To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total cost of the Stevens inquiry; how many persons have been taken in for questioning as a result of this inquiry and subsequently released without charge; and how many persons are now in custody as a result of this inquiry.

Ninety-four persons, have been arrested as a result of the inquiry led by DCC Stevens. Fifty-nine have been charged, and 24 persons are now in custody. The final cost of the inquiry is not yet available. Up to 24 April, however, £307,000 had been spent. It is estimated that final costs for the period ending 31 March 1990 will be around £500,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all firms in Mid-Ulster which are registered with the Northern Ireland Fair Employment Commission in Strabane district council, Omagh district council and Cookstown district council areas.

Information in the form requested is not yet available. The Fair Employment Commission expects, however, to be in a position to provide information in that form later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the numbers of employees in each public organisation by the Fair Employment Commission's definition of Protestant and Roman Catholics in Omagh council area for those companies or organisations on the fair employment register.

The Fair Employment Commission holds monitoring information on the numbers of people employed by public authorities which are specified under the Fair Employment (Specification of Public Authorities) Order (NI) 1989. This is not however disaggregated by district council area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what conditions are being imposed upon the mineral operation being carried on at Cavanacaw, Omagh so as to ensure the future welfare and safety of the environment; and whether final approval has been granted for the mineral extraction in this area.

The conditions of the prospecting licence include provision for restoration of lands affected by prospecting operations. No approval has been given for a mining lease in the Cavanacaw area near Omagh, but planning permission has been granted for a temporary exploration trench for mineral exploration subject to conditions imposed in the interest of amenity and road safety. In addition, a consent has been granted for the making of a discharge into a waterway under the terms of the Water Act (NI) 1972 subject to conditions to ensure that the waterway will not be polluted. I have sent copies of the planning decision notice and the Water Act consent to the hon. Gentleman and the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the cash limit for Northern Ireland departmental services for 1990–91.

Subject to parliamentary approval of the main estimates for Northern Ireland departmental services through the Draft Appropriation (No. 2) (Northern Ireland) Order 1990 which was laid before Parliament today, the following changes will be made to the cash limit for Northern Ireland departmental services (NIDI) for 1990–91 (only the first of these affects the level of public expenditure resources available to Northern Ireland). The changes are:

(a) an addition of £6·7 million in respect of the 1990 Health Service review body awards. This provides additional public expenditure provision for the health and personal social services boards in Northern Ireland: the addition will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of United Kingdom public expenditure;

(b) a reduction of £15 million, reflecting an increase in the estimates of the employers' and employees' contribution to the Health Service. As a transfer within central Government this does not affect public expenditure;

(c) a reduction of £10 million, reflecting higher forecast repayments of borrowings by Northern Ireland Electricity;

(d) a reduction of £4·6 million, reflecting reduced expenditure on the rundown of the gas industry in Northern Ireland.

The last two items reflect reallocation of resources within existing plans from cash-limited services to non-cash-limited services.The net effect of these changes is a reduction of £22·9 million in the cash limit NIDI, from £2,972·194 million to £2,949·294 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security role of Brian Nelson in north Belfast.

[holding answer 30 April 1990]: Mr. Nelson is currently in custody charged with possession of information likely to be of use to terrorists. His case is therefore sub judice and I can make no comment about it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what financial or other arrangements he proposes to make to alleviate the financial problems now affecting the beef industry in Northern Ireland.

[holding answer 14 May 1990]: The Northern Ireland beef sector will benefit considerably from the changes agreed at the recent EC price-fixing negotiations. It is estimated that returns to beef producers will increase by about £8 million in a full year as a result of the changes in beef support and agrimonetary arrangements which were secured. The Northern Ireland beef sector should benefit, in particular, from the reduction in monetary compensation amounts on trade in cattle and beef across the land border with the Republic of Ireland and with other regions of the EC.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the reply on 14 May from the Minister for Overseas Development to the hon. Member for Hendon, South, if he will list in the Official Report details of studies of the development role of a social market economy sponsored by his Department.

