To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Syrian authorities concerning the violation of human rights of Jews in Syria.

We have made our views clear to the Syrian Government about their human rights record, including the problems of the Jewish community.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the gold or money equivalent to be transferred to the Baltic republics has now been transferred; and which other countries in the eastern European areas have gold reserves deposited in London.

We hope to reach final agreement with each Baltic Government on the transfer of gold, or its equivalent in money, by the end of March. We hope to receive shortly formal responses from the Baltic Governments to our proposals for the transfer, which we put to them in January.Where countries choose to hold their gold and other international reserves is a matter of banking confidentiality and for them alone to disclose if they wish to. I am not in a position to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statment on the role of the international science and technology centre in Russia.

We support the proposal to establish an international science and technology centre in the CIS to reduce the risk of proliferation of expertise in building weapons of mass destruction. The EC is considering a financial contribution to the initiative from its technical assistance budget.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the visit of Professor Bill Stewart, the chief scientific adviser, to Moscow.

The chief scientific adviser proposes to make an early visit to Moscow for discussions with leading members of the scientific community. These will be directed to identifying ways in which the west can help to sustain the science base in the CIS.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government have provided any financial support or other assistance to the conference of former Heads of State and Government in Europe and America on "The World after the Cold War: National Roles and Responsibilities" held in Berlin on 4 March.

The conference of European and American former Heads of State and Government on the "Post Cold War World: Roles and Responsibilities of Nations" was held in Berlin on 5 March. Her Majesty's Government did not provide any financial support. Lord Callaghan was one of the participants and a member of the British embassy in Berlin attended.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what negotiations on nuclear disarmament, pursuant to United Kingdom commitments under the 1968 nuclear non-proliferation treaty article VI provisions, currently involve the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

The focus of nuclear arms control negotiations remains on the arsenals of the United States and Russia. We welcome the prospect of further reductions in their nuclear arsenals. Consistent with our nuclear non-proliferation treaty obligations, we are willing to consider involvement in strategic arms control negotiations when the time is right. But our deterrent force is a minimum only, and not comparable to those of the United States and Russia. President Yeltsin has accepted this position. We have, however, already announced substantial reductions in our sub-strategic nuclear capability, including ending our role in the deployment of the Lance missile and nuclear artillery in Europe, the withdrawal of tactical nuclear weapons from Royal Navy ships in normal circumstances, and a reduction of about 50 per cent. in the number of our free-fall nuclear bombs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the meeting of the British-Argentine high-level group held in Buenos Aires.

The British and Argentine delegations exchanged information and explored ideas on the scope for co-operation on activities deriving from their respective legislative measures relating to the continental shelf in the south-west Atlantic. There will be a second meeting of the high-level group in London in late June 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the annual report on Hong Kong will be laid before Parliament.

The report is being published and laid before Parliament today. Copies will be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the report, "Waste Not Want Not—the Production and Dumping of Toxic Waste in Britain and Ireland", by R. Allen.

A copy has already been ordered.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 24 February, Official Report, column 411, to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson), if he will set out the details of his departmental publicity on the duty of care for the disposal and carriage of waste under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

The duty of care on holders of waste to ensure that it is properly dealt with under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and the related provisions for the registration of carriers of controlled waste under the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989, come into force throughout Great Britain on 1 April.It is vital that all businesses are informed of the implications of these new laws which require them to take a fair share of the responsibility for the waste they produce or handle. A large number of people need to know about the duty; there are over 2 million business addresses in Great Britain. My Department's information campaign accordingly includes the distribution of some 6–5 million copies of a free explanatory leaflet through local authorities, trade associations and journals. So that knowledge of the new duty is widespread, we are placing advertisements in the national and provincial daily newspapers.

To ask the Secretary of State Environment if he will indicate, for each of the 10 water plcs, the cost at current market prices of purchasing a controlling interest of the companies' shares; and if he will make a statement.

At the price given in the second column of the table, the cost of purchasing a 51 per cent. stake in each of the privatised water companies would be as given in the third column.

Company	Price per share	£ million
Anglian	368	553·10
North West	375	680·47
Northumbrian	400	133·62
Severn Trent	348	627·57
Southern	341	284·69
South West	382	231·84
Thames	382	748·50
Welsh	388	285·15
Wessex	414	216·63
Yorkshire	401	401·86

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue a logo to be used in connection with eco-labelling; and if he will publish a copy.

The logo for the European Community eco-labelling scheme was agreed as part of the eco-labelling regulation in December. An environmental labelling factsheet, which includes the logo, has been deposited in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many products he expects to have been awarded eco-labels by the end of 1992;(2) if he will publish a timetable for the introduction of eco-labelling.

