Written Answers of 12 January 1998

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Planning Guidance
  Mr. Tom King
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will amend existing planning guidance to planning authorities to ensure that the design and layout of new residential areas is more acceptable to existing communities; and if he will make a statement on the representations he has received on this subject. [22204]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Revised Planning Policy Guidance note 1 encourages careful and early consideration to design issues which can help make proposals for development acceptable to local communities. Local authorities are encouraged to promote good design and reject bad design. The Government intend to build on this guidance by publishing two good practice guides next year—one a general guide to design in the planning system; the other a companion guide to Design Bulletin 32 (Residential Roads and Footpaths) which has a major influence on the layout of residential areas. I also continue to emphasise the importance of good design in speeches at suitable opportunities, most recently at the Royal Fine Arts Commission Seminar.

  EU Structural Funds
  Mr. Peter Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 24 November 1997,Official Report, column 372, what percentage of European Funds under objective 5B was spent in the less-favoured areas of the North of England in (a) 1993, (b) 1994, (c) 1995 and (d) 1996; and what is the date when this funding will finish. [22605]

  Angela Eagle
  The objective 5B funding allocated to the Northern Uplands programme, which should operate from 1994 to the end of 1999, is £84 million. However, since the European Commission did not approve the programme until December 1994, no funds were spent during that year. The amount spent under the Northern Uplands programme in 1995 and 1996 is as follows:

  Year

  Structural funds spent (£ million)

  Percentage of total allocation

  1995

  2.07

  2.46

  1996

  8.34

  10.07

  Total

  12.53

  Advisory Committee on Releases into the Environment
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of the proposals in the White 2
  Paper on Freedom of Information on the modus operandi of the Advisory Committee on Releases into the Environment. [22632]

  Angela Eagle
  No formal assessment has yet been made on the impact of the proposals in the White Paper on Freedom of Information. However, under the Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations 1992, the Secretary of State already has a statutory duty to place a summary of the details of applications for consent to release genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on a public register, which is kept by my Department and in the regional offices of the Environment Agency. Summaries are also placed on the Internet.

  Further, the regulations require applicants to advertise their proposed releases in newspapers circulating in the area where the release is proposed. Concerned residents may contact either the companies or the Department for further information and have an opportunity to write to the Secretary of State commenting on the application. My Department will make the full application available on request, except any information which is agreed to be commercially confidential. The advice of the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) is also placed on the public register after they have reviewed applications for consent. My Department publishes newsletters twice a year, an ACRE annual report, technical guidance notes and research reports.

  My Department and ACRE are currently considering ways of increasing the transparency of how decisions on the granting of consents are made. We will take into account the White Paper on Freedom of Information and the conclusions of the National Biotechnology Conference held in March 1997.

  Primates Imports
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many primates were imported from Indonesia in(a) 1996 and (b) 1997 to date. [22396]

  Angela Eagle
  Fifty captive bred Crab-eating Macaques(Macaca fascilularis) were imported in 1996, and a further eight specimens of this species were imported in 1997.

  Housing Developments (West Sussex)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many representations he has received(a) in favour of and (b) against his decision to reject the independent inspector's conclusion concerning the limits to housing development in West Sussex. [22579]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The hon. Member for Chichester (Mr. Tyrie) has written to express his concern about the effect of the Direction. I am not aware that any other representations have been received either for or against my right hon. Friend's decision.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions in how many cases of inspectors reporting on the limits to housing development he has(a) upheld the conclusion, (b) reduced the limits and (c) increased the limits. [22578]
  3
  Mr. Raynsford
  Land is allocated for housing development through the development plan system. Both the panel, which reports following an Examination in Public into Structure Plans, and the Inspector, who reports following a Public Local Inquiry into a Unitary Development or Local Plan, report directly to the local authority concerned.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will meet local authority and parliamentary representatives of West Sussex to discuss his declaration that the method or conclusion of the independent inspector into the limits to housing developments in the county was flawed. [22576]

  Mr. Raynsford
  My right hon. Friend is considering the hon. Member's request and I will advise the hon. Member of his decision in due course.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much time he spent considering the inspector's report into the limits to housing development in West Sussex. [22577]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The report was published on 25 June 1997 and has also been thoroughly considered within the Department.

  Millennium Experience
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of the site which will be used for the Millennium Experience has been decontaminated; what contaminants were found on the site; and what checks have been carried out on(a) the decontaminated areas and (b) the areas which were not decontaminated since decontamination was completed. [22723]

  Angela Eagle
  The site to be used for the Millennium Experience forms part of the Greenwich peninsula site. It has been used for a variety of industrial purposes, including gas production, over a long period. Soil contamination has resulted from these industrial uses. Reclamation work has therefore been carried out on the whole of the land owned by English Partnerships on the Peninsula, including the site to be used for the Millennium Experience. The nature of this work varies according to the mix of contaminants in any one area.

  Following very extensive site investigation and risk analysis, British Gas, as the original polluter, has completed the statutory remediation works. English Partnerships and the New Millennium Experience Co., Ltd. are carrying out further remediation works to a standard suitable for the site's intended use.

  All aspects of the remediation works have been carried out to statutory health and safety standards and the works have been monitored by both the Environment Agency and the Environmental Health Department of the London Borough of Greenwich. Following remediation, the site is subject to regular monitoring of groundwater samples on a continuing basis.

  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the total area which will be used for the Millennium Experience. [22722]
  4
  Angela Eagle
  The total area of the Greenwich Peninsula is 119 hectares, of which 66 per cent. (81 hectares) is allocated to the Millennium Experience.

  Speed Limits (Residential Areas)
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to create zones with 10 mph speed limits in residential areas. [22721]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Speed limits in residential areas are a matter primarily for local highway authorities, but we are considering the principles involved. We would need to be sure that there were adequate means of enforcing limits, whether by physical measures or otherwise and that, on the whole, any expenditure would be effective by comparison with other measures which enhance safety and encourage environmentally friendly transport.

  European Air Safety Authority
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom Government's involvement in the establishment of a single European Air Safety Authority. [22670]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The Government have participated fully in the work in the European Community on proposals to set up a European Aviation Safety Authority. EU Transport Ministers have already agreed that the Community should be part of a new European Aviation Safety Authority, which will help to ensure proper safety standards in air transport in the whole of Europe, not just the European Union. During the United Kingdom Presidency we shall seek to ensure that the plans for the new body, and the Community's role in it, are taken forward.

  Cycle Spaces
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many secure cycle spaces there are in his Department. [22685]

  Angela Eagle
  My Department has 1,105 secure cycle spaces.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list those local authorities with responsibility for education where the increase in revenue support grant adjusted for changes in nursery vouchers funding and increased NNDR is less than the amount that has been passported through the capping regime to raise standards in schools. [22284]

  Ms Armstrong
  The Deputy Prime Minister, in his statement to the House outlining the Government's proposals for the 1998–99 RSG Settlement, set out the proposed levels of Total Standard Spending and Aggregate External Support. In his statement he made it clear that the proposals reflected the previous Government's plans to increase the level of Council Tax by 7 per cent. This effect on council tax was inherent in the public expenditure totals set by the last Government
  5
  and implied a reduction in the level of central Government support for local authority expenditure. Although the Government have sought to limit the pressures on local council tax payers by a number of means, including the full funding of the extra £835 million for education, the shift from central Government support to the council tax means that for most authorities increases in Standard Spending Assessments will exceed the increase in central Government support.

  Consequently, for most education authorities the difference between the provisional 1998–99 SSA element for education and the adjusted equivalent amount for 1997–98 (ie the amount taken into account in determining whether the permitted increase in budget should be above the standard percentage for the class) exceeds the difference between the sum of the provisional 1998–99 RSG and NNDR entitlements and the sum of the 1997–98 entitlements, adjusted for changes in responsibility and function.

  The authorities with an increase in education SSA higher than the increase in external support are:

  Barnet

  Barnsley

  Bath and North East Somerset

  Bedfordshire

  Bexley

  Bolton

  Bournemouth

  Bracknell Forest

  Bradford

  Brent

  Brighton and Hove

  Bristol

  Bromley

  Buckinghamshire

  Bury

  Calderdale

  Cambridgeshire

  Camden

  Cheshire

  City of London

  Cornwall

  Croydon

  Cumbria

  Darlington

  Derby

  Derbyshire

  Devon

  Doncaster

  Dorset

  Dudley

  Durham

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  East Sussex

  Enfield

  Essex

  Gateshead

  Gloucestershire

  Greenwich

  6

  Hackney

  Halton

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  Hampshire

  Harrow

  Havering

  Herefordshire

  Hertfordshire

  Hillingdon

  Hounslow

  Isle of Wight Council

  Isles of Scilly

  Islington

  Kensington and Chelsea

  Kent

  Kingston upon Hull

  Kingston upon Thames

  Kirklees

  Lambeth

  Lancashire

  Leeds

  Leicester

  Leicestershire

  Lewisham

  Lincolnshire

  Manchester

  Medway Towns

  Middlesbrough

  Milton Keynes

  Newbury

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  Norfolk

  North East Lincolnshire

  North Lincolnshire

  North Somerset

  North Tyneside

  North Yorkshire

  Northamptonshire

  Northumberland

  Nottingham

  Nottinghamshire

  Oldham

  Oxfordshire

  Peterborough

  Plymouth

  Poole

  Reading

  Redcar and Cleveland

  Richmond upon Thames

  Rutland

  Salford

  Shropshire

  Solihull

  Somerset

  South Gloucestershire

  South Tyneside

  Southampton

  Southwark

  7

  Staffordshire

  Stockton on Tees

  Stoke on Trent

  Suffolk

  Sunderland

  Surrey

  Sutton

  The Wrekin

  Torbay

  Trafford

  Wakefield

  Walsall

  Wandsworth

  Warrington

  Warwickshire

  West Sussex

  Westminster

  Wiltshire

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  Wirral

  Wokingham

  Worcestershire

  York.

  Packaging Waste
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which companies have(a) been registered and (b) been refused registration as accredited reprocessors for the purpose of issuing packaging waste recovery notes under the Producer Responsibility (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997. [22281]

  Angela Eagle
  The Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency are responsible for the accreditation of reprocessors under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997. The Agencies register each site individually rather than registering companies, and the statistics following reflect this.

  The most recent figures available from the Environment Agency, accurate for 24 December 1997, show that 48 sites have received accreditation, 64 have been refused and 2 are pending awaiting the modification of reprocessing and/or administration systems. The remainder, some 90, are still being processed.

  The list of applications which includes their company names and the status of the site (agreed, refused or pending) runs to some thirty five pages. I have therefore placed a copy in the House of Commons Library.

  Under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997, there are three kinds of operation which are classified as reprocessing (definitions are taken from Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste):
  recycling, ie "the reprocessing in a production process of the waste materials for the original purpose or for other purposes including organic recycling but excluding energy recovery";
  8
  organic recycling, ie "the aerobic (composting) or anaerobic (biomethanisation) treatment, under controlled conditions and using micro-organisms, of the biodegradable parts of packaging waste, which produces stabilized organic residues of methane";
  energy recovery, ie "the use of combustible packaging waste as a means to generate energy through direct incineration with or without waste but with the recovery of the heat".

  The rejection of an application is usually the result of one of the following situations:

  (i) the process concerned does not count as reprocessing as defined above;

  (ii) the site does not reprocess packaging waste;

  (iii) the site is not yet capable of reprocessing packaging waste.

  Nuclear Materials (Transport)
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 9 December 1997,Official Report, column 493, if he will place in the Library copies of the contingency plans to respond to accidents during the air and sea carriage of MOX nuclear fuel. [22299]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  My Department does not hold copies of the contingency plans referred to in my previous answer, which are normally prepared and held by transporters of radioactive material, and I am therefore not able to place a copy of the plans in the Library.

  The plans prepared by BNFL in the case of sea and air transport of MOX nuclear fuel are subject to a security classification and I am informed that they are not prepared to release copies of such plans. My hon. Friend may wish to approach BNFL directly in order to have sight of the contingency plans that he wishes to see.

  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 9 December 1997,Official Report, column 492, if he will place in the Library the Fourth Report of the Standing Working Group on the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material of DGXVII, once it becomes available to his Department. [22289]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The Fourth Report from the Standing Working Group to the Commission on the Safe Transport of Radioactive Materials in the European Union has recently been submitted to the Commission and will be submitted to the Council of Ministers, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social committee and the Committee of the regions. When the report becomes available a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will set up an inquiry into the cost of providing the same standard of services in rural and in urban authorities for the services covered by the Other County Services element of SSAs. [21941]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Possible changes to SSA formulae are discussed with local government in the SSA Sub-Group of the Settlement Working Group. Whether any work on the costs incurred by rural and urban authorities in providing services covered by the county level "All Other Services" SSA formula is carried out this year depends
  9
  upon the priorities of local and central government when the Sub-Group's 1998 work programme is agreed later in the spring.

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will commission research into the factors which influence the need for and the cost of social services for the 16 to 64 years age group and incorporate the results of this research into the way SSAs are calculated. [21942]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The need for revenue expenditure on social services for people aged 18 to 64 is covered by the "Other Social Services" SSA. Changes to this formula have been proposed for 1998–99, following a review of the "Other Social Services Index". Whether any further work on this particular SSA formula is carried out this year depends upon the priorities of local and central government when the work programme of the SSA Sub-Group of the Settlement Working Group is agreed later in the spring.

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will commission research into factors which determine a child's special educational needs and incorporate the results of such research into the construction of SSAs. [21943]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Department of Education and Employment is currently conducting a review of the indicator of additional educational needs used in Standard Spending Assessments. The review is intended to report in time for consideration before decisions are made about 1999–2000 SSAs.

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list in rank order the SSA provision for 1997–98 and 1998–99 per head of population for each county council in England and Wales and give the average county figure for each year. [21944]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The figures for shire counties are shown in the following tables. The provisional 1998–99 and settlement 1997–98 Standard Spending Assessment figures are not comparable owing to changes in local government responsibility and in local government reorganisation affecting Berkshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Devon, Essex, Hereford and Worcester, Kent, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire and Shropshire in 1998. There are no equivalent Welsh county councils for funding purposes following local government reorganisation in 1996.

  1997–98 Standard Assessment per head of resident population for Shire counties

  Local authority

  Standard Spending Assessment (£/head)

  Class/rank

  Northumberland

  664

  1/35

  Kent

  656

  2/35

  Hertfordshire

  641

  3/35

  Lancashire

  633

  4/35

  Bedfordshire

  631

  5/35

  Cornwall

  628

  6/35

  Durham

  626

  7/35

  Essex

  625

  8/35

  Northamptonshire

  621

  9/35

  Cumbria

  620

  10/35

  10

  Local authority

  Standard Spending Assessment (£/head)

  Class/rank

  Lincolnshire

  616

  11/35

  Nottinghamshire

  614

  12/35

  Shropshire

  611

  13/35

  Devon

  610

  14/35

  East Sussex

  610

  15/35

  Berkshire

  609

  16/35

  Cheshire

  607

  17/35

  Buckinghamshire

  605

  18/35

  North Yorkshire

  603

  19/35

  Suffolk

  592

  20/35

  Norfolk

  592

  21/35

  Cambridgeshire

  588

  22/35

  Gloucestershire

  584

  23/35

  West Sussex

  584

  24/35

  Staffordshire

  582

  25/35

  Somerset

  579

  26/35

  Derbyshire

  574

  27/35

  Hereford and Worcester

  569

  28/35

  Wiltshire

  569

  29/35

  Leicestershire

  566

  30/35

  Dorset

  561

  31/35

  Oxfordshire

  560

  32/35

  Warwickshire

  559

  33/35

  Hampshire

  558

  34/35

  Surrey

  554

  35/35

  English Shire Counties

  602

  1998–99 Provisional Standard Spending Assessment per head of resident population for Shire counties

  Local authority

  Standard Spending Assessment (£/head)

  Class/rank

  Northumberland

  686

  1/34

  Kent

  684

  2/34

  Hertfordshire

  681

  3/34

  Lancashire

  671

  4/34

  Bedfordshire

  668

  5/34

  Cornwall

  659

  6/34

  Northamptonshire

  659

  7/34

  Cumbria

  659

  8/34

  Durham

  658

  9/34

  Essex

  650

  10/34

  Lincolnshire

  645

  11/34

  East Sussex

  643

  12/34

  North Yorkshire

  632

  13/34

  Buckinghamshire

  631

  14/34

  Devon

  624

  15/34

  Cheshire

  623

  16/34

  Staffordshire

  620

  17/34

  Nottinghamshire

  618

  18/34

  Suffolk

  616

  19/34

  Shropshire

  615

  20/34

  Gloucestershire

  613

  21/34

  Norfolk

  613

  22/34

  Somerset

  610

  23/34

  West Sussex

  608

  24/34

  Derbyshire

  605

  25/34

  Warwickshire

  597

  26/34

  Leicestershire

  591

  27/34

  Worcestershire

  590

  28/34

  Wiltshire

  590

  29/34

  Dorset

  587

  30/34

  Hampshire

  584

  31/34

  Oxfordshire

  583

  32/34

  Surrey

  580

  33/34

  Cambridgeshire

  573

  34/34

  English Shire Counties

  627

  11
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library the research undertaken to demonstrate that the sparsity adjustment used in the calculation of SSAs adequately reflects the additional cost of providing education in rural areas. [21945]

  Mr. Raynsford
  I have placed in the Library a copy of a report, "Sparsity and Local Authority Costs" by Salford University Business Services. It suggests that the current allowance for sparsity in standard spending assessments is broadly correct.

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will re-examine the way in which SSAs are calculated for county councils with regard to(a) education, (b) personal social services and (c) other county services. [21946]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Department for Education and Employment is currently conducting a review of the indicator of additional education needs as used in the Education SSA. In addition, research into the area cost adjustment is likely to cover issues relating to the Education, Personal Social Services and county level 'All Other Services' SSAs. Whether any further work on these three elements will be done this year depends on the priorities of local central government when the work programme of the SSA Sub-Group is agreed later in the spring.

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will re-examine the case for incorporating a sparsity factor into the calculation of the SSA provisions for(a) the under-fives and (b) other education. [21947]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Our proposals for 1998–99 SSAs include a revised SSA for under-5 education which includes a sparsity factor. If local authorities feel that there is a strong case for sparsity to be taken into account in the other education SSA then they should raise the issue, through the Local Government Association, in the SSA Sub-group.

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will include social class as an indicator of educational attainment rates in the construction of the additional educational needs provision of SSAs. [21948]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Department for Education and Employment is currently conducting a review of the indicator of additional education needs used in Standard Spending Assessments. It will examine a range of possible indicators of additional educational needs including indicators of social class. The review is intended to report in time for consideration before decisions are made about 1999–2000 SSAs.

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will ensure that the additional educational needs component of SSAs reflects the number of children with statements in each local authority. [21949]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Department for Education and Employment is currently conducting a review of the indicator of additional education needs used in Standard Spending Assessments. It will consider a range of possible indicators. It will also consider how the formula could 12
  take account of the number of children with statements. The review is intended to report in time for consideration before decisions are made about 1999–2000 SSAs.

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to introduce a new formula for the children's personal social service SSA; and if it will take into account the effects of population sparsity on the cost of providing social services for children in rural areas. [21950]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Whether any further work on the Children's Social Services SSA formula will be done this year depends upon the priorities of central and local government when the work of the SSA Sub-Group of the Settlement Working Group is agreed later in the spring.

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if his Department will adjust the unit cost factor used in the SSA calculations to take account of the higher cost of providing domiciliary home care for elderly people in sparsely populated areas. [21951]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Whether any work will be done to consider the inclusion of a sparsity indicator within the Elderly Domiciliary SSA formula depends upon the priorities of central and local government when the work programme of the SSA Sub-Group of the Settlement Working Group is agreed later in the spring.

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Standard Spending Assessment Sub Group will report on the use of the Social Index in the calculation of the other personal social services element of SSAs. [21952]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The SSA Sub-Group reviewed the Other Social Services Index in its 1997 round and details were given in the Sub-Group Report for 1998–99. As a result, we have proposed the replacement of the Other Social Services Index and the morbidity indicator by two new indices in the Other Social Services SSA formula for 1998–89.

  Driving Test
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment of the difficulties faced by persons living more than one hour's drive away from a motorway the Driving Standards Agency has made in its consideration of the inclusion of motorway driving in the driving test. [22666]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  No detailed assessment has been made as we have no current plans to introduce motorway driving into the car test. The issue of adequate exposure to fast multi-carriageway driving in the practical test is one of those that will be addressed in the research into the practical car driving test that is currently being undertaken. Results are expected in two to three years' time.

  Health and Safety Laboratory
  Mr. Eric Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Health and Safety Laboratory intends to publish its Annual Report and Accounts for 1996–97. [22568]
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  Angela Eagle
  The Health and Safety Laboratory has today published the 1996–97 Annual Report and Accounts, and copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  A590 Bypass
  Mr. Collins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the current status of his review of the proposed A590 bypass at High and Low Newton; and if he will make a statement. [21959]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  We are currently undertaking a strategic review of the Trunk Roads Programme. The A590 bypass at High and Low Newton is being considered within the context of that review, the results of which we hope to announce later this year.

  Council Tax
  Sir Norman Fowler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library a table showing the band D council tax increase for each notifiable authority in England(a) in cash terms and (b) in percentage terms based on the assumption that all councils spend at the provisional capping limit. [22277]

  Mr. Raynsford
  I have today placed in the Library of the House a table showing the information requested.

  Selby Bypass
  Mr. Grogan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many representations have been made to his Department regarding the Selby bypass in response to the roads review consultation exercise. [22698]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Over 4,600 representations have been received on the proposed Selby bypass. Nearly all were completed pro-forma postcards supporting its construction.

  Housing Developments (Hertfordshire)
  Mr. Lilley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many cards conveying opposition to Hertfordshire County Council's plans to build 10,000 houses in the Green Belt he has received. [22589]

  Mr. Caborn
  We have so far received approximately six and a half thousand identical postcards requesting that the Secretary of State call in the proposals in Hertfordshire County Council's Structure Plan Review for major development in the Green Belt west of Stevenage.

  Rail Crash (Wrexham)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 22 December 1997,Official Report, column 435, when he expects the Health and Safety Executive to complete their investigation of the rail crash at Wrexham General Station. [22746]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  I am advised by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) that follow-up work relating to the accident at Wrexham General Station on 24 April 14
  1997 will soon be complete. I understand that HSE has concluded that the derailment of a single wagon was caused by defects in the track, though further investigations are continuing into the underlying causes.

  Local Authority Planning Services
  Sir Brian Mawhinney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what are the average national performance indicator values for local authority planning services; and how these relate to the indicators for Peterborough District Council in each of the last three years. [22211]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Department publishes a six-monthly Planning Performance Checklist showing the performance of English local planning authorities against the Government's target that they should decide 80 per cent. of applications within eight weeks of receipt. The performance of Peterborough District Council against the national average over the past three financial years is given in the table.

  Percentage decided in eight weeks

  National average performance

  Peterborough District Council

  Year to 31 March 1995

  65

  57.3

  Year to 30 September 1995

  65

  55.8

  Year to 31 March 1996

  65

  58.7

  Year to 30 September 1996

  65

  63.4

  Year to 31 March 1997

  64

  66.4

  Lake Windermere (Speed Limit)
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement regarding his Department's plans for a speed limit on Windermere. [22524]

  Angela Eagle
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is considering whether or not to confirm byelaws made by the Lake District Special Planning Board (now the Lake District National Park Authority) which would impose a speed limit of 10mph on power-driven vessels on Windermere. In November the High Court quashed the decision by the last Secretary of State not to confirm the byelaws. In reaching a decision, we shall take account of all the representations so far made in relation to the proposed byelaws and any fresh representations made to us by 6 February.

  Structure Plan (Gloucestershire)
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he has received a copy of Gloucestershire County Council's revised structure plan; if he will be accepting the reduced number of new houses proposed for the period covered; and if he will make a statement. [22525]

  Mr. Caborn
  The Secretary of State has received a copy of the Deposit version of the Gloucestershire Structure Plan which, I understand, was placed on deposit today. Any representations or objections he wishes to make will be sent to the County Council before the end of the statutory six weeks consultation period.
  15
  It would not be appropriate for me to comment further on the content of the plan because of the Secretary of State's formal role on planning matters.

  Celtic Seas Area
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he intends to publish a quality status report for the Celtic Seas area including the Irish Sea. [22534]

  Angela Eagle
  The United Kingdom is working with the other Contracting Parties to the OSPAR Convention to prepare an overall quality status report on the North East Atlantic. As part of this, a regional report on the Celtic Seas, including the Irish Sea, will be prepared alongside other regional reports on the Arctic, the North Sea, the Bay of Biscay/Gulf of Gascony and the deep Atlantic. Publication is planned for 2000.

  Road Schemes
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the road schemes, by local authority, for which the Government has suspended funding during 1998–99, indicating for each if this was on the grounds of(a) changes in policy and (b) increases in financial costs. [22450]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The following table shows the local authority road schemes which were funded in 1997–98 but for which no financial support has been provided for 1998–99. Schemes for which no bids were received have not been included. In each case, the decision not to continue funding was in accordance with established procedures which take account of progress made on the scheme and the extent of previous financial support. In no case was increased cost the sole factor. None were suspended because of changes in policy.

  Local authority

  Road

  Scheme name

  Newham

  A117

  East Ham Town Centre Relief Road

  Newham

  A11

  Stratford Gyratory Modifications

  Manchester

  A6010

  Intermediate Ring Road Stage 2

  Doncaster

  A630

  Wheatley Hall Road

  Birmingham

  A5127

  Lichfield Road Improvement Phase 1

  Birmingham

  A47

  Heartlands Spine Road Phase 3

  Birmingham

  A34/A435

  South Birmingham Study Implementation

  Wakefield

  A628

  Hemsworth Bypass

  Buckinghamshire

  A413

  Wendover Bypass

  Derbyshire

  A6

  London Road

  Lincolnshire

  A57

  B1003 Lincoln Ropewalk to Carholme Road

  Northamptonshire

  A605

  Warmington Bypass and Tansor Improvements

  Nottinghamshire

  A6096

  Awsworth and Cossall Bypass

  Nottinghamshire

  A6117

  Mansfield Eastern Outer Ring Road (Phase 2)

  Staffordshire

  A527

  Tunstall Western Bypas Phases I and II

  Worcestershire

  A422

  Worcester Western Bypass and Link Roads

  North Somerset

  A370

  Weston-Super-Mare P.D.R. Stages IVB VC and VI

  Stockport

  A34

  A34 Byupass-Etchells Road to School Hill

  Leeds

  East Leeds Radial

  East Sussex

  A22

  Nightingale Farm to A27

  Hampshire

  A331

  Blackwater Valley Route North

  Hampshire

  A326

  Totton Western Bypass Stage 3

  Norfolk

  A143

  Brockdish Bypass

  Somerset

  A39

  Glastonbury Western Relief Road

  Surrey

  A31

  Runfold Diversion and Blackwater Valley Route

  16

  Local authority

  Road

  Scheme name

  Berkshire

  A33

  A33 Relief Road Kiln Lane to IDR

  Cheshire

  A34

  Handorth and Wilmslow Bypass

  Essex

  A133

  Little Clacton Bypass and Gorse Lane Link Stage 2

  Nottinghamshire

  A6009

  Mansfield Inner Ring Road Stage 3

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the Government's policy in respect of reviewing local authority road schemes previously funded through the TPP system against the criteria of(a) integration, (b) accessibility, (c) safety, (d) economy and (e) environmental impact. [22452]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  All current local authority road schemes were accepted for funding with a commitment to continue financial support provided that reasonable progress was made towards their completion. It would therefore be unreasonable to assess existing schemes against different criteria from those used when the schemes were first accepted for funding.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what was the total number of new packages submitted by local authorities in their TPP bids for 1998–99; [22453]

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 6 November 1997, Official Report, column 277, how many new rural packages were awarded funding in the local transport settlement for 1998–99. [22454]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Bids for 69 new packages were received. Among 10 new packages to receive full approval in the settlement, one was for a predominantly rural area. It was Cumbria County Council's Lake District package.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the number of major new road schemes for which each local authority bid for funding under the TPP system for 1998–99. [22451]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The schemes are as listed:

  Authority

  Scheme

  Bucks

  A4146

  Linslade Western Bypass

  Bucks

  A4146

  Stoke Hammond Bypass

  Cambs

  A605

  King's Dyke Railway Bridge

  Cambs

  A142

  Fordham Bypass

  Essex

  A131

  Great Leigh Bypass

  Lines

  A46

  Faldingworth Bypass

  Luton

  A6

  Inner Ring Road Phase 1, Villa Link

  Norfolk

  A143

  Broome/Ellingham Bypass

  Notts

  A6002

  Nottingham W. Outer Loop Road Ph 2

  Bexley

  Bexleyheath Town Centre Traffic Management

  Sutton

  A24

  A217 Link Road

  Sutton

  B272

  Beddington Lane/Beddington Farm Link Road

  Liverpool

  A565

  Great Howard Street/Derby Road Improvement

  St. Helens

  A58

  Blackbrook Diversion

  Durham

  A688

  Wheatley Hill to Bowburn Bypass

  Northumberland

  A197

  A1 to S.E. Northumberland Link Road

  Stockton

  South Stockton Link Road

  East Sussex

  Bexhill and Hastings Link Roads

  Oxon

  A40

  Bus Lane; Witney Bypass to Wolvercote Roundabout

  Surrey

  A24

  Clarks Green to County Boundary Bypass

  17

  Authority

  Scheme

  West Sussex

  A24

  Horsham—Capel Improvements

  Cornwall

  A391

  St. Austell N.E. Distributer Road

  Cornwall

  A39

  Playing Place—Carnon Gate Bypass

  Dorset

  A354

  Weymouth: Mt. Pleasant to Ridgeway Bypass

  Devon

  A383

  Newton Abbott: Jetty Marsh Relief Road

  Devon

  Braunton—Velator Link Road

  Gloucs

  Cotswold Eastern Spine Road—A417/A419 Link Road

  Gloucs

  A4136

  Strategic whole Route improvement

  Torbay

  A380

  Torbay Ring Road Stage 4

  Staffs

  A51

  Rugeley Bypass

  Staffs

  A5190

  Burntwood Bypasses

  Staffs

  A527

  Biddulph Bypass

  Warwicks

  A429

  Barford Bypass

  Worcs

  A441

  Bordesley Bypass

  Road Schemes by Local Authorities

  Local authority

  Road

  Scheme name

  1998–99 allocation (£000)

  Total gross cost (£000)

  Medway Towns

  A289

  Wainscott Northern Bypass

  13,226

  67,416

  Medway Towns

  A289

  Gillingham Northern Link

  19,000

  44,685

  Buckinghamshire

  A421

  Tingewick Bypass

  2,809

  12,802

  East Sussex

  A22

  New route Dittons to Eastbourne

  3,500

  27,866

  Hampshire

  A331

  Blackwater Valley route (centre)

  2,295

  39,338

  Hampshire

  A325

  Woolmer Link Road

  368

  2,803

  Block allocation for following schemes

  29,000

  Kent

  A299

  Thanet way dualling (sections 1–7a)

  —

  184,605

  Kent

  A206

  South Thames-side Devt Route Stage 1

  —

  20,850

  Kent

  A228

  Hale Street Bypass

  —

  10,400

  Kent

  A256

  Whitfield to Eastry/Whitfield Bypass

  —

  37,770

  Kent

  A28/A20

  Barracks Link Ashford

  —

  3,950

  Kent

  A226

  South Thames-side development route

  —

  18,354

  Kent

  A289

  Wainscott Northern Bypass

  —

  67,416

  Kent

  A289

  Gillingham Northern Link

  —

  44,685

  Oxfordshire

  B4031

  Tingewick Bypass

  1,510

  12,802

  Surrey

  Black Valley route

  800

  78,586

  West Sussex

  A2300

  Burgess Hill Link Road

  594

  6,032

  Cornwall

  A39

  Trispen Bypass and A30 Link

  472

  6,050

  Dorset

  A37

  A37 Improvements-section B and C

  350

  8,869

  Gloucestershire

  A430

  Gloucester South West Bypass

  1,000

  22,290

  Somerset

  A39

  Wells Relief Road

  500

  14,163

  Somerset

  A37

  Yeovil to Dorset Boundary Phase 1

  1,423

  5,813

  South Gloucestershire

  A4174

  Avon Ring Road II

  5,000

  29,530

  Birmingham

  A47

  Heartlands Spine Road Phase 2

  2,000

  58,220

  Coventry

  A444

  North-South Road Phase 1

  500

  22,586

  Coventry

  A444

  North-South Road Phase 2

  500

  22,270

  Dudley

  A461

  Dudley Southern Bypass

  13,000

  55,000

  Hartlepool

  A179

  A179 Improvement

  500

  5,180

  Leicester City

  A563

  Leicester A46/47 Link Road

  2,500

  9,058

  Sandwell

  A4034

  Churchbridge Improvement Sandwell

  337

  3,840

  Solihull

  A45

  West Midlands Renaissance Area

  650

  18,528

  Wolverhampton

  A4124

  Wednesfield Bypass

  5,000

  25,325

  Staffordshire

  A50

  Uttoxeter Town Centre Bypass

  600

  17,224

  Worcestershire

  A44

  Broadway Bypass

  1,800

  8,405

  Manchester

  Inner Relief Road

  7,200

  15,000

  Oldham

  A62/A627

  Oldham Way Improvements

  1,674

  5,850

  Salford

  A5063

  Trafford Road (The Quays-White City)

  100

  20,782

  Trafford

  A56

  City Link/White City Interchange

  1,500

  36,721

  Trafford

  A5063

  Trafford Road Improvement

  908

  23,952

  Cheshire

  A533

  Davenham Bypass

  350

  18,150

  Cheshire

  A534

  Wheelock Bypass

  5,250

  11,548

  Lancashire

  A6/A582

  South Ribble M65 Interface

  968

  12,727

  Knowsley

  A5300

  M57-A562 Link Road

  300

  47,334

  Sefton

  A59

  Aintree Park Lane Improvement

  2,542

  3,300

  Redcar and Cleveland

  A174

  Skelton and Brotton Bypass

  2,677

  12,260

  Stockton-on-Tees

  A1046

  Portrack Lane Dualling

  350

  7,791

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  A6082

  West Central Route

  5,500

  20,996

  Northumberland

  A189

  North Seaton Duplication Stage 1

  1,000

  10,645

  Kingson upon Hull

  A1033

  Ennerdale Link Road

  300

  30,487

  North East Lincolnshire

  A16

  Grimsby Peakes Parkway

  7,740

  25,048

  North Yorkshire

  A61

  Ripon Bypass/Distributor Roads

  300

  19,667

  18

  Authority

  Scheme

  Worcs

  A4538

  Wyre Piddle Northern Bypass

  Doncaster

  A19

  North Bridge Relief road

  Kirklees

  A62

  Central Huddersfield Improvements

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the road schemes by local authority which make up the existing commitments in the local transport settlement 1998–99, indicating for each(a) the money awarded in the 1998–99 local transport settlement and (b) the total costs. [22449]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The information is given in the table.
  19

  Road Scheme by Local Authorities

  Local authority

  Road

  Scheme name

  1998–99 allocation (£000)

  Total gross cost (£000)

  Barnsley

  A6195

  Dearne Towns Link Road

  7,661

  39,510

  Sheffield

  A6102

  Outer Ring Road (Darnall) Stages II-IV

  500

  20,669

  Sheffield

  Inner Ring Road Stage I

  3,660

  12,908

  Leeds

  Leeds Inner Ring Road Stages 6 and 7

  6,200

  78,821

  Leeds

  Leeds City Centre Loop Phase 3

  1,000

  8,079

  Lincolnshire

  A15/A16

  Market Deeping Bypass

  621

  10,561

  Nottinghamshire

  A608

  M1 to A611 Improvement Annesley

  300

  5,099

  Nottinghamshire

  A617

  Rainworth Bypass

  249

  8,509

  Peterborough

  A15

  Werrington to Glinton Phase 2

  773

  1,300

  Bedfordshire

  A507

  Arlesey-Stotfold Bypass

  300

  14,030

  Hertfordshire

  A121

  Cheshunt Link Road

  565

  16,297

  Bexley

  A207

  Bexleyheath SRR and Pedestrianisation

  378

  6,443

  Bexley

  A2016

  Erith-Thamesmead Spine Road (Phase IV)

  1,325

  33,339

  Enfield

  A110

  Nags Head Road/High Street

  258

  4,857

  Greenwich

  A206

  Woolwich Road Improvement

  5,119

  24,159

  Harrow

  A409

  Wealdstone Bypass

  446

  16,517

  Harrow

  A409

  Sheepcote Road Widening

  861

  2,905

  Hillingdon

  A4020

  Uxbridge Town Centre

  375

  2,281

  Hounslow

  A315

  Hounslow Centre-Urban Relief Road

  340

  10,885

  Kensington and Chelsea

  A404

  Harrow Road Junction

  200

  9,171

  Kingston upon Thames

  A240

  North-South Strategy-A240 Corridor

  768

  4,494

  Westminster

  A404

  Harrow Road/Ladbroke Grove Widening

  684

  4,398

  Genetically Modified Organisms
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the(a) date of appointment, (b) terms of reference and (c) membership of the focus groups established by his Department to discuss genetically modified organisms. [22606]

  Angela Eagle
  Although no formal focus groups have been established by my Department to discuss genetically modified organisms a National Biotechnology Conference was held last year which brought together representatives from industry, environmental and consumer groups, the scientific community and Government. The aim of the conference was to discuss developments in biotechnology, their benefits and broad implications for human health and environmental safety and how these will influence the principles on which biotechnology regulation is based.

  Driving Licence
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reasons the Union flag that appeared on the original published design of the new plastic United Kingdom driving licence does not appear on the final design. [22460]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The original published design of the proposed photocard driving licence which appeared on the consultation document issued in August 1994 did not contain the Union Flag. Inclusion of a national flag arose when proposals were put forward in August 1996 for a joint identity card/driving licence. Those proposals are not being pursued.

  Lady Porter
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the collecting of the full surcharge from Lady Porter following the recent court decision; and if he will make a statement. [22495]
  20
  Mr. Raynsford
  Collection of the surcharge amount confirmed by the Divisional Court is a matter for the auditor and the City of Westminster. I understand that there remains a possibility of appeals against the judgment of the Court.

  Packaging Waste
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what mechanisms exist for appealing against refusal by the Environment Agency to register companies as accredited reprocessors for the purpose of issuing packaging waste recovery notes under the Producer Responsibility (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997. [22282]

  Angela Eagle
  The Agencies reserve the right to refuse accreditation and to remove accreditation from any reprocessor. There is no statutory right of appeal against such decisions, but reprocessors will be given the relevant Agency's reasons in writing and will be notified of the complaints procedure if they wish to pursue any grievances. This complaints procedure does not affect any other legal remedies open to the reprocessor.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Sri Lanka
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent visits have been made by High Commission officials to the northern area of Sri Lanka; and what reports have been received following such visits. [21897]

  Mr. Fatchett
  High Commission officials travel extensively around Sri Lanka, although not all areas are accessible because of fighting between Government forces and the LTTE. Since Jaffna was brought under Government control in December 1995, High Commission officials have made five separate visits to the areas, most recently in November 1997. They report that
  21
  the situation there is gradually improving, but remain concerned about allegations of human rights abuses on the peninsula.

