To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has for a public defender service.

None.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what information he has on the average duration of court cases involving claims for compensation for medical negligence affecting children born with disabilities, during each year since 1987.

The information is not available and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps have been undertaken by his Department to date to speed up the process of dealing with claims for compensation for medical negligence in the courts affecting children born with a disability.

Over the last two years a number of jurisdictional, procedural and administrative changes have been introduced with the aim of reducing delay in case progress. These were not designed specifically for medical negligence cases, but such cases will have benefited from new regulations which include the early exchange of more information, including medical reports and other witness' evidence, serving proceedings within four rather than 12 months and allowing courts to deal with the question of liability in advance of the question of quantum.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many Select Committee recommendations have been made about his Department since April 1989; and how many have been accepted.

Of those Select Committee reports which have been wholly or significantly addressed to my Department, the 21st report of the Committee of Public Accounts for the Session 1991–92, on expenditure on criminal legal aid, made eight conclusions and recommendations, which were in general accepted. The third report of the Home Affairs Select Committee—HASC—for the Session 1992–93, on domestic violence, made 42 recommendations some of which were wholly or in part directed at the Lord Chancellor's Department. The fifth report of that Committee, "Legal Aid: The Lord Chancellor's Proposals", made 10 recommendations. The Government have not yet responded to either of the HASC reports.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) on what date the current term of office on National Rivers Authority regional flood defence committees expires for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the National Rivers Authority and local authority appointments, respectively;(2) on what date the current period of service on National Rivers Authority local flood defence committees expires for the appointees of regional committees and local authorities.

The appointment to regional flood defence committees of the National Rivers Authority made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food are due to expire on 30 June 1994. Information about the end dates of appointments to these committees by other bodies is not held centrally, but, according to the NRA, its appointments are due to end on 31 August 1994 and in a majority of regions those for local authorities are due to end on 31 May 1993.The end dates for appointment to local flood defence committees vary in different regions and, according to information provided by the NRA, range from 31 May 1993 to 30 June 1994.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what written guidance or instructions he has given to the chairmen of National Rivers Authority regional flood defence committees regarding the experience and interests of the appointments made to local flood defence committees under section 13 of the Water Resources Act 1991; and if he will place a copy in the Library;(2) what written guidance or instructions he has given to the levy-paying local authorities on the financial, commercial or personal interests of the members whom they appoint to regional flood defence committees of the National Rivers Authority; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

The broad criteria to be taken into account in appointing members to regional or local flood defence committees are set out in sećtions 10(4) and 13(6) of the Water Resources Act 1991. Schedule 4 to that Act sets out more detailed provisions regarding the membership and proceedings of the committees, including declarations of interests. While the NRA and local councils are encouraged to appoint members representing a broad range of local interests, no supplementary written guidance or instructions have been issued.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many offcials were employed by his Department to administer, inspect, regulate and advise the fishing industry either directly, in agencies or on special contracts (a) in 1992 and (b) at the latest available date; how many professional fishermen are in full or part-time employment; and if he will make a statement;

Information on the numbers of staff in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, its agencies and the Intervention Board is set out in the "Ministry's Departmental Report on the Government's Expenditure Plans 1993–94 to 1995–96" which was issued in February, and which is available in the Library of the House. Although it is not possible to isolate the staff resources devoted to the specific activities listed by my hon. Friend, the report does contain detailed information on the functions performed by the Ministry and the resources consumed. Numbers of fishermen are set out on page 38 of the report, and numbers of farmers are set out in the latest version of "Agriculture in the United Kingdom"—also in the Library.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about supplies of EC beef in west Africa.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing) on 19 May, Official Report, column 174.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to publish the report into the effects of seismic surveys in shallow waters on (a) fish in general and (b) bass stocks and spawning grounds.

A study was made of the movements of bass in shallow waters during and after the seismic survey which was undertaken in Poole bay last year. The preliminary report of this work will be available this summer. The area in question does not include any bass spawning grounds.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportions of United Kingdom beef consumption are imported from sources in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Veńezuela, Chile and Peru.

