To ask the Attorney-General whether Paul Eric Walker can now be treated as a new applicant for the purposes of legal aid.

Paul Eric Walker is in possession of a valid current legal aid certificate. There is no need for him to apply for a new certificate.

To ask the Attorney-General when Paul Eric Walker first applied for legal aid to the Northern area legal aid office; and if he will make a statement about the reasons for the delay in granting it.

Paul Eric Walker first applied for legal aid on 9 May 1990 and his certificate was granted on 22 August 1991. The delay in granting the certificate arose because the Legal Aid Assessment Office had difficulty in establishing Mr. Walker's correct address and a number of changes to his financial circumstances led to further delays while his means were recalculated. Between August and October 1991 Mr. Walker was asked to show cause why his certificate should not be discharged in the light of his most recent failure to co-operate with the means assessment process. The matter was finally resolved in Mr. Walker's favour on 31 October 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the last inspection of the vessel Richard Montgomery was carried out on the River Thames; and if he will make a statement on the conclusions arrived at.

A very thorough survey was completed early in September this year and a detailed report has been submitted to the Department by the contractor. I hope to be in a position to make a statement very shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many inspections in relation to loading and roadworthiness of lorries were undertaken in the last year for which figures were available; how many infringements of regulations were detected; how many prosecutions and convictions secured; and if he will tabulate the results by county and metropolitan district area.

Almost 113,000 HGV roadworthiness inspections were carried out at the roadside during 1990–91. These resulted in just under 8,000 vehicles being immediately prohibited from further use, and just over 9,000 being required to have essential repairs undertaken within a maximum of 10 days. In addition, vehicle examiners made almost 98,000 visits to operators during the year to inspect either particular vehicles or maintenance facilities. A total of 114,000 HGVs were checkweighed during the same period. This activity resulted in the issue of just over 8,000 prohibitions. There were about 10,000 prosecutions, and 9,000 convictions.It is not possible to provide this information by county and district.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to increase the penalties for infringement of loading and roadworthiness regulations in relation to lorries.

The Criminal Justice Act 1991 increased level 5 on the standard scale of fines, which is the maximum punishment for overloading and the more serious roadworthiness offences, from £2,000 to £5,000. This will be implemented in October 1992. In addition, infringements can lead to action being taken against operators' and drivers' licences.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that the proposed toll road from Birmingham to Manchester satisfies the environmental impact assessment requirement of EC directive 85/337.

EC directive 85/337 applies to major road projects whether or not they are privately financed. Any proposed toll road from Birmingham to Manchester would require an environmental impact assessment before a decision was made to proceed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve directional signing, with particular reference to reaching motorways, on the roads around Heathrow airport.

It is planned to revise the directional signing on the primary routes around Heathrow airport in 1994 as part of a general revision of the signing. Consultation on both the primary route network and its signing took place in 1989. Copies of the consultation documents were placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will look again at the congestion on the A685 road through Kirkby Stephen and provide an estimate of how soon a bypass will be put on the forward programme.

The A685 is not a trunk road. The needs of the route are therefore a matter for consideration by the local highways authority, Cumbria county council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with British Rail about progress on the Heathrow express rail link; and if he will make a statement.

I have had a number of discussions with BR on this matter. The Government are keen to see the project go ahead, but it is for BR to determine its priorities within the resources available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures are being taken to make British Rail tracks suitable to accommodate continental Berne standard rolling stock.

British Rail will be able to carry the great majority of containers—up to 9 ft high—and standard European swap bodies between the channel tunnel and its regional freight terminals using low platform wagons, without substantially changing the existing structure gauge. Converting existing lines to continental structure gauge would be extremely costly and disruptive. Apart from the need to alter tunnels and bridges, station platforms would have to be realigned and passenger rolling stock adapted to the new platform dimensions. BR has no plans to do this and does not believe the costs would be commercially justified. However, it is envisaged that the new high speed rail link would be built to continental gauge.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent visit by the Minister of State to Abu Dhabi; and whether he discussed BCCI.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the average length of time it takes to reply to a letter from an hon. Member.