  Christmas Island
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the note by the head of the EU delegation in Suva to the British High Commissioner dated 24 January 1996, concerning a list of points of action by the Kiribati Government on environmental restoration on Christmas Island. [22029]

  Mr. Fatchett
  I have placed in the Library today a copy of the note of 24 January 1996 from the head of the EU delegation in Suva to the British High Commissioner, which is about the environmental project on South Tarawa.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received since May from the Republic of Kiribati concerning the need for environmental restoration on Christmas Island arising from United Kingdom nuclear tests. [22030]

  Mr. Fatchett
  We have received no representations from the Republic of Kiribati concerning the environmental restoration of Christmas Island in the period since May.

  European Union
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 25 November 1997,Official Report, column 479, for what reason Command Paper 3780 omits the text of the 15 protocols of the Treaty on European Union; and if he will publish a command paper to include current articles and protocols contained in the Command Papers 455 of 1988 and 2485 of 1994. [22197]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  There is no need for a consolidated version of Command Papers 455 of 1988 and 2485 of 1994. A consolidated version of the Treaty of Rome and the Treaty on European Union, as amended by all subsequent treaties, including the Treaty of Amsterdam (not yet in force) has already been published as part of Command Paper 3780 (1997). This does not reproduce the texts of protocols annexed to the Treaty of Rome or the protocol annexed to the Treaty on European Union, as they are not substantively amended (although some are repealed) by the Treaty of Amsterdam. The texts of these protocols can be found in Command Papers 455 of 1988 and 2485 of 1994.

  Israel
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what undertakings were given by Israel at the meeting with EU officials on 28 November in respect of doubts concerning the validity of preferential certificates on imports labelled "Made" in Israel; how these undertakings related to the suspension of inquiries concerning some manufactured goods; and how these undertakings differed from past assurances relating to goods now known to have been falsely described. [22196]
  22
  Mr. Doug Henderson
  At the meeting on 28 November 1997 with the European Commission, Israel undertook to provide copies of current internal legislation relevant to ensure the implementation of the origin and mutual assistance protocols annexed to the EC/Israel Interim Agreement and in particular the obligation on Israeli customs to ensure the correct application of the rules of origin. Israel has acknowledged that prior to 1 January 1996, national legislation had prevented the implementation of control mechanisms envisaged in the agreement, and has agreed to verify the originating status of all orange juice exported to the EC since 6 June 1995.

  The Commission had previously expressed concern that Israeli national legislation was so structured that the proper checking of certificates of origin was not taking place in respect of goods exported to the European Community under the Preferential Trade Agreement. This led the Commission to publish a warning to importers in the Official Journal on 8 November 1997, and to preparations being made by HM Customs and Excise for inquiries into a range of Israeli manufactured products. In the light of the undertakings now given by Israel, Customs felt it appropriate to suspend those inquiries.

  Luxembourg Summit
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the figures for GDP per capita used by the Council of Ministers in its Luxembourg summit in respect of(a) Cyprus, (b) Hungary, (c) Poland, (d) Estonia, (e) the Czech Republic, (f) Slovenia, (g) Romania, (h) Slovakia, (i) Latvia, (j) Lithuania, (k) Bulgaria, (l) Turkey, (m) the Greek sector of Cyprus and (n) the Turkish sector of Cyprus. [22178]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  GDP per capita is not one of the criteria for EU membership. No GDP figures were submitted to the European Council in Luxembourg.

  However, the Commission's Opinions of July 1997 on the Central European candidates contained details of GDP per capita based on 1995 figures. These were as follows (in ecu):

  Number

  Hungary

  3,340

  Poland

  2,360

  Romania

  1,200

  Slovak Republic

  2,470

  Latvia

  1,370

  Estonia

  1,850

  Lithuania

  930

  Bulgaria

  1,180

  Czech Republic

  3,490

  Slovenia

  7,240

  The Commission's Opinion on Cyprus dates from 1993. But in the Agenda 2000 Communication of July 1997 the Commission quotes a more recent figure of 3,600 ecu for the north of the island, which is estimated to be a third of the figure for the south (i.e. 10,800 ecu).

  The Commission's Opinion on Turkey dates from 1989, but a recent OECD report estimated 1995 GDP per capita as 2,075 ecu.

  Heathrow (VIP Facilities)
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list by month since May(a) the number of times VIP facilities at Heathrow Airport have been hired by Her Majesty's Government and (b) the total expenditure on VIP facilities at Heathrow Airport. [22200]

  Mr. Fatchett
  The information is as follows:

  Number of times VIP facilities hired

  £

  May

  883

  169,116.58

  June

  1,189

  227,723.23

  July

  1,332

  255,111.31

  August

  1,297

  248,407.93

  September

  1,391

  266,411.28

  October

  1,315

  251,855.38

  November

  993

  190,184.33

  The figures include use of VIP facilities by the British Council and the Bank of England as well as HMG. They also include VAT. The figures include use by foreign and Commonwealth VIP visitors as well as HMG Ministers.

  European Council
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the treaty articles governing the operation of the European Council. [22198]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  Article D of the Treaty on European Union sets out the purpose, composition and frequency of European Councils. Although the European Council works within the framework of the Treaties, there are no procedural rules for its operation.

  Land Mines
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will bring forward legislation to incorporate the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their destruction into domestic law. [22492]

  Mr. Fatchett
  We intend to introduce legislation as soon as the Parliamentary timetable allows.

  General Pinochet
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings members of his Department have held with General Pinochet over the last three years. [17825]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  [pursuant to his reply, 27 November 1997, c. 615]Additional information has reached me, since my answer of 27 November. The correct answer is as follows.

  There have been two meetings involving members of my Department, in March 1995 and March 1996. These involved the then Ambassador to Santiago accompanying visiting MOD staff on the two occasions during this period when courtesy calls were made on General Pinochet as Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army. Discussions were of a general nature and did not cover
  24
  defence sales. Apart from these calls British Embassy staff in Santiago have attended several official state and military functions at which General Pinochet, again in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Army, was also present. No discussions took place between these staff and General Pinochet at these events.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Official Publications
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if a complete bibliographic record of official publications can be accessed via the Internet. [22626]

  Dr. David Clark
  The Stationery Office Ltd. and Chadwyck-Healey Ltd. now provide an Internet version of the United Kingdom Official Publications (UKOP) database. UKOP Online currently provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date bibliographic record of official publications. It combines the complete catalogue of Official Publications published by The Stationery Office (and previously HMSO) and Chadwyck-Healey's Catalogue of Official Publications not published by The Stationery Office which is produced from information provided by Government Departments and Agencies. The Universal Resource Locator is http://www.ukop.co.uk.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many of those appointed to health or other public bodies since 1 May were Labour party agents in 1997 parliamentary elections, listing the constituencies. [22572]

  Dr. David Clark
  Information on whether those appointed to public bodies acted as party agents is not held centrally. The Commissioner for Public Appointments does require that all candidates appointed make a declaration about any public political activity they have undertaken in the last five years, and, for monitoring purposes, identify the political party concerned. The Commissioner's third report, due to be published in July 1998, will contain the declared political activity information at aggregate level.

  Cycle Spaces
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many secure cycle spaces there are in his Department. [22684]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  The Cabinet Office (Office of Public Service) and its Agencies have a total of 198 cycling spaces in their buildings, of which 172 are secure.

CABINET OFFICE

  Millennium Experience (Cycling)
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio (1) what arrangements will be made at the Millennium experience for access by cycle and to protect storage of cycles; and what arrangements he has made for the design of the cycle shed; [22192]
  25
  (2) what proposals he has for cycle ways to enable the public to cycle to the Millennium Experience from central London (a) via the North Bank and (b) via the South Bank of the Thames. [22193]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The New Millennium Experience Company will be promoting cycling as a means of travel to the Experience as part of its access strategy. Cycle facilities, including secure storage, will be provided at the Millennium Experience site. Appropriate expert advice will be sought when designing these facilities.

  The New Millennium Experience Company is contributing up to £500,000 to the costs of improving cycle and pedestrian routes in the vicinity of the Experience site. In particular there will be riverside cycle way linking to the site to "historic Greenwich", which will form part of the proposed Thames Cycle Route from Central London.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Baker
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio what recent assessment he has made of his answering practices in respect of his duties other than in connection with the Millennium Dome, and the guidance to Ministers provided in the Ministerial Code of Conduct. [22657]

  Mr. Mandelson
  I strive at all times to answer questions from hon. Members in accordance with the obligations set out in the Ministerial Code.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Lottery Grants
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is the value to date of National Lottery funding of new and refurbished buildings in(a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland, broken down into (i) grants and (ii) matching funding. [21709]

  Mr. Banks
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: The National Lottery distributors estimate that some 5,805 awards worth approximately £2.78 billion have been made to help support new buildings and refurbish existing ones across the United Kingdom. A further £2.75 billion has been promised in partnership funding. A breakdown by country follows:

  Country

  Number of awards

  Total value of awards £

  Total partnership funding £

  England

  4,556

  2,228,674,486

  2,148,929,092

  Wales

  441

  150,334,974

  264,029,884

  Scotland

  597

  238,163,783

  237,297,772

  Northern Ireland

  211

  102,002,060

  103,397,786

  Total

  5,805

  2,779,175,303

  2,753,654,534

  Information on National Lottery awards is now available on the Department's website www.lottery.culture.gov.uk. The information is updated on a regular basis.

  Television Broadcasting and Technology
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proposals he has received from the Commission of the European Communities concerning harmonisation of legislation concerning television 26
  broadcasting and technology; what consultation took place prior to its publication; and what arrangements he has made for consultation on it in the United Kingdom. [21691]

  Mr. Fisher
  The European Commission published a Green paper on the regulatory implications of convergence between the telecommunications, media and information technology sectors on 3 December 1997. The Green Paper is subject to the usual consultation procedures within the Commission. The Government are consulting widely in preparing their response to the Green Paper and have specifically invited comments from interested parties involved in each of the sectors concerned.

  Lottery Funding (Wales)
  Mr. Rhodri Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proposals he has to set up a distributing body in Wales for the New Opportunities Fund; and what proposals he has to ensure that childcare proposals from Wales are adjudged for funding by criteria appropriate to Welsh circumstances. [22409]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The National Lottery Bill currently before Parliament provides for the establishment of the New Opportunities Fund to distribute Lottery funds under the new good cause for health, education and the environment. Subject to Parliament's approval of the Bill, the Fund will be a UK-wide body, but the Bill provides that four of its members should make the interests of the four home countries respectively their special care. The Fund will be able to establish whatever committees it believes appropriate for the effective exercise of its functions, depending on the nature of the initiatives it is to pursue. These could include committees that would exercise the functions of the Fund in each of the home countries.

  The Fund's operations will be guided by directions issued by me after consultation with colleagues, including my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, which will take into account the special circumstances and needs of all parts of the United Kingdom. Such arrangements will ensure that all funding proposals, including those for childcare, are judged against criteria appropriate to the circumstances of the country concerned.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Plutonium
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what evidence has been obtained by her or her Department of quantities of plutonium being unaccounted for at(a) Sellafield and (b) Dounreay. [22070]

  Mr. Battle
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: Figures for nuclear "material unaccounted for" (MUF), covering plutonium and uranium in civil nuclear plants, including Sellafield and Dounreay, have been published annually by the industry since 1977. The latest figures, for the year 1996–97, were published on 19 December 1997 (a copy of which will be placed in the Library of the House). The figures are subject to careful review by specialists in my Department, who remain satisfied that they are consistent with what would normally be expected

  27
  for these types of facility and that there is no evidence to suggest that there has been any actual loss of material. Civil nuclear material in the UK is also subject to the independent oversight of international nuclear safeguards inspectorates and to rigorous physical protection measures by the nuclear operators.

  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her answer of 2 December,Official Report, columns 163–64. if she will list (a) the United Kingdom participants in the informal group on the management of civil plutonium, and their qualifications for participation and (b) the number and dates of meetings of the informal group; when the Government received a copy of the new guidelines to which reference is made; and when she intends to publish the details of the new national strategy for nuclear power and the nuclear fuel cycle. [22298]

  Mr. Battle
  The United Kingdom officials who participated in the informal group were: Department of Trade and Industry—Mr. Peter Agrell, formerly Director, Non-Proliferation, who chaired all but one meeting of the group; Mr. John Neve, Director, Non-Proliferation, who chaired the last meeting of the group on 29 September 1997; Mr. Carl Warren, Assistant Director, Nuclear Industries Directorate; and Foreign and Commonwealth Office—Mrs. Joanne Caley, Non-Proliferation Department. These officials are together responsible for the provision of policy advice to Ministers relating to the management of civil plutonium and associated non-proliferation issues.

  The group met eleven times over a period of four years. The final text of the new guidelines was eventually agreed by correspondence in November 1997. I am arranging for a copy of the UK's national strategy for nuclear power and the nuclear fuel cycle to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Single Market
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her answer of 25 November 1997,Official Report, column 510, what representations have been made by trade and business associations (a) within the United Kingdom and (b) within the EU requesting further community legislation on (i) road and rail passenger transport, (ii) measuring instruments, (iii) gas liberalisation and (iv) electronic commerce; and what representations have been published by (1) Her Majesty's Government and (2) the EU Commission. [22174]

  Mrs. Beckett
  While businesses involved in road and rail transport make representations from time to time about ongoing Community legislative proposals they have not in the main made representations requesting further legislation. In addition the CBI has recently announced that priority should be given to promoting liberalisation of EU railways.

  The UK Weighting Federation (UKWF) and the Petrol Pump Manufacturers Association (PPMA) have made representations to the Department about the need for
  28
  market-opening Community legislation in the field of measuring instruments. I understand that both the European Trade Associations representing the UKWF and PPMA have met the relevant Commissioner on a number of occasions to press for further Community legislation. The Government have not published any of these representations. The Government are not aware that any such representations have been published by the Commission.

  Various representations were received from UK trade and business in connection with the proposed directive to liberalise the European gas market. The House of Lords Select Committee on the European Communities, as part of the normal process of scrutiny of EU legislation, held an inquiry and received oral and written evidence from business. Its report, published on 18 November (7th Report, Session 1997–98, HL Paper 35) recommended a debate in the House of Lords which took place on 2 December 1997 (at columns 1313–36).

  The Government have received several representations from business organisations about legislation on electronic commerce, notably on the need to avoid barriers to intra-Community trade in electronic commerce. The Government are not aware that any such representations have been published by the Commission.

  Nuclear Fuel
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her answer of 9 December 1997,Official Report, column 528, if she will set out the material balance areas and particular safeguard provisions covering MOX nuclear fuel which are covered by the Euratom safeguards. [22346]

  Mrs. Roche
  At present, mixed oxide fuel (MOX) is manufactured in the United Kingdom at the MOX Demonstration Facility (MDF) at Sellafield. Particular safeguards provisions in which detailed nuclear material reporting requirements for MDF are specified have been agreed with the Euratom Safeguards Directorate. Work to finalise and implement the agreed safeguards approach for the larger Sellafield Mox Plant (SMP) is also well advanced and this work will include preparation by the Euratom Safeguards Directorate of particular safeguards provisions for SMP. An overview of nuclear materials accountancy and safeguards arrangements for SMP was presented at the Annual Meeting of the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management in July 1996 (a copy of the paper will be placed in the Library of the House). Details of specific material balance areas and the associated particular safeguards provisions are however classified and controlled for security and commercial reasons.

  Departmental Payment Performance
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she will publish the table of Government Departments' payment performance. [22243]
  29
  Mrs. Roche
  Government departments and their agencies are required to monitor their payment performance and publish the results in their annual or departmental reports.

  My hon. Friend, The Paymaster General, published the league table of Departments' payment performance for the period 1 June 1996 to 31 March 1997 on 27 November (cm 662).

  Additionally, my Department will produce the league table for Departments and their agencies for the period 1 April 1997 to 31 March 1998. This will be available before the summer recess.

  Satellite Navigation
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the role she envisages for UK industry in investigating the future of satellite navigation within Europe. [22241]

  Mr. Battle
  The UK is an important player in the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) being developed by the European Space Agency, Leading UK space industry companies are currently negotiating for work in key technology areas such as the Central Processing Facility (CPF) and the Central Control Facility (CCF). The contract for implementation of the programme is due to start in summer 1998 with completion scheduled for 2001.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions(a) she and (b) the European Commission has had with the (i) Japanese, (ii) US and (iii) Russian authorities on the scope for co-operation in planning future satellite navigation systems. [22242]

  Mr. Battle
  Such discussions are carried out by the European Tripartite Group, a body consisting of members of the European Commission, the European Space Agency and EUROCONTROL. The European Tripartite Group had discussions with authorities in Russia in May 1997, the US in September 1997 and Japan in September 1997, November 1997 and December 1997. I and my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade have not considered additional discussions to be either appropriate or necessary at this stage.

  Investment
  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of the conduct of the pre-signatory environmental review of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment in terms of transparency and range of investment and subject matter. [22205]

  Total in UK

  Widows/dependants in UK1

  Total in North-East region

  Widows/dependants1 in North-East region

  All beneficiaries2

  69,151

  34,452

  11,122

  5,267

  Former mineworkers only

  54,271

  28,926

  8,850

  4,450

  1 There are only a very small number of dependants—normally an adult child who has kept home for a beneficiary.

  2 "Beneficiary"—ex-employees of British Coal (mineworkers, staff, clerical, etc.) and widows/dependants who qualify for concessionary fuel.

  30
  Mrs. Roche
  The OECD's review of foreign direct investment and the enviornment is in the form of an overview by the OECD Secretariat of recent literature on this topic. It provides a thorough analysis which will help all parties interested in the MAI better understand how international investment interacts with the enviornment. It is available on the Internet.

  A further note by the OECD Secretariat on the relationship between the MAI and selected multilateral environmental agreements has just been completed and will be discussed by the MAI negotiators next week.

  Both reports will contribute to further discussions between negotiating parties on the implications of the MAI for the environment.

  Mink
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many mink skins have been(a) imported to and (b) exported from the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years. [22523]

  Mrs. Roche
  Data on UK trade in mink furskins are given in the table.

  UK trade in mink furskins1 1987–96

  Thousands

  UK imports

  UK exports

  1987

  1,385

  2,444

  1988

  1,020

  2,159

  1989

  779

  1,947

  1990

  506

  1,603

  1991

  280

  1,081

  1992

  365

  1,228

  1993

  361

  1,186

  1994

  423

  1,047

  1995

  753

  1,539

  1996

  1,100

  1,542

  1 Codes 430211 and 43023021 of the Harmonised Commodity Coding System.

  Source:

  HM Customs and Excise data.

  Concessionary Fuel
  Mr. Denis Murphy
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many(a) former mineworkers and (b) mineworkers' widows are in receipt of cash-in-lieu of fuel payments in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) the North-East region. [22634]

  Mr. Battle
  The table gives details of beneficiaries who were in receipt of cash-in-lieu of concessionary fuel at 1 December 1997.
  31
  Mr. Denis Murphy
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many(a) former mineworkers and (b) minworkers' widows are in receipt of concessionary fuel (i) in the United Kingdom and (ii) the North-East region. [22630]

  Total in UK

  Widows/dependants in UK

  Total in North-East region

  Widows/dependents1 in North East region

  All beneficiaries2

  100,022

  30,037

  14,085

  4,344

  Former mineworkers only

  85,937

  26,934

  12,220

  3,855

  1 There are only a very small number of dependants—normally an adult child who has kept home for a beneficiary.

  2 "Beneficiary"—ex-employees of British Coal (mineworkers, staff, clerical, etc.) and widows/dependants who qualify for concessionary fuel.

  Employment Contracts
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement regarding the right of employees to a contract of employment. [22465]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  All employees have a contract of employment, which is brought into existence by an employee's acceptance of the terms and conditions of employment offered by an employer. The terms of the contract may be written, oral, implied, or a mixture of all three. In addition, most employees who are employed for one month or more have a statutory right to receive a written statement setting out the main particulars of their employment. Although the written statement is not itself a contract of employment, it can provide evidence of the terms and conditions of employment in the event of dispute.

  Admiralty House
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the hourly pay rates of the cleaners employed at Admiralty house. [22652]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The hourly rate is £6.25.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade for what reasons a washing machine and hoover were provided at her Admiralty apartment. [22649]

  Mrs. Beckett
  To replace those already provided which were deceased.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if her flat in Admiralty buildings is classified as secure accommodation for a Minister. [22644]

  Mrs. Beckett
  Yes.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the floor area of the President's apartment in the Admiralty. [22647]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The floor space of the one bedroom apartment is unchanged since it was occupied by Conservative or Labour Ministers, including a former holder of my post, at, I understand 318.2 sq m.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many people were invited on each occasion when she has used her apartment for official business. [22648]
  32
  Mr. Battle
  The table gives details of beneficiaries who were in receipt of concessionary fuel at 1 December 1997.

  :Mrs. Beckett
  I have, to date, hosted three official receptions at my Admiralty House apartment. The number of invitations issued on each occasion were 126, 189 and 207.

  Ministerial Expenses
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her answer of 22 December 1997,Official Report, column 520, if she will provide a breakdown of the sum spent on the President's apartment.
  [22653]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The figures are as follows:

  Description of works/purchase

  Cost including VAT £

  Internal decorations and installation of kitchen units

  52,875

  Purchase of new kitchen units, table and chairs

  9,208

  Domestic items

  1,818

  Porterage

  413

  Total including VAT

  64,314

  Since 22 December the Department has received a bill for related project management fees of £12,314.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if her apartment in Admiralty buildings is a taxable benefit. [22645]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The tax treatment of my Admiralty flat is in accordance with the provisions of the Taxes Act 1988 as it applies to accommodation provided to a person by reason of their employment or the office they hold.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her Answer of 19 December 1997,Official Report, column 343, if she will provide a breakdown of the £90,000 travel budget. [22638]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The travel budget is not broken down further. However, a summary of main items of expenditure as at 18 November 1997 was provided in my answer to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) on 18 November 1997,Official Report, columns 104–05.

  Genetic Engineering
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the(a) date of appointment, (b) terms of

  33
  reference and (c) membership of the focus groups established by her Department to discuss genetic engineering. [22603]

  Mr. Battle
  No specific focus groups have been established by my Department to discuss genetic engineering. However, I have already announced, on 24 November, the intention to hold a public consultation exercise about advances in biosciences and their implications.

  The goal is to engage members of the public in debate. An important pre-cursor to this is to involve interested parties already active in the debate. I shall be hosting a meeting early this year to discuss with groups active in both biosciences and science communication how we can best develop the public activity.

  Minister of State
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the businesses visited since 1 May by the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Makerfield (Mr. McCartney), and the dates. [21138]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  [holding answer 16 December 1997]: Since 1 May 1997 I have visited the following companies.
  34

  Company name

  28 August

  Midas, Swinton and Trafford Park Shimadzu/Kratos, Trafford Park PPG Industries, Wigan

  1 September

  Yuasa Automotive Batteries, Birmingham

  13 October

  Shell, London

  22 October

  Barclays Bank plc, Lombard Street, London

  24 October

  Photronics, Trafford Park, Manchester

  30 October

  Motorola, Easter Inch (near Edinburgh)

  7 November

  Broker Direct, Bolton

  11 November

  Centre for Productivity and Efficiency, Burton upon Trent

  21 November

  Nissho Iwai Europe plc, London

  In addition, I have met with numerous companies and employer organisations both in my office and at other venues.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she plans to complete her discussion on the co-ordination of inward investment bids. [22650]

  Mrs. Beckett
  New arrangements on the co-ordination of proposed inward investment projects will be announced when my colleagues and I are satisfied that they represent the best way forward for all parts of the United Kingdom.

WALES

  Welsh Assembly
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what will be the impact on the Welsh Assembly of the proposals in the White Paper on Open Government; and if he will make a statement. [22097]

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  The principles of open government will apply equally to the National Assembly for Wales. The Government of Wales Bill make specific provision for proceedings of the Assembly to be open to the public and for access to and public inspection of documents—clauses 69 and 112. These requirements will be supplemented by the Assembly's standing orders.

  The Advisory Group which my right hon. Friend has appointed will be taking full account of the White paper in the advice it provides on how the standing orders should be developed.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the future of town and community councils with particular reference to his proposals for the Welsh Assembly. [22096]

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  The Government attach particular importance to the role of town and community councils given their role as the tier of government with the closest democratic links to local people. Under the provision of the Government of Wales Bill, the National Assembly for Wales will establish a Partnership Council with local government. Membership of the Council will be determined by the Assembly in the light of consultation with, and nominations received from, associations of local authorities in Wales. This would include associations representing town and community councils.

  Open Government
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales in what ways he proposes to make his Department more open. [22098]

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  We are making the Department more open in a number of ways. We propose to make the economic powerhouse subject to the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 as a means of demonstrating our commitment to greater openness and transparency. My right hon. Friend has already opened to consultation a number of important areas, including seeking views on Welsh Office expenditure before taking decisions on budget allocations. New policies, such as the childcare strategy for Wales, are being developed with the help of independent and representative groups and through wide consultation, rather than within the confines of the Welsh Office. Openness is also a matter of culture and we have made a point of ensuring that answers to Parliamentary Questions and correspondence are as informative as possible. We will ensure that there will be further steps in the spirit of the current White Paper on Freedom of Information.

  EU Assistance (Alyn and Deeside)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he will take to press for the restoration 36
  of Objective 2 Status to Alyn and Deeside; and if he will make a statement. [22100]

  Mr. Hain
  My right hon. Friend met Commissioner Wulf Mathies on 12 December and underlined the importance we attach in Wales to the continued receipt of Structural Funds support after 1999. The eligibility of areas such as Alyn and Deeside will, of course, be dependent on criteria that will emerge as part of the revised Structural Funds Regulations which are expected to be published in the next few months. We are already seeking to influence these and as part of this process my right hon. Friend specifically asked the Commissioner to consider the inclusion of GDP as a more appropriate measure of relative prosperity.

  Medical and Dental Students
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the special support which will be made available to students who choose medicine or dentistry as a second degree. [22141]

  Mr. Hain
  The current rules concerning previous study will apply to all students in 1998–99. As now, a student will not be eligible for a second mandatory award if they have already been on a course for which they have had help from public funds. The awards system is intended to underwrite one opportunity to undertake a full-time course of higher education.

  It is still open to local education authorities, however, to offer discretionary awards to students who fall into this category. Similarly, it is also open to these students to contact the higher education institution concerned about Access Funds.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if the income derived from tuition fees from medical students will be devoted to medical school education. [22142]

  Mr. Hain
  All tuition fees from medical students will be available to the medical school at which they are enrolled.

  Unitary Authorities (Political Affiliation)
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide a breakdown of the unitary authorities of Wales according to political affiliation. [22031]

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  This information is published in the "Municipal Yearbook" 1998, a copy of which will be available in the Library of the House shortly.

  Schools Expenditure
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide a breakdown of the amount of money spent per pupil in each of the key stages in(a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Wales. [22028]
  37
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  Information on expenditure per pupil is not available for key stages. The latest available data show that in Wales in 1994–95 the net revenue expenditure per pupil in LEA maintained nursery and primary schools was £1,637 and in LEA maintained secondary schools £2,264.

  Farm Support
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what factors led to the delay in payment of premiums by his Department to farmers; and what measures he proposes to ensure that similar delays do not occur. [22462]

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  Processing of EC funded scheme payments has been delayed by the need to comply with additional EC data requirements. Any UK payments made without this supporting information would have been disallowed. The necessary computer reprogramming work is now largely complete but has unfortunately led to delays. Work is underway to implement improved information systems for the Welsh Office Agriculture Department.

  Teaching Posts
  Mr. Caton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the change in the number of teaching posts in each of the local education authorities in Wales in the current financial year. [22600]

  Mr. Hain
  Information on the number of teaching posts in the current financial year is not yet available centrally. Figures should be available in the spring.

  Schools (Spending)
  Mr. Caton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the percentage of total revenue spending dedicated to schools in each of the local education authorities in Wales during the current financial year. [22602]

  Full and part time pupils by local education authority: numbers and changes, 1995 to 1997

  Number of full and part time pupils1 at January:

  Change from:

  Local education authority area

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1995 to 1996

  1996 to 1997

  Blaenau Gwent

  12,531

  12,586

  12,572

  +55

  -14

  Bridgend

  22,684

  23,021

  23,154

  +337

  +133

  Caerphilly

  31,130

  31,202

  31,391

  +72

  +189

  Cardiff

  51,312

  52,056

  52,619

  +744

  +563

  Carmarthenshire

  27,750

  27,918

  27,903

  +168

  -15

  Ceredigion

  10,744

  10,783

  10,797

  +39

  +14

  Conwy

  15,679

  16,078

  16,494

  +399

  +416

  Denbighshire

  15,652

  15,803

  16,128

  +151

  +325

  Flintshire

  25,356

  25,538

  25,567

  +182

  +29

  Gwynedd

  17,503

  17,715

  17,690

  +212

  -25

  Isle of Anglesey

  11,434

  11,577

  11,526

  +143

  -51

  Merthyr Tydfil

  11,760

  11,729

  11,670

  -31

  -59

  Monmouthshire

  12,390

  12,704

  12,886

  +314

  +182

  Neath Port Talbot

  23,780

  23,656

  23,695

  -124

  +39

  Newport

  24,976

  25,059

  25,189

  +83

  +130

  Pembrokeshire

  19,234

  19,122

  19,274

  -112

  +152

  Powys

  19,308

  19,763

  19,874

  +455

  +111

  38
  Mr. Hain
  The information requested is given in the table:

  Schools budget as a percentage of local authority education budget and total revenue budget—1997–981

  Schools as a percentage of education budget

  Schools as a percentage of total budget

  Blaenau Gwent

  86

  32

  Bridgend

  89

  36

  Caerphilly

  90

  36

  Cardiff

  85

  31

  Carmarthenshire

  86

  34

  Ceredigion

  83

  34

  Conwy

  85

  29

  Denbighshire

  87

  31

  Flintshire

  89

  37

  Gwynedd

  84

  29

  Isle of Anglesey

  86

  34

  Merthyr Tydfil

  92

  36

  Monmouthshire

  84

  36

  Neath Port Talbot

  89

  33

  Newport

  87

  36

  Pembrokeshire

  86

  36

  Powys

  86

  35

  Rhondda Cynon Taff

  91

  37

  Swansea

  85

  32

  Torfaen

  85

  37

  The Vale of Glamorgan

  85

  33

  Wrexham

  86

  33

  Wales average

  87

  34

  1 Schools budget includes pre-primary education, other than that funded by nursery voucher provision, primary, secondary and special education, and payments to government in respect of grant maintained schools. Education budget includes schools, other continuing education, education service strategy and regulation and gross expenditure on mandatory student awards. All budgets are gross of government grants but net of income from sales, fees and charges.

  Pupil Numbers
  Mr. Caton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what changes in pupil numbers have been recorded in each of the local education authorities in Wales over the past three years. [22601]

  Mr. Hain
  The information requested is shown in the table.
  39

  Full and part time pupils by local education authority: numbers and changes, 1995 to 1997

  Number of full and part time pupils1 at January:

  Change from:

  Local education authority area

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1995 to 1996

  1996 to 1997

  Rhondda Cynon Taff

  43,699

  43,855

  43,871

  +156

  +16

  Swansea

  38,943

  38,874

  38,916

  -69

  +42

  Torfaen

  17,160

  17,294

  17,370

  +134

  +76

  The Vale of Glamorgan

  20,691

  21,070

  21,022

  +379

  -48

  Wrexham

  20,328

  20,320

  20,185

  -8

  -135

  Wales

  494,044

  497,723

  499,793

  +3,679

  +2,070

  Pupils at LEA and grant maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools.

  Source:

  Schools" Census.

  Chiropody Patients
  Angela Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the age profile of NHS chiropody patients for(a) 1996–97, (b) 1995–96 and (c) 1994–95 in Wales. [22543]

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  The recipients of community chiropody services in Wales are predominantly people aged 65 and over, as can be seen from the table. Further breakdown by age profile is not available.

  Persons treated

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  Elderly persons1

  140,470

  136,438

  137,264

  Other2

  34,390

  23,056

  34,636

  Total

  174,860

  159,494

  171,900

  1 Aged 65 and over.

  2 Includes physically handicapped/disabled, school children, and others, for example with diabetic conditions.

  Research Groups
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the research assessment exercise ratings for each of the individual research groups included in the University of Aberystwyth Institute of Earth Studies RAE submission. [22212]

  Mr. Hain
  The research groups of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth Institute of Earth Studies were not given individual ratings.

  National Referendum
  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the counting procedures used in the National Referendum. [22862]

  Mr. Ron Davies
  Allegations have appeared in the press suggesting that the procedures for counting the votes in the referendum were defective. These allegations are false.

  The counting arrangements were under the general supervision of the Chief Counting Officer, Professor Eric Sunderland, on whose appointment I consulted opposition parties. Professor Sunderland appointed Counting Officers for each of the 22 local authority areas in Wales; each Counting Officer was responsible, subject to any directions issued by the Chief Counting Officer, to make appropriate arrangements for the various counts.

  Parliament provided that the referendum should be conducted in accordance with the Parliamentary Elections Rules. Counting Officers were therefore responsible,
  40
  having regard to any advice issued by the Chief Counting Officer, for applying to the particular circumstances of individual ballot papers rules 47(1) and (2). These provide, inter alia, for any ballot paper which is unmarked or void for uncertainty to be rejected; but that a paper marked other than in the proper place, or otherwise by means of a cross, or by more than one mark, could be accepted as a valid vote if the voter's intention clearly emerged.

  In the course of the counting on the night of 18 September, the Chief Counting Officer had occasion to issue supplementary advice on the treatment of ballot papers marked "No" opposite the "I do not agree" box. I am writing to the hon. Member separately setting out in details the circumstances as to how and why this occurred, and am placing a copy of my letter in the Library. I understand that 20 out of 22 Counting Officers followed that advice, but that the advice did not reach the Counting Officers in Pembrokeshire and Powys. The total of votes rejected in those two areas as being unmarked or void for uncertainty was 323; had the Chief Counting Officer's advice reached those Counting Officers, some of those votes might well have been added to the total of valid "No" votes. The likely consequence of 20 out of 22 Counting Officers following that advice is that the total valid "No" vote across Wales was increased by several thousands.

  Counting Officers made decisions on the validity of individual ballot papers in the light of comments made by observers representing all political parties and both Yes and No campaigns. Following completion of each count, all Counting Officers were asked whether there were any special or unusual features of the count which should be drawn to the Chief Counting Officer's attention, and whether any of the observers were dissatisfied with the conduct of the count. There were no such features, and in no case were observers reported as dissatisfied with the conduct of the count. It is clear therefore that in the opinion of the independent observers scrutinising the counts, decisions made on the admissibility of doubtful votes were made fairly and properly.

  Subsequently, in one authority (Caerphilly County Borough Council) complaints were made about aspects of the count. Having become aware of these in my constituency capacity, I referred them to the Counting Officer. He subsequently wrote to me confirming that the matters raised had been resolved. I understand that further queries were raised, and that the Counting Officer answered these points to the satisfaction of the inquirers in a letter dated 28 October.
  41
  Following completion of the referendum, one letter was received in my Department addressed to Professor Sunderland, complaining about delays in announcing the results from each area and also referring to spoilt ballots. Professor Sunderland's responsibilities having come to an end, the correspondent received a reply from my officials—copies are in the Libraries. The correspondent has recently written again, and will receive a full reply as soon as possible. The Welsh Office has also received one letter in the last few days addressed to Professor Sunderland referring to the recent allegations; it will be replied to by my officials. Otherwise, my Department has received no other correspondence on this matter. I am advised that no other complaints have been made to Counting Officers in any authority in Wales by any member of the public (including those who had served as observers during the various counts).

  Finally, I should make clear that I have received no representations calling for an inquiry, and I have no intention of calling for an inquiry on this matter.

PRIME MINISTER

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Prime Minister what guidance he has issued to government departments concerning the recruitment and retention of Black and Asian staff. [21870]

  The Prime Minister
  Recruitment to the Civil Service is based on the fundamental principle that appointments must be made on merit on the basis of fair and open competition.

  The programme for Action to achieve equality of opportunity in the Civil Service for ethnic minority people includes guidance for Departments and Agencies about recruitment and retention. The guidance is intended to ensure that selection criteria and procedures are applied fairly and consistently to all applicants.

  Social Exclusion Unit
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Prime Minister what are the objectives, budget and staffing levels of the Social Exclusion Unit. [21679]

  The Prime Minister
  I refer to my answer of 8 December 1997,Official Report, columns 408–10, to my hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Mr. Colman).

  The Unit's running costs are met by contributions from the seconding Government departments or seconding or sponsoring organisations.

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Prime Minister how many meetings of the EU Council of Ministers the Secretary of State for Scotland will chair during the United Kingdom presidency. [22043]

  The Prime Minister
  As in 1992, when the United Kingdom last held the Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers, there are no definite plans for the Secretary of State for Scotland to chair any EU Council of Ministers meetings in Brussels or Luxembourg. Scottish Office 42
  Ministers can and do attend Council Meetings on behalf of the United Kingdom and that will continue to be the case during the UK Presidency.

  Cabinet Committees (Legislation)
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Prime Minister if it is the policy of Her Majesty's Government to refer all proposals for and the detail of primary legislation to(a) Cabinet, (b) Ministerial Cabinet committees and (c) other Cabinet committees and sub-committees. [21895]

  The Prime Minister
  I set out the guidance that is used to determine the means by which collective decisions are made in my answer to my hon. Friend the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 20 November 1997,Official Report, column 269. These procedures apply equally to proposals for primary legislation.

  Political Modernisation
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 8 December 1997,Official Report, column 408, if he will define the modernisation of the political system. [20399]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: Our plans for modernising the political system were set out clearly in our General Election manifesto. Our aim is the democratic renewal of our country through decentralisation, the elimination of excessive government secrecy, and cleaning up politics. We have already begun the decentralisation of power to Scotland and Wales, endorsed by referendums. We have put forward proposals for giving Londoners a real voice through a strategic authority and directly elected mayor. We have established an independent Commission on voting systems to consider and recommend an alternative to the present for Parliamentary Elections to be put before the people in a referendum. We have brought forward a Bill to introduce proportional representation for the European Elections. We have published our proposals for a Freedom of Information Act, to transform the culture of government and make it more open and accountable. Together this amounts to significant progress in the modernisation of our political system.

  Expos
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Minister, pursuant to his answer of 12 December 1997,Official Report, column 695, if he will make it his policy to assign lead responsibility for the promotion and co-ordination of bids by towns or cities in the United Kingdom to host an expo to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. [21920]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: Further to my answer of 12 December 1997, Official Report, column 695, the Government would need to decide in the light of any bid which Whitehall Department was the most appropriate focal point for co-ordination.

  Iraq
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 3 December 1997,Official Report, column 354, what assessment he has made of the limits of

  43
  suffering by Iraqi children, consequent upon the imposition of a regime of sanctions, which are consistent with foreign policy based on ethical considerations. [20982]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: The children of Iraq have suffered greatly, as have all Iraqis, at the hands of a ruthless dictator who cares nothing for their welfare.

  Unlike Saddam Hussein, we are concerned at their plight: our co-sponsorship of oil-for-food resolutions has ensured that food and medical supplies reach the people of Iraq; we have also provided £94 million in humanitarian aid since 1991, much of which is specifically dedicated to projects for children.