The European Community regulation which will introduce the official eco-labelling scheme was agreed at December's Environmental Council. We expect that it will be formerly adopted at the Environment Council later this month.The Commission is aiming to launch the scheme in the autumn with 10 to 12 product categories. The number of awards of the label will depend on industry's response to the scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent the use of minimum packaging will be a requisite of any product awarded an eco-label.

Under the European Community scheme the packaging of a product will be taken into account, together with the other impacts of the product over its lifecycle, in establishing criteria for the award of an eco-label.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what criteria are being set for awarding an eco-label to detergents, paints, carrier bags, bleaches and toilet rolls;(2) what plans he has for the award of eco-labels to services such as dry cleaning, car breakers, photographic processors or taxis.

Agreement has now been reached at European level on the first product categories that are to be developed for inclusion in the eco-labelling scheme. The United Kingdom is taking the lead in developing criteria for washing machines, dishwashers, hairsprays, soil improvers and light bulbs. Other member states have agreed to take the lead in developing criteria for photocopying paper, kitchen rolls, toilet paper, writing paper, paints, laundry detergents and other cleaning agents, insulation materials, batteries and solar heating systems. Other product groups, which could include services, will be agreed in due course.No proposals for criteria have yet been formally submitted.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals against the uniform business rate have been lodged each year since its introduction in the Leeds metropolitan district.

In Leeds, 10,289 appeals were lodged in 1990–91 and 3,497 between 1 April 1991 and the end of February 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals against the uniform business rate remain outstanding in the Leeds metropolitan district.

In Leeds, 11,307 appeals were outstanding at the end of February.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals were made by local businesses against the local authority rate in 1989–90 in the Leeds metropolitan district.

In Leeds, 1,452 appeals were made by businesses in 1989–90.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the amount which will be due to be provided from RECHAR for purposes within the metropolitan borough of Rotherham.

Authority	1991–92 community charge (£)	1992–93 community charge (£)	change in 1992–93 charge over 1991–92(per cent.)	change in 1991–92 charge over 1990–91(per cent.)
East Northants	250	220	14	17
Kettering	257	230	12	14
Wellingborough	145	129	12	-7

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the community charge figures for Westminster and Wandsworth in 1992–93.

The authorities mentioned have yet to make a return to the Department giving this information. Charging authorities have until 18 March to make their "Demands and Precepts Return" to the Department and they have until 1 April in which to set a charge.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total sum provided from central funds through the standard spending grant for the Westminster, Wandsworth and Rotherham local authorities, respectively, expressed on a per capita basis; and what were the community charge figures for these local authorities in 1991.

The information requested is as follows.

	1991–92 Revenue support grant£ per adult	1991–92 Community charge £ per adult
Westminster	997·27	36·00
Wandsworth	711·40	0·00
Rotherham	211·30	232·46

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the community charge

Approval of projects within the South Yorkshire RECHAR area is the responsibility of the programme co-ordinating committee, which has not yet formally met. Consequently, no estimate can be given of the value of projects within the metropolitan borough of Rotherham which will be funded by RECHAR.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the district authorities in Northamptonshire setting out (a) the 1992–93 community charge and last year's community charge, (b) the percentage increase, subdividing that increase into that part accountable to the district and that part accountable to the county, (c) the percentage increase between 1990–91 and 1991–92 having made allowances for the £140 rebate and (d) identifying which party is currently in control.

Not all authorities in Northamptonshire have supplied the relevant information. Charging authorities have until 18 March to make their "Demands and Precepts Return" to the Department and they have until 1 April to set a charge. The available information is as follows:collection costs per head of relevant population for each of the west midland authorities, for each of the years available.

The information is as follows:

Community charge collection costs per head of relevant population (£)
Authority	1990–91	1991–92
Birmingham	10·62	12·08
Coventry	11·54	11·24
Dudley	11·70	8·24
Sandwell	14·47	16·43
Solihull	11·70	13·00
Walsall	16·73	18·11
Wolverhampton	13·49	16·55

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 4 February, Official Report, column 135, if he is now able to publish the draft procedural guidance for the local government commission.

The draft procedural guidance will be published for comment as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has received from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee concerning the international trade in wild caught birds.

The JNCC's report "International Trade in Wildlife: A Review of Sustainable Use", published last October, is relevant to the bird trade. Since then, I have had discussions with both the UNCC and other interested organisations about the aspects of the trade, especially in the context of proposals for discussion at the current conference of the parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, CITES.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has made to the representations by the Merseyside fire and civil defence authority in respect of the financial difficulties facing it in carrying out its statutory duties; if he intends to meet members of the authority as requested; if he is reviewing its standard spending assessment; and if he will make a statement.