The length of time it takes to reply to a letter from an hon. Member varies according to the subject. It is our policy to reply to letters from hon. Members as soon as practically possible. We meet our aim of replying within 15 working days in 80 per cent. of cases.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff are employed at the migration and visa correspondence unit.

Ten.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list (a) the numbers of people in each queue who are waiting for interviews for entry clearance to Britain and (b) the average waiting time in Bombay, Delhi, Dhaka, Islamabad, Karachi, Calcutta, Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam.

As at 30 September the number of people waiting for interviews for entry clearance to Britain are:

I visited Abu Dhabi from 28 to 29 October. I met Shaikh Zayed, the President of the UAE, and other senior Ministers, who made it clear that bilateral relations remain close and cordial, and should be kept separate from the BCCI affair.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his assessment of the efficacy of the international inspection and surveillance of Iraqi nuclear activity in the period before the Gulf war.

The IAEA conducted regular inspections of Iraq's declared nuclear facilities before the Gulf war. Its reports did not indicate any significant diversions of nuclear materials under safeguards. Notwithstanding this, we now know that Iraq circumvented IAEA safeguards in seeking to develop a nuclear weapons capability. This is a cause for concern. The IAEA is considering how to strengthen the system, a process to which the United Kingdom, with European Community partners, is contributing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken (a) by the Government (b) by the Government within the Council of Ministers and (c) by the Government within the United Nations to make progress towards a just peace in East Timor.

Her Majesty's Government have had bilateral contacts with Indonesia and Portugal to encourage them to work towards a negotiated solution of the East Timor question. The issue is discussed regularly in European political cooperation. We support the United Nations Secretary-General's efforts to encourage Indonesia and Portugal to resolve their differences.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by the Government to put pressure On the Indonesian Government about its human rights record in East Timor.

We regularly draw the attention of the Indonesian authorities to our concern about reports of human rights abuses in East Timor. We will continue to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to ban supply of military weapons to the Indonesian Government while that Government continue to occupy East Timor.

I refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon) on 12 November, at column 481.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are his current proposals to negate the Iraqi capacity to detonate initiators, launch nuclear capable missiles and assemble super-guns.

We shall continue actively to support the work of the UN Special Commission and the International Atomic Energy Agency in dismantling Iraq's weapons of mass destruction capability under the terms of UN Security Council resolutions 687 and 707, and in carrying out their plans to monitor and verify Iraq's long-term compliance with those resolutions, under the authority of Security Council resolution 715.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the documents released to the Congress of People's Deputies by the Russian Justice Minister concerning funding of the Morning Star and Pergamon Press by the Soviet Communist party.

We are aware of the documents in question. We have asked our embassy in Moscow to obtain the excerpts relating to the reported funding of the Morning Star and Pergamon Press by the Soviet Communist party.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the operation of TESSAs.

My right hon. Friend has received a small number of representations about the operation of TESSAs.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to modify the rules relating to TESSAs.

There are no plans to modify the rules relating to TESSAs.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the ordinary and advanced diplomas proposed in the White Paper, "Education and Training for the 21st Century", would fall within the terms of tax relief for vocational training introduced in the Finance Act 1991.

The Government are considering carefully the interaction between the proposals in the White Paper "Education and Training for the 21st Century" and the new tax relief for vocational training.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the underlying rate of inflation and minimum lending rate for each of the last 150 months, setting out in each case the difference showing whether it is positive or negative, also marking each month when the economy was in recession with the letter R.

[holding answer 12 November 1991]: There is no single measure of underlying inflation. For the purposes of this answer, it is defined as the RPI less mortgage interest payments. Since 1981 a minimum lending rate has been in operation for only two days. Instead three-month inter-bank rates have been used. There is no agreed definition of recession. For the purposes of this answer, it is defined as occurring when GDP falls for two or more consecutive quarters. GDP figures are available only quarterly, so it is not possible to identify when the economy is in recession month by month. Rs have been placed beside those months which make up recessionary quarters. The information is in the following table:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the real interest rates in the United Kingdom and Germany for each of the last 60 months using as real rates the difference between MLR and the underlying rate of inflation.

