asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have for the future organisation of the watercourse management division of the Department of Agriculture.

Having recently completed the prior options study which was announced to Parliament on 20th July 1994, the Government has decided that the watercourse management division should become a next steps agency from 1st October 1996. The division is responsible for the provision of flood defence and river drainage systems and for promoting the sustainable development of inland navigation and water recreation facilities. By making the watercourse management division a next steps agency it will have the flexibility to operate within a framework of appropriate efficiency targets and performance indicators, while remaining a part of the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many contributions to the cost of the Jubilee Line extension were promised; what was the total value of them; by whom the contributions were promised; and how much has been received.

Two private sector contributions to the cost of the Jubilee Line extension were promised: one from the developers of Canary Wharf, and one from British Gas, for the station at North Greenwich. Initial payments have been received: £100 million in respect of Canary Wharf and £5 million in respect of North Greenwich. The remainder of the Canary Wharf contribution (a further £300 million) will be paid over a 24-year period beginning one year after the opening of the line. The remainder of the British Gas contribution (the total of which will depend on future land sales) will be paid over time, beginning with the opening of the line.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to their Answer in the House on 29th January 1996 [H.L. Deb., col. 1232], what information they have on accidents being caused by motorists' glasses falling off or their contact lenses coming out.

We are not aware of any information that would show a causal link between glasses falling off or contact lenses coming out and accidents. The practical reason for requiring lorry and bus drivers to meet an uncorrected eyesight test is not that such mishaps may cause accidents, but that, in an accident or emergency, glasses or contact lenses may be dislodged, so that the driver has to halt the vehicle or manoeuvre it to safety without their benefit.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether any studies have been commissioned into the privatisation of Railfreight distribution; who are the consultants appointed; when the consultants will report and whether the Government will publish any report.

Mercer Management Consulting and National Economic Research Associates have been appointed jointly by the British Railways Board and the Department of Transport to study Railfreight distribution, including the options for privatisation. Their report is expected later this month. The report will not be published, as it will contain commercially confidential information.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they are taking to encourage the privatisation of local authority-owned bus companies.

The great majority of bus services in the UK are now provided by private sector bus companies. Since 1988, 28 local authority-owned bus companies, including the eight largest, have moved successfully into the private sector. We welcome this, and are continuing to encourage the other bus company owners to consider seriously the options for privatisation. At present there is a targeted relaxation in the set-aside rate for receipts by local authorities from sale of shares in their bus companies of 25 per cent.—and it had been intended that this would revert to the normal 50 per cent. rate with effect from 1st April. In order to assist local authorities planning to sell their bus companies in the next financial year we have decided to extend the present set-aside rate of 25 per cent. for these sales to 31st March 1997.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the average age of onset for rheumatoid arthritis, angina pectoris and multiple sclerosis has changed over the past 30 years; and, if so, by how much for each condition; andHow many people in the United Kingdom suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, what is the average age of onset, what are the medications of choice, what is the annual cost to the National Health Service (NHS) of such medications and of hospitalisation for such patients per patient and how many days' work as an annual total are lost to this condition.

Information about the number of people with a medical condition, the age of onset of the conditions, the annual cost to the National Health Service of the hospitalisation of people with rheumatoid arthritis, angina pectoris and multiple sclerosis and the number of work days lost to these conditions is not collected by the Department of Health. There are no medications of choice for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis but a range of drugs is available. The medication prescribed in individual cases is a matter for the clinical judgment of the doctor concerned informed by the patient's medical history. It is not possible to isolate the cost of all drugs used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis since some of the relevant drugs are also used for the treatment of other conditions, for example, they include analgesics for the relief of pain. That said, information on prescribing of drugs which may be used in rheumatic diseases and gout is as in the table.

England
British National Formulary section	Number prescription items (millions)	Net ingredient cost(£ millions)
10.1 Drugs used in rheumatic diseases and gout	20.3	169.6

The data cover all prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered in England.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to Lady Cumberlege's Written Answer (9th January

As stated in my previous reply this particular matter is for local consideration. However, advice to the National Health Service and to Ministers on national policy for implementation of screening programmes will be provided by the new National Screening Committee which is to be chaired by the Government's Chief Medical Officer. The National Screening Committee will meet for the first time later this later.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the annual cost of drugs prescribed for the treatment of depression, and whether they are able to identify an average cost per patient.

The cost to the National Health Service of antidepressant drugs dispensed in England in 1994 was £117.2 million (net ingredient cost). It is not possible to identify average costs per patient.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to their Written Answer of 15th February (col.

We have no evidence that ECT is disproportionately risky in older people. It remains a valuable treatment in the field of old age psychiatry.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the cost of administering electro-shock per each individual treatment.

Information on costs is not held centrally.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are aware of any studies on the efficacy of electro-shock over periods of several years following treatment; and if so, whether any of these studies were conducted by non-psychiatric medical professionals.

Formal randomised controlled trials to test the efficacy of ECT in the treatment of depression have been carried out in Great Britain. These studies were carried out by medically qualified staff.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the current status of negotiations on the European Commission proposals on nitrate in vegetables.

The draft Commission regulation on nitrate in lettuce and spinach was discussed at the European Commission's Standing Committee for Foodstuffs on 20 February. During those discussions the UK indicated that it would, reluctantly, support the Commission's latest proposal (Doc VI/3080/93 Rev 7).