Written Answers of 21 March 1997

DEFENCE

  Armed Forces (Equipment)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) tanks, (b) artillery pieces, (c) RAF fighter aircraft, (d) frigates and destroyers and (e) infantry were in the possession of United Kingdom armed forces in (i) 1979, (ii) 1990 and (iii) 1997. [14067]

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 4 February 1997]: Since 1979, the circumstances in which we envisage British armed forces being deployed have changed dramatically. In particular, with the end of the cold war, and the dissolution of the Warsaw pact, we have been able to reduce the size of the front line while spending a higher proportion of the defence budget on new equipment for

  United Kingdom holdings of tanks, artillery, fighters, frigate and destroyers and infantry numbers,1979 to 19971

  Year

  Tanks2

  Artillery pieces3

  Fighters4

  Frigates and destroyers

  Infantry5

  1979

  640

  282

  126

  69

  45,600

  1990

  699

  6298

  157

  48

  46,900

  1997

  388

  240

  100

  35

  31,900

  1Figures are for 1 April expect for 1997, where they reflect the situation at 1 January

  2Figures are for main battle tanks only and exclude armoured reconnaissance vehicles and armoured vehicles royal engineers.

  3Figures are for field artillery pieces only and exclude air defence artillery, anti-tank guided weapon system and, in 1979 and 1990, Lance sub-strategic nuclear missile lanchers.

  4Defined as those aircraft established in the air defence role, as indicated by statements on the Defence Estimates.

  5Figures include British and Gurkha soldier but exclude Royal Marines and troops of the Ulster Defence Regiment and the Royal Irish Regiment (Home Service) battalions. Figures include soldier trainees

  6Includes the unit establishments for both M107 self-propelled guns and MLRS which was replacing them.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which(a) admit members of the public to all board and committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21450]

  Mr. Soames
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to(a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21734]

  Mr. Soames
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) hold public meetings,
  918
  the services to enhance significantly their military capabilities. Each of the three services has taken delivery of new, advanced equipment including the Challenger 2 tank, AS90 howitzer, the Duke class type 23 frigate and advanced air-to-air missiles. In addition, orders have been placed for military equipment including the Apache attack helicopter and amphibious ships which will further enhance the fighting capability and mobility of the armed forces. The Government are, of course, also committed to the procurement of the Eurofighter 2000 aircraft.

  Our forces are robustly configured to face the challenges of the post-cold war world and are the envy of their counterparts around the globe. The Government's forward procurement programme illustrates our commitment to ensuring that this remains the case.

  The figures requested by the hon. Gentleman, which are set out in the table, should be considered in this context.

  Details of Army equipment holdings are not available in the form requested or across the period concerned. The overall unit establishments for Regular armoured and field artillery regiments have therefore been given to indicate their required front-line strength in the designated years. The figures exclude equipment held by training and research establishments, in store as the war maintenance reserve or awaiting disposal.

  (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21683]

  Mr. Soames
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [21690]

  Mr. Soames
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
  919

  Advisory Bodies (London)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the non-elected bodies responsible to his Department which are responsible for providing advice or services in London, indicating in each case the (i) overall budget and (ii) estimated running costs for each year from 1996–97 to 1999–2000. [21378]

  Mr. Soames
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Organophosphates
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will update his answer of 11 July 1994,Official Report, column 436, on the use of organophosphate insecticides in Operation Granby, in light of the memorandum submitted by his Department to the Defence Select Committee on 26 February. [21593]

  Mr. Soames
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Gulf War Syndrome
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library the briefing material prepared by his Department in support of the appearance by the then Minister for the Armed Forces, the right hon. Member for Richmond and Barnes (Mr. Hanley), on BBC2's "Newsnight" programme on 5 July 1993 in respect of Gulf War illness. [18378]

  Mr. Soames
  No. The briefing material has been withheld under the terms of the internal discussion and advice exemption in part 2 of the code of practice on access to Government information.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Crown Agents
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the transfer of Crown Agents to the Crown Agents Foundation has now been completed. [21789]

  Dr. Liam Fox
  Vesting of Crown Agents under the provisions of the Crown Agents Act 1996 into The Crown Agents for Overseas Governments and Administrations Ltd. and the transfer of ownership of that company to the Crown Agents Foundation took place today.

  Global Environment Facility
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received copies of the second annual report of the Global Environment Facility; and if he will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library. [21788]

  Dr. Liam Fox
  Copies of the second annual report of the Global Environment Facility have recently been received. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.
  920

  Aid Donors
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the 20 largest overseas aid donors in descending order, indicating the total amount of aid given by each donor country. [21494]

  Dr. Liam Fox
  In 1995, total flows of official assistance from 21 members of the OECD's development assistance committee to developing and other countries on parts I and II of the DAC list were as follows, in descending order:

  Donor

  US$ million

  1. Japan

  14,739

  2. Germany

  12,038

  3. France

  9,191

  4. USA

  8,647

  5. UK

  3,563

  6. Netherlands

  3,531

  7. Canada

  2,317

  8. Italy

  1,909

  9. Denmark

  1,904

  10. Sweden

  1,809

  11. Spain

  1,348

  12. Norway

  1,244

  13. Australia

  1,198

  14. Switzerland

  1,186

  15. Belgium

  1,123

  16. Austria

  1,080

  17. Finland

  464

  18. Portugal

  293

  19. Ireland

  155

  20. New Zealand

  123

  21. Luxembourg

  65

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in descending order the 20 largest overseas aid donors on a per capita basis indicating the amount of aid per capita given by each donor country. [21495]

  Dr. Fox
  In per capita terms, the 21 members of the OECD's development assistance committee provided the following levels of official assistance to developing and other countries on parts I and II of the DAC list in 1995:

  Donor

  Total assistance per capita (US$ millions)

  1. Denmark

  363

  2. Norway

  285

  3. Netherlands

  228

  4. Sweden

  205

  5. Switzerland

  168

  6. Luxembourg

  167

  7. France

  158

  8. Germany

  147

  9. Austria

  134

  10. Japan

  117

  11. Belgium

  112

  12. Finland

  91

  13. Canada

  78

  14. Australia

  66

  15. UK

  61

  16. Ireland

  43

  17. New Zealand

  34

  18. Spain

  34

  19. Italy

  33

  20. USA

  33

  21. Portugal

  29

  921

  Indonesia
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is his Department's policy to provide aid to Indonesia for projects of general application which treat East Timor as a province of Indonesia. [21405]

  Dr. Liam Fox
  While it is not our policy to provide aid on a Government-to-Government basis for projects in East Timor, we do not consider it necessary, or indeed practicable in most cases, to exclude East Timor from projects of general application within Indonesia. This does not imply support for or recognition of Indonesian sovereignty over the territory.

ENVIRONMENT

  Packaging Waste
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish(a) the recommendations of the advisory committee on packaging for statutory guidance to be made by the Environment agencies under section 94(4) of the Environment Act 1995 and on accreditation of reprocessors and (b) the background analysis to his decision to adopt shared producer responsibility approach as the basis for the Producer Responsibility Obligation (Packaging Waste) Regulations made under the Environment Act 1995. [21826]

  Mr. Gummer
  I am today placing in the Library of the House copies of Sir Peter Parker's letter to me of 7 March setting out the recommendations of the advisory committee on packaging on statutory guidance to be made by the environment agencies under section 94(4) and on accreditation of reprocessors. I am also placing in the House copies of the background analysis to the decision to adopt shared producer responsibility as the basis for the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations made under section 93(10) of the Environment Act 1995.

  I am also placing in the Library of the House a list of responses to the 1996 consultation papers and arranging for copies to be available for inspection. I will be making similar arrangements for the 1995 consultations responses.

  Building Research Establishment
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many members of the current staff of the Building Research Establishment he estimates will leave its service through(a) retirement and early retirement and (b) (i) voluntary and (ii) involuntary redundancy, before the sale of the BRE is completed; and what are the estimated costs. [21363]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Of the 660 staff employed at BRE at close of play on 14 March, none left its service through retirement, early retirement or redundancy before the completion of the sale of BRE on 19 March.

  Development Corporations
  Sir Irvine Patnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many jobs have been created by development corporations since their inception; and if he will make a statement. [21364]
  922
  Mr. Curry
  Up to 31 March 1996, the urban development corporations have created 187,277 gross jobs in new developments.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Water Services which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter; [21452]

  (2) which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Water Services have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which (a) admit members of the public to all board and committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21436]

  Mr. Clappison
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 22 July 1996,Official Report, column 29.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21710]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Details of the advisory non-department public bodies sponsored by my Department are listed in the Cabinet office publication, "Public Bodies 1996". A copy is available in the House of Commons Library.

  I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on Tuesday 12 March 1996, Official Report, column 518. The information contained in that answer remains correct.

  Since then, three new advisory non-departmental public bodies have been established: the Advisory Committee on Building Materials Exports; the Advisory Committee on Plant and Machinery and the Water Regulations Advisory Committee. None of these bodies has been set up on a statutory basis. There is no requirement for them to publish their advice to government, to publish an annual report or to lay an annual report before Parliament.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to(a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21736]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Details of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department are listed in the Cabinet office publication."Public Bodies 1996". A copy is available in the House of Commons Library.
  923
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on Thursday 21 March 1996, Official Report, columns 273–74. The information contained in that answer remains correct.

  Since then, three new advisory non-departmental public bodies have been established: the Advisory Committee on Building Materials Exports; the Advisory Committee on Plant and Machinery and the Water Regulations Advisory Committee. The Government are under no obligation to consult these bodies on legislative proposals or to publish any response to advice from them.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21693]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Details of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department are listed in the Cabinet office publication,"Public Bodies 1996". A copy is available in the House of Commons Library.

  I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on Wednesday 20 March 1996, Official Report, columns 213–14. The information contained in that answer remains correct.

  Since then three new advisory non-departmental public bodies have been established: the Advisory Committee on Building Materials Exports; the Advisory Committee on Plant and Machinery and the Water Regulations Advisory Committee. All three bodies conduct public consultation exercises and conduct consultation exercises with outside

  £ million

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  Body

  Budget

  Running costs (estimate)

  Budget

  Running costs (estimate)

  Budget

  Running costs (estimate)

  Budget

  Running costs (estimate)

  London Docklands Development Corporation1

  84.7

  23.9

  97.4

  23.7

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Waltham Forest Housing Action Trust2

  31.1

  3.9

  32.4

  2.8

  20 rent2

  2.2

  18.5 rent2

  2.1

  Tower Hamlets Housing Action Trust2

  12.5

  2.8

  13

  3

  10 rent2

  3.1

  10 rent2

  3

  Stonebridge Housing Action Trust2

  9.5

  3.6

  12.9

  2.8

  11 rent2

  3

  16 rent2

  3.3

  1 London Docklands Development Corporation wound up on 31 March 1998.

  2 HAT budgets for 1998–99 to 1999–2000 do not include rental income, which will cannot yet be estimated with accuracy being dependent on progress in redevelopment.

  In addition, a number of national bodies responsible to my Department, including the Housing Corporation, the Health and Safety Executive, English Partnerships and the Environment Agency, are responsible for delivery of services in London. Expenditure and running costs associated with these activities are not readily separable from overall national expenditure. I refer the hon. Member to my Department's annual report, published yesterday, copies of which are available in the Library.
  924
  commercial interests. These are not a statutory requirement. These bodies do not carry out any of the other activities specified in the question.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those of the Office of Water Services advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to(a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21749]

  Mr. Clappison
  None.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Water Services(a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21726]

  Mr. Clappison
  The Office of Water Services national consumer council is a non-statutory advisory body established by the Director General of Water Services. Accounts of the council's activities are published in its annual report, copies of which are in the Library. There is no statutory requirement on the council to publish or lay any papers.

  Advisory Bodies (London)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the non-elected bodies responsible to his Department which are responsible for providing advice or services in London, indicating in each case the (i) overall budget and (ii) estimated running costs for each year from 1996–97 to 1999–2000. [21379]

  Mr. Gummer
  Non-departmental public bodies responsible to my Department for providing advice or services in London are listed below:

  Water Charges
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the increase or decrease in real terms since privatisation in water charges. [21493]

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  Between 1989–90, the year of privatisation, and 1996–97, average domestic water and sewerage charges in England and Wales increased by 35 per cent. in real terms. Since privatisation, the water
  925
  industry has invested over £18 billion and in 1994 the Director General of Water Services allowed for investment of £24 billion over the 10-year period to 2005.

  Prison Ships
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what planning guidance he has issued which relates to applications in respect of prison ships; what considerations are material to such applications; and if he will make a statement. [21413]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  Planning guidance is issued to local planning authorities for them to take into account, inter alia, in decisions on planning applications. In the case of the proposed temporary mooring of a prison ship in Portland harbour, Dorset, the local planning authority accepts that planning permission is not required. Proposals by the Prison Service for shore-based facilities to serve the ship, which are Crown development, fall to be dealt with under the procedures set out in DOE Circular 18/84.

  Tyne and Wear Development Corporation
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to extending the life of the Tyne and Wear development corporation; and if he will make a statement. [21420]

  Mr. Curry
  I refer to my reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury, (Mr. Baldry), then the Under-Secretary of State in this Department, on 22 April 1994 Official Report column 680.

  Planning Inquiries
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines his Department has issued in respect of decisions by planning inquiries which might bind an incoming Government. [21575]

  Sir Paul Beresford
  The Secretary of State has a statutory responsibility to decide any planning case before him taking into account all material considerations, including the inquiry report. Guidance for an incoming Government on this issue does not therefore arise.

  Marine Nature Conservation
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of the results so far of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee's marine nature conservation review; [21579]

  (2) what proportion of the British coast is due to be assessed by the time the Joint Nature Conservation Committee's marine nature conservation review ends in March 1998; and what steps his Department will take to ensure that the rest of the British coast will be assessed for its marine nature conservation importance; [21580]

  (3) which marine regions of Great Britain have been assessed for their marine nature conservation importance by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee's nature conservation review. [21581]

  Mr. Clappison
  The two major review publications— the rationale and methods volume and the first of the regional reports series, MNCR sector 6: inlets in eastern 926
  England—are in the Library already. I have arranged for a list of the 160 limited circulation reports also to be placed in the Library.

  By March 1998, if work in hand is completed, approximately 60 per cent. of the inshore coastal area of Great Britain will have been described and assessed. After the marine nature conservation review team finishes its work in March 1998, information collected by country nature conservation agencies and others using the review techniques will continue to be added to the MNCR database by the joint nature conservation committee, and will therefore be available to assist in management of marine resources.

  Assessments of marine conservation importance have been made or are in draft for the Shetland voes, south-east Scotland and north-east England, marine inlets in eastern England, marine inlets in south-west Britain, Liverpool bay and the Solway Firth and the Scottish lagoons. Assessments for Orkney, Cardigan bay and north Wales and the Scottish sea lochs will also be undertaken.

  Sustainable Development
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he plans to respond to the second annual report of the United Kingdom Round Table on Sustainable Development published on 12 March. [21592]

  Mr. Clappison
  We announced in "This Common Inheritance" annual report 1997 that we would publish a response to this report within three months.

  Housing Associations
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if housing associations publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) minutes of meetings, (d) agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests; and in each case whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21685]

  Mr. Clappison
  Registered social landlord are required by statute to provide a copy of their audited annual accounts to the Housing Corporation which holds them available for inspection. All other requirements are non-statutory. The main ones are:The tenants guarantee, which requires registered social landlords to keep their tenants informed about their housing management performance.
  Housing Corporation performance standards, under which associations are required to conduct their affairs in an open and accountable way, disseminating widely information about their housing provision and activities.
  The National Housing Federation's code of governance, which requires board members to declare conflicts of interest and registered social landlords to maintain records of interests of board members and senior staff and to make them available for public inspection.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the statutory basis of housing associations; and if they(a) admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21768]

  Mr. Clappison
  Registered social landlords are independent non-profit making bodies, of which two-thirds are charities. There is no statutory requirement
  927
  to admit members of the public to board or committee meetings, nor is there a statutory requirement to hold open meetings for the public.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if housing associations are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [21765]

  Mr. Clappison
  Registered social landlords are not subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, the Audit Commission, or the National Audit Office. However, the Housing Corporation, which has a statutory responsibility to regulate all registered social landlords is subject to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner and scrutiny by the National Audit Office. Furthermore, under powers granted in the Housing Act 1996, the Audit Commission may undertake value for money studies for, and provide advice on audit matters to, the Housing Corporation.

  The corporation's statutory duties include the requirement to publish information about the performance of registered social landlords in the form of performance indicators.

  There are no statutory provisions for open government which apply to registered social landlords.

  Registered social landlords are eligible to apply for charter mark awards, and last year nine received awards.

  "Environment News"
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange for copies of his Department's newsletter, "Environment News", to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. [21597]

  Mr. Clappison
  The latest copy of "Windoe", the Departmental newsletter and successor to "Environment World", has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Energy Conservation
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been spent on the current

  Publish annual reports

  Publish annual accounts

  Publish the minutes of meetings

  Publish the agendas of meetings

  Public register of members' interests

  Health and Social Services Boards

  1Yes

  2Yes

  2Yes

  2Yes

  1Yes

  Health and Social Services Councils

  2Yes

  1Yes

  2Yes

  2Yes

  1Yes

  Health and Social Services Trusts

  2Yes

  2Yes

  No

  No

  1Yes

  Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Agency

  2Yes

  2Yes

  No

  No

  1Yes

  Northern Ireland Health Promotion Agency

  2Yes

  2Yes

  2Yes

  2Yes

  1Yes

  Northern Ireland Regional Medical Physics Agency

  2Yes

  2Yes

  No

  No

  1Yes

  Northern Ireland Central Services Agency

  2Yes

  2Yes

  No

  No

  1Yes

  Northern Ireland Guardian Ad Litem Agency

  2Yes

  2Yes

  No

  No

  1Yes

  1 On a voluntary basis.

  2 A statutory requirement.

  928
  energy conservation advertising campaign; how many calls have been received by the contact number; and what is the average cost per call to date. [21786]

  Mr. Clappison
  I will write to the hon. Member.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Anglo-Irish Secretariat
  Mr. Robert McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what briefings have been requested by his Department from the Irish side of the Anglo-Irish Secretariat since 1 January 1990. [17701]

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  This information is not available. It is, however, open to both sides of the secretariat to seek or offer briefings on subjects relevant to the operation of the Anglo-Irish agreement.

  Ministerial Responsibilities
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which Minister in his Department is responsible for the oversight of fair employment legislation and personnel matters. [20405]

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  [holding answer 20 March 1997]: Baroness Denton, by virtue of her responsibility for the Department of Economic Development, has ministerial responsibility for the fair employment legislation in Northern Ireland. My right hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler) is the Minister responsible for the Department of Finance and Personnel and hence for the general management and control of the Northern Ireland civil service. In that capacity he has a responsibility to oversee how the Northern Ireland civil service, as an employer, complies with good personnel practice including the relevant provisions of fair employment legislation.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the national health service bodies sponsored by his Department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) a register of members' interests; and if this is in each case under a statutory requirement. [21433]

  Mr. Moss
  The information is as follows:
  929
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which(a) admit members of the pubic to all board committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21442]

  Sir John Wheeler
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement; [21721]

  (2) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary; [21762]

  (3) if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to (a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21744]

  Sir John Wheeler
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the national health service bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; and if he will list those bodies which(a) admit members of

  Investigation by parliamentary commissioner

  Scrutiny by the audit commission

  Scrutiny by the national audit office

  Statutory provisions for open government

  Performance indicators

  Provision under the citizens' charter

  Health and Social Services Boards

  Yes

  not relevant in Northern Ireland

  1No

  Yes

  Yes

  Yes

  Health and Social Service Councils

  Yes

  1 2No

  Yes

  Yes

  Yes

  Health and Social Services Trusts

  Yes

  1No

  Yes

  Yes

  Yes

  Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Agency

  Yes

  1No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Northern Ireland Central Services Agency

  Yes

  1No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Northern Ireland Health Promotion Agency

  Yes

  1No

  Yes

  Yes

  Yes

  Northern Ireland Regional Medical Physics Agency

  Yes

  1No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  Northern Ireland Guardian Ad Litem Agency

  Yes

  1No

  Yes

  Yes

  No

  1 These bodies are scrutinised by the Northern Ireland Audit Office.

  2 Health and Social Services Councils expenditure is identified in Health and Social Services Boards accounts.

  Sectarian Harassment
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when(a) he and (b) the Under-Secretary first learned that a sum of money had been paid to a civil servant formerly in her private office for sectarian harassment; and if he had to approve the payment. [20402]
  930
  the public to all board or committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21761]

  Mr. Moss
  The information is as follows:

  Statutory base

  Admit public to board committee meetings

  Open meetings for the public

  Health and Social Services Boards

  Yes

  No

  1Yes

  Health and Social Services Councils

  Yes

  No

  No

  Health and Social Services Trusts

  Yes

  No

  1Yes

  Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Agency

  Yes

  No

  No

  Northern Ireland Central Services Agency

  Yes

  No

  No

  Northern Ireland Health Promotion Agency

  Yes

  1Yes

  No

  Northern Ireland Regional Medical Physics Agency

  Yes

  No

  No

  Northern Ireland Guardian Ad Litem Agency

  Yes

  No

  No

  1 A statutory requirement.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the national health service bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [21727]

  Mr. Moss
  The information is as follows:

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  [holding answer 20 March 1997]: I was not required to approve this payment, but I was advised of the key elements of the proposed settlement, and agreed that the case should be settled in January 1997. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State was advised at the end of December 1996 of the key elements of the proposed settlement.
  931
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the Hayes inquiry into allegations of sectarian harassment in the office of the Economy Minister will be in public. [20403]

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: No. Dr. Hayes has been invited to undertake a review, not a public inquiry. The nature of the personnel issues to be examined by Dr. Hayes are unsuitable for public hearings.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the report of the Hayes inquiry will be published in full. [20404]

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  [holding answer 20 March 1997]: Yes, subject to such matters as may derive from security and personal confidentiality considerations.

  Safari Park
  Mr. Robert McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money his Department has made available to the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for the purchase of a safari park in County Antrim; and if he will make a statement. [21790]

  Mr. Ancram
  I will write to the hon. and learned Gentleman.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Robert McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 6 March,Official Report, column 721, if he will make it his policy to keep and make available records of the religious breakdown of those public appointments made on the proposal of the Irish side of the Anglo-Irish secretariat at Maryfield; and for what reasons they are not currently made available. [21791]

  Sir John Wheeler
  I will write to the hon. and learned Gentleman.

  Orders in Council
  Mr. Robert McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the Orders in Council made in 1995 and 1996, indicating which were taken(a) on the Floor of the House and (b) in Standing Committees on Delegated Legislation, giving in the latter case the names of the hon. Members from Northern Ireland who were nominated to each Committee. [21792]

  Sir John Wheeler
  I will write to the hon. and learned Gentleman.

  Departmental Private Offices
  Mr. Robert McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff and what grades are in the private offices of (i) the Northern Ireland Office and (ii) each of the departmental private offices. [21794]

  Sir John Wheeler
  I will write to the hon. and learned Gentleman.
  932

  Government Legislation
  Mr. Robert McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on present Government policy in relation to the inclusion of Northern Ireland in the extent of appropriate Bills; and what changes he has made to this policy since he became Secretary of State. [21793]

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  I will write to the hon. and learned Gentleman.

  Personnel Documents
  Mr. Robert McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the powers of the inquiry set up to investigate the improper copying of restricted Department of Agriculture personnel documents to the media; and if civil servants will be obliged to answer questions about the matter. [21795]

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  I will write to the hon. and learned Gentleman.

  Citizens Charter
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will list those national citizens charters which(a) provide complaints procedures in line with recommendations of the complaints task force and (b) provide financial compensation for users when particular standards have not been met; and if he will publish for each the figures for compensation paid out in each financial year since the charter was implemented; [21796]

  (2) how many citizens charters adopted by national public services (a) have their performance indicators validated and verified by an external body and (b) specify enforceable rights for particular standards of service; and if he will identify those services under (a) and (b); [21803]

  (3) if he will list all national citizens charters, indicating which involved consumer consultation in (a) the setting of their performance standards and (b) their preparation; [21801]

  (4) how many of the national citizens charters are available (a) in an appropriate form for the visually impaired and (b) in two or more languages other than English; and if he will identify those charters under (a) and (b). [21815]

  Sir John Wheeler
  I will write to the hon. Gentleman.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the Northern Ireland social fund discretionary budget will be for 1997–98. [21806]

  Mr. Moss
  I am pleased to announce that the social fund gross discretionary budget for 1997–98 will be £40.34 million. £9.76 million will be allocated to grants; £30.48 million to loans and £0.1 million will be held as a contingency reserve. The new allocations represent an increase of £3.63 million over the gross budget set at April 1996.
  933
  This increase in the social fund budget will ensure that more people receive help and that the fund continues to play an important role in targeting resources to those most in need. Details of the individual district budget allocations; together with a note explaining the basis on which they have been made, have been placed in the Library.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Departmental Budget
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of his annual departmental budget was spent in Wales in each of the last five years; and how much that proportion was in(a) 1997 prices and (b) cash terms for each year. [20705]

  Mr. Howard
  The available information is contained in the table. Other Home Office expenditure benefiting Wales, for example, crime prevention publicity campaigns and research, cannot be broken down beyond the global spend for England and Wales. In addition, for 1992–93, total Home Office expenditure cannot be broken down at all between England and Wales.

  Year

  Home Office expenditure in Wales (£000's)

  Percentage of total Home office expenditure

  Home Office expenditure in Wales (at 1997 prices)

  1992–93

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1993–94

  203,929

  3.4

  218,114

  1994–95

  214,039

  3.4

  224,946

  1995–96

  230,813

  3.6

  236,583

  1996–971

  243,215

  3.7

  243,215

  1 Estimated.

  Citizens Charters
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will develop and implement a citizens charter for(a) the Immigration and Nationality Service and (b) the Prison Service. [21781]

  Mr. Howard
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Prison Building
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department is he will list(a) the prison building projects for which contracts have been signed, (b) the estimated date of completion and (c) their planned capacity once opened. [21784]

  Miss Widdecombe
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Prison Ship
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the countries with which his Department competed to purchase the prison ship Weare. [21785]

  Miss Widdecombe
  I will write to the hon. Member.
  934
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about progress with the planning application for the prison ship in Portland; and what permissions have been granted for its continued mooring there. [21412]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 21 March 1997:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the planning application for the prison ship in Portland.
  Portland Port Limited has leased to the Prison Service a temporary berth until a decision is reached by the Secretary of State for the Environment on the notice of proposed development. A meeting to consider the issues has been arranged by the Department of Environment for 20 March.

  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what expenses have been incurred preparing shore facilities in Dorset for the prison ship Weare; when such expenditure was first authorised; and when such expenditure first began to be incurred. [21576]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Hugh Taylor to Mr. George Howarth, dated 21 March 1997:
  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your question about expenses incurred preparing shore facilities in Dorset for the prison ship.
  I will write to you when the information is available.

  Police Authorities (Expenditure)
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the gross public spending on police authorities for each year since 1990–91, in 1996–97 prices. [21812]

  Mr. Maclean
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the statutory basis of police authorities and if they(a) admit members of the public to board or committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and whether in each case this is under statutory requirement. [21769]

  Mr Maclean
  Police authorities, free-standing of local government, were established by provisions in the Police and Magistrates Courts Act 1994, now consolidated in the Police Act 1996. They, their committees and sub-committees, continue to be bound by provisions in the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, requiring meetings to be open to the public.