  Christmas Tree, Downing Street
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the advantages of using photovoltaic solar energy to power the lights on the Christmas tree at Downing Street; and what representations he has received on this subject. [22060]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: I have not made an assessment, nor am I aware of having received any representations on this subject. However, as my hon. Friend may be aware, photovoltaics are at their least effective during the short winter days and power is needed at night when the panels would not work.

  President Clinton
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Prime Minister if, when he next visits President Clinton, he will invite him to visit Scotland. [22157]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: It is too early to say where we will invite President Clinton to visit when he next comes to the United Kingdom.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Church Buildings (Access)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what is the policy of the Church Commissioners on charging for access to church buildings. [20235]

  Mr. Stuart Bell
  This is not a matter for the Church Commissioners. Policy on admission charges to a church rests with the individual Parochial Church Councillor, in the case of a cathedral, with the Chapter Office. I would, however, be happy to convey any representations that the hon. Gentleman might wish to make to the appropriate authority.

  Redundant Churches
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the hon. member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, how many redundant churches in 1990 have been sold and converted for use by other faiths. [20237]

  Mr. Stuart Bell
  No Church of England redundant church has been disposed of to a non-Christian denomination for worship since 1990.

  Poverty
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission to ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make a statement on the expenditure on the Church Commission on Poverty. [20238]

  Mr. Stuart Bell
  The primary responsibility of the Church Commissioners is to provide support for the ministry of the Church of England, particularly in areas of need and opportunity. Over £14 million per annum is targeted on the needier dioceses to assist with the cost of stipends and clergy housing, on a selective basis which takes account of social and economic deprivation. The Commissioners also assist with the staffing and administrative costs of the Church Urban Fund which assists community based projects in some of the poorest areas of England's inner cities and outer estates.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Motability (Appeal)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when she expects the appeal to be heard in relation to the motability claim of J. C. Markinson, at his home, because of his inability to gain access to the Appeals Tribunal building in Torbay. [22526]

  Mr. Denham
  Appeals in respect of claims for Disability Living Allowance are matters for the Independent Tribunal Service.

  Fuel Supplement
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when pensioner households will receive the £20 fuel supplement; and if she will make a statement. [22731]

  Mr. Denham
  Following the announcement by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 25 November 1997,Official Report, columns 773–98, that extra help was being given to pensioners towards their winter fuel bills for this winter and next, a further announcement was made on 5 January. Regulations were laid before the House on 8 January and will come into effect on 16 January. The announcement will be quickly followed by a publicity campaign involving media advertising, posters and leaflets, in conjunction with Help The Aged, Age Concern and the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux. The publicity will ensure that pensioners are aware of what payments they will be receiving, as well as how and when it will be paid. This will enable those entitled to a payment to plan with confidence and turn up their heating knowing that a payment will be made.

  The additional help of £400 million over this winter and next demonstrates the Government's commitment to help the elderly keep warm in their homes. Payments will be made automatically without the need to claim.

  Priority is being given to making payments to the poorest pensioners; those who receive Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance. They will be entitled to a payment of £50 which should be made by the end of January.
  45
  Other eligible pensioners will receive a payment of £20 or £10. Where there is only one eligible person in a household, or the eligible person is of no fixed abode, they will receive £20; otherwise, each person will receive £10. If someone receives a £10 payment but there is no other eligible pensioner in the household, they will be able to contact the Department for the additional £10. It is estimated that over three million eligible pensioners will receive a payment for £20 and almost five million will receive £10.

  Overall, almost 10 million payments will be made to over seven million pensioner households. This programme means that the great majority of payments will be sent by the end of March.

  Incapacity Benefit
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many appeals are outstanding in respect of disallowment of invalidity benefit; and what is the average length of time for an appeal to be determined in the Seaham and Peterlee Benefits Agency area. [21588]

  Mr. Denham
  The number of appeals outstanding in Great Britain in respect of disallowance of Incapacity Benefit (which replaced Invalidity Benefit in April 1995) for the quarter ending September 1997 is around 33,000.

  The Independent Tribunal Service (ITS) is unable to provide waiting time details by Benefits Agency area as such information is not routinely kept in this format.

  ITS has recently installed a new computer system in all offices and across all jurisdictions. Average clearance time information cannot be produced presently owing to difficulties with the system's statistical reporting package. The President is hopeful that these difficulties will soon be fully resolved. However, the average clearance time for Great Britain remains at least six months.

  We are determined to reduce the current delays and complexity in the appeals system. The Social Security Bill which paves the way for modernising the delivery of Social Security, including the handling of appeals, had its third reading in the House on 10 December and is now continuing its passage through the other place. The Secretary of State will assume responsibility for the administration of the appeals system. She will set and publish demanding targets for the administration of appeals and report on the results.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what assessment she has made of the Code of Practice on data matching published by the Audit Commission; [22131]

  (2) what progress has been made by her Department with respect to the production of a Code of Practice governing the relationship between data matching and data protection; [22130]

  (3) if the data matching authorised by the Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act 1997 has commenced. [22132]
  46
  Mr. Denham
  The DSS Code of Practice is still being drafted. A draft revision will be offered to the Data Protection Register and others for consideration. Data matching under the terms of the Fraud Act will commence after the Code of Practice is published.

  The Audit Commission publication was taken into account during the drafting of the DSS data matching Code of Practice, and cross references made where appropriate.

  Young People (Income Support)
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in Sunderland aged 16 and 17 years are in receipt of income support. [22052]

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

  Cycle Spaces
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many secure cycle spaces there are in her Department. [22680]

  Mr. Field
  A full breakdown of secure cycle spaces in the Department is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Such information as is available indicates that cycles could be accommodated at most locations occupied by the Department. The security of these would in the main be the responsibility of the individuals concerned.

  The approximate number of designated cycle spaces available to the Department is 4,125. Of these, it is estimated that 2,750 are in areas of limited access and 1,375 are secured by the use of padlock and chain, if fitted by the cyclist.

  Pensioners (VAT on Fuel)
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is her estimate of the average weekly post-tax income gain for a pensioner couple on the basic state pension, in 1998–99, resulting from(a) the reduction in value added tax on domestic fuel from 8 per cent. to 5 per cent. and (b) the effective downward adjustment to the pension uprating for 1998–99 resulting from the reduction in the rate of value added tax on domestic fuel from 8 per cent. to 5 per cent.; and if she will make a statement. [15956]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 18 November 1997]: We believe that all pensioners should share fairly in the increasing prosperity of the nation. Everyone will see the benefit of the reduction of VAT on fuel in their winter fuel bills. In addition, this winter and next, pensioner households in receipt of Income Support will receive an additional payment of £50 to help with fuel costs and other pensioner households will receive £20.

  On average, a couple receiving the basic State Pension will be 35p a week better off at present, and 20p a week better off in real terms after the uprating, taking into account the reduction in the rate of VAT on fuel.

TREASURY

  Monetary Union
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of Sir Donald MacDougall's report on monetary union. [12339]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The "Report of the Study Group on the Role of Public Finance in the European Integration" was published in April 1977 by the Commission of the European Communities. The Study Group was chaired by Sir Donald MacDougall and the report is frequently known as the MacDougall Report. Treasury officials have been endeavouring to obtain a copy of this report from the European Commission so that it can be placed in the Library. As soon as copies become available they will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which authority and what method will determine(a) the European Central Bank's initial share capital, (b) the percentage of shares to be subscribed by each initially participating national bank, (c) the currency in which such shares will be subscribed and (d) subsequent decisions relating to any further state joining the single currency. [21255]

  Mrs. Liddell
  These arrangements are set out in Protocol No. 3 to the EC Treaty (on the Statute of the European System of Central Banks and of the European Central Bank), notably articles 28, 29, 48, 49 and, were the UK to decide to participate in stage 3 of EMU, paragraph 10(b) of Protocol No. 11 to the EC Treaty.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Government of France on his decision not to enter EMU in 1999. [21177]

  Mrs. Liddell
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: No formal statement has been issued by the French Government. However, French Ministers have made very positive public comments about the Chancellor's statement to Parliament of 27 October 1997, Official Report, columns 583–606.

  Euro
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the euro will be legal tender in the United Kingdom. [15967]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The euro would become legal tender in the United Kingdom if we were to join the single currency. It will not be legal tender in the United Kingdom if it is introduced in other EU member states on 1 January 1999 as the United Kingdom will not join the single currency then. However, as with other major foreign currencies, it will be possible to use the euro in a wide range of transactions in the United Kingdom from that date.

  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 27 November 1997,Official Report, column 658, what representations his Department made at the time of selection of the euro symbol to ensure it was distinguishable from that for sterling where physical display of coin or note is not involved; what representations he has received from (a) software and (b) hardware specialists on problems
  48
  adapting their systems to permit computer representation of the euro symbol; and if he will estimate the projected cost of implementing changes to computer systems to accommodate the euro symbol. [20315]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The European Commission was responsible for the design of the euro symbol. The selection was carried out by market testing a number of alternative designs with the public. The Treasury has not separately made representations on the ease with which the euro currency symbol is distinguishable from the pound sterling symbol.

  The Treasury is in regular contact with representatives from the IT industry, including through the work of the Business Advisory Group on the practical implications of EMU.

  The use of the symbol is not required by legislation. We expect there will be a number of options for computer users wishing to display the symbol.

  Individual Savings Accounts
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the estimated administration costs to the institutions associated with individual savings accounts. [19769]

  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 22 December 1997,Official Report, column 473, to the right hon. Member for Hitchin and Harpenden (Mr. Lilley).

  Computers (Century Date Change)
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his working party on the Information Technology Implementation of European Monetary Union has assessed the need for the computer systems involved to be millennium compliant; and if he will make a statement. [20974]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The working party to which the hon. Member refers was commissioned by the Chancellor's Business Advisory Group to examine the Information Technology issues involved in the preparations for EMU. It has not, therefore, focused its work on the Year 2000 problem. However, the resource issues raised by the Year 2000 problem and their impact on EMU preparation have been recognised and considered by the working party.

  The Government have recently set up a ministerial committee to look into the Year 2000 issue, with the public sector coordinated by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has launched the Action 2000 initiative with the aim of helping private sector businesses tackle the problem.

  Population Statistics
  Mr. Tom King
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the likely changes in the population of the United Kingdom up to 2050 assuming no further net immigration. [21831]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The latest (1996–based) population projections for the United Kingdom were issued at the end of November. Details of the underlying assumptions regarding future fertility, mortality and migration were published in Population Trends 89 (page 1). Based on the
  49
  same assumptions of future fertility and mortality, but assuming zero net migration from 1997–98 onwards, the future population of the United Kingdom would be as follows:

  Projected population of the United Kingdom, assuming net zero future migration

  Millions

  Year

  Projected population

  Projected change since 1996

  1996

  58.8

  —

  2000

  59.3

  +0.5

  2010

  59.7

  +0.9

  2020

  60.1

  +1.3

  2030

  59.7

  +0.9

  2040

  58.0

  -0.8

  2050

  55.6

  -3.2

  Source:

  Government Actuary's Department.

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the latest estimates by the Register General of Populations of those aged 17 years and over, plus 63 per cent. of those aged 16 years, for each district council area and parliamentary constituency in England and Wales, together with the equivalent electoral registration figures also expressed as a percentage of these population figures and in ascending order. [22292]

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

  Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Harry Barnes, dated 12 January 1998:
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me, as Director of the Office for National Statistics, to reply to your recent question on the latest mid-year population estimates for each district council and parliamentary constituency in England and Wales, together with the equivalent electoral registration figures and for the electoral figures to be expressed as a percentage of the population figures.
  The attached table provides the requested information for local authority districts. Also, as requested the table is presented in ascending order by the percentage of the estimated mid-1996 population who were registered to vote. The table shows that some districts are quite a bit below 100 per cent. and some are over 100 per cent. However, these percentages need to be treated with care, as there are a number of reasons why they do not necessarily represent the percentage of eligible persons who were on the register at their qualifying address. These reasons include the fact that the electoral register may not be up to date and so may contain some redundant entries for people who had already moved elsewhere or died at the time the register was compiled. The register contains some legitimate dual registrations, for example by students and owners of second homes. This table is voluminous and copies are being placed in the Library of the House rather than reproduced in Hansard.
  The population estimates include residents who would be ineligible to vote and so percentages below 100 per cent. would be expected in areas where there are large numbers of such people, e.g. where there is a large American air force base. On the other hand, the electoral register but not the population estimates includes overseas voters and service voters living abroad. Finally, it must be remembered that the population data are estimates, the average absolute error of the population estimates at the local authority district level was estimated to be 2.5 per cent. in the 1995 publication "Accuracy of rolled-forward population estimates in England and Wales, 1981–91" OPCS Occasional Paper 44. This average error varies between districts and, in particular, it is
  50
  generally accepted that accurate estimation of the population for small areas is particularly difficult (e.g. for areas with less than around 20,000 people).
  Statistics on the number of people registered on the 1997 electoral rolls by parliamentary constituency was published on the 18 December 1997 in Series EL no. 24 "1997 Electoral Statistics", an ONS reference volume. They were first published by ONS on the 26 March 1997 in a Population and Health Monitor, series EL 97/1. Copies of these publications are available in the House of Commons library.
  ONS do not produce population estimates for parliamentary constituencies. The main use of the Registrar General's population estimates is to distribute central government revenue support grant resources between local authorities and for this purpose the estimates are required by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions at local authority district level.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Tom King
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the unemployment percentage for each of the standard regions of England in(a) September 1981, (b) September 1985, (c) September 1989, (d) September 1993 and (e) September 1997. [21781]

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

  Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Tom King, dated 12 January 1998:
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to reply, as the Director of the Office for National Statistics, to your recent question on the unemployment rate in each of the standard regions of England at various dates.
  The ONS measure of unemployment, derived from the quarterly Labour Force Survey (LFS), is defined on a consistent and internationally recognised basis set out by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and counts as unemployed people who are: a) without a paid job; b) available to start work within the next two weeks and c) have either looked for work in the last four weeks or are waiting to start a job already obtained. The ILO unemployment rate is defined as the number ILO employed as a proportion of all those either in employment or ILO unemployed.
  The ILO measure of unemployment has been used in the LFS since 1984. The LFS was conducted annually each spring between 1984 and 1991 and has been conducted quarterly since spring 1992. Tables for each Standard Statistical Region (SSR) covering the period from spring 1984 to spring 1997 are published in the Labour Force Survey Historical Supplement, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons library (ONS, December 1997, pp95–105). The ONS has recently adopted a new regional classification based on the boundaries of the Government Offices for the Regions, but there is no LFS data available on this basis prior to spring 1992.
  ONS also publishes the monthly claimant count, which is based on the administrative system which records all people claiming unemployment-related benefits (i.e. Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) or National Insurance (NI) credits) at Employment Service offices on the day of the monthly count, who on that day had signed on as unemployed and available to do any suitable work. Essentially, all people who attend an Employment Service office to sign on the designated day are counted. Claimant count levels and rates are available by SSR for each of the periods specified, from Nomis which can be accessed by the House of Commons Library.

  Inland Revenue
  Dr. Ladyman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what account the Inland Revenue policy takes of levels of unemployment and social deprivation when considering the merger or closure of its offices. [22231]
  51
  Dawn Primarolo
  In considering which of its offices should merge or close, the Inland Revenue's main objectives are to improve the quality of its service to the public and to achieve cost efficiency.

  Dr. Ladyman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the proposed new office structures for Inland Revenue offices on(a) processing of self assessment tax returns, (b) mail clearance times, (c) clearance of CY-2 open cases, (d) the handling of telephone and fax inquiry calls, (e) the handling of debt and return management lists and (f) dealings with employer compliance system reviews. [22232]

  Dawn Primarolo
  All the available evidence so far indicates that taken, as a whole, the performance of new-style offices created under the Inland Revenue's restructuring programme is similar to the offices they replaced. These results are being achieved with fewer resources and reduced running costs.

  Dr. Ladyman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy in respect of maintaining Inland Revenue offices in areas which produce high black economy yields. [22229]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Inland Revenue is engaged in a major programme of change which includes restructuring its local office network. Before any office is closed under that programme, the Department and Ministers need to be satisfied that the new offices will deliver an enhanced compliance performance including maintaining or improving black economy yields.

  Dr. Ladyman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what factors underlie the Inland Revenue's offer proposal to close offices in the South East region. [22230]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Inland Revenue is engaged in a major programme of change which includes restructuring its local office network. Before any office is closed under that programme, the Department and Ministers need to be satisfied that the new offices will deliver good quality customer service, enhanced compliance performance and reduced costs.

  Orange Juice
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated financial loss to the EU of duties forgone in respect of imports of Brazilian orange juice falsely labelled as made in Israel. [22194]

  Dawn Primarolo
  This information is not available.

  Tax (Channel Islands and Isle of Man)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to discuss with the responsible authorities in the Channel Islands and in the Isle of Man the closer harmonisation of their respective tax regimes with that of the UK. [22239]

  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions his Department has conducted with the authorities of the Channel Islands regarding taxation. [21328]
  52
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  [holding answer 17 December 1997]: The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are responsible for their own tax laws. The UK Government maintain close contact at all levels with their dependent territories within the framework of the constitutional arrangements, on a wide range of issues, including tax matters.

  Cycle Spaces
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many secure cycle spaces there are in his Department. [22688]

  Mrs. Liddell
  There are 60 secure covered cycle spaces in the Treasury's Headquarters building in Parliament Street and five covered spaces at its Allington Towers office.

  Purchasing Power
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average purchasing power of the pound in(a) 1967, (b) 1977 and (c) 1987 relative to its current purchasing power. [22567]

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

  Letter from Tim Holt to Mr David Winnick, dated 12 January 1998:
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me, as the Director of the Office for National Statistics, to reply to your recent question on the average purchasing power of the pound in earlier years relative to its current purchasing power.
  The figures requested are shown in the table below, and have been calculated using the all items Retail Prices Index (RPI). For more information on the method of calculation, you may wish to consult the RPI Business Monitor (MM23), a copy of which is held in the House of Commons library.

  Internal purchasing power of the pound (pence)

  Pence

  November 1997

  100

  1987 average

  64

  1977 average

  29

  1967 average

  10

  The above means that a basket of goods, which cost £1 to buy in November 1997, could have been purchased in 1987 for sixty-four pence.

  European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the circumstances surrounding the departure or Elizabeth Bukspan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and
  Development. [20805]

  Mrs. Liddell
  [holding answer 15 December 1997]: Elizabeth Bukspan's departure as Director for France reflected action taken by the French authorities and therefore the Chancellor is not in a position to make a statement.

  Green Pound Fluctuations
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the EU programme to compensate for fluctuations in the valuation of the green pound would come from United Kingdom funds; and what estimate he has made of the total cost which this would represent. [21850]

  Mrs. Liddell
  [holding answer 19 December 1997]: Under EU rules, the UK could pay up to £980 million to compensate farmers for any income effects arising from the four appreciable revaluations of the sterling green rate in 1997. Up to half of this sum—£490 million—could be reclaimed from the EU budget, with any funds in excess of this coming from the UK budget. However, because of the abatement applied to the UK's EU contribution, the Exchequer bears a significant share of new CAP expenditure in the UK which is reimbursed by the EU budget. Taking the abatement effect into account, payment of the full £980 million available to the UK would result in costs to the Exchequer of around £840 million (about 85 per cent. of the total amount).

  Aging Population
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of(a) the likely long-term effects of an aging population on the economy and (b) the steps which the Treasury will need to take in response. [22063]

  Mr. Darling
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: The Government keep policy issues likely to arise from changing demographic patterns across the whole range of Government policy under constant review.

  The Comprehensive Spending Review provides a structured framework in which all Government departments, together with the Treasury, can consider what policy action might be needed to respond to projected demographic changes over the long term.

  In particular, the Government have made clear that they will address the effects of demographic change and aging in the context of its Pensions Review, launched by the Secretary of State for Social Security on July 17. The Royal Commission on Long-term Care will also have regard to demographic change in its work, as it examines and then makes recommendations on short and long-term options for a sustainable system of funding of long-term care for elderly people in the United Kingdom.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Group 4 Securities
  Mr. Allan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 8 December 1997 to the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith),Official Report, column 434, how many of the former 40 officials of his Department who have taken paid employment with private prison contractors after leaving his Department had responsibilities in relation to overseeing, managing or inspecting private sector contracts; if he will list the (a) contracts for which they
  54
  had responsibility and (b) the dates those employees left his Department and the dates they started employment in the private sector. [21585]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 19 December 1997]: The information requested is not kept centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Campsfield House Detention Centre
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many serious incident forms were completed in Campsfield House Detention Centre during(a) 1993, (b) 1994, (c) 1995 and (d) 1996. [21345]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  [holding answer 19 December 1997]: Group Four (Total Security) Ltd. staff employed at Campsfield House detention centre routinely submit incident reports to their site managers about any event which affects the running of the centre. These reports cover incidents ranging in seriousness from the minor to the more important. The reports are copied to Immigration Service staff on site, and those which are of an urgent or serious nature receive immediate attention.

  The centre opened on 29 November 1993. Accurate statistics relating to incident reports were not kept in the form requested before 1995.

  In 1995, there were a total of 592 reports submitted, and in 1996 the total was 322. Records relating to the reports do not at present differentiate between the relative seriousness of the incidents to which they refer. It is expected that the report submitted by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons, following his unannounced short inspection of Campsfield House conducted in October 1997, will recommend that such a distinction should in future be made. The report will be published shortly.

  Prisoner Statistics
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the per capita cost of holding a(a) male and (b) female prisoner for each prison in England and Wales in the most recent year for which figures are available. [22116]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: In 1996–97, the most recent financial year for which information is available, the cost per prisoner was as follows:

  Prison name

  Cost per prisoner

  Male prisons

  Acklington

  13,968

  Albany

  20,048

  Aldington

  16,191

  Ashwell

  15,025

  Aylesbury

  28,671

  Bedford

  19,674

  Belmarsh

  30,073

  Birmingham

  16,058

  Blakenhurst

  15,831

  Blantyre House

  18,338

  Blundeston

  20,945

  Brinsford

  18,227

  Bristol

  23,541

  Brixton

  29,320

  Buckley Hall

  16,352

  Bullington

  18,352

  Camp Hill

  19,706

  55

  Prison name

  Cost per prisoner

  Canterbury

  21,935

  Cardiff

  17,052

  Castington

  20,019

  Channings Wood

  15,163

  Chelmsford

  20,340

  Coldingley

  23,954

  Dartmoor

  20,324

  Deerbolt

  18,244

  Doncaster

  14,020

  Dorchester

  19,576

  Dover

  18,295

  Downview

  19,462

  Durham1

  20,051

  Elmley

  17,524

  Erlestoke

  19,614

  Everthorpe

  16,953

  Exeter

  19,587

  Featherstone

  18,743

  Feltham

  18,036

  Ford

  13,430

  Frankland

  39,753

  Full Sutton

  40,148

  Garth

  19,231

  Gartree

  23,393

  Glen Parva

  15,362

  Gloucester

  23,995

  Grendon

  20,795

  Guys Marsh

  17,701

  Haslar

  16,727

  Hatfield

  23,994

  Haverigg

  17,295

  Hewell Grange

  13,547

  Highdown

  19,016

  Highpoint1

  16,545

  Hindley

  18,765

  Hollesley Bay

  27,246

  Holme House

  18,377

  Hull

  27,540

  Huntercombe

  20,633

  Kingston

  35,407

  Kirkham

  15,046

  Kirklevington

  18,916

  Lancaster

  20,604

  Lancaster Farms

  20,216

  Latchmere House

  14,446

  Leeds

  19,824

  Leicester

  24,618

  Lewes

  28,004

  Leyhill

  18,299

  Lincoln

  16,468

  Lindholme

  18,354

  Littlehey

  14,958

  Liverpool

  17,658

  Long Lartin

  42,222

  Low Newton1

  19,073

  Maidstone

  18,283

  Manchester

  19,090

  Moorland

  17,074

  Morton Hall

  13,250

  Mount

  12,881

  North Sea Camp

  17,153

  Northallerton

  18,712

  Norwich

  20,737

  Nottingham

  28,640

  Onley

  15,327

  Parkhurst

  43,364

  Pentonville

  18,197

  Portland

  16,727

  Preston

  25,365

  Ranby

  17,252

  Reading

  22,535

  Risley1

  19,785

  Rochester

  21,371

  Send

  17,413

  56

  Prison name

  Cost per prisoner

  Shepton Mallet

  18,893

  Shrewsbury

  18,269

  Stafford

  15,989

  Stanford Hill

  16,747

  Stocken

  15,739

  Stoke Heath

  20,951

  Sudbury

  15,969

  Swaleside

  18,363

  Swansea

  22,442

  Swinfen Hall

  22,834

  Thorn Cross

  24,187

  Usk

  19,640

  Verne

  15,094

  Wakefield

  28,219

  Wandsworth

  23,523

  Wayland

  14,410

  Wealstun Closed

  16,286

  Wellingborough

  18,417

  Werrington

  22,066

  Wetherby

  29,685

  Whatton

  18,079

  Whitemoor

  36,622

  Winchester1

  20,955

  Wolds

  20,458

  Woodhill

  21,910

  Wormwood Scrubs

  18,241

  Wymott

  16,953

  Female prisons

  Askham Grange

  18,556

  Bullwood Hall

  29,854

  Brockhill

  30,246

  Cookham Wood

  21,296

  Drake Hall

  15,236

  East Sutton Park

  18,057

  Eastwood Park

  29,428

  Holloway

  28,599

  New Hall

  26,345

  Styal

  23,984

  1 Certain male prisons may hold female prisoners (*Durham, Highpoint, Low Newton, Risley and Winchester), but no separate male and female costs are provided in these circumstances.

  Private Prisons
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many new private prisons are currently being built; and in each case what is the(a) expected date of opening and (b) planned prisoner population; [22119]

  (2) how many private prisons are currently in operation in England and Wales; and for each, when it opened, where it is located and what is its current prisoner population. [22118]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: Details of the six prisons in England and Wales that are managed by the private sector are as follows:

  HM prison

  Location

  Date of opening

  Population on 18 December 1997

  Altcourse

  Merseyside

  1 December 1997

  193

  Blakenhurst

  Worcestershire

  26 May 1993

  768

  Buckley Hall

  Greater Manchester

  14 December 1994

  836

  Doncaster

  South Yorkshire

  20 June 1994

  1,053

  Parc

  South Wales

  17 November 1997

  215

  Wolds

  Humberside

  6 April 1992

  402

  57
  Blakenhurst, Buckley Hall, Doncaster and the Wolds prisons were transferred from Prison Service management to private sector management on the dates shown. Altcourse and Parc were built under the Private Finance Initiative.

  One prison is under construction in England and Wales under the Private Finance Initiative: Her Majesty's Prison Lowdham Grange, Nottinghamshire, which is scheduled to open by the end of February 1998 with planned capacity for 500 prisoners when it is fully operational.

  Prison Workshops
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to involve private companies in(a) consulting and (b) administration in respect of the prison workshops at HMP Garth and HMP Wymott; and if he will list the companies which have been invited to tender. [22062]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: As stated in my reply to my hon. Friend on 14 November 1997, Official Report, columns 688–89, there are no plans to change the arrangements for the provision and administration of prison workshops at either Garth or Wymott.

  Both establishments undertake a small percentage of work for the private sector (most work undertaken is for the internal prison market). Prisoners produce and assemble a range of goods for mostly locally based companies.

  Wymott is one of 18 establishments selected for additional support and funding by the Prison Service as part of the wider Prison Service Workshop Expansion Programme. In order to meet the overall aims of the programme, Wymott and Prison Service headquarters will be jointly involved in seeking additional work from the private sector. Negotiations are currently underway with a local based company, Giraffe Products Limited. for the manufacture of music stands. It is anticipated that this will be a Private Finance Initiative, requiring the company to provide additional capital for the purchase of either plant or equipment to undertake the work.

  The Company's involvement is restricted to that of customer.

  Young Prisoners
  Mr. Allan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those persons aged(a) 15 and (b) 16 years have been remanded (i) in adult prisons and (ii) in total, in each month in each of the last five years; and what was the average period of detention in each
  year. [21600]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 18 December 1997]: The information on the number of remand receptions for untried juvenile prisoners is given in the following tables,
  58
  along with the estimated average periods in custody for all juvenile untried prisoners.

  Table 1: Receptions of 15 and 16 year old untried prisoners into prisons in England and Wales, 1993–97

  Age

  15 Adult prisons1

  All Receptions

  16 Adult prisons1

  All Receptions

  1993

  January

  —

  24

  3

  60

  February

  1

  35

  —

  76

  March

  —

  50

  3

  90

  April

  —

  34

  3

  69

  May

  —

  27

  —

  61

  June

  —

  40

  4

  68

  July

  1

  45

  1

  78

  August

  —

  30

  —

  63

  September

  —

  32

  1

  83

  October

  —

  34

  —

  62

  November

  —

  44

  1

  58

  December

  —

  34

  —

  72

  Total

  2

  429

  16

  840

  1994

  January

  —

  39

  —

  76

  February

  1

  44

  1

  80

  March

  3

  59

  1

  82

  April

  —

  49

  1

  90

  May

  1

  32

  —

  91

  June

  2

  67

  —

  99

  July

  2

  46

  5

  78

  August

  7

  53

  7

  99

  September

  2

  44

  13

  93

  October

  3

  60

  8

  73

  November

  6

  71

  10

  106

  December

  9

  49

  7

  77

  Total

  36

  613

  53

  1,044

  1995

  January

  6

  52

  16

  99

  February

  9

  64

  10

  83

  March

  7

  65

  14

  114

  April

  2

  28

  11

  86

  May

  7

  53

  14

  97

  June

  5

  46

  6

  84

  July

  5

  56

  21

  108

  August

  7

  40

  15

  110

  September

  10

  47

  7

  116

  October

  8

  56

  9

  94

  November

  8

  54

  9

  114

  December

  5

  43

  6

  77

  Total

  80

  604

  136

  1,182

  1996

  January

  9

  72

  7

  99

  February

  6

  40

  18

  103

  March

  4

  63

  9

  93

  April

  3

  56

  12

  105

  May

  8

  66

  15

  132

  June

  6

  50

  15

  95

  July

  5

  52

  16

  106

  August

  3

  57

  15

  112

  September

  8

  58

  14

  102

  October

  8

  55

  17

  118

  November

  6

  54

  8

  110

  December

  3

  62

  9

  80

  Total

  69

  685

  155

  1,255

  59

  Table 1: Receptions of 15 and 16 year old untried prisoners into prisons in England and Wales, 1993–97

  Age

  15 Adult prisons1

  All Receptions

  16 Adult prisons1

  All Receptions

  19972

  January

  6

  67

  11

  109

  February

  3

  42

  2

  72

  March

  2

  53

  8

  95

  April

  3

  51

  4

  109

  May

  1

  50

  —

  101

  June

  2

  65

  —

  97

  July

  4

  49

  2

  116

  August

  —

  41

  3

  86

  September

  1

  57

  2

  96

  October

  1

  50

  —

  100

  Total

  23

  525

  32

  981

  1 Most are held in Remand facilities for young offenders only.

  2 Provisional figures.

  Table 2: Average time held in custody1 for untried prisoners aged under 17 in Prisons in England and Wales, 1993–97

  Year

  Untried

  1993

  25

  1994

  32

  1995

  28

  1996

  32

  19972

  34

  1 The average days in custody are estimated from the population held on 30 June each year and the total number of initial receptions in the year. The estimate is subject to some uncertainty due to the small numbers held.

  2 Provisional estimate for January to October 1997. Based on the population on 31 October 1997.

  Lewes Prison
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons aged (i) under 15 years, (ii) under 16 years, (iii) under 17 years and (iv) under 18 years were being held in Lewes prison in each month between January 1994 and November 1997 inclusive. [21439]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: The information requested is given in the table.

  Population of persons aged under 18 in Lewes prison, January 1994 to November 1997

  On last day of month

  Age Under 181

  1994

  January

  1

  February

  2

  March

  3

  April

  6

  May

  1

  June

  3

  July

  2

  August

  4

  September

  4

  October

  5

  November

  9

  December

  5

  1995

  January

  4

  February

  5

  March

  5

  60

  Population of persons aged under 18 in Lewes prison, January 1994 to November 1997

  On last day of month

  Age Under 181

  April

  7

  May

  6

  June

  8

  July

  6

  August

  4

  September

  7

  October

  5

  November

  5

  December

  5

  1996

  January

  4

  February

  6

  March

  5

  April

  8

  May

  5

  June

  6

  July

  13

  August

  14

  September

  12

  October

  13

  November

  7

  December

  8

  1997

  January

  5

  February

  6

  March

  3

  April

  6

  May

  2

  June

  2

  July

  1

  August

  0

  September

  2

  October

  1

  November

  0

  1 Lewes prison only receives inmates aged 17 years or over on remand and sentenced inmates aged 18 years or over. There are therefore no inmates aged under 15 or 16 held in the prison for the period specified.

  Community Relations Unit
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) Black and (b) Asian people are employed in the Community Relations Unit. [21872]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Information on ethnic origin is usually collected by means of a voluntary self-classification questionnaire under an assurance that it will be used for statistical purposes only and not disclosed without the subject's consent. The Civil Service Management Code requires Departments and agencies to take appropriate steps, as described in the Model Code of Practice on Ethnic Monitoring issued by the Cabinet Office (Office of Public Service), to safeguard the confidentiality of ethnic origin data. The Model Code of Practice on Ethnic Monitoring requires that information on ethnic origin is collected on the understanding that it will be treated as confidential, and that the ethnic origin of identifiable individuals will not be made known without their consent.

  Babies (Prison)
  Mr. Allan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many babies have been held in prison
  units in each year since 1992; what was the average time
  61
  each baby spent in prison in each year; what category of prisoner was each mother; and if he will make a statement. [21535]

  Ms. Quin
  [holding answer 18 December 1997]: Information on the number of babies accommodated in prison mother and baby units is given in the following

  Number of babies accommodated in each prison in each year since 19921 and the average length of stay

  1992 Number of babies accommodated

  Average length of stay (Months)

  1993 Number of babies accommodated

  Average length of stay (Months)

  1994 Number of babies accommodated

  Average length of stay (Months)

  1995 Number of babies accommodated

  Average length of stay (Months)

  1996 Number of babies accommodated

  Average length of stay (Months)

  Styal mother and baby unit

  20

  9–12

  27

  12

  22

  9

  25

  8

  26

  9

  Holloway mother and baby unit

  Figures not collected until January 1993

  25

  5

  48

  6

  48

  6

  29

  5

  Askham Grange mother and baby unit

  29

  5

  32

  6

  32

  8

  42

  5

  38

  5

  New Hall mother and baby unit (Unit opened May 1995)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  220

  3

  18

  4

  Total

  49

  84

  102

  135

  111

  1 Figures for 1997 not yet available.

  2 May to December 1995.

  Female Prisoners
  Mr. Allan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total female prison population, by category and in total, on 1 January for each of the last 10 years; what is the current female prison population, by category and in total; and what is the projected female prison population for 1 January 1998. [21534]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 18 December 1997]: The available information for the female prison population is for 31 December each year and is given in the table. The breakdown as at 30 November 1997 is also included in the table. The number of females in prison is expected to be 2,740 on 31 December 1997 (570 remand, 2,150 sentenced and 20 non-criminals).

  Female prison population by type of custody on 31 December 1987–96 and on 30 November 1997

  Type of custody on 31
  December

  Remand

  Sentenced

  Non-criminal

  Total

  1987

  467

  1,222

  7

  1,696

  1988

  443

  1,268

  4

  1,715

  1989

  406

  1,231

  —

  1,637

  1990

  350

  1,102

  3

  1,455

  1991

  346

  1,146

  7

  1,499

  1992

  299

  1,054

  —

  1,353

  1993

  388

  1,147

  38

  1,573

  1994

  456

  1,292

  24

  1,772

  1995

  435

  1,472

  23

  1,930

  1996

  554

  1,789

  31

  2,374

  30 November 1997

  671

  2,196

  21

  2,888

  Primate Imports
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will ban the import of primates from Indonesia; [22378]
  62
  table. Women prisoners are categorised as either suitable for closed or open prisons. The mother and baby units at Holloway. New Hall and Styal are all in closed prisons. The mother and baby unit at Askham Grange is in an open prison.

  (2) what action he has taken to investigate alleged breaches in the provision of the CITES convention in respect of the importing of primates from Indonesia. [22385]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Since 1996, approval for the acquisition of primates from overseas sources for use in scientific procedures has been given only if the Home Office is satisfied that the conditions at the breeding and supplying centre are acceptable. Each batch of animals acquired from overseas sources must be separately authorised and the transport arrangements approved by the Home Office.

  After each batch of animals is received, the recipient must send to the Home Office:

  (a) confirmation that the animals were shipped according to the prior agreement and that they arrived safely;

  (b) life-time records for each individual animal;

  (c) the report of the veterinary inspection on arrival; and

  (d) details of any morbidity and mortality arising during the first four weeks following arrival in the United Kingdom.

  An application was received during 1996 for approval to acquire macaques from a particular centre in Indonesia. A member of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate had previously visited this centre. There had been some deficiencies in the standards of care and accommodation, but these had been corrected before the application was submitted. The application was approved.

  No animals have been imported into the United Kingdom from this source for over 12 months.

  Recent reports emanating from the United States of America suggested that the centre had been involved in the transportation of pregnant and infant animals and that the levels of care and accommodation during transport were inadequate. A member of the Inspectorate investigated these reports during a recent visit to the United States of America and found evidence to support

  63
  the allegations. Approval to acquire primates from this source for use in the United Kingdom was immediately withdrawn. Any future application to acquire animals from this centre will be considered only if the applicant can demonstrate that these problems have been rectified and will not recur.

  Cycle Spaces
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many secure cycle spaces there are in his Department. [22673]

  Mr. Straw
  The Home Office Central London Estates provides 41 secure spaces for bicycles which meets the present demand. Figures for the rest of the Home Office estate are not available centrally and can be collected only at disproportionate cost. As a former secretary of the House of Commons cycling club, I am very willing to do all I can to facilitate the use of bicycles by staff of this Department.

  Ministerial Group on the Family
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if the scope of the work of the Ministerial Group on the Family includes measures to strengthen the institution of marriage; [22713]

  (2) what is the definition of family which is being used by the Ministerial Group on the Family. [22710]

  Mr. Michael
  The Government have a manifesto commitment to strengthen family life. The Ministerial Group is interpreting this remit widely and is not focusing on particular family structures.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish(a) the agenda for, (b) the minutes of and (c) a list of those attending the Ministerial Group on the Family. [22711]

  Mr. Michael
  The group comprises:My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary (Chair) and me together with:
  my noble and learned Friend the Solicitor General;
  my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury;
  my hon. Friend the Minister for Public Health;
  my hon. Friend the Minister without Portfolio;
  my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Education and Employment (Mr. Howarth);
  my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Trade and Industry (Ms Roche);
  my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary at the Lord Chancellor's Department;
  my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of Social Security (Ms Ruddock); and
  the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department of the Environment. Transport and the Regions (Mr. Raynsford).

