal social services in 1996–97, 129 per cent. more in real terms than in 1979–80.

  Bristol Royal Infirmary
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set up an inquiry into the delivery of paediatric cardiac surgical services at Bristol royal infirmary from 1990 to 1995. [21263]

  Mr. Dorrell
  Yes. Concerns about the quality and management of paediatric cardiac surgical services and related issues at that time lead me to believe that an inquiry is necessary. However, the General Medical Council is currently considering proceedings in respect of paediatric cardiac surgery at the United Bristol Healthcare national health service trust and I would not wish to prejudice its deliberations. Therefore this inquiry will not start until the GMC has completed its proceedings. Further announcements about the remit and form of the inquiry will be made in due course.

  Earth Summit
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what preparations his Department is making for the UN General Assembly to review progress since the Rio Earth summit of 1992 and for the preparatory committees leading up to the summit. [19140]

  Mr. Horam
  The Government are committed to ensuring the United Kingdom meets the targets set at the Rio Earth summit. The Department is working, together with other Government Departments, to deliver those with health implications.
  584

  Lewisham Hospital
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of(a) the number of surgical procedures cancelled at Lewisham hospital since the imposition of the emergency-only admission policy in November 1996 and (b) the likely figure at the end of the current financial year. [19412]

  Mr. Malone
  Ministers are aware that elective surgery has been rescheduled at Lewisham hospital. The delivery of services locally is a matter for health authorities and trusts. The Department of Health does not analyse cancelled surgical procedures at a local level. The hon. Member may wish to contact Professor Maurice Lessof, chairman of Lewisham hospital NHS trust for details.

  Accident and Emergency Service
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to make an official visit for north-east London to review the working of the accident and emergency service. [19780]

  Mr. Horam
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no immediate plans to visit north-east London to review the working of the accident and emergency services.

  Departmental Legislation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many Bills his Department has sponsored in each of the last 15 years; and how many have been passed by Parliament. [19776]

  Mr. Horam
  The information requested is:

  Parliamentary session

  Bills

  Sponsored by Department of Health

  1995–96

  3

  1994–95

  3

  1993–94

  0

  1992–93

  2

  1991–92

  1

  1990–91

  0

  1989–90

  2

  1988–89

  0

  Sponsored by Department of Health and Social Security

  1987–88

  2

  1986–87

  1

  1985–86

  2

  1984–85

  3

  1983–84

  2

  1982–83

  3

  1981–82

  3

  All Bills received Royal Assent.The Department of Health was formed in July 1988. The figures given for 1981–82 to 1987–88 are for Bills sponsored by the former Department of Health and Social Security.

  Committee on Safety of Medicines
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each month in 1994 the total attendance allowances paid to members of the Committee on Safety of Medicines. [20148]
  585
  Mr. Malone
  The available information for each month in 1994 is as follows:

  Attendance allowance

  Month

  £

  January

  2,025

  February

  2,025

  March

  1,725

  April

  1,725

  May

  1,925

  June

  1,725

  July

  1,925

  August

  No meeting

  September

  2,650

  October

  2,025

  November

  1,825

  December

  1,625

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the(a) daily attendance and (b) preparation allowance payable in October 1995 to a member of the Committee on Safety of Medicines. [20147]

  Mr. Malone
  The available information per meeting in October 1995, was(a) £100 and (b) £60 per member.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the changes which have been made in the subcommittees of the Committee on Safety of Medicines with effect from 1 January 1996; whether those changes were made by regulations in terms of schedule 1 of the Medicines Act 1968; and if he will make a statement. [20137]

  Mr. Malone
  The sub-committee on harmacovigilance was established on 1 January 1996.

  The committee may, with the approval of Ministers, appoint sub-committees under regulation 6 of the Medicines Commission and Committees Regulations 1970. Regulation 6 was made under paragraph 1 of schedule 1 to the Medicines Act 1968.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which chairmen of the Committee on Safety of Medicines have resigned before the scheduled conclusion of their period of office. [20142]

  Mr. Malone
  None.

  Product Licences
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each of the last five years for which information is available the (i) mean, (ii) standard deviation and (iii) range of the times from receipt of a valid application for a product licence for a new chemical entity until the date for which a product licence is granted or declined. [20138]

  Mr. Malone
  The information requested is not collected by the Medicines Control Agency. The agency publishes information on its licensing performance in the Medicines Act information leaflet. The leaflet is published bi-monthly and copies are placed in the Library.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the public announcements on issues of drug safety made by or on behalf of the licensing authority since 1 January 1986, which resulted in a compulsory 586
  variation of product licences; and if he will list for each what body or individual made the announcement on behalf of the licensing authority. [20143]

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave him on 9 May 1996 at columns 244–45 and 9 July 1996 at column 148.