  Reginald Dudley and Robert Maynard
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received
  935
  concerning (a) the safety of the conviction and (b) the case for parole, of Reginald Dudley and Robert Maynard; and if he will make a statement. [21378]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  Representations about the cases of Reginald Dudley and Robert Maynard have been received from a variety of sources. The latest representations that they were wrongfully convicted, and that they should be granted parole stem from an article in The Guardian alleging that a key prosecution witness wished to withdraw his evidence. These are being considered.

  Both cases have been considered at the appropriate times by the Parole Board; neither has yet been recommended for release on life licence.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Data Protection Registrar on(a) the use by the Security Services of the exemptions in section 28 of the Data Protection Act 1984 and (b) the use by the police of the exemptions in section 27 of the Data Protection Act 1984; and if he will make a statement. [21416]

  Mr. Howard
  I have had no such discussions.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effect of the implementation of the data protection directive, EC/95/46, on the problems associated with enforced subject access; and if he will make a statement. [21417]

  Mr. Sackville
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which(a) admit members of the public to all board and committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21445]

  Mr. Howard
  The following executive non-departmental public bodies have a statutory base:

  Alcohol Education and Research Council

  Commission for Racial Equality

  Criminal Cases Review Commission

  Data Protection Registrar

  Gaming Board for Great Britain

  Horserace Betting Levy Board

  Horserace Totalisator Board

  Parole Board

  Police Complaints Authority.

  None of the NDPBs for which I am responsible admits members of the public to all board or committee meetings either under a statutory requirement or voluntarily.

  The Commission for Racial Equality holds conferences and seminars on race relations issues, but none of the NDPBs for which I am responsible is under a statutory requirement to hold open meetings.
  936
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21719]

  Mr. Howard
  The following advisory non-departmental public bodies are sponsored by my Department:

  (a) are on a statutory basis

  Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs

  Animal Procedures Committee

  Firearms Consultative Committee

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales

  Poisons Board

  Police Negotiating Board.

  (b) publish their advice to Government

  Animal Procedures Committee

  Firearms Consultative Committee1

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England1

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales1.

  (c) publish an annual report and lay it before Parliament

  Animal Procedures Committee1

  Firearms Consultative Committee1

  Metropolitan Police Committee.

  1 In these cases, the bodies concerned meet a statutory requirement. In other cases, the bodies act voluntarily.

  In my reply of 14 March 1996 at column 711, I indicated that the Poisons Board and the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs published their advice to Government. I regret that was incorrect.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if police authorities are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [21767]

  Mr. Maclean
  Police authorities established under the provisions of the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994 now incorporated in the Police Act 1996 are not open to investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, but by the Commissioner for Local Administration. Similarly, they are subject to scrutiny by the Audit Commission, not the National Audit Office. Also, the Audit Commission's citizens charter performance indicators include a range of indicators that apply to the police service, and police authorities are required to publish these annually. As regards statutory provision for open government, police authorities are bound by rules similar to those that apply for local government.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to(a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21741]
  937
  Mr. Howard
  The Government are required to consult the following advisory non-departmental public bodies before relevant legislative proposals:

  Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs;

  Animal Proceduares Committee;

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England;

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales;

  Poisons Board.

  In addition, the Government's response to advice supplied by the following bodies must be published:

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England;

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21696]

  Mr. Howard
  The following advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department:

  (a) hold public meeting

  Metropolitan Police Committee

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales.

  (b) conduct public consultation exercises

  Animal Procedures Committee

  Firearms Consultative Committee

  Metropolitan Police Committee

  £000

  Budgeted expenditure

  Estimated running costs

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1996–97

  1997–98

  Metropolitan Police

  1,713,494

  1,738,884

  1,663,829

  1,705,000

  Metropolitan Police Committee

  399

  405

  399

  405

  Inner London Probation Service

  46,144

  45,555

  40,619

  40,042

  North-east London Probation Service

  10,693

  10,348

  9,636

  9,521

  South-east London Probation Service

  7,003

  6,910

  6,403

  6,326

  South-west London Probation Service

  5,733

  5,820

  4,894

  4,797

  Middlesex Probation Service

  19,174

  18,972

  17,421

  17,133

  Budgets for subsequent years are not yet determined.

  WPC Yvonne Fletcher
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has had with(a) Lieutenant Colonel George Styles and (b) Dr. Hugh Thomas, former chief consultant surgeon to the British Army in Northern Ireland, and (c) Professor Bernard Knight, on the circumstances of the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher. [21600]

  Mr. Howard
  None. The investigation of crime is a matter for the police.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the actions taken by(a) his Department and (b) the Metropolitan police in
  938
  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England

  Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales.

  (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interest

  Animal Procedures Committee

  Crime Prevention Agency

  Firearms Consultative Committee

  Metropolitan Police Committee.

  The activities listed are undertaken voluntarily by the bodies concerned.

  None of the advisory non-departmental public bodies which my Department sponsors publishes a register of members' interests, agendas for meetings or minutes of meetings.

  Crime (London)
  Sir Michael Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the crime rate in each of the London boroughs; and if he will publish this in the Official Report giving details of each category of reported crime. [21491]

  Mr. Maclean
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Advisory Bodies (London)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the non-elected bodies responsible to his Department which are responsible for providing advice or services in London, indicating in each case the (i) overall budget and (ii) estimated running costs for each year from 1996–97 to 1999–2000. [21381]

  Mr. Howard
  Available information on the bodies requested is given in the table:

  respect of the contents of the Channel 4 film, "Murder in St. James", broadcast in April 1996 concerning the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher. [21599]

  Mr. Howard
  My officials viewed the programme and had various consultations about its contents. My right hon. Friend the Minister of State responded to the allegations made in it in the Adjournment debate initiated by the hon.. Member on 8 May 1996, and he and I have answered various questions asked by the hon. Member and letters from other hon. Members and members of the public. The metropolitan police reviewed the contents of the programme as part of their continuing investigation into the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher. They remain satisfied with the findings of the inquest that the shot that killed her was fired from the Libyan People's Bureau.
  939

  Albanian Nationals
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions he has given to the immigration authorities for discretionary treatment of Albanian nationals currently present in the United Kingdom; what estimate he has made of the number of Albanian nationals who are currently in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [21772]

  Mr. Kirkhope
  We are urgently reviewing the situation in Albania, in consultation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Pending the outcome of this review, instructions have been given that action on all outstanding Albanian asylum claims should be frozen and that any removal directions for Albanians to Albania should be suspended.

  Statistics on the number of Albanians currently present in the United Kingdom are not available.

  Prison Service (Expenditure)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total expenditure on the Prison Service in each of the last five years; what is projected expenditure for the next three years; and if he will make a statement. [21584]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 21 March 1997:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent question about total expenditure on the Prison Service in each of the last five years and projects expenditure for the next three years.
  Expenditure for the years 1991–92 to 1995–96 was as follows:

  1991–92 £1,462.1 million

  1991–93 £1,470.3 million

  1993–94 £1,508.8 million

  1994–95 £1,597.9 million

  1995–96 £1,666.9 million.

  Table A: Number of offenders convicted and conviction rate1 for indictable offences by offence group and region 1991

  Region

  Violence against the person

  Sexual offences

  Burglary

  Robbery

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  Fraud and forgery

  Criminal damage

  Drug offences

  Other excluding motoring offences

  Motoring offences

  Total indictable offences

  North

  Convictions

  3,389

  346

  3,759

  255

  9,224

  1,109

  555

  862

  1,793

  746

  22,038

  Rate (per cent.)

  56.5

  61.7

  64.7

  66.6

  69.9

  70.7

  56.5

  80.0

  58.0

  78.3

  65.5

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Convictions

  5,615

  576

  5,739

  459

  14,273

  2,112

  1.047

  1,583

  3,404

  1,108

  35,916

  Rate (per cent.)

  60.3

  64.1

  71.2

  64.5

  74.6

  79.7

  68.9

  78.9

  63.5

  82.4

  70.4

  East Midlands

  Convictions

  4,804

  462

  4,174

  362

  10,057

  1,611

  648

  920

  2,179

  1,245

  26,462

  Rate (per cent.)

  54.4

  59.1

  66.3

  61.1

  70.6

  69.7

  52.8

  76.1

  58.1

  74.6

  64.7

  East Anglia

  Convictions

  1,731

  186

  1,571

  119

  4,657

  775

  496

  754

  913

  643

  11,845

  Rate (per cent.)

  63.5

  60.4

  72.7

  55.3

  78.1

  74.0

  78.2

  83.3

  65.1

  89.3

  73.7

  South East

  Convictions

  12,070

  1.848

  11,795

  1,802

  41,378

  7,510

  3,204

  10,619

  9,732

  2,746

  102,704

  Rate (per cent.)

  53.6

  64.0

  70.0

  61.5

  74.1

  75.9

  63.9

  84.9

  65.6

  76.4

  69.9

  Greater London2

  Convictions

  5,780

  1.064

  5,008

  1,190

  19,904

  3,877

  1,495

  6,521

  5,288

  1,045

  51,172

  Rate (per cent.)

  52.0

  64.4

  71.9

  61.8

  78.1

  80.7

  62.6

  89.5

  68.7

  85.5

  72.5

  Rest of South East

  Convictions

  6,290

  784

  6,787

  612

  21,474

  3,633

  1,709

  4,098

  4,444

  1,701

  51,532

  Rate (per cent.)

  55.2

  63.4

  68.6

  61.0

  70.8

  71.3

  65.1

  78.4

  62.3

  71.8

  67.5

  South West

  Convictions

  3,629

  402

  3,431

  240

  10,110

  1,611

  641

  1,499

  2,158

  996

  24,717

  Rate (per cent.)

  55.6

  55.4

  67.4

  54.5

  71.8

  72.4

  62.4

  81.5

  63.9

  77.5

  67.5

  West Midlands

  Convictions

  6,160

  687

  5,180

  665

  13,129

  2,043

  1,756

  1,634

  4,110

  1,378

  36,742

  Rate (per cent.)

  56.5

  64.6

  69.9

  61.6

  71.7

  77.7

  61.8

  85.0

  58.2

  80.9

  66.9

  North West

  Convictions

  6.225

  658

  7,377

  749

  21,749

  3,093

  861

  4,179

  7,610

  1,644

  54,145

  Rate (per cent.)

  55.9

  58.7

  72.9

  60.5

  77.1

  80.1

  82.2

  81.0

  68.2

  82.9

  72.2

  940
  For the current and the next three years the projected expenditure is:

  1996–97 £1,642.3 million (voted provision)

  1997–98 £1,756.8 million

  1998–99 £1,707.3 million

  1999–00 £1,829.3 million.

  Prison Population
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the percentage increase in the prison population for each of the last 60 months for which figures are available; what increases he estimates will take place in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement. [21585]

  Miss Widdecombe
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Richard Tilt to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 21 March 1997:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent question about the prison population.
  I will write to you later.

  Crime (Conviction Rates)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the(a) number of convictions, (b) conviction rate and (c) clear-up rate, for each category of crime, in each region, for each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [21586]

  Mr. Maclean
  Information on the number of convictions and the conviction rate for the years 1991, 1993 and 1995—latest available—is given in tables A, B and C. The provision of data for other years would involve disproportionate cost.

  Information on clear-up rates for 1995 and 1996 is given in tables D and E. Figures for earlier years are published annually in chapter 9 of "Regional Trends"; copies of which are available in the Library.
  941

  Table A: Number of offenders convicted and conviction rate1 for indictable offences by offence group and region 1991

  Region

  Violence against the person

  Sexual offences

  Burglary

  Robbery

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  Fraud and forgery

  Criminal damage

  Drug offences

  Other excluding motoring offences

  Motoring offences

  Total indictable offences

  England

  Convictions

  43,623

  5,165

  43,026

  4,651

  124,577

  19,864

  9,208

  22,050

  31,899

  10,506

  314,569

  Rate (per cent.)

  56.0

  61.9

  69.6

  61.3

  73.7

  75.8

  64.4

  82.8

  63.8

  79.3

  69.1

  Wales

  Convictions

  3,528

  360

  3,063

  190

  8,967

  1,308

  990

  1,405

  2,471

  757

  23,039

  Rate (per cent.)

  55.4

  63.6

  66.8

  67.1

  72.0

  75.2

  61.2

  85.0

  64.0

  82.3

  67.7

  1Number of offenders convicted at all courts as a proportion (per cent.) of defendants prosecuted at magistrates' courts.

  2Includes the Metropolitan and City of London police force areas.

  Table B: Number of offenders convicted and conviction rate1 for indictable offences by offence group and region 1993

  Region

  Violence against the person

  Sexual offences

  Burglary

  Robbery

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  Fraud and forgery

  Criminal damage

  Drug offences

  Other excluding motoring offences

  Motoring offences

  Total indictable offences

  North

  Convictions

  3,139

  292

  3,323

  302

  9,667

  1,106

  610

  1,219

  2,356

  826

  22,850

  Rate (per cent.)

  50.7

  58.5

  60.8

  58.9

  69.5

  72.5

  52.7

  79.4

  59.9

  70.2

  63.6

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Convictions

  4,626

  422

  5,093

  538

  13,042

  1,572

  1,457

  2,185

  3,989

  853

  33,777

  Rate (per cent.)

  54.7

  56.5

  64.7

  61.2

  69.7

  70.4

  58.5

  79.2

  58.5

  72.8

  64.8

  East Midlands

  Convictions

  4,047

  379

  3,636

  376

  9,124

  1,522

  558

  1,182

  2,165

  1,182

  24,171

  Rate (per cent.)

  47.5

  49.8

  60.3

  52.7

  69.1

  73.0

  54.2

  79.6

  53.7

  73.9

  61.2

  East Anglia

  Convictions

  1,635

  166

  1,440

  120

  4.505

  776

  382

  755

  1.025

  621

  11,425

  Rate (per cent.)

  56.6

  65.4

  69.9

  71.9

  76.5

  80.6

  75.3

  85.1

  62.5

  83.1

  71.4

  South East

  Convictions

  8,830

  1,327

  10,296

  1,753

  35,963

  6,025

  2,816

  8,854

  11,159

  3,173

  90,196

  Rate (per cent.)

  41.1

  52.3

  64.0

  51.2

  70.4

  70.4

  56.3

  79.9

  57.9

  65.9

  69.9

  Greater London2

  Convictions

  3,889

  648

  4,699

  1,197

  17,558

  3,111

  1,312

  5,232

  7,108

  1,691

  46,445

  Rate (per cent.)

  34.5

  47.3

  64.1

  48.6

  70.6

  69.2

  52.6

  79.6

  60.2

  63.9

  61.7

  Rest of South East

  Convictions

  4,941

  679

  5,597

  556

  18,405

  2,914

  1,504

  3,622

  4,051

  1,482

  43,751

  Rate (per cent.)

  48.3

  58.1

  63.9

  58.0

  70.2

  71.6

  60.1

  80.3

  54.4

  68.4

  64.3

  South West

  Convictions

  2,563

  331

  2,900

  244

  8,685

  1,301

  609

  1,440

  2,061

  780

  20,914

  Rate (per cent.)

  47.7

  57.1

  62.5

  55.7

  71.9

  75.2

  62.6

  84.6

  48.6

  75.5

  68.8

  West Midlands

  Convictions

  5,122

  513

  4,519

  646

  11,308

  1,490

  1,408

  1,417

  4,472

  1,134

  32,029

  Rate (per cent.)

  50.5

  58.8

  63.4

  55.5

  67.7

  73.3

  58.7

  76.9

  55.7

  70.4

  61.7

  North West

  Convictions

  5,418

  554

  6,272

  899

  20,852

  2,507

  731

  3,519

  7,912

  1,528

  50,192

  Rate (per cent.)

  49.8

  52.5

  70.1

  59.7

  78.3

  75.2

  74.5

  85.0

  62.3

  81.8

  69.7

  England

  Convictions

  35,380

  3,984

  37,479

  4,878

  113,156

  16,299

  8,571

  20,571

  35,139

  10,097

  285,554

  Rate (per cent.)

  47.9

  54.5

  64.4

  55.4

  71.5

  72.6

  59.0

  80.9

  57.9

  72.0

  64.4

  Wales

  Convictions

  3,496

  344

  2,793

  216

  8,481

  1,207

  804

  1,330

  2,639

  720

  22,030

  Rate (per cent.)

  47.6

  56.3

  60.7

  61.9

  70.8

  72.0

  55.2

  80.8

  59.9

  70.9

  62.6

  1Number of offenders convicted at all courts as a proportion (per cent.) of defendants prosecuted at magistrates' courts.

  2Includes the Metropolitan and City of London Police Force Areas.

  Table C: Number of offenders convicted and conviction rate1for indictable offences by offence group and region 1995

  Region

  Violence against the person

  Sexual offences

  Burglary

  Robbery

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  Fraud and forgery

  Criminal damage

  Drug offences

  Other (excluding motoring offences)

  Motoring offences

  Total indictable offences

  North

  Convictions

  2,646

  342

  3,421

  352

  9,876

  1,126

  659

  1,536

  2,871

  830

  23,659

  Rate (per cent.)

  50.2

  66.8

  65.2

  53.7

  72.3

  72.4

  58.2

  79.6

  56.6

  75.5

  65.5

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Convictions

  3,327

  525

  4,563

  483

  12,548

  1,779

  1,382

  3,164

  4,345

  961

  33,077

  Rate (per cent.)

  53.0

  70.5

  67.1

  55.5

  71.5

  69.2

  59.7

  78.9

  55.9

  76.8

  66.0

  East Midlands

  Convictions

  2,104

  405

  3,070

  383

  7,909

  1,300

  551

  1,739

  2,408

  1,161

  21,030

  Rate (per cent.)

  42.2

  60.4

  64.6

  53.3

  67.4

  66.9

  55.2

  80.4

  51.0

  73.8

  61.4

  East Anglia

  Convictions

  894

  161

  1,142

  93

  3,733

  610

  475

  1,076

  1,034

  777

  9,995

  Rate (per cent.)

  52.8

  64.4

  68.4

  64.6

  75.9

  72.8

  72.1

  91.3

  59.4

  86.3

  71.4

  South East

  Convictions

  7,886

  1,346

  9,035

  1,952

  35,010

  5,881

  2,915

  12.468

  12,712

  3,001

  92,206

  Rate (per cent.)

  46.4

  62.2

  67.8

  47.6

  73.2

  69.3

  57.2

  84.2

  56.6

  67.5

  66.0

  Greater London2

  Convictions

  3,769

  601

  4,212

  1,416

  16,471

  3,095

  1,474

  6,786

  7,869

  1,394

  47,087

  Rate (per cent.)

  42.9

  55.7

  67.4

  45.5

  73.3

  68.2

  53.9

  82.6

  58.0

  63.7

  64.6

  Rest of South East

  Convictions

  4,117

  745

  4,823

  536

  18,539

  2,786

  1,441

  5,682

  4,843

  1,607

  45,119

  Rate (per cent.)

  50.1

  68.6

  68.2

  54.2

  73.0

  70.6

  61.1

  86.2

  54.3

  71.1

  67.5

  South West

  Convictions

  1,876

  382

  2,502

  232

  8,590

  1,317

  637

  2,331

  2,373

  889

  21,129

  Rate (per cent.)

  48.6

  62.8

  65.2

  53.8

  71.5

  69.1

  63.2

  84.9

  45.9

  77.4

  64.6

  West Midlands

  Convictions

  3,316

  474

  3,799

  663

  10,387

  1,461

  1,359

  2,075

  4,813

  1,284

  29,631

  Rate (per cent.)

  50.2

  62.0

  66.3

  53.0

  69.6

  69.0

  57.1

  83.2

  53.4

  72.1

  63.0

  North West

  Convictions

  4,603

  714

  5,437

  819

  20,399

  2,630

  718

  5,050

  8,860

  1,477

  50,707

  Rate (per cent.)

  48.7

  64.5

  69.5

  58.5

  77.4

  74.4

  69.4

  84.5

  51.0

  80.8

  66.8

  England

  Convictions

  26,652

  4,349

  32,969

  4,977

  108,452

  16,104

  8,696

  29,439

  39,416

  10,380

  281,434

  Rate (per cent.)

  48.3

  63.7

  67.0

  52.0

  72.8

  70.2

  59.5

  83.4

  53.8

  74.0

  65.5

  Wales

  Convictions

  2,476

  333

  2,377

  190

  7,646

  1,126

  869

  2,145

  2,762

  819

  20,743

  Rate (per cent.)

  42.9

  71.8

  61.1

  55.6

  70.6

  68.3

  55.0

  81.1

  51.6

  76.0

  61.7

  1Number of offenders convicted at all courts as a proportion (per cent.) of defendants prosecuted at magistrates' courts.

  2Includes the Metropolitan and City of London Police Force Areas.

  942 943

  Table D: Notifiable offences cleared up by the police1,2: clear up rate by offence group, 1995

  England and Wales

  Violence against the person

  Sexual offences

  Burglary

  Robbery

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  Fraud and forgery

  Criminal damage

  Other

  Total

  North

  78

  81

  17

  30

  27

  54

  21

  98

  26

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  79

  79

  16

  25

  20

  50

  14

  101

  21

  East Midlands

  82

  81

  22

  33

  23

  46

  18

  98

  26

  East Anglia

  82

  76

  20

  33

  23

  57

  20

  99

  26

  South East

  72

  66

  21

  20

  22

  47

  22

  91

  26

  Greater London

  65

  57

  22

  18

  18

  46

  31

  87

  25

  Rest of South East

  80

  77

  20

  30

  25

  49

  18

  95

  27

  South West

  84

  83

  19

  29

  22

  54

  22

  98

  26

  West Midlands

  77

  75

  29

  20

  23

  35

  15

  94

  26

  North West

  73

  82

  21

  24

  25

  63

  18

  99

  27

  England

  76

  74

  21

  22

  23

  50

  19

  96

  26

  Wales

  89

  89

  28

  48

  33

  51

  23

  96

  34

  1Excluding criminal damage value £20 and under.

  2Some offences cleared up may have been initially recorded in an earlier year.

  Table E: Notifiable offences cleared by the police1,2: clear up rate by offence group, 1996

  England and Wales

  Violence against the person

  Sexual offences

  Burglary

  Robbery

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  Fraud and forgery

  Criminal damage

  other

  Total

  North

  76

  80

  18

  31

  25

  53

  22

  100

  26

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  80

  82

  18

  35

  21

  47

  15

  103

  23

  East Midlands

  85

  98

  23

  34

  27

  50

  20

  104

  30

  East Anglia

  86

  83

  24

  45

  24

  57

  20

  97

  29

  South East

  72

  64

  22

  24

  23

  47

  18

  92

  27

  Greater London

  64

  55

  21

  23

  19

  46

  16

  88

  24

  Rest of South East

  81

  77

  23

  36

  26

  50

  19

  96

  29

  South West

  84

  83

  20

  27

  21

  54

  21

  97

  26

  West Midlands

  78

  77

  24

  22

  24

  39

  16

  95

  26

  North West

  73

  82

  17

  23

  23

  60

  17

  98

  25

  England

  76

  75

  21

  26

  23

  49

  18

  96

  26

  Wales

  86

  92

  31

  52

  35

  53

  23

  101

  37

  1Excluding criminal damage value £20 and under.

  2Some offences cleared up may have been initially recorded in an earlier year.

  Crime (Sentences) Bill
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the additional expenditure required by the Crime (Sentences) Bill has been included in his Department's projected spending; what are the figures per year; and if he will make a statement. [21591]

  Mr. Howard
  The public expenditure survey 1996 produced a baseline settlement for my Department up to the end of the financial year 1999–2000, which is set out in the Home Office Annual Report 1997 published on 20 March (Cm 3608). The only provisions in the Crime (Sentences) Bill which are likely to have a significant financial impact before the end of that survey period are the provisions relating to automatic life sentences for repeat serious sexual or violent offenders and to minimum sentences for drug traffickers. The cost of implementing these provisions can be met from within current Home Office resources.

  The White Paper "Protecting the Public", made clear that provisions for honesty in sentencing and minimum sentences for burglars could be implemented in 1999, but that implementation will be dependent on the availability of prison places and securing the necessary provision in subsequent public expenditure survey rounds.
  944
  It is not possible to identify the costs to the Prison Service of the additional prisoners likely to be accommodated as a consequence of the implementation of the automatic life sentences and of the minimum sentences for drug traffickers separately from the costs of accommodating other new prisoners in accordance with the prison population projections.

  Audio Alarms
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has given to police authorities with regard to their policy on responding to audio alarms; and what steps he has taken to monitor local policies on responding to audio alarms. [21603]

  Mr. Maclean
  The response to audio alarms and monitoring of that response is an operational matter for the chief police officer of each force to decide.

  Police Authorities (Public Information)
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if police authorities publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) minutes of meetings, (d) agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests; and in each case whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21686]
  945
  Mr. Maclean
  Police authorities established under the provisions of the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994 now incorporated in the Police Act 1996 are required to publish an annual report on local policing for that year and to copy that report to the Home Secretary. Under the 1996 Act, they are also bound by provisions in the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, which require agendas, minutes of proceedings and accounts to be open to inspection during reasonable hours and also requires members to declare any direct or indirect pecuniary interest in business which is under discussion. Additionally, regulations made under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 require councillor and independent members of police authorities to declare information about their pecuniary interests in a register which is open to public inspection.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Nursery Vouchers
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is her latest estimate of the number of places for four-year-olds created under phase 1 of the voucher scheme in each of the four pilot areas in(a) the maintained sector, (b) the voluntary sector and (c) the private sector. [21505]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information available in the autumn of 1996 was set out at page 56 of the report on phase 1 of the nursery education voucher scheme, copies of which are in the Library. In the four phase 1 areas as a whole, 346 more children redeemed vouchers in the autumn term 1996 than in the summer term 1996.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list those local education authorities which are planning to make less than £1,100 available to providers in the maintained sector, in

  Statutory base

  Admit public to all meetings

  Hold open meetings

  Name of body

  Statutory

  Voluntary

  Statutory

  Voluntary

  Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research

  No

  No

  No

  No

  No

  Construction Industry Training board

  Yes

  No

  No

  No

  No

  Education Assets Board

  Yes

  No

  No

  No

  No

  Engineering Construction Industry Board

  Yes

  No

  No

  No

  No

  Equal opportunities Commission

  Yes

  No

  No

  No

  No

  Funding Agency for Schools

  Yes

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Further Education Funding Council

  Yes

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Higher Education Funding Council for England

  Yes

  No

  No

  No

  No

  Investors in People UK

  No

  No

  No

  No

  No

  National Council for Educational Technology

  No

  No

  No

  No

  No

  National Council for Vocational Qualifications

  No

  No

  No

  No

  No

  Remploy Ltd.

  No

  No

  No

  No

  No

  School Curriculum and Assessment Authority

  Yes

  No

  No

  No

  No

  Student Loans Company

  No

  No

  No

  No

  No

  Teacher Training Agency

  Yes

  No

  No

  No

  Yes

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what is the statutory basis of (i) career service companies, (ii) city technology colleges, (iii) further education corporations, (iv) higher education corporations, and (v) training and enterprise councils; and of those bodies which(a) admit members
  946
  respect of places for four-year-olds under the national voucher scheme; indicating in each case the expected level of funding per four-year-old. [21550]

  Mr. Squire
  This information is not yet available.

  Class Sizes
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the proportion of children in classes of more than 31 in 1979; and what is the proportion currently for(a) all schools, (b) primary schools and (c) secondary schools. [21504]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The available information is shown in the following table.

  Percentage of pupils1 in one teacher classes of 31 or more pupils in maintained primary and secondary schools in England

  Position in January each year

  1979

  1996

  Primary schools

  35.3

  31.8

  Secondary schools

  16.0

  8.5

  1 Pupils in one teacher classes of size 31 or more pupils expressed as a percentage of all pupils in one teacher classes.