The proportion of beef consumed in the United Kingdom in 1992 imported as fresh, chilled or frozen beef from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay was 1·3 per cent. No beef was imported from Venezuela, Chile or Peru.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the cost to date and the expected future cost of his Department's market-testing programme; how many staff are engaged full-time in work relating to market testing; which firms of consultants have been used in connection with the market-testing programme; and how they were selected.

The cost of market testing in the Office of Public Service and Science and its agencies and Her Majesty's Stationery Office and the Central Office of Information from November 1991 to date have been £916,000. The estimated cost for the remainder of the current financial year is £1,102,000. There are eight staff currently engaged full-time on market testing.The consultants who have been used by OPSS, its Agencies, HMSO or COI in connection with the market testing programme, and the method of their selection, is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations were held with his Department about the sale and removal of the polar bears, Bonnie and Clyde, from Chessington world of adventure to a zoo in Zagreb; and if he will make a statement.

An application to export the two bears to Zagreb zoo was lodged with the Department in January. The rules governing such exports are set out in EC regulation 3626/82 which implements the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora throughout the European Community.The application was considered very carefully, in conjunction with our scientific advisers, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. It was decided that export should be allowed and the appropriate permit was issued on 28 January.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about compulsory competitive tendering for white collar services.

I refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. and learned Friend's answer on 10 November, Official Report, column 743, and to my answer on 19 April Official Report, column 42.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what investigations his Department has been subject by the Data Protection Registrar in relation to a suspected breach of a data protection principle; if he will summarise the nature of each complaint and state when the complaint was made; and what remedial action was taken by his Department to ensure future compliance with the principle subject to the investigation.

My Department was notified in November 1991 that the Data Protection Registrar was investigating a complaint made against the Department in relation to the disclosure of personal data held under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The outcome of the investigation is awaited.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of redundant refrigerators retrieved for the extraction of chlorofluorocarbon gas during the last full year.

The Department does not hold these figures. However, we are keen to promote CFC recovery and encourage local authorities to set up recovery schemes. We gave priority to schemes for CFC recovery when distributing supplementary credit approvals for investment in recycling facilities for 1993–94. Twenty-six schemes have been allocated SCAs for 1993–94.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the prosecution of the Nichols Institute Diagnostics for breach of the Radioactive Substances Act 1960.

Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution prosecuted Nichols Institute Diagnostics for breaches of the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 on its premises at Newport, Essex. At the hearing at Saffron Walden magistrates court on 6 April 1993, the company pleaded guilty to four charges of accumulation of radioactive waste without authorisation, holding radioactive material without a certificate of registration and exceeding the limit for holdings in their registration. The company was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay full prosecution costs of £2,726.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assistance his Department provided to the National Council for Voluntary Organisations in the preparation of its recent report on the establishment of environmental networks.

The report on the establishment of environmental networks has been produced as part of an environmental project undertaken by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations and supported by the Department's environmental action fund. The NCVO received £44,000 in 1992–93 towards the project and a sum of £52,000 has been offered to it in 1993–94.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has received from the London borough of Lambeth in relation to the five notices serviced on Lambeth on 24 March under the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 and the Local Government Act 1988; and if he will take into account the quality of service currently being given in relation to refuse collection in the London borough of Lambeth.

The London borough of Lambeth has made an interim response to the notices served on the authority on 24 March. It has requested an extension of time until 4 June 1993 to make a considered final response, and this has been granted. My right hon. and learned Friend, in deciding whether to take further statutory action, will take into account all the relevant information put before him, including the authority's response.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish (a) the number of hours worked and (b) the total amount of money earned by each chairperson of the non-departmental public bodies appointed by him and his predecessors in each year since 1987.

Information about the remuneration of chairmen appointed to non-departmental public bodies for which my Department is responsible is contained in the annual HMSO publication "Public Bodies". Copies for each year since 1987 are available in the Library of the House. Information on the numbers of hours worked in each year since 1987 is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what initiatives he has planned to encourage the involvement of children in environmental protection.