  Oral Contraceptives
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what public health reasons postponed the start of despatch of the "Dear Doctor" letters dated 18 October 1995; and if he will make a statement; [20139]

  (2) if, prior to 13 October 1995, the Medicines Control Agency gave a written undertaking to Professor Hershel Jick and his colleagues that their unpublished data on the safety of oral contraceptives would be treated in confidence; [20151]

  (3) if, at the meeting of the Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products on 17–18 October 1995, the United Kingdom representatives informed the CPMP that the Committee on Safety of Medicines had met on 13 October 1995. [20152]

  Mr. Malone
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 17 March 1997 column 472.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the oral contraceptives which contain desogestrel or gestodene which currently have a product licence; and for each product if he will list the company which holds the product licence and the date on which the product licence was granted. [20140]

  Mr. Malone
  The following currently granted marketing authorisations for oral contraceptives contain desogestrel or gestodene.

  Oral contraceptives containing desogestrel

  Marvelon 150/30

  Organon Laboratories Ltd.

  Granted 4 November 1981

  Marvelon 75/50

  Organon Laboratories Ltd.

  Granted 4 November 1981

  Mercilon tablets

  Organon Laboratories Ltd.

  Granted 11 February 1986

  Gracial 25/40

  Organon Laboratories Ltd.

  Granted 28 February 1996

  Gracial 125/30

  Organon Laboratories Ltd.

  Granted 28 February 1996.

  Oral contraceptives containing gestodene

  Minulet tablets

  John Wyeth and Brother Ltd.

  Granted 27 August 1987

  Tri-minulet tablets

  John Wyeth and Brother Ltd.

  Granted 20 February 1989

  Minesse

  John Wyeth and Brother Ltd.

  Granted 17 March 1995

  587

  Harmonette 23

  John Wyeth and Brother Ltd.

  Granted 28 June 1995

  Femodene tablets

  Schering Health Care Ltd.

  Granted 22 July 1986.

  Clinical Trials
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the statutory instruments which regulate the approval of clinical trials by the licensing authority; and if he will make a statement. [20141]

  Mr. Malone
  The following is the information:The Medicines (Exemption from Licences) (Clinical Trials) Order 1995 (S.I. 1995/2808).
  The Medicines (Exemption from Licences and Certificates) (Clinical Trials) Order 1995 (S.I. 1995/2809).
  The Medicines (Exemption from Licences) (Clinical Trials) Order 1974 (S.I. 1974/498).
  The Medicines (Exemption from Licences) (Special Cases and Miscellaneous Provisions) Order 1972 (S.I. 1972/1200)
  The Medicines (Exemptions from Licences) (Special and Transitional Cases) Order 1971 (S.I. 1971/1450)

  Ministerial Responsibilities
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the ministerial responsibilities of the hon. Member for Bolton, West (Mr. Sackville) on 13 October 1995; and what change was made to those responsibilities prior to his move to the Home Office in November 1995. [20144]

  Mr. Horam
  The ministerial responsibilities of the Under-Secretary of State, on 13 October 1995 and until his move to the Home Office in November 1995 were published in "Vacher's Parliamentary Companion", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Medicines Control Agency
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many employees of the Medicines Control Agency on 13 October 1995 had a qualification in epidemiology; and if he will make a statement. [20145]

  Mr. Malone
  It is not possible to state how many employees employed by the Medicines Control Agency on 13 October 1995 had a qualification in epidemiology as the agency does not keep such records.

  Mr. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve the recruitment and retention of staff in the Medicines Control Agency with a qualification in epidemiology. [20146]

  Mr. Malone
  The Medicines Control Agency has an epidemiology unity with the post-licensing division which has staff with expertise and experience in pharmaco-epidemiology. Regarding recruitment and retention, the MCA is continually looking at ways in which to increase the complement of professional staff in general, including use of the agency's delegated authority to speed up the recruitment process and the flexibilities in terms and conditions which may be available.
  588

  Clinical Depression
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to include targets for improving the diagnosis and treatment of clinical depression in a future review of the "The Health of the Nation" programme. [20200]

  Mr. Burns
  We have no plans to introduce such targets.

  Mr. Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people suffer from clinical depression in the United Kingdom each year. [20201]

  Mr. Burns
  The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys' survey of psychiatric morbidity carried out in Great Britain in 1993 revealed that 21 per thousand people aged between 16 to 64 years suffered from depression in the preceding week before the survey.

