Written Answers of 12 November 1997

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Beef Industry
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the progress in establishing a computerised cattle traceability system for Great Britain. [15849]

  Mr. Rooker
  We are continuing to make good progress towards getting this system in place. I announced to the House on 30 July,Official Report, column 310, that the organisation responsible for administering the system, the British Cattle Movement Service, (BCMS) will be based in Workington, Cumbria. I also announced subsequently that BCMS will take over responsibility for cattle passports. There are now two further developments to report.

  First, the Government consider it very important for there to be as much reporting of cattle movements to the new cattle traceability database by electronic mail as possible. This should reduce the paperwork burden on businesses which move large numbers of cattle, such as livestock markets and abattoirs. To help such businesses, we are issuing a protocol today for them to follow in order to communicate with the database by e-mail. Copies are being sent to all livestock markets and abattoirs in Great Britain. I very much hope that markets and abattoirs will invest in the relatively small changes needed to their IT systems over the next few months. This work needs to start now if it is to be completed by the time the new computerised system goes live in 1998.

  Secondly, the Government have decided to charge for the cattle traceability system via cattle passports. Farmers applying for cattle passports will pay a fee which will cover the costs of the new computerised system. This follows consideration of a wide range of alternatives, including charging on the basis of the number of movements for which a business is responsible, charging via ear tags, charging at slaughter and charging via an annual registration fee for cattle producers. Charging via passports was chosen because it should be easy to enforce, since cattle without passports cannot go for human consumption. Because it is simple, administrative costs will be kept down so benefiting industry directly. The fee is expected to be in the range £5 to £10 per animal. The livestock industry will be involved in how this method of charging will be implemented, for example through its representatives on the Project Board which is managing the introduction of the computerised system.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Criminal Courts
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department under what statutory authority people under the age of 14 years are generally barred from the public gallery of criminal courts. [14675]

  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. Peter Bottomley, dated 12 November 1997:
  EXCLUSION OF PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF 14 YEARS FROM THE PUBLIC GALLERIES OF CRIMINAL COURTS.
  The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department has asked me to reply to your Question about the exclusion of children from the public galleries of criminal courts.
  The statutory authority is Sections 36 and 37 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  M11 Link Road (East London)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many complaints have been received by his Department in respect of the building of the M11 Link Road through East London. [14480]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Since work began in 1993, my Department (including the former Department of Transport and the Highways Agency) have received 174 complaints about the construction of the scheme. There have also been about 1,200 complaints to the Link Road Offices, which were set up specifically to provide a point of contract for local people during construction.

  Housing (London)
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many(a) local authority and (b) housing association homes are in each council tax band in each of the London boroughs. [14822]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Information is available on the number of local authority and housing association properties in each borough; and on the number of all types of properties in each council tax band in each borough. However, information on tenure by council tax band on which to base a cross-analysis is not available.

  Cabinet Environment Committee
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make it his policy to publish the dates of the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on the Environment. [14731]

  Mr. Prescott
  I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 3 November to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (Mr. Yeo),Official Report, column 60.

  Homelessness
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the total number of households(a) nationally and (b) in each London local authority area in respect of which local authorities accepted a duty in each of the last three years where the cause of homelessness was (i) the termination of a private sector assured shorthold tenancy and (ii) housing benefit restrictions. [14819]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The table below provides the available data on the numbers of households accepted as homeless and in priority need under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 and 1996 Housing Acts for the calendar years 1994, 1995, 1996 and the first 6 months of 1997. The table also shows the numbers of household where the main reason for the loss of their last settled home was the ending of an assured shorthold tenancy. The data collected on the reasons for homelessness do not separately identify where the loss of previous accommodation was attributed to housing benefit restrictions.

  1994

  Total priority need acceptances

  Number of these where the reason was the ending of an assured shorthold tenancy1

  England

  118,490

  11,830

  Barking and Dagenham

  280

  13

  Barnet

  648

  54

  Bexley

  156

  24

  Brent

  1,162

  163

  Bromley

  671

  97

  Camden

  1,496

  18

  City of London

  40

  1

  Croydon

  1,272

  70

  Ealing

  1,226

  141

  Enfield

  1,069

  65

  Greenwich

  960

  48

  Hackney

  1,741

  134

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  963

  87

  Haringey

  1,551

  93

  Harrow

  454

  50

  Havering

  325

  31

  Hillingdon

  815

  143

  Hounslow

  942

  6

  Islington

  No returns

  No returns

  Kensington and Chelsea

  3416

  2227

  Kingston upon Thames

  331

  12

  Lambeth

  1,600

  8

  Lewisham

  3581

  347

  Merton

  291

  15

  Newham

  No returns

  No returns

  Redbridge

  461

  52

  Richmond upon Thames

  307

  29

  Southwark

  1,453

  387

  Sutton

  264

  32

  Tower Hamlets

  3555

  227

  Waltham Forest

  686

  41

  Wandsworth

  761

  216

  Westminster

  1,257

  144

  1The figures for 1994 to 1996 may include a small number of households accepted for rehousing who were not in priority need.

  2Data for three quarters only.

  3Data for two quarters only.

  548

  1995

  Total priority need acceptances

  Number of these where the reason was the ending of an assured shorthold tenancy1

  England

  117,490

  13,110

  Barking and Dagenham

  176

  15

  Barnet

  872

  138

  Bexley

  147

  41

  Brent

  1,184

  149

  Bromley

  564

  81

  Camden

  1,474

  51

  City of London

  18

  3

  Croydon

  916

  39

  Ealing

  1,036

  158

  Enfield

  761

  83

  Greenwich

  860

  56

  Hackney

  1,326

  83

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  807

  56

  Haringey

  No returns

  No returns

  Harrow

  508

  73

  Havering

  350

  62

  Hillingdon

  973

  130

  Hounslow

  964

  24

  Islington

  2926

  251

  Kensington and Chelsea

  442

  31

  Kingston upon Thames

  419

  29

  Lambeth

  1,439

  7

  Lewisham

  2805

  285

  Merton

  325

  38

  Newham

  No returns

  No returns

  Redbridge

  435

  65

  Richmond upon Thames

  364

  58

  Southwark

  1,328

  290

  Sutton

  302

  36

  Tower Hamlets

  821

  17

  Waltham Forest

  586

  75

  Wandsworth

  627

  0

  Westminster

  1,240

  171

  1 The figures for 1994 to 1996 may include a small number of households accepted for re-housing who were not in priority need.

  2Data for three quarters only.

  1996

  Total priority need acceptances

  Number of these where the reason was the ending of an assured shorthold tenancy1

  England

  113,560

  13,730

  Barking and Dagenham

  170

  8

  Barnet

  961

  148

  Bexley

  173

  74

  Brent

  1,314

  157

  Bromley

  620

  95

  Camden

  1,379

  60

  City of London

  17

  1

  Croydon

  1,305

  75

  Ealing

  1,368

  251

  Enfield

  833

  73

  Greenwich

  1,081

  64

  Hackney

  2830

  373

  Hammersmith and

  Fulham

  630

  40

  Haringey

  No returns

  No returns

  Harrow

  502

  85

  Havering

  2275

  228

  Hillingdon

  897

  138

  Hounslow

  1,088

  42

  549

  1996

  Total priority need acceptances

  Number of these where the reason was the ending of an assured shorthold tenancy1

  Islington

  1,042

  71

  Kensington and Chelsea

  613

  45

  Kingston upon Thames

  2247

  220

  Lambeth

  1,022

  10

  Lewisham

  846

  74

  Merton

  340

  41

  Newham

  4224

  41

  Redbridge

  324

  72

  Richmond upon Thames

  472

  71

  Southwark

  2719

  322

  Sutton

  412

  74

  Tower Hamlets

  2536

  217

  Waltham Forest

  618

  64

  Wandsworth

  670

  2

  Westminster

  1,314

  220

  1 The figures for 1994 to 1996 may include a small number of households accepted for re-housing who were not in priority need.

  2Data for three quarters only.

  3Data for two quarters only.

  4Data for one quarter only.

  1997—first 6 months

  Total priority need acceptances

  Number of these where the reason was the ending of an assured shorthold tenancy1

  England

  52,200

  6,760

  Barking and Dagenham

  117

  7

  Barnet

  2198

  231

  Bexley

  81

  34

  Brent

  726

  110

  Bromley

  276

  49

  Camden

  630

  45

  City of London

  17

  1

  Croydon

  2121

  26

  Ealing

  357

  62

  Enfield

  2163

  231

  Greenwich

  506

  48

  Hackney

  2129

  220

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  300

  20

  Haringey

  No returns

  No returns

  Harrow

  281

  57

  Havering

  147

  20

  Hillingdon

  450

  61

  Hounslow

  564

  48

  Islington

  491

  33

  Kensington and Chelsea

  No returns

  No returns

  Kingston upon Thames

  178

  23

  Lambeth

  No returns

  No returns

  Lewisham

  2159

  216

  Merton

  126

  13

  Newham

  No returns

  No returns

  Redbridge

  126

  27

  Richmond upon Thames

  236

  41

  Southwark

  No returns

  No returns

  Sutton

  161

  28

  Tower Hamlets

  No returns

  No returns

  Waltham Forest

  362

  37

  Wandsworth

  263

  2

  Westminster

  581

  124

  1 The figures for 1994 to 1996 may include a small number of households accepted for re-housing who were not in priority need.

  2 Data for one quarter only.

  Sewage Flooding
  Mr. Linton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions with whom the responsibility lies for the repairing of private properties damaged by sewage flooding; and if he will take steps to ensure that there is no undue delay in long-term repair works where flooding is taking place on a regular basis. [15169]

  Angela Eagle
  Responsibility for repairs to properties following an incident of sewage flooding rests with the property owners but they may be able to recover the cost from sewerage undertakers who can be shown to be at fault. In other cases, the cost of repairs can sometimes be recovered under normal building insurance.

  In the periodic review of price limits in 1994, the Director General of Water Services allowed for sewerage undertakers to invest £590 million (at 1993–94 prices) over the following ten-year period to address sewer flooding problems. The Director General's 1996–97 report on levels of service recorded a reduction of 9 per cent. in the number of properties flooded by sewers in that year.

  Planning Inspectorate
  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will ask the Planning Inspectorate to maintain records about the (i) existing and (ii) previous land use, or that previously in existence, when a planning appeal is received. [15156]

  Mr.Raynsford
  The land uses Proposed in development projects being appealed are recorded by the Planning Inspectorate. It has not been considered necessary to record details of existing and previous land uses in Planning appeals cases, but a current review will indicate whether full records, including the existing and Previous land uses, would be beneficial in future.

  Planning Applications
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what procedures exist for ensuring that black and Asian planning applicants are not discriminated against on grounds of race by local authorities. [15285]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Under section 19A of the Race Relations Act 1976, it is unlawful for a planning authority to discriminate against a person in carrying out their planning functions. Under the 1976 Act, complainants have a right to take their case to the county court as in instances of discrimination in the fields of education, in the provision of goods and services and the disposal and management of premises.

  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what types of proposed development were involved in each of the applications referred between 5 August 1996 and 3 July 1997 to the Sports Council for England as a statutory consultee under the terms of the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995, as amended. [15164]
  551
  Mr. Raynsford
  Of the 288 applications referred to the Sports Council for England between 5 August 1996 and 31 July 1997, 177 involved non-sports development as follows:

  residential (99 applications);

  educational (36);

  other commercial development (31); and

  other public/community facilities (11).

  One hundred and thirty applications involved the development of sports facilities, the most common of which were:

  synthetic turf pitches (46 applications);

  sports halls/centres (43);

  new playing fields and pitches (25);

  pavilions/club houses (19);

  floodlights (18);

  athletics tracks (13);

  swimming pools (11).

  Some applications contained proposals for more than one new facility.

  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the outcome has been of each of the planning applications referred to the Sports Council for England as a statutory consultee under the terms of the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) order 1995, as amended with effect from 5 August 1996. [15162]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Of the 288 applications referred to the Sports Council for England between 5 August 1996 and 31 July 1997, the Council has been notified of 110 local planning authority decisions. Eighty-seven applications were approved including 20 to which they had objected; 16 were refused including nine with Sports Council for England objections; three were withdrawn; and four were called in.

  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what sports were concerned in respect of each of the 288 planning applications referred between 5 August 1996 and 31 July 1997 to the Sports Council for England. [15163]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Under the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order, the Sports Council for England is now a statutory consultee in relation to applications for development which affect the use of playing fields. Most playing fields are used for a range of team sports. The Council does not, therefore, have a detailed breakdown of the particular sports affected by the applications referred to them.

  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which bodies were consulted about the terms of the Town and Country Planning (Demolition—Description of Buildings) Direction 1995. [15158]

  Mr. Raynsford
  In 1991, the Department issued a consultation paper on proposed controls over the demolition of dwellinghouses. This was circulated to a wide range of organisations including the local authority associations, individual local planning authorities, the main planning bodies, builders' organisations and conservation bodies. Two hundred and one responses were received including one from the Sports Council. This 552
  resulted in the Town and Country Planning (Demolition—Description of Buildings) Direction 1992 contained in Circular 16/92. Some amendments were introduced in the 1995 Direction following a 1994 consultation exercise with a similar range of bodies on the demolition of walls, fences and gates in conservation areas.

  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what procedures exist to monitor the processing of planning applications by local authorities to prevent discrimination on racial grounds. [15284]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Government recognises the value of ethnic monitoring and we encourage its use where appropriate. Local planning authorities may wish to request information relating to ethnic origin so that they can monitor the handling of applications. The ethnic origin of an applicant is not a relevant planning consideration and there is no obligation for an applicant to provide this information in order to have a planning application decided.

  Road Hauliers (French Dispute)
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will introduce interest free bridging finance for road hauliers affected by the dispute in France, pending receipt of compensation from the French Government. [15204]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The Government was pleased to note the promise made by M. Jospin, the French Prime Minister, last week that claimants affected by the blockades in France a year ago will know within three months whether their claims will be met. The Government will be pressing the French Government to ensure that all claims arising from the recent blockades are dealt with sympathetically and promptly.

  Compensation claims against the French Government must be made under French Law and by those affected; the UK Government is not directly involved. Unfortunately, many of those adversely affected by the dispute are unlikely to be eligible under French law for compensation. In the circumstances the approach suggested by the hon. Member would not be appropriate.

