Written Answers of 2 February 1999

DEFENCE

  Air Squadrons
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the location of the University of London and Cambridge University Air Squadrons. [69144]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  The basing of Cambridge University Air Squadron and the collocated No. 5 Air Cadet Air Experience Flight, at Cambridge Airport, has been the subject of review to determine whether their operations could be undertaken more effectively at another location. At the same time it has been necessary to identify a new location for the University of London Air Squadron and part of the No. 6 Air Cadet Air Experience Flight task, due to increased helicopter operations at RAF Benson, their current location.

  RAF Wyton has been identified as the most cost-effective and operationally suitable location for the two Squadrons and the Air Experience Flights. On current plans the transfer of these units will commence in September 1999.

  Infra-red Technology
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what investment his Department has made in infra-red technology for use in(a) the defence industry and (b) elsewhere in each of the last 10 years. [66661]

  Mr. Spellar
  Infra-red technology has a wide spectrum of defence applications, and information on the totality of expenditure specifically involving this technology is not available.

  Service Personnel (Northern Ireland)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the aggregate total of British service personnel, including members of the Ulster Defence Regiment and RIR, who have served at least one tour of duty or have been employed for six months or more in Northern Ireland since August 1969; and how many service personnel have(a) lost their lives and (b) been injured in connection with their military duties and responsibilities in Northern Ireland. [67427]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  Since August 1969, the total number of soldiers who have served or are currently serving in Northern Ireland for six months or more is 152,769. The total number of officers who have served or are currently serving in Northern Ireland is 25,098. The latter figure contains tour lengths of three to four months as well as those of six months or more.
  540
  The number of service personnel who have lost their lives since August 1969 in connection with their military duties and responsibilities in Northern Ireland is detailed in the table.

  Number

  Army1

  651

  RN2

  11

  RAF2

  4

  The number of British service personnel injured in Northern Ireland since August 1969 is detailed in the table.

  Number

  Army3

  6,076

  RN 4

  163

  RAF 4

  143

  1Figures are from August 1969 to 31 December 1998 and relate to terrorist activity.

  2Figures are from 1 January 1974 to 31 December 1998 and include injuries/deaths from all causes.

  3Figures are from August 1969 to 31 December 1998 and relate primarily to injuries which were incurred whilst on duty; however, the manner in which data have historically been compiled means some injuries incurred whilst off duty may also be included.

  4Figures are from 1 January 1976 to 31 December 1998 and relate primarily to injuries which were incurred whilst on duty; however, the manner in which data have historically been compiled means some injuries incurred whilst off duty may also be included.

  Iraq
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of civilian casualties in Iraq caused by military action since the conclusion of Operation Desert Fox. [68352]

  Mr. George Robertson
  We believe that the only military action since the conclusion of Operation Desert Fox which could have caused civilian casualties was an incident on 25 January. Coalition aircraft patrolling the Iraqi Southern No-Fly-Zone in accordance with their humanitarian mission encountered four Iraqi MIGs who were attempting to draw them into a pre-arranged Surface to Air Missile (SAM) trap and were fired at by Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery. US aircraft responded by attacking a SAM site and related air defence and communications systems north of Basra. The US has confirmed that a rocket propelled bomb went astray and landed in a residential district several kilometres from its target. It could have caused civilian casualties, but the US is still investigating and cannot confirm. I deeply regret any civilian casualties but must stress that the US acted in self-defence responding to a serious and immediate threat to the safety of coalition aircraft.

  Aer Lingus Crash
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library the documentation held by his Department on the crash of the Aer Lingus Viscount in the Irish sea on 24 March 1968, and the subsequent search and rescue operation; and if he will make this material available to the Irish Government. [67434]
  541
  Mr. Doug Henderson
  Copies of the UK report on the initial surface search and rescue operation for the Aer Lingus Viscount 712, and on the subsequent sea bed search and salvage operation undertaken at the request of the Irish Government, were placed in the Library of the House and given to the Irish Government in September 1998.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the naval vessels engaged in search operations for the wreckage of the Aer Lingus Viscount in the Irish sea from 24 March 1968 until the search was abandoned and in each case the dates on which searches took place; how many bodies were(a) recovered and (b) identified; where the wreckage was taken to be examined; and where the wreckage is currently stored. [67437]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  Details of British naval involvement in the search operation for the Aer Lingus wreckage are contained in the report which my department placed in the Library of the House in September last year. Although the report contains information on the recovery of bodies and wreckage, which were taken to Rosslare for examination by the Irish Authorities, it does not provide the identities of the dead. This, and the current condition and location of the wreckage, is a matter for the Irish Government.

  HMS Penelope
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library the recorded version or notes of the RAF briefing given to officers of HMS Penelope on 26 March 1968; and if he will make this material available to the Irish Government. [67436]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  We have no record of such a briefing having taken place. HMS Penelope played no part in the search operation after 25 March.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  PDVN and Intranet
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee how many hon. Members currently have access to(a) the PDVN and (b) the Parliamentary Intranet. [68434]

  Mr. Allan
  There are currently 227 Members registered to access the PDVN in their own name. However, many Members have connected their offices by requesting access for one or more staff members but not for themselves. Analysis of all login IDs issued in the names of Members shows that 517 Members' offices currently have access to the PDVN.

  1999 Appropriations

  3705

  Contribution to secretarial expenses and administrative expenditure of the political groups and expenses of the non-attached Members.

  £9 million (12.7 Meuro)

  3706

  Other Political activities

  £5 million (7.1 Meuro)

  3708

  Information work

  £3.9 million (5.25 Meuro)

  542
  Access to the Parliamentary Intranet is through the PDVN and is unrestricted, so the numbers are the same. All PDVN users have access to the Intranet.

  Website Addresses
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee if he will include hon. Members' website addresses in the Palace of Westminster telephone directory. [68435]

  Mr. Allan
  When the production of the existing telephone directory is changed to a print out from the Serjeant at Arms/Telecomms database at the end of this year's summer adjournment, there will be an opportunity to include details of Members' web sites and e-mail addresses in the directory provided Members indicate their wish for it to be done.

TREASURY

  Financial Services and Markets Bill
  Ms Lawrence
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the future recognition requirements for recognised investment exchanges and clearing houses under the Financial Services and Markets Bill. [69148]

  Ms Hewitt
  The new Financial Services and Markets Bill carries forward the main features of the existing recognition and exemption regime for investment exchanges and clearing houses, which has worked well. In order to become recognised, such bodies must fulfil certain regulatory criteria. These are currently contained in the Financial Services Act 1986 and the Companies Act 1989. Under the new Bill the requirements will be set out in secondary legislation. Putting the recognition requirements in secondary legislation will make it easier to respond to any market developments in this area.

  The Treasury has today issued a consultation document on the new draft recognition requirements. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House. The deadline for comments is 30 April. We are consulting on these regulations well in advance so that we have the longest possible time to get them right.

  European Budget
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what categories of expenditure are legalised by Article 138a of the Treaty of the European Community; and if he will state what appropriation and what expenditure in the Budget of the Community for the year 1999 are under that Article. [67929]

  Ms Quin
  I have been asked to reply.

  Volume 2, Section 1 of the budget (Staffing, revenue and expenditure of the European Parliament) lists budget lines which cite Article 138a as a justification for spending. The lines are:
  543
  This expenditure is intended to cover activities other than those financed from budget lines 3705 and 3708, as well as the political activities of the non-attached Members.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Radio Licences
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if a holder can be granted more than one concurrent radio licence; and if he will make a statement. [67684]

  Janet Anderson
  Under the terms of the Broadcasting Acts 1990 and 1996 no one person may hold more than one national analogue licence, national digital multiplex licence or national digital sound programme service licence. A person may hold one FM and one AM licence for areas which share a potential audience overlap of over 50 per cent. and may apply to hold one further licence for the same area on either waveband subject to a public interest test operated by the Radio Authority.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what questions are asked of applicants for a radio licence; and if he will make a statement; [67681]

  (2) what inquiries are made as to the background of people who apply for licences to run independent radio stations. [67680]

  Janet Anderson
  The Radio Authority is responsible for determining the process of the award of independent radio licences according to the provisions of the Broadcasting Acts 1990 and 1996. The Authority decides the questions asked of licence applicants. I understand that the Authority's standard application form requests details of the background of licence applicants, and details of others whose involvement in the preparation of a licence application has been substantial. The Radio Authority published on 29 January details of its licensing award procedures for commercial radio.

  Departmental Legislation
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what additional legislation, not currently before Parliament, was assumed in the production of his Department's spending allocation for 1999–2000 to 2001–02 in the Comprehensive Spending Review. [68415]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  There is a longstanding convention that legislative proposals for each year are not announced before the Queen's Speech at the start of the relevant Session.

  Radio Authority
  Mr. Fabian Hamilton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if he intends to reappoint the current Chairman of the Radio Authority; and if he will make a statement; [68807]

  (2) if he will make it his policy to require the Radio Authority to publish its minutes of proceedings; [68809]
  544
  (3) what assessment he has made of the accountability procedures (a) within the Radio Authority and (b) between the Radio Authority and his Department. [68808]

  Janet Anderson
  The current appointment of the Radio Authority Chairman expires on 31 December 1999. An announcement will be made in due course on the Chairmanship from 1 January 2000.

  The Radio Authority is a statutory public corporation independent of Government and is responsible for interpreting its statutory duties under the Broadcasting Acts 1990 and 1996. Radio Authority members are bound by the Authority's detailed code of best practice, a copy of which is in the Libraries of the House. My Department has no supervisory role in its day-to-day activities and has no locus to direct the Authority to make public details of its proceedings. However, I welcome the recent publication by the Authority of details of its licensing award procedures for commercial radio.

  Analogue and Digital Television
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if he will provide financial support to households that currently receive analogue terrestrial television, but which cannot receive digital terrestrial television to enable them to receive the digital television service(a) via digital satellite television and (b) by other means; [68588]

  (2) when the switch-off date will be announced for analogue transmissions; [68593]

  (3) if he will ensure that the proceeds from auctions of analogue spectrum are used to assist consumers and communities in the United Kingdom to receive the same quality of digital television service; [68592]

  (4) what estimate he has made of the number of households in the UK which will not be directly served by digital terrestrial television; [68589]

  (5) when he will respond to the consultations received following the publication of "Television: the Digital Future". [68587]

  Janet Anderson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave on 10 November 1998,Official Report, columns 122–23. We are still considering the wide variety of opinions expressed in the responses to the consultation paper: "Television the Digital Future" and will make an announcement in due course.

  Pop Music Industry
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans his Department has to provide support to the pop music industry. [68863]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  My Department, in consultation with other Departments, and with advice from the Music Industry Forum, plans to continue working closely with the music industry to identify areas where Government might be able to help it. The Forum has considered such issues as copyright, the New Deal, training, and provision of venues for live music. My aim is to help create the conditions in which this highly successful business can flourish further.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Racially Motivated Offences
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of racially motivated offences there were in the last year for which figures are available. [68220]

  Mr. Boateng
  Individual forces submit their racial incidents figures to Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary at the end of each year. These are incidents recorded under the Association of Chief Police Officers' definition of a racial incident:"Any incident in which it appears to the reporting or investigating officer that the complaint involves an element of racial motivation; or any incident which includes an allegation of racial motivation made by any person".
  Incidents included here are wider than the normal definition of a crime in the crime statistics and include low level harassment.

  The latest available figure for the number of racial incidents recorded by the police in England and Wales is 13,878 in 1997/98. A breakdown of the number of incidents recorded by the police by each police area in 1997/98 is given in the Home Office publication "Statistics on Race and the Criminal Justice System" 1998, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  The Home Office has requested all forces to provide separate recorded crime statistics for the racially aggravated offences of wounding, harassment, common assault and criminal damage (in line with the new offences contained in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998) from April 1999, and first figures will be published in January 2000.

  Parole
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to give new directions to the Parole Board following the implementation of section 103 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. [69273]

  Mr. Straw
  Section 103 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 was commenced on 1 January 1999. As a result, all short-term prisoners whose original offences were committed on or after that date and who are subsequently released on licence will be subject to recall by the Parole Board in the same way as those released from long-term sentences.

  I have, therefore, prepared new Directions for the Board as to the matter to be taken into account in dealing with such recalls. These Directions are being made under the powers given to me by section 32(6) of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 and are based very closely on the existing Directions in respect of long-term prisoners.

  The new Directions also make it clear that there should be a clear presumption in favour of recall in cases where a licensee is charged with an offence committed whilst subject to Home Detention Curfew (HDC). This is because the commission of an offence by a prisoner subject to HDC is clearly a breach of the trust placed in that individual.
  546
  I have written to Usha Prashar, Chairman of the Parole Board, informing her of the new Directions. Copies of the new Directions have been placed in the Library.

  Deportation Orders
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are currently in custody awaiting deportation. [68987]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Regrettably, reliable information on the numbers of persons in custody, or otherwise detained, who are the subject of deportation action is available only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people were removed from the United Kingdom as a result of the enforcement of a deportation order in each year since 1992; [68988]

  (2) how many people were removed or departed voluntarily in each year since 1992, following the initiation of deportation action against them but without a deportation order being made. [68984]

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

  Removals and voluntary departures following deportation action, 1992 to 1997

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  Deportation orders enforced

  880

  850

  670

  700

  900

  800

  Other removals and voluntary Departures1

  1,710

  1,430

  1,250

  1,200

  1,110

  1,250

  1Removals and voluntary departures following the initiation of deportation action but without a deportation order having been made. Figures are rounded.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deportation orders were made in each of the first five months of 1997. [68986]

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

  Deportation orders made, 1 January to 31 May 1997

  Number of deportation orders made

  January

  110

  February

  90

  March

  90

  April

  130

  May

  60

  Note:

  Figures are rounded

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deportation orders were made in each year from 1992 to 1996; and how many have not yet been executed. [68985]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The available information is given in the table. It should be noted that some deportation orders may not have been executable for legal reasons.
  547

  Deportation orders made and numbers of those not executed1, 1992 to 1996

  Year

  Number of deportation orders made

  Of which: number not executed1

  1992

  890

  2—

  1993

  1,240

  2—

  1994

  1,540

  570

  1995

  1,690

  730

  1996

  1,880

  980

  1Relates to the number of deportation orders made in the year concerned which had not been executed by January 1999. The figures exclude deportation orders enforced and cases where deportation is no longer appropriate.

  2 Data not available

  Note:

  Figures are rounded

  Badgers
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been for offences in relation to badgers in each of the last three years. [68728]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Information taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database is given in the table.

  Number of defendants prosecuted for offences under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, England and Wales, 1995–1997

  Offence

  1995

  1996

  1997

  Offences of cruelty to badgers and special protection for badgers and their setts (excluding section 13 of Act)

  41

  31

  44

  Failing to give up a dog for destruction or having custody of a dog while disqualified (section 13 of Act)

  7

  6

  7

  Metropolitan Police
  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have resigned from the Metropolitan Police in each of the last 10 years. [68496]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that the numbers of officers who resigned from the Metropolitan Police in each of the last ten years, were:

  Year

  Number

  1989

  605

  1990

  471

  1991

  246

  1992

  132

  1993

  139

  1994

  146

  1995

  171

  1996

  183

  1997

  223

  1998

  327

  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average age of police officers in the Metropolitan Police; and what has been the average age in each of the last 10 years. [68498]
  548
  Mr. Boateng
  The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that the average age of police officers in the Metropolitan Police is 37 years and 3 months. The average age of Metropolitan Police officers in each year since 1993 was:

  Year

  Average age

  1993

  35 years 2 months

  1994

  35 years 7 months

  1995

  35 years 5 months

  1996

  36 years 5 months

  1997

  36 years 2 months

  1998

  38 years 4 months

  Information for previous years is not readily available.

  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers currently serving in the Metropolitan Police have more than(a) 25 years' service and (b) 30 years' service. [68492]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that there are 3,359 officers currently serving in the Metropolitan Police who have more than 25 years' service and that 1,074 officers have more than 30 years' service.