On 29 April my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State announced an initiative to encourage children to protect the environment. The first project will be a summer competition to select participants for a children's summit in Manchester on 18 September. The summit will discuss future projects for the campaign. Every competition entrant will receive an environmental summer activity pack. My Department also supports a number of projects involving children through the environmental action fund.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the number of households where the value of the property is less than the amount of the mortgage.

Based on changes in house prices measured by the Department's house price index, the number of owner occupiers with mortgages larger than the value of their properties in the first quarter of 1993 is estimated to be about 1 million, the same as in the previous quarter.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to seek a derogation from EC measures implementing the terms of the Montreal agreement banning CFCs; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 18 May 1993]: Under the EC regulation on ozone-depleting substances, CFC production and consumption will be phased out by 1 January 1995, subject to any exemptions for essential uses which may be agreed. My Department issued a consultation paper on possible exemptions in March, and we are now considering carefully the bids we have received. We have no plans to seek derogations from the regulation. We may have nominations for continued production for essential uses.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will publish the scheme used in calculating the transitional council tax reduction for 1992–93 for each local authority in England;(2) if he will publish the amount of other adjustments which formed part of the personal community charge in 1992–93 for each local authority in England;(3) if he will publish the amount of the collection fund deficit at the most recent available date for each local authority in England.

[holding answer 21 May 1993]: I am arranging for the available information to be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for the Isle of Wight, Cornwall, Somerset and each county council where no political party has overall control, (a) the population, (b) the capital budget for 1993–94 and (c) the revenue budget for 1993–94.

[holding answer 21 May 1993]: The available information is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the consultation draft on the review of MPG 3; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 21 May 1993]: I intend to publish the consultation draft of the revised MPG 3 as soon as possible.

To ask the Prime Minister if civil service (a) terms and conditions and (b) codes of conduct apply to special advisers attached to Ministers in Government.

Special advisers have generally the same conditions of service as other civil servants, except that their salaries are negotiated individually in relation to previous earnings and are confidential. Different arrangements apply to severance pay. They are, however, normally paid on a special advisers' salary spine of 30 points.Special advisers are subject to the same rules of conduct as other civil servants, with the exception of the rules on the acceptance of outside appointments after resignation or retirement and certain aspects of the rules on political activities.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Government's policy regarding the de Gucht report on elections to the European Parliament.

We are ready to discuss the issue in Council when the presidency decides to table the report. If the council were to reach a consensus, which remains to be seen, it would certainly need to respect different national traditions. We acknowledge the attempt made by the de Gucht report to take these considerations into account.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will sympathetically consider any request to meet representatives of the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association; and if he will make a statement.

Studies so far have shown that the incidence of death and malignant disease has been no greater among British nuclear test veterans than among the general population. If, however, the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association has any new evidence to change the position, I should be pleased to examine it and will readily consider any subsequent request for a meeting in that light.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the correspondence he has received about the British Coal staff superannuation scheme.

I have received a substantial number of representations on a wide range of coal issues.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list all those organisations and companies, other than the Manufacturing and Construction Industries Alliance, from which he has received recent representations concerning the crossrail project.

I have received representations in recent weeks from the following organisations and companies:

• Aylesbury Vale District Council
• Buckinghamshire County Council
• Grosvenor Estates
• London Chambers Network
• London First
• MEPC plc
• Residents' Association of Mayfair
• Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• The Corporation of the City of London

To ask the Prime Minister what is the total cost of Britain's contribution to the peace process in the former Yugoslavia.

The costs cannot be precisely calculated but are considerable in the military, political and humanitarian fields. Up to 31 March 1993, the United Kingdom's contribution to UNPROFOR operations in Croatia and Bosnia has amounted to £93,835,679. Further expenditure of £2,576,831 has been incurred as a result of the airlift of humanitarian supplies to Sarajevo. We expect to recover a proportion of these costs from the United Nations in due course.