  Information for nursery, special and independent schools is not collected centrally.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which of the executive non-departmental bodies sponsored by her Department have a statutory base; if she will list those bodies which(a) admit members of the public to all board and committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21448]

  Mr. Squire
  The information requested is shown in the following table.

  of the public to all board or committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public, showing whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement; [21766]

  (2) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by her Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultations exercises,

  947
  (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement; [21692]

  (3) if she will list those of her Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to (a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from; [21735]

  (4) if (i) career service companies, (ii) city technology colleges, (iii) further education corporations, (iv) higher education corporations, and (v) training and enterprise councils are subject to (a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter; [21763]

  (5) what (a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) minutes of meetings, (d) agendas of meetings and (e) registers of member's interests are published by (i) career service companies, (ii) city technology colleges, (iii) further education corporations, (iv) higher education corporations and (v) training and enterprise councils; and in each case whether it is under a statutory requirement; [21728]

  (6) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by her Department (a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if she will indicate in each instance whether this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [21691]

  Mr. Squire
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the gross public spending for each year since 1990–91, in 1996–97 prices on(a) grant-maintained schools, (b) city technology colleges, (c) training and enterprise (d) career service companies. [21811]

  Mr. Paice
  I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

  Secondary Schools
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of children got their first preference in allocation of secondary school in each local education authority in England in the most recent year for which figures are available. [21313]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 20 March 1997]: Data on the number of parents securing their first choice of school is not collected centrally. However surveys commissioned by the Association of Metropolitan Authorities in 1992 and The Times in 1993 showed that some 90 per cent. of parents gained a place at their first choice of secondary school.

  Payment of Bills
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of bills to her 948
  Department for the financial year 1995 to 1996 were paid (a) in accordance with agreed contractual conditions and (b) within 30 days of receiving goods and services or the presentation of a valid invoice where no contractual conditions applied. [21214]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 20 March 1997]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on 18 July 1996, Official Report, columns 613–14 which answered part (b) of the above question. An answer to part (a) could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Jobseekers
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if a jobseeker's allowance claimant could be referred to a (i) jobplan workshop, (ii) workwise course, (iii) restart course, (iv) 1–2–1 and (v) jobfinder if he(a) is attending a jobclub, (b) will start a full-time education or training course in the near future and (c) will be starting work in the near future. [21373]

  Mr. Forth
  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 Robert Home to Mr. Terry Rooney, dated 21 March 1997:
  The Secretary of State has asked me, in the absence of the Chief Executive, to write to you direct to respond to your question about claimants in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) and referrals to Jobplan, Workwise and Restart Courses 1–2–1 and Jobfinder caseloading.
  It may help if I explain that Jobplan, Workwise and Restart Courses are short programmes which help people compete more successfully for jobs and opportunities by allowing them to establish clear job goals and review their strengths and skills and the way they sell themselves to prospective employers. They are delivered on the Employment Service's (ES) behalf by organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors.
  In the main, jobseekers are referred to Jobplan and Workwise when they have been unemployed for at least 12 months and to Restart Courses when they have been unemployed for two years or more.
  1–2–1 and Jobfinder (from April 1997) offer a series of caseload interviews, with an ES adviser, for jobseekers who have been unemployed for one year or two years or more, respectively. Through the interviews ES advisers are able to offer jobseekers concentrated help to encourage more effective job search; develop self-motivation; and help set clear goals for jobseekers to achieve.
  Where a jobseeker is attending a Jobclub, they would still be expected to attend Jobfinder caseload interviews. However arrangements would be made so that the jobseeker could continue to attend the Jobclub, in addition to attending a caseload interview. Indeed, the caseload interviews will complement the activity in Jobclub. However, Jobclub members would not normally be directed to attend 1–2–1, Jobplan, Workwise or a Restart Course, whilst still actively and regularly attending the Jobclub.
  If a jobseeker is due to start full-time education, a training course or a job in the near future, it is at the discretion of ES advisers as to whether they refer the individual to any of these programmes. However, where there is a firm offer (usually in writing) and the course or job is due to start shortly, we would not normally expect the jobseeker to be referred to a programme. However, if they do not subsequently take up the course or job they will in most cases be referred to the relevant programme.
  I hope this is helpful.
  949
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which groups of claimants are given priority access to jobclubs and jobsearch plus. [21374]

  Mr. Forth
  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 Robert Home to Mr. Terry Rooney, dated 21 March 1997:
  The Secretary of State has asked me, in the absence of the Chief Executive, to write to you direct to respond to your question about priority access to Jobclubs and Jobsearch Plus.
  To be eligible to join these programmes jobseekers will normally have been registered unemployed for 26 weeks for Jobclub and 13 weeks for Jobsearch Plus. There are however a number of exemptions to the eligibility criteria which allow people in special groups to join the programmes immediately they become unemployed. These include people with disabilities, people with literacy or numeracy difficulties, labour market returners, people needing basic training in English (and Welsh/Gaelic), jobseekers affected by large scale redundancies, ex-offenders and people who have served in HM Forces.
  Some jobseekers will have priority status for entry into the two programmes. These include unemployed people with disabilities and 18 to 24 year olds who have been unemployed for a year or more who have never worked since leaving full time education. In addition people who have been directed to and have completed a Jobplan, Workwise or Restart course also enjoy priority consideration.
  I hope this is helpful.

  School Budgets
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her letter of 17 March on school budget deficits, if she will list the schools running a budget deficit indicating in each case the amount. [21410]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I regret that the effort and cost entailed in compiling such a list would be disproportionate.

  Mr. Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her letter of 17 March on school budget deficits, what estimate she has made of the number of local education authorities which plan to take back delegated budgets from schools in deficit. [21411]

  Mr. Squire
  My right hon. Friend has made no such estimate.

  Advisory Bodies (London)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the non-elected bodies responsible to her Department which are responsible for providing advice or services in London, indicating in each case the (i) overall budget and (ii) estimated running costs for each year from 1996–97 to 1999–2000. [21387]
  950
  Mr. Paice
  The information available is given in the following table.

  Non-elected bodies

  Overall budget 1996–97 (£)

  Running costs 1996–97 (£)

  Training and Enterprise Councils:

  West London TEC

  20,658,317

  1,740,682

  AZTEC

  13,238,824

  1,223,209

  CENTEC1

  40,029,172

  3,813,735

  CILNTEC1

  20,358,066

  1,998,662

  London East TEC

  34,416,844

  3,059,632

  North London TEC

  22,415,495

  1,804,767

  North-west London TEC

  11,089,213

  1,223,121

  SOLOTEC

  32,644,320

  3,108,208

  Careers Services:

  Capital Careers

  2,564,865

  2,139,336

  Careers Enterprise

  1,639,851

  1,374,336

  CFBT West London Careers

  3,295,607

  2,734,336

  Futures Careers

  4,783,974

  4,264,336

  Lifetime Careers

  1,851,033

  1,544,336

  London South Bank Careers

  1,899,373

  1,606,690

  Prospects Careers

  4,105,950

  3,414,336

  Search Careers

  1,956,431

  1,629,336

  Microdec Careers

  500,000

  n/a

  Greenwich Careers2

  511,760

  346,000

  Lewisham Careers2

  528,784

  419,944

  Lambeth Careers2

  445,510

  394,528

  Southwark Careers2

  492,689

  396,000

  1As of 1 April 1997 CILNTEC and CENTEC will merge to form Focus Central London TEC.

  2These Careers Services operated from 1 April 1996 to 30 September 1996, after which (from 1 October 1996) London South Bank Careers took over.

  n/a = information not available.

  TEC and Careers Service total budget and running costs for 1997–98, 1998–99 and 1999–2000 have not yet been determined.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  BSE
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what are the criteria for deciding whether BSE-infected and suspected BSE-infected bovine offal is(a) disposed of in landfill sites and (b) incinerated; [20219]

  (2) if BSE-infected or suspected BSE-infected bovine offal has been dumped in landfill sites in Warrington; [20220]

  (3) if it is Government policy to continue to dump BSE-infected offal in landfill sites. [20221]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: The Animal By-Products Order 1992, which implements EC animal waste directive 90/667 in Great Britain, requires animal waste to be rendered, incinerated or buried.

  There is no legal requirement for the carcases of cattle slaughtered as affected with, or suspected of being infected with, BSE to be destroyed specifically by incineration. However, it has been the Ministry's practice to use incineration whenever feasible. No BSE suspects have been disposed of other than by incineration since 1995.
  951
  In the case of specified bovine material removed on a precautionary basis from non-BSE suspects, the SBM order of 1996, as amended, requires that it be processed in dedicated rendering lines or incinerated. Where the SBM is rendered, the order provides for the resultant meat and bone meal to be incinerated, disposed of at a landfill site for which there exists a current waste management licence granted under section 35 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, or disposal as specified by the Minister in the plant's approval. At present, however, SBM removed from cattle aged under 30 months and sheep and goats is rendered with over-30-months scheme material and is, therefore, all destined for destruction.

  The Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee, which advises Ministers on BSE, has considered the current and proposed methods of dealing with waste material from the slaughter of cattle and concluded that these are safe. A press release reporting its conclusions was issued by MAFF on 7 June 1996 and a copy is available in the Library of the House.

  The Department's records indicate that BSE suspect cattle were disposed of by landfill in Warrington during 1990 and 1991. The sites were licensed under part I of the Control of Pollution Act 1974.

  The Department's records also indicate that approximately 15 tonnes of unrendered SBM were consigned, contrary to SBM rules, to a landfill site in Warrington just prior to Christmas 1995. The matter was drawn to the attention of Tameside metropolitan borough council, as the appropriate local authority with enforcement responsibility under the order. Whilst the incident is regrettable, investigation revealed that the site is a "total containment site" and of the highest standard. In the unlikely event that the SBM contained any infectivity, it is thought that the resultant risk should be very small.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) for what reasons the Rowley landfill site was selected for the burial of BSE-infected cows; [20419]

  (2) how many BSE-infected cows are buried at the Rowley landfill site near Burnley. [20420]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: In the early years of the BSE epidemic, incineration capacity was insufficient to deal with all the cattle involved. Therefore, in July 1988 this Department approached Lancashire county council seeking licensed landfill facilities for disposal of BSE suspect cattle. At that time, the county council was responsible as a waste disposal authority for the granting and supervision of licences under part I of the Control of Pollution Act 1974. Following an assessment by the authority of the landfill sites then in its ownership, Rowley was identified by the authority as suitable for the disposal of waste of this kind.

  The Ministry's records, cross checked with those available to the Environment Agency, indicate that the carcases of just over 30 cattle affected, or suspected of being affected with, BSE—their heads having been removed for incineration—were disposed of at the Rowley landfill site.
  952
  Mr. Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he intends to remove the remains of the cattle buried at Rowley for disposal by incineration; [20417]

  (2) what steps he is taking to ensure the BSE-infected cows buried at Rowley do not contaminate the water supply. [20418]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: In May last year a sub-group of the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee, which advises Ministers on BSE, considered the issue of BSE and the environment, including the question of disposal to landfill sites. It considered that, although the spongiform encephalopathy agent was not yet fully characterised, there was good evidence to believe that individual molecules were not infectious and that infectivity was associated with macro molecular agglomerations, indeed possibly with tissue fragments, albeit small ones. On this basis, it concluded
  "it was unlikely that leachate from landfill sites would present a significant risk and there was certainly no justification for taking heroic measures to excavate sites, even those which had previously been used for material such as BSE-confirmed cattle".

  The Environment Agency as the regulatory body responsible for supervising the operation of landfill sites, is in possession of SEAC's advice. The agency monitors groundwater quality in the vicinity of licensed landfill sites as a check for any leachate contamination.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which landfill sites in the United Kingdom were used for the disposal of cattle reported as having BSE. [18134]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 10 March 1997]: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what representations his Department has received from the Environment Agency in respect of the disposal of BSE-infected carcases to landfill sites; and if he will make a statement; [20471]

  (2) if he will instigate an inquiry into the safety of all sites where BSE-infected carcases have been disposed of during the past eight years; and if he will make a statement. [20472]

  Mrs. Browning
  Prior to the formation of the Environment Agency in April 1996, regulatory responsibility for the operation of landfill sites rested with waste regulation authorities. The Environment Agency inherited the responsibility for the safe regulation of landfill sites in England and Wales under part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and for this purpose monitors ground water quality in the vicinity of licensed landfill sites as a check for any leachate contamination.

  This Department is in regular contact with the Environment Agency in view of its responsibility for supervising the waste management licensing system in respect of landfill sites.

  Pig Exports
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the two consignments of pigs
  953
  exported on 19 February 1996 via the port of Hull were accompanied by the approved journey plans and export health certificates required under EU and United Kingdom law. [20617]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 17 March 1997:]: Without further details of the consignments to which the hon. Member refers, it is not possible to give an answer.

  Slaughterhouses
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all prosecutions of abattoirs for breaches of hygiene legislation that have(a) taken place and (b) succeeded, in each year since 1985. [21679]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In Great Britain, local authorities were responsible for the enforcement of hygiene regulations in abattoirs until 1 April 1995, when responsibility was transferred to the newly established Meat Hygiene Service. Information on any prosecutions of abattoirs which may have been brought between 1985 and 1 April 1995 is not held centrally. Since 1 April 1995, whilst there have been several prosecutions on BSE-related matters, there have, to date, been no prosecutions of abattoirs for failure to comply with the hygiene requirements of the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995, as amended.

  In Northern Ireland, no prosecutions have been brought against operators of abattoirs for failure to comply with the hygiene requirements of the relevant regulations in the period 1985 to date.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all those persons who are permitted to make unannounced visits to abattoirs in the United Kingdom to ensure that health and hygiene standards are upheld. [18866]

  Mrs. Browing
  I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many slaughterhouses are currently operating in the United Kingdom; of those how many do not have EU approval but are operating under a United Kingdom Government derogation; and how many were operating in April 1995 and of those how many were operating under a United Kingdom derogation. [20517]

  Full throughput

  Low throughput

  Licensed premises1

  Slaughterhouse

  Cutting premises

  Slaughterhouse

  Cutting premises

  Total numbers by type

  202

  226

  180

  126

  Of which subject to temporary derogation

  222

  313

  7

  47

  1 Some of these are combined premises. For combined slaughterhouse/cutting premises the numbers are included under slaughterhouse, for combined cutting premises/cold stores the numbers are included under cutting premises.

  2 Including one premises with an extension of time in principle to end December 1997 (subject to review in September 1997) and one request for a further extension of time under consideration; nine licences revoked for failure to comply with temporary derogations operating under appeal provisions.

  3 Including one premises with an extension of time to end December 1997; three licences revoked for failure to comply with temporary derogations operating under appeal provisions.

  4 Including one licence revoked for failure to comply with temporary derogation operating.

  Of those temporary derogations not subject to an extension of time or where licences have not yet been revoked, approximately half the premises could complete
  954
  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: For slaughterhouses licensed in Great Britain under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 and in Northern Ireland under the Agricultural Produce (Meat Regulation and Pig Industry) Act (Northern Ireland) 1962, the available information is as follows:

  Type of approval

  End March 1995

  1 March 1997

  Export approved National market only

  133

  244

  Permanently derogated low throughput1

  211

  205

  Temporarily derogated low throughput2

  7

  Temporarily derogated full throughput2

  174

  326

  Total

  518

  482

  Information on the position in other member states is not available.

  1Premises which meet the EC structural requirements for low throughtput plants

  2Premises subject to a temporary derogation from structural requirements

  3Of which 9 licences revoked for failure to comply with temporary derogation but operating under appeal provisions.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many abattoirs are currently(a) EC approved and (b) non-approved but operating with a derogation. [20728]

  Mrs. Browning
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Pembroke (Mr. Ainger) today.

  Mr. Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the derogations to continue slaughtering animals expire for each of the non-EC approved abattoirs. [20758]

  Mrs. Browning
  Under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 as amended, non EC export approved premises (permanently derogated low throughput) are required to meet less onerous structural requirements than those with EC export approval (full throughput).

  At 1 March 1997, the number of slaughterhouses and cutting premises in England subject to a temporary derogation was as follows:

  the necessary work to comply with the structural requirements of the Regulations within the next four to six weeks. Licence revocation action will be taken against

  955
  those who do not. For the remainder, urgent action is in hand to revoke the premises licences with the minimum of further delay.

  Mr. Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many abattoirs in each member state of the European Union are(a) EC approved and (b) non-approved but operating under derogations. [20833]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 18 March 1997]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Pembroke (Mr. Ainger) today.

  Mr. Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the abattoirs and cutting plants which have derogations will be required to comply fully with EC requirements. [20832]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 18 March 1997]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him today.

  Mr. Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many(a) unsuccessful and (b) successful prosecutions were brought against operators of abattoirs and cutting plants for infringements of the relevant hygiene regulations in the period 1979 to 1995. [20956]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 18 March 1997]: In Great Britain, local authorities were responsible for the enforcement of hygiene regulations in abattoirs and cutting plants until 1 April 1995, when responsibility was transferred to the newly established Meat Hygiene Service. Information on prosecutions which may have been brought between 1979 and 1995 is not held centrally.

  In Northern Ireland, no prosecutions were brought against operators of abattoirs or cutting plants for infringements of the relevant hygiene regulations in this period.

  Mr. Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the extent to which derogations granted to abattoirs for structural shortcomings impinge on hygiene requirements. [20830]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 18 March 1997]: For premises operating under the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995, detailed requirements for structure are laid down in schedules 1 to 6 of the regulations and, for hygiene, in schedules 7 to 11 and 13 to 15. Irrespective of any structural requirements, fresh meat produced in premises subject to derogations has to satisfy the hygiene requirements laid down.

  Mr. Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the(a) statutory instruments, (b) circulars and (c) other official guidance from Ministers to local authorities between 1979 and 1995 concerning the duties and responsibilities of environmental health officers towards abattoirs and cutting plants. [20831]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 18 March 1997]: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

  Meat Hygiene
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he was notified about the data relating to E. coli contamination arising 956
  from poor animal hygiene at abattoirs, contained in the report prepared by Mr. Swann for the Meat Hygiene Service. [20038]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 13 March 1997]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 20 March 1997, Official Report, column 715. [19571]

  Sir Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department collates data on the professional qualifications of meat hygiene inspectors. [20734]

  Mrs. Browning
  The Department does not hold any data on the professional qualifications of meat inspectors.

  Meat hygiene inspectors are employed by the Meat Hygiene Service and I have asked the chief executive to reply to your question direct.

  Sir Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the veterinarians who carried out the assessment of standards in slaughterhouses, commissioned by the Meat Hygiene Service, agreed with Mr. Bill Swann's summary of their findings. [20738]

  Mrs. Browning
  The assessment of standards you refer to was part of the hygiene advice team exercise carried out by the Meat Hygiene Service. I have asked the chief executive to reply to you direct.

  Sir Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many of the employees of the general secretary of the Association of Meat Inspectors have been offered a contract by the Meat Hygiene Service; [20733]

  (2) when Mr. Bill Swann applied for the position as head of operations of the Meat Hygiene Service; [20737]

  (3) when the general secretary of the Association of Meat Inspectors tendered for a meat hygiene service contract; and what was the outcome. [20739]

  Mrs. Browning
  Staffing matters are the responsibility of the Meat Hygiene Service and I have asked the chief executive to reply to you direct.

  Letter from Johnston McNeill to Sir Colin Shepherd, dated 21 March 1997:
  As Chief Executive of the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) your Parliamentary Questions to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries enquiring a) whether details of the professional qualifications of Meat Hygiene Inspectors (MHIs) are collated; b) whether the veterinary surgeons who carried out an assessment of standards in slaughterhouses agree with Bill Swann's findings; c) about the number of the employees of the General Secretary of the Association of Meat Inspectors (AMI) who have been offered a contract by the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS); d) when Bill Swann applied for the position of Head of Operations, and e) when the General Secretary of the AMI tendered for an MHS contract and what was the outcome, have been passed to me for reply. [20734] [20738] [20733] [20737] [20739]
  To take each of your questions in turn:

  a)All MHIs must be qualified by gaining, through examination, in the Certificate in Meat Inspection approved by the Royal Society of Health for England and Wales and the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland for Scotland. Copies of the appropriate Certificates in Meat Inspection are held on the individual's personnel files by the MHS.

  957

  b) The Hygiene Advice Teams (HAT) completed a detailed analysis of the operational hygiene and animal welfare standards at all licensed slaughterhouses (approximately 615 plants). As part of this exercise, Bill Swann undertook many visits (although in a limited area of the country) and wrote HAT reports on a number of plants. These reports were specific to the plants concerned and the recommendations therein may or may not have agreed with recommendations in reports on other plants. An editorial committee was set up to produce a final report of the HAT exercise. This included a number of veterinarians who had been heavily involved in the exercise. Bill Swann provided a first draft summary of the overall findings of the HAT exercise in respect of red meat plants. The final report was intended to give a summary of the important issues relating to hygiene operation and animal welfare, an indication of the level of industry compliance overall and to include the most important recommendations made by the HAT teams. Mr. Swann's draft was rejected by his colleagues as it gave little indication of the level of compliance, repeated a great deal of material covered by the MHS Operations Manual and provided a long list of deficiencies, many of which only related to a small number of plants.

  c) The MHS is aware of 26 employees who worked for the Meat Inspection Agency run by the General Secretary of the AMI who have been offered a contract by the MHS.

  d) Bill Swann applied for the position of MHS Head of Operations in September 1995.

  e) The MHS is staffed mainly by Meat Hygiene Inspectors who transferred to the agency from their local authority employers under TUPE arrangements on 1 April 1995. Operating without the constraints of local authority boundaries the MHS has the opportunity to deploy its permanently employed staff to the best effect. Where employed staff are not available MHS Regional Managers have the option of contracting staff through a small number of Agencies, one of which includes the General Secretary of the AMI, Mr Comrie.

  An invitation to tender for the provision of meat inspection services was issued in December 1994 and the information received was made available to the MHS's Regional Managers to assist in their task of ensuring that meat inspection and relief cover would be available at all licensed establishments at Agency launch via the most cost effective means.
  Subsequent to the launch of the MHS, Mr Comrie has provided some relief meat inspection cover to the MHS.

  Sir Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received from the vice-president of the Association of Meat Inspectors regarding hygiene standards in abattoirs. [20735]

  Mrs. Browning
  I held a meeting on 19 March with representatives of the Association of Meat Inspectors. Two of the vice presidents of the association have disassociated themselves from the sentiments expressed in recent correspondence from the General Secretary of the association, and confirmed their total support for the work of the Meat Hygiene Service in driving up standards in abattoirs.

  BSE-infected Material (Land Burial)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what regulations cover the land burial of(a) BSE-infected carcases and (b) BSE-infected rendered meat and bonemeal, or material suspected to the BSE-infected; what inspections measures are in place to ensure compliance with the regulations; and if he will make a statement. [20770]
  958
  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 18 March 1997]: The Animal By-Products Order 1992 (SI 1992/3303), which implements the EC animal waste directive 90/667 in Great Britain, requires animal waster to be rendered, incinerated or buried. It has been the Ministry's practice to use incineration whenever feasible for the disposal of cattle displaying clinical signs suggestive of BSE.

  The landfilling of controlled waste is subject to the waste management licensing provisions of part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994. The Environment Agency is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the licensing system. Amongst other matters, licences issued by the Environment Agency specify the types and quantities of waste which may be disposed of in each site. Landfill site operators are also subject to the duty of care provisions in Section 34 of the 1990 Act and the Environmental Protection (Duty of Care) Regulations 1991.

  The Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee has considered the current and proposed methods of dealing with waste material from the slaughter of cattle and concluded that these are safe. A news release reporting its conclusions was issued by MAFF on 7 June 1996 and a copy is available in the Library of the House, of the relevant regulations in the period 1985 to date.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1)which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement; [21687]

  (2) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement; [21684]

  (3) if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to (a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from; [21730]

  (4) which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which (a) admit members of the public to all board and committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21449]

  Mr. Boswell
  I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
  959

  Advisory Bodies (London)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the non-elected bodies responsible to his Department which are responsible for providing advice or services in London, indicating in each case the (i) overall budget and (ii) estimated running costs for each year from 1996–97 to 1999–2000. [21375]

  Mr. Boswell
  I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.

  Avoparcin
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 17 March,Official Report, column 379, regarding avoparcin's use as a feed antibiotic, if he will list by livestock species all dates prior to 1 April on which the licence for avoparcin's use as a feed antibiotic has been (a) revoked and (b) reinstated since it was first licensed in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [21511]

  Mrs. Browning
  No licence for the use of avoparcin in animal feedingstuffs has been revoked prior to 1 April 1997.

  Cattle Slaughter
  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the stockpiling of brown granular dust from remains of slaughtered cattle in Bootle; what assessment he has made of(a) the dangers to the public health posed by this substance and (b) the conditions of its storage; and if he will make a statement. [21419]

  Mrs. Browning
  Meat and bone meal arising from the rendering of cattle carcases under the over-30-months scheme is being stored at five sites in England pending destruction by the best practicable environmental option. Only healthy cattle can be purchased under the scheme and EC regulation 716/96, under which the scheme operates, expressly prohibits the purchase of cattle affected with or suspected of being affected with BSE. These are destroyed under separate arrangements.

  The Government are actively pursuing a number of options for the disposal of meat and bone meal arising from the OTMS. The Intervention Board recently agreed a contract with a high temperature incineration company, Rechem, to burn MBM at its Fawley plant, and has an exercise under way for further incineration facilities from which additional MBM disposal capacity is expected to emerge. Also combustion trials have been carried out at PowerGen's test facilities at Ratcliffe on Soar, Nottinghamshire, and at National Power's test facilities at Didcot, Oxfordshire, to establish the feasibility of burning MBM in power stations. These trials have been monitored by the Environment Agency and the results will be placed on the public register. The test results are being fully evaluated, and full weight will be given to the protection of human health and of the environment before any decisions are reached.

  The independent Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee, which advises Ministers on BSE, has concluded that there was no epidemiological evidence to suggest that the handling of MBM presented a risk to any of those engaged in the related trades. The Advisory
  960
  Committee on Dangerous Pathogens has also considered the health risks associated with the handling of MBM and has issued generic guidance for all occupational groups, including those involved in storage. The Intervention Board executive agency, which has executive responsibility for the day to day running of the scheme, has drawn the guidelines to the attention of storekeepers storing MBM.

  The storage of this material as waste is subject to the requirements of part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994, as amended. With these requirements in view, IBEA ensures that all potential storage sites meet rigorous technical criteria before they are considered suitable for dry storage and are well managed to keep them free of rodents, insect infestation or excessive odour. Where odour problems have arisen, the IBEA has engaged the services of leading experts in odour suppression technology for advice.

  Tuberculosis
  Sir Michael Spicer
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to publish the results of his inquiry into the possible relationship between TB in badgers and TB in cattle. [21508]

  Mrs. Browning
  I expect the results to be published later this year.

  Meat Hygiene Service (Disciplinary Action)
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many people employed or under contract with the national Meat Hygiene Service as(a) official veterinary surgeons, (b) meat inspectors and (c) other officers have been disciplined for failure to enforce hygiene legislation, for each year from 1995; [21678]

  (2) what length of training has been required for (a) official veterinary surgeons, (b) meat inspectors and (c) other posts that are currently within or under contract with the national Meat Hygiene Service in each year since 1985. [21680]

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The subjects of these questions are the responsibility of the Meat Hygiene Service and I have asked the chief executive to reply to you direct.

  Letter from Johnston McNeill to Dr. Gavin Strang, dated 21 March 1997:
  As Chief Executive of the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) your Parliamentary Questions to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries enquiring how many people employed or under contract with the National Meat Hygiene Service as (a) Official Veterinary Surgeons, (b) meat inspectors and (c) other officers have been disciplined for failure to enforce hygiene legislation, for each year since 1995, and what length of training has been required for (a) Official Veterinary Surgeons, (b) meat inspectors and (c) other posts that are currently within or under contract with the National Meat Hygiene Service in each year since 1985, have been passed to me for reply. [24678] [21680]

  961
  No employed or contract MHS staff were disciplined for failure to enforce hygiene legislation in 1995/96. 7 employed Meat Hygiene Inspectors are currently facing internal disciplinary investigation into alleged failure to enforce hygiene legislation. 6 of these are on precautionary paid suspension.
  As you are aware the MHS was launched on 1 April 1995. The MHS requires Official Veterinary Surgeons (OVSs) to be qualified veterinary surgeons, members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and to have gained OVS accreditation following attendance at an OVS training course. The OVS training course consists of one weeks college based training together with a practical input prior or post course attendance. Accreditation is approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
  All Meat Hygiene Inspectors (MHIs) employed by the MHS must be qualified by gaining, through examination, the Certificate in Meat Inspection approved by the Royal Society of Health for England and Wales, and the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland for Scotland. The traditional route to acquisition of the certificate in meat inspection is on a day release basis over a two year period with a requirement of at least 200 hours practical experience for red meat and a further minimum of 120 hours for white meat. The Meat Hygiene Service has sponsored the training of Meat Hygiene Inspectors in accordance with the Royal Society of Health and the Royal Environmental Health Institute for Scotland requirements of typically 22 weeks of intense full time combined theoretical and practical training, the latter arranged in meat plants.
  Prior to the actual launch of the Agency, the MHS provided weekend induction and operational training for all groups of staff. Post launch numerous training courses have been delivered to veterinary and meat inspection staff on operational issues including animal welfare, hygiene assessment and Specified Bovine Material (SBM) controls.
  For other (mainly non operation) posts job specific training has been provided according to individual requirements.

  Organophosphates
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made of the dangers of organophosphate sheep dip to fish and insects in rivers; and if he will make a statement. [21095]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 20 March 1997]: No veterinary medicine is authorised for use unless it meets stringent statutory criteria of safety, quality and efficacy. Safety includes risk to the environment. Applications for marketing authorisations must be supported by information to satisfy the statutory criteria, including details of relevant research. Product labels include warnings about the safe use and disposal of all sheep dips and guidance on disposal is available from the Agriculture Departments.

  Fur Farms
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the permitted means of disposal of mink carcases from fur farms. [21241]

  Mrs. Browning
  [holding answer 20 March 1997]: I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
  962

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Avenue of Statues (London)
  Mr. Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make a statement about her proposal for an avenue of statues in London. [21460]

  Mr. Sproat
  Sir Neil Cossons, the director of the science museum, has been invited to be chairman of a committee to look at the possibility of establishing a project to erect an avenue of statues of famous British inventors, scientists, discoverers, industrialists etc. This avenue would be sited in London, as the capital city of the United Kingdom, but the precise site within London would be a matter for the committee to decide. Among other matters for the committee to decide would be the identification of those to be included as statues, and the sources, and raising, of funding for the project. The committee would be totally independent of the Government, and its membership would be for Sir Neil to decide.

  London is plentifully and properly adorned with statues of kings and queens, soldiers, sailors, statesmen and artists etc., but our great scientific and industrial heritage, which is certainly as important as other parts of our heritage, is less well commemorated. This project could help redress that balance.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list those of her Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to(a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21743]

  Mr. Sproat
  (a) Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites.

  (b) None.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by her Department(a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if she will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21722]

  Mr. Sproat
  The information requested is as follows:

  (a) Statutory base

  The Theatres Trust

  (b) Publish their advice to Government

  Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art1

  (c) Publish an annual report

  The Advisory Committee of the Government Art Collection1

  Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art1

  Royal Fine Art Commission1

  Theatres Trust1

  Treasure Trove Reviewing Committee1

  (d) Lay an annual report before Parliament

  The Advisory Committee of the Government Art Collection1

  Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art1

  Royal Fine Art Commission1

  Treasure Trove Reviewing Committee1

  1This is not a statutory requirement.
  963
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage which of the executive non-departmental bodies sponsored by her Department have a statutory base; if she will list those bodies which(a) admit members of the public to all board and committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21443]

  Mr. Sproat
  The information is as follows:

  Statutory base

  British Library

  British Museum

  British Tourist Authority

  Broadcasting Complaints Commission

  Broadcasting Standards Council

  English Heritage

  English Tourist Board

  Football Licensing Authority

  Imperial War Museum

  Millennium Commission

  Museum of London

  National Gallery

  National Heritage Memorial Fund

  National Lottery Charities Board

  National Maritime Museum

  National Museum and Galleries on Merseyside

  National Portrait Gallery

  National Museum of Science and Technology

  Natural History Museum

  Public Lending Right

  Royal Armouries

  Sir John Soane's Museum

  Tate Gallery

  Victoria and Albert Museum

  Wallace Collection

  (a) Admit Members to all board and committee meetings

  None

  (b) Hold open meetings for the public

  None holds formal open board meetings for the public, although many engage in regular dialogue with, or arrange informal events for, members of the public to discuss matters of policy.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by her Department(a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of member's interest, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21697]

  Mr. Sproat

  (a) None

  (b) None

  (c) None

  (d) Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art1

  964

  (e) None

  (f) None.

  1It is not a statutory requirement to conduct consultation exercise with outside commercial interests.

  Charity Collections
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what advice she has given concerning the owners of premises to which the public are admitted in relation to granting permission to charities to make collections on those premises; and if she will make a statement. [21367]

  Mr. Sproat
  None. However, the Charity Commission has for a number of years advised retailers about the risks of fraudulent collectors. The commission regularly advises retailers on the licensing requirements for charitable fundraising and how they can make checks to establish whether a charity or fundraiser is a registered charity or is otherwise known to the commission. Stores are encouraged to pass on to the commission information about organisations or individuals who have approached them for permission to collect on their premises and who did not, for whatever reason, appear to be bona fide. The Charity Commission continues to look for opportunities to help retailers to avoid giving permission to possibly fraudulent collectors.

  National Coal Mining Museum
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will provide financial assistance to the national coal mining museum for England, based at Wakefield; and if she will make a statement. [21362]

  Mr. Sproat
  Since 1994, the Government, through the Museums and Galleries Commission, have been providing £300,000 of transitional funding to the museum to give it a breathing space in which to identify alternative sources of income. The heritage lottery fund has now offered in principle to contribute up to 75 per cent. of development costs of £1.3 million at the museum to be incurred over two years. This assistance is intended to preserve the museum's collections, site and public services in the medium term while exploring the opportunities for the museum's longer term viability through a business study. My Department will be making a contribution to £200,000, via the Museums and Galleries Commission, towards the partnership funding that is necessary to secure the heritage lottery fund's grant.

  Advisory Groups (London)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list the non-elected bodies responsible to his Department which are responsible for providing advice or services in London, indicating in each case the (i) overall budget and (ii) estimated running costs for each year from 1996–97 to 1999–2000. [21386]

  Mr. Sproat
  The table lists the non-elected bodies which provide advice or services in London. It is not, however, possible to identify the proportion of total budgets and running costs related to advice or services specifically for London. The budget and running costs are therefore the estimated and planned totals for each body.
  965

  London bodies budgets and estimated running costs for 1996–97 to 1999–2000

  £ million

  Body

  1996–97 (estimate)

  1997–98 (plans)

  1998–99 (plans)

  1999–2000 (plans)

  Arts Council of England.1,7

  Budget

  186.1

  186.1

  184.6

  183.5

  Running costs

  11.7

  11.0

  11.3

  11.4

  British Library

  Budget

  119.6

  124.5

  121.8

  121.3

  Running costs

  97.9

  108.1

  104.2

  101.9

  British Museum

  Budget

  48.0

  59.5

  62.0

  92.1

  Running costs

  41.0

  40.5

  43.1

  42.4

  British Film Commission

  Budget

  0.8

  0.9

  0.9

  0.9

  Running costs

  0.8

  0.9

  0.9

  0.9

  British Film Institute3

  Budget

  31.6

  16.0

  15.6

  15.3

  Running costs

  14.7

  15.5

  15.8

  16.1

  Broadcasting Complaints Commission4

  Budget

  0.6

  —

  —

  —

  Running costs

  0.6

  —

  —

  —

  Broadcasting Standards Council4

  Budget

  1.4

  —

  —

  —

  Running costs

  1.4

  —

  —

  —

  Broadcasting Standards Commission4

  Budget

  n/a

  2.0

  2.0

  2.0

  Running costs

  n/a

  2.0

  2.0

  2.0

  Churches Conservation Trust

  Budget

  3.6

  3.5

  3.5

  3.5

  Running costs

  0.6

  0.7

  0.7

  0.8

  Community Development Foundation

  Budget

  1.6

  1.6

  1.6

  1.6

  Running costs

  1.2

  1.1

  1.1

  1.1

  Crafts Council

  Budget

  4.7

  4.8

  4.8

  4.8

  Running costs

  1.9

  1.9

  2.0

  2.0

  English Heritage

  Budget

  130.0

  125.7

  127.9

  126.5

  Running costs

  49.2

  49.5

  50.0

  50.5

  English Sports Council6,7

  Budget

  18.2

  42.8

  39.2

  38.8

  Running costs

  13.1

  12.0

  12.4

  12.9

  English Tourist Board

  Budget

  13.5

  12.8

  12.7

  12.6

  Running costs

  2.8

  2.7

  2.8

  2.8

  Football Licensing Authority

  Budget

  0.9

  0.9

  0.9

  0.9

  Running costs

  0.9

  0.9

  0.9

  0.9

  Geffrye Museum

  Budget

  1.9

  4.4

  2.2

  1.3

  Running costs

  1.1

  1.1

  1.1

  1.2

  GB Sports Council6

  Budget

  33.3

  —

  —

  —

  Running costs

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Horniman Museum

  Budget

  3.6

  3.2

  3.4

  3.0

  Running costs

  2.5

  2.5

  2.5

  2.5

  Imperial War2 Museum

  Budget

  26.4

  24.3

  27.8

  23.0

  Running costs

  17.2

  17.7

  18.1

  17.5

  Library and Information Commission

  Budget

  0.43

  0.43

  0.43

  0.43

  Running costs

  0.43

  0.43

  0.43

  0.43

  Museum of London

  Budget

  15.7

  14.3

  14.6

  14.6

  Running costs

  14.1

  12.7

  12.9

  12.9

  Museums and Galleries Commission5

  Budget

  9.3

  9.3

  9.0

  8.9

  Running costs

  1.7

  1.7

  1.7

  1.7

  National Gallery

  Budget

  34.0

  33.0

  27.0

  26.0

  Running costs

  18.7

  18.8

  19.0

  19.0

  National Heritage Memorial Fund7

  Budget

  8.1

  5.1

  5.1

  5.1

  Running costs

  0.5

  0.5

  0.5

  0.6

  National Maritime Museum

  Budget

  13.9

  20.9

  20.8

  17.8

  Running costs

  11.1

  12.1

  11.5

  12.4

  National Museum of Science and Industry2

  Budget

  31.3

  45.0

  54.6

  43.4

  Running Costs

  23.4

  24.8

  25.6

  26.5

  National Portrait Gallery

  Budget

  7.7

  7.2

  6.9

  7.2

  Running costs

  5.6

  6.0

  6.0

  6.3

  Natural History Museum2

  Budget

  46.3

  41.5

  39.8

  49.5

  Running costs

  33.1

  34.5

  33.9

  34.3

  Public Lending Right

  Budget

  5.0

  4.9

  4.9

  4.9

  Running costs

  0.6

  0.7

  0.7

  0.6

  Royal Armouries

  Budget

  10.6

  6.0

  4.5

  4.5

  Running costs

  3.9

  3.6

  3.7

  3.7

  Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts

  Budget

  1.1

  1.1

  1.1

  1.1

  Running costs

  1.1

  1.1

  1.1

  1.1

  Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England)

  Budget

  11.4

  11.4

  11.3

  11.0

  Running costs

  10.4

  10.4

  10.3

  10.1

  Royal Fine Art Commission

  Budget

  0.7

  0.8

  0.8

  0.8

  Running costs

  0.7

  0.8

  0.8

  0.8

  966 967

  London bodies budgets and estimated running costs for 1996–97 to 1999–2000

  £ million

  Body

  1996–97(estimate)

  1997–98(plans)

  1998–99 (plans)

  1999–2000 (plans)

  Sir John Soane's Museum

  Budget

  0.7

  0.7

  0.7

  0.7

  Running costs

  0.7

  0.7

  0.7

  0.7

  Tate Gallery2

  Budget

  40.6

  59.7

  53.7

  42.7

  Running costs

  19.9

  20.5

  21.2

  22.0

  UK Sports Council6

  Budget

  3.9

  12.7

  11.9

  11.7

  Running costs

  1.3

  1.3

  1.4

  1.4

  Victoria and Albert Museum

  Budget

  38.0

  34.8

  35.5

  35.6

  Running costs

  32.1

  30.3

  30.9

  31.1

  Wallace Collection

  Budget

  2.5

  2.4

  2.4

  2.4

  Running costs

  2.4

  2.2

  2.3

  2.3

  Figures for 1996–97 are estimated outturn. Figures for 1997–98 onwards are planning Figures.

  1 Budget figures include grant in aid income only.

  2 These museums have branches outside London but the majority of their expenditure is on branches in London.

  3 The budget figure for the BFI for years 1997–98 to 1999–00 includes grant in aid only.

  4From 1.4.97 the Broadcasting Standards Council and the Broadcasting Complaints Commission will merge to form the Broadcasting Standards Commission.

  5 The MGC is based in London but provides services and advice throughout the UK.

  6 The GB Sports Council was replaced by the UK Sports Council and the English Sports Council on 1 January 1997. The running cost figures for the GB Sports Council for 1996–97 are split between the two new councils.

  7 Proceeds from the National Lottery have been excluded as it is not possible to estimate the amount that the distributors will receive from the National Lottery Distribution Fund. As the Millennium Commission and the National Lottery Charities Board receive funds only from the Lottery they have been excluded.

  Printing and Publications
  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much her Department has spent on printing and publications in each of the last five financial years. [20848]

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 19 March 1997]: The amounts spent on producing and printing the Department's publications since its creation in 1992 are as follows:

  £

  1992–93 (actual)

  Nil

  1993–94 (actual)

  25,000

  1994–95 (actual)

  57,000

  1995–96 (actual

  348,000

  1996–97 (spend to date)

  532,000

PRIME MINISTER

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list all ministerial visits to Ethiopia, indicating the purpose of the visit, in the last five years. [21369]

  The Prime Minister
  Visits made by Ministers to Ethiopia in the last five years were as follows:

  1993

  September: Baroness Chalker (Minister of State FCO/Minister for ODA)

  1995

  July: Baroness Chalker (Minister of State FCO/Minister for ODA)

  August: Mr. Baker (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office)

  1996

  November: Baroness Chalker (Minister of State FCO/Minister for ODA)

  968
  The purpose of all visits by Baroness Chalker was to review the United Kingdom's development programme in Ethiopia and to take forward dialogue on matters of mutual concern. The visit by Mr. Baker reviewed the implementation of UK immigration policy in respect of Ethiopia.

  Advisory Groups (London)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the non-elected bodies responsible to his Department which are responsible for providing advice or services in London, indicating in each case the (i) overall budget and (ii) estimated running costs for each year from 1996–97 to 1999–2000. [21376]

  The Prime Minister
  For these purposes my office is part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him today by my hon. Friend the Paymaster General.

TREASURY

  Government Borrowing (Scotland)
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the Scottish share of the United Kingdom general government borrowing requirement for each year since 1979 adopting the same methodology as that set out in the Government expenditure and revenue in Scotland 1994–95. [15669]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 13 February 1997]: The table shows the figures requested. As Scotland accounts for roughly 9 per cent. of the UK population, this implies that the Scottish fiscal deficit per capita has normally exceeded that of the UK as a whole.
  969

  Estimates of the Scottish share of the UK GGBR, excluding North Sea taxes and privatisation proceeds

  Ratio of Scottish GGBR to UK GGBR(per cent.)

  1979–80

  15

  1980–81

  17

  1981–82

  12

  1982–83

  17

  1983–84

  15

  1984–95

  13

  1985–86

  14

  1986–87

  21

  1987–88

  50

  1988–89

  —

  1989–90

  —

  1990–91

  57

  1991–92

  22

  1992–93

  17

  1993–94

  17

  1994–95

  17

  Estimates of the Scottish ratio prior to 1990–91 are very approximate. The ratios of Scottish GGBR to UK GGBR are calculated using rounded data (to the nearest billion pounds).The ratios in 1888–89 and 1989–90 cannot be calculated, as the UK GGBR was zero or negative.

  Uniform Business Rate
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of(a) the total proceeds from the uniform business rate for each local authority area in Britain in each of the last three years and (b) the amounts of such moneys paid back to each local authority in each year. [20102]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The available information has been collated, and copies have been placed in the Library of the House. The tables show(a) the contribution to the English, Welsh and Scottish non-domestic rates pools by each billing authority, and (b) the amounts redistributed from each rates pool by local authority recipient.

  Basic Pension Plus
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what revenue he expects to raise in each year from the taxation of pension fund contributions under the basic pension plus proposal; and what assumptions this estimate is based on; [20437]

  (2) what estimate he has made of lost tax revenue after 2040 due to the change in tax relief under the Government's basic pension plus proposal. [20434]

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 17 March 1997]: It is broadly estimated that the annual savings to the Exchequer from the tax change on contributions would build up gradually from some £170 million in the first year after the change to about £8 billion by around 2040. Thereafter, these savings would continue, but would be offset by a decline in income tax on pensions in payment—from an annual yield of some £7 billion—as the population under the current pension regime reduces. This decline will coincide with a rapid fall in expenditure on state retirement pension which will reach some £40 billion a year in the longer term.

  These estimates are very tentative and assume the current tax regime and levels of contributions and pensions in payment. It would not be appropriate to give
  970
  precise figures for each year, since the exact costs will depend on when the scheme is introduced, what the initial age limit is, and other details to be considered during the consultation.

  Departmental Legislation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Bills his Department has sponsored in each of the past 15 years; and how many have been passed by Parliament. [19778]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  [holding answer 18 March 1997]: The number of Bills sponsored by the Chancellor's Departments in each of the last 15 years is given in the table. All have been passed by both Houses of Parliament.

  Session

  Bills

  1982–83

  7

  1983–84

  12

  1984–85

  8

  1985–86

  5

  1986–87

  6

  1987–88

  9

  1988–89

  5

  1989–90

  7

  1990–91

  6

  1991–92

  7

  1992–93

  8

  1993–94

  5

  1994–95

  4

  1995–96

  4

  1996–97

  5

  National Lottery
  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update his answer to the hon. Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Smith) of 12 December 1994,Official Report, columns 443–44 on the national lottery, by providing equivalent figures for the years 1996–97 to 1999–2000. [20557]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 18 March 1997]: The table provides the Budget projections of payments into and out of the national lottery distribution fund.

  National lottery distribution fund—forecast income and expenditure (all figures £ million)

  Year

  Income

  Expenditure

  1996–97

  1,541

  600

  1997–98

  1,400

  1,200

  1998–99

  1,470

  1,500

  1999–2000

  1,540

  1,800

  ECOFIN
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the recent Council meeting of the Economic and Finance Ministers of the European Union. [21422]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  I represented the UK at the Economic and Finance Council—ECOFIN—of the European Union in Brussels on 17 March.
  971
  The Council carried out an examination of the revised convergence programmes of Germany and France for the period 1997–2001. The German strategy of pursuing budgetary consolidation while promoting growth and employment through structural reforms was welcomed. The Council also welcomed the objective in the French programme of reducing the Government deficit in the medium term and the measures they have proposed to achieve this.

  The Council agreed to the reactivation of previously agreed balance of payments lending to Romainia. Lending to Bulgaria was discussed, but no conclusion reached and the matter will be considered again at a future meeting.

  The Council recommended that the European Parliament should grant the Commission discharge for the 1995 budget. However, the Council noted that standards of financial management of the EC budget remained low, and looked forward to the effect of measures in the Commission's sound and efficient management 2000 initiative to improve resource management. A progress report on this initiative is due in June.

  The Commission presented proposals for an energy products directive. I made it clear that any proposals which would require the UK to introduce new taxes on gas, electricity or coal would be unacceptable.

  Numbers and proportion of part-time employees

  Male

  Female

  Number

  Percentage of all employees

  Number

  Percentage of all employees

  June 1971

  n/a

  n/a

  2,757,000

  34

  June 1980

  n/a

  n/a

  3,919,000

  42

  June 1990

  999,000

  8

  4,677,000

  44

  June 1996

  1,235,000

  11

  4,904,000

  46

  A more detailed breakdown on part-time work by number of hours and gender is available in the attached tables which have been taken from the New Earnings Survey.
  Copies of the New Earnings Survey itself are available in the House of Commons Library. I will arrange for a copy of the tables to be placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Unemployed People (Skills and Qualifications)
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a breakdown of the skills and qualifications held by those people unemployed in(a) Welwyn and Hatfield and (b) Hertfordshire. [21308]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  [holding answer 20 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. Stephen Byers, dated 21 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 skills and qualifications held by those people unemployed in (a) Welwyn and Hatfield and (b) Hertfordshire.
  972
  Council discussed technical specifications of euro coins, but no final decisions were reached on this issue. The Council will need to return to this issue at some point in the future.

  Working Hours
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many and what percentage of(a) male and (b) female employees worked (i) less than eight hours a week, (ii) less than 16 hours a week and (iii) part-time in (1) 1970, (2) 1980, (3) 1990 and (4) the most recent year for which figures are available; [21065]

  (2) what was the average number of hours per week worked by (a) full-time and (b) part-time employees in (i) 1970, (ii) 1980, (iii) 1990 and (iv) the most recent year for which figures are available by gender. [21066]

  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. Gerry Steinberg, dated 21 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 number and percentage of male and female employees who worked less than eight hours a week; less than 16 hours a week and part-time in 1970, 1980, 1990 and most recently.
  The only consistent source going back to 1970 is the New Earnings Survey from which this response is derived.
  For the general category of part-time employees the estimates requested are as follows:
  According to 1995 Labour Force Survey Local Area Database, the estimated number of people in Welwyn and Hatfield unemployed under the standard International Labour Office (ILO) definition was less than 6,000. Only estimates above 6,000 are considered reliable enough to be released. Therefore no information can be made available about the skills or qualifications of the unemployed in Welwyn and Hatfield.
  The available breakdown of those ILO unemployed in Hertfordshire by highest qualification is shown in the table below:

  ILO unemployed in Hertfordshire by highest qualification

  (thousands)

  Number

  NVQ level 4 and equivalents and above1

  6

  Below NVQ level 4

  21

  No qualifications

  9

  All2

  37

  Notes:

  1 Higher Education qualifications.

  2 Total includes those who did not state their qualifications.

  Source:

  ONS, 1995 LFS Local Area Database.

  The LFS Local Area Database can be accessed via the House of Commons Library.
  973

  Income
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the average annual rate of increase in average net real disposable income(a) between 1974 and 1979 and (b) since 1979; [21497]

  (2) what was the percentage increase in average net real disposable income (a) between 1974 and 1979 and(b) since 1979. [21496]

  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 Sir John Stanley, dated 21 March 1997:
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply as the Director of the Office for National Statistics to your recent questions on the rates of increase in real disposable income. I have assumed that the question relates to real disposable income for the economy as a whole.
  The increase in real personal disposable income between 1974 and 1979 was 11.4 per cent and from 1979 to 1995 (the latest available information) the increase was 45.5 per cent. The equivalent changes at annual rates are 2.2. per cent. and 2.4 per cent. respectively.
  Information on real personal disposable income is published annually in table 4.1 of the ONS publication United Kingdom National Accounts, the Blue Book and estimates of the percentage changes at annual rates in table 16.12. This information is also held on the ONS database. These sources are available in the House of Commons Library.

  Corporation Tax
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement of the level of corporation tax in Britain relative to that in other EU countries; and when corporation tax in the United Kingdom was last below its present level. [21499]

  Mr. Jack
  The United Kingdom continues to provide one of the lowest rates of corporation tax in the European Union. At no time since the introduction of corporation tax in 1965 has the main rate of corporation tax been lower than its present level of 33 per cent.

  Adult Learning Courses
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on recent changes in the treatment for VAT of adult learning courses. [21509]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  I am not aware of any recent changes.

  Advisory Groups (London)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the non-elected bodies responsible to his Department which are responsible for providing advice or services in London, indicating in each case the (i) overall budget and (ii) estimated running costs for each year from 1996–97 to 1999–2000. [21385]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I cannot answer substantively before Parliament is prorogued. I will, however, write to the hon. Member.
  974

  Youth Unemployment
  Sir Irvine Patnick
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the rate of youth unemployment in(a) the United Kingdom(b) Italy, (c) Spain, (d) Germany and (e) France; if he will give the EC average; and if he will make statement. [21366]

  Mr. 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 Sir Irvine Patnick, dated 21 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 rate of youth unemployment in the United Kingdom and other EC countries.
  Estimates are available for the United Kingdom from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The LFS uses the International Labour Office (ILO) definition of unemployment which is widely accepted and used for international comparisons. According to estimates from the autumn 1996 LFS 15.6 per cent of people aged 16–24 were ILO unemployed in the UK.
  European comparisons are published in the Eurostat annual publication Labour Force Survey Results. ILO unemployment rates for various age groups are shown on table 8 of the latest edition which is for 1995. This publication is available in the House of Commons Library.

  Cancer Deaths
  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many deaths there have been from cancer in people under the age of 40 years in each health authority region in each of the last 10 years. [21549]

  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 Dr. John Cunningham, dated 21 March 1997:
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply as Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to your recent question asking how many deaths have occurred from cancer in people under the age of 40 years in each health authority region in each of the last 10 years.
  This information is published from 1986 to 1992 in Table 4 of "Mortality statistics: area, England and Wales", series DH5, no. 13 to no. 19, and from 1993 to 1995 in VS3 tables which are available on floppy disk. All of these sources can be accessed in the House of Commons library.
  New procedures for coding cause of death from 1993 mean that figures for 1993 onwards may not be exactly comparable with earlier years. More details may be found in ONS Series DH2 for 1993 (revised) and 1994, which was published in September 1996. Copies are available in the House of Commons library.

  Regina v. Rees and Rotheroe
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost to public funds of the case of Regina v. Rees and Rotheroe, separately identifying the costs of lawyers' fees. [21552]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  The direct identifiable costs of the customs investigation which gave rise to the case of Regina v. Rees and Rotheroe amount to approximately

  975
  £20,250. Identifiable costs of customs lawyers are approximately £32,500. In addition there will be direct management costs which cannot be separately identified.

  Payments so far made to counsel involved in the case amount to £7,300. The remaining costs of counsel for the prosecution and the defence costs to be paid out of public funds have still to be assessed. The details cannot therefore be provided at this time.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will list those of the Royal Mint's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to(a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice supplied from; [21745]

  (2) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Royal Mint (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement; [21706]

  (3) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Royal Mint (a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21712]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  None.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to(a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from; [21750]

  (2) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement; [21711]

  (3) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21701]

  Mrs. Knight
  The information could not be obtained in the time available before Prorogation.

  Consultancy Contracts
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the(a) home and (b) overseas consultancy contracts which have been held by the panel of independent forecasters and have been notified to him. [21778]
  976
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  Membership of the panel of independent forecasters imposes no formal restrictions on the other work undertaken by its members. Members are therefore under no obligation to notify the Chancellor of the Exchequer of consultancy contracts which they undertake in their own capacity.

  Building Societies
  Mr. French
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to revise the guidance notes published by the Building Societies Commission in respect of section 102A of the Building Societies Act 1986 as inserted by the Building Societies (Joint Account Holders) Act 1995. [21669]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  None. Guidance on conversion procedures is a matter for the commission. The guidance that it published in March 1996 took full account of the Building Societies (Joint Account Holders) Act 1995.

  International Monetary Fund
  Mr. Legg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to be able to respond to the fourth report from the Treasury Committee on the International Monetary, Fund HC 68. [21823]

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I have today written to the hon. Member as Chairman of the Treasury Committee setting out the response of the Government. Copies of my letter are being placed in the Library of the House.

  Finance Act 1997
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the operation of sections 97 and 102 of the Finance Act 1997. [21820]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The definition of "intermediary" for the purposes of the new relief aims broadly to distinguish between dealers and end-investors, on the lines recommended by the Securities and Investments Board in its report to the Chancellor in July 1996.

  Sections 97 and 102 of the Finance Act 1997 define "intermediary" as a person who carries on a bona fide business of dealing in stock or securities, and who does not also carry on a business which the sections describe as an "excluded business". It will depend on the facts of the particular case whether a dealer is also carrying on an "excluded business".

  One category of "excluded business" is a business which consists wholly or mainly in making or managing investments. Thus if the dealing firm also carries on a separate business of making and managing investments in exchange-traded chargeable securities or stock on its own behalf, that would be an excluded business and the dealer would not qualify as an intermediary, But if the dealer is holding such investments merely as an incidental part of a dealing activity taxable under case 1 of schedule D, and not as a separate business, that would not disqualify the firm from being an intermediary. For example, if the dealer buys and holds shares merely to hedge derivative contracts which it has made, that would not be regarded as a business of making investments for the purpose of the excluded business test.
  977
  Similarly, the Inland Revenue would not regard a dealer as disqualified merely because the firm also makes and manages investments for clients, if the investments are not beneficially owned by the dealer. By contrast, if the dealer purchases investments for clients and the clients hold something short of beneficial ownership in those investments—as would happen, for example, under the American arrangements known as prime brokerage—that would be regarded as a business of making or managing investments for the purpose of the excluded business test.

  A firm may also be excluded from relief if it carries on a business which consists wholly or mainly of providing services to persons with which the firm is connected, such as members of the same group of companies. For example, if he dealer carries on a business of taking positions in equities as a service to connected persons who would not themselves qualify for relief as intermediaries, the sections would exclude the firm from relief. The Inland Revenue would not however regard the dealer as disqualified if business with connected persons is merely an incidental part of the firm's business with third parties, or if the services the firm provides are not related to handling securities within the scope of stamp duty and stamp duty reserve tax—such as research, secretarial or cleaning services. If the dealing firm buys chargeable securities merely in order to hedge the group's exposure as a result of derivative contracts undertaken with third parties by other members of the group, that would not be regarded as an excluded business.

  The sections include a power for the Treasury to make regulations to alter the definition of intermediary, if that proves necessary. That will give flexibility to respond to market developments, or to deal with any particular practical problems which emerge as the new regime is introduced.

  I understand that concern has also been expressed about the way in which relief may be withdrawn if the Inland Revenue concludes that a firm which has been recognised as an intermediary has in fact been carrying on an excluded business. The treatment of a particular case will depend on the precise facts. For example, if the intermediary had been recognised on the basis of incorrect or misleading information which it had provided about the nature of its business, any relief already given would be withdrawn. Similarly, if the firm had knowingly started to carry on an excluded business after being recognised as intermediary, it would generally be appropriate to withdraw relief from the time the excluded business started. On the other hand, where the business was extended inadvertently into an excluded area, or there were genuine doubts about whether a particular part of the business came into the excluded category, the Inland Revenue's practice would be to give the intermediary an opportunity to modify or reorganise the business so as to retain intermediary status; and if a decision was taken to discontinue the relief, past transactions would not be affected. If firms have doubts about whether particular types of business are excluded business, they may discuss the issues with the Inland Revenue. The Inland Revenue will consider issuing guidance on other aspects of the new regime if it proves necessary.

  In order to qualify for the intermediaries' relief, intermediaries will have to be recognised as such by the exchange of which they are members, under arrangements approved by the Inland Revenue.
  978

  Investment Companies
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further progress has been made with proposals for open-ended investment companies which are not subject to the undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities directive. [21821]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  Proposals to permit the formation of non-UCITS open ended investment companies were published in a Treasury consultation document, "Open-Ended Investment The Next Generation", in December 1996. The proposals secured a wide measure of support and the Treasury has received a number of helpful responses from the investment fund industry and other interested parties.

  I regret that it has not proved possible to complete the proposed legislation in this Session. The Government remain committed to providing powers for the formation of non-UCITS open ended investment companies.

  Stamp Duty
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the intends to bring into force the new stamp duty and stamp duty reserve tax reliefs for intermediaries and for stock borrowing and repo arrangements. [21822]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  Sections 97, 98, 102 and 103 of the Finance Act 1997 provide for the new regime to be brought into force from a date to be appointed by the Treasury. Our current planning assumption is that the new regime will be brought into force in September. The precise start date will depend on how soon all the necessary practical arrangements can be put in place. In particular CREST will have to adapt its present system for administering the present reliefs in order to cater for the new reliefs instead. It will take a little time to design and test the new system, and we are grateful to CREST for fitting this change into its programme over the next few months. Market participants will also need to adapt their systems accordingly.

  Mersey Docks and Harbour Company
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage stake the Government currently holds in the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company; what is the current cash value of this stake; and what practical steps the Government have taken to resolve the current industrial dispute. [21635]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Government hold some 13.9 per cent. of the issued share capital in the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company. The current market value of this stake is approximately £53.4 million. The industrial dispute between the company and its former employees is a matter for the parties concerned. The Government do not intervene in such matters.

  Abortions
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many legal abortions were performed in 1995(a) with anti-progesterone and (b) without overnight stay on women resident (i) in each health region and (ii) in each district health authority in

  979
  England and Wales; and how many of these abortions involved (1) NHS hospitals; (2) NHS agency arrangements and (3) other purchasers. [21827]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  I have been asked to reply, but cannot do so before Parliament is prorogued. I will, however, write to the right hon. Member.

  Rent Payment
  Mr. Brooke
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement concerning the payment of rent in the context of section 37 of the Finance Act.[21824]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  Section 37 is an anti-avoidance measure dealing primarily with the situation where a person funds the purchase or construction of a building with a view to occupying it for VAT-exempt purposes. The measure has been drafted so as not to disturb ordinary arms-length commercial leasing arrangements and genuine speculative property development. In these circumstances a tenant simply paying rent is not providing finance for the landlord's initial purchase or construction of the building.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Denmark (Jane Horney)
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from Denmark in connection with the disappearance of Jane Horney. [20350]

  Dr. Liam Fox
  None.

  St. Helena
  Sir David Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) which factors relating to the publicly expressed views of a visitor to St. Helena may be considered in determining the continuance of his leave to remain. [21360]

  (2) what instructions were given by the Government of St. Helena to the immigration officers of the island concerning the ending of the visitor's permit for Mr. Mikael Olsson; and what factors underlay this decision.[21361]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  None. The immigration officer implements the St. Helena Government's immigration policy under the provision of the Immigration Ordinance 1972. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Wrexham (Dr. Marek) on 20 March 1997,Official Report, column 770.

  Indonesia
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the internal review of the use, by Indonesia, of United Kingdom-supplied armoured water cannon will be completed. [21407]

  Mr. Hanley
  We shall continue to study any allegations which we may receive of misuse of British-supplied defence equipment.
  980
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what Government representations have been made to the Indonesian authorities regarding the use of United Kingdom-supplied Scorpion for internal security purposes in the forthcoming Indonesian elections. [21406]

  Mr. Hanley
  The Indonesian authorities have given us assurances that British-supplied military equipment will not be used against civilians. They are fully aware of the importance which the British Government attach to these assurances.

  Riot Control Equipment
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy that no further licences for the export of(a) armoured water cannon and (b) other riot control equipment, will be issued until the current inquiry is completed. [21408]

  Mr. Hanley
  We shall continue to consider any such applications on their individual merits.

  EU Ambassadors
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries and the international organisations to which EU representatives are accredited with ambassadorial status.[21501]

  Mr. David Davis
  The countries and international organisations to which the European Commission have accredited representatives are listed below. Some of these countries choose to treat the commission delegate or representative as an ambassador and grant him or her privileges and immunities, but this is largely a matter of local custom.

  Albania

  Algeria

  Angola

  Antigua and Barbuda

  Argentina

  Australia

  Bangladesh

  Barbados

  Belize

  Benin

  Bolivia

  Botswana

  Brazil

  Bulgaria

  Burkina Faso

  Burundi

  Cameroon

  Canada

  Cape Verde

  Central African Republic

  Chad

  Chile

  China

  Colombia

  Comoros

  Congo

  Costa Rica

  Cyprus

  Czech Republic

  Djibouti

  Dominican Republic

  Egypt

  Equatorial Guinea

  981

  Eritrea

  Estonia

  Ethiopia

  Fiji

  Former Yugoslavia

  Gabon

  Gambia

  Georgia

  Ghana

  Grenada

  Guatemala

  Guinea (Conakry)

  Guinea-Bissau

  Guyana

  Haiti

  Hong Kong

  Hungary

  India

  Indonesia

  Israel

  Ivory Coast

  Jamaica

  Japan

  Jordan

  Kazakhastan

  Kenya

  Latvia

  Lebanon

  Lesotho

  Liberia

  Lithuania

  Madagascar

  Malawi

  Mali

  Malta

  Mauritania

  Mauritius

  Mexico

  Morocco

  Mozambique

  Namibia

  Netherlands Antilles

  New Caledonia

  Nicaragua

  Niger

  Nigeria (Lagos)

  Nigeria (Abuja)

  Norway

  Pakistan

  Papua New Guinea

  Peru

  Philippines

  Poland

  Romania

  Russia

  Rwanda

  Sao Tome and Principe

  Senegal

  Sierra Leone

  Slovakia

  Slovenia

  Solomon Islands

  Somalia

  South Africa (Pretoria)

  South Africa (Cape Town)

  South Korea

  Sri Lanka

  Sudan

  Surinam

  Swaziland

  Syria

  Tanzania

  Thailand

  Togo

  Tonga

  Trinidad and Tobago

  982

  Tunisia

  Turkey

  Uganda

  Ukraine

  United States of America

  Uruguay

  Vanuatu

  Venezuela

  Vietnam

  West Bank and Gaza

  Western Samoa

  Zaire

  Zambia

  Zimbabwe

  UN Geneva

  UN New York

  UNESCO Paris

  FAO Rome

  OSCE Vienna

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under what section of the EU treaties representatives of the European Union are accorded ambassadorial status; and if he will make a statement on the basis of their ambassadorial status. [21500]

  Mr. Davis
  No provisions of the EU treaty, or the treaties establishing the European Communities, provides for according ambassadorial status to any representatives of the European Union. Delegations of the European Commission in third countries are in practice often accorded privileges and immunities by their host states. The head of delegation is the Commissions's representative and known as the delegate. Some countries choose to treat delegates as ambassadors; but this is largely a matter of local custom.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which(a) admit members of the public to all board and committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21447]

  Mr. Hanley
  I have nothing to add to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member on 21 February 1996,Official Report, column 173.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement; [21717]

  (2) if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to (a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from; [21739]

  (3) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e)

  983
  publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21694]

  Mr. Hanley
  I shall write to the hon. Member shortly.

  Libya
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 26 November 1996,Official Report, column 150, if he will make a statement on his latest discussions with the United States Government on Libyan sanctions; and if he will make a statement on changes in his Department's policy on sanctions towards Libya in each of the last four years. [21551]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  UK and US Government officials discussed UN sanctions against Libya in the weeks preceding the review of sanctions on 14 March. Both Governments remain committed to the rigorous implementation of the sanctions until Libya has complied fully with UN Security Council resolutions 731 and 748. It remains Her Majesty's Government's policy that, since the break in relations with Libya in 1984, we neither encourage nor discourage unembargoed trade with Libya. We support UK exporters to the extent that our limited resources in Tripoli allow.

  Libya's continued failure to surrender the two Lockerbie accused, and to comply with the other requirements of the UN Security Council, caused the adoption of resolution 883 which imposed further sanctions effective from 1 December 1993; specifically, a partial assets freeze, a ban on the supply of certain oil-related equipment, and a tightening of sanctions imposed by SCR 748.

  UK sanctions against Libya are reviewed every four months. There has been no change in Her Majesty's Government's policy on Libya sanctions since they were imposed, because the reasons for imposing them remain valid.

  Balkans
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice his Department has received from James Pettifer in respect of(a) Albania and (b) other Balkan states. [21577]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  I shall write to the hon. Member shortly.

  Freedom International
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list know-how fund consultancy contracts awarded to Freedom International, indicating in each case the year awarded, approximate value, countries concerned and brief description of the project. [21775]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  I shall write to the hon. Member shortly.

  Albania
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list the principal areas of advice and assistance given to the Berisha 984
  Government in Albania in the fields of (a) macroeconomic management, (b) financial services regulation and (c) prevention of serious fraud. [21666]

  (2) if he will list the United Kingdom (a) firms, (b) partnerships and (c) individuals who have been paid via the know-how fund to provide services (i) in Albania or (ii) to the Albanian Government since April 1991. [21665]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  I shall write to the hon. Member shortly.

  European Parliament
  Mr. Temple-Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the United Kingdom will oppose proposals at the intergovernmental conference to include in the treaty a provision requiring the European Parliament to continue to divide its activities between Brussels, Luxembourg and Strasbourg. [21668]

  Mr. David Davis
  I shall write to my hon. Friend shortly.

  Liverpool Macroeconomic Research
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list know-how fund consultancy contracts awarded to Liverpool Macroeconomic Research or its principals, indicating in each case the year awarded, approximate value, countries concerned and brief description of the project. [21774]

  Sir Nicolas Bonsor
  I shall write to the hon. Member shortly.

  Sudan
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the possible outcomes of the current fights between the National Democratic Alliance/SPLA forces and the forces of the Government of Sudan; what action he proposes to take; and if he will make a statement. [21825]

  Mr. Hanley
  I shall write to the hon. Member shortly.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Scottish Members of Parliament
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what was the aggregate amount spent on(a) parliamentary salaries, (b) office costs allowance, (c) additional costs allowance, and (d) travel expenditure in respect of hon. Members representing Scottish constituencies in 1996. [21598]

  Mr. Newton
  I regret that the information requested is not in a form which can readily be extracted. However, I have asked the Fees Office to write to the hon. Member in due course with the information he has requested.

LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Lord President of the Council which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) hold public meetings,

  985
  (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21709]

  Mr. Newton
  I am not responsible for any non-departmental public bodies.

  Drugs
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what research his Department has commissioned into the use of drugs by young people; and if he will make a statement. [21595]

  Mr. Newton
  The Privy Council Office has not commissioned any research into the use of drugs by young people.

  Under the Government's tackling drugs together strategy, the Department of Health was given the responsibility of commissioning research into drug misuse among 11 to 35 year-olds. The first survey of over 5,000 people was conducted by the Health Education Authority and BMPvB International in autumn 1995, and the results published in May 1996. A second survey was conducted in autumn 1996, and the results will be made available later this year.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what formal assessments have been made of the effectiveness of the different elements of the anti-drugs campaign; and if he will make a statement. [21594]

  Mr. Newton
  The Government are vigorously implementing complementary drug strategies in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, tailored to the circumstances of each country. The effectiveness of each of these strategies is under regular review, under the auspices of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on the Misuse of Drugs.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what discussions his Department has had with the Economic and Social Research Council about applied social research on drug taking; and if he will make a statement. [21596]

  Mr. Newton
  The central drugs co-ordination unit in the Privy Council Office was offered the opportunity, which it accepted, to comment on the most recent drug-related research grant applications to the Economic and Social Research Council.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Advisory Bodies (London)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will list the non-elected bodies responsible to his Department which are responsible for providing advice or services in London, indicating in each case the (i) overall budget and (ii) estimated running costs for each year from 1996–97 to 1999–2000. [21377]

  Mr. Bates
  Within the Cabinet Office, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is responsible for the performance of Millennium Central Ltd. the operating 986
  company which will set up and run the millennium exhibition in Greenwich. It is not possible to provide figures for the overall budget and estimated running costs of MCL, as these will not be available until the business plan for the exhibition has been finalised.

  Criminal Conviction Certificates
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if those organisations which are expected to undertake basic checks as a part of contracting for Government business are also required to obtain criminal conviction certificates from employees; and if he will make a statement. [21415]

  Mr. Freeman
  Government contractors are obliged to carry out basic checks on employees and potential employees who, in the course of working on a particular contract, have a requirement to have access to Government assets. As part of the basic check procedure, employees and potential employees are required to provide a declaration of unspent criminal convictions. This may be passed direct to the contracting Department or agency rather than the employer if the employee prefers.

  The Government's proposals for new arrangements for access to criminal records have been set out in the Police Bill. This provides that, in future, individuals will be able to obtain certificated details of their own criminal convictions. These developments will be kept under review with regard to their possible application in the area of basic checks and in security vetting more widely.

  Admiralty Arch
  Mr. Derek Foster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has made for the future of Admiralty Arch. [21429]

  Mr. Freeman
  Good progress is being made with preparations for the transfer of this important historic building to a new body that will enable it to be renovated and re-used for the benefit of organisations concerned with the promotion of London.

  The executive agency currently responsible for its management, Property Advisers to the Civil Estate has drawn up a long lease providing for its occupation by a not-for-profit company or trust representing Londoners' interests through business, local government, the voluntary sector and faith communities. The lease would be subject to the availability of appropriate funding, for example from the national lottery heritage fund. It is envisaged that the trust would be headed by a co-chairmanship.

  The new organisation would then be responsible for the refurbishment and maintenance of Admiralty Arch and for arranging for its occupation by appropriate bodies whose purpose is the promotion of London. Several charities and similar organisations have already expressed strong interest.

  In the meantime, work is about to begin on strengthening the building. This will entail sequential closures of the arches to traffic and pedestrians which will be phased over the next 16 weeks in order to minimise disruption.
  987

  Citizens Charters
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) how many citizens charters adopted by national public services(a) have their performance indicators validated and verified by an external body and (b) specify enforceable rights for particular standards of service; and if he will identify those services under (a) and (b); [21802]

  (2) if he will list each citizens charter; indicating which involved consultation with consumers in (a) setting performance standards and (b) their preparation; [21783]

  (3) if he will list those national citizens charters which(a) provide complaints procedures in line with recommendations of the complaints task force and(b) provide financial compensation for users when particular standards have not been met; and if he will publish for each the figures for compensation paid out in each financial year since the charter was implemented; [21782]

  (4) how many of the national citizens charters are available (a) in an appropriate form for the visually impaired and (b) in two or more languages other than English; and if he will list those charters in each category; [21780]

  (5) if he will list all national public services which have not yet published a citizens charter. [21819]

  Mr. Freeman
  I shall write to the hon. Member and place copies in the Libraries of the House.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list those of the Central Office of Information's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to(a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish this response to advice from. [21733]

  Mr. Freeman
  The Central Office of Information does not sponsor any advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to(a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Central Office for Information(a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary. [21688]

  Mr. Freeman
  The Advisory Committee on Advertising is the only non-departmental public body sponsored by the Central Office of Information. It:(a) does not have a statutory base, (b) does not publish its advice to Government, (c) does not publish an annual report and (d) does not lay an annual report before Parliament.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government,(c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report
  988
  before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is (i) under a statutory requirement or (ii) voluntary; [21689]

  (2) if he will list those Cabinet Office's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to (a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from; [21732]

  (3) if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to (a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from; [21731]

  (4) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21682]

  Mr. Freeman
  I shall write to the hon. Member and place copies in the Libraries of the House.

WALES

  Public Transport (Cardiff)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what provision he has made for a public sector contribution to the funding under the private finance initiative of the Bute avenue and allied public transport scheme in the financial years(a) 1997–98 and (b) 1988–99. [21530]

  Mr. Hague
  Cardiff Bay development corporation is currently evaluating private sector bids for Bute avenue. It would be prejudicial to negotiations to reveal information about what public sector provision has been made for the project.

  Public bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which of the national health service bodies sponsored by his Department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) a register of members' interests; and if this is in each case under a statutory requirement. [21431]

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  There is a statutory obligation on national health service trusts to publish an annual report, all other NHS bodies are required to do so by the code of conduct and accountability. There is a statutory obligation on all NHS bodies to publish annual accounts, but no obligation on them to publish minutes of their meetings, although many do. Health authorities and special health authorities are statutorily required to publish the agendas of their meetings. All NHS bodies are required by the code of conduct and accountability to maintain a register of members' interests.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base. [21754]

  Mr. Hague
  The Historic Buildings Council for Wales; the Ancient Monuments Board for Wales; the local government boundary commission; the staff commission
  989
  for Wales; the Welsh industrial development advisory board; the Environment Agency advisory committee for Wales; the Agricultural Dwelling House Advisory Committee; the Welsh Dental Committee; the Welsh Medical Committee; the Welsh Optical Committee; the Welsh Pharmaceutical Committee; the Welsh Nursing and Midwifery Committee; the Hill Farming Advisory Sub-Committee for Wales and the Library and Information Services Council.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which of the national health service bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; and if he will list those bodies which(a) admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21760]

  Mr. Jones
  All national health service bodies, as defined by the Cabinet Office, have a statutory basis. Health authorities and special health authorities are statutorily required to admit members of the public to their meetings. NHS trusts are statutorily required to hold an annual public meeting and many voluntarily open board meetings to the public.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which(a) admit members of the public to all board and committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21438]

  Mr. Hague
  The information requested is as follows: the Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales, the Countryside Council for Wales, the Cardiff Bay development corporation, the Development Board for Rural Wales, the Further and Higher Education Funding Council, Housing for Wales, the Land Authority for Wales, the Residuary Body for Wales, the Welsh Development Agency, the Welsh Language Board, the Welsh National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting, the Wales tourist board and the agricultural wages committees are all established by statute. Other bodies are established under royal warrant or royal charter.(a) The Residuary Body for Wales and the Land Authority for Wales are both required by statute, under the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, to open their board meetings to the public. For the Land Authority for Wales, the public may, by resolution, be excluded from meetings if the nature of the business is confidential or for other special reasons. The public are allowed access to board meetings of the Welsh national board but are asked to leave if confidential matters are to be discussed.
  (b) No NDPB is statutorily required to hold open meetings for the public: the Countryside Council for Wales; the National Library for Wales and the National Museums and Galleries of Wales hold such meetings voluntarily.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to(a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21748]

  Mr. Hague
  There are no such bodies.
  990
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the national health service bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [21757]

  Mr. Jones
  National health service bodies, as defined by the Cabinet Office, are subject to investigation by the health service commissioner for Wales (ombudsman), and scrutiny by both the Audit Commission and the National Audit Office.

  The principles of open government are incorporated in the code of practice on openness in the national health service with which all national health service bodies must comply. The principles of the citizen's charter apply to national health service bodies and have been incorporated into the patient's charter.

  The Welsh Office health department monitors the performance of all national health service bodies in Wales.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21708]

  Mr. Hague
  The information requested is as follows:(a) None;

  (b) the local government boundary commission has a statutory duty to conduct consultation exercises. The staff commission for Wales conducts such exercises voluntarily as appropriate;

  (c) to (f) none.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answers of 13 March,Official Report, columns 299–00, if he has received a copy of the briefing note to the board of the Llandough NHS trust dated 27 February, headed "Barry Hospital Defects Progress report"; if he will place a copy of it in the Library; what assessment he has made of the contents of paragraph 2.2 with particular reference to Welsh Health Estates taking over responsibility for the project management of Barry hospital; what further consideration he will give to the previous answers given on the respective responsibilities for project management of Beard Dove and Welsh Health Estates; and if he will make a statement. [21773]

  Mr. Hague
  I have not received a copy of the report.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the project management work for which Beard Dove took over responsibility for the estate care division of Welsh Health Common Services Authority (i) at the time of the division's privatisation and (ii) since July 1996; which of those projects have since been completed; and if he will list(a) the value of work done,

  991
  (b) fees earned, (c) estimated value of the transferred assets, and (d) liabilities and responsibilities at the time of privatisation. [21776]

  Mr. Hague
  This information is not available centrally. Details of project management work transferred to Beard Dove on 1 July 1996 is held by the Welsh Health Common Services Authority.

  Developments since then are a matter for individual trusts.

  Speech Therapists
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many speech therapists there are in each health authority area; and what assessment he has made of the necessary establishment of speech therapists in each area. [21602]

  Mr Gwilym Jones
  The information is given in the table. Speech therapists employed by NHS trusts are shown in the health authority area in which the trust is situated. It is a matter for trusts to determine the number required.

  Speech therapists (whole time equivalent numbers), 30 September 19951

  New health authority area

  Number (wte)

  Bro Taf

  46

  Dyfed Powys

  28

  Gwent

  29

  Morgannwg

  45

  North Wales

  51

  1Excluding a small number of speech therapists paid on local pay scales for whom no details of occupation are available centrally.

  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of(a) the recruitment and (b) the provision of speech therapists in Wales. [21601]

  Mr. Jones
  A survey of speech therapy departments in Wales was carried out in 1996 which identified 14.1 whole-time equivalent vacancies. NHS trusts indicated that there were some recruitment difficulties. Provision is being made for a further eight speech therapists to be trained in each annual cohort in Wales in addition to the 22 student places available.

  Community Hospitals
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 13 March,Official Report, column 300, what consultation he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority in relation to restitution payments by Beard Dove to the authority, following the termination of its project management responsibility for Barry Community hospital and its transfer to Welsh Health Estates. [21777]

  Mr. Hague
  None. All issues surrounding this matter are still being considered by Llandough hospital and Community NHS trust.

  Cardiff Bay Barrage
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library all material documents relating to his arrangements and obligations to the European Commission in respect of wildlife 992
  compensatory measures for the Cardiff bay barrage; and if he will make a statement on the extent and nature of his obligations. [21787]

  Mr. Hague
  I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.

  Citizens Charters
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list those national citizens charters which(a) provide complaints procedures in line with recommendations of the complaints task force and(b) provide financial compensation for users when particular standards have not been met; and if he will publish for each the figures for compensation paid out in each financial year since the charter was implemented; [21797]

  (2) how many citizens charters adopted by national public services (a) have their performance indicators validated and verified by an external body and (b) specify enforceable rights for particular standards of service; and if he will identify those services under (a) and (b); [21804]

  (3) if he will list all national citizens charters, indicating which involved consumer consultation in (a) the setting of their performance standards and (b) their preparation; [21799]

  (4) if he will list the gross public spending for each year since 1990–91, in 1996–97 prices on (a) grant-maintained schools, (b) city technology colleges, (c) training and enterprise councils and (d) career service companies; [21810]

  (5) how many of the national citizens charters are available (a) in an appropriate form for the visually impaired and (b) in two or more languages other than English; and if he will identify those charters under (a) and (b). [21813]

  Mr. Hague
  I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on progress on signing PFI contracts for(a) Chepstow hospital and (b) the Red Barn project in the grounds of Nevill Hall hospital, Abergavenny. [21667]

  Mr. Hague
  I expect the contract for the Chepstow neighbourhood health unit to be signed shortly. The Red Barn project is currently under consideration by Gwent Community NHS trust and Gwent health authority.
  993

SCOTLAND

  Doctors and Nurses
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of(a) doctors and (b) nurses by grade, employed by each area health board in Scotland in each year since 1985; and if he will make a statement. [21274]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I shall write to the hon. Member and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the House Library.

  Farm Enterprises
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the average public subsidy for UK and EU funds to(a) dairy, (b) arable and (c) livestock farm enterprises in Roxburgh and Berwickshire and in Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale for the last five years for which figures are available. [21538]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  I shall write to the hon. Member and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the House Library.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) have a statutory base,(b) publish their advice to government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement; [21723]

  (2) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises,(c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement; [21698]

  (3) if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to (a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from; [21746]

  (4) if he will list the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner,(b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizen's charter; [21451]

  (5) which of the national health service bodies sponsored by his Department publish (a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) a register of members' interests; and if this is in each case under a statutory requirement; [21432]

  (6) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Scottish Courts Administration (a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an
  994
  annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement; [21713]

  (7) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Scottish Courts Administration (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement; [21707]

  (8) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Scottish Courts Administration have a statutory base; [21755]

  (9) if he will list those of the Scottish Court Administration's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to (a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21747]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I shall write to the hon. Member and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the House Library.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the national health service bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration,(b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [21756]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  National health service bodies in Scotland are subject to investigation by the Health Service Commissioner (Ombudsman), and scrutiny by both the Accounts Commission and the National Audit Office.

  The principles of open government are incorporated in the code of practice on openness in NHS in Scotland to which all national health service bodies must have regard. The principles of the citizens charter apply to national health service bodies and have been incorporated into the patients charter.

  The Scottish health service management executive monitors the performance of all national health service bodies in Scotland.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which of the national health service bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; and if he will list those bodies which(a) admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21759]
  995
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  All national health service bodies in Scotland have a statutory basis. Health boards and special health boards are statutorily required to admit members of the public to their meetings, unless by resolution they exclude the public to all or part of their meetings for a specific reason, for example, security considerations. NHS trusts are statutorily required to hold an annual public meeting and many trusts voluntarily admit the public to their board meetings. The Mental Welfare Commission, the Common Services Agency and the National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland are not required to hold any board meetings to which the public is admitted.

  Persons with a charge proved where the main crime was a sexual offence against a child aged under 16, Scotland 1990–1994

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  Lewd and libidinous practices

  172

  160

  154

  159

  182

  Unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13

  9

  2

  7

  8

  3

  Unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 16

  97

  91

  57

  53

  67

  Causing or encouraging seduction, prostitution etc. of a girl under 16

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Taking or making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children

  1

  —

  5

  —

  2

  Small Towns Initiative
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what budget has been allocated to Scottish Enterprise to finance the small towns initiative; and if he will make a statement. [21548]

  Mr. Kynoch
  The budget allocation to Scottish Enterprise is not generally hypothecated to particular initiatives. The 1997–98 costs to Scottish Enterprise of the small towns initiative are expected to be met from its overall budget of £464 million. This budget was determined after consultation with Scottish Enterprise and, with the agreement of the chairmen of that organisation, took account of expected levels of expenditure on the initiative.

  Mr. W. J. Duff
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in what year auditors working for Greater Glasgow health board first took note of the exceptional nature of the annual service fees paid to Mr. W. J. Duff; and what action was taken. [19046]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Dentists' NHS earnings are monitored by the dental practice division of the Common Services Agency on behalf of the Scottish Dental Practice Board and it is the board which brings to the attention of health boards any concerns about payments to dentists. The auditors for Greater Glasgow health board examine the internal control systems established by the board for handling NHS general dental service payments and administration: they do not look in detail at individual cases.

  Local Enterprise Companies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if local enterprise companies publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) minutes of meetings,
  996

  Children (Sexual Abuse)
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of sexual abuse of children under 16 years of age led to a conviction in each of the last five years. [19076]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The table sets out information for the most recent five years for which it is available for those sexual offences within the classification which, by definition, involve sexual abuse of children.

  (d) agendas of meetings and (e) registers of members' interests; and in each case whether this is under a statutory requirement; [21764]

  (2) if he will list gross public spending on local enterprise companies for each year since 1990–91, in 1996–97 prices. [21807]

  (3) what is the statutory basis of local enterprise companies; and if they (a) admit members of the public to board or committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21770]

  Mr. Kynoch
  I shall write to the hon. Member and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the House Library,

  NHS Trusts (Applications)
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent by(a) his Department and (b) hospitals on unsuccessful applications to achieve trust status since 1990. [20182]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I shall write to the hon. Member and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the House Library.

  Cullen Inquiry
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total cost to public funds of the Cullen inquiry. [15604]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I shall write to the hon. Member and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the House Library.

  Legal Aid Fees
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the 10(a) Queen's counsel,

  997
  (b) advocates and (c) law firms which have received the highest sums of legal aid fees in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement. [18242]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I shall write to the hon. Member and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the House Library.

  NHS Salaries
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the NHS salaries and wages costs for(a) administrative, clerical and management staff and(b) nurses and midwives in each financial year form 1988–89 in 1995 prices. [21159]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I shall write to the hon. Member and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the House Library.

  Official Residence, Charlotte Square
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the annual maintenance and running costs associated with his official residence in Charlotte square in the most recent year for which figures are available, indicating the different categories of expenditure. [19153]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I shall write to the hon. Member and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the House Library.

  Scottish Office Quangos
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the annual publicity budget for (i) the Scottish Office and (ii) Scottish Office quangos in each year since 1986–87 in(a) real and (b) cash terms. [19154]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I shall write to the hon. Member and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the House Library.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the costs to public funds in(a) salary, (b) administrative support and (c) travel of the special advisers employed in his Department in the last year for which figures are available. [20635]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I shall write to the hon. Member and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the House Library.

  Cottage Hospitals
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the cottage hospitals which have(a) closed and (b) opened in Scotland in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement. [21300]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I shall write to the hon. Member and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the House Library.

  Grants and Loans
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 18 March relating to the 998
  condition of grants and loans from public bodies and the oral statement of the hon. Member for Cunninghame, North (Mr. Wilson) of 11 March, Official Report, column 48, if the defined political objectives were declared when the company applied for grants from the Highlands and Islands development board, Highlands and Island Enterprise or the local enterprise companies. [21512]

  Mr. Kynoch
  I shall write to the hon. Member and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the House Library.

  Eye Tests
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people have had eye tests in Scotland in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [21299]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I shall write to the hon. Member and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the House Library.

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of beds available for(a) accident and emergency wards, (b) geriatric wards, (c) surgical wards and (d) paediatric wards, by area health board in Scotland in each year since 1986; and if he will make a statement. [21301]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I shall write to the hon. Member and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the House Library.

  Cairngorm Funicular Railway
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what public funding will be given to Highlands and Islands Enterprise to meet the agreement obligations in relation to the proposed Cairngorm funicular; and what assessment he has made of the value for money of such expenditure. [21510]

  Mr. Kynoch
  I shall write to the hon. Member and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the House Library.

  Convictions
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the(a) number of convictions,(b) conviction rate and (c) clear-up rate, for each category of crime, in each region, for each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [21587]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I shall write to the hon. and learned Member and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the House Library.

  Citizens Charters
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list those national citizens charters which(a) provide complaints procedures in line with recommendations of the complaints task force and (b) provide financial compensation for users when particular standards have not been met; and if he will

  999
  publish for each the figures for compensation paid out in each financial year since the charter was implemented; [21798]

  (2) how many citizens charters adopted by national public services (a) have their performance indicators validated and verified by an external body and (b) specify enforceable rights for particular standards of service; and if he will identify those services under (a) and (b); [21805]

  (3) how many of the national citizens charters are available (a) in an appropriate form for the visually impaired and (b) in two or more languages other than English; and if he will identify those charters under (a) and (b); [21814]

  (4) if he will list all national citizens charters, indicating which involved consumer consultation in(a) the setting of their performance standards and(b) their preparation. [21800]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I shall write to the hon. Member and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the House Library.

  Rail Privatisation
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what monitoring his Department carries our concerning the assurance given by the Government that previously acceptable rail routes would continue to be available after privatisation; and if he will make a statement about the change in the validity of Newcastle upon Tyne to London full-fare tickets for travel to Euston; [21614]

  (2) if, for the purposes of the Government's assurance concerning continued acceptance for full-fare ticketing of routes accepted by British Rail, all routes accepted by British Rail prior to privatisation, including Newcastle to Euston, are regarded as reasonable routes. [21616]

  Mr. Watts
  I have been asked to reply.

  A routeing guide has been prepared by the Association of Train Operating Companies, which sets out clearly the permitted routes by which passengers may travel on their journeys. This guide requires the approval of the franchising director and the Rail Regulator and they will be concerned to ensure that if protects all reasonable routes that were allowed by BR before privatisation.

  The guide has been given interim approval for an experimental period until 31 May. At this stage it does not include Newcastle to London via Birmingham.

  Comments are being sought via rail users consultative committees on the accuracy and completeness of the guide. These will be taken into account before final approval is granted.

  I have made no assessment of the impact on business men of using single one-day tickets.
  1000
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure that nationwide rail rover tickets continue to be(a) available and (b) widely publicised; and what assessment he has made of the importance of such tickets to the United Kingdom tourism industry [21615]

  Mr. Watts
  I have been asked to reply.

  The all-line rail-rover continues to be available. Promotion of the product is the responsibility of the Association of Train Operating Companies and its members. I have made no assessment of the importance of the product to the United Kingdom tourist industry.

TRANSPORT

  Milford Haven
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library all the reports obtained by his Department concerning accidents or reported near misses within the Milford Haven Port Authority area involving vessels in the 10 years prior to 15 February 1996. [16263]

  Mr. Bowis
  My noble Friend the Minister for Aviation and Shipping will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of his letter in the Library.

  London Underground (Crime Rate)
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many crimes were committed on London Underground in each of the last six years. [21534]

  Mr. Bowis
  Total notifiable offences in 1995–96 in the London Underground area were 14,971. The comparable 1994–95 figure was 15,149. In the time available, it has not been possible to obtain comparable figures for earlier years.

  Clapham Junction
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the Health and Safety Executive will investigate the overcrowding which occurred at Clapham Junction station early in the evening of 13 March; and what British Transport Police and Railway Company staff resources were available to alleviate or control the crowds. [21771]

  Mr. Watts
  I understand that HSE will be making inquiries with the station operator, South West Trains Ltd., to ensure that it is complying with its Railway safety case by having adequate procedures in place to control passenger congestion.

  The British Transport Police sent four constables to assist with crowd control at Clapham Junction station. It is for railway companies to decide the staffing necessary to meet their safety duties.
  1001

  Cash Limits
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to change his Department's cash limits for 1996–97. [21779]

  Sir George Young
  The cash limit for class V vote 2— administration and transport services—will be reduced by £11,000,000 from £154,645,000 to £143,645,000 and the cash limit for class V vote 4—Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency—will be reduced by £2,000,000 from £180,451,000 to £178,451,000.

  The reductions in these cash limits arise from the need to offset payments accounted for on class V votes 1, 3 and 5 for trans-European network infrastructure projects in the UK.

  Sea Empress
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he plans to publish the marine accidents investigation branch report on the Sea Empress before 1 May. [21583]

  Sir George Young
  The marine accidents investigation branch's report into the Sea Empress has not yet been submitted to me. If it is submitted to me during the period of the general election campaign, it will not be published, in line with the convention that Departments should avoid announcements which might be likely to compete with political parties or parliamentary candidates for media attention.

  Interim recommendations were made by the chief inspector in relation to matters on which he considered early action should be taken, and the necessary action has already been taken.

  A500
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the projected starting date and date of completion for the A500 Shavington bypass; and what funds have been set aside for its construction. [21506]

  Mr. Watts
  Timing of construction will depend upon the availability of resources. The next stage is to serve notices to treat upon landowners and I have instructed the Highways Agency to commence this action. The works are expected to cost some £21 million and to take two years.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the reasons for the delay in the construction of the A500 Shavington bypass. [21507]

  Mr. Watts
  The A500 Basford-Hough-Shavington bypass is one of many schemes in the national road programme competing for funds. We are taking schemes forward to construction on the basis of economic benefit, environmental impact, route importance and importance for regeneration. The timing of construction of the A500 scheme will be determined by these factors.

  Full-fare Train Tickets (London-Newcastle)
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment he has made of(a) the change in the availability of through full-fare rail tickets from Newcastle to London for business men seeking to break their journey at places between Birmingham and
  1002
  London and return directly to Newcastle upon Tyne, and (b) the impact on business men of the need to use single tickets which are valid for only one day; [21612]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the degree of compliance with the Government's assurance that routes accepted by British Rail before privatisation for full-fare ticketing purposes would continue to be accepted, (a) nationally and (b) for journeys from Newcastle upon Tyne to Euston. [21613]

  Mr. Watts
  A routing guide has been prepared by the Association of Train Operating Companies which sets out clearly the permitted routes by which passengers may travel on their journeys. This guide requires the approval of the franchising director and the Rail Regulator and they will be concerned to ensure that it protects all reasonable routes that were allowed by BR before privatisation.

  The guide has been given interim approval for an experimental period until 31 May. At this stage it does not include Newcastle to London via Birmingham.

  Comments are being sought via rail users consultative committees on the accuracy and completeness of the guide. These will be taken into account before final approval is granted.

  I have made no assessment of the impact on business men of using single one-day tickets.

  London Buses
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact of compulsory competitive tendering on the operation of London Buses. [21403]

  Mr. Bowis
  London Transport began tendering bus services in 1985. The whole network is now subject to competitive tender and from 1997 around 22 per cent. of route mileage is being put out to tender on an annual basis.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers travelled on London Buses in each of the last five years. [21402]

  Mr. Bowis
  The information is as follows:

  Year

  Passenger journeys (millions)

  1991–92

  1,149

  1992–93

  1,127

  1993–94

  1,112

  1994–95

  1,159

  1995–96

  1,198

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of the Rail Regulator have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which(a) admit members of the public to all board and committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21435]

  Mr. Watts
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 19 July 1996,Official Report, at column 683.
  1003
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which(a) admit members of the public to all board and committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement; [21437]

  (2) which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which (a) admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21439]

  Mr. Bowis
  Listed below are the answers for each of the Department of Transport's executive NDPBs.

  The Traffic Director for London, the London Regional Passengers Committee and Trinity House Lighthouse Authority and the Northern Lighthouse Board have a statutory basis.

  (a) The London Regional Passengers Committee under a statutory requirement; but the public can be excluded.

  (b) None.

  Advisory Groups (London)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the non-elected bodies responsible to his Department which are responsible for providing advice or services in London, indicating in each case the (i) overall budget and (ii) estimated running costs for each year from 1996–97 to 1999–2000. [21384]

  Mr. Bowis
  Very many bodies, elected and unelected, provide advice on transport in London or offer some form of transport service. Of these, three bodies have roles which are specific to London and are responsible to me. These are London Transport, the London Regional Passengers Committee and the Traffic Director for London. The information for these bodies is:

  Traffic Director for London

  £ million

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–00

  (i) overall budget

  17.5

  22

  22

  22

  (ii) estimated running costs

  1.8

  1.8

  1.8

  1.8

  Budget and running costs for London Transport are a matter for LT.

  My Department provides the LRPC with grant in aid which covers its running costs. The estimated outturn for 1996–97 is £534,000 and the planned level of grant for 1997–98 is £524,000. Figures for 1998–99 and 1999–2000 are not available.

  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on light dues. [19540]

  Sir George Young
  [pursuant to his reply 16 March, c. 716.]: I am pleased to announce that light dues for 1997–98 will be reduced by about 4.6 per cent. from 43p to 41p per net tonne with consequential reductions to other charges. This reduction, coming after four years of
  1004
  stability, takes rates back to below those established in 1992. It is a clear demonstration of the increasing efficiency of the three general lighthouse authorities.

  I am announcing changes to the light dues regulations which are designed to simplify some aspects of collection and will remove the liability to pay light dues in certain cases. Vessels liable to pay light dues by reference to their tonnage that do not hold an International Tonnage Certificate (1969) will pay on the basis of their gross registered tonnage.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Public Record Office
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on public access to Public Record Office document AIR 2/16918. [21359]

  Mr. Streeter
  The question concerns a matter which has been assigned to the Public Record Office under the terms of its framework document. I have therefore asked the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Sarah Tyacke to Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones, dated 21 March 1997:
  The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, has asked me to reply for the Public Record Office to your question about this document.
  The document was open to public inspection in July 1990. Under the Public Records Acts 1958 and 1967, once a document has been opened to public inspection it cannot be closed again. Documents may be withdrawn temporarily by their department of origin, but this did not happen with AIR 2/16918 and even if it had happened arrangements could have been made for it to be consulted at the Ministry of Defence.
  We know from our records of document usage that AIR 2/16918 was consulted by members of the public on several occasions between 1990 and 1996. In April 1996, it was in our Reprographic section for some photographs to be taken, but it appears that it was subsequently misplaced and, despite several searches, we have so far been unable to locate it.
  I am very sorry that it is currently unavailable for consultation and we shall continue to search for it. I shall let you know when we find it. By way of explanation, but not in mitigation, I should add that we hold several million documents on 160 kilometres of shelving, processing over a million document movements each year, and that occasionally and regrettably human error does lead to misplacements.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which(a) admit members of the public to all board and committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21444]

  Mr. Streeter
  The Lord Chancellor's Department sponsors two such bodies: the Legal Aid Board and the Authorised Conveyancing Practitioners Board. Both have a statutory basis. However, the latter has been inactive since March 1992 when the Lord Chancellor announced his decision to postpone implementation of the authorised practitioners scheme.
  1005
  The Legal Aid Board does not, nor is it required to, admit members of the public to board or committee meetings or hold open meetings for the public.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to(a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21742]

  Mr. Streeter
  Of the Lord Chancellor's Department's advisory bodies appearing in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 1996", the Insolvency Rules Committee and Land Registration Rule Committee have to be consulted about relevant rules and the Council on Tribunals must be consulted before procedural rules are made for any tribunal specified in schedule 1 to the Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1992 and on procedural rules made by the Lord Chancellor or the Lord Advocate concerning statutory inquiries.

  The Government are not required to publish their response to advice from these bodies.

  Although there is no legal requirement to consult the Advisory Council on Public Records, it generally is consulted on legislation affecting public records.

  The County Court Rule Committee, Supreme Court Rule Committee, Family Proceedings Rule Committee and Crown Court Rule Committee actually make rules and the Lord Chancellor is a member of all but the first.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if she will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21720]

  Mr. Streeter
  The following advisory non-departmental public bodies appear under my Department's name in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 1996":

  Insolvency Rules Committee

  County Court Rule Committee

  Supreme Court Rule Committee

  Land Registration Rule Committee

  Family Proceedings Rule Committee

  Crown Court Rule Committee

  Advisory Council on Public Records

  Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct

  Council on Tribunals

  Law Commission

  Legal Aid Advisory Committee (NI)

  Advisory Committees on General Commissioners of Income Tax (NI)

  Advisory Committees on JPs in Northern Ireland

  Advisory Committees on Juvenile Court Lay Panel (NI)

  Advisory Committees on General Commissioners of Income Tax

  Advisory Committees on JPs in England (excluding the Duchy of Lancaster) and Wales

  Judicial Studies Board

  Honorary Investment Advisory Committee.

  1006
  All but the last seven have a statutory base.

  (a) None is under a statutory requirement to publish its advice to Government; (b) The Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct, the Law Commission and the Council on Tribunals are all required by statute to make annual reports to the Lord Chancellor. While there is no statutory requirement on the Advisory Council on Public Records to submit an annual report, there is a requirement that any report by it to the Lord Chancellor should be included in the Public Record Office's own annual report, for which there is a statutory requirement. The Judicial Studies Board also publishes an annual report, but this is not under a statutory requirement; (c) apart from that of the Judicial Studies Board, all of the annual reports in (b) are laid before Parliament by the Lord Chancellor, under a statutory requirement.

  The Legal Aid Advisory Committee (NI) is required to consider the Law Society's annual report on legal aid in Northern Ireland and the Lord Chancellor is required to lay before Parliament a copy of any comments or recommendations made by the committee.

  The other bodies do not publish advice or produce annual reports.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21705]

  Mr. Streeter
  For the advisory non-departmental public bodies listed under my Department in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 1996", the answers are as follows:

  (a) none.

  (b) The following advisory bodies have carried out public consultation exercises:

  the Supreme Court Rule Committee

  the County Court Rule Committee

  the Family Proceedings Rule Committee

  the Law Commission

  the Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct the Judicial Studies Board.

  (c) the Supreme Court Rule Committee, the County Court Rule Committee and the Family Proceedings Rule Committee regularly consult with individuals and organisations which have a professional or commercial interest in the amendment of rules of court.

  The Law Commission do conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests but this is encompassed within (b) above.

  (d) none.

  (e) none.

  (f) none.

  There is no statutory requirement for these bodies in these areas.
  1007

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Firearms Exports
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many licences have been granted for the export of firearms in categories ML1 and PL5018 since 6 December 1996; how many licence applications are currently under consideration; and what is his policy in respect of issuing such export licences for weapons prohibited by the Firearms (Amendment) Bill; [19089]

  (2) how many licences have been granted for the export of firearms in categories (a) ML1 and (b) PL5018 since 6 December 1996; how many such licence applications are currently under consideration; and what is his policy in respect of issuing export licences for weapons prohibited by the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997. [21414]

  Mr. Nelson
  A total of 659 export licences covering goods in categories ML1 and PL5018 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order were issued in the period 7 December 1996 to 7 March 1997. A further 425 export licence applications covering goods rated under those headings were under consideration at close of business on 7 March 1997. In the same period there were also two new open individual export licences issued covering such goods and 25 dealer-to-dealer licences, valid for a period for three years, were issued to registered firearms dealers enabling them to trade with counterparts in EU countries.

  Firearms and most military equipment require an export licence before export and all applications for such licences are considered case by case. Careful consideration is given to the political and military implications of allowing individual consignments overseas.

  The Government pay particular attention to proposed exports of military goods to countries with poor human rights records, where such goods might be used for internal repression, and to countries or regions where the export of arms might contribute to destabilisation of the area. In all, eight strict criteria for allowing arms sales were agreed by Ministers at Luxembourg and Lisbon European Councils in June 1991 and June 1992.

  Indonesia
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the number of licences, organised by class and subclass,(a) granted and (b) denied for the export of strategic goods to Indonesia, since 1 July 1996. [21409]

  Mr. Nelson
  Our records show that the numbers of individual licences for Indonesia which were issued between 1 July 1996 and 18 March 1997 are as follows:

  Table 1: Individual licences issued under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 ordered by category

  Heading

  Number of licences

  ML3

  1

  ML5

  1

  ML6

  7

  ML9

  1

  ML10

  13

  ML11

  9

  ML13

  6

  ML24

  2

  PL5006

  1

  Total

  41

  1008

  Table 2: Individual licences issued under the appropriate Dual-Use legislation (i.e. either the EU Dual-Use Regulation or the Dual-Use and Related Goods (Export Control) Regulations

  Heading

  Number of licences

  IC350

  2

  2B350

  2

  3A990

  3

  5A002

  1

  5D002

  1

  5E002

  1

  9A003

  1

  Total

  11

  Table 3: Individual licences which were refused in the same period under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 ordered by category

  Heading

  Numbers of licences

  ML 3

  1

  ML 4

  1

  PL 5002

  1

  Total

  3

  Details of subclass could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Regina v. Rees and Rotheroe
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment his Department has made of the implication of the case of Regina v. Rees and Rotheroe for the work of his Department. [21553]

  Mr. Nelson
  As I said to the hon. Member in the House on 19 March,Official Report, columns 870–71, arrangements have been put in place which seek to avoid the accidental oversight that occurred in the case in question.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will place in the Library those documents his Department made available to lawyers acting in the case of Regina v. Rees and Rotheroe. [21554]

  Mr. Nelson
  No. Documents disclosed to the defence were provided solely for the purposes of the trial.

  Advisory Bodies (London)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the non-elected bodies responsible to his Department which are responsible for providing advice or services in London, indicating in each case the (i) overall budget and (ii) estimated running costs for each year from 1996–97 to 1999–2000. [21383]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  My Department has responsibility for a broad range of bodies which provide advice or services both in London and outside. A list of these can be found in "Public Bodies 1996" which is available in the Library of the House. In addition, specific details about the agencies and a number of non-departmental public bodies for which my Department is responsible are published in "Trade and Industry: The Government's Expenditure plans 1997–98 to 1990–00" (Cm 3605), published on 20 March 1997, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. Further details about particular bodies may be found in their annual
  1009
  reports. Many of these reports are also either available in the Library of the House or can be obtained direct from the body concerned.

  Export Licences
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many export licences classified under the headings ML1 and PL5018 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 have been issued since 6 December 1996. [20670]

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 18 March 1997]: A total of 659 export licences covering goods in categories ML1 and PL5018 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order were issued in the period 7 December 1996 to 7 March 1997.

  Firearms Dealers
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many dealer-to-dealer licences have been issued to registered firearms dealers in the period since 6 December 1996. [20671]

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 18 March 1997]: A total of 25 dealer-to-dealer licences, valid for a period of three years, were issued in the period 7 December 1996 to 7 March 1997 to registered firearms dealers enabling them to trade with counterparts in EU countries.

  Japanese Investment
  Sir Irvine Patnick
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the United Kingdom share of Japanese investment in Europe; how many jobs have been safeguarded since 1979 as a result of inward investment; and if he will make a statement. [21365]

  Mr. Greg Knight
  The United Kingdom is the No. 1 location in the EU for inward investment with the latest OECD figures available showing that in 1994 the UK had over 40 per cent. of all Japanese investment in the EU. Since 1979 my Department's Invest in Britain Bureau has recorded over 462,000 safeguarded jobs associated with inward investment. This is an enviable record which we are determined to maintain in the face of increased competition in Europe to international investment.

  Stored Plutonium
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of plutonium are stored under safeguards at United Kingdom nuclear facilities; in what form; if he will list the owners of the plutonium; and what quantities of United Kingdom-owned plutonium are currently on loan to other countries under safeguards. [21306]

  Mr. Nelson
  All civil plutonium in the United Kingdom is subject to Euratom safeguards and to the terms of the tripartite UK/Euratom/IAEA safeguards agreement (INFCIRC/263). Details of the quantities of such plutonium stored at United Kingdom nuclear facilities, including its form and ownership, are published by my Department each year. A copy of the United Kingdom's annual plutonium figures publication for the year ended 31 March 1996 was placed in the Library of the House of Commons in July 1996. This publication also includes information by country on exports, and imports, of civil plutonium. Information on specific 1010
  transactions, including loans of material, is commercially confidential. The United Kingdom has a policy of requiring full scope safeguards as a condition of supply which means that exports of plutonium are not allowed to any country, other than the nuclear weapons states, where there are any unsafeguarded nuclear installations.

  Privatisation
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the increase or decrease in real terms since privatisation in the price of(a) gas, (b) electricity and (c) telephone calls. [21492]

  Mr. Page
  Between privatisation in quarter four 1986 and quarter four 1996 average UK industrial gas prices have fallen by 59 per cent. in real terms and real domestic prices, including VAT, by 20½ per cent, whilst between privatisation in quarter two 1990 and quarter four 1996 average UK industrial electricity prices have fallen by 17 per cent. in real terms and real domestic prices, including VAT, by 5 per cent. Since privatisation in November 1984 real overall telecom prices have fallen by around 45 per cent.

  Trade Fairs
  Ms Walley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what support will be given to non-core events under trade fair support schemes rules which take place from 1 April until March 1999; and if he will make a statement. [21590]

  Mr. Nelson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to my hon. Friend the Member for Keighley (Mr. Waller) on 17 January 1997,Official Report, columns 392–93, and to my hon. Friend the Member for Harborough on 11 February 1997, Official Report, column 124, when I announced that my Department would offer grants for 300 trade fairs and that my intention is to make all support for the trade fairs after this round available through the sector challenge. All these events are due to take place after 1 April 1997 and before 31 March 1999. During that period there will additionally be those events support for which had already been announced prior to those answers. Details of the supported events can be found in the "Overseas Promotions Guide and Supplementary List" deposited in the Library of the House.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to ensure that a proportion of the sector challenge budget be allocated for trade fairs; and if he will make a statement. [21589]

  Mr. Nelson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the member for Keighley (Mr. Waller) on 17 January 1997,Official Report columns 392–93, when I said that I would be reviewing the way we support trade fairs after the first sector challenge. The results of the first challenge will have to be decided upon by the Government after the forthcoming general election.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Telecommunications(a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government,

  1011
  (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21715]

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The following is the information:

  English Advisory Committee on Telecommunications

  Northern Ireland Advisory Committee on Telecommunications

  Scottish Advisory Committee on Telecommunications

  Welsh Advisory Committee on Telecommunications

  Business Advisory Committee on Telecommunications

  Advisory Committee on Telecommunications for Disabled and Elderly People.

  All six ACTs have a statutory basis—section 54 (1) or 54 (4) of the Telecommunications Act 1984—and are remitted by that Act to advise the Director General of Telecommunications (OFTEL).

  ACT advice given to Oftel in response to public consultations undertaken by Oftel is made available for public reference in Oftel's library, along with other responses received. Advice given to Oftel in other circumstances may by published, in whole or part, by Oftel or by the ACT itself at the discretion of the chairman by way of press release, newsletter or annual report.

  A summary annual report by each ACT is submitted to the director general and published by him as part of Oftel's annual report, which is laid before Parliament. This is a statutory requirement. Each ACT also publishes and disseminates widely a more detailed annual report of its own activities and views. This is voluntary. Copies are not laid before Parliament, but are available to Members of both Houses—and to the public—on request and free of charge.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those of the Office of Telecommunication's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to(a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21752]

  Mr. Taylor
  None.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Telecommunications(a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interest, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21703]

  Mr. Taylor
  The following is the information:

  English Advisory Committee on Telecommunications

  Northern Ireland Advisory Committee on Telecommunications

  Scottish Advisory Committee on Telecommunications

  Welsh Advisory Committee on Telecommunications

  Business Advisory Committee on Telecommunications

  Advisory Committee on Telecommunications for Disabled and Elderly People.

  1012
  None of the ACTs hold their regular meetings in public. Some of the information received by them is commercially sensitive to telecommunications companies and the ACTs would not wish to compromise their access to and use of it. However, at the Chairmen's discretion they can invite external observers to meetings. ACTs may conduct both open/public and closed/targeted consultation exercises, assist Oftel with its own exercises and commission consumer research.

  The ACTs published annual reports list the main external activities of their members, however, these do not constitute a full register of interests. For instance, details of private shareholdings in BT, although required by members' term of appointment to be disclosed to the director general, are not published.

  ACTs do not publish the formal agendas for, nor minutes of, their meetings. However, their annual reports are intended to give a substantial insight into their work.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21700]

  Mr. Taylor
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the then President of the Board of Trade on 19 December 1994,Official Report, Column 912.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to(a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21751]

  Mr. Taylor
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 27 March 1996,Official Report, columns 606–07.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21725]

  Mr. Taylor
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 13 March 1996,Official Report, column 672.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which(a) admit members of the public to all board and committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21440]

  Mr. Taylor
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 22 February 1996,Official Report, column 250. The information given then is still current with the amendment that the Coal Authority now holds an annual open meeting, on a voluntary basis.
  1013
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those of Export Credits Guarantee Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to(a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21738]

  Mr. Nelson
  The Export Credits Guarantee Departments takes advice from one non-departmental public body, the Export Guarantees Advisory Council. The answers to the specific questions are none in each case.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Export Credits Guarantee Department(a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21704]

  Mr. Nelson
  The Export Credits Guarantee Department takes advice from one non-departmental public body, the Export Guarantees Advisory Council. For answers to the specific questions I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 18 July 1996,Official Report, column 611.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Exports Credits Guarantee Department(a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report, and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament, and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21716]

  Mr. Nelson
  The Export Credits Guarantee Department takes advice form one non-departmental public body, the Export Guarantees Advisory Council. The answers to the specific questions are none in each case except for(a), the Export Guarantees Advisory Council is appointed under the terms of the Export and Investment Guarantees Act 1991.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will list those of the Office of Electricity Regulation's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to(a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from; [21737]

  (2) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Electricity Regulation (a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement; [21702]

  (3) which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Office of Electricity Regulation (a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21714]

  Mr. Page
  I will write to the hon. Member.
  1014

  Pembroke Power Station
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he plans to announce his decision on the section 36 application to burn orimulsion at Pembroke power station before 1 May. [21582]

  Mr. Lang
  I am considering, against the background of the published guidance on procedure and conduct during the general election period, all the material submitted by the applicant and interested parties. I cannot yet say when a decision will be taken.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Child Support Agency
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update his answer of 20 June 1996,Official Report, column 594, regarding incoming telephone calls to the Child Support Agency. [21474]

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

  Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 21 March 1997:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security regarding incoming telephone calls to the Child Support Agency.
  The latest information available shows that during the period 1 February 1997 to 28 February 1997 the total calls offered by British Telecom to the Agency was 1,622,542.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many incoming telephone calls were made to(a) the Child Support Agency centres and (b) the national inquiry line in each month since January 1996. [21466]

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

  Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 21 March 1997:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the number of incoming telephone calls made to the Child Support Centres and the National Enquiry Line (NEL) since January 1996.
  The attached table contains the number of incoming calls on a monthly basis from January 1996. From April 1996, the period of time over which information is collected changed; information is now collected and recorded over four-weekly periods instead of calendar months.
  The attached figures refer to incoming calls offered by BT which represents the total number of incoming calls made.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Date

  Calls offered to calls handling service by BT

  Calls offered to NEL by BT

  January 1996

  776,796

  57,352

  February 1996

  518,573

  84,553

  March 1996

  423,383

  190,054

  Lunar month 1

  648,908

  49,349

  Lunar month 2

  639,314

  52,564

  Lunar month 3

  761,822

  54,061

  1015

  Date

  Calls offered to calls handling service by BT

  Calls offered to NEL by BT

  Lunar month 4

  839,703

  61,459

  Lunar month 5

  950,697

  62,532

  Lunar month 6

  1,426,839

  38,419

  Lunar month 7

  1,527,399

  72,332

  Lunar month 8

  1,342,146

  69,171

  Lunar month 9

  1,774,091

  86,995

  Lunar month 10

  627,359

  42,816

  Lunar month 11

  1,394,469

  77,589

  Lunar month 12

  1,622,542

  96,824

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each month since April 1995 the number of deduction of earnings orders(a) imposed by the Child Support Agency, (b) in force at the end of each month and (c) lifted each month. [21467]

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

  Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 21 March 1997:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency deduction from earnings orders.
  Not all of the requested information is readily available. I have attached a table showing a monthly breakdown since April 1995 of the number of new deduction from earnings orders issued.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Number of DEOs issued

  April 1995

  2,384

  May 1995

  3,516

  June 1995

  3,357

  July 1995

  3,851

  August 1995

  4,861

  September 1995

  4,097

  October 1995

  4,934

  November 1995

  6,703

  December 1995

  4,174

  January 1996

  5,400

  February 1996

  5,360

  March 1996

  4,294

  Total 1995–96

  52,931

  April 1996

  3,416

  May 1996

  3,806

  June 1996

  4,218

  July 1996

  4,100

  August 1996

  4,667

  September 1996

  5,077

  October 1996

  5,166

  November 1996

  6,767

  December 1996

  4,287

  January 1997

  6,310

  February 1997

  5,077

  Total April 1996 to February 1997

  52,891

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many child support assessments(a) were being processed, and (b) were outstanding for more than 26 weeks at the end of each month since April 1996. [21468]
  1016
  Mr. Mitchell
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive, Miss Ann Chant CB. She will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Ms Liz Lynne, dated 21 March 1997:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Child Support Agency assessments.
  I am unable to provide you with precisely the information that you have requested. The Agency measures its performance on the clearance of assessments against its Secretary of State target for 60% of new maintenance applications to be cleared within 26 weeks, and as at 31 March 1997 no more than 10% of all maintenance applications received to be over 52 weeks old.
  The attached table gives details of the Agency's performance against this target, together with the number of cases being actioned at the end of each month from April 1996.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Number of cases being actioned

  Percentage of maintenance assessments cleared with in 26 weeks

  Percentage of maintenance assessments over 52 weeks old

  April 1996

  422,454

  53

  15

  May 1996

  428,244

  52

  15

  June 1996

  435,603

  51

  16

  July 1996

  440,741

  51

  15

  August 1996

  449,852

  51

  15

  September 1996

  456,810

  51

  15

  October 1996

  456,590

  51

  15

  November 1996

  451,608

  51

  14

  December 1996

  441,784

  51

  14

  January 1997

  432,150

  52

  13

  February 1997

  418,369

  53

  13

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many outstanding cases are being processed by the Child Support Agency; and how many were being processed on the same date in each of the last three years. [20169]

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

  Letter from Miss Ann Chant to Mr. John McAUion, dated 21 March 1997:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about cases being actioned by the Child Support Agency.
  To give a complete picture, set out in the table below are the numbers of cases which form the caseload of the Agency, the number of cases cleared from launch and the number being actioned at the end of the last three financial years, together with figures at the end of February 1997.

  Approximate caseload1

  Number of cases cleared from launch(cumulative)

  Number of cases being actioned

  March 1994

  203,600

  336,232

  550,000

  March 1995

  345,400

  904,381

  425,561

  March 1996

  460,800

  1,231,235

  409,659

  February 1997

  545,900

  1,553,308

  418,369

  1 Figures quoted are from the nearest published Quarterly Statistical Survey.

  I hope this is helpful.
  1017
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each month since April 1994 the number of(a) referrals from the Child Support Agency to the Independent Tribunal Service, (b) referrals outstanding for more than 26 weeks, (c) referrals where the Independent Tribunal Service found in favour of (1) the client and (2) the Child Support Agency and (d) recommendations made by the Independent Tribunal Service which were (i) accepted and (ii) not accepted by the Child Support Agency. [21469]

  Mr. Mitchell
  I will write to the hon. Member shortly.

  Income Support (Pensioners)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners in the constituencies of Roxburgh and Berwickshire and of Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale have been claiming(a) pensioner, (b) enhanced pensioner and (c) higher pensioner income support premiums at (i) higher and (ii) lower levels for each of the past five years for which figures are available. [21535]

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

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Archy Kirkwood, dated 21 March 1997
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many pensioners in the constituencies of Roxburgh and Berwickshire and Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale have been claiming (a) pensioners, (b) enhanced pensioner and (c) higher pensioner income support premiums at (i) higher and (ii) lower levels for each of the past five years for which figures are available.
  The information requested is not available in the format requested. The Benefits Agency (BA) collates statistics by BA Districts and not by Parliamentary constituencies. Information for East Lowlands District which includes offices at Edinburgh South, Edinburgh East and Galashiels is shown in the attached table.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Income support customers in receipt of pensioner premiums for the Benefit Agency District of East Lowlands

  Income support

  Higher pensioner premium

  Enhanced pensioner premium

  Pensioner premium

  February 1993

  3,257

  1,394

  3,185

  February 1994

  3,685

  1,354

  3,223

  February 1995

  4,267

  1,247

  3,318

  February 1996

  4,660

  1,175

  3,285

  November 19961

  4,834

  1,121

  3,211

  Date has been provided by the Benefits Agency Central Data Unit and is subject to change.

  Data relates to the actual number of people in receipt of each of the Income Support pensioner premiums as at the last working day of each month for the BA District of East Lowlands. This District includes the BA's offices of Edinburgh East, Edinburgh South and Galashiels.

  1 Validated data is not available for February 1997.

  Social Fund payments
  Mr. Kirwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many successful applications wee made in the constituencies of Roxburgh and Berwickshire and of Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale for assistance from the social fund for (i) budgeting loans, (ii) crisis 1018
  loans, (iii) community care grants, (iv) maternity expenses, (v) funeral expenses and (iv) cold weather payments for each of the past five years for which figures are available. [21546]

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

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Archy Kirkwood, dated 21 March 1997:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question requesting information on successful applications made in the constituencies of Roxburgh, Berwickshire, Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale for assistance from the Social Fund for Budgeting Loans, Crisis Loans, Community Care Grants, Maternity Expenses, Funeral Expenses and Cold Weather Payments, for each of the last five years.
  The information requested is not available in the format requested. The Benefits Agency (BA) collates statistics by BA Districts and not by Parliamentary constituencies. Information for East Lowlands Districts which includes offices at Edinburgh South, Edinburgh East and Galashiels is shown in the attached table.
  Information relating to Cold Weather Payments can be found in the statistical section of the House of Commons Library. The data is held in the Social Fund Statistical Load file under Cold Weather Payments by District Office. For 1992/93 it is available for each Benefit Office. From 1993/94 to date it is available for each District Office and Area Directorate.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Number of awards, east Lowlands district, 1991–96

  Year

  Application type

  Awards

  1991–92

  Budgeting loan

  4,757

  Community care grant

  1,752

  Crisis loan

  5,250

  Funeral payment

  317

  Maternity payment

  1,322

  1992–93

  Budgeting loan

  4,928

  Community care grant

  1,867

  Crisis loan

  5,424

  Funeral payment

  374

  Maternity payment

  1,258

  1993–94

  Budgeting loan

  5,007

  Community care grant

  1,813

  Crisis loan payment

  5,052

  Funeral payment

  404

  Maternity payment

  1,230

  1994–95

  Budgeting loan

  4,925

  Community care grant

  1898

  Crisis loan

  4,753

  Funeral payment

  358

  Maternity [payment

  1,155

  1995–96

  Budgeting loan

  4,997

  Community care grant

  1,749

  Crisis loan

  5,073

  Funeral payment

  349

  Maternity payment

  1,250

  Figures are provisional and subject to change.

  Personal Pensions
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have opted out of occupational pensions into personal pensions in each year since 1988. [19948]
  1019
  Mr. Heald
  The information could be obtained only at
  disproportionate cost.

  Occupational Pensions
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have taken out occupational pensions since 1988. [19947]

  Mr. Heald
  It is estimated that, during 1993–94 8.9 million people were active members of contracted-out occupational pension schemes. The most recent date for which information about other categories is available is 1991. There were then over 1 million people in not contracted-out occupational pension schemes. A further 3 million people had preserved rights from previous memberships of an occupational pension scheme and 6.5 million people were in receipt of an occupational pension.

  Sources:
  Contributors and Contributions; Summary Statistics 1993–94.
  Government Actuary's Department's Survey of Occupational Pension Schemes 1991.

  Outturn Expenditure
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the outturn expenditure by his Department in the current financial year; how much of this represents(a) payments to beneficiaries and (b) administrative costs; what estimate he has made of the amount in each of those categories incurred in Wales; and how many staff his Department employs in (i) Wales, (ii) Scotland, (iii) Northern Ireland and (iv) England. [20746]

  Mr. Burt
  The total estimated outturn for Department of Social Security expenditure in 1996–97 is £90,834 million. The estimated 1996–97 outturn for administrative costs, inclusive of all grants and subsidies, is £3,535 million. The estimated 1996–97 expenditure on payments to beneficiaries, including housing benefit and council tax benefit is £87,299 million. Figures for individual benefits are in the table.

  The Department does not routinely collect information by country. However, it is estimated that about 6 per cent. of all social security expenditure is in respect of Wales. The numbers of staff employed by the Department in the constituent parts of the UK on 1 January 1997 are as follows:-

  England: 80,6581

  Scotland: 9,4831

  Wales:4,3801

  Northern Ireland 1312

  Total: 94,514.

  Notes:
  1Figures expressed on a whole time equivalent basis.
  2As well as 13 staff directly employed by the DSS, the Department repays Department of Health and Social Services for the operational services it provides.
  3 The expenditure figures provided are for the direct administrative costs of the Department and direct payments to beneficiaries. They therefore exclude the cost associated with Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.
  1020

  Social security expenditure and estimated outturn 1996–97

  Benefits

  Estimated outturn £ million

  Retirement pension

  31,851

  Xmas bonus

  119

  Widows benefit

  1,052

  Unemployment benefit/job seekers allowance (contribution based)

  999

  Statutory sick pay

  26

  Incapacity benefit

  7,767

  Maternity allowance

  36

  Statutory maternity pay

  485

  Guardian and child allowance

  2

  Non-contributory retirement pension

  36

  Non-contributory xmas bonus

  17

  War pensions

  1,419

  Attendance allowance

  2,421

  Invalid care allowance

  768

  Severe disablement allowance

  893

  Disability living allowance

  4,361

  Disability working allowance

  25

  Industrial injury benefit

  716

  Income support for the elderly, income support under 60 years of age, job seekers allowance (income based)

  16,475

  Earnings top up

  11

  Child benefit

  6,724

  One parent benefit

  348

  Family credit

  2,047

  Housing benefit and council tax benefit

  8,329

  Others (small benefits)

  372

  Total

  87,299

  Source:

  1997 Departmental Report: Table 1.

  Benefits Agency Psychiatrists
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many psychiatrists are engaged by the Benefits Agency on Merseyside; and if he will make a statement. [20755]

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Benefits Agency Medical Services is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Bob Parry, dated 21 March 1997:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about how many psychiatrists are engaged by the Benefits Agency (BA) on Merseyside; and if he will make a statement.
  BA has no doctors on Merseyside who are known to have psychiatric qualifications.
  Examining doctors receive specific training in undertaking medical examinations connected with claims for Social Security benefits. Doctors who conduct examinations in connection with Incapacity Benefit are required to undergo a four day modular training course which can be tailored to meet individual needs. Elements of the course include the technical aspects of Incapacity Benefit, the requirements for the content of the medical report form, selecting and justifying the choice of descriptors which specify the level of a customer's disability in each functional area, and mental health problems. The course also has, and I attach great importance to this, elements on customer service and equal opportunities.
  In addition to this, all full-time BAMS Doctors have to undergo a two day residential course covering the clinical areas they are likely to encounter such as back pain and psychiatric disorders and those which are likely to cause particular difficulties, such as chronic fatigue states. Many of the sessions in these courses are conducted

  1021
  by internationally recognised experts in their fields. The Benefits Agency Doctors are then responsible for cascading this information to the part-time fee paid Doctors who are also involved in this work.
  I should make it clear that BA does not specifically engage doctors because of their psychiatric expertise.
  If the opinion of a hospital specialist is deemed necessary in connection with a claim for benefit, a separate report is requested by BA.
  I hope this reply is helpful.

  Benefits Agency, Liverpool
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the operations of the Benefits Agency in Liverpool. [20756]

  Mr. Burt
  This is a matter for Peter Mathison, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Bob Parry, dated 21 March 1997:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking if he will make a statement on the operations of the Benefits Agency (BA) in Liverpool.
  The North West Coast Area Directorate includes 2 BA Districts for Liverpool, Liverpool Mersey and Liverpool North Districts. BA operations in Liverpool are currently delivered from 7 BA sites and 12 Job Centres for Job Seekers Allowance (JSA). JSA is jointly delivered with the Employment Service. These Districts deliver the majority of Social Security benefits locally, for example Income Support, Social Fund, Incapacity Benefit and in addition provide information and advice on the full range of benefits administered by the Agency.
  There are approximately 900 staff employed in the 2 Liverpool Districts. During the current year both Districts have achieved all Secretary of State targets for the delivery of benefits.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Appeal Tribunals
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will require the independent tribunal service not to appoint as members of disability appeal tribunals doctors who are used by the Benefits Agency medical services to examine claimants in connection with claims to disability living allowance or attendance allowance. [20995]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  The appointment of members of disability appeal tribunals is the statutory responsibility of the President of the Independent Tribunal Service, His Honour Judge Bassingthwaighte.

  Housing Benefit
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for social Security what consultations his Departments held with the Department of the Environment over the effects of the proposed housing benefit regulations which restrict the single room rent to single people aged 25 to 59 years; what assessment he has made of these effects; and what plans he has to transfer funds to the Department of the Environment as a consequence. [21131]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  There was full consultation as normal between all Departments with an interest in this matter both prior to and after the proposal was announced. The current expenditure plans make no provision for a transfer to the Department of the Environment as a result.
  1022

  National Insurance
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the level of the national insurance lower earnings limit and contribution ceiling expressed in (i) 1997 prices and (ii) as a percentage of average earnings in(a) 1997–98, (b) 2025 and (c) 2035. [21026]

  Mr. Heald
  The information is in the table.

  Expressed as a percentage of estimated average earnings

  1997–98 £

  1997–98>1

  20252

  20352

  Lower earnings limit

  62

  16.7

  9.6

  7.9

  Upper earnings limit

  465

  125.5

  72.1

  59.1

  Notes:

  1 Estimated full-time adult average weekly earnings at the mid-point of 1997–98. The estimate is based upon the Office for National Statistics estimate—derived from New Earnings Survey data—of full-time adult average weekly earnings at April 1996 and the assumptions about the increase in average earnings from April 1996 to the mid-point of 1997–98 underlying the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1997–98".

  2 Based on constant 2 per cent. real earnings growth from 1997–98 onwards.

  Source:

  Government Actuary's Department.

  Unclaimed Benefits
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the annual amount of benefit currently forgone by eligible claimants who are entitled to social security benefits but who do not claim in the constituencies of Roxburgh and Berwickshire and of Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale. [21536]

  Mr. Burt
  The information is not available. Latest national estimates of unclaimed income-related benefits are available from the publication "Income-Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 1994–95", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Parent-plus Contracts
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will announce the awards of parent-plus contracts for the private sector areas; and if he will make a statement. [21626]

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  No final decision has been made on the award of contracts.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21699]
  1023
  Mr. Burt
  The information is as follows:

  (a) None.

  (b) Under a Statutory Requirement;

  The National Disability Council has a statutory duty to publish its proposals for a Code of Practice which may include consultation with the public.

  Voluntarily;

  The Social Security Advisory Committee.

  The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council.

  The Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board frequently consults with medical experts and outside organisations representing disabled people.

  (c) Under a Statutory Requirement;

  The National Disability Council has a statutory duty to publish its proposals for a Code of Practice which may include consultation with outside commercial interests.

  Voluntarily;

  The Social Security Advisory Committee.

  (d) None.

  (e) None.

  (f) None.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21724]

  Mr. Burt
  The information is as follows:

  (a) The advisory non-departmental bodies sponsored by this Department are listed in "Public Bodies 1996" and all have a statutory basis.

  (b) Under a Statutory Requirement;

  None.

  Voluntarily;

  The advice given to the Secretary of State by the Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board is published in its annual report.

  The National Disability Council.

  (c) Under a Statutory Requirement

  The National Disability Council.

  Voluntarily

  The Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board.

  (d) Under a Statutory Requirement

  The National Disability Council.

  Voluntarily

  None.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to(a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21753]

  Mr. Burt
  Except in circumstances prescribed in section 173 of, and schedule 7 to, the Social Security Administration Act 1992, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is required to refer draft regulations to either the Social Security Advisory Committee or the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council for consideration and advice. If the committee reports on proposed regulations 1024
  he is required to lay before Parliament its report with his responses to any recommendations when he lays the relevant statutory instrument.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which(a) admit members of the public to all board and committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21441]

  Mr. Burt
  All the Department's non-departmental public bodies have a statutory base. They are the Occupational Pensions Board, which will cease to exist from 6 April 1997; the Pensions Compensation Board, which was established in August 1996 and commences full operation on 6 April 1997; and the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority, which was established in April 1996 and commences full operation on 6 April 1997.

  None admit members of the public to all board and committee meetings, nor do they hold open meetings for the public—although they can do either if they wish.

  Benefits Agency, Manchester
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) when work commenced in the Cheetham Hill and Chorlton Benefits Agency offices in order to facilitate the transfer of activities from the Great Ancoats street office; [21490]

  (2) when consultation about the closure of the Benefits Agency office in Great Ancoats street, Manchester, was promised to the hon. Member for Stretford; when that consultation took place; and who was consulted; [21488]

  (3) what consultation took place between the Benefits Agency and the Contributions Agency about the closure of the Great Ancoats street Benefits Agency office; [21486]

  (4) when the decision to close Great Ancoats street Benefits Agency office was published by Ministers; [21489]

  (5) what plans there are for access by claimants from the Ancoats area of Manchester to Benefits Agency offices following closure of the Great Ancoats street office. [21487]

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

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Tony Lloyd, dated 21 March 1997:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your five recent Parliamentary Questions relating to the closure of the Benefits Agency (BA) office at Great Ancoats Street.
  As part of the Estates strategy the Area Directorate has given priority, in 1996/97, to projects that would allow it to maximise the use of space in those buildings considered necessary to its operations in the medium and long term. Work commenced at the BA offices at Cheetham and Chorlton on 3 March 1997 to convert space, currently used only for the storage of files, into office accommodation.
  The announcement of the consultation exercise about the proposed closure of the BA office at Great Ancoats Street began with consultation letters being issued to Members of Parliament, including yourself, customer representatives and liaison groups on

  1025
  23 November 1996. Of the 110 letters issued, only 17 responses were received. Of these 6 expressed concerns on the proposed closure. The consultation period ended on 6 January 1997.
  The Contribution Agency has been consulted through regular meetings on the proposals for Great Ancoats Street and has been kept closely informed of developments.
  The decision to close the Agency's Great Ancoats Street office was made on 13 March 1997 and was announced by the Area Directorate to staff, and local and area trade unions on 14 March 1997. On the same day, letters were sent to all parties involved in the consultation exercise.
  Six BA offices at Cheetham, Chorlton, Longsight, Openshaw, Rusholme and Salford will remain following the closure of the Great Ancoats Street office. Customers living in the Ancoats area will be able to attend offices in Cheetham and Chorlton should they wish to attend a BA office in person. In addition for unemployed customers there are 4 Job Centres at Alexander Park, Cheetham, Moss Side and Newton Heath, within 2–3 miles of the Great Ancoats Street site.
  Customers can also choose to contact the BA offices by post or telephone. Recent enhancements to the office telephone systems will provide a more efficient telephone service.
  I hope you find this reply useful.

  Contributions Agency
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the cost of moving Contributions Agency activities to(a) Great Ancoats street and (b) Stockport. [21485]

  Mr. Heald
  Movement of activity culminated on 17 March 1997 when Great Ancoats street activity was moved to Stockport.

  The current anticipated costs are:

  Great Ancoats Street: £1,338.01

  Stockport: £72,280.51.

  No staff costs have been incorporated in the above figures for the designing and creating the new structure.

  Reduced Earnings Allowance
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many appeals against the decision to withdraw reduced earnings allowance are outstanding; and what steps he is taking to reduce delays. [21404]

  Mr. Roger Evans
  This is a matter for the Independent Tribunal Service.

  Pensioner Incomes
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the average annual increase in real terms of(a) the state retirement pension and (b) average pensioner incomes (i) from 1974 to 1979 and (ii) since 1979. [21498]

  Mr. Heald
  The information is in the tables.

  Table A: State retirement pension

  Level of RP at uprating (April 1996prices)£

  Average compound annual growth from previous point Percent.

  1974

  54.90

  —

  1979

  59.00

  1.4

  1996

  61.15

  0.2

  1026

  Table B:Average pensioners' incomes

  Mean weekly net income, before housing costs, (July1994 prices) £

  Average compound annual growth from previous point Per cent.

  1974

  96.10

  —

  1979

  100.80

  1.0

  1994–95

  161.20

  3.1

  Notes:

  1. Table (a) shows the real value of standard rate basic retirement pension, for 1974, 1979 and 1996 (the latest year for which information is available), at April 1996 prices, rounded to the nearest £0.05p.

  2.Table (b) shows the mean average net income before housing costs for all pensioner units in July 1994 prices, rounded to the nearest £0.10 for 1974, 1979 and 1994–95, which is the latest period for which data is available. These estimates are subject to a large degree of statistical variability, and should therefore be used to indicate trends over time.

  3.The average compound annual percentage growth rate in both tables is rounded to the nearest 0.1 per cent.

  4.A pensioner unit is defined as a single person over state pension age (SPA) or a couple where the man, defined as the head, is over SPA.

  Sources:

  1 The Retail Price Index (all items).

  2. Pensioners' Incomes Series data which is largely based on information contained in the Family Expenditure Survey of the calendar years 1974 and 1979 and the financial year 1994–95.

  Advisory Groups (London)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the non-elected bodies responsible to his Department which are responsible for providing advice or services in London, indicating in each case the (i) overall budget and (ii) estimated running costs for each year from 1996–97 to 1999–2000. [21382]

  Mr. Burt
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is as follows.

  Three of the Department's executive agencies are responsible for the provision of a range of services across London and the rest of the country. These are the Benefits Agency, the Child Support Agency and the Contributions Agency.

  Attached is a list of the BA districts, CSA field divisions, and CA regions which have offices within the London area together with their overall budgets for 1996–97.

  Budgets for 1997–98 have not yet been finalised for the districts, field divisions, and regions. Budgets for future years can only be estimated when details of the appropriate public expenditure survey settlement have been finalised.

  Benefits Agency (BA) districts with London offices: 1997–97

  £

  East London and Anglia

  Barking and Havering

  4,712,994

  Newham

  6,366,404

  City

  4,979,464

  Hackney and Islington

  8,450,756

  Lea-Roding

  7,271,843

  Leaside

  8,377,027

  1027

  Benefits Agency (BA) districts with London offices: 1997–97

  £

  Chilterns

  Ealing

  4,749,932

  Euston

  6,231,121

  Neasden

  3,559,192

  Harrow and Hillingdon

  4,960,722

  Barnet

  4,695,308

  London South

  London Central

  3,197,486

  South West Thames

  9,452,398

  Palace

  6,082,706

  Bankside

  6,397,089

  Thameside

  6,513,063

  South Circular

  4,920,555

  West Kent

  5,506,563

  Hounslow and Kingston

  6,810,468

  Benefit centers

  Makerfield

  7,886,838

  Belfast

  11,870,011

  Glasgow

  14,071,859

  The West Kent District includes Bromley office which is the only Branch in that District within the London area, but the budget figure quoted is for the whole District.

  The work of Ealing and Euston Districts is remotely processed at Glasgow Benefit Centre; the work of Palace District at Makerfield Benefit Centre; and the work of Neasden and South Circular Districts at Belfast Benefit Centre. Budget details for the Benefits Centres are separately identified.

  Child Support Agency (CSA) field divisions with London offices

  1996–97 £

  London and the Downs

  4,297,673

  Essex and Kent

  4,065,948

  Central Southern

  3,494,374

  The CSA field divisions cover a wide geographic area including London. The budgets quoted are not solely for those offices within the London area.

  Contribution Agency (CA) regions with London offices

  1996–97£

  London North-West

  4,878,000

  North-east Thames

  4,471,000

  South Thames

  4,283,000

  The CA regions also cover a wide area and the budgets quoted are not solely for those offices based in London.

  Parliamentary Answers
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security 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

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  £billions

  Per cent.

  £billions

  Per cent.

  £billions

  Per cent.

  £billions

  Per cent.

  £billions

  Per cent.

  Total income

  45.53

  —

  46.43

  —

  45.01

  —

  45.78

  —

  44.93

  —

  Class 11: Employees

  11.23

  25

  11.63

  25

  13.04

  29

  15.59

  34

  16.60

  37

  Employees

  18.01

  40

  18.20

  39

  17.36

  39

  17.95

  39

  18.64

  41

  Class 1A

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  Class 2/4 (self-employed)

  0.71

  2

  0.68

  10.75

  2

  0.87

  2

  0.99

  2

  1028
  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. [16788]

  Mr Burt
  The information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

  Seession

  Total PQs tabled

  Disproportionate cost replies

  Not centrally available replies

  1983–841 2

  7,058

  n/a

  n/a

  1984–851 2

  5,703

  n/a

  n/a

  1985–861 2

  6,056

  n/a

  n/a

  1986–871 2

  4,184

  n/a

  n/a

  1987–881 2

  7,312

  n/a

  n/a

  1988–892

  2,510

  n/a

  n/a

  1989–902

  2,526

  n/a

  n/a

  1990–912

  2,120

  n/a

  n/a

  1991–922

  1,140

  n/a

  n/a

  1992–933

  3,244

  117

  17

  1993–943

  2,359

  129

  6

  1994–953

  2,749

  123

  25

  1995–963

  2,817

  145

  17

  1996–974

  1,541

  30

  9

  1 Figures are for the Department of Health and Social Security.

  2 Source: POLIS Database.

  3 Source: Department archive of Written Answers; figures were obtained by a count and may be subject to error.

  4 As at 17 March 1997.

  Fraud
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans the Government have to derogate from paragraph 4.3 of Council of Europe recommendation R(86)1 as a consequence of the enactment of the Social Security Administration (Fraud) Bill; and if he will make a statement. [21418]

  Mr. Heald
  We have no such plans.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were(a) the amounts of national insurance contributions paid by (i) employers and (ii) employees and (b) any Exchequer supplement, and the proportion of the NI fund accounted for by each, in today's prices for each year since 1979; and what estimate he has made of future revenues. [21062]

  Mr. Heald
  [holding answer 20 March 1997]: The information is in the tables.

  Estimates of future income from contributions are set out in the "National Insurance Fund Long Term Financial Estimates" (HC160) published in January 1995.
  1029

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  £ billions

  Per cent.

  £ billions

  Per cent.

  £ billions

  Per cent.

  £ billions

  Per cent.

  £ billions

  Per cent.

  NI surcharge2

  7.72

  17

  7.73

  17

  7.37

  16

  5.05

  11

  3.10

  7

  Treasury payment

  6.13

  13

  6.42

  14

  4.90

  11

  4.88

  11

  5.06

  11

  Other sources3

  1.73

  4

  1.78

  4

  1.59

  4

  1.43

  3

  0.54

  1

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  £ billions

  Per cent.

  £ billions

  Per cent.

  £ billions

  Per cent.

  £ billions

  Per cent.

  £ billions

  Per cent.

  Total income

  43.43

  —

  42.34

  —

  44.49

  —

  45.81

  —

  47.14

  —

  Class 11: Employees

  16.94

  39

  17.38

  41

  17.99

  40

  18.97

  41

  19.80

  42

  Employers

  18.95

  44

  19.94

  47

  21.18

  48

  22.56

  49

  24.13

  51

  Class 1A

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  Class 2/4 (self-employed)

  1.06

  2

  1.07

  3

  1.10

  2

  1.16

  3

  1.31

  3

  NI surcharge2

  1.53

  4

  0.06

  0

  0.02

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  Treasury payment

  4.46

  10

  3.50

  8

  3.78

  8

  3.23

  7

  2.35

  5

  Other sources

  0.50

  1

  0.39

  1

  0.42

  1

  -0.12

  0

  -0.44

  -1

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  £ billions

  Per cent.

  £ billions

  Per cent.

  £ billions

  Per cent.

  £ billions

  Per cent.

  £ billions

  Per cent.

  Total income

  45.47

  —

  45.18

  —

  44.85

  —

  44.68

  —

  53.61

  —

  Class 11 Employees

  18.99

  42

  17.16

  38

  17.14

  38

  16.92

  38

  16.60

  31

  Employers

  25.27

  56

  25.17

  56

  25.01

  56

  24.73

  55

  25.88

  48

  Class 1A

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.49

  1

  0.48

  1

  Class 2/4 (self-employed)

  1.39

  3

  1.36

  3

  1.34

  3

  1.36

  3

  1.53

  3

  NI surcharge2

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  Treasury payment

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  8.31

  16

  Other sources

  -0.17

  0

  1.48

  3

  1.34

  3

  1.19

  3

  0.80

  1

  1994–95

  1995–96

  £ billions

  Per cent.

  £ billions

  Per cent.

  Total income

  53.15

  —

  51.12

  —

  Class 11 Employees

  18.92

  36

  19.62

  38

  Employers

  24.90

  47

  25.18

  49

  Class 1A

  0.51

  1

  0.49

  1

  Class 2/4 (self-employed)

  1.52

  3

  1.54

  3

  NI surcharge2

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  0

  Treasury payment

  6.69

  13

  3.69

  7

  Other sources3

  0.60

  1

  0.61

  1

  1 Gross of Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) and Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) deductions.

  2 The National Insurance surcharge was part of general taxation and not paid into the National Insurance Fund.

  3 Figures take into account deductions made by employers in respect of statutory sick pay (SSP) from April 1993 and statutory maternity pay (SMP) from April 1987. The combined SSP and SMP deductions SMP deductions between 1987–88 and 1989–90 exceed other sources of income. From April 1990 figures include amounts paid from the Consolidated Fund as compensation for SSP and SMP deductions.

  1. National insurance contribution figures include the NHS element.

  2. Figures may not sum due to rounding.

HEALTH

  Departmental Policies (Bournemouth)
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the effect of his Department's policies on the residents of Bournemouth since 1992, with special reference to the effects of changes in the resources provided in real terms. [14951]
  1030
  Mr. Horam
  Bournemouth has benefited from the increases in the real resources available to the national health service which the Government has made available every year since 1979.

  Since 1991, the number of general practitioners in Dorset has increased by 10 per cent. and 50 per cent. of the population of Dorset are currently served by a fundholding GP.

  Dorset health authority's integrated allocation for the financial year 1997–98 will be £329.6 million, a real terms increase of £6.1 million over the last year's allocation.

  Hospital Staff (North Yorkshire)
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) consultants, (b) junior hospital doctors, (c) nurses, (d) staff in professions allied to medicine, (e) accident and emergency staff, (f) ancillary staff and (g) other staff were employed in NHS hospitals in north Yorkshire in 1992; and how many there are currently. [20881]

  Mr. Malone
  [holding answer 18 March 1997]: Individual hospital units cannot be separately identified in the Department of Health's hospital and community health services work force censuses, but in some cases staff can be sub-divided between those working in hospitals and those working in the community on the basis of their area of work.
  1031
  In the area covered by North Yorkshire district health authority there were 210 whole-time equivalent, wte, hospital consultants, 210 wte hospital junior doctors— excluding registrars and senior registrars—and 90 wte other hospital doctors employed by the national health service hospital and community health services (HCHS) at September 1995, of which 30 wte worked in the accident and emergency area of work; this information is not available centrally for earlier years. There were 4,010 wte nursing and midwifery staff employed by the NHS HCHS working in hospital areas of work at September 1992 in the same health authority area, of which 50 wte worked in the accident and emergency area of work; information for 1995, the latest year for which results are available, is not available centrally. It is not possible to separately identify other non-medical staff in the same way.

  Nursing Staff (Wakefield)
  Mr. Trickett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing staff were employed in the Wakefield district in(a) 1979 and (b) 1996. [20722]

  Mr. Malone
  The information requested is not available in the form requested. There were 2,690 whole-time equivalent nursing and midwifery staff employed by the national health service hospital and community health services in the Wakefield health authority area in 1979. Figures for 1996 are not yet available.

  Measles, Mumps and Rubella Vaccine
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factors led the licensing authority(a) to grant a product licence for the Pluserix MMR vaccine on 9 February 1995 and (b) to withdraw it from public use in 1997; what differences exist between the 1988 product and the 1995 product; if he will place in the Library a copy of all versions of the data sheets for each product; and if he will make a statement. [21560]

  Mr. Malone
  Discussions between the Licensing Authority and marketing authorisation holder associated with the granting of a product licence are confidential. Pluserix measles, mumps and rubella vaccine still holds a licence. There are no significant differences between Pluserix vaccines licensed in 1988 and 1995 and copies of the data sheets are available in the "Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry Data Sheet Compendium" 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–1992 which can be obtained from the Library.

  Suicides
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each of the last five years the number of(a) suicides and (b) attempted suicides of young people in care in each case (i) in total and (ii) broken down by social services authority; and if he will indicate what recording mechanisms are in place for the social services inspectorate to monitor such data. [20074]

  Mr. Burns
  Under schedule 2(20) of the Children Act 1989, local authorities are required to notify my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health of all deaths of children who are being looked after by the local authority.1032
  There is no statutory requirement for the cause of death to be identified although local authorities generally do provide it. Information on numbers of attempted suicide is not held centrally.

  The Department's records indicate that there have been a total of 12 suicides of children looked after during the last five years.

  Notifications of suicides of children looked after by local authorities 1992–97

  Year

  Number of suicides

  Local authority area

  1992–93

  1

  London Borough ofWandsworth

  1

  Liverpool

  1

  Lancashire

  1993–94

  1

  Tameside

  1

  Cheshire

  1994–95

  1

  Hertfordshire

  1

  Salford

  1

  Northumberland

  1995–96

  1

  London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham

  2

  Hampshire

  1996–97

  1

  Cheshire

  Reports of deaths of children looked after are received by the regional offices of the social services inspectorate who identify when further investigation may be required. "Working Together Under the Children Act" requires area child protection committees to carry out a review of any incident leading to the death of a child where child abuse is confirmed or suspected or a child protection issue likely to be of major public concern arises.

  North Hampshire Hospital
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) in-patient and (b) out-patient treatments were performed in (i) 1979 and (ii) 1996 at the North Hampshire hospital, formerly Basingstoke district hospital; and what was the percentage change between the two dates. [20688]

  Mr. Horam
  Information on numbers of patients treated is not collected centrally. In-patient activity is recorded in terms of finished consultant episodes. The latest year for which in-patient and out-patient information is available is 1995–96. These data are contained in "Ordinary and day case admissions for England" and "Outpatients and ward attenders for England", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Prior to 1988–89 in-patient data were collected on a different basis. Information for 1979 is not available on an individual provider basis.

  The table details finished consultant episodes and consultant outpatient attendances for North Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust, formerly Basingstoke general services unit, for the years 1991–92 and 1995–96.
  1033

  Finished consultant episodes1 and consultant outpatient attendances2, by North Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust (formerly Basingstoke General Services Unit), 1991–92 and 1995–96

  Year

  Finished consultant episodes1

  Consultant outpatient attendances2

  1991–92

  (Basingstoke General Services Unit)

  34,010

  3—

  1993–94

  (Basingstoke General Services Unit)

  35,859

  113,656

  1995–96

  (North Hampshire Hospital NHS Trust)

  33,278

  127,798

  Average annual percentage change 1991–92 to 1995–96

  -0.5

  —

  Average annual percentage change 1993–94 to 1995–96

  —

  6.0

  Notes:

  1 Finished consultant episodes is the total of ordinary and day case admissions including well babies.

  2 Consultant outpatient attendances is the total of first and subsequent attendances seen.

  3 Denotes not available.

  Source:

  Department of Health form KP70 for finished consultant episodes.

  Department of Health form KH09 for consultant outpatient attendances.

  North Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust came into being at the beginning of the 1994–95 financial year. Prior to this date it was a directly managed unit called Basingstoke general services unit.

  Finished consultant episode data prior to 1991–92 were aggregated to district health authority level, and this is the same for consultant outpatient attendances. However, from that year to 1992–93 NHS trust data could be given individually, but not directly managed unit data, this was again aggregated to district health authority level.

  Corticosteroids
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which Government-funded advisory organisations investigating the effects of corticosteroids do not contain Government appointed representatives. [20835]

  Mr. Malone
  [holding answer 18 March 1997]: There are no such organisations.

  Edgware General Hospital
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the agreement between his Department and the hon. Members for Hendon, North (Sir J. Gorst) and Harrow, East (Mr. Dykes) in respect of comprehensive new casualty facilities at Edgware general hospital; and if he will make a statement. [21578]

  Mr. Malone
  We agreed to suggest to Barnet health authority that they might consider inviting an independent person to assess the service being provided in the urgent treatment centre at Edgware—after any interim arrangements have ended—to confirm that the maximum range of treatments possible in such a service are being offered. The health authority has agreed to do this.

  Public Bodies
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) hold public meetings, (b) conduct public consultation exercises, (c) conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests, (d) publish a register of members' interests, (e) publish agendas for meetings and (f) publish the minutes of meetings; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21695]
  1034
  Mr. Horam
  The information requested is as follows:

  (a) Hold public meetings:

  (ii) under a statutory requirement: none

  (ii) voluntarily:

  Gene Therapy Advisory Service

  (b) Conduct public consultation exercises:

  (i) under statutory requirement: none

  (ii) voluntarily:

  British Pharmacopoeia Commission

  Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food

  Advisory Committee on Genetic Testing

  (c) Conduct consultation exercises with outside commercial interests:

  (i) under a statutory requirement: none

  (ii) voluntarily:

  Steering Committee on Pharmacy Postgraduate Education

  Committee on the Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy

  Standing Committee on Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education

  Medical Workforce Standing Advisory Committee

  Advisory Committee on Genetic Testing

  Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food

  British Pharmacopoeia Commission

  (d) Publish a register of members' interests:

  (i) under a statutory requirement: none

  (ii) voluntarily:

  Advisory Committee on the Registration of Homoeopathic Products

  Committee on Safety of Medicines

  Medicines Commission

  Committee on the Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy

  Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment

  Committee on Toxicity of Chemical in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment

  Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment

  Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment

  Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food

  (e) Publish agendas for meetings:

  (i) under a statutory requirement: none

  (ii) voluntarily: none

  1035
  (f) Publish the minutes of meetings:

  (i) under a statutory requirement: none

  (ii) voluntarily: none.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of the national health service bodies sponsored by his Department publish(a) annual reports, (b) annual accounts, (c) the minutes of meetings, (d) the agendas of meetings and (e) a register of members' interests; and if this is in each case under a statutory requirement. [21434]

  Mr. Horam
  There is a statutory obligation on all national health service trusts to publish an annual report. All other national health service bodies are required to do so by the Department of Health codes of conduct and accountability for national health service boards. The codes of conduct and accountability also require all national health service bodies to maintain a register of members' interests. There is a statutory obligation for the annual accounts of all national health service bodies to be published. There is no obligation on national health service bodies to publish minutes of meetings, although some do. Health authorities are statutorily obliged to publish the agendas of their meetings, but this requirement does not relate to any other bodies.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of the national health service bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; and if he will list those bodies which(a) admit members of the public to all board or committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and whether in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21758]

  Mr. Horam
  All national health service bodies, as defined by the Cabinet Office, have a statutory basis. Health authorities are statutorily required to admit members of the public to their meetings. Special health authorities are now required to admit members of the public to their meetings if this is stipulated in their establishment order. National health service trusts are not statutorily required to hold board meetings in public, but some trusts choose to do so. All trusts are statutorily required to hold an annual public meeting. There is no requirement on the Dental Practice Board to hold any meetings to which the public is admitted.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those of his Department's advisory non-departmental public bodies which the Government are required to(a) consult prior to legislative proposals and (b) publish their response to advice from. [21740]

  Mr. Horam
  The information requested is as follows:

  (a) consult prior to legislative proposals:

  Committee on Safety Medicines and the Medicines Commission.

  (b) publish its response to advice from:

  National Specialist Commissioning Advisory Group.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the national health service bodies sponsored by his Department which are subject to(a) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (b) scrutiny by the Audit Commission, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charter. [21729]
  1036
  Mr. Horam
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 21 March 1996 at column 323.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of the advisory non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department(a) have a statutory base, (b) publish their advice to Government, (c) publish an annual report and (d) lay an annual report before Parliament; and if he will indicate in each instance whether this is under a statutory requirement. [21718]

  Mr. Horam
  The information requested is as follows:

  (a) have a statutory base:

  Advisory Board on the Registration of Homeopathic Products

  Committee on Safety of Medicines

  Medicines Commission

  Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation

  Standing Pharmaceutical Advisory Committee

  Clinical Standards Advisory Group

  Standing Medical Advisory Committee

  Standing Nursing and Midwifery Advisory Committee

  Administration of Radioactive Substances Advisory Committee

  Unrelated Live Transplant Regulatory Authority

  Standing Dental Advisory Committee

  (b) publish their advice to Government:

  (i) under a statutory requirement: none

  (ii) voluntary:

  Steering Committee on Pharmacy Postgraduate Education

  Committee on the Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy

  Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment

  Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment

  Standing Committee on Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education

  Medical Workforce Standing Advisory Committee

  NHS Health Advisory Service

  Gene Therapy Advisory Committee

  Advisory Committee on Genetic Testing

  Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food

  (c) publish an annual report:

  (i) under a statutory requirement:

  Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards

  Committee on Safety Medicines

  Medicines Commission

  (ii) voluntarily:

  Committee on the Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy

  Committee for Monitoring the Agreements on Tobacco Advertising and Sponsorship

  Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment

  Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment

  Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment

  National Specialist Commissioning Advisory Group

  Standing Committee on Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education

  NHS Health Advisory Service

  Gene Therapy Advisory Committee

  Advisory Committee on Genetic Testing

  Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food

  (d) lay an annual report before Parliament:

  1037

  (i) under a statutory requirement:

  Advisory Board on the Registration of Homeopathic Products

  Committee on Safety of Medicines

  Medicines Commission and the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food

  (ii) voluntarily:

  Committee for Monitoring the Agreements on Tobacco Advertising and Sponsorship

  Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department have a statutory base; if he will list those bodies which(a) admit members of the public to all board and committee meetings and (b) hold open meetings for the public; and if in each case this is under a statutory requirement. [21446]

  Mr. Horam
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 22 February 1996 at columns 269–70. However, the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting does now voluntarily admit members of the public to all board meetings.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which is the responsible purchasing authority in a case where an asylum seeker who has been residing in the UK is admitted to a psychiatric hospital before a decision is made about his status. [21588]

  Mr. Burns
  The health authority of the patient's district of residence.

  Faithfull Foundation Treatment Centre
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he is having with other Government departments concerning future accommodation for the Faithfull Foundation treatment centre at the Wolvercote clinic in Epsom; and if he will make a statement. [21636]

  Mr. Horam
  None. The Department of Health is represented on the Faithfull Foundation monitoring group chaired by the Home Office, at a recent meeting of which the future accommodation requirements of the Wolvercote clinic were considered.

  NHS Estates Agency
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the key tasks and targets for 1997–98 for the NHS Estates Agency. [21817]

  Mr. Horam
  I have agreed the agency's key tasks and targets for 1997–98 and have placed copies in the Library.

  NHS Pensions Agency
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the key targets for 1997–98 for the NHS Pensions Agency. [21809]

  Mr. Horam
  I have agreed the agency's key tasks and targets for 1997–98, and have placed copies in the Library.
  1038

  Medical Devices Agency
  Mr Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the key targets for 1997–98 for the Medical Devices Agency. [21818]

  Mr. Horam
  I have agreed the agency's key targets for 1997–98, and have placed copies in the Library.

  Nursery, Midwifery and Health Visiting
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has appointed a chairman and members to the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting. [21808]

  Mr. Dorrell
  Professor Ron de Witt has been appointed as chairman and Mrs. Patricia Oakley has been appointed as a non-executive member for the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting from 1 April 1997 for a four-year term. In addition, Miss Pam Charlwood and Professor Jeff Thompson have been re-appointed for a further four-year term.

  Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support his Department gives to(a) voluntary and (b) self-help groups relating to irritable bowel syndrome. [21557]

  Mr. Horam
  The Department of Health awarded the British Digestive Association, which provides advice and information on a number of gastroenterological conditions, a grant of £18,000 for 1996–97, 1997–98 and 1998–99.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into irritable bowel syndrome. [21556]

  Mr. Horam
  None.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on current NHS funding for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. [21555]

  Mr. Horam
  It is for local health authorities to decide how best to allocate the resources available to them, taking into consideration the needs of the population served.

  NHS Patient Activity
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the percentage increase in patient activity in the NHS between 1974 and 1979; and what has been the increase since 1979. [21502]

  Mr. Horam
  The number of in-patients and day cases increased by an average 1.2 per cent. per annum between 1974 and 1979 and an average of 3.4 per cent. per annum between 1979 and 1995–96.

  Ministerial Visits (Wirral)
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times he visited the Wirral, South constituency during(a) 1995, (b) 1996 and (c) 1997. [21430]
  1039
  Mr. Horam
  No visits were made in a ministerial capacity.

  Advisory Bodies (London)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the non-elected bodies responsible to his Department which are responsible for providing advice or services in London, indicating in each case the (i) overall budget and (ii) estimated running costs for each year from 1996–97 to 1999–2000. [21380]

  Mr. Horam
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  General Practioners (Patient Numbers)
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients there were per GP practice in 1979; and how many there are currently. [21503]

  Mr. Malone
  The average number of patients per general practitioner partnership as at 29 March 1996 was 5,5931. The figure for 1979 is not available centrally.
  1Source: General Medical Services Census.

  Nurses
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data he has collated concerning the increase in the number of posts of(a) matron and (b) director of nursing services in NHS hospitals; what supervising duties such posts carry; and what guidance his Department has given regarding numbers, duties, or good practice as regards such posts. [18461]

  Mr. Horam
  [pursuant to his reply 10 March, column 97]: I am now able to provide additional information. The full reply is as follows:
  1040
  National health service hospital and community health service—HCHS—staff are not classified by job title, but by the job they do. At September 1995 there were 4,280 whole-time equivalent nurse managers employed by the NHS HCHS in England. These are staff who are required to hold a statutory nursing, midwifery or health visiting qualification to do their job, but who have management responsibilities and have little or no direct clinical involvement. Consequently, staff holding the job titles "Matron" and "Director of Nursing" may be included in these figures, along with other staff with different job titles but whose jobs meet the same criteria.

  In the past, staff were classified by national pay scales, some of which are specifically designated for matrons, including deputies and assistants, and directors of nursing. Up until 1994 the Department of Health's non-medical work force census recorded the number of staff on these pay scales, but because of the introduction of clinical grading, the reclassification of some senior nurses onto general and senior manager pay scales and the introduction of local terms and conditions, this information does not accurately identify trends in the numbers of matrons and directors of nursing.

  The responsibility for determining the most appropriate form of nurse management and advice lies with the individual national health service employer concerned. The National Health Service Trusts (Membership and Procedure) regulations 1990 state that the executive directors of an NHS trust shall include a registered nurse or registered midwife, except in the case of a trust which does not provide services directly to patients or a trust whose principle function is to provide ambulance or patient transport services. The NHS executive has published two documents that identify the existing roles of trust nurse executive directors: "One year on—The Nurse Executive Director Post" and "Sharpening the Focus: The roles and perceptions of nursing in NHS Trusts". Copies are available in the Library.

  The Crown Agents
  The Crown Agents
  Global Environment Facility: Annual Report
  Global Environment Facility: Annual Report
  Cyprus: European Court of Human Rights Judgment
  Cyprus: European Court of Human Rights Judgment
  Turkey: Detention of Suspects
  Turkey: Detention of Suspects
  World Bank and US Extraterritorial Legislation
  World Bank and US Extraterritorial Legislation
  NATO: UK Policy
  NATO: UK Policy
  International Agreements
  International Agreements
  EC Human Rights Commission: Greece v. UK
  EC Human Rights Commission: Greece v. UK
  Meat Hygiene Service: Performance Targets
  Meat Hygiene Service: Performance Targets
  English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting
  English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting
  Asylum Seekers: Social Security Benefits
  Asylum Seekers: Social Security Benefits
  Coronation Oath
  Coronation Oath
  Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence
  Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence
  Oslo Agreements: Human Rights Clauses
  Oslo Agreements: Human Rights Clauses
  EU/Israel Association Agreement
  EU/Israel Association Agreement
  Listening Devices
  Listening Devices
  Police Interception of Electronic Communications
  Police Interception of Electronic Communications