The information is as follows:

ODA sponsored research on the role of markets and economic liberalisation
	Duration	Cost (to ODA) £
1. Pricing and trade structure in the Chinese economy1
Drs. Ahmed/Hussain/Stern, LSE	1987–90	172,568
2. Policy change in the Chinese grain sector
Dr. Buckwell, Wye	1987–88	14,800
3. Conditional aid programmes:
Lessons from the World Bank's experience of structural adjustment loans Professor Mosley, Manchester Professor Toye, IDS	1987–90	109,187
4. World Bank report on long term perspectives for sub-Saharan Africa
Mr. S. Please, World Bank	1988–90	50,000
Total		346,555
1 Not yet completed.

To ask the Attorney-General if he has any plans to improve access for disabled people to courts and other law buildings.

New and adapted or reconditioned court buildings provide, to the maximum possible extent, all the facilities required for the disabled, including lifts and ramps as necessary. Other buildings have had improvements incorporated where this has been feasible. New court rooms are designed to high acoustic standards which benefit the hard of hearing. Internal signs are made as clear as possible. Court staff are always available to assist disabled court users.

To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received from Criccieth town council concerning the community charge; and if she will make a statement.

A letter has been received from Criccieth town council and a reply has now been sent by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

To ask the Prime Minister when she expects to reply to the letter dated 17 April from the Reverend Andy Lindop of the Parish of St. John's, Mosley Common, Worsley, regarding the charge capping of Wigan metropolitan borough council.

There is no record of the letter to which the hon. Member refers having been received. May I suggest that a copy is sent to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, who will arrange for an early reply.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will take steps to ensure that Ministers do not avoid the answering of priority written questions within the established time scale by stating in answer to such a question that a Minister will write to the hon. Member who asked the question; and if she will make a statement.

It is for individual Ministers to decide how to answer questions.

To ask the Prime Minister whether it continues to be her policy that nuclear disarmament in Europe has gone far enough.

The Government support arms control agreements, whether nuclear or conventional, which enhance stability and allow security to be maintained at lower levels of forces.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment has been made of the success or otherwise of the system of three-year contracts at the AFRC institutes, as to whether personnel starting on a three-year contract fulfil that contract.

The Agricultural and Food Research Council has recently reviewed all short-term appointments at its institutes. The majority of these appointments are three-year contracts. The results of the review indicate that AFRC's policy of recruiting staff on short-term appointments is successful and that the majority of personnel appointed in this way completed their contract.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment he has made of the selective scientific effectiveness of (a) those on three-year contracts attached to A FRC institutes and (b) those on core programmes.

Responsibility for such assessments falls essentially to the Agricultural and Food Research Council itself. I understand that the council maintains a rigorous assessment of programmes and their effectiveness at its institutes by means of four-yearly visiting groups and annual reviews. This includes core programmes and three-year contracts, whether funded by the council itself or by industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support Her Majesty's Government are giving to the Secretary-General of the United Nations following his recent visit to Morocco and Algeria in making progress towards holding the referendum in the western Sahara.

We have consistently supported the United Nations Secretary-General in his efforts to find a solution to the dispute over the western Sahara. We have also joined our Community partners in welcoming the acceptance by both parties of the United Nations Secretary-General's referendum proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government expect to ratify the United Nations convention on the rights of the child.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Clydesdale (Mr. Hood) on 9 May 1990, column 176.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate the depletion of the illex fishery around the Falkland Islands as a direct result of not applying a 200-mile fishery zone.

Recent scientific advice indicates that if the Falkland Islands interim conservation and management zone (FICZ) were extended to 200 miles, escapement for illex squid could be expected to increase by less than 5 per cent. and that effective conservation of the stock requires multilateral efforts to control fishing well beyond 200 miles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government will publish information about their periodic reports to the human rights committee under the international covenant on civil and political rights.