To ask the Prime Minister when he last met representatives of the European Commission to discuss the application of the additionality principle by (a) the United Kingdom and (b) other member states; and if he will make a statement.

I last discussed additionality with the Commission and other EC Heads of State and Government at the European Council in Edinburgh. We agreed that the basic principles laid down in 1988—concentration, programming, partnership and additionality—should continue to guide the implementation of the structural funds. Financial control more generally will be strengthened and greater emphasis will be given to appraisal, monitoring and evaluation. The current review of the structural funds regulations is examining the Commission's proposal on additionality.

To ask the Prime Minister what proposals he intends to bring to the Council of Europe Heads of State summit in October with regard to the European Court of Human Rights; and if he will make a statement.

The Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, at its meeting at Strasbourg on 14 May, instructed that work should proceed urgently on the mandate for a draft protocol amending the European convention on human rights, to be submitted to Heads of State and Government at the Council of Europe summit in October. The United Kingdom will contribute fully to this work.The purpose of the draft protocol will be to reform the control machinery of the convention, in order to accommodate the growing workload of the European Court and Commission of Human Rights and to ensure that cases are heard in good time. All member states are agreed that such reform is urgently needed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the waiting time for cases to be decided in the European Court of Human Rights for cases commencing in the last 10 years; what is the projected waiting time for cases commencing in the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

Information on the waiting time for cases to be decided by the European Court of Human Rights over the past 10 years is not readily available.In practice, most cases are dealt with by the Commission of Human Rights. For those cases which reach the court, the waiting time for a decision is now five to six years. It is clear that, unless there are changes to the machinery of the European convention on human rights, the delays will grow as more countries join the Council of Europe and as awareness of the system increases.As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has indicated earlier, the United Kingdom will contribute fully to the work now under way to improve the system so that cases are heard in good time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions since 1963 the United Kingdom has been found in breach of the provisions of the European convention of human rights; and what that number represents as a proportion of (a) cases brought against the United Kingdom and (b) plaintiff won cases.

The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many cases are currently proceeding against Her Majesty's Government through the European Court of Human Rights; and how much time each has taken so far since commencement of the action.

There are at present seven cases before the European Court of Human Rights. These cases were first introduced to the European Commission of Human Rights on 28 September 1988; early 1989; 19 January 1989; 9 October 1989; 8 January 1990; 2 February 1990; and 11 May 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans there are to hold meetings with the three parties involved in the civil war in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Lord Owen and Mr. Stoltenberg, the co-chairmen of the international conference on the former Yugoslavia, hold regular talks with the parties to the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina. They met most recently with the leaders of the Bosnian Government and the Bosnian Croats on 18 May. Military commanders of the three parties meet regularly in the mixed military working group in Sarajevo, under the auspices of the international conference. We have no plans to hold separate meetings with the parties.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what breaches there have been of the no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina since the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 816; and if he will list them.

UNPROFOR reports of violations of the no-fly zone give details of 28 breaches or probable breaches between 12 April, when the NATO operation to enforce the no-fly zone began, and 12 May, the end of the period covered by the latest UNPROFOR report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what importance Her Majesty's Government attach to the current co-operation of the leadership of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in supporting the Vance/Owen peace plan; and what measures have been taken to encourage their further support.

While we welcome President Milosevic's announcement of support for the Vance/Owen plan, we have made it clear we now expect him to use all his influence to persuade the Bosnian Serbs to accept it. We have called on him to accept international monitoring of the border between Bosnia and Serbia/Montenegro to establish whether he is carrying out his declared intention to cut off all but essential humanitarian supplies to the Bosnian Serbs. President Milosevic is aware that United Nations Security Council resolution 820 provides for a review of sanctions against Serbia and Montenegro if the Bosnian Serbs accept the peace plan and effectively implement it in good faith.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all confirmed breaches of the no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina since its introduction, in circumstances where aircraft are known to have crossed international frontiers; if he will detail the origin and destination of such flights; and if he will make a statement.