Our reply of 25 February to Merseyside fire and civil defence authority's letter made clear that we did not consider it appropriate to meet the authority to discuss its budget. We have taken our decisions on the revenue support grant settlement for 1992–93, under which the authority's standard spending assessment increases by 7·4 per cent., but we are prepared to consider any new evidence on SSAs for the future.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what calculations have been made by the Government of the revenue consequences of building a national stadium in Manchester; and what consideration has been given as to which authority would have ongoing responsibility for meeting them.

Studies indicate that a stadium in east Manchester would cover its operating costs and make a profit. The detailed calculations use material which is commercial-in-confidence and it would be prejudicial to future negotiations to make this public.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the costs of the intended national stadium in Manchester, announced by the Minister for Sport on 3 March, it is intended should be provided from central Government funds; and if he will make a statement.

The Government are already committed to the purchase and preparation of the stadium site. The costs of this will be met from central Government funds and part of the £55 million allocated to the Manchester Olympic bid will be used for this purpose.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has considered ways in which empty Government residential properties might be brought into use to house homeless people; and if he will make a statement.

The Public Accounts Committee reporting on homelessness in June last year drew attention to the potential for using empty Government residential properties to help house the homeless. Other Government Departments, which are individually responsible for managing their own properties, have co-operated with my own in drawing up best practice guidance on the management of their empty properties.The guidance emphasises the need for Departments to have clear strategies for their stock; the role of local authorities and housing associations in alleviating homelessness, and the advantages of making maximum use of short-term lets of properties which are temporarily vacant. It explains the potential for contracting out management of such properties to housing associations and others.It also sets out simplified disposal procedures, endorsed by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury which may be used by Departments selling their properties to housing associations and others. These procedures should speed up property sales. Quicker sales should bring more of such properties into use faster, and thus contribute to relieving housing stress in pressure areas. My Department's regional controllers will play a liaison role as necessary in bringing together Departments, authorities and housing associations to help speed the process.Great strides have been made in recent years in reducing the numbers of empty properties held by Government Departments. However, further progress can be made particularly where local authorities have great difficulty in housing the homeless. I hope that all those who receive the guidance will act on the advice and to make better use of their properties in accordance with the spirit of the PAC report.The guidance is being issued today by my Department and that of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I am arranging for it to be placed in the House Libraries. Copies are being sent to all Government Departments and local authorities, and distributed to registered housing associations through the Housing Corporation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce the allocation of resources to local authorities under his Department's rural housing special programme for 1992–93.

Local authorities that have been successful in bidding for resources under my Department's rural housing special programme for 1992–93 are being informed today. These allocations follow the success of this programme in its first year in 1991–92 in seeking to address, at low unit costs, shortages of social housing which exist for local people in some rural areas.The £30 million of additional supplementary credit approvals are being targeted on those local authorities in rural areas with the greatest need for low-cost rented housing and where best value for money will be obtained. The programme is designed in part to take advantage of the Department's planning policies for the provision of social housing in rural areas, articulated in DOE circular 7/91. This explains that local authorities may now give planning permission for low-cost housing to meet local needs on some sites where commercial housing would not be allowed. Research carried out by the Department recently indicated that this policy was achieving positive results.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is in a position to announce his decisions on the recommendations contained in the report of the informal working group on coal and the environment published last year.

The informal working group was comprised of officials from the Departments of the Environment and of Energy and British Coal. It was set up to review progress on improving the environmental context of coal extraction, to identify where further improvements might be made and to recommend action. The group's report identified a number of options for change and was issued for public consultation in June 1991. In the light of the responses to that consultation, we propose to bring forward amendments to the General Development Order 1988 and to the Town and Country Planning (National Coal Board) Regulations 1974. The effect of these amendments would be:

To provide for British Coal's permitted development rights for underground working to continue within a sensible planning unit based on the existing infrastructure of, and capital already invested in, the particular colliery. They will not be able to work outside that unit without obtaining specific planning permission in the normal way.

To incorporate British Coal's special permitted development rights for opencast coal exploration within the general permitted development rights for minerals exploration. Those rights will be amended to provide for a six monthly indefinitely renewable permission subject to giving periodic notice to the mineral planning authority.

That British Coal's specialised entitlements to compensation following adverse planning decisions will be fully aligned with the general planning compensation regime applying to all mineral operators.

I believe this will provide a clear and fair planning framework for the coal industry now and in the future.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress on the implementation of the commitments set out in the first anniversary report on the environment White Paper "This Common Inheritance"; and whether there will be a second progress report this year.