  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many applications for early retirement on health grounds made by police officers in the Metropolitan Police were(a) approved and (b) refused in each of the last 10 years; [68493]

  (2) how many police officers retired on health grounds from the Metropolitan Police in each of the last 10 years. [68495]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that the Metropolitan Police do not keep aggregated records of refusals of applications to retire on the grounds of ill health. Once approval is given to retire on medical grounds, the officer must retire within six weeks. The number of applications by officers to retire on medical grounds which have been approved in each of the past ten years were:

  Year

  Number

  1989

  300

  1990

  224

  1991

  275

  1992

  312

  1993

  342

  1994

  380

  1995

  433

  1996

  431

  1997

  412

  1998

  549

  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers currently serving in the Metropolitan Police have ill-health retirement applications outstanding; and how many such officers are(a) on full pay, (b) on half pay and (c) on no pay. [68494]
  549
  Mr. Boateng
  The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that, at the end of November 1998, applications from 55 officers to retire on the grounds of ill health were outstanding. Of these officers, 44 were on full pay, seven on half-pay and four off pay.

  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers(a) applied for transfer and (b) were transferred from the Metropolitan Police in each of the last 10 years. [68497]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that records for officers applying for transfers are not kept centrally. The numbers of officers who transferred to other forces over the last ten years were:

  Year

  Number

  1989

  249

  1990

  239

  1991

  198

  1992

  233

  1993

  179

  1994

  190

  1995

  180

  1996

  255

  1997

  285

  1998

  236

  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of service of police officers currently serving in the Metropolitan Police; and what was the average length of service in each of the last 10 years. [68499]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that the average length of service of police officers currently serving in the Metropolitan Police is 14 years and 4 months, and that the average length of service in each year from 1991 was:

  Year

  Average length of service

  1991

  12 years 8 months

  1992

  12 years

  1993

  12 years 6 months

  1994

  12 years 10 months

  1995

  13 years 6 months

  1996

  13 years 8 months

  1997

  13 years 9 months

  1998

  13 years 8 months

  Information as to earlier years is not readily available.

  Prisoners (Former Armed Forces Personnel)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the proportion of the prison population who are former members of HM Armed Forces. [67430]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The information requested is not available. No information regarding an individual's professional status, prior to reception into a Prison Service establishment, is recorded centrally.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what(a) proportion and (b) number of young offenders were (i) white, (ii) black, (iii) Asian and (iv) other in each of the last five years; [68095]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the proportion of persistent young offenders who are (a) white, (b) black, (c) Asian and (d) other in the last year for which figures are available. [68093]

  Mr. Straw
  Because ethnicity is not currently recorded at the point of conviction, there are no national data on the ethnicity of young offenders, or, it follows, of persistent young offenders.

  Statistics on the ethnicity of the sentenced prison population are shown in the table. Additional research carried out in 1993 shows by ethnic origin the proportion of young persons aged 17–25 who reported they had committed offences. (Young People and Crime, Home Office Research Study No.145, 1995).

  The Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, which was established on 30 September 1998 under section 41 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, has the function of monitoring the operation of the youth justice system. The Board is currently considering its data collection requirements in carrying out this function. These are likely to include information about the characteristics of young offenders and the effectiveness of intervention work with them in preventing reoffending. This information will be collected from youth offending teams, established under section 39 of the 1998 Act, which the Government expect to implement nationally in April 2000.

  Prison population Sentenced young offenders by ethnic group

  Total

  White

  Black

  South Asian

  Chinese and other

  Not recorded

  Numbers at 30 June

  1993

  4,980

  4,380

  384

  143

  25

  48

  1994

  5,202

  4,527

  459

  141

  68

  7

  1995

  5,587

  4,727

  595

  170

  85

  10

  1996

  6,600

  5,274

  954

  228

  111

  33

  1997

  7,934

  6,397

  1,088

  271

  156

  22

  19981

  8,502

  6,773

  1,257

  276

  189

  7

  Percentages

  1993

  100

  88

  8

  3

  1

  1

  1994

  100

  87

  9

  3

  1

  0

  1995

  100

  85

  11

  3

  2

  0

  1996

  100

  80

  14

  3

  2

  1

  1997

  100

  81

  14

  3

  2

  0

  19981

  100

  80

  15

  3

  2

  0

  11998 data at end September 1998

  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the elements of the Government's strategy for preventing youth crime which have been specifically targeted at ethnic minorities. [68092]

  Mr. Straw
  The Government set out their strategy for preventing youth crime in the White Paper "No More Excuses—a New Approach To Tackling Youth Crime in England and Wales". The clear aim of that strategy is to prevent offending and re-offending by juveniles. This is
  551
  now the statutory principal aim of the youth justice system, as set out in section 37 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

  The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 provides a range of new measures designed to be effective in preventing youth crime, irrespective of the ethnic background of those who seek to break the law. The Government are currently piloting new measures in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, including the final warning scheme, new community-based court disposals, and youth offending teams, with national implementation planned for around April 2000. To date, the Government have also introduced a range of measures to speed up the youth justice system, and have established the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales which will provide advice on the operation and performance of the youth justice system.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many assaults have been committed in each of the past five years by(a) white individuals against black individuals and vice versa, (b) white individuals against Asian individuals and vice versa and (c) Asian individuals against black individuals and vice versa; [68094]

  (2) what categories of recorded crime were most frequently committed by each of the following ethnic groups (a) white, (b) black, (c) Asian and (d) others, in each of the last five years; [68065]

  (3) how many street robberies were carried out (a) in total and (b) by each ethnic group in each of the last five years; [68063]

  (4) for each of the past five years, how many and what proportion of crimes were committed by offenders who were (a) white, (b) black, (c) Asian and (d) other. [68096]

  Mr. Straw
  Data on ethnicity are currently collected by the police, prison and probation services, but not as yet by the courts. The only data on crimes committed by ethnic group would come from court convictions. It follows, therefore, that there are at present no national data on the ethnicity of offenders as a whole.

  The Home Office regularly summarises the available information on ethnicity and the criminal justice system in statistical reports published under section 95 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991. The latest of these was published on 8 December 1998 and is available in the Library and on the Internet at: http:www.home office. gov uk/rds/index .htm

  It is likely that a number of the crime and disorder audits carried out by local authorities under the provisions of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 may in appropriate cases include local data of the kind which the hon. Member seeks. One such is that recently published by the London Borough of Lambeth and the relevant Divisions to the Metropolitan Police Service. I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will assess the benefits of introducing a category of racially motivated crime in crime statistics. [68064]
  552
  Mr. Straw
  All police forces collect information on racial incidents, based on the Association of Chief Police Officers definition of"Any incident in which it appears to the reporting or investigating officer that the complaint involves an element of racial motivation; or any incident which includes an allegation of racial motivation made by any person".
  Incidents included here are wider than the normal definition of a crime in the crime statistics and include general threatening behaviour. These statistics are regularly published under section 95 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991.

  The Home Office, police and Crown Prosecution Service monitor the provisions covering racially aggravated offences established by sections 28–32 and 82 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. These findings will first be published under section 95 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 in January 2000.

  Given the widespread concern about racially motivated crimes, and the recent approval of Parliament for specific racially aggravated offences in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 it is essential that such data should be collected. The benefits are clear.

  Millennium Compliance (Hampshire)
  Mr. Rapson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of progress on millennium compliance for the emergency services in Hampshire. [68131]

  Mr. Straw
  Fire and police services provide quarterly reports to Cabinet Office about progress towards Year 2000 compliance. These reports are published in summary in the Library and in detail on the Internet. The NHS Executive also publishes details of ambulance service quarterly progress reports on the Internet.

  My Department monitors the progress reports from fire and police services. It is working with Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Fire Services, and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and the Association of Chief Police Officers respectively to encourage fire brigades and police forces to take the necessary action. I understand that the NHS Executive works with ambulance trusts to ensure that their Year 2000 preparations are on course.

  The latest reports from the emergency services in Hampshire give the following dates for Year 2000 compliance:

  Constabulary: March 1999

  Fire service: June 1999

  Ambulance service: Now compliant.

  A programme of independent assessment of the Year 2000 preparations being made by key elements of the national infrastructure is taking place under the auspices of the National Infrastructure Forum. This is facilitated by Action 2000 and the Cabinet Office. The outcome of the assessment of the emergency services should be published in the Summer.

  Electro-shock Batons
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if the company that was responsible for
  553
  handling, storing and distributing the electro-shock batons that were trans-shipped from the United States to Saudi Arabia via the United Kingdom under the 1993 trans-shipment licence granted by the Department of Trade and Industry had been issued with the relevant licences under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968; [68190]

  (2) if the companies that were granted export licences by the Department of Trade and Industry for the export of electro-shock batons from the United Kingdom between 1989 and 1994 had been granted the relevant licence under section 5 of the Firearms Act to (a) handle, (b) store, (c) distribute and (d) manufacture such weapons; [68191]

  (3) what actions his Department has taken against (a) companies and (b) individuals that were not in possession of the relevant firearms licences for the handling, storage, distribution or manufacture of electro-shock batons. [68240]

  Mr. Boateng
  Two of the four companies in question had authority to deal in weapons prohibited by section 5(1)(b) of the Firearms Act 1968, which would include electro-shock weapons as well as other types of weapons capable of discharging a noxious liquid, gas or other things. The other two companies, one of which was the company granted the trans-shipment licence, did not have such authority.

  The investigation of possible offences under the Firearms Acts is a matter for the police, who will consider whether there are grounds to bring criminal charges. The decision as to whether or not to prosecute in an individual case rests with the Crown Prosecution Service. The Home Office have no powers to intervene. However, information about the two companies that did not have authority to deal in prohibited weapons was forwarded by the Home Office to the relevant police forces for their consideration. I understand that, in both cases, the police have decided to take no further action.

  Police Officers (Criminal Proceedings)
  Maria Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the guidance in Home Office Circular 4/1998, relating to the payment of money to officers, either former or serving, involved in criminal proceedings, applies(a) to officers who have retired on health grounds with outstanding disciplinary charges against them and (b) to officers against whom outstanding disciplinary charges have been dropped because of a retirement on health grounds of another officer. [68225]

  Mr. Boateng
  There is no express statutory provision enabling police authorities to provide financial assistance to officers involved in criminal proceedings. The circular makes it clear that it is entirely for individual police authorities to decide in the particular circumstances of a case and, on the basis of legal advice, whether to make financial assistance available to officers, either former or serving, in criminal proceedings. It does not seek to offer guidance on the specific circumstances of a case.

  Maria Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review Home 554
  Office Circular 4/1998 relating to the payment of money to officers, either former or serving, involved in criminal proceedings in respect of the payment of the defence costs of officers from the police budget. [68845]

  Mr. Boateng
  Home Office Circular 4/1998 was issued after full consultation with the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Police Superintendents Association, the Police Federation and the Association of Police Authorities. We have no plans at present to review it.

  South Yorkshire Police Authority
  Maria Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average annual cost in the South Yorkshire Police Authority area of keeping a police constable on the beat. [68224]

  Mr. Boateng
  I understand from the South Yorkshire Police Authority that the full average annual cost of a beat constable is around £41,300. This includes pay, pensions, and running costs.

  Ethnic Minorities (Crime)
  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department has(a) undertaken and (b) commissioned in the past year into crime among ethnic minorities; and when the results of any such research will be made available to the public. [68111]

  Mr. Straw
  [holding answer 28 January 1999]: Since 1 January 1998, the Home Office has undertaken or commissioned a number of pieces of research which have included consideration of issues of ethnicity in the criminal justice system, patterns of offending between different ethnic groups, patterns of ethnic minority victimisation, and the operation of the criminal justice system in relation to ethnic minorities as suspects, offenders and victims of crime.

  All commissioned research is published as a matter of course. I have strengthened the procedures for securing the integrity of regular statistical services by ensuring that they are published by the Director of the Research and Statistical Directorate and not Ministers, and on dates set well in advance.

  I receive regular advice from my officials in the form of submissions and briefing papers about the research and statistical data available in the Department.

  The current list, with dates of publication in brackets, is as follows:
  Tackling Street Robbery: a Comparative Evaluation of Operation Eagle Eye
  Stockdale J. E. and Gresham P. J.
  PRG Crime Detection and Prevention Series 1998
  (March 1998)
  Ethnicity and Victimisation: findings from the 1996 British Crime Survey
  Home Office Statistical Bulletin 6/98 (April 1998)
  Sentencing Practice: an examination of decisions in magistrates' courts and the Crown Court in the mid-1990s
  Flood-Page C and Mackie A
  Home Office Research Study 180 (July 1998)

  555
  Prison Statistics, England and Wales (July 1998)
  Entry into the criminal justice system: a survey of police arrests and their outcome
  Phillips C and Brown D
  Home Office and Research Study 185 (August 1998)
  Probation Statistics, England and Wales (October 1998)
  Statistics on Race and the Criminal Justice System
  Published under section 95 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 (December 1998)
  Young Offenders from Different Ethnic Groups
  Miller J
  Home Office, Research, Development and Statistics Directorate (Spring 1999)
  Evaluation of the Racially Aggravated Offences in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998
  Fitzgerald M
  Home Office, Research, Development and Statistics Directorate (Spring 2001)

  and, possibly:
  1998 Youth Lifestyles Survey
  Flood-Page C
  Home Office, Research, Development and Statistics Directorate (Spring 2000),

  which is expected to provide information on many aspects of young people's lifestyles including fear of crime, victimisation and self-reported offending.

  Burials
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the provisions of the Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977 relating to the sale of exclusive right of burial to individual families. [68560]

  Mr. George Howarth
  No. Burial authorities have a wide discretion under the 1977 Order as to the length of time for which they may grant an exclusive right of burial, up to a maximum of 100 years. We understand that these arrangements generally work satisfactorily.

  Struck-out Court Cases
  Mr. Ivan Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines exist for striking out court cases on the basis that they are an abuse of process; and if he will make a statement. [68242]

  Mr. Hoon
  I have been asked to reply.

  Any application to stay proceedings on the grounds that they are an abuse of process is for the court to determine in accordance with the principles established in case law.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration has been given to the financial cost to local authorities of provision for the educational needs of school-age children of asylum seekers in the assessment of any special grant settlement. [67728]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  1 have been asked to reply.
  556
  Through the Local Government Finance Settlement, Local Education Authorities are funded to provide education for school aged children of asylum seekers on school roll, in the same way as they are for other children on school roll. This arrangement will not be affected by the current review of the asylum seeking process, or any changes to the funding of other costs incurred by Local Authorities in meeting the needs of asylum seekers.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were on the waiting list in each health and social services board for fracture operations in(a) 1995, (b) 1996, (c) 1997 and (d) at the latest available date. [67859]

  Mr. McFall
  Patients requiring fracture operations are treated on an emergency basis and therefore are not, routinely, placed on waiting lists for surgery. From time to time a small number of patients may have to wait for treatment. On 29 January, 31 patients were awaiting fracture operations, and 19 operations were scheduled for that day.

  RUC Stations (Ministerial Visits)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the Royal Ulster Constabulary stations to which she has paid a visit since 1 May 1997, indicating the date and the time spent at each such police station. [67658]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  The location, date and duration of each such visit are shown in the table.

  Location

  Date

  Duration (minutes)

  Strand road

  9 May 1997

  30

  Lurgan

  17 June 1997

  30

  Newtownabbey

  26 September 1997

  40

  Dungannon

  8 October 1997

  30

  Musgrave street, Belfast

  24 October 1997

  30

  Ballymoney

  7 November 1997

  30

  Enniskillen

  13 February 1998

  30

  Waterside

  13 March 1998

  30

  Strand road

  12 May 1998

  45

  Antrim

  18 May 1998

  30

  Mahon road

  10 July 1998

  30

  It should be noted that the durations above have been taken from the programme schedules arranged prior to each visit, as opposed to exact times on the day (which are not readily available). Visits of this kind regularly exceed the arranged times.

  Prisoners (Early Release)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons given early release from prison under the Belfast agreement have been charged with an offence since their release. [68867]

  Mr. Ingram
  None.

WALES

  Departmental Papers (Access for Visually Impaired)
  Mr. Michael J. Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has for departmental(a) White and (b) Green Papers to be made available on floppy disk format in a form which facilitates access for the visually impaired. [67850]

  Mr. Michael
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on 27 January 1999,Official Report, column 296. In considering the changes in IT needed in preparation for the arrival of the National Assembly for Wales, I have asked my officials to make provisions for making documents and information accessible to people for whom the standard printed form is not appropriate. This will include floppy disk versions which are in a format which facilitates access for the visually impaired. Guidance on how to reach the largest possible target audience when producing documents for use by people outside the Department, including White and Green Papers, has been issued to staff at the Welsh Office. The Guidance will also be incorporated into a revised Equal Opportunities Handbook.