  Mr. Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health to what extent his Department currently supports research into clinical depression; and what future plans he has for such support. [20202]

  Mr. Burns
  The Department's policy research programme has commissioned a number of studies into severe mental illness, many of which are related to depression. The national health service research and development programme strategy established a national mental health programme in 1992. The main agency through which the Government support medical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council. The MRC is an independent body which receives its grant in aid from the Office of Science and Technology, which is part of the Department of Trade and Industry. The MRC has a comprehensive portfolio of research on depressive illness, both at its own establishments and in the form of grant support to universities. These programmes are on-going.

  Organophosphates
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) for what reason the Government have not imposed a ban on the use of organophosphates; [20337]

  (2) what restrictions exist on the sale of substances containing (a) malathion and (b) other organophosphates.[20338]

  Mr. Horam
  Organophosphates are insecticides, widely used on crops, animals—including sheep dips— and have some uses in the home and garden. Additionally, malathion, an OP, is used for treatment of headlice. Use of OPs for any of these purposes is strictly controlled.

  Pesticides, such as those used on crops or in the home, must be approved by Ministers before they can be advertised, sold, supplied, stored or used. The independent Advisory Committee on Pesticides—ACP—advises the regulatory Ministers on the granting, amendment or revocation of individual approvals. Applicants for pesticides approvals must show that their products are effective, humane and pose no unacceptable risk to human beings, non-target species or the wider environment before approval is granted.

  For a human medicinal product to be marketed in the United Kingdom it must receive a marketing authorisation granted by the licensing authority on the basis of safety,

  589
  quality and efficacy. Malathion is an authorised human medicinal product in the UK. There is no evidence to suggest that malathion when used for the treatment of head lice has led to any serious adverse effects. Its supply as a human medicine is restricted to sale in pharmacies only.

  The Veterinary Products Committee is the independent group of scientific experts which advises the Government on veterinary medicines, including those containing organophosphorus substances. Before they can be marketed in the UK, all veterinary medicines must satisfy the statutory criteria of safety, quality and efficacy. Safety in this context includes the consumer of any product from the treated animal, the operator and the environment, as well as the health and welfare of the treated animal.

  As to the reasons for not imposing a ban on OPs, I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave him on 6 March 1997, column 707.

  Mineral Hydrocarbons
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the cancer risks associated with mineral hydrocarbons; and if he will list the conclusion of this research. [20695]

  Mr. Horam
  There has been no recent research commissioned or evaluated by the Department of Health into the cancer risks associated with mineral hydrocarbons.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those medicines containing mineral hydrocarbons which are sold across the counter at pharmacies. [20696]

  Mr. Malone
  There are 79 licensed medicinal products containing mineral hydrocarbons as the active constituent that may be supplied at pharmacies without prescription. A list of these medicines will be placed in the Library shortly.

  NHS Beds (North Yorkshire)
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) acute, (b) long stay and (c) other NHS beds there were in north Yorkshire in 1992; and how many there are currently. [20880]

  Mr. Horam
  The information available centrally can be found in "Bed availability for England", copies of which are available in the Library. The latest information is for 1995–96.

  Finished Consultant Episodes
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) individual patients were treated and (b) finished consultant episodes were recorded by each NHS trust in north Yorkshire in the latest year for which figures are available. [20886]

  Mr. Horam
  Information on the number of patients treated is not available centrally. Data on finished consultant episodes for each trust in England is available 590
  in "Ordinary and day case admissions for England", copies of which are available in the Library. The latest year for which figures are available is 1995–96.

  Local Pay
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money was spent by NHS trusts in north Yorkshire on local pay negotiations in(a) 1995–96 and (b) 1996–97.

  Mr. Malone
  The information requested is not centrally held.

  Nurses
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses have(a) left NHS employment and (b) completed basic nurse training in north Yorkshire in each of the last five years. [20877]

  Mr. Horam
  Information relating to nurses leaving national health service employment is collected by the Office of Manpower and Economics and is available in the annual report of the Review Body for Nursing staff, Midwives, Health Visitors and Professions Allied to Medicine. Copies of the review body's annual reports are available in the Library.

  The hon. Member may wish to contact the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting, for details of nurses who have completed basic nurse training.

  Patients (Readmissions)
  Mr. Bayley
  to ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of patients discharged following(a) surgery of all kinds, (b) cataract operation, (c) appendectomy, (d) prostatectomy, (e) hysterectomy and (f) total hip replacement in each NHS trust, were subsequently readmitted to hospital as an emergency within 28 days of the discharge in each of the last three years. [20885]

  Mr. Horam
  The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent by north Yorkshire NHS trusts on preparing PFI schemes. [20883]

  Mr. Horam
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Burden) on 17 July 1996, column 562. Further information is not held centrally.

