To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what is the number of Clerks in the Department of the Clerk of the House; and how many are in grades with a higher salary than that to which a Member of Parliament's salary is linked.

Sixty and 35 respectively.

To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee when he expects a day nursery to be installed and operating within the precincts of the Palace of Westminster.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what limits have been placed on the number of coronary angiogram procedures which can be performed each week in the Royal group of hospitals; and what effect these are having on the volume of candidates being considered for coronary artery bypass grafting.

Cardiologists at the Royal group of hospitals treat patients on the basis of clinical need. The present capacity of the coronary catheterisation unit at the Royal group of hospitals, which performs coronary angiograms, is being fully utilised. No artificial restrictions have been placed on the number of procedures performed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how the waiting list for cardiac surgical operations in Northern Ireland has increased or decreased during the last 12 months.

The Administration Committee is currently considering this matter, and has begun preparations for a survey to be conducted of potential demand for a nursery or a child care voucher system.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he intends to review the legislation relating to the registration of clubs.

Yes. Following widespread consultation locally, a review is already in progress.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) loyalist and (b) republican prisoners were released on licence from indeterminate sentences for the terrorist murder of civilians in 1991 and 1992; and if he will indicate in each case the number of years served.

The information is as follows:

The total number waiting in Northern Ireland for treatment in the cardiac surgery specialty fell by 205 between March 1992 and March 1993 from 964 to 759.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how the average waiting time for those people waiting for their first appointment with a cardiac surgeon has increased or decreased during the last 12 months.

The information is not available. Information on waiting time for first appointments was not collected centrally until this year.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the buildings currently owned or rented by his Department, together with (a) the estimated value, (b) the annual rent and (c) the annual maintenance cost of each building in the current financial year.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment on 8 June, Official Report, column 194 In addition to arrangements made by Property Holdings, projected expenditure by the Office of Public Service and Science during 1993–94 on maintenance in buildings occupied by the Department is £651,000.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Rochford (Dr. Clark) on 7 June, Official Report, columns 17–18, how many members the advisory group on scientific links with Japan and Pacific rim nations will have; what criteria he will use to choose the members of the advisory group; and if he will make it his policy to ensure the scientific implications of civil nuclear collaboration and co-operation is included on the agenda of the first meeting.

The composition of the advisory group has not yet been decided. It will include representatives of industry, academia and Government who have extensive experience of scientific co-operation with this region. No agenda has yet been drawn up for the first meeting, but it will look at the whole range of science and technology relations, to identify areas where co-operation can be strengthened.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the total cost to date of all the public information published and distributed as a consequence of the citizens charter programme.

A key aim of the charter is that customers should have ready access to public services through clear and effective information. It is not possible to provide a total cost for all the charter-related information published and distributed: charters, charter standard statements and explanatory leaflets have been issued by a wide range of public service providers, including Government Departments, agencies, natio-nalised industries and local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have died from respiratory stress syndrome in each year since 1983.

Numbers of deaths (underlying cause) from respiratory distress syndrome ICD¹ 769 for the years 1983 to 1991 is contained in the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys publication "Mortality statistics: cause" series DH2 nos. 10–18; copies of which are available in the Library. The information for 1992 is shown in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have died from Battens disease in each year since 1983.

The information is shown in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures she is taking to increase the number of neonatal intensive care cots available in NHS hospitals.

Health care provision, including neonatal intensive care facilities is a matter for decision by purchasing health authorities in the light of their assessment of local needs. The Clinical Standards Advisory Group, set up by the United Kingdom Health Departments, was asked to examine access to and availability of a number of specialised services, including neonatal intensive care, following the introduction of the national health service reforms. Its report and the Government's response will be published shortly. Health authorities will need to take account of these in planning future provision.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many bone marrow transplants have been carried out in each year since 1983.

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the percentage on average of NHS psychiatric patients in private hospitals in each of the last five years.

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list all the market tests that have taken place in her Department since November 1992 and indicate, in each case, whether the result was the maintenance of in-house provision, or whether the service was contracted out.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. McAllion) on 15 February at col. 76.Since then, the market test of the 1994 health survey has been completed. The contract has been awarded jointly to Social and Community Planning Research and University College, London. The health survey has previously been conducted by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the approximate budget for condoms in each region and in total for NHS family planning clinics in each of the last five years; and what percentage of this budget was used to provide condoms for general practices.

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the expenditure on drugs by the family health services in England in 1992–93.

