Written Answers of 9 March 1998

TREASURY

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Alan Campbell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the inward investment projects located in intermediate status areas for which his

  Number of basic rate taxpayers (thousands)

  Percentage of all taxpayers1

  Number of higher rate taxpayers (thousands)

  Percentage of all taxpayers1

  North East

  Cleveland

  170

  69.3

  10

  4.2

  Durham

  161

  66.5

  13

  5.5

  Northumberland

  107

  70.4

  12

  8

  Tyne and Wear

  309

  71.7

  22

  5.1

  North West and Merseyside

  Cheshire

  310

  67.6

  39

  8.5

  Cumbria

  177

  71.1

  14

  5.8

  Greater Manchester

  735

  72.2

  58

  5.7

  Lancashire

  416

  69.6

  29

  4.9

  Merseyside

  361

  67

  29

  5.4

  Yorkshire and The Humber

  Humberside

  275

  68.6

  23

  5.7

  North Yorkshire

  244

  66.9

  31

  8.5

  South Yorkshire

  367

  71.3

  21

  4.1

  West Yorkshire

  613

  70.5

  51

  5.9

  East Midlands

  Derbyshire

  308

  71.9

  21

  5

  Leicestershire

  306

  69.9

  33

  7.5

  Lincolnshire

  199

  70.1

  13

  4.5

  Northamptonshire

  204

  70.2

  24

  8.2

  Nottinghamshire

  298

  68.5

  26

  6

  West Midlands

  Hereford and Worcester

  255

  69.2

  30

  8.2

  Shropshire

  151

  68.6

  17

  7.8

  Staffordshire

  354

  73.3

  34

  7

  Warwickshire

  157

  68.5

  20

  8.7

  West Midlands

  755

  72.1

  58

  5.6

  Eastern

  Bedfordshire

  194

  74.1

  19

  7.3

  Cambridgeshire

  232

  71.9

  29

  9.1

  Essex

  480

  68.1

  79

  11.2

  Hertfordshire

  335

  65.9

  77

  15.2

  Norfolk

  239

  70.1

  23

  6.7

  Suffolk

  159

  72.5

  18

  8.4

  London

  2100

  69.9

  374

  12.4

  South East

  Berkshire

  260

  67

  58

  15

  Buckinghamshire

  259

  68.7

  52

  13.8

  East Sussex

  207

  61.8

  28

  8.4

  Hampshire

  551

  69.5

  83

  10.5

  Isle of Wight

  44

  72.7

  2—

  2—

  Kent

  501

  68.2

  60

  8.2

  Oxfordshire

  203

  67.2

  37

  12.3

  2
  Department has permitted the higher development area job subsidy limit to apply and the dates on which the permission was given. [30977]

  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  HM Treasury has granted no such permission during the present Administration.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are currently paying income tax at(a) the basic rate and (b) higher tax rates in each county of England and Wales. [29480]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [pursuant to her reply, 19 February 1998, c. 794–95]: The table shows estimates of the number and percentage of basic and higher rate taxpayers by county in England and unitary authority in Wales in 1995/96, the latest year for which there is information.
  3

  Number of basic rate taxpayers (thousands)

  Percentage of all taxpayers1

  Number of higher rate taxpayers (thousands)

  Percentage of all taxpayers1

  Surrey

  341

  62.5

  95

  17.4

  West Sussex

  210

  69.5

  34

  11.3

  South West

  Avon

  315

  68.5

  34

  7.3

  Cornwall

  129

  68.7

  13

  6.8

  Devon

  328

  74.3

  25

  5.8

  Dorset

  204

  65.5

  23

  7.5

  Gloucestershire

  185

  67.0

  19

  6.9

  Somerset

  154

  66.7

  13

  5.5

  Wiltshire

  201

  70.1

  23

  8.2

  Wales

  Aberconwy and Colwyn UA

  27

  50.6

  2

  3.8

  Anglesey UA

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  Blaenau Gwent UA

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  Bridgend UA

  58

  79.0

  2—

  2—

  Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire UA

  31

  71.8

  2—

  2—

  Caerphilly UA

  39

  69.6

  2—

  2—

  Cardiff UA

  72

  66.3

  11

  10.2

  Cardiganshire UA

  14

  65.1

  2—

  2—

  Carmarthenshire UA

  48

  66.8

  4

  5.2

  Denbighshire UA

  19

  62.2

  2—

  2—

  Flintshire UA

  55

  73.3

  5

  6.3

  Merthryr Tydfil UA

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  Monmouthshire UA

  26

  66.8

  3

  8.9

  Neath and Port Talbot UA

  35

  73.9

  2—

  2—

  Newport UA

  47

  74.4

  2—

  2—

  Pembrokeshire UA

  31

  72.5

  2—

  2—

  Powys UA

  46

  71.8

  1

  2.0

  Rhondda, Cynon, Taff UA

  59

  67.0

  2—

  2—

  Swansea UA

  44

  65.3

  5

  7.2

  Torfaen UA

  27

  68.6

  2—

  Vale of Glamorgan UA

  31

  69.6

  5

  11.0

  Wrexham

  40

  69.0

  1

  2.2

  1All taxpayers includes people liable to tax at the lower rate as well as basic and higher rate.

  2 Sample size too low to make reasonable estimate.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  BSE
  Judy Mallaber
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the progress of the BSE Inquiry. [33694]

  Dr. John Cunningham
  The BSE Inquiry, chaired by Lord Justice Phillips, started its public hearings today. After having considered the volume of material to be assessed and the complexity of the issues under review, the Inquiry has requested an additional six months in which to complete its work. The Government have agreed, and set a revised date for delivery of the Inquiry's report of 30 June 1999.

  Pigs
  Ms Shipley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he plans to take to ensure farmers provide indoor-housed pigs with at least the space allowances recommended by the European Commission's Scientific Veterinary Committee in its 1997 report on the welfare of intensively kept pigs; and if he will make a statement. [32626]
  4
  Mr. Morley
  The EU Scientific Veterinary Committee report is the first stage of the review of Directive 91/630 on the welfare of pigs. We are now awaiting the Commission's proposals, based on the Committee's advice, on how the Directive should be revised. The Committee's recommendations on space allowances, and any Commission proposals, will need careful study and discussion with other Member States, before decisions are taken. We remain committed to working with the industry to improve the welfare of pigs.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Marine Pollution
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to limit damage to the marine environment from hormone-disrupting chemicals. [31924]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 2 March 1998]: The scientific evidence surrounding effects linked to hormone

  5
  disruption and the possible role of exposure to man-made chemicals in the environment is far from certain. We and other Government Departments are putting in place a coordinated research programme to address the uncertainties which will also address the marine environment.

  At present the best example of chemical mediated hormone disruption is the masculinisation of female molluscs resulting in their inability to reproduce caused by exposure to tributyl tin (TBT). The Government have banned the use of TBT in fish farms and on vessels under 25 metres in length. Further international controls of use on larger vessels are being developed through the framework of the International Maritime Organisation. The need for controls on other chemicals currently suspected of hormone disruption will be pursued should research demonstrate that these are justified.

  The Oslo and Paris Commissions have been developing an Objective and Strategy on Hazardous Substances which will identify priority hazardous substances in the marine environment for subsequent risk reduction programmes and measures. The UK is actively supporting the prioritisation of hormone disrupting chemicals in this exercise.

  Empty Properties
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on trends in the number of empty(a) local authority homes, (b) private homes, (c) Government properties containing residential accommodation and (d) flats above shops in each of the last 12 years. [32319]

  Mr. Raynsford
  [holding answer 3 March 1998]: Estimates of the numbers of vacant dwellings in England on 1 April are given in the table. No data are collected centrally on vacant flats over shops.

  We will continue to encourage local housing authorities to develop effective empty property strategies to help make the best use of existing housing stock across all tenures.

  Local authority1

  Other public sector2

  Registered Social Landlords3

  Private Sector4

  1986

  113

  n/a

  26

  552

  1987

  112

  n/a

  24

  570

  1988

  103

  n/a

  24

  580

  1989

  101

  21

  22

  589

  1990

  99

  17

  20

  587

  1991

  83

  15

  16

  638

  1992

  74

  14

  16

  706

  1993

  71

  16

  517

  765

  1994

  70

  17

  21

  737

  1995

  72

  20

  21

  690

  6

  Local authority1

  Other public sector2

  Registered Social Landlords3

  Private sector4

  1996

  80

  20

  24

  667

  1997

  81

  19

  27

  640

  1 Source: HIP1 returns from local authorities

  2 Mainly government departments and, since 1993 Housing Action Trusts. Sources: Government Departments and HIP1 returns.

  3 Source: Housing Corporation HAR 10/1 returns from housing associations and other Registered Social Landlords. The figures for 1986 to 1988 are for England and Wales.

  4 Source: HIP1 returns from local authorities. There are doubts, particularly for the earlier years, about the quality of some authorities' estimates of the number of private sector vacants; independent survey data suggest that the HIP1 figures may over-estimate total of these vacants.

  5Excludes some 10,500 dwellings that were purchased as a result of measures to boost the housing market announced in the 1992 Autumn Statement.

  Code of Practice (Conservation)
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list the water companies that have not produced an annual report on the Code of Practice on Conservation, Access and Recreation; and what plans he has to ensure that all water companies produce such reports; [32846]

  (2) what plans he has to consult non-governmental organisations on the review of the Code of Practice on Conservation, Access and Recreation; and when he plans to publish the revised code. [32847]

  Angela Eagle
  The following water companies have not yet submitted their Conservation, Access and Recreation reports for 1996–97:

  Bournemouth and West Hampshire Water Plc

  Cholderton and District Water Company

  Essex and Suffolk Water Plc

  Mid Southern Water Plc

  Portsmouth Water Plc

  South Staffordshire Water Plc

  Yorkshire Water Plc

  We are pursuing reports from those companies.

  We propose to consult all interested bodies, including non-governmental organisations, on a draft revision of the Code of Practice, with a view to publishing a revised Code later in the year.

  Core Regeneration Programme
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the total amount spent on core regeneration programme funding in each of the last five years and planned spending in the next three financial years. [32845]

  Angela Eagle
  The table details the amount spent on regeneration programmes in the period 1992–93 to 1996–97, forecast spend in 1997–98 and planned spend in 1998–99. Figures for 1999–2000 and 2000–01 will be agreed at the conclusion of the Comprehensive Spending Review.
  7

  Regeneration expenditure 1992–93 to 1998–99

  £million

  1992–93 Outturn

  1993–94 Outturn

  1994–95 Outturn

  1995–96 Outturn

  1996–97 Outturn

  1997–98 Forecast

  1998–99 Planned

  Single Regeneration Budget:

  Challenge Fund

  —

  —

  —

  136.4

  277.5

  479.3

  566.8

  English Partnerships1

  153.3

  164.9

  191.7

  211.1

  224.0

  260.3

  298.4

  Residual SRB

  1,431.4

  1,472.9

  1,266.5

  1,008.1

  834.5

  628.8

  247.9

  Commission for the New Towns

  -168.9

  -200.2

  -135.3

  -125.0

  -100.0

  -105.0

  -103.1

  European Regional Development Fund'

  26.9

  147.1

  159.4

  112.8

  159.1

  226.8

  231.5

  Other Regeneration

  18.3

  37.2

  41.5

  10.5

  9.1

  8.5

  10.2

  Total

  1,461.0

  1,621.9

  1,523.8

  1,353.9

  1,404.2

  1,498.7

  1,251.7

  1 and predecessors.

  2The figures quoted relate to DOE expenditure for 1992–93 to 1995–96 and DETR expenditure for 1996–97 to 1998–99.

  419/A417
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what performance indicators were included in the DBFO contract in relation to the new A419/A417 road scheme regarding the quality of the concrete road surface; at what stages and to what extent these performance indicators were monitored during the laying of the concrete; and if all the performance indicators were successfully achieved by the contractor before final payment was made; [32970]

  (2) what was the precise specification of the DBFO contract in relation to the new A419/A417 road scheme regarding the smoothness of the concrete surface of the road; how this was specified in relation to the noise generated; and if the surface which has been provided meets that specification; [32969]

  (3) how many representations his Department and Highways Agency have received regarding noise generated by the new A419/A417 road scheme; and what further noise abatement measures are proposed; [32968]

  (4) what was his Department's advice regarding road surfaces and noise to the Public Inquiry Inspector on the new A419/A417 road scheme; and in what respects that advice differed from the departmental standard for a normal public procurement process for a new road. [32971]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, dated 9 March 1998:
  The Transport Minister, Glenda Jackson, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the new A419/A417 road scheme.
  Over 70 representations have been received about noise from the new road. The DBFO Company have agreed to extend the mounding at the Basin overbridge, with the agreement of a local landowner. and we have agreed to upgrade 200 metres of anti-dazzle fencing at Latton to a 2 metre high noise fence.
  The road surface specification of the DBFO contract is listed in the Construction Requirements as "Specification for Highways Works" (SHW) published by HMSO in August 1993. This is the specification normally used for Trunk Roads in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The specific clauses in relation to this scheme about the smoothness of the concrete surface of the road as 1026, 1029 and 1031. Copies of which have already been placed in the House of Commons Library.
  8
  The Specification does not relate smoothness of concrete finish to the noise generated.
  The Construction Certificates issued by the DBFO Co, and signed by the Contractor and Designer, certify that the pavement satisfies the Construction Requirements.
  The performance indicators included in the DBFO Contract regarding the quality of the concrete road surface are included in the Specification and include the clauses mentioned earlier.
  The monitoring of these performance indicators is specified in Appendix 1/5 of the Specification. The Construction Certificates issued by the DBFO Co, and signed by the Contractor and Designer, certify that the pavement provided has been tested in all respects so as to satisfy the Construction Requirements.
  The advice given to the Inspector, and to the general public, at the respective Public Inquiries was that the future contractor would be able to choose the road surfacing material from the alternatives allowed within the Specification for Highway Works.
  The choice is the same as usually allowed under normal procurement procedures.

  Train Drivers
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many train drivers are currently diagnosed as suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome. [32843]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  There is no requirement for this to be reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) under current reporting requirements.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures are in place to rehabilitate train drivers who suffer psychological damage as a result of being involved in fatalities on railways. [32844]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) does not keep records of what measures are in place to rehabilitate train drivers who suffer psychological damage as a result of being involved in fatalities on the railway. However, it is known that some train operating companies offer the services of professional counsellors and medical support to those drivers following involvement in a fatality on the railway.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many train drivers are currently suspended from duty as a consequence of the Driver at Risk Register. [32842]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  This is a matter for the individual train operating companies and no central records are kept. Drivers placed on these Registers are not suspended from
  9
  duty. They may either be put on alternative work or drive trains under specific restrictions in order to ensure both their safety and that of the travelling public.

  Boundary Hedges
  Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will publish regulations regarding the maximum height for boundary fences, walls or hedges between gardens; [33147]

  (2) if he will ensure that leylandii hedging is restricted to six feet in height when used to separate small gardens. [33148]

  Angela Eagle
  There are no current regulations to control the height of leylandii or other hedges between gardens. However, under the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995, a planning application is required to erect a boundary fence or wall over one metre high next to a highway used by vehicles or over two metres elsewhere.

  I am still considering whether any form of Government intervention is necessary to help resolve the problems people encounter with high hedges.

  Environment Agency (Register of Masons)
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will ensure that the Register of Masons being compiled by the Environment Agency is made available for public scrutiny. [33023]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 6 March 1998]: The Environment Agency has asked members of its Board, chairmen of its statutory committees and all its staff to inform the Agency is they are members of the Freemasons or other secret societies. Declarations by Board members and statutory committee chairmen will be entered on the register of their interests, which is open to public inspection. Declarations by staff will inform the Agency's Board and senior management, and will be taken into account by them where appropriate. The Agency does not intend to make staff declarations public. It will make information publicly available in April 1998 on the number of staff, Board members and statutory committee chairmen who have declared that they are Freemasons.

  Green Belt
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the guidance in PPG2 (Revised) in respect of the circumstances in which the development of land entirely enclosed by buildings can be regarded as inappropriate in the context of its impact on the Green Belt. [33263]

  Mr. Raynsford
  [holding answer 6 March 1998]: Planning Policy Guidance note 2 sets out the types of development which are not inappropriate in Green Belts. There remains a general presumption against inappropriate development which is harmful to the purpose of the Green Belt. The fact that land is entirely surrounded by buildings does not mean that development on that land is appropriate, or that it will have no impact
  10
  on the Green Belt. Application of the guidance in PPG2 is a matter for local planning authorities taking account of the individual circumstances of each case.

  Vehicle Licence Duty
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the total income to the Treasury from vehicle licence duty in each of the last three years. [33346]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Total Income to the Treasury from vehicle excise duty (net of refunds) in the last three complete years was as follows:

  Year

  £

  Rounded (£m)

  1994–95

  3,805,889,208

  3,806

  1995–96

  4,043,599,430

  4,044

  1996–97

  4,217,507,503

  4,218

  Public Bodies (Reports)
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the bodies within the responsibility of his Department currently required by legislation to lay a report before Parliament. [33553]

  Angela Eagle
  All the Department's executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) and nationalised industries publish annual reports and accounts. All but three of these bodies were established by means of primary legislation, and for all those bodies, the legislation lays a requirement on the Secretary of State, rather than the body itself, to lay the annual reports before Parliament. The relevant bodies are:

  Executive NDPBs

  Audit Commission for Local Authorities in England and Wales

  Commission for the New Towns

  Countryside Commission

  English Nature (Nature Conservancy Council for England)

  English Partnerships (Urban Regeneration Agency)

  Environment Agency

  General Lighthouse Authorities:

  Northern Lighthouse Board

  Trinity House

  Health and Safety Commission

  Health and Safety Executive

  Housing Action Trusts:

  Castle Vale, Birmingham

  Liverpool

  North Hull

  Stonebridge, Brent

  Tower Hamlets

  Waltham Forest

  Housing Corporation

  Joint Nature Conservation Committee

  Local Government Commission for England

  Local Government Residuary Body (England)

  London Pensions Fund Authority

  London Regional Passengers' Committee

  Rural Development Commission

  Traffic Director for London

  Urban Development Corporations:

  11

  Birmingham Heartlands

  Black Country

  London Docklands

  Merseyside

  Plymouth

  Trafford Park

  Teesside

  Tyne and Wear

  Nationalised Industries

  British Rail

  British Waterways Board

  Civil Aviation Authority

  London Transport

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will estimate the number and percentage of civil servants in his Department, at each grade including and above higher executive officer who(a) attended university and (b) attended either Oxford or Cambridge University; [33065]

  (2) if he will estimate the number of civil servants in his Department, at each grade, who received their schooling in the independent school sector; [33066]

  (3) if he will estimate for each of the last five years, the number and percentage of new civil servants in his Department who attended Oxford or Cambridge University, broken down into the number of entrants joining the Department from (a) the regular Civil Service entrance procedure, (b) the fast stream and (c) the private sector. [33067]

  Angela Eagle
  The Department does not record this information centrally and it could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Railway Industry
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 2 February 1998,Official Report, column 454, if he will make it his policy to take an equity stake in the railway industry equivalent in value to the amount of subsidy planned for the next three years. [33497]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  We have no plans to make this our policy. As I made clear in my earlier answer renationalisation of the railways would be extremely costly and cannot be a priority given the other pressures on public expenditure. Our main task is to improve the railways as we found them, not as we would have wished them to be.

  Building Regulations
  Angela Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to extend part M of the building regulations to new dwellings; and if he will make a statement. [33901]
  12
  Mr. Raynsford
  Further to my answer on 11 June 1997,Official Report, column 472 to a similar question from the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Burstow), I am pleased to announce that Part M of the Building Regulations, covering access and facilities for disabled people, is to be extended to include new dwellings. This decision has been taken following a thorough consideration of the responses to the consultation on the subject issued by the previous administration in January 1995 and discussion with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the House Builders Federation. The purpose of these proposed measures is to allow people to be able to invite disabled people to visit them in their own homes, and for home owners to be able to remain in their own homes longer as they become less mobile as they get older.

  The benefits of these changes will be very considerable—more than 10 million people will benefit. In particular there will be direct benefits of increased convenience, accessibility and sociability for disabled people. The measures will also help significantly those people who are temporarily disabled through accident or injury, the elderly and those with young children in prams and pushchairs.

  The extension of Part M is an important measure that complements this Government's commitment to implement the remaining duties as Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act. Part III will improve disabled people's access to goods and services and Part M will ensure better access to new domestic dwellings. This is, therefore, a key obligation for this Government, which is committed to social inclusion. It is better and more cost effective for new homes to be designed and built with proper facilities—as already happens with new public and commercial buildings—than to rely on later piecemeal adjustments.

  The measures to be included in the approved document will cover:

  level entry to the principal, or a suitable alternative, entrance

  an entrance door wide enough to allow wheelchair access

  WC provision on the entrance or first habitable storey

  adequate circulation and wider doors within the entrance storey

  switches and socket outlets at appropriate heights from floor level

  level or gently sloping approach from the car parking space to the dwelling, or where this is not possible, easy-going steps, but not a stepped ramp

  where a lift is to be provided in flats, minimum lift capacity and dimensions will be recommended

  where a lift is not provided the common stairs to be designed to suit the needs of the ambulant disabled.

  These measures reflect those set out in the original consultation paper, although it is not proposed to make provision for a 300 mm offset inside, and next to the entrance door.

  Amendment Regulations will be laid later this year which will extend Part M of the Building Regulations to cover new dwellings. A new Approved Document will be

  13
  prepared in readiness for publication at the same time which will set out ways in which the requirements of the Regulations can be met, and will suggest circumstances where certain of the measures may not be appropriate.

  To allow adequate time for guidance to be developed in support of the proposals, and in particular that for level thresholds, and also to allow time for building workers to become trained in the new techniques that will be necessary, it is proposed the Amendment Regulations will come into force one year after they are laid.

  If, however, those building new dwellings in the intervening period were to incorporate the proposed measures voluntarily it would greatly benefit the stock of accessible housing.