  NHS Trusts (North Yorkshire)
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which north Yorkshire NHS trusts reduced their rate of elective admissions for patients of non-fundholding general practitioners in the final quarter of 1996–97. [20878]

  Mr. Malone
  Information is not available centrally in the form requested. Information by health authority on the number of elective finished consultant episodes is collected and figures for the final quarter of 1996–97 will be available later this year.
  591
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much was spent on hospitality by NHS trusts in north Yorkshire in(a) 1992–93 and (b) 1995–96; [20889]

  (2) how many NHS consultants employed by each NHS trusts in north Yorkshire undertake private work; and what proportion of their time they spend on private work; [20873]

  (3) what was the average number of hours worked by junior hospital doctors in each NHS trusts in north Yorkshire in each year since 1992–93; [20876]

  (4) how much was spent on attendance fees, travel and expenses for NHS staff from north Yorkshire to attend conferences (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) abroad in (i) 1992–93 and (ii) 1995–96. [20888]

  Mr. Malone
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what would be the cost of making all NHS wards in north Yorkshire single sex wards; [20879]

  (2) how many pay beds there are currently in each NHS trust in north Yorkshire; and how many were there in 1992. [20872]

  Mr. Horam
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Patients (Purchasing)
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the procedures which North Yorkshire health authority has(a) ceased purchasing and (b) placed restrictions on purchasing for patients. [20875]

  Mr. Malone
  This is a matter for North Yorkshire health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the authority, Mrs. Susan Wrigley, for details.

  Lease Cars
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many lease cars were provided for NHS managers in north Yorkshire in 1992; and how many are provided currently. [20887]

  Mr. Malone
  The information requested is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact trusts and the health authority in North Yorkshire for details.

  Clinical Negligence
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the results of the pilot study for an alternative to litigation for clinical negligence will be available. [20837]

  Mr. Horam
  The mediation pilot scheme is expected to run until the end of this year. An evaluation of the project should be completed early in 1998. Ministers will then consider, in the light of the evaluation, whether further action is needed to encourage mediation as a possible alternative to litigation in resolving cases of alleged clinical negligence.
  592

  Depression Alliance
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the work of, and provide financial support for, the Depression Alliance. [20871]

  Mr. Burns
  The Depression Alliance provides information, advice, support and fellowship to all who suffer from depression and their carers and promotes research into the causes and prevention of depression. The Department provides financial support amounting to £33,000 in the current financial year and will provide £89,000 in 1997–98.

  Ambulances (North Yorkshire)
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ambulances there were in the North Yorkshire ambulance service fleet in 1992; and how many there are currently. [20882]

  Mr. Horam
  The information requested is not collected centrally. The second report of the Health Committee in Session 1994–95, copies of which are available in the Library, provides some information about the number of emergency ambulances in service at the time of the report.

  Dental Patients
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were registered as NHS patients with a general dental practitioner in north Yorkshire in each year since 1992–93. [20874]

  Mr. Malone
  The table shows the number of adults, children and total number of patients registered at 30 September in each year from 1992 to 1996 in North Yorkshire family health services authority. Since May 1994, the Dental Practice Board has continued to improve procedures for eliminating duplicate registrations. This will have resulted in a lower registration figure.

  General Dental Service: Number of child and adult registrations1,2 in North Yorkshire at 30 September from 1992 to 1996

  Child registrations

  Adult registrations

  All registrations

  September 1992

  108,254

  351,027

  459,281

  September 1993

  112,996

  343,918

  456,914

  September 1994

  114,580

  333,895

  448,475

  September 1995

  113,699

  319,965

  433,664

  September 1996

  114,098

  315,910

  430,008

  Notes:

  1Dentists receive scheduled payments a month in arrears. Therefore the September figures relate to the status of registrations at the end of September. An active registration is one for which payment has been made in respect of September and which the registration was not due to lapse until after September.

  2The number of registrations counted on the Dental Practice Board data basis is not the same as the number of patients registered, since it is possible for one patient to be registered with more than one dentist. Over the period April 1994 to September 1996 a considerable number of such duplicate registrations have been cleaned from the database. The Dental Practice Board processes which ensure the correct recording of registrations have also been tightened.

  Cancer Deaths
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the patients in each NHS trust died within(a) one year and (b) five years of being diagnosed as

  593
  suffering from cancer of the (i) trachea, bronchus or lung, (ii) large bowel, (iii) female breast and (iv) ovary in the most recent period for which data are available. [20884]

  Mr. Horam
  Information on diagnosis and mortality is not collected in the form requested.