[holding answer 12 November 1991]: Official interest rates, such as the MLR or the German discount rate, are not comparable across countries. International comparisons therefore generally use market interest rates; three-month inter-bank rates have been used in the table.There is no generally agreed definition of "underlying inflation". For Germany the table uses consumer price inflation excluding rent. For the United Kingdom the retail prices index excluding mortgage interest payments has been used.There is no single measure of real interest rates. They are most often calculated by deflating the interest rate by an appropriate measure of inflation, rather than from a simple difference between two rates. The table uses the method suggested in my hon. Friend's question.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what assistance is to be given to the county of Devon in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 12 November 1991]: The detailed allocation of the Government's grant for the support of the arts is a matter for the Arts Council of Great Britain and, where appropriate, the regional arts boards through which the Arts Council provides support for regional arts development.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of project licences granted under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 for 1990 in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, respectively.

Our records show that 613 project licences were issued in Great Britain in 1990. I understand from the Department of Health and Social Services for Northern Ireland, which is responsible for administering the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in Northern Ireland, that 31 project licences were issued there in 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the numbers of scientific procedures on living animals reported in 1990 authorised by project licences in the following severity categories, (a) mild, (b) moderate, (c) substantial and (d) unclassified in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, respectively.

Statistical returns of procedures submitted for the purposes of preparing the annual statistical publications are not classified by severity category. Although an applicant for a project licence is required to assess the overall severity of the proposed project, the project licence may authorise a range of procedures with differing severity limits. The assessments of the severity of individual procedures and the assessment of the overall severity of the project as a whole are prospective. The purpose of this assessment is to allow the likely adverse effects on the animals to be used to be weighed against the benefits likely to accrue from the research, as required by section 5(4) of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many of the total institutions in the United Kingdom which use non-human primates have so far conformed with the minimum standards of the code of practice on the housing and care of animals used in scientific procedures introduced in February 1989; and within what time frame the remainder will be required to conform;(2) how many United Kingdom institutions currently conform to maximum standards outlined in the special considerations of the code of practice relating to cage furniture, opportunities for social interaction, foraging, maximum vertical flight height and training the animals to co-operate for routine procedures.

The special considerations of the Home Office code of practice to which the hon. Member refers relate to non-human primates. Since the Home Office code of practice was published, there has been a marked improvement in the standard of facilities for non-human primates in designated establishments. There has also been an encouraging increase in awareness within establishments of the desirability of providing environmental enrichment and appropriate upgrading in accordance with programmes agreed with the inspectorate.Statistics on the housing of non-human primates are not routinely collected centrally, although the Home Office inspectorate carried out a special survey of large non-human primate holding facilities in 1988. A further review of establishments using these larger primates is planned for next year and one of its aims will be to examine progress made in improving facilities since the 1988 review.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the educational training and recreational facilities made available to those children detained in relation to section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.

Juveniles sentenced to detention under section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 may be held either in the prison system, normally in a young offender institution, or in the child care system as the Secretary of State directs. In young offender institutions those under school leaving age receive a minimum of 15 hours education a week. Educational programmes include academic subjects, life and social skills, leisure activities and work skills. Older juveniles are expected to participate in these educational programmes although they are not compulsory: alternative constructive activities are provided for those who decline education.Arrangements are also made for participation in physical education for at least one hour each weekday on average, with the opportunity to attend additional physical education, sports and recreational activities in the evening and at the weekend.Detainees held in the child care system also receive a full programme of education and in some exceptional circumstances approval might be given for attendance at a local school. Many child care establishments have good recreational facilities. In addition, approval may be given for suitable offenders to participate in educational and recreational activities within the community under appropriate supervision.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department at what stage of detention of a child detained under the terms of section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, he or she is eligible for home visits; and if he will make a statement.