Copies of our reports under the international covenant on civil and political rights are freely available from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Copies have also been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many reports of breaches of human rights in Palestine Her Majesty's Government have received in the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

We receive frequent reports of human rights abuses in the occupied territories. We regularly take up individual cases with the Israeli authorities on both a national and Community basis. The Israelis are well aware of our view that they should administer the occupied territories in accordance with their obligations under international law.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of West Midlands on which years the following officers served in the West Midlands serious crimes squad: DS James Milligan 6269, DI Terence Mills 4512, DS Paul Owen 5056, DC John Perkins 4145, DC Alan Pickering 3273, DC James Price 9307, DC Michael Quin 2274, DS John Rawlings 1353, DC John Rawlings 3540, DS Peter Reynolds 3772, DS Timothy Russell 7099, DC Laurence Shaw 5498, DS Michael Swinneton 8296 and DI Henry Thomas;(2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of West Midlands on which years the following officers served in the West Midlands serious crimes squad: DS David Ford 9210, DCI Robert Goodchild 9416, DS William Guilt 4587, DC Alfred Hayward 6764, DI Peter Higgins 3435, Det. Supt. Mick Holder, DC Michael Houkins 2344, DS Colin James 6924, DS Roy Jennings 5062, DC Conrad Joseph, DS Richard Leary 2487, DS Danny Lloyd 7448, DS Leslie Leek 1691, DC Robert Maison 9110, DC Hugh McLelland 6540, DCI Paul Matthews, DS James McManus 2303 and DC Charles 4175;(3) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of West Midlands on which years the following officers served in the West Midlands serious crimes squad: DS Martin Thomas 9362, DC David Woodley 2853, DC Clifford Wesley 3455, DCI Banks 1317, Det. Supt. Bob Morris, DCI Roy Taylor `A'61, Det. Supt. Stan Beechey, DC Paul Bucknall 5269, DS Brian Morton, DC Brookes 7099, DI Geoffrey Edwards 6861, DS Michael Doyle 7302, DC Alan Campbell 6444 and DS Bryant 45;(4) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of West Midlands on which years the following officers served in the West Midlands serious crimes squad: DC Colin Abbotts 9078, DC Ronald Adams 6220, DS Anthony Ball 6843, DS Peter Bowen 2224, DS Norman Burns 6513, DC David Bowen Evans 5202, DCI John Brown 5436, DI Kenneth Cook 1337, DS Albert Cawley 9085, DS Michael Cooper 9448, Det. Supt. Roger Corbett 9412, DI Eddie Curry 6579, Det. Supt. Brian Davies, DS Joseph Dayle 3457, DS John Davies 7090 and DC Ronald Evans 9292.

No. My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to call for a report on such matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many disabled people are in prisons; and what special arrangements are made for them.

No records are kept centrally of the numbers of prisoners with disabilities, but such information as is available suggests that the numbers are relatively small. Prison establishments seek to meet the needs of those inmates on an individual basis—for example by providing books for the visually handicapped or by modifying cellular accommodation for those with mobility problems. Six establishments have toilets in the hospital area which are suitable for people with disabilities, and the standard brief for the design of future prisons provides for these and other facilities for the disabled.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has given concerning the sentencing of offenders who are disabled.

Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the courts within their overall powers as laid down by legislation and in accordance with guidance given by the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal has made it clear that, for all offenders, custody should be given only when necessary and that it should be no longer than necessary. The national standards for community service orders, which came into effect on 1 April 1989, asked probation areas to ensure that community service placements are available for disabled offenders.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to reduce the backlog of cases pending before the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.

In February we approved the recruitment of 60 extra staff for the board. Ten of these are already in post and the rest are expected to be in post by the end of June.The reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler) on 8 December at columns

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases awaited determination by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board as at 31 March; and what is the average time between submission of a claim and its determination.