  Regional Airports
  Mr. Stringer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library all responses to his Department's consultation on international access to regional airports. [30310]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  [pursuant to the reply, 27 February 1998, c. 400]: Following representations from regional airports, the Department has written to airlines and organisations who either operate to, or in the case of airports have regular services, to international destinations beyond the European Economic Area, seeking views on the liberalisation of access to regional airports. In conducting this exercise the Department made it clear to those airlines and organisations consulted that their responses would be treated on a commercially confidential basis. To place those responses in the House Library would breach that undertaking.

  Mr. Stringer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library a list of(a) airlines and (b) other organisations which have been consulted by his Department for their views on international access to regional airports. [30309]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  [pursuant to the reply, 27 February 1998, c. 400–01]: The following airlines and organisations were included in the consultation exercise,

  Grade

  Number who attended university1 (a)

  Percentage who attended university (a)

  Number who attended Oxford or Cambridge (b)

  Percentage who attended Oxford or Cambridge (b)

  Senior Civil Service (SCS)2

  80

  55.9

  40

  28

  SCS and equivalent grades3

  82

  55

  40

  27

  Grade 6

  42

  51.2

  8

  9.6

  Grade 6 and equivalent grades3

  53

  54.6

  13

  13.4

  Grade 7

  192

  48.5

  42

  10.6

  Grade 7 and equivalent grades3

  262

  50.4

  44

  8.5

  Senior Executive Officer (SEO)

  80

  25.6

  6

  1.9

  SEO and equivalent grades3

  233

  34.8

  20

  3

  Higher Executive Officer (HEO)

  232

  26.3

  15

  1.6

  HEO and equivalent grades3

  542

  31.4

  41

  2.3

  1 The definition of university is that used in Cabinet Office Mandate statistics and excludes Colleges of Advanced Technology, Polytechnics, Further Education Colleges, Colleges of Education and Professional Institutions.

  2 Data on 8 members of the SCS is unavailable as it has not yet been placed on the Personnel Information Manpower Management System

  3 Including specialists and other grades held to be equivalent to the core administrative grades.

  14
  on the basis that they either operated to, or in the case of airports had regular services to, international destinations beyond the European Economic Area:

  Airtours International Limited

  Air 2000 Limited

  Air UK Limited (now KLM uk)

  Birmingham International Airport Limited

  Britannia Airways Limited

  British Airports Authority plc

  British Airways plc

  British Mediterranean Airways Limited

  British Midland Airways Limited

  Caledonian Airways Limited

  Civil Aviation Authority

  Easyjet Limited

  GB Airways Limited

  Manchester Airport plc

  Monarch Airlines Limited

  Prestwick Airport

  Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited

  The consultation letter was passed, at the Department's request, by Manchester Airport to the Airport Operators Association.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the number of civil servants in his Department, at each grade, who received their schooling in the independent school sector. [33081]

  Mr. Straw
  This information is not collected or recorded centrally in the Home Office and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the number and percentage of civil servants in his Department, at each grade including and above higher executive officer who(a) attended university and (b) attended either Oxford or Cambridge University. [33080]

  Mr. Straw
  Figures for the non-Prison Service Home Office are given in the table. The information requested could be provided for the Prison Service only at disproportionate cost.
  15
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate for each of the last five years, the number and percentage of new civil servants in his Department who attended Oxford or Cambridge University, broken down into the number of entrants joining the Department from(a) the regular Civil Service entrance procedure, (b) the fast stream and (c) the private sector. [33082]

  Mr. Straw
  The available information for the non-Prison Service Home Office is given in the table. The information requested could be provided for the Prison Service only at disproportionate cost.

  Information on the nature of recruits' previous employment is not recorded centrally in the Home Office and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Since all recruitment into the Home Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commissioners' Recruitment Code, information about recruits who were previously employed in the private sector will be included within the figures given.

  Year1/Mode of Entry

  Number who attended Oxford or Cambridge University

  Percentage who attended Oxford or Cambridge University

  1998

  (a) Regular2

  2

  1.5

  (b) Fast Stream3,4

  0

  0

  1997

  (a) Regular2

  5

  1.4

  (b) Fast Stream3

  4

  40

  1996

  (a) Regular2

  12

  0.8

  (b) Fast Stream3

  4

  40

  1995

  (a) Regular2

  11

  0.9

  (b) Fast Stream3

  5

  50

  1994

  (a) Regular2

  8

  1.1

  (b) Fast Stream3

  10

  62.5

  1 Years shown are calendar years. Thus 1998 covers 01/01/98–06/03/98

  2Individuals who did not join the Home Office as, nor have since become, fast stream staff.

  3Individuals who did join the Home Office as, or have since become, fast stream staff.

  4The majority of fast stream recruitment will take place later in the calendar year.

  Millennium Compliance
  Sir Brian Mawhinney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his assessment, based on the most recent information from the Association of Chief Police Officers, of(a) the cost and (b) the timetable for all police forces in England and Wales achieving millennium compliance. [32304]

  Mr. Michael
  [holding answer 3 March 1998]: It is the responsibility of each police force to ensure that its information technology (IT) systems are Year 2000 compliant. In addressing the problem, forces are being assisted by the Police Information Technology
  16
  Organisation (PITO), which issued guidance to all forces in May last year. The guidance was augmented by PITO-sponsored conferences for police IT managers in May and November 1997.

  Information about the cost to forces of achieving compliance is not held centrally by either the Home Office or the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). All forces are actively working to achieve compliance by the millennium. Progress is regularly reviewed by ACPO and by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary as part of its regular inspections.

  Public Appointments
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the appointments to public bodies which he has made since 1 May 1997 have been from the Public Appointments Unit list. [33253]

  Mr. Straw
  The information requested is not held centrally within the Department, and could be assembled and collated only at disproportionate cost. Candidates for public appointments may come from a number of sources, including the Public Appointments Unit (PAU), but the fact that a person may be on the PAU list does not mean that he or she might not separately apply for an appointment, for example in response to an advertisement for a specific appointment.

  Prison Places
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his oral statement of 30 July 1997,Official Report, column 341–44, on criminal justice, what estimate he has made of the likely change in the number of prison places required in England and Wales over the next 10 years. [32863]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 5 March 1998]: The latest estimate of the likely change in the number of prison places required in England and Wales over the next eight years is provided in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin "Revised Projections of Long Term Trends in the Prison Population to 2005" published on 29 January 1998. Projections are not currently available beyond this eight year period.

  The Bulletin estimates that the prison population will increase from the current level of around 65,000 to an average of 82,800 by 2005. This will require the Prison Service to increase capacity to hold an additional 17,800 prisoners. In addition, alternative scenarios in the projection estimate a population for 2005 of between 64,400 and 92,600.

  The projections do not take into account the provisions contained in the Crime and Disorder Bill, such as home detention curfew, or the effect of the extension of electronic monitoring on a national basis.

  Voluntary Sector
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to follow up the recommendations of the Diaxone Commission Report on the future of the voluntary sector; and if there have been changes in the Government's policy on the matters in the report since publication of the Government's response in "Raising the Voltage". [32878]
  17
  Mr. Michael
  Working with the voluntary sector is a high priority for this Government. We have studied the findings of the Deakin Commission on the Future of the Voluntary Sector in England and consider its Report is a valuable contribution to debate about the relationship between Government and the voluntary and community sector. We agree with many of its conclusions.

  We are taking a number of steps to develop this relationship. Our main vehicle for this relationship will be a Compact between Government and the voluntary sector on which we are currently collaborating with principles which should govern the relationship, and progress is being made through a Working Party of Ministers which has also considered progress towards Compact arrangements in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In the longer term, the Government will monitor the Compact, and relations in general, through a Taskforce of Ministers chaired by my right hon. Friend.

  Political Parties (Funding)
  Angela Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence the Government have submitted to the inquiry on the funding of political parties by the Committee on Standards in Public Life. [33903]

  Mr. Straw
  We have submitted a memorandum on the funding of political parties, by way of background evidence, to the Committee chaired by the Lord Neill of B laden QC. Copies have been placed in the Library.

  European Parliament
  Angela Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the electoral system for elections to the European Parliament. [33900]

  Mr. Straw
  It is fundamentally important that any voting system is appropriate to the nature and functions of the body which is being elected. On Second Reading of the European Parliamentary Elections Bill on 25 November 1997,Official Report, column 803, I stated that the Government believed the regional list system set out in the Bill to be the most appropriate system for elections to the European Parliament in Great Britain. Under such a system, an elector may cast his vote in one of two ways—for a party list or for an independent candidate. However, having received separate representations from the Liberal Democrats and Charter 88, I undertook to listen to the arguments for adopting a system similar to that which operates in Belgium, whereby an elector may cast his vote in one of three ways—for a party list, for an individual candidate on a party list or for an independent candidate.

  I have studied the matter very carefully. As part of the consideration process, I commissioned a study of voter opinion by National Opinion Polls, the results of which have been placed in the Library.

  I have concluded that there is no advantage in adopting in Great Britain a system of the kind used in Belgium.

  The type of system which is in use in Belgium has some superficial attractions. An elector may express a preference for a particular candidate, rather than simply endorsing all the candidates on a party's list. However, the system suffers from a fundamental and incurable
  18
  weakness, in that voters' preferences for individual candidates are not necessarily translated into electoral success.

  I am placing in the Library some numerical examples to illustrate how the system works in practice. These indicate that even where votes for individual candidates amount to as much as 40 per cent. of a party's total vote, those candidates receiving the fewest individual votes can be elected while those receiving the most are not. I believe that such an outcome could lead to substantial disillusionment among the electorate following an election.

  The overwhelming majority of citizens in the European Union elect their Members of the European Parliament using a system of the kind for which the Bill currently provides. This seems to me to be the most suitable one to use in a situation where (as the National Opinion Poll study demonstrated) most people vote for parties rather than individuals.

  The Government are committed to fulfilling their manifesto promise to put in place a proportional voting system for elections to the European Parliament. I remain convinced that the simple regional list system in the European Parliamentary Elections Bill is the most appropriate way of delivering that commitment.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will estimate for each of the last five years, the number and percentage of new civil servants in his Department who attended Oxford or Cambridge University, broken down into the number of entrants joining the Department from(a) the regular Civil Service entrance procedure, (b) the fast stream and (c) the private sector. [33097]

  The Attorney-General
  The full information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, in the case of lawyers in my office, the Treasury Solicitor's Department and the Serious Fraud Office who have in the last 5 years joined the Government Legal Service, I am advised that in 40 cases (32%) Oxford or Cambridge Universities have been attended and that in 85 cases another university or polytechnic has been attended.

  For the same reason it is not possible to provide the further figures requested but I am advised that the great majority of new recruits come from outside the Civil Service and are selected through regular Civil Service procedures.

  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will estimate the number of civil servants in his Department, at each grade, who received their schooling in the independent school sector. [33096]

  The Attorney-General
  Figures in relation to my Departments are not readily available and the information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will estimate the number and percentage of civil servants in his Department, at each grade including and above higher
  19
  executive officer who (a) attended university and (b) attended either Oxford or Cambridge University. [33095]

  The Attorney-General
  The information provided below relates only to lawyers in my own office, the Treasury Solicitor's Department and the Serious Fraud Office. I am advised that there are 237 such lawyers and that the information held in respect of them shows that between them they have completed 280 courses at various universities and polytechnics; some having attended more than one institution. In 89 cases (32%) the institution attended was Oxford or Cambridge University.

  Figures in relation to other staff (at HEO level and above) and figures in relation to the Crown Prosecution Service could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

PRIME MINISTER

  Ministerial Accommodation
  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will list the Government Ministers currently occupying publicly owned accommodation, giving the(a) precedents, (b) rationale for such use and (c) total annual cost in each case; [24478]

  (2) when he expects to reply to the question from the right hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 16 January 1998 (reference 24478) relating to Government Ministers occupying publicly owned accommodation. [33347]

  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the living accommodation provided out of public funds to members of the Government; and to whom it has been granted. [26791]

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list those Ministers provided with official residential accommodation in London. [27320]

  The Prime Minister
  Official residences are assigned to Ministers either on grounds of security or in order to allow them to perform better their official duties.

  No 10 and No 11 Downing Street have traditionally been the residences of the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer.

  Carlton Gardens has traditionally been the residence of the Foreign Secretary. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has also traditionally been provided a flat at Hillsborough.

  Other Northern Ireland Ministers have the use of Government accommodation while on duty in Northern Ireland. These costs are not separately identifiable.

  Admiralty House and the Government house in Pimlico have in the past been assigned to a wide variety of Ministers including the President of the Board of Trade, the Attorney-General, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Lord President of the Council, the Chief Whip, the Lord Privy Seal, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, the Paymaster General, the Minister without Portfolio, the Minister for Overseas Development, the Secretary of State for Defence, the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State
  20
  for Northern Ireland. Accommodation is currently occupied by the Deputy Prime Minister, the President of the Board of Trade, the Secretary of State for Defence and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  In addition the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for Scotland also have the use of Chequers, Dorneywood, Chevening and Bute House, although none of these is owned by the Government.

  The Lord Chancellor has an official residence in the House of Lords which is provided in his capacity as Speaker of the House of Lords. The running costs are met by the House of Lords authorities and do not fall to Government.

  The total cost to Government this year of maintaining and refurbishing all Ministerial residences is estimated at £1.1m compared with expenditure last year of £1.2m.

  Millennium
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister on what basis he stated that Greenwich is the place where the millennium begins. [31845]

  The Prime Minister
  Greenwich is known internationally as the home of time and is the site of the zero of longitude which passes through the Millennium Experience site. The universal day starts at midnight at zero longitude and therefore the year 2000 will start at this point for all the world at midnight on 31 December 1999.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer to the right hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague) of 4 March 1998,Official Report, column 1049, on what basis he stated that Lord Dearing recommended that students should commence the repayment of loans when their incomes reached £5,000. [33485]

  The Prime Minister
  The National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education costed a number of options, including their preferred option, on the basis that repayment of student loans would commence once a borrower's income reached £5,000 per annum.

  US Visiting Forces
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with President Clinton concerning the presence of United States visiting forces in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [33569]

  The Prime Minister
  I have had no such discussions. However, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence and his Department conduct regular discussions with the US authorities on a wide range of issues and I am kept appropriately informed.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) if he will estimate the
  21
  number of civil servants in his Department, at each grade, who received their schooling in the independent school sector; [33093]

  (2) if he will estimate the number and percentage of civil servants in his Department, at each grade including and above higher executive officer who (a) attended university and (b) attended either Oxford or Cambridge University. [33092]

  Mr. Hoon
  My Department does not hold this information.

  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will estimate for each of the last five years, the number and percentage of new civil servants in his Department who attended Oxford or Cambridge University, broken down into the number of entrants joining the Department from(a) the regular Civil Service entrance procedure, (b) the fast stream and (c) the private sector. [33094]

  Mr. Hoon
  (a) My Department does not hold this information. (b) The number of staff joining the Department through the fast stream each year is so small that to give this information would allow personal information regarding individuals to be identified. (c) My Department does not hold this information.

  Courts (Shrewsbury)
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will undertake a feasibility study into constructing a new county court building adjacent to the Shrewsbury Crown and Magistrates Courts. [32411]

  Mr. Hoon
  There are no plans to undertake a feasibility study into building a new county court in Shrewsbury. For a number of years the cost of construction has prevented us from building purpose-built county courts. Instead the Department has investigated alternative methods of meeting our requirements, dependent on the availability of local accommodation.

  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what estimate he has made of the level of unused capacity at Shrewsbury County Court. [32412]

  Mr. Hoon
  The two judge's chambers are unused for 50 per cent. of the available time. No Circuit Judge sits at the court, but the one courtroom is used occasionally by district judges.

  Human Rights (Legal Aid)
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor' s Department what estimate he has made of the cost in a full year of providing legal aid for those who take action under the provisions of the Human Rights Bill [Lords]. [32404]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Government's policy is to promote compliance by public authorities with the terms of the European Convention on Human Rights. My Department is still considering the lessons to be learned from international experiences of implementation of human rights legislation, and is consulting with other Government Departments, judges, the professions and practitioners on the practical arrangements for 22
  implementation. The aim is to manage implementation effectively, including ensuring that the judiciary and practitioners can handle human rights issues appropriately where they arise, in order to keep to a minimum any increase in court workload and legal aid costs.

  Lord Chancellor's Residence
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the number of applications he has received for official tours of the Lord Chancellor's official residence to date, and from whom they were received. [33498]

  Mr. Hoon
  35 written requests to visit the Lord Chancellor's official residence had been received by 6 March 1998 by the Lord Chancellor or his officials. Of these, 18 are requests by members of the public, 5 are requests from Members of Parliament on behalf of constituents and 12 are requests from societies or groups with an interest in art and architecture.

  Public Bodies (Reports)
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the bodies within the responsibility of his Department currently required by legislation to lay a report before Parliament. [33551]

  Mr. Hoon
  The bodies for which the Lord Chancellor's Department is responsible and which are required by legislation to lay a report before Parliament are listed:

  The Council on Tribunals

  The Court Service

  Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of the Magistrate's Courts Service

  Her Majesty's Land Registry

  The Law Commission

  The Legal Aid Board

  The Legal Services Ombudsman

  The Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct

  The Lord Chancellor's Legal Aid Advisory Committee (Northern Ireland)

  The Public Record Office

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Piers
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many piers in the North West of England have been awarded heritage lottery funding(a) during the last 12 months and (b) since the inception of the National Lottery. [32889]

  Mr. Banks
  No seaside piers in the North West of England have been the subject of an award by the Heritage Lottery Fund during the last twelve months. Southport pier, which was awarded a grant of £34,000 on 5 February 1997, is so far the only pier in the North West to have received a grant from the Fund.

  Tourism
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the money allocated for tourism per head for(a) England and (b) the Northern Region for the years 1995 to 1998. [32260]

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  My Department supports tourism in England through grant-in-aid support to the English Tourist Board, which in turn allocates funding to the ten regional tourist boards. The money allocated for tourism per head for(a) England and (b) the Northern Region for the years 1995 to 1998 are as follows:

  England

  Financial year

  Population

  Grant-in-Aid to the English Tourist Board (£)

  £ per head of population

  1995/96

  48,903,440

  10,000,000

  0.20

  1996/97

  49,089,085

  10,000,000

  0.20

  1997/98

  49,279,000

  9,866,000

  0.20

  1998/99

  49,440,000

  9,732,000

  0.20

  Source:

  Office for National Statistics, Government Actuary's Department and the English Tourist Board

  Northern Region

  Financial year

  Population

  English Tourist Board grant to Cumbria and Northumbria Tourist Board (£)

  £ per head of population

  1995/96

  2,536,260

  828,000

  0.33

  1996/97

  2,533,374

  505,840

  0.20

  1997/98

  2,550,177

  1—

  —

  1998/99

  2,552,741

  1—

  —

  1 Figures not yet available

  Source:

  Office for National Statistics and English Tourist Board

  These figures do not include funds allocated to tourism by local authorities in England, or the funds generated by the English Tourist Board and Cumbria and Northumbria tourist boards from the private sector.

  Government Spending (National Lottery)
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many Government spending programmes to date have been, or have been proposed to be, funded by the National Lottery; and if he will list each programme. [32967]

  Mr. Banks
  None. The Government have made it clear that the money raised by the Lottery for good causes was, and is, intended to be additional to public expenditure.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Export Licences
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many applications for export licences were circulated to her Department by the 24
  Export Control Organisation during each of the four week periods beginning (i) 3 May 1997, (ii) 31 May 1997, (iii) 28 June 1997, (iv) 26 July 1997, (v) 23 August 1997, (vi) 20 September 1997, (vii) 18 October 1997, (viii) 15 November 1997, (ix) 13 December 1997, (x) 10 January 1998 and (xi) 7 February 1998. [33372]

  Clare Short
  The number of Standard Individual Export Licence Applications circulated to the Department for International Development by the Export Control Organisation for the four weekly periods beginning 3 May 1997 and ending 6 March 1998 are as follows:

  Date

  Number

  3 May 1997

  10

  31 May 1997

  10

  28 June 1997

  10

  26 July 1997

  10

  23 August 1997

  24

  20 September 1997

  124

  18 October 1997

  155

  15 November 1997

  109

  13 December 1997

  88

  10 January 1998

  108

  7 February 1998

  2175

  1 DFID did not consider export licence applications prior to 11 September 1997

  2Licences sent after Wednesday 4 March have not been included

  Pakistan
  Sir Alastair Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what requests for assistance her Department has received following the recent floods in the Baluchistan province of Pakistan; and if she will make a statement. [33458]

  Clare Short
  The Federal Government of Pakistan have indicated that the flood situation in Baluchistan province is now under control in terms of immediate relief and supplies, but search and rescue operations are continuing. We understand from the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs that the Pakistan Government have no intention of launching an international appeal for assistance as it considers the provincial Government of Baluchistan fully able to cope. The British High Commission in Islamabad is continuing to monitor the situation.

  Forestry
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's policy towards forestry projects. [33106]

  Clare Short
  The Department for International Development's (DFID) approach to forestry is to support work to improve management of forest resources in ways that lead to a range of benefits to poor communities. My Department's aim is to help people, in particular poor people, in developing countries gain long-term benefits from their trees, while also helping secure the global environmental benefits that forests offer. For the world's poor, trees and forests are vital for everyday survival.

  DFID is presently working on over 150 projects with partners in 34 countries. DFID's approach towards forestry projects is explained in "forests MATTER", a

  25
  publication prepared by my Department last autumn. DFID-supported forestry projects are described in our publication "Forest Sector Projects, January 1998". Copies of both documents are being placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance her Department has given to the Indonesian government towards forestry programmes; and if she will take steps to offer assistance in respect of the recent fires in Borneo. [33107]

  Clare Short
  We currently support one forestry project in Indonesia which is helping develop a sustainable model of forest management which will give poor forest-dependent people greater influence, and will be seeking changes to the incentives that encourage forest to be converted to other uses. We are not involved with forests in Borneo and elsewhere in Indonesia, who are affected by the fires.