  Tourism
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his policies for the tourism industry in North East Wales. [68361]

  Mr. Hain
  The development of regional policies is an operational matter for the Wales Tourist Board within the Wales Tourism Strategy published in 1994 and endorsed by Ministers.

  It is currently working with the Regional Tourism Company, local authorities and local businesses to implement a number of initiatives including growth in the short break/additional holiday market and development of business travel markets. North East Wales is particularly well placed to benefit from these matters.

  I have asked the Board's Chief Executive to provide my hon. Friend with more details. A copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Rural Transport
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales by how much he has increased spending on rural transport in real terms between 1998–99 and 1999–2000. [68356]

  Mr. Hain
  The bus subsidy grant scheme will make £5 million available to local authorities in 1999–2000, of which £3 million must be spent on rural bus services and the remaining £2 million may be spent on either rural or urban services. In 1998–99 £2.25 million was made available exclusively for rural services. This means that direct support for rural bus services in 1999–2000 will increase by at least 30 per cent. in real terms, and probably significantly more than that.
  558
  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Health Service Salaries
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total cost of salaries for(a) nurses and (b) general practitioners in Wales in the last year for which figures are available. [68365]

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  (a) In 1997–98 the total cost of salaries for nursing, midwifery, health visiting was £448.846 million.

  (b) General practitioners are independent contractors to the NHS and information on their salaries is not collected centrally.

  Source:

  Annual accounts of NHS trusts and health authorities 1997–98.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Numeracy and Literacy
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his assessment of the scale of improvements in numeracy and literacy in schools in Wales in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [68355]

  Mr. Hain
  As the following table illustrates there has been an underlying improvement in the standards achieved in English, Welsh and mathematics. In all cases we are well on course to achieve the targets we have set for 2000 and 2002. Without exception we have already started making inroads into the year 2000 targets.

  Percentage of pupils achieving the expected level1

  Key Stage 1 (7-year-olds)

  Key Stage 2 (11-year-olds)

  Key Stage 3 (14-year-olds)

  English

  1996

  78

  56

  56

  1997

  80

  64

  59

  1998

  80

  64

  62

  Welsh

  1996

  83

  54

  69

  1997

  85

  56

  69

  1998

  86

  65

  71

  Mathematics

  1996

  82

  56

  55

  1997

  83

  64

  59

  1998

  84

  61

  60

  1 Level 2 for 7-year-olds; level 4 for 1l-year-olds; and level 5 for 14-year-olds

  Targets: By 2000 between 60 and 70 per cent. of 11 and 14-year-olds should achieve the level expected for their age. By 2002 the target is between 70 and 80 per cent. achieving the expected levels.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Genetically Modified Crops
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the current acreage of genetically modified crops under cultivation in Wales. [68357]
  559
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  There are no genetically modified crops under commercial cultivation in Wales nor in the rest of the UK.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Economic Prospects (North-East Wales)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what new measures he is implementing to improve economic prospects in North-east Wales. [68354]

  Mr. Hain
  "Pathway to Prosperity—An Economic Agenda for Wales" was published last July. It contained a wide range of measures for modernising and raising the competitiveness of the Welsh economy including North East Wales. These include:

  An Entrepreneurship Action Plan

  Know How Wales

  Millennium Bug Support

  Strengthening Business Connect.

  Numerous measures have been announced since that time, including:

  A Business and Environment Challenge Scheme

  Connect for a Better Business.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  School Pupils
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children attend(a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each of the county authorities in Wales. [68358]

  Mr. Hain
  The information is as follows:

  Full and part time pupils in LEA maintained and grant-maintained schools by unitary authority: numbers at January 1998

  Unitary authority

  Primary

  Secondary

  Blaenau Gwent

  7,923

  4,538

  Bridgend

  13,188

  9,262

  Caerphilly

  18,978

  12,746

  Cardiff

  31,191

  20,884

  Carmarthenshire

  15,767

  12,085

  Ceredigion

  5,934

  4,977

  Conwy

  10,084

  6,888

  Denbighshire

  9,098

  6,713

  Flintshire

  15,331

  10,076

  Gwynedd

  10,965

  7,220

  Isle of Anglesey

  6,469

  4,878

  Merthyr Tydfil

  6,567

  4,673

  Monmouthshire

  7,656

  5,326

  Neath Port Talbot

  14,347

  9,194

  Newport

  15,015

  9,685

  Pembrokeshire

  11,220

  7,966

  Powys

  11,755

  8,289

  Rhondda, Cynon, Taff

  24,931

  18,308

  Swansea

  22,524

  15,432

  Torfaen

  9,711

  7,382

  Vale of Glamorgan

  12,413

  8,312

  Wrexham

  12,624

  7,018

  Wales

  293,691

  201,852

  Source:

  Schools' Census
  560
  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Housing Policy
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his policy for housing in Wales. [68600]

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  The Government's objectives for housing in Wales are to offer everyone in Wales the opportunity of a decent home, to achieve clear improvements in all housing tenures and to do so in the context of the promotion of sustainable development. The 1999–2000 Government's Expenditure Plans: Departmental Report by the Welsh Office which will be published in April, and which takes into account the outcome of the public consultation on the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review: Spending Plans 1999–2002, will set out the mechanisms by which this objective will be met. Copies of the Departmental Report will be placed in the Library of the House.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Alyn and Deeside (WDA Strategy)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidance he has given to the North Wales region of the WDA with regards to a strategy for inward investment, job creation and infrastructure in Alyn and Deeside; and if he will make a statement. [68583]

  Mr. Hain
  My right hon. Friend announced on 26 January 1999,Official Report, column 172 that he had issued Strategic Guidance to the Welsh Development Agency for the period to March 2000.

  This sets out the broad operational priorities which we want the Agency to follow, with the objectives of spreading economic success to every part of Wales including the North Wales region and the Alyn and Deeside area; and bringing each area's local economy nearer to the level of the best.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Teachers
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many whole-time equivalent teachers are currently employed in Wales; and how many were employed in May 1997. [68519]

  Mr. Hain
  [holding answer 1 February 1999]: Information on employment of teachers is collected annually in January. At January 1997 and 1998 there were respectively 26,500 and 26,135 whole-time equivalent qualified teachers employed in Wales.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

PRIME MINISTER

  North Sea Oil and Gas
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Prime Minister if an official history of the Development of North Sea Oil and Gas is being commissioned. [69212]

  The Prime Minister
  Yes. I have appointed Professor Alexander Kemp of Aberdeen University as an official historian to write the official history of the Development of North Sea Oil and Gas.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Office for the Supervision of Solicitors
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps he has taken to monitor the work of the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors; and if he will make a statement. [68320]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Office for the Supervision of Solicitors is an independent body, and the Government do not have a role in monitoring the work of the Office. However, the Legal Services Ombudsman oversees the handling of complaints against members of the legal profession. She stated in her last annual report that, although the Office

  £million

  Closed case 1997–98

  Gross payments

  Costs received

  Damages retained

  Contributions retained

  Net costs

  All Personal Injury Litigation

  307.7

  234.3

  6.0

  2.3

  65.6

  Medical Negligence

  63.0

  32.6

  1.3

  0.7

  28.5

  Personal Injury (excl. medical negligence)

  224.7

  201.7

  4.7

  1.5

  37.1

  Departmental Legislation
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what additional legislation, not currently before Parliament, was assumed in the production of his Department's spending allocation for 1999–2000 to 2001–02 in the Comprehensive Spending Review. [68419]

  Mr. Hoon
  There is a longstanding convention that legislative proposals for each year are not announced before the Queen's Speech at the start of the relevant Session. My Department's spending allocation does take account of the Access to Justice Bill.

  Departmental Responsibilities
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what responsibilities which his Department had prior to the Comprehensive Spending Review are to be(a) discontinued by his Department, (b) transferred to another department, (c) transferred to an executive agency and (d) added to his Department over the period 1998–99 to 2001–02. [68403]

  Mr. Hoon
  No responsibilities held by this Department prior to the Comprehensive Spending Review are to be discontinued or transferred, either to another department or to an executive agency. From October 2000, this Department will take over from the Home Office
  562
  had made some improvements since it started operating in September 1996, there was still a long way to go. When the Ombudsman publishes her next annual report this summer, I will consider whether any further action is necessary.

  Personal Injury Litigation
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what was, for personal injury litigation,(a) the cost of legal aid before cost recovery and retention of contributions, (b) the amount of costs recovered, (c) the amount of damages retained, (d) the amount of contributions retained and (e) the net cost after deduction of costs recovered, damages retained and contributions retained for (i) all personal injury litigation, (ii) medical negligence cases and (iii) personal injury cases excluding medical negligence in 1997–98. [68228]

  Mr. Hoon
  Closed case data for 1997–98 are incomplete and will not include five months' data for Nottingham and six weeks for Chester. This is due to the implementation in these two area offices of the Legal Aid Board's new Corporate Information System, which is temporarily unable to access closed case information. A breakdown of the available legal aid expenditure and receipts in respect of personal injury litigation and medical negligence cases for cases closed in 1997–98 was as follows:

  responsibility for the enforcement of financial penalties. Responsibility for non-financial penalties could be transferred at the same time, or at a later date.

  The Comprehensive Spending Review also provided an opportunity to reappraise spending plans and initiatives, and to reprioritise initiatives so as to provide properly for the needs of a modern and efficient justice system.

  Child Abuse
  Mr. Ivan Henderson
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department on how many occasions in each of the last 10 years abuse of process was used by a judge to dismiss a case concerning child abuse. [68241]

  Mr. Hoon
  This information is not collected.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  State Pensions
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the effect of linking the basic state pension for those aged over 75 years to earnings rather than prices on(a) gross expenditure on NI benefits, (b) expenditure on means-tested benefits and (c) income tax revenues in (i) 2005 and (ii) 2010. [67976]
  563
  Mr. Timms
  [holding answer 28 January 1999]: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

  £ billion in 1999–2000 benefit rates

  Expenditure

  2005–06

  2010–11

  Basic Retirement Pension

  2.2

  3.9

  Means-tested benefit offsets

  -0.7

  -1.2

  Notes:

  1. Inland Revenue is not able to provide estimates for tax effects in the years in question.

  2. Retirement Pension estimates have been provided by the Government Actuary's Department.

  3. Increased rates are assumed payable to pensioners aged 75 and over at each of the given dates. Category BL rates were increased where the recipient is 75 or over, including cases where the spouse whose contribution record provides entitlement is under 75. Adult Dependency Increases paid in respect of women aged under 75 were not increased.

  4. Estimates are rounded to the nearest £0.1 billion, but are not necessarily accurate to that degree.

  5. Estimates of means-tested benefit offsets are illustrative and assume price uprating of Income Support. They are based on the 1995–96 Family Resources Survey and the Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry. Possible future increases in income, other than the proposed increases in Basic Retirement Pension, have not been taken into account.

  Mr. John Farren
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to update the National Insurance Contributions records of Mr. John Farren, a constituent. [68234]

  Mr. Timms
  The National Insurance account for the hon. Member's constituent, Mr. Farren, will be updated by the 15 March 1999.

  Forecast Expenditure
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list his latest estimates and forecast expenditure in cash terms for cyclical social security for (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1998–99, (iii) 1999–2000, (iv) 2000–01 and (v) 2001–02. [68385]

  Mr. Darling
  Government expenditure is no longer classified as being Cyclical or as part of the Control Total. Major reforms to tighten the control and to improve the long term planning of public spending were announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report (published June 1998). Spending plans across the public sector is known as Total Managed Expenditure (TME). Large demand-led programmes, such as DSS benefits expenditure, are brought together in Annually Managed Expenditure (AME). The latest forecasts for DSS benefits expenditure were published in the November 1998 Pre-Budget Report.

  Departmental Papers (Access for Visually Impaired)
  Mr. Michael J. Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has for departmental(a) White and (b) Green Papers to be made available on floppy disk format in a form which facilitates access for the visually impaired. [67846]
  564
  Mr. Bayley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the Written Answer that my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, gave on 27 January 1999,Official Report, column 296.

  It is the practice of this Department to facilitate access for the visually impaired by producing all White and Green Papers in braille and audio versions and they are made available from The Stationery Office at the same price as the print version. Free summary versions, also available in braille and audio, can be ordered by calling 0181 867 3201.

  In addition, we produce an electronic version for publishing on the Internet and we are able to make floppy disk versions available on request.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to introduce new ways of detecting and combating Disability Living Allowance fraud following the abolition of the Benefit Integrity Project. [67760]

  Mr. Bayley
  The Benefit Integrity Project (BIP) gathered up to date information about the care and mobility needs of disabled people with the highest awards of Disability Living Allowance (DLA), to check that they were receiving the right amount of DLA. The Benefit Integrity Project will end on 31 March 1999, to be replaced by a new and fairer system. No new cases will be selected for the project after this date. Cases where action has already started will continue to be processed through the remaining stages of adjudication, including review and appeal, in the normal way.

  We are determined to ensure that people are receiving the correct amount of benefit. But there is currently no automatic review mechanism within DLA. Therefore, from April a new system of periodic review will be introduced. It will incorporate the lessons already learned and will be continually evaluated and refined as it develops. Staff involved in the new processes will receive full training before commencing this new work.

  We are already talking to disability groups about ways to ensure the new system is sensitive to people's circumstances, and that it is both fair and effective.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many recipients of family credit there are in the(a) Maidstone area and (b) Medway area. [67468]

  Angela Eagle
  The administration of Family Credit is a matter for Peter Mathison, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Jonathan Shaw, dated 1 February 1999:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many recipients of Family Credit there are in the (a) Maidstone and (b) Medway areas.
  The Family Credit Unit produces statistics which show the number of recipients within the area covered by Benefits Agency (BA) offices. The area of Medway is covered by the BA Chatham office.
  565
  The number of Family Credit recipients for the Maidstone and Chatham areas are shown in the table.

  Number of family credit recipients in the Maidstone and Chatham benefits agency offices areas

  Office

  Number of recipients

  Maidstone

  1,146

  Chatham

  2,318

  Notes:

  Figures as at October 1998

  Figures are provisional and subject to change

  Source:

  Family Credit Unit.

  I hope you find this reply useful.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Maritime and Coastguard Agency
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many representations he has received about the creation of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency; and how many representations opposed setting up the new body. [68058]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Following the announcement of the creation of a new Marine Agency on 19 August 1997 to combine the work of the Coastguard Agency and the Marine Safety Agency from 1 April 1998, several letters were received, mainly referring to the HM Coastguard 5 year Strategy. Of these received 7 made mention of the merger, of which four expressed concern but none opposed the setting up of a new body. Since the launch of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency there have been a number of letters from industry and others endorsing the benefits of the merged agency.

  Freight Flights (Heathrow)
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many air freight flights representing what freight tonnage were recorded(a) to and (b) from (i) Heathrow, (ii) Gatwick and (iii) Stansted in each of the last five years. [68575]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  What information is available is shown in the table.

  Freight movements at Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted: 1994–98

  Number

  Gatwick

  Heathrow

  Stansted

  Freight flights 1994

  Arrivals

  2,741

  1,951

  4,445

  Departures

  2,456

  2,023

  5,152

  1995

  Arrivals

  2,635

  1,548

  4,688

  Departures

  2,470

  1,994

  4,928

  1996

  Arrivals

  2,783

  1,655

  4,683

  Departures

  2,497

  2,023

  4,946

  566

  Freight movements at Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted: 1994–98

  Number

  Gatwick

  Heathrow

  Stansted

  1997

  Arrivals

  2,274

  1,734

  5,034

  Departures

  2,085

  1,853

  5,228

  1998

  Arrivals

  2,035

  1,604

  6,587

  Departures

  1,723

  1,714

  6,509

  Tonnes

  Gatwick

  Heathrow

  Stansted

  Freight 1994

  Set Down

  15,292

  41,904

  39,206

  Picked Up

  18,838

  47,348

  44,004

  1995

  Set Down

  22,521

  43,151

  42,811

  Picked Up

  28,014

  51,267

  45,403

  1996

  Set Down

  32,219

  44,983

  50,513

  Picked Up

  33,540

  49,521

  51,440

  1997

  Set Down

  14,316

  58,536

  64,020

  Picked Up

  19,258

  56,022

  60,748

  1998

  Set Down

  6,944

  55,527

  94,312

  Picked Up

  10,896

  51,353

  82,818

  Fly-tipping
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to introduce further measures to discourage fly-tipping. [68627]

  Mr. Meale
  Stringent controls and severe penalties are in place to discourage the illegal disposal of waste (fly-tipping) and the Environment Agency has made clear its commitment to taking firm enforcement action. The main controls and the maximum penalties were set out in my reply to my hon. Friend the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice), on 8 December 1998,Official Report, columns 120–21. We have no plans to introduce further measures.