  Wyre Piddle Bypass
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to reach a decision on the application by Hereford and Worcester county council for transport supplementary grant to build the Wyre Piddle bypass; and if he will make a statement. [15595]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  We expect to announce our decision on Hereford and Worcester County Council's bid for transport supplementary grant for the Wyre Piddle bypass in December as part of the Local Transport Capital Settlement for 1998–99.

  Greenhouse Gas Emissions
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list(a) his Department's policies and initiatives designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and (b) the departmental policies and initiatives designed to reduce other

  553
  greenhouse gases; if he will estimate for each the annual reduction in tonnage of greenhouse gas emissions achieved in the most recent year for which figures are available compared to those for 1990; and what estimate he has made of further reductions, or increases, predicted for 2000 and 2010, assuming continuation of current policies. [15544]

  Angela Eagle
  I refer the hon. Member to the United Kingdom's Second Report under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change which was published in February 1997. It reports the UK's progress in implementing its programme for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and gives a projection of what the programme is expected to deliver by 2000. The report projects forward what the current programme is expected to achieve to 2020.

  Waste Disposal
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what data he has collated in respect of the average distances between waste collection points and landfill disposal sites. [14529]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 11 November 1997]There are no such data currently available.

  Overseas Travel
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his estimate of the expenditure by(a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its non-departmental public bodies on overseas travel for (i) 1980–81, (ii) 1987–88, (iii) 1990–91, (iv) 1991–92, (v) 1992–93, (vi) 1993–94, (vii) 1994–95, (viii) 1995–96, (ix) 1996–97 and (x) 1 May to 30 September 1997; and if he will provide a breakdown to show (1) air fares and (2) other expenditure relating to overseas travel. [15231]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 11 November 1997]Figures for years (i) and (ii) are not available. Figures for the Department and its Agencies, where these are available, for years (iii) to (x) are listed below. This information is not held centrally for Non Departmental Public Bodies and the information could only be gathered at disproportionate cost. A breakdown to show air fares and other expenditure is not available.

  £000

  Department1

  Agencies1

  (iii) 1990–91

  1,400

  232

  (iv) 1991–92

  1,707

  296

  (v) 1992–93

  2,390

  2—

  (vi) 1993–94

  2,156

  2—

  (vii) 1994–95

  1,888

  476

  (viii) 1995–96

  1,807

  494

  (ix) 1996–97

  1,601

  419

  (x) 1 May to 30 September 1997

  568

  201

  1Figures include overseas subsistence as well as travel costs.

  2Figures are not held separately from other travel costs.

  554
  Not all the Department's Agencies hold the information in a way that enables the elements requested to be identified separately. We have, therefore, been able to provide information only where it is available. It should also be noted that because of changes in Departmental structure and accountancy practice over the years the year to year costs are not readily comparable.

  House Building (Essex)
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his estimate of the number of new homes that need to be built in(a) the county of Essex; (b) the northern part of Essex; (c) the Borough of Colchester and (d) the District of Tendring. [15350]

  Mr. Raynsford
  [holding answer 11 November 1997]Regional Planning Guidance for the South East (RPG9) was issued by the Secretary of State for the Environment in 1994. It was based on advice provided by the regional conference of local authorities (SERPLAN). The Guidance sets out the additional dwellings required in Essex for the period 1991–2006 as 80,000. Guidance does not give a distribution between districts—this is decided in the Essex structure plan, prepared and adopted by the county council. In accordance with the 1994 Guidance, the pre-deposit consultation draft of the replacement Essex County Structure Plan provides for 84,600 new dwellings in Essex in the period 1995–2011, of which 12,650 would be in the borough of Colchester and 6,500 in the District of Tendring.

  SERPLAN is currently preparing advice on the revision of RPG9, including the updating of housing requirements to take into account the latest household projections, economic and environmental factors.

  Genetically Modified Maize
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on(a) the position taken by his officials and (b) the outcome of proceedings at the meeting of the Article 21 Committee, in Brussels, on 5 November, with respect to Austria' a prohibition of genetically modified maize under Article 16 of Directive 90/220 EEC. [15473]

  Angela Eagle
  I refer the hon. Member to my response to the hon. Member for Lancaster and Wyre (Mr. Dawson) on 6 November 1997,Official Report, column 281.

  Food and Drink Outlets
  Valerie Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will issue new guidancee on the A3 Use Class (Food and Drink) of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 as amended, in order to differentiate between larger and smaller outlets; and if he will make a statement. [14825]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Use Classes Order 1987 groups together various types of land use because, in planning terms, they have a similar impact on a neighbourhood. As public houses, wine bars, restaurants and hot food takeaway premises tend to raise the same land use issues, they are all included within Use Class A3. There are no plans to amend or to issue new guidance on this Class, although we keep the arrangements under review.

  European Spatial Development Perspective
  Mr. Ennis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to(a) take forward the European Spatial Development Perspective and (b) obtain European Minister's views on urban issues. [15912]

  Mr. Caborn
  Our aim under the UK Presidency is to complete, in co-operation with other Member States, the draft European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP). The intention is for this to be agreed by EU Ministers at their informal meeting to be held during our Presidency, in June 1998.

  The ESDP is the result of collaboration between Member States and the European Commission to promote an integrated approach to spatial development through partnership, co-operation and sharing expertise. A partially completed draft was agreed by Ministers at Noordwijk in June 1997 as a basis for consultations now taking place within each country. This is now on the Internet. In the UK we have invited interested bodies to take part in a series of seminars to discuss the draft document with others and to send us their written views by 31 December.

  During December and January, I will undertake a series of bilateral meetings with other European planning ministers and with the Commission and other European institutions, to discuss with them the results of their national consultations. These meetings will seek to ensure that Member States will be in a position to agree the draft ESDP at their meeting in June. Some of these bilateral meetings will be handled by my hon. Friend the Scottish Office Minister with responsibility for local government, housing and transport, the hon. Member for Edinburgh, North and Leith (Mr. Chisholm).

  The UK is also planning a European initiative on urban issues based on good practice experience. We will prepare the initial phase of a possible guidance framework on selected aspects of urban policy in consultation with other Member States. This will form the basis for discussion at the EU ministerial meeting in June.

  Environmental Impact Assessment Directive
  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representation he has received regarding the implementation of Directive 97/11/EC on the assessment of certain public and private projects on the environment; and if he will make a statement. [16029]

  Mr. Caborn
  A consultation paper was issued on 30 July setting out in broad terms the Government's proposals for implementing the amended Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (97/11/EC). To date, 170 responses have been received from business, government and environmental organizations in the UK, as well as members of the public. A list of the responses has been placed in the Library of the House. Copies of all the responses have also been placed in my Department's library.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  ADAPT Training Programme
  Ms Jennifer Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many bids were made in 1997 in the United Kingdom under the ADAPT training programme to run from 1997 to 1999; how many bids were successful; and what proportion of the United Kingdom allocated budget has been committed to United Kingdom projects. [14264]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  In the United Kingdom, 344 bids were assessed in 1997 under the ADAPT Programme. Of these, 185 were successful. The Programme budget for ADAPT for the period 1995 to 1999 is 316,812,000 Million ECU of which 192,174,790 Million ECU—670.7 per cent.—has been committed to projects. 12,508,706 Million ECU has been allocated to Technical Assistance.

  Graduates
  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people graduated from universities in England and Wales in(a) arts and humanities, (b) science and engineering, (c) medicine and (d) law in (i) 1967, (ii) 1977, (iii) 1987 and (iv) the most recent available year. [14503]

  Dr. Howells
  The available data covering all higher education institutions in 1996 and former University Funding Council Universities and former polytechnics for earlier years are given in the following table.

  First degree graduates1in England and Wales

  Thousands

  Year of graduation

  Subject2

  1967

  1977

  1987

  1996

  Arts/humanities3

  n/a

  14·1

  20·6

  52·7

  Science and technology

  n/a

  25·2

  36·2

  64·6

  Medicne4

  n/a

  4·6

  6·9

  15·1

  Social, administrative and business studies5

  n/a

  17·4

  20·8

  54·8

  n/a = not available.

  1 In 1977 and 1987 full-time only for former polytechnics, full and part-time for former UFC universities; full and part-time for all establishments in 1996.

  2The definitions of the subject groups were revised in 1985 for former UFC establishments, in 1987 for former polytechnics and for all establishments in 1996.

  3Including education.

  4 Including subjects allied to medicine.

  5Including law which cannot be separately identified in all years. In 1996 there were 9.3 thousand graduates in law.

  Students (Fees)
  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to provide financial support for the tuition fee contributions of part-time students in higher education. [14804]

  Dr. Howells
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 6 November 1997,Official Report, column 309.

  Charity Collectors
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will instruct jobcentres to require organisations seeking charity collectors to provide references from reputable source; and if he will make a statement. [15055]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Leigh Lewis to Mr. Adrian Sanders, dated 12 November 1997:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning your request that he instructs Jobcentres to require organisations seeking charity collectors to provide references from a reputable source. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  Jobcentres do, in fact, already have instructions not to accept fund-raising vacancies from or on behalf of charities that are not registered with the Charity Commission or, in Scotland, recognised by the Financial Intermediary Claims Office. In addition the Employment Service accepts vacancies which involve street or house to house collections or sales only where the relevant licence or exemptions have been obtained from the appropriate authority. Our current instructions to Jobcentres require these points to be checked whenever there is doubt about an employer seeking to recruit through the Jobcentre.
  I hope this is helpful. I would be happy to look into any particular instance which has given cause for concern.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Mr. Jonathan Aitken
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many person hours have been logged in the police investigation into the alleged perjury by Mr. Jonathan Aitken. [15194]

  Mr. Michael
  The Commissioner tells me that 35 man days have been expended so far in the inquiry. The Commissioner informs me that the investigation is continuing and is being pursued as expeditiously as possible.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent to date by the Metropolitan police on their investigation into the alleged perjury by Mr. Jonathan Aitken. [15193]

  Mr. Michael
  The Commissioner informs me that approximately 35 man days have been expended so far. The nature of the inquiry has meant that it has not been possible to cost the police time accurately. The Commissioner also tells me that the investigation is continuing and is being pursued as expeditiously as possible.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 5 November,Official Report, column 211, how many police officers, and of which rank, have been assigned to the investigation into the alleged perjury of Mr. Jonathan Aitken. [15195]
  558
  Mr. Michael
  The Commissioner informs me that the number of officers deployed on the investigation into Mr. Aitken has varied according to the needs of the inquiry. The officers on the inquiry are selected on the basis of the skills they bring to the task, and not according to their rank.

  Europol
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if proposals have been put forward through European Union or intergovernmental channels to provide legal immunity for police officers who are working or have worked for Europol; and if he will make a statement.
  [15190]

  Mr. Michael
  The privileges and immunities of Europol staff are set out in a Protocol to the Europol Convention, which was signed on 19 June 1997. The Protocol needs to be ratified in each member state before Europol can take up its activities. For the United Kingdom to ratify the Protocol, an Order in Council under the International Organisations Act 1968 will need to be made. We hope to present a draft Order to the House shortly.

  The terms of the legal immunity for Europol staff are outlined in Article 8 of the Protocol, which states that members of the organs of Europol and staff members of Europol shall enjoy "immunity form the legal process of any kind in respect of words spoken or written, or of acts performed by them, in the exercise of their official functions". Article 12 of the Protocol states that the Director of Europol shall be required to waive the immunity "in cases where the immunity would impede the course of justice".

  It is important to bear in mind that Europol will not have executive powers. Its role is confined to supporting national investigations through facilitating the exchange of information and offering analytical expertise. Responsibility for subsequent executive action rests with the relevant national bodies which do not enjoy such privileges and immunities.

  The Protocol will be evaluated by the Management Board of Europol two years after the Protocol enters into force. It will be reviewed following any amendment to the tasks of Europol as set out in the Europol Convention.

  Charities
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will issue a practice direction to owners of premises to encourage the reference checking of organisations seeking permission to make charitable collections; [15056]

  (2) if he will arrange for local authority licensing departments to be given information on the relevant activities of registered charities; and if he will make a statement. [15054]

  Mr. Michael
  The Charity Commission meets licensing authorities regularly and seeks to co-operate with any requests for information about charities or fundraising organisations. There are no plans to issue a practice note to owners of premises. The Commission already encourages owners of premises, such as supermarkets, to check with the Commission if they have
  559
  any doubts about an organisation seeking permission to carry out a charitable collection. With effect from 29 October this year, basic details of all registered charities can also be checked on the Commission's website at htpp://www.charity-commission.gov.uk.

  Gas Appliances (Safety)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been prosecuted for causing death due to poorly maintained gas appliances in each year since 1990. [15159]

  Mr. Michael
  The following table gives the information requested. The figures relate to instances where the offence concerned had been recorded by the police as homicide. Figures for similar offences where poor installation rather than poor maintenance was involved are also shown.

  Number of prosecutions for offences of homicide arising from poor maintenance or installation of gas appliances—England and Wales

  Poor maintenance

  Poor installation

  1990

  —

  —

  1991

  —

  —

  1992

  —

  1

  1993

  —

  2

  1994

  —

  —

  1995

  1

  —

  1996

  —

  3

  1997 (to 1 August)

  3

  —

  Perjury
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time between the commission of a perjury and charges being brought by the CPS. [15192]

  Mr. Michael
  The relevant information is not available. The decision whether to lay a charge of perjury, as of any other offence, is taken by the police in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, if they are satisfied that they have enough evidence to do so. The time taken will depend on a variety of factors, including the complexity of any case and the extent to which the necessary evidence is obtainable. In reaching that decision, the police may seek the advice of the Crown Prosecution Service as to whether a prosecution should be brought against a suspect.

  Chief Constables (Efficiency)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what means the efficiency of chief constables is measured. [15008]

  Mr. Michael
  The efficiency of a chief constable, and the means by which it is measured, is a matter for the local police authority.

  Police authorities have an obligation under the Police Act 1996 to issue a local policing plan before the start of a financial year, setting out the proposed arrangements for the policing of the authority's area. This plan is produced in conjunction with the chief constable and takes into
  560
  account objectives determined by the Home Secretary and any objectives and performance targets determined by the police authority.

  As soon as possible after the end of the financial year, the authority is required to issue a further report, including, an assessment of the extent to which the local policing plan for that year has been carried out.