  There are no plans to publish the agenda or notes of the meetings.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he plans to hold any meetings of the Ministerial Group on the Family in public. [22712]

  Mr. Michael
  No.
  64
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he proposes that the Ministerial Group on the Family should produce a report. [22716]

  Mr. Michael
  The Ministerial Group is intended to make a positive contribution to policy-making as it affects the family.

  One report, on a seminar organised on behalf of the Group and entitled "Promoting Successful Parenting", is already available free from the Home Office Special Conference Unit. I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library.

  Young Remand Prisoners
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many 15 and 16-year-olds were held on remand in prison service accommodation at the most recent date for which figures are available. [22708]

  Ms Quin
  The information requested is given in the table. All the prisoners were male.

  Persons aged 15 or 16 held in Prison Service accommodation on remand, by category of remand1

  Age

  Convicted unsentenced

  Untried

  Total

  15

  31

  44

  75

  16

  61

  112

  173

  1 Figures for 30 November 1997 (provisional).

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he plans to end the remands of 15 and 16-year-olds to prison accommodation; [22706]

  (2) how many of the places in local authority secure accommodation which are (a) currently available and (b) planned within the next five years he plans to use for the accommodation of 15 and 16-year-olds on remand; [22705]

  (3) if he plans to require (a) medical reports and (b) other reports to be obtained on 15 and 16–year-olds before they can be remanded to prison service accommodation on their physical or emotional immaturity or propensity to cause self-harm; [22707]

  (4) how many new places in local authority secure accommodation have become available in each year since 1991; [22703]

  (5) how many of the new places which he plans to make available in local authority secure accommodation within the next five years were not planned for on 1 May 1997; [22704]

  (6) what representations he has received on the practice of remanding 15 and 16-year-olds into prison service accommodation; [22701]

  (7) how many places in local authority secure accommodation he plans lo make available in the next (a) five years and (b) 10 years. [22702]

  Mr. Michael
  The Government want earlier and more effective intervention so as to prevent young people graduating to the stage where secure accommodation is needed. The youth justice reform programme will include measures for improving the delivery of youth justice services. One of these proposals will include placing a
  65
  new duty on local authorities to provide appropriate access to youth justice services and bail support which, coupled with the Government's plans to speed up the existing youth justice process, should help to reduce the existing pressures on the juvenile remand system.

  There will be occasions when it is necessary for the courts to remand certain juveniles to secure accommodation for their own or the public's protection. The Crime and Disorder Bill contains proposals which begin the process of implementing a policy, which the last Government failed to do, of allowing the courts to remand direct to local authority secure accommodation certain groups of juveniles, subject to certain strict criteria. These will include all 12 to 14-year-olds, 15 and 16-year-old girls and those 15 and 16-year-old boys who are adjudged by the courts to meet the definition of vulnerability, which is within the Crime and Disorder Bill, and where a place has been identified in advance.

  Before a court decides to remand in such circumstances, it will be required to consult a probation officer, a social worker or a member of a youth offending team and consider such information as is appropriate. This may include reports on the vulnerability of 15 and 16-year-olds.

  In February 1991, the previous Government indicated its intention of stopping prison remands for 15 and 16-year-old boys, but failed to provide the means to that end. Although a building programme was eventually put in place to provide the 170 new secure places in local authority accommodation, which the then Government estimated as necessary in 1991 to cater for the introduction of court-ordered remands to local authority secure accommodation for all 12 to 16-year-olds, seven years later these new places are still not fully available. This programme should be completed later this year. The number of juveniles remanded in security has increased significantly since that building programme began and prison remands of 15 and 16-year-old boys now stand within the 250 and 300 range. The demand from this group alone would significantly out strip the capacity of the local authority secure estate even when the existing building programme has been completed. It would be unsafe at this stage to change the existing arrangements for these boys.

  The Government hope that the Crime and Disorder Bill will receive Royal Assent by next summer at the latest. Separately, and in parallel, we are in the process of discussion with the local authority associations and others about the method of paying for such court-ordered secure remands, the cost of which will be met centrally. The intention is that courts should have these powers available for use, at the earliest, by October 1998. Once the courts begin to make use of these powers the Government will be in a better position to assess the feasibility of extending the provisions to all 15 and 16-year-old boys taking account of work by the Prison Service and others. The Government' s decision does not in any way represent a lessening of its commitment to end prison remands for 15 and 16-year-old boys, which it aims to do as soon as is practicable.

  Ministers have held a number of meetings with organisations, such as the Children's Society and the National Association for the Care and Rehabilitation of Offenders Remand Review Group, chaired by the hon.
  66
  Member for Fareham (Sir P. Lloyd), on the issue of juvenile secure remands. The Government have also received a number of responses on this issue which was contained in their consultation paper "Tackling Delays in the Youth Justice System", published on 15 October 1997. A summary of the responses to this consultation paper has been placed in the Library.

  The primary purpose of the local authority secure estate is to accommodate any child who is being looked after by the local authority under the Children Act 1989. In addition, the local authority secure estate is used to hold those who are sentenced under section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 or those who are held on secure remand. Since 1991 the number of approved secure places1 available in England and Wales (as at 31 March) is as follows:

  Year

  Places

  1991

  290

  1992

  280

  1993

  275

  1994

  293

  1995

  270

  1996

  278

  1997

  348

  There are now 435 approved local authority secure places in England and Wales.

  Source:

  Children Accommodated in Secure Units, year ending 11 March 1997.

  The Government have instituted a review of the whole range of secure accommodation for young offenders and young people held on remand, including the local authority secure estate. The review is examining how to make better use of the existing and planned accommodation to ensure that provision is more consistent and coherent and that regimes tackle criminality and meet the educational and other needs of these young people. The Government will be considering the outcome of the review, which is due to report shortly, when planning the implementation of these proposals. The review will help inform whether there should be a further expansion of the secure estate.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many 15 and 16-year-olds remanded into Prison Service accommodation(a) committed suicide and (b) were involved in incidents of self-harm in the latest year for which figures are available. [22715]

  Ms Quin
  There were no suicides among 15 or 16-year-olds remanded into Prison Service custody during the calendar year 1997. There were 17 reported incidents of deliberate self-harming among 15 and 16-year-olds during the same period.

  Human Rights
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what conclusions he has reached on the compliance of the provisions of the Crime and Disorder Bill [Lords] with the European Convention on Human Rights; and if he will state his reasons. [22719]
  67
  Mr. Michael
  My Department has given detailed consideration to the compatibility of the Bill with the Convention. I am satisfied that the Bill is compatible with the Convention and we will continue to keep the subject under review as the Bill progresses.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases involving 10 to 14-year-olds it has been necessary for the prosecution to rebut the presumption of doli incapax in the last five years. [22717]

  Mr. Michael
  For all prosecutions involving children under the age of 14 years, the prosecution must rebut the presumption of doli incapax. In 1996, the most recent year for which statistics are available, 7,125 children under 14 were proceeded against in the magistrate's court.1 The presumption of doli incapax has been in force over the last five years except for a period between a Divisional court judgment in 1994, which ruled that doli incapax was no longer part of English law, and a House of Lords judgment in 1995, which re-instated it.
  1 Criminal Statistics England and Wales: Supplementary Tables 1996; Volume 1. This figure includes those who were subsequently transferred to the Crown Court.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department has commissioned in respect of the operation of the presumption of doli incapax; and if he will publish it. [22718]

  Mr. Michael
  None. In March 1995, the House of Lords commented (in the case of Crown v Director of Public Prosecutions) that the common law presumption of doli incapax had been inconsistently applied and was capable of producing inconsistent results, and recommended that Parliament should review its continued retention in English law. In September 1997, the Government published, as part of the consultation document "Tackling Youth Crime", their proposals to reform doli incapax, with a preference to abolish the presumption outright. The majority of respondents to that consultation exercise who commented also favoured abolition. The Crime and Disorder Bill contains the necessary legislative provisions to abolish the presumption of doli incapax.

  Serious Sexual Offences Trials
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to extend the role of judges in trials involving rape and other serious sexual offences so as to permit or require them to take over the cross-examination of witnesses, with particular reference to victims. [22709]

  Mr. Michael
  On 13 June, we announced an urgent, wide ranging inter-departmental review of the way in which vulnerable and intimidated witnesses are treated by the criminal justice system. This includes the consideration of ways to prevent unrepresented defendants from personally cross-examining victims in rape and other serious sexual offence cases. The work of the review group is nearing completion.

  Reparation Orders
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he plans to make available to victims about reparation orders when obtaining their views about the making of such an order. [22714]

  Mr. Michael
  Currently, the Victim's Charter explains to the victims of any criminal offence what happened after that offence has been reported to the police, and outlines the standards of service that victims of crime can expect to receive from the criminal justice agencies. In the future, in cases where the court may consider imposing a reparation order, the victim will be advised that this is the case, and his view on receiving reparation from the young offender will be sought.

  The reparation order will be piloted, as set out in our White Paper "No More Excuses", published in November 1997. The pilot will allow for all aspects of the order to be evaluated and "fine-tuned", including the process of liaison with the victim. It is therefore too early to say definitively exactly what information might be given to victims when obtaining their views about receiving reparation from a young offender. However, the victims in such cases will not be asked for their view on the making of a reparation order; a victim will simply be asked whether he or she is willing to receive specific reparation from the young offender, and what form that reparation might take. There is no question of requiring victims to receive direct reparation if that is not their wish. If the victim does not with to receive such reparation, this will not preclude the making of a reparation order, as reparation may alternatively be made to the community at large.

  Drug Courts
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he plans to promote(a) drug courts and (b) the sponsorship of drug courts. [22720]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The Crime and Disorder Bill will allow courts to impose a drug treatment and testing order which will have some of the features of the drug court systems found in America. It will give courts the power to require drug misusing offenders to undergo treatment and will provide for the use of drug testing to enable the courts to monitor the progress of offenders at review hearings. We have no plans for commercial sponsorship of this initiative.

  Police (Pensions)
  Mr. Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many police widows there are in receipt of the preserved rate widow's pension, in each of the police forces of England and Wales; and what is the average weekly payment to them; [22297]

  (2) how many retired police officers, who are in receipt of a police injury pension, are now paying tax on the element repayable to police authorities as a result of the changes brought about by the introduction of incapacity benefit; [22296]
  69
  (3) how many retired police officers there are in receipt of a police injury pension payable, as a tax free allowance, under Regulation B4 of the Police Pensions Regulations 1987. [22295]

  Mr. Michael
  Police Pensions Regulations are administered locally by police authorities. The information requested is not therefore available centrally and could be collected only by making inquiries of each of the 43 police forces. It could therefore be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Advisory Panel for Animal Experimentation
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the terms of reference for the Advisory Panel for Animal Experimentation; who are its members; what are their qualifications and other employments; and how often the panel meets. [22697]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The Advisory Panel on Animal Experiments was replaced in 1987 by the Animal Procedures Committee which was established under the terms of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

  The terms of reference for the Animal Procedures Committee are set out in section 20 of the 1986 Act:
  (1) It shall be the duty of the Animal Procedures Committee to advise the Secretary of State on such matters concerned with this Act and his functions under it as the Committee may determine or as may be referred to the Committee by the Secretary of State.
  (2) In its consideration of any matter the Committee shall have regard both to the legitimate requirements of science and industry and to the protection of animals against avoidable suffering and unnecessary use in scientific sprocedures.
  (3) The Committee may perform any of its functions by means of sub-committees and may co-opt as members of any sub-committee any persons considered by the Committee to be able to assist that sub-committee in its work.
  (4) The Committee may promote research relevant to its functions and may obtain advice or assistance from other persons with knowledge or experience appearing to the Committee to be relevant to those functions.
  (5) The Committee shall in each year make a report on its activities to the Secretary of State who shall lay copies of the report before Parliament.

  The names, qualifications and other employments of the members of the Committee are listed each year in its annual report. The current membership is as follows:
  Professor Margaret Brazier, LLB (Chairman)—Professor of Law, University of Manchester.
  Professor Ronald Anderson, BVMS PhD MRCVS—Professor Emeritus of Animal Husbandry, University of Liverpool.
  Professor Margaret Boden, FBA MA ScD PhD—Professor of Philosophy and Psychology, University of Sussex.
  Dr. Yvonne Cripps, LLB LLM PhD—Reader and Director of Studies in Law, Emmanuel College Cambridge.
  Professor Robin Dunbar, BA PhD—Professor of Psychology, University of Liverpool.
  Professor Paul Flecknell, MA VetMB PhD DLAS DECVA MRCVS—Director, Comparative Biology Centre, the Medical School, University of Newcastle.
  Mr. John Gregory, FIAT Cbiol MIBiol RAnTech—Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine.
  Mrs. Judy Macarthur Clark, BVMS DLAS MRCVS—Director REC Europe Ltd. Consultant in laboratory animal science and ethics.
  70
  Miss Cindy Milburn, MSc—UK Director, International Fund for Animal Welfare.
  Dr. Ian Purchase, BVSc PhD MRCVS FRCPath FIBiol—Director, Central Toxicology Laboratories, Zeneca.
  Dr. Jacqueline Southee, PhD—Consultant in alternatives to the use of animals.
  Dr. Anthony Suckling, BSc PhD—Deputy Director, Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
  Professor John Turner, BSc DPhil FRSA—Professor of Evolutionary Genetics, University of Leeds.
  Mr. Les Ward—Director, Advocates for Animals.

  We expect to announce the appointment of a new Chairman shortly and to make further appointments to the Committee within the next two months.

  The Committee met on 10 occasions during 1997. The primate sub-committee met twice and the research sub-committee met on three occasions during the year. In addition, the Committee held a two-day seminar in November and several working group meetings to progress its review of the operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

  Elections
  Sir Brian Mawhinney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to permit voting in national and local elections (1) to take place in venues other than traditional polling stations; [22208]

  (2) what plans he has to introduce electronic voting in national and local elections. [22209]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The Working Party on Electoral Procedures, which I will chair, has been set up to look at these and many other questions of electoral practice.

  Police (Ranks in Post)
  Sir Brian Mawhinney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by police force the number of(a) constables, (b) sergeants and (c) other ranks in post on 1 January 1998. [22123]

  Mr. Michael
  The information collected centrally on police numbers relates to officers in post at the end of March and September each year. The table shows police numbers by rank in each force as at 30 September 1997.

  Police strength in England and Wales Total strength for ordinary duty as at 30 September 1997 (provisional) 1

  Police forces

  Constable

  Sergeant

  Other ranks

  Total police ranks

  Avon and Somerset

  2,309.50

  449.00

  214.00

  2,972.50

  Bedfordshire

  837.00

  151.10

  93.00

  1,081.10

  Cambridgeshire

  992.15

  199.20

  100.60

  1,291.95

  Cheshire

  1,579.34

  305.00

  145.00

  2,029.34

  City of London

  636.54

  118.82

  81.00

  836.36

  Cleveland

  1,153.80

  218.80

  108.00

  1,480.60

  Cumbria

  902.00

  175.00

  85.00

  1,162.00

  Derbyshire

  1,341.70

  276.00

  139.00

  1,756.70

  Devon and Cornwall

  2,274.00

  418.00

  218.00

  2,910.00

  Dorset

  971.00

  201.00

  107.00

  1,279.00

  Durham

  1,153.18

  211.60

  114.00

  1,478.78

  Dyfed Powys

  751.30

  184.00

  73.00

  1,008.30

  Essex

  2,261.26

  465.00

  218.00

  2,944.26

  Gloucestershire

  857.60

  161.60

  88.00

  1,107.20

  Greater Manchester

  5,357.88

  1,010.75

  539.00

  6,907.63

  Gwent

  947.00

  200.00

  82.00

  1,229.00

  71

  Police strength in England and Wales Total strength for ordinary duty as at 30 September 1997 (provisional) 1

  Police forces

  Constable

  Sergeant

  Other ranks

  Total police ranks

  Hampshire

  2,721.49

  511.39

  248.00

  3,480.88

  Hertfordshire

  1,340.70

  256.40

  141.00

  1,738.10

  Humberside

  1,573.25

  297.60

  159.00

  2,029.85

  Kent

  2,584.90

  470.00

  246.00

  3,300.90

  Lancashire

  2,507.70

  524.00

  249.00

  3,280.70

  Leicestershire

  1,550.69

  271.05

  136.00

  1,957.74

  Lincolnshire

  895.20

  188.70

  105.00

  1,188.90

  Merseyside

  3,265.50

  649.00

  308.00

  4,222.50

  Metropolitan Police

  20,495.58

  4,078.71

  1,816.80

  26,391.09

  Norfolk

  1,138.60

  193.35

  108.00

  1,439.95

  Northamptonshire

  935.00

  167.00

  79.00

  1,181.00

  Northumbria

  2,903.80

  507.80

  277.00

  3,688.60

  North Wales

  1,032.50

  225.00

  113.00

  1,370.50

  North Yorkshire

  1,060.58

  218.00

  104.00

  1,382.58

  Nottinghamshire

  1,811.96

  335.60

  169.50

  2,317.06

  South Wales

  2,285.60

  461.00

  243.00

  2,989.60

  South Yorkshire

  2,437.75

  473.00

  247.00

  3,157.75

  Staffordshire

  1,715.10

  339.20

  176.00

  2,230.30

  Suffolk

  933.20

  173.80

  91.00

  1,198.00

  Surrey

  1,234.27

  237.20

  136.50

  1,607.97

  Sussex

  2,339.95

  468.40

  231.67

  3,040.02

  Thames Valley

  2,876.07

  547.50

  281.75

  3,705.32

  Warwickshire

  701.60

  138.00

  74.00

  913.60

  West Mercia

  1,557.70

  305.70

  168.00

  2,031.40

  West Midlands

  5,589.00

  1,004.00

  486.00

  7,079.00

  West Yorkshire

  4,118.10

  754.10

  378.00

  5,250.20

  Wiltshire

  891.53

  187.10

  88

  1,166.63

  Total all forces

  96,822.57

  18,727.47

  9,264.82

  124,814.85

  1 Full-time equivalents

  Plastic Baton Guns
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 15 July 1997,Official Report, column 145, when the current review of baton gun guidelines which the Association of Chief Police Officers is conducting will be completed. [22480]

  Mr. Michael
  I understand that the Association of Chief Police Officers has nearly completed its review of the guidelines.

  Republic of Ireland
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement regarding a bilateral agreement between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland on mutual assistance in criminal matters. [22544]

  Mr. Michael
  The United Kingdom has been concluding bilateral agreements with other countries since 1988 with the aim of enhancing co-operation in tracing, freezing and confiscating the proceeds of drug trafficking and other crimes. At the end of 1997, 37 such agreements had been concluded, of which 28 were in force. Negotiations on an agreement with the Republic of Ireland are underway following recent changes in legislation in the Republic.

  Cycling (Fixed Penalty Offences)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to include the offence of cycling on the pavement in the list of fixed penalty offences; and if he will make a statement. [22213]
  72
  Mr. Michael
  The Government intend to make cycling on the pavement a fixed penalty offence later this year. This will be done by Statutory Instrument under provisions contained in the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988.

  Re-offending
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on the collection of statistics on re-offending while in receipt of a suspended sentence; and if he will make a statement. [22590]

  Mr. Michael
  The Criminal Justice Act 1991 restricted the use of fully suspended sentences to cases where a court decides the offence is so serious that only an immediate custodial sentence of not more than two years imprisonment is justified, but where there are exceptional circumstances which justify its suspension. Between 1993 and 1996, fully suspended sentences accounted for less than one per cent. of those sentenced for indictable offences.

  Statistics on re-offending, as measured by reconvictions, can be derived from regular samples drawn from the Offenders Index, a database of criminal careers maintained by the Home Office. For example, in a sample of those sentenced in 1991 (prior to implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 1991), 39 per cent. of those given a fully suspended sentence were reconvicted of a standard list offence within two years. Samples of those sentenced in later years have been drawn but any information on reconviction derived from these samples would be unreliable because of the small numbers of fully suspended sentences in the samples.

  Information on the number of offenders breaching fully suspended sentences is collected and published annually. The most recent published data relate to those breaching fully suspended sentences in 1996 and appear in table 7.25 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1996" (Cm. 3764).

  Information was published regularly on reconviction rates for standard list offences within two years of release for prisoners discharged from partly suspended sentences. However, partly suspended sentences were abolished under the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 which was implemented on 1 October 1992. The most recent available information appears in Home Office Statistical Bulletin 5/97 "Reconvictions of Prisoners Discharged from Prison in 1993, England and Wales". There were only 27 prisoners released from such sentences in 1993.

  Prison Suicides
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 10 December 1997,Official Report, column 586, on female deaths in prisons, how many prisoners in each category, in each year, were (a) on remand and (b) convicted. [22122]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: The information requested is given in the following table.
  73

  Year

  Female1 prisoners held

  Rx

  Sent

  Female deaths

  Rx

  Sent

  Female S.I.D.S

  Rx

  Sent

  1988

  1,789

  507

  1,282

  0

  —

  —

  0

  —

  —

  1989

  1,767

  468

  1,299

  0

  —

  —

  2

  2

  —

  1990

  1,597

  384

  1,213

  1

  —

  1

  1

  —

  1

  1991

  1,561

  389

  1,172

  0

  —

  —

  0

  —

  —

  1992

  1,577

  383

  1,194

  0

  —

  —

  2

  —

  2

  1993

  1,561

  395

  1,166

  2

  —

  2

  1

  1

  —

  1994

  1,811

  490

  1,321

  0

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1995

  1,979

  491

  1,488

  1

  —

  1

  2

  1

  1

  1996

  2,262

  537

  1,725

  2

  —

  2

  2

  1

  1

  1997

  22,888

  671

  2,217

  1

  —

  1

  3

  0

  3

  1 Average total female population.

  2 Average figure as at 30 November 1997.

  Rx = Remand.

  Sent = Convicted.

  S.I.D.S = Self-inflicted deaths.

  Not all self-inflicted deaths conclude with a verdict of suicide.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Higher Education
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list those access courses that are designed for entry to specific higher education courses. [22102]

  Dr. Howells
  The Secretary of State publishes a list each year of courses of further education which are approved under Schedule 2(c) of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 and which are eligible for funding. Such courses are commonly known as access courses. I have placed a copy of the current list in the Library.

  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many students currently in higher education have completed an access or foundation course. [22104]

  Dr. Howells
  The numbers of entrants to higher education with an Access or Foundation course as the highest entry qualification over the last three years were:

  1994: 20,464;

  1995: 22,550;

  1996: 22,950.

  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the total number of students currently enrolled on(a) access and (b) foundation courses; and if he will make a statement. [22101]

  Dr. Howells
  The information requested is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, publications by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education suggest that there are around 30,000 students taking part in some 1,200 access courses in England.

  Study and Training Leave
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on his policy 74
  in respect of allowing certain employers exemption from the requirement to permit employees aged 16 or 17 years the right to time off for study or training. [22371]

  Dr. Howells
  The legislation proposed in clauses 23 and 24 of the Teaching and Higher Education Bill will apply to all employers. The Government will continue to work with employers, and other key partners, to build on existing good practice, so that the legislation can be implemented in a way that is both sensible and flexible, and attains its objective of enabling all young people who are able to achieve qualifications at Level 2 (whether National Vocational Qualification or equivalent).

  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to exempt employers who offer in-house training for employees aged 16 and 17 years from the requirement to allow such employees time off for study or training; and if he will make a statement. [22369]

  Dr. Howells
  The long-term aim of this Government is that all young people who are able should achieve qualifications at least at Level 2 (whether National Vocational Qualification or equivalent), to equip them for the world of work. The legislation proposed in the Teaching and Higher Education Bill will apply to all employers. No employer will be exempt, but in-house training during the employee's working hours which leads to a relevant qualification, and which meets the requirements of reasonableness that are set out, will enable the employer to meet his obligations under the proposed legislation.

  Equal Opportunities Commission
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to reduce grant in aid to the Equal Opportunities Commission. [22235]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle) on 18 December 1997,Official Report, column 252.

  Youth Training
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many young people in Sunderland in receipt of youth training bridging allowance receive jobseeker's allowance. [22051]
  75
  Dr. Howells
  No young person in Sunderland was in receipt of both allowances in the week ending 5 December, the latest period for which data are available.

  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which TECs have set(a) higher minimum levels of training allowance for non-employed trainees than the minimum permitted and (b) more than the 19.5 days per annum holiday; and if he will make a statement. [22047]

  Dr. Howells
  TECs are free to set allowances above the minimum and to determine holiday entitlements for non-employed trainees in conjunction with training providers. Information of TEC practice in this connection is not held centrally.

  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to increase the minimum weekly training allowance for youth training. [22046]

  Dr. Howells
  The level of training allowance is under review.

  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what would be the present minimum weekly training allowance for youth training if it had been uprated in line with inflation since 1990. [22049]

  Dr. Howells
  The present minimum weekly training allowance, which is frequently supplemented by employers, would be £40.69 for 16-year-olds and £47.47 for 17-year-olds and above if it had been uprated in line with inflation since 1990.

  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the numbers and percentages of young people in Sunderland who are participating in youth training and the percentage who are receiving more than the minimum allowance from employers or training providers. [22050]

  Dr. Howells
  Around 3,000 young people in Sunderland are currently participating in work-based training for young people, representing about 40 per cent. of the 16 to 17-year-old population. Information on those who are receiving more than the minimum allowance in Sunderland is not available. Nationally, around two-thirds of young people in work-based training receive a wage or an allowance topped up above the minimum.

  Student Fees
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to remove HEFC grant from those universities which fail to collect the student fee element. [22370]

  Dr. Howells
  Given the concern that has been expressed by universities about the reduction in public funding per student since 1989, it would be surprising if many decided that they could forgo tuition fees for a substantial number of students. However, where a university has extensive private income—for instance, from business sponsorship—which it can use to reduce or waive fees without affecting the quality of its provision, then we would not seek to intervene.

  Special Needs
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the measures in the Green Paper "Excellence for All Children" which strengthen the present legal framework of protection of the rights of children with special needs; and if he will make a statement. [22699]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Green Paper does not propose changes to the fundamental legal framework for Special Educational Needs (SEN). Parents will continue to have the right to seek a statutory assessment and a statement of SEN for their child; their rights would be strengthened through our proposal that an independent adviser should be available to all parents whose children's needs are being formally assessed. We want parents to have greater assurance of effective intervention at the school-based stages of the SEN Code of Practice, with support from local education authorities. This emphasis on early practical support should in time mean that fewer children need to move onto a statement.

  Child Care
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many additional childcare places he expects to become available under the Government's £300 million initiative in(a) 1998–99, (b) 1999–2000 and (c) 2000–01. [22367]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  It is too early to give detailed information of this kind. The £300 million is made up of £30 million from the receipts of the Windfall Tax in 1998–99, £50 million under the Out of School Childcare initiative over five years from 1998–99, £220 million from the New Opportunities Fund over three years from 1999–2003. We expect that most of the funding will be allocated in response to bids and plans which originate at local level. The intention is that there should be a project in every community which needs it, providing places for up to a million children in total.

  After-school Clubs
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on his policy towards after-school clubs for under-eights. [22593]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Government are committed to improving the quality and quantity of out of school childcare as part of our development of a national childcare strategy. We have made £300 million available over the next five years which will provide out of school child care to every community in Britain which needs it.

  Circulars
  Mr. McWilliam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will review each of his Department's circulars issued to education authorities which are still in force; and if he will make a statement. [22260]

  Mr. Byers
  The Department reviews circulars when changes in the law or policy supersede the guidance they contain.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Overseas Travel
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is her estimate of the expenditure by(a) her 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 she will provide a breakdown to show (1) air fares and (2) other expenditure relating to overseas travel. [15251]

  Mr. Murphy
  [holding answer 11 November 1997]: The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, information on all travel and associated expenses for the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments and Agencies is listed1.2.3..

  £000s

  1990–91

  46,932

  1991–92

  14,555

  1992–93

  47,619

  1993–94

  16,380

  1994–95

  15,301

  1995–96

  16,205

  1996–97

  16,991

  1997–98

  7,105 (1 May to 30 September)

  1 Information on NDPBs could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

  2 Information for 1980–81 and 1987–88 is not available.

  3 Northern Ireland Office figures include Personnel Service (Belfast) and NI Prison Service for 1990–91 to 1997–98 and also the Forensic Agency of NI for 1991–92 to 1997–98.

  4 The Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Environment could not provide information for 1990–91 and 1992–93 without incurring disproportionate costs.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) special advisers, (b) task force members and (c) review body members her Department employs; what is the total salary and benefits of (a) to (c); and what was the equivalent cost prior to 1 May. [19314]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The information for the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments is as follows:

  Since 1 May

  Prior to 1 May

  Number

  Cost (£)

  Number

  Cost (£)

  (a) Special Advisers

  2

  52,686

  1

  35,746

  (b) Task Force Members1

  Nil

  —

  —

  —

  (c) Review Body Members1

  1

  2,655 (annually)

  1

  2,655 (annually)

  In addition, two civil servants are currently seconded to work on a Pay and Grading Review in the Northern Ireland Prison Service at a cost of £109,000. In 1996–97, three civil servants were seconded to this work, at a cost of £121,000.

  1 With the exception of the Review in the Northern Ireland Prison Service, it is not possible to distinguish the cost of officials time spent on Task Force and Review Related work.

  Flax Trust, Belfast
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list(a) the sources and (b) the amount of funding made available to the Flax Trust, Belfast in the current and previous financial year; and if any of these funds were (i) intended for and (ii) used by the Golden Thread Arts Theatre. [20005]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The Department of Health and Social Services provides funding towards the cost of a project run by the Flax Trust through the Community Volunteering Scheme, which is administered on behalf of the Department by the Northern Ireland Volunteer Development Agency. In 1996–97 this amounted to £28,506. The same amount has been set aside for the project in 1997–98, of which £21,380 has been paid to date. The Golden Thread Art Theatre does not receive any funding from the Community Volunteering Scheme.

  T&EA Belfast Region has no direct contractural arrangements with the Flax Trust; however the Trust is an overarching organisation for a number of initiatives in the Ardoyne area, and two of these are directly involved with the Agency.

  (a) Brookfield Business School (BBS) is a Jobskills Training Organisation based in the Brookfield Mill complex. BBS offers training for young people and adults in Catering, Information Technology, Welding and Business Administration. T&EA provided funding of £347,081 in 1996–97 and £240,213 in the current financial year.

  (b) Community Aid is a 117 place ACE project in the Ardoyne area, offering employment in Environmental, Clerical, Computing, Welfare, Home Visitation and Creche work. T&EA provided funding of £712,857 in 1996–97 and £351,445 in the current financial year.

  Police
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many complaints were made against the police; what is the ratio of the number of complaints to(a) the population of the jurisdiction, (b) the number of police officers and (c) the number investigated; how many of these complaints were investigated; how many investigations led to the instigation of disciplinary proceedings against officers; what is the ratio of proceedings instigated to complaints made; how many disciplinary proceedings led to disciplinary action; and what is the ratio of disciplinary action to complaints made for the last year for which figures are available. [19500]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 10 December 1997]: The available information for Northern Ireland, in relation to complaints made and completed in 1996 is given below. Number of complaints received: 4,429.

  (a) Ratio of complaints to the population: 1:376.

  (b) Ratio of complaints to number of officers at 30 November 1997 (including Full Time and Part Time Reserve): 1:2.89.

  (c) Ratio of complaints received to the number of complaints fully investigated in 1996 is 1:0.45 (Complaints recorded in a year are not necessarily completed in that year; and the number of complaints investigated includes some originating in earlier years. Also, the figure for investigated complaints does not include complaints withdrawn, informally resolved or deemed incapable of investigation. It is not possible to give a figure for the number of complaints received in 1996 which were investigated in 1996, as the figures on completion can relate to cases originating in earlier years).

  79
  Two thousand and eleven complaints were fully investigated in 1996 and 10 completed investigations led to disciplinary proceedings against officers.

  The ratio of disciplinary proceedings to complaints made against officers is 0.003:1. (The disciplinary proceedings may have arisen from complaints originating in earlier years; some investigations led to more than one officer facing disciplinary action).

  Six officers received disciplinary action following disciplinary hearings arising from investigations completed in 1996. These figures may contain proceedings from complaints made in earlier years. The ratio of disciplinary action to the number of complaints is 0.0014: 1.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Police Authority for Northern Ireland purchased the Seapark complex at Carrickfergus; what the purchase price was; what professional surveys and advice were obtained; and what amounts have since been spent in adapting and developing the complex. [20795]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Police Authority signed the contract to purchase the Seapark Complex, Carrickfergus, on 4 March 1988.

  The agreed purchase price was £660,000.

  In February 1987 the Authority commissioned a professional architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical condition survey of the Seapark premises.

  Since 1988 the Authority has spent a total of £5.9 million on various projects.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement on the(a) location, (b) extent and (c) effects of the discovery of asbestos in the Police Authority's Seapark complex, and what estimate she has made of the cost of stores (i) cleaned and (ii) disposed of and the cost of surveys and other remedial work to deal with the asbestos problem. [20797]

  Mr. Ingram
  Asbestos, primarily in the form of asbestos/cement roof and wall panels, is present extensively throughout the former factory and boiler house areas of the Seapark complex.

  Asbestos based material was also present in ceiling tiles and is present in pipe and duct lagging within certain roof voids.

  The discovery of asbestos contamination led to the closure of all contaminated areas and required the relocation of staff, equipment and functions.

  The cost of cleaning re-usable stores items and equipment totals £802,080 and the value of stores disposed of as a direct result of asbestos contaminated amounts to £579,760.

  The cost of surveys and other remedial work to deal with the asbestos problem is £829,243.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who was the vendor of the Seapark complex at Carrickfergus when it was purchased by the Police Authority for Northern Ireland. [20799]
  80
  Mr. Ingram
  The vendor of the Seapark complex was Rothmans International PLC.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who was involved in the decision to identify and evaluate the premises which led to the Police Authority for Northern Ireland purchasing the former Carreras Tobacco plant at Seapark, Carrickfergus. [20796]

  Mr. Ingram
  The availability of the former Rothmans/Carreras factory at Seapark was first identified by senior officials in the Police Authority in December 1986. There then followed a period of evaluation of the premises.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations she has received from the(a) Police Authority and (b) Chief Constable for legislation on the role and responsibilities of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland. [20791]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Secretary of State has received no representations from either the Police Authority or the Chief Constable on the role and responsibilities of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures she will take to ensure that the Police Authority protects the health and safety of all staff at the Seapark complex and fully discloses the extent and implications of the discovery of asbestos in the complex. [20798]

  Mr. Ingram
  Assurances have been received from the Police Authority that it has taken, and will continue to take, whatever measures are necessary to protect the health and safety of all staff at the Seapark complex.

  Following the discovery of asbestos contamination at Seapark, a programme involving re-location, de-contamination and remedial works was implemented.

  Staff and the staff associations were informed about the contamination and, since that time, weekly tests have been carried out for the continuing reassurance of staff.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will encourage the Police Authority and RUC jointly to undertake a comprehensive fair employment audit and action plan and publish it. [20907]

  Mr. Ingram
  Both the Police Authority and the RUC already furnish the Fair Employment Commission with regular reviews of their employment composition and practices in accordance with the obligations placed on employers under Section 31 of the Fair Employment (NI) Act 1989.

  Both bodies take seriously their responsibilities under the legislation and I am not convinced that an audit is required.

  RUC Garnerville (Union Flag)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what factors determine the length of time the Union flag is flown at RUC Garnerville; and if she will review the practice. [20764]
  81
  Mr. Ingram
  The Union flag has traditionally been flown at the RUC Training Centre on week-days during the hours of 8 am to 5 pm. The flying of the Union flag over police establishments in Northern Ireland is a matter to be dealt with by the Chief Constable.

  Schools Funding
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if DENI's proposal that the premises factor in the LMS formulae should relate solely to the area of the premises will be implemented for 1998–99. [21226]

  Mr. Worthington
  Following extensive consultation with Education and Library Boards and schools, the original proposals for LMS funding have now been amended to ensure that over a period of years we progress towards commonality and transparent fairness of funding of schools in Northern Ireland. This means that in some cases in 1998–99 the determination of the premises factor will not relate solely to the area of premises.

  Low Pay
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many full-time employees in her Department are paid at an hourly rate of between(a) £3.27 and £3.50, (b) £3.51 and £3.75 and (c) £3.76 and £4. [20613]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  [holding answer 15 December 1997]: The information for the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments is as follows:

  Hourly rate

  Employees

  (a) £3.27 to £3.50

  1,500

  (b) £3.51 to £3.75

  329

  (c) £3.76 to £4.00

  390

  Pensions
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps she will take to protect pensioners resident in Northern Ireland who receive their pensions from the Republic of Ireland against the impact of currency fluctuations. [21385]

  Mr. Worthington
  None. This is a matter for the Republic of Ireland who determine the rate of pension to be paid.

  Mr. Jackie Mahood
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the RUC investigation into the attempted murder of Mr. Jackie Mahood. [21511]

  Mr. Ingram
  The attempted murder of Mr. Mahood is currently the subject of an investigation by the RUC and is therefore sub judice.

  Farm Improvements
  Mrs. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has to continue the SPARD programme for improvements on farms after 1999. [21637]
  82
  Mr. Paul Murphy
  Any decision about a future SPARD (Capital Grants) Scheme will be based on an assessment of the needs of the industry and an evaluation of the current scheme which, while closed to new applications is still being administered. Additionally, as a scheme with co-funding from the European Community it will need to address any agreements reached on foot of Agenda 2000.

  Beef Export Ban
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps she is taking to ensure that the export ban on Northern Ireland produced beef is removed. [21628]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The Government have had exhaustive discussions with the European Commission over the last few months on the Export Certified Herd Scheme (ECHS). We have offered changes to meet all the main points of concern.

  We are hopeful that the Commission will put a proposal on ECHS to the Standing Veterinary Committee on 14–15 January.

  The Government are also in discussion with the Commission on the proposals on the Date Based Scheme which was submitted to the Commission in October. We are pursuing this Scheme with just as much urgency as the Certified Herd Scheme.

  Guardsmen Fisher and Wright
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the factors in addition to the advice of the Life Sentence Review Board which led her to reach her decision on the cases of Guardsmen Fisher and Wright; and if she will make a statement. [20981]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: The two Guardsmen were each provided with a written gist of my considerations of their cases at the time that my decision was conveyed to them by the Northern Ireland Prison Service. A copy of the relevant extract from the letter is reproduced as follows.
  "Gist of the Secretary of State's considerations
  The Secretary of State carefully considered all the currently available information and reports about your case in the knowledge of the confidential recommendation of the Review Board. She also considered at length all the available information about the other cases identified. However, the Secretary of State concluded that while it was useful to recall the other cases and to be aware of their outcomes, and the reasons for them, in so far as they are known, they lent little assistance to the deliberations given the full facts of your particular case. The Secretary of State also felt that the information relating to Manslaughter cases and other serious crimes other than murder covered such a wide range that they were also not particularly helpful or relevant.
  The Secretary of State also considered the formal representations from your Solicitor along with the other correspondence received about your case.
  Looking therefore at your case on its own individual merits the Secretary of State weighed up the various competing mitigating and aggravating factors. The Secretary of State noted that there was no agreement as to who fired first. She concluded that this factor, which could be variously viewed as mitigating or aggravating, was of minor significance. She concluded that a gravely serious crime had been committed which resulted in the death of an unarmed youth who was running away from your patrol in circumstances where the

  83
  Courts found that there was no lawful justification for the shooting. She also acknowledged, however, the difficult background against which the offence had been committed in which you were operating during the course of your duty and the fact that there was no premeditation. She decided that, given all the available facts of your case, you have not yet served a period sufficient to reflect the seriousness of the crime. She therefore decided to invite the Life Sentence Review Board to consider your case again in one year's time when you will have served approximately six years.
  I must of course, advise you, without prejudice to whatever recommendation that the Review Board may come to next year, that a deferral of your case for this period is not an indication that release will be appropriate at that time."