The final outturn for 1992–93 is not yet available, but the latest supply estimate for the year was £2,660 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of gross national product was spent on health in the EC as a whole, the United Kingdom and the USA in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Total national health service expenditure in the United Kingdom as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) in each year since 1988–89 is shown in the table. GDP has been used rather than gross national product for consistency with other sources of information on public spending. Figures for the European Community and the United States of America are not available on a comparable basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money she expects to save by the Help Us to Help You campaign; what mechanisms are or will he put in place to monitor the savings that are being made by the campaign; what is the total budget for the Help Us to Help You campaign; and how much of that budget has already been spent.

Help Us to Help You is an initiative to help the development of local campaigns to promote messages about how people can help the health service improve its efficiency and effectiveness and thereby help other patients. It will be for the national health service locally to decide on the exact form and resourcing of local campaigns. Any savings will depend upon the effectiveness of these local campaigns and cannot be estimated centrally.All regional, district and family health service authorities, NHS trusts, directly-managed hospital units and community health councils have been sent copies of a Help Us to Help You information pack which gives advice about how to develop a local campaign. The total cost of producing the Help Us to Help You packs was £31,870. Copies of the packs are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hip operations were carried out during the last 10 years for which figures are available.

The information is shown in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the United Kingdom-based non-governmental organisations assisting street children which are receiving funds from his Department in the current year, together with the amount of funding.

Complete information is not yet available for the current year. However, in 1992–93 we supported, through the joint funding scheme, the following NGOs specifically to assist street children:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total United Kingdom bilateral disbursement for aid to street children in 1991 and 1992; how much was spent in each country receiving this help; and what are the planned contributions, by country, for 1993.

We help street children through a number of specific activities but, more significantly, by integrating their needs into projects with a wider poverty focus. Information about the location and costs of all projects where street children may be among the beneficiaries could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representa-tions through the United Nations and other appropriate international bodies to warn of the dangers of thalidomide used in Brazil and elsewhere.

[holding answer 14 June 19931]: We have consulted the World Health Organisation about the use of thalidomide. WHO has confirmed that it recommends its use for the treatment of certain immunological reactions that may occur in leprosy patients either before or during specific treatment. However, because of its well-known embryopathic effects, WHO stipulates that the drug should be given only to men and postmenopausal women; women of child-bearing age should never be given thalidomide.WHO guidance on the use of thalidomide is made available to national Governments, who are responsible for the control of the manufacture, distribution and use of this drug in their own countries.

To ask the Attorney-General how many prosecutions handled by the Crown Prosecution Service have been initiated in magistrates courts in each of the most recent 12 months for which figures are available.

The figures are not available in the form requested by the hon. Member. I will write to him.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which training and enterprise councils are currently using training credits within their adult training programmes.

In 1992–93, the following training and enterprise councils (TEC)s started national develop-ment projects involving the use of training credits in adult training programmes: Bradford; Barnsley and Doncaster; Rotherham; Manchester; South and East Cheshire; Hertfordshire; Birmingham; East London; and South Thames. Good practice from these projects will be available later this year.In addition, South and East Cheshire TEC and Northumberland TEC are using training credits and a number of other TECs are considering or developing projects using existing resources.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 6 May, Official Report, column 236, what are the appropriate circumstan-ces in which the Government will encourage training and enterprise councils to consider adult credits.

Training and enterprise councils (TEC)s are required to set out a comprehensive approach to the delivery of adult training in their draft business plans, which are the subject of annual negotiation with my regional directors. The approach adopted by each TEC will depend on the circumstances prevailing in its area, and may include adult credits where appropriate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employers in each training and enterprise council area have been given the investors in people award; and what is the accreditation standard for this award.

The number of investors in people recognitions at 14 June by TEC area is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the percentage of economically inactive adult males for each district of England (a) in 1981 and (b) at the latest available date.

The information requested is available from the 1981 and 1991 censuses of population and can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people were on youth training for each of the last six years.

The information requested is given in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action the Health and Safety Executive is taking to examine the safety of AWE Aldermaston; and if he will make a statement.

On 13 May 1993 the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) announced its intention to carry out a comprehensive review of health and safety management systems and standards of risk control at all atomic weapons establishment (AWE) premises, including Aldermaston.The review team will include HSE specialist radiation, factory, explosives, and nuclear installations inspectors, employment medical advisers and experts in health and safety management systems.A report will be published and HSE will be as open about the findings of the review as national security considerations will allow. HSE does not expect to complete the review until the spring of 1994 at the earliest. AWE and the Ministry of Defence have indicated their full support and their wish to co-operate with the review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many fatalities per 1,000 man-shifts there were for each of the last 10 complete years for which statistics are available (a) in private coal mines, (b) among sub-contract workers doing work for British Coal and (c) amongst British Coal's employees.