  Phare and Tacis Programmes
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list those United Kingdom NGOs currently in receipt of funding under the Phare and Tacis Democracy Programmes, together with the projects concerned and the level of funding. [33303]

  Clare Short
  This information is not readily available. The European Commission's inventory of projects is organised on the basis of partner NGOs in Central, Southern and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, rather than on the basis of participating NGOs from European Union Member States.

  Terrorism
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make it her policy not to give development assistance to countries that sponsor terrorism [33130]

  Clare Short
  This Government believe that political stability both within and between countries is a necessary pre-condition for the elimination of poverty. Helping governments and societies to build the will and the capacity to resolve disputes non-violently is a central part of our international policy.

  Weapons of Mass Destruction
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make it her policy not to give development assistance to countries developing a ballistic missile capability and weapons of mass destruction which are not signatories to the Non-Proliferation Treaty. [33129]

  Clare Short
  This Government urge all countries which have not yet done so to accede to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. My Department takes account of a number of factors in deciding on aid allocations. A full, longer-term partnership will be established only with countries who are committed to the elimination of poverty and are pursuing appropriate economic, social, environmental and political policies. That includes partner countries not diverting limited resources into excessive military expenditure.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) if she will estimate the number and percentage of civil servants in her Department, at each grade including and above higher executive officer who(a) attended university and (b) attended either Oxford or Cambridge University; [33098]

  (2) if she will estimate for each of the last five years, the number and percentage of new civil servants in her Department who attended Oxford or Cambridge University, broken down into the number of entrants joining the Department from (a) the regular Civil Service entrance procedure, (b) the fast stream and (c) the private sector; [33100]

  (3) if she will estimate the number of civil servants in her Department, at each grade, who received their schooling in the independent school sector. [33099]

  Clare Short
  I regret that this information is not held centrally and could be collected only at disproportionate cost by a file by file search.

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list those meetings attended by her Department with other EU ministers or officials since 1 January at which Zimbabwe was discussed. [33395]

  Clare Short
  I spoke to Commissioner Pinheiro about Zimbabwe and other issues on 8 January. Officials of Department for International Development and the High Commission in Harare keep in close touch with other EU representatives on a range of projects and issues.

  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 2 February 1998, Official Report, column 471, on Zimbabwe, if she will list those meetings between her Department and (a) the World Bank and (b) the IMF since 1 October at which Zimbabwe was discussed. [33398]

  Clare Short
  There are regular meetings of officials in Washington, concerning Zimbabwe and other countries. Most recently, these have included a meeting with Michael Camdessus of the IMF, who also called on me on 20 February, and with the World Bank Vice-President for Africa on 14 January. The President of World Bank also called on me on 20 February. Officials of the Department for International Development (DFID) and the High Commission in Harare also keep in touch with the IMF and World Bank local representatives, and on 22 January attended the debriefing for Heads of Mission by the IMF mission appraising a Stand By Arrangement.

  Public Bodies Reports
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the bodies within the responsibility of her Department currently required by legislation to lay a report before Parliament. [33560]
  27
  Clare Short
  The following bodies within the responsibility of my Department are currently required by legislation to lay a report before Parliament:

  The Commonwealth Development Corporation

  The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.

  Intellectual Property Rights
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) if she will press for the Convention on Biological Diversity to safeguard intellectual property rights pending completion of the WTO agreement on trade-related intellectual property rights in 1999; [319891

  (2) what assessment she has made of the implications for biodiversity of the current Uruguay Round measures on agriculture and trade-related intellectual property rights; and if she will press for the Fourth Conference of the Parties on Biological Diversity to make a full evaluation of this matter. [31986]

  Mr. Battle
  I have been asked to reply.

  In its provisions on technology transfer, the Convention on Biological Diversity specifically acknowledges the need for adequate and effective protection of intellectual property rights. The Convention also calls on parties to co-operate in ensuring that such rights are supportive of and do not run counter to the objectives of the Convention. My Department will continue to work in close collaboration with other departments to ensure that the United Kingdom plays an active and positive role in addressing the issues at the forthcoming Fourth Conference of Parties to the Convention as well as in other international negotiations.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Schools
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils were enrolled in each of the(a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) grammar schools in the constituency of Strangford in each of the past three years. [31954]

  Mr. Worthington
  The information requested is as follows:

  Strangford

  Schools1

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  Primary

  Abbey PS

  590

  603

  598

  Academy PS

  315

  329

  325

  Alexander Dickson PS

  215

  219

  217

  Andrews Memorial PS

  522

  522

  517

  Ballycloughan PS

  81

  84

  79

  Ballykeigle PS

  59

  53

  57

  Ballywalter PS

  153

  165

  165

  Braniel PS

  417

  418

  432

  Brooklands PS

  668

  683

  675

  Carrickmannon PS

  82

  80

  80

  Carrowdore PS

  133

  137

  130

  Carryduff PS

  293

  315

  286

  Castle Gardens PS

  408

  419

  416

  Comber PS

  394

  388

  375

  Darragh Cross PS

  78

  86

  84

  Derryboy PS

  79

  81

  77

  28

  Strangford

  Schools1

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  Dundonald PS

  553

  587

  588

  Greyabbey PS

  70

  69

  73

  Killinchy PS

  243

  240

  217

  Killyleagh PS

  146

  140

  137

  Kircubbin PS

  68

  79

  79

  Kirkistown PS

  58

  58

  59

  Londonderry PS

  315

  305

  317

  Loughries PS

  89

  83

  83

  Millisle PS

  172

  159

  150

  Moneyarea PS

  136

  143

  141

  Newtownards Model PS

  388

  400

  404

  O'Neill Memorial PS

  41

  43

  36

  Portaferry Integrated PS

  54

  48

  60

  Portavogie PS

  132

  133

  136

  Regent House Preparatory Department

  165

  161

  159

  St. Linian's PS

  161

  144

  144

  St. Joseph's PS

  593

  653

  675

  St. Mary's PS (Portaferry)

  281

  277

  270

  St. Mary's PS (Killyleagh)

  150

  137

  133

  St. Mary's PS (Saintfield)

  62

  66

  67

  St. Mary's PS (Ballygowan)

  50

  50

  48

  St. Mary's PS (Kircubbin)

  224

  211

  222

  St. Patrick's PS

  104

  112

  110

  Victoria PS (Newtownards)

  553

  572

  568

  Victoria PS (Ballyhalbert)

  106

  101

  101

  West Winds PS

  181

  179

  196

  Secondary

  Comber HS

  422

  416

  452

  Dundonald HS

  625

  609

  645

  Glastry HS

  560

  531

  582

  Lagan College

  933

  948

  964

  Movilla HS

  834

  858

  888

  Saintfield HS

  314

  326

  339

  Scrabo HS2

  309

  283

  0

  St. Columba's HS

  348

  345

  324

  Grammar

  Regent House

  1,444

  1,441

  1,422

  1 Includes pupils in reception and nursery classes at primary schools. Also includes pupils in preparatory departments of grammar schools.

  2 Scrabo High School closed in June 1997.

  Mr. MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated cost per pupil of creating new places in education board schools. [32561]

  Mr. Worthington
  Based on latest available construction costs, it is estimated that the cost of creating a new place in a primary school is approximately £4,220 and in a secondary school is approximately £7,640.

  Mr. MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the average cost to the public purse in 1996–97per pupil, of(a) pupils in education board primary schools, (b) pupils in voluntary grammar schools and (c) pupils supported by the state in independent preparatory schools. [32562]

  Mr. Worthington
  The table details the average recurrent cost per pupil in 1996–97:

  £

  Education Board Primary Schools

  1,691

  Voluntary Grammar Schools

  2,329

  Independent Preparatory Schools

  nil

  29
  Mr. MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils in 1997 were in independent preparatory schools and supported by public money. [32559]

  Mr. Worthington
  In 1997 there were 180 pupils in the only independent preparatory school in Northern Ireland. None was supported by public money.

  Investors (Grants)
  Dr. Ladyman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what grants other than regional selective assistance were made available to industrial and business investors in Northern Ireland in 1997. [32555]

  Mr. Ingram
  Apart from selective financial assistance, which is broadly equivalent to GB's regional selective assistance, support is made available to industry and business in Northern Ireland for training, for research and development and for tourism-related purposes.

  Regional Selective Assistance
  Dr. Ladyman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many grants of regional selective assistance were made in Northern Ireland in 1997; how many were made at the maximum level; what was the average level; and how many jobs she estimates were created. [32554]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Industrial Development Board (IDB) made 91 offers of Selective Financial Assistance (SFA) with the potential of promoting 6,005 new jobs and safeguarding a further 5,577 jobs in the financial year 1996/97. The average amount of assistance offered per project was £1.74m representing an average contribution of 25% towards total project costs.

  The Local Enterprise Development Unit (LEDU) made 3,774 offers of assistance to 2,652 small businesses in the financial year 1996/97. The average amount of assistance offered per project was £10,678 representing an average contribution of 19% towards project costs. In 1997 LEDU's net job creations after contractions and closures was 3,525.

  There is no absolute maximum level of assistance; each case is judged on its merits.

  Playing Fields
  Mr. MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures she is taking to retain existing playing fields for school use and to expand such facilities. [32563]

  Mr. Worthington
  This approval of the Department of Education for Northern Ireland is required for the disposal of school playing fields. Such approval would not be given if the facilities were required to enable schools to meet curriculum responsibilities.

  The Lottery Sports Fund's "Dual Use School Sports Initiative" enables schools and other educational institutions to apply for funding towards the development of sporting facilities which would be available also for regular use by the local community.

  Students
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the contribution from her Department, in each of the last five years, for the education budget for students from Northern Ireland attending Scottish universities(a) for tuition fees and (b) for maintenance grants. [32266]

  Mr. Worthington
  Information for 1992/93 is not available. The information for the last 4 financial years is as follows:

  £

  Year

  Tuition Fees

  Maintenance Grants

  1993–94

  6,375,881

  3,771,512

  1994–95

  4,597,639

  4,246,903

  1995–96

  5,092,062

  4,212,957

  1996–97

  5,494,920

  4,034,137

  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated proportion of students from Northern Ireland attending Scottish universities who will have to pay full tuition fees when the policy of means-testing tuition fees is introduced. [32646]

  Mr. Worthington
  It is estimated that some twenty-five per cent. of Northern Ireland new entrants overall will pay the full fee; it is not possible to disaggregate for those attending Scottish Universities.

  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of the students from Northern Ireland attending Scottish universities claim the full maintenance grant. [32647]

  Mr. Worthington
  It is not possible to identify the number of students who claim full grant since it is determined by whether or not there is a parental, spouses or student's contribution.

  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many students from Northern Ireland, in each of the last five years, began their degree courses in Scottish universities, broken down(a) by gender, (b) by individual university and (c) by maintained or controlled school at which the student sat A levels. [32265]

  Mr. Worthington
  Information for 1992–93 and 1993–94 is not available. The figures for the last three years are as follows:

  (a)

  1994–95

  1995–6

  1996–97

  Male

  840

  972

  911

  Female

  851

  969

  1,039

  Total

  1,691

  1,941

  1,950

  (b)

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  University of Abertay Dundee

  166

  129

  160

  Edinburgh College of Art

  17

  38

  39

  Glasgow School of Art

  3

  8

  14

  Moray House Institute of Education

  12

  15

  31

  Northern College of Education

  6

  6

  6

  Queen Margaret College

  90

  77

  105

  31

  (b)

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama

  5

  12

  12

  St. Andrews College of Education

  16

  22

  13

  The Scottish College of Textiles

  4

  6

  8

  The Robert Gordon University

  51

  64

  32

  University of Paisley

  50

  52

  63

  Glasgow Caledonian University

  32

  80

  128

  Napier University

  125

  138

  176

  University of Edinburgh

  173

  164

  174

  University of Glasgow

  157

  154

  152

  University of Strathclyde

  107

  153

  171

  University of Aberdeen

  53

  63

  91

  Heriot-Watt University

  99

  109

  143

  University of Dundee

  243

  444

  280

  Duncan of Jordanstone College of

  Art

  69

  0

  0

  University of St. Andrews

  83

  65

  37

  The University of Stirling

  95

  116

  89

  Scottish Agricultural College

  35

  26

  26

  Total

  1,691

  1,941

  1,950

  (c)

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  Controlled

  257

  310

  296

  Voluntary

  594

  712

  665

  Roman Catholic

  20

  26

  25

  Maintained

  —

  —

  —

  Grant Maintained

  1

  1

  6

  Integrated

  —

  —

  —

  Missing/Further Education College etc

  819

  892

  958

  Total

  1,691

  1,941

  1,950

  Maternity Services
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the timescale for the amalgamation of maternity services in Belfast; what is the estimated cost of refurbishing the Royal Maternity Hospital to accommodate this change; when the capital for this will be made available; and if other capital projects will be displaced as a result. [32638]

  Mr. Worthington
  Detailed plans for the transfer of maternity services from the Belfast City Hospital have yet to be drawn up by the Royal Group of Hospitals Trust. The provisional target date for the amalgamation is April 1999. Estimates for the cost are not yet available. No other existing projects will be displaced to accommodate this.

  Capital Projects
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money was moved from the capital account to the revenue account in the Northern Ireland Department of Health and Social Services in the financial year ending March 1998; how much money is earmarked for such transfer in 1999 and 2000; which capital projects are being re-phased as a result of this movement of capital; and if any capital projects in the programme in 1997 have been abandoned. [32642]

  Mr. Worthington
  In the 1997/98 financial year £5.5 million capital was transferred to revenue.
  32
  This sum became available in 1996/97 due to unforeseen delays in on-site dates for the new Causeway Hospital and the Altnagelvin Hospital nucleus extension, and re-ordering of the redevelopment programme for the Ulster Hospital. This was carried forward to 1997/98 under the normal arrangements for managing slippage in expenditure plans. No capital projects were therefore rephased as a result of the re-distribution of resources and no projects have been abandoned.

  It is anticipated that £1 million will be transferred in each of the next 2 financial years to cover the revenue costs of PFI schemes.

  Health Boards and Trusts
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what targets for efficiency savings for(a) health boards and (b) health trusts have been set up by the Department of Health and Social Services for (i) the current year and (ii) 1998. [32637]

  Mr. Worthington
  In the current year Boards and Trusts have been set a target of 1.5‥ cash releasing efficiency savings. In 1998–99 Boards and Trusts will be expected to increase productivity levels by at least 1‥ over the year.

  Hospitals
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the current position on the refurbishment and extension of(a) the Down Hospital and (b) the Ulster Hospital. [32639]

  Mr. Worthington
  Following the decision to abandon the private finance test the Down Lisburn Trust is seeking public funding to support the development of a new hospital in Downpatrick. I have been looking at the Trust's proposal to ensure it remains appropriate and sustainable in light of developments in clinical trends and working practices as well as organisational changes in the delivery of care. I hope to conclude this shortly.

  The Ulster, North Down & Ards Trust is in the process of implementing a programme of improvements at the Ulster Hospital. Funding amounting to £1.5 million has been approved for the refurbishment of the Obstetric, Accident and Emergency departments and Endoscopy Theatre.

  Sexual Offences
  Dr. Vis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of sexual offence, under each category, were recorded in Northern Ireland for each of the last three years for which figures are available. [32819]

  Mr. Ingram
  The table shows the breakdown for the years 1994, 1995 and 1996. The figures for 1997 are not yet available.

  Offences

  1994

  1995

  1996

  Rape

  65

  229

  264

  Attempted rape

  7

  30

  28

  Buggery

  52

  67

  58

  Attempt to commit buggery etc

  136

  5

  7

  Unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under 14 years

  168

  22

  45

  33

  Offences

  1994

  1995

  1996

  Unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl between 14 years and under 17 years

  40

  238

  218

  Indecent assault on a female

  20

  692

  768

  Indecent assault on a male

  171

  240

  223

  Indecency between males

  562

  68

  30

  Indecent conduct towards a child

  24

  63

  72

  Incest

  6

  13

  15

  Abduction

  75

  3

  1

  Other sexual offences

  7

  9

  16

  Total

  1,333

  1,679

  1,745

  Births
  Dr. Vis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many women in Northern Ireland had babies at(a) 16 years and under, (b) 17 years, (c) 18 years and (d) 19 years in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [32820]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The General Register Office for Northern Ireland collects information on the number of births registered in each year. The most recent year for which information is available is 1996.

  Year of registration

  Age of mother

  1994

  1995

  1996

  16 years and under

  170

  145

  214

  17 years

  270

  269

  326

  18 years

  479

  479

  425

  19 years

  630

  541

  619

  Public Appointments
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of the appointments to public bodies which she has made since 1 May 1997 have been from the Public Appointments Unit list.[33243]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  None of the individuals appointed to public bodies in Northern Ireland since 1 May 1997 were persons identified by the Public Appointments Unit.

WALES

  Regional Selective Assistance
  Dr. Ladyman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what grants other than regional selective assistance were made available to industrial and business investors in Wales in 1997. [32558]

  Mr. Hain
  Regional Selective Assistance is the main form of regional aid in Wales. In 1997 a total of £130 million was offered to companies in Wales. Other, smaller grant schemes administered by the Welsh Office with particular regard to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and to encourage innovation include Regional Enterprise Grants, Regional Innovation Grants, and the SMART, SPUR and SPUR-plus award schemes. In total just over £3 million was offered to companies under these schemes in 1997.
  34
  A range of services, including grant support, is also provided by the Welsh Development Agency, the Development Agency, the Development Board, the Training and Enterprise Councils, local authorities and other business development organisations. Information on all of these is not held centrally for the period concerned.

  Industrial Trends
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the latest CBI Wales "Industrial Trends" Report. [33284]

  Mr. Hain
  In the CBI Wales January Quarterly Industrial Trends survey, Welsh manufacturers reported a less sharp fall in general business optimism than was the case in the UK as a whole. Similarly, there was a moderate fall in orders, which are expected to pick up during the present quarter.

  Public Bodies (Reports)
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the bodies within the responsibility of his Department currently required by legislation to lay a report before Parliament. [33559]

  Mr. Ron Davies
  The list of bodies within the responsibility of my Department currently required by legislation to lay a report before Parliament are:

  The Ancient Monuments Board for Wales

  Agricultural Wages Council

  Arts Council of Wales

  Cardiff Bay Development Corporation

  Countryside Council for Wales

  Development Board for Rural Wales

  Further and Higher Education Funding Council for Wales Higher Education Funding Council for Wales

  The Historic Buildings Council for Wales

  Land Authority for Wales

  Office of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector

  Residuary Body for Wales

  Sports Council for Wales

  Tai Cymru

  Welsh Development Agency

  Welsh Language Board

  Wales Tourist Board

  Welsh National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (WNB)

  The Standing Nursing and Midwifery Advisory Committee for England and Wales

  Sustainable Development
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received on a sustainable development duty from the Welsh Development Agency. [33391]

  Mr. Hain
  No representations on this subject have been received from the Welsh Development Agency.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to produce a new sustainable development strategy for Wales; and if he will make a statement. [33390]
  35
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  On 4 February the Government published "Opportunities for Change", a consultation paper on a revised UK strategy for sustainable development: we plan to publish the new UK strategy by the end of the year. I hope that there will be wide participation in the consultation process from across Wales

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has moved an amendment to the Government of Wales Bill requiring the National Assembly for Wales to make a scheme setting out its proposals for securing that its functions are exercised with due regard to the principle that sustainable development should be promoted. The scheme will be published and the Assembly will be required to keep it under review. The question of a sustainable development strategy for Wales will be for the Assembly to decide.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will estimate the number and percentage of civil servants in his Department, at each grade including and above higher executive officer who(a) attended university and (b) attended either Oxford or Cambridge University; [33086]

  (2) if he will estimate the number of civil servants in his Department, at each grade, who received their schooling in the independent school sector; [33087]

  (3) if he will estimate for each of the last five years, the number and percentage of new civil servants in his Department who attended Oxford or Cambridge University, broken down into the number of entrants joining the Department from (a) the regular Civil Service entrance procedure, (b) the fast stream and (c) the private sector. [33088]

  Mr. Ron Davies
  The information requested is not held centrally by my Department.

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Drugs
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the President of the Council what recent representations she has received about the Government's policies to combat the misuse of drugs. [31442]

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  I regularly receive correspondence on this issue from Members of Parliament and their constituents, and have also heard views from members of the public during recent engagements around the country.

  In addition, Keith Hellawell—the UK Anti-Drugs Coordinator—has coordinated an extensive consultation process to inform his proposals for a new anti-drugs strategy.

  Public Bodies (Reports)
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Council if she will list the bodies within the responsibility of her Department currently required by legislation to lay a report before Parliament. [33562]
  36
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  Under the relevant Acts, the General Medical Council, the General Dental Council, the General Optical Council, and the General Osteopathic Council are required to provide annual accounts and auditors' reports for laying before Parliament.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Recesses (Dates)
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the President of the Council what plans she has to announce the date of each periodic adjournment at the start of the session. [31443]

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  I have sought to give the House advance notice of recess dates as far as I am able. Indeed, I gave a broad indication about the Easter Recess in the first sitting week after Christmas.

  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the President of the Council if she will make it her policy to timetable 12 months in advance parliamentary recesses. [31444]

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  The approximate periods each year when the House sits and does not sit are generally known. To give more precise dates for a whole year ahead would deny the House the flexibility which is an important part of our system.

  Select Committees
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the President of the Council if she will review the operation of Standing Order No. 152(4)(e) with particular reference to the Foreign Affairs and International Development Select Committees. [31445]

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  I am not aware of any problems in arranging concurrent meetings of these two committees.

  New Deal (Young People)
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Council to ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood), representing the House of Commons Commission, what plans the Commission has to offer jobs to young people under the new deal. [31446]

  Mr. Kirkwood
  Recruitment of staff is a matter for Heads of individual Departments of the House but I understand that the possibility of taking on Welfare to Work trainees is being actively considered and if appropriate places exist, young trainees could be in place in the early summer

  Adjournment Debates
  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the President of the Council what plans she has to increase the opportunities for Back-Bench hon. Members to take part in Adjournment debates; and if she will make a statement. [31447]

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  The Modernisation Committee will shortly be considering the parliamentary calendar, but at the moment I have no specific plans to increase the number of Adjournment debates.