  At a national level, Her Majesty's Inspectors of Constabulary advise the Secretary of State on the efficiency and effectiveness of police forces.

  Police Central Support Department
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the ASTRA clause will be included in any contracts put out to tender for the police central support department. [14697]

  Mr. Straw
  The Home Office has no plans to use the particular clause referred to, but Home Office policy, when putting services out to competitive tender, is to include a clause in the contract which covers the provisions of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 (known as TUPE), as amended by the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Act 1993.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Sudan
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of reports that the NIF regime in Sudan forces school leavers to join the PDF; and if he will make a statement. [15323]

  Mr. Fatchett
  These reports are accurate. The Sudanese authorities are conscripting secondary school graduates. Some have been sent to the south against their will and without their relatives being informed of their whereabouts. We have expressed our concern about this practice to the Sudanese authorities.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures Her Majesty's Government will take to support the Sudanese peace process. [14832]

  Mr. Fatchett
  We welcomed the resumption of talks between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Army on 29 October under the sponsorship of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD). The UK has supported and will continue to support the IGAD peace process through the Friends of IGAD and latterly through the IGAD Partners Forum (IPF). Both the EU and the IPF have offered material assistance to the IGAD process. We are in regular contact with all parties to the conflict and will continue to stress the need to resolve the civil war through a comprehensive negotiated settlement.

  EU Council of Ministers
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what circumstances it is the practice to permit officials to deputise for Ministers in
  561
  meetings of the Council of Ministers of the European Union; and if he will list those Council meetings since 1 May when officials represented their Ministers, naming the Minister in each instance. [15611]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  Representation by a senior official on occasions when a Minister is unable to be present for all or part of a Council meeting is normal practice for all member states. British Ministers have attended every Council meeting since 1 May, with the exception of the Consumer Affairs Council on 3 November when my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Griffiths) was prevented by fog from reaching Brussels.

  EU Standing Orders
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what standing orders have been(a) agreed and (b) published concerning the procedures to be adopted at (i) Councils of Ministers of the European Community, (ii) the European Council and (iii) intergovernmental conferences of member states; and what are the distinctive functions of European Council and intergovernmental conferences. [15610]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  Rules of procedure governing the Council of Ministers are set out in a Council Decision of 6 December 1993 (93/662/EC). This was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities on 10 December 1993 (0J]993, No. L304/1).

  There are no formal rules of procedure for European Councils and Intergovernmental Conferences. It is for the incumbent Presidency to decide, with the agreement of the Member States, how to conduct them.

  The functions of European Councils and Intergovernmental Conferences are set out in Articles D and N respectively of the Treaty on European Union.

  European Council
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many(a) Ministers of the Crown and (b) officials of Her Majesty's Government were present at the meetings of (i) the European Council and (ii) the intergovernmental conference at Amsterdam. [15612]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  The Amsterdam Summit comprised (a) the conclusion of the negotiations for the intergovernmental conference and (b) normal European Council business. The UK delegation for the Summit consisted of four Ministers of the Crown and, including support staff, 66 Government officials.

  EU General Affairs Council
  Ms Rosie Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will report on the outcome of the General Affairs Council in Brussels on 10 November. [15910]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  At the General Affairs Council in Brussels on 10 November the nine A points in document 11996/97 were approved, and the EP resolutions of 20–24 October in document 11109/97 were noted. The texts will be placed in the House as soon as they become available.
  562
  The Commission presented a Communication on the future of ACP—EU relations which formed the basis for an orientation debate. This will help inform Commission drafting of an EU mandate for the renegotiation of the Lomé Convention. There was a general welcome for the way ahead set out by the Commission and in particular for the emphasis on poverty, enhanced political dialogue and integration of ACP economies into the world trading environment.

  The Council took stock of discussions on enlargement and Agenda 2000. In particular, it considered the role of the Council in the Accession Partnerships of the reinforced pre-accession strategy. The Committee of Permanent Representatives will continue discussion this week.

  The Council Secretariat introduced a paper on the incorporation of the Schengen Secretariat into the General Secretariat of the Council. It was agreed that the Schengen Secretariat would be invited to give its opinion on the matter, which will then be discussed further in the Committee of Permanent representatives, before returning to Council.

  The Council held a preliminary discussion on the Council Secretary General's paper on implementation of the Declaration annexed to the Amsterdam Treaty on the creation of a Policy Planning and Early Warning Unit. There was wide support for the new CFSPD High Representative taking up his duties as soon as the Amsterdam Treaty is ratified; and for the new Unit to become operational at the same time. The Political Committee and Committee of Permanent Representatives were tasked to take forward detailed work on the Unit and to report back to the Council.

  The Council discussed EU relations with Turkey. The Presidency announced its intention to arrange an informal ministerial meeting with Turkey on 24 November.

  The Council discussed preparations for the forthcoming visit to the Middle East by the Presidency of the Council and Vice President Mann of the European Commission. The Council agreed on the importance of close co-ordination with the US Administration in support of US efforts to bring about a full resumption of negotiations in the Middle East Peace Process. It also agreed on the need for the Presidency to emphasise EU concerns about the effects of continuing Israeli settlement activity on the prospects for progress and about the postponement of the further redeployments of Israeli troops from Palestinian areas foreseen in the Hebron Agreement.

  The Council considered a report from EU Special Envoy Moratinos on ways in which the EU might support agreement between Israel and the Palestinians on the opening of Gaza Airport, the construction of Gaza seaport and the establishment of the "safe passage" arrangements for Palestinians travelling between the West Bank and Gaza. The Council agreed that the report should be considered further at technical level.

  The Council discussed negotiations between the EU and Switzerland in the light of new Swiss proposals on the question of land transport through the Alps. It was decided that the Committee of Permanent Representatives should report back to the Council on how the negotiations might be brought to a successful conclusion.
  563
  The Presidency reported on preparations and arrangements for the Employment Summit on 21 November.

  The Council discussed EU/Albania relations. Ministers agreed that the 1992 Trade and Cooperation Agreement between Albania and the EC should be reactivated to help with the process of economic and political development. A Ministerial level Political Dialogue and official level Joint Committee under the Agreement might be held early in 1998.

  The Council adopted a review of the situation in former Yugoslavia in the context of the conditionality in the EU regional approach; and a message to the people of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia setting out the EU' s policy. On Bosnia the Council supported the conclusions of the 6 November Steering Board and the High Representative's efforts to reform the Republika Srpska media.

  Under any other business, the Council discussed ways of promoting observance by EU Member States of the eight common criteria on arms export agreed by the Council in 1991 and 1992. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs drew partners attention to our intention to work during our Presidency for an EU Code of Conduct of Arms sales.

  Sweden highlighted the opportunity presented by the entry into force 1 December 1997 of the Partnership and Co-operation Agreement (PCA) to tackle some of the irritants in the EU/Russia relationship. Ministers confirmed that a full discussion of the relationship would take place at the 24 November General Affairs Council in preparation for the inaugural Co-operation Council, to be held during the 8-9 December General Affairs Council.

  United Nations Register of Conventional Arms
  Ms Rosie Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make available a copy of the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms; and if he will make a statement. [15911]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  A copy of the UN Secretary-General's report has been placed in the Libraries of the House. We are disappointed that the 1997 Group of Experts reviewing the operation and development of the UN Arms Register was unable to agree any substantive measures to expand or strengthen the Register. Our aims remain clear: to encourage increased participation by UN member states; to broaden the scope of the Register by including military holdings and procurement from national production on the same basis as imports and exports; to expand current categories of equipment to include weapons of lesser capability; and to encourage the provision of details of the type of equipment transferred. We shall continue to use both bilateral and multilateral contacts to encourage States to work towards these goals. We welcome the Group of Experts' agreement on recommendations for several technical adjustments. We fully endorse these recommendations and urge other States to do the same.

  Commonwealth Centre Event
  Ms Rosie Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the Commonwealth Centre event held in Edinburgh during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. [15961]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  The first ever "Commonwealth Centre" highlighted the importance of the role of non-governmental organisations in the Commonwealth. With our full support, the Commonwealth Centre—led by the Royal Commonwealth Society and supported by the Commonwealth Foundation, the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, the British Council and the Prince' s Trust—hosted a full programme of conferences, discussions, workshops and exhibitions by over 100 organisations. It was a tremendous success. Over 25,00 members of the public and 20 Heads of Government, led by my right honourable Friend the Prime Minister and the Commonwealth Secretary General, visited the Centre.

  Assisted Areas
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the Government's strategy for maintaining the maximum number of objective 1 and 2 assisted areas in the United Kingdom after 1999. [15030]

  Mrs. Roche
  I have been asked to reply.

  The European Commission published its suggestions for the future of the Structural and Cohesion Funds on 16 July as part of its communication "Agenda 2000". In discussions with the Commission and other Member States, the Government are pressing for future arrangements which are affordable, durable and fair to the United Kingdom as well as to other Member States.

TREASURY

  Correspondence
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average time taken by his Department to give full answers to letters received from hon. Members. [13959]

  Mrs. Liddell
  [holding answer 4 November 1997]I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) on 3 November 1997, Official Report, column 5. The 1997 figures will be published in due course.

  Taxation (Marginal Rates) Deduction
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people of working age currently face combined marginal rates of withdrawal of tax, national insurance contributions and means-tested benefits of(a) under 50 per cent., (b) 50–69 per cent., (c) 60–69 per cent., (d) 70–79 per cent., (e) 80–89 per cent. and (f) 90 per cent. or above. [14022]
  565
  Dawn Primarolo
  Figures for the number of families estimated to be facing high marginal deduction rates, for 1996–97 are contained in the following table:

  Marginal deduction rate (per cent.)

  Number at or above the rate (thousands)

  100+

  5

  90+

  105

  80+

  360

  70+

  645

  60+

  655

  50+

  660

  Source Based on Family Resources Survey, uprated to 1996–97 levels, adjusted to benefit caseloads using Housing Benefit Management Statistics and the Family Credit Statistical Sample. Figures are calculated for benefit units in receipt of income-related benefits where at least one partner works 16 hours a week or more.

  National Audit Office
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to extend the powers of the National Audit Office to enable it to have access to the financial records of any organisation which has received public money; and if he will make a statement. [14476]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Government have no plans to introduce legislation in this area.

  Taxation Changes
  Mr. John Cryer
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the income which would have accrued to the Treasury in each year if income tax rates had remained unchanged after the 1979 general election; [14706]

  (2) if he will estimate the additional income, which would have accrued to the Treasury in each year if the four top rates of income tax had not been abolished in March 1988. [14705]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Such an analysis could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  Taxation (Married Couples)
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is the Government's policy to retain the independent taxation of husband and wife. [14941]

  Dawn Primarolo
  All aspects of the tax system are kept under review to ensure it achieves the Government's objectives.

  Monitor Consultancy
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list(a) the nature and value of contracts his Department has entered into and (b) discussions ministers or officials have held with the Monitor Consultancy since 1990. [14955]

  Mrs. Liddell
  [holding answer 7 November 1997]Since April 1991, when the Treasury installed a central, computerised procurement system, no contract has been let to the Monitor Consultancy. A check of all file titles since 1990 has yielded no record of any contract between 1990 and April 1991 or of any discussions between 566
  Ministers, Officials and the Monitor Consultancy since 1990. An exhaustive check of relevant files could only be undertaken at disproportionate cost.

  Intelligence Services
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who was responsible for drawing up the terms of reference for the comprehensive spending review of the intelligence agencies. [14514]

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  [holding answer 10 November 1997]The Terms of Reference were approved by Ministers after inter-departmental consultation including the Security and Intelligence Agencies.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the individuals who will undertake the comprehensive spending review of the Intelligence Services announced on 30 October; what arrangements have been made to make public the outcome; and when the review will be complete. [14512]

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  Staff from the Cabinet Office, the Security and Intelligence Agencies and the Efficiency Unit will undertake the review. Ministers will decide if the outcome of the review should be published. The review will follow the comprehensive spending review timetable and will be completed by summer 1998.

  Competition Legislation
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his oral statement of 27 October, Official Report, column 587, what will be the scope of the new competition legislation; and with which bodies he(a) has consulted and (b) proposes to consult. [15357]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer was referring to the Competition Bill, which was introduced in the Hose of Lords on 15 October. A consultation document on the Bill was published in August by the President of the Board of Trade.

  Energy-saving Materials
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reduce VAT on energy-saving materials. [15465]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Customs have completed their review on this subject and are now preparing a report for publication.

  Official Reserves (Reports)
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the publication arrangements will be for the new quarterly report on the official reserves, and if he will make a statement. [16117]

  Mrs. Liddell
  A report on the reserves in July—September 1997 will be published by the Treasury on Tuesday 2 December. Subsequent quarterly reports will be published two months after the end of the quarter concerned. The report will include data on any holdings by the Bank of England. This follows the Chancellor's statement on 6 May that the Bank will have its own separate pool of foreign exchange reserves which it may use at its discretion to intervene in support of its monetary policy objective.

  Monetary Policy Committee
  Mr. Swinney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment of Scotland's current economic conditions was taken into account by the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee in reaching its recent decision to raise interest rates. [15519]

  Mrs. Liddell
  In reaching its decision to raise interest rates on 6 November, the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) was able to draw on the information gained from business surveys and from the Bank's network of 12 regional agents which cover the whole of the United Kingdom. The Bank has an agency in Glasgow, which is able to obtain a first-hand account of economic conditions in Scotland. Detailed reasons for the interest rate change will be made clear in the MPC minutes, which will be published on 10 December.

PRIME MINISTER

  Engagements
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 12 November. [14220]

  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 12 November. [15184]

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I had meetings with Ministerial colleagues and others. I shall have further meetings later today.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  HMS Cavalier
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will take steps to ensure the retention and display in the United Kingdom of HMS Cavalier. [15040]

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to ensure that HMS Cavalier is retained in the United Kingdom. [15518]

  Mr. Fisher
  The sale of HMS Cavalier has been agreed between South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council and Star Cruises of Malaysia. South Tyneside MBC has maintained the ship for 10 years, but now considers the costs too great to continue. The agreement secured with the purchasers means that the ship will be maintained in a good state of repair.