The number of applications awaiting initial determination by a single member of the board at 31 March was 65,100. In a further 2,842 applications interim awards had been made and the final determination deferred. There were also 9,096 cases awaiting appeal hearings and 10,748 where an award had been offered but not yet accepted by the applicant, making a total of 87,786 applications outstanding. Of these, about 50,000 represent the board's working balance, that is, cases which would be under consideration even if there were no arrears.Information about the average time taken to resolve applications is not available in the form requested, but the percentage of cases submitted to a single member of the board within certain periods from registration is shown in paragraph 6.1 of the board's 25th annual report (Cm. 900), a copy of which is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people the police have arrested for incidents arising out of the anti-poll tax demonstration in London on 31 March (a) on the day of the demonstration itself and (b) as a result of operation Carnaby; and how many of those arrested have been charged.

I am informed by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that 427 people were arrested on 31 March in connection with the disorder which occurred during and following the demonstration in London against the community charge. Of these, 409 have been charged with criminal offences.Fifty-two people have subsequently been arrested as a result of the continuing police investigation into the disorder. Of these, 39 have been charged with criminal offences.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he proposes to co-ordinate inter-departmental action in regard to recently reported cases of people posing as health visitors or social workers when visiting families with young children; of how many such cases he is aware; and if he will make a statement.

I understand from the chief constable of South Yorkshire that the recent inter-force conference about the subject of bogus social workers and health visitors revealed 60 unexplained visits throughout England and Wales. In 24 of these access was gained to the house and in 14 young children were touched.Police forces across England and Wales are taking co-ordinated action to bring the offenders to justice, consulting local authority social services departments where necessary. They have warned parents throughout the country to take great care about allowing callers access to their children and to contact the police at once if their suspicions are roused. They have advised all those seeking legitimate access to identify themselves. Their advice has been wholly endorsed by a statement issued on 15 May by the Association of Directors of Social Services and the NSPCC.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much of the total costs of police involvement in the siege of Strangeways prison he expects to fall on Greater Manchester police authority and how much will be met by his Department; what study he has made of the effect of the costs to be borne by the Greater Manchester police authority on the performance of the police service in the conurbation; if he is prepared now to meet the costs of police involvement in the siege as a whole; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Litherland) on 8 May at column 28. We have not yet received from the police authority a full assessment of the additional costs which it incurred as a result of the disturbances.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make an estimate of the cost to public funds of the provided accommodation allowance payable to police officers in provided accommodation for the year commencing 1 April.

About 18,000 officers live in provided accommodation. Provided accommodation allowance has been set at £300·00 per officer per year and is payable for three years. Estimates accordingly provide for direct public expenditure of £5·4 million per year on this allowance for each year that it is payable.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has in respect of prosecutions, convictions, and penalties levied in connection with deaths of protected species and listed in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 11 May 1990]: It is not possible from the information held centrally to distinguish between offences where species protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 have been intentionally killed and those where they have been intentionally injured or taken. In 1988 there were a total of 133 prosecutions and 114 convictions under the Act.In 1988 there were no prosecutions for offences under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 which involved the death of a protected species.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest number of juvenile offenders in youth custody; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 March 1990, c. 455–56]: The number of juvenile offenders in prison service establishments on 31 December 1989 was 327, not 358 as stated in the earlier reply.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has about the extent of the problem caused to listeners of authorised commercial radio broadcasts by their inability to tune to authorised stations because of interference by illegal broadcasts; how many complaints he has received from the public; and what discussions he has held with listeners' representative bodies and commercial radio operators.

I have been asked to reply.The radio investigation service (RIS) of my Department's radiocommunications agency receives frequent complaints of radio interference caused by unlicensed broadcasting stations. Officials of the agency regularly correspond with, and on occasions meet, listeners' representative bodies and broadcasting organisations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress made to date by the expert working group set up to assess the work of Mr. Barry Richardson's research into cot deaths.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress made to date by the expert working group set up to assess the work of Mr. Barry Richardson's research into cot deaths.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress made to date by the expert working group set up to assess the work of Mr. Barry Richardson's research into cot deaths.