  Sewerage
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if his Department's programme of investment in cleaning up water and sewage will provide assistance to local authorities wishing to transfer Housing Act sewage works water companies. [68586]

  Mr. Meale
  The Department does not offer financial assistance to help bring Housing Act sewage works up to the required standard to enable them to be adopted by the sewerage undertaker. There are provisions in the Water Industry Act 1991 which enable these works to be adopted but the financial implications are a matter for the sewerage undertaker and local authority. Under section
  567
  105 of the 1991 Act, an owner of any sewerage works may appeal to the Director General of Water Services in the event of a dispute with the sewerage undertaker over an agreement to adopt.

  Direct Labour Organisations
  Mr. Lock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if his Department will conduct a review of the bodies which a direct labour organisation of a district council is permitted to enter into contracts with as specified in the Local Authorities (Goods and Services) Act 1970; and if he will make a statement. [68567]

  Mr. Raynsford
  My officials are reviewing the way the Local Authorities (Goods and Services) Act 1970 works. Any changes to its administration have to be considered in the context of the Local Government Bill, now before Parliament, which would allow the Secretary of State to modify existing legislation so as to facilitate local authorities achieving best value. It would be premature to discuss how this power might be exercised in advance of Parliament discussing the relevant provisions of the Bill.

  Private Playing Fields
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to control development on private playing fields. [68566]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Planning Policy Guidance note 17: "Sport and Recreation" provides advice on this issue. It emphasises the special significance of playing fields, including those that are privately owned and that they should normally be protected from development, taking into account the long-term needs of the community for recreation and amenity open space.

  Last month, my Department issued Circular 9/98: the Town and Country Planning (Playing Fields) (England) Direction 1998. This applies to any application for developing private land which is currently or has at any time in the five years before the application been used as a playing field by an educational institution.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many people are currently registered as homeless; and how many were so registered in May 1997. [68607]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Local authorities in England report in their quarterly P1(E) returns the number of households accepted as homeless and in priority need under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 and 1996 Housing Acts.

  The latest available estimates are for the quarter ending September 1998, when local authorities accepted some 27,500 households. The corresponding figure for the quarter ending June 1997 was 24,930 households.

  Groundwater Regulations 1998
  Mrs. Shephard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to publish the Groundwater Regulations. [68967]
  568
  Mr. Meacher
  The Groundwater Regulations 1998 were laid before Parliament on 11 November 1998. Transitional arrangements under the Regulations came into force on 1 January, and the main provisions come into force on 1 April 1999.

  Minerals Extraction
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received in response to public consultation on the Draft Environmental Impact Assessment and Habitats (Extraction of Minerals by Marine Dredging) Regulations 1999; and if he will make a statement. [69213]

  Mr. Caborn
  Public consultation on the Draft Environmental Impact Assessment and Habitats (Extraction of Minerals by Marine Dredging) Regulations was carried out for a six week period in the autumn of last year. 46 responses were received from official bodies, from fishing interests, local authorities and environmental organisations. A list of the responses has been placed in the Library of the House and copies of all responses have been placed in the DETR Library. The Government are considering the responses.

  Greater London Authority
  Mr. Linton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what statutory authority exists for costs to be incurred by him in preparation for the establishment of the Greater London Authority and its functional and other associated bodies. [69214]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Greater London Authority (Referendum) Bill provides authority for preparations for the Greater London Authority itself. Authority for preparations for the remaining bodies will be provided by the Greater London Authority Bill once enacted. Parliamentary approval for expenditure on these remaining bodies will be sought as soon as practicable following enactment. This is likely to be through a Winter Supplementary Estimate for Class III Vote 4 (local government, England) for 1999–2000. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure in 1998–99 estimated at £320,000 will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.

HEALTH

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. Stringer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the change in the total number of people on NHS waiting lists in England since April 1998; and if he will make a statement on progress made in reducing waiting lists. [67172]

  Mr. Denham
  The total number of people on National Health Service waiting lists in England has fallen by over 150,000 since April 1998. By next April, we will deliver a record reduction in waiting lists to below the 1.16 million patients inherited from the previous Government. This will be the first step in delivering our pledge to bring down the waiting lists by 100,000 from the level we inherited in the lifetime of this Parliament.
  569
  Mr. David Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the change in the total number of people waiting over 12 months for treatment on NHS waiting lists in England since May 1998. [67188]

  Mr. Denham
  Over 12 months waiters have fallen by over 16,000, 22 per cent. since June 1998, to stand at 56,000 at the end of November 1998.

  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients need to be treated in the Essex Rivers health authority to meet his Department's waiting list target at 31 March 1999. [67191]

  Mr. Denham
  The position as at November 1998 was that Essex Rivers Healthcare National Health Service Trust will need to achieve a reduction of 2,324 in order to achieve its 31 March 1999 waiting list target. North Essex Health Authority will need to achieve a reduction of 3,362 in order to achieve its 31 March 1999 waiting list target.

  Renal Services
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the provision, per head of population, of renal services in(a) the South Lancashire health authority and (b) the rest of England. [67174]

  Mr. Hutton
  The actual take-up figure in the area covered by South Lancashire Health Authority was 50 patients per million population in the most recent year for which figures are available, that is, the year ended September 1997. The most recent national figures available are from a survey of service provision in 1995. The number of new patients in England accepted on to treatment (dialysis or kidney transplant) for end stage renal failure in 1995 was 82 per million population.

  Investing in Dentistry Initiative
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress of grant applications under the Investing in Dentistry initiative. [67175]

  Mr. Denham
  To date, we have received over 600 Investing in Dentistry funding requests, 242 of which have been approved, and 236 refused. Decisions on the remaining applications will be made as soon as possible.

  Out-patient Waiting Lists
  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the total number of patients waiting more than 13 weeks for an out-patient consultation as of(a) the first quarter of 1997 and (b) the last quarter for which figures are available. [67177]

  Mr. Denham
  In the first quarter of 1997–98, 2,690,000 first outpatient attendances were provided, with 290,000 patients waiting over 13 weeks at 30 June. In the second quarter of 1998–99 (the latest available),570
  2,740,000 first outpatient attendances were provided, with 437,000 patients waiting over 13 weeks at 30 September 1998.

  Winter Schemes
  Dr. Whitehead
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many winter schemes were supported by his Department through his Department's targeted winter schemes money. [67178]

  Mr. Hutton
  Over 2,000. These have enabled health and social services to work together to manage the very high emergency pressures we have seen over the past month.

  Mr. Dennis Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many schemes were funded by his Department through targeted winter schemes money. [67198]

  Mr. Denham
  Over 2,000 schemes have been funded through this money. These have enabled health and social services to work together to manage the very high emergency pressures we have seen over the past month.

  Nurses
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the percentage increase in nurses on trainee schemes was for 1997 over the previous year; and what proportion of this increase was made up of graduate nurses. [67179]

  Mr. Denham
  The English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting collects statistical information on students on nurse trainee schemes and publishes the figures in their annual reports, but not in the format requested.

  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the training of nurses. [67180]

  Mr. Denham
  We have already said that we must reform the system of nurse education and training.

  We want to see more flexible, modular nurse education that has far stronger links with the NHS at all levels. We want student nurses to have more work-based learning in the NHS and see an NHS committed to preparing the next generation of nurses.

  We will be discussing how we achieve this with representatives of the professions, the UK General Council and the universities.

  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses were registered with the UK Central Council for England and Wales on (i) 1 May 1997 and (ii) 1 January 1999; and if he will make a statement. [67183]

  Mr. Denham
  For the information requested, I refer the hon. Member to the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.

  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many extra nurse trainees would have entered
  571
  training in the years 1992 to 1997 if the level of intake matched expected levels for 1998 to 2001. [67186]

  Mr. Denham
  If the previous Government had matched our commitment to nurse training over their last five years of office, over 14,000 extra nurse trainees would have entered training.

  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what improvements he is making to nurse education and training. [67195]

  Mr. Denham
  We wish to see nurse education become more accessible and provide nurses with the practical skills they need when they enter the National Health Service. We will be discussing how we achieve this with representatives of the professions and the universities, and with Sir Len Peach, Chair of the United Kingdom Central Council Commission for Education. The commission is reviewing nurse education and will report in the summer.

  The NHS is already working to improve nurse education, for example by encouraging the use of longer practice placements and by working closely with universities to encourage more joint NHS/University-funded nurse teacher posts.

  Mr. Hurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new student nurse trainees were forecast to start training in the year 1 January 1997 to 31 December 1997; and how many new student nurse trainees started training during that year. [67196]

  Mr. Denham
  From April 1997 to April 1998 the number of nurse training places was increased by just under 1,500 against a planned increase of 1,300.

  Commission for Health Improvement
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers will be available to the Commission for Health Improvement for supporting the local development of health care and spot-checking new arrangements. [67181]

  Mr. Denham
  Forthcoming legislation will set out powers to enable the Commission to obtain access to information for the purposes of conducting reviews of the implementation and adequacy of arrangements to monitor and improve the quality of healthcare provided by National Health Service Trusts and Primary Care Trusts.

  NHS Staff (Retention)
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve the retention of NHS staff. [67182]

  Mr. Denham
  "Working Together—Securing a quality workforce for the NHS", published in September 1998, sets targets for local employers to demonstrate year-on-year improvement in retention rates for all health professional staff.

  Viagra
  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received regarding making Viagra available on the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [67184]
  572
  Mr. Denham
  Since September we have received some 490 written representations from Members of Parliament, professional representative bodies, patient groups and the public about the availability of Viagra on the National Health Service. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health announced on 21 January the start of a six-week public consultation on substantive policy proposals about the treatment of impotence on the NHS.

  Equality of Provision
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he is making toward equality of provision in the national health service; and when he expects to achieve it. [67185]

  Mr. Denham
  The Government are producing National Service Frameworks, establishing the National Institute for Clinical Excellence and introducing a National Performance Assessment Framework, which will challenge and address variations in the provision of clinically and cost-effective treatments not based on the health needs and wishes of local people.

  Cervical Screening
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure equality of provision for cervical screening; and if he will make a statement. [67189]

  Mr. Hutton
  Tackling health inequalities is one of two key aims in "Our Healthier Nation" and it is a priority for health and social services. We are committed to ensuring that all women aged 20–64 have access to cervical screening at least every five years. In those health authorities areas which are not achieving 80 per cent. coverage, targeted initiatives are underway to improve coverage. At a national level, a new Inner Cities Action Group is identifying and disseminating good practice in increasing coverage among ethnic minority and lower socio-economic groups.

  NHS Morale
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has put into effect with the aim of increasing morale in the NHS. [67192]

  Mr. Denham
  "Working Together: Securing a quality workforce for the NHS", a framework for managing human resources in the National Health Service, was circulated to the NHS on 22 September 1998 and is a major step forward in our drive to meeting the aspirations of both staff and employers. The pay review bodies have welcomed the initiatives that we announced to improve the quality of the working lives of staff.

  By April 2000 employers will, among other measures, have to:
  have systems in place to record and monitor workplace accidents and violence against staff, and have published strategies in place to achieve a reduction in such incidents;
  have policies and procedures in place to tackle harassment by staff and service users, supported by monitoring and reporting arrangements to measure progress;
  have in place occupational health services and counselling available for staff;

  573
  have in place training and development plans in place for the majority of health professionals;
  have developed and reviewed their mechanisms for involving staff in planning and delivering health care;
  achieve year-on-year improvement in sick absence rates and, where applicable, targeted progress towards national minimum benchmarks;
  demonstrate year-on-year improvement in retention rates for all health professional staff and, where applicable, targeted progress towards national benchmarks;
  have undertaken an annual staff attitude survey to act as a benchmark against which improvements to the quality of working life can be measured.

  Accident and Emergency Departments
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his target for investment in the modernisation of accident and emergency departments during 1999. [67193]

  Mr. Denham
  The Government have announced an extra £30 million to modernise some 50 accident and emergency departments in the coming year.

  Primary Care Groups
  Mr. Darvill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many primary care groups he expects to commence during 1999. [67194]

  Mr. Denham
  481 primary care groups will commence on 1 April 1999.

  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if primary care groups may commission services. [671761

  Mr. Denham
  Primary care groups will have the capacity to commission services from 1 April 1999. The degree of responsibility for commissioning services will be agreed between the primary care group and the health authority.

  NHS Wages and Salaries
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the total NHS budget is taken up by the wages and salaries of(a) doctors, (b) nurses and (c) ancillary workers. [67197]

  Mr. Denham
  The information requested is as follows:

  Paybill costs as a percentage of National Health Service expenditure: England 1997–98

  Percentage of NHS expenditure

  £ million

  NHS Total Expenditure

  —

  37,650

  Doctors and dentists paybill

  16.1

  6,070

  Nurses and midwives paybill

  17.6

  6,630

  Ancillary staff paybill

  2.6

  970

  Notes:

  Paybill data for 1997–98 are provisional.

  Figures for doctors and dentists include general practitioners and general dental practitioners.

  Salaries for practice nurses, directly employed by GPs, are not included.

  The figures for ancillary staff include directly employed staff.

  Ancillary staff are defined as support staff and classified through the new system of occupation coding for NHS non-medical staff, introduced in 1995.

  Hospital Admissions (Leicestershire)
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on reducing pressure on hospital admissions in Leicestershire. [67190]

  Mr. Denham
  None. We understand that Leicestershire Health Authority has produced a comprehensive action plan agreed with the local authority social services department for managing the pressures on emergency services during the winter period.

  An extra £250 million was announced in November 1998 to help the National Health Service and social services manage this winter's pressures. £2.6 million of this was allocated to Leicestershire Health Authority.

  Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  Mr. Sawford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people received specialist treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome at the Havering Hospital NHS Trust broken down by those treated as(a) out-patients and (b) in-patients in each of the last three years. [67009]

  Ms Jowell
  The figures available for chronic/postviral fatigue syndrome in Havering Hospital National Health Service Trust, for financial years 1995–96 to 1997–98 are shown in the table.

  Chronic fatigue syndrome in Havering Hospital NHS Trust1

  Year

  FCEs2

  1995–96

  100

  1996–973

  83

  1997–983

  85

  1 Ordinary Admissions and Daycase combined: Finished Consultant Episodes (FCEs) by primary diagnosis for chronic/post viral fatigue syndrome in Havering Hospital NHS

  2 An FCE represents a complete period of inpatient treatment under the care of an individual hospital consultant, and in about 95 per cent. of cases, represents a complete spell in hospital.

  3 Figures for 1996–97 and 1997–98 are provisional—no adjustments have yet been made for shortfalls in data (the data are ungrossed)

  Note:

  ICD1 10 code used is G93.3

  Source:

  Department of Health. Hospital Episodes Statistics

  The Department does not collect information on outpatients treated for chronic fatigue syndrome. The information that is available is contained in "Outpatients and Ward Attenders, England", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Health Inequalities
  Dr. Tony Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the cost of implementing the Acheson report on Inequalities in Health. [67605]

  Ms Jowell
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) on 18 January 1999,Official Report, column 378.

  The terms of reference of the independent inquiry into inequalities in health (the Acheson report) required the review to be conducted within the broad framework of the Government's overall financial strategy. The whole

  575
  Government are firmly committed to reducing health inequalities. A range of initiatives is already helping to carry forward Sir Donald Acheson's recommendations. Modernising the health service and ensuring fair access to services is a vital component of that effort—backed up with a £21 billion boost over the next three years.

  Drugs Prescriptions
  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the savings which the NHS would have made in 1997–98 had equivalent generic drugs been prescribed in place of non-generics. [68450]

  Mr. Denham
  We estimate that, had equivalent generic drugs been prescribed in the community in place of proprietary items in the National Health Service in 1997–98, in all cases where equivalent generic drugs were available, then savings of some £66 million could in theory have been made. However, there are circumstances in which generic prescribing is inappropriate.