Any juvenile offender detained under this power in a young offender institution may be allowed a home visit as part of preparation for release when a date has been approved for him or her to be released on licence. Home visits may also be allowed before release on licence has been approved, under the home leave scheme, at a time depending upon the security classification of the establishment in which the juvenile offender is detained. For example, in open young offender institutions juvenile offenders serving determinate sentences may take their first home leave when they have reached the one third point of their sentences, and juvenile offenders detained for life are eligible for home leave when they have completed nine months in open conditions. On the other hand, in the most secure young offender institutions, juvenile offenders are not allowed home leave until nine months before they are due to be released. In addition, home visits may be allowed on compassionate grounds at any stage of detention if this is warranted by the circumstances.Juvenile offenders detained in community homes and youth treatment centres do not become eligible for home visits at any fixed point in their sentences. Such visits are normally allowed as part of each detainee's treatment programme and preparation for release and the time at which this should commence is considered on its merits in each case.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the costs of towing away illegally parked vehicles in greater London; and what was the total amount of moneys received in redemption charges since the task was put out to contract.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the removal of illegally parked vehicles was put out to contract initially in three areas of the Metropolitan police district in February 1988. There are now 11 areas covering 11 boroughs or parts of those boroughs. The total cost of the contracted-out services up to the end of 1990–91 was £24·5 million. The redemption charges received in the same period amounted to £19·5 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list (a) the names, periods of office and remuneration of the chairman and members of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (b) the number of officials employed by the board and (c) the number and proportion of these officials who are located in Scotland.

The names and dates of appointment of the chairman and members of the board are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list (a) the number of applications for compensation submitted to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board from (i) England and Wales and (ii) Scotland in each of the past five years, (b) the average amount of time taken by the board to deal with an application, (c) the total amount of compensation paid in each of the past five years and (d) the average sum paid to victims of rape and sexual assault; and if he will make a statement.

The number of applications received by the board from England and Wales, and Scotland, in the past five years, with the compensation paid, are given in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to introduce a new offence of committing a crime while on bail; and if he will make a statement on Northumbria police's recent report on the subject.

Home Office researchers have been reviewing recent studies by Northumbria police, and others, of offending on bail. In the light of the results of the review, we shall consider urgently what further action could reduce offending on bail.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has completed his review of the ITV levy rates; and if he will make a statement.

On 1 January 1990 a mixed levy on profits and advertising revenue was introduced, with the intention of recovering in the 1990–92 ITV contract extension period broadly the same yield as would have arisen under the 66·7 per cent. levy on domestic profits which operated until 1986, other things being equal.Although advertising revenue is likely to rise in real terms in 1992, to date it has been considerably lower than was expected when the new rates were set. This means that over the three years the levy is likely to raise more than we intended. I therefore propose to adjust the levy rates for the final year of the levy's existence in its current form. The free slice on net advertising revenue—NAR—will be raised from £15 million to £25 million and the rate of NAR levy reduced from 10 to 2·5 per cent. The levy on profits will remain unchanged.These changes will take effect once the necessary regulations have been approved by both Houses of Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many psychiatric patients discharged from Home Office institutions have committed homicide in each of the last five years.

I regret that this information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he will give to funding crime prevention measures, including improved street lighting, to help reverse the increased level of burglary in Stoke-on-Trent, North constituency; and if he will make a statement.

Grants for specific crime prevention projects are made under the Home Office safer cities programme and the Department of the Environment's estate action and urban programme schemes. These are targeted largely at inner city areas where crime rates are generally higher than elsewhere. Staffordshire police are taking action to tackle the incidence of burglary in Stoke-on-Trent. Measures such as the development of neighbourhood watch schemes and encouraging householders to take steps, often at little or no cost, to secure their property can be simple but effective. Recent research for the Home Office has shown, however, that while good street lighting can help to reduce the fear of crime, it has little effect on crime itself.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will ensure that there is no reduction in the provison of fire services covering the Chiswick area as a result of reorganisation of the London fire service.

It is for the London fire and civil defence authority to consider the deployment of its resources in the light of the recent review of fire cover in the capital. Should the authority subsequently propose to close any fire stations, or to reduce the number of operational firefighters or appliances, my right hon. Friend's approval would be required under section 19 of the Fire Services Act 1947. My right hon. Friend would not grant this unless we were satisfied that the authority would maintain the nationally recommended minimum standards of fire cover.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were (a) prosecuted for begging, (b) convicted of begging, (c) prosecuted for sleeping rough and (d) convicted of sleeping rough in each police district in England and Wales in the year ending 31 December 1990.

Information is not yet available for 1990. The table shows the number of prosecutions and convictions for begging and sleeping out offences by police force area in 1989.