The expert working group set up by the chief medical officer on 9 March was asked to consider and report on the work done by Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Richardson, together with the findings of the laboratory of the Government chemist and any other data; and make any necessary recommendations. He has asked the group to report as soon as possible and will make public its findings.The experts are working towards a report with commendable speed. The group first met on 3 April and studied Mr. Richardson's then latest paper and other evidence; it met again on 3 May to hear from individuals and associations, with important information, one of whom was Mr. Barry Richardson. It will next meet on 20 June.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the disparity of fees charged by regional advisers for authorising postgraduate education allowance training; and if he has any proposals to standardise such fees.

The Department has had discussions with the committee of regional advisers in general practice in England (CRAGPIE) on a suitable level of fees to be charged for the accreditation of courses for the postgraduate education allowance and we have asked CRAGPIE to agree as a matter of urgency a national scale of fees.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of pregnancies notified to doctors resulted in a miscarriage in each of the last 10 years.

This information is not collected centrally. Information is available centrally only on miscarriages which occur in NHS hospitals or result in a stay in an NHS hospital. Information for the years 1979 to 1985 is given in the table.

Estimated number of hospital stays in NHS hospitals in England with a diagnosis of "spontaneous abortion"
Year	Estimated numbers
1979	24,690
1980	26,800
1981	26,310
1982	27,530
1983	28,270
1984	29,790
1985	31,620

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether deaf children are required to take out insurance on commercial hearing aids supplied free of charge on the National Health Service; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply my hon. Friend the then Under-Secretary of State for Health, gave the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) on 1 May at column 538.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths there have been from thalassaemia for each year over the last 10 years.

The information is shown in the table.

Number of deaths from thalassaemia1 of persons in England and Wales, 1980–892
Year	Number of deaths
1980	7
1981	11
1982	5
1983	3
1984	11
1985	12
1986	6
1987	10
1988	6
1989	28
1 Assigned to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) ninth revision code 282.4.
2 Provisional.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision he is making in the reorganisation of the National Health Service for the maintenance of specialist hospitals; and whether he will make special funding available.

The special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals will retain their current status and their specialist teaching, research and service roles. They will, of course, be able to apply for NHS trust status if they wish. The Government intend that the funding of these institutions will continue to enable them to carry out their valuable teaching and research activities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that people with mental handicap and mental illness are enabled to give their views about their community care needs during the assessment procedure.

It is important that proper opportunities are provided for patients to take part in discussions relating to different treatment possibilities; and to agree the programme to be implemented. Our White Paper "Caring for People" stressed that the views of the person requiring care, and those of his or her carers, should be taken into account during the assessment procedure. This includes people with a mental handicap or mental illness. In our guidance to authorities we intend to underline the requirement for assessment procedures to take account of the views of all types of users and their carers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were performed on unborn children under statutory ground 2 at 25, 26, 27 and 28 weeks of gestation, respectively, during 1989.

The provisional figure for 1 January to 30 September 1989 shows no such abortions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) in view of the costs incurred by Wakefield district health authority arising from the court action taken against it by Mr. Ray Corner, the authority's former director of finance, what action has been taken by his Department in conjunction with Yorkshire regional health authority and Wakefield district health authority to ensure that staff of any rank will not be suspended or dismissed in a similar manner;(2) what discussions have taken place between his Department, Yorkshire regional health authority and Wakefield district health authority on the suspension and subsequent dismissal by the district general manager of Mr. Ray Corner, the authority's former director of finance;(3) if he will take steps to ensure that the £24,000 compensation to be paid by Wakefield district health authority to its former director of finance, Mr. Ray Corner, in respect of his suspension and subsequent dismissal from his post and the costs of all legal expenses arising from his action against the authority, will be met from his Department's budget for the preparation for self-governing trusts.

This is a matter for the local health authority. The NHS management executive has been kept informed of developments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many child minders are registered in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland.