  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the average income in 1997–98 in(a) a prescribing GP and (b) a dispensing GP; [68446]

  (2) what is the average income supplement earned by a GP through dispensing. [68447]

  Mr. Denham
  The level of fees and allowances payable to general practitioners are set by the independent pay review body to deliver and distribute their recommended level of net incomes for GPs, taking account of the costs, pressures and workload of practice in different areas. Earnings from practice dispensing are an integral part of the overall recommendations of the Review Body.

  Spending from the NHS research and development levy, by region

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Budget 1

  Budget 2

  Budget 1

  Budget 2

  Budget 1

  Budget 2

  Northern and Yorkshire

  12,794

  6,707

  16,094

  6,125

  16,060

  5,595

  North West

  18,019

  5,867

  20,413

  7,085

  20,479

  7,109

  Trent

  18,040

  4,257

  20,512

  4,359

  20,830

  4,560

  West Midlands

  6,313

  5,125

  9,734

  4,717

  10,091

  4,592

  Anglia and Oxford

  8,838

  9,310

  17,829

  10,040

  18,345

  10,130

  South West

  11,605

  8,024

  15,552

  7,408

  16,193

  6,518

  North Thames

  260,294

  7,300

  198,996

  6,949

  196,643

  6,334

  South Thames

  22,705

  5,197

  50,889

  6,078

  51,712

  5,477

  Totals

  358,608

  51,787

  350,019

  52,761

  350,353

  50,315

  Notes:

  Figures are outturn (provisional for 1998–99) in £000 at price level prevailing at the time.

  There is a discontinuity in budget 1 allocations between 1996–97 and 1997–98 because accounting for research in postgraduate teaching hospitals was transferred from North Thames to the host regional office.

  The table excludes national research and development programmes expenditure in budget 2 and £675,000 on budget 1 funds allocated during 1998–99 to cover the unforeseen costs incurred by providers hosting externally-funded non commercial research and development which qualifies for NHS support.

  From 1 April 2000 the distribution of budget 2 funding to regional offices will be in proportion to the distribution of revenue allocations to health authorities.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list his latest estimates and forecast expenditure
  576
  The information requested is not available. However, the average net income of dispensing and non-dispensing general medical practitioners1 in Great Britain in 1995–96 and 1996–972,3 was as follows:

  £000

  1995–96 and 1996–97 average 2,3

  All general medical practitioners1 (GMPs)

  47,000

  Dispensing GMPs

  53,400

  Non-dispensing GMPs

  45,800

  1 Unrestricted principals in Great Britain excluding salaried partners and GMPs with zero list size.

  2 Separate data for each year are not available.

  3 Based on a sample survey; figures are approximate and subject to sampling variation.

  Source:

  Joint Health Departments/British Medical Association (General Practitioners Committee) Technical Steering Committee

  Research and Development
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the expenditure on research and development by each NHS region in each year since 1992. [68226]

  Ms Jowell
  The expenditure of funds from the National Health Service research and development levy by and through the NHS Executive's regional offices since the establishment of the levy on 1 April 1996 is shown in the table.

  Comparable data are not available for earlier years. The levy includes funding allocated through national competition to enable NHS trusts and other providers of NHS services to carry out, commission and host research and development of potential benefit to the health service (budget 1), as well as funding allocated to the NHS Executive headquarters and regional offices to commission research and development activity on behalf of the NHS as a whole (budget 2). Other government funded research also takes place in, and benefits, the NHS.

  in cash terms for the element of NHS trusts' charges to health authorities which trusts use to remunerate their debt to central Government for (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1998–99, (iii) 1999–2000, (iv) 2000–01 and (v) 2001–02. [68382]
  577
  Mr. Denham
  The amounts included in health authorities' allocations to cover National Health Service trust debt remuneration are as follows:

  Year

  Amount (£)

  1997–981

  1,206,750,000

  1998–991

  1,236,110,000

  1999–20001

  1,306,544,000

  2000–012

  1,306,544,000

  2001–022

  1,306,544,000

  1 Actual

  2 Forecast

  Forde Park, Newton Abbot
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if public immunity indemnity certificates have been signed in connection with Forde Park, Newton Abbot. [68864]

  Mr. Hutton
  No.

  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what files his Department retains on individuals who attended Forde Park, Newton Abbot. [68865]

  Mr. Hutton
  None.

  Smoking
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the figures for the incidence of cigarette smoking among adults in 1998. [67399]

  Ms Jowell
  The Office for National Statistics plans to publish headline results from the 1998–99 General Household Survey (GHS) late this year. These will include figures for the prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults aged 16 and over in Great Britain.

  It is also planned that the main report for the 1998–99 GHS will be published in February 2000, which will include more detailed analyses.

  Telecommunications Base Stations
  Ms Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the biological effects of emissions from telecommunications base stations. [68343]

  Ms Jowell
  In 1996, the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) evaluated an epidemiological study by the small area health statistics unit. This study, undertaken on behalf of this and five other Government Departments, investigated the incidence of leukaemia near 20 high power Television/FM transmitters in Great Britain. The study found that living close to a transmitter was not associated with an increased risk of leukaemia. In their statement—copies of which are available in the Library—COMARE reiterated their previous advice that is no firm evidence of a carcinogenic hazard from exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) from television and radio masts emissions.

  The Department is currently contributing to the World Health Organisation International Electromagnetic Fields Project which includes health effects of electromagnetic fields and is funding studies investigating possible biological effects from EMF generally.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Domestic Gas
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the annual financial benefit to the average three-bedroomed household of using domestic gas for heating and hot water relative to other forms of heating. [68376]

  Mr. Battle
  The Building Research Establishment estimate that during a year of average weather, based on average energy prices over the period 1996–1998, the typical costs of using different fuels for heating and hot water are as follows:

  Estimated average annual energy consumption and costs for heating and hot water: 3 bedroom semi detached house, United Kingdom

  Fuel used

  Energy consumed 1 GJ

  Cost per year 2£

  Difference compared to gas £

  Difference compared to gas Percentage

  Gas3,4

  100.5

  452

  —

  —

  Oil3

  92.6

  369

  ?84

  ?18

  Solid fuel3,5

  111.2

  540

  +88

  +20

  Electric off-peak6

  67

  630

  +178

  +39

  Electric on-peak7

  53.3

  1,171

  +719

  +159

  1 Energy consumed for domestic heating and hot water during a year of average weather (based on weather over last 20 years). It is assumed in the model that all of the house is heated so that the living area reaches a temperature of 21? C, with the following heating pattern: weekdays 2 hours in the morning, 7 hours in the evening. Weekends 16 hours.

  2 Based on average fuel prices (including VAT) over the 3 years 1996–1998. Connection to mains electricity for other uses, such as appliances, has been assumed and the standing charge associated with this supply has therefore been excluded from the estimated costs. The figures reflect the overall efficiency of typical heating systems for each fuel (eg a standard gas or oil boiler with room thermostat or individual electric heaters with their own thermostats). More efficient systems are available for oil and gas, but not widely installed and they would obviously reduce energy consumption and the corresponding costs further.

  3 Central heating and hot water.

  4 Includes a standing charge for gas of £36 per year.

  5 Based on anthracite used in closed room heaters and radiators.

  6 Storage heating and hot water (dual immersion heater). The annual cost includes an additional standing charge for the off-peak tariff of £14 per year.

  7 Heating and hot water.

  Source:

  Building Research Establishment Domestic Energy Model (BREDEM)

  It should be noted that these estimates do not take account of all the factors that are relevant to such comparisons. For example, the lower capital costs of on-peak electricity installation can allow investment in higher insulation levels.

  Right Hon. Member for Hartlepool
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date the right hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson) made the decision to have no involvement in the Department of Trade and Industry investigation into the dealings of the hon. Member for Coventry, North-West (Mr. Robinson). [65637]

  Mr. Byers
  On 23 September 1998.
  579
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what papers relating to his Department's inquiry into dealings of the hon. Member for Coventry, North-West (Mr. Robinson) were shown to the former Secretary of State, the right hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson); [65636]

  (2) on what date the former Secretary of State, the right hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson), withdrew from any involvement in or influence over investigations conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry into the dealings of the hon. Member for Coventry, North-West, (Mr. Robinson); [65638]

  (3) whether the former Secretary of State, the right hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson), minuted the Permanent Secretary in order to record his decision to have no involvement in the inquiry into alleged accounting offences by Hollis Industries plc; [65596]

  (4) by what means the former Secretary of State, the right hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson), informed the Permanent Secretary of his decision to have no involvement in the inquiry into alleged accounting offences by Hollis Industries plc. [65597]

  Mr. Byers
  The decision was taken in discussion with the Permanent Secretary at a meeting on 23 September 1998.

  US-UK Import Tariffs
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what rates of tariff are currently applicable to United Kingdom imports of catering tableware from the United States of America, and of similar United Kingdom exports into the USA; what action he is taking to reduce the difference; and if he will make a statement. [68369]

  Mr. Wilson
  [holding answer 1 February 1999]: The current customs tariffs on imports of catering tableware into the UK from the United States of America are 12 per cent. for articles of porcelain or china, and 5 per cent., 5.5 per cent. or 9 per cent. for articles other than porcelain or china. The US tariffs for similar products are 30 per cent. and 31.5 per cent. respectively. The UK is committed to further multilateral liberalisation of trade including significant reductions in US peak tariffs on catering tableware. The issue will be addressed as part of a comprehensive, cross-sectoral multilateral World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiation on industrial tariffs. To date WTO member countries have still to commit themselves to such a negotiation. However, I am hopeful that the WTO Ministerial Conference in the USA next November will be able to agree on the need to make preparations for further multilateral negotiations on liberalising industrial tariffs. I do not, therefore, propose to make a statement.

  End-of-life Vehicles
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Government supported the amendment to the draft EU Directive on end-of-life vehicles which was approved at the Environment Council meeting on 21 December and which added £73 million extra annual costs on business. [68983]
  580
  Dr. Howells
  Ministers reached only a preliminary view on the main issues of the Directive at the Environment Council meeting in December, and decisions on the Council's Common Position are expected to be taken at the Environment Council in March.

  The latest update of the Regulatory Impact Assessment includes a provision for a specific recycling target for 2015. The previous RIA could not contain a figure for this provision because it was based on an unquantified target for 2015 which would have been set by review in 2005. The difference between the two figures should not therefore simply be regarded as an increase.

  Company Rescue Mechanism
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the terms of reference of the joint DTI/Treasury review of company rescue mechanisms announced in the recent Competitiveness White Paper. [69143]

  Mr. Byers
  The terms of reference of the review have now been agreed as follows:

  To review aspects of company and insolvency law and practice in the United Kingdom and elsewhere relating to the opportunities for, and means by which, businesses can resolve short to medium term financial difficulties, so as to preserve maximum economic value; and to make recommendations.

  The principal areas of focus for the review should be:
  the further development of the rescue culture;
  a re-assessment of the relative rights and remedies of secured and unsecured creditors in insolvencies to include the position of the Crown as a preferential creditor; and,
  consideration of the duties of directors in relation to companies experiencing financial difficulties.

  The Review will be led jointly by the Department of Trade and Industry (Insolvency Service) and HM Treasury and will seek and welcome views from all sources, particularly those with experience of business and business failure, from those who have studied company rescue regimes both in the UK and elsewhere and from those involved in the practice of rescuing companies, again both in the UK and elsewhere.

  To ensure that its conclusions/recommendations can make an early contribution to debate in this area the Review Team will report to Ministers by the end of July 1999.

  Officials from the Department of Trade and Industry, The Insolvency Service and HM Treasury will lead the review with contributions from a number of individuals from the academic, professional and business world.

  Electro-shock Batons
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if companies granted export licences for the export of electro-shock batons between 1989 and 1994 had been granted the relevant licence under firearms legislation to(a) handle, (b) store, (c) distribute and (d) manufacture such weapons. [68192]
  581
  Mr. Boateng
  I have been asked to reply.

  Two of the four companies in question had authority to deal in weapons prohibited by section 5(1)(b) of the Firemans Act 1968, which would include electro-shock weapons as well as other types of weapons capable of discharging a noxious liquid, gas or other thing. The other two companies, one of which was the company granted the trans-shipment licence, did not have such authority.

  The investigation of possible offences under the Firemans Acts is a matter for the police, who will consider whether there are grounds to bring criminal charges. The decision as to whether or not to prosecute in an individual case rests with the Crown Prosecution Service. The Home Office has no powers to intervene. However, information about the two companies that did not have authority to deal in prohibited weapons was forwarded by the Home Office to the relevant police forces for their consideration. I understand that, in both cases, the police have decided to take no further action.

  Domestic Gas (Mains Connection)
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many households in the United Kingdom were not connected to the mains domestic gas supply in (i) 1994–95, (ii) 1995–96, (iii) 1996–97 and (iv) 1997–98. [68375]

  Mr. Battle
  [holding answer 1 February 1999]: I regret that this information is not available from official sources. Unofficial estimates suggest that some 6 million households in Great Britain may not be connected to mains gas supply, including premises where it would not be safe to install gas.

  Digital Economy (Special Representative)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to announce the name of the Government's Special Representative on the Digital Economy. [68167]

  Mr. Wills
  [holding answer 1 February 1999]: The selection process for the Special Representative on the Digital Economy is in hand, and we will announce the name of the successful candidate as soon as possible.

  Export Controls
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what amount of money, underwritten by the ECGD for defence and other equipment entered in Part HI of Schedule I to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 has been claimed by manufacturers, but not recovered from the Governments of(a) Indonesia, (b) Jordan, (c) Kenya, (d) Egypt and (e) Algeria. [67897]

  Mr. Wilson
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: ECGD does not categorise the sales of defence or other equipment which it supports by reference to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994.

  I can however advise my hon. Friend that, on the basis of records available, the balance of claims paid by ECGD which are outstanding for recovery in respect of sales of
  582
  defence and other equipment (including non-lethal goods and services) to defence buyers in the named countries currently stands at:-

  £ million

  Country

  Number

  (a) Indonesia

  11

  (b) Jordan

  253

  (c) Kenya

  16

  (d) Egypt

  46

  (e) Algeria

  98

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of the amount of money underwritten by the ECGD for defence and other equipment entered in Part III of Schedule I to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 claimed by manufacturers, but not recovered from the Governments of(a) Indonesia, (b) Jordan, (c) Kenya, (d) Egypt and (e) Algeria, has been outstanding for (i) five years or more, (ii) two to five years, (iii) one to two years, (iv) six months to one year and (v) less than six months. [67894]

  Mr. Wilson
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: ECGD does not maintain its records on a basis which would enable it to answer this question other than at disproportionate cost.

  Renewable Energy Sources
  Mr. Gummer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government are taking to encourage electricity companies to supply electricity from renewable energy sources beyond their obligations under the Non Fossil Fuel Obligation. [67965]

  Mr. Battle
  In September last year, I announced the fifth and largest Order to date under the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO-5). Under that Order, the electricity supply companies in England and Wales contracted collectively with 261 projects with a combined capacity of 1,177 Mega Watts (MW).

  I have also reversed the planned cuts in the renewable programme budget, so that the budget for this year (1998–99) has been maintained at £11 million. The programme supports both Research and Development (R&D) and market enablement projects. Of the latter, among the projects supported this year was the Renewable Generators Consortium (RGC), which brought together the majority of generators with contracts under NFF0-1 and NFF0-2—contracts which subsequently ended on 31 December 1998—in order to negotiate new, post-NFFO contracts collectively with the electricity supply companies.

  Many of those generators, now trading successfully in the open electricity market, are supplying electricity companies which are either already offering or which are about to offer, green electricity tariffs or products of some kind. The programme has also been supporting work on accrediting such tariffs and I hope to see an accreditation scheme launched later this year, with substantial support from my Department.

  We are also considering wider renewable policy as part of our review of renewable energy, the results of which will announce shortly.