  Disabled Access
  Ms Perham
  To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee what measures have been(a) taken and (b) planned to assist access to the Palace of Westminster by people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement. [33804]

  Sir Sydney Chapman
  In 1993 the Accommodation and Works Committee considered a specialist's report with detailed proposals on facilities for people with disabilities in the Palace of Westminster. The Committee also took evidence from the All-Party Disablement Group and English Heritage. In deciding what should be done, the Committee sought to make possible dignified access for people with disabilities to the various parts of the building, while taking into account the need to preserve the historic fabric of the Palace.

  A paper giving details of the individual schemes which were agreed by Committees of the two Houses has been placed in the Library. The cost of implementing all the recommendations proposed was estimated at £1,272,700. The improvements, taken together, give the following facilities:
  The new entrance at Black Rod's Garden enables people in wheelchairs to go directly to the start of the Line of Route.
  The ramps in Star Chamber Court allow people in wheelchairs access to the Strangers' Gallery via lift number 1
  The new ramps at Commons Court and the Medals Corridor enable wheelchairs to be taken on to the Terrace, to the private dining rooms, and via lift number 15 to the principal floor and the committee rooms on the first and second floors.
  There are special lavatories for people with disabilities on each floor in the following locations: centre curtain corridor, lower waiting hall, opposite committee room 7 and opposite committee room 19 on the upper committee corridor.
  There are inductive loops in both Chambers, in all committee rooms except those designated for secure meetings, in the Grand Committee Room, and in the Crypt Chapel. Portable headsets are available on loan from the doorkeepers and from the pulpit on the main committee corridor.

  Areas where access for people with disabilities is most difficult are the Grand Committee Room, Jubilee Room and Westminster Hall meeting rooms. The Accommodation and Works Committee recommended that to avoid damage to the historic fabric of the Hall, we should wait until Westminster Hall Cafeteria is converted to a Visitor Centre and at that time install wheelchair ramps, a lift to the Grand Committee Room and a lavatory for people with disabilities. For the interim, a chairlift has been installed on the staircase from Westminster Hall to the Grand Committee Room.

  Plans are being prepared to install handrails in the galleries of the House of Commons Chamber. Details will be submitted to the Accommodation and Works Committee in due course.

  In Portcullis House there will be a wheelchair ramp at the main entrance. Lifts will reach floors 1–5 and there will be lavatories on those levels for people with disabilities. There will, however, be six Members' rooms on the sixth floor which will be reached only by spiral staircase

  Family Room
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee if he will list expenditure on the Family Room for each of the last five years. [33334]

  Sir Sydney Chapman
  The only substantial expenditure on the Family Room in recent years was made in 1997–98 and was £9,525 exclusive of VAT. The works included furnishings and the refurbishment of the side room.

  Ministerial Documents
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the President of the Council if she will ensure that all documents released after a Ministerial statement are made available at Vote Office outlets throughout the parliamentary precinct at the same time as they become available in the Members' Lobby. [33512]

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  No. It is a long-standing custom of the House that embargoed documents remain in the custody of the Deliverer of the Vote in the Main Vote Office until the time specified for release by the Minister responsible for the document's production, so as to ensure that such documents receive the secure handling they require. Documents which are not embargoed but have a special release time on them are normally available simultaneously in the Main Vote Office and in the Vote Office in other buildings.

DEFENCE

  Women (Army Employment Opportunities)
  Ms Christine Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps the Government are taking to expand employment opportunities for women in the Army. [31413]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The Government are committed to maximising career opportunities for women in the Army, consistent with the need to maintain combat effectiveness. On 27 October I announced that, from 1 April this year, the number of Regular Army posts open to women will increase from 47‥ to 70‥. I have also commissioned a review to look at how opportunities for women across the Armed Forces can be expanded still further.

  British Beef
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress in his Department's working group to encourage the purchase of British beef. [31415]

  Mr. Spellar
  The working group has been looking in particular at our product specifications and range to ensure that there are no unnecessary obstacles to British beef products. The meetings have been open and constructive and are continuing. I have also had discussions recently with my noble Friend Lord Donoughue, the Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. He has agreed that his Department should approach the European Commission
  39
  with a view to releasing stocks of British beef held by the intervention boards for use by the armed forces, at a competitive price.

  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his plans to encourage the purchase of British beef for the armed forces and civilian personnel under his control. [31428]

  Mr. Spellar
  With respect to the purchase of beef for the Armed Forces, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Vale of Clwyd (Mr. Ruane) earlier today. My Department does not purchase food for civilian personnel.

  Women Fighter Pilots
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many women fighter pilots are(a) in service and (b) in training. [31416]

  Dr. Reid
  As at 1 February 1998, there were 4 female Fast Jet pilots in service and a further 17 female potential Fast Jet pilots undergoing training in the Royal Air Force.

  Recruitment
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received relating to problems arising in respect of recruitment. [31417]

  Dr. Reid
  A number of representations have been received from hon. Members, interested bodies, and members of the public, on a range of issues relating to recruitment to the Armed Forces.

  Heavy Lift Transport Aircraft
  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the integral heavy lift air transport capability within the RAF in recent middle east operations. [31418]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The recent deployment of UK forces to the Middle East was supported by RAF owned air transport assets. These were augmented by the charter of Antonov 124 aircraft.

  On the more general question of our assessment of the effectiveness of our air transport fleet, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 1 December 1997, Official Report, column 11.

  Defence Medical Services
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes are currently proposed to the Defence Medical Services; and what further changes he anticipates. [31419]

  Dr. Reid
  I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer I gave the hon. Member for Basildon (Angela Smith) earlier today.

  Horseshoe Barracks
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future use of the Horseshoe barracks in Shoeburyness. [31420]
  40
  Mr. Spellar
  Horseshoe Barracks will be offered for disposal by my Department, provided that no further defence use can be found for the site. Use of Horseshoe Barracks, after disposal, is a matter for the Local Planning Authority to decide, following public consultation.

  Territorial Army
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the need to maintain the current number of TAVR infantry battalions. [31422]

  Dr. Reid
  We are looking at all the Arms of the Territorial Army, including the Infantry, in the context of the Strategic Defence Review. It is too early for me to say what the outcome of this assessment will prove to be for the size and structure of any particular Arm.

  Sir Geoffrey JohnsonSmith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the current level of TAVR manpower. [31423]

  Dr. Reid
  On 1 January the strength of the Territorial Army was 55,387. The future size and shape of the Territorial Army will be determined by the Strategic Defence Review.

  Trident
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future role of Trident. [31424]

  Mr. George Robertson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 2 February 1998,Official Report, column 468.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total lifetime cost of deploying the Trident nuclear capability. [31573]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The total procurement cost for Trident is estimated to be some £12.6 billion (1996–97 prices). Average running costs have been estimated at £200 million a year over the 30 year lifetime of the system. We are currently examining the basis upon which cost estimates have been calculated in the light of operating experience and as part of the wider Strategic Defence Review.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on negotiations with the USA concerning changes to the Trident warhead. [31574]

  Mr. George Robertson
  There are no negotiations with the US over upgrading or enhancing our Trident warhead and we have no requirement for any such upgrade. The United Kingdom will maintain close contact with the US to help to ensure our ability to underwrite the safety and reliability of our Trident warheads throughout their service life.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to(a) upgrade or (b) replace the Trident warhead. [31576]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The UK has no plans to upgrade or improve the capabilities of our Trident nuclear warhead. Any decision on a successor to the warhead will
  41
  be taken in the light of the progress towards the Government's goal of verifiable global nuclear disarmament.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he will take to inform the public about his plans for the future development of Trident missiles. [31577]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The UK has no current requirement or plans for any development of the Trident D5 missile.

  Gulf (Deployment)
  Mr. Bradshaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost of recent United Kingdom deployment in the Gulf; and what steps have been taken to elicit contributions from other countries. [31425]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The most recent estimate of the additional costs incurred up to late February for the UK forces deployed to the Gulf during the recent crisis amounts to some £3 million. The overall figure will depend on the length of the deployment.

  Other countries have either contributed military forces of their own or have provided material support for UK forces, or have offered to do so.

  The UK has not sought financial contributions towards the cost of the operation but has received host national support from several countries in the region.

  Parachute Regiment
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to merge the Parachute Regiment with 24 Airmobile Brigade; and if he will make a statement. [31426]

  Dr. Reid
  We are looking at a number of options regarding the future structure of the Army in the context of the Strategic Defence Review. I cannot say at this stage what our final decisions will be.

  Prisoners of War
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will initiate an independent inquiry into the pay of officer prisoners of war during the Second World War. [31427]

  Mr. Spellar
  I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton (Mr. Gibb). There are no grounds for examining this subject again.

  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review his policy on the claims for compensation for loss of pay from former prisoners of war. [31430]

  Mr. Spellar
  This is an issue not of compensation but of whether there are outstanding payments. I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton (Mr. Gibb).

  Defence Diplomacy
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what part preventive deployment plays in his Department's policy of defence diplomacy. [31429]
  42
  Mr. George Robertson
  Defence Diplomacy is an evolving concept covering the means by which our Armed Forces can help shape a more secure and stable world. It does not include operational deployments and is therefore complementary to preventive deployments as a means of conflict prevention.

  War Criminals (Former Yugoslavia)
  Mr. Dawson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress towards apprehending suspected war criminals in the former Yugoslavia. [31431]

  Mr. George Robertson
  Twenty four people indicted for war crimes by the International Criminal Tribunal are now in custody in The Hague. A further three people have been released following consideration of their cases and three indictees are dead. I am encouraged that almost half of those in custody went to The Hague voluntarily, most recently the Bosnian Serb, Dragoljub Kunarac, who surrendered on 4 March. A further 49 people know they have been indicted. They too should surrender. They will receive a fair trial in The Hague.

  Minimum Wage
  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the evidence his Department provided to the Low Pay Commission relating to the minimum wage. [31432]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The Government's evidence to the Low Pay Commission was submitted on 30 January 1998, and a copy is in the Library of the House. My Department did not provide separate evidence to the Low Pay Commission.

  Defence Diversification
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Government's plans for defence diversification. [31433]

  Mr. Spellar
  We published a Green Paper setting out our proposals on defence diversification on 5 March These are based on developing the role of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency in promoting the wider application of defence technology for civil use, as we promised in our election manifesto. We have invited comments from all interested parties, by 8 May, before a final decision is taken on the way ahead.

  Royal Military Police
  Mr. Tyrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on rationalization studies affecting the Royal Military Police. [31434]

  Dr. Reid
  A study by the Army Training and Recruiting Agency (ATRA) into the scope for rationalisation of training provided by the Adjutant General's Corps Training Group, of which the Royal Military Police Training School at Chichester is a part, is currently being undertaken. This study has completed its initial phase of work and I will write to the hon. Member shortly.

  Humanitarian Demining
  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to help those involved in humanitarian demining. [31437]

  Mr. George Robertson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the oral answer I gave today to my hon. Friends the Members for Glasgow, Govan (Mr. Sarwar) and for Warrington, South (Ms Southworth).

  Smart Procurement
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of potential savings from his departmental budget through the introduction of smart procurement. [31408]

  Mr. George Robertson
  I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer I gave today to my hon. Friend the Member for Barrow and Furness (Mr. Hutton).

  Visiting Forces
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total number of visiting forces other than those from the United States of America based in the United Kingdom; and where are they located. [33572]

  Dr. Reid
  This information is not held centrally.However, from the records which are available, the information requested is currently as follows:

  Number

  RMA Sandhurst

  72

  BRNC Dartmouth

  1

  JSCSC Bracknell

  93

  RMCS Shrivenham

  26

  DTEO Boscombe Down

  1

  RAF Benson

  1

  RAF Boulmer

  1

  RAF Brampton

  1

  RAF Brize Norton

  1

  RAF Buchan

  2

  RAF Coltishall

  3

  RAF Cranwell

  33

  RAF Coningsby

  5

  RAF Cottesmore

  124

  RAF Halton

  1

  RAFSEE Henlow

  1

  RAF Honington

  1

  RAF Innsworth

  1

  RAF High Wycombe

  173

  RAF Kinloss

  3

  RAF Leeming

  3

  RAF Leuchars

  2

  RAF Linton

  3

  RAF Locking

  2

  RAF Lossiemouth

  3

  RAF Lyneham

  4

  RAF Marham

  5

  RAF Neatishead

  2

  RAF Northwood

  1

  RAF Odiham

  1

  DHFS Shawbury

  7

  RAF St. Athan

  5

  RAF Valley

  6

  RAF Waddington

  2

  RAF West Drayton

  1

  RAF Wyton

  2

  RNAS Portland

  8

  RNAS Culdrose

  9

  RNAS Gannet

  3

  44

  Number

  RNAS Yeovilton

  2

  Portsmouth area

  143

  Plymouth area

  66

  Northwood

  2

  Bath

  5

  Faslane

  2

  Bristol

  5

  Chattenden

  18

  Poole

  1

  Aboard HM Ships

  13

  Warminster

  7

  RSME Minley

  6

  Andover

  2

  Larkhill

  9

  Chertsey

  1

  Bordon

  11

  Brecon

  2

  Marchwood

  2

  Salisbury

  1

  Chicksands

  14

  Chepstow

  1

  Catterick

  2

  Hermitage

  8

  Bovington

  2

  Bulford

  3

  Ash Vale

  1

  South Cerney

  1

  Blandford

  12

  Dishforth

  1

  Windsor

  1

  Kineton

  9

  Hullavington

  1

  Upavon

  1

  Beeston

  1

  Chatham

  2

  Middle Wallop

  1

  Colchester

  1

  London

  10

  Beaconsfield

  11

  Farnborough

  7

  Pirbright

  1

  Longmore

  4

  Barrow

  1

  Total

  1,007

  These figures include overseas personnel on training courses, non-US NATO personnel and foreign personnel serving on exchange appointments with our Armed Forces.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 2 March 1998,Official Report, column 490, what is the function in each case of the United States visiting forces based at (a) RAF Alconbury, Molesworth and Upwood, (b) RAF Croughton, (c) RAF Dow s Hill, Hythe and West Ruislip, (d) RAF Farnborough, (e) RAF Leuchars, (f) RAF Menwith Hill and (g) RAF Mildenhall; and if he will make a statement. [33573]

  Dr. Reid
  The primary task undertaken by United States Visiting Force personnel at the sites in question are as follows:

  Site

  Function

  RAF Alconbury

  Storage/Support

  RAF Croughton

  Communications/Support

  RAF Daws Hill

  Storage/Support

  RAF Hythe

  Storage/Support

  45

  Site

  Function

  RAF Menwith Hill

  Communication

  RAF Mildenhall

  USAF Main Aircraft Operation Base

  RAF Molesworth

  Storage/Support

  RAF Upwood

  Storage/Support

  West Ruislip

  Storage/Support

  RAF Farnborough

  USAF Exchange Officers with the RAF School of Aviation Medicine

  RAF Leuchars

  USAF Exchange Officers with Tornado F3 Squadron

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 2 March 1998,Official Report, column 490, (1) if he will provide a breakdown between (a) service and (b) civilian personnel for each category identified; [33570]

  (2) if he will list the RAF bases where no United States visiting forces are based; [33565]

  (3) if he will list the total number of United States visiting forces based in the United Kingdom; and if he will indicate where they were based for each year from 1985 to 1996. [33566]

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

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had since 1 May 1997 with United States nationals concerning the numbers and functions of United States visiting forces present in the United Kingdom. [33568]

  Dr. Reid
  Matters relating to the presence of the US Visiting Force are the subject of regular discussions between MOD officials and representatives of the UK Government.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of the presence in the United Kingdom of United States visiting forces within his Department's establishments. [33545]

  Dr. Reid
  We welcome the US Visiting Forces' presence in the United Kingdom which forms an important part of the United States' continuing commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the security of Europe. We also welcome the contribution that the US force provides to United Nations peacekeeping and humanitarian aid operations.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 2 March 1998,Official Report, column 490, if he will identify at which establishment the presence of United States visiting forces is not directly to fulfil a NATO function. [33567]

  Dr. Reid
  All members of the US Visiting Force based in the United Kingdom are available to undertake tasks in support of NATO.

  Public Bodies (Reports)
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the bodies within the responsibility of his Department currently required by legislation to lay a report before Parliament. [33552]
  46
  Dr. Reid
  There are several Agencies and one Non Departmental Public Body (NDPB) currently required by legislation to lay a report before Parliament. Agencies required to do so are:

  Army Base Storage and Distribution Agency

  Army Technical Support Agency

  Defence Animal Centre

  Defence Analytical Services Agency

  Defence Bills Agency

  Defence Dental Agency

  Defence Evaluation and Research Agency

  Defence Postal and Courier Service

  Defence Transport and Movements Executive

  Disposal Sales Agency

  Duke of York's Royal Military School

  Hydrographic Office

  Logistic Information Systems Agency

  Meteorological Office

  Military Survey

  Pay and Personnel Agency

  Queen Victoria School

  RAF Signals Engineering Establishment

  RAF Training Group

  Service Children's Education

  The Oil and Pipelines Agency is the only NDPB currently required by legislation to lay a report before Parliament.

  Suez Crisis
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give General Service medals to those who served during the Suez Crisis. [32994]

  Mr. Spellar
  The joint Anglo/French amphibious operation to occupy the Suez Canal Zone, designated Operation Musketeer, which took place during the Crisis of late 1956, was recognised by the institution of the General Service Medal with clasp Near East. Qualification was one day's service between 31 October and 22 December 1956 inclusive, as laid down in Command Paper 190 of June 1957.

  Service performed during the earlier Suez Canal Zone Emergency between 1951 and 1954 was not recognised by a campaign medal. The Government have no plans to consider the retrospective institution of an award for that period of service.

  Active Service
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the criteria for military campaigns to be classified as active service. [32996]

  Dr. Reid
  The definition of "on active service" is laid down by statute in the Service Discipline Acts. A force on active service is one engaged in operations against the enemy, or engaged elsewhere than in the United Kingdom in operations for the protection of life or property, or (subject to the provisions of the relevant section in the three Acts) is in military occupation of a foreign country. In relation to a person, it means that he or she is serving in or with a force which is on active service.

  Space Technology
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the strategic alliance agreement signed between the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency and Matra Marconi Space UK Ltd., for close collaboration in identifying research and technology programmes in space and spacecraft propulsion. [32386]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 4 March 1998]: The strategic alliance agreement signed between the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency and Matra Marconi Space UK Ltd., is commercial-in-confidence. I am therefore withholding this information under exemption 7 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Strategic Defence Review
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from the West Country about the impact on confidence among the Armed Forces of the lack of a specific date for concluding the Strategic Defence Review. [32877]

  Mr. George Robertson
  I am not aware of any representations from the West Country concerning the timing of the announcement of the conclusions of the Strategic Defence Review and its impact on confidence among the Armed Forces.

  Army Horses
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Army horses were unavailable for military duties following accidents sustained while taking part in the hunting of foxes with hounds in each of the last three years. [33518]

  Mr. Spellar
  This information is not held centrally but we are aware that in the last three years, four Army horses have been unavailable for military duties for a period following injuries sustained while fox hunting.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost to public funds of treating Army horses for injuries sustained while taking part in the hunting of foxes with hounds in each of the past three years. [33519]

  Mr. Spellar
  This information is not kept centrally but I understand that the cost to public funds of treating horses for such injuries is not likely to have been significant.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will estimate the number and percentage of civil servants in his Department, at each grade including and above higher executive officer who(a) attended university and (b) attended either Oxford or Cambridge University; [33053]

  (2) if he will estimate the number of civil servants in his Department, at each grade, who received their schooling in the independent school sector; [33054]

  (3) if he will estimate for each of the last five years, the number and percentage of new civil servants in his Department who attended Oxford or Cambridge University, broken down into the number of entrants
  48
  joining the Department from (a) the regular Civil Service entrance procedure, (b) the fast stream and (c) the private sector. [33055]

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

  Veterans' Unit
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to establish a veterans' unit within his Department; and if he will make a statement. [32949]

  Dr. Reid
  My Department is aware of proposals put forward in the past by The Royal British Legion for the creation of an ex-Services Affairs Unit or Department of Veterans Affairs. I will be meeting the Secretary General of The Royal British Legion on 11 March and am looking forward to hearing their latest proposals. We will consider the way ahead in the light of these discussions.

  Low Flying Exercises
  Mr. White
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has to restrict low flying exercises in areas where the local communities have consistently complained about them; and what plans he has to review the policy for deciding where such exercises are held. [31496]

  Mr. Spellar
  None. Most parts of the United Kingdom, are used by military aircraft undertaking essential low flying training. We aim to do all we can to minimise disturbance by spreading the activity as widely as practicable throughout the United Kingdom and have no plans to change this arrangement.

  Bosnia
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the United Kingdom's contribution to the NATO Centre for Lessons Learned in Bosnia. [32385]

  Mr. George Robertson
  [holding answer 4 March 1998]: There is no specific NATO centre for the analysis of lessons learned from Bosnia. Studies have been undertaken by NATO at various levels to capture the politico-military and military lessons from the Implementation Force (IFOR) deployment and transition to the Stabilisation Force (SFOR). These studies have included work by NATO HQ in Brussels, by a temporary analysis team at the NATO HQ at Northwood, by the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) and by the Allied Command Europe (ACE) Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) HQ. The United Kingdom has contributed to these either directly or through the contribution of UK personnel in NATO appointments.

  Works of Art
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many works of art he has borrowed for use in his offices and official residence; which organisations he has borrowed these works from; what the insurance value is of these works; what guidance he received on the acquisition of these works; if the works have yet been removed for temporary public exhibition elsewhere; and if the works have been or will be replaced on a regular basis. [31556]
  49
  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 27 February 1998]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has retained in his office four works of art which were in place when he took up his appointment. Three are from the Ministry of Defence collection and one is on loan from the National Maritime Museum. My right hon. Friend has also recently chosen twenty-four works for the flat which he occupies in Admiralty House, twelve to be loaned from the Government Art Collection and twelve to be loaned by my Department's own collection.