There have been 545 violations or probable violations of the no-fly zone set up in UN Security Council resolutions 761 and 776 since 13 October 1992. Most of these appear to have taken place entirely within Bosnian airspace, although there have been some instances where aircraft have been observed flying away from or towards an international border. The information available in these cases is generally insufficient to determine whether the aircraft involved actually crossed the border.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when discussions are next scheduled with EC or United Nations Security Council partners to discuss the implementation of a monitoring force along the border between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

A resolution authorising the deployment of United Nations monitors along the border between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Bosnia-Herzegovina is currently under discussion at the UN in New York.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of the continuation of sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in respect of their co-operation and support for the Vance-Owen peace plan; and if he will make a statement.

UN sanctions have made a major contribution to the current serious economic situation in Serbia and Montenegro. We consider that the pressure exerted by the international community, including sanctions, was instrumental in the recent decision of the Presidents of Serbia and Montenegro and of the so-called Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to announce support for the Vance-Owen peace plan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the United Kingdom plans to contribute forces to monitor the border between Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

At its meeting on 10 May, the EC Foreign Affairs Council indicated that the European Community and its member states would be willing to contribute to international efforts to monitor Bosnia's border with Serbia and Montenegro. No decision has yet been taken on a United Kingdom contribution.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's Government last had official contact with the President of Serbia; and what were the circumstances and outcome.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister sent a message to President Milosevic on 17 May. He welcomed President Milosevic's agreement to support the Vance/Owen plan and to close the border of Serbia with Bosnia to all but humanitarian supplies, but made it clear that we would judge the President's policies by deeds rather than words. We support the EC offer to contribute to an international monitoring operation on the Serbia-Bosnia border to ensure that President Milosevic lives up to his commitment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will support the introduction of further sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia if there is no change in current political circumstances.

Sanctions were toughened recently with the passage of Security Council resolution 820 on 17 April but we would certainly consider the need for further measures against Serbia and Montenegro if we felt the political situation required them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the British Government have made to encourage Israel to implement its human rights obligations.

We regularly raise human rights issues with the Israeli authorities, and have done so within the last month. I set out our considerable concerns on Israel's record in the occupied territories when I addressed the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva in February.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the United States Secretary of State since his decision not to attend the proposed United Nations Security Council meeting on Friday 21 May; and what indications Mr. Christopher has given since them in respect of support for the Vance/Owen peace plan.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs had talks with Mr. Christopher on 21 and 22 May on a range of United Nations issues including the former Yugoslavia. On 22 May, the Foreign Ministers of the United States, France, Russia and Spain, together with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, met in Washington and agreed a joint programme of action, with the objectives of stopping the conflict and of moving forward to a lasting political solution building on the Vance/Owen process and intensified international cooperation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reasons the United States Secretary of State has given to Her Majesty's Government for his country's decision not to attend a proposed United Nations Security Council meeting to be held on Friday 21 May; and if he will make a statement.

Russia, which holds the presidency of the Security Council this month, originally proposed a meeting of the council on 21 May with Foreign Ministers present to review follow-up to the United Nations Secretary-General's report "An Agenda for Peace". My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs had planned to attend the meeting. In the event, the Russians decided to postpone it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of his Department's personnel are United Kingdom based; and what information he has on comparable data for the foreign ministries of France and Germany.

Approximately 61 per cent. of the FCO's diplomatic wing staff and 95 per cent. of the aid wing staff, including the ODA's executive agency, the Natural Resources Institute, fill jobs in the United Kingdom. Approximately 39 per cent of French foreign ministry staff and 47 per cent. of German foreign ministry staff fill jobs in France and Germany respectively. But it is extremely difficult to make valid comparisons between the figures for the FCO and other foreign ministries, because of differences in the functions for which each is responsible; differences in structure; and differences in the division of tasks between home and overseas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the average waiting time for an interview for a settlement visa (a) generally and (b) from the Indian subcontinent.