  I would assure the House that the consideration that has been given to these cases by all those who are involved in the life sentence review process has been scrupulous. These are very serious matters and the cases have been carefully and thoroughly considered on the basis of the facts as adduced by the Courts. They have been dealt with strictly on their own merits and I can assure the House that no extraneous considerations, political or otherwise, have been permitted to influence my decision.

  Prisoners (Head Counts)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the dates and times of the last five full head counts of prisoners in each prison in Northern Ireland indicating for each such count whether the prisoners were locked in their cells at the time or outside their cells. [22175]

  Mr. Ingram
  With the exception of HMP Maze, head counts are carried out at frequent and regular intervals both in and out of cell. There are a minimum of five head counts in any period of 24 hours and these are detailed for the last 24 hours. At HMP Maze however, two head counts are carried out per day and prisoners are locked in the block but not in the cells.Head counts—HMP Magilligan

  08.00: Prisoners locked in cell

  12.30: (lunchtime) Prisoners locked in cell

  16.30: (return from work) Prisoners locked in cell

  17.30: (teatime) Prisoners locked in cell

  20.30: Prisoners locked in cell

  Prisoners are checked approximately every two hours during the night in cell.
  Head counts—HM Young Offenders Centre

  08.00: (two checks) nightguard and day staff—Prisoners locked in cell

  09.30: (before work) Prisoners not locked

  12.45: (lunchtime) Prisoners locked in cell

  13.30: (unlock) Prisoners locked in cell

  16.00: (lock up) Prisoners locked in cell

  16.45: (unlock) Prisoners locked in cell

  20.00: (lock up) day staff—Prisoners locked in cell

  21.30: (nightguard) Prisoners locked in cell

  Head counts continue during the night at irregular intervals.
  Head counts—HMP Maghaberry

  08.00: (unlock) Prisoners locked in cell

  12.30: (lunch) Some prisoners are locked in cell and some are in the exercise yards or out with work parties

  14.00: (unlock) Same as 12.30 above

  16.30: (lock up) Prisoners locked in cell

  17.30: (unlock) Prisoners locked in cell

  84

  20.30: (lock up) Prisoners locked in cell

  In addition, regular cell checks are carried out by the nightguard every hour.
  Head counts—HMP Maze

  08.30: approximately

  19.30: approximately

  Prisoners are locked in the blocks but not in their cells.

  HM YOC is not a prison under the terms of the Act, but as the establishment is the responsibility of the NIPS it has been included in the answer.

  Preparatory Schools
  Mr. Donaldson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the proposals to cut funding for preparatory schools in Northern Ireland were subjected to a policy appraisal and fair treatment analysis; and what were the results. [22256]

  Mr. Worthington
  A Policy Appraisal and Fair Treatment analysis is currently being carried out concurrent with the analysis of all the comments received during the consultation process. This analysis will be an integral part of the final decision making process.

  Mr. Donaldson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what research she has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the impact of the proposed reductions in funding for preparatory schools in Northern Ireland upon the viability of such schools; and what were the findings of this research. [22257]

  Mr. Worthington
  As part of the consultative process, each school with a preparatory department was asked to provide an assessment of the impact the proposed funding changes would have on the existing and future pupil numbers and the ongoing viability of the school. Responses are currently under consideration.

  Fair Employment Commission
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the classes or groups of employers for which the Fair Employment Commission does not require that information about the religious and community background of its work force be published below the level of the organisation as a whole; and what are the criteria which an employer has to meet to receive such status. [22219]

  Mr. Ingram
  The FEC does not publish information on the religious composition of any employers' workforce below the level of the workforce as a whole.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the organisations for which the Fair Employment Commission only requires information on the religious and community background of the workforce as a whole. [22220]

  Mr. Ingram
  There are none. All registered employers must submit to the Commission annual monitoring returns showing the community composition of their overall workforce and the composition in nine standard occupational classifications.

  Prison Escape
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what reports she has received on the time and method of the escape of Liam Averill from prison, other then the information given to the prison authorities by the person claiming to be the spokesman for the IRA in the prison. [22203]

  Mr. Ingram
  Shortly after the escape, I received reports from the Governor of HMP Maze and from the Chief Executive of the NI Prison Service. I then initiated a full inquiry, the result of which will be published in due course.

  Royal Ulster Constabulary
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the RUC stations which she has visited since she took up her present Ministerial responsibilities. [22177]

  Mr. Ingram
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has visited the following RUC stations since taking up her present Ministerial responsibilities:

  Lurgan

  Strand Road

  Newtownabbey

  Dungannon

  Musgrave Street

  Ballymoney

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will place in the Library a copy of the survey recommended by Her Majesty's Inspector for Constabulary on religious harassment within the RUC. [20793]

  Mr. Ingram
  I have today placed in the Library of the House a copy of the survey recommended by Her Majesty's Inspector for Constabulary on religious harassment within the RUC.

  Plastic Baton Rounds
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to her answer of 15 July 1997,Official Report, column 145, whether the army is participating in the review of baton gun guidelines which the Association of Chief Police Officers is conducting. [22481]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Army is not participating in the review being conducted by the Association of Chief Police Officers, but will consider any recommendations from that review with regard to its own guidelines on the use of baton guns.

  Police Authority
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will amend the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill to require the Police Authority for Northern Ireland to hold its meetings in public and publish minutes for public inspection. [21050]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Secretary of State has no immediate plans to amend the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill so that the Police Authority is required to hold its meetings in public and publish minutes for public inspection.
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  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the Police Authority for Northern Ireland is taking to prepare and plan for its meetings to be held in public. [21049]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Police Authority's Code of Openness and Accountability, published on 8 April 1997, sets out its policy on public access to meetings and minutes. The Code commits the Authority to holding a well-publicised annual meeting open to the public. In December 1997, two such meetings were held in Belfast and Londonderry. The minutes of the Authority's monthly meeting with the Chief Constable are made available for public inspection and copies are issued to the media.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Cycle Spaces
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many secure cycle spaces there are in her Department. [22683]

  Clare Short
  There are secure spaces for 28 bicycles at the Department's London office and 10 at the office in East Kilbride. Additional spaces could be made available in both locations if there were increased demand.

  Aid (Rules for Use)
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what factors influenced the Government's decision to offer developing countries greater flexibility in the use of aid; and what measures she proposes to prevent aid being used for military purchases. [22469]

  Clare Short
  Our new emphasis on poverty elimination highlights the importance of entering deeper and long-term partnerships with those poorer countries who share our commitment to the international development targets through the adoption of sensible economic, social and political policies. A key feature of the UK's relationships with our developing country partners is to ensure that the latter play a full part in the planning, implementation and evaluation of development projects in their countries.

  There is not and will not be any link between aid and sales of British arms equipment.

  Multilateral Agreement on Investment
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what terms Her Majesty's Government require to be met before signing up to the Multilateral Agreement on Investment; and what safeguards Her Majesty's Government will require for developing countries. [22431]

  Clare Short
  The Government will be seeking a Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI) with a satisfactory balance of commitments from each negotiating partner. The MAI is not designed for poorer developing countries but it could become a model, and we are supporting consultation with them on how their needs can be taken into account. My Department is commissioning a study to look at any implications the MAI may have for these countries.

  Denver Summit
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate she has made of the extra spending obligations arising from the Prime Minister's policy announced at the Denver Summit in relation to overseas aid; and from what budget extra resources will come. [22470]

  Clare Short
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced an increase by 50 per cent. of our bilateral commitments for basic education, health care and clean water in the sub-Saharan Africa. This means my Department will commit at least £360 million over the next three years in these areas compared with £240 million in the previous three. Funds will come from existing resources and will be found by giving higher priority to programmes to combat poverty.

  Bilateral Aid (Africa)
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much bilateral aid has been given for(a) health care, (b) education and (c) clean water in Africa in each of the last three years; and what is the estimated level for the next three years. [22468]

  Clare Short
  Over the last three years we have committed £240 million bilateral aid to health care, education and clean water in Africa and of this we have so far actually spent the following amounts:

  £ million

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  Health care

  19.0

  35.8

  32.6

  Education

  2.9

  21.2

  6.7

  Water and sanitation

  7.2

  8.2

  12.5

  At the G7/8 Denver Summit in June last year my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, announced that we would increase by 50 per cent. our commitments on basic education, health care and clean water over the next three years. We intend, therefore, to commit at least £360 million over the next three years to meet these targets.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Beef
  Sir George Young
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from independent butchers about deboning costs. [21376]

  Mr. Rooker
  A number of organisations consulted about the legislative proposals to require the deboning of all beef, whether from home supplies or imported, coming from cattle over six months old, before it is sold to the consumer, drew attention to the cost of deboning in their responses. Copies of all the responses received and considered before the Beef Bones Regulations 1997 were made have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to ensure that beef labelled as produced in Britain is not merely processed in the United Kingdom. [22441]
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  Mr. Rooker
  The Beef Labelling Scheme, which takes full effect from 31 March 1998 will require retailers and others selling beef to consumers which is labelled "British" to seek prior approval from a competent authority for use of the term. To obtain approval, such operators will have to demonstrate that beef labelled "British" is derived from animals born, reared and slaughtered in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place in the Library details of the representations he has received from(a) representative bodies and (b) others on his proposals to ban beef on the bone. [22286]

  Mr. John Cunningham
  Copies of all the responses received and considered following the formal consultation on legislative proposals to require the deboning of all beef, whether from home supplies or imported, coming from cattle over six months old, before it is sold to the consumer, were placed in the Library of the House on 22 December 1997.

  Mr. Hogg
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place in the Library the advice that he received from Sir Kenneth Calman regarding the health risks posed by beef on the bone. [22494]

  Mr. Rooker
  A statement by Sir Kenneth Calman in which he outlined his advice to Ministers was published in a press release by the Department of Health on 5 December 1997. As is usual practice, a copy was placed in the Library of the House at the same time.

  Mr. Swinney
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he considered to ensure that all beef on the bone products are clearly identified and sold with suitable warnings of the risk of CJD infection; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of such measures as an alternative to the ban on the sale of beef on the bone products. [20505]

  Mr. Rooker
  We carefully considered the advice which was received from the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee on the safety of bone-in beef, including making their assessment public and leaving it for consumers to decide whether or not to continue purchasing such products. Taking account of the views of the Chief Medical Officer, we concluded that further action was necessary on a precautionary basis, and, following consultation with interested organisations, have introduced a prohibition on the sale of bone-in beef products in the Beef Bones Regulations 1997.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action has been taken in other EU countries to regulate the sale of bone-in beef. [21040]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 16 December 1997]: The precautionary action taken in the United Kingdom to prohibit the sale of bone-in beef in the interest of consumer safety, together with the full advice from the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee, was notified to the European Commission immediately. It was subsequently considered by the Scientific Steering Committee in Brussels who are continuing to review the scientific evidence in the light of their initial assessment. In the meantime, any action in individual Member States is a matter for their authorities. We understand, however, that Belgium is considering a ban on bone-in beef from

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  early in 1998, and the Irish Republic has given a strong warning about the risks of eating bone-in beef to its citizens but taken no further action.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the effect of the ban on bone-in beef upon catering establishments specialising in such products. [21201]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 16 December 1997]: Comments received by the deadline from those consulted, including the catering industry, on the proposed legislation to implement a ban on bone-in beef, were all carefully considered before the Beef Bone Regulations 1997 were made and presented to Parliament. The accompanying Regulatory Appraisal sets out our best assessment of the impact of this legislation on those sectors directly affected, based on the information available to us at the time. A copy is available in the Library of the House, and on the MAFF Internet site.

  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he was first notified of SEAC's recommendations on beef on-the-bone. [21608]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 18 December 1997]: My right hon. Friend received SEAC's recommendations on bone-in beef just before 9.00 am on Wednesday 3 December 1997.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to ensure that imported beef supplied to schools meets the(a) meat safety and (b) animal welfare standards required of United Kingdom producers. [21603]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 18 December 1997]: The sourcing of food supplied to schools is a matter for the appropriate education authorities and governing bodies. Health provisions concerning the beef available on the British market are set at the EU level, and animal welfare provisions in both EU and Council of Europe measures. From the 1 January 1998, all beef entering the UK food chain is required to meet the UK SRM (specified risk material) controls.

  Mr. Swinney
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the advantages of exempting beef from cattle born after 1 August 1996 from the ban on beef on-the-bone; and if he will make a statement. [21598]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 18 December 1997]: Consideration was given to such an exemption. However, as my right hon. Friend indicated in his statement to the House on 3 December 1997, Official Report, columns 372–89, this would give rise to considerable problems of identification and enforcement. We therefore concluded that, to avoid any possibility of errors, mix ups, cheating or confusion, we should follow SEAC advice that all beef from cattle over six months old should be deboned. The position will be kept under review.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide additional money to councils to fund environmental health officers' inspection of butchers' shops, following the ban of beef-on-the-bone. [21675]
  90
  Mr. Rooker
  There will be no increase in the level of supervision as a result of the prohibition on the sale of bone-in beef contained in the Beef Bones Regulations 1997. Normal levels will continue to apply, although enforcement officers will, in future, be required to check that boning requirements are being met. I therefore see no need to make additional money available to local authorities for this work.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current cost to the United Kingdom of its contribution to the Common Agricultural Policy. [21390]

  Mr. Rooker
  The United Kingdom is expected to contribute about £4.3 billion towards Community expenditure on the CAP in 1997, some of which will be abated next year under the Fontainebleau arrangements.

  School Milk
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what European Union funding is available for the provision of school milk in schools within the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [21889]

  Mr. Rooker
  Under the fully EU-funded scheme, the UK subsidises drinking milk and unflavoured yoghurt provided to primary schools and nurseries. The rate of subsidy is as follows:

  Pence per pint

  Whole milk

  11.99

  Semi-skimmed milk

  7.57

  Plain whole milk yoghurt

  2.05

  Beef Imports
  Mr. Swinney
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements with the Government of Argentina govern the importing of beef from that country; and if he will make a statement. [22191]

  Mr. Rooker
  Imports of beef from Argentina must be in accordance with harmonised Community rules laid down in Council Directive 64/433/EEC. Consignments of beef must also be accompanied by public health certification which conforms to the model laid down in Commission Decision 87/221/EEC. Argentina also benefits from certain concessionary tariff arrangements.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures the Government will take to ensure that the labelling of beef and other meat products identifies the country of origin. [22357]

  Mr. Rooker
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South-East Cambridgeshire (Mr. Paice) on 22 December 1997,Official Report, column 492.

  Meat Labelling
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations his Department has held with supermarkets to ensure that beef and other meat products are properly labelled. [22358]
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  Mr. Rooker
  The Department's officials have regular discussions with retailers about food law, including the accuracy of labelling information. Officials have held specific discussions with representatives of the major supermarkets and independent butchers about the forthcoming arrangements for the labelling of fresh and frozen beef and beef mince.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to ensure that meat is labelled with the country of production. [22076]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: The Government have already announced plans for the labelling of fresh and frozen beef and beef mince. Under the proposed arrangements, which will enter into full force on 31 March 1998, origin claims along with other detailed information, such as production method, will require approval by a competent authority. While these arrangements will be voluntary in the first instance, I expect the majority of beef sold retail to be covered. It is envisaged that origin claims on beef will be compulsory by the year 2000. The European Commission will be reviewing the operation of the beef labelling arrangements in 1999. As part of the review the Commission is expected to consider the possibility of extending the beef labelling arrangements to other species.

  Rendering Subsidy
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will reintroduce the rendering subsidy. [22356]

  Mr. Rooker
  The objective of the support to the rendering industry was to avoid the disorderly collapse of the meat chain in the immediate aftermath of the BSE crisis. This was achieved. A wide range of industry bodies and representatives were involved in drawing up the Schemes, which were always intended to cover only the financial years 1996–97 and 1997–98, and to provide reduced support in the second year to allow the meat chain to adjust to the post BSE economic and regulatory realities.

  Following the election, the Government carefully considered representations made by a wide range of interested industry bodies, from producers to renderers, before confirming the phasing out of support, which began in July. The principal reason for the decision was that the conditions last year which gave rise to the threat of collapse of the meat chain no longer exist. The support has served its purpose and there are no plans to continue the support into 1998–99.

  Cattle Traceability Scheme
  Mr. Collins
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to encourage the use of(a) information technology and (b) electronic ear tags for cattle in the Cattle Traceability Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [22078]

  Mr. Rooker
  The British Cattle Movement Service, which is being set up to oversee the Cattle Tracing System (CTS), will operate a highly automated system. It will make use of barcode technology to process machine readable forms. Industry are also being encouraged to notify cattle movements to the BCMS by electronic mail.
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  It will not be a requirement of the CTS for cattle to have electronic eartags. However, the CTS will take account of the fact that increasing numbers of cattle are likely to have them in the future, which the Government view as a welcome development.

  Food Agency
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to include farmers in consultations regarding the new Food Agency. [22446]

  Mr. Rooker
  We will be seeking the views of all interested parties when the White Paper on the Food Standards Agency is published and circulated for consultation later this week. We will also be meeting key stakeholders, including farmers' representatives, over the coming weeks to discuss specific issues.

  BSE Crisis
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to instigate a public inquiry into the BSE crisis; and if he will make a statement. [22443]

  Mr. Rooker
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend and the reply he gave to my hon. Friend the member for Enfield, North (Ms Ryan) on 22 December 1997,Official Report, column 497–98.

  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what stage the applications for EU compensation for(a) beef farmers, (b) dairy farmers and (c) sheep farmers affected by the BSE crisis have reached. [22444]

  Mr. Rooker
  No measures are currently in place at the EU level which provide for the payment of compensation to farmers for the effect of BSE on market prices. On 22 December 1997 my right hon. Friend announced a package of measures to assist beef and sheep farmers. This consists of two elements:£60 million to be paid as agrimonetary compensation to suckler cow producers on the basis of their 1996 premium claims;
  £25 million to be paid in increased Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances, split equally between cattle and sheep.

  Both elements of this package require the approval of the European Commission before they can be put into effect. To this end, discussions with the Commission are in progress.

  Vitamin B6
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his timetable in respect of implementing regulations for the sale of vitamin B6; and if he will make a statement. [22432]

  Mr. Rooker
  The regulations required to implement the proposed controls on dietary supplements containing vitamin B6 are in the process of being drafted and we hope that it will be possible to issue them for consultation in early February. The European Commission will be notified of the draft regulations at the same time. The timing of the laying of the regulations before Parliament will depend on the outcome of the consultation exercise and the Commission's reaction to the proposals. The earliest date that they could be laid would be during May.
  93
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will instruct the expert group recently constituted to assess the safety limits of vitamins and minerals to make examination of vitamin B6 a priority. [22571]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Government have already received advice from independent expert Committees on the safety of vitamin B6 in dietary supplements, following the very thorough review of this issue which was carried out last year. There are, therefore, no plans to ask the new expert group to undertake a further review of the data on the safety of vitamin B6.

  Genetically Modified Food
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the(a) date of appointment, (b) terms of reference and (c) membership of the focus groups established by his Department to discuss genetically modified food. [22604]

  Mr. Rooker
  Although the Department has not set up any formal focus groups to discuss genetically modified food, it has commissioned a number of research projects to investigate consumer opinion on this subject which include ad-hoc groups of this type. Consumer views are also obtained from projects conducted by others, such as the large study published by Lancaster University last year, as well as from a wide variety of other sources such as the MAFF Consumer Panel and the National Biotechnology Conference, held in March 1997, at which a number of consumer groups were represented.

  In addition to these various methods for assessing public opinion, note is also taken of consumer purchasing patterns of products such as the genetically modified tomato paste which has been on sale since February 1996.

  Tallow
  Mr. Collins
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he has taken in the last three months to assist the trade in tallow; and if he will make a statement. [21956]

  Mr. Rooker
  Commission Decision 96/239 (as amended) set out conditions which must be met in order for the resumption of tallow exports. These requirements were implemented in the UK in March 1997, and the first plants meeting these conditions were registered in August. During the last three months, the registered plants have continued to be inspected weekly to ensure that the conditions set out in the legislation continue to be observed. A list of the plants was sent to the Commission on 23 October 1997 with a formal request that they undertake the inspections required by the Decision. We are currently awaiting a response.

  Following the inspections, the Commission will put the matter to the EC's Standing Veterinary Committee who must then set a date for the resumption of tallow exports. However, the Standing Veterinary Committee has discussed a proposal to revoke and replace Commission Decision 96/239. These discussions may delay their consideration of a proposal to allow the resumption of exports of tallow from the UK.

  Rescheduled Cattle Scheme
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the Government's policy towards the rescheduled cattle scheme. [22445]

  Mr. Rooker
  I am not aware of any rescheduled cattle scheme.

  Novel Foods and Processes
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the impact of the proposals in the White Paper on Freedom of Information on the modus operandi of the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes. [22631]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes already operates in accordance with many of the proposals contained in the white paper. For instance, it has for some time published agendas for its meetings and notes of its discussions as well as detailed reports of its safety assessment of individual novel food applications. More recently, it has been considering what action it might take to increase the openness of its operations still further and an announcement of this conclusions will be made shortly.

  Mink Farms
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking with regard to the evidence presented to his Department on 3 November 1997 regarding the conditions of animals at a mink farm in Hampshire. [22519]

  Mr. Morley
  The information supplied on 3 November 1997 has been followed up as a matter of urgency. Our investigations are continuing.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many representations he has received over(a) escaped mink and (b) animal welfare in relation to the mink farm licensed in Hampshire. [22521]

  Mr. Morley
  The Department has received two letters making representations about escaped mink in relation to the mink farm licensed in Hampshire and 11 concerning animal welfare at the same premises.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at how many mink farms the killing of mink was witnessed by his officials over the last three months; and what methods were used in the killing. [22520]

  Mr. Morley
  Veterinary Officers of the State Veterinary Service have witnessed the killing of mink on 15 of the 16 mink farms currently licensed in the last three months. Ten farms used carbon monoxide gas, four used carbon dioxide gas and one, barbiturate injection. The sixteenth farm had no stock to kill during this period.

  Poultry Meat
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the impact on the international competitiveness of the United Kingdom poultry meat industry of the ban on the use of mammalian meat and bone meal in poultry rations in the United Kingdom. [20572]
  95
  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 12 December 1997]: The ban on feeding mammalian meat and bone meal to all farmed livestock was introduced in 1996 by the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Amendment) Order 1996. An assessment was made, prior to the legislation being introduced, on how, in economic terms, the ban would affect the agriculture industry. It was estimated that the costs of feed for the egg laying flock would increase by about £3 per tonne and by around £4–£5 per tonne for broilers.

  Beef Imports
  Mr. Russell Brown
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he will take to prohibit beef imports in cases of suspect documentation. [21582]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 18 December 1997]: If there are suspicions regarding the authenticity of documentation, these would be investigated. Council Directive 90/675/EEC provides for imports of animal products from third countries which do not satisfy Community rules to be re-dispatched outside the Community, destroyed or used for a purpose, other than for human consumption, for which they are considered fit. In accordance with Council Directive 89/662/EEC, imports of animal products from other Member States which do not satisfy the conditions laid down in Community law may be destroyed, used for other purposes for which they are considered fit, or returned. Return of products must be authorised by the competent authority of the country of the establishment of origin.

  Mr. Russell Brown
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that imported beef conforms to the criteria for United Kingdom domestic slaughter. [21581]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 18 December 1997]: All fresh meat produced in the UK, and imported into the UK from other EU Member States, must be produced in accordance with harmonised Community rules laid down in Council Directive 64/433/EEC. Fresh meat imported from third countries must come only from approved establishments in countries which are authorised by the European Commission to export to the Community. These controls are designed to ensure that the meat satisfies health requirements equivalent to those applying within the Community.

  In addition, national legislation, which came into force on 1 January 1998, prohibits imports of specified risk materials (SRM) of bovine, ovine or caprine origin (except for technical uses) from all other countries, including other EU Member States, and requires a number of imported animal products to be accompanied by official veterinary certification confirming that they do not contain and are not derived from SRM. National controls on the use of certain specified risk materials, which have been amended a number of times in the light of scientific advice, have been in place since 1989.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what mechanisms are used to ensure that beef imported into the UK from European countries is from animals which were less than 30 months old. [22077]
  96
  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: The Fresh Meat (Beef Controls) (No. 2) Regulations 1996 prohibit the sale for human consumption of all meat derived from bovine animals which at the time of slaughter were more than 30 months old. This measure applies to all bovines slaughtered on or after 29 March 1996, whether in the UK or overseas, other than those born, reared and slaughtered in those third countries specifically excluded by the Regulations and UK animals from the Beef Assurance Scheme. Local authorities enforce the Regulations acting on any information available to them. The Regulations do not impose restrictions on the import of meat.

  Bovine Bones
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 17 December 1997,Official Report, column 232, what method will be used by local authority staff to determine the age of bovine bones in butchers' shops and catering establishments. [22140]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: If a local authority enforcement officer considers that bone-in beef sold to the ultimate consumer has come from animals over six months old at slaughter, (the age limit contained in the Beef Bones Regulations 1997) the onus will be on the seller to demonstrate the true age of the animal concerned.

  Genetically Modified Crops
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the licensing of genetically modified crops for commercial planting. [21798]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: The licensing of genetically modified crops for commercial planting involves two distinct clearance processes. First, the release and marketing of all GMOs is strictly controlled by regulations made under Part VI of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 which implements Council Directive 90/220/EEC on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms. No release or marketing of genetically modified crops may take place without the prior consent of the Secretary of State for the Environment. This consent is issued by the Secretary of State if the release is in England, or the Secretary of State for Scotland or Wales as appropriate and my right hon. Friend acts jointly with the Secretary of State in matters in which he has an interest. No consent can be issued without the agreement of the Health and Safety Executive. Applications to market genetically modified crops are scrutinised by all EC Member States and a final decision is made by qualified majority vote under Article 21 of Directive 90/220/EEC. In the UK, the independent expert members of the statutory Advisory Committee on Releases into the Environment (ACRE) consider applications to release and market GMOs on the basis of a detailed environmental risk assessment and they advise Ministers on whether or not a consent should be granted and what conditions should apply. Matters of food safety are addressed by the Advisory Committee on Novel Food Processes in accordance with the EC Regulation on Novel Foods and Novel Food Ingredients.
  97
  Secondly, no seed of agricultural varieties can be marketed in the UK unless they appear on the UK National List or EC Common Catalogue of varieties. These systems—which usually involve two years or more of growing trials—ensure that new varieties are distinct from others already in the market place and that they have a value for cultivation and use in the UK. However, successful trialling under the National List system is not sufficient on its own to permit the marketing of a genetically modified plant variety.

SCOTLAND

  NHS Administrative Staff
  Mr. Moore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff were employed as management and administrative staff in each of the NHS trusts and boards in Scotland on 1 November; what percentage of the total staff of the NHS trusts and boards in Scotland this represents; and what was the figure and percentage on(a) 1 May 1997; (b) 1 November 1996 and (c) 1 May 1996. [20059]

  Mr. Galbraith
  [holding answer 10 December 1997]: The information available is shown in the table.

  NHSiS workforce: Management and administrative and clerical staff headcount: at 30 September 1996 1 by NHS Trust and Health Board

  Headcount

  Management and administrative staff2,3

  Management and administrative staff as percentage of all staff4

  Boards

  Argyll and Clyde Health Board

  195

  92.0

  Ayrshire and Arran Health Board

  91

  89.2

  Borders Health Board

  65

  90.3

  Dumfries and Galloway Health Board

  74

  89.2

  Fife Health Board

  128

  79.0

  Forth Valley Health Board

  139

  87.4

  Grampian Health Board

  297

  85.8

  Greater Glasgow Health Board

  444

  89.9

  Highland Health Board

  154

  83.7

  Lanarkshire Health Board

  189

  88.7

  Lothian Health Board

  329

  71.2

  Orkney Health Board5

  52

  10.5

  Shetland Health Board

  15

  75.0

  Tayside Health Board

  230

  80.1

  Western Isles Health Board

  32

  91.4

  NHS Trusts

  Aberdeen Royal Hospitals NHS Trust

  777

  15.0

  Angus NHS Trust

  216

  10.9

  Argyll and Bute NHS Trust

  161

  11.6

  Ayrshire and Arran Community Health Care NHS Trust

  407

  15.2

  Borders Community Health Services NHS Trust

  138

  11.7

  Borders General Hospitals NHS Trust

  208

  16.0

  Caithness and Sunderland NHS Trust

  87

  12.4

  Central Scotland Healthcare NHS Trust

  328

  9.9

  Dumfries and Galloway Acute and Maternity Hospitals NHS Trust

  266

  14.6

  Dumfries and Galloway Community Health NHS Trust

  256

  12.2

  Dundee Healthcare NHS Trust

  294

  12.0

  Dundee Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

  793

  17.4

  East and Midlothian NHS Trust

  284

  10.9

  Edinburgh Healthcare NHS Trust

  668

  16.2

  98

  NHSiS workforce: Management and administrative and clerical staff headcount: at 30 September 1996 1 by NHS Trust and Health Board

  Headcount

  Management and administrative staff2,3

  Management and administrative staff as percentage of all staff4

  Edinburgh Sick Children's NHS Trust

  241

  21.0

  Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary NHS Trust

  250

  16.1

  Fife Healthcare NHS Trust

  423

  12.8

  Glasgow Dental Hospital and School NHS Trust

  77

  17.3

  Glasgow Royal Infirmary University NHS Trust

  722

  16.9

  Grampian Healthcare NHS Trust

  717

  13.3

  Greater Glasgow Community and Mental Health Services NHS Trust

  794

  13.7

  Hairmyres and Stonehouse Hospitals NHS Trust

  314

  17.5

  Highland Communities NHS Trust

  256

  11.4

  Inverclyde Royal NHS Trust

  275

  17.1

  Kirkcaldy Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  340

  20.2

  Lanarkshire Healthcare NHS Trust

  433

  10.2

  Law Hospital NHS Trust

  369

  18.6

  Lomond Healthcare NHS Trust

  203

  13.9

  Monklands and Bellshill Hospitals NHS Trust

  331

  16.3

  Moray Health Services NHS Trust

  211

  14.7

  North Ayrshire and Arran NHS Trust

  369

  11.3

  Perth and Kinross Healthcare NHS Trust

  312

  12.0

  Queen Margaret Hospital NHS Trust

  250

  18.1

  Raigmore Hospital NHS Trust

  356

  16.5

  Renfrewshire Healthcare NHS Trust

  428

  12.5

  Royal Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust

  305

  17.7

  Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh NHS Trust

  940

  18.2

  Scottish Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  403

  13.9

  Shetland Hospitals and Community Services Unit5

  68

  17.7

  South Ayrshire Hospitals NHS Trust

  294

  15.5

  Southern General Hospital NHS Trust

  441

  13.4

  Stirling Royal Infirmary NHS Trust

  226

  13.3

  Stobhill NHS Trust

  385

  17.6

  Victoria Infirmary NHS Trust

  387

  15.1

  West Glasgow Hospitals University NHS Trust

  781

  15.9

  West Lothian NHS Trust

  429

  14.1

  Western General Hospitals NHS Trust

  478

  16.0

  Western Isles Health Unit5

  80

  10.3

  Yorkhill NHS Trust

  350

  14.6

  1 Information for September 1997 will be available by February 1998.

  2The figures include some, but not all, senior managers of professional staff, for example nurses. Some managers of these professional groups remain employed under the terms and conditions of these professions and are not included.

  3 Comprises staff on senior management, administrative and clerical (A&C) and protected grades, ambulance officers and control assistants.

  4 The denominator comprises staff directly employed by Trusts and Health Boards and therefore excludes general practitioners and their staff.

  5 Includes the island DMUs. The DMU and Board cannot be separated for Orkney.

  Source:

  National Manpower Statistics from payroll—ISD Scotland

  Nurses
  Mr. Moore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many nurses were employed by each of the NHS trusts in Scotland on(a) 1 November, (b) 1 May,
  (c) 1 November 1996 and (d) 1 May 1996. [20056]

  Mr. Gailbraith
  [holding answer 10 December 1997]: The information available is shown in the table.

  NHSiS workforce: Nurses employed by NHS trusts Headcount: at 30 September 19961,4

  Headcount2,3

  Aberdeen Royal Hospitals NHS Trust

  1,679

  Angus NHS Trust

  732

  Argyll and Bute NHS Trust

  523

  Ayrshire and Arran Community Health Care NHS Trust

  869

  Borders Community Health Services NHS Trust

  439

  Borders General Hospitals NHS Trust

  436

  Caithness and Sutherland NHS Trust

  274

  Central Scotland Healthcare NHS trust

  1,098

  Dumfries and Galloway Acute and Maternity Hospitals NHS Trust

  654

  Dumfries and Galloway Community Health NHS Trust

  709

  State Hospital

  217

  Dundee Healthcare NHS Trust

  953

  Dundee Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

  1,482

  East and Midlothian NHS Trust

  869

  Edinburgh Healthcare NHS Trust

  1,392

  Edinburgh Sick Children's NHS Trust

  348

  Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary NHS Trust

  469

  Fife Healthcare NHS Trust

  1,263

  Glasgow Dental Hospital and School NHS Trust

  10

  Glasgow Royal Infirmary University NHS Trust

  1,458

  Grampian Healthcare NHS Trust

  1,942

  Greater Glasgow Community and Mental Health Services NHS Trust

  2,250

  Hairmyres and Stonehouse Hospitals NHS Trusts

  656

  Highland Communities NHS Trust

  836

  Inverclyde Royal NHS Trust

  440

  Kircaldy Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  661

  Lanarkshire Healthcare NHS Trust

  1,600

  Law Hospital NHS Trust

  657

  Lomond Healthcare Trust

  480

  Monklands and Bellshill Hospitals NHS Trust

  793

  Moray Health Services NHS Trust

  535

  North Ayshire and Arran NHS Trust

  1,000

  Orkney Health Board4

  196

  Perth and Kinross Healthcare NHS Trust

  976

  Queen Margaret Hospital NHS Trust

  605

  Raigmore Hospital NHS Trust

  709

  Renfrewshire Healthcare NHS Trust

  1,005

  Royal Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust

  629

  Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh NHS Trust

  1,784

  Shetland Hospitals and Community Services Unit4

  180

  South Ayrshire Hospitals NHS Trust

  552

  Southern General Hospital NHS Trust

  1,042

  Stirling Royal Infirmary NHS Trust

  524

  Stobhill NHS Trust

  580

  Victoria Infirmary NHS Trust

  774

  West Glasgow Hospitals University NHS Trust

  1,222

  West Lothian NHS Trust

  926

  100

  NHSiS workforce: Nurses employed by NHS trusts Headcount: at 30 September 19961,4

  Headcount2,3

  Western General Hospitals NHS Trust

  789

  Western Isles Health Unit4

  306

  Yorkhill NHS Trust

  786

  1 Information for September 1997 will be available by February 1998.

  2 The figures include some but not all senior nurses. Some are employed on senior manager grades and are not included here.

  3 Excludes nurse teachers, nurses in training and students on 1992 courses in nursing and miswifery.

  4 Includes, State Hospital and Island Units.

  Source:

  National Manpower Statistics from payroll, ISD Scotland.

  Falkirk College (Grants)
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will visit Falkirk College of Further and Higher Education in order to discuss with student representatives the need to expedite payment of student grants. [20485]

  Mr. Wilson
  [holding answer 12 December 1997]: Neither my right hon. and learned Friend nor I have any plans to do so at present, but substantial progress is being made in dealing with the outstanding grant applications from students at Falkirk College of Further and Higher Education.

  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many students at Falkirk College of Further and Higher Education have not received payment of their grants for the current session; and what is the reason for the continuing delay. [20484]

  Mr. Wilson
  [holding answer 12 December 1997]: As at 15 December 1997, some 1,120 grant applications from students attending Falkirk College of Further and Higher Education had been processed and a further 237 remained to the be dealt with. The vast majority of the outstanding applications were submitted from October onwards, well after the academic year at the College had begun.

  Initial problems with a new computer system at the Student Awards Agency for Scotland, together with the concentrated volume of applications received around the start of the new academic year, were the main causes of the delays. Substantial progress has now been made towards reducing the delays.

  Health Service Vacancies
  Mr. Moore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many vacant NHS posts there are currently in Scotland, by health board area, for(a) hospital doctors, (b) general practitioners and (c) nurses; and what these numbers were at the same time in 1996. [21161]

  Mr. Galbraith
  [holding answer 16 December 1997]: The information is shown in the table.
  101

  Vacant posts for selected staff groups

  Headcount: by health board area

  1996

  1997

  Hospital medical staff1

  General medical practitioners2

  Nurses3,4

  Hospital medical staff1

  General medical practitioners2

  Nurses3,4

  Scotland

  220

  35

  6—

  161

  26

  1,217

  Argyll and Clyde

  28

  5

  6—

  19

  2

  128

  Ayrshire and Arran

  10

  4

  6—

  15

  4

  31

  Borders

  6

  1

  6—

  2

  1

  6

  Dumfries and Galloway

  6

  2

  6—

  7

  —

  19

  Fife

  9

  —

  6—

  6

  —

  20

  Forth Valley

  16

  1

  6—

  5

  1

  134

  Grampian

  30

  3

  6—

  21

  3

  103

  Greater Glasgow

  31

  6

  6—

  15

  6

  316

  Highland

  13

  1

  6—

  6

  4

  34

  Lanarkshire

  37

  3

  6—

  36

  —

  58

  Lothian

  24

  4

  6—

  14

  3

  281

  Orkney

  —

  2

  6—

  —

  —

  1

  Shetland

  1

  —

  6—

  4

  —

  7

  Tayside

  6

  3

  6—

  7

  1

  75

  Western Isles

  3

  —

  6—

  2

  1

  5

  Common Services Agency

  —

  n/a

  6—

  2

  n/a

  1

  State Hospital

  n/a

  n/a

  6—

  n/a

  n/a

  1

  1 As at 30 September. Comprises Consultant and Staff grades only.

  2 Unrestricted principals as at 1 October.

  3 Comprises qualified nurses only. Data are whole time equivalent at 31 March.

  4 Excludes some Trusts where ISD(M)36 forms were not returned.

  5 Provisional data. For hospital medical staff, excludes data for 3 Trusts where ISD(M)4 forms are still outstanding.

  6 not readily available.

  n/a= not applicable.

  Source:

  ISD(M)4.

  ISD(M)36.

  General Medical Practitioner Database.

  ISD Scotland.

  NHS Staff
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the projected shortfall for(a) 1997–98 and (b) 1998–99 for (i) hospital doctors, (ii) general practitioners and (iii) nurses. [21358]

  Mr. Galbraith
  [holding answer 18 December 1997]: The information requested is not collected centrally although vacancies are monitored on an annual basis. We are aware of recruitment difficulties in certain specialties and in particular localities.