  SMEs (Internet)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what publicity his Department has given to its internet web sites dedicated to Trade UK for small and medium-sized enterprises; and if he will list the web sites. [68463]

  Mr. Wilson
  [holding answer 1 February 1999]: My Department is promoting the TradeUK internet service at www.tradeuk.com to two main audiences: first, as a service for UK exporters and potential exporters and, second, as a service for buyers abroad wishing to source goods and services from the UK. For the UK audience the main links to TradeUK now in place are via the Overseas Trade Services (www.dti.gov.uk/ots/) and Enterprise Zone (www.enterprisezone.org.uk) websites. We are also giving publicity to the TradeUK web site in its own right and working with other Departments, agencies and trade associations to develop reciprocal links to and from TradeUK. We are signposting foreign buyers to TradeUK from websites of British Embassies and Consulates around the world.

  Intellectual Property Rights
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to ensure that the procedure for registering and protecting intellectual property rights for patents is harmonised across the European Union. [68551]

  Dr. Howells
  There is already substantial harmonisation of procedures for acquiring patent rights in Europe. Under the European Patent Convention (EPC), an intergovernmental agreement to which 19 European States belong (including the United Kingdom), applications can be filed with the European Patent Office. This offers a single procedure for obtaining patent rights. Applicants designate those States in which protection is required, and rights become valid in those States upon filing of a translation into their official languages.

  Once validated in each designated State the system provides a bundle of national patents which have to be separately maintained and enforced under respective national laws.

  Following consultation on its Green Paper on patents in Europe, the European Commission is expected to make a proposal for a Council Regulations for a Community patent providing a unitary right across the Member States. Costs of translation into official languages of all Member States and absence of harmonisation in post grant litigation could reduce the effectiveness of such a system. As stated in the Competitiveness White Paper, the Government will push for a Community patent which is affordable and easy to enforce.

  Departmental Responsibilities
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what responsibilities which his Department had prior to the Comprehensive Spending Review are to be(a) discontinued by his Department, (b) transferred to another department, (c) transferred to an executive agency and (d) added to his Department over the period 1998–99 to 2001–02. [68395]
  584
  Mr. Byers
  No responsibilities are to be discontinued, transferred or added over this period as a result of the Comprehensive Spending Review.

  Departmental Legislation
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what additional legislation, not currently before Parliament, was assumed in the production of his Department's spending allocation for 1999–2000 to 2001–02 in the Comprehensive Spending Review. [68411]

  Mr. Byers
  There is a longstanding convention that legislative proposals for each year are not announced before the Queen's Speech at the start of the relevant Session.

  Internal Market
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the determination by the Council of Ministers of the guidelines and conditions to be adopted by Member States and the Community in order to ensure balanced progress towards the internal market. [67934]

  Mr. Wilson
  The Vienna European Council on 11–12 December concluded that continued progress had been made to modernise, extend and simplify the Single Market, and welcomed the continued monitoring which the Commission would carry out through the Single Market Scoreboard. The Council also concluded that full and correct implementation of single market rules at national level was essential and that there were still some gaps in this which needed to be corrected without delay.

  The Internal Market Council was asked to produce a report on the working of Single Market, and proposing further action on a number of priorities.

  The Austrian and German Presidencies have been taking forward the important agenda of work in economic reform of product and capital markets to enhance competitiveness, economic growth and employment in which my noble Friend the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe has played a very active role.

  Regional Aid
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what change in the proportion of the working population covered by assisted areas status is now anticipated under the European guidelines on regional aid published in March 1998. [66151]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 18 January 1999]: The European Commission has stated that up to 28.7 per cent. of the UK's population may be covered by areas eligible for regional aid under Articles 92(3)a and 92(3)c of the EC Treaty.

  Lucas Varity
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the bid by a US company for Lucas Varity and its potential effects on the West Midlands. [68522]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 1 February 1999]: In the first instance it would be necessary to determine whether any proposed acquisition fell for consideration by the

  585
  European Commission under the EC Merger Regulation, or by the UK authorities under the Fair Trading Act 1973. If a proposed acquisition fell to the EC Merger Regulation, it would be for the parties to notify it to the European Commission. If it fell to the UK authorities, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry would decide whether or not to refer it to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission in the light of the advice of the Director General of Fair Trading. Each case is considered on its own merits.

  Renewable Energy Advisory Committee
  Mr. Gareth R. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the(a) role, (b) recent work and (c) membership of the Renewable Energy Advisory Committee. [68855]

  Mr. Battle
  The terms of reference of the Renewable Energy Advisory Committee (REAC) are:to advise the Head of Energy Technologies Directorate (ENT), DTI on the aims, content, environmental appropriateness and economic applicability of the Department's market enablement programme and policy on new and renewable energy;
  to advise on the merits, relative priorities and value for money of those proposed projects within the above programme that the Head of ENT may place before it;
  to take particular responsibility for advice on strategic and other pan-technology issues associated with the development of new and renewable energy sources;
  to monitor and review the programme's progress against the DTI's agreed plans, and to evaluate the programme's effectiveness in achieving its agreed objectives; and to provide advice on such other matters as may be required.
  At its meeting on 20 January 1999 REAC discussed:
  the renewable energy programme;
  the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation and my Department's recent consultation exercise on offshore wind; and new Cabinet Office guidance on Non-Departmental Public Bodies.

  Members of REAC

  Mr. G. Bevan, ENT, DTI—Chairman

  Dr. G. J. K. Acres, Johnson Matthey Technology Centre (retired)

  Mr. J. Boags, Bank of Scotland

  Mr. R. Booth, Consultant

  Ms A. Cook OBE, Neighbourhood Energy Action

  Mr. G. Leach. Stockholm Environment Institute

  Prof. P. O'Sullivan, University College London

  Mr. J. Parry, Chief Planning Officer, Shropshire County Council

  Mr. D. Porter, Association of Electricity Producers

  Mr. D. Shah, BP Exploration

  Mr. M. Trinick, Bond Pearce Solicitors

  Dr. G. Walker, CCLRC

  Mr. H. West, Hyder Industrial Ltd

  Mr. J. P. White, NORWEB

  Mr. J. Worth, Countryside Commission.

  In addition, a number of central Government officials attend REAC meetings in their official capacity, together with representatives of DTI's programme management contractor.

  Cashmere Goods
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from UK businesses in respect of the US Government proposal to 586
  impose tariffs on UK cashmere goods; what was the total value of UK cashmere goods exported (a) in total and (b) to the US in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [68172]

  Mr. Wilson
  I met with a delegation of manufacturers of Cashmere products led by the hon. Members for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) and for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Mr. Moore) on 20 January. I share their concerns on this issue. I have also had representation from companies involved in the cashmere industry, throughout the UK.

  Based on statistics published by US International Trade Commission, UK exports of cashmere goods to the US were approximately £17.5 million in 1997. There is no UK tariff heading directly equivalent to this particular US tariff code. However, UK Customs and Excise data indicate that UK exports to the US of cashmere sweaters under the most closely corresponding UK tariff codes (61101035 and 61101095) were £3.2 million in 1997. Total UK exports of cashmere sweaters under these codes were £30.8 million.

  Tidal Energy
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if provision for the support of electricity generation from tidal energy sources will be included in his next scheme for non-fossil fuel obligations. [68827]

  Mr. Battle
  What further measures the Government might introduce to encourage electricity generation from renewable energy sources is an issue being considered as part of the current policy review on renewable energy, in which tidal energy sources are included.

SCOTLAND

  Ethnic Monitoring
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to include Irish as a category in his Department's ethnic monitoring of staff recruitment. [63876]

  Mr. Dewar
  [holding answer 11 January 1999]: The over-riding principle of Civil Service recruitment procedures is that they should be fair, and selection should be on merit at each stage.

  Monitoring in this area is based on ethnic origin and not nationality. The nine ethnic minority origin categories monitored by my Department are based on those used in the 1991 census, which did not include an Irish category. They will be reviewed in the light of any suggested changes for the 2001 census.

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what parts of the Representation of the People Acts apply to the Scottish Parliament elections for the purpose of broadcasting in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [66180]

  Mr. McLeish
  [holding answer 25 January 1999]: The conduct of elections for the Scottish Parliament will be governed by an Order which will be made under section

  587
  12(1) of the Scotland Act, which will be laid before the House next month. In relation to broadcasting, we intend that the Order will make similar provision to section 92 of the Representation of the People Act 1983. We are currently seeking comments on whether or not a provision modelled on section 93 of that Act should also be included.

  Waiting Lists (Orthodontic Treatment)
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list(a) the size of the waiting list and (b) the average waiting time for orthodontic treatment in each health board area in Scotland; and if he will make a statement. [66607]

  Mr. Galbraith
  [holding answer 20 January 1999]: Most orthodontic treatments carried out within the Hospital and Community Health Service settings are undertaken on an outpatient basis. The latest available information on the mean waiting time for a first orthodontic outpatient appointment, by area of residence, is given in the table. Information on the number of patients waiting for outpatient appointments on a given date is not collected centrally.

  A major proportion of orthodontic treatment is undertaken in general dental practice, rather than in hospitals or the Community Health Service and no information is held centrally on patient waiting times for such treatment.

  From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

  NHS in Scotland: mean waiting times for a first orthodontic outpatient appointment during year ended 30 September 1998 1 by area of residence2

  Area of residence

  Mean wait (days)

  Argyll and Clyde

  146

  Ayrshire and Arran

  65

  Borders

  130

  Dumfries and Galloway

  93

  Fife

  127

  Forth Valley

  56

  Grampian

  170

  Greater Glasgow

  100

  Highland

  194

  Lanarkshire

  98

  Lothian

  94

  Tayside

  85

  Western Isles

  293

  1 Provisional

  2 A consultant orthodontist from the mainland visits Orkney and Shetland on a regular basis to hold first outpatient consultation clinics. Patients are seen at the first clinic following GP/GDP referral.

  Source:

  ISD, Scotland

  Red Squirrel Conservation
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if, when he last met officials of the Forestry Commission, they discussed matters relating to the Red Squirrel Biodiversity Action Plan and Forest Enterprise's national plan for red squirrel conservation; and if he will make a statement. [66994]
  588
  Mr. Macdonald
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: My right hon. Friend has not discussed these matters with officials of the Forestry Commission. However, as part of Red Squirrel Week in September last year, my hon. Friend the Minister with responsibility for fisheries and the countryside at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food launched the Forestry Commission's Practice Note on Red Squirrel Conservation. The Practice Note offers advice to woodland managers and conservationists which is based on the latest scientific research. It was prepared on behalf of the UK Red Squirrel Group which is the lead partner for the Red Squirrel Species Action Plan under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan.

  Ceulan Forest
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer on 16 November 1998,Official Report, column 582, on woodland areas, if the Ceulan forest has been offered for sale; and if he will make a statement. [68152]

  Mr. Macdonald
  The subject of the question relates to matters undertaken by Forest Enterprise. I have asked its Chief Executive, Dr. Bob McIntosh, to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Bob McIntosh to Mr. Christopher Gill, dated 2 February 1999:
  The Secretary of State for Scotland has asked me to reply to your Question No 68152 asking if Esgair Ceulan (Ceulan Forest) has been offered for sale.
  Ceulan Forest was offered for sale on the open market on 4 November 1998 through local agents, Strutt & Parker. A closing date of 15 December was set, four offers were received and the highest was accepted. The matter is in the hands of the Commission's lawyers and completion is expected by the end of March.
  The wood has a number of public footpaths and bridleways but you will be pleased to learn that a Public Access Agreement has been signed with Powys County Council. Public access to the whole wood will therefore be protected after the sale is completed.
  I hope this answers your question.

  Research and Development
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the research and development expenditure by(a) his Department and (b) the NHS, indicating separately that on health technology assessment in each year since 1992. [68208]

  Mr. Galbraith
  The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within The Scottish Office Department of Health (SODoH) has responsibility for managing funds which support research activity to further the development of patient care and health services within the NHS in Scotland. CSO expenditure on research and development (R&D) for each year since 1992–93 is given in column(a) of the following table. CSO R&D expenditure on health technology assessment cannot be identified separately for each year since 1992–93 except at disproportionate cost. For 1998–99, it is expected to be about £1.9 million.

  Up to and including 1995–96, Additional Cost of Teaching (ACT) was an element of the SODoH revenue allocations to Health Boards to protect the NHS support for both clinical teaching and clinical research costs. It is not possible to identify NHS R&D expenditure separately

  589
  until 1996–97, when those within the NHS who were delivering R&D support services were invited to bid for costs incurred from the R&D Support Fund. NHS expenditure on R&D since 1996–97 is shown in column (b) of the following table.

  Under the R&D Support Fund bidding procedure, bidders are asked to identify research activity areas, but these may be broad and encompass a range of subjects. It is not possible therefore to identify separately NHS R&D expenditure on health technology assessment except at disproportionate cost. From 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

  Research and development expenditure in Scotland

  £ million

  (a) SODoH: CSO

  (b) NHS

  1992–93

  8.9

  Not available1

  1993–94

  10.6

  —

  1994–95

  10.1

  —

  1995–96

  10.7

  —

  1996–97

  10.6

  24.0

  1997–98

  9.9

  28.0

  1998–99

  11.02

  28.52

  1 Additional Cost of Teaching (ACT) up to and including 1995–96 encompassed both clinical teaching and clinical research costs (no breakdown available)

  2 Estimate

  Skye Bridge
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state, in respect of the original advice given by the Crown Office to the Procurator Fiscal in Dingwall over proceeding with criminal prosecutions of those people refusing to pay the Skye Bridge tolls, on what date the Procurator Fiscal requested the advice; on what date the advice was tendered; by what means; who signed the communication; and if he will make a statement. [68339]

  Mr. McLeish
  [holding answer 1 February 1999]: I am informed by my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate that the Procurator Fiscal at Dingwell first wrote to the Crown Office on 17 and 26 October 1995 in connection with possible criminal proceedings against persons refusing to pay tolls on the Skye Bridge. The Deputy Crown Agent replied on 6 November conveying the Lord Advocate's instructions that the Procurator Fiscal should carry out further work before seeking instructions from Crown Counsel on whether to take proceedings.

  Thereafter there was further correspondence between the Procurator Fiscal and the Crown Office which culminated in the Deputy Crown Agent writing to the Procurator Fiscal on 5 January 1996 conveying the instructions of the then Lord Advocate about proceedings.

  The hon. Gentlemen will recall that, in a written answer of 16 January 1996, Official Report, column 546, he was advised that the Procurator Fiscal had been instructed by the Lord Advocate to institute criminal proceedings in respect of all instances where this was a sufficiency of evidence and the charges were then in course of preparation.

  From 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  General Affairs Council (Brussels)
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the General Affairs Council held in Brussels on 25 and 26 January; and if he will make a statement. [68321]

  Ms Quin
  1. The General Affairs Council in Brussels on 25 January 1999 adopted the A points listed in document 5416/98 and noted the resolutions, decisions and opinions adopted by the European Parliament in its sessions of 2–3 December and 14–18 December listed in documents 12779/98 and 14011/98. Copies of the documents listing the A points and resolutions will be placed in the House Libraries as soon as they become available.

  2. The Council began with the debate on the Presidency programme, introduced by the German Foreign Minister.

  3. On Agenda 2000, the Council agreed (subject to agreement on the final package) two points of detail on the Structural Funds. First, it agreed a lower performance reserve (sometimes referred to as the efficiency reserve) than that proposed by the Commission and that Member States (rather than the Commission) should have the right to allocate these funds in accordance with their own criteria and circumstances. Second, it was agreed that it was not necessary for areas designated to receive State Aids (under Article 92(3)(c) to correspond exactly with areas receiving Structural Funds, although Member States should aim to increase the level of convergence. The Council discussed the importance of achieving worthwhile CAP reform within the limits of available financial resources.

  4. The German Presidency then set out its work programme on EU enlargement. Two Deputy level accession conferences (19 April; 19 May) and a Ministerial level meeting (22 June) will be held. The Presidency plans to open negotiations on a further eight chapters, bringing the number of chapters open to a total of 15 out of 31 by the end of the Presidency.

  5. The Council noted the agenda for the EU/Russia summit on 18 February in Moscow and agreed to the Foreign Secretary's proposal that it should include nuclear waste.

  6. On Iraq, the Council considered developments in the UN Security Council and discussed a possible EU initiative aimed at enhancing the role of the EU in efforts to improve the humanitarian situation in Iraq.