  It is not yet clear whether HMS Cavalier requires an export licence on heritage grounds from my Department since there is as yet no firm valuation for the ship. If it is decided that a licence is required, HMS Cavalier will be subject to the normal considerations as to whether a licence should be granted or the decision deferred.

  We owe a great debt to those who served in the Navy and I appreciate that the future of HMS Cavalier is a matter of importance to them.

  Tourism (Hotels)
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, media and Sport how many hotels offered accommodation in the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years. [14565]

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  [holding answer 10 November 1997]The table shows the number of establishments listed as hotels' by the English, Scottish, Wales and Northern Ireland tourist boards for each year from 1987 to 1996 inclusive. Figures are not available in the form requested for 1989 in Scotland and for 1993 in England and Wales.1 The term hotels is defined in a generic sense in England, Scotland and Wales, as it has not proved possible to disaggregate hotels from other types of serviced accommodation.

  Year

  England1

  Scotland2

  Wales2

  Northern Ireland

  1987

  24,218

  2,969

  1,462

  130

  1988

  23,692

  2,997

  1,589

  125

  1989

  22,936

  n/a

  1,456

  120

  1990

  22,547

  3,285

  1,620

  122

  1991

  22,293

  2,885

  1,512

  126

  1992

  22,007

  2,885

  1,744

  126

  1993

  n/a

  2,927

  n/a

  122

  1994

  19,073

  2,876

  1,438

  122

  1995

  18,838

  2,841

  1,415

  126

  1996

  18,709

  2,080

  1,397

  129

  1In England, the figures include hotels, motels, inns and guesthouses.

  2 In Scotland and Wales the figures include motels and inns but not guesthouses.

  Communications Sector Regulation
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures he is taking to provide a single independent body to regulate the communications sector. [14575]

  Mr. Fisher
  The Government are considering the policy implications of convergence between broadcasting, telecommunications and computing. As part of this work, we will be considering whether and how we might make the structure of regulation more appropriate to any new market structures which might emerge.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Export Licences
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the export licences revoked by her Department since 1990; and what is the practice of her Department regarding the payment of compensation to the licensees. [13322]

  Mrs. Roche
  Over the years, a large number of standard individual export licences have been revoked for a range of reasons; for instance, because of the introduction of UN trade sanctions or arms embargos or in response to wrongdoing. It would entail disproportionate cost to provide details of all these licences.
  569
  The practice of this Department is to pay compensation for revocation of export licences only where the Department incurs a legal liability as a result of the revocation.

  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the original cost of the Export Licence Information Processing System; and how much it will cost to develop a new database. [15302]

  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 10 November 1997]The cost of developing the Export Control Licensing Information Processing System (ECLIPS), up to point of implementation in March 1995, is put at £4,447,600.

  Development of a new database of export licence applications and establishing a system to enable such applications to be submitted in electronic form is expected to cost £424,000.

  Computers (Century Date Change)
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions she has had or plans to have with her World Trade Organisation counterparts on the problems facing computer systems through the century date change; and if she will make a statement. [13149]

  Mrs. Roche
  I have no plans to raise this at the WTO, but I will look to raise the issue in more appropriate international fora.

  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions she has had or plans to have with her EU counterparts on the problems facing computer systems through the century date change; and if she will make a statement. [13154]

  Mrs. Roche
  I plan to raise this at the Telecommunications Council on 1 December and in bilateral meetings with other Member States.

  Multilateral Agreement on Investment
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if it is her policy to adopt the proposed Multilateral Agreement on Investment in its current form; and if she will make a statement. [15168]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Government support the general aims of the proposed MAI. Many issues remain to be resolved. We are working hard to achieve a successful outcome to the negotiations by April 1998.

  Yemen
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will estimate the number of British firms which have offices in Yemen. [14975]

  Mrs. Roche
  According to the latest information I have there are 20 British firms with offices in Yemen.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action she is taking to promote trade and investment in Yemen. [14977]

  Mrs. Roche
  In partnership with the private sector, other Government departments and the British Embassy, the Department of Trade and Industry supports a full programme of activities to promote trade and investment in Yemen.
  570
  Recent activities include: an inward mission of Yemeni business women in May, the Committee for Middle East Trade Round Table meeting between the private sectors of Yemen and Britain in September, an Invest in Yemen seminar in London in September, a DTI supported trade mission to Yemen in September led by HRH the Duke of Gloucester; a DTI seminar addressed by the Yemeni Minister of Health in October, a joint DTI and British Council workshop and forum in October at the House of Commons on Women and Economic Development in Yemen.

  Planned future activities include: the President of the Board of Trade and the Minister for Trade the President of Yemen during his visit to Britain in November; the Minister for Trade's visit to Yemen in November; catalogue exhibitions featuring British companies' goods and services Aden, Taiz and Sana'a in November; at least four DTI supported trade missions to Yemen in the first half of 1998, including one on the oil and gas sector and another on tourism, and a further inward mission of Yemeni businesswomen. In conjunction with the British Council the DTI will facilitate the setting-up in Sana'a of a training and advice centre for businesswomen in Yemen.

  DTI has also initiated a twinning arrangement between the Chambers of Commerce of Sana'a and London.

  Carbon Dioxide Emissions
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate she has made of the typical quantities of carbon dioxide emitted at each stage of processing in the nuclear fuel cycle for each tonne of nuclear fuel fabricated and used to generate electricity. [14717]

  Mr. Battle
  It is estimated that nuclear electricity generation leads to emission of about 4 grams of carbon dioxide per kilowatt hour of electricity delivered to the final user. Of theses 4 grams, 3.2 grams are emitted in the process of uranium extraction and the remainder during fuel processing.

  Carbon dioxide emissions from nuclear generation are less than 1 per cent. of equivalent figures for any of the major fossil fuelled electricity generation technologies.

  Low Pay Commission
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the progress made by the Low Pay Commission; and if it will publish an interim report. [15035]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  The Low Pay Commission is well advanced on its programme of consultation to obtain views of employers, employees and other interested organisations and individuals on the National Minimum Wage through written evidence and by holding meetings. It has already visited Scotland and Northern Ireland. It will be visiting the North-East in early December and the other English regions and Wales in the near future. The Government have asked the Commission to produce its recommendations by the end of May 1998 and there are no plans for it to publish an interim report.

  Copyright
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to bring forward legislation to amend copyright law to take account of the proposals and recommendations set out in the Dearing report; and if she will make a statement. [15622]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  I have no plans at present to bring forward legislation to amend copyright law in the light of this report. Copyright law allows limited use of material without permission for education, private study and research. Moreover, the draft regulations, which have recently been laid before the House, to implement the UK and EC legislation on databases, also contain exceptions for the purposes of teaching and non-commercial research with regard to databases protected by copyright and/or the new database right. Where copyright clearance is needed for uses of any material, digital or otherwise, I believe that copyright owners are entitled to obtain a suitable reward on their investment. However, I understand that there are discussions between the Publishers Association and the Joint Information Systems Committee on a licensing scheme covering digital material and specifically designed to meet the needs of teachers and researchers. I very much hope that a successful scheme can be devised.

  Greenhouse Gas Emissions
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list(a) her Department's policies and initiatives designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and (b) the departmental policies and initiatives designed to reduce other greenhouse gases; if she will estimate for each the annual reduction in tonnage of greenhouse gas emissions achieved in the most recent year for which figures are available compared to those for 1990; and what estimate she has made of further reductions, or increases, predicted for 2000 and 21010, assuming continuation of current policies. [15550]

  Mr. Battle
  I refer the hon. Member to the United Kingdom's Second Report under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change which was published in February 1997. It reports the UK's progresss in implementing its programme for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and gives a projection of what the programme is expected to deliver by 2000. The report projects forward what the current Programme is expected to achieve to 2020.

  Film Industry
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is her Department's estimate of the number of people working in the United Kingdom film industry. [15449]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  The number of people working in the United Kingdom film industry in the spring of 1997 is estimated to be 40,000, of whom about 20,000 were involved in film production activities. The remainder were involved in film distribution and projection activities.

  Biotechnology
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the Government will ensure that full consultation on the EC directive on legal protection of biotechnological inventions takes place before it agrees to a decision at the Council of Ministers meeting on 27 November. [15340]

  Mr. Battle
  The Commission's proposals for a Directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions was circulated for comment in February 1996 to some 50 organisations and interests groups representing the professions, industry, consumers, the research community, groups concerned with the social and environmental impact of biotechnology, and including members organisations of the Standing Advisory Committee on Industrial Property, a body set up to advise Ministers on all aspects of industrial property.

  Interest in the Commission's proposals has increased since the European Parliament adopted its first Opinion in July of this year. To date, more that 150 organisations have received copies of the Commission's revised draft of the proposal which was produced in September in response to the Parliament's first Opinion. Comments have been received from these organisations, and we will take them all into account in determining the United Kingdom's position when this proposal is considered at the Internal Market Council on 27 November.

  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what research she has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated to determine the impact of the Bio-technology Patent directive on (i) research in the medical field, (ii) world food supplies, (iii) conservation of biological diversity and (iv) agriculture in the developing world. [15343]

  Mr. Battle
  No specific research has been done to determine the impact of the Directive since the European Commission's proposal for legal protection of bio-technological inventions, apart from certain exclusions from patentability for ethical reasons, is substantially consistent with current United Kingdom legislation (the Patents Act 1997).

  Moreover, United Kingdom legislation provides for exceptions to patent rights to permit research in all technical areas, including the medical field. The Commission's proposal will permit individual member States, including the United Kingdom, to retain provisions which address the needs of those wishing to carry out research relating to patented inventions.

  Patent rights are created under national legislation. The proposed Directive will harmonise certain aspects of the national laws of the member States of the European Union, but rights will continue to be available only on a national basis. It is for other countries, including those in the developing world, and subject to minimum standards required from members of the World Trade Organisation, to provide patent regimes which meet their own needs and objectives. There is, therefore, no direct relationship between the Commission's proposal and matters outside Europe.

  The Commission's proposal makes it clear that the Directive is without prejudice to member States' obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity.

  Post Office (Scottish Powercards)
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make representations to the managements of Post Office Counters and Scottish Power about the case for reinstating the supply of Scottish Powercards through post offices. [15356]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  No. I regard this as a commercial matter for Post Office Counters Ltd. and Scottish Power.

  Milk Development Council Tax
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what representations her Department has received from the dairy industry regarding the tax treatment of the Milk Development Council under section 508 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988. [15551]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  I have received representations from the National Farmers Union, the Tenant Farmers Association and the Milk Development Council itself regarding the Council's eligibility for approval under the provision.

CABINET OFFICE

  Millennium Dome
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio, what is his estimate of the total cost of completing the Millennium Dome at Greenwich; what are the sources of finance for the project; and if he will make a statement. [13273]

  Mr. Mandelson
  [holding answer 6 November 1997]The overall budget for the Experience and the associated national programme is £758 million. The Millennium Commission have approved grant of up to £399 million (net) and revenue forecast from sponsorship, commercial activities, visitor receipts and disposal proceeds are £359 million (net).

  Millennium Experience Company
  Mr. Marshall-Andrews
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio when he intends to reply to the questions from the hon. and learned Member for Medway which appeared on the Order Paper on 27 October relating to the new Millennium Experience Company. [15689]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The questions referred to by my hon. and learned Friend were answered yesterday.

WALES

  Fair Trade (Coffee and Tea)
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the oral statement by the Secretary of State for International Development,Official Report, 5 November, column 332, if he will instruct officials in his Department to serve coffee and tea furnished by suppliers who adhere to fair trade standards. [15501]
  574
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  I refer to the answer which the Prime Minister has given today. All procurement decisions in the Welsh Office are based on the Government's policy of value for money.

SCOTLAND

  Electorate
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the electorate of each parliamentary constituency in Scotland(a) for parliamentary elections, (b) for local government elections and (c) the referendum on establishment of a Scottish Parliament. [12698]

  Mr. McLeish
  The information for parliamentary elections is set out in the table. Statistics for local government elections and the referendum by parliamentary constituency are not held centrally. Inquiries are currently being made to see if this information can be obtained and I will write to the hon. Member.

  Electorate

  Aberdeen Central

  54,548

  Aberdeen North

  54,895

  Aberdeen South

  60,982

  Airdrie and Shotts

  58,255

  Angus

  60,359

  Argyll and Bute

  49,982

  Ayr

  56,455

  Banff and Buchan

  59,189

  Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross

  41,953

  Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley

  66,392

  Central Fife

  58,884

  Clydebank and Milngavie

  52,643

  Clydesdale

  64,048

  Coatbridge and Chryston

  52,547

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  48,590

  Cunninghame North

  56,147

  Cunninghame South

  50,234

  Dumbarton

  56,875

  Dumfries

  63,360

  Dundee East

  58,790

  Dundee West

  57,809

  Dunfermline East

  52,530

  Dumfermline West

  53,005

  East Kilbride

  65,915

  East Lothian

  57,988

  Eastwood

  67,525

  Edinburgh Central

  63,969

  Edinburgh East and Musselburgh

  60,097

  Edinburgh North and Leith

  61,962

  Edinburgh Pentlands

  60,338

  Edinburgh South

  62,949

  Edinburgh West

  61,715

  Falkirk East

  57,331

  Falkirk West

  53,308

  Galloway and Upper Nithsdale

  53,273

  Glasgow Anniesland

  53,324

  Glasgow Baillieston

  51,589

  Glasgow Cathcart

  49,765

  Glasgow Govan

  50,150

  Glasgow Kelvin

  57,695

  Glasgow Maryhill

  52,854

  Glasgow Pollok

  49,693

  Glasgow Rutherglen

  51,106

  Glasgow Shettleston

  48,270

  Glasgow Springburn

  53,814

  Gordon

  59,503

  Greenock and Inverclyde

  49,364

  575

  Electorate

  Hamilton North and Belshill

  54,158

  Hamilton South

  47,023

  Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber

  66,278

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  62,091

  Kirkcaldy

  52,618

  Linlithgow

  54,258

  Livingston

  60,944

  Midlothian

  48,045

  Moray

  58,957

  Motherwell and Wishaw

  52,702

  North East Fife

  59,532

  North Tayside

  62,007

  Ochil

  57,170

  Orkney and Shetland

  32,621

  Paisley North

  50,261

  Paisley South

  54,573

  Perth

  60,887

  Ross, Skye and Inverness West

  56,141

  Roxburgh and Berwickshire

  47,739

  Stirling

  53,069

  Strathkelvin and Bearsden

  63,822

  Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale

  51,448

  West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine

  59,884

  West Renfewshire

  53,096

  Western Isles

  23,293

  Community Care
  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to implement the recommendations contained in the second report of Session 1996–97 (HC 35) of the Scottish Affairs Committee relating to community care. [13967]

  Mr. Galbraith
  We welcomed the Scottish Affairs Committee report on community care and our response to the recommendations was published in July. The Government is setting up a Royal Commission on the funding of long-term care for the elderly. We are reviewing the various elements of community care funding and preparing improved guidance on procedures for assessment of older people's needs. We will consult later this year on how best to promote and improve joint working. These measures should maximise quality, choice and value for money in the delivery of community care services.