  Private Finance Initiative (NHS)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate, by scheme, the subsidies paid by his Department under the smoothing mechanism to the three major acute PFI schemes prioritised by his Department since May. [21407]

  Mr. Galbraith
  [holding answer 18 December 1997]: The smoothing mechanism is not a feature of PFI in health schemes in Scotland, hence no subsidies will be paid to the NHS Trusts involved in the major PFI schemes. To succeed under PFI, schemes must prove themselves to be affordable to the healthcare planners.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate for each of the major acute PFI schemes prioritised by his Department since May, the 102
  financial and percentage change in the purchasers" annual revenue commitment to PFI hospital schemes between outline and full business case. [21410]

  Mr. Galbraith
  [holding answer 18 December 1997]: Health Boards as strategic planners of healthcare do not make annual revenue commitments to schemes at either the outline or full business case stage.

  As part of the business planning process for both publicly and privately funded schemes, Health Boards are required to confirm that the proposals are affordable within the wider context of healthcare provision. It is the responsibility of NHS Trusts to ensure that the revenue commitments implied by a scheme can be met from the resources available.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each of the acute PFI schemes prioritised by his Department since May, how much each relevant health trust paid for each of the last three years in annual capital charges to the Treasury. [21408]

  Mr. Galbraith
  [holding answer 18 December 1997]: NHS Trusts do not pay capital charges to HM Treasury. However, they do repay interest on their interest bearing debt and may be required to pay a dividend on their Public Dividend Capital. The total sums for interest and

  103
  dividends remitted to HM Treasury in 1994–95 to 1996–97 by the three NHS Trusts with acute PFI schemes was as follows:

  £000

  NHS Trust

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh

  6,010

  6,324

  6,167

  Law Hospital

  1,341

  1,478

  1,657

  Hairmyres and Stonehouse Hospitals

  1,996

  2,687

  2,441

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each of the major acute PFI schemes prioritised by his Department since May, how much each lead consortium involved will receive per year for the use of the new hospitals upon completion. [21412]

  Mr. Galbraith
  [holding answer 18 December 1997]: Since none of the deals for the major acute PFI schemes has reached financial close, details of the unitary charge payable to the private sector is still being negotiated.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each of the three major acute PFI schemes prioritised by his Department since May(a) the cost of renovating the existing facilities and (b) the current estimated cost of the scheme. [21406]

  Mr. Galbraith
  [holding answer 18 December 1997]: As part of the capital investment process, NHS Trusts prepare outline business cases examining all the investment options and through an economic appraisal identify the preferred option. The preferred option is the one which, taking account of costs and benefits and the transfer of risk, delivers the best value for money. The renovation of existing facilities was not the preferred option in any of the major acute PH schemes.

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the number of staffed acute beds in use for each of the last 10 years. [21403]

  Mr. Galbraith
  [holding answer 18 December 1997]: The number of average available staffed acute beds for each of the last 10 years is given in the following table.

  Average available staffed beds in acute specialties1

  Years ending 31 March

  Average available staffed beds

  1988

  19,597

  1989

  19,193

  1990

  18,798

  1991

  18,317

  1992

  17,580

  1993

  17,414

  1994

  16,873

  1995

  16,360

  1996

  15,963

  1997

  15,503

  1 Excludes beds in the specialities of geriatric assessment, maternity, psychiatric, learning disability and long stay.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate(a) the number in 1996 of, (b) the number projected upon completion for and (c) the
  104
  percentage change in staffed acute beds at NHS trusts subject to PFI developments prioritised by his Department since May. [21409]

  Mr. Galbraith
  [holding answer 18 December 1997]: For each Trust with a major acute PFI project, the number of acute beds in 1996; in the public sector comparator; and projected to be in the PFI facility are as follows:

  NHS Trust

  Number of acute beds in 1996

  Number of acute beds in PSC

  Projected number of acute beds acute beds in PFI facility

  Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh

  1,099

  986

  869

  Law Hospital

  404

  336

  336

  Hairmyres and Stonehouse Hosoitals

  495

  354

  364

  Crown Office
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the adequacy of funding for the Crown Office. [22034]

  Mr. Dewar
  The Crown Office is an independent Government Department under the direction of my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate. As such, its funding is provided by Parliament through a separate vote and is not part of the Scottish Block.

  The Government have initiated the Comprehensive Spending Review and, in common with the other Departments, the Crown Office is committed to ensuring that forward provision is sufficient to meet the needs of prosecution and law and order in Scotland.

  Judicial Appointments Board
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the Government's policy on a judicial appointments board for Scotland. [22035]

  Mr. Dewar
  I have no plans to propose a Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland.

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many times he has met the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to discuss the Scottish fishing industry since 2 May. [22038]

  Mr. Dewar
  I and my noble Friend the Under-Secretary with responsibility for agriculture, environment and fisheries have regular discussions with our colleagues at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food about matters relating to the UK fishing industry.

  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many times he has met representatives of Scottish fishing and fish-farming industries since 2 May; if he will list the bodies concerned; and if he will make a statement. [22040]
  105
  Mr. Dewar
  My noble Friend, the Under-Secretary with responsibility for agriculture, environment and fisheries and I have met numerous representative organisations concerned with fisheries since 2 May, including meetings with the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, the Scottish Salmon Growers" Association and the Association of Scottish District Salmon Fishery Boards.

  NHS (50th Anniversary)
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what funds will be made available to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Health Service; and if he will ensure that the maximum proportion of such funds is used in ways which promote patient care. [21704]

  Mr. Galbraith
  [holding answer 19 December 1997]: Ministers have decided that the special occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the National Health Service should be marked with events and initiatives that reflect the Service's achievements and equally importantly herald its further development over the coming years. The Service has been issued with guidance that emphasises that the main focus should be at local level, with active participation of staff and patients, and should reflect the caring ethos of the Health Service.

  The guidance emphasises that events should be low-cost, sponsored, or self-financing so that resources are not diverted from patient care.

  Arable Area Payments
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the retention of five per cent. of arable area payments due to farmers; and when he expects to complete the payments due for 1997. [22143]

  Mr. Macdonald
  Subject to the continuing co-operation of farmers, we aim to make most final payments by 31 March 1998.

  It is a legal requirement that every field claimed under the 1997 Arable Area Payments Scheme (AAPS) must be checked against a register consisting of unique field identifiers. Failure to carry out such a check would result in the UK suffering disallowance of AAPS funding by the EC Commission. Due to the scale of the task, it was not possible to complete this exercise prior to paying the bulk of the 1997 AAPS claims.

  To avoid payments being delayed, and following discussions with the commission, we have made advance payments of 95 per cent. of the eligible areas claimed. The remainder will be paid when each field can be fully validated.

  To 31 December 1997, Scottish farmers received over £124 million under the 1997 AAPS. Almost £110 million was paid to over 98 per cent. of claimants with a further £14.6 million of advance oilseeds payments. The balance of the oilseeds aid will be paid in the early part of 1998 following the announcement by the Commission of the final payment rate.

  Handguns
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many handguns were taken illegally from(a) firearms dealers, (b) police, (c) the armed forces, (d) members of the public, (e) a common carrier while in transit and (f) firearms clubs, in each year since 1992 in each police force area in Scotland up to the latest available date; what was the largest number taken at any one time; and what were the descriptions of the firearms taken as recorded by the Police. [21840]

  Mr. McLeish
  [holding answer 19 December 1997]: The information is not held centrally.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons have been(a) killed and (b) injured by (i) legally held handguns and (ii) handguns illegally owned or used in each police force area in Scotland in each year since 1992; and for how many deaths and injuries it had not been determined whether the handgun used was legally or illegally held. [21837]

  Mr. McLeish
  [holding answer 19 December 1997]: The tables below detail the number of persons (a) killed and (b) injured by pistols or revolvers held (i) legally and (ii) illegally, in each police force area in Scotland in each of the years 1992 to 1996. Information has also been provided on the number of deaths and injuries caused by a pistol or revolver where it was not possible to determine whether or not the weapon was legally held; either because no accused was identified or the weapon was not recovered.

  Number of persons killed by a pistol or revolver, 1992–96

  Legally held pistol or revolver

  Illegally held pistol or revolver

  Legal possession of pistol or revolver not determined 1

  1992

  Grampian

  —

  —

  —

  Strathclyde

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  —

  —

  —

  1993

  Dumfries and Galloway

  —

  1

  —

  Strathclyde

  —

  2

  —

  Tayside

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  —

  3

  —

  1994

  Fife

  —

  —

  —

  Lothian and Borders

  —

  1

  —

  Northern

  —

  —

  1

  Strathclyde

  —

  1

  —

  Total

  —

  2

  1

  1995

  Lothian and Borders

  —

  —

  —

  Strathclyde

  —

  —

  1

  Total

  —

  —

  1

  107

  Number of persons killed by a pistol or revolver, 1992–96

  Legally held pistol or revolver

  Illegally held pistol or revolver

  Legal possession of pistol or revolver not determined 1

  1996

  Central 2

  17

  —

  —

  Strathclyde

  —

  1

  —

  Total

  17

  1

  —

  1 No accused identified or an accused identified but pistol or revolver not recovered.

  2 The figures for 1996 include the 17 fatal injuries which occurred at Dunblane.

  In addition to the number shown above, there were a number of fatalities in which the weapon was not identified therefore it was not possible to determine either the type of weapon or whether or not it was legally held. There were two such cases in 1994, six in 1995 and one in 1996.

  Number of persons injured by a pistol or revolver, 1992–96

  Legally held pistol or revolver

  Illegally held pistol or revolver

  Legal possession of pistol or revolver not determined 1

  1992

  Central

  —

  —

  —

  Lothian and Borders

  —

  —

  —

  Strathclyde

  —

  2

  1

  Tayside

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  —

  2

  1

  1993

  Central

  —

  —

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  —

  3

  —

  Strathclyde

  —

  2

  1

  Tayside

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  —

  5

  1

  1994

  Central

  —

  2

  —

  Fife

  —

  —

  —

  Lothian and Borders

  —

  1

  —

  Strathclyde

  —

  1

  —

  Total

  —

  4

  —

  1995

  Fife

  —

  2

  —

  Lothian and Borders

  —

  2

  1

  Strathclyde

  2

  —

  4

  Total

  2

  4

  5

  1996

  Central2

  14

  —

  —

  Lothian and Borders

  —

  2

  —

  Strathclyde

  —

  2

  3

  Total

  14

  4

  3

  1 No accused identified or an accused identified but pistol or revolver not recovered.

  2 The figures of 1996 include the 14 injuries which occurred at Dunblane.

  In addition to the number shown above, there were a number of injuries in which the weapon was not identified therefore it was not possible to determine either the type of weapon or whether or not it was legally held. There were 11 such cases in 1994, 15 in 1995 and seven in 1996.

  Teacher Training
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the recommendations made by Sir Stewart Sutherland about improved teacher training as they relate to Scotland. [22095]

  Mr. Wilson
  I am giving careful consideration to the recommendations relating to Scotland in Sir Stewart Sutherland's report on teacher education and training. I hope to be able to respond fully to the recommendations before the end of January.

  Tuition Fees
  Ms Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how soon after supplying the necessary information to the Student Awards Agency applicants for places at Scottish colleges and universities will be notified of the amount they or their parents will have to contribute towards their fees. [21877]

  Mr. Wilson
  The Student Awards Agency for Scotland will be expected to meet its published performance target and respond to fully completed applications within 28 calendar days of receipt. This will apply to both students continuing their studies under the existing arrangements and those entrants in academic year 1998–99 whose entitlement to support with tuition fees will be subject to means-testing.

  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what additional resources will be allocated to colleges and universities to enable them to pursue the collection of fee income from students and parents who are reluctant to pay; [22272]

  (2) what allowance for uncollected fee income is built into the calculations about college and university finances. [22361]

  Mr. Wilson
  From academic year 1998–99, new students entering full-time courses of higher education will be liable to contribute up to £1,000 towards their tuition. The balance will be paid by the Student Awards Agency in Scotland. The financial support made available to universities and colleges will assume that the assessed fee contributions from students will be paid, but the actual collection arrangements will be a matter for each institution.

  On 3 December, the Government announced that an additional £17 million would be available to higher education sector and an additional £8 million to the further education sector in 1998–99. Uncollected fees and the cost of collection were factors taken into account in the Government's assumption that higher education institutions will collect some £14 million net, and further education colleges some £2 million, in fee income directly from students. This assumed a 5 per cent. reduction in potential gross fee income to take account of uncollected fees and the cost of collection.

  Secondary Schools
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to raise standards in Scottish secondary schools. [22036]
  109
  Mr. Wilson
  Implementation of the Government's initiative to raise standards in Scottish schools is being overseen by the Action Group on Standards in Scottish Schools. I chair the Group and membership is widely drawn from within and beyond education.

  In September, with the endorsement of the Action Group, we issued for consultation a strategy paper for the development of a framework of school targets in key areas with national introduction in the school year 1998–99. The key areas are, in the first instance, literacy, numeracy and attainment. The outcome of the consultation was discussed by the Group on 15 December. The Group gave broad support to the principle of target setting; agreed that improvement could be achieved in every school; and agreed also that comparability among similar schools was important. The Action Group agreed to meet again in February to take matters forward.

  Private Finance Initiative (Construction Industry)
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on which PFI schemes in Scotland construction work has started; and on which schemes which have not yet started the legal and financial work has been completed. [21878]

  Mr. Dewar
  The information requested is set out in the tables.

  In the Health Sector, there are other smaller projects developed on the same principles which fall within Trust and Health Board delegated limits and for which information is not held centrally.

  PFI projects in Scotland

  Procuring agency

  Project description

  (a) Construction/work under way

  Law Hospital NHS Trust

  Provision and operation of a hospital information system

  Grampian Health Board

  Provision and operation of a community hospital in Kincardineshire (Stonehaven)

  Perth and Kinross Healthcare NHS Trust

  Provision and operation of an integrated healthcare information system

  Victoria Infirmary NHS Trust

  Provision of elderly care beds, Mearnskirk Hospital

  Falkirk College

  Stirling Further Education Centre

  M6 DBFO

  Upgrading and maintenance of A74 (M) (M6) between Millbank and Border

  Scottish Prison Service

  Bowhouse Prison, Kilmarnock

  (b) Legal and financial work completed but construction yet to commence

  North of Scotland Water Authority

  Inverness main drainage and Fort William sewage treatment

  Dundee City Council

  Baldovie waste to energy plant

  Cornton Vale Prison
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list(a) the funds allocated to Cornton Vale Prison for each of the years 1988–89 to 1992–93 and (b) the allocations under each of the heads of spending into which the figures are broken down, for each of those years. [22059]
  110
  Mr. McLeish
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: Total net expenditure (excluding capital, headquarters and other central costs) on Cornton Vale Prison, allocated between vote categories (running costs and other current expenditure), is as shown in the table:

  £ million

  Running costs

  Other current expenditure

  Total

  1988–89

  3.3

  0.3

  3.6

  1989–90

  4.1

  0.2

  4.3

  1990–91

  4.1

  0.3

  4.4

  1991–92

  4.2

  0.3

  4.5

  1992–93

  4.8

  0.4

  5.2

  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 10 December, 1997 Official Report, column 625, on Cornton Vale Prison, if he will provide a breakdown of expenditure by budget category for each year. [22115]

  Mr. McLeish
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: Total net expenditure (excluding capital, Headquarters and other central costs) on Cornton Vale Prison, allocated between vote categories (running costs and other current expenditure), is as shown in the table:

  £ million

  Running costs

  Other current expenditure

  Total

  1993–94

  5.5

  0.4

  5.9

  1994–95

  5.6

  0.4

  6.0

  1995–96

  5.3

  0.4

  5.7

  1996–97

  6.1

  0.4

  6.5

  1997–98 (budget)

  6.2

  0.6

  6.8

  Cattle (Electronic Tagging)
  Mr. Moore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to extend the electronic tagging scheme for cattle from the Borders area to the rest of Scotland; and if he will liaise with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to extend the scheme elsewhere in the United Kingdom. [22276]

  Mr. Macdonald
  The Borders electronic tagging scheme is an independent venture over which the Scottish Office has no direct influence. However, Scottish Office officials are in regular contact, and a Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food representative recently visited the project. The Agriculture Departments regard electronic tagging as a positive development, and while there are no plans to make it compulsory, the computerised Cattle Tracing System, due to be introduced in Great Britain next year, will accommodate electronic tags.

  Specialist Teachers
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the annual statistical return provided by schools to the Scottish Office includes figures for visiting specialist teachers in primary schools and for learning support teachers. [22274]

  Mr. Wilson
  The annual School Census statistical return to individual schools does not collect information on the number of visiting specialist teachers in primary
  111
  schools and for learning support teachers. Such information was last collected in the School Census return to individual teachers in September 1994. The next collection of information on the number of visiting specialist teachers in primary schools and learning support teachers is planned for September 1998.

  Further Education Colleges
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will co-ordinate and simplify the systems of financial and academic audit of further education colleges. [22266]

  Mr. Wilson
  This matter has been raised with me by the Association of Scottish Colleges. We are considering ways of improving audit procedures without compromising the necessary rigour of financial and academic audit of the further of the further education colleges.

  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects individual further education colleges to be notified of their Government funding for 1997–98 and 1998–99. [22268]

  Mr. Wilson
  Letters setting out Government grant-aid allocations to individual further education colleges for 1997–98 were issued in February 1997. We shall advise colleges of their allocations for 1998–99 as soon as we have considered responses to recent consultations on proposed changes to the funding methodology, and taken final decisions.

  Ferry Crews
  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what language requirements his Department demands in respect of crews employed on ferries operating solely within United Kingdom waters. [22168]

  Mr. McLeish
  All ferries operating within Scotland or from Scotland to other parts of the United Kingdom are subject to the Merchant Shipping (Minimum Standards of Safety Communications) Regulations 1997 which apply to United Kingdom ships and to all passenger vessels which start or finish a voyage in the United Kingdom. To comply with these regulations, the operators of passenger ferries in Scotland, as elsewhere in the United Kingdom, must ensure that all crew members with a responsibility for assisting passengers in emergency situations have communication skills that are sufficient for that purpose, including the ability to communicate in English. The oversight of these regulations is the responsibility of the Marine Safety Agency, an executive agency of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

  Female Prisoners
  Sir Robert Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many female prisoners have been held in Scotland in each of the last five years, broken down by(a) length of sentence, in the categories (i) three months or less, (ii) three to six months, (iii) six to 12 months, (iv) 12 to 24 months and (v) more than 24 months, (b) type of offence and (c) age, in the categories (1) under 16, (2) 16, (3) 17, (4) 18 to 21, (5) 22 to 25, (6) 26 to 30, (7) 31 to 40, (8) 41 to 50, (9) 51 to 60 and (10) over 60 years. [22364]
  112
  Mr. McLeish
  The information provided is for receptions rather than persons admitted to prison. The tables detail the number of direct sentenced and fine default receptions of female prisoners to Scottish Prison Service establishments by sentence length, type of offence and age in each of the years 1992–1996. One reception is counted if one or more warrants arrive for the same person from the same court on the same day. Some receptions relate to warrants arriving at establishments for people already held in custody.

  As the information is rather lengthy, I have arranged for a copy of the tables to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Pensions (Health and Education)
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the additional expenditure which will have to be made by(a) health boards and trusts, (b) further education colleges and (c) universities in Scotland in (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1998–99 and (iii) 1999–2000, as a result of the changes in the rules governing advance corporation tax on pensions. [22376]

  Mr. Dewar
  The NHS superannuation scheme is not affected by the changes in the rules governing advance corporation tax.

  Any effects on the superannuation schemes of further education colleges or universities in Scotland would be a matter for the managers of the schemes concerned.

  Population Statistics
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of state for Scotland if he will list the latest estimates by the Register General of Populations of those aged 17 years and over, plus 63 per cent. of those aged 16 years, for each district council area and parliamentary constituency in Scotland, together with the equivalent electoral registration figures also expressed as a percentage of these population figures and in ascending order. [22293]

  Mr. McLeish
  The information requested is given in the tables. The population figures have been prepared by a method that involves a certain degree of approximation and therefore should be treated with some caution.

  Council area

  Estimate of population aged 17 and over plus 63 per cent. of 16 year olds (as at 30 June 1996) (a)

  Local government electors on the 1997 electoral register (qualifying date 10 October 1996) (b)

  (b) as a percentage of (a)

  Argyll and Bute

  73,000

  69,971

  95.9

  East Dunbartonshire

  88,100

  84,978

  96.5

  Moray

  67,700

  65,361

  96.5

  Shetland Islands

  17,600

  17,012

  96.7

  Clackmannanshire

  38,200

  36,927

  96.7

  North Lanarkshire

  255,000

  246,599

  96.7

  Glasgow City

  492,600

  476,784

  96.8

  Midlothian

  63,300

  61,423

  97.0

  Dundee City

  120,700

  117,166

  97.1

  Falkirk

  114,000

  110,692

  97.1

  Aberdeen City

  177,100

  172,066

  97.2

  West Dunbartonshire

  74,500

  72,611

  97.5

  North Ayrshire

  109,200

  106,478

  97.5

  South Lanarkshire

  242,000

  236,038

  97.5

  East Renfrewshire

  69,300

  67,597

  97.5

  113

  Council area

  Estimate of population aged 17 and over plus 63 per cent. of 16 year olds (as at 30 June 1996) (a)

  Local government electors on the 1997 electoral register (qualifying date 10 October 1996) (b)

  (b) as a percentage of (a)

  Aberdeenshire

  176,600

  172,767

  97.8

  East Ayrshire

  96,300

  94,368

  98.0

  Edinburgh, City of

  369,500

  362,788

  98.2

  Perth and Kinross

  106,100

  104,464

  98.5

  South Ayrshire

  92,200

  90,787

  98.5

  Angus

  88,200

  86,929

  98.6

  West Lothian

  117,000

  115,326

  98.6

  Inverclyde

  68,600

  67,805

  98.8

  Renfrewshire

  141,300

  139,766

  98.9

  Dumfries and Galloway

  117,900

  116,828

  99.1

  Stirling

  66,400

  65,798

  99.1

  East Lothian

  70,100

  69,870

  99.7

  Fife

  276,200

  276,989

  100.3

  Highland

  163,700

  164,711

  100.6

  Scottish Borders

  85,400

  86,051

  100.8

  Orkney Islands

  15,500

  15,658

  101.0

  Comnairle nan Eilean Siar

  22,800

  23,315

  102.3

  Parliamentary constituency

  Estimate of population aged 17 and over plus 63 per cent. of 16 year olds (as at 30 June 1996) (a)

  Parliamentary electors on the 1997 electoral register (qualifying date 10 Octomber 1996) (b)

  (b) as a percentage of (a)

  Dumbarton

  60,300

  56,875

  94.3

  Motherwell and Wishaw

  54,800

  52,702

  96.2

  Moray

  61,300

  58,957

  96.2

  Aberdeen South

  63,400

  60,982

  96.2

  Hamilton North and Bellshill

  56,300

  54,158

  96.2

  Aberdeen Central

  56,700

  54,548

  96.2

  Aberdeen North

  57,000

  54,895

  96.3

  Hamilton South

  48,800

  47,023

  96.4

  Glasgow Springburn

  55,800

  53,814

  96.4

  Glasgow Govan

  52,000

  50,150

  96.4

  Glasgow Cathcart

  51,600

  49,765

  96.4

  Glasgow Maryhill

  54,800

  52,854

  96.4

  Glasgow Kelvin

  59,800

  57,695

  96.5

  Glasgow Pollok

  51,500

  49,693

  96.5

  Glasgow Shettleston

  50,000

  48,270

  96.5

  Strathkelvin and Bearsden

  66,100

  63,822

  96.6

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  50,300

  48,590

  96.6

  Glasgow Anniesland

  55,200

  53,324

  96.6

  Glasgow Baillieston

  53,400

  51,589

  96.6

  Glasgow Rutherglen

  52,900

  51,106

  96.6

  Airdrie and Shotts

  60,200

  58,255

  96.8

  Coatbridge and Chryston

  54,300

  52,547

  96.8

  Midlothian

  49,600

  48,045

  96.9

  West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine

  61,700

  59,884

  97.1

  Falkirk West

  54,900

  53,308

  97.1

  Dundee West

  59,500

  57,809

  97.2

  Edinburgh Pentlands

  62,100

  60,338

  97.2

  FalkirkEast

  59,000

  57,331

  97.2

  Dundee East

  60,500

  58,790

  97.2

  Edinburgh West

  63,500

  61,715

  97.2

  Edinburgh Central

  65,800

  63,969

  97.2

  Ochil

  58,800

  57,170

  97.2

  Edinburgh North and Leith

  63,700

  61,962

  97.3

  Edinburgh South

  64,700

  62,949

  97.3

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  63,800

  62,091

  97.3

  Cunninghame South

  51,600

  50,234

  97.4

  114

  Parliamentary constituency

  Estimate of population aged 17 and over plus 63 per cent. of 16 year olds (as at 30 June 1996) (a)

  Parliamentary electors on the 1997 electoral register (qualifying date 10 Octomber 1996) (b)

  (b) as a percentage of (a)

  Cunninghame North

  57,600

  56,147

  97.5

  Clydesdale

  65,700

  64,048

  97.5

  Clydebank and Milngavie

  53,900

  52,643

  97.7

  Edinburgh East and Musselburgh

  61,500

  60,097

  97.7

  Angus

  61,700

  60,359

  97.8

  Banff and Buchan

  60,500

  59,189

  97.8

  Gordon

  60,800

  59,503

  97.9

  North Tayside

  63,200

  62,007

  98.1

  Paisley North

  51,200

  50,261

  98.2

  Perth

  62,000

  60,887

  98.2

  Dumfries

  64,500

  63,360

  98.2

  Paisley South

  55,500

  54,573

  98.3

  Ayr

  57,400

  56,455

  98.4

  Argyll and Bute

  50,800

  49,982

  98.4

  Livingston

  61,900

  60,944

  98.5

  Stirling

  53,900

  53,069

  98.5

  Linlithgow

  55,100

  54,258

  98.5

  West Renfrewshire

  53,900

  53,096

  98.5

  Orkney and Shetland

  33,100

  32,621

  98.6

  Eastwood

  68,500

  67,525

  98.6

  North East Fife

  60,200

  59,352

  98.6

  Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley

  67,300

  66,392

  98.7

  East Kilbride

  66,800

  65,915

  98.7

  Greenock and Inverclyde

  50,000

  49,364

  98.7

  Ross, Skye and Inverness West

  56,500

  56,141

  99.4

  Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale

  51,700

  51,448

  99.5

  East Lothian

  58,200

  57,988

  99.6

  Galloway and Upper Nithsdale

  53,400

  53,273

  99.8

  Kirkcaldy

  52,400

  52,618

  100.4

  Central Fife

  58,600

  58,884

  100.5

  Dunfermline West

  52,700

  53,005

  100.6

  Dunfermline East

  52,200

  52,530

  100.6

  Roxburgh and Berwickshire

  47,400

  47,739

  100.7

  Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber

  65,700

  66,278

  100.9

  Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross

  41,400

  41,953

  101.3

  Western Isles

  22,800

  23,293

  102.2

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since 1978–79 the number of GPs in Scotland. [22413]

  Mr. Galbraith
  The information is as follows:

  1978–79: 2,884

  1979–80: 2,921

  1980–81: 2,959

  1991–82: 3,001

  1982–83: 3,040

  1983–84: 3,106

  1984–85: 3,169

  1985–86: 3,223

  1986–87: 3,271

  1987–88: 3,304

  115

  1988–89: 3,354

  1989–90: 3,390

  1990–91: 3,359

  1991–92: 3,379

  1992–93: 3,421

  1993–94: 3,456

  1994–95: 3,490

  1995–96: 3,524

  1996–97: 3,573.

  Gaelic
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since 1978–79 the level of resources devoted to the promotion of, and education in, the Gaelic language. [22415]

  Mr. Wilson
  Direct Scottish Office support for Gaelic commenced in 1979–80. The information is set out in the table:

  £ million

  1979–80

  0.061

  1980–81

  0.072

  1981–82

  0.088

  1982–83

  0.101

  1983–84

  0.077

  1984–85

  0.081

  1985–86

  0.121

  1986–87

  0.381

  1987–88

  0.480

  1988–89

  0.708

  1989–90

  1.148

  1990–91

  1.506

  1991–92

  1.962

  1992–93

  11.564

  1993–94

  11.646

  1994–95

  11.183

  1995–96

  11.387

  1996–97

  11.401

  1997–98

  12.473

  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since 1978–79 the number of hours of Gaelic broadcasting on(a) radio and (b) television. [22411]

  Mr. Wilson
  Figures for the hours of Gaelic radio and television broadcast are available only for recent years. The main source of Gaelic radio broadcasts in Scotland is BBC Scotland. Figures for hours of radio broadcast on BBC Scotland for the last 3 years are set out in the following list:

  Hours of radio broadcast

  1994–95: 1,588

  1995–96: 1,820

  1996–97: 2,340

  Gaelic television programmes are broadcast by BBC Scotland, Scottish Television, Grampian Television, and Channel 4. Since the establishment of the Gaelic Television Fund the total hours of Gaelic television broadcast are as set out in the following list:

  Hours of television broadcast

  1993: 489

  1994: 569

  116

  1995: 521

  1996: 551

  1997: 528

  Airports (Flight Departures)
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since 1978–79 the number of(a) domestic and (b) international departures from Scotland's airports. [22403]

  Mr. McLeish
  The information from 1978 to 1983 is not available. With effect from calendar year 1984, the information is set out in the table:

  Departing air transport movements at Scottish reporting airports 1984–1996

  Domestic

  International

  Total

  1984

  Aberdeen

  15,913

  27,620

  43,533

  1985

  Aberdeen

  15,143

  24,827

  39,970

  1986

  Aberdeen

  13,186

  21,748

  34,934

  1987

  Aberdeen

  13,158

  20,793

  33,951

  1988

  Aberdeen

  14,165

  21,601

  35,766

  1989

  Aberdeen

  16,788

  21,637

  38,425

  1990

  Aberdeen

  18,159

  24,485

  42,644

  1991

  Aberdeen

  18,945

  24,872

  43,817

  1992

  Aberdeen

  19,398

  25,561

  44,959

  1993

  Aberdeen

  21,056

  26,018

  47,074

  1994

  Aberdeen

  20,361

  20,088

  40,449

  1995

  Aberdeen

  20,947

  19,177

  40,124

  1996

  Aberdeen

  21,235

  20,693

  41,928

  1994

  Barra

  377

  —

  377

  1995

  Barra

  554

  —

  554

  1996

  Barra

  567

  —

  567

  1984

  Benbecula

  955

  —

  955

  1985

  Benbecula

  1,034

  1

  1,035

  1986

  Benbecula

  1,026

  —

  1,026

  1987

  Benbecula

  1,024

  —

  1,024

  1988

  Benbecula

  1,016

  —

  1,016

  1989

  Benbecula

  1,033

  —

  1,033

  1990

  Benbecula

  1,068

  3

  1,071

  1991

  Benbecula

  1,147

  9

  1,156

  1992

  Benbecula

  1,144

  13

  1,157

  1993

  Benbecula

  1,116

  4

  1,120

  1994

  Benbecula

  1,276

  —

  1,276

  1995

  Benbecula

  1,436

  —

  1,436

  1996

  Benbecula

  1,445

  —

  1,445

  1996

  Campbeltown

  401

  —

  401

  1984

  Dundee

  1,839

  22

  1,861

  1985

  Dundee

  1,432

  50

  1,482

  1986

  Dundee

  1,459

  29

  1,488

  1987

  Dundee

  988

  17

  1005

  1988

  Dundee

  1,078

  248

  1,326

  1989

  Dundee

  998

  290

  1,288

  1990

  Dundee

  583

  224

  807

  1991

  Dundee

  935

  53

  988

  1992

  Dundee

  1,085

  17

  1,102

  1993

  Dundee

  1,068

  25

  1,093

  1994

  Dundee

  1,020

  31

  1,051

  1995

  Dundee

  714

  23

  737

  1996

  Dundee

  697

  27

  724

  1984

  Edinburgh

  13,893

  2,437

  16,330

  1985

  Edinburgh

  15,080

  2,691

  17,771

  1986

  Edinburgh

  15,233

  2,627

  17,860

  1987

  Edinburgh

  16,293

  2,920

  19,213

  1988

  Edinburgh

  16,915

  2,859

  19,774

  1989

  Edinburgh

  19,618

  3,374

  22,992

  1990

  Edinburgh

  19,955

  3,462

  23,417

  1991

  Edinburgh

  20,377

  3,925

  24,302

  1992

  Edinburgh

  21,698

  5,681

  27,379

  1993

  Edinburgh

  23,140

  5,807

  28,947

  1994

  Edinburgh

  24,109

  6,003

  30,112

  1995

  Edinburgh

  25,197

  6,159

  31,356

  117

  Departing air transport movements at Scottish reporting airports 1984–1996

  Domestic

  International

  Total

  1996

  Edinburgh

  27,329

  6,747

  34,076

  1984

  Glasgow

  20,074

  7,411

  27,485

  1985

  Glasgow

  19,134

  6,676

  25,810

  1986

  Glasgow

  19,156

  9,294

  28,450

  1987

  Glasgow

  19,663

  9,719

  29,382

  1988

  Glasgow

  20,832

  9,870

  30,702

  1989

  Glasgow

  23,297

  10,497

  33,794

  1990

  Glasgow

  24,585

  11,344

  35,929

  1991

  Glasgow

  24,702

  11,230

  35,932

  1992

  Glasgow

  26,246

  12,254

  38,500

  1993

  Glasgow

  25,469

  13,682

  39,151

  1994

  Glasgow

  24,108

  14,142

  38,250

  1995

  Glasgow

  26,498

  11,143

  37,641

  1996

  Glasgow

  27,491

  10,496

  37,987

  1984

  Inverness

  3,792

  77

  3,869

  1985

  Inverness

  3,630

  23

  3,653

  1986

  Inverness

  3,363

  34

  3,397

  1987

  Inverness

  3,073

  22

  3,095

  1988

  Inverness

  3,206

  24

  3,230

  1989

  Inverness

  3,382

  22

  3,404

  1990

  Inverness

  3,261

  50

  3,311

  1991

  Inverness

  2,923

  35

  2,958

  1992

  Inverness

  3,522

  37

  3,559

  1993

  Inverness

  3,203

  86

  3,289

  1994

  Inverness

  3,584

  29

  3,613

  1995

  Inverness

  3,164

  32

  3,196

  1996

  Inverness

  3,345

  47

  3,392

  1984

  Islay

  693

  —

  693

  1985

  Islay

  735

  —

  735

  1986

  Islay

  743

  —

  743

  1987

  Islay

  695

  —

  695

  1988

  Islay

  735

  —

  735

  1989

  Islay

  782

  1

  783

  1990

  Islay

  681

  1

  682

  1991

  Islay

  593

  —

  593

  1992

  Islay

  585

  —

  585

  1993

  Islay

  558

  —

  558

  1994

  Islay

  581

  —

  581

  1995

  Islay

  605

  —

  605

  1996

  Islay

  606

  —

  606

  1984

  Kirkwall

  4,950

  92

  5,042

  1985

  Kirkwall

  4,948

  61

  5,009

  1986

  Kirkwall

  4,798

  27

  4,825

  1987

  Kirkwall

  4,763

  55

  4,818

  1988

  Kirkwall

  5,056

  59

  5,115

  1989

  Kirkwall

  5,287

  27

  5,314

  1990

  Kirkwall

  5,912

  41

  5,953

  1991

  Kirkwall

  5,492

  40

  5,532

  1992

  Kirkwall

  5,340

  47

  5,387

  1993

  Kirkwall

  4,840

  55

  4,895

  1994

  Kirkwall

  4,587

  35

  4,622

  1995

  Kirkwall

  4,605

  89

  4,694

  1996

  Kirkwall

  4,537

  66

  4,603

  1984

  Lerwick (Tingwall)

  1,659

  —

  1,659

  1985

  Lerwick (Tingwall)

  1,677

  —

  1,677

  1986

  Lerwick (Tingwall)

  1,664

  —

  1,664

  1987

  Lerwick (Tingwall)

  1,672

  —

  1,672

  1988

  Lerwick (Tingwall)

  1,634

  —

  1,634

  1989

  Lerwick (Tingwall)

  1,597

  —

  1,597

  1990

  Lerwick (Tingwall)

  1,592

  —

  1,592

  1991

  Lerwick (Tingwall)

  1,420

  —

  1,420

  1992

  Lerwick (Tingwall)

  1,219

  —

  1,219

  1993

  Lerwick (Tingwall)

  1,165

  —

  1,165

  1994

  Lerwick (Tingwall)

  1,246

  —

  1,246

  1995

  Lerwick (Tingwall)

  1,292

  —

  1,292

  1996

  Lerwick (Tingwall)

  1,253

  —

  1,253

  1984

  Prestwick

  684

  917

  1,601

  1985

  Prestwick

  507

  1,061

  1,568

  1986

  Prestwick

  447

  1,098

  1,545

  1987

  Prestwick

  689

  1,337

  2,026

  1988

  Prestwick

  714

  1,427

  2,141

  1989

  Prestwick

  852

  1,622

  2,474

  1990

  Prestwick

  989

  846

  1,835

  1991

  Prestwick

  928

  431

  1,359

  1992

  Prestwick

  771

  273

  1,044

  1993

  Prestwick

  269

  523

  792

  118

  Departing air transport movements at Scottish reporting airports 1984–1996

  Domestic

  International

  Total

  1994

  Prestwick

  94

  1,113

  1,207

  1995

  Prestwick

  996

  1,829

  2,825

  1996

  Prestwick

  2,874

  1,887

  4,761

  1984

  Scatsta

  590

  —

  590

  1985

  Scatsta

  482

  —

  482

  1986

  Scatsta

  345

  —

  345

  1987

  Scatsta

  352

  —

  352

  1988

  Scatsta

  641

  4

  645

  1989

  Scatsta

  381

  13

  394

  1990

  Scatsta

  295

  1

  296

  1991

  Scatsta

  304

  22

  326

  1992

  Scatsta

  321

  —

  321

  1993

  Scatsta

  378

  —

  378

  1994

  Scatsta

  391

  —

  391

  1995

  Scatsta

  415

  —

  415

  1996

  Scatsta

  684

  1,124

  1,808

  1984

  Stornoway

  1,592

  15

  1,607

  1985

  Stornoway

  1,616

  5

  1,621

  1986

  Stornoway

  1,629

  6

  1,635

  1987

  Stornoway

  1,578

  7

  1,585

  1988

  Stornoway

  1,558

  5

  1,563

  1989

  Stornoway

  1,630

  7

  1,637

  1990

  Stornoway

  1,961

  5

  1,966

  1991

  Stornoway

  1,874

  6

  1,880

  1992

  Stornoway

  2,003

  —

  2,003

  1993

  Stornoway

  1,907

  1

  1,908

  1994

  Stornoway

  1,964

  2

  1,968

  1995

  Stornoway

  1,975

  24

  1,999

  1996

  Stornoway

  2,012

  69

  2,081

  1984

  Sumburgh

  3,340

  3,406

  6,746

  1985

  Sumburgh

  3,205

  3,660

  6,865

  1986

  Sumburgh

  3,328

  2,948

  6,276

  1987

  Sumburgh

  3,420

  4,062

  7,482

  1988

  Sumburgh

  3,895

  4,866

  8,761

  1989

  Sumburgh

  4,678

  6,177

  10,855

  1990

  Sumburgh

  4,850

  7,294

  12,144

  1991

  Sumburgh

  4,818

  7,608

  12,426

  1992

  Sumburgh

  4,505

  5,433

  9,938

  1993

  Sumburgh

  4,456

  5,213

  9,669

  1994

  Sumburgh

  5,256

  6,395

  11,651

  1995

  Sumburgh

  5,565

  7,194

  12,759

  1996

  Sumburgh

  4,968

  5,952

  10,920

  1984

  Tiree

  507

  —

  507

  1985

  Tiree

  506

  —

  506

  1986

  Tiree

  491

  —

  491

  1987

  Tiree

  482

  —

  482

  1988

  Tiree

  524

  —

  524

  1989

  Tiree

  427

  1

  428

  1990

  Tiree

  408

  —

  408

  1991

  Tiree

  401

  2

  403

  1992

  Tiree

  376

  1

  377

  1993

  Tiree

  366

  1

  367

  1994

  Tiree

  517

  —

  517

  1995

  Tiree

  376

  —

  376

  1996

  Tiree

  368

  —

  368

  1984

  Unst

  1,189

  1,951

  3,140

  1985

  Unst

  1,047

  1,705

  2,752

  1986

  Unst

  1,109

  1,819

  2,928

  1987

  Unst

  1,125

  1,962

  3,087

  1988

  Unst

  1,105

  1,846

  2,951

  1989

  Unst

  963

  1,547

  2,510

  1990

  Unst

  918

  1,381

  2,299

  1991

  Unst

  892

  1,383

  2,275

  1992

  Unst

  851

  1,251

  2,102

  1993

  Unst

  1,287

  2,513

  3,800

  1994

  Unst

  1,013

  1,418

  2,431

  1995

  Unst

  818

  1,198

  2,016

  1996

  Unst

  508

  273

  781

  1984

  Wick

  2,324

  2

  2,326

  1985

  Wick

  2,285

  4

  2,289

  1986

  Wick

  2,461

  6

  2,467

  1987

  Wick

  2,195

  6

  2,201

  1988

  Wick

  2,743

  6

  2,749

  1989

  Wick

  2,495

  9

  2,504

  1990

  Wick

  2,119

  7

  2,126

  1991

  Wick

  1,925

  5

  1,930

  119

  Departing air transport movements at Scottish reporting airports 1984–1996

  Domestic

  International

  Total

  1992

  Wick

  1,882

  6

  1,888

  1993

  Wick

  1,597

  30

  1,627

  1994

  Wick

  1,749

  83

  1,832

  1995

  Wick

  2,155

  227

  2,382

  1996

  Wick

  1,970

  296

  2,266

  Notes:

  1. Air Transport Movements include scheduled and non-scheduled operations by UK and foreign carriers, Air Taxis are included.