  Under Treasury rules, the Government normally bear their own risk. Works of art belonging to Government Departments are not insured and so neither my Department nor the Government Art Collection has insurance values for these works. In general, works on loan from private lenders and from institutions that are not directly Government funded are covered by the Government Indemnity Scheme.

  Formal advice on the selection of works of art is given by the Government Art Collection and by the Registrar of my Department's collection.

  It is normal practice of both the Government Art Collection and my Department to make works of art available for public exhibition on request from organisers of appropriate exhibitions. No such request has yet been made for the works of art selected by my right hon. Friend.

  Works of art in all Government offices are changed as and when circumstances require.

  Counter Battery Radar Project
  Laura Moffatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Counter Battery Radar project. [33879]

  Table 1: TCHD Mkt—Unscheduled stops since 1 March 1994

  Serial No.

  Date

  Location

  Fault

  Delay time

  1

  6 June 1994

  M1—Sutton in Ashfield

  Knocking noise from vehicle—vehicle checked and loose

  40 minutes

  2

  7 June 1994

  A68—South of Otterburn

  Air pressure low—system checked and readjusted.

  35 minutes

  3

  2 August 1994

  A68—South of Dalkeith

  Knocking noise from vehicle—vehicle checked and loose equipment restowed.

  25 minutes

  4

  21 September 1994

  A696—Ponteland

  Oil leak from pipe between oil pump and cylinder block—Tractor unit change carried out.

  60 minutes

  5

  14 May 1995

  A74—North of Abington

  ABS shows fault—no fault found, system reset.

  10 minutes

  6

  14 May 1995

  A74—South of Moffat

  Instrumentation failure and knocking noise from engine—Tractor unit change carried out.

  100 minutes

  7

  15 May 1995

  A 1—Worksop

  Instrumentation failure—Tractor unit change carried out.

  120 minutes

  8

  16 June 1995

  A43—South of Northampton

  Oil warning light on—faulty electrical connection.

  15 minutes

  9

  9 October 1995

  A134—Mundford

  Gearbox oil cooler pipe split—Tractor unit change carried out.

  95 minutes

  10

  5 December 1995

  A 1—Knaresborough

  Engine throttle return spring broken—spring replaced.

  25 minutes

  11

  12 December 1995

  Al—North of RAF Wittering

  Knocking noise from engine—vehicle recovered to RAF Wittering

  25 minutes

  12

  19 December 1995

  A 10—Royston

  Engine throttle return spring broken—spring replaced.

  20 minutes

  13

  10 January 1996

  A45—East of Newmarket

  All electrical circuits inoperative—faulty circuit isolated and systems reset.

  10 minutes

  14

  6 March 1996

  B6318—Near Newcastle upon Tyne

  ABS shows fault—no fault found, system reset.

  15 minutes

  15

  26 March 1996

  A 1 0—Enfield

  Front axle brakes overheating—Tractor unit change carried out.

  60 minutes

  16

  12 June 1996

  East of Gareloch Head

  Axle differential lock would not disengage—transmission reset.

  35 minutes

  50
  Mr. Spellar
  I am pleased to inform the House that a contract for the Industrialisation and Production phase of the Counter Battery Radar project, COBRA, covering the requirements of France, Germany and the UK, was signed on 6 March 1998. The contract, valued in total at approximately £350 million, was placed with Euro-Art, a consortium consisting of Thompson CSF, SI Sicherungstechnik, RACAL and Lockheed Martin.

  COBRA will provide the Army with the capability to locate and classify hostile rockets, guns and mortars accurately and at long range, and will act as a force detector. It will also be able to monitor breaches of ceasefire when deployed in a peacekeeping role.

  The project is a good example of the benefits of collaboration with our European partners, and has given us the opportunity to procure technologically advanced equipment at a considerably lower cost than would have been the case had we pursued a purely national programme. The contract will result in around 8 years of work for British industry.

  Truck Cargo Heavy Duty Vehicles
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many unscheduled stops there have been involving truck cargo heavy duty mark 2 vehicles since 1 March 1994; and if he will list the(a) dates, (b) location, (c) length of delay and (d) circumstances of each stop; [32229]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the (a) mechanical problems with and (b)alterations made to truck cargo heavy duty mark 2 vehicles since 1 March 1994. [32230]

  Mr. Spellar
  Since 1 March 1994, there have been 24 occasions on which the Truck Cargo Heavy Duty (TCHD) Mk 2 vehicles were obliged to make unscheduled stops to deal with technical problems. The circumstances are set out in table 1. Details of mechanical problems and alterations since 1 March 1994 are set out in table 2.
  51

  Serial No.

  Date

  Location

  Fault

  Delay time

  17

  14 September 1996

  A814—Helensburgh

  Jake brake inoperative—Tractor unit change carried out.

  65 minutes

  18

  25 November 1996

  A 1—Newcastle

  Engine coolant gauge reading high—a coolant pipe replaced.

  30 minutes

  19

  24 February 1997

  A 1—Stotfold

  Fuel leak—Tractor unit change carried out.

  60 minutes

  20

  28 November 1997

  M3 Near Bagshot

  Steering malfunction—Tractor unit change.

  50 minutes

  Table 2: TCHD Mk2—Mechanical problems and alterations made to TCHD Mk2 since 1 March 1994

  Year

  Mechanical problems

  Alterations to TCHD

  1994

  Road dirt damaging the vehicles 5th wheel coupling

  Trailer 5th wheel rubbing plate surface area extended and material type changed.

  1994

  Cab shock absorber mounting brackets distorted.

  Shock absorber mounting brackets redesigned.

  1994

  Engine throttle return spring becomes detached

  Design change for return spring retention.

  1994

  Tack welds retaining thrust washer on the trailer suspension cracking.

  Thrust washers renewed and bonded into position.

  1994–1996

  Various faults affecting the cabs air conditioning unit

  Air Conditioning Unit. modified.

  1994

  1Powered cab tilt facility fitted. Fitted to ease vehicle maintenance and reduce vehicle downtime.

  1996

  1Trailer suspension air system modified to provide the facility for deflating the trailers front axle air bags. Embodied to generate greater tractive effort when required.

  1996

  Trailer batteries discharged during periods of non use to a level which prevented re-charge.

  Battery voltage controllers fitted.

  1996

  The trailer fibre optic cables prone to be damaged

  Trailer fibre optic coupling redesigned and cables replaced.

  1996

  Trailer emergency hatch cover plate becoming loose.

  Cover plate retention change from self tapping to quick release fasteners.

  1997

  Cab door locking mechanism jamming

  Door lock mechanism redesigned.

  1These modifications have been embodied on the vehicles for reasons of enhancement and not as a result of defects.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Public Bodies (Reports)
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the bodies within the responsibility of his Department currently required by legislation to lay a report before Parliament. [33558]

  Dr. Howells
  The Non Departmental Public Bodies currently required by legislation to lay a report before Parliament are: British Educational Communications and Technology Agency, formerly the National Council for Educational Technology, Construction Industry Training 52
  Board, Education Assets Board, Engineering Construction Industry Training Board, Equal Opportunities Commission, Funding Agency for Schools, Further Education Funding Council, Higher Education Funding Council for England, Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, the Teacher Training Agency.

  Cannabis
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what new proposals he has to discourage the use of cannabis by school children. [31440]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Resources are available in 1998–99 to schools and the youth service for drug education (including that related to cannabis) through the Standards Fund, and have just been increased to £7 million.

  Certain aspects of drug education are already a statutory requirement for all pupils aged 5 to 16, as part of the National Curriculum science Order. It is for individual schools to consider whether, and if so how, they might wish to extend provision of drug education beyond this statutory minimum. We would expect all drug education programmes, however, to give pupils the facts about drugs, including cannabis, emphasise a healthy lifestyle and to give young people the knowledge and skills to make informed and responsible choices now and later in life.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if he will estimate the number and percentage of civil servants in his Department, at each grade including and above higher executive officer who(a) attended university and (b) attended either Oxford or Cambridge University;
  [33062]

  (2) if he will estimate for each of the last five years, the number and percentage of new civil servants in his Department who attended Oxford or Cambridge University, broken down into the number of entrants joining the Department from (a) the regular Civil Service entrance procedure, (b) the fast stream and (c) the private sector; [33064]

  (3) if he will estimate the number of civil servants in his Department, at each grade, who received their schooling in the independent school sector. [33063]

  Dr. Howells
  This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will rearrange his proposed meeting with the relatives of the victims of the Lockerbie air disaster. [33337]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary greatly regrets it was necessary to postpone his meeting with the Lockerbie families because of the serious situation in Kosovo. He fully intends to meet them as soon as possible.

  Iran
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Iran; and what initiatives he proposes to improve relations between Iran and the EU during the presidency. [33316]

  Mr. Fatchett
  At its meeting on 23 February the European Council agreed that, in light of recent developments in Iran, the EU should respond by, as a first step, increasing the level of political contact with Iran including lifting the ban on official bilateral Ministerial visits. The EU is now considering how political contacts between the EU and Iran, covering both areas of EU concern and issues of mutual interest, might develop.

  The Council also reviewed progress in the areas of concern to the EU, namely weapons of mass-destruction, terrorism, Iran's attitude to the Middle East Peace Process and human rights including the fatwa against Salman Rushdie. The EU reaffirmed the importance of fully implementing its existing security measures and of its continued vigilance in these matters and agreed that Iran's willingness to address EU concerns would greatly enhance the success of the dialogue and Iran's reintegration into the international community.

  Public Appointments
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of the appointments to public bodies which he has made since 1 May 1997 have been from the Public Appointments Unit list. [33255]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  None. This Department is responsible for appointments to seven bodies which are classed as Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs). The number of appointments to them is very small. We seek nominations of candidates for these appointments using a wide range of sources, including the Public Appointments Unit and advertising.

  UN Security Council
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of proposals(a) to increase the number of permanent members and (b) to make other alterations to the composition of the UN Security Council; and if he will make a statement [33292]
  54
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  We welcome the debate in the United Nations on Security Council enlargement. We want to see an early enlargement of the Council to make it more representative, without compromising its effectiveness. We support an increase in both permanent and non-permanent categories. We support permanent seats for Germany and Japan and for developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean.

  UN Resolutions
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will ask the United Nations to review those resolutions which remain unimplemented distinguishing between(a) those which are otiose and (b) those with a continuing relevance with a view to retabling the latter. [33132]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  The UN Security Council, in the course of discharging its responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, frequently recalls and reaffirms its earlier resolutions where these continue to be relevant.

  The General Assembly also reaffirms its earlier Resolutions as appropriate.

  Kashmir
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to use the UK presidency of the EU to draw attention to the human rights abuses in Kashmir; and what initiatives he is proposing to help secure a settlement of the dispute. [33259]

  Mr. Fatchett
  We will work with EU partners to ensure that Kashmir is raised during the UN Commission on Human Rights. Our High Commissioner in New Delhi plans to lead a delegation of EU Troika missions to Kashmir in May. They will assess and report on the situation on the ground, including human rights problems. The Government's policy towards Kashmir was set out in my answer to the hon. Member for Reigate (Mr. Blunt) on 25 November 1997,Official Report, column 474.

  Nepal and Bhutan
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the UK will press for a resolution at the UN Commission on Human Rights which will urge the governments of Nepal and Bhutan to find a just and lasting solution to the refugee problem. [33239]

  Mr. Fatchett
  No, but we will work with EU partners to ensure that this problem is raised in EU statements during the UN Commission on Human Rights.

  Kosovo
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Serbia concerning violence in Kosovo. [33151]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  [holding answer 6 March 1998]: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary called on FRY President Milosevic and FRY Foreign Minister Jovanovic in Belgrade on 5 March to express the EU' s grave concern

  55
  at the situation in Kosovo and at reports my right hon. Friend received that day of further repressive violence by the Serb military police.

  Arms Sales
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to monitor the end user and final destination of arms sales to countries with poor human rights records. [33459]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  Under the criteria announced by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 28 July 1997,Official Report columns 26–29, an export licence will not be issued if there is a clearly identifiable risk that the proposed export might be used for internal repression. This applies to equipment where there is reason to believe that it will be diverted from its stated end-use or end-user for internal repression. Work is in hand to identify ways to minimise that risk, such as end-use monitoring, and an announcement will be made in due course.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made by(a) Her Majesty's Government and (b) NATO, in respect of the status of nuclear weapons in the list of weapons covered by the proposed international criminal court. [33262]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  The Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, North (Mr. Henderson) set out the Government's position in respect of the inclusion of crimes involving nuclear weapons within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court in the answer he gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Hall Green (Mr. McCabe) on 10 February 1998,Official Report, columns 139–40. We have made the UK's position on this subject plain at meetings of the Preparatory Committee and elsewhere. NATO has not taken a position on the matter and has made no representations.

  Public Bodies (Report)
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the bodies within the responsibility of his Department currently required by legislation to lay a report before Parliament. [33557]

  Mr. Fatchett
  The only such body is the Foreign Compensation Commission whose annual report is laid by the Secretary of State before Parliament under Section 6(2) of the Foreign Compensation Act 1950.

  Cornish Language
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will ratify the European Charter on Regional and Minority Languages. [31575]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  Having assessed the benefits of the United Kingdom's signature and ratification of the Council of Europe Charter on Regional or Minority Languages, the relevant Government Departments are actively taking forward this question with a view to an early announcement.
  56
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect that signing the European Charter on Regional and Minority Languages would have on the prospects for the Cornish Language. [31572]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer. Consideration will include the position of the Cornish language.

  Tokyo Summit
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date the EU/Japan Summit announced for January took place in Tokyo; if a United Kingdom Minister attended; and if he will publish the text of any communiqué issued. [33392]

  Mr. Fatchett
  The EU/Japan Summit took place on 12 January 1998 in Tokyo. The Prime Minister was present at the Summit in his role as President of the European Council. A joint EU/Japan press statement was issued on 12 January 1998. I am placing copies in the Libraries of the House.

  General System of Preferences
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress he has made during the presidency of the EU on reaching agreement on amendments to the General System of Preferences. [33394]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  Two proposals have been under discussion to extend the coverage of the General System of Preferences (GSP):one, to bring product coverage of the GSP scheme closer to that available to the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group under the Lome Convention. There is EU agreement to this, subject to a Parliamentary Scrutiny reserve by France;
  the other, to grant additional market access preferences to those countries which comply with the principles of relevant International Labour Organisation and/or International Tropical Timber Organisation standards. We hope to have EU agreement on this by the end of April.

  During our Presidency, we also expect the Commission to produce proposals for a mid-term review of the existing GSP industrial and agricultural schemes. We shall be seeking to improve the market access benefits available under both.

  ACP Countries
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress he has made during the Presidency of the EU on agreeing the EU mandate for the negotiations with the ACP countries on a successor to the Lome Convention. [33393]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  The Commission presented a draft mandate to the Council on 29 January. The UK has been steering discussion of that draft in the Council. I believe that we have a good basis for reaching agreement on a mandate during our Presidency.

  Cuba
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made during the UK presidency of the EU in developing the EU common position on Cuba. [33396]
  57
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  Under the UK Presidency, EU missions in Havana have broadened the range of areas in which they work closely together, including human rights, aid, commercial, environmental and consular matters, involving Cuban officials (where possible) and dissident groups. We are assessing the Pope's visit. We will evaluate progress in June.

  Israel, Gaza and West Bank
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to visit Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. [33397]

  Mr. Fatchett
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will be visiting Israel, Gaza and the West Bank on 17–18 March. This will be part of a wider visit to the region.

  China
  Mr. Howard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the voting intentions of the Government on United Nations resolutions relating to human rights in China. [33467]

  Mr. Fatchett
  European Union Foreign Ministers decided on 23 February that neither the Presidency nor Member States should table or co-sponsor a draft resolution on China at this year's Commission on Human Rights, and if the situation arose, EU delegations should vote against a no-action motion.

MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO

  Millennium Experience
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio if exhibits relating to unemployment and homelessness will be included in the Millennium Experience. [31522]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The Millennium Experience will reflect the lives and aspirations of people from all backgrounds and walks of life, from right across the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio what will be the seating capacity of the smaller dome on the Millennium Experience site. [31523]

  Mr. Mandelson
  This facility would seat between 5,000 and 6,000 people.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio how long exhibitors will be contracted to keep their exhibits in the Millennium Experience; and if arrangements will be made for them to be exhibited in other parts of the country afterwards. [31649]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The Millennium Experience is due to run from 31 December 1999 to 31 December 2000. That is the basis on which the New Millennium Experience Company is planning the project and taking forward negotiations with sponsors of the content. A number of possibilities exist for subsequent use of the Dome and display of its content. Final decisions are not however likely before 2000, when the full potential of the Millennium Experience will be clearly apparent.
  58
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio for what reasons the exhibition zones(a) Trans Action, (b) Shared Ground, (c) Atmosphere, (d) Time to Talk and (e) UK @ Now have not yet been displayed; and who is to sponsor them. [31876]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) revealed plans for the content of seven zones of the Millennium Dome on 24 February. NMEC are also working with designers and confirmed and potential sponsors on the remaining exhibition zones, and announcements will be made to the House in due course.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio if he will list the companies making contributions to the Millennium Experience, the sum committed by each and the fee payable on each to McKinsey & Co.; and what is(a) the total committed so far and (b) the sum still to be raised. [31847]

  Mr. Mandelson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Pontefract and Castleford (Yvette Cooper) on 24 February 1998,Official Report, column 204. There is no fee payable to McKinsey & Co. Extensive discussions are continuing with a wide range of prospective contributors and NMEC are confident that the sponsorship target will be achieved.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio which faiths besides Christianity will be represented in the Spirit Level of the Millennium Experience. [31877]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The content of the Spirit Level zone is being developed in association with the Lambeth Consultation Group. The intention is that the zone will recognise the formative influence of Christianity in our history as well as the presence of other religious traditions in our society, and will encourage visitors to explore spiritual, emotional and moral issues. Within the zone there will be areas of calm where people of all faiths and backgrounds can spend time in reflection as they wish.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio, pursuant to the document, Time to Make a Difference, what was the basis of the statement that Grimsby and Ghana are located on the prime meridian. [31875]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The document was produced by the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) and the specific reference to Grimsby and Ghana is about a millennium project—Living on the Line—developed by Oxfam and supported by the NMEC. The project aims to link people and places along the Prime Meridian encouraging a deeper understanding between communities and bridging the differences between the developed and the developing world.

  The Prime Meridian runs close to, rather than through, Grimsby; but despite this relatively minor geographical imprecision my hon. Friend will no doubt want to support Oxfam in promoting this important Living on the Line project.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio if he will make a statement on the product placement offered to contributors to the Millennium Experience. [32566]

  Mr. Mandelson
  Contributors to the Millennium Experience fall into different categories. The first four Founding Partner sponsors were announced in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Pontefract and Castleford
  59
  (Yvette Cooper), 24 February 1998, Official Report, column 204. Founding Partners have the opportunity to work with the NMEC's staff and design teams in developing the main exhibits in the Dome and, where appropriate, the Challenge programme of country-wide events and activities. These arrangements recognised the contribution of the Founding Partners to the success of the Experience and their commercial needs in terms of brand identity and promotion. The Experience is not, however, a trade show, nor an advertising hoarding for commercial products. The arrangements with the Founding Partners and other commercial contributors therefore ensure that the NMEC remains control over the integrity of the Experience as the focus of the UK's millennium celebrations.

  Millennium Dome
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio if he will hold a national competition to name the huge figure in the Millennium Dome. [31521]

  Mr. Mandelson
  I have no plans to do so.

  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio how many contracts relating to the building of the Millennium Dome were put out to competitive tender; on what dates; by what methods; and how many responses to each were received [32028]

  Mr. Mandelson
  [holding answer 2 March 1998]: All 29 contracts relating to the building of the Millennium Dome have been put out to competitive tender by the New Millennium Experience Company. Tenders for the contracts were issued between January 1997 and January 1998. The Company received between three and seven responses for each contract.

HEALTH

  Residential Care and Nursing Homes
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many inspections of residential homes were undertaken per London borough in(a) 1994–95, (b) 1995–96, (c) 1996–97 and (d) 1997–98; and how many residential homes were visited in each borough. [31218]

  Mr. Boateng
  This information is not routinely collected by the Department. However, local authority social services departments in London participated in a Social Services Inspectorate national survey of registration and inspection units in 1994–95. The number of reported inspections, and the total number of local authority homes, private and voluntary (including dual registered) whether inspected or not are in the table. This survey is being repeated for 1996–97, but the results are not yet to hand. Data for the other years requested are not available.