  Local Authority Services
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list(a) total outturn capital receipts generated for each service, (b) total capital receipts generated by way of long leases and (c) the net capital allocations originally granted for each service for each local authority in Scotland in 1994–95. [14932]

  Mr. Chisholm
  [holding answer 11 November 1997]As the information requested is rather lengthy, I have arranged for it to be placed in the House libraries. Information on notional capital receipts is not held separately in respect of the housing revenue account and non-housing revenue account capital programmes.

  School Buildings (East Lothian)
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the cost to public funds of the current investigation by the Accounts Commission into 576
  the investment of £7 million for repairs and improvements to schools by the former East Lothian district council; and if he will make a statement. [14933]

  Mr. Chisholm
  [holding answer 11 November1997]: The preparation and consideration of the report by the Accounts Commission for Scotland fall within the statutory duties of the Controller of Audit and have not involved any additional expenditure. It would be inappropriate to comment on the matter under consideration as my right hon. Friend may have to consider the matter if it is referred to him by the Commission.

DEFENCE

  Military Training and Equipment
  Mr. Stinchcombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria are used to determine which requests for military training by overseas security forces should be granted. [15198]

  Dr. Reid
  Requests for training are considered in the light of the Government's ethical foreign policy. Training would not be provided where we considered that it would risk contributing to human rights violations or aggression. Other criteria used to determine which requests for military training by overseas security forces should be granted include: the availability of resources to carry out the training; security considerations; and the defence and foreign policy benefits of providing the training. The defence policy benefits taken into account include in particular whether the provision of military assistance would:bring direct benefit to the United Kingdom by (for example by providing access to training areas);
  represent an investment to avoid later expense (for example by averting a conflict in an area where there would be a high likelihood to British forces being committed);
  help to build military interoperability with key potential partners; maintain existing close defence links;
  support defence sales.

  Fleet Air Arm (826 Squadron)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the 826 Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm was established; what has been its role since it was established; with what aircraft it has been equipped since it was established; what is its current role and strength; and where it has been based. [15616]

  Dr. Reid
  Number 826 Squadron was originally to have formed at Lee-on-Solent on 1 January 1940 as a spare squadron, but instead came into existence at Ford on 15 March 1940. The role of the squadron was originally torpedo spotter reconnaissance but became strike and anti-submarine in 1951 and finally anti-submarine in 1955.

  The squadron has been equipped with the following aircraft types (in chronological order):

  Albacore I

  Swordfish I

  Barracuda II (ASH)

  Firefly FR1

  Firefly T1

  Avenger TBM-3E

  577

  Firefly AS6

  Gannet AS1

  Wessex HAS1

  Wessex HAS3

  Seaking HAS1

  Seaking HAS2/2a

  Seaking HAS56

  The squadron has been based at the following locations:

  Ford

  Bircham Newton

  Eastern Mediterranean

  Western Desert

  Cyprus

  Malta

  Algeria

  East Haven

  Fearn

  Dartmouth, Nova Scotia (Royal Canadian Navy)

  RNAS Culdrose, Helston, Cornwall

  826 Naval Air Squadron was disbanded at Culdrose in July 1993.

  Merchant Vessels
  Mr. Prosser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the importance his Department attaches to the role of British merchant vessels and merchant seafarers during(a) peacetime exercises, (b) support and re-supply operations and (c) times of crisis and war. [15434]

  Dr. Reid
  The Government fully recognise the importance of British merchant shipping and seafarers in the defence context. Indeed, the Department maintains one of the largest civilian fleets in Europe in the form of the specialist ships and civilian crews of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service.

  We must acknowledge, however, that in today's security environment, a substantial element of any logistic shipping requirement can be satisfied through the international market, where vessels need not necessarily have to be British flagged or crewed as demonstrated during the Gulf War, and in subsequent operations and exercises. The Ministry of Defence is always eager to charter British flagged and crewed ships where they offer best value for money, but we have found that, in general, they are normally fully committed to regular trading activities. Nevertheless, so far during 1997, 24 British registered merchant ships have been on charter to the Ministry of Defence.

  While we would plan in any serious crisis or war to charter shipping on the worldwide market, we are very conscious that a core of suitable British flagged or owned ships, which could be used under compulsory measures and manned by UK seafarers, is important.

  My Department's future requirements for merchant shipping will, of course, follow on from the conclusions of the Strategic Defence Review.

  Mr. Prosser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the name of each merchant vessel, and its country of registration, chartered by his Department for(a) exercises and (b) military support and re-supply operations since 1 January. [15435]
  578
  Dr. Reid
  The names of merchant vessels and their country of registration for(a) exercises (including training) and (b) military support and resupply operations since 1 January 1997 are as follows:

  Names

  Country of registration

  Vessels chartered for exercises (including training)

  Cap Afrique

  France

  Dana Maxima

  Denmark

  Danica Red

  Denmark

  Guyane

  St. Vincent and Grenadines

  Jenka

  Denmark

  King of Scandinavia

  Denmark

  Norbay

  Great Britain

  Norking

  Finland

  Norcape

  Great Britain

  Pride of Flanders

  Great Britain

  Pride of Suffolk

  Great Britain

  Prince of Scandinavia

  Denmark

  Roseanne

  Switzerland

  Vega (x 2)

  Antigua

  Villars

  Switzerland

  Vessels chartered for military support and resupply operations

  Afon Cefni

  Great Britain

  Arktis Carrier

  Denmark

  Ben Ellen

  Great Britain

  Ben Maye

  Great Britain

  Bergen Viking

  Bahamas

  Bostonian

  Great Britain

  Cameron

  Great Britain

  Cap Afrique (x 3)

  France

  Cardissa

  Isle of Man

  Eurogracht

  Germany

  Fleur de Lyse

  Spain

  Indomitable*

  Great Britain

  Jolly Indaco

  Italy

  Julia M

  Great Britain

  Karin Cat

  Denmark

  Katherine Lucy

  Great Britain

  Llandovery

  Great Britain

  Loyal Mediator

  Great Britain

  Marine Explorer*

  Great Britain

  Maersk Ascension*

  Isle of Man

  Maersk Bothnia

  Norway

  Maersk Gannet*

  Isle of Man

  Navigo

  Sweden

  Northella*

  Great Britain

  Oil Mariner*

  Great Britain

  Proud Seahorse*

  Great Britain

  Rundale

  Liberia

  San Vincente

  Germany

  Saint Brandan*

  Great Britain

  Sea Maid

  Great Britain

  Siren

  Great Britain

  Ulla

  Cyprus

  Vega

  Antigua

  Villars (x 2)

  Switzerland

  Virgo

  Cyprus

  Zeran

  Malta

  Some vessels were chartered on more than one occasion and those indicated with an asterisk are on long term charter.

  Mr. Prosser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the number of United Kingdom merchant vessels available to meet defence needs; and if he will make a statement. [15433]
  579
  Dr. Reid
  The availability of militarily useful British merchant ships which might be used for defence purposes is kept under regular review as part of our normal planning process. Current figures indicate there are generally enough militarily useful ships for perceived defence needs. My Department, in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, regularly monitors the position. The hon. Member will understand that our future requirements for merchant shipping will, of course, follow on from the conclusions of the Strategic Defence Review.

  Bosnia
  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he is taking to compensate those Territorial Army personnel deployed in Bosnia to whom backpay is still owed. [15332]

  Dr. Reid
  Contrary to recent media reports, there is no endemic or general problem affecting the pay of mobilised TA personnel serving in Bosnia. Mobilised TA personnel are treated as Regular Army for pay purposes and as such were not affected by the separate problems unfortunately experienced by their non-mobilised TA colleagues, which arose from an unforeseen backlog caused by the transfer of work to the Army Personnel Centre (APC) in Glasgow.

  I regret that isolated problems have, however, affected the pay and allowances of a limited number of mobilised TA personnel. These stemmed mainly from incomplete or incorrect mobilisation documentation, particularly during early mobilisation exercises. Individual cases have been dealt with as they have arisen, and the Army very much regrets any difficulty caused to affected personnel or their families. I can assure the hon. Gentlemen that affected individuals have had access, as a temporary measure, to financial assistance from their Units until the underlying problems could be resolved.

  Because such problems affect individuals in different ways, there can be no automatic mechanisms or all-embracing compensation package. But any individual who has incurred additional expense, such as bank overdraft charges, as a result of pay problems not of their making may apply for reimbursement, subject to the provision of supporting documentary evidence. Claims should be sent to the Pay Division of the APC through the appropriate Regimental Administrative Office.

  As a result of the experience gained and lessons learned from these cases, such problems have been largely overcome. Also in the light of this experience, active consideration is being given by the APC—in conjunction with other parties involved in the mobilisation process—to the formation of a permanent mobilisation centre manned with staff experienced in such procedures. The aim is to ensure that there is a more focused approach in order to minimise the occurrence of initial errors which can have serious implications for pay and other matters.

  MOD Police
  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to outresource the duties now undertaken by the MOD police. [15329]
  580
  Dr. Reid
  The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) is looking at all aspects of defence capability. Whilst I have no plans to outresource any of the duties of the Ministry of Defence Police, it is too early to assess the potential impact of the SDR on the Force.

  Territorial Army
  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advice he has received from the Territorial Army brigadiers concerning the size, shape and future role of the Territorial Army. [15334]

  Dr. Reid
  The future size, shape and role of the Territorial Army will be determined by the Strategic Defence Review. We are consulting very widely in the course of this work. In particular I expect to have discussions shortly with Brigadier Holmes, who took up his responsibilities as Director of Reserve Forces and Cadets this month. Other members of the TA, like all Service personnel, are welcome to make submissions direct to the Review Team.

  Departmental Open Day
  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to hold a departmental open day. [15337]

  Dr. Reid
  There are no plans at present for a central departmental open day. Considerable effort is put into publicising the work of the Department and the individual Services. My Department has an annual touring exhibition, the Services Presentation Teams provide information on MOD and the Services, and many individual units and bases hold local open days.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 31 July,Official Report, column 470, what was the aim of Exercise Senator 97; what was the scenario of the exercise; and what were the results of the exercise. [15608]

  Dr. Reid
  The aim of Exercise Senator 97 was to test procedures in the event of an accident involving nuclear weapons on British territory. The scenario postulated an accident involving a nuclear weapons convoy in transit through Lincolnshire. There has been unanimous agreement from participants that the exercise was a success, and a number of observations are being followed up with appropriate agencies. A copy of the summary report from all participating agencies will be placed in the Library of the House in due course.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where are the headquarters of the RAF Nuclear Accident Response Organisation. [15559]

  Dr. Reid
  The Headquarters of the RAF Nuclear Accident Response Organisation is based at the Headquarters of the RAF Logistics Command at RAF Brampton, Huntingdon.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many editions of the local authority and emergency service information on nuclear weapon transport contingency plans have been produced since 1967; and on what dates. [15617]
  581
  Dr. Reid
  Two editions of the Local Authority and Emergency Service Information on Nuclear Weapon Transport Contingency Plans (LAESI) document have been produced by the Ministry of Defence. The first edition was issued in January 1993 and the second edition in March 1996.

  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from other Government Departments concerning the Strategic Defence Review; and whether he intends publishing them. [15594]

  Mr. George Robertson
  Other Government Departments have been, and will continue to be, consulted throughout the Strategic Defence Review process. Their inputs represent internal Government advice and opinion and are therefore covered by exemption 2 (Internal discussion and advice) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. We have no plans to publish them.

  Strategic Defence Review
  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he plans to publish the Strategic Defence Review in association with 1998–99 Defence Estimates; and if he will make a statement. [15336]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The 1998–99 estimates for defence votes will be published as part of the Main Supply Estimates in March 1998. The results of the Strategic Defence Review will be published separately at the conclusion of the Review.

  WE-177 Bomb
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 31 July,Official Report, column 473, in what ways the three types of WE-177 bomb are different from each other. [15602]

  Dr. Reid
  The three types of WE-177 bomb differed in terms of weight, size and yield. I am withholding detailed information about these weapons as it is covered under exemption 1 of the code of practice on access to Government information relating to defence security and international relations.

  Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe
  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by appointment the selection committee for nominating the 4 star general for the post of Deputy SACEUR. [15331]

  Dr. Reid
  A candidate for the 4 star NATO post of Deputy SACEUR is nominated by the Senior Appointments Committee, which comprises the Chief and Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, and the Chiefs of the Naval, General and Air Staffs.

  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will name those British officers who have held the post of Deputy SACEUR and who have(a) subsequently served on the Army Board and (b) become Chief of the General Staff. [15330]

  Dr. Reid
  None.

  HMS Tiger
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 31 July,Official Report column 469, when the HMS Tiger cruiser was decommissioned. [15609]

  Dr. Reid
  The cruiser HMS Tiger was decommissioned on 4 May 1979.

  Helicopters
  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which NATO countries separate the command, control and ownership of attack and support helicopters between the army and air force. [15328]

  Dr. Reid
  Among NATO countries only the United Kingdom separates the ownership of anti-tank and support helicopters, between the Army and Royal Air Force respectively. The Strategic Defence Review is examining a range of options for the structure and management of the three Services' helicopter forces.

  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the cost benefits to his Departmental budget of combining attack and support helicopters under one service. [15327]

  Dr. Reid
  The Strategic Defence Review is examining a range of options for the structure and management of the three Services' helicopter forces, which will be costed as appropriate. It would be premature to discuss particular options at this stage in the Review process.