  2. Includes fixed wing and helicopter flights. Oil rig operations are counted as international.

  3. Scottish reporting airports only.

  4. Barra commenced reporting in April 1994.

  5. Campbeltown commenced reporting in April 1996.

  Source:

  Civil Aviation Authority Airport Returns.

  Nursery Schooling
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since 1978–79 the percentage of Scottish children attending a nursery school in their pre-school year. [22400]

  Mr. Wilson
  The percentages of the number of pupils aged four attending nursery schools classes as at September in each year are set out in the table:

  Education authority nursery schools/classes in Scotland

  School year

  Percentage of four-year-olds attending1

  1978–79

  29.1

  1979–80

  30.1

  1980–81

  31.7

  1981–82

  36.1

  1982–83

  37.8

  1983–84

  39.1

  1984–95

  39.3

  1985–96

  n/a

  1986–87

  n/a

  1987–88

  43.3

  1988–89

  45.9

  1989–90

  46.7

  1990–91

  47.3

  1991–92

  49.3

  1992–93

  50.9

  1993–94

  52.7

  1994–95

  55.0

  1995–96

  53.5

  1996–97

  54.2

  1 Based on the relevant mid-year estimate of the 4-year-old population

  Motor Cars
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since 1978–79 the number of new motor cars registered in Scotland. [22391]

  Mr. McLeish
  The number of new cars registered in Scotland each year since 1978 is set out in the table.

  Year

  New registrations of cars Thousands

  1978

  135.5

  1979

  136.4

  1980

  127.8

  1981

  126.2

  120

  Year

  New registrations of cars Thousands

  1982

  132.5

  1983

  154.2

  1984

  144.8

  1985

  144.7

  1986

  147.8

  1987

  154.5

  1988

  164.8

  1989

  175.8

  1990

  160.3

  1991

  127.2

  1992

  129.8

  1993

  146.0

  1994

  143.3

  1995

  144.5

  1996

  153.8

  Teachers' Salaries
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since 1978–79 average salaries in primary and secondary schools in Scotland in(a) cash terms and (b) current prices. [22401]

  Mr. Wilson
  Teachers' salaries are the responsibility of local authorities as employers. Information on average salaries is not held centrally.

  Hospital Salaries
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average annual salary of(a) nurses, (b) doctors and (c) consultants employed in Scotland's hospitals for each year since 1978–79 in 1996 prices. [22388]

  Mr. Galbraith
  It is not possible to identify the average annual salary of nurses, doctors and consultants. The current salary ranges for qualified nurses, doctors and consultants employed on national terms and conditions are as follows:

  £

  Nurses

  12,385 to 25,975

  Doctors

  15,440 to 56,470

  Consultants

  43,750 to 56,470

  Nursery Provision
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many meetings he has had with local authority representatives to discuss nursery provision. [22381]

  Mr. Wilson
  Neither my right hon. Friend nor I have had meetings with COSLA expressly for this purpose. However, officials met COSLA on 29 August 1997 to discuss pre-school education generally, and have also met 14 local education authorities individually as part of an ongoing programme of liaison visits on pre-school education provision. COSLA and a number of individual
  121
  authorities are part of a standing liaison group between officials and pre-school education providers in all the sectors. There are other contacts with local authorities in various fora, such as ADES. I published a major consultation paper on the future of pre-school education last November, a copy of which is available in the Library; the closing date for responses is 6 February.

  Hospital Operations
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since 1978–79 the number of(a) hospital operations and (b) hip operations carried out in Scotland. [22386]

  Mr. Galbraith
  The information requested is given in the following table:

  Year ending 31 March

  Total number of in-patient/day case operations and procedures1 (Excludes obstetrics and psychiatric specialties)

  Number of total and partial hip replacements1

  1979

  309,158

  2,645

  1980

  331,351

  3,124

  1981

  351,576

  3,207

  1982

  370,458

  3,642

  1983

  326,571

  3,389

  1984

  407,437

  4,247

  1985

  424,615

  4,224

  1986

  445,284

  4,722

  1987

  458,698

  5,035

  1988

  477,855

  5,323

  1989

  496,189

  5,542

  1990

  504,048

  5,571

  1991

  525,664

  5,686

  1992

  560,668

  5,886

  1993

  631,775

  6,197

  1994

  713,563

  6,312

  1995

  760,282

  6,622

  1996

  795,148

  6,958

  19972

  824,307

  6,869

  Notes:

  1 Includes secondary operations and procedures during the same episode of care.

  2 Provisional.

  Source:

  SMR1.

  Household Incomes
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since 1978–79 the average household income in Scotland. [22394]

  Mr. Wilson
  Total income and total income per head for Scotland for the household sector is given in the table. The household sector covers individuals living in households and in institutions. Data are available from 1984 only and are given at current prices.

  Household income: Scotland

  Total household income £ million

  Total household income per head £

  1984

  23,423

  4,552

  1985

  25,386

  4,942

  1986

  27,493

  5,369

  1987

  29,560

  5,782

  1988

  31,573

  6,198

  1989

  35,306

  6,927

  1990

  40,313

  7,901

  1991

  42,998

  8,419

  1992

  46,849

  9,166

  122

  Household income: Scotland

  Total household income £ million

  Total household income per head £

  1933

  47,950

  9,365

  1994

  48,459

  9,442

  1995

  50,542

  9,840

  Source:

  Regional Accounts, Office for National Statistics.

  Roads and Bridges
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the impact on public expenditure of the measures contained in the Roads and Bridges (Scotland) Invergarry, Kyle of Lochalsh Trunk Road (A87) Extension (Skye Bridge Crossing) Toll Order (Variation) Order 1997; from what budget expenditure it is to be met; and if he will make a statement. [22377]

  Mr. McLeish
  The Order gives effect to the reductions in discounted tolls on the Skye Bridge agreed between my right hon. Friend and Skye Bridge Ltd. The impact on public expenditure depends on users' uptake of the discounted tolls, but is limited to a maximum of £600,000 per annum (at 1996 traffic and toll levels). The limit will be revised annually to reflect traffic growth and inflation. The public expenditure will be met from the Roads and Transport Programme and will displace other expenditure on that programme.

  Hospital Staff
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since 1978–79 the number of(a) nurses, (b) doctors and (c) consultants employed in Scotland's hospitals. [22390]

  Mr. Galbraith
  The information is shown in the table.

  Hospital staff employed by the NHS in Scotland

  Year

  Nurses1

  Doctors2, 3

  Consultants2, 3

  1978

  24,145

  5,826

  1,837

  1979

  24,512

  5,998

  1,868

  1980

  25,318

  6,020

  1,887

  1981

  27,124

  6,181

  1,907

  1982

  28,508

  6,206

  1,932

  1983

  29,521

  6,305

  1,951

  1984

  30,358

  6,332

  1,994

  1985

  31,177

  6,319

  2,008

  1986

  31,788

  6,242

  2,025

  1987

  32,432

  6,227

  2,061

  1988

  33,672

  6,529

  2,129

  1989

  34,367

  6,584

  2,139

  1990

  34,637

  6,693

  2,216

  1991

  35,228

  6,706

  2,230

  1992

  35,430

  6,884

  2,253

  1993

  34,822

  6,942

  2,292

  1994

  34,861

  7,164

  2,350

  1995

  34,590

  7,339

  2,470

  1996

  34,460

  7,620

  2,572

  1 Nurses are defined as qualified nurses. The transfer of elderly, physically and mentally infirm, and patients with learning disabilities out of long-term hospital care to community based settings since 1992 has resulted in a number of hospital nurses moving to a community setting.

  2 Excludes community medical staff.

  3 Doctors include consultants.

  Jobs (Inward Investment)
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state for each of the years between 1978–79 and 1996–97 inclusive, the number of(a) jobs created and (b) safeguarded in Scotland as a result of inward investment projects; and if he will indicate those projects that have (i) created and (ii) safeguarded 100 jobs or more. [22419]

  Mr. Wilson
  The number of jobs which the inward investment projects attracted to Scotland since April 1981 were expected to create or safeguarded is as follows:

  Year1

  New

  Planned jobs Safeguarded

  Total

  1981–82

  4,559

  2,443

  7,002

  1982–83

  4,181

  1,146

  5,327

  1983–84

  3,446

  3,460

  6,906

  1984–85

  8,077

  1,194

  9,271

  1985–86

  4,663

  3,554

  8,217

  1986–87

  4,106

  978

  5,084

  1987–88

  6,746

  5,106

  11,852

  1988–89

  4,846

  2,243

  7,089

  1989–90

  9,649

  2,640

  12,289

  1990–91

  6,900

  3,344

  10,244

  1991–92

  4,857

  1,145

  6,002

  1992–93

  5,342

  2,717

  8,059

  1993–94

  7,688

  3,384

  11,072

  1994–95

  9,114

  3,215

  12,329

  1995–96

  10,136

  2,424

  12,560

  1996–97

  11,148

  3,147

  14,295

  1 Figures for years prior to 1981–82 are not available.

  Tables listing the projects which were expected to create or safeguard 100 or more jobs have been placed in the Library.

  Hospital Statistics
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since 1978–79 the number of(a) in-patients and (b) out-patients treated in Scotland's hospitals. [22392]

  Mr. Galbraith
  The information requested is given in the following table.

  Year ending 31 March

  In-patient discharges

  Day case discharges

  New out-patients attendances1

  1979

  737,816

  80,271

  1,039,326

  1980

  764,301

  87,223

  1,035,655

  1981

  785,080

  98,044

  1,056,458

  1982

  793,171

  104,729

  1,056,364

  1983

  744,436

  98,592

  1,022,218

  1984

  809,010

  126,721

  1,070,042

  1985

  821,588

  132,615

  1,086,687

  1986

  837,044

  147,132

  1,121,911

  1987

  842,524

  154,701

  1,145,258

  1988

  871,287

  159,763

  1,169,512

  1989

  882,347

  175,970

  1,184,200

  1990

  895,790

  185,974

  1,195,467

  1991

  912,370

  203,633

  1,204,850

  1992

  920,144

  213,846

  1,232,966

  1993

  941,740

  242,712

  1,264,859

  1994

  952,256

  284,996

  1,281,914

  124

  Year ending 31 March

  In-patient discharges

  Day case discharges

  New out-patients attendances1

  1995

  959,921

  326,756

  1,312,480

  1996

  973,404

  354,410

  1,326,600

  19972

  975,846

  362,799

  1,331,992

  Notes:

  1 Excludes accident and emergency attendances.

  2 Provisional.

  Source:

  ISD(S)1.

  Road Statistics
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since 1978–79 the number of miles of(a) dual carriageway and (b) motorway in Scotland. [22387]

  Mr. McLeish
  The numbers of miles of(a) dual carriageway and (b) motorway (excluding slip roads) in Scotland, reported by the appropriate authorities in annual Road Lengths returns for 1981 and later years, are shown in the table. Such figures are not readily available for the years prior to 1981.

  Year (as at 1 April)

  Dual carriageway

  Motorway (excluding slip roads)

  1981

  365

  146

  1982

  369

  147

  1983

  375

  147

  1984

  398

  147

  1985

  412

  151

  1986

  433

  151

  1987

  454

  152

  1988

  470

  160

  1989

  478

  160

  1990

  500

  161

  1991

  538

  160

  1992

  537

  167

  1993

  536

  177

  1994

  536

  190

  19951

  517

  193

  1996

  535

  193

  1 There may have been under-reporting of dual carriageway road lengths for 1995.

  Car Ownership
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since 1978–79 the percentage of Scottish households owning one or more motor cars. [22389]

  Mr. McLeish
  Information is not available in the form requested. The table shows the percentage of Scottish households which had regular use of cars, for each year since 1978–79 for which such estimates are available. The figure for 1981 is from the Census of Population. The other years' figures were estimated from the results of three sample surveys (the Family Expenditure Survey, the General Household Survey and the National Travel Survey), and are therefore subject to sampling errors. Accordingly, undue weight should not be placed on the figure for any single year, or upon the apparent change between one year and the next.
  125

  Year(s)

  Estimated percentage of Scottish households with regular use of cars

  1978–79

  48

  1981

  51

  1985–86

  53

  1986–87

  51

  1988

  53

  1989

  55

  1990

  58

  1991

  58

  1992

  57

  1993

  60

  1994

  62

  1995

  64

  Ferry Services
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received from island communities about the costs of fares on ferry service in West of Scotland. [22384]

  Mr. McLeish
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations from island communities in the West of Scotland concerning the proposal by Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd. to implement an average 5 per cent. rise in ferry fares across their network. These representations included a petition, protesting against the company's intention to levy above-average rises on the Ullapool-Stornoway route, which was presented to my right hon. Friend on 5 December 1997 by the Vice-Convenor of Western Isles Council.

  Economic Growth
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the rate of growth in the Scottish economy for each year since 1978–79. [22410]

  Mr. Wilson
  Output-based Gross Domestic Product (GDP(O)) in Scotland rose by an average annual rate of 1.6 per cent. between 1978 and 1995. The annual growth rates are given in the table:

  Growth in GDP(O) for Scotland

  1978–79

  1.0

  1979–80

  -1.9

  1980–81

  -1.4

  1981–82

  1.5

  1982–83

  1.4

  1983–84

  3.8

  1984–85

  2.8

  1985–86

  0.4

  1986–87

  2.0

  1987–88

  4.1

  1988–89

  2.6

  1989–90

  2.2

  1990–91

  0.2

  1991–92

  1.4

  1992–93

  2.3

  1993–94

  2.2

  1994–95

  2.1

  Source:

  The Scottish Office Education and Industry Department.

  Exports
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the level of manufacturing exports from Scotland in each year since 1978–79. [22412]

  Mr. Wilson
  The Government do not maintain separate export figures for Scotland. The following figures are based on data maintained by the Scottish Council for Development and Industry.

  Year

  Scottish manufactured exports (£ million) (unadjusted)

  1979

  3,409

  1980

  3,762

  1981

  4,024

  1982

  4,065

  1983

  4,532

  1984

  4,953

  1985

  5,522

  1986

  5,137

  1987

  6,026

  1988

  7,166

  1989

  7,664

  1990

  8,574

  1991

  8,833

  1992

  9,682

  1993

  11,540

  1994

  14,264

  1995

  17,316

  1996

  18,415

  Diabetes
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will support the introduction of a national screening programme for diabetes among high risk groups, with particular reference to those aged over 40 years with a hereditary propensity. [21617]

  Mr. Galbraith
  The Government receive advice on national screening programmes from the UK National Screening Committee, which prioritises existing or future screening programmes against criteria which are internationally recognised. The Committee will consider national screening for diabetes, along with other possible screening programmes, in accordance with its developing work programme. Any future decisions on a national programme will be made in the light of those considerations.

  Students
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if students who take a year out from their studies will be able to return to the same financial arrangements as before their year out. [22405]

  Mr. Wilson
  Eligible students who have already embarked on a continuous programme of full-time higher education up to first degree level will retain their entitlement to assistance under the existing arrangements until they complete that continuous programme.

  Students who take a year out from study during a course of higher education will have their award suspended during that period, provided the absence is approved by the academic authority. They will then be able to return to the course under the same student support arrangements. Students who take a year out between two

  127
  separate courses of higher education will have their eligibility reassessed as new entrants at the beginning of the new course.

  Students who took a year out prior to beginning their programme of study in academic year 1998–99 will be eligible for support under the existing arrangements if they had, by 1 August 1997, a firm offer of a place deferred until 1998, or a provisional offer for deferred entry which was subsequently confirmed.

DEFENCE

  Former Military Airfields
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to ensure that structures and runways of former military airfields which are of historic significance are safeguarded. [20208]

  Mr. Spellar
  My Department is fully compliant with the Government's Nine Point Plan of Action for care of Historic buildings which establishes appropriate levels of care for the continued upkeep of statutorily protected buildings and sites. This includes former military airfields.

  Strategic Defence Review
  Angela Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Strategic Defence Review will examine the capacity for increased jointery in Britain's armed forces. [20209]

  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Strategic Defence Review will examine the capacity for increased jointery in Britain's armed forces. [20230]

  Mr. George Robertson
  Enhanced joint-Service co-operation, as a means both of enhancing efficiency whilst maintaining military effectiveness, is one of the main themes of the Strategic Defence Review. A great deal of work is in hand to examine practical options to achieve it.

  Sir George Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the factors underlying the delay in completing the Strategic Defence Review; and what consultations he has held with the Treasury. [20215]

  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the reasons for the delay in completing the Strategic Defence Review. [20223]

  Mr. George Robertson
  I refer the right hon. Member and the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 25 November 1997 to my hon. Friend, the Member for Walsall, South (Mr. George),Official Report, column 499–500.

  HM Treasury and other Government Departments have been and will continue to be consulted throughout the Strategic Defence Review.

  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will publish the foreign policy base line for the Strategic Defence Review. [20216]
  128
  Mr. George Robertson
  In my speech to the House on 27 October 1997,Official Report, Columns 609–20, I outlined the emerging conclusions of the first phase of the Strategic Defence Review, which looked at the foreign and security policy framework. This work will form an important part of the Review White Paper which I envisage publishing in the first part of year.

  NATO Enlargement
  Laura Moffatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress towards NATO enlargement. [20210]

  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress towards NATO enlargement. [20217]

  Ms Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress towards NATO enlargement. [20226]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The protocols for the accession of Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic to NATO were signed in December by NATO Foreign Ministers: all Allies now need to ratify them. NATO is continuing its work with the invited countries to ensure their effective military and political integration into the Alliance.

  Smart Procurement Initiative
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make statement on the progress of the Government's smart procurement initiative. [20211]

  Mr. Spellar
  MOD is undertaking a fundamental and rigorous review of its procurement and commercial practices and of the organisation required to ensure that its business is done both economically and efficiently, and in a framework of continuing improvement. Much has already been done and we are now engaging industry in a constructive dialogue to ensure that they play their full part in improving our business.

  Armed Services (Complement)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by how many each of the armed services was below establishment on 1 January. [20212]

  Mr. Spellar
  Details for 1 January are not yet available. As at 1 November 1997, the latest figures available, the shortfall in trained strength against trained requirement for each of the Armed Forces was as follows: Naval Service, 1,900; Army, about 4,500; and RAF, 2,900.

  Royal Naval College
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the Royal Naval College. [20213]

  Mr. George Robertson
  Considerable progress has been made on establishing the arrangements for the future of this magnificent site. I have now agreed the financial terms whereby the Foundation will hold the site by a lease from the Greenwich Hospital. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and my own are working closely with the Foundation with a view to concluding shortly a package of financial and other support.

  Rapid Reaction Corps
  Mr. Collins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends visiting the headquarters of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps. [20218]

  Mr. George Robertson
  I visited the headquarters of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps on 23 June last year. I currently have no plans for a further visit.

  Eurofighter
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress in respect of the Eurofighter project. [20219]

  Mr. George Robertson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, South (Mr. Marsden) on 22 December 1997,Official Report, column 417.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the need for a mid-life upgrade for the Eurofighter; and in which areas of capability. [22694]

  Mr. George Robertson
  Eurofighter is still being developed and the Memoranda of Understanding to commit to the production and support phases of the programme were only signed on 22 December 1997. I am confident that Eurofighter will respond to meet the operational requirements for which it is designed. Moreover, the Eurofighter design has growth potential to enable it to be modified to respond to changes in the threat and to take account of relevant tactical and technological developments. On this basis the question of a Eurofighter mid-life upgrade is likely to be one for consideration some years away.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the anticipated annual costs of ownership of Eurofighter over the operational life of the aeroplanes ordered. [22693]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The current estimated annual in-service support cost to the UK of Eurofighter is £230 million.

  Public Expenditure Review
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's review of public expenditure on defence(a) procurement and (b) research in the south-east of England; and if he will assess the advantages of relating such expenditure to the Barnett formula. [20220]

  Mr. Spellar
  My Department places contracts for research and for procurement on the basis of value for money after open competition wherever practicable. As such, this public expenditure is not targeted at any region in particular but depends upon the distribution across the UK of suppliers.

  The latest figures available for the breakdown of expenditure on procurement by region are contained in Section 1.9 of the "UK Defence Statistics 1996", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. No similar figures are held centrally for research spending.
  130
  It would not be appropriate to apply the Barnett formula, or any other regionalisation mechanism, to defence spending on procurement and research as this would run contrary to our policy of obtaining best value for money for the taxpayer.

  Long-term Costings
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received in respect of the publication of his Department's long-term costings. [20221]

  Mr. George Robertson
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces to the hon. Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key) on 8 July 1997,Official Report, column 425. I am aware of no other representations on the publication of the Ministry of Defence's long-term costings.

  Challenger Tank
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received on the Army's current operational requirement for the Challenger tank. [20222]

  Mr. Spellar
  We have received a number of representations on the Army's current operational requirement for a main battle tank, which is to be met by Challenger 2.

  Landmines
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress towards a worldwide landmine ban through the Ottawa Process. [20224]

  Mr. George Robertson
  On 3 December my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development signed the Ottawa Convention. In the first two days, 125 countries signed the Convention which will ban the production, transfer, manufacture and use of anti-personnel landmines. This is a development which the Government warmly welcome; but there is no room for complacency and we will be pursuing complementary activity, notably in the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, in order to ensure the widest possible participation in a ban of these weapons. The UK will seek to ratify the Convention as soon as possible; primary legislation will be required to enable the UK to meet fully its obligations under the Convention. The Government intend to bring forward the necessary Bill as soon as the Parliamentary timetable allows.

  Defence Medical Service
  Mr. Rapson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the current state of the Defence Medical Service. [20225]

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his plans for the Defence Medical Service. [20229]

  Mr. Spellar
  I refer my hon. Friends to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces to the hon. Member for Harborough (Mr. Garnier) on 1 December 1997,Official Report, columns 22–23.

  131
  The main problems experienced by the Defence Medical Service at present are shortages of personnel and equipment. The greatest manpower shortages are among general and orthopaedic surgeons, anaesthetists, physicians and operating theatre nurses.

  Chemical and Biological Weapons
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures his Department is taking to protect British service personnel in the event of their being deployed where chemical and biological weapons are a threat. [20227]

  Mr. Spellar
  Defensive measures taken to protect British service personnel against the threat of use of chemical and biological weapons comprise five components: Detection, Identification and Monitoring; Warning and Reporting; Individual and Collective Protection; Contamination Control; and Medical Countermeasures. Work is continuing to improve our capability in all five areas.

  The passive defensive measures are part of a spectrum of capabilities relevant to chemical and biological threats, including intelligence and command and control, air defence, operational doctrine and training, and the potential for retaliatory military action. The Government are also fully committed to active support of arms control and non-proliferation measures to eliminate the threat of weapons of mass destruction.

  European Defence Industry (Restructuring)
  Mr. Touhig
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the impact of European defence industry restructuring on his procurement programmes. [20214]

  Mr. Spellar
  The success of our procurement programmes depends on a strong defence industrial base. European companies must remain competitive on the world market to ensure their survival and commercial well being. Restructuring is essential if we are going to maintain a globally competitive defence industry.

  Mrs. Betty Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on European defence industry restructuring. [20228]

  Mr. Spellar
  I refer my hon. Friend to my answer given earlier today to the hon. Member for Colchester (Mr. Russell).

  Republic of Ireland
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many goodwill calls were made by(a) Irish naval vessels to the UK and (b) the Royal Navy to the Republic of Ireland in each of the last three years. [22537]

  Dr. Reid
  Irish Naval Service vessels did not pay any goodwill visits to the UK in 1995. One was made in 1996, and three in 1997. Royal Navy ships paid two goodwill visits to the Republic of Ireland in 1995, one in 1996 and two in 1997.

  Armed Forces (Disabled People)
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many disabled people work(a) in the Ministry of Defence and (b) for the armed forces; and how many work at rates below £4 an hour. [22643]

  Mr. Spellar
  The number of civilian staff who were recorded as having some form of disability on my Department's civilian disability database at 1 October 1997 was 4,312. This includes staff serving in Defence Agencies. Armed Forces personnel are exempt from the employment provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act and therefore there are no accurate records of disabled Service personnel. Details of these, and how many disabled civilian staff work at rates below £4 an hour, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Cycle Spaces
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many secure cycling spaces there are in his Department. [22678]

  Mr. Spellar
  This information is not held centrally and could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

  Non-lethal Weapons
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Ministry of Defence establishments have been carrying out research into non-lethal weapon technologies since 1990. [21884]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Ministry of Defence has for some years conducted research into potential Non-Lethal Weapons technologies to assess not only performance but also operational deplorability, supportability, environmental impact and effect on personnel. Accordingly, a wide range of technologies have been examined at various Establishments, all of which have now been subsumed into the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency.

  AWE Aldermaston
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the size reduction facility at AWE Aldermaston to be completed and able to commence operations. [21810]

  Mr. Spellar
  An interim facility should be completed and available to start operations by summer of 1998. Options for a longer term facility are under consideration.

  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current space storage capacity at AWE Aldermaston for nuclear waste designated for disposal at the NIREX deep waste repository. [21807]

  Mr. Spellar
  Following the previous Government's decision in March 1997 not to support Nirex's appeal against the decision of the planning inspector concerning the proposed rock characterisation facility at Sellafield, none of the radioactive waste at AWE is designated for disposal at Nirex. Safe and secure storage for AWE' s Intermediate Level Waste will be provided as necessary until a new national policy for the disposal of such material has been devised.
  133
  The total storage capacity for Intermediate Level Waste at AWE Aldermaston is 4,000 cubic metres of which approximately a quarter is still available.

  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are to construct further nuclear waste stores at AWE Aldermaston. [21834]

  Mr. Spellar
  Construction of a new Intermediate Level Waste store is under consideration.

  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what public safety assessments have been made of buildings at AWE Aldermaston converted from their previous use to become nuclear waste stores. [21805]

  Mr. Spellar
  All facilities at AWE Aldermaston that store radioactive waste have safety cases prepared which are submitted to the Health and Safety Executive and the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate.

  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much intermediate-level and low-level nuclear waste that cannot be disposed of at Drigg is currently in store at AWE Aldermaston. [21806]

  Mr. Spellar
  There is currently 2,549 cubic metres of intermediate and low level waste in store at AWE Aldermaston which is not suitable for disposal at BNFL Drigg.

  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the estimated costs, for each of the next 10 years, of decommissioning old buildings and equipment at AWE Aldermaston. [21833]

  Mr. Spellar
  The detailed plans for decommissioning old buildings and equipment over the next ten years at AWE Aldermaston represent projections and assumptions which inform advice to Ministers on the affordability of that particular element of the defence programme and have not yet received approval. Accordingly I am withholding this information under exemption 2, internal discussions and advice, of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if repairs to the A91 plant at AWE Aldermaston have now been completed; and when he expects the plant to become fully operational. [21804]

  Mr. Spellar
  The repairs to A91 are complete. It is expected that the plant will become fully operational in 1999.

  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the estimated annual arisings of(a) low-level waste that can be disposed of at Drigg,
  (b) low-level nuclear waste that cannot be disposed of at Drigg, (c) intermediate-level nuclear waste arising from normal operations, (d) intermediate-level waste arising from decommissioning, (e) low-level waste arising from decommissioning operations that can be disposed of at Drigg and (f) low-level waste arising from decommissioning operations that cannot be disposed of at Drigg, from AWE Aldermaston, in each of the years between the present and 2020. [21808]
  134
  Mr. Spellar
  Forecasts of waste arisings are produced annually for the following ten years. The present forecast is (all volumes shown in cubic metres):

  (a) low level waste that can be disposed of at BNFL Drigg:

  1998: 1,900

  1999: 2,200

  2000: 1,800

  2001: 2,800

  2002: 3,000

  2003: 1,500

  2004: 3,700

  2005: 3,300

  2006: 2,500

  2007: 3,000

  (b) low level waste that cannot be disposed of at Drigg is not forecast separately from intermediate level waste arisings and is included in (d) below.

  (c) intermediate-level waste arising from normal operations:

  1998: 40

  1999: 40

  2000: 40

  2001: 40

  2002: 40

  2003: 40

  2004: 40

  2005: 40

  2006: 40

  2007: 40

  (d) intermediate-level waste arising from decommissioning:

  1998: 190

  1999: 130

  2000: 220

  2001: 170

  2002: 150

  2003: 160

  2004: 170

  2005: 160

  2006: 150

  2007: 150

  (e) low level waste arising from decommissioning operations that can be disposed of at Drigg:

  1998: 400

  1999: 760

  2000: 510

  2001: 1,580

  2002: 1,970

  2003: 680

  2004: 3,010

  2005: 2,750

  2006: 2,010

  2007: 2,530

  (f) low level wastage arising from decommissioning operations that cannot be disposed of at Drigg is not forecast separately from ILW arisings and is included in (d) above.

  AWE Visits (French Officials)
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the visits made by French officials to each United Kingdom atomic weapons establishments since October 1996. [21827]

  Mr. Spellar
  Details of the visits are as follows. It is not possible to be more precise as the information requested is not held centrally.

  Dates

  Aldermaston

  Burghfield

  Foulness

  October 1996 to March 1997

  5

  0

  0

  April 1997 to December 1997

  6

  0

  0

  Sludge (Aldermaston)
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the sludge solidification treatment facility at AWE Aldermaston to be completed and able to commence operations. [21809]

  Mr. Spellar
  The sludge solidification treatment facility is complete and is being used to support commissioning of A91.

  Trident
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many United Kingdom personnel are stationed in the US, and US personnel stationed in the United Kingdom, under the terms of the 1958 Agreement and the Polaris sales agreements, as amended for Trident. [21830]

  Mr. Spellar
  There are currently five UK personnel stationed in the US as part of the 1958 Agreement. In addition, 3 AWE employees are there on short-term appointments. A further 15 British personnel are in the USA as part of the Polaris Sales Agreement, as amended for Trident.

  As regards US personnel stationed in the UK, none is here under the terms of the 1958 Agreement. There are 4 US employees in the UK as part of the Polaris Sales Agreement, as amended for Trident.

  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost to the United Kingdom of engineering services provided at the Sandia National Laboratory for the development, evaluation, production and stockpile surveillance of the UK's Trident re-entry body system. [21821]

  Mr. Spellar
  The relevant cost this year is estimated to be between $1 and 2 million.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if construction has begun on the new refit yard for Trident submarines at Devonport Royal Dockyard; and if he will make a statement. [21217]

  Dr. Reid
  [holding answer 17 December 1997]: The contract with Devonport Management Ltd. covers both the design and construction of Trident submarine refitting and refuelling facilities, and the modernisation of existing nuclear submarine support facilities. Construction work
  136
  on the existing facilities is progressing. Preparatory work on the Trident facilities, including the detailed design phase, is underway.

  Gloveboxes
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many gloveboxes are currently in store, awaiting treatment and disposal, at AWE Aldermaston. [21832]

  Mr. Spellar
  There are at present forty-one gloveboxes stored at AWE Aldermaston. Decommissioned gloveboxes are classified as Intermediate Level Waste. Safe and secure storage is provided at the site.

  Official Visits
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of occasions since April 1996 on which United Kingdom officials have visited(a) CEA and (b) DGA facilities. [21828]

  Mr. Spellar
  The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, details of visits made by personnel from the Atomic Weapons Establishments are as follows:

  CEA

  DGA

  April 1996 to March 1997

  12

  3

  April 1997 to December 1997

  10

  2

  Atomic Co-ordinating Offices
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff are employed in the Atomic Co-ordinating offices in London and Washington; what are their Civil Service grades; and what are the annual operating costs of each office. [21829]

  Mr. Spellar
  The details requested are currently as follows:

  Atomic Control Office, London

  Senior Executive Officer: 0.51

  Executive Office: 1

  Administrative Officer: 1

  Administrative Assistance: 4

  1 This official has other duties in addition to his responsibilities as Head of the Atomic Control Office, London.

  Atomic Control Office, Washington

  Unified Grade 6: 1

  Unified Grade 7: 1

  Executive Officer: 1

  Personal Secretary: 1

  Administrative Officer: 1

  The annual running costs of the London and Washington offices are £121,000 and £296,000 respectively.

  Nimrod
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the average annual costs of one Nimrod aircraft. [21213]
  137
  Dr. Reid
  [holding answer 17 December 1997]: The estimated average annual cost of supporting a Nimrod MR Mk2 aircraft is some £4 million. This figure does not include fuel and aircrew costs.

  Commachio Company
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the primary roles and functions of Commachio Company, Royal Marines; and what are its annual running costs. [21210]

  Dr. Reid
  [holding answer 17 December 1997]: Commacchio Group Royal Marines protects the nation's independent strategic nuclear deterrent on UK territory. It also administers Royal Marines Condor, Arbroath, for itself and for two other units of the Royal Marines Command. The Group's estimated annual running costs for financial year 1997–98, including Service Pay, are some £10 million.

  Nuclear Accident Response Organisation
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the annual running costs of the Nuclear Accident Response Organisation. [21208]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 17 December 1997]: The Ministry of Defence Nuclear Accident Response Organisation (NARO) would only be activated for exercises or in the event of a defence nuclear accident, using resources from a
  number of military commands. The occasional costs attributed to the NARO function in these commands are not separately identified. The annual manpower costs for the Headquarters element in the Ministry of Defence in London, however, amounts to £300,000 and the annual cost of support contracts provided by the Meteorological Office, Defence Evaluation and Research Agency and other associated costs amounts to some £2.5 million.

  Nuclear Submarines
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the annual running costs of a hunter-killer nuclear powered submarine. [21206]

  Dr. Reid
  [holding answer 17 December 1997]: The annual running costs of an RN vessel depend on the activities it carries out, and the amount of maintenance it undergoes. In approximate terms, the annual running costs of a hunter-killer nuclear powered submarine are some £10 million. These costs include manpower, stores and fuel. They exclude maintenance.

  Destroyers and Minesweepers (Running Costs)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the average running costs of(a) one Royal Navy destroyer and (b) one mine countermeasure vessel. [21214]

  Dr. Reid
  [holding answer 17 December 1997]: The annual running costs of an RN vessel depends on the activities it carries out, and the amount of maintenance it undergoes. In approximate terms, the annual running costs of a Type 42 destroyer are some £12 million; and for a Sandown class MCMV some £2 million. These costs include manpower, stores and fuel. They exclude maintenance.

  Service Accommodation (Evictions)
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many households on armed forces' housing estates have been served with notices of eviction in the current year; what estimate he has made of the figures for each of the next three years; and how many of these are in the categories(a) civilian and (b) irregular. [21320]

  Mr. Spellar
  In the current year, 28 Irregular Occupants have been served with eviction notices, none of whom were civilian licensees. It is not possible to predict future numbers as Irregular Occupancy arises as a result of loss of entitlement through bereavement, marital breakdown and personnel leaving the Services but remaining in their quarters. On occasion, civilian licensees may similarly refuse to leave their homes at the end of their licence periods but it is not possible to predict this eventuality. Even in such circumstances it is not always necessary to seek eviction of occupants.

  Armed Forces (Pay and Conditions)
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people in the armed forces earn less than £4 an hour. [22640]

  Mr. Spellar
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Eastleigh (Mr. Chidgey) on 19 December 1997,Official Report, columns 380–81.

  Millennium Compliance
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the functions, bodies or units not covered by the £200 million estimated cost of dealing with the millennium computer problem in his Department and its associated public bodies; if this estimate covers the cost of dealing with the problem as it affects front-line military units; if it includes provision for dealing with the embedded chip problem; and if he will make a statement; [21541]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the moneys which will be made available to his Department from the contingency reserve to ensure millennium computer compliance in the United Kingdom armed forces; [21543]

  (3) what margin of error is associated with his Department's estimate of a £200 million total cost for resolving the millennium computer problem; and if he will make a statement; [21542]

  (4) if he will give a breakdown of the £200 million cost of resolving the millennium computer problem in his Department and related bodies to show the estimated expenditure necessary, broken down by each agency or center. [21540]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 18 December 1997]: The £200 million estimated as the cost to MOD of addressing the millennium problem covers costs associated with tackling the problem in the Department and its associated public bodies. It includes dealing with the problem as it affects front line units and provision for dealing with the embedded chip problem. The figure is based on estimates associated with Year 2000 tasks which have been assessed and for which costed plans have been produced. However the number, scope and complexity of systems to be checked within Defence means that the figures are still being refined.
  139
  In estimating the costs, contingency sums are included to cover unforeseen difficulties. The margin of error included for each system will depend on its complexity and the associated risk of finding that there is more to correct than originally estimated.

  The Department's internal plans represent projections and assumptions which inform advice to Ministers on the affordability of particular parts of the Defence programme. Accordingly I am withholding information requested on the breakdown of costs associated with the millennium computer problem under exemption two of the Code of Practice on Access to Government information.