  7. On Kosovo, the Council expressed outrage at the massacre of civilians in Racak and recalled the message which the EU had delivered to President Milosevic. It also condemned UCK provocations. It welcomed the results of the Contact Group meeting in London on 22 January, in particular the goal of early negotiations on a political solution, following a meeting of the Contact Group at Ministerial level, to be held as soon as possible. It repeated its support for the work of Ambassadors Hill and Petritsch towards a negotiated settlement, and for the KVM. It agreed that officials should step up work on strengthening sanctions, including measures to stop the flow of money and weapons to Kosovo armed groups. It

  591
  stressed the importance of the Kosovo Albanian leadership forming a fully representative negotiating team. It also recalled the role which the EU was ready to play in support of a future political solution, including through reconstruction. It extended the mandate of Mr. Felipe Gonzalez as EU Special Representative for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia; and adopted a Regulation exempting Montenegro Airlines from the JAT flight ban.

  8. On Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Council welcomed the outcome of the Madrid Peace Implementation; reiterated its full support for the High Representative Mr. Carlos Westendorp; and urged the formation of a new Government in Republika Srpska, determined to comply with the Dayton agreement.

  9. On Albania, the Council welcomed the recent meeting between Prime Minister Majko and leader of the Democratic Party (DP), Berisha. The Council condemned the DP's continued boycott of parliament. The Council urged Albania to contribute to the efforts of the international community to bring the parties to the conflict on Kosovo to the negotiating table.

  10. Ministers endorsed and mandated follow-up action on the operational points contained in the EU' s human rights declaration of 10 December. This enables work to begin on the Anglo-German initiative of an annual EU Human Rights Report. The report will bring to public attention the EU's activities to promote human rights worldwide.

  11. The Presidency briefed the Council on the forthcoming visit to the Middle East by Foreign Minister Fischer, accompanied by the EU Special Envoy to the Middle East, Miguel Moratinos.

  12. There was no consensus on a proposal by the Presidency to adopt the Code of Conduct on Arms Exports as a Common Position under Article J.2 of the TEU.

  13. The Council reiterated its support for the democratically elected Government of Sierra Leone. It reiterated that the existing Common Position does not prevent the supply outside Nigeria of military equipment for ECOMOG, and agreed that the scope for further facilitating peacekeeping efforts should be examined.

  Afghanistan
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the United Kingdom will continue to impose an arms embargo on Afghanistan in line with the EU's Common Position of 17 December 1996. [69080]

  Mr. Fatchett
  We remain committed to the EU arms embargo against Afghanistan which the UK interprets as covering all goods and technology entered on Part III to Schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, as amended.

  Following consultations with this Department and the Ministry of Defence, the Department of Trade and Industry recently issued a licence for the export of mine clearance equipment for use by the Halo Trust to aid their demining activities in Afghanistan. The grant of this licence is for humanitarian purposes, and falls outside the scope of the embargo.

  Council of the European Union
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for February and the major European Union events for the next six months. [69081]

  Ms Quin
  The information is as follows:

  Monthly forecast of business: February 1999

  City/town

  Business/event

  4–6

  Bonn

  Ministers for Labour and Social Affairs (Informal)

  8

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  8–9

  Dakar

  EU/ACP Ministerial

  8–12

  Strasbourg

  European Parliament Plenary

  11–12

  Berlin

  Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs (Informal)

  22

  Brussels

  Political Committee

  22–23

  Brussels

  General Affairs Council

  22–23

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council

  24–25

  Brussels

  European Parliament Plenary

  25

  Brussels

  Internal Market

  26

  Petersburg

  Informal meeting of the Heads of State and Government

  The following subjects are likely to be discussed:
  February 4–6 Ministers for Labour/Social Affairs (Informal)
  No formal agenda

  February 8 ECOFIN
  Stability and growth pact: examination of stability and convergence programmes
  Economic situation and policy in the Community (Policy debate on macro-economic and structural policy issues)

  AGENDA 2000
  Financial framework
  Interinstitutional agreement
  Report on own resources

  February 8–9 EU/ACP Ministerial
  Ministerial negotiations on the Lomé convention

  February 8–12 European Parliament Plenary
  No agenda yet available

  February 11–12 Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs (Informal)
  No formal agenda

  February 22–23 General Affairs Council
  Agenda 2000
  Enlargement
  Amsterdam treaty
  Report from the Council General Secretariat on the Council's operating procedure in the light of an enlarged Union

  Slovenia
  preparation of the 1st Association Council (poss. "A" item)

  Latvia
  preparation of the 1st Association Council (poss. "A" point)

  Lithuania
  preparation of the 1st Association Council (poss. "A" point)

  Human Rights

  Western Balkans

  EU-Pakistan
  Cooperation agreement (poss. "A" item)

  Middle East Peace process

  Great Lakes
  593
  February 22–23 Agriculture Council
  No agenda yet available

  February 24–25 European Parliament Plenary
  No agenda yet available

  February 25 Internal Market Council
  No agenda yet available

  February 26 Informal Meeting of Heads of State and Government
  No formal agenda expected but likely to focus on Agenda 2000

  European Calendar: February-July 1999
  This calendar is primarily concerned with European Union matters, but certain other relevant events are also included. Events and dates quoted are based on the information available on the date of issue.

  1999

  City/town

  Event

  February

  4–6

  Bonn

  Ministers for Labour and Social Affairs (Informal)

  8

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  8–9

  Dakar

  EU/ACP Ministerial

  8–12

  Strasbourg

  European Parliament Plenary

  11–12

  Berlin

  Minister for Justice and Home Affairs (Informal)

  22

  Brussels

  Political Committee

  22–23

  Brussels

  General Affairs Council

  22–23

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council

  24–25

  Brussels

  European Parliament Plenary

  25

  Brussels

  Internal Market

  26

  Petersburg

  Informal Meeting of Heads of State and Government

  March

  2

  Brussels

  Youth Council (possible)

  8–12

  Strasbourg

  European Parliament Plenary

  9

  Brussels

  Social Affairs Council

  11–12

  Brussels

  Environment Council

  12

  Brussels

  Justice and Home Affairs Council

  13–14

  Reinhartshausen

  Foreign Ministers (Informal)

  15

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  15–16

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council

  18

  Brussels

  Education Council (possible)

  22

  Brussels

  Political Committee

  22–23

  Brussels

  General Affairs Council

  24–25

  Berlin

  Special European Council

  29

  Brussels

  Transport Council

  29–30

  Berlin

  Asia-European Foreign Ministers

  30

  Brussels

  Fisheries Council

  April

  13

  Luxembourg

  Consumer Affairs Council

  15–16

  Stuttgart

  Euro-Med Foreign Ministers Conference ?Barcelona III?

  16–18

  Dresden

  ECOFIN (Informal)

  19–20

  Luxembourg

  Agriculture Council

  22

  Luxembourg

  Telecommunications Council

  23–25

  Mecklenburg

  Environment Ministers (Informal)

  24–25

  Luxembourg

  NATO Summit

  26–27

  Luxembourg

  General Affairs Council

  29

  Luxembourg

  Industry Council

  May

  6

  Brussels

  EU-ACP Ministerial meeting

  7–9

  Brussels

  Environment Council (Informal)

  10

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  10

  Bremen

  WEU Council

  10–11

  Berlin

  Trade Ministers (Informal)

  11

  Brussels

  Energy Council

  17–18

  Brussels

  General Affairs Council

  17–18

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council

  18

  Brussels

  EEA Council

  18

  Brussels

  Co-operation Council with Russia

  18–19

  Weimar

  Culture Ministers (Informal)

  20

  Brussels

  Research Council

  21

  Brussels

  Development Council

  594

  1999

  City/town

  Event

  25

  Brussels

  Joint ECOFIN and Labour and Social Affairs Council

  25

  Brussels

  Social Affairs Council

  27

  Brussels

  Youth Council

  27–28

  Brussels

  Justice and Home Affairs Council

  31

  Brussels

  General Affairs Council

  30 May— 1 June

  Dresden

  Agriculture Ministers (Informal)

  June

  1

  Dresden

  Agriculture Ministers (Informal)

  3–4

  Cologne

  European Council

  7

  Luxembourg

  Education Council

  8

  Luxembourg

  Health Council

  10

  Luxembourg

  Fisheries Council

  14

  Luxembourg

  ECOFIN (possible)

  14–15

  Luxembourg

  Agriculture Council

  17

  Bonn

  EU-Japan Summit

  17–18

  Luxembourg

  Transport Council

  18–20

  Cologne

  G8

  21

  Luxembourg

  Internal Market

  21

  Bonn

  EU-USA/Canada Summit

  21–22

  Luxembourg

  General Affairs Council

  22

  Luxembourg

  Labour and Social Affairs Council (possible)

  24–25

  Luxembourg

  Environment Council

  28

  Luxembourg

  Culture Council

  July

  2–3

  Oulu

  Industry and Research Ministers (Informal)

  9–10

  Oulu

  Labour/Social Affairs Ministers (Informal)

  12

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  16

  Brussels

  Budget

  16–18

  Helsinki

  Environment Ministers (Informal)

  18–20

  Savonlinna

  Culture/Audiovisual Ministers (Informal)

  19–20

  Brussels

  Agriculture

  UNHCR (Land Rovers)
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the proposed export of two armoured Land Rovers to the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Belgrade in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. [69082]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  We have granted a licence for the export to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) of two armoured vehicles based on the Land Rover Defender 110 for use by UNHCR personnel. Given the key humanitarian role played by the UNHCR in the FRY, and the obvious need for the UNHCR to be able to protect staff serving with its office in Belgrade, including against land mines, we were glad to be able to approve this licence. The UN Sanctions Committee appointed under UNSCR 1160 has raised no objection to it.

  Bosnia (Ballistic Undervest Export)
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the proposed export of a ballistic undervest to the European Community Monitoring Mission in Bosnia. [69083]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  We have granted a licence for the export to Bosnia of a ballistic undervest for use by the
  595
  Paymaster General at the European Community Monitoring Mission (ECMM) in Sarajevo. We were glad to approve this export licence in view of the obvious need for the ECMM to be able to protect its staff involved in international peace-keeping activities in the former Yugoslavia.

  Cornish Language
  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy on the future of the Cornish language in relation the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. [68636]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  The position of the Cornish language in relation to the Council of Europe's European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages has yet to be decided. It is a matter of domestic rather than foreign policy.

  EU Languages
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what

  Language group

  Cluster/rank

  Size

  Economic diversity

  In-migration

  Core-periphery

  Heartland

  German—New Belgium

  A/1

  68,000

  High

  Low

  Core

  No

  Luxembourgish

  A/2

  350,000

  High

  High

  Core

  Yes

  Catalan

  A/2

  4,065,000

  High

  High

  Core

  Yes

  German (It)

  A/4

  290,000

  Medium

  Low

  Semi

  No

  Galician

  B/5

  2,420,000

  Medium

  Low

  Periphery

  Yes

  German (Fr)

  B/6

  1,800,000

  High

  Medium

  Core

  No

  Catalan (Valencia)

  B/6

  1,909,000

  High

  High

  Semi

  No

  Basque (BAC)

  B/6

  544,000

  High

  High

  Semi

  Yes

  Ladin

  B/6

  56,000

  Low

  Low

  Periphery

  Yes

  Occitan (Sp)

  B/10

  3,700

  Low

  Low

  Periphery

  No

  Welsh

  B/10

  508,000

  High

  High

  Semi

  Yes

  Catalan (Is Balearic)

  B/12

  428,000

  Medium

  High

  Semi

  No

  Irish

  C/13

  1,095,000

  High

  Low

  Periphery

  Yes

  Gaelic

  C/13

  59,000

  Low

  Low

  Periphery

  Yes

  Frisian

  C/13

  400,000

  High

  High

  Semi

  Yes

  Slovenian

  C/13

  85,000

  Medium

  High

  Semi

  No

  Frilulan

  C/13

  400,000

  Medium

  Medium

  Semi

  Yes

  Sorbian

  C/18

  50,000

  Low

  High

  Periphery

  Yes

  Danish (Ger)

  C/18

  25,000

  Low

  Low

  Semi

  No

  French (It)

  C18

  50,000

  Medium

  High

  Semi

  No

  Basque (Navare)

  C/18

  53,000

  Medium

  Low

  Semi

  No

  German (Denmark)

  C/22

  15–20,000

  Low

  Low

  Semi

  No

  Catalan (Aragon)

  C/24

  48,000

  Low

  Low

  Periphery

  No

  Catalan (Fr)

  C/24

  150,000

  Medium

  High

  Semi

  No

  Turkish

  C/24

  1100,000

  Low

  Low

  Periphery

  No

  Basque (Fr)

  D/26

  86,000

  Medium

  High

  Semi

  No

  Corsican

  D/26

  125,000

  Medium

  High

  Periphery

  Yes

  Catalan (It)

  D/28

  15,000

  Medium

  High

  Periphery

  No

  Occitan (It)

  D/28

  35–80,000

  Low

  Low

  Periphery

  No

  German (Old Belg.)

  D/30

  42,000

  Medium

  Low

  Semi

  No

  Occitan

  D/30

  2,100,000

  High

  Medium

  Semi

  Yes

  Breton

  D/30

  180–250,000

  Medium

  Low

  Semi

  Yes

  Albanian (It)

  D/30

  80–135,000

  Low

  Low

  Periphery

  No

  Mirandes

  E/34

  15,000

  Low

  Low

  Periphery

  No

  N. Frisian

  E/35

  9,000

  Medium

  Medium

  Semi

  No

  Croatian (It)

  E/35

  1,700

  Medium

  Medium

  Semi

  No

  Irish (UK)

  E/37

  142,000

  Medium

  Low

  Periphery

  No

  Berber

  E/38

  25,000

  Medium

  Low

  Periphery

  No

  Slavo-Macedonian

  E/38

  175,000

  Low

  Low

  Periphery

  No

  Dutch (Fr)

  E/38

  20–40,000

  Medium

  Low

  Core

  No

  Bulgarian

  E/38

  130,000

  Low

  Low

  Periphery

  No

  E. Frisian

  E/42

  2,000

  Medium

  Low

  Semi

  No

  Sardinian

  E/42

  1,300,000

  Medium

  Medium

  Periphery

  Yes

  Portuguese (Sp)

  E/44

  3,600

  Low

  Low

  Periphery

  No

  596
  percentage of EU citizens speak English as their first language; and how many and what percentage of EU citizens have been taught or have an elementary command of the English language. [67431]

  Ms Quin
  According to the Eurobarometer survey, in November 1995 approximately 16–17 per cent. of EU citizens regarded English as their mother tongue. The same survey also shows that one EU citizen in three (of those who do not class English as their mother tongue) regarded themselves as able to hold a conversation in English. EUROSTAT's 1997 figures on foreign language teaching in the EU show that 26 per cent. of pupils in primary education and 90 per cent. of pupils in secondary school were taught English.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the recognised and minority languages of the EU in order of their estimated number of speakers. [67432]

  Ms Quin
  There is no system for formally recognising languages within the EU, beyond the 12 languages used for official business. A report prepared for the European Commission identified over 30 minority languages spoken within the EU. These are:
  597

  Language group

  Cluster/rank

  Size

  Economic diversity

  In-migration

  Core-periphery

  Heartland

  Albanian (Gr)

  E/44

  180,000

  Low

  Low

  Periphery

  No

  Aroumanian

  E/44

  150,000

  Low

  Low

  Periphery

  No

  Cornish

  E/47

  1,000

  Medium

  High

  Semi

  Yes

  Greek (It)

  E/47

  7,500

  Low

  Low

  Periphery

  No

  1ca

  Direct Voting Elections
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to seek changes to EC law to permit amendment of Annex II of the 1976 legislative measure of the EEC on direct voting elections by majority. [68729]

  Ms Quin
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 26 January 1999,Official Report, column 214.

  Kosovo
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the principal points of agreement of(a) the Contact Group-endorsed framework document and (b) the Holbrooke Package for Kosovo; if he will make a statement on progress towards the full implementation of each point; and if he will place copies of the documents in the Library. [67433]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  As the statement issued at the end of the Contact Group Ministerial meeting in London on 29 January made clear, the Contact Group framework document is being further refined in advance of the planned meeting at Rambouillet. Putting the text as it stands into the public domain at this time would not help the search for a political settlement in Kosovo.