A fatality rate based on man-shifts is not available for private mines.The table shows the fatalities per 100,000 man-shifts at British Coal Corporation—BCC—mines from 1985–86, the first year for which a discrete rate for BCC mines was calculated by the Health and Safety Executive's—HSE —inspectorate of mines.Fatal accidents to sub-contractors at BCC mines are included in the rates shown in the table. Separate records for sub-contractors have not been maintained by the HSE.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people entered employment in 1992 with no access to training.

I have been asked to reply.Information on young people entering employment with no access to training is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent representations he has made to the European Commission on the subject of European funding.

My predecessor met with Commissioner Milian on 15 March and also with Commissioners Steichen, Ruberti and Flynn on 2 April to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest. He also wrote to Commissioner Matutues since it proved impossible for them to meet. In each instance he invited them to visit

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the issuing of cattle identification documents; and what plans he has to review the administrative arrangements associated with the beef premium scheme in wales.

I have received several representations about cattle identification documents and am monitoring the introduction of the new scheme to see what scope exists to simplify arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how much his Department has paid in each of the last five years under the Bellwin formula to local authorities in Wales; if he will list each receiving authority; how much they received; how much each authority had to spend before receiving any grant; and what percentage the grant represented of that total eligible expenditure by the authority on the particular emergency;(2) how much his Department has paid in grant in each of the last five years under the Bellwin formula to local authorities in Wales; and if he will list

The information required is given in the table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will disregard emergency expenditure by local authorities on emergencies such as the recent flooding in west and north Wales from his calculations on capping limits for local authority expenditure in 1993–94.

Local authorities have set their budgets for 1993–94 and as indicated in the reply given by my predecessor to the hon. Member for Monmouth (Mr. Evans) on 26 April at columns 284–85, the only authority in west or north Wales being considered for capping is Aberconwy borough council. On 21 May Aberconwy borough council challenged the proposed cap and put forward an alternative cap that is the same as its budget for 1993–94. I am still considering the authority's representations and I intend to announce my decision shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures are being taken to ensure that benefits payable to new age travellers comply with all the relevant rules.

New age travellers must satisfy the same conditions of entitlement to benefit as all other people. Those who claim benefit because of unemployment must be available for and actively seeking work, and all claimants are tested by the employment service to confirm that they are taking steps to find employment.In order to ensure stricter compliance with Government objectives regulations were introduced in December 1992 to remove entitlement to income support from able-bodied single people and childless couples who do not actively seek work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the change in overall marginal tax rate, including national insurance, for each tax banding, if the national insurance upper earning limit were removed; and how much income that would raise in a full year for the Exchequer.

If the upper earnings limit for national insurance contributions were removed, the effect on marginal tax rates would be as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in the Dewsbury constituency are currently in receipt of invalidity payments; and how many were in receipt of invalidity payments in June 1992.

I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard the chief executive of the Benefits Agency that the information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which prisons are operating below their establishment for prison officers; and what is the shortfall of staff in each of these prisons.

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his consultation paper on criminal records will be issued; and what provision will be made in respect of article 13 of the EC data protection directive in connection with the provision to prohibit a demand by a third party on a person that he should exercise his right of access to data in order to communicate that data to the third party.

I expect to publish a consultation document in the course of the summer which, amongst other things, will refer to article 13 of the draft EC directive.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all the market tests that have taken place in his Department since November 1992 and indicate, in each case, whether the result was the maintenance of in-house provision, or whether the service was contracted out.

The Home Office functions which have been subject to market testing or contracting out since November 1992 is listed showing, in cases where the exercise has been completed, whether the result was the maintenance of in-house provision or whether the service was contracted out. The table also shows those market tests which have been discontinued. Except where an outcome is indicated, work is continuing.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on the principle in article 13 of the EC data protection directive seeking to prohibit a demand by a third party on a person that he should exercise his right of access to data in order to communicate that data to the third party.

The Government are sympathetic towards the concern which has been expressed about what is known as enforced subject access, but have encountered problems both of principle and practice in devising means of preventing it.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the north Yorkshire bail hostel will be used for (a) people who would otherwise be remanded on bail in their own home, (b) people who would otherwise be remanded in custody, (c) ex-offenders not awaiting trial and (d) only for people from north Yorkshire.