I am very pleased to announce further progress on the 400 commitments to action made in last September's anniversary report on "This Common Inheritance". To demonstrate our continuing commitment to environmental issues, the Government will issue a further detailed report on progress in October 1992. This will draw on the findings of the new statistical report on the environment to be produced by my Department in September this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much his Department has given in grants to Charterhouse Estates Ltd. for its involvement in the Liverpool 1 area; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 3 March 1992]: A city grant of £196,000 was awarded to Charterhouse Estates Ltd. on 6 March 1992 for the conversion of 14–16 Fleet street, Liverpool to a studio-business complex. This was the first and only grant offered so far by the Department to the company for its involvement in the Liverpool 1 area.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many residential properties owned by his Department are (a) empty, (b) for sale on the open market, (c) intended for sale on the open market and (d) for sale to housing associations, in terms of numbers and percentage of stock.

[holding answer 5 March 1992]: The Department of the Environment manages 52 residential properties, as distinct from those held and managed by other Departments as part of their departmental estate. Of this total, 7—13·5 per cent.—are (a) empty, none are (b) for sale on the open market, 12—23 per cent.—are (c) intended for sale on the open market and none are (d) for sale to housing associations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from national showmen in respect of winter quarters.

[holding answer 5 March 1992]: We have recently received a number of representations on behalf of the National Showmen Fight for Rights about the advice given in circular 22/91—"Travelling Showpeople".

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will put forward proposals requiring local authorities to include within their local plans their policies on the provision of facilities for travelling showpeople.

[holding answer 6 March 1992]: My Department has recently issued guidance to local planning authorities in circular 22/91, "Travelling Showpeople" which, among other things, emphasises that local planning authorities should consider the needs of travelling showpeople when preparing local plans and unitary development plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what steps he is taking to establish an inspection and enforcement service fully to enforce international wildlife controls as recommended in the report on international trade in wildlife;(2) what is his estimate of the cost of implementing all the recommendations in the recent Joint Nature Conservation Committee report on international trade in wildlife as they apply to the trade in wild birds; and if he will make a statement;(3) if he will introduce import taxes or charges for licence applications for traders of wild birds.

[holding answer 6 March 1992]: Implementation of many of the JNCC's recommendations, including those relating to inspection and enforcement and import taxes and charges, needs to be considered by the European Community as a whole. The European Commission's proposals for changes in the relevant Community legislation were published last month and we shall be consulting widely on them. Until agreement has been reached within the Community on the precise changes to be introduced, it will not be possible to estimate the total costs of implementation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional funding he will make available to implement the new measures to protect wild birds in trade that were announced by him on 27 February; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 6 March 1992]: The Department has made provision for staff to analyse and take follow-up action on the checklists completed in relation to imports of live animals. We shall make additional funding available for other measures as and when necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to issue revised guidance to local planning authorities on the treatment of designated and candidate special protection areas in the light of the Leybucht Dyke case heard in the European Court of Justice.

[holding answer 6 March 1992]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for Housing and Planning to my hon. Friend the member for Twickenham (Mr. Jessel) on 27 February 1992, Official Report column 562. We published draft guidance on that day, and will issue it in final form later this year in a new planning policy guidance note on nature conservation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when officials from his Department last met staff of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee to discuss future special protection area designations; and what was agreed.

[holding answer 6 March 1992]: My officials last met staff of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and English Nature on 13 February to discuss special protection area designations. Progress on sites already submitted to the Department was discussed and the Government expect to announce a number of further designations shortly. Discussions are continuing on the future work programme. It was agreed to maintain the momentum through 1992–93 and beyond.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list where nuclear waste from power stations, all other nuclear installations, and imported waste, are stored in Britain.

[holding answer 6 March 1992]: Low-level radioactive waste is disposed of at British Nuclear Fuels' shallow disposal facility at Drigg. Intermediate-level radioactive waste is currently stored on site awaiting deep disposal. High-level or heat-generating radioacative waste is stored at Sellafield and Dounreay. No radioactive waste is imported into the country.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he provides county councils on the supply of disaggregated information about the cost of provision of the local government services to district councils.