  Funds to meet the projected costs are being allocated on the assumption that no additional money will be available from the contingency reserve.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what existing problems have been encountered in(a) his Department and (b) public bodies under the responsibility of his Department and (c) the armed forces as a consequence of the millennium computer problem; and if he will make a statement; [21539]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the extent to which the operational military effectiveness of the United Kingdom armed forces is likely to be impaired by the millennium computer problem; and if he will make a statement. [21544]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 18 December 1997]: Millennium date change problems have already been identified and are being addressed in a number of operational and administrative computer systems across the Department, the Armed Forces and Non-Departmental Public Bodies.(NDPBs).

  Within the programme established within MOD to address the year 2000 date change problem, priority is given to the rectification of those systems which could affect safety or operational effectiveness.

  Joint Working Groups
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the projects on which his Department is working jointly with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; [21825]

  (2) if he will list the joint working groups currently in operation as part of (a) the 1958 mutual defence agreement for co-operation on the uses of atomic energy for defence purposes, (b) the Polaris sales agreement and (c) the Trident sales agreement; [21822]

  (3) if he will list the projects on which his Department is working jointly with Sandia National Laboratory; [21826]

  (4) if he will list the research projects on which his Department is working jointly with Los Alamos National Laboratories. [21824]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Joint Working Groups established under the terms of the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement exchange technical information on the following subjects:

  Radiation Simulation and Kinetic Effects Technology

  Energetic Materials

  Test Monitoring

  Nuclear Materials

  140

  Warhead Electrical Components and Technologies

  Non-Nuclear Materials

  Nuclear Counter-Terrorism Technology Facilities

  Nuclear Weapons Engineering

  Nuclear Warhead Physics

  Computational Technology

  Aircraft, Missile and Space System Hardening

  Laboratory Plasma Physics

  Manufacturing Practices

  Nuclear Weapon Accident Response Technology

  Nuclear Weapon Code Development

  Nuclear Weapon Environment and Damage Effects

  With the exception of support to the UK Trident Project which is effected under the terms of the Polaris Sales Agreement, as amended for Trident, there is no joint work under way on new weapons systems. There are however regular exchanges on a wide range of research and technology areas as specified above. They involve all three US National Laboratories, namely Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory.

  Separate arrangements are in place for exchanges under the Polaris Sales Agreement, as amended for Trident. The groups concerned are the Joint Steering Task Group, supported by the Trident Joint Re-Entry Systems Working Group and the Joint Systems Performance and Assessment Group.

  Arms Control
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the annual budget for his Department's Proliferation Arms Control Unit in the last two years; [22512]

  (2) what work his Department is currently carrying out to support and implement arms control treaties in the fields of (a) chemical weapons and (b) nuclear weapons; and if he will make a statement; [22516]

  (3) What work is currently being carried out by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment Porton Down to (a) support and implement the Chemical Weapons Convention and (b) support the negotiations to strengthen the 1972 Biological and Toxic Weapons Convention; [22548]

  (4) what work is currently being carried out by the Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston to support and implement international arms control agreements and treaties; [22549]

  (5) what work is being carried out by his Department to support the negotiations to strengthen the 1972 Biological and Toxic Weapons Convention. [22517]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The Ministry of Defence and its agencies and contractors conduct a wide range of activities in support of the negotiation and implementation of international nuclear, biological and chemical arms control and non-proliferation agreements, in parallel with extensive activities in support of conventional arms control. It provides particular expertise in support of the effective verification of such arrangements.
  141
  The central division for this work is the Proliferation and Arms Control Secretariat within the Defence Policy Staff. It draws on other parts of the Department as necessary, including the Defence Commitments Staff, and specialists within the Defence Intelligence Staff and the Defence scientific staffs. The division works closely with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to develop Government Arms Control policy as a whole and routinely provides part of the UK team at international arms control negotiations and discussions. Its budget for 1995–96 was £3.362 million, and for 1996–97, £2.735 million. As well as the costs of the London-based staff, this also includes provision for the Senior Military Adviser to the UK Delegation to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe based in Vienna, and for a range of work at the Chemical and Biological Defence Sector (CBD) of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency at Porton Down in support of the effective verification of the Chemical and Biological Weapons Conventions. Outside the Department's Central Staffs, the Joint Arms Control Implementation Group, based at RAF Henlow, although mainly engaged in incoming and outgoing inspections under the CFE Treaty and Vienna Document, also provides escorts when UK defence facilities and units are inspected under the Chemical Weapons Convention. JACIG is also responsible for escorting under the INF Treaty and inspections to the former US Ground Launched Cruise Missile facilities in the UK.

  The Department and the Armed Forces also continue to provide significant support to the work of the UN Special Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in eliminating Iraq's nuclear, biological and chemical weapons and long-range ballistic missiles. The Director of the Proliferation and Arms Control Secretariat is a member of the Special Commission.

  The Atomic Weapons Establishment has long had particular expertise in the seismic monitoring of nuclear tests, a programme costing some £1.5 million in the current financial year. Its specialist staff made a widely recognised contribution to the negotiation of an effective verification regime for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). The UK's contribution to the costs of the CTBT Organisation and the establishment of the International Monitoring System—£850,000 in the current financial year—is funded from the Defence budget. The MOD also provides a specialist in the UK Mission in Vienna in support of CTBT implementation.

  CBD Porton Down provides advice and research and development on a range of Chemical and Biological arms control and export control matters, both for the MOD and other Government Departments, including for the DTI in support of national implementation of the CWC. It is recognised internationally as a leading player in development of chemical and biological verification techniques. Experts from Porton Down provide technical support to the UK delegation in Geneva in the negotiations to strengthen the BTWC. This includes acting as Friend of the Chair in some technical meetings. CBD also provides support for the UN Special Commission on Iraq, and for the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), including
  142
  input to inspector training, and is preparing for nomination as an OPCW designated laboratory for sample analysis.

  Atomic Weapons Establishments
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the current annual running costs of the Atomic Weapons Establishments. [21215]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 17 December 1997]: The annual running costs of the Atomic Weapons Establishment are of the order of £300 million. As well as research and production, they cover such things as capital investment, site maintenance, decommissioning redundant buildings, equipment and weapons, and waste management.

HEALTH

  Psychiatric Hospitals
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what sums of money, out of the totals announced in his oral statement of 12 December,Official Report, column 1330, as being allocated to mental health care, will be used for providing (a) single-sex ward areas, (b) half-spindle locks on doors and (c) moves towards safe and therapeutic environments, within NHS acute psychiatric units; [21491]

  (2) what he estimates the cost to be of providing (a) single-sex ward areas and (b) half-spindle locks on doors, in NHS acute psychiatric hospitals. [21492]

  Mr. Boateng
  Our prime concern is to ensure that the additional resources we have identified are deployed in the light of Departmental guidance, including guidance on single-sex wards and security, and in the most effective way to improve services for mentally ill people.

  Detailed decisions about the allocation of the Local Authority Partnership Fund and the National Health Service Partnership Fund have yet to be made. We expect the Independent Reference Group to offer advice about priorities for the use of both funds. There is no reason why health and local authorities should not bid for these funds to support the development of facilities, of the kind suggested by the hon. Member, if they consider them to be a priority.

  Information about the estimated costs of providing single-sex ward areas and half spindle locks on doors in NHS acute psychiatric units is not available centrally.

  Northwick Park Hospital, Kenton
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will call for a report on the care policy of Northwick Park Hospital, Kenton. [21862]

  Mr. Milburn
  We know of no reason to call for a report on the care policy of Northwick Park Hospital. If there are specific concerns about an individual's treatment, the Northwick Park Hospital and St. Mark's National Health Service Trust has a complaints procedure through which these should be addressed in the first instance. Complaints should be referred to the Chief Executive of the trust.

  St. George's Hospital, Tooting
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were waiting for operations at St. George's Hospital, Tooting on 1 December 1997. [22183]

  Mr. Milburn
  The information requested is not available. Waiting time data collected centrally give the position at the end of each quarter. The latest figures are for 30 September 1997 and show 7,087 patients awaiting admission to St. George's Group National Health Service Trust on an in-patient basis. This includes all patients waiting for admission to hospital whether it be for surgery, medical treatment, assessment, therapy or rehabilitation. The number of patients waiting for an operation cannot be identified separately.

  AIDS
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with health authorities and trusts on standards of health care for AIDS patients. [22169]

  Ms Jowell
  Earlier this year a consensus statement was published in the Lancet by The British HIV Association. This provides guidelines for antiretroviral treatment of HIV seropositive individuals, and has been widely disseminated across the country. The Department will shortly be issuing guidance to all health authorities in England on the use of the £228 million provided for HIV/AIDS treatment and care in 1998–99, which will draw attention to the publication of the guidelines, so that all health authorities are aware of them.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which health authorities and trusts are not offering the full range of treatment and drugs to AIDS patients. [22171]

  Ms Jowell
  There have been anecdotal reports but no formal evidence that health authorities and trusts are not offering the full range of treatments and drugs to AIDS patients. In recognition of the increased costs and uptake of combination drug treatments we have allocated an extra £23 million to the HIV/AIDS treatment and care budget for 1998–99. £3 million of this extra funding is to provide additional resources to the 14 health authorities with the highest caseload. The new National Health Service White Paper outlines a modernisation programme which will provide a more consistent quality of care in the future.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the relative costs of treating an AIDS patient(a) in hospital and (b) as an outpatient. [22172]

  Ms Jowell
  The relative costs of treating AIDS patients in hospital and as outpatients will vary from hospital to hospital due to a variety of factors including the choice of treatment, which is a matter for discussion between patient and doctor. The success so far of new combination drug treatments for people with HIV and AIDS is resulting in fewer patients being treated as hospital in-patients. For the longer term, we have set up an Expert Working Group to undertake a Stocktake of the HIV/AIDS treatment and care budget, its use and future distribution, taking into account the costs and benefits of combination drug treatments.

  Nursing Homes
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when was the most recent review of the registration and inspection of privately-run nursing homes. [22180]

  Mr. Boateng
  There was a review of the regulation and inspection of social services in 1995–96 which covered the regulation and inspection of nursing homes. It stemmed from a Government consultation document, "Moving Forward", published in October 1995, for which Mr. Tom Burgner acted as independent assessor of consultation responses. The report following the review, "The Regulation and Inspection of Social Services" (commonly known as the Burgner Report) was published in October 1996. Copies of both "Moving Forward" and the Burgner Report are available in the Library.

  We are committed to creating independent regulatory arrangements for residential care and nursing homes which are tough, transparent and accountable. We intend to publish a White Paper next year setting out our proposals.

  Xenotransplantation
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what advice he has received from the Advisory Group on the Ethics of Xenotransplantation regarding the possibility of cross-species viral transfer as a result of xenotransplantation; [22612]

  (2) what advice he has received from the Advisory Group on the Ethics of Xenotransplantation regarding clinical trials involving genetic material from pigs. [22611]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Advisory Group on the Ethics of Xenotransplantation completed its work in August 1986. Its advice is contained in its Report "Animal Tissue into Humans" which was published in January 1997. Copies are available in the Library.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of the proposals in the white paper on Freedom of Information on the modus operandi of(a) the United Kingdom Xenotransplantation Interim Regulatory Authority and (b) the Advisory Group on the Ethics of Xenotransplantation. [22633]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Government have recently published a White Paper "Your Right to Know: Freedom of Information" setting out our proposals for a Freedom of Information Act. These proposals will be discussed by the United Kingdom Xenotransplantation Interim Regulatory Authority and appropriate action taken. The Advisory Group on the Ethics of Xenotransplantation completed its work in August 1996 and no longer exists.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the Members of the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens, indicating(a) the date on which each membership commenced, (b) those members who are employed or have been employed by companies with interests in biotechnology and (c) those members who, either individually or on behalf of groups, are known to be opposed to xenotransplantation on ethical grounds. [22629]
  145
  Mr. Boateng
  The joint Department of Health/Health and Safety Executive Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) was reconstituted in January 1995 for a three-year term (subsequently extended for a further 10 months). All current members, except for the two indicated, have served on the ACDP for the full term since January 1995. The members are:

  Chairman

  Dr. M. J. Crumpton: Served as Chairman since 1991

  Export members

  Dr. B. Bannister: Member since 1993

  Professor G. E. Griffin: Appointed December 1994

  Professor D. J. Jeffries: Member since 1993

  Dr. E. A. Gould: Member since 1991

  Dr. P. W. Jones: Appointed December 1994

  Dr. H. S. Tranter: Appointed December 1994

  Dr. R. W. A. Girdwood: Appointed December 1994

  Dr. T. D. Wyatt: Member since 1987

  Employer/employee representatives

  Mr. A. R. Clare: Member since 1984

  Miss A. M. Harris: Member since January 1984

  Ms V. Bevan: Member since May 1994

  Dr. R. C. Slade: Appointed December 1994

  Dr. R. Owen: Member since 1981

  Mr. P. Taylor: Re-joined ACDP November 1996, served previously 1986–1990

  Ms P. Smith: Appointed November 1996

  Mrs. T. McGuire: Appointed December 1994

  Of the expert members Dr. Bannister, Professor Griffin, Professor Jeffries, Dr. Girdwood and Dr. Wyatt are employed within the health service. Dr. Gould is an Assistant Director at the National Environment Research Council Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology. Dr. Jones is the head of the Division of Environmental Microbiology at the Institute for Animal Health. Dr. Tranter is a microbiologist at the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research.

  In line with the tripartite principle of all Health and Safety Commission Advisory Committees, employer and employee representatives were nominated by the Confederation of British Industry, The Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) Board, the Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals, the Trades Union Congress and the Royal College of Nursing. Mr. Clare is under contract to his former employer, SmithKline Beecham and Miss Harris is the Medical Affairs Manager at Glaxo Research and Development Ltd. Ms Bevan is head of PHLS Technical Services. Dr. Slade is Safety Advisor at King's College London. Dr. Owen is now retired; he was the former Deputy Director of Medical Services at the Health and Safety Executive. Mr. Taylor, Ms Smith and Mrs McGuire all work within the health service.

  We shall write to the hon. Member with further details of the commercial and non-commercial interests of the Chairman and members.

  The ACDP is concerned with formulating advice on the infection risks of xenotransplantation. They have not been required to provide advice on ethical issues, and their personal views are not known.
  146
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 27 November 1997,Official Report, column 652, when the invitation to visit Imutran's animal facilities was received by his Department; and on which date the visit occurred. [22636]

  Mr. Boateng
  My noble Friend, The Baroness Jay, Minister of State, who has responsibility for this area, at Imutran's invitation, visited their facilities on 17 October 1997. During her visit she was advised of the developments in their work. The invitation was oral and the proposed itinerary was faxed to the Department on 10 September 1997.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those companies and other organisations from whom his Department has formally sought views in respect of the development of a regulatory structure for xenotransplantation, indicating in each case the date on which views were formally sought. [22609]

  Mr. Boateng
  An open consultation was held in January 1997 to which industry and others responded. The responses have been considered in depth by the United Kingdom Xenotransplantation Interim Regulatory Authority and advice submitted to Ministers. Copies of all those responses, other than those made in confidence, will be placed in the Library in due course.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) which animals he plans to exclude, on ethical grounds, from use as source animals for xenotransplantation; and if he will make a sttaement; [22628]

  (2) if he will list those studies which he has evaluated regarding the transfer of pig viruses into human cells through the process of xenotransplantation; and if he will make a statement; [22610]

  (3) if the government will make it their policy to prohibit clinical trials of xenotransplantation involving genetic material from pigs until further data have been collected on cross-species viral transfer; and if he will make a statement. [22607]

  Mr. Boateng
  Proposals for the use of any animal in xenotransplantation will be carefully considered by the United Kingdom Xenotransplantation Interim Regulatory Authority (UKXIRA).

  The Government are advised by the UKXIRA on the acceptability of any application to undertake trials in xenotransplantation involving humans. The UKXIRA's advice will include consideration of issues such as the microbiological risk of any proposed procedure, the use of the animal proposed as the source, and the likely effect on the patient and their relatives. Within the UK we will allow clinical trials involving humans to take place only if and when we are satisfied that the risks associated with such procedures are acceptable. The UKXIRA will take the latest published information and other evidence offered into account in its advice.

  The Home Office has responsibility for the use of animals in scientific procedures and their view on the acceptability of the use of any animal as a source will depend on a consideration of the harm of the procedure against the benefit it may bring. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Office, however, has indicated that he is not prepared to sanction the use of Great Apes for use in scientific procedures.
  147
  Research continues into the science underlying xenotransplant developments, including cross-species viral transfer. The Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) is also working with the UKXIRA on microbiological issues involved in xenotransplantation.

  Epilepsy
  Mr. Lock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has commissioned into sudden death in epilepsy; what directions have been issued to health authorities and trusts concerning sudden death in epilepsy; and if he will make a statement.[22484]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Medical Research Council (MRC) funds around £600,000 of general epilepsy research. There is no research currently being undertaken which is specifically and exclusively into sudden death in epilepsy. However, the MRC multicentre study of early epilepsy and single seizures is looking at immediate versus deferred drug therapy in patients with recently diagnosed single seizures. A number of different outcomes are being examined, including death, and prognostic factors for these are being determined.

  The Department issued an Executive Letter (95)120 "A Positive Approach to Epilepsy" to all health authorities and trusts in January 1996 asking the National Health Service to work towards best practice in commissioning, contracting and service delivery for epilepsy. The Epilepsy Task Force's "Specification for Epilepsy Services" was enclosed with the EL which made specific recommendations to improve and prioritise epilepsy services, including reducing morbidity and preventing avoidable mortality.

  The Department is working closely with other government departments to increase cooperation on epilepsy and encourage initiatives in other areas such as education and employment.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the estimated(a) over and (b) under spend for each quarter of 1997–98 in respect of the NHS dental budget. [22561]

  Mr. Milburn
  There is no fixed allocation for expenditure in the General Dental Service (GDS). Expenditure is affected by a number of factors including patient charge contribution. GDS expenditure, net of patient charges, for the two quarters of 1997–98 for which figures are available are as follows:

  Net GDS expenditure—England

  1997–98

  £ million

  April to June

  237.5

  July to September

  236.5

  Mr. Cann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the current cost of introducing free dental preliminary examinations in the United Kingdom; and what plans he has to bring forward proposals to that end. [22769]
  148
  Mr. Milburn
  The annual cost of abolishing charges for dental examinations in the United Kingdom based on December 1997 costs, would be about £75 million. This makes no allowance for any resulting increase in the number of examinations or in the amount of treatment provided.

  Dental charges are being examined as part of the comprehensive spending review, which is looking at all aspects of the Department's spending in the context of the Government's election manifesto commitment
  "if you are ill or injured there will be a national health service there to help; and access to it will be based on need and need alone—not on your ability to pay, or on who your general practitioner happens to be or on where you live".

  Mr. Cann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements he has made for emergency dental treatment for those who are deregistered following the change of period for continuing care payments. [22768]

  Mr. Milburn
  Patients are not being deregistered by this change. The registration period for both adult continuing care and child capitation payments was harmonised at fifteen months with effect from 1 September 1996. Regular attenders will be unaffected by the change as their registration period will roll forward when they attend their dentist. The registration of those patients who have not attended the dentist for fifteen months will lapse.

  Dentists are free to re-register any patients whose registrations have lapsed. It is for dentists to decide whether they wish to accept any patient onto their list.

  Dentists can treat any patient as an occasional patient for emergency care. Health authorities may also make arrangements for dental treatment of patients in urgent cases, when dentists in their area are not normally available to provide treatment.

  Mr. Cann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will commission a study to evaluate the costs per item of treatment carried out by(a) community dentists and (b) general dental practitioners. [22770]

  Mr. Milburn
  We have no plans to do so. The General Dental Service (GDS) and the Community Dental Service are complementary services and are not directly comparable. The fees paid for each item of service in the GDS is set out in the Statement of Dental Remuneration, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Cann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what current studies he has commissioned to analyse the benefits of preventative dentistry. [22771]

  Mr. Milburn
  We monitor the combined effect of preventative and restorative dentistry through regular surveys of adult and child dental health. The next survey of adults is due to take place this year and of children in 2003.

  Mr. Cann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost to his Department of continuing care payments for dentists in each financial year since the scheme was initiated; and what estimate he has made of the comparable cost had the payments been made on a 15–month basis. [22767]
  149
  Mr. Milburn
  In October 1990 the new dental contract was introduced. From this date, general dental service dentists received continuing care payments for adult patients who were registered with them for National Health Service treatment. The cost of payments made in respect of continuing care for the financial years 1990–91 to 1996–97 in England is set out in the table. Expenditure in 1990–91 and 1991–92 reflects the introduction of the new contract and is therefore not comparable to later years. No estimate has been made of the comparable cost had payments been made on a 15-month basis.

  General dental service: Cost of continuing care payments1 for year
  ending 1990–91 to 1996–97

  England

  Year

  Continuing care cost (£)

  1990–912

  13,921,120

  1991–92

  89,639,544

  1992–93

  109,105,816

  1993–94

  105,616,458

  1994–95

  108,162,318

  1995–96

  107,429,935

  1996–97

  108,170,299

  1 Continuing care payments were introduced in October 1990 with the introduction of the new dental contract.

  2 Figure is for six months from October 1990.

  Mr. Cann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the sums allocated to the remuneration of general dental practitioners are cash limited. [22774]

  Mr. Milburn
  No. Neither health authorities nor individual general dental practitioners are subject to fixed budgets for general dental services.

  Mr. Cann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to recognise the GDPA for purposes of negotiation. [22772]

  Mr. Milburn
  None. The General Dental Services Committee is the organisation recognised by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State as being representative of the dental profession for the purposes of consultation on the general dental services.

  Mr. Cann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what have been the rises in real terms in NHS payments to general dental practitioners in the last five years; and how these have compared with(a) the retail prices index and (b) real rises in income for non-manual workers. [22773]

  Mr. Milburn
  Gross expenditure in the General Dental Service in England was £1245.97 million in 1991–92 and £1323.07 million in 1996–97, a rise of 6.2 per cent. in the five year period. In real terms, when compared to the GDP deflator, gross expenditure fell by 7.6 per cent.

  Changes in gross expenditure cannot be compared directly with the retail prices index and the income for non-manual workers. Gross expenditure includes not only income for general dental practitioners but also payments to meet practice expenses and additional payments such as maternity allowance, sick pay, seniority payments etc. Levels of expenditure are also linked to the volume of National Health Service dental services provided by dentists.

  Dentists working not less than 2 days per week in the GDS, had average earnings of about £50,000 per annum from the NHS in 1996–97, after expenses.
  150
  Information on the rise in the retail price index and the earnings of non-manual employees at April each year as reported in the "New Earnings Survey 1997" (Table 30) is available in the Library.

  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will extend the registration period for NHS dental treatment to 24 months from the end of the month in which the patient last visited his or her dentist. [22283]

  Mr. Milburn
  The National Health Service (General Dental Services) Amendment (No. 2) Regulation 1996 SI 1996/2051, which implemented the changes to the registration period, were laid before Parliament on 6 August 1996, and came into force on 1 September 1996.

  We have no plans to review this policy, which will improve value for money by focusing payments to dentists on those patients receiving active care from them.

  Any savings generated will be put back into the General Dental Service, in a targeted way to achieve better oral health for the population.

  Waiting Times
  Mr. Collins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the average waiting times for treatment(a) at the Westmorland General Hospital and (b) in the Morecambe Bay Health Authority area in (i) 1994, (ii) 1995, (iii) 1996 and (iv) 1997. [21958]

  Mr. Milburn
  The available information is given in the table. This shows average waiting times for all waiting list admissions to hospital during the years concerned.

  Average waiting times (days) for admission to hospital on either an ordinary or day case basis during:

  1994–95

  1995–96

  Westmorland Hospital NHS Trust

  85.0

  81.0

  Morecambe Bay Health Authority

  131.3

  100.0

  Source:

  Department of Health, Hospital Episode Statistics (HES).

  Insulin Pen Injector Needles
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to make insulin pen injector needles available on prescription for diabetics. [22487]

  Mr. Milburn
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the member for Greenock and Inverclyde (Dr. Godman) on 17 June 1997,Official Report, column 102.

  Suffolk Health Authority Funding
  Mr. Ruffley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what effect the introduction into the capitation formula this year of a needs weighting for(a) services for people with learning disabilities and (b) administration and other hospital services has had on the Government's health spending allocation to the Suffolk Health Authority for 1998–99. [22483]

  Mr. Milburn
  The aim of the weighted capitation formula is to determine health authorities' fair shares of available resources by setting targets. The formula does not directly determine allocations. Allocations reflect our
  151
  decisions on the speed at which health authorities are brought nearer to target through the distribution of growth.

  For 1998–99 the formula has been made fairer by the introduction of two new needs weightings. Relative to other health authorities, the introduction of an administration and other hospital services weighting has reduced Suffolk Health Authority's target share by £2,975,000 (1.14 per cent.); and the introduction of a weighting for people with learning disabilities has reduced Suffolk Health Aurhtority's target share by £3,742,000 (1.44 per cent.).

  Genetic Engineering
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the(a) date of appointment, (b) terms of reference and (c) membership of the focus groups established by his Department to discuss genetic engineering. [22599]

  Ms Jowell
  There are no specific focus groups established by the Department to discuss genetic engineering. However, the Department provides the Secretariat for the Gene Therapy Advisory Committee (GTAC) which was set up in 1993, and is chaired by Professor Norman Nevin (Professor of Medical Genetics) from Belfast City Hospital.

  GTAC members are:

  Professor E. Anionwu—Thames Valley University

  Mrs. R. Barnes—Cystic Fibrosis Trust

  Professor J. Burn—Royal Victoria Infirmary

  Professor A. Dayan—St. Bartholomew's Hospital

  Revd. Dr. K. Denison—Church in Wales

  Dr. B. Gibson—Hospital for Sick Children

  Professor I. Hart—St. Thomas" Hospital

  Mrs. A. Hunt—Genetic Interest Group

  Professor P. Johnston—Belfast City Hospital

  Professor T. Marteau—Guy's Hospital

  Professor J. Neil—University of Glasgow.

  Professor A. Pinching—St. Bartholomew"s Hospital

  Miss E. Platt QC—Lawyer

  Sir B. Richards—Peptide Therapeutics Group plc

  Professor M. Steel—University of St. Andrew"s

  Mrs. I Train—Nurse

  GTAC advises on the ethical acceptability of proposals for gene therapy research in humans.

  The Human Genetics Advisory Commission (HGAC), chaired by Professor Sir Colin Campbell (Vice Chancellor, University of Nottingham), was set up in 1996 and reports to health and industry Ministers.

  HGAC members are:

  Professor C. Aitken—Emeritus Professor, University of Edinburgh

  Dr. M. Aldred—Retinoblastoma Society

  Professor M. Bobrow—University of Cambridge

  Mrs. D. Littlejohn—Central Office of Industrial Tribunals, Scotland

  Professor N. Nevin—Chair GTAC

  Dr. O. O'Neill—Chair Nuffield Council on Bioethics

  152

  Revd. Dr. J. Polkinghorne—Chair Advisory Committee on Genetic Testing

  Dr. G. Poste—SmithKline Beecham

  Ms M. Stuart—British Broadcasting Corporation

  HGAC has a remit to keep under review scientific progress at the frontiers of human genetics and related fields.

  Adhesive Arachnoiditis
  Mr. Collins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of adhesive arachnoiditis have been diagnosed in the last 20 years; and if he will make a statement. [21960]

  Mr. Boateng
  The information requested is not available centrally. Statistics held by the Department of Health reflect only diagnostic information collected on in-patients attending National Health Service hospitals in England. The diagnostic information is held in the form of codes from the World Health Organisation International Classification of Diseases, which is ordered by the cause of disease. In this classification, arachnoiditis is not directly used as a term because it is a symptom, not a cause. The Department cannot determine the prevalence of incidence of arachnoiditis from the statistics collected centrally.

  Lady Helen Gardiner
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the letter of 14 December from the Minister of State, if he will set out the considerations which led him to conclude that Lady Helen Gardiner should not be reappointed as Chairman of the Surrey Ambulance Service NHS Trust. [22216]

  Mr. Milburn
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has today written to Lady Helen inviting her to serve until the end of September as chair of the Surrey Ambulance Trust. Lady Helen has already indicated her willingness to accept the appointment.

  Read Codes Version 3
  Mr. Rhodri Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the length of time required to produce a service-strength product of Read Codes Version 3; and if he will make a statement. [22404]

  Mr. Milburn
  The release of Read Codes Version 3 planned for March 1998 will contain all codes and terms from earlier Read Versions. This is the service strength product, which will enable Read Codes Version 3 to be used in both the Acute and General Practice sectors.

  Mr. Rhodri Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of(a) NHS sites participating in the Read Codes Version 3 partnership programme, (b) NHS sites which have ceased participation in the programme, (c) non-partnership NHS sites currently using Version 3 and (d) non-partnership NHS sites which have ceased to use Version 3; and, for categories (a) and (c), to what extent Version 3 is in use on those sites. [22407]
  153
  Mr. Milburn
  To avoid being overwhelmed by inquiries from other hospitals, hospitals participating in the partnership programme have asked that their names should not be placed in the public domain. Accordingly, we shall provide a personal response to the hon. Member dealing with his first two points.

  The information to answer the remaining points is not held centrally.

  Mr. Rhodri Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list each evaluation(a) conducted or (b) commissioned by his Department into the efficacy of the Read Codes Version 3 coding system, stating the date and author or body responsible for each one; and if he will place the evaluation reports in the Library. [22408]

  Mr. Milburn
  The Read Codes Version 3 partnership programme started in mid 1995 and was designed to identify, from its operational use, what additional terms might need to be added to Version 3, such as those describing new clinical practices and procedures. Evaluation of the benefits from using Read Codes is part of this programme, which will finish in March 1998. No further evaluations are planned.

  Within the partnership programme, one of the main sites for evaluating Version 3 of the Read Codes is the Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust. Two draft reports on its use of Read Codes Version 3 for clinical coding purposes have been published recently. One is an internal report produced by the trust itself; the other is the result of both external and internal evaluations. Copies of these two draft reports will be placed in the Library as will copies of the final reports when published.

  NHS Wages
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS employees earn less than £4 an hour. [22641]

  Mr. Milburn
  The information is not available centrally following a decision made during the previous Government to discontinue the collection of detailed earnings information.

  Minimum Wage
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to seek exemptions from the minimum wage for description of persons working in the NHS. [22654]

  Mr. Milburn
  The Department of Health is contributing to the Government's evidence to the Low Pay Commission. There are no plans to seek specific exemptions from the minimum wage for descriptions of persons working in the National Health Service.

  NHS (Suffolk)
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to reply to the letter of the hon. Member for South Suffolk of 20 November with respect to the NHS in Suffolk. [22291]

  Mr. Milburn
  I have written to the hon. Member today.

  Condom Machines
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to require that condom machines in entertainment venues and public lavatories stock only products approved to British kite mark standards; and if he will make a statement. [12915]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 27 October 1997]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 27 October 1997, Official Report column 767.

  There is no general power which would enable me to require this. However, local authority Trading Standards Officers could take action under the General Product Safety Regulations 1994 if the product could be deemed unsafe under the regulations.

  Community Nurses
  Mr. Burnett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average number of community nurses in English health authorities in each year since 1979 for which figures are available. [15656]

  Mr. Milburn
  [holding answer 12 November 1997]: The information requested is available from 1982 and is shown in the table.

  NHS Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS) average number of community health nurses per health authority in England; as at 30 September of each year

  Whole-time equivalents

  Community Health nurses

  Number of Health Authorities

  Average number of Community Health Nurses Nurses

  1982

  40,440

  191

  210

  1983

  41,230

  191

  220

  1984

  41,420

  191

  220

  1985

  43,050

  191

  230

  1986

  42,560

  191

  220

  1987

  42,230

  191

  220

  1988

  42,470

  192

  220

  1989

  41,410

  190

  220

  1990

  44,000

  190

  230

  1991

  44,540

  184

  240

  1992

  43,910

  178

  250

  1993

  43,850

  145

  300

  1994

  43,090

  117

  370

  1995

  53,260

  105

  510

  1996

  56,560

  100

  570

  Notes:

  1. Figures are not available before 1982.

  2. Figures for 1982 to 1989 are for "primary healthcare" nursing and midwifery staff, including: health visitors, district nurses, school nurses, community midwives and a small number of other "primary healthcare" nursing and midwifery staff. The figures for 1990 to 1994 cover the same staff groups as for 1982 to 1989, but include community psychiatric nurses and community learning difficulties nurses, and exclude community midwives. The figures for 1995 to 1996 are based on new occupation codes and are not, therefore. directly comparable with figures for earlier years although they cover similar groups to those used in 1990 to 1994.

  Figures are rounded to the nearest ten.

  Source:

  Department of Health's annual non-medical workforce census.

  NHS Appointments
  Mr. Maples
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the guidance given to regional chairmen in June on NHS board appointments. [21909]

  Mr. Milburn
  [holding answer 22 December 1997]: We wrote to Regional Chairmen on 23 June signalling a raft of changes that we had decided should be made to the appointments process. They were as follows:
  the person specification for non-executives and chairmen to be changed to encourage more National Health Service users and carers as their community representatives on NHS boards;
  156
  interview panels to ensure that all candidates were personally committed to the NHS and would bring a user's perspective to the board;
  local authorities and Members of Parliament to be invited to nominate candidates. All nominees to go through the usual selection process and be judged on merit;
  the balance of board membership to be changed, shifting more towards users and carers and others with a community voice; and
  all candidates, including those nominated by MPs and local authorities, those already on a database, new self-nominees and serving board members seeking reappointment to be considered against the new criteria for the vacancies available.

  Health Service Chairmen and Directors
  Health Service Chairmen and Directors
  Risk Factors
  Risk Factors
  Alcohol-Related Morbidity and Mortality: Costs
  Alcohol-Related Morbidity and Mortality: Costs
  Vitamin B6 Proposed Restrictions: Ministerial Consultations
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  Community Health Services: Expenditure
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  Parental Discipline
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  Helplines
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  Care of the Mentally III
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  Judgments: Legal Databases
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  Public Record Office Charges
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  Human Rights Legislation Implementation: Judicial Training
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  Consolidation Bills
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  Administrative Decisions: Public Information
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  Arms Exports to the Netherlands
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  US Missiles: Developments
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  Weapons in Space
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  Turkish/Israeli Military Collaboration
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  NATO
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  Iraq: Further Military Action
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  Relations with Unconstitutional Regimes: Policy
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  Governments in Exile: UK Support
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  Pakistan: Penal Code
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  UN Victims of Torture Fund: UK Contribution
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  Palestinians in West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza
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  Mr. Mordechai Vanunu
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  Caspian Sea Oil Reserves
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  Vehicle Overloading on the M.20
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  Health and Safety Laboratory: Annual Report and Accounts
  Health and Safety Laboratory: Annual Report and Accounts
  "Pescado" Sinking: MAIB Report
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  Emissions Trading
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  Railfreight Distribution: Terms of Sale
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  Memorial Land
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  Pyrethroid Pollution of Watercourses
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  Thorne and Hatfield Moors
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  Household Projections
  Household Projections
  EU Member States: Unfunded Liabilities
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  Deaths from Various Causes
  Deaths from Various Causes
  Millennium Dome
  Millennium Dome
  Pharmaceutical Companies: Ministerial Code
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  Proposed Freedom of Information Act: Fees and Charges
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  Parliamentary Copyright
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  Museums: Charges and Grants
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  Museum Entry Charges
  Museum Entry Charges
  British Library: MSS Acquisition Budget
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  Museum Visits: Studies
  Museum Visits: Studies
  UK Civil Servants Working in the European Commission
  UK Civil Servants Working in the European Commission
  European Commission: Staff Assignments
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  Tax Credits for Students
  Tax Credits for Students
  Alcohol and Tobacco Smuggling
  Alcohol and Tobacco Smuggling
  EMU Accession Date
  EMU Accession Date
  Economic and Monetary Union
  Economic and Monetary Union
  Benefit Integrity Project
  Benefit Integrity Project
  Services Personnel: Chemical Warfare Immunisation and Disability
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  Benefit Claims Backdating Limitation
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  Child Benefit Lone Parent Element
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  Peers: Free Parliamentary Publications
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  Jobcentres: Registered Vacancies
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  Social Security (Lone Parents) (Amendment) Regulations 1997: SI Committee's Consideration
  Social Security (Lone Parents) (Amendment) Regulations 1997: SI Committee's Consideration
  Electricity Generation
  Electricity Generation
  Falkland Islands Garrison
  Falkland Islands Garrison
  Gulf Veterans: "Rabbit Fever" Vaccinations
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  Operation Granby: Contaminated Debris
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  Gulf Veterans: Medical Tests
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  Depleted Uranium Ammunition: Handling
  Depleted Uranium Ammunition: Handling
  Camp Doha Fire, July 1991: Casualties
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  Chemical Warfare Agents: Immunisation Effects
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  RAF TriStar Maintenance
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  RAF TriStar: Operation and Maintenance Costs
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  Ballistic Missile Defence: Studies
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  Nuclear Weapons
  Nuclear Weapons
  RAF Northolt
  RAF Northolt
  Multilateral Agreement on Investment
  Multilateral Agreement on Investment
  "Millennium Goods": Trade Descriptions Act
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  EU Members: Export Rights
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  United Bank Ltd: Industrial Relations
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  Pregnant Women and Employment Law
  Pregnant Women and Employment Law
  EU Internal Market Council, 27 November: Votes
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  Fossil Fuel Alternatives
  Fossil Fuel Alternatives
  World Climate Research Programme: UK Participation
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  Biotechnological Inventions: Draft Directive
  Biotechnological Inventions: Draft Directive
  Bleach Green to Antrim Railway Line
  Bleach Green to Antrim Railway Line
  On-Line Lottery Games
  On-Line Lottery Games
  Litter: Offences
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  Crime and Disorder Bill: Representations
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  Crime and Disorder Bill Provisions: Monitoring
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  Electronic Monitoring: Pilot Projects
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  British Citizenship Application Refusals: Publication of Reasons
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  Firearms Incidents
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  Taxi Licensing: Criminal Records Checks
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  Under-age Sexual Intercourse
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  Isle of Man and Channel Islands: Human Rights Provisions
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  Justice and Home Affairs Council, 4–5 December
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  Freemasonry in the Police and Judiciary
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  Beef Sales: Regulation
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  Peanuts and Vitamin B6: Adverse Reactions
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  Vitamin B6 Symposium: Government Response
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  Vitamin B6: Daily Intake Advice
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  Vitamin B6: Consumers' Association
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  Vitamin B6 Controls: Consultations
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  Specified Risk Material: Controls
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  British Cattle Movement Service
  British Cattle Movement Service
  EU Surplus Food Scheme
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  Mussel Seed Stock: Licences
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  Bovine TB in Cattle and Badgers: Report
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  Beef on the Bone: SEAC Advice
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  Agriculture Council, 15–16 December
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  Animal Product Imports: Imposition of Controls
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  Varroa Mite Control
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  Beef Imports: Origins
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  Bone Meal Fertilisers
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  Fisheries Surveillance
  Fisheries Surveillance
  Fish Spawning Stock
  Fish Spawning Stock
  Marine Resource Consumption in the EC
  Marine Resource Consumption in the EC