  Ministry Buildings
  Mr. Olner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of his Department' s plans for modernisation of the MoD Main Building in Whitehall. [16062]

  Mr. George Robertson
  My Department continues to examine options, under the Public-Private Partnership scheme, for the long overdue modernisation of the Main Building and its subsequent support. The building was constructed in the 1950s and does not meet today's needs. A major programme of work is required to correct the many current deficiencies and to provide a modern working environment, flexibility for the future and more cost effective use of space.

  Following the recently completed evaluation of outline proposals, I have approved the next stage of the project which involves the issue of an Invitation to Negotiate to a shortlist of three consortia: Amey/Kvaerner, MoDeM (led by the Bucknall Group) and Mapeley Defence (led by the Nations Bank).

  I am keen to see the project proceed, and I am encouraged by the outline proposals put forward by the three selected consortia. The next stage challenges the consortia to work closely with my Department to demonstrate their ability to come up with a winning and good-value-for-money scheme.

  Detailed responses from the consortia will be closely reviewed in the course of the next year as the competition proceeds. Final approval to sign a contract for the scheme will, of course, depend on satisfactory evidence that overall value for money can be achieved.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Tourism
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement on each(a) grant and (b) loan made by the Northern Ireland tourist board to private sector projects for the provision of (a) small hotels, (b) guest inns, (c) self catering facilities and (d) bed-and-breakfast facilities in each year since 1993 indicating the schemes involved and the source of the tourist board's budget. [14495]

  Mr. Ingram
  Since 1993, the Northern Ireland tourist board has made grants to the projects listed in the tables. Small hotels have been defined as those with fewer than 20 bedrooms at the time the offer was made. During the period no loans were made. Redeemable Preference Shares of £330,000 were issued by the promoters in the case of the Manor House Hotel, Killadeas, Co. Fermanagh.

  Small hotels

  Project title

  Location

  Grant £

  Fund

  1993

  Manor House Hotel

  Killadeas

  430,000

  TDS

  Manor House Hotel

  Killadeas

  200,000

  ERDF

  Total

  630,000

  1994

  Causeway Hotel

  Giant's Causeway

  150,000

  TDS

  Total

  150,000

  1995

  Tullyglass House Hotel

  Ballymena

  235,000

  TDS

  Total

  235,000

  1996

  Highways Hotel

  Lame

  226,301

  IFI

  Hotel Carlton

  Belleek

  160,000

  IFI

  Lodge Hotel

  Coleraine

  82,200

  IFI

  Bushmills Inn

  Bushmills

  400,000

  SSPPR

  Total

  868,501

  1997

  Millbrook Lodge Hotel

  Ballynahinch

  57,000

  IFI

  Donard Hotel

  Newcastle

  68,265

  IFI

  Charlemont Arms Hotel

  Armagh

  200,00

  IFI

  Beech Hill County House

  Londonderry

  136,740

  SSPPR

  Total

  462,005

  Grand total

  2,345,506

  IFI—International Fund For Ireland.

  ERDF—European Regional Development Fund.

  TDS—Tourism Development Scheme.

  SSPPR-Special Support Programme For Peace and Reconciliation.
  584

  Licensed guest inns

  Project title

  Location

  Grant (£)

  Fund

  1993

  Creeve House

  Randalstown

  35,950

  TDS

  Total

  35,950

  1995

  Old Schoolhouse

  Comber

  51,732

  IFI

  Moy Inn

  Moy

  92,000

  IFI

  Total

  143,732

  1996

  Kelly's Inn

  Ballygawley

  90,000

  IFI

  Denvir's Inn

  Downpatrick

  68,085

  IFI

  Station Bar

  Eglinton

  85,238

  IFI

  Total

  243,323

  Grand total

  423,005

  IFI—International Fund For Ireland. TDS—Tourism Development Scheme.

  Self-catering

  Project title

  Location

  Grant £

  Fund

  1993

  Rathmore Cottages

  Belleek

  214,440

  IFI

  National Trust Cottages

  Crom, Florencecourt

  114,650

  IFI

  Lough Beg Mews

  Bellaghy

  145,000

  TDS

  Lecale Cottages

  Rostrevor

  100,000

  TDS

  Lusty Beg—Pleasure Cruiser

  Boa Island

  16,300

  ERDF

  Marine Hotel Apartments

  Ballycastle

  139,850

  ERDF

  Total

  730,240

  1994

  Tory Bush Cottages

  Kilcoo

  110,800

  IFI

  Killyleagh Castle Apartments

  Killyleagh

  68,700

  TDS

  Maddybenny Holiday Cottages

  Portrush

  79,000

  TDS

  Total

  258,500

  1995

  Fermanagh Lakeland Lodges

  Kesh

  48,015

  IFI

  Ballylinny Holiday Cottages

  Bushmills

  89,700

  TDS

  Lusty Beg Island Ph2

  Boa Island

  535,084

  TDS

  Lusty Beg Island Ph2

  Boa Island

  283,008

  ERDF

  Total

  955,807

  1996

  Belle Isle Ph2

  Lisbellaw

  24,505

  TDS

  Tybann House

  Cushendun

  35,467

  TDS

  Rathmore Cottages Cruisers

  Belleek

  17,852

  TDS

  Mourne Cottages

  Maghera, Co. Down

  61,140

  TDS

  Ballygally Self-Catering Cottage

  Ballygally

  79,230

  TDS

  Belle Isle Ph3

  Lisbellaw

  174,600

  TDS

  Drumcovitt Bam Self-Catering

  Feeny

  25,965

  TDS

  O'Harabrook Self-Catering

  Ballymoney

  36,846

  TDS

  Total

  455,605

  Grand total

  2,400,152

  IFI—International Fund For Ireland.

  ERDF—European Regional Development Fund.

  TDS—Tourism Development Scheme.

  585

  B&B and guesthouse improvements

  Project title

  Location

  Grant (£)

  Fund

  1993

  Hillhouse

  Downpatrick

  7,780

  IFI

  Grange Lodge

  Dungannon

  15,984

  IFI

  Riverside House

  Belleek

  12,723

  IFI

  Rockhaven

  Portstewart

  12,420

  IFI

  Mullynaval Lodge

  Boa Island

  27,230

  IFI

  Beresford House

  Bangor

  12,938

  IFI

  Brook Lodge

  Lisburn

  7,522

  IFI

  FernHill House

  Warrenpoint

  5,160

  IFI

  Trosben Villa

  Cushendall

  9,361

  IFI

  Ashton House

  Newry

  6,110

  IFI

  Robin Hill

  Londonderry

  15,651

  IFI

  Castle Erin

  Portrush

  66,580

  IFI

  Rockeden

  Portadown

  48,000

  TDS

  Colebrooke House

  Brookeborough

  75,500

  TDS

  Total

  322,959

  1994

  Invershiel

  Portrush

  5,661

  IFI

  Ardtara

  Maghera

  115,000

  TDS

  Total

  120,661

  1995

  The Narrows

  Portaferry

  168,771

  IFI

  Total

  168,771

  1996

  Corick House

  Clogher

  93,000

  TDS

  Keef Halla

  Nutts Corner

  13,050

  ERDF

  Roseleigh House

  Belfast

  11,250

  ERDF

  Greenmount Lodge

  Omagh

  4,884

  ERDF

  Rockbank B&B

  Ballynure

  1,716

  ERDF

  Bellevue Country House

  Blackhill, coleraine

  3,372

  ERDF

  Glendale

  Cushendale

  6,480

  ERDF

  Akaroa

  Portstewart

  2,340

  ERDF

  Abocurragh

  Letterbreen

  5,925

  ERDF

  Fullerton Arms

  Ballintoy

  27,108

  ERDF

  Oakdene

  Belfast

  77,640

  ERDF

  Glenhaven

  Ballycastle

  2,107

  ERDF

  Afton House

  Omagh

  3,448

  ERDF

  The Stables

  Antrim

  32,675

  ERDF

  Ard-Na-Tra

  Portstewart

  12,000

  ERDF

  Rua Wai Farm

  Ballyclare

  4,104

  ERDF

  Quarrytown Lodge

  Broughshane

  1,561

  ERDF

  Total

  302,660

  1997

  Caldhame Lodge

  Crumlin

  34,087

  ERDF

  Greenhill House

  Aghadowey

  1,409

  ERDF

  Barnageeha

  Killinchy

  4,635

  ERDF

  Glenmore House

  Ballycastle

  20,164

  ERDF

  Loguestown Farmhouse

  Portrush

  6,084

  ERDF

  Number Ten

  Newcastle

  4,132

  ERDF

  Total

  70,511

  Grand total

  985,562

  IFI—International Fund For Ireland.

  ERDF—European Regional Development Fund.

  TDS—Tourism Development Scheme.

  NITB grants made 1993–97

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Small hotels

  TDS

  430,000

  150,000

  235,000

  0

  0

  ERDF

  200,000

  0

  0

  0

  0

  IFI

  0

  0

  0

  468,501

  325,265

  SSPPR

  0

  0

  0

  400,000

  136,740

  Total

  630,000

  150,000

  235,000

  868,501

  462,005

  586

  NITB grants made 1993–97

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Licensed guest inns

  TDS

  35,950

  0

  0

  0

  0

  ERDF

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  IFI

  0

  0

  143,732

  243,323

  0

  SSPPR

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  35,950

  0

  143,732

  243,323

  0

  Self-catering

  TDS

  245,000

  147,700

  624,784

  455,605

  0

  ERDF

  156,150

  0

  283,008

  0

  0

  IFI

  329,090

  110,800

  48,015

  0

  0

  SSPPR

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  730,240

  258,500

  955,807

  455,605

  0

  B and B

  TDS

  123,500

  115,000

  0

  93,000

  0

  ERDF

  0

  0

  0

  209,660

  70,511

  IFI

  199,459

  5,661

  168,771

  0

  0

  SSPPR

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  322,959

  120,661

  168,771

  302,660

  70,511

  TDS—Tourism Development Scheme. ERDF—European Regional Development Fund.

  IFI—International Fund For Ireland.

  SSPPR—Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation.

  Health and Social Services Boards
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations she has received in relation to the decision not to re-appoint Ms Geraldine Donaghy to the Southern Health and Social Services Board; and if she will make a statement. [14538]

  Mr. Worthington
  There have been a number of representations in relation to the decision not to re-appoint Ms Donaghy to the Southern Health and Social Services Board. These include three from Members of this House—Mr. Seamus Mallon, Mr. Roger Stott and Mr. Harry Barnes, two from District Councils in Northern Ireland, the Chairperson of the Southern Health and Social Services Council, the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition and 14 from other individuals and community groups.

  Ms Donaghy' s re-appointment has been handled in accordance with the Code of Practice and Guidelines issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. However, she remains dissatisfied with the outcome and has exercised her right of appeal to the Commissioner for Public Appointments and lodged a complaint with the Fair Employment Tribunal.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many out-going non-executive members of each health board in Northern Ireland were(a) re-appointed, without undergoing formal interview, (b) re-appointed after undergoing formal interview,
  (c) not re-appointed and not offered a formal interview and (d) not re-appointed after undergoing formal interview when the existing boards were constituted. [14539]
  587
  Mr. Worthington
  Of the appointments to Health and Social Service Boards which expired on 31 March 1997, the following were re-appointed without undergoing formal interview:

  Number

  Northern Health and Social Service Board

  Nil

  Southern Health and Social Services Board

  1

  Eastern Health and Social Services Board

  1

  Western Health and Social Services Board

  2

  Of the appointments to Health and Social Services Boards which expired on 31 March 1997, the following were re-appointed after undergoing formal interview:

  Number

  Northern Health and Social Services Board

  Nil

  Southern Health and Social Services Board

  Nil

  Eastern Health and Social Services Board

  Nil

  Western Health and Social Services Board

  Nil

  Of the appointments to Health and Social Services Boards which expried on 31 March 1997,the following were not re-appointed and not offered a formal interview.

  Number

  Northern Health and Social Services Board

  1

  Southern Health and Social Services Board

  1

  Eastern Health and Social Services Board

  1

  Western Health and Social Services Board

  Nil

  Of the appointments to Health and Social Services Boards which expried on 31 March 1997,the following were not re-appointed after undergoing a formal interview:

  Number

  Northern Health and Social Services Board

  1

  Southern Health and Social Services Board

  1

  Eastern Health and Social Services Board

  Nil

  Western Health and Social Services Board

  Nil

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement on the procedures and criteria employed by the Department of Health and Social Services for the recruitment of non-executive directors of each health and social services board in Northern Ireland. [14540]

  Mr. Worthington
  Appointments to Health and Social Services Boards in Northern Ireland are made by the Department of Health and Social Services, subject to the approval of the Minister. When an initial term of office expires, there is no automatic right to re-appointment.

  Non-executive members are not appointed as representatives of any specific group or organisation but in a personal capacity for the skills and experience they can bring to the Board. These may include relevant professional skills, management skills gained in the public, private or voluntary sectors or an ability to bring a user perspective to the Board.
  588
  The DHSS Appointment Procedures are governed by the Code of Practice and Guidelines issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments who monitors, regulates and approves their application. The main elements of the Procedures are:-

  advertising of appointment opportunities;

  job descriptions and person specifications for all posts;

  a formal and open selection process based on merit;

  an independent member of all interview panels; and

  a formal complaints procedure.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many non-executive directors of each health board in Northern Ireland had completed their first period of office by 31 March; and how many of these indicated their willingness to serve a further term of office. [14541]

  Mr. Worthington
  The non-executive directors of Health and Social Services Boards who(a) completed their first period of office on 31 March 1997 and (b) indicated their willingness to serve a further term of office were as follows:

  (a) Number

  (b) Number

  Northern Health and Social Services Board

  1

  1

  Southern Health and Social Services Board

  2

  2

  Eastern Health and Social Services Board

  Nil

  Nil

  Western Health and Social Services Board

  1

  1

  INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to further the development of micro-credit agencies. [14118]

  Mr. Foulkes
  My Department is recognised as one of the leading bilateral donors in microfinance, which provides particular benefits to poorer people. We plan to continue to increase the level of our support, beyond the £75 million already committed.

  Bilateral Debt
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proposals she has made to write off the bilateral debt of the poorest countries. [14119]

  Clare Short
  The British Government have already written off £1.2 billion of all aid debt. On 15 September, I announced a new programme to cancel the aid debts of lower income Commonwealth countries which are committed to the internationally agreed development targets, to good government, to rooting out corruption, and applying economic policies which benefit the poor. Offers have already been made to seven countries and discussions have started with others.