On average, the waiting times for settlement visa interviews are:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 27 April, Official Report, column 373, if he will list those publications, in addition to the Official Journal of the European Community, in which invitations are routinely published for construction companies to tender for work on the overseas diplomatic estate.

[pursuant to his reply, 14 May 1993, c. 624]: Herewith the corrected version, omitting the first sentence.Invitations to tender are not routinely published. It is our policy to invite tenders from construction companies short-listed after pre-selection procedures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 27 April, Official Report, column 373, how often, and in what format, the further information about a wider range of projects to which he refers is circulated to the Export Group for the Construction Industry; if that information includes all opportunities for work on the overseas diplomatic estate, or only selected opportunities for such work; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 14 May 1993, c. 623]: Herewith the corrected version, omitting the first sentence.The Foreign and Commonwealth Office sends a list about once a year to the Export Group for the Construction Industries of key details about planned projects likely to be of interest to United Kingdom construction companies and of an estimated value above a stated threshold. For 1983–86 the threshold was £250,000; for 1987–89, £500,000; and since 1990, £1 million. The latest list will be sent within the next few weeks.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement regarding the provision of aid to the Russian Federation.

The United Kingdom has consistently supported the process of economic and political reform being undertaken by President Yeltsin and his Government, and endorsed by popular referendum in April. The British contribution for this year and next will be £444 million, plus the bulk of a $1 billion commitment for export credits for the whole of the former Soviet Union.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what forecasts he has made of the change in the number of people in the world who are living in absolute poverty by the year 2000.

A number of bodies, including the World bank, have made varying forecasts of the numbers in poverty. The reduction of poverty, through sustainable economic and social development, is the central aim of our aid programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the aid given to Nigeria.

Nigeria remains a major aid recipient. Gross bilateral aid in 1991–92 totalled £14·46 million. We are currently developing programmes of assistance in areas of health, education, natural resources and good government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Minister for Overseas Development next intends to visit Africa to discuss matters relating to aid and development.

My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development hopes to visit east and southern Africa later in the year. Her detailed programme is not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much money has been granted by the Overseas Development Administration to (a) the United Nations Environmental Programme, (b) the United Nations Development Programme, (c) the United Nations Children's Fund, (d) the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, (e) the International Fund for Agricultural Development and (f) the World Food Programme in each year from 1979.

The table shows United Kingdom Government contributions to those organisations specified.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been contributed by his Department to (a) the common fund and (b) the European Community's STABEX, COMPLEX and SYSMIN mechanisms to compensate developing countries for shortfalls in commodity earnings in each of the last three years.

The ODA has contributed, via the Department of Trade and Industry, to the common fund for commodities as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many tonnes of humanitarian aid were delivered to Bosnia-Herzegovina along the land corridor from Split through Vitez before the recent Croat-Muslim hostilities; and which alternative routes have been used subsequently.

Exact figures for the total tonnage of humanitarian aid sent to Bosnia-Herzegovina subdivided by specific routes are unavailable. It is estimated that some 70,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid have been delivered from Metkovic, which is used as the principal depot for convoys into Bosnia from the south, and which is supplied from Split and Ploce, since November 1992.Recent hostilities in the Mostar area have resulted in the closure of the main road and caused these convoys to have to follow more circuitous routes which involve using mountain tracks. As a result, it takes convoys longer to reach Vitez and other areas of central Bosnia, thereby reducing the amount of relief supplies they are able to deliver.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the numbers of (a) Serbian and Muslim citizens of Zagreb and (b) Muslim and Croat citizens of Belgrade who have been displaced as a result of the conflict in the former Yugoslavia.

Detailed figures of the number of people displaced by the conflict in the former Yugoslavia are not kept by municipality. The latest estimate from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is that in Croatia there are some 246,000 displaced people from other parts of Croatia and 238,000 from Bosnia-Herzegovina. In Serbia there are 166,000 who have fled from Croatia and 219,000 from Bosnia-Herzegovina.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance has been given by the Government and the EC to Macedonia.