Bail hostels are solely for bailees who are deemed suitable by the court to reside in a hostel and who might otherwise have to be remanded in custody. They are unlikely to be used for people who could be bailed to their home address. Most of the residents will be local people, but hostels may accept referrals from other areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provision he has made for the payment of compensation to people living in the vicinity of Alexander hotel, York who have suffered financial loss as a result of plans to use the hotel as a bail hostel.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the suitability of the Alexander hotel in Boroughbridge road in York for use as a bail hostel.

The North Yorkshire probation service considered 16 possible sites for a bail hostel. A feasibility study indicated that the Alexander hotel was the best option in terms of operational needs and value for money.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons the Home Office has decided to open a bail hostel in north Yorkshire.

North Yorkshire is one of eight probation areas in England and Wales which does not have an approved bail or probation-bail hostel. Outline approval for a hostel was given in 1991 on the basis that there was a sufficient number of defendants dealt with by the courts in and around York to justify a hostel there, bearing in mind that, when the courts wished to grant bail with a condition of residence in an approved hostel, north Yorkshire probation service had to rely on hostel places in other areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the projected staffing levels for Blakenhurst prison by job title/function.

[holding answer 17 June 1993]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the Prison Service who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the companies investigations branch of his Department will obtain a copy of the book, details of which have been submitted to him.

[holding answer 15 June 19931]: All evidence is carefully considered by the appropriate authorities where matters may lead to investigation by my Department.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has made to his French counterpart in relation to activities by French intelligence agents in British aerospace and defence firms.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on Monday 7 June,Official Report, column 12.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consideration is now being given to payment of compensation to employees of Matrix Churchill who suffered financial loss as a result of the collapse of that company.

I have been asked to reply.The Employment Department made payments to former employees of Matrix Churchill last year totalling something over £950,000 covering redundancy payments, arrears of pay, and compensation for lack of statutory notice. The payments made were the normal statutory payments made to employees of insolvent companies under employment legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will publish the total amount of expenditure on provision within the responsibility of his Department in (a) England, (b) Greater London and (c) the south-east, excluding Greater London, for each year from 1982–83 distinguishing between current and capital expenditure, though excluding local authority credit approvals/capital allocations.

The information is not available within my Department and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost. The great majority of this Department's expenditure goes to agencies and bodies sponsored by the Department of National Heritage. My Department seeks to ensure that the money is used in pursuit of the aims and objectives of the bodies concerned, but detailed spending decisions are the responsibility of these bodies. No systematic analysis of expenditure by geographical region is made.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the reasons behind current delays in his Department's correspondence.

The volume of correspondence, concentrated in one or two areas of particular interest, has been such that there have been unacceptable delays in replies in some cases. But now that my Department is in two locations instead of seven, with the benefits this should bring in terms of information technology and greater ease of communication, I hope that it will be possible to avoid backlogs and quicken the pace at which my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and I reply to letters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the level of public expenditure on the school meal service in each year since 1979 in cash and real terms.

[holding answer 17 June 1993]:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average price of a school meal in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in cash and real terms in each year since 1979.

The average cost to pupils of school meals is not collected centrally. Pupils can obtain either a fixed meal at a set charge or a cafeteria style meal for which the charge will vary depending on the individual pupil's choice. The tables give details of the fixed price meal charge levied by each regional authority in each year since 1979 in cash and in real terms. The level of the charge made is at the discretion of the regional authority.The information is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps are currently taken to ensure (a) proper inspection of nursing homes' care of elderly residents and (b) regular visits by general practitioners to monitor the health of residents and the carrying out of any necessary treatment, including removal to hospital.

Under the Nursing Homes Registration (Scotland) Act 1938, as amended, health boards as registering authorities have a statutory requirement to visit and inspect all nursing homes in their area, including any register or records required, at least twice a year and to carry out spot checks at any reasonable time.The person registered must provide or make arrangements for the provision of medical services for any residents in the home and must ensure that arrangements for dealing with medical emergencies of residents are agreed with the health board. Residents are also entitled to receive visits from their own general practitioner on request.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to intervene to prevent the closure of Strathblane hospital for respite care for mentally and severely handicapped children.

The organisation of hospital and respite care for the Greater Glasgow area is a matter for the health board. No decisions have been made affecting Strathblane

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions his Department has been holding with Strathclyde regional council on water privatisation.