[holding answer 6 March 1992]: Each year the Department of the Environment publishes a document "Standard Spending Assessment Handbook" which sets out underlying information about the service elements of standard spending assessments for each English local authority. A copy is sent to each authority and copies of the 1990–91 and 1991–92 editions are available in the House Library. In addition, every local authority is obliged to publish its accounts annually.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes in ultraviolet radiation levels have been revealed by the continuous monitoring by the National Radiological Protection Board in the last three months; if he will publish the relevant data; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.A preliminary analysis of results obtained at Chilton, Oxfordshire, as part of the National Radiological Protection Board's programme of development for solar radiation measurement, for the months December 1991 to February 1992, does not indicate any signficant differences in mean levels from those expected. Temporal variations in levels appear to be within the range of variations expected from variability in local weather conditions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the change in average business property values since April 1988.

I have been asked to reply.There are no statistics available in relation to average business property values which would enable information to be supplied in the form requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will next meet the European Commissioner for Environmental Matters to discuss the impact of the Dounreay reprocessing plant on the Irish sea and the surrounding environment.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend has no such plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his decision to end Hackney council's arrears-to-rents scheme.

I have been asked to reply.I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon Friend the Member for Waveney (Mr. Porter) on 7 February at column

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he next intends to visit the Duchy.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he next plans to visit the Duchy.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he next plans to visit the Duchy.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans to visit the Duchy in April.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he next intends to visit the Duchy.

I refer to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hemsworth (Mr. Enright) earlier today.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many legal advisers there are in the Duchy office.

There are two legal executives employed by the Duchy in the Duchy office. The Duchy solicitor is a partner in a firm of solicitors and he regularly visits the Duchy office but is not a member of the staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the significance of the figures in the final column of table F2 of the monthly review of external trade statistics.

The series referred to is a measure of changes in the prices of exports of manufactured goods from the United Kingdom's 11 main competitors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the outcome of his annual review of Export Credits Guarantee Department premium rates.

Experience of the use of the portfolio management system indicates that it provides a sound basis for helping to determine the appropriate level of premiums. We continue to press ahead with our international initiative to encourage the use of systems which more closely match premiums to risk. Meanwhile, I have now completed the first annual review of Export Credits Guarantee Department's rates taking account of experience of the practical operation of the system, the latest forecasts of economic prospects in all the main markets, and the competitive position of British exporters. It is clear from this review that in the event current premium rates need adjusting to reflect changes both in trading patterns and in the creditworthiness of various markets so as to achieve our planned likelihood of avoiding underwriting losses. I am happy to say that we have therefore been able to make substantial reductions for many markets, though there will be some increases in others, notably those whose prospects have significantly weakened. The new rates will come into effect from 6 April. The Export Credits Guarantee Department will be in touch with exporters, and their representative associations, to inform them of the changes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a further statement on the role of renewables within the Government's overall energy strategy.

The Government's renewable energy policy is to stimulate the development and deployment of all technologies with prospects of commercial viability and environmental acceptability. This is being implemented by supporting a collaborative research, development and demonstration programme with industry, providing an appropriate institutional framework, and utilising the non-fossil fuel obligation which has resulted in contracts being placed for more than 600 MW of electricity from renewable sources. Moreover an independent advisory group, which I chair, is currently reviewing renewable energy strategy. I expect the group to report to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy in the spring.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to undertake an environmental assessment of the current 100 MW target for renewables.

For renewables projects which require planning permission, the likely environmental impact will need to be taken into account when the application is determined. In some cases, there will be a requirement for environmental assessment. Environmental assessment will also need to be undertaken for those projects promoted by means of a private Bill.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what would be the cost of transferring the burden of the nuclear levy from industry to the Exchequer.

Fossil fuel levy receipts in 1990–91 were £1,175 million, of which an estimated £300 million derived from sales to industry. The terms of the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation contracts ensure that the levy revenues needed to finance nuclear-sourced electricity will decline substantially, in real terms, by 1997–98.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received concerning the burning of orimulsion, and to which power stations they relate.

My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations mostly relating to National Power plc's application to fit electrostatic precipitators in order to use orimulsion as a fuel at its Pembroke power station, and also in relation to the burning of orimulsion at Grain, Richborough and Ince power stations. My right hon. Friend has decided not to proceed further with National Power plc's application until he has received the considered views of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what weights of plutonium arising from foreign nuclear fuel reprocessed at Sellafield were returned to the respective countries of origin in (a) 1990 and (b) 1991; and if he will specify which countries were involved and under which safeguards arrangements.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list (a) all measures taken by his Department in the last 12 months to prevent nuclear proliferation, (b) the number of personnel in his Department working to prevent nuclear proliferation and (c) his Department's total expenditure on control of nuclear proliferation in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