  Inspections of residential care, London boroughs 1994–95

  Authority

  Number of inspections

  Number of homes

  Camden

  102

  51

  Greenwich

  68

  34

  Hackney

  67

  34

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  61

  38

  60

  inspections of residential care, London boroughs 1994–95

  Authority

  Number of inspections

  Number of homes

  Islington

  60

  39

  Kensington and Chelsea

  46

  20

  Lambeth

  144

  81

  Lewisham

  202

  64

  Southwark

  93

  47

  Tower Hamlets

  59

  30

  Wandsworth

  140

  69

  Westminster

  72

  36

  Barking and Dagenham

  39

  22

  Barnet

  174

  87

  Bexley

  64

  32

  Brent

  (data not supplied)

  Bromley

  84

  70

  Croydon

  492

  107

  Ealing

  99

  61

  Enfield

  149

  81

  Haringey

  114

  62

  Harrow

  106

  56

  Havering

  93

  57

  Hillingdon

  65

  46

  Hounslow

  50

  25

  Kingston upon Thames

  113

  38

  Merton

  70

  35

  Newham

  74

  37

  Redbridge

  109

  55

  Richmond upon Thames

  86

  41

  Sutton

  132

  44

  Waltham Forest

  132

  66

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will require registration authorities to undertake detailed company searches as a matter of routine when registering residential care and nursing homes; and if he will make a statement. [32860]

  Mr. Boateng
  Registration authorities are required to satisfy themselves that the person registered or applying to be registered is a "fit person" to run a home. In doing so, authorities will take into account the business background and financial viability of any applicant.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review legislation and regulations governing the registration of residential care and nursing homes; and if he will make a statement. [32859]

  Mr. Boateng
  We are committed to creating effective independent regulatory arrangements for residential care homes and nursing homes which are tough, transparent and accountable. We are looking at the options for change and will set out our proposals in the White Paper on Social Services to be published in the summer.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the financial burden on local authorities of carrying out the registration and inspection of residential care and nursing homes; and if he will make a statement. [32861]

  Mr. Boateng
  Latest available information returned to the Department from local and health authority returns for 1995–96, indicate that the costs of local authority regulation functions were £28.6 million, and those for health authorities £9.2 million. In both cases, income from residential care and nursing home fees has fallen significantly short of the costs incurred by authorities. Regulatory fees have not been increased for several years and in January this year we published our proposals for
  61
  raising fees in the "Consultation Document on Increasing Regulatory Fees for Residential Care Homes and Nursing Homes", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Health Education
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has made to other Departments to improve the delivery of health education in schools, with particular reference to sexual health. [31991]

  Ms Jowell
  We are working in close co-operation with Ministers at the Department for Education and Employment. DfEE announced the intention to help all schools become healthy schools in the White Paper "Excellence in Schools". Our consultation paper "Our Healthier Nation" followed this up by trailing a Healthy Schools Initiative which will include establishing a National Advisory Group on Personal Social and Health Education. This will be chaired jointly by DfEE and Department of Health Ministers.

  The Department and the DfEE are also collaborating on development of a programme to reduce unintended conceptions. Progress will be reviewed by a series of task groups, one of which will focus specifically on sex and relationships education.

  Brook Advisory Centres
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the grant given to the Brook Advisory Centre in 1997 by his Department; and what is the planned grant for 1998 and 1999. [32644]

  Ms Jowell
  In 1997–98 the Brook Advisory Centre received a core grant of £80,000 from the Department of Health under the Section 64 General Scheme (Section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968). A project grant of £23,563 was also made under the same scheme.

  Announcements about further core grants and project funding will be made in due course.

  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health during the period from 1980 to 1997, what were the total amounts of public funds each year granted to the Brook advisory centres by(a) his Department, (b) health authorities and (c) local authorities [32645]

  Ms Jowell
  The Brook Advisory Centre has received core funding from the Department under the Section 64 General Scheme (Section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968) for the period 1980 to 1997 as follows:

  Year

  £

  1997–98

  80,000

  1996–97

  80,000

  1995–96

  65,000

  1994–95

  65,000

  1993–94

  65,000

  1992–93

  68,500

  1991–92

  65,000

  1990–91

  65,000

  1989–90

  45,000

  1988–89

  45,000

  1987–88

  45,000

  1986–87

  35,000

  1985–86

  35,000

  1984–85

  35,000

  62

  Year

  £

  1983–84

  34,500

  1982–83

  22,500

  1981–82

  30,000

  1980–81

  21,000

  1979–80

  21,000

  In addition grants for specific projects were made in the following years:

  Year

  £

  1997–98

  23,563

  1996–97

  20,000

  1995–96

  22,796

  1993–94

  35,000

  1992–93

  23,000

  1986–87

  3,800

  There are no centrally held figures on grants made by health authorities and local authorities.

  Dental Amalgam
  Mrs. Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment his Department has made of the findings of the EU ad hoc committee on dental amalgam; and what is its response; [32827]

  (2) what representations he has received on the use of mercury in dental amalgam fillings; and if he will make a statement. [32825]

  Mr. Milburn
  The Department occasionally receives inquiries about the safety of dental amalgam. When the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) considered the matter in 1986 they advised that the use of dental amalgam was free from risk of systemic toxicity. COT has now reviewed the draft report which the European Commission commissioned from European Economic Area member states and we shall publish their advice shortly.

  Mrs. Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice his Department issues to dentists on the contra-indications for use of mercury in dental amalgam fillings. [32826]

  Mr. Milburn
  In the rare instances where a patient is hypersensitive to amalgam, a general dental practitioner may seek permission from the Dental Practice Board to use an alternative filling material in the back teeth.

  Influenza Immunisation
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the last 10 years have had serious adverse effects from the influenza inoculation. [32851]

  Ms Jowell
  Influenza vaccine is usually well tolerated apart from occasional soreness at the immunisation site. A total of 592 reports of serious suspected adverse drug reactions associated with influenza vaccine have been reported to the Committee on Safety of Medicines during the period 1 January 1988 to 31 December 1997 from
  63
  throughout the United Kingdom. During this time over 50 million doses of influenza vaccine are estimated to have been given.

  A report of a reaction does not imply causality. Many factors to be taken into account when assessing causal relationships including temporal association, any underlying disease and the possible contribution of other concomitant medication. In these circumstances it may be difficult to ascribe the cause of the reaction to a single vaccine or drug.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the last 10 years he estimates have received the influenza inoculation(a) on the NHS and (b) in total. [32852]

  Ms Jowell
  The number of doses of influenza vaccine sold in each of the last 10 years is given in the first table but it is not possible to say how many people received the vaccine. These are the total United Kingdom sales figures provided by the manufacturers. They include vaccine sold to general practitioners, health authorities, hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and private sales. These figures are not available broken down by each country.

  Doses of influenza vaccine sold 1987/88 to 1997/98 (financial years), UK

  Doses of vaccine (millions)

  1987/88

  2.0

  1988/89

  2.9

  1989/90

  3.2

  1990/91

  3.7

  1991/92

  4.5

  1992/93

  4.7

  1993/94

  5.7

  1994/95

  6.1

  1995/96

  6.0

  1996/97

  6.2

  1997/981

  7.3

  1 1997/98 may include unused stocks

  The numbers of items of influenza vaccine dispensed on the National Health Service in England for 1991–1996 are given in the second table. These are the only years for which this information is available. Prescription items may not relate exactly to the number of people receiving the prescriptions, and therefore the number of doses given on the NHS.

  Number of prescription items dispensed for influenza1 vaccines, 1991 to 1996 (calendar years), England

  Number of prescription items (millions)

  1991

  3.6

  1992

  3.9

  1993

  4.5

  1994

  4.9

  1995

  4.9

  1996

  5.0

  1 Influenza vaccines are those described within British National Formulary section 14.1, vaccines and antisera.

  Note:

  The data cover all prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescribing doctors for items personally administered in England.

  Measles, Mumps and Rubella Vaccinations
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the findings contained in the paper by Dr. Andrew Wakefield published recently in The Lancet on MMR vaccinations [33103]

  Ms Jowell
  We are aware of the study by a group of researchers at the Royal Free Hospital which was published recently in The Lancet. An abstract of the work had already been reviewed by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, an independent expert group which advises the United Kingdom health departments, last year. It was the view of the Committee that the study provided no scientifically convincing evidence for links between the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine, autism and inflammatory bowel disease. The more detailed report published in The Lancet has no implications for immunisation policy and practice and I would agree with the authors of the study that it
  "did not prove a causal association between MMR vaccine and the syndrome described".

  An independent assessment of the paper was also contained in the same edition of The Lancet in the form of a commentary. The commentary highlighted the complete lack of any reliable scientific evidence for a causal link and also the weight of already published evidence against a link. The commentary reminds readers that hundreds of millions of persons worldwide have received measles containing vaccine without developing either chronic bowel or behavioural problems. MMR remains the safest way to protect children against these diseases and should continue to be used as recommended.

  Continence Products
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 3 March 1998,Official Report, column 562, concerning continence products purchased by the NHS National Supplies Trust, what evidence he evaluated to support the explanation for the overall drop in value and volume [33352]

  Mr. Boateng
  Data on incontinence products that are home delivered are not collected centrally. 104 National Health Service community trusts have some type of home delivery arrangements in place and further NHS trusts are considering making such arrangements. It is on this basis that it is considered likely that the drop in value and volume in continence products supplied by NHS Supplies Authority may be explained by the trend towards home delivery.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will discourage NHS trusts from selling continence products to NHS patients [33354]

  Mr. Boateng
  Section 1 of the National Health Service Act 1977 requires that NHS services provided under the Act to NHS patients must be free of charge, except where the making and recovery of charges is expressly provided for by legislation. The then Chief Executive of the NHS Management Executive, Sir Duncan Nichol, wrote to health authority managers and NHS trust chief executives on 24 October 1991, to bring this matter to their attention.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 3 March,Official Report, column 563, regarding advice on continence services,

  65
  what assessment he has made of the availability of the manual bowel evacuation procedure; and if training is being provided for nursing staff. [33353]

  Mr. Boateng
  As yet, no assessment has been made by the Department into the availability of the manual bowel evacuation procedure. The English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting has approved post-registration training for patients with bladder and bowel continence care needs. National Health Service trusts also provide in-service training to enable practitioners to provide high quality continence care.

  Public Bodies (Reports)
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the bodies within the responsibility of his Department currently required by legislation to lay a report before Parliament. [33556]

  Mr. Milburn
  The English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority are required in law to provide annual reports to the Secretary of State who in turn is required in law to lay copies of the reports before Parliament.

  Details of which of the public bodies sponsored by the Department produce annual reports and how they may be obtained are published annually in Public Bodies, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Asthma
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to investigate the link between the extent of antibiotics use for minor illnesses and childhood asthma. [33269]

  Ms Jowell
  The prescribing needs of patients are a matter for the doctors responsible for their care. A number of theories have been put forward to explain the rise in prevalence of asthma in children in the past twenty to thirty years. The Department is aware of recent press reports of an as yet unpublished research study, carried out at Churchill Hospital, Oxford, which suggests that children under two years of age who are given oral antibiotics are more likely to develop asthma and other allergic conditions in later life. When the findings are published we shall certainly study them carefully.

  Home Helps
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the amount charged to an individual for a home help by each local authority in England. [33322]

  Mr. Milburn
  Information on charges made to individuals for social services provision is not collected centrally.

CABINET OFFICE

  Publications
  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio if he will list those European Commission(a) newsletters, (b) magazines and (c) occasional publications to which his Office subscribes. [33657]

  Mr. Mandelson
  My office does not subscribe to any European Commission publications.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Departmental Employees
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the number of his Department's employees by UK region, indicating the wage bill(a) in total and (b) by region in the last year for which figures are available and separately identifying the costs of London allowances and weightings. [30066]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  [holding answer 18 February 1998]: For the purposes of this answer, my Department includes the Prime Minister's Office, the Cabinet Office, the Office of Public Service, its executive agencies and the Central Office of Information, which is not an agency of the Cabinet Office but which reports directly to the Chancellor.

  Staff figures at 1 October 1997, the latest date for which such figures are available, and the total wage bill, including costs for National Insurance contributions and superannuation payments, for 1 April 1997 to 31 January 1998, by region, were as follows:

  £

  Staff Figures

  Total Wage Bill

  London

  2,261

  58,018,870

  The South East

  286

  6,411,027

  East Anglia

  193

  5,275,181

  The North West

  143

  2,709,000

  London allowances and weightings were consolidated into basic pay on 1 August 1997. Prior to this date, the costs for each of the regions were as follows:

  London Allowances/Weightings (1 April to 1 July 1997)

  £

  London

  1,730,815

  The South East

  22,971

  East Anglia

  14,500

  The North West

  0

  Departmental Buildings
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the location and running costs in the last year for which figures are available of each of his Department's buildings. [30067]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  [holding answer 18 February 1998]: For this purpose, the Cabinet Office includes the Prime Minister's Office and the Office of Public Service and its

  67
  executive agencies. The last year for which running cost figures are available is 1996–97. The information requested is as shown.

  Running costs £

  Cabinet Office

  London

  36 Whitehall

  873,100

  70 Whitehall

  2,516,400

  10–12 Downing Street

  1,363,150

  53 Parliament Street

  208,675

  Hepburn House, Marsham Street

  519,125

  Admiralty House, Whitehall

  143,275

  Murray House, Vandon Street

  63,325

  Dacre House, Dacre Street

  591,650

  Civil Service Recreation Centre, Chadwick Street

  148,655

  Elsewhere

  Sovereign House, Norwich

  75

  Leatherhead Road, Chessington

  1,233,865

  Alencon Link, Basingstoke

  1,016,540

  St Clements House, Norwich

  58,040

  Hill Street, Edinburgh

  31,435

  OPS Agencies

  SAFE

  St Christoher House, Southwark Street, London

  224,160

  Header House, Burtonwood, Warrington

  153,595

  68

  Running costs £

  The Buying Agency Liver Building, Liverpool

  290,400

  CCTA, Hampton House, London and St. Andrews Business Park, Norwich

  2,933,000

  GCDA, Ponton Road, London

  896,000

  Civil Service College, Sunningdale Park

  2,858,660

  PACE—Own Use Buildings1

  St Christopher House, London

  1,316,225

  28 Thistle Street, Edinburgh

  314,256

  Alexandra House, Leeds

  191,258

  West Point, Chester

  150,979

  38 George Road, Birmingham

  252,297

  Beaufort Court, Bristol

  342,927

  Dowding House, Tunbridge Wells

  115,445

  Frant House, Tunbridge Wells

  61,260

  COI

  Hercules Road, London

  2,441,000

  1 On 1 January 1996 PACE was created as an Executive Agency of the Office of Public Service. In addition to the buildings it occupies for its own use, PACE also inherited all the wholly vacant buildings then on the Civil Estate.

  PACE is charged with the disposal of this vacant estate which currently totals some 286 properties. Collection of the requested information for this large number of buildings will take time. I have, therefore, asked the Chief Executive of PACE to write separately to the hon. Member with this additional information. A copy of the letter will be published in the Official Report.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Fireworks
  Ms Hewitt
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will publish the report of her Department's firework injury survey for 1997; and if she will make a statement. [33695]

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  The number of persons injured by fireworks during the 1997 firework season was 908. This represents a fall of 26% compared with the previous year. This significant fall is I believe due to the fireworks safety Regulations introduced in October and the very effective firework safety campaign run by my Department in the run-up to Bonfire Night.

  Copies of the DTI's Firework Injury Survey are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Fishing Industry
  Ms Atherton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment her Department has made of the impact of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment on the United Kingdom fishing industry. [31844]

  Mrs. Roche
  Current UK policies on fishing will be unaffected by the MAI. The European Commission has notified an exception to MAI disciplines to restrict access to Community waters to vessels flying the flag of a member state or to third countries that have signed a mutual bilateral fishing agreement. In addition the UK has notified an exception to ensure that British registered vessels have a genuine economic link with this country. These measures will enable us to continue to manage sea fisheries as a sustainable resource.

  Nuclear Fuel
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her answer of 9 February 1998, Official Report, column 90, what percentage of spent fuel imported since 1990 will be reprocessed over the next (a) five years, (b) 10 years, (c) 15 years and (d) 20 years. [33016]

  Mr. Battle
  [holding answer 6 March 1998]: The reprocessing programme for spent fuel, both imported and from the United Kingdom, is a contractual matter between BNFL and its customers. Since 1976 all new contracts for reprocessing overseas spent fuel have contained options for the return of wastes. The Government intend that such options should be exercised and that wastes arising from reprocessing be returned to the countries of origin.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assistance BNFL provided to the state authorities in Louisiana in respect of proposals to build a uranium enrichment plant in the state. [33117]

  Mr. Battle
  I understand from BNFL that they have provided no assistance to the Louisiana state authorities in respect of proposals to build a uranium enrichment plant in the state.

  Employee Travel
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will estimate the cost of employee travel on office business, broken down into(a) fuel allowances, (b) unproductive time during travel, (c) other costs related to car transport and (d) costs related to public transport, for (i) 1994–95, (ii) 1995–96, (iii) 1996–97 and (iv) 1997–98. [32437]

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  [holding answer 3 March 1998]: The authorisation of travel claims for DTI staff is devolved to local management subject to checking procedures and within allocated budgets. It does not record expenditure on fuel allowances, travel time, other costs related to car transport and costs related to public transport separately from other travel and subsistence expenses paid to staff undertaking departmental business. To provide the information requested would entail disproportionate cost. It would not be possible to measure unproductive travel time.

  Arms Sales
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her answer of 12 December 1997,Official Report, columns 718–19, what was the total value of potential ECGD liabilities under guarantees relating to defence-related business; what was that figure as a percentage of the value of all liabilities under ECGD guarantees, in each year; and when figures for 1996–97 will be available. [32817]

  Mrs. Roche
  The total value of new liabilities assumed by ECGD under guarantees in respect of defence related business issued in each of the three years was as follows:

  Total value of defence business £ million

  Defence as a percentage of all business

  1994–95

  727

  21

  1995–96

  1,015

  23

  1996–97

  385

  15

  ECGD is unable to determine retrospectively the total liabilities which matured under its guarantees in these years in respect of individual sectors such as defence related business.

  The claims figures for 1996/97 have now been audited and remain as quoted in my answer to the hon. Gentleman of 12 December 1997, Official Report, column 718–19.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the Minister for Science, Energy and Industry plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for
  71
  Easington dated 6 January concerning a reduction in concessionary coal entitlement for retired, redundant miners and widows of miners; and if she will make a statement. [27956]

  Mr. Battle
  I wrote to my hon. Friend on 2 March 1998.

  Millennium Compliance
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many calls have been received by the Action 2000 hotline. [32487]

  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 3 March 1998]: From 22 January 1998, when Action 2000 hotline was first opened, to the end of February 1998, it has received approximately 3,600 calls.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which new books, periodicals and consultancies she has added to the lists supplied by the Millennium Bug Hotline in the last months. [32684]

  Mrs. Beckett
  [holding answer 3 March 1998]: Action 2000 are responsible for the lists of books, periodicals and consultancies. I understand from them that these lists are next due to be updated at the end of March.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many inquiries can be answered at the same time for people ringing the Millennium Bug Hotline. [32685]

  Mrs. Beckett
  [holding answer 3 March 1998]: I understand from Action 2000 that there are six people manning the hotline on a regular basis. Should demand require, another three are trained and can be called in at short notice. So far demand has not required more than this nine and a call queuing system is available to manage any temporary overflow.

  National Minimum Wage
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to her oral statement of 16 December 1997,Official Report, column 167, concerning variations in the level of the proposed minimum wage, if she categorises the armed services as a sector. [32799]

  Mrs. Beckett
  [holding answer 3 March 1998]: The National Minimum Wage Bill does not provide for variation in the level of the national minimum wage by sector of employment. The armed forces are exempt from the minimum wage by sector of employment. The armed forces are exempt from the minimum wage on the grounds set out by my hon. Friend the Minister of State which are reported in the Official Report, Standing Committee D, 5 February 1998, in particular column 777.

  Environmental Technologies Exhibit
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what support her Department is making available for companies wishing to exhibit at the ET'98 convention on environmental technologies at the NEC Birmingham in June. [33114]
  72
  Mr. Battle
  The Department will support ET'98 by participating in the exhibition as it has done each year since 1990. In addition, the Department is widely publicising the event so as to encourage overseas buyers in particular to attend the exhibition.

  Departmental Employees (Japan)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many(a) full time or (b) part time (i) employees and (ii) consultants her Department funds in Japan broken down by organisation; and how many of these work from offices in the British Embassy in Tokyo. [32980]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  One of my officials is currently on secondment on the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) and this posting is being fully funded by my Department. There are no other DTI employees or full or part time consultants in Japan funded by my Department. Occasionally the Embassy will employ consultants at our cost to provide specific services in support of our inward investment, commercial and science and technology activities in Japan. Neither our secondee to MITI nor any hired consultants work from the offices of the British Embassy in Tokyo.

  Invest in Britain Bureau
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the expected out-turn expenditure by her Department in supporting the work of the Invest in Britain Bureau in the current financial year; and what were the corresponding sums spent in each of the past five years. [32979]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  The Department's Invest in Britain Bureau's forecast expenditure outturn on programme costs for 1997–98 is £13.7 million, consisting of £3.3 million for promotional activities and £10.4 million support for the English Regional Development Organisations. The forecast outturn on running costs for 1997–98 for IBB is £2.4 million. Corresponding figures for the previous five years are shown in the table.

  Invest in Britain Bureau expenditure

  £ million

  Year

  Promotional activities

  Support for RDOs

  Running costs

  1992–93

  2.8

  5.0

  1.6

  1993–>94

  2.8

  5.8

  1.7

  1994–>95

  3.4

  7.3

  1.7

  1995–>96

  3.7

  8.8

  2.3

  1996–>97

  3.4

  9.1

  2.3

  ASEM II Meeting
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what account she will take of human rights issues during her preparation for the Business Event which she is hosting at the ASEM II meeting in April; and if she will make a statement. [31022]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The 1998 Asia Europe Business Forum is primarily a mechanism to promote business to business contacts between ASEM member countries. The agenda
  73
  for the ASEM Summit is still under discussion. It is expected to be wide-ranging and productive and to touch upon human rights issues.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she plans to consult with relevant non-government organisations in preparation for the Business Event she is hosting at the ASEM II meeting in April. [31021]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The 1998 Asia Europe Business Forum is primarily a mechanism to promote business to business contacts between ASEM member countries. Its agenda has been drawn up in consultation with our ASEM partners. I currently have no plans to consult with non-government organisations.

  Exports (Kenya)
  Mr. Stinchcombe
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many licence applications are pending for the export of tear gas and plastic bullets to Kenya. [24332]

  Mrs. Roche
  These goods, and others, are controlled under entries in Part 1 of Schedule III to the Export of Goods (Control) Order which are known as the ratings for these goods: tear gas under entry ML7; and plastic bullets under entries ML3 or PL5021.

  The Export Control Organisation's computer databases have been interrogated, and the following results were obtained. At 12 January 1998, decisions had not yet been taken on 4 applications for open individual licences to export goods rated ML3 to Kenya. The paper records of these 4 applications have been examined and none covered tear gas or plastic bullets. There are no other pending applications for Standard Individual Export Licences or Open Individual Export Licences for the export to Kenya of goods with any of the specified ratings.