[holding answer 16 June 19931]: There have been no such discussions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information his departmental officials have given to the press concerning discussions between his Department and Strathclyde regional council on water privatisation.

[holding answer 16 June 1993]: There have been no such discussions, and no such information has been given.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to review the case of Manoucher Tehrani, former consultant surgeon at Inverclyde royal infirmary; what consideration he has given to the recent papers supplied to him by Mr. Tehrani; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 17 June 1993]: My right hon. Friend received certain papers about Mr. M. Tehrani from the Tehrani action group to which he has given consideration. He has concluded that it is not necessary or appropriate for an inquiry to be conducted in relation to the matters raised by the action group.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the interval between holding and publishing the results of the census in (a) 1981 and (b) 1991; and if he will make a statement on the validity of the results of the 1991 census.

[holding answer 17 June 1993]: Census results are published as a series of monitors and fuller reports for each region and for Scotland as a whole, followed by a series of reports for specific topics—mainly for Great Britain but with some Scottish reports. Comparison with the 1981 census publication dates is given in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the factors that will bear upon his Department's decision as to the number of nuclear warheads that will be deployed on the Trident submarines.

We will deploy on Trident only the minimum number of warheads we judge necessary to provide effective deterrence, presenting any potential aggressor with the prospect of unacceptable damage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how long the contract of the current head of the Defence Export Services Organisation has to run; and what is his annual salary.

The present head of Defence Export Services, Sir Alan Thomas, has one year still to run of his five-year contract on secondment from Raytheon Europe Ltd. His current annual salary is £128,150 plus a performance bonus of up to an annual maximum of £30,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of staff of the Defence Export Services Organisation are seconded from industry; and what functions they perform.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) on 18 June 1992,Official Report, column 671.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many staff are employed in each of the overseas offices of the Defence Export Services Organisation; what is the estimated annual cost of the office in each case; and how many staff are employed in the London office.

The following is a breakdown of the DESO overseas offices, the number of staff employed in each office and the 1993–94 estimated cost of each office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low-level flying hours were flown by the RAF in each of the past five years.

The total numbers of hours booked—but not necessarily flown—at low level in the United Kingdom by all users of the UK low-flying system in each of the past five years were as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many representations he has received on the subject of low-level flying; and if he will make a statement.

In the past 12 months we have received 5,698 such representations from members of the public and 272 from hon. Members.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to proceed with the Challenger 1 upgrade programme.

Studies to examine how best to equip the Army's six Challenger 1 tank regiments have now been completed, and the results are being evaluated. An announcement on the way forward will be made as soon as this evaluation is completed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 18 May,Official Report, column 146, whether contingency plans exist to base the minesweeper flotilla in either Portsmouth or Plymouth if the Royal Navy's surface fleet presence at Rosyth is ended; and if he will make a statement.

We have no plans to end the minor war vessel presence at Rosyth naval base.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action he proposes to take to improve the safety of AWE Aldermaston following concerns expressed after inspections by the Health and Safety Executive; and if he will make a statement.

AWE is, and will continue to be, subject to independent inspection by the Health and Safety Executive—HSE—under the terms of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The establishment co-operates fully in these inspections and acts upon any recommendations made by the HSE. We will continue to develop safety improvements at AWE wherever possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the investment appraisal study carried out into the Royal Naval engineering college at Manadon.

A copy of the consultative document relating to our proposals for in-service first degree engineer officer training conducted at the Royal Naval engineering college at Manadon, Plymouth was placed in the Library of the House on 25 May 1993. This document contains information on the financial implications of our proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what considerations underlay the decision by the Minister for Defence Procurement to decline an interview to "Panorama" for its programme broadcast on 14 June;(2) what considerations underlay the decision not to allow the administrative director of AWE Aldermaston to answer questions on "Panorama" on 14 June.

My Department chose not to participate directly in the "Panorama" programme because we believed that the treatment would be neither even-handed nor objective.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of Dartmouth naval college.

I have nothing to add to the answer that my predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Mr. Hamilton) gave to my hon. Friend the Member for South Hams (Mr. Steen) on 24 March, Official Report, column 612.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the cumulative net present values for the Portland and Devonport options in the investment appraisal which supported his Department's decision to close Portland naval base; and what is the difference between these options.

I refer the hon. Member to the investment appraisal figures given in annex A of the Portland naval base consultative document, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House on 12 November 1992.