My Department has been involved in several important initiatives in the last 12 months, aimed at strengthening nuclear non-proliferation controls.As the lead Department on safeguards issues and provider of the United Kingdom representation on the International Atomic Energy Agency board of governors, we have been developing policy on measures to strengthen IAEA safeguards, in consultation with other Departments and our international partners. My Department has supported the IAEA and its role in the United Nations special commission's activities in Iraq, in facilitating the availability of technical advice and assistance from United Kingdom nuclear experts.My officials continued to advise DTI on export licence applications for nuclear related materials and equipment. They provide technical advice to other Departments and take part in United Kingdom delegations to international export control organisations such as the European Community political co-operation group on nuclear non-proliferation, the nuclear suppliers group, and the Zangger committee.Nine administrative and technical staff from the Department's atomic energy division, are directly involved to some degree on nuclear non-proliferation issues. Figures arc not readily available on expenditure specifically related to this work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the permissions granted for the construction of new gas-fired power stations by company and planned generating capacity.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 24 February at columns 397–400.The hon. Member will, however, wish to know that my right hon. Friend has now given consent to the application by Citigen Ltd to construct a 90 MW station fuelled by gas and fuel oil at Charterhouse street, London ECI.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list each private sector consultancy firm which has been retained by each agency within his Department, and for his Department as a whole, for the purposes of advising on the market testing programme; and whether the appointment in each case was the result of competitive tendering.

No consultancy firm has been appointed so far.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the energy intensity figure, in tonnes coal equivalent per $1,000 gross domestic product, for each of the European Community and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries in (a) 1973 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available in each case.

Figures for energy intensity in member countries, on the basis of tonnes of coal equivalent per $1,000 of GDP—at 1985 prices and exchange rates—are as follows:

	1973	1989
Australia	0·86	0·79
Austria	0·73	0·56
Belgium	1·22	0·89
Canada	1·12	0·93
Denmark	0·73	0·50
Finland	0·94	0·77
France	0·74	0·63
Germany	0·89	0·67
Greece	0·85	1·04
Iceland	0·87	0·70
Ireland	1·01	0·78
Italy	0·73	0·54
Japan	0·64	0·44
Luxembourg	2·73	1·39
Netherlands	1·05	0·80
New Zealand	0·72	0·96
Norway	0·73	0·62
Portugal	0·77	1·10
Spain	0·67	0·74
Sweden	0·83	0·74
Switzerland	0·39	0·39
Turkey	1·32	1·31
United Kingdom	0·97	0·68
United States	0·98	0·73

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are Her Majesty's Government's latest forecasts of levels of United Kingdom petroleum production.

The latest forecasts for the United Kingdom petroleum production in the years 1992 to 1996 are as follows:

	Million Tonnes
1992	85–105
1993	85–115
1994	95–130
1995	95–130
1996	90–130

As in previous years, the forecasts are presented in the form of a range of outcomes for each year. These take into account the many uncertainties involved. The figures include stabilised crude oil, natural gas liquids—NGLs and condensates. NGL and condensate production is expected to contribute between 4 million and 10 million tonnes annually to these figures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what response he has given to representations from high-energy-using industry, including the engineering steel industry, about proposed increases in electricity prices.

My right hon. Friend asked major energy users, including the engineering and steel industries, to provide detailed information on electricity prices so that the Government may better understand their position. This work has made good progress.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on issues discussed, proposals rejected and decisions taken at the most recent special meeting of the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency that focused upon international nuclear safeguards.

A report on the issues discussed at the February board of governors has been made by the International Atomic Energy Agency in the form of a press release, No. PR 92/12, dated 26 February. A copy of the press release has been deposited in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether the United Kingdom ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna has made any additional pledge of resources, scientific expertise or technology for safeguards at the IAEA board of governors special meeting on improving international nuclear safeguards that opened in Vienna on 24 February.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he intends to meet the National Union of Mineworkers to discuss the future of coal mining in Britain; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend and I have no plans at present to meet the National Union of Mineworkers to discuss the future of coal mining in Britain.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the liability coverage (a) currently in place or (b) planned, for (i) Pacific Nuclear Transport Ltd. ships and (ii) Nuclear Transport Ltd. ships registered in the United Kingdom.

As the licensed operator of the Sellafield site, British Nuclear Fuels plc is responsible for complying with the provisions of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965, as amended, with regard to insurance for the transport of nuclear materials to or from the site. The insurance arrangements for meeting these requirements in respect of ships registered in the United Kingdom and owned by Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited—PNTL—are a commercial matter for BNFL and PNTL. Nuclear Transport Limited owns no such ships.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will tabulate the number of craft apprentices as defined by legal indentures currently attending either day release or sandwich courses at colleges of higher or further education, showing the number by convenient classes or categories of craft, trade, or future occupation;(2) if he will tabulate the number of craft apprenticeships entered into in each year since 1980 in convenient classes or categories of craft, trade, or future occupation.