  Copies of the agreements with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia for the setting up of the OSCE ground verification mission and the NATO air verification mission have already been placed in the House Library. It is for NATO and the OSCE to assess compliance with these agreements and with the relevant Security Council Resolutions. To date, neither side is in full compliance.

  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary reported to the House on 1 February 1999, Official Report, columns 597–608, on the latest moves towards a negotiated settlement following the 29 January Contact Group meeting.

  Chile
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will deposit in the Library a copy of the four reports dispatched by the British Embassy in Madrid to his Department relating to Judge Garzon's investigations into Chile. [67956]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  No. The four reports dispatched by the British Embassy in Madrid relating to Judge Garzon's investigation into Chile were internal communications between the Embassy and the Foreign and Commonwealth 598
  Office and also covered wider issues. On the specific question of Judge Garzon's investigations into Chile the reports were as follows:
  12 November 1997: in the context of reporting developments in the case of Adolfo Scilingo a reference to the fact that Garzon's next step might be to issue warrants against Chileans (unnamed).
  23 January 1998: a further report on actions against Scilingo, where the Public Prosecutor of the Audiencia Nacional had ordered Garzon to close the file. The report mentioned that investigations of Chileans, including Pinochet, continued.
  15 October 1998: a report indicating that Garzon wished the Commission Rogatoire to be processed quickly and that what he had in mind was issuing an international arrest warrant. The report says nothing on timing of the warrant.
  16 October 1998: a comment on the previous day's report, clarifying that the intention was possibly to issue a warrant while Pinochet was in the UK, but without specifying timing.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Pupil Registration Regulations
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to amend the Pupil Registration Regulations; and if he will make a statement. [68624]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  My right hon. Friend has no immediate plans to amend the regulations. Advice on registration issues is however included in our new guidance on "Social Inclusion: Pupil Support", which was issued for consultation on 22 January 1999. We shall of course consider the case for any amendments in the context of responses to that document.

  Departmental Spending
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will(a) account for the difference between outturn departmental spending in Table A1 of the Comprehensive Spending Review and outturn departmental spending in Table 1.2 of the 1998–99 Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis for his Department for (i) 1993–94, (ii) 1994–95, (iii) 1995–96 and (iv) 1996–97 and (b) provide forecast figures for departmental spending for his Department in (1) 1997–98, (2) 1998–99, (3) 1999–2000, (4) 2000–01 and (5) 2001–02 on a comparable basis to Table 1.2 of the 1998–99 Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis. [68380]

  Mr. Mudie
  The figures in Table 1.2 in the Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis relating to DfEE include net lending to students but exclude subsidy payments and an element for bad debt. The equivalent figures in Table A 1 of the Comprehensive Spending Review White paper exclude net lending to students but include subsidy payments and an element for bad debt.
  599
  It is not possible to provide forecast figures for departmental spending for DfEE for 1998–99, 1999– 2000, 2000–01 and 2001–02 on a comparable basis to Table 1.2 of the 1998–99 Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis. The data in PESA give each Department's Control Total for the years in question. That method of controlling expenditure has been replaced with Departmental Expenditure Limits. Control Total data and Departmental Expenditure Limits data are not comparable. With that caveat, the information requested is shown in the following table:

  DfEE Spending plans

  Year

  £ million

  1997–981

  14,622

  1998–992

  14,166

  1999–20002

  15,473

  2000–012

  17,295

  2001–022

  18,612

  1estimated outturn

  2plans

  Note:

  1 The figure for 1997–98 is the Control Total for DfEE in Table 1.2 of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 1998–99.

  2 The figures for other years are the Department's Expenditure Limits in Table 6.1 of the Comprehensive Spending Review White Paper, Cm 4011.

  TECs (North-east)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the cash balances held by each of the training and enterprise councils in the north-east Region, as at December 1998. [68317]

  Mr. Mudie
  The following table provides the cash balances held by each of the Training and Enterprise Councils in the north-east as at March 1998. Information as at December 1998 is not available.

  £

  TEC

  Cash balance as at March 1998

  County Durham

  8,919,543

  Northumberland

  3,145,209

  Tees Valley

  8,101,000

  Tyneside

  6,696,000

  Sunderland City

  3,357,671

  Total

  30,219,423

  Disability Rights Commission
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 11 January 1999,Official Report, column 97, if he will set out his Department's estimate of the associated costs of the proposals for the Disability Rights Commission to undertake (a) working towards the elimination of discrimination against disabled persons, (b) promoting the equalisation of opportunities for disabled persons in all fields of activity and (c) reviewing the working of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. [68532]

  Ms Hodge
  [holding answer 1 February 1999]: A provisional annual allocation of £ll million has been made for the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) in 2000–01 and 2001–02. It will be for the Commission when it is established to decide how to allocate its resources.
  600
  Meanwhile interim estimates indicate some 10 per cent. of that annual budget may be devoted to administrative costs; 40 per cent. to advice and information, conciliation, assistance to individuals and formal investigations; 30 per cent. to promotional work, and 20 per cent. to policy work. Estimates are not available in the precise form requested by the hon. Member.

  The Government will keep the annual allocations under view in the light of operational experience of the Commission.

  Hospitality Industry
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many New Deal places have been offered by the United Kingdom hospitality industry; and how many have been taken up. [68862]

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

  Letter from Richard Foster to Mr. Peter Ainsworth, dated 2 February 1999:
  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State for Education and Employment has asked Leigh Lewis to reply direct to your question regarding the number of New Deal places offered by the United Kingdom hospitality industry; and how many have been taken up. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to Mr. Lewis as Chief Executive of the Agency. I am replying in his absence.
  Up to the end of December some 57,000 young people between the ages of 18 and 24 had entered jobs after having started the New Deal. Of these the available data indicates that around 8 per cent. had entered jobs in the hospitality sector. No similar information is available specifically in respect of job offers or, as yet in relation to entrants to job under the New Deal for those aged over 25 and for lone parents.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Highcliffe School
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his oral statement of 27 January 1999,Official Report, column 307, on Highcliffe School, what is the basis of the calculation that Dorset has been allocated a 7.3 per cent. increase in standard spending assessment for education in 1999–2000; and if he will express the increased allocation as a percentage per pupil. [68990]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Dorset's provisional education standard spending assessment for 1999–2000 represents an underlying increase of £9.2 million or 7.3 per cent.. These figures illustrate the effect of allowing for local authority changes of function and taking account of new arrangements for funding music and student support. The allocation represents a year-on-year increase in overall education SSA funding per pupil of 4.3 per cent..

  Millennium Compliance
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many millennium bug-busters have successfully completed their training to date. [68727]
  601
  Mr. Mudie
  The latest figures show that 8,916 trainees have started Bug Buster courses, and of these 7,209 have completed. A further 9,011 are booked.

  Education Action Zones
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what guidelines his Department has issued on the calculation of the value of gifts in kind donated by businesses to Education Action Zones. [68937]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  We issued guidance in September 1998, and supplemented this in January 1999. I have placed copies of the guidance in the Library.

  Teacher Training
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the targets set by his Department for the number of students entering teacher training in(a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99 and (c) 1999–2000, by phase. [68936]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The following table shows the target intake to initial teacher training for the years 1997–98 to 1999–2000, by phase.

  Target recruitment to initial teacher training (ITT) courses in England, 1997–98 to 1999–2000

  Primary

  Secondary

  Total

  1997–98

  11,050

  19,500

  30,550

  1998–99

  11,500

  19,100

  30,600

  1999–2000

  12,000

  17,210

  29,210

  Source:

  DfEE

  Infant Class Sizes
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the effects of his decision to cap the amount allowed per teacher in local education authority bids to reduce infant class sizes on(a) employment of classroom assistants and (b) junior class sizes. [68813]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  We have made it clear that we will provide sufficient funding to enable all LEAs to reduce class sizes without adversely affecting the employment of classroom assistants or the size of junior classes.

  Employment Service (Commercial Agency Vacancies)
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what is his Department's policy on the acceptance by the Employment Service of job vacancies for public display from commercial employment agencies; [67989]

  (2) if he intends to require the Employment Service to charge a fee to commercial employment agencies for advertising job vacancies on their behalf; [67990]

  (3) if he will estimate the marginal costs annually to the Employment Service of processing requests from commercial employment agencies for advertising job vacancies. [67991]
  602
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Leigh Lewis to Mr. David Kidney, dated 2 February 1999:
  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State for Education and Employment has asked me to reply direct to your questions concerning the relationship that exists between the Employment Service and private employment agencies. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Employment Service.
  The Employment Service has an agreement with the Federation of Recruitment and Employment Services (FRES) that Jobcentres will accept individual vacancies for display from employment agencies and businesses, provided they are satisfied that a real vacancy exists. The agreement makes clear that this is at the discretion of the Jobcentre Manager who will take into account the needs of the local labour market and priorities for display space. This agreement was set up to help the Employment Service to fulfil its responsibility to unemployed jobseekers to provide the most opportunities possible for them to find work, and has been instrumental in helping unemployed people into jobs. However, the Employment Service will not handle generic vacancies from employment agencies that seek simply to build up a list of potential jobseekers for the future.
  There are currently no plans for the Employment Service to charge a fee to commercial employment agencies for advertising their vacancies. This is because we view such vacancies as a valuable source of jobs to help unemployed jobseekers improve their prospects of gaining work. We would, therefore, wish to avoid deterring agencies from placing vacancies by charging fees which could in turn deny jobseekers the best possible chance of securing a job.
  I am afraid that we do not collect information on the marginal costs of processing requests from commercial employment agencies for advertising job vacancies.
  I hope this is helpful in clarifying the position.

CABINET OFFICE

  Constituency Visits
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make it his policy to ensure the co-ordination of the advice provided to Ministers in respect of informing hon. Members prior to visits to their constituencies. [68933]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  Guidance to Ministers on their responsibilities in relation to informing hon. Members of visits to their constituencies is set out in paragraph 79 of the Ministerial Code.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Badger Culling Scheme
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to appoint external auditors for the Government's badger culling scheme. [64836]

  Mr. Rooker
  Following the issue of invitations to tender, an external auditor was selected in November 1998 to carry out, during 1999, a detailed audit of culling
  603
  trial field operations. A contract is being finalised. We also intend to appoint an external assessor to evaluate the method of despatch used for badgers.

  Animal Slaughter
  Angela Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement regarding(a) the slaughter of animals outside slaughterhouses without pre-stunning and (b) the operation of EC Directive 93/119; [68621]

  (2) if he will review UK legislation in relation to the implementation of Directive 93/119 regarding the slaughter of animals. [68622]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 1 February 1999]: EU Directive 93/119/EC on the protection of animals at the time of slaughter or killing requires that animals must be stunned before slaughter, but permits Member States not to apply that rule when animals are killed without stunning for reasons of religion. The United Kingdom has provided such an exception, and the Government fully respect the right of Jews and Muslims to carry out religious slaughter in accordance with their religious beliefs.

  The European Commission is of the view that Directive 93/119 requires religious slaughter to take place only in a slaughterhouse. The Government wish to bring our national implementing regulations into line with this view, and on 7 December 1998 circulated proposals to change the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 to require religious slaughter to be carried out only in licensed red meat slaughterhouses or licensed or officially regulated poultry slaughterhouses. We are considering the results of that consultation and of meetings with organisations representing the Jewish and Muslim communities.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received regarding the increased distance meat animals travel to slaughter as a result of the closure of smaller abattoirs. [68126]

  Mr. Morley
  This Department receives many letters covering a range of animal welfare issues. Some of our correspondents have, amongst other things, expressed their concern that abattoir closures may affect the distance animals travel to slaughter.

  Departmental Legislation
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what additional legislation, not currently before Parliament, was assumed in the production of his Department's spending allocation for 1999–2000 to 2001–02 in the Comprehensive Spending Review. [68416]

  Mr. Morley
  There is a long-standing convention that legislative proposals for each year are not announced before the Queen's Speech at the start of the relevant session.

  Farm Produce Markets
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans he has to provide funding for the establishment of regional farm produce markets; [68069]
  604
  (2) what representations he has received on the establishment of a regional farm produce market for the North West; [68070]

  (3) if he will list the regional farm produce markets in the United Kingdom. [68071]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 28 January 1999]: The Ministry does not keep lists of farmers' markets held in the UK and has not received representations on the establishment of a regional farm produce market for the North West. I have no plans to fund the establishment of farmers markets but am keen to encourage them. The Ministry will be holding a seminar in March to promote the concept of farmers' markets.

  Genetically Modified Crops
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the risks genetically modified animal feeds pose to humans. [68774]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes rigorously assesses all genetically modified feed material from the point of view of the impact that such feed may have on human health.

  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list his Department's responsibilities and policies in relation to genetically modified crops and the departments with which he liaises on this issue; and where the lead departmental responsibility rests for each issue. [67663]

  Mr. Rooker
  My Department's policy is that public health and environmental safety are the fundamental priorities on genetically modified (GM) crops. We believe that the UK agriculture industry should not be denied access to the benefits of GM technology, but that all justified concerns about it must be addressed.

  MAFF shares responsibility with the Department of Health for the safety of GM foods. It also shares responsibility with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (who take the lead) on the approval of the release of GM crops into the environment. MAFF takes the lead in a number of areas relevant to GM crops; the agricultural implications of the introduction of GM crops into UK agriculture; plant breeders rights and National Listing and seed certification for all varieties of the main agricultural and vegetable species; and the approval of pesticides, including those to be used on GM herbicide tolerant crops, and GM micro-organisms to be used for plant protection purposes.

  Government policy on biotechnology, including GM crops, is co-ordinated by the Ministerial Group on Biotechnology, which is chaired by the Minister for the Cabinet Office, as announced by the Prime Minister on 21 October 1998, Official Report, column 1134. In addition, officials across Government are in regular contact on biotechnology issues.

  Fisheries
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 19 January 1999,
  605
  Official Report, column 454, on fisheries, if he will list those EU countries with which he has discussed the decentralisation of fisheries control to zonal committees within member states; which states indicated their support in principle; and if he will make a statement. [68149]

  Mr. Morley
  I have not yet discussed with other Member States the ideas of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations and the Scottish Fishermen's Federation concerning zonal committees. However, the NFFO and SFF have themselves been discussing their ideas with their counterparts in other Member States and I shall be interested to see the outcome of these contacts.

  Departmental Papers (Access for Visually Impaired)
  Mr. Michael J. Foster
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has for departmental(a) White and (b) Green Papers to be made available on floppy disk format in a form which facilitates access for the visually impaired. [67836]

  Mr. Morley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, on 27 January 1999,Official Report, column 296. I confirm that future White and Green Papers issued by MAFF will be made available on standard floppy disk in a suitable form, on request.

  Contraceptives: Free and Subsidised Provision
  Contraceptives: Free and Subsidised Provision
  Constitutional Reform
  Constitutional Reform
  Palace of Westminster: Works
  Palace of Westminster: Works
  Cambridge and London Universities: Air Squadrons
  Cambridge and London Universities: Air Squadrons
  Health Staff: Pay Recommendations
  Health Staff: Pay Recommendations
  Farmers: Family Credit
  Farmers: Family Credit
  Scotland: Public Sector Housing
  Scotland: Public Sector Housing
  Lingerbay, Harris: Superquarry Application
  Lingerbay, Harris: Superquarry Application
  Consolidation Bills
  Consolidation Bills
  Channel Islands: Fishery Enforcement Costs
  Channel Islands: Fishery Enforcement Costs
  Greater London Authority Building
  Greater London Authority Building
  The Construction Industry: Fatal Accidents
  The Construction Industry: Fatal Accidents
  Railway Bridges: Damage by Lorries
  Railway Bridges: Damage by Lorries
  Yugoslavia: Land Rovers for UNHCR
  Yugoslavia: Land Rovers for UNHCR
  Bosnia: Protective Clothing for EU Monitoring Mission
  Bosnia: Protective Clothing for EU Monitoring Mission
  European Union: Forthcoming Business
  European Union: Forthcoming Business
  Afghanistan: Arms Embargo
  Afghanistan: Arms Embargo
  Parole Board: Directions
  Parole Board: Directions
  Baggage: Searches
  Baggage: Searches
  General Pinochet
  General Pinochet
  Pharmaceutical Services: Expenditure Allocations
  Pharmaceutical Services: Expenditure Allocations
  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Private Finance Initiative Hospital Development Programme
  Private Finance Initiative Hospital Development Programme