  Montserrat
  Mr. Rhodri Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is her current assessment of the future habitability of Montserrat. [14120]
  589
  Mr. Foulkes
  I discussed with the Chief Scientist today the latest scientific advice. This raises further concerns about the safety of the north of the island, which will need to be assessed urgently.

  Know-how Fund
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the future of the know-how fund. [14121]

  Mr. Foulkes
  My Department will continue to support the countries in transition in Central and Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union through the know-how Fund. We shall seek particularly to ensure that the benefits of transition are sustainable and the needs of the poorest are properly protected.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance had been offered to Belarus and the Ukraine from the know-how fund during the last year; and if she will make a statement. [14123]

  Clare Short
  In 1996–97 the know-how fund provided around £800,000 in technical assistance for Belarus and around £9 million for Ukraine. We are concerned about the deteriorating human rights situation in Belarus and the growth of poverty in the countries of the former Soviet Union and are adjusting our programmes accordingly.

  Human Rights
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with other countries relating to the linking of international aid to records of human rights. [14122]

  Clare Short
  In all my meetings I make it clear that our Government are committed to a rights-based approach to human development. My Department's particular concern is for the rights of the poor to make their voices heard and to secure the social and economic rights laid down in the universal declaration of human rights. All our work is devoted to this end.

  UNESCO
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to develop a partnership between UNESCO and British parliamentarians. [14124]

  Clare Short
  I am keen to encourage as broad a UK relationship as possible with UNESCO. I would be delighted to pursue any ideas my hon. Friend might have for strengthening parliamentary links with the Organisation.

  Bananas
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support her Department will give to small farmers in the Caribbean currently dependent on the banana crop. [14125]

  Mr. Foulkes
  Current UK assistance (97–98, £6 million) aims to strengthen the infrastructural and policy framework within which new initiatives can flourish and to raise educational standards so that people can take advantage of 590
  new opportunities. This complements substantial EC resources designed to promote efficiency in the banana industry, agricultural and economic diversification.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to challenge the World Trade Organisation judgment concerning Caribbean banana producers. [14129]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The present EU bananas regime represents a serious attempt to meet our obligations to developing countries, in particular the African, Pacific and Caribbean (ACP) countries. It is disappointing that some parts of the regime have now been found incompatible with World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. The UK supported the EU in its appeal against the ruling of the Dispute Settlement Panel but the WTO Appellate Body upheld most of the Panel findings. There are no further avenues of appeal left open to the EU. As firm adherents of the WTO process, we naturally accept therefore that the Community's arrangements will need to be brought into conformity with the WTO' s rules.

  The Government are considering the WTO findings on the EU banana regime in liaison with the Commission in Brussels, who have the principal responsibility for proposing revised arrangements which conform to our WTO obligations. As leading advocates of the legitimate interests of those developing countries in the Caribbean who have traditionally supplied the UK market, we intend to play a major role in developing a solution to the problem and are examining a number of proposals. Caribbean banana producers can rest assured that we have their interest high in our agenda.

  Development Assistance Committee
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development who represented the UK Government at the DAC Expert Group on Women in Development held in Paris on the 2 and 3 October; and if she will make a statement on the meeting. [14126]

  Clare Short
  The UK Government was representated by a Senior Social Development Adviser from my Department.

  During the last 15 years the Group has played a catalytic role in ensuring that development agencies address the rights and needs of women. In the preparations for the Beijing Conference the UK served as Chair to the Group and is currently a member of the Bureau (Steering Group).

  At its most recent meeting the Group changed its title to Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in Development Cooperation. The Group's future workplan was agreed. Major items include integrating gender into the DAC's work on poverty eradication, ensuring that gender equality is handled as a cross-cutting issue in all the development Targets and presenting Guidelines on Gender Equality for endorsement by the DAC.

  World Bank Report
  Mr. Prior
  What the Secretary of State for International Development what response her Department has made to the World Bank's World Development report 1997: the State in a Changing World. [14127]
  591
  Clare Short
  In discussion with the President of the World Bank, I welcomed this report and, in particular, its recognition of the enabling role of the state in promoting pro-poor growth and providing services for poor people. My Department also participated in, and part-financed, a meeting of the European Policy Forum which brought together European donors, academics and the World Bank to assess the report's main messages. My officials have also discussed the report with the World Bank with a view to assessing the relevance of its conclusions for our own work.

  Iran (Refugees)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will estimate the numbers of refugees in Iran; and what action she is taking, with our European partners, to provide assistance to them. [14128]

  Clare Short
  According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) there are approximately 2,016,000 refugees in Iran, including:1.4 M from Afghanistan;
  580,000 from Iraq;
  36,000 others (of which the main groups are from Zaire, Rwanda, Angola, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bosnia, Tajikstan, and Azerbaijan).

  The European Community Humanitarian Office have given over £28 million during the period 1992–1996 of which the UK share is approximately £4.7 million. It's programmes are regularly discussed among EU partners.

  Tibet
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to provide assistance to the peoples and environment of Tibet. [14130]

  Clare Short
  We are currently contributing some £680,000 to five projects which are being implemented by non-governmental organisations. These projects£in the fields of education, income generation and environmental health£are helping to address the needs of rural and urban communities within Tibet and of Tibetan refugees in India.

  Indonesian Rain Forests
  Mr. Rammell
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's work in relation to Indonesian tropical rain forests. [14131]

  Clare Short
  Forests provide vital resources for poor communities in Indonesia. Since 1991, my Department has spent over £25 million supporting efforts in Indonesia to conserve and enhance those resources through sustainable forest management. We are now preparing a new programme that will focus on increasing the benefits that poor forest dwellers get from their forests. This will improve the lives of the needy and encourage better protection against destructive forest clearing, logging and fires.

  Bosnia-Herzegovina
  Mr. Day
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will link aid to the entities in Bosnia-Herzegovina to progress in the implementation of the Dayton Agreement. [14132]

  Clare Short
  Yes. Britain and other Governments seek to ensure that aid not only brings practical benefits but encourages Bosnian compliance with Dayton.

  Aid Target
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to meet the UN target of 0.7 per cent. of gross domestic product for overseas aid. [14133]

  Clare Short
  As our Manifesto and the Government's White Paper on International Development makes clear, we are committed to the UN 0.7 per cent. oda/GNP target and to reversing the decline in UK aid spending of the past 18 years which was cut from 0.51 per cent. of GNP to 0.27 per cent. under the previous administration.

  Slavery
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what international initiatives she is supporting to combat slavery. [14134]

  Clare Short
  The United Kingdom has strengthened its commitment to the work of the International Labour Office (ILO) to strengthen the implementation of international conventions covering slavery and bonded labour especially where it affects children. I attended the International Conference of Child Labour in Oslo last month and was able to give strong support for the work of both ILO and United Nations Children's Fund in combating bonded child labour.

  In Britain we are providing support for projects including Anti-Slavery International among others.

  Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
  Mr. Wells
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the 1997 annual report of the World Bank's Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency. [14135]

  Clare Short
  I am pleased that MIGA's 1997 Annual Report shows continuing growth in demand for insurance cover for private investments in developing countries. At the meeting of the Development Committee of the Bank in Hong Kong in September, I joined fellow Governors in agreeing a solution to MIGA's capital constraint, which will enable it to continue to expand its guarantee business.

  Small and Medium Businesses
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of Stae for International Development what steps her Department is taking to encourage small and medium businesses in developing countries. [14136]
  593
  Clare Short
  My Department is actively supporting the development of micro, small and medium enterprises. They are an essential means of providing poor people with greater access to income and employment opportunities.

  The budgetary commitment to current projects exceeds £100 million. This is expected to continue to increase, notably in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa and South Asia.

  DFID' s support takes three forms: improving the policy and regulatory environment, creating or strengthening local financial institutions, e.g. leasing companies or microfinance institutions and supporting local organisations providing cost effective business development services, e.g. skills training, market access.

  Belarus
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance her Department is providing to the children of Belarus suffering from the after-effects of the Chernobyl disaster; and if she will make a statement. [15087]

  Clare Short
  The UK's Environmental Know How Fund has previously assisted post-Chernobyl programmes, including food screening for radioactive contamination. We are not presently providing direct assistance to Chernobyl victims in Belarus. We contribute through the EU and to international organisations such as the World Health Organisation who are supporting Chernobyl victims.

  Investment
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what are her Department's plans for encouraging ethical and socially responsible investment in developing countries. [14116]

  Clare Short
  I am very keen to encourage and reinforce the fair trade and ethical investment consumer movements in every way possible. My department has numerous and growing contacts with groups interested in fair trade and ethical investment in developing countries. The potential of these movements to improve labour standards and environmental protection for large numbers of people in developing countries is considerable. We are assisting British Companies and NGOs to work together towards these goals.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Press Releases
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many press releases have been issued by her Department since May 1997; and how many press releases have been released under the heading "Minister for Women" since May 1997. [14064]

  Mr. Denham
  The information is in the table.594

  Total number of press releases

  Minister for Women press releases only

  DSS Headquarters

  178

  24

  Benefits Agency

  22

  0

  Child Support Agency

  8

  0

  Information Technology Services Agency

  21

  0

  Contributions Agency

  16

  0

  War Pension Agency

  0

  0

  Total

  224

  24

  1. Issued on behalf of ITSA by DSS Headquarters and is included in the total for DSS HQ.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will place in the Library lists of those individuals and organisations to whom Departmental press releases are sent(a) by post, (b) by fax and (c) by electronic mail. [14065]

  Mr. Field
  The information has been placed in the Library.

  Pensions
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government that the state pension alone should provide pensioners with an adequate income. [14571]

  Mr. Denham
  The key objective of our review of pensions is to ensure that pensioners should have an adequate income in retirement; that they should share fairly in rising national prosperity and that public finances should be both sustainable and affordable. For most people, security in retirement will come from a combination of the basic State Pension and a second pension. One of the fundamental challenges of the review is to agree where the responsibility for funding pensions should lie and to establish the right balance between the public and private sectors.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to address the effects of changing jobs and taking breaks on women's pension arrangements. [14572]

  Mr. Denham
  A wide-ranging review of pensions was announced on 17 July. One of the Government's fundamental challenges in pensions is to narrow the pensions gap between men and women so as to give women more security in retirement. Many private pensions are simply not flexible enough to cope with working patterns of women. Women still earn less on average than men and are more likely to have caring responsibilities.

  The Government recognise that carers—many of whom are women—who cannot contribute to second pensions because of caring responsibilities, make a valuable contribution to society but lack the opportunity to provide for their own future. That is why the Government are looking at ways to develop the administrative structure of SERPS so as to provide a citizenship pension for those who care for others.

  We are also committed to developing secure, flexible and value for money stakeholder pensions. These will be aimed at those on modest incomes, working part time or with intermittent work patterns, who often do not have

  595
  the opportunity to join a good occupational pension scheme, or for whom a personal pension is unsuitable. Stakeholder pensions should therefore be of particular help to women. The Government's National Childcare Strategy will also provide greater opportunities for women to participate in the wider economy so that they are able to contribute to their own pensions.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will ensure that the pensions structure takes account of the effects of divorce. [14573]

  Mr. Denham
  We are modernising the welfare state to take account of social changes, such as a higher divorce rate, and to enable pensioners to have an adequate income in retirement. As a step towards this the Government is committed to introducing pension sharing for divorcing couples. We aim to do so from April 2000.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to provide unbiased, accessible and affordable professional advice for those planning their pensions. [14574]

  Mr. Denham
  Improving education and awareness of pensions is a key focus of the Pensions Review process. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 23 July the setting up of a Pensions Education Working Group to consider how pensions education and awareness issues might be co-ordinated, well targeted and effective. The Group has also been asked to advise the Secretary of State by the end of January 1998 what other actions are needed to improve knowledge of pensions.

  The Department is reviewing the provision of pensions literature to reflect the Government's wish to empower ordinary people by giving them the information they need to make the right decisions about their pension provision, whatever it might be, now and in the future.

  Heating or Eating Appeal
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans the Government have to contribute to the Heating or Eating Appeal organised by Help the Aged. [15653]

  Mr. Denham
  We welcome and support the work of charities in complementing the welfare provision the Government make to vulnerable members of society. The Government are already tackling the problems associated with vulnerable people keeping warm during cold weather. We have already taken action to cut fuel costs and make homes easier to heat. We are committed to examining the means of delivering more automatic help to the poorest pensioners.

  Social Fund Cold Weather Payments of £8.50 will again be issued automatically to those pensioners in receipt of Income Support, when the average temperature in their area is recorded as, or forecast to be 0°C or below, over seven consecutive days. Last winter, the Cold Weather Payments scheme triggered a total of 125 times, involving 55 of the 70 Meteorological Office weather stations used. Almost five million payments worth over £42 million were issued to an estimated 2.7 million people.

HEALTH

  Myodil
  Mr. Collins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons his Department has decided not to proscribe the use of Myodil in myelography. [14603]

  Ms Jowell
  Myodil was voluntarily withdrawn from the market for commercial reasons by the manufacturers in 1987. The product licence for Myodil expired on 2 June 1992 and was not renewed. Myodil is therefore no longer licensed.

  Adhesive Arachnoiditis
  Mr. Collins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to institute an inquiry into adhesive arachnoiditis, with special reference to the alleged failure of several doctors to disclose to patients suffering from the condition that they have contracted it; and if he will make a statement. [14607]

  Ms Jowell
  We have no plans to institute an inquiry into this issue. The Department has no knowledge of the alleged failure of disclosure by doctors.

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has given to health authorities on the assumptions to be used when calculating hospital bed occupancy rates. [15467]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Department of Health collects information on bed occupancy from National Health Service trusts. Guidance on completion of these central returns is included in the NHS Data Manual, copies of which are available in the Library.

  An occupied bed day is defined as "one which is occupied at midnight on the day in question". Occupancy rates are calculated by dividing the number of occupied bed days by the number of available bed days.

  For beds in wards only open during the day, an occupied bed day is one in which at least one day case has taken place during the day.