The information is not available in the precise form requested. Estimates for Great Britain from the labour force survey of the number of people undertaking craft apprenticeships at the time of the survey are given in the table.

Spring each Year	Thousands
1983	229
1984	196
1985	201
1986	170
1987	173
1988	177
1989	206
1990	201

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what compensation or redundancy arrangements will be available for customs clearance agents and their employees after 1 January 1993.

Statutory entitlements to redundancy payments, based on age and length of service, are provided for in part VI of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978, and, in Northern Ireland, the Contracts of Employment and Redundancy Payments Act (Northern Ireland) 1965.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has on levies on employers in other EC countries who do not adapt premises or equipment for employees with disabilities.

We have no information to suggest that any EC country places a levy on employers in this way.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make it his policy to place a levy on employers who do not adapt premises or equipment for employees with disabilities in order to subsidise other employers to carry out such works; and if he will make a statement.

We have no intention of adopting such a policy.Under the aids to premises and equipment—APE—scheme, the Employment Service currently makes grants available to employers towards the cost of adapting premises or equipment for an existing disabled employee or a new recruit who is disabled to enable them to work more effectively and productively.In the summary paper published in 1990 "Evaluation of special schemes for people with disabilities" the large majority of employers interviewed who had benefited from the APE scheme said they would have been prepared to pay more towards the costs of an adaptation. Nevertheless, there was no call either from those employers or from individual beneficiaries for a levy of employers who did not adapt premises or equipment. There is no evidence that such a levy would improve the employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions he has had with his EC counterparts on harmonising duties of employers to provide facilities for employees with disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

We have had no such discussions. EC countries provide for the employment and training needs of people with disabilities in a variety of ways, according to the circumstances which exist in the country concerned. We are in the process of improving the effectiveness of our employment and training services for people with disabilities, following extensive consultations. We take the experience of other countries, including EC countries, into account as appropriate. We also take opportunities to inform representatives from other member states about developments in the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the date of, cause of and compensation paid in each fatality on a youth training scheme since 1979, or latest convenient date.

The information on dates and causes of fatalities is in the table.The Employment Department does not pay damages in compensation to families of trainees fatally injured on YT, or the former YTS. However, training providers are contractually obliged to obtain insurance to cover any claims to compensation or damages. Payments made by either insurance companies or YT training providers are a private matter between them and the trainees' families. The Employment Department is not informed of these settlements.

Cause of fatality	Date
Lorry hit horse, trainee run over	27 June 1983
Trainee fell down disused mine shaft	7 September 1983
Trapped under fork lift truck	12 October 1983
Crushed by reversing tractor	1 February 1984

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployment benefit claimants there were in Coventry, in December 1978 and December 1991.

In December 1991, there were 18,520 people claiming unemployment-related benefits in the Coventry local authority district. Information on the numbers claiming unemployment related benefits for local areas such as local authority districts has been available only since June 1983.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the proportion of the populations of Wandsworth, Westminster and Rotherham which are currently unemployed.

The latest total population estimates available from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys are for mid-year 1990. The latest available numbers of unemployed claimants relate to January 1992. These data have been used for all three areas in the following reply.In the local authority district of Wandsworth the total population estimates is 256,200 and the number of unemployed claimants is 15,863. On this basis, approximately one person in 16 is claimant unemployed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what way his Department has supported the activities of the legal profession in England and Wales in giving legal technical assistance for central and eastern Europe with particular reference to Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Russia, Ukraine, Belorussia and Armenia; and if he will make a statement as to the extent to which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office assistance unit has been involved in supporting these activities.

We consider the evolving legal professions in eastern and central European countries and those of the former Soviet Union to be an integral part in the process of democratisation. The know-how fund has, to help in this process, worked closely with the various bilateral legal associations, the Lord Chancellor's Department, the Law Society and the Bar Council. The Scottish legal profession is also involved in projects, particularly in the Baltic republics.The following activities have been supported:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals are being developed by his Department's Overseas Development Administration for submission to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in June.

My Department contributes to the Government's preparations for UNCED, which are led by the Department of the Environment. Proposals to be discussed by world leaders at the UNCED are the subject of intergovernmental negotiations in the UNCED preparatory committee, which is meeting in New York from 2 March to 3 April. ODA officials are included in the United Kingdom delegation, and the ODA has contributed to submissions made by the United Kingdom to earlier meetings of the preparatory committee, including on population and the environment, and technology transfer. The Secretary of State for the Environment spoke to the preparatory committee on 2 March setting out the United Kingdom's views. A copy of his speech is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the percentage change in real terms in funding to the Dorset local education authority since 1979.