  This information should be considered in light of my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint), Official Report, 30 October 1997, columns 870–871.

SCOTLAND

  Lynebank Hospital
  Ms Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the cost of maintaining long-stay hospital facilities at Lynebank for 40 elderly patients and 40 patients with forensic and dual diagnosis for severe learning and physical disabilities. [29152]

  Mr. Galbraith
  [holding answer 23 February 1998]: Fife Health Board and Fife Healthcare NHS Trust are undertaking further work to identify the preferred option for the future provision of NHS continuing care services currently provided at Lynebank Hospital for learning disabled and elderly patients.
  74
  The Trust has estimated the theoretical cost of providing for 40 frail elderly patients and approximately 48 learning disability patients on the Lynebank site as below:

  £ million

  Two frail elderly wards (40 places)

  1.0

  Four learning disabilities wards (approximately 48 places) plus Community Learning Disability Team

  3.7

  Total

  4.7

  While the Trust has identified clinical costs, facilities costs have been pro-rated and may not be operationally achievable. The estimates also exclude central services costs, interest and depreciation. The figure of £3.7 million for learning disabilities is based on the cost of operating 4 wards (48 places). The provision of 40 learning disability places rather than 48 is unlikely to make a material difference to the estimate.

  Recycled Land
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage and surface area of recycled land has been decontaminated in each of the last 12 years by county and region in Scotland; and what percentage and surface area of that land has been used for housing developments. [32426]

  Mr. Macdonald
  Information specifically on decontaminated land which has subsequently been used for housing developments is not available centrally. However, the Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey does provide some information on the amount of vacant and derelict land being taken up for a range of uses. The information related to housing is as follows:

  Vacant and derelict land recycled for housing
  development

  Hectares

  Percentage

  1990

  Total vacant and derelict land

  12,140

  —

  Total taken up since 1988

  586

  —

  Total taken up for housing

  1—

  —

  1993

  Total vacant and derelict land

  15,400

  —

  Total taken up since 1990

  2,293

  —

  Total taken up for housing

  571

  24.9

  1994

  Total vacant and derelict land

  14,094

  —

  Total taken up since 1993

  1,263

  —

  Total taken up for housing

  216

  17.1

  1995

  Total vacant and derelict land

  13,721

  —

  Total taken up since 1994

  824

  —

  Total taken up for housing

  234

  28.4

  75

  Vacant and derelict land recycled for housing
  development

  Hectares

  Percentage

  1996

  Total vacant and derelict land

  13,101

  —

  Total taken up since 1995

  688

  —

  Total taken up for housing

  257

  37.4

  1Figure unavailable

  Note:

  Owing to the change to local authority boundaries following the reorganisation of local government, it is not possible to produce time series aggregated data by local authority area.

  Regional Selective Assistance
  Dr. Ladyman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many grants of regional selective assistance were made in Scotland in 1997; how many were made at the maximum level; what was the average level; and how many jobs he estimates were created. [32552]

  Mr. Wilson
  During 1997 there were 235 offers of Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) made in Scotland. Offers to 3 projects in development areas were made at the GB maximum RSA cost per job limit and there were no offers made to intermediate area projects at the lower cost per job limit applying to these areas. The weighted average RSA cost per job of all 1997 offers in development areas was £8,103 and in intermediate areas was £3,679. These offers were in total associated with the planned creation of 19,546 new jobs and safeguarding of 3,116 jobs. The actual number of jobs created and safeguarded cannot be ascertained until the projects in question have been completed, which on average takes some 3 to 4 years.

  Industrial and Business Investors
  Dr. Ladyman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what grants other than regional selective assistance were made available to industrial and business investors in Scotland in 1997. [32553]

  Mr. Wilson
  In addition to assistance available throughout the United Kingdom, The Scottish Office, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise make a number of grants available for business development in Scotland. The table shows the grants available and the level of expenditure in 1996–1997, the last complete financial year.

  £ million

  Grant

  Expenditure 1996–1997

  The Scottish Office

  Regional Enterprise Grant Investment Grant Scheme

  0.6

  Regional Innovation Grant Scheme

  1.8

  Small Firms Merit Award (SMART)/Support for Products under Research (SPUR)

  2.1

  Expert Help Programme

  0.642

  Scottish Enterprise

  General Grant Scheme

  17.353

  Specific Grant Scheme

  Training and Employment Grants Scheme

  2.684

  Scottish Export Assistance Scheme

  0.279

  Skills for Small Business

  1.099

  76

  £ million

  Grant

  Expenditure 1996–1997

  Business Enterprise Support

  6.576

  Business Start Up

  6.552

  Better Businesses Services Scheme

  1.361

  Highlands and Islands Enterprise

  Finance for Business

  12.895

  Business Start Up Scheme

  1.655

  Court Cases (Verdicts)
  Mrs. McKenna
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish, for each of the last 10 years, the number of verdicts handed down by Scottish courts of(a) guilty, (b) not guilty and (c) not proven. [32802]

  Mr. McLeish
  The table provides the available information for 1986–1995, the latest ten years for which information is available.

  Number of persons with a charge proved or acquitted in Scottish Courts, 1986–1995

  Year of sentence/acquittal

  Charge proved

  Outcome Acquitted not guilty

  Acquitted not proven

  1986

  184,276

  9,858

  1,965

  1987

  179,276

  9,893

  1,923

  1988

  179,119

  7,787

  1,911

  1989

  173,594

  7,596

  2,056

  1990

  176,558

  7,103

  2,090

  1991

  178,835

  6,935

  1,987

  1992

  177,483

  6,409

  1,798

  1993

  162,806

  6,761

  1,509

  1994

  159,178

  5,579

  1,337

  1995

  156,707

  5,397

  1,403

  Social Housing
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will reduce the number of units or hectares in a housing development above which local authorities can require an element of social housing to be provided in the development. [32337]

  Mr. Macdonald
  [holding answer 3 March 1998]Current guidance in Scotland does not specify a particular scale of housing development above which local authorities can require houses to be provided which are affordable to those in lower income groups. Instead, local authorities are encouraged to consider, in conjunction with Scottish Homes, whether there is a requirement for affordable housing to meet local needs in a particular area. Where appropriate, in the light of that consideration, structure and local plans should then include policies which address any such needs so identified.

  Public Appointments
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of the appointments to public bodies which he has made since 1 May 1997 have been from the Public Appointments Unit list. [33246]
  77
  Mr. Dewar
  The Scottish Office maintains its own Public Appointments List and therefore makes limited use of names from the Public Appointments Unit. From time to time the Public Appointments Unit passes names to the Scottish Office for the Public Appointments List, and vice versa. The Scottish Office List is used as one of a number of sources, including advertising, to ensure the widest possible range of suitably qualified candidates for the public appointments which I make. The specific sources of the names of those appointed are not recorded centrally.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the council tax at Band D in each council area for each year from 1991–92 to 1997–98, adding together the totals for district and region where appropriate and giving the figures for the water and sewage council tax or charge separately. [33137]

  Mr. Macdonald
  [holding answer 6 March 1998]As the information is rather lengthy, I will write to the hon. Member and place copies in the Library of the House.

  Public Housing
  Mr. Sarwar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many houses were built by(a) local authorities and (b) housing associations in each of the last five years. [33212]

  Mr. Macdonald
  The available information, which covers the years 1992–96, is set out in the table.

  £ million

  Financial year

  Additional

  spending pressure

  Amount added to AEF

  1991–92

  Education:

  In Service Training Transfer

  5.4

  Staff Development/Appraisal

  2.0

  Social Work:

  Community Care

  7.0

  Mental Illness Specific Grant

  3.0

  Fire

  1.00

  Civil Defence:

  Emergency Planning Functions

  0.5

  Cleansing:

  Litter Duties/Waste Regulation

  12.0

  Environmental Health:

  Food Safety Bill

  3.0

  River Purification:

  Environmental Protection Bill

  1.0

  Leisure and Recreation:

  Children's Play Areas

  2.0

  Roads and Road Lighting:

  Increasing Road Lengths

  1.0

  Building Control

  0.7

  1992–93

  Education:

  Senior Teachers'Pay Award

  11.5

  Staff Appraisal

  4.0

  Senior Teachers (Non-Staff)

  5.0

  Speech Therapy

  2.0

  Social Work:

  Community Care (Stage 2)

  11.0

  Residential Childcare

  7.0

  Child Protection Training

  1.0

  Day Care

  1.5

  Arms Length Inspection

  0.5

  Advocacy For Disabled

  1.0

  Police:

  Road Traffic Technology

  1.5

  District Courts:

  Road Traffic Technology

  0.3

  Cleansing:

  Waste Regulation/Recycling etc.

  8.0

  Environmental Health:

  Food Safety

  1.5

  Control of Dogs

  2.5

  River Purification

  1.0

  Registers of Contaminated Land

  2.0

  Leisure and Recreation:

  Resurfacing of Play Areas

  2.0

  Council Tax Preparation

  24.0

  78

  New housebuilding completions1 by local authorities2 and housing associations in Scotland between 1992 and 1996

  Year

  Local authority

  Housing association

  1992

  697

  3,044

  1993

  502

  2,723

  1994

  548

  2,990

  1995

  499

  5,003

  1996

  209

  2,683

  1Information on new housebuilding is collected centrally and published in a quarterly bulletin, the latest being 'Housing Trends in Scotland: Quarter Ended 31 March 1997' (HSG/1997/7) in November 1997.

  2The figures for local authority new housebuilding from 1994 may not be complete since not all local authorities have submitted returns.

  Council Expenditure
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the additional responsibilities and statutory obligations placed on Scottish councils which involved expenditure by councils in each year from 1991–92 to 1997–98; what estimate the Scottish Office has made of the additional(a) annual cost and (b) one-off cost each of these involved for Scottish councils; and what additional amounts were provided by the Scottish Office to councils through aggregate external finance specifically to meet these costs. [33222]

  Mr. Macdonald
  [holding answer 6 March 1998]The statutory new burdens and transfers of responsibility recognised in the local government finance settlements each year from 1991–92 to 1997–98 are set out in the table below:
  79

  £ million

  Financial year

  Additional

  spending pressure

  Amount added to AEF

  1993–94

  Education:

  Support for Senior Promoted Staff

  5.0

  Premature Retirement Costs

  0.5

  Staff Appraisal

  6.0

  Social Work:

  Community Care—DSS Transfer

  40.6

  Independent Living Fund

  2.8

  Community Care Implementation

  22.1

  Child Care

  4.0

  Independent Living Fund

  2.1

  Fire:

  Firefighting at Sea

  1.0

  Fire Safety in Workplace

  0.5

  River Purification:

  Nitrate Directive

  0.2

  Cleansing:

  Waste Regulation/Recycling etc.

  5.0

  Planning:

  Contaminated Land

  0.2

  Consumer Protection:

  Children's Protection—Tobacco

  0.5

  1994–95

  Education:

  Devolved School Management

  13.2

  Workload Senior Promoted Staff

  5.0

  Normalisation of TVEI

  3.0

  Staff Appraisal

  2.0

  Speech Therapy

  1.0

  Including Fees of Independent Schools

  1.0

  Social Work:

  Community Care—DSS Transfer

  65.6

  Independent Living Fund

  4.0

  Community Care Implementation

  14.2

  Mental Illness Specific Grant

  4.0

  Scotland's Health—Policy

  2.0

  Child Care

  10.0

  Supplementary Accommodation for Young

  0.6

  People

  Police:

  Disposal of Police Houses

  3.0

  Fire:

  Fire Service Pensions

  2.0

  Health and Safety Regulations

  0.6

  Homelessness

  2.0

  Consumer Protection

  Trading Standards

  1.5

  Visual Display Equipment Eye Tests

  3.0

  Local Government Reform

  5.0

  Water and Sewerage

  Restructuring Costs

  1.0

  NHS Laboratories Transfer

  1.2

  1995–96

  Education:

  Devolved School Management

  3.0

  Workload—Senior Promoted Staff

  2.0

  School Transport Safety

  4.0

  Staff Appraisal

  2.0

  Records of Special Education Needs

  0.5

  Social Work:

  Community Care—DSS Transfer

  52.1

  Independent Living Fund

  3.8

  Community Care Implementation

  5.1

  Mental Illness Specific Grant

  4.0

  Child Care

  6.0

  Transport Safety

  1.0

  Transport:

  Air passenger Duty

  0.04

  Aids and Adaptations for the

  1.0

  Disabled

  Housing Benefit Transfer

  0.07

  New Towns Responsibilities

  3.3

  Port Health Transfer

  0.06

  Cost of Shadow Elections

  5.0

  1996–97

  Education:

  Devolved School Management

  6.0

  Workload of Senior Staff

  2.0

  Social Work:

  Community Care—DSS Transfer

  39.5

  Community Care Implementation

  11.6

  Children (Scotland) Act 1995

  3.0

  DSS—Occupational Pensions

  0.09

  Fire:

  Pensions

  3.0

  Transport:

  Rail Restructuring

  71.5

  Air Passenger Duty

  0.04

  Housing Benefit Transfer

  0.7

  New Towns Responsibilities

  0.8

  Homelessness

  0.02

  Trading Standards

  0.2

  Reorganisation

  40.0

  80 81

  £ million

  Financial year

  Additional

  spending pressure

  Amount added to AEF

  1997–98

  Education:

  School Security

  13.3

  Special Teaching Needs

  0.5

  Social Work:

  Community Care—DSS Transfer

  33.4

  Community Care Implementation

  15.0

  Children (Scotland) Act 1995

  5.0

  DSS—Occupational Pensions

  0.03

  Capital Disregard

  6.9

  Flood Prevention

  3.0

  Environmental Health:

  Air Quality

  0.8

  Sheep Scab

  0.03

  Trading Standards

  0.003

  Homelessness

  0.001

  PFI Preparatory Costs

  2.5

  Home Energy

  0.3

  Housing Benefit Transfer

  0.7

  New Towns Responsibilities

  0.15

  DTI European Directives

  0.03

  Scottish Parliament
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what date his Department started looking for a temporary site for the Scottish Parliament; on what date the Strathclyde Region complex was first considered; and on what date it was decided to add it to the short list of sites. [33153]

  Mr. Dewar
  [holding answer 6 March 1998]: I announced on 17 October last year my intention to ensure that, if necessary, the Scottish Parliament had available to it adequate interim accommodation. My officials began to gather information on potential interim locations later that month. The Glasgow option was first considered in detail in mid-February this year, after it became clear that there were difficulties in identifying suitable office accommodation for the Parliament's use in Edinburgh. I decided to add the Glasgow option to the short list on 27 February 1998.

  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which sites were assessed as possible temporary homes for the Scottish Parliament. [33154]

  Mr. Dewar
  [holding answer 6 March 1998]: A large number of potential interim locations were considered, and of these a smaller number were assessed in detail. These comprised, in Edinburgh, the Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland, the McEwan Hall, the Old Royal High School, the Royal College of Physicians, and St. James' House; in Glasgow, the former Strathclyde Regional Council Chamber; and in Hamilton, the South Lanarkshire Council Chambers. A wide range of office accommodation to support Parliamentary activity was also considered.

  English Grand Committee
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what briefing on the establishment of an English Grand Committee of the House was circulated to the Press before the debate on Amendment 258 to the Scotland Bill; and if he will place a copy of the briefing in the Library. [33546]

  Mr. McLeish
  I briefed the Parliamentary lobby correspondents on Tuesday 3 March on the background to the 6th day of the Commons Committee Stage of the
  82
  Scotland Bill. As part of the briefing I made available a lobby note to help the correspondents to understand the part of the Bill due to be debated and the issues which might be raised in the debate. The note, as usual, is not an official Government document and was not intended for publication or reproduction. I am however placing a copy of the briefing in the Library.

  Rural Schools
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to introduce measures similar to those proposed in England to protect rural schools from closure; and if he will make a statement. [33300]

  Mr. Wilson
  [holding answer 6 March 1998]: There are significant differences between Scotland and England in the arrangements for deciding on school closures. The position of rural schools in Scotland is already recognised in the long-standing statutory requirement for education authorities to submit for my right hon. Friend's consent any proposal to close a school where the distance between it and the alternative school is 8.046720 or more kilometres (5 miles) in the case of a primary school or 16.093440 or more kilometres (10 miles) in the case of a secondary school. My right hon. Friend gives careful consideration to such proposals taking into particular account the educational basis on which they are made and the wider impact on the community served by the school in question.

  Schools
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) primary and (b) secondary state schools there are in each council area in Scotland; and how many new schools were (i) opened and (ii) closed or merged in each area in each year from 1986–87 to 1997–98. [33138]

  Mr. Wilson
  [holding answer 6 March 1998]: Information on the number of primary and secondary schools is given in the table, from 1987–88. The table, which is derived from the annual schools census, gives some indication of changes in school numbers over the years involved. However, it is not a reliable indication of the actual numbers of new schools or schools which have closed or merged. Information on those is not collected centrally.
  83

  1996

  1995

  1994

  1993

  1992

  1991

  1990

  1989

  1988

  1987

  Total number of primary schools

  Scotland total

  2,311

  2,331

  2,336

  2,341

  2,347

  2,364

  2,372

  2,378

  2,385

  2,418

  Standard code for education authority

  Aberdeen City

  61

  61

  62

  62

  62

  62

  62

  62

  62

  62

  Aberdeenshire

  162

  162

  162

  162

  162

  162

  162

  162

  162

  162

  Angus

  62

  64

  64

  64

  64

  65

  65

  65

  65

  66

  Argyll and Bute

  88

  88

  88

  88

  88

  88

  88

  88

  88

  90

  Clackmannanshire

  19

  20

  20

  20

  20

  20

  20

  20

  20

  20

  Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

  43

  44

  44

  45

  45

  46

  46

  47

  47

  55

  Dumfries and Galloway

  116

  116

  116

  116

  116

  116

  116

  116

  116

  118

  Dundee City

  42

  45

  45

  45

  45

  45

  45

  45

  45

  45

  East Ayrshire

  46

  51

  51

  51

  51

  51

  51

  51

  51

  52

  East Dunbartonshire

  37

  36

  36

  36

  36

  36

  36

  36

  37

  37

  East Lothian

  35

  34

  34

  34

  34

  34

  34

  34

  35

  35

  East Renfrewshire

  24

  24

  24

  24

  24

  24

  24

  24

  24

  24

  Edinburgh, City of

  103

  103

  103

  103

  103

  104

  104

  104

  104

  104

  Falkirk

  48

  48

  49

  49

  49

  49

  49

  49

  50

  53

  Fife

  145

  145

  145

  145

  145

  145

  145

  147

  148

  148

  Glasgow City

  206

  210

  210

  211

  211

  212

  215

  215

  216

  221

  Highland

  195

  198

  199

  199

  200

  204

  207

  206

  208

  210

  Inverclyde

  32

  32

  32

  32

  32

  33

  33

  35

  35

  35

  Midlothian

  36

  36

  36

  37

  37

  37

  37

  37

  37

  37

  Moray

  50

  50

  50

  50

  50

  50

  50

  50

  50

  50

  North Ayrshire

  53

  53

  53

  53

  53

  53

  54

  54

  54

  54

  North Lanarkshire

  134

  134

  134

  134

  134

  134

  134

  134

  134

  136

  Orkney Islands

  22

  24

  24

  24

  24

  24

  24

  24

  24

  24

  Perth and Kinross

  78

  78

  78

  78

  79

  80

  80

  80

  80

  80

  Renfrewshire

  52

  52

  52

  52

  52

  52

  52

  52

  52

  55

  Scottish Borders

  73

  73

  73

  73

  76

  77

  77

  77

  77

  77

  Shetland Islands

  35

  34

  35

  35

  35

  35

  35

  35

  35

  35

  South Ayrshire

  45

  45

  45

  46

  46

  46

  46

  46

  46

  48

  South Lanarkshire

  124

  124

  124

  124

  124

  128

  128

  130

  130

  132

  Stirling

  44

  45

  46

  47

  47

  48

  48

  48

  48

  48

  West Dunbartonshire

  35

  36

  36

  36

  37

  37

  37

  37

  37

  37

  West Lothian

  66

  66

  66

  66

  66

  67

  68

  68

  68

  68

  Total number of secondary schools

  Scotland total

  401

  404

  405

  408

  412

  419

  424

  429

  434

  438

  Standard code for education authority

  Aberdeen City

  13

  13

  13

  13

  13

  13

  13

  14

  14

  15

  Aberdeenshire

  16

  16

  16

  16

  16

  16

  16

  16

  16

  16

  Angus

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  Argyll and Bute

  10

  10

  10

  10

  10

  10

  10

  10

  10

  10

  Clackmannanshire

  3

  3

  3

  3

  4

  4

  4

  4

  4

  4

  Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

  13

  15

  15

  16

  16

  16

  16

  16

  16

  16

  Dumfries and Galloway

  16

  16

  16

  16

  16

  16

  16

  16

  16

  16

  Dundee City

  11

  12

  12

  12

  12

  12

  12

  12

  12

  12

  East Ayrshire

  10

  10

  10

  10

  11

  11

  11

  11

  11

  11

  East Dunbartonshire

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  East Lothian

  6

  6

  6

  6

  6

  6

  6

  6

  6

  6

  East Renfrewshire

  7

  7

  7

  7

  7

  7

  7

  7

  7

  7

  Edinburgh, City of

  23

  23

  23

  23

  23

  23

  24

  24

  24

  24

  Falkirk

  8

  8

  8

  8

  8

  8

  8

  8

  8

  10

  Fife

  19

  19

  19

  19

  19

  19

  19

  19

  19

  19

  Glasgow City

  39

  39

  39

  41

  41

  45

  47

  48

  52

  53

  Highland

  27

  27

  27

  27

  27

  27

  27

  27

  27

  27

  Inverclyde

  8

  8

  8

  8

  8

  8

  8

  9

  9

  9

  Midlothian

  6

  6

  6

  6

  7

  7

  7

  7

  7

  7

  Moray

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  North Ayrshire

  10

  10

  10

  10

  10

  10

  10

  10

  10

  10

  North Lanarkshire

  26

  26

  26

  26

  26

  27

  27

  27

  27

  27

  Orkney Islands

  6

  6

  6

  6

  6

  6

  6

  6

  6

  6

  Perth and Kinross

  10

  10

  11

  11

  11

  11

  11

  11

  II

  11

  Renfrewshire

  14

  14

  14

  14

  14

  14

  14

  16

  17

  17

  Scottish Borders

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  Shetland Islands

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  South Ayrshire

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  9

  10

  10

  10

  10

  South Lanarkshire

  21

  21

  21

  21

  21

  21

  21

  21

  21

  21

  Stirling

  7

  7

  7

  7

  7

  7

  7

  7

  7

  7

  West Dunbartonshire

  7

  7

  7

  7

  7

  7

  8

  8

  8

  8

  West Lothian

  11

  11

  1 1

  11

  12

  14

  14

  14

  14

  14

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate for each of the last five years, the number and percentage of new civil servants in his
  84
  Department who attended Oxford or Cambridge University, broken down into the number of entrants joining the Department from (a) the regular Civil Service entrance procedure, (b) the fast stream and (c) the private sector. [33085]
  85
  Mr. Dewar
  This information is not available from the computerised personnel records.