  Corticosteroid
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the documented side-effects of the drug corticosteroid; and if this research is in the public domain. [20834]

  Mr. Malone
  The Department of Health has not commissioned research into the side-effects of corticosteroids. The available research into the side-effects of corticosteroids, as with all medicines, was assessed at the time of granting the individual products' marketing authorisations and continues to be evaluated by the Medicines Control Agency whenever new information emerges. A national programme for monitoring the side-effects of marketed medicines exists which includes evaluating data obtained from various sources such as the yellow card system, scientific literature, and information received from other regulatory authorities.

  Much research has been published in the literature about the side-effects of corticosteroids and is therefore in the public domain. In addition, the side-effects for corticosteroids are well documented in product information which is produced by the manufacturer and authorised by the licensing authority, and in the "British National Formulary" which the Department sends free of charge to all doctors.

  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of current hospital admissions in the United Kingdom relate to adverse effects arising from the drug corticosteroid. [20836]

  Mr. Horam
  The information available centrally relates to the number of admissions to hospitals in England where an adverse reaction to "Drugs medicaments and biological substances in therapeutic use" has been recorded.

  Information for 1994–95, which is the latest available year, shows that 886 finished consultant episodes—less than 1 in 10,000—related to adverse effects arising from the drug corticosteroid.

  Food Poisoning
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of food poisoning were reported in(a) York and (b) north Yorkshire in each year since 1979. [20838]

  Mr. Horam
  The figures are published annually in the series MB2 "Communicable disease statistics", copies of which are available in the Library. For 1996 data I refer 594
  the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 13 February 1997, at column 286. Provisional figures for the fourth quarter have been placed in the Library.

  Parliamentary Answers
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many questions were tabled for reply by his Department in each Session since 1979–80; in how many instances in each year the reply has been that providing the information involved disproportionate cost; and in how many instances in each year questions have been given the reply that the information was not available centrally. [16789]

  Mr. Horam
  The Department of Health was not formed until July 1988, therefore information is not available for the period before then.

  A list of the number of written and oral parliamentary questions answered by the Department in the sessions 1988–89 to 1995–96, as supplied by the POLIS database, is available in the Library.

  Other information requested is shown in the table:

  Session

  PQ answered with "disproportionate cost" in reply

  PQ answered with "Not available/collected centrally" in reply

  1988–89

  21

  156

  1989–90

  10

  200

  1990–91

  18

  193

  1991–92

  6

  130

  1992–93

  35

  327

  1993–94

  39

  227

  1994–95

  42

  310

  1995–96

  24

  276

  Source:

  1. POLIS database.

  2. Due to the on-going development of the POLIS database and the way figures were collated statistics given previously may now be out of date. The figures supplied in this reply are therefore not comparable with those given previously.

  Medicines Commission
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the meeting dates for 1996 and 1997 of the Medicines Commission. [20149]

  Mr. Malone
  Medicines Commission meetings were held on the following dates in 1996:

  17 May

  19 July

  20 September

  15 November.

  There have been no meetings so far this year. Meetings are scheduled for the following dates in 1997:

  21 March

  18 April 20 June

  19 September

  14 November.

  East Jerusalem: Landholding Statistics
  East Jerusalem: Landholding Statistics
  NATO
  NATO
  Dena Import-Export Ltd.
  Dena Import-Export Ltd.
  Marine Navigation Aids
  Marine Navigation Aids
  Salisbury Bypass: Highways Agency Report
  Salisbury Bypass: Highways Agency Report
  "Pescado" Sinking: Report
  "Pescado" Sinking: Report
  Sandeels: TAC Proposal
  Sandeels: TAC Proposal
  BSE
  BSE
  Variable Pesticide Residues
  Variable Pesticide Residues
  "Agriculture in the United Kingdom"
  "Agriculture in the United Kingdom"
  Asylum Seekers: Local Authority Support
  Asylum Seekers: Local Authority Support
  House of Commons Medal Collection
  House of Commons Medal Collection
  Environment Agency Charging Schemes
  Environment Agency Charging Schemes
  Ordnance Survey: Performance Targets
  Ordnance Survey: Performance Targets
  Community Alarm Systems
  Community Alarm Systems
  Access Fund Payments to Students: Child Maintenance Liability
  Access Fund Payments to Students: Child Maintenance Liability
  Lloyd's: Tax Charged and Repaid
  Lloyd's: Tax Charged and Repaid