  Nursing Homes
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department's plans for all inspection reports for nursing homes to be made available to the public will include reports of inspections that have already been carried out. [15182]

  Mr. Boateng
  No. From 1 April 1998 all nursing home inspection reports carried out after that date will be available to the public. In some areas inspection reports are already made available to the public with the agreement of nursing home proprietors. We will consider what further action might be taken within the existing legal framework to allow access to past reports.

  Waiting Lists (South-West)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list by health authority in(a) Cornwall and (b) Devon, the number of people on

  597
  NHS waiting lists for (i) 0–11 months, (ii) 12–18 months and (iii) more than 18 months for (1) each year and (2) each quarter since 1992; [15528]

  (2) if he will list for the South and West Region the number of people on NHS waiting lists for (a) 0–11 months, (b) 12–18 months and (c) more than 18 months for (i) each year and (ii) each quarter since 1992. [15527]

  Mr. Milburn
  Health authority based waiting list information is contained in "Hospital Waiting List Statistics: England (Resident Based)". The first published information shows the position on 30 June 1996. Provider based information, which has been available since prior to 1992 and from which regional figures can be obtained, is contained in "Hospital Waiting List Statistics: England". Both these publications are produced on a quarterly basis and copies are available in the Library.

  NHS Spending Targets
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list the distance from spending target of each NHS trust in(a) Cornwall and (b) Devon in each year since 1992 for which figures are available. [15472]

  (2) if he will list the deficits of (a) health authorities and (b) national health service trusts in (i) Devon and (ii) Cornwall in each year since 1979 for which figures are available. [15388]

  Mr. Milburn
  Details of the income and expenditure deficits of(a) health authorities and (b) National Health Service trusts in (i) Devon and (ii) Cornwall since 1991–92 are given in the table. Figures for earlier years will be placed in the Library shortly. The distance from spending target in NHS trusts has been interpreted as the income and expenditure position since NHS trusts are not set spending targets as such but receive income through contracts for healthcare provision to cover their expenditure.

  £

  (a)i. Health authority deficits in Devon

  1991–92

  Exeter HA

  67,000

  North Devon HA

  65,000

  Torbay HA

  449,000

  1992–93

  Exeter HA

  439,000

  North Devon HA

  546,000

  Plymouth HA

  1,963,000

  1993–94

  North and East Devon

  330,000

  South and West Devon

  1,198,000

  1994–95

  None

  —

  1995–96

  North and East Devon

  1,728,000

  South and West Devon

  4,068,000

  1996–97

  North and East Devon

  3,708,000

  South and West Devon

  5,558,000

  (a)ii. Health authority deficits in Cornwall

  1991–92

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  35,000

  1993–94

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  2,491,000

  1995–96

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  225,000

  1996–97

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  3,151,000

  The 1996–97 health authority figures are for merged health authorities (previously separate district health authorities and family health service authorities).

  Changes in accounting policies mean that not all years accounts are prepared on a comparable basis.
  598

  £

  (b)i. Trust deficits in Devon

  1991–92

  None

  —

  1992–93

  Devon Ambulance

  141,000

  1993–94

  None

  —

  1994–95

  None

  —

  1995–96

  Plymouth Hospitals

  426,000

  Plymouth Community

  49,000

  Royal Devon and Exeter

  454,000

  South Devon Healthcare

  821,000

  1996–97

  Plymouth Community

  85,000

  Royal Devon and Exeter

  532,000

  South Devon Healthcare

  1,395,000

  (b)ii. Trust deficits in Cornwall

  1991–91

  None

  —

  1992–93

  Trecare

  186,000

  1993–94

  None

  —

  1994–95

  None

  —

  1995–96

  Royal Cornwall Hospitals

  485,000

  Trecare

  1,055,000

  1996–97

  Trecare

  29,000

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Learning Disabilities NHS Trust changed its name to Trecare NHS Trust in 1995.

  Deficits (Health Authorities and Trusts)
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average total underspend in English national health service trusts in each year since 1992 for which figures are available. [15384]

  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list the average deficit of(a) health authorities and (b) national health service trusts in England in each year since 1979 for which figures are available; [15387]

  (2) if he will list the average distance from spending target of NHS trusts in England in each year since 1992 for which figures are available. [15471]

  Mr. Milburn
  Details of the total and average income and expenditure surpluses/deficits for health authorities and National Health Service trusts in England since 1991–92 are given in the table. Figures for earlier years will be placed in the Library shortly.

  The distance from spending target and underspend in NHS trusts have been interpreted as the income and expenditure position since NHS trusts are not set spending targets as such but receive income through contracts for healthcare provision to cover their expenditure.

  £million

  Year

  Total surplus/(deficit)

  Average surplus/(deficit)

  Health authorities

  1991–92

  174·7

  0·9

  1992–93

  76·4

  0·4

  1993–94

  48·9

  0·3

  1994–95

  (53·5)

  (0·4)

  1995–96

  (202·4)

  (1·8)

  1996–97

  (238·2)

  (2·4)

  Trusts

  1991–92

  46·1

  0·8

  1992–93

  88·4

  0·6

  599

  £ million

  Year

  Total surplus/(deficit)

  Average surplus/(deficit)

  1993–94

  185·6

  0·6

  1994–95

  178·7

  0·4

  1995–96

  46·1

  0·1

  1996–97

  (50·5)

  (0·1)

  The 1996–97 health authority figure is for merged health authorities (previously separate district health authorities and family health service authorities).

  Changes in accounting policies mean that not all years accounts are prepared on a comparable basis.

  Community Hospitals
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list by health authority the number of community hospitals in(a) Cornwall and (b) Devon in each year since 1979 for which figures are available; [15529]

  (2) what was the average number of community hospitals per health authority in each year since 1979 for which figures are available; [15530]

  (3) how many community hospitals there were in England in each year since 1979 for which figures are available. [15531]

  Mr. Boateng
  Information about the number of community hospitals in England is not collected in central returns. However the Department of Health is providing a grant to the Community Hospitals Association to update its directory of community hospitals.

  Information available from the three health authorities in Devon and Cornwall shows that the total number of community hospitals in each health authority in 1997 is as follows:

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Health Authority: 17

  North and East Devon Health Authority: 21

  South and West Devon Health Authority: 12

  Information on earlier years is not readily available.

  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the total spending on community hospitals in England in each year since 1979 for which figures are available; [15468]

  (2) what was the average health authority spending on community hospitals in England in each year since 1979 for which figures are available (a) per hospital and (b) per health authority; [15469]

  (3) if he will list by health authority the spending on community hospitals in (a) Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and (b) the three health authorities in Devon in (i) cash terms, (ii) per capita and (iii) 1979 prices in each year since 1979 for which figures are available. [15470]

  Mr. Milburn
  Financial information is collected on the basis of National Health Service trusts. Information is not therefore available about individual hospitals. Health authorities commission community health services from a wide variety of NHS trusts. Central information about this cannot be disaggregated by NHS trust or individual hospital.
  600
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list by health authority the number of beds in community hospitals in(a) Cornwall and (b) Devon in each year since 1979 for which figures are available; [15526]

  (2) if he will list the (a) total and (b) average number of beds in community hospitals in England in each year since 1979 for which figures are available. [15525]

  Mr. Boateng
  Information on hospital beds is published annually in "Bed Availability for England" copies of which are available in the Library. The information is for National Health Service trusts and is collected by ward type. It is not possible to disaggregate information about community hospitals from the wider NHS trusts information.

  Information available from the three health authorities in Devon and Cornwall shows the total number of community hospital beds in each health authority in 1997 is as follows:

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Health Authority: 467

  North and East Devon Health Authority: 532

  South and West Devon Health Authority: 344

  Information on earlier years is not readily available.

  GP Fundholders (South-West)
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by health authority in(a) Cornwall and (b) Devon the total underspend by GP fundholders in each year since 1992 for which figures are available. [15383]

  Mr. Milburn
  The information requested is in the table. These figures are the total savings on general practitioner fundholders' budgets, and savings per fundholding practice. The figures for 1996–97 are provisional.

  General practitioner fundholding accounts (all figures are in £000)

  Year

  Authority

  Total underspend

  FH practices

  Savings per practice

  Cornwall

  1992–93

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly FHSA

  452

  4

  113

  1993–94

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly FHSA

  387

  8

  48

  1994–95

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly FHSA

  720

  11

  65

  1995–96

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly HA

  985

  11

  90

  1996–97

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly HA

  971

  18

  54

  Devon

  1992–93

  Devon FHSA

  556

  16

  35

  1993–94

  Devon FHSA

  1,285

  26

  49

  1994–95

  Devon FHSA

  2,037

  29

  70

  1995–96

  Devon FHSA

  1,530

  33

  46

  1996–97

  North and East Devon HA

  1,706

  33

  52

  South and West Devon HA

  1,259

  33

  38

  Source:

  Annual accounts of the family health services authorities (1992–93).
  GP fundholder audited accounts (1993–94 to 1995–96).

  Annual accounts of health authorities (1996–97).

  Note:

  1996–97 figures are provisional.

  Cold Weather (Elderly People)
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will commission research into the effects of cold weather on the health of the elderly. [15639]

  Mr. Boateng
  There are currently no plans to commission any such research. It is known that mortality rises steeply in winter and that the increase in deaths is chiefly among people 60 or older. The Department, in partnership with the Benefits Agency and the voluntary sector, runs an annual campaign—Keep Warm, Keep Well—which aims to provide information on health, benefits and home improvement during the winter.

  Community Nurses
  Mr. Burnett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list the spending on community nurses in each health authority in(a) Cornwall and (b) Devon in each year since 1979 for which figures are available; [15659]

  (2) if he will list the average spending on community nurses for English health authorities in each year since 1979 for which figures are available. [15660]

  (3) if he will list the spending on community nurses in England (a) in cash terms and (b) at 1979 prices for each year since 1979 for which figures are available. [15661]

  Mr. Milburn
  Information on spending on community health nursing can not be separated centrally from expenditure on all nursing staff. The table shows expenditure on community nursing services of which community nursing staff will form the major part. The information is not available for individual health authorities.

  Community nursing services

  £ million

  Year

  Cash figures

  1979 prices

  1979–80

  240·0

  240·0

  1980–81

  328·9

  278·0

  1981–82

  371·9

  286·5

  1982–83

  407·9

  293·5

  1983–84

  432·4

  297·2

  1984–85

  474·2

  310·3

  Patients aged 75 and over ready for discharge but still occupying a hospital bed

  Q4 1994–95

  Q2 1995–96

  Q4 1995–96

  Q1 1996–97

  Q3 1996–97

  Q4 1996–97

  Q1 1997–98

  South and West Devon

  0

  48

  111

  116

  22

  37

  57

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  92

  96

  84

  51

  65

  73

  43

  North and East Devon

  140

  90

  129

  165

  165

  165

  66

  Average per health authority in England

  65

  71

  77

  79

  65

  71

  64

  Health Services (Rural Areas)
  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has given to health authorities on the accessibility of acute and community hospital services in remote rural areas. [15466]
  602

  Community nursing services

  £ million

  Year

  Cash figures

  1979 prices

  1985–86

  517.4

  321.2

  1986–87

  581.9

  350.5

  1987–88

  693.7

  396.9

  1988–891

  824.6

  442.1

  1988–891

  1,035.8

  555.4

  1989–90

  1,153.2

  578.1

  1990–91

  1,289.5

  598.4

  1991–92

  1,601.3

  698.6

  1992–93

  1,684.9

  705.3

  1993–94

  1,877.5

  763.8

  1994–95

  1,909.1

  765.2

  1995–96

  2,053.1

  800.7

  1The categories for which community services data were collected changed in 1998–89 as follows:

  1979–80 to 1988–89 Health Visiting, District Nursing, Community Midwifery; 1989–90 to 1995–96 Professional Advice and Support, General Patient Care, Community Mental Illness Nursing, Community Mental Health Nursing, Community Maternity.

  Figures are presented on both bases for 1988–89.

  1. The GDP factor was used to calculate the 1979–80 prices.

  2. Figures for 1991–92 onwards cannot be compared with those for earlier years due to changes in accounting practices following the NHS reforms.

  Delayed Discharges
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list by National Health Service trust in(a) Cornwall and (b) Devon the number of delayed discharges in each year since 1992 for which figures are available; [15385]

  (2) what was the average number of delayed discharges in English National Health Service trusts in each year since 1992 for which figures are available. [15386]

  Mr. Boateng
  Information on delayed discharge is collected by the Department of Health on a health authority basis and not by National Health Service trust. The available information is in the table. The information is collected on a survey basis and shows the number of patients aged 75 and over, who are ready for discharge, but still occupy a hospital bed on a given day in the quarter. It is not the total number of delayed discharges in that quarter.

  Mr. Boateng
  We have not issued any detailed guidance on models of health care in remote rural communities. However, we are currently reviewing issues relating to effective service configurations, including access to services for patients.

  It is the responsibility of individual health authorities to determine the most appropriate balance of health services for their populations, and they are accountable to the National Health Service Executive for doing so.

  Seismic Event, Kara Sea
  Seismic Event, Kara Sea
  Democratic Republic of the Congo: Assistance to Refugees
  Democratic Republic of the Congo: Assistance to Refugees
  Cattle Traceability System
  Cattle Traceability System
  Quangos
  Quangos
  Ministers' Letters to Newspapers
  Ministers' Letters to Newspapers
  Cabinet Office Committees
  Cabinet Office Committees
  Unemployment Comparisons
  Unemployment Comparisons
  Inheritance Tax
  Inheritance Tax
  Surrender of Handguns: Compensation Arrangements
  Surrender of Handguns: Compensation Arrangements
  Surrender of Pistols: Compensation Arrangements
  Surrender of Pistols: Compensation Arrangements
  Health and Social Services Boards
  Health and Social Services Boards
  Northern Ireland Students at Scottish Universities: Fees
  Northern Ireland Students at Scottish Universities: Fees
  Environmental Impact Assessment Directive
  Environmental Impact Assessment Directive
  Asylum Seekers' Support Costs
  Asylum Seekers' Support Costs
  X-Ray Mammography
  X-Ray Mammography
  Fluoridation of Water
  Fluoridation of Water
  Eastern European Asylum Seekers: Support Costs
  Eastern European Asylum Seekers: Support Costs
  War Pensions Claims: Assessment of Medical Incapacity
  War Pensions Claims: Assessment of Medical Incapacity
  MoD Main Building
  MoD Main Building
  Trident
  Trident