At 31 March 1988 there were 74,588 registered child minders in England. Information about Scotland is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. Information about Northern Ireland and Wales are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland and for Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those local authorities which have waiting periods of (a) six to 12 months, (b) 12 to 18 months, (c) 18 to 24 months and (d) over 24 months for registration of child minders.

This information is not collected centrally. It is for local authorities to decide on the appropriate level of resources necessary for carrying out their registration duty under the Nurses and Childminders Registration Act 1948. Where individual cases are brought to the Department's attention, inquiries are made of the local authority concerned to establish the facts and what action, if any, is being taken to remedy the position. Advice will be given on the registration process including the length of time to handle applications in the new guidance to be issued under the Children Act 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those local authorities which have licensed other bodies to register child minders on their behalf.

Under the provisions of the Nurseries and Childminders Regulation Act 1948, as amended, local social services departments have a statutory duty to register child minders. This duty must not be delegated.So far as is known no such delegation has occurred.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many registered child minders are currently claiming free milk benefit.

The figures are not kept in the form requested. However, some 90,000 registered child minders, playgroups and day nurseries are registered (under the Welfare Food Regulations 1988) to receive the free milk, or dried baby milk, available for children under five years old in day care. The majority of these are child minders.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of speech therapists per 100,000 population recommended by the Government-commissioned Enderby report; and how many health authorities meet that recommended level.

The article "Communication Disorders, Planning a Service to meet the Needs" published in the December 1989 issue of the British Journal of Disorders of Communication by Dr. Enderby and Dr. Davies, and based on research by Dr. Davies funded by the Department, did not make any recommendations about numbers of speech therapists.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether any extended paramedic training scheme for ambulance crews in England provides a qualification validated by the National Council for Vocational Qualifications; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether he has any plans to introduce a standard paramedic training syllabus for ambulance crews in England; and if he will make a statement.

There is already an extended (paramedic) training programme provided by the National Health Service training authority which has been endorsed by the NHS for use by the ambulance service.The NHSTA is in the process of converting the training syllabus into degrees of competence in accordance with NCVQ requirements in consultation with representatives of the various employment sectors and interested bodies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost of publishing "Stockport Health Authority News, Special Edition."

I am advised that each edition of the Stockport health authority's publication "Stockport Health Authority News" costs about £360 to print and is circulated to health staff within the authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what more recent representations he has received regarding hospitals opting out of the existing National Health Service management structure.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 12 February at columns 22–25. Since then a further four units have expressed interest in NHS trust status and two others have amalgamated. This brings the total number of units which have expressed interest in trust status to 193.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports he has received of foetal damage caused by benzodiazepines.

On available information, t he Committee on Safety of Medicines has received 103 reports of foetal damage which may be associated with benzodiazepines. A report of a suspected adverse drug reaction does not necessarily mean a causal relationship. Product data sheets for benzodiazepines state that these should not be used in pregnancy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide a breakdown of the number of prescriptions issued by community pharmacists for each individual benzodiazepine.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 27 February at column 121. Figures for 1989 are not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will initiate an inquiry into the reasons for the disparity in the number of prescriptions for benzodiazepines given to men and women.

We have taken all reasonable steps to provide doctors with information about the use of benzodiazepines and make them aware of the need to prescribe these drugs carefully. It is for doctors using their professional clinical judgment to decide how best to prescribe for individual patients. An inquiry of the kind suggested would not add new information to aid doctors in their individual prescribing decisions and we therefore have no plans to initiate one.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the number of people who have attempted suicide after withdrawing from benzodiazepines.

This information is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department has on the number of visits made to families with young children by people posing, in the Manchester area and elsewhere, as health visitors or social workers; if there is any action he will be taking; and if he will make a statement.

Maintaining a record of the number of such visits is properly a task for the police. We will keep under review the need for action beyond endorsing advice already given that families should check carefully the credentials of any visitors before allowing them to see young children. No bona fide social worker would personally purport to conduct a medical examination of a child.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health to what extent the points system for deciding whether patients are to receive life or death intensive care treatment, known as the Apache II scoