Written Answers of 3 November 1997

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  India (Defence Sales)
  Angela Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what advice Ministers received on legal issues concerning the sale of Westland helicopters to the Indian Government within the terms of the Overseas Development and Co-operation Act 1980; what advice Ministers received concerning value for money likely to be achieved by the project; what representations were received from (i) the Government of India and (ii) non-governmental organisations about the project; when was Parliament informed of the decision to sell the helicopters; when concerns about the value of the helicopters to the Indian Government were first raised with(a) officials and (b) Ministers and by whom; and when concerns about the developmental value of the helicopters were first raised with (1) officials and (2) Ministers and by whom. [14044]

  Clare Short
  I am placing in the Library of the House a copy of a report I commissioned which sets out the background to this project. The report does not include information about advice given to previous Ministers on the matter. The Government does not have access to such information concerning a previous Administration.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Archway Tower
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will ask the Property Services Agency for a report on the expenditure on Archway Tower, Junction Road, London N19; and what plans they have for its future use or demolition. [13500]

  Dr. David Clark
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Property Advisers to the Civil Estate. I have asked its Chief Executive, Mr. John Locke, to write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from John Locke to Mr. Jeremy Corbyn, dated 31 October 1997:
  The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has asked me to reply to your question about Archway Tower. You will be aware from previous letters from Mr Borrett of the level of rental and security costs. Since your last question it has become apparent that remedial works to the cladding are required and our agents estimate that this could cost up to £0.5m.
  Every effort has been made to surrender this property to the landlords for an economic cost however we have been unable to secure any agreement with them. The lease does not permit demolition.
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  The property continues to be marketed by our agents. We are receiving some interest now for office occupation and complete refurbishment proposals are being examined. I am afraid that this interest is still in the early stages and I am unable to predict whether it will lead to occupation.
  Archway Tower has also been considered for temporary use by the homeless, but was thought to be in the wrong position and too costly to convert.

  Unoccupied Government Properties
  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many Government-owned properties are currently unoccupied in the Reading, East constituency. [13382]

  Dr. David Clark
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Property Advisers to the Civil Estate. I have asked its Chief Executive, Mr. John Locke, to write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from John Locke to Jane Griffiths, dated 31 October 1997:
  The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has asked me to reply to your question about vacant Government owned properties.
  There are 4 Government buildings which are currently unoccupied in the Reading East constituency:-

  Abbey Hall, Kings Road

  Atlas House, 1 Silver Street

  Monarch House, 77–79 Caversham Road

  47-57 Queens Road

  The properties are held on lease from commercial landlords and have a total floor area of 8,145 square metres. PACE is responsible for the disposal of these surplus offices and is marketing them through commercial agents.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Lottery Grants
  Kate Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many state primary schools have received sports lottery funds; how much each received; and what percentage of the total sports lottery funding this represents. [13016]

  Mr. Fisher
  Details of awards made to primary schools by the English Sports Council are as follows:

  £

  Woollescote Primary School

  West Midlands

  92,696

  Godmanchester Primary School

  Cambridgeshire

  289,000

  Meadgate School

  Essex

  16,497

  Wootton Village School

  Oxfordshire

  51,260

  Seamer and Irton Primary School

  North Yorkshire

  8,400

  Haselor School

  Warwickshire

  10,000

  Laughton Primary School

  East Sussex

  199,605

  Lower Place Primary School

  Lancashire

  55,422

  Youth Sport Trust1

  7,755,000

  Total

  8,478,080

  Percentage of Lottery Sports Fund awarded to Primary Schools 1.30 per cent.

  1The award to the Youth Sport Trust will help with the costs for the provision of sports equipment to over 500 primary schools in England.
  3
  Kate Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to alter the Sports Council lottery regulations regarding grants to primary schools. [13015]

  Mr. Fisher
  There are no Lottery regulations that apply solely to primary schools. The English Sports Council (ESC), the distributing body for sport-related projects in England, makes awards to all schools and colleges through its "School Community Sports Initiative."

  The ESC has developed two proposals as part of the process to help primary schools benefit further from Lottery funds. The first is through part of a new range of revenue programmes encompassing support to the development of talent identification and coaching and leadership for Young People through the World Class Start Programme. Secondly, it is anticipated that primary schools may be able to benefit more suitably through the development of the joint-distributor Community Projects programme currently under development.

  In addition, the White Paper "The People's Lottery", published in July, details the Government's proposals to changes and further improve the way in which the lottery operates. One of the most important proposals is the introduction of a new cause—The New Opportunities Fund—which will provide Lottery support for initiatives in education, health and the environment. Primary schools will be eligible to apply for funding from the New Opportunities Fund for out of school hours projects. The target is for at least half of all secondary schools and a quarter of all primary schools to be undertaking such projects and activities by 2001.

PRIME MINISTER

  Diana, Princess of Wales
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Prime Minister what advice he requested on his constitutional role in the events surrounding the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales; what precedents were taken into account; and if he will make a statement. [13899]

  The Prime Minister
  I took such advice as I considered necessary. There were no precise precedents.

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral statement of 28 October,Official Report, columns 700-02, if he will place in the Library the terms of his letter to the Secretary General of the UN, the Arab League, and the Organisation of African Unity, requesting them to send a delegation to Scotland, to show them the Scottish judicial systems, and to discuss arrangements for a trial in Scotland with international observers. [13937]

  The Prime Minister
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued the invitation on the 28 October. I have arranged for the text to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations he has received relating to difficulties in the disclosure of evidence held by the US authorities in the event of a trial of Libyan suspects for the Lockerbie bombing in a neutral country. [13726]
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  The Prime Minister
  As far as I am aware, I have not received any such representation.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral statement of 28 October, Official Report, columns 700-02, if he will take steps to gauge public opinion in Scotland as to the desirability of trying the Libyan Lockerbie suspects in a neutral country under Scots law. [13933]

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing further to add to the oral answer that I gave the honourable Member on 28 October,Official Report, column 713.

  Security Services Tribunal
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister how many complaints to the Security Services Tribunal under section 5 of the Security Service Act 1989 have been upheld in each year since the inception of the Act. [13779]

  The Prime Minister
  The Security Service Tribunal has made no determination in favour of a complaint since its inception. The annual reports of the Security Service Commissioner which cover the work of the Tribunal are available in the Library.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will amend the terms of reference of the Security Services Tribunal(a) to give reasons for its failure to make a determination in favour of a particular applicant and (b) to allow an applicant the opportunity to verify and correct information under consideration. [13780]

  The Prime Minister
  The Security Service Act 1989 provides that, where the tribunal does not uphold a complaint, it shall give notice to the complainant that no determination has been made in his favour, but that it shall not give the complainant any reasons for its determination. To provide reasons would risk compromising the operational effectiveness of the Security Service, to the detriment of national security. For similar reasons, it is not possible to allow individuals to have access to information held by the Service.

  Guyana Rainforest
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral statement of 28 October,Official Report, columns 700-02, what reports he has received relating to the activities of Asian-owned logging companies in the Guyana Atlantic rainforest; and what conditions have been set for the granting of United Kingdom aid. [13888]

  The Prime Minister
  In 1995, the Government of Guyana, in consultation with Britain and other donors, imposed a moratorium on logging concessions in order to allow time to improve its ability to manage its forests sustainability. We understand that some logging companies, including Asian-owned ones, have expressed interest in operating in Guyana but no logging concessions or exploratory permits have been awarded since then to any companies.

  As a result of this, the UK has been working with the Government of Guyana to strengthen the Guyanese Forestry Commission. The £3 million contribution to the Commonwealth's Iwokrama Rainforest Programme in Guyana, announced at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, will help conserve and sustainably manage 360,000 hectares of forest in Guyana and support

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  the efforts of the Guyanese Government to improve its forest management throughout the country. The specific conditions related to this grant are still under discussion.

  BSE (Judicial Inquiry)
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Prime Minister when he expects to be able to announce his decision on a judicial inquiry into the BSE crisis. [13227]

  The Prime Minister
  The Government is considering the Question of a public inquiry into BSE very carefully. We shall make an announcement when we have reached a conclusion.

  Security Services
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations have been made to him proposing a different form of parliamentary Committee to monitor the security services instead of the present arrangements; and if he will make a statement. [13357]

  The Prime Minster
  [holding answer 30 October 1997]: From time to time, there have been suggestions that the Intelligence and Security Committee should be replaced by a Select Committee of Parliament.

  The current oversight arrangements were introduced in the Intelligence Services Act in 1994, as a means of achieving the necessary balance between openness and accountability and the need to maintain the secrecy necessary for the efficient operation of the intelligence and security services.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister what guidance is given to Ministers regarding the time involved in reply to letters from hon. Members; what is the average time currently taken; and what is the policy regarding such replies being signed by a Minister. [13201]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 30 October 1997]: Individual Ministers are responsible for determining how their departments' correspondence is handled, and for setting departmental targets in reply to letters from hon. Members. It has been customary for the Government to publish annual statistics showing departments' and agencies' performance against their targets for reply to ministerial correspondence. The 1996 figures were published on 17 June 1997, Official Report, columns 107–112.

PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMISSION

  National Audit Office
  Mr. Bayley
  What additional resources the Comptroller and Auditor General would require to enable the National Audit Office to respond to requests for studies from departmental Select Committees. [11776]

  Mr. Sheldon
  In the event of departmental select committees requesting studies from the Comptroller and Auditor General and the National Audit Office, the matter would need to be discussed with the Chairman of the Committee of Public Accounts. The Comptroller and Auditor General and the National Audit Office wish to 6
  assist Parliament in any way possible, but it is important that any change should be consistent with the Comptroller and Auditor General statutory role.

  The resource implications of any such arrangements would depend entirely on the scope of the work proposed. It would be for Parliament to decide what additional resources to provide to enable the Comptroller and Auditor General to support departmental select committeesinthisway.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations she has received concerning problems experienced by the Ulster folk and transport museum; and if she will make a statement on the steps her Department proposes to take. [12948]

  Mr. Worthington
  I have received representations from two Trustees of the Board of the Ulster Folk and Transport museum, who resigned in August, and from other Trustees. I am undertaking a series of meetings with these Trustees, including the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, to clarify the position and to determine what action, if any, is appropriate. In the meantime, I have appointed three new Trustees to fill vacancies which have arisen on the Board.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is she will review the composition of the board of trustees of the Ulster Folk and Transport museum; and if she will make a statement. [12947]

  Mr. Worthington
  No. The composition of the Boards of Trustees of both the Ulster Folk and Transport museum and the Ulster Museum is laid down in the museum (Northern Ireland) Order 1981. Legislation, which is currently being prepared to merge these two institutions, will abolish the existing Boards of Trustees and create a single Boards of Trustees of the new merged institution.

  Southern Health and Social Services Board
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what date was the most recent meeting of the Southern area health and social services board at which a decision was made on the flying of the Union flag at the Board headquarters in Armagh city. [12871]

  Mr. Worthington
  A letter was sent to all Health and Social Services Boards on 1 May 1997 advising them of the days in 1997 on which the Union Flag should be flown on Central Government Buildings. There is, however no requirement for the Boards to fly the Union flag on these dates. It is at the discretion of each organisation whether the flag should be flown on those buildings occupied by their staff.

  The issue of whether the Southern Health and Social Services Board should or should not fly the Union Flag has never been discussed at a meeting of the Board.

  Telecommunication Masts
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what research her Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the health effects of microwave radiation emitted from telecommunication masts. [12946]

  Mr. Worthington
  No specific research has been commissioned in relation to Northern Ireland. However, the Department of Health is currently supporting the following initiatives:

  1. the review of possible health effects of electromagnetic fields, including mobile phone (microwave) frequencies, being undertaken by the Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation to the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB):

  2. the World Health Organisation's study of electromagnetic fields; and

  3. the Department's own radiation protection research programme.

  In addition, a European Commission Expert Group has recommended a programme of scientific research to address the subject of mobile telephony and human health.

  The Government obtains advice from NRPB on the risks to health of exposure to electromagnetic fields. Field strengths of electromagnetic radiation emitted by mobile phone transmitters, at locations to which the public would normally have access, are below the limits of exposure recommended by the NRPB published in "Documents of the NRPB, Vol. 4, No. 5, 1993", a copy of which is in the library.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations she has received concerning the health effects of telecommunication masts. [12945]

  Mr. Worthington
  I have received representations from six MPs passing on concerns from 10 members of the public and two representations from local councillors.

  Local Manufacturers and Producers
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how often(a) she has and (b) other Ministers at the Northern Ireland Office have had meetings during the past three months with representatives of (i) Safeways, (ii) Marks and Spencer, (iii) Sainsburys and (iv) Tesco in order to encourage purchases from local Northern Ireland manufacturers and producers. [12873]

  Mr. Ingram
  During the past three months, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has not met representatives of Safeway, Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury or Tesco to discuss local sourcing. I have held one such meeting with Tesco's Chief Executive and Lord Dubs has also highlighted the importance of local sourcing of foodstuffs during a meeting with Tesco on planning issues.

  Meetings with Tesco and Sainsbury have been held at official level, a first meeting with Safeway is scheduled for early November and I am being kept informed of significant developments.

  In addition, there is ongoing contact at official level with Marks and Spencer on matters of mutual interest, including local sourcing.

  School Enrolments
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applicants were refused enrolment for the academic year beginning September 1997 at (i) Movilla high school, (ii) Region House grammar school, (iii) Dundonald primary school and (iv) Brooklands primary school. [12870]

  Mr. Worthington
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answers given to him on 28 October,Official Report, column 799.

  War Pensions
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what factors led to her Department deciding to disregard war widows' pensions and war pensions in their entirety when assessing entitlement to housing benefit and rent rebates in Northern Ireland. [13940]

  Mr. Worthington
  The decision to disregard war widows and war pensions fully was carried forward into the Housing benefit legislation from the previous rent rebate and allowances scheme. The Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the Rate Collection Agency administer Housing Benefit for the whole of Northern Ireland. As neither has access to other resources to subsidise Housing Benefit expenditure it was decided that the policy and legislation in Northern Ireland should follow the practice in Great Britain where the substantial majority of local authorities exercised their discretionary power to allow a full disregard.

  Police Station, Coleraine
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when she now expects work to begin on the new police station in Coleraine; and if she will make a statement. [14056]

  Mr. Ingram
  Future requirements for police buildings are currently being assessed against policing needs and availability of funding. No decision has yet been taken on the Coleraine project.

  Audit Review Group
  Mr. Salter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will place in the Library copies of the follow-up report of the Audit Review Group. [14301]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I have arranged for copies of the report to be placed in the Library.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Church Investments
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the Church Commissioners, what new proposals he has to increase the returns from Church investments.[11772]

  Mr. Bell
  In terms of new proposals, the short answer to my hon. Friend is for the Church Commissioners to hold their nerve during recent stock market corrections
  9
  and to have sufficient cash in hand to take advantage of any bargains that have been presented as a consequence of good stocks falling lower than their true market value.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the Church Commissioners, what are the investment priorities of the Commissioners for the coming year.[11775]

  Mr. Bell
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave a moment ago to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn). The Commissioners' priorities are measured over the long term but we actively manage our asset portfolio to ensure that we hold the most appropriate investments to enable us to optimise our return on both capital and income.

  Advance Corporation Tax
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Commissioners are taking to reorganise their investment portfolio as a result of the withdrawal of ACT credit. [11773]

  Mr. Bell
  I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his assistance in Committee in moving the amendment on Clause 35 of the Finance Bill which dealt with the abolition of the tax credit for charities and which would, had the amendment been carried, have been of assistance to the Commissioners.

  The Commissioners welcome the time allowed by the Government for them to plan for the removal of ACT relief and the phasing of its impact between 1999 and 2004. We put our case to the Government after the changes announced in the Budget. As to investment policy in the light of the withdrawal of ACT credit, the Commissioners have decided that at least half of our portfolio should comprise investments in a wide range of United Kingdom commercial and industrial shares. We continue to think that these are appropriate assets to meet the needs of our beneficiaries within the Church of England and we are playing an active part in putting the case for full exemption from taxation to be restored to charities.

  Mr. Flight
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make representations to the Chancellor of the Exchequer in respect of compensation to the Church of England for the impact of the abolition of advance corporation tax credits on dividend income managed by the Commissioners. [11850]

  Mr. Bell
  The Commissioners put their case to the Government after the changes announced in the Budget and were active in briefing honourable Members in preparation for the debate on Clause 35 of the Finance Bill, which introduced the abolition of the tax credit for charities. They are contributing to the Government review of the taxation of charities. Submissions are being made by the Church Commissioners, the Churches Main Committee and other church organisations.

  Redundant Churches
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the Church Commissioners, what support the Church Commissioners receive from Her Majesty's Government to enable them to maintain redundant and under-utilised churches. [11777]

  Mr. Bell
  The Department for Culture, Media and Sport provides 70 per cent. of the cost of the Churches Conservation Trust, which preserves redundant Church of England parish churches of particular historic and architectural quality. Churches which are open for public worship are the responsibility of their respective parochial Church Councils who have access through English Heritage to the Government's State Aid scheme. The Commissioners themselves receive no direct financial support from the Government for these purposes.

  Church Pensions
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the Church Commissioners, what steps have been taken to implement the recommendations of the Social Security Committee, fifth report (HC 340 Session 1995–96) relating to pension provision in the Church. [11778]

  Mr. Bell
  The Social Security Committee recommended that the Commissioners' power to spend capital in discharging their past service pension liability should initially be for a limited period and that the Pensions Measure should provide for the full application of the legislation passed by Parliament to regulate and control pension schemes. These recommendations were reflected in the Pensions Measure which received Royal Assent earlier this year.

  Monsanto
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what assessment he has carried out of the investment in Monsanto. [11774]

  Mr. Bell
  I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for raising this at our last question time and for subsequently writing to me. The Commissioners have taken up his points with the Monsanto Chemical Company and I have written to him on the subject.

  Monsanto have assured the Commissioners that they are a life science company playing a pivotal role in improving the health and nutritional needs of future generations whilst being strongly committed to complying with various laws and Government regulations concerning environmental matters and employee safety and health.

  From an investment standpoint, Monsanto have showed excellent returns over recent years for their shareholders.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Kazakhstan
  Mr. Wallace
  To aks the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken
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  during the last three months to monitor allegations of human rights violations in Kazakhstan; and if he will make a statement. [12862]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  Our Embassy in Almaty constantly monitors the human rights situation in Kazakhstan. We take up specific cases with the Kazakh authorities when necessary.

  Our main concerns revolve around prison conditions and the high rate of capital punishment. In an effort to improve this situation, the UK has offered to support a proposal put forward by the United Nations Development Programme to help reform the penal system in Kazakhstan. We will continue to keep this under close review.

  Migration and Visa Unit
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff vacancies there are in the migration and visa unit of his Department; and for each how long the post has been vacant. [13884]

  Mr. Fatchett
  There are no vacancies. Additional staff have been deployed in order to meet agreed targets for response to Members' correspondence.

  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current backlog of work in the migration and visa unit of his Department. [13883]

  Mr. Fatchett
  Between 1 May and 30 September, the MVCU received 4,801 letters from MPs, of which 307 had not been answered on 1 October.

  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the migration and visa unit of his Department last met the 15 days quality standard for replies to letters from hon. Members. [13885]

  Mr. Fatchett
  In May 1997, the quality standard was met in over 90 per cent. of cases. Following a substantial increase in correspondence after the election this percentage fell to 41.95 per cent. in September. Extra staff have been deployed to reestablish an acceptable standard as soon as possible.

  Visas
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many requests he and his Ministers have received from hon. Members since 1 May 1997 to discuss general issues of entry clearance and visas; and how many of these were responded to within(a) one week, (b) two weeks, (c) one month,(d) three months and (e) over three months. [13882]

  Mr. Fatchett
  To provide the information requested would involve disproportionate cost.

  European Union
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for November; and list major European Union events for the next six months. [14287]
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  Mr. Doug Henderson
  This is the monthly forecast of business for November 1997. The following Councils are scheduled:

  Venue

  Event

  3 November

  Brussels

  Consumer Council

  5 November

  Brussels

  Ecofin Council

  10 November

  Brussels

  Research Council

  10 November

  Brussels

  General Affairs Council

  13 November

  Brussels

  Industry Council

  17–18 November

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council

  19 November

  Brussels

  Fisheries Council (tbc)

  20 November

  Brussels

  Education Council

  24 November

  Brussels

  Culture Council

  24–25 November

  Brussels

  General Affairs Council

  27 November

  Brussels

  Budget Council

  27 November

  Brussels

  Internal Market Council

  28 November

  Brussels

  Development Council

  The following subjects are likely to be discussed:
  3 November: Consumer Council
  Adoption of the Agenda.
  Approval of the list of A items.
  Consumer Guarantees.
  General debate on Article 1–4, and possible political agreement.
  Green paper on Food Safety: open debate.
  European Home and Leisure Accident Surveillance System (EHLASS): possible debate.
  Consumer confidence in Financial Services: Commission presentation.
  Proposed Directive and amend Product Liability Directive; Commission presentation.
  Other Business.
  5 November: ECOFIN Council
  Approval of the Agenda.
  Approval of the list of A items.
  Employment guidelines.
  Other elements relevant for the extraordinary European council meeting on employment (possible item).
  Other business.
  6 November: Social Affairs Council
  Preparation for the European Council on Employment:
  21 November
  10 November: Research Council
  Adoption of the agenda.
  Approval of the list of A Items (possible item).
  Fifth Research Technology Development (RTD) Framework Programme: Discussion to identify Policy guidelines: Criteria.
  Scientific and Technological objectives and content.
  General objectives and Thematic Programmes.
  Horizontal theme: International cooperation.
  Horizontal theme: Innovation and Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs).
  Horizontal theme: Improving human research potential and the Knowledge Base.
  Structure.
  Arrangements for financial participation.
  Fifth Framework Programme of the European Atomic Energy Committee (EAEC) for research and training activities:
  Policy debate.
  Nuclear Fusion.
  Controlled Thermo-nuclear Fusion.

  13
  Implementation and Management of Research Programmes.
  Proposal for a Council decision concerning the rules for participation and governing the dissemination of research results (possible item):
  presentation by the Commission.
  Working document on the specific programmes in the Fifth Framework Programme (possible item):
  Presentation by the Commission.
  Signature of the Scientific and Technological cooperation agreement with the United States (possible item).
  Other business:
  Eureka: Communication by the Portuguese delegation.
  10 November: General Affairs Council
  A Points.
  EP Resolutions.
  EU/ACP Relations: Orientation Debate.
  Agenda 2000.
  Post Amsterdam: Reports of Secretary General on: Planning Cell.
  Integration of Schengen Secretariat.
  Preparation of Special European Council on Employment.
  OCT Mid-term Review.
  Albania.
  Turkey.
  Middle East Peace Process.
  Former Yugoslavia.
  Any Other Business.
  13 November: Industry Council
  Approval of agenda.
  Approval of the list of A Points.
  The Steel Industry:
  8th Monitoring Report on aid to the Steel Industry: presentation by the Commission.
  Commission Communication on Financial Activities and the
  Expiry of the European Coal Steel Community (ECSC) Treaty: presentation by the Commission.
  Ship Building:
  Commission Communication towards a new ship building policy.
  Proposal for a Council Regulation establishing new rules to ship building:
  presentation by the Commission.
  State Aid:
  Proposal for a Council Regulation concerning the application articles 92 and 93 of the EC Treaty to certain categories horizontal state aid (the "block exemption" regulation):
  orientation debate.
  Competitiveness:
  Presidency Note on the Future Competitiveness Work Program "Research and Development" as a factor of competitiveness employment:
  to be taken over lunch with discussion based on a list of questions to be presented to Coreper on 5 November. The focus of the debate will be competitiveness not the Fifth Framework Programme.
  Communication by the Commission: The European aerospace industry meeting the global challenge:
  Presentation by the Commission.
  The Information Society:
  Action Plan for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Industries:
  Presentation by the Commission.
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  Communication by the Commission: A European Initiative in Electronic Commerce:
  Draft Council Conclusions.
  SMEs:
  Commission Recommendation of 22 April 1997 on improving and simplifying the environment for business start-ups. Communication by the Commission: European Capital Markets SMEs: prospects and potential obstacles to progress: Presentation by the Commission

  17–18 November: Agriculture Council

  —Agenda not yet available

  19 November: Fisheries Council (TBC)

  —Agenda not yet available

  20 November: Education Council

  —Agenda not yet available

  24 November: Culture Council

  —Agenda not yet available

  24–25 November: General Affairs Council

  —Agenda not yet available

  7 November: Budget Council

  —Agenda not yet available

  27 November: Internal Market Council

  —Agenda not yet available

  28 November: Development Council

  —Agenda not yet available

  Iran
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on current UK-Iran diplomatic relations. [13727]

  Mr. Fatchett
  Britain and Iran usually have fifteen full-time diplomatic staff in each other's capitals. Both Embassies are normally headed by a Chargé d'Affaires. However, after the Mykonos verdict in April, both the British and Iranian Chargés were temporarily withdrawn. Both Embassies are currently headed by acting Chargé d'Affaires.

  European Movement
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what public funding has been made available to the European Movement in the current financial year.[14089]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  No Government funding has been made available to the European Movement in the current financial year.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department will reply to the hon. Member's letters of 22 September relating to Nasreen Akhtar (ref. GV100/35962), Mohammed Arif (ref. IMM/D6517) and Gurmail Kaur (ref. GV100/39454) and of 23 September relating to Sikander Mahmood (ref. GV100/39978). [13886]

  Mr. Fatchett
  Replies were sent to the hon. Member's letters of 22 September on 26 October with reference to cases GV100/41057 and GV100/39454 and on 29 October with reference to case GV 100 39454. Further information
  15
  is awaited from Islamabad on case GV100/35962 and the hon. Member will be sent a reply as soon as that information is received.

  Burma
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports the Government have received relating to the treatment of the Karen people by the Burma military Government; and what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on this issue. [13887]

  Mr. Fatchett
  We are deeply concerned by human rights abuses against Karen and other ethnic minorities in Burma. We have received reports of torture, rapes, killings, forced conscription and relocations of villagers. We have strongly protested to the Burmese authorities in Rangoon and London. We continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Burmese refugees in Thailand.

TREASURY

  National Savings
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which companies bidding to take over control of the administration of National Savings have indicated that they would be able to offer new work opportunities in the Blackpool area to any National Savings employees who might be deemed surplus to requirements at the time of their acquiring responsibility for National Savings administration. [13384]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Details of the information provided to National Savings by the four candidates for a private sector partnership are commercially sensitive at this stage and must remain confidential.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his Department's long-term policy in respect of National Savings. [13162]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Our policy is to find the Government's borrowing requirements as efficiently as possible. National Savings makes a valuable contribution to our funding strategy, and I expect it to continue to do so. I welcome the work which the Agency is doing to study the potential for greater efficiencies through improved marketing and the examination and possible involvement of a private sector partner in its operations.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what account he will take of local job-creation possibilities in deciding which company will take over the running of National Savings local administration in the Blackpool area. [13385]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The potential for creating new jobs to offset the anticipated continuing reduction in the Agency's manpower will be a key consideration as proposals for private sector involvement in the operations of National Savings are evaluated.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to receive the conclusions of the study into the future accommodation requirements of National Savings. [13161]
  16
  Mrs. Liddell
  A study of the potential for private provision of National Savings accommodation is being conducted in parallel with work to explore the scope for private sector involvement in National Savings operations. I would not expect final conclusions before the Spring of 1998.

  Exchange Rate
  Mr. Lilley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what changes took place in the Sterling/Deutschmark exchange rate between the opening and closing of the financial markets on Thursday 25 September; [13405]

  (2) what changes took place in the Sterling/Deutschmark exchange rate between noon and the closing of the financial markets on Thursday 25 September. [13401]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Sterling rose by 1.76 pfennigs to DM 2.8769 between the opening and closing of the financial markets on Thursday 25 September. Between noon and the close, it was virtually unchanged.

  Mr. Lilley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes took place in the Sterling/Deutschmark exchange rate between the opening and closing of the financial markets on Friday 17 October. [13381]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Sterling rose by 3 pfennigs to close at DM 2.8569.

  European Council
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Council meeting of the Economic and Finance Ministers of the European Union held on 13 October. [13739]

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  I represented the UK at the Economic and Finance Council—ECOFIN—of the European Union in Brussels on 13 October, and at a formal dinner with Finance Ministers from the EFTA countries the previous evening.

  The Council welcomed the UK's Convergence Programme—in particular the Government's commitment to sound finances and stability-oriented monetary policy as a basis for economic growth and investment. The Council also noted with satisfaction the changed arrangements for the implementation of monetary policy, which have helped to lower inflation expectations in the UK. The Council also noted with approval the Welfare to Work initiative and the Employment Action Plan. The Council agreed Conclusions on the Programme and adopting a text for an Excessive Deficits Recommendation. The text of the Conclusions follows this answer.

  The dinner, on 12 October, was a useful opportunity to exchange views with the Finance Ministers of Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein, particularly on employment. I was pleased to see the support that my own approach to employment and employability enjoys both within the EU and EFTA.

  The Council discussed the Commission's Communication on Harmful Tax Competition in the EU, focusing on the Code of Conduct. The UK recognised that a voluntary Code might play a helpful role in tackling harmful tax competition, but would only agree to a Code

  17
  that respected Member States' continues competence in the field of tax. The UK, and other Member States, called for several changes to be made to the draft Code. Discussion on the Code will continue in the Taxation Policy Group.

  The Commission introduced its Communication on the Practical Aspects of the Euro. This was another useful exchange of views, with Ministers contributing their ideas on how to ensure the smoothest possible transition both for businesses and for public authorities in those countries joining the single currency in January 1999.

  The Council considered the liberalisation of capital movements in the context of the IMF. Discussion centred around the compatibility of possible new IMF articles with the Treaty. Council agreed that Monetary Committee should refine EU policy on IMF proposals but that Member States should continue to represent themselves in negotiating the new articles.

  The Council discussed a Commission Communication on Public-Private Partnerships in the sphere of Trans-European Networks. The Communication was the result of work by Commissioner Kinnock's High Level Group on the same subject and was welcomed.

  The Council took some agenda items over lunch. We discussed the Commission's proposals on enlargement as set out in their July proposals on Agenda 2000. For the UK, the key issues were that the 1999 Own Resources Ceiling of 1.27 per cent. of Community GNP is not raised for the period 2000–06, and that spending is set at levels much lower than this. Substantial policy reform is also necessary to make enlargement affordable and successful. The Council agreed to consider at the next ECOFIN the work to be carried forward on the development of economic coordination in Stage 3 of EMU. The Presidency described its preparations for the Jobs Summit on 20–21 November, and an extraordinary meeting of the ECOFIN Council was agreed for 5 November to do further work on this.

  Text of Council conclusions on UK convergence programme

  On 13 October 1997 the Council welcomed the new United Kingdom Convergence Programme. It noted the progress that had been made in reducing the government deficit and inflation under the previous programme and it welcomed the new government's ambitious but realistic programme to enhance the pace of adjustment.

  The Council welcomed, in particular, the government's commitment to sound finances and stability oriented monetary policy as a basis for economic growth and investment. Action has been taken to increase the pace of deficit reduction: the Council noted with satisfaction that the government deficit will be well below 3 per cent. of GDP in the calendar year 1997 while the debt ratio will remain below 60 per cent. of GDP. It noted that the continued commitment to tight expenditure control represented a sound basis for long term budgetary consolidation. The Council urged the UK authorities to make sure that continued borrowing over the economic cycle to finance investment represents an adequate medium term fiscal rule consistent with the objectives of the stability and growth pact.
  18
  The Council noted with satisfaction the changed arrangements for the implementation of monetary policy, which have helped to lower inflation expectation in the UK. The Council also encouraged the UK Government to recognise the role of the exchange rate in maintaining stability. The Council noted the UK inflation target of 2.5 per cent. and urged the UK Government to keep this under review in order to ensure that UK inflation remains low and compatible with inflation rates in other Member States.

  The Council noted with approval the broader social and economic objectives outlined in the programme and in particular, the concern to improve the opportunities for employment for the young and long-term unemployed. The Council noted that these issues are also dealt with the UK Employment Action Plan. The Council invited the Commission, in close cooperation with the Monetary Committee, to monitor the implementation of the Convergence Programme.

  Dorneywood
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the(a) official entertainment functions and (b) conferences which have been held at Dorneywood since May 1997. [12920]

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  [holding answer 27 October 1997]: Since the beginning of May 1997, Dorneywood has been used for two sets of Ministerial conferences.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers, who have been admitted and not held since 1994, officials have subsequently been unable to trace.[13392]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I regret that the information requested is not available.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the options he is considering to stem the flow of Czech and Slovak asylum seekers into the United Kingdom. [13400]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The firm line we have taken with abusive asylum seekers from these countries has already led to a substantial decrease in the numbers of new arrivals. Many recent arrivals have already been removed to France. Where appropriate, we have detained applicants. My right hon. Friend announced on 27 October a reduction from 28 to five days in the period allowed for post-interview representations in certain cases where claims are judged likely to be abusive. All applications continue to be considered individually, on their merits, in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 United Nations Convention. Policy options are constantly reviewed to ensure we maintain our firm line.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each establishment used by his Department to hold in custody asylum seekers under immigration laws the numbers currently held. [13502]
  19
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  As at 30 September 1997, the most recent date for which information is available, a total of 772 persons who had sought asylum at some stage, were recorded as being detained solely under Immigration Act powers. I regret, however, that a reliable breakdown of these detainees, by location of detention, is not currently available.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum have been received from Algerian nationals for each month since January 1996; and of these how many have had their application(a) granted, (b) refused but been allowed to remain and (c) refused and been removed from Britain. [13494]

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

  Decisions1 on applications2 received for asylum in the United Kingdom, and the removal or voluntary departure of asylum applicants, excluding dependants, for nationals of Algeria, January 1996 to September 19973,4

  Number of principal applicants

  Applications for asylum

  Grants of asylum

  Grants of exceptional leave to remain

  Refused asylum and exceptional leave to remain

  Removals and voluntary departures

  January 1996

  100

  *

  —

  195

  15

  February 1996

  75

  *

  —

  160

  15

  March 1996

  100

  *

  *

  155

  15

  April 1996

  50

  *

  —

  160

  20

  May 1996

  40

  5

  *

  165

  25

  June 1996

  30

  *

  *

  145

  15

  July 1996

  85

  *

  —

  190

  15

  August 1996

  65

  *

  —

  125

  20

  September 1996

  35

  5

  *

  135

  20

  October 1996

  55

  *

  *

  170

  10

  November 1996

  40

  5

  5

  130

  10

  December 1996

  35

  5

  5

  100

  15

  January 1997

  55

  5

  —

  100

  15

  February 1997

  35

  5

  —

  75

  10

  March 1997

  45

  *

  —

  95

  20

  April 1997

  35

  5

  —

  65

  15

  May 1997

  55

  5

  —

  60

  25

  June 1997

  50

  5

  *

  85

  15

  July 1997

  60

  5

  —

  70

  20

  August 1997

  60

  5

  —

  60

  25

  September 1997

  60

  15

  —

  15

  5

  Total

  1,175

  80

  15

  2,455

  340

  1Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.

  2 Applications and decisions on asylum applications may not relate to the same cases within each period.

  3 Figures rounded to the nearest 5 with * = 1 or 2.

  4 Application and decision figures for 1997 and removals for 1996 and 1997 are provisional.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum have been received in each of the last 12 months from(a) the Czech Republic and (b) the Slovak Republic; and how many people have been (i) granted asylum, (ii) refused but given leave to remain and (iii) removed from Britain. [13489]
  20
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The information requested is given in the table:

  Table 1: Decisions1 on applications2 received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, for nationals of the Czech Republic and Slovakia October 1996 to September 19973

  Number of principal applicants

  Applications for asylum

  Grants of asylum

  Grants of exceptional leave to remain

  Refused asylum and exceptional leave to remain

  Czech Republic

  October 1996

  5

  —

  —

  5

  November 1996

  5

  —

  —

  5

  December 1996

  5

  —

  —

  5

  January 1997

  5

  —

  —

  5

  February 1997

  10

  —

  —

  10

  March 1997

  5

  —

  —

  10

  April 1997

  *

  —

  —

  *

  May 1997

  5

  —

  —

  5

  June 1997

  15

  —

  —

  15

  July 1997

  30

  —

  —

  20

  August 1997

  30

  —

  —

  35

  September 1997

  15

  —

  —

  5

  Total

  135

  —

  —

  115

  Slovakia

  October 1996

  5

  —

  —

  20

  November 1996

  10

  —

  —

  15

  December 1996

  10

  —

  —

  10

  January 1997

  *

  —

  —

  *

  February 1997

  *

  —

  —

  5

  March 1997

  5

  —

  —

  15

  April 1997

  5

  —

  —

  10

  May 1997

  *

  —

  —

  15

  June 1997

  25

  —

  —

  25

  July 1997

  20

  —

  —

  25

  August 1997

  50

  —

  —

  45

  September 1997

  55

  —

  —

  10

  Total

  190

  —

  —

  195

  Notes:

  1Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.

  2 Applications and decisions on asylum applications may not relate to the same cases within each period.

  3 Figures rounded to the nearest 5 with * = 1 or 2.

  Figures for October 1997 are not yet available.

  Source:

  Immigration and General Unit, RSD.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers were held in custody under immigration laws in month since Janaury 1996; and what was the average length of time of such detentions. [13493]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 11 June,Official Report column 441, which gives the available information on detained asylum seekers for selected dates in 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997. Information on the number held at the end of each month between May and September 1997 is given in the table.

  I regret that reliable information on the average length of detention could only be obtained by examination of individual case records and is, therefore, only available at disproportionate cost.

  North Wales Police
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make additional resources available to North Wales constabulary to provide for a significant increase in the number of police officers on the beat. [13326]

  Mr. Michael
  The North Wales Police Authority's spending capacity for 1997–98 was increased by 3.9 per cent. (£2.7 million) to £72 million, which was above the national average. No final decisions have been taken about the allocation of funding to police authorities for 1998–99. The Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994 removed decisions about police numbers from the hands of the Home Secretary.

  It is now for individual chief constables and police authorities to determine the number of police officers in each force, having regard to the resources available to them. At the end of March 1997, North Wales Police had 62.4 per cent. of strength deployed to patrol duties. This is significantly better than the average for England and Wales of 57.6 per cent. This Government will do all that it can to relieve the police of unnecessary bureaucratic burdens to allow chief constables to put more officers back on the beat.

  Late Payments
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the suppliers to his Department who are owed outstanding amounts, indicating the amounts and the due date on which the account should have been settled. [13548]

  Mr. Straw
  [holding answer 30 October 1997]: The Home Office and its agencies are required to pay all their bills within the agreed contract terms, or where no such terms exist, within 30 days from receipt of the goods or service or a valid invoice, whichever is later. Detailed information on payments to individual suppliers could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The Treasury will shortly be publishing a league table of departmental payment performance for 1996–97.

  Pakistan
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the inclusion of Pakistan in the white list of countries designated free of persecution under the terms of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1997; and if he will make a statement. [13150]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  We are examining the general operation of the designated safe countries provision as part of our continuing review of asylum law and procedures.

  Border and Passport Controls
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the terms of reference of the spending review dealing with issues relating to immigration and to border and passport controls. [13399]
  22
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The terms of reference of the study of immigration controls at ports which forms part of the Home Office comprehensive spending review are:

  To review the cost effectiveness of United Kingdom immigration controls, with particular reference to the deployment of resources at ports of entry, taking into account:
  legal constraints following the Amsterdam summit;
  projected increases in the number of passengers arriving in the United Kingdom;
  projected changes in the numbers and nature of inadmissible and inadequately documented passengers arriving in the United Kingdom;
  new technology and consequent organisational changes in immigration clearance processes;
  the potential for close co-operation with other agencies, including carriers and port authorities;
  the scope and application of the Carriers' Liability Act;
  the scope for joint working with Customs and the police;
  the scope for charging for services and the attendant financial regime;
  the balance between pre, post and on-entry control, including the costs and benefits of more preventative activity.

  The study will have regard to other work, including the foreign and commonwealth office review of entry clearance, the study of asylum process, the appeals review, the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) reviews of detention and enforcement strategy and the implications for the IND Casework Programme.

  Deportations
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many British citizens have in the past 12 months left the United Kingdom with their spouses as a result of a deportation order being served on the spouse; in how many cases the travel cost of the British citizen was paid out of public funds; and what was the total sum involved. [13305]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  It is our normal policy to offer a public expense departure to any dependants (spouse and minor children) who wish to accompany a deportee on removal from the United Kingdom.

  Details about British citizens who elect to leave the United Kingdom in this way are not recorded centrally and the costs of their travel are not distinguishable.

  Mr. Malins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deportation orders have been made in each of the last four years against persons aged over 60 years; and how many such persons have been deported. [13346]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  [holding answer 30 October 1997]: The numbers of deportation orders made, and the numbers of removals effected, against persons aged over 60 years when the relevant action was taken, are given in the table. The numbers deported do not include persons removed as illegal entrants or under port refusal procedures.

  23

  Action taken against persons aged over 60 years1 under the deportation process2 1994–19973

  1994

  1995

  1996

  19973

  Deportation orders made

  32

  65

  65

  17

  Persons removed from the United Kingdom under the deportation process2 4 5

  40

  62

  55

  28

  1Covers persons aged over 60 years when the relevant action took place.

  2 Excludes persons removed as illegal entrants.

  3 Provisional figures for January for September 1997.

  4 Includes voluntary departures after deportation action had been initiated.

  5 Some removals relate to deportation orders made in previous years.

  Prison Boards of Visitors
  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on the requirement for all chairs of prison boards of visitors to be appointed directly by the Home Secretary. [13317]

  Ms Quin
  The procedure whereby the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of Boards of Visitors are appointed by the Secretary of State, after consultation with the Board, follows a recommendation to that effect made in the 1995 report of the Ministerial Review of the Role of Boards of Visitors. The change in procedure was made to acknowledge the importance of these roles.

  Fire Safety
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department is taking in respect of fire safety levels in hotels within the EU. [12982]

  Mr. George Howarth
  My officials have written to their counterparts in other interested Departments and will shortly meet representatives of the tourist industry to discuss further the concerns they and others have raised with us about fire safety in hotel accommodation in some member states. In the light of those and other ongoing discussions, I intend to consult Ministerial colleagues to determine whether there is a need for us to press for an improvement in compliance with European Community recommendation 86/666/EEC—on fire safety in existing hotels—by other member states.

  Within the United Kingdom, we consider fire safety levels in hotels to be high, and our domestic legislation in this area already meets the principles of European Community recommendation 86/666/EEC on fire safety in existing hotels. We must therefore carefully weigh any perceived shortcomings in hotel fire safety in other member states against not only public safety but the possibility of unnecessarily imposing further legislation burdens on our own domestic tourist industry which would probably have no tangible safety benefit for hotel guests in the United Kingdom.

  Daylight Saving
  Dr. Tony Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce Central European Time. [13759]
  24
  Mr. George Howarth
  None, but we shall continue to listen to all sides of the argument.

  Mr. Shayler
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much expenditure has so far been incurred in making inquiries over Mr. Shayler leaving M15. [13354]

  Mr. Straw
  [holding answer 30 October 1997]: The information requested is not available.

  Visitors' Visas
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the visitors' visa regime. [13930]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Our manifesto commits us to providing a streamlined right of appeal for visitors denied a visa. We are examining the options for doing this.

  Chief Constable of Manchester
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of Manchester as to the cost of(a) damages and (b) legal fees paid in settlement of the case brought against him by Mr. Kevin Taylor; and if he will make a statement. [13966]

  Mr. Michael
  A settlement was concluded between the Greater Manchester Police and Mr. Kevin Taylor in June 1995. I understand that the terms of the settlement are a matter of confidentiality between the two parties involved.

  Firearms
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to publish his consultative document on firearms legislation; and what will be the latest date for submissions. [13910]

  Mr. Michael
  The Government have made it clear that our first priority is to see the legislation to ban .22 handguns reach the statute book. Once the complete ban on handguns has been achieved, we will consider wether further steps are required to secure public safety. If we consider that further steps are necessary, we will consult widely with all interested parties, but no timescale has been set, either for our consideration or for consultation.

  Immigration Detainees
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy of his Department in respect of hon. Members seeing their constituents who are in detention awaiting removal to another country. [13981]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Hon. Members will normally be given access to Immigration Service Detention Centres between the hours of 0800 and 2100, and outside these hours by prior arrangement. In Her Majesty's Prisons, hon. Members may visit detainees on production of a valid special visiting order issued by the governor, during the visiting hours specified. I understand that the hon. Member has also raised a question about his visit to Charles Street Police Station, Leicester, which is being replied to separately.

  Intelligence Services Act (Warrants)
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many warrants have been issued for each year under sections 5 and 6 of the Intelligence Services Act 1994 since its inception; and of those how many were authorised by the Secretary of State and how many by civil servants. [13782]

  Mr. Straw
  For reasons of national security, information on the number of warrants issued under sections 5 and 6 of the Intelligence Services Act 1994 is not published.

  Civil Servants do not authorise the issue of warrants. However, under the emergency procedure provided at section 6(1)(b) of the Intelligence Services Act 1994, a warrant may be issued under the hand of an official of or above the rank of Assistant Under Secretary of State provided that the Secretary of State has expressly authorised its issue (typically by telephone), and a statement of that fact is endorsed on the warrant.

  Any such emergency warrant must be renewed within 2 days under the hand of the Secretary of State.

  Gaming Board
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the names, qualifications and experience of the members of the Gaming Board; and what plans he has to review the membership. [13117]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The members of the Gaming Board are Lady Shirley Littler (Chairman), Lady Carolyn Trethowan JP, Mr. William Kirkpatrick, Mr. Bryan Austin and Mr. Donald Elliott CBE QPM.

  The members of the Board have diverse qualifications and experience. Lady Littler's background is in public administration and regulation, Lady Trethowan is a magistrate and a former member of a betting and gaming licensing bench. Mr. Kirkpatrick and Mr. Austin both have business backgrounds and Mr. Elliott is a former chief constable.

  Lady Littler and Lady Trethowan are due to retire within the next year and competitions are currently being held to fill their posts. My right hon. Friend has no wider plans to review the membership of the Board.

  Volatile Substances
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will assess the advantages of prohibiting the sale of the most dangerous and commonly abused volatile substances to those under 16 years of age. [13130]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The Intoxicating Substances (Supply) Act 1985 makes it an offence for retailers to sell substances to a person under the age of 18 if they have reason to believe that the young person intends to inhale them or their fumes for the purpose of intoxication. The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs undertook a study into volatile substance abuse, the results of which were published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in 1995. A copy of their report "Volatile Substance Abuse" is in the Library. They concluded that there were no acceptable legislative changes which would do more than the Act already does to protect young people.

  Prisoner Repatriation
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will make decisions on outstanding applications from prisoners convicted of terrorist offences for repatriation to the Republic of Ireland. [14430]

  Mr. Straw
  I have recently approved three applications for repatriation to the Republic of Ireland submitted by prisoners convicted of terrorist offences. These were approved on the basis that the Republic will continue to enforce the sentences imposed by the courts here in accordance with the provisions of the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. Remaining repatriation applications are at various stages of consideration either here or in the Republic and will be determined as soon as possible.

  Exceptional Leave to Remain
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been given exceptional leave to remain in the United Kingdom, broken down by category of original application for each quarter since 1 January 1994. [13880]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The available information is for those persons initially granted exceptional leave to remain on refusal of asylum. Information for persons granted exceptional leave without originally having applied for asylum is not separately identifiable in the statistics.

  In the second and third quarters of 1997 respectively, 540 and 950 grants of exceptional leave on refusal of asylum, excluding dependants, were made. Equivalent information for each quarter of 1995, 1996 and the first quarter of 1997 can be found in table 1.4 of the Home Office statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom 1996", issue 15/97. Issue 9/96 of the same publication provides the same information for each quarter of 1994. Copies of both publications are available in the Library.

  Interception of Communications (Warrants)
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many warrants have been issued for each year under section 2 of the Interception of Communications Act 1985 since its inception to(a) police and (b) the security services; and of those how many were authorised by the Secretary of State and how many by civil servants. [13783]

  Mr. Straw
  The following information is obtained from the Annual Reports of the Interception Commissioner. The Government support the policy, adopted by successive Commissioners, of not publishing a further breakdown of the figures, and of excluding numbers of warrants issued by the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, because it would be prejudicial to national security to do so.

  It is only the Secretary of State who may authorise the issue of a warrant. Civil servants do not authorise the issue of interception warrants. However, under the emergency procedure provided at section 4(1)(b) of the Interception of Communications Act 1985, a warrant may be issued under the hand of an official of or above the rank of Assistant Under Secretary of State provided that the Secretary of

  27
  State has expressly authorised its issue and a statement of that fact is endorsed on the warrant. Any such emergency warrant must be renewed within 2 days under the hand of the Secretary of State.

  Romany People
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the degree of violent hostility to Romany people in the Czech and Slovak Republics. [13490]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  We have access to a wide range of information about the situation of Roma in Eastern European countries, including information about instances of racially motivated violence and discrimination and about the response of the authorities in the countries concerned. This information is taken fully into account

  Population of remand prisoners in prisons in England and Wales on the last day of the month: October 1994 to September 1997

  On last day of month

  Untried

  Total

  Convicted unsentenced

  Total

  Males

  Females

  Males

  Females

  1994

  October

  8,832

  389

  9,221

  3,244

  141

  3,385

  November

  8,783

  363

  9,146

  3,295

  156

  3,451

  December

  8,387

  330

  8,717

  2,583

  126

  2,709

  1995

  January

  8,647

  378

  9,025

  3,352

  146

  3,498

  February

  8,320

  346

  8,666

  3,015

  165

  3,180

  March

  7,890

  349

  8,239

  2,843

  166

  3,009

  April

  7,913

  346

  8,259

  2,521

  150

  2,671

  May

  8,116

  339

  8,455

  2,580

  147

  2,727

  June

  7,613

  337

  7,950

  2,948

  158

  3,106

  July

  7,834

  313

  8,147

  2,650

  143

  2,793

  August

  8,049

  347

  8,396

  2,782

  130

  2,912

  September

  7,813

  349

  8,162

  2,867

  149

  3,016

  October

  8,092

  341

  8,433

  2,910

  158

  3,068

  November

  7,985

  352

  8,337

  2,904

  143

  3,047

  December

  7,829

  326

  8,155

  2,312

  109

  2,421

  1996

  January

  8,020

  325

  8,345

  3,042

  154

  3,196

  February

  7,914

  309

  8,223

  3,071

  157

  3,228

  March

  7,608

  325

  7,933

  2,934

  145

  3,079

  April

  7,795

  358

  8,153

  3,108

  158

  3,266

  May

  7,845

  364

  8,209

  2,957

  153

  3,110

  June

  8,028

  404

  8,432

  2,994

  142

  3,136

  July

  7,982

  397

  8,379

  3,013

  169

  3,182

  August

  8,006

  392

  8,398

  3,112

  168

  3,280

  September

  8,148

  375

  8,523

  3,243

  197

  3,440

  October

  8,232

  398

  8,630

  3,327

  197

  3,524

  November

  8,275

  412

  8,687

  3,264

  196

  3,460

  December

  8,192

  387

  8,579

  2,789

  167

  2,956

  1997

  January

  8,150

  389

  8,539

  3,431

  209

  3,640

  February

  7,989

  349

  8,338

  3,473

  187

  3,660

  March

  8,052

  361

  8,413

  3,217

  187

  3,404

  April

  7,981

  387

  8,368

  3,384

  205

  3,589

  May

  7,899

  370

  8,269

  3,238

  190

  3,428

  June

  8,134

  429

  8,563

  3,384

  158

  3,542

  July

  8,185

  413

  8,598

  3,341

  205

  3,546

  August

  8,288

  429

  8,717

  3,461

  199

  3,660

  September

  8,349

  426

  8,775

  3,450

  204

  3,654

  28
  when applications for asylum are considered, and all such applications are determined in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees.

  Remand Prisoners
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the total number of(a) unconvicted prisoners on remand and (b) unsentenced prisoners on remand, by gender and in total, on the last day of each of the last 36 months for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [13722]

  Ms Quin
  The information requested is given in the table. Information on the male and female remand populations, by month, is published in successive volumes of "Prison Statistics, England and Wales" (table 1.2 of the 1996 edition, Cm 3732). Copies are in the library.

  Immigration Rules
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to amend the immigration rules in respect of spouses where the sponsor is disabled and unable to work.[13877]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  There are no such plans. The rules relating to maintenance and accommodation allow a person who is present and settled here to sponsor their spouse to come to the United Kingdom, providing there will be no additional recourse to public funds. This means that a sponsor may continue to receive benefits to which he is entitled in his own right.

  Police Service Targets
  Ms Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what will be the key objectives and key performance indicators for the police service in 1998–99. [14373]

  Mr. Straw
  I am arranging for copies of the Key Objectives and Key Performance Indicators for the police service in 1998–99 to be placed in the Library at 11.00 am tomorrow.

  Individual Cases (Ministerial Meetings)
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests since 1 May he and his Ministers have received from hon. Members to discuss individual cases; and how many of these have been granted. [13879]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I could not say without consulting each individual file how many meeting requests I have received, but I will always be happy to meet hon. Members to discuss cases unless there are strong reasons for not doing so. Often a meeting proves to be unnecessary because the case is resolved to the Member's satisfaction, and if an individual is detained pending removal I will often prefer to handle representations in writing or by telephone in order to prevent delay.

  I have already held 25 such meetings at the Home Office, and have another 10 scheduled for the next month. I aim to respond promptly to such requests.

  Immigration Policy
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests he and his Ministers have received from hon. Members since 1 May 1997 to discuss general issues of immigration policy; and how many of these were responded to within(a) one week, (b) two weeks, (c) one month, (d) three months And (e) over three months. [13881]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I do not have the specific information my hon. Friend requests. Nevertheless, I am always happy to meet hon. Members to discuss issues of immigration policy and have held such discussions with at least 15 hon. Members since May.

  If my hon. Friend wishes to have such a meeting with me, perhaps he could contact my Private Office.

  Lewes Prison
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the occupancy level and age profile of prisoners within Lewes prison. [13784]

  Ms Quin
  Lewes prison has a Certified Normal Accommodation of 485 and an Operational Capacity of 496. On 31 October 1997 the prison held 487 inmates. An age breakdown for all prisoners held in the prison on 30 September is given in the table.

  Population in Lewes prison on 30 September 1997, by age1

  Age

  Number

  15–17

  25

  18-20

  382

  21-24

  98

  25-29

  93

  30-39

  120

  40-49

  63

  50-59

  25

  60 and over

  3

  Total

  489

  1 Provisional figures.

  2 All on remand.

  3 43 on remand.

  Irish Republic (British Subjects)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for British passports have been received from persons born in the Irish Republic who are the children of British subjects, in the last six months. [14057]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The UK Passport Agency is unable to provide this information as the records that are kept do not differentiate between British subject passports issued to those born in or connected with the Irish Republic and those born in India who have that status by connection with former British India. The Agency can only confirm that 3,894 British subject passports were issued in the six month period May to October 1997. The status of British subject cannot be transmitted to a child born in the Irish Republic after 31 December 1948.

  War Memorials
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take action to ensure the proper preservation of war memorials in circumstances where the church or other building in which they are located is destroyed or converted to other use. [13692]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Provision for the preservation or recording of memorials to the dead is contained in existing legislation concerning the development of burial grounds.

  Under the Pastoral Measure 1983, if a disused Church of England church and churchyard is made the subject of a redundancy scheme, there is a requirement to give notice of the manner in which memorials are proposed to be disposed of and to offer relatives or the Commonwealth War Graves Commission the opportunity to make separate arrangements.
  31
  Where the memorials are removed, details, including a copy of the inscription and the date and manner of disposal, are to be lodged with the local council and copied to the Registrar General.

  Hazardous Refuse
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he proposes to take to ensure that those who deposit syringes and other medical-related items of a potential health hazard in public places, or in domestic refuse containers, can be prosecuted.[13307]

  Angela Eagle
  I have been asked to reply.

  Under section 87 of the Environment Protection Act 1990, any person who drops and leaves litter in a public open space is committing a criminal offence and is liable to prosecution. Prosecutions may be brought by the Police or local authorities and upon conviction the litterer may face a maximum fine of £2,500. Local authorities may also issue fixed penalty notices to anyone who drops litter and refuses to dispose of it properly.

  The term litter has a wide interpretation and we have no reason to believe that it would not include syringes and medical items. The offence relates to what is done with the material rather than what it is.

  In addition, Section 46 of the Environment Protection Act 1990 enables local authorities to serve notice on householders requiring specified substances to be put in separate receptacles. Failure to comply with the provisions of this notice may lead to a summary conviction under section 46(6) of the Act.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Scientific Research and Development
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to increase investment in scientific research and development.[13027]

  Dr. Howells
  As part of our commitment to maintaining and enhancing research excellence in higher education, the funding package for higher education for 1998–99 announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 23 September will include an extra £125 million to maintain and improve quality and standards, and to make a start on the backlog of maintenance and equipment replacement for both teaching and research facilities.

  In the longer term, decisions on funding for research in higher education, having regard to the recommendations of the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education, will be taken in the light of the comprehensive spending review.

  Classrooms
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many demountable classrooms or other temporary buildings are used for teaching at schools in the Colchester area; what is the age of the oldest such classroom; and what plans he has to replace them with permanent classrooms; [13697]
  32
  (2) how many schools in England and Wales are comprised solely of demountable classrooms; and if he will make a statement. [13698]

  Mr. Byers
  The information sought is not collected centrally.

  The Government is concerned about the condition of many school premises. We have already begun to address the repairs and maintenance backlog. The Prime Minister announced on 30 September that £115 million would be spent by the end of this financial year. Over 2,000 schools will benefit. By the end of this Parliament, we expect an additional £2 billion to be spent as a result of the New Deal for Schools.

  New Deal for Schools
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many schools were notified of new deal for school opportunities after the deadline for submitting bids was passed; [13742]

  (2) what remedies he proposes to offer schools which were notified of new deal for schools opportunities after the deadline had passed; and if he will make a statement; [13743]

  (3) if he will make special arrangements for those schools who received notification of New Deal for Schools money after the deadline for submitting bids had passed. [14096]

  Mr. Byers
  I understand that most schools received the Department's letter of 18 July about the New Deal for Schools (NDS) before the deadline. Schools were not being invited to bid, but were being informed that Local Education Authorities and the Funding Agency for Schools (FAS) would be bidding on their behalf.

  The £83 million already distributed is only the first instalment of a larger programme announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget. We expect a further £2 billion will be available over the lifetime of this Parliament for schools in England. We will be issuing bidding guidance shortly on the arrangements for the second tranche of NDS funding. All schools, including those that did not receive funding in the first round, will be able to submit bids to their LEAs, or the FAS in the case of Grant Maintained schools.

  Mr. Salter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has for the private sector to lead partnerships for the organisation and delivery of the New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds. [14449]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  I am pleased to announce the outcome of the competition to identify private sector organisation to lead partnerships for the organisations and delivery of the New Deal in both of the pathfinder districts of Hackney and City and South Humber. The successful organisation in Hackney and City is Reed Personnel Services and in South Humber, Action for Employment Ltd.
  33
  Because of the high quality responses within this competition, it has been decided that private sector organisations should be invited to lead the organisation and delivery of the New Deal in a total of ten locations—the two pathfinder districts and in eight new localities:

  Colchester

  Solihull

  Leicestershire

  Tyneside, North

  Exeter and East Devon

  Bridgend and the Glamorgan Valleys

  West Lancashire

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland will make an announcement on the remaining District in due course.

  Expressions of interest will be invited shortly, with a view to announcing the remaining lead private sector organisations to work with the Employment Service by the end of February.

  Student Funding
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the average funding per student in further education for students in(a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland in each of the last five years. [14209]

  Dr. Howells
  The average funding per FEFC funded full-time equivalent student in further education in England (in £ cash rounded to the nearest £10) over the last four years (the 1992–93 figure is not on a comparable basis) was as follows:

  1993–94: 2,820

  1994–95: 2,810

  1995–96: 2,670

  1996–97: 2,570

  Responsibility for further education matters in Scotland and Wales rests with my right hon. Friends, the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales respectively.

  Reception Classes
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of four-year-olds in maintained reception classes had staffing ratios worse than 1 to 13 on 30 Janaury 1997. [14071]

  Mr. Byers
  Information about pupils and teachers in reception classes is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many four-year-olds were in(a) maintained reception classes, (b) maintained nursery classes or schools and (c) voluntary and private settings (i) on 23 September 1997 and (ii) in January 1996. [14073]
  34
  Mr. Byers
  The available information on four-year-olds in Janaury 1996 is shown in the following table.

  Pupils aged 4 years of age in schools in England: January 1996

  School type

  Pupils1

  Maintained nursery schools and nursery classes

  154,982

  Infant classes in Primary schools2

  343,436

  Independent schools3

  27,413

  1 Full-time and part-time pupils aged 4 years at 31 December 1995 (born between 1 January and 31 December 1991).

  2 Includes reception and other classes.

  3 Includes pupils in direct grant nursery schools.

  Information on four-year-olds in schools and private and voluntary provision on 23 September 1997 will be available towards the end of the year.

  "Excellence in Schools"
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if he will make a statement on the written representation he has received on his White Paper, "Excellence in Schools" from the Hampshire Association of Parish and Town Councils; [13906]

  (2) if he will list the parish and town councils from which he has received written representations in connection with his White Paper, "Excellence in Schools". [13907]

  Mr. Byers
  Our records show that, of the approximately 3,500 responses to the full version of the White Paper "Excellence in Schools", two were received from Parish and Town Councils or their representative bodies. The replies were from Hampshire Association of Parish and Town Councils (HAPTC) and Romsey Town Council.

  HAPTC' s response focused particularly on the principles of partnership and citizenship. Its contents have been taken into account as part of the analysis of all responses to the White Paper.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the total capital allocation for grant-maintained schools in England for each year since 1989. [13177]

  Mr. Byers
  The total capital allocations for grant maintained schools in England for each year since 1989 are as follows:

  Financial year

  Capital allocations (£ millions)

  1990–91

  8·5

  1991–92

  12·7

  1992–93

  32·2

  1993–94

  95·4

  1994–95

  122·0

  1995–96

  123·0

  1996–97

  138·0

  1997–98

  144·9

  Free School Milk
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his policy on the provision of free milk for children of primary school age; and if he will make a statement. [13152]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Where local education authorities and the governing bodies of grant-maintained schools in England provide drinking milk for primary-age children, they must provide it free of charge to pupils whose parents receive Income Support or income-based job seeker's allowance. We have no current plans to change these arrangements.

  Public Footpaths
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many proposals for diversion or closure orders of public footpaths have been made to local education authorities since the publication of the report of the working group on schools security in May 1996. [13109]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Proposals for the diversion or closure of public rights of way are considered by local highways authorities. Information about the number of such proposals submitted in respect of school premises is not collected centrally.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Pesticides
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the frequency with which national estimated daily intake calculations were performed for pesticide residues in each EU member state in each year since 1992. [13181]

  Mr. Rooker
  Estimated daily intake—EDI—calculations have been carried out in the United Kingdom as part of the pesticide approvals process in those cases where it appears that the acceptable daily intake—ADI—of residues in a food crop might be exceeded. For example, EDI calculations were made for chronic risk assessment purposes in preparing the paper "Unit to Unit Variation of Pesticide Residues in Fruit and Vegetables" which the Pesticides Safety Directorate published in March this year. However, precise information on how frequently these calculations have been carried out since 1992 would be available only at disproportionate cost.

  Information on the frequency with which other EU member states carry out national EDI calculations is not held by the UK.

  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Fishing Rights
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much financial compensation has been provided by the European Community since 1987 for fishing rights in national waters of non-EC states; what total tonnage of fish and other stocks has been involved; what was the value of the stocks concerned at market levels; and what proportion of the tonnage was granted to British trawlers. [13852]
  36
  Mr. Morley
  Details of the cost to the EU budget of fisheries agreements with third countries are provided in the table:

  Cost of EU fisheries agreements with third countries

  ECU(million)

  1987

  81.9

  1988

  139.5

  1989

  161.5

  1990

  173.0

  1991

  171.4

  1992

  195.6

  1993

  188.9

  1994

  140.6

  1995

  158.1

  19961

  270.0

  19971

  246.3

  1 Budget appropriation. Final outturn expenditure figures not yet available.

  The manner in which the fishing opportunities obtained in third country waters is expressed varies from agreement to agreement. Total vessel capacity, numbers of licences, reference tonnage's and numerical quotas are used either singly or in combination to describe the fishing opportunities available to Community vessels. It is not therefore possible to assess the total tonnage of fish stocks involved, the market value of the stocks concerned or the proportion granted to UK vessels.

  On 30 October the Fisheries Council agreed a series of conclusions on future policy towards agreements with third countries, including the need for a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis.

  Fisheries Council
  Mr. Fabian Hamilton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of the European Fisheries Council held on 30 October in Luxembourg.[14426]

  Mr. Morley
  I represented the United Kingdom at the meeting of the Fisheries Council in Luxembourg on 30 October, together with my noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland. Under each agenda item decisions were taken which will enhance fisheries conservation.

  The Council agreed by qualified majority, with Denmark voting against, a wide ranging package of technical measures designed to conserve fish stocks by reducing catches of juvenile fish and discarding.

  Key features of the present arrangements, such as the areas closed to protect juvenile fish, will be maintained. The minimum mesh size for cod, haddock and other large-bodied species was confirmed at 100mm in the North Sea and North West of Scotland, and will increase, with special transitional arrangements, from 80mm to 100mm in other waters to the west and south of the United Kingdom. Other measures to increase the selectivity of fishing nets include a new requirement to use square mesh panels in nephrops nets and limits on twine thickness. In order to assist enforcement, there will also be limits on the number of nets of different mesh sizes that fishermen may use on a single trip, with the detailed rules on this aspect to be decided next year.
  37
  The rules on discarding will change in order to reduce the quantity of fish discarded. The minimum landing sizes of fish will be made more consistent with the mesh sizes used, again in order to reduce discarding. Minimum sizes have also been improved for shellfish stocks to give this sector added protection.

  The new conservation rules will come into effect on 1 January 2000 so as to give fishermen time to adapt their fishing gear and practices. The Government has worked closely with the fishing industry in discussing technical conservation measures and the new rules respond to many of their concerns. As well as securing conservation gains, we successfully resisted proposals which would have undermined effective enforcement at sea.

  The Council unanimously agreed conclusions on future policy towards fisheries agreements with third countries. As a result the European Commission will undertake a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of these agreements. In the meantime the Council has called upon the Commission to explore ways of ensuring that the agreements are coherent with general development policy and involve fishing opportunities set at sustainable levels. The Council has also called upon the Commission to examine the funding arrangements and to provide full evaluations before expiring agreements are renewed or new agreements sought. I fully support these conclusions which lay the foundation for a more soundly based future policy.

  The Council unanimously adopted new rules on catch reporting in Western Waters to come into effect on 1 July 1998. These new rules make up the last enforcement element of the December 1994 Western Waters agreement on Spanish and Portuguese integration into the Common Fisheries Policy. They will strengthen enforcement but should not create significant additional burdens on fishermen because catch reports will be submitted along with the position reports which vessels have had to submit since 1996 when operating in Western Waters.

  I used the opportunity of the Council to draw attention to the need to make progress on the Commission's long-standing proposal to phase out the use of drift nets on the high seas. I made it clear that the United Kingdom would seek to reach an agreement during its Presidency of the European Union next year, taking account of both environmental concerns and the needs of the fishermen who have hitherto participated in the fishery.

  Arable Stewardship
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to publish details of the proposed pilot schemes for arable stewardship. [14047]

  Mr. Morley
  We will be publishing a leaflet which explains the objectives of the arable stewardship pilot scheme and gives brief details of the measures, the location of the two pilot areas and the project officer contacts in the middle of November. It will be sent to all farmers in the pilot areas, members of the National Agri-environment Forum and other interested organisations. The detailed scheme literature and application forms will be available from 5 January 1998 when we will open the scheme to applications.

  Pigs (Tail Docking)
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will ensure that the Welfare of Livestock Regulations 1994 relating to the docking of pigs' tails is properly enforced by inspectors and veterinarians at abattoirs; and if he will make a statement; [13943]

  (2) how many farmers have been prosecuted under the Welfare of Livestock Regulations 1994 for the illegal docking of pigs' tails in (a) 1995–96 and (b) 1996–97; and if he will make a statement. [13942]

  Mr. Morley
  I am keen to discourage the routine tail docking of piglets, a practice which is far too prevalent considering that the law only permits it in certain circumstances. I am considering how best to achieve this. No prosecutions relating to the docking of tails have been brought by MAFF under schedule 3 of the Welfare of Livestock Regulations 1994 during 1995–96 or 1996–97. Prosecutions brought by local authorities or other bodies are not recorded centrally.

  Fox Hunting
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to receive the advice of the Forestry Commission on the hunting of foxes on Commission land; and if he will publish all the advice given. [14045]

  Mr. Morley
  The Forestry Commission is reviewing its policy on hunting over commission land, and we expect to receive its advice soon. This is an internal review and the advice will therefore not be published.

  Pig Production
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received regarding the use of meat and bonemeal in continental pig production; and if he will make a statement. [14169]

  Mr. Rooker
  Representations have been received from UK pig farmers reflecting their disappointment at the differences between our own controls on feed and those imposed by our European partners.

  Farmers in other Member States are permitted to feed meat and bonemeal (MBM) to non-ruminant livestock. In the UK, mammalian MBM has been prohibited from all farmed livestock feed, including pig, since March 1996. This extension of our ban, which formerly only applied to ruminant feed, was introduced on the specific advice of the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee to avoid the risk of any cross-contamination between ruminant and non-ruminant feed. Such cross-contamination could lead to the perpetuation of the BSE epidemic in British cattle.

  The UK has had far more cases of BSE than other Member States, and that is why we have a range of measures here which go considerably further than those taken elsewhere.

  Dietary Supplements
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will invite the Committee on Toxicology of Chemicals in Food to reconsider the
  39
  research evidence on vitamin B6 in dietary supplements on which they based their advice, with special reference to the study by Dalton and Dalton; what assessment he has made of the criticism of the Committee's research evaluation; and if he will ensure that the members of the Committee have no interest which could be relevant to their advice. [14042]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) has considered the data on the toxicity of vitamin B6 on two separate occasions. It is aware that the validity of some of the science on which its recommendation was based—including the study by Dalton and Dalton—has been questioned but it has not been persuaded that this issue needs to be looked at for a third time. The Government has every confidence in the rigour with which the COT reviewed the data and in the robustness of the recommendation it made. We see no reason to invite the Committee to reconsider the evidence.

  Members of the COT are appointed by the Chief Medical Officer as independent scientific and medical experts on the basis of special skills and knowledge. However, it is inevitable that most experts will have gained experience by applying scientific and toxicological skills to address questions of a commercial nature. In order to ensure that these commercial interests do not conflict with the need to obtain independent expert advice, members are required to declare any commercial interests on appointment and, again, during meetings if a topic arises in which they have an interest. Details of the interests declared by COT Members have been placed in the Library. The Government is wholly satisfied with the integrity of the members of the COT and with the independence of its advice.

  Tuberculosis
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to receive the Krebs report into the incidence of TB in the badger population and its impact on dairy and beef producers; and if he will publish the report in full. [14046]

  Mr. Rooker
  I expect to receive the report before the end of the year. The report will be published in full.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Small and Medium Enterprises
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the total number and percentage of businesses in(a) Tamworth and (b) Staffordshire with between (i) 0–9 employees, (ii) 10–49 employees, (iii) 50–99 employees, (iv) 100–249 employees and (v) 250–500 employees; and how many people are employed in each size band. [13889]

  Mrs. Roche
  The information is not kept in the form requested by my hon. Friend. However, data from the Annual Employment Survey showing size band distributions of employment in Tamworth and in Staffordshire are set out in the tables. A unit does not correspond to the terms "firm, company" or; "business", by which employers are sometimes identified, but is roughly equivalent to a workplace.40

  Employment Size band

  Number of units

  Percentage of units

  Number of employees

  Percentage of employees

  Tamworth

  1-10

  501

  60.8

  1,999

  10.4

  11-49

  222

  26.9

  4,987

  26.0

  50-99

  55

  6.7

  3,850

  20.1

  100-199

  35

  4.2

  4,634

  24.2

  200-499

  9

  1.1

  2,543

  13.3

  500 or more

  2

  0.2

  1,155

  6.0

  Total

  824

  100.0

  19,168

  100.0

  Staffordshire

  1-10

  15,091

  72.9

  57,937

  16.3

  11-49

  4,386

  21.2

  97,718

  27.5

  50-99

  648

  3.1

  44,910

  12.6

  100-199

  350

  1.7

  47,790

  13.4

  200-499

  165

  0.8

  50,349

  14.2

  500 or more

  49

  0.2

  57,065

  16.0

  Total

  20,689

  100.0

  355,766

  100.0

  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what research her Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the growth and barriers to growth of small businesses; and what her Department has identified as the main barriers. [13892]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Department has commissioned the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Centre for Business Research of the University of Cambridge and Public and Corporate Economic Consultants (PACEC), to carry out research on growth constraints on Small and Medium Firms.

  Management and employee development and expertise was found to be the key to sustained growth over a period of several years.

  Particular constraints were:
  the level and depth of internal management capability and human resource development;
  internal resource management, particularly in relation to budgeting, costing, invoicing and payment procedures;
  the firm's management systems;
  insufficient awareness of the range of facilities of computer based IT systems as a cost/time saving management tool;
  the need to address skill shortages through effective training or recruitment;
  a too narrow customer/product base;
  the need for external providers of finance to be an enabling rather than constraining forces (as many firms in the study perceived them to be).

  Coal
  Caroline Flint
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations she has received regarding the renewal of domestic coal contracts by the generating companies in 1998; and if she will make a statement. [13144]

  Mr. Battle
  I have received representations from one of the coal companies in respect of power station contracts being negotiated for the period beyond March 1998. The negotiations are primarily a matter for the private sector companies involved.

  Late Payments
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what proportion of late payment of debt she estimates is attributable to small businesses failing to pay other such businesses on time; and what research on this subject her Department have(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated; [13524]

  (2) what research her Department has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated to quantify the effect on small businesses of late payment of debt. [13523]

  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 30 October 1997]: Recent research undertaken by NOP showed that late payment causes serious problems for all businesses in the UK. As a direct result of late payment, 72 per cent. of those businesses surveyed have cash flow difficulties, 62 per cent. are less profitable, 45 per cent. are unable to grow and 41 per cent. say that their very survival is threatened.

  The findings of a recent report undertaken by Trade Indemnity also showed that small businesses continue to suffer more from late payment than larger ones. Small businesses with a turnover of less than £1 million were found to have 29 per cent. of invoices outstanding compared to only 9 per cent. for businesses with turnover of £50 million.

  In addition surveys by Grant Thornton, Lloyds Bank, The British Chambers of Commerce, Experian and Dun and Bradstreet have all shown that large firms are the worst payers with Experian identifying that large companies were two and a half times more likely to pay their bills late than small companies.

  The Government is determined to promote a better payment culture in the UK. That is why we have responded to the calls from small businesses and announced a new package of measures to tackle late payment, including the introduction of legislation to provide a statutory right to claim interest on late payment of commercial debt.

  Small Businesses
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list(a) the Ministers responsible for small businesses in each Government Department and the dates of their appointment, (b) the dates on which they have met and (c) the dates on which they are expected to meet during the next 12 months. [13522]

  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 30 October 1997]: Firms employing fewer than 50 people contribute 99 per cent. of all UK businesses. All Government Ministers, therefore, have a responsibility to consider the impact on small firms of the policy and regulatory decisions made by their Department. As Minister with responsibility for small business, I deal directly with Ministers in a number of Government Departments on specific issues that are of particular concern to smaller firms.

  The Access Business Ministerial Group, of which I am a member, is chaired by the Parliamentary Secretary of the Office of Public Service. This Group ensures that regulatory practise and advice and information, from both central and local government is as transparent, accessible and helpful as possible.
  42
  A Parliamentary Debate on small firms in Spring 1998 will provide an opportunity for all members to contribute their views on the role and importance of small businesses to the economy of the UK.

  Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe
  Mr. Letwin
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what date the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe sold his BP shares. [13216]

  Mrs. Beckett
  [holding answer 30 October 1997]: The Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe announced his intention to dispose of his shareholdings in BP in his statement of 5 August. He immediately instructed his bank to make the necessary arrangements which have now been completed.

  Payment of Debts
  Mr. Page
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps she has taken to establish a reference point from which improvements in payment times for small businesses would be measured under a statutory right for interest. [13107]

  Mrs. Roche
  My Department will continue to monitor and analyse the findings of business surveys into payment times for small businesses. In addition my officials are discussing with the University of Bradford the establishment of a payment observatory which will monitor and report on payment trends including the lateness of payment. The observatory would also identify best practice in credit management so that small businesses can benchmark their own performance.

  The Government has made it clear that the Commercial Debts (Interest) Bill is just one of a package of new measures that it will bring forward to promote a better payment culture in the UK. Central and Local Government will be required to publish tables of their actual payment performance and the Government has welcomed the announcement by the Federation of Small Businesses that they will publish league tables of the average payment times of public companies and their large private subsidiaries.

  The Government fully recognises the importance of effective credit management procedures and is pleased that all the main small firms organisations have agreed to work with the Government to look at better payment practice.

  Clean Coal Technology
  Mr. Page
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) when she intends to introduce support for clean coal technology via the non-fossil fuel obligation process; [13106]

  (2) what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Commission over the legality of providing clean coal technology support through the non-fossil fuel obligation process. [13105]

  Mr. Battle
  My Department is nearing completion of a major review of clean coal technology which has involved extensive discussions with industry, universities and a number of overseas organisations such as the International Energy Agency. The review covers future research,
  43
  development and demonstration requirements and has examined a range of funding options for such requirements, including the NFFO process. An announcement on the outcome of the review, our proposed future policy, and proposed consultation with the Commission, will be made once we have had time to consider the review's findings.

  British Nuclear Fuels plc
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what guidelines her Department has issued to British Nuclear Fuels plc concerning future liabilities on overseas contracts.[13555]

  Mr. Battle
  [holding answer 30 October 1997]: BNFL's commercial contracts with overseas customers for reprocessing services are underpinned by inter-Governmental agreements. Arrangements for implementing these contracts, including the accounting treatment, are a matter for the company. In relation to such contracts, I understand that the company, where applicable, makes prudent and appropriate provision for future liabilities that may arise, in accordance with generally accepted accounting policies. Full details of BNFL's accounting policies on, and provisions for, future liabilities are given in its Annual Report and Accounts.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of the implications for nuclear safety of the projected merger between BNFL and Siemens. [13761]

  Mr. Battle
  Discussions between BNFL and Siemens concerning a possible joint venture company are at a preliminary stage. My Department is being kept fully informed of developments. Any undertakings concerned with nuclear operations will, of course, be subject to the applicable safety regulations.

  Statutory Instruments
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what statutory instruments have been made during the summer Adjournment by her Department. [13553]

  Mrs. Beckett
  [holding answer 30 October 1997]: My Department made, and laid, the following Statutory Instruments during the summer adjournment:

  Statutory Instrument

  The Wireless Telegraphy (Short Range Devices) (Exemption) (Amendment)Regulations

  S.I. 1997/1996

  The Wireless Telegraphy (Network User Stations) (Exemption) Regulations

  S.I. 1997/2137

  The Public Telecommunication System Designation (ACC Long Distance UK Limited) (No.2) Order

  S.I. 1997/2177

  The Public Telecommunication System Designation (Coventry Cable Limited) Order

  S.I. 1997/2178

  The Public Telecommunication System Designation (Diamond Cable Communications (UK) Limited) Order

  S.I. 1997/2179

  The Public Telecommunication System Designation (Advanced Radio Telecom Limited) Order

  S.I. 1997/2180

  The Public Telecommunication System Designation (Radio Tel Systems Limited)Order

  S.I. 1997/2181

  44

  Statutory Instrument

  The Fireworks (Safety) Regulations

  S.I. 1997/2294

  The Companies (Membership of Holding Company) (Dealers In Securities Regulations)

  S.I. 1997/2306

  The Gas Act 1986 (Exemption) Order

  S.I. 1997/2427

  In addition my Department made one further Statutory Instrument which is not subject to Parliamentary procedure:
  The Export of Goods (United Nations Sanctions) (Sierra Leone) Order: S.I. 1997/2464.

  Mixed Oxide Fuel
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of mixed oxide fuel have been transported from Sellafield to date for use in German nuclear power plants. [13740]

  Mr. Battle
  My Department's annual press release details the total exports of plutonium in the form of non-irradiated mixed oxide fuels. Copies of this, and previous releases, are available in the Library of the House. The most recent release, on July 31 1997, reported that 83 kg of plutonium were exported as MOX fuel, exclusively to Germany. Details of individual contracts remain commercially confidential.

  Cable Operators
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will encourage cable operators to offer wireless as well as wired telecommunications services. [13114]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Broadcasting Act 1990 includes statutory provision for the use of wireless transmission by cable operators, and the licenses now being issued to franchise holders by the Independent Television Commission and my Department both allow this. The Government has allocated the 40.5–42.5 Ghz band for this purpose.

  The Government has allocated spectrum within the 2,3,4 and 10 Ghz bands to other wireless telecommunication operators. The ability to deliver broadband services to premises also has considerable potential for improving communications, particularly in rural areas, and the Government is considering the best way forward in further encouraging such networks, including the use of wireless.

  India
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the current level of trade between Britain and India. [13922]

  Mrs. Roche
  In 1996, trade in goods and services between Britain and India was worth £4.1 billion, 7 per cent. higher than a year earlier. The value of UK exports of goods and services increased by 1.5 per cent. to £2.1 billion while UK imports rose by 14 per cent. to £2.0 billion.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she next plans to visit India. [13925]
  45
  Mrs. Beckett
  I shall be visiting India from 16–18 November this year.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the current level of staffing at the India desk of her Department. [13923]

  Mrs. Roche
  Currently 13 people are allocated to the India desk.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will estimate how many British firms have offices in India. [13924]

  Mrs. Roche
  Although no precise information is available, it is estimated that there are at least 300 British firms with offices in India.

  Pakistan
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the current level of trade between Britain and Pakistan. [13926]

  Mrs. Roche
  In 1996, trade in goods and services between Britain and Pakistan was worth £1.1 billion, 7 per cent. higher than a year earlier. The value of UK exports of goods and services increased by 6 per cent. to £590 million while UK imports rose by 8 per cent. to £545 million.

  Quadrant Catering
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations she has received concerning the selling of Quadrant Catering by the Post Office; and if she will make a statement. [13668]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations about the future of Quadrant, the catering business of the Post Office, from members of the Communication Workers Union either directly or through Members of Parliament. Quadrant Catering Limited was established as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Post Office on 29 September. My right hon. Friend's consent is required under the British Telecommunications Act 1981 to the sale of shares in Quadrant Catering Limited to a private sector partner to establish a joint venture operation.

  Telemarketing
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps are being taken to eliminate the sending of unsolicited faxes from telemarketing companies. [13484]

  Mrs. Roche
  The EU Distance Selling Directive, which should be implemented by June 2000, will prohibit suppliers such as telemarketing companies from sending faxes to consumers without their prior consent. I will consult on implementation of this Directive early next year. In the meantime, people can register with the Fax Preference Service (FPS). The companies who subscribe to it undertake that they will not sent unsolicited faxes to any consumer who registers with the FPS.

  Export Credit Insurance
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate she has made of the costs to public funds of the United Kingdom acceptance of the European Council directive on the harmonisation of the main provisions concerning export credit insurance for transactions with medium and long-term cover. [12513]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The ECGD has carried out a full and thorough assessment of the costs associated with implementing this Directive. Taken as a whole, the effects of the Directive as currently drafted are broadly cost neutral for the UK Government and will not result in any additional burden to UK tax payers. A detailed analysis of the costs involved is set out in Explanatory Memorandum 9507/97 COM (97) 264 which was submitted to the House of Commons and House of Lords Scrutiny Committees on 7 October.

SCOTLAND

  Late Payments
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the suppliers to his Department who are owed outstanding amounts, indicating the amounts and the due date on which the account should have been settled. [13544]

  Mr. Chisholm
  [holding answer 30 October 1997]: All Departments are required to pay all their bills within agreed contract terms, or 30 days from receipt of the goods or service or a valid invoice, whichever is later, where no such terms exist. Such detailed information on payment performance for the current financial year could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The Treasury will shortly be publishing a league table of departmental payment performance for 1996–97.

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dayell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider amending the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill to permit a Scottish court to sit overseas to try those accused in respect of Lockerbie. [13213]

  Mr. McLeish
  [holding answer 30 October 1997]: The Government remain committed to trial of the two Libyan accused in Scotland or the United States and it would therefor be inappropriate and unnecessary to amend the criminal procedure legislation.

  Beta Interferon
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the cost of prescribing beta interferon in each year since 1995 for each health board. [13477]

  Mr. Galbraith
  The information for Scotland for the financial years 1995–96 to 1997–98 is shown in the table.

  The costs shown for prescriptions dispensed through community pharmacies are based on the value of ingredients before the addition of dispensing fees or deduction of any discount or patient charges.
  47
  In order not to disclose information that may relate to an individual patient, the data are presented on a national basis.

  Cost (£)

  1995–96

  1996–97

  April-August 19971

  Cost of prescriptions for beta interferon dispensed through community pharmacies:

  —

  27,465

  87,418

  Cost of prescriptions for beta interferon dispensed in hospitals:

  1,894

  171,462

  56,890

  Scotland

  1,894

  198,927

  144,308

  1 Provisional.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total cost to date of external consultancies associated with the specification of the proposed private finance initiative contract at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh NHS trust; and from which budgets these costs have been met. [12746]

  Mr. Galbraith
  [holding answer 27 October 1997]: The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh NHS Trust has to date incurred £3.4 million for fees for external advice in connection with the New Royal Infirmary PFI project as detailed in the table. The costs have been met by the Trust from its own resources, including non-recurring revenue grants from The Scottish Office.

  Fees incurred for:

  £000

  Design

  1,455

  Financial

  398

  Legal

  1,258

  Others

  288

  Total

  3,399

  Community Care
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy regarding future provision of community care; and if he will make a statement. [12701]

  Mr. Galbraith
  The successful delivery of community care services depends on effective joint working between health, social work and housing agencies and on their making the best use of resources available to them including, for example, purchasing from the private and voluntary sectors. We are reviewing the various elements of community care funding and the Government are setting up a Royal Commission to review the arrangements for funding the long-term care of the elderly. We are preparing improved guidance on procedures for assessing the needs of older people and will consult later this year on how best to promote and improve joint working.

  Local Government Electorate
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the electorate of each ward in each local authority area in Scotland. [12697]
  48
  Mr. Chisholm
  The electorate for local government elections in each ward of each local authority area in 1997, drawn from information held by the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland, is set out in a table which has been placed in the Library.

  Post-operative Care
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy regarding the provision of post-operative care; and if he will make a statement. [12700]

  Mr. Galbraith
  Responsibility for determining the range of services needed to meet all the health care needs of their population rests with Health Boards. That general principle applies to post-operative care.

  The national clinical audit database lists more than 80 local audit projects on post-operative care from Health Boards and Trusts covering a wide range of specialties and professions. This information is available to all hospitals as a means of disseminating good practice and avoiding duplication of effort.

WALES

  River Dee Crossing
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the impact upon the economy of(a) Deeside and (b) North East Wales, of opening the new River Dee crossing. [13315]

  Mr. Hain
  None. Flintshire County Council are responsible for this scheme.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he estimates the new River Dee crossing will be open to public traffic; and when he expects the official opening will take place. [13313]

  Mr. Hain
  Flintshire County Council are responsible for this scheme. They estimate completion before Christmas.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the cost to date of building(a) the new River Dee crossing and (b) associated approach roads.[13314]

  Mr. Hain
  Flintshire County Council are responsible for this scheme. The Welsh Office has to date provided support of some £64 million under the Transport Grant arrangements.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the annual number of vehicles which will use the River Dee crossing; and if he will make a statement. [13316]

  Mr. Hain
  Flintshire County Council are responsible for this scheme. They estimate average daily flows of 21,100.

  Transport Grants
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to reduce the current disparity in the funding of Welsh transport grants between urban and rural Wales; and if he will make a statement. [13171]
  49
  Mr. Hain
  All local authorities in Wales are invited to bid for transport grant and each scheme submitted is assessed on its merits against the grant criteria. I will ensure that all projects submitted by rural authorities are given fair consideration against these criteria.

  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to include economic development effects within cost-benefit analyses when awarding transport grants in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [13174]

  Mr. Hain
  Economic development effects do not form part of the standard cost-benefit analyses used to assess road schemes. However, they form part of the wider Transport Grant criteria upon which projects are assessed.

  Welsh Assembly
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to bring the strategic

  Patients removed from general medical practitioners lists

  Patients removed because of act or threat of violence

  Patients removed at request of GP1

  Patients transferred at request of Patient

  FHSA2

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Clwyd

  4

  8

  458

  288

  1

  n/a

  Dyfed

  —

  12

  91

  93

  2

  2

  Gwent

  —

  9

  520

  442

  4

  5

  Gwynedd

  —

  9

  46

  77

  —

  2

  Mid Glamorgan

  n/a

  20

  518

  347

  8

  13

  Powys

  —

  —

  11

  12

  —

  —

  South Glamorgan

  n/a

  33

  1,407

  1,150

  24

  22

  West Glamorgan

  n/a

  6

  479

  527

  9

  25

  Wales

  n/a

  97

  3,530

  2,936

  48

  n/a

  Notes:

  1 Excluding those recorded under first category.

  2 Currently available data are for 1993–94 and 1994–95 for former Family Health Service Authorities. n/a = not available.

  Source:

  GMP Census Additional Data Collection 1994–95, Department of Health 1996.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Civil Litigation
  Mr. Burnett
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what research his Department has conducted into the requirement, in terms of the likely success or merits of a case, for the instigation of civil proceedings by a litigant; what criteria correspond to current usual practice; and if he will make a statement. [13772]

  Mr. Hoon
  The decision whether to litigate and the criteria applied to judge the likely success or merits of the case are matters for the client on the professional advice of his lawyer if he has one. I have not commissioned research into this specific area but my Department has commissioned a number of research projects which look generally at why people choose to litigate.
  50
  planning authority for public transport for Wales under the remit of the Welsh Assembly; and if he will make a statement. [13172]

  Mr. Hain
  There is no strategic planning authority for public transport for Wales. However, the Government are currently consulting on an integrated transport policy. The Government's policy on devolution is that the Welsh Assembly will take over virtually all the functions of the Secretary of State for Wales. The functions, including those with respect to public transport, will be set out in an order that will be made under the Act which establishes the Assembly.

  General Practitioner Lists
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many patients were removed from general practitioners lists by(a) county and (b) health authority in each of the past five years. [14212]

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  The presently available information, for the years 1993–94 and 1994–95, is given in the table:

  Mr. Burnett
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what criteria and methods his Department intends to use to measure the probability of success in cases of civil litigation; and if he will make a statement. [13719]

  Mr. Hoon
  The decision whether to litigate and the criteria applied to judge the likely success or merits of the case are matters for the client on the professional advice of his lawyer if he has one.

  Mr. Burnett
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what consultations his Department has held with members of the insurance industry, and related experts, on the subject of arrangements for insurance civil litigants who will be able to litigate using the intended extension of the conditional fee agreement; what were the conclusions of such discussions; and if he will make a statement. [13715]

  Mr. Hoon
  My officials are in discussion with interested parties, including representatives of the insurance industry, about the range of issues connected
  51
  with the extension of conditional fees, and not least the provision of insurance against the potential liability for an opponents costs and who should meet those costs.

  Mr. Burnett
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what consultations his Department is holding on plans for changes in the legal aid and civil justice system; which bodies he is willing to accept representations from; and what the deadlines are for consultation on each aspect. [13717]

  Mr. Hoon
  I include a table showing the consultation papers that are presently planned. In many cases the dates are provisional and may be changed in the light of circumstance.

  I welcome representations from anybody who wishes to contribute and not simply the professional bodies, special interest and consumer groups who are routinely consulted. Copies of consultation papers are available without charge from my department and can also be found on the Internet (www.open.gov.uk/lcd/index.htm) and responses can be made by e-mail.

  Civil justice reform

  Issue date

  Responses required by

  Clinical negligence procedures

  Paper issued on 31 October 1997

  31 December 1997

  Multi-party situations

  Paper issued on 31 October 1997

  31 December 1997

  Specialist jurisdictions (Chancery, Admiralty, Official Referees etc.)

  Planned for November 1997

  Expected to be end of January 1998

  Small claims limit and fast track limit

  Planned for November 1997

  Expected to be end of January 1998

  Civil court fees

  Planned for November 1997

  Yet to be decided

  Fast track costs and fixed costs

  Planned for April 1998

  Expected to be end of July 1998

  Extension of conditional fees

  Planned for January 1998

  Yet to be decided

  Changes to scope of civil legal aid

  Planned for January 1998

  Yet to be decided

  Legal Aid reform proposals for introducing contracts and a revised merits test

  Consultation will take place during the first half of 1998

  It is planned to complete the consultation by end of june 1998

  Mr. Burnett
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are the expenditure implications of the changes in(a) training, (b) staffing and (c) information technology required for the implementation of those of Lord Woolf's civil justice proposals which Her Majesty's Government intends to implement by April 1999. [13714]

  Mr. Hoon
  The question concerns a matter which has been assigned to the Court Service under the terms of its framework document. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to write to the Hon. Member.

  Letter from Michael Huebner to Mr. John Burnett, dated 3 November:
  The Parliamentary Secretary of the Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to your Question about the costs of Lord Woolf's Civil Justice proposals.
  52
  We are currently working out the detailed implications of the effects of the changes on (a) training, (b) staffing and (c) information technology of the Lord Chancellor's recent announcement on the Middleton Review, but are not yet in a position to give specific expenditure figures. However, although there will be implementation costs in the short term, they will be in line with the Government's commitment to remain within current expenditure plans and therefore will be absorbed within existing budgets.

  Conditional Fee Cases
  Mr. Burnett
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many conditional fee cases his Department has monitored in drawing up plans for changes in the legal aid and civil justice systems; if he will publish such research; and if he will make a statement. [13716]

  Mr. Hoon
  My Department was represented on the working group that oversaw the research commissioned by ACLEC from the Public Studies Institute the results of which were published by the PSI on 23 September 1997. Copies of the research are available from PSI. The solicitors who provided information to PSI had entered into 837 agreements at the time the research took place and provided details of 197 agreements for analysis.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the special advisers in his Department and the Minister to whom each is responsible, indicating the subjects on which they advise. [12329]

  Mr. Hoon
  There are currently no special advisers in this Department.

  Solicitors (Complaints)
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will introduce measures to provide for a statutory complaints procedure against solicitors. [12604]

  Mr. Hoon
  The department has no plans to create a new complaints handling body. The Office for the Supervision of Solicitors was set up by the Law Society in September 1996 and I agree with the Legal Services Ombudsman that it will take two to three years before the Office can be properly judged by results.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Haulage Companies
  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on progress in securing compensation for United Kingdom haulage companies which suffered losses as a result of the industrial action around French ports during the summer. [13038]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  We have no information on claims for compensation in respect of the dispute which blocked some French Ports in April 1997. It may be that hauliers have claimed directly from the French. We are in
  53
  close touch with the French authorities over the outstanding claims for compensation in respect of the lorry blockade in November 1996.

  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the consistency of road traffic regulations in different member countries of the EU which affect United Kingdom haulage companies. [13034]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Most EU legislation on road haulage is aimed at completing the single market in transport: even where agreements have been reached there is often some scope for variations and exemptions between States. There are also, in practice, some differences in interpretation of EU legislation and inconsistencies in its application. By contrast, much other road traffic legislation is better made at national level taking account of the differences in road condition, driver training, penalties and enforcement in individual Member States.

  Differences may include the side of the road on which traffic passes, maximum lorry weights, speed limits, the provisions of various national highways codes, priorities at roundabouts, night-time, weekend and bank holiday lorry bans, lorry routeing, and the requirement to pay tolls or purchase vignettes. There are also various more specialised requirements such as documents or markings on the vehicle giving details of weights and dimensions of the vehicle and the threshold for requirements to notify police authorities and highway agencies of abnormal loads. The penalties are those laid down in national penal codes.

  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on how many occasions since 1 May Her Majesty's Government have protested to other EU member states about the treatment of United Kingdom lorry drivers by local police or other authorities in their countries; and if he will make a statement. [13036]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  We have written on 16 occasions to the governments of other Member States following requests from UK hauliers for assistance. Most of these were in relation to disputed fines.

  Greenhouse Gas Emissions
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if, at the third conference of the parties to the climate change convention in December, he will support the Africa Group's proposals for fair shares in respect of a global limit on emissions. [13013]

  Angela Eagle
  The Government recognise the importance of long-term reductions in emissions taking into account issues of equality and the need for developing countries to develop their economies and combat poverty. The proposals of the Africa Group merit consideration as one of a number of approaches to the long-term control of greenhouse gas emissions. In the meantime we believe that developed countries must take the lead and agree at Kyoto to making legally binding significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions after 2000. The EU proposal for a 15 per cent. reduction in emissions by 2010 provides the best way of achieving this.
  54
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will press at the third climate change convention in December for all industrialised countries to cut their emissions of greenhouse gases by 20 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2005. [13014]

  Angela Eagle
  At the Third Conference of the Parties in Kyoto, the Government will be supporting the EU proposal that developed countries reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases by 15 per cent. below 1990 levels by 2010, and by at least 7.5 per cent. by 2005. The Government think that it is important that Kyoto sets a target for 2005, and we believe this figure strikes the right balance between ambition and achievability.

  Green-belt Land
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has for changing the restrictions on the use of green-belt land. [13029]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Government's Green Belt policy is set out in Planning Policy Guidance note (PPG)2. There are no current plans to revise this PPG.

  Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles)
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reasons a minimum age of five years was adopted for the award of an orange badge for parking purposes; and what plans his Department has to review this rule. [13004]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The minimum age for eligibility for an Orange Badge is two years; this is laid down in the Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) Regulations 1982. The reason is that children below this age will often be carried in a pram or pushchair, whether they are disabled or not. We keep the operation of the Orange Badge Scheme under review but we have no plans at present to change the eligibility criteria.

  Housing (Provision of Services)
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he is considering for changes in the allocation of responsibility for the provision of transport and other services, with special reference to water for new housing developments, particularly in rural areas. [13007]

  Mr. Raynsford
  We have no current plans for changes. We are, however, looking at these and other issues mainly in the context of the work on our integrated transport strategy and in our consideration of the responses to last year's green paper on household growth.

  Housing (Rented Accommodation)
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what proportion of the projected increase in demand for housing is for rented accommodation;[13009]

  (2) what estimates he has made of future changes in the demand for rented accommodation; and what evidence these are based on. [13010]
  55
  Mr. Raynsford
  My Department published a paper in May 1995 ("Provisional for Social Housing—Background Analysis: Households in England, their Housing Tenure and the Housing Stock, 1991–2001") analysing the way in which population changes and household growth might alter the demand for housing in England by main tenure over the period 1991 to 2001. This indicated a newly arising need for social housing of between 60,000 and 100,000 units per annum.

  The range of demand for additional social housing was calculated by taking the Department's official projection of the growth in household numbers over the 10-year period and subtracting estimated growth in owner occupation. Estimates were based essentially on past trends. The methodology assumed that overall size of the private rented sector would remain unchanged over the 10-years (though in practice it has expanded). Specific adjustments were made for Right To Buy sales, demolitions, etc.

  In November 1995, my Department commissioned the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Cambridge to undertake a feasibility study to develop an economic model of the demand and need for social housing in England between 1996 and 2006. A technical report on this study will be published shortly.

  Radioactive Substances
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Enviornment, Transport and the Regions what action has been taken to reduce discharges of the radioactive substance technetium 99 from the Sellafield reprocessing plant. [13023]

  Angela Eagle
  Under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 all discharges of radioactivity from the Sellafield site are authorised by the Enviornment Agency. British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) has applied to the Environment Agency to vary its discharge authorisations for the Sellafield site. The application includes a reduction in the maximum permitted levels of technetium-99 discharges to sea.

  In July, BNFL provided additional information to the Environment Agency in support of its application in respect of its aerial discharges. The Environment Agency is considering the additional information.

  My Department has received requests for the application to be called in by the Secretary of State for his own determination. These requests are being considered.

  The Government are committed to ensuring the best practicable means are used to limit radioactive discharges. Indeed, the Government agreed to comply within a request to demonstrate to the OSPAR Commission how the UK is meeting the obligations of the OSPAR Convention with respect to reducing discharges and eliminating any pollution from discharges of technetium-99 from Sellafield to the Irish Sea.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to implement the objectives of the OSPAR Convention in respect of(a) protection from the harmful effects of ionising radiation, (b)prevention of marine
  56
  pollution caused by radioactive discharges and emissions and (c) continuous reduction of discharges of radioactive substances. [13024]

  Angela Eagle
  Discussions are continuing within OSPAR, in which UK officials are involved, on the form of an objective with regard to radioactive substances and a strategy to achieve that objective. This will form part of the conclusions of the OSPAR Ministerial Meeting being held next summer. In the meantime, the UK is continuing to comply with all its international obligations on the protection of the environment, the public and workers from harmful effects of ionising radiation.

  The UK is also continuing to develop and use the Best Available Techniques to prevent pollution of the marine environment from inputs of radioactive substances. We indicated at the OSPAR meeting in September our wish to make progress on the question of reducing nuclear discharges to the marine environment and to work with our OSPAR colleagues to find a way of committing all countries to this action.

  Housing Needs
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) on what evidence his Department's projections of the increase in the number of households by the year 2016 are based; [13028]

  (2) what representations he has received concerning the accuracy of the projected increase in the number of households by the year 2016. [13067]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Descriptions of the methodology and main statistical assumptions underlying the household projections to 2016 are set out in the annexes to "Projections of Households in England in 2016", published by the Stationery Office in March 1995. A copy of this publication is in the Library of the House.

  My Department has received many representations about the accuracy of the household projections and they have been subject to considerable scrutiny since their publication. Much of this work has been published, for example by the Environment Committee in evidence for its report on Housing Need in 1996. Further discussion of the household projections was given in the Green Paper, "Household growth: where shall we live?" which was published last November and the Government are currently considering the responses to that consultation. I am satisfied that the projections were the best that could be made with the available data and that they accurately reflect recent trends.

  Telephone Kiosks
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement concerning the extent of planning controls over the installation of telephone kiosks, with particular reference to security implications in the neighbourhood of potential terrorist targets. [13120]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The installation of telephone kiosks under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 is subject to a prior approval procedure, whereby operators must give the local planning authority the opportunity to say whether they
  57
  wish to approve, within 28 days, details of the siting and appearance of the installation. An authority may refuse such approval, if they consider this to be justified. Architectural Liaison Officers (or Crime Prevention Design Advisers in the Metropolitan area) are available in police forces to give advice on crime prevention through environmental design. Such advice may include specific and detailed suggestions about the design of buildings, or general advice about estate design or the siting of particular features.

  Salvage Tugs
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has to alter the arrangements for stationing of salvage tugs around the United Kingdom coastline; and if he will make a statement. [13147]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Three Government-funded vessels are on station to provide emergency towage primarily for the Dover Strait, North-West Scotland and the South-West Approaches. The current contracts expire on 31 March 1998. The future provision of emergency towing vessels is being considered as part of the Department's Comprehensive Spending Review. A decision will be announced as soon as possible.

  Development Plans (Eastern Region)
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which district council draft development plans the Government office for the eastern region has commented on since 1 May. [13126]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Since 1 May the Government Office for Eastern Region has commented on the following local plans:Colchester: parts of the pre-consultation draft.
  South Cambridgeshire, Suffolk Coastal: pre-deposit consultation.
  East Cambridgeshire, Norfolk Waste Plan, South Norfolk:deposited plans.
  Basildon, Epping Forest, Kings Lynn and West Norfolk, St. Edmundsbury, Tendring, Thurrock: proposed modifications to deposited plans following public local inquiries.

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which draft county structure plans the Government Office for the Eastern region has responded to since 1 May. [13125]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Government Office for Eastern Region commented on the pre-deposit consultation draft of the Replacement Essex Structure Plan in July 1997.

  Asbestos
  Dan Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress the Government have made on banning the supply of asbestos products. [13169]

  Angela Eagle
  The Health and Safety Commission has advised Ministers on a mechanism and timetable for introducing a domestic ban on the import, supply and use of asbestos products. I will be making an announcement in the near future on how the Government intend to proceed.

  Right to Roam
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the consultation paper on the statutory right to roam will be published. [13127]

  Angela Eagle
  Shortly.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Caroline Flint
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many representations he has received concerning English Nature's proposal to de-notify the Thame and Hatfield moors SSSI site(a) in favour of the proposal and (b) against the proposal. [13145]

  Angela Eagle
  The Secretary of State has received 120 representations against English Nature's proposals to de-notify parts of Thorne and Hatfield Moors Sites of Special Scientific Interest. There have been no letters of support to date.

  Caroline Flint
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the SSSI sites reviewed by English Nature in each year from 1990 indicating which had the SSSI status removed as a result of the review. [13143]

  Angela Eagle
  Since the creation of English Nature in 1991, officers have made over 10,000 visits to SSSIs. As a result of these visits, English Nature had de-notified 14 entire SSSIs comprising 11 notified solely under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, and three notified under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

  A larger number of other SSSIs have also been subject to partial de-notification and extensions as a result of these visits.

  The figures by each year are:

  De-notifications

  1949 Act

  1981 Act

  Area (ha)

  1991–92

  0

  0

  —

  1992–93

  5

  0

  291

  1993–94

  2

  0

  5

  1994–95

  3

  3

  169

  1995–96

  0

  0

  —

  1996–97

  0

  0

  —

  1997–98 (so far)

  1

  0

  10

  Local Government (Grant)
  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the level of Government grant to each metropolitan authority and London borough in the current financial year. [13478]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Metropolitan authorities and London boroughs have reported the following amounts of central Government grants in 1997–98.
  59

  £ thousand

  Budget estimates

  Grants inside AEF1

  Grants outside AEF2

  Total grants inside and outside AEF3

  Metropolitan authorities

  Bolton

  114,021

  48,786

  162,807

  Bury

  56,112

  28,524

  84,636

  Manchester

  287,674

  152,739

  440,413

  Oldham

  110,403

  36,536

  146,939

  Rochdale

  92,003

  39,966

  131,969

  Salford

  106,920

  48,281

  155,201

  Stockport

  71,359

  46,532

  117,891

  Tameside

  86,659

  37,060

  123,719

  Trafford

  75,888

  34,673

  110,561

  Wigan

  106,964

  38,951

  145,915

  Knowsley

  92,54

  29,878

  121,932

  Liverpool

  281,070

  175,514

  456,584

  St. Helens

  70,939

  30,729

  101,668

  Sefton

  106,053

  61,088

  167,141

  Wirral

  133,470

  67,542

  201,012

  Barnsley

  81,337

  31,823

  113,160

  Doncaster

  125,733

  36,905

  162,638

  Rotherham

  107,942

  36,379

  144,321

  Sheffield

  213,416

  80,296

  293,712

  Gateshead

  88,632

  35,748

  124,380

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  133,801

  60,964

  194,765

  North Tyneside

  77,263

  37,845

  115,108

  South Tyneside

  73,239

  26,102

  99,341

  Sunderland

  135,361

  52,324

  187,685

  Birmingham

  571,291

  234,825

  806,116

  Coventry

  135,036

  62,494

  197,530

  Dudley

  96,310

  32,362

  128,672

  Sandwell

  144,085

  46,945

  191,030

  Solihull

  57,431

  21,391

  78,822

  Walsall

  126,039

  32,811

  158,850

  Wolverhampton

  118,432

  48,681

  167,113

  Bradford

  243,975

  88,784

  332,759

  Calderdale

  77,000

  31,530

  108,530

  Kirklees

  144,337

  63,428

  207,765

  Leeds

  282,456

  120,692

  403,148

  Wakefield

  114,713

  39,020

  153,733

  London Boroughs

  City of London

  69,201

  1,821

  71,022

  Camden

  149,841

  101,576

  251,417

  Greenwich

  149,078

  58,827

  207,905

  Hackney

  198,612

  111,769

  310,381

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  111,704

  65,392

  177,096

  Islington

  147,417

  77,327

  224,744

  Kensington and Chelsea

  80,188

  70,890

  151,078

  Lambeth

  200,684

  110,426

  311,110

  Lewisham

  164,851

  76,780

  241,631

  Southwark

  186,138

  87,241

  273,379

  Tower Hamlets

  211,219

  60,116

  271,335

  Wandsworth

  150,316

  77,154

  227,470

  Westminster

  158,450

  94,723

  253,173

  Barking and Dagenham

  83,667

  26,768

  110,435

  Barnet

  110,992

  89,616

  200,608

  Bexley

  79,065

  37,201

  116,266

  Brent

  158,708

  128,863

  287,571

  Bromley

  84,551

  69,992

  154,543

  Croydon

  125,850

  87,900

  213,750

  Ealing

  137,960

  95,539

  233,499

  Enfield

  127,697

  70,368

  198,065

  Haringey

  149,419

  132,819

  282,238

  Harrow

  69,839

  46,556

  116,395

  Havering

  69,991

  27,548

  97,539

  Hillingdon

  91,578

  39,672

  131,250

  60

  £thousand

  Budget estimates

  Grants inside AEF1

  Grants outside AEF2

  Total grants inside and outside AEF3

  Hounslow

  110,340

  54,242

  164,582

  Kingston upon Thames

  40,923

  28,927

  69,850

  Merton

  58,662

  35,907

  94,569

  Newham

  202,838

  117,951

  320,789

  Redbridge

  102,593

  64,269

  166,862

  Richmond upon Thames

  32,014

  34,734

  66,748

  Sutton

  61,467

  28,774

  90,241

  Waltham Forest

  128,164

  91,372

  219,536

  1 Grants inside AEF include Specific and Special grants inside AEF, SSA Reduction Grant and Revenue Support Grant.

  2 Specific and Special Grants outside AEF.

  3 Total Specific and Special Grants inside and outside AEF.

  Cabinet Committee on the Environment
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Cabinet Committee on the Environment last met. [13514]

  Mr. Prescott
  Details of proceedings of Cabinet committees are not published, in accordance with the second exemption of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Cycling
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the actions taken by his Department since 1 May to increase provisions for cyclists and increase cycle use. [13503]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 27 October 1997,Official Report, columns 723–24.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his estimate of the number of cycles in the United Kingdom and the distance travelled yearly by them in each of the past five years. [13669]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Figures (shown below) are only available for Great Britain. The number of household bicycles is estimated using the National Travel Survey, and the distance travelled is estimated from the Road Traffic Census. No estimates of the distance cycled off-road are available.

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  Number of bicycles (millions)

  15.6

  15.7

  16.3

  17.4

  18.3

  Distance travelled (billion kilometres)

  4.7

  4.5

  4.5

  4.5

  4.3

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his estimate of the total mileage, for each London borough, of existing dedicated cycle routes and the distance planned for 1998–99; and when he expects the planned 1,000 mile route system in London to be completed. [13670]
  61
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The 1,500 mile London Cycle Network (LCN) being developed by the 33 London boroughs, with financial support from the Government, comprises dedicated routes, shared routes and signed routes along lightly trafficked roads. A summary table showing miles of existing and planned LCN routes by borough, which includes dedicated routes, is set out below, but specific information on dedicated routes is not held centrally. Approximately one third of the network has been implemented and it will be completed as resources allow.

  Miles of existing and planned LCN routes in London

  Authority

  Existing length (miles)at April 1997

  Planned (miles) 1997–98

  Planned (miles) 1998–991

  Barking and Dagenham

  19.8

  3.7

  4.3

  Barnet

  23.1

  6.8

  0.0

  Bexley

  8.3

  9.9

  8.1

  Brent

  13.8

  3.7

  20.5

  Bromley

  35.8

  7.5

  17.4

  Camden

  11.2

  3.1

  4.4

  City of London

  0.0

  0.0

  0.0

  Croydon

  20.0

  9.9

  6.8

  Ealing

  40.6

  3.7

  3.1

  Enfield

  10.5

  1.9

  1.2

  Greenwich

  19.8

  6.2

  0.6

  Hackney

  11.7

  3.1

  3.7

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  21.4

  5.0

  4.3

  Haringey

  12.8

  0.6

  6.8

  Harrow

  2.0

  3.1

  6.2

  Havering

  5.1

  2.5

  4.4

  Hillingdon

  33.8

  10.6

  11.8

  Hounslow

  30.9

  6.8

  12.4

  Islington

  11.8

  0.6

  0.0

  Kensington and Chelsea

  5.1

  2.5

  2.5

  Kingston upon Thames

  25.9

  5.0

  3.1

  Lambeth

  4.7

  6.2

  1.9

  Lewisham

  8.4

  1.9

  4.3

  Merton

  15.0

  3.7

  6.8

  Newham

  1.9

  13.7

  19.3

  Redbridge

  17.2

  0.0

  2.5

  Richmond

  40.6

  9.3

  6.8

  Southwark

  14.0

  6.2

  0.0

  Sutton

  18.6

  0.6

  6.2

  Tower Hamlets

  13.4

  1.2

  1.9

  Waltham Forest

  22.9

  6.2

  9.3

  Wandsworth

  36.8

  0.6

  4.4

  Westminster

  7.4

  0.0

  0.0

  Totals

  564.30

  145.80

  185.00

  1 Dependent on availability of funding. In addition there are 8.6 miles of Thames Cycle Route to be introduced by a number of boroughs in 1997–98 and a further 12.4 miles in 1998–99.

  Standard Spending Assessment (Review)
  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the independent review of the standard spending assessment; and when the report will be published. [13393]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Department has not set up an independent review of standard spending assessments. The calculation of standard spending assessments is regularly discussed with the Local Government Association in the Standard Spending Assessments Sub-group. In addition, the review of local government finance, which is being carried out in consultation with the Local Government Association, is considering the role 62
  of needs assessment in the allocation of central government grant to local authorities. I expect this part of the review to report next spring.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list the level of Government revenue support grant allocated to each metropolitan and London authority for each child in local authority care; [13873]

  (2) if he will list the level of grant allocated to each local authority for the care of the elderly. [13874]

  (3) if he will list the average level of grant per child received by each authority for the provision of primary and secondary school education. [13875]

  (4) if he will list the average rate of grant per head received by each authority for the care of elderly persons in each local authority. [13876]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Revenue Support Grant is paid to authorities in support of their general revenues. It is not allocated for particular purposes.

  Grants specific to particular kinds of expenditure are the responsibility of my right hon. Friends, the Secretaries of State for Education and Employment and for Health.

  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if standard spending assessments will continue to be used as the primary basis for capping; what assessment he has made of the appropriateness of using SSA as a basis for measurement; and what proposals he has to facilitate better long-term planning by local authorities in respect of capping. [13896]

  Mr. Raynsford
  We are committed to ending crude and universal capping as soon as possible. We announced in July a review of local government finance which, among other things, will help to put in place the changes needed to deliver that commitment. In the meantime, capping will remain in place in 1998–99 and capping guidelines will be announced shortly.

  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make it his policy that future years capital financing standard spending assessments will reflect the true cost of financing capital schemes. [13897]

  Mr. Raynsford
  We are considering a range of possible changes for next year to make the SSAs fairer. We shall do as much as is compatible with our commitments on public expenditure.

  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will take into account in his SSA review the problems of local authorities with a low tax base. [14198]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Review of Local Government Finance is considering, among other things, the way in which the Revenue Support Grant takes account of the needs and taxbase of authorities.
  63
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list for each of the last five years the amounts of capital receipts which(a) have been released and (b) are planned to be released by each local authority. [13026]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Under the Capital Receipts Initiative, the Government will begin to release additional resources to local authorities to meet pressing housing need. Copies of individual authorities' illustrative entitlements in 1997–98 and 1998–99 have been placed in the Library.

  Households
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on what evidence his Department's projections of the increase in the number of households by the year 2016 is based in respect of(a) each region and (b) each county of the south-east region. [13696]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Descriptions of the methodology and main statistical assumptions underlying the household projections to 2016 are set out in the annexes of "Projections of Households in England to 2016", published by the Stationery Office in March 1995. A copy of this publication is in the Library of the House.

  Projections were published for every county, metropolitan district and London borough. Separate household projections were made independently for each of these projection areas, based on sub-national population projections compiled by the Office for National Statistics (formerly OPCS), and these are calibrated to ensure consistency with the regional and national projections.

  Civil Aviation Authority
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will announce his decision on the future of the Civil Aviation Authority; and what are his plans for its eventual privatisation. [13746]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  We are considering, with colleagues, the options for the future of the National Air Traffic Services of the Civil Aviation Authority. Privatisation is one of the options under consideration. We shall announce our decision in due course.

  Regional Airports
  Mr. Stringer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment 64
  he has made of the wider benefits to the regional economy of granting transatlantic fifth freedom rights to selected far and middle east carriers in respect of United Kingdom regional airports. [13364]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  It is normal practice for the Department to ask the CAA to carry out an economic analysis before air services negotiations. This covers a range of factors including, where appropriate, benefits to the regional economy, and is taken into account by the Department in its strategy for the negotiations.

  Houses in Multiple Occupation Registration Scheme
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the counties in England and Wales which(a) have and (b) have not implemented a houses in multiple occupation registration scheme. [14210]

  Mr. Raynsford
  This information is not currently available. Since 3 March 1997, local housing authorities in England and Wales have been free to adopt registration schemes for houses in multiple occupation, which conform to models prepared by the Secretary of State, without the need to notify or obtain prior approval from central Government.

  The Government are committed to introducing a national licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation. The coverage of the existing registration schemes will be a relevant issue in formulating proposals for such a scheme and we will be collecting this information from local authorities in due course.

  Advice and Family Centres
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what provision he is making to supply low-income families with more advice centres and family centres. [13733]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) supports a range of locally led community projects which include the provision of advice, family and community centres and other initiatives of benefit to low-income families. Round 4 of the SRB Challenge Fund has been specifically recast to target it more effectively on those in the greatest need.

  More generally, the need to spend on local authority services is reflected in local authorities' Standard Spending Assessments which are used for the distribution of Revenue Support Grant. Decisions on spending priorities are a matter for each local authority.

  County Services Standard Spending Assessment
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will review the county services block SSA; and if he will include in it an economic index element. [14197]

  Mr. Raynsford
  This has been discussed with the Local Government Association this year. We expect to announce our proposals for SSAs for 1998–99 at about the beginning of December.

  Housing (London)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his estimate of the total capital receipts to be released to each London borough and over what period; and what proportion will be spent on housing. [13496]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Subject to Royal Assent to the Local Government Finance (Supplementary Credit Approvals) Bill, the entitlement of each London borough under our Capital Receipts Initiative in 1997–98 and 1998–99 is set out in the attached table. These additional capital resources will be available to local authorities to support housing, and housing associated regeneration works. Final decisions about the application of these resources, however, will be for individual local authorities. Decisions about the release of resources under the Capital Receipts Initiative over the longer term will be taken in the context of our Comprehensive Spending Review.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his estimate of the total housing deficit for affordable housing for each London borough.[13497]

  Mr. Raynsford
  There are no official estimates of either the current or future housing need for London boroughs.

  The Department has released estimates of housing need for England as a whole. In 1995 the Department released estimates of housing need for England which projected the newly arising need for social housing at between 60,000 and 100,000 units per year over the period 1991–2001 and research was commissioned in 1995 to develop an economic model of housing need. This work was undertaken by the Department of Applied Economics, Cambridge University (DAE). The report on this feasibility research is expected to be published later this year. DAE have been commissioned to undertake further research on the model including work to explore the possibility of regional estimates of housing need.

  Global Warming
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his Department's current estimate of the rate of global warming; and what are their current predictions for 1998 and the subsequent five years. [13498]
  66
  Angela Eagle
  Over the next century, the rise in global average temperatures caused by the net effect of warming due to man-made emissions of greenhouse gases and cooling due to man-made sulphate particles is expected to be some 0.2 degrees Celsius per decade. This is the consensus view of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

  Due to the large natural variations in temperature between years, the Government does not make predictions of global average temperatures for specific future years.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what measures he is taking to ensure that as few families as possible are forced to live in bed-and-breakfast accommodation; [13730]

  (2) what measures he is taking to ensure that as many homeless families as possible are provided with permanent accommodation. [13732]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Government are committed to placing a new duty on local authorities to protect those who are homeless through no fault of their own and are in priority need.

  As soon as possible after being elected to office, we made regulations which require local housing authorities to give reasonable preference in the allocation of social housing to people who are being accommodated temporarily—or who have recently been assisted to secure accommodation themselves—by the authority under the homelessness legislation. These regulations (SI 1997 No 1902, made under Part VI of the Housing Act 1996) come into force on 1 November and restore the link between homelessness and the allocation of long-term settled accommodation.

  Moreover, as the Chancellor announced in the Budget, under the Capital Finance Initiative, £784 million will be made available in support of additional capital spending on housing needs in England in 1997–98 and 1998–99.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he is taking to ensure that bed-and-breakfast accommodation for homeless families is clean, safe and comfortable. [13731]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Government encourage local housing authorities to explore all alternatives before resorting to bed-and-breakfast establishments to provide temporary accommodation for homeless families. The Code of Guidance on parts VI and VII of the Housing Act 1996, to which authorities must have regard by law, states that authorities should ensure that bed-and-breakfast accommodation meets the statutory requirements on standards for houses in multiple occupation.
  67
  We are determined to improve standards in houses in multiple occupation. We are preparing a new Code of Practice which will take account of the findings of research into fire risks in houses of multiple occupation which were published by my Department on 30 October. We are also committed to introducing a national licensing system for houses in multiple occupation.

  London Underground
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the options currently under consideration for increasing investment in London Underground; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the Coopers and Lybrand report compiled for his Department. [12981]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The Government are considering a wide range of options for public/private partnerships to increase investment in London Underground, while ruling out wholesale privatisation. The Government's advisers, Price Waterhouse, have examined debt funding with public ownership; partnership structures which could involve a Trust, a joint venture concession or partial sale of the business, or a full concession; and operational structures which could involve a single business, vertically integrated line businesses or separating infrastructure from operations. The Government are also considering options for increasing investment in the short term. I have no plans to place Price Waterhouse's work in the Library, but will consider what background information should be made available when policies and decisions are announced.

  Railways (Public Service Obligation Grant)
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what proportion of the turnover of the 25 train operating companies was derived from the public service obligation grant in each year; [12883]

  (2) what proportion of Railtrack's turnover was derived from the public service obligation grant paid to the train operating companies in each year; [12881]

  (3) what proportion of the turnover of the three rolling stock leasing companies was derived from the public service obligation grant paid to the train operating companies in each year.[12882]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Public Service Obligation grant has been replaced by Support for Passenger Rail Services (SPRS), paid by the Franchising Director to the 25 train operating companies (TOCs). SPRS is not hypothecated to cover particular types of expenditure, so it cannot be directly identified as the source of payments made by TOCs to Railtrack or to the rolling stock leasing companies (ROSCOs). In addition to SPRS, the TOCs receive income from PTEs, from fares paid for passenger services and from payments made for other services.
  68
  The table provides details, for each year since the TOCs, Railtrack and the ROSCOs were created, of SPRS and PTE payments to the TOCs, access and leasing charges paid by the TOCs, and Railtrack and ROSCO turnover.

  Passenger grants paid to TOCs, etc. 1

  £million cash prices

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  SPRS payments

  1,783

  1,669

  1,809

  PTE payments

  346

  362

  290

  Total public support to TOCs

  2,129

  2,031

  2,099

  TOCs' income from passenger fares2

  2,171

  2,379

  2,582

  Passenger access charges

  1,955

  2,003

  2,119

  Railtrack turnover

  2,275

  2,300

  2,437

  Passenger leasing charges

  800

  3—

  3—

  ROSCO turnover

  800

  3—

  3—

  1 All figures for payments and charges are for the passenger railway industry as a whole. They do not reflect the position of individual TOCs, e.g. Gatwick Express receives no public support.

  2 TOCs' income from other sources is not readily available.

  3 Information may be available from the Registrar of Companies, Companies House, Crown Way, Cardiff, CF4 3UZ.

  Housing Developments (Affordable Housing)
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list the powers he has to require private developers to provide a proportion of affordable housing in new housing developments; [13006]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the adequacy of local authorities' powers to ensure that new developments include a sufficient proportion of affordable housing. [13008]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The courts have held that a community's need for a mix of housing types—including affordable housing—is capable of being a material consideration in the determination of planning applications by local authorities or the Secretary of State or appeals by the Secretary of State. The courts have also held that the Government's statements of planning policy are material considerations which must be taken into account, where relevant, in decisions on planning applications or appeals.

  The Department's current policies on how the planning system can contribute to the overall supply of affordable housing are set out in Planning Policy Guidance Note 3: Housing, as supplemented by Circular 13/96. On 24 July 1997 the Government issued for consultation a draft revision of Circular 13/96. The consultation period ended on 3 October 1997. My Department is currently analysing the responses.

  Local Authority Services (Funding)
  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate his Department has made of the financial provision for local authority services per head of population for each local authority in England in the current financial year.[13395]
  69
  Mr. Raynsford
  Data on 1997–98 Standard Spending Assessments per head of population for each local authority in England is contained in the "Standard Spending Assessment Handbook 1997/98", a copy of which is available in the Library. Table 1 of the Handbook gives figures for total SSA per head and Table 2b gives SSAs by major service block.

  Opencast Coal Mining
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the progress of the review of opencast coal mining in England; what consultations he has had with representatives of voluntary and community groups over the review; and if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards opencast coal mining. [13660]

  Mr. Raynsford
  We published a consultation paper on the review of planning policy for opencast coal on 30 July 1997. The paper sought views on the issues raised by the 10 point plan for opencast coal, which we prepared when in opposition, and the options for change. The closing date for comments is 31 October. We have to date received a number of comments, including 12 from voluntary or community groups and 32 from members of the public. In the light of responses to consultation the Government will decide what changes to policy guidance could and should be implemented in interim planning guidance, which would better be accommodated in a full review, planned for 1998, of Minerals Planning Guidance Note 3 (Coal Mining and Colliery Spoil Disposal) and whether any legislative changes are necessary.

  Railway Passengers
  Mr. Austin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions at what level of passenger in excess of capacity the Rail Regulator is required to consider sanctions on a train operating company; and what plans he has to review this figure. [13052]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Passengers in Excess of Capacity (PIXC) levels are set by the Franchising Director at 3 per cent. across all morning and evening peak services, and 4.5 per cent. across either peak in isolation. These maximum levels are below the average level of overcrowding experienced during the last 10 years of British Rail operation. There are no plans to change these standards, but each train operating company is kept under regular review by OPRAF.

  Passenger counts must be carried out by an OPRAF-approved independent body at least once a year to monitor operator's compliance with PIXC standards. The Franchising Director can instruct an operator to carry out a feasibility study on the most effective method of increasing capacity if it seems likely that because of an increase in demand the operator will be unable to meet the PIXC requirements using existing records.

  Mr. Austin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of the number of passengers in excess of capacity on rail passenger safety. [13053]
  70
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  None. All rolling stock is designed to operate safely, even when fully loaded. Overcrowding in itself is not a safety hazard. The Passengers in Excess Of Capacity levels set by the Franchising Director are intended to maintain reasonable levels of passenger comfort at peak times.

  Late Payments
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the suppliers to his Department who are owed outstanding amounts, indicating the amounts and the due date on which the account should have been settled. [13552]

  Angela Eagle
  All departments are required to pay all their bills within agreed contract terms, or 30 days from receipt of the goods or service or a valid invoice, whichever is later, where no such terms exist. Such detailed information on payment performance for the current financial year could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The Treasury will shortly be publishing a league table of departmental payment performance for 1996–97.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 29 July regarding the black country development corporation—Ref. PT/EE/P50/10996/97; and what are the reasons for the delay. [13202]

  Angela Eagle
  I wrote to the hon. Member yesterday. The delay was primarily due to the need to consider all the responses to the consultation on the proposed Statutory Instruments to secure the wind-up of the Urban Development Corporation.

  Transport Works (Blight)
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he intends to publish the(a) report on blight caused by transport works commissioned by the former Secretary of State for Transport and (b) the University business school compulsory purchase review. [13208]

  Mr. Raynsford
  I anticipate receiving the final report of the Interdepartmental Working Group, which was set up to consider the scope, cause and effects of blight arising during the various stages of major infrastructure projects, shortly. Once I have received the report I will consider arrangements for its publication. I hope to release the report of the research undertaken by the City University into the operation of compulsory purchase orders at the same time.

  Telecommunications Masts
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to amend planning policy guidance in respect of the erection of telecommunication masts. [13211]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Planning guidance on telecommunications is set out in Planning Policy Guidance note 8 (Department of the Environment, December 1992) (PPG8). We have no immediate plans to
  71
  review the basic approach of the PPG to the erection of telecommunication masts. Work is in hand with representatives of local planning authorities and telecommunications code system operators to review the working of the Code of Best Practice for Telecommunications Prior Approval Procedures as applied to Mast/Tower Development, which was published by my Department last year.

  Railways (Freight)
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the rail lines operated for freight purposes only, giving the mileage length of each line identified. [13027]

  Glenda Jackson
  As at 31 March 1997, 1,632 kilometres of railway line were available only to freight traffic. Details of individual lines are held by Railtrack rather than the Government.

  Genetic Modification
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the commercial and non-commercial interests of the members of the Advisory Committee on Genetic Modification. [13183]

  Angela Eagle
  We do not have information on the commercial and non-commercial interests of members of the Advisory Committee on Genetic Modification (ACGM); nor on any members of the Health and Safety Commission's advisory committees. Such information is not sought by the HSC when members are appointed to committees. The ACGM was set up by the HSC to provide it with expert advice in relation to all aspects of the contained use of genetically modified organisms. Members are nominated by the CBI, TUC and other bodies according to the tripartite principle applicable to all HSC advisory committees.

  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what controls exist to ensure that companies retain parental lines of genetically-modified seed varieties granted consent for release for field testing or marketing. [13182]

  Angela Eagle
  The marketing and experimental release of GM plants, including seeds, requires consent from the Secretary of State under the Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations. Consents may be subject to conditions, which could include conditions with respect to the retention of parental lines. In addition, statutory controls exist over the marketing of all seed of the main agricultural crops, whether genetically modified or not. The effect of these controls is that the seed of parental lines of hybrid varieties can only be produced by or under the control of the person responsible for maintaining the variety.

  Rolling Stock Companies
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what assessment he has made of the level of profits relative to turnover enjoyed by the rolling stock companies; and if he will make a statement; [13205]
  72
  (2) what plans he has to regulate further the activities of the rolling stock companies.[13206]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  We are currently reviewing regulation of the railways as a whole. As part of the review, we are examining the current performance and future operation of the rolling stock leasing market.

  Local Authority Reorganisation
  Mr. Caplin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what resources he will make available to authorities that have been or are to be reorganised on 1 April 1995, 1996, 1997 or 1998 for reorganisation costs incurred by them in 1997–98; and if he will make a statement. [14067]

  Ms Armstrong
  On 18 July I invited authorities that have been or are to be reorganised on or before 1 April 1998 to submit estimates of the amount of expenditure they expect to incur on transitional costs of reorganisation in 1997–98. On the basis, inter alia, of the information provided by the authorities, I have decided the revised maximum amounts that it would be appropriate to allocate towards such costs in 1997–98. In the initial round priority was given to authorities that were reorganised on 1 April 1997 and will be reorganising on 1 April 1998; I have adopted the same priorities for the mid year stage of the scheme. The majority of the authorities to be reorganised in 1998 requested at the beginning of the scheme that allocations in respect of redundancy be deferred until this round. Accordingly, the allocations listed below for authorities reorganising in 1998 are intended to cover redundancy costs.

  The amounts are as follows:

  Authority

  Maximum amounts: £000s rounded 1997–98

  1996 reorganisations

  Hartlepool Borough Council

  1,400

  Redcar and Cleveland Council

  1,300

  Middlesbrough Borough Council

  1,500

  Stockton on Tees Borough Council

  1,300

  Bristol City Council

  1,100

  Bath and North East Somerset Council

  1,700

  North Somerset Council

  1,000

  South Gloucestershire Council

  1,200

  Kingston upon Hull Council

  1,200

  East Riding Yorkshire Council

  2,500

  North Lincolnshire Council

  1,200

  North East Lincolnshire Council

  1,900

  York City Council

  800

  Total

  18,100

  1997 reorganisations

  Bedfordshire County Council

  1,000

  Luton Borough Council

  3,500

  Milton Keynes Borough Council

  3,000

  Derbyshire County Council

  650

  Derby City Council

  2,950

  Bournemouth Borough Council

  2,900

  Poole Borough Council

  3,000

  Durham County Council

  350

  Darlington Borough Council

  2,000

  East Sussex County Council

  1,800

  Brighton and Hove Council

  4,000

  Hampshire County Council

  1,600

  Portsmouth City Council

  2,600

  Southampton City Council

  3,200

  Leicestershire County Council

  1,100

  Leicester City Council

  3,100

  73

  Authority

  Maximum amounts: £000s rounded 1997–98

  Rutland Council

  1,160

  Staffordshire County Council

  720

  Stoke on Trent City Council

  2,600

  Wiltshire County Council

  400

  Swindon Borough Council

  2,000

  Total

  43,630

  1998 reorganisations

  Berkshire County Council

  4,100

  Bracknell Forest Borough Council

  2,100

  Newbury District Council

  2,400

  Reading Borough Council

  3,000

  Slough Borough Council

  2,600

  Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

  2,200

  Wokingham District Council

  3,500

  Hereford and Worcester County Council

  2,300

  Hereford City Council

  250

  Leominster District Council

  350

  Malvern Hills District Council

  600

  South Herefordshire District Council

  200

  County of Herefordshire District Council (shadow)

  13,000

  Worcestershire County Council (shadow)

  12,300

  Malvern Hills District Council (shadow)

  1385

  Devon County Council

  3,000

  Plymouth City Council

  2,900

  Torbay Borough Council

  3,400

  Essex County Council

  2,800

  Southend on Sea Borough Council

  2,950

  Thurrock Borough Council

  2,850

  Nottinghamshire County Council

  2,400

  Nottingham City Council

  3,100

  Cheshire County Council

  2,500

  Halton Borough Council

  2,500

  Warrington Borough Council

  3,300

  Shropshire County Council

  2,100

  The Wrekin District Council

  3,000

  Kent County Council

  3,200

  Gillingham Borough Council

  400

  Rochester City Council

  600

  Medway Towns Council (shadow)

  13,000

  Cambridgeshire County Council

  1,400

  Peterborough City Council

  3,400

  Lancashire County Council

  2,800

  Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

  3,200

  Blackpool Borough Council

  3,000

  Total

  87,085

  Combined total allocations

  148,815

  1 Supplementary Credit Approval to be issued. The figure includes SCA issued in May 1997.

  Isle of Wight Council, Buckinghamshire and Dorset County Councils did not submit bids.

HEALTH

  NHS Capital Prioritisation
  Mr. Norman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health according to which criteria the national health service executive's capital prioritisation advisory group will assess health service need; and which agencies will be asked to contribute to this assessment. [12600]

  Mr. Milburn
  The National Health Service Capital Prioritisation Advisory Group will be responsible for determining the criteria for assessing health service need. It is expected that the criteria will include the ability of schemes to deliver benefits such as improved quality 74
  of clinical services, better access to services, development of training teaching and research, and improved environment.

  Preliminary assessments are expected to be made by NHS Executive regional offices and the NHS trusts and the health authorities concerned. These assessments will be reviewed by the NHS Capital Prioritisation Advisory Group.

  Mr. Norman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the capital prioritisation exercise by the national health service executive's capital prioritisation advisory group will begin; who will be consulted; and when the results are expected to be announced. [12599]

  Mr. Milburn
  The National Health Service Capital Prioritisation Advisory Group's first exercise will be to prioritise those schemes wishing to go forward in the second tranche of the Private Finance Initiative, which we expect to announce in the spring.

  The process for prioritisation has yet to be finalised. Details will be announced before the of the year, following which work on this first exercise will begin.

  Cannabis
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the cost to the national health service of the abuse of cannabis. [13178]

  Ms Jowell
  It is not possible to assess the costs related to a single drug.

  Hospital Car Park Charges
  Ms Jennifer Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS hospital trusts charge their patients for parking on hospital sites in the west midlands; and what is the scale of charges. [13690]

  Mr. Milburn
  National Health Service trusts are free to make their own decisions about whether charges for car parking should be made in the light of particular local circumstances. The information on exactly how many do is not collected by the Government.

  The majority of NHS hospital trusts in the West Midlands Region charge users for car-parking on hospital sites. Of the few that do not, some are now looking carefully at and, in at least one case, consulting on this option. Charges are generally in the region of 50p to £1.00 per day; considerably less than standard car parks or parking meter fees.

  Patients who are eligible, under the Hospital Travel Costs Scheme, to claim reimbursement of travelling expenses to and from hospital may also be able to have car parking charges reimbursed.

  Step-parents
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Government have for legislative recognition of the claim of lesbian and gay co-parents to be equivalent to those of step-parents. [14362]

  Mr. Boateng
  Section 14 of the Adoption Act 1976 only permits a joint adoption application to be made by a man and woman married to each other; co-habiting couples are therefore excluded from making a joint
  75
  application but an application may be made by one of them. Decisions about the child's placement for adoption will always be determined by the welfare and needs of the child. The Government have no plans to amend the relevant sections of the Act.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of(a) the cost to each local authority of subsistence payments to asylum seekers since January 1997 and (b) the number of people each authority has made payments to. [13671]

  Mr. Boateng
  The information requested is not comprehensively available for the period January 1997 to date. Three special grants were made available to local authorities for 1996–97 in respect of their expenditure on support for: adults, families and unaccompanied children. The table below details the amount of grant paid to individual authorities for supporting adult asylum seekers and unaccompanied children in 1996–97 and the estimated expenditure incurred from 1 January to 31 March 1997 by authorities claiming a grant for supporting asylum seeking families.

  Grants will be available for 1997–98 subject to Parliamentary approval. Full details of authorities' expenditure will not be known until claims for the grants are received.

  Information is collected week by week on the numbers being supported by authorities in London. The latest available information, for the week ending 17 October, is that London authorities were supporting 6,707 single adults and 4,006 families (for some authorities the latest information was for a prior week and has been included in the total with no change). Regular data on the numbers of asylum seekers accommodated are not provided by authorities outside London.

  Grants paid to local authorities in 1996–97

  Local authority

  Grant paid to local authorities in 1996–97 for supporting asylum seeking adults £

  Estimated cost to local authorities in supporting asylum seeking families 1 January to 31 March 1997 £

  Grant paid to Local authorities in 1996–97 for supporting unaccompanied children £

  Barking and Dagenham

  19,334.53

  Barnet

  61,898.53

  253,429.00

  Barnsley

  1,534.96

  Berkshire

  40,171.00

  Bexley

  6,699.01

  Birmingham

  14,842.98

  Brent

  326,173.35

  256,392.00

  Bromley

  3,283.57

  Buckinghamshire

  1,909.99

  Cambridgeshire

  24,319.00

  Camden

  612,150.00

  308,054.00

  City of York

  820.71

  Cornwall

  2,831.88

  Corporation of London

  33,000.00

  25,490.00

  2,044.00

  Croydon

  177,987.69

  208,716.00

  Dorset

  660.00

  Ealing

  131,596.00

  140,800.00

  East Sussex

  9,219.44

  Enfield

  11,881.90

  113,300.00

  Gateshead

  1,554.12

  Greenwich

  26,086.73

  Hackney

  186,658.54

  101,750.00

  76

  Grants paid to local authorities in 1996–97

  Local authority

  Grant paid to local authorities in 1996– for supporting asylum seeking adults £

  Estimatd cost to local authorities in supporting asylum seeking families 1 January to 31 March 1997 £

  Grant paid to local authorities in 1996–97 for supporting unaccompainied children £

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  536,021.00

  284,815.00

  Hampshire

  500.24

  Haringey

  177,045.00

  238,917.00

  Harrow

  224,547.00

  89,533.00

  Hereford and Worcester

  2,414.54

  Hertfordshire

  11,628.07

  Hillingdon

  15,613.75

  2,224,300.00

  Hounslow

  26,331.65

  110,646.00

  Islington

  186,285.00

  36,850.00

  Kensington and Chelsea

  346,823.39

  138,167.00

  425,986.00

  Kingston

  12,527.00

  Lambeth

  531,480.00

  187,876.00

  Leeds

  15,345.00

  Leicester

  3,737.50

  Lewisham

  117,383.00

  111,000.00

  Lincolnshire

  1,052.36

  Manchester

  19,225.28

  Merton

  57,820.66

  44,785.00

  Middlesborough

  3,926.77

  Newcastle

  8,403.97

  Newham

  84,476.33

  588,623.00

  Northampton

  990.00

  Oxfordshire

  15,510.00

  Redbridge

  82,283.00

  237,200.00

  Richmond upon Thames

  13,397.17

  Rochdale

  480.00

  Southwark

  222,090.00

  233,881.00

  Suffolk

  2,778.00

  Sutton

  23,203.51

  Tower Hamlets

  120,210.00

  125,300.00

  Waltham Forest

  20,774.72

  70,773.00

  Wandsworth

  104,795.00

  208,131.00

  West Sussex

  6,793.03

  Westminster

  936,344.04

  152,077.00

  347,669.00

  Total

  5,626,849.91

  4,266,416.00

  2,999,999.00

  Total figures may not be exact due to rounding.

  Basildon and Thurrock Hospital Trust
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the membership of the selection-interviewing panel for the vacant non-executive posts of the Basildon and Thurrock hospital trust; [13728]

  (2) on what basis and to what extent the selection panel gave separate job descriptions for the two vacant non-executive posts on the board of the Basildon and Thurrock hospital trust.[13729]

  Mr. Milburn
  The membership of the selection/interviewing panel for the two vacant non-executive posts of the Basildon and Thurrock General Hospitals National Health Service Trust was:Mr. Geoff Jennings, Chairman, Havering Hospital NHS Trust
  Mr. Ian Macpherson, Chairman of Basildon and Thurrock NHS Trust
  Mr. Iain MacDonald, Employee Relations Manager, New Holland Tractors
  Mr. Ian Robertson, Non-Executive Director South Essex Health Authority.
  77
  The advertisement for the two posts indicated that one of the appointees would be expected to chair the trust's audit committee and would need to have appropriate skills. However, separate job descriptions were not given to those interviewed.

  Health Service (London)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to be able to announce the results of the review of London's health service; and if he plans to keep the review group in existence afterwards. [13499]

  Mr. Milburn
  The Independent Advisory Panel is expected to report to me shortly. Their advice and the Government's response will be published in due course. No decision has yet been made about the future existence of the Panel.

  Young People in Care
  Mr. Dawson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards the establishment of a new national organisation for young people in care; and if he will make a statement. [14070]

  Mr. Boateng
  A feasibility study commissioned by the Department of Health on the setting up of a new national organisation for young people in care and care leavers has recently been completed. The report of the study has been submitted to the Department and is under consideration.

  Computers (Century Date Change)
  Mr. Rhodri Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will set up working parties with(a) surgical and other hospital equipment manufacturers,(b) trusts, (c) royal colleges and (d) other bodies to devise appropriate solutions to the millennium compliance problem; [13939]

  (2) what representations he has had from trusts, royal colleges and other bodies about the impact of the millennium compliance problems relating to hospital equipment. [13938]

  Ms Jowell
  The National Health Service Executive set up a Year 2000 "helpline" in July 1996. Since that time, the helpline has received over four hundred calls and in response has provided information, advice and guidance to those working in the NHS. The current rate of calls is in excess of ninety per month.

  The NHS Executive has made arrangements to meet with staff representing all NHS organisations, their suppliers and professional groups. The clinical professions will need to be involved particularly in making and carrying out contingency plans where critical services are affected.

  The Medical Devices Agency (MDA) has received a number of requests from Trusts for advice on the Year 2000 issue as it may apply to medical equipment. MDA will shortly be issuing guidance on the appropriate action by device users and manufacturers.

  MDA's guidance will ask medical equipment manufacturers to identify any of their products which are affected by Year 2000 problems and to make this information available to users and other interested parties, with an indication of the appropriate remedial action.
  78
  We are satisfied that, at this stage, there is no need to set up working parties in relation to the Year 2000 issue as it may apply to medical equipment in particular.

  We will require that any trust or health authority which has not got its systems ready and fully tested should notify the department by 31 December 1998.

  The primary responsibility of the NHS always has been and will be patient safety.

  Correspondence
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons he has not replied to the letter from the hon. Member for Oxford, West and Abingdon on the administration of the National Blood Transfusion Service; and when he plans to do so. [13773]

  Mr. Milburn
  My noble Friend the Minister of State has written to the hon. Member for Oxford, West and Abingdon today. The hon. Member will appreciate that the considerable interest in all areas of the country which the review of the Liverpool Blood Service has provoked has led to a marked increase in the amount of representations which we have received on this and related issues, all of which require appropriate consideration.

DEFENCE

  Recruitment
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Secretary of State if he will make a statement on the current levels of recruitment to the armed forces. [11745]

  Dr. Reid
  The Government is committed to addressing the very serious legacy of undermanning which it inherited on 1 May. Recruitment to the Armed Forces is one of our top priorities and whilst I would not wish to give a false sense of security, I am glad to report encouraging signs of improvement, particularly in respect of recruitment in the Army.

  Eurofighter
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State when he expects the Royal Air Force to commence taking delivery of operational Eurofighter aircraft. [11746]

  Mr. Spellar
  The first aircraft is scheduled to be delivered to the Royal Air Force at the end of 2001.

  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State if he will make a statement on the future of the Eurofighter programme. [11752]

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State when he expects to announce an order for production of Eurofighter. [11756]

  Mr. Spellar
  I refer my hon. Friends to the answer given by my right hon. Friend to my hon. Friend the Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Olner) earlier today.

  Defence Medical Services
  Mr. Gamier
  To ask the Secretary of State if he will make a statement about the future of the defence medical services. [11748]
  79
  Dr. Reid
  The Government is committed to providing effective and efficient medical support to the Armed Forces in peace and war. We are well aware of the serious problems being experienced by the Defence Medical Services and have ordered an urgent reappraisal of current arrangements with a view to tackling the deplorable legacy we have inherited.

  Defence Diversification Agency
  Mr. Eric Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to establish an arms diversification agency. [11749]

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to publish his plans for a defence diversification agency. [11767]

  Mr. Spellar
  I refer my hon. Friends to the reply I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth, North (Mr. Rapson).

  Comprehensive Spending Review
  Mr. Wells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's contribution to Her Majesty's Treasury's comprehensive spending review with particular reference to its impact on the United Kingdom's strategic response. [11751]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The Strategic Defence Review is my Department's contribution to the Comprehensive Spending Review. At the strategic level, we are committed to strong defence through NATO and the maintenance of our nuclear deterrent. This forms part of the framework of the Strategic Defence Review.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies are being undertaken to examine the benefits of low flying to RAF active service operations. [11753]

  Mr. Spellar
  Experience of recent conflicts confirmed that low flying continues to be a vital tactic in the penetration of hostile air defences. There are currently no specific studies into the benefits of low flying, but the need is kept under continuous review.

  Alcohol Misuse
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what new proposals he has to reduce alcohol misuse in the armed forces. [11754]

  Dr. Reid
  Drunkenness is an offence under the Service Discipline Acts and is taken very seriously by the Armed Forces. All three Services already have comprehensive packages, available to all personnel, to combat alcohol misuse in addition to measures taken to limit drinking in Service establishments. These measures are kept under review and amended and re-focused as necessary.

  Electric Batteries
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about purchase by his Department of electrical batteries. [11755]
  80
  Mr. Spellar
  Batteries are purchased by many budget holders in the Ministry of Defence, either directly or as part of other projects, to meet the needs of all three Services. In all cases, a range of factors is taken into account including safety, storage and maintenance, disposal, and integration into other defence equipment. There are stringent tri-service procedures to ensure that any new battery or modification to existing batteries is an acceptable addition to the Department's range of codified batteries. Wherever possible, value for money is sought through competition against performance specifications, taking account of both initial purchase and through life costs.

  Strategic Defence Review
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received on the conclusions of his strategic defence review in respect of the Army. [11757]

  Dr. Reid
  We have received many written submissions to the Strategic Defence Review addressing the Army. We have placed in the Libraries of both Houses copies of those submissions whose authors have agreed that we should do so. No conclusions have yet been reached.

  Mr. Beard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of the Government's strategic defence review in defining the circumstances in which British forces are likely to be called into action. [11758]

  Dr. Reid
  The Strategic Defence Review is considering generic missions which the Armed Forces should be able to undertake to meet our foreign and security policy objectives. It is not defining particular circumstances in which they might be called into action. Decisions on the commitment of forces would take into account a range of factors, including of course our national and international obligations.

  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce the results of the defence review. [11759]

  Dr. Reid
  Work on the Strategic Defence Review is expected to be completed around the turn of the year. It will then be considered by Ministers and the results published in a White Paper as quickly as possible thereafter.

  Mr. Prior
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met industry representatives to discuss the progress of the strategic defence review in respect of the Army. [11760]

  Dr. Reid
  The Secretary of State has not met industry representatives to discuss aspects of the Strategic Defence Review relating to the Army. My right hon. Friend has, however, met industry representatives to discuss broad procurement matters in the context of the Review. The last occasion was on 29 October when he chaired the National Defence Industries Council, whose agenda was dedicated to Review issues.

  Mr. Martin Bell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of the strategic defence review, with particular reference to the problems of overstretch. [11763]
  81
  Dr. Reid
  The Government is fully committed to alleviating the question of overstretch, one of the main problems facing our Armed Forces, and we have already introduced a number of initiatives to address the related issue of undermanning. By matching capabilities to commitments, the Strategic Defence Review is aimed at further addressing this problem.

  Royal Marines
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to visit the Royal Marines in Stonehouse, Plymouth, to discuss their role in the strategic defence of the United Kingdom [11761]

  Dr. Reid
  Rather than visiting three Commando Brigade's Headquarters in Stonehouse, Plymouth, I plan to see them on exercise and to be briefed on the Royal Marines' roles and capabilities during their Winter Training in Norway on 24 and 25 February next. I was extensively briefed on these matters when I visited the Commando Training Centre on 16 September.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact of the 1996 world court judgment on the legality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons on British nuclear strategy. [11762]

  Dr. Reid
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 19 June 1997,Official Report, column 261.

  Territorial Army
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future role of the territorial armed forces units. [11764]

  Dr. Reid
  The future role and structure of the Territorial Army is being considered in the Strategic Defence Review as part of our work on the Armed Forces as a whole. It would be premature to assess the likely outcome of the Review before the process is complete.

  Former Yugoslavia
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on Britain's contribution to the multinational stabilisation force in the former Yugoslavia.[11766]

  Dr. Reid
  The Government is justly very proud of the highly effective contribution that British troops continue to make to the mission of the Stabilisation Force for Peace in Bosnia.

  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the contribution made by the Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve to UK peacekeeping operations overseas. [11768]

  Dr. Reid
  Over the last few years, our volunteer forces have made a significant contribution to peacekeeping operations overseas. The Territorial Army consistently supplies around 10 per cent. of British troops serving in the Former Yugoslavia; at present, some 400 TA soldiers are mobilised in the region.

  Mission Statement
  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to publish his Department's mission statement. [14206]

  Dr. Reid
  I have nothing to add at this stage to the oral answer I gave to the hon. Member on 16 June,Official Report, columns 14–15.

  Gulf War
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilians were enlisted for the duration of the Gulf war. [13505]

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

  Navy Laundrymen
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Chinese nationals are currently serving as laundrymen on Her Majesty's ships; and by whom they are employed. [13508]

  Dr. Reid
  Employment of laundry personnel is primarily a matter for the contractor, Worldwide Laundry Services (WLS). However, I am advised that there are currently 38 Chinese Nationals serving on HM Ships. Of this number, 25 are employed by WLS and the remaining 13, working on ships not yet taken up by WLS, are employed by the following contractors: Mr. Chick Shun Chui; Mr. Kang Shik Ming BEM; Mr. K. P. Lau BEM; Shao Brothers and Mr. Sung Sun Ching. We would expect the rolling programme of ships transferring to the new contract arrangements to be completed by February 1998.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many ex-Gurkhas are currently serving as laundrymen on Her Majesty's ships; and by whom they are employed. [13506]

  Dr. Reid
  There are twenty eight ex-Gurkhas currently serving as laundrymen on HM Ships, employed by Worldwide Laundry Services (WLS).

  Royal Fleet Auxiliary
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many non-UK nationals are currently employed aboard RFA ships. [13507]

  Dr. Reid:
  There is a small number of non-UK nationals employed by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. These are people who were employed before all RFA posts were designated Reserved posts and who retain reserved employment rights. I will write to the hon. Member with precise details and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Peacekeeping Operations
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the peacekeeping operations in which British forces have been involved since 1990, indicating the number of personnel of each of the armed services deployed in each, at three-monthly intervals over the last five years. [13159]

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

  Implementation Force Budget
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the marginal cost to his Department's budget of taking part in IFOR and Operation Decisive Edge in the financial year 1996–97; and how much was made available from the reserve towards these costs. [13133]

  Dr. Reid
  The additional cost to the Defence budget of the United Kingdom's military contribution to the NATO led Implementation Force (IFOR) was £183 million in 1996–97. The additional cost of the supporting air operation under Operation Decisive Edge was £19 million. Based on November 1996 forecasts of £184 million, the Government provided additional funding of £184 million to meet these costs.

  Bosnia
  Mr. Geraint Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British troops are currently serving in Bosnia as part of the Stabilisation Force. [11851]

  Dr. Reid
  Some 5,300 UK troops are currently serving in the Former Yugoslavia as part of SFOR. Around 3,600 are based in Bosnia and a further 1,700 in Croatia. These figures exclude routine short term fluctuations in numbers as units arrive and depart from theatre.

  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the additional costs to his Department's budget of IFOR and Operation Decisive Edge; and how much additional funding was received from the reserve towards these costs. [14025]

  Dr. Reid
  Up to the end of the 1996–97 Financial Year, the additional cost to the Defence budget of the United Kingdom's military contribution to the NATO-led Implementation Force (IFOR) was £243 million and £19 million for the supporting air operation under Operation Decisive Edge. Based on Number 1996 forecasts of £244 million, additional funding of £244 million was provided from the Reserve. The Ministry of Defence continues to incur follow on costs from the UK contribution to IFOR. Estimates of these costs are currently being updated and a statement will be made to the House in due course.

  Ballistic Missile Defence
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has held with his NATO counterparts on ballistic missile defence. [11750]

  Dr. Reid
  My right hon. Friend has had no discussions with his NATO counterparts on ballistics missile defence.

  Departmental Overspend
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in respect of his Department's overspend in financial year 1996–97, how much he claimed from the Reserve in the first instance; and how much he finally obtained. [14024]

  Dr. Reid
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has not made a claim on the Reserve in the 1996–97 financial year which ended before the present Government was elected.
  84
  In November 1996, the former Secretary of State sought and secured funding from the Reserve to meet the estimated additional costs of the United Kingdom's contribution to the NATO-led Implementation Force in the Former Yugoslavia in 1996–97 of £184 million; £160 million for ground operations and £24 million for supporting air operations. In the event, the actual cost of the ground operation in 1996–97 was £183 million and a further £22 million was incurred in meeting the United Kingdom's commitment to the follow on Stabilisation Force on which decisions were made after the Reserve claim.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  War Pensions
  Mr Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which local authorities do not exercise their discretion to disregard war widows' pensions and war pensions when assessing entitlement to housing benefit and council tax rebate. [13941]

  Mr. Pond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will estimate the cost of a uniform disregard of war and war widows pensions by all local authorities when assessing entitlement to housing benefit or council tax rebates; and if she will give the figures separately for each of the authorities who currently give no disregard or only a partial disregard. [13166]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The cost to local authorities (LA) in England, Scotland and Wales if all LAs fully disregarded war and war widow's pensions when calculating entitlement to housing benefit and council tax benefit is estimated to be £70 million. This is in addition to the cost to central Government of £15 million for the statutory disregards in these benefits.

  Information on discretionary local schemes for housing and council tax benefits is not routinely collected. This is because any such scheme must be funded from an authority's own resources and, therefore, the decision to operate a scheme is entirely for individual LAs.

  Reduced Benefit Directions
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many parents with care on(a) income support, (b) family credit and (c) disability working allowance are currently subject to a reduced benefit direction at (i) the rate of reduction which applied before November 1996 and (ii) the 40 per cent. rate of reduction applying after November 1996. [14160]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  All children have the right to the support of both their parents wherever they may live.

  Before 7 October 1996, parents with care in receipt of a relevant benefit who failed to co-operate with the Child Support Agency without good cause were subject to a benefit reduction of 20 per cent. of the adult income support personal allowance for six months followed by a further reduction of 10 per cent. for 12 months. From 7 October 1996, the reduction was increased to 40 per cent. of the adult income support personal allowance for three years to be immediately renewed if the parent with care continued to fail to co-operate.
  85
  The latest available information is from February 1997, which shows that 3,000 parents with care on income support were subject to a 20 per cent. reduction; 7,000 were subject to a 10 per cent. benefit reduction; and 4,000 were subject to a 40 per cent. reduction.

  Figures for parents with care in receipt of family credit or disability working allowance who are subject to a benefit reduction are not available.

  Extra-Statutory Payments
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the cost of extra-statutory payments by the Benefits Agency in each month since January 1995. [14015]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  Details of the monthly expenditure on extra-statutory payments by the Benefits Agency are only held from the commencement of the 1995–96 year. Although individual monthly figures are not available for the period 1 January 1995 to 31 March 1995 the annual amount paid has been included in the table.

  £

  Month

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  April

  —

  99,077

  122,914

  147,127

  May

  —

  43,653

  105,639

  78,014

  June

  —

  107,177

  108,344

  213,604

  July

  —

  102,524

  93,091

  85,446

  August

  —

  214,774

  34,712

  128,483

  September

  —

  145,624

  123,952

  161,525

  October

  —

  165,141

  130,223

  —

  November

  —

  153,595

  84,487

  —

  December

  —

  153,578

  35,953

  —

  January

  —

  139,551

  87,633

  —

  February

  —

  93,182

  91,286

  —

  March

  —

  79,263

  101,250

  —

  Totals

  955,329

  1,497,139

  1,119,484

  814,199

  Special exercise

  —

  —

  12,650,063

  —

  Grand totals

  955,329

  1,497,139

  3,769,547

  814,199

  1 Payments made to the Dorset Trust Housing Association due to loss of benefit following incorrect advice given by the Benefits Agency.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when she expects to resume social security payments to appellant asylum seekers. [13492]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  An inter-departmental review led by the Home Office is currently considering all aspects of arrangements for asylum seekers, including the provision of accommodation and support throughout the entire asylum process.

  Benefit Backdating
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate she has made of the annual savings from the proposed limitation of backdating of benefit claims to one month; and if she will break this total down by client group. [14020]
  86
  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The information is in the table.

  £ million cash

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  Elderly

  0

  10

  14

  14

  Long-term sick and disabled

  0

  14

  18

  18

  Lone parents

  0

  8

  10

  10

  Unemployed

  0

  10

  16

  16

  Others

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  0

  42

  58

  58

  1. The estimated savings relate to the proposed measure in the Social Security Bill to reduce the maximum amount of backdating of benefit claims from three months to one month.

  2. Estimates are based on an ad hoc survey of backdated benefit claims undertaken during 1996 uprated in line with Departmental forecasts of benefit expenditure. The savings are in addition to those estimated for the April 1997 changes which reduced the maximum amount of backdating of benefit claims to three months and benefit reviews to one month.

  3. Allocation of benefit savings to client groups is in accordance with the convention used in tables 4 and 5 of the 1997 Departmental Report. Income support, housing benefit and council tax benefit savings are divided between the expected beneficiaries.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the expected annual savings from the limitation of backdating of benefit claims to three months; and if she will break this total down by client group. [14021]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The information is in the table.

  £ million cash

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  Elderly

  36

  48

  63

  63

  Long-term sick and disabled

  33

  49

  49

  49

  Lone parents

  18

  20

  20

  20

  Unemployed

  3

  3

  3

  3

  Total

  90

  120

  135

  135

  1. The estimated savings relate to the April 1997 changes which reduced the maximum amount of backdating of benefit claims to three months and benefit reviews to one month.

  2. Based on an ad hoc survey of backdated benefit claims undertaken during 1996, uprated in line with Departmental forecasts of benefit expenditure.

  3. Allocation of benefit savings to client groups is in accordance with the convention used in Tables 4 and 5 of the 1997 Departmental Report. Income support savings are divided between the expected beneficiaries.

  Lone Parents
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate she has made of the percentage of a random sample of lone parents whose youngest child was at school and who were receiving income support who would typically flow off benefit in a three-month period in current economic circumstances. [14023]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is as follows.
  87
  There were 506,000 income support claimants with a lone parent premium at the end of November 1996 whose youngest child was aged five or over. Around 46,000 of these had ceased to claim by the end of February 1997. Some of those whose claim terminated during this period may have reclaimed by February 1997.

  Source:

  Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiries, November 1996 and February 1997.

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much of the funds committed under the new deal for lone parents in(a) 1997–98 and (b) future years comes from (i) the windfall tax, (ii) savings made from the freezing and re-structuring of the lone parent premium and one parent benefit, (iii) savings from the further reductions planned to the family premium (lone parent rate) and child benefit (lone parent rate) and (iv) the abolition of the child benefit increase for new lone parent claimants in 1998. [14166]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The information is as follows. The funding for the New Deal for Lone Parents up until October 1998 will be met from within existing provision. The funding for future years will be met entirely from the windfall levy. This will comprise of £150 million over the life of the Parliament plus an additional £50 million to improve financial help with the cost of childcare in the In-Work benefits.

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many lone parents on income support are estimated to have a child under five years and three months old who has not yet reached their second term at school in(a) 1997–98 and (b) 1998–99. [14163]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is as follows. Each school and local education authority has its own policy on the point in the school year at which children in their fifth year start school, and no central figures are available on the actual age (by year and month) at which children start. The number of lone parents on income support whose youngest child was aged five years and three months or less at February 1997 was 538,000.

  Source:
  Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, February 1997. Sample size 5 per cent. Lone parents are defined as those receiving the Income Support Lone Parent premium.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what will be the future entitlement to one-parent benefit of lone parents currently receiving income support and who flow off income support after 31 October. [14019]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The proposed changes to Child Benefit for new lone parents are due to be implemented from June 1998, prior to that date current entitlement rules still apply. From implementation of the proposed changes, new lone parents will receive the same rate of Child Benefit as couples with children. Existing recipients will not be affected as long as they continue to satisfy entitlement conditions. In addition, lone parents who are receiving Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance with the lone parent rate of family premium will be able to make one subsequent claim for the lone parent rate of Child Benefit when they move into work.
  88
  Mr. Rendal
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what was the annual cost of the lone parent premium and one parent benefit in(a) 1994–95, (b) 1995–96 and (c) 1996–97; [14161]

  (2) what are the projected annual costs to the Government of the family premium (lone parent rate) and child benefit (lone parent rate) in (a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98 and (c) 1998–99. [14162]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the tables. Information on expenditure on the lone parent premium is not available as components of a benefit award cannot be separately identified. The lone parent premium is payable with Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

  Benefit expenditure on one parent benefit/child benefit (Lone parent payment)

  £ million

  1994–95

  289

  1995–96

  310

  1996–97

  348

  1997–98

  330

  1998–99

  313

  1. Total expenditure figures are consistent with the 1997 Departmental Report.

  2. Figures are rounded to the nearest £ million.

  Estimated expenditure on lone parent premium/family premium (Lone parent)

  £ million

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Income support

  276

  285

  286

  275

  220

  Housing benefit

  63

  75

  85

  100

  95

  Council tax benefit

  57

  68

  74

  80

  85

  1. From April 1997, the lone parent premium payable with the income related benefits was amalgamated with the family premium to become the family premium (lone parent rate).

  2. The estimates of expenditure for 1997–98 and 1998–99 show the extra cost of paying a higher rate of family premium to lone parents.

  3. The expenditure in Great Britain is obtained by multiplying the number of recipients by the value of the premium. However, some recipients will receive an overall amount of benefit which is less than the value of the premium.

  4. Lone parents claiming the income related benefits after April 1998 will no longer be entitled to the higher rate of the family premium. The effects of this change are included in the reported estimates.

  5. Estimates for 1994–95 to 1996–97 are based on sample data and are not entirely consistent with Departmental Report figures.

  6. Estimates for 1997–98 to 1998–99 are consistent with the overall expenditure estimates in the 1997 Departmental Report.

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate she has made of the annual savings from(a) the removal for new claimants of the family premium (lone parent rate) in April 1998 and (b) the planned abolition for new claimants of the lone parent increase of child benefit under the Social Security Bill 1997. [14168]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The estimated net saving from the removal of entitlement, for new cases, to the lone parent rates of(a) family premium, in income support,

  89
  jobseeker's allowance, housing and council tax benefit is, in the three years starting from 1998–99, £55 million, £125 million and £170 million. (b) child benefit is, in the three years starting from 1998–99, £5 million, £15 million and £25 million.

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much the Government have saved to date from(a) the freezing and re-structuring of the lone parent premium and (b) the freezing and re-structuring of the lone-parent increase of child benefit.[14167]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The information is in the table.

  1996–97 savings realised from

  £ million

  Income support/jobseeker's allowance

  lone parent premium

  10

  One parent premium

  5

  1. The latest available estimates are for the financial year 1996–97.

  2. The first year savings were realised from the freezing of the lone parent premium and one parent benefit.

  3. Estimates rounded to nearest £5 million.

  4. Information is not yet available for recipients of the housing benefit/council tax benefit lone parent premium in 1996–97.

  Source:

  1. Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiries.

  2. Child Benefit Management Information System Data.

  Pensions Policy Review
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what meetings have been held with pensioners' organisations concerning the review of pensions policy; and if he will make a statement. [13666]
  90
  Mr. Denham
  On 17 July my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, announced a wide-ranging review of the central areas of insecurity for elderly people, including all aspects of the basic pension and second pensions, including SERPS.

  The first stage of the review has involved an extensive public consultation exercise with pensioners' organisations, employers, employees, consumer groups, the pensions industry and others. As part of that exercise I have met the following organisations: Security in Retirement, including Baroness Castle, Mr. Barry Fawcett of the Public Service Pensioners' Council, National Association of Retired Police Officers, the British Pensioners and Trade Union Association, Help the Aged and Age Concern. I have also met the National Pensioners' Convention on 3 occasions reflecting their central and specific role to ensure that the views of today's pensioners are at the heart of the review process. Departmental Officials have also held a separate meeting with them.

  We have already received more than 1,100 written responses to the review, including representations from pensioner organisations, which we will consider. The Government intends to publish its initial framework for change in the first part of 1998. There will then be a further period of consultation before firm proposals are developed.

  Decision Making and Appeals (Consultation)
  Mr Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when she plans to make available to the general public the results of the consultation on improving decision making and appeals in social security. [14017]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Shipley (Mr. Leslie) on 23 June,Official Report, column 418. Members of the public can obtain copies from the Decision Making and Appeals Branch, Department of Social Security, The Adelphi, 1–11 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6HT.

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