Local authorities are free to determine their own spending priorities between education and other services within the framework of the annual local authority finance settlement. Dorset local education authority's outturn expenditure in 1979–80, including the cost of higher education which in 1989–90 became the responsibility of the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council was some £74 million. Its expenditure in 1989–90, the latest year for which actual spending information is available, was some £169 million. The real terms percentage change between these figures is 14 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the position of Walsall metropolitan borough council in his Department's list of levels of overheads for education authorities in England; what percentage of the council's education budget is spent on administration costs and the average administrative costs per pupil; and if he will give the comparable figures for each of the education authorities in the west midlands.

The information is set out in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations his Department has had from the North West Regional Association of Education Authorities in regard to the Further and Higher Education Bill [Lords] and the Education (Schools) Bill; what replies he is sending; and if he will make a statement.

Representations about a number of aspects of the Further and Higher Education Bill and the Education (Schools) Bill were received in letters from the association in late February. Replies to those letters were sent on 6 March.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the proportion of the population attending local authority schools and the proportion of the population aged over 75 years in the areas of the Wandsworth. Westminster and Rotherham local authorities.

The proportions for 1991 are set out in the table:

	Percentage of the population
	Attending schools maintained by local education authority	Aged 75 years or over
Wandsworth	10·8	7·0
Westminster	9·2	8·0
Rotherham	16·9	5·9

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what support will be given from public funds towards students' maintenance in the academic year 1992–93.

We propose the following increases in student support. They are subject, in each case, to parliamentary approval of the necessary regulations.The maximum rates of loan in the United Kingdom will be as follows:

Loan rates 1992–93	Full year rate (£)	Final year rate (£)
Students living away from home:
in London	830	605
elsewhere	715	525
Students living at home	570	415

The main rates of maintenance grant for mandatory award holders from England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and their equivalents in Scotland, will be the same as in the current academic year. The rates for England, Wales and Northern Ireland are as follows; Scottish rates are slightly different.

Main grant rates 1992–93	(£)
Students living away from home:
in London	2,845
elsewhere	2,265
Students living at home	1,795

These grant and loan rates will enable average student support in the United Kingdom from main grant and loan to grow by 4·5 per cent. next year. The resources available to students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be as follows:

Resources from main grant and loan, 1992–93	Full year(£)	Final year(£)
Students living away from home:
in London	3,675	3,450
elsewhere	2,980	2,790
Students living at home	2,365	2,210

We shall adjust the parental and spouse contribution scales for mandatory awards for students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland, so that the contribution assessed for a parent or spouse whose residual income rises in line with average earnings will continue to fall in real terms.We shall increase the supplementary allowances payable within the mandatory award by 4·5 per cent., thereby maintaining their value in real terms.We shall make similar adjustments to the scales and allowances used for equivalent awards elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make funds available to secure the future of the Hancock museum, Newcastle and the Sunderland museum.

Funding these museums is not a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend.The Hancock museum is owned by the Natural History Society of Northumberland. Its running costs are provided by Newcastle university. Like all universities, Newcastle is an autonomous institution responsible for managing its own financial affairs. It is for the university to decide the level of funding for this facility in the light of other priorities.The Sunderland museum is the responsibility of the Tyne and Wear museums service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are his plans for capital expenditure for grant-maintained schools for the financial year 1992–93.

[pursuant to his reply, 23 January 1991, c. 3 10–14]: In my earlier reply I said that I would announce in due course further capital allocations to grant-maintained schools for named projects to start in 1992–93. We have agreed allocations with a total value of £8·8 million. Some projects are phased over two years.Of the 60 schools that submitted bids for consideration in the second round, 38 have received an allocation for a named project. Having now seen all the bids together I have also decided to make allocations to four schools who submitted technology-related bids last year which were unsuccessful in the first round. Together with the announcement I made on Thursday about technology schools initiative allocations we now have 101 schools which have benefited from the TSI.The grant-maintained schools will make good use of the funds allocated to them which will enable them to improve the facilities and working environments for their pupils.The following is a list of the named project allocations.

Second tranche of Named Project Capital allocations for grant-maintained schools in 1992–93
£000s
School and Project	Total Project Allocation
Technology Schools Initiative
Adams' Grammar School Technology building	470
Aylesford School Phase I of new technology building	380
Burntwood School Upgrading of technology facilities	553
Claremont High School Technology facilities	250
Cranbrook School Design and technology centre	438
The Crypt School Information Technology development	151
Desborough Comprehensive School Technology and design facilities	465