  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the number of civil servants in his Department, at each grade, who received their schooling in the independent school sector. [33084]

  Mr. Dewar
  This information is not available.

  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the number and percentage of civil servants in his Department, at each grade including and above higher executive officer who(a) attended university and (b) attended either Oxford or Cambridge University. [33083]

  Mr. Dewar
  The main computerised personnel system records details of qualifications gained rather than establishment attended. Coverage of academic qualifications is not currently comprehensive, and so

  Percentage of share of pre-school education vouchers redeemed by sector in each local authority area in Scotland for 1997–98 (see note 1)

  Percentage

  Local Authority

  Share of redemption publicly funded sector See note 2

  Share of redemption private sector See note 3 and 4

  Share of redemption voluntary sector See note 4

  City of Aberdeen

  81

  17

  2

  Aberdeenshire

  69

  15

  16

  Angus

  90

  8

  2

  Argyll and Bute

  53

  20

  27

  City of Dundee

  85

  14

  1

  City of Edinburgh

  79

  19

  2

  City of Glasgow

  84

  13

  3

  Clackmannanshire

  90

  8

  2

  Dumfries and Galloway

  94

  3

  3

  East Ayrshire

  85

  8

  7

  East Dunbartonshire

  54

  32

  14

  East Lothian

  95

  4

  1

  East Renfrewshire

  69

  14

  17

  Falkirk

  97

  3

  1

  Fife

  97

  3

  0

  Highland

  74

  11

  15

  Inverclyde

  74

  12

  14

  Midlothian

  95

  4

  1

  Moray

  69

  12

  19

  North Ayrshire

  61

  25

  14

  North Lanarkshire

  75

  20

  5

  Orkney Islands

  81

  12

  7

  Perth and Kinross

  79

  18

  3

  Renfrewshire

  80

  12

  8

  Scottish Borders

  84

  9

  7

  Shetlands

  78

  0

  22

  South Ayrshire

  82

  13

  5

  South Lanarkshire

  57

  30

  13

  Stirling

  88

  10

  2

  West Dunbartonshire

  95

  5

  0

  West Lothian

  97

  3

  0

  Western Isles

  12

  25

  63

  Scotland Wide Average

  80

  14

  6

  Notes:

  1. Information shown as a percentage share of redemption as some children access more than one centre and sector.

  2. Includes LA nursery schools and classes, LA day nurseries, grant aided special schools and self governing schools.

  3. Includes private nurseries, independent schools and childminders.

  4. Individual centres identified themselves as belonging to this sector.
  86
  reliable information is not available. An exercise to verify the information held on this system and to collect incomplete details is scheduled for later in the year.

  The Scottish Prison Service and Historic Scotland maintain their own personnel records. The information sought is not currently available from these systems.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the proportion of nursery education places financed by the voucher scheme and provided by (i) local authorities, (ii) the private sector and (iii) the voluntary sector in each education authority area in Scotland in 1997–98. [31714]

  Mr. Wilson
  Approaching 90 per cent. of the identified eligible children have redeemed vouchers. The proportion of redemptions in each sector is set out in the table for each local authority area.
  87
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he plans to take to maintain the current proportion of nursery places provided by private and voluntary groups after the voucher system ends. [31715]

  Mr. Wilson
  As I have already made clear in the consultation paper "Education in Early Childhood: the Pre-School Years", I expect local authorities to consider carefully the opportunities for working in partnership with voluntary and private pre-school centres in their areas; and to commission places from centres accredited by HM Inspectors of Schools wherever this makes a cost-effective contribution to supply.

  Authorities will be invited to say how they wish the total grant for their area split between provision at their own hand and places they intend to purchase in the private and voluntary sectors. In making these proposals authorities will wish to take into account that some 14,000 children are at present accessing education places provided by private and voluntary centres across Scotland. I also expect them to consider carefully the needs and preferences of parents, including those in, or seeking, employment.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria he will use to determine whether a local authority has entered into an effective partnership with the private and voluntary sectors to provide nursery places for financial year 1998–99. [31716]

  Mr. Wilson
  The consultation paper "Education in Early Childhood: The Pre-School Years" encouraged local authorities to consider the scope for collaborating with the voluntary and private sectors to expand provision for pre-school children. It invited comments on the kinds of partnership which might be most effective and how authorities might draw on relevant experience in this area. Responses to the consultation are now being analysed. I intend to review in the autumn authorities' progress in developing partnerships of all kinds.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the criteria for allocating central grant for nursery education in fiscal year 1998–99. [31718]

  Mr. Wilson
  I am currently considering responses to the funding issues raised in the consultation paper "Education in Early Childhood: The Pre-School Years" and I expect to make an announcement later this month on how resources are to be distributed.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if she will estimate the number of civil servants in her Department, at each grade, who received their schooling in the independent school sector; [33072]

  (2) if she will estimate the number and percentage of civil servants in her Department, at each grade including and above higher executive officer who (a) attended university and (b) attended either Oxford or Cambridge University; [33071]
  88
  (3) if she will estimate for each of the last five years, the number and percentage of new civil servants in her Department who attended Oxford or Cambridge University, broken down into the number of entrants joining the Department from (a) the regular Civil Service entrance procedure, (b) the fast stream and (c) the private sector. [33073]

  Mr. Field
  This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Pensions
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to alter the minimum funding requirement on pension schemes so as to take into account the lower forecast net dividend yield. [32975]

  Mr. Denham
  The detailed requirements for minimum funding requirement (MFR) valuations are set out in regulations and in an actuarial guidance note produced by the Faculty and Institute of Actuaries and approved by the Secretary of State. The Faculty and Institute have set up working groups to look at the effects of the July Budget changes on a number of issues, including the MFR, and officials are in close contact with the profession. Although the Faculty and Institute have made recommendations for changes to the valuation method following the Budget changes, they have now indicated that they wish to do further work on the operation of the MFR generally before revising their guidance note. Any changes must await their further recommendations.

  Correspondence
  Sir Brian Mawhinney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when she expects to reply to the letter of 16 December 1997, from the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire on behalf of Mr. Moore. [33356]

  Mr. Denham
  A reply was sent on Tuesday 3 March.

  Treasury Grant
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, (1) pursuant to her answer of 26 February 1998, Official Report, column 345, on Treasury grant to the National Insurance Fund, for what reason the full amounts of the Treasury grants will not be needed in (a) 1999–98 and (b) 1998–99; [33268]

  (2) what were the total sums (a) allocated and (b) spent on the Treasury Supplement and the Treasury Grant in each of the past 20 years. [33267]

  Mr. Denham
  Information on the amounts of Treasury Supplement and Treasury Grant is set out in the table.

  Treasury Supplement and Treasury Grant: Amounts allocated and paid into the National Insurance Fund 1977–78 to 1996–97.

  £million

  Year

  Amount allocated

  Amount paid

  1977–78

  1,537

  1,537

  1978–79

  1,976

  1,976

  1979–80

  2,343

  2,343

  1980–81

  2,848

  2,848

  1981–82

  2,433

  2,433

  1982–83

  2,591

  2,591

  1983–84

  2,807

  2,807

  89

  Treasury Supplement and Treasury Grant: Amounts allocated and paid into the National Insurance Fund 1977–78 to 1996–97

  £ million

  Year

  Amount allocated

  Amount paid

  1984–85

  2,597

  2,597

  1985–86

  2,163

  2,163

  1986–87

  2,412

  2,412

  1987–88

  2,135

  2,135

  1988–89

  1,653

  1,653

  1989–901

  0

  0

  1990–911

  0

  0

  1991–92 1

  0

  0

  1992–93 1

  0

  0

  1993–94

  27,589

  47,589

  1994–95

  36,384

  46,280

  1995–96

  34,096

  43,575

  1996–97

  32,505

  41,900

  1 The Treasury Supplement was abolished in 1988–89; the Treasury Grant was introduced from 1993–94.

  2 Maximum amount of Treasury Grant made available for 1993–94 under section 2(1) of the Social Security Act 1993.

  3Maximum amounts of Treasury Grant available for those years as prescribed by Orders made under section 2(2) of the Social Security Act 1993. The amounts were based on estimates of benefit expenditure from the National Insurance Fund in those years contained in the Government Actuary's reports on the draft Social Security Benefits Up-rating Orders and draft Social Security (Contributions) (Re-rating and National Insurance Fund Payments) Orders for those years.

  4Amounts of Treasury Grant Voted in Supply Estimates and paid into the National Insurance Fund.

  Until the Treasury Supplement was abolished in 1988–89, it was calculated and paid into the National Insurance Fund as a fixed percentage of the Fund's expected annual income from National Insurance contributions. The Treasury Grant was introduced from 1993–94 as a more flexible means of enabling adjustments to be made to the level at which the Fund stands so that, after meeting its expenditure commitments on benefits and other payments, the Fund has a reasonable working balance at the end of each financial year. The advice of the Government Actuary is that the planned level of this balance should not be less than one-sixth (16.7 per cent.) of the Fund's annual benefit expenditure.

  The amounts of Treasury Grant Voted in the main Supply Estimates and paid into the Fund each year are those estimated by the Government Actuary in his report on the drafts of the annual Social Security benefits up-rating and Contributions (re-rating and National Insurance Fund payments) Orders. But the maximum level of Grant which can be made available to the Fund each year is prudently prescribed, by Order, at a higher amount. The maximum Grant is set so that, if in that year the Fund's income from contributions is lower than expected or its expenditure on benefits is higher than forecast, additional amounts of Grant may be paid into the Fund subject to Parliament approving the necessary Supplementary Estimate. This might arise when, for example, the level of unemployment is markedly higher than expected.

  In line with estimates made by the Government Actuary in January 19971, the total amount of Treasury Grant Voted and paid into the National Insurance Fund for 1997–98 is £940 million. The maximum level of Grant available for 1997–98 is £1,713 million'. The Government Actuary's latest estimates' indicate that the balance in the
  90
  Fund at 31 March 1998 will be equivalent to 19.2 per cent. of annual benefit expenditure; hence there is no need for any further Grant to be paid into the Fund in 1997–98. These estimates also indicate that without any Grant in 1998–99, the balance in the Fund at 31 March 1999 is likely be equivalent to 17.4 per cent. of annual benefit expenditure. Nevertheless, we have prudently prescribed' that a Grant of up to 2 per cent. of annual benefit expenditure (£896 million) can, if necessary, be made available to the Fund in 1998–99.

  Notes:

  1Report by the Government Actuary on the drafts of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 1997 and the Social Security (Contributions) (Re-rating and National Insurance Fund Payments) Order 1997 (Cm 3547).

  2 Social Security (Contributions) (Up-rating and National Insurance Fund Payments) Order 1997.

  3Report by the Government Actuary on the drafts of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 1998 and the Social Security (Contributions) (Re-rating and National Insurance Fund Payments) Order 1998 (Cm 3860).

  4Social Security (Contributions) (Up-rating and National Insurance Fund Payments) Order 1998.

  Disability Benefits
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to consult disability organisations before identifying specific proposals for disability benefits as part of her Department's comprehensive spending review. [33499]

  Mr. Denham
  We have given a clear commitment that we will not make any changes without consulting disabled people, and groups who represent and support them, on how we can ensure that the welfare state delivers independence and social inclusion, not discrimination and exclusion. We have already met on a number of occasions with disability interest groups and we continue to welcome their views on how the systems can be improved.

  Lone Parents
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much it would cost to exempt lone parents with children under five years old from the provisions laid down in Clause 70 of the Social Security Bill. [26169]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  Existing recipients will continue to retain entitlement to the lone parent element of Child Benefit. The estimated additional cost of exempting lone parents with children under five years old from the provisions laid down in Clause 70 of the Social Security Bill is £22 million over the next three years. The cost of exempting those lone parents from the parallel measure to remove entitlement to the lone parent rates of family premium would be £225 million over the same period.

  Benefits
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will estimate the effect on the total Social Security budget in(a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02 of making benefits available only to those aged (i) 0 to 16 years, and to 21 years for those in further or higher education, and (ii) over 60 years. [24441]

  Mr. Denham
  The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate costs.
  91
  The closest readily available figures are for departmental expenditure by type of benefit.

  The impact of paying only pensioner and family benefits on departmental expenditure

  £ million

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  Total benefit expenditure (A)

  99,190

  102,930

  Expenditure on families and

  pensioners (B)

  63,450

  65,720

  Estimated effect (A)-(B)

  35,740

  37,210

  Notes:

  1. Figures are not available after 1999–2000.

  2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 million pounds.

  3. Expenditure on non income-related benefits has been classified by reason for payment of benefit rather than the group to whom the benefit is paid. For example, disability benefits which are paid to pensioners are treated as disability benefits and are therefore included in the estimated savings.

  4. Income-Related benefit expenditure has been classified by the group to whom the benefit is paid. For example, Income Support expenditure on pensioners will not be included as part of the savings, whereas IS expenditure on the non pensioner disabled will.

  5. Income Support and Social fund expenditure in the family category represents Lone Parents and therefore excludes spending on two parent families. The two parent family expenditure for these benefits are therefore included as part of the savings. Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit expenditure in the family category includes some spending on other groups which is not readily identified.

  Source:

  Based on table 5 in the 1997 Departmental Report.

  Benefit Integrity Project
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to her answer of 23 February 1998, Official Report, columns 124–25, concerning the sampling of Adjudication Officer decisions in respect of disability living allowance, what special arrangements have been made to check decisions under the Benefit Integrity Project; and what proportion of the sample of disability living allowance decisions have resulted in (a) overpayment and (b) underpayment of benefit in each of the last three years. [31884]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 2 March 1998]: The Benefit Integrity Project is designed to ensure correct payments of Disability Living Allowance (DLA). While it is right to ensure that people who are in receipt of benefit are entitled, we are determined that those checks should be undertaken as sensitively as possible, and that where a check indicates a change in entitlement, that we should get it right. The new safeguard introduced from 9 February, which ensures that no decision to remove or reduce entitlement made as part of the Project will be based solely on the claimant's evidence, will help ensure we get the decisions right and restore confidence.

  The administration of this programme is a matter for Peter Mathison, Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with further details.

  Letter from David Riggs to Mr. Paul Burstow, dated 9 March 1998:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked Peter Mathison to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking pursuant to her Answer of 24th February concerning the sampling of Adjudication Officer's decisions in respect of Disability Living Allowance (DLA), what special arrangements have been made to
  92
  check decisions under the Benefits Integrity Project (BIP); and what proportion of the sample of DLA decisions have resulted in (a) overpayment and (b) underpayment of benefit in each of the last three years. As Mr Mathison is away from the office on leave, I am replying.
  The BIP operates according to the normal DLA adjudication rules. Therefore, BIP cases are subject to the same checking procedures applied to all other DLA cases. As part of an ongoing process designed to maintain adjudication standards, a statistically valid sample of all Adjudication Officer decisions is checked by the Adjudication Checking and Advice Team (ACAT), who report their findings to Benefit Agency managers and the Chief Adjudication Officer. In the same way, this team checks a statistically valid sample of BIP cases, which are kept separate for project evaluation purposes.
  The information relating to overpayments and underpayments is not available in the format requested. Data for all DLA/Attendance Allowance cases is only available from April 1996. These are as shown:

  Total

  Overpayments

  Underpayments

  96/97

  7145

  198

  323

  97/98 to 28/2/98

  5241

  215

  214

  97/98(BIP)

  355

  17

  23

  Note:

  Data is provisional and subject to change.

  As part of the quality control mechanism, decisions relating to both overpayments and underpayments are taken into account and reported to Managers. Any trends identified are highlighted to the relevant Manager for consideration of any action which may be necessary.

  ACAT report on a monthly basis, an analysis of all the reports will be prepared with a view to identifying and recommending any areas for improvement.

  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) on what date the Benefit Integrity Project came into operation; [33500]

  (2) pursuant to the oral statement of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham), of 4 March 1998, Official Report, column 686, what changes have been made to the design of the Benefit Integrity Project since 1 May. [33501]

  Mr. Denham
  The Benefit Integrity Project was implemented on 28 April 1997, when the first postal inquiry cases were selected and previewed. The first questionnaires were issued on 6 May 1997.

  Measures taken since 1 May include:
  introducing regular meetings with representatives from organisations of, and for, disabled people to discuss their concerns about the Project and to share information as the work progresses;
  agreeing that certain groups of DLA recipients would not be contacted directly as part of the Project. Namely people paid under DLA Special Rules, double amputees, paraplegics, quadriplegics, people who are blind and deaf and those within our definition of severe mental impairment;
  inviting and acted upon suggestions for improving the letters that would be used to arrange visits;
  delaying the home visiting programme, due to start in July, until August to enable a session on disability awareness to be included in the training programme for all visiting staff;

  93
  opening communication channels, for example, emerging findings from the operation of the Project were discussed at a meeting with a wide ranging group of organisations of, and for, disabled people in mid-November and an information pack was subsequently issued for their use in newsletters and other publications.

  On 9 February 1998, we introduced an additional safeguard to improve confidence in decision making and to reassure disabled people. From that date, no decision made as part of the Project to reduce or remove someone's benefit will be made on the basis of the claimant's statement alone—there will always be additional evidence to support the decision.

  Benefit Claimants (Interim Support)
  Mrs. Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what provision her Department makes to help those entering work in the period between benefits payments ending and the first wage payment being received. [29161]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  We believe that work is the best form of welfare for people of working age. We want to make it worthwhile for people to make the transition into work and ensure a fair return on extra earnings once they are in work. Research has shown that unemployed people are particularly concerned about possible income gaps between cessation of out-of-work benefits and the point at which first wages are received.

  The benefit system provides some help towards overcoming this barrier to leaving benefit for work.
  94
  People who have been unemployed for six months or more may be eligible for the four week Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit extended payment scheme which will cover their rent or Council Tax for the first few weeks of work, by which time any in-work Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit they may be entitled to should be ready to begin.

  Procedures are in place to enable the payment of other in-work benefits, such as Family Credit, to be made more quickly. The vast majority of claims for Family Credit from the newly employed are cleared within five working days.

  People who have had part-time earnings or child maintenance taken into account in their Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance can receive Back-to-Work or Child Maintenance Bonuses when they leave benefit for work. These provide tax-free lump sums at the point of transition from benefit to work and can help to bridge any income gaps.

  In exceptional circumstances a Crisis Loan from the discretionary Social Fund can be awarded to help with living expenses in an emergency or as a consequence of a disaster. The Crisis Loan must be the only means of preventing serious risk or damage to the health or safety of the applicant, or a member of their family.

  We intend to modernise the Welfare State so that it provides employment opportunity for all, rather than discouraging work and trapping people in poverty. With the help of the Taylor task force we are looking at options to reform the tax and benefit systems, so that they promote work incentives, help remove obstacles to returning to work, reduce poverty and welfare dependency and strengthen community and family life.

  Birth Control Trust
  Birth Control Trust
  Firearms Acts: Home Office Circulars and Correspondence
  Firearms Acts: Home Office Circulars and Correspondence
  Commonwealth Immigrants Act 1968
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  Firearms Consultative Committee
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  Funding of Political Parties
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  BSE: Phillips Inquiry
  BSE: Phillips Inquiry
  BSE: Experimental Research
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  BSE: Age at Diagnosis
  BSE: Age at Diagnosis
  Warble Fly Eradication
  Warble Fly Eradication
  EU Tobacco Crop: European Consumption
  EU Tobacco Crop: European Consumption
  BSE in EU Member States
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  English Uplands: Development and Conservation Grants
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  Fisheries Enforcement
  Fisheries Enforcement
  British Registered Fishing Vessels
  British Registered Fishing Vessels
  BSE: Evidence to Phillips Inquiry
  BSE: Evidence to Phillips Inquiry
  Beef Bones for Dog Food
  Beef Bones for Dog Food
  Northern Ireland: Electoral Registers for Referendum
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  Northern Ireland: Abortion Law
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  Inland Revenue Staff Numbers
  Inland Revenue Staff Numbers
  Victims of Nazi Persecution: Conditions for Release of Property
  Victims of Nazi Persecution: Conditions for Release of Property
  Business Tenancies: Originating Applications
  Business Tenancies: Originating Applications
  Musical Instrument Tuition in Schools
  Musical Instrument Tuition in Schools
  Building Regulations, Part M
  Building Regulations, Part M
  Filwood Playing Fields, Bristol
  Filwood Playing Fields, Bristol
  Road Accident Preventive Measures
  Road Accident Preventive Measures
  Turf Cutting
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  Blood Alcohol Levels Following Initial Reading
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  London Underground: Water Penetration
  London Underground: Water Penetration
  Iraq: ICRC Access to Detainees
  Iraq: ICRC Access to Detainees
  Iraq: UN Resolutions
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  International Court of Justice: Judgments
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  Counter Battery Radar Project
  Counter Battery Radar Project
  Legislation, Parliament and the Sovereign
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  Sickness/Incapacity Benefit Recipients and Employment Levels
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