We have already provided £1 million of emergency aid, in the form of urgently needed medical supplies, to Macedonia. We have committed a further £1 million for 1993–94. The EC has committed a total of 45 million ecus for the supply of primary materials, including fuel, medical supplies and technical assistance to Macedonia. In addition, the EC has committed 15 million ecus for emergency aid.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many miles of road he estimates that his Department will fund in third-world countries in the coming year; by whom these roads will be constructed; and if he will make a statement.

The Overseas Development Administration expects to fund the construction and rehabilitation of 312·7 miles of road in the developing countries in the coming year. This work will be carried out by local labour and/or United Kingdom contractors. A breakdown by country is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held with the International Development Association regarding the economic prospects of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa; and if he will make a statement.

We are in regular touch with the World bank about the economic prospects of countries in sub-Saharan Africa, especially through periodic consultative group meetings for individual countries and through the special programme of assistance for sub-Saharan Africa, a mechanism for co-ordinating bilateral and multilateral assistance to support economic reform in the region.

To ask the Attorney-General what criteria the Crown Prosecution Service considers when deciding whether to object to bail.

The Crown Prosecution Service takes into account the considerations and exceptions to the right to bail set out in the Bail Act 1976 and any other relevant information available to it, including material from the police, the probation service, and other sources.

To ask the Attorney-General how many staff in his Departments specialise in European law.

The Government legal service contains a large number of lawyers with expertise in European law. In the legal secretariat to the Law Officers there are five lawyers with specialist skills in this subject.

To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee, pursuant to his answer of 2 December 1992, Official Report, column 201, what progress has been made in the consideration of making the Official Report available to hon. Members on CD-ROM.

A CD-ROM version of the Official Report covering the period from 1990 is available for reference in the Members' Library in the Palace and Derby Gate Library. For a trial period, Members who choose not to receive the bound volumes of the Official Report may obtain one copy of the CD-ROM covering the period from the start of the current Parliament on application at the Vote Office. This arrangement will be reviewed in due course.

To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to "Tools for Self Reliance" to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 28 June to 2 July.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what period of time passed between his announcement of the revised orders for English and their delivery to all schools in England; and what percentage this is of the consultation period.

My right hon. Friend announced proposals for revisions to the English order on 15 April and asked the National Curriculum Council to carry out the statutory consultation in England and report by 30 September. Dispatch of the proposals to all schools in England was completed by 17 May. The period for consultation extends until 30 July.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list, for each Greater London borough, the percentages of children under five years old currently registered in nursery places (a) in 1986, (b) in 1988, (c) in 1990, (d) in 1992 and (e) at the latest date for which figures are available.

Participation rates in each local education authority in Greater London in 1986, 1988, 1990 and 1992—the latest date for which information is available—are shown in the table.Because of recent revisions to the population estimates to take account of the provisional results of the 1991 census of population, the participation rates for 1992 are

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools in each London borough currently provide nursery classes; and how many children attend such classes.

Information about the number of maintained nursery schools and maintained primary schools with designated nursery classes in each local education authority in Greater London and the numbers of pupils aged under five who attended such classes in January 1992 are shown in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what changes have been made to the key stage 3 science tests following his consideration of the comments he received from science teachers, inspectors and advisers after the 1992 tests.

An independent evaluation of the 1992 science tests for 14-year-olds conducted for the School Examinations and Assessment Council has led to changes which are designed to improve the reliability of the test questions and marking scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education on what date it was decided to delay the introduction of the new assessment arrangements for GCSE; and on what date that decision was communicated to schools in England.

My right hon. Friend announced on 30 April that the present grading arrangements for GCSE will be retained for 1994 pending the outcome of the current review of the national curriculum and assessment by Sir Ron Dearing. Detailed information about this decision will be sent to schools by the School Examinations and Assessment Council on 24 May.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many grant-maintained schools have facilities for disabled students; and what percentage this is of grant-maintained schools.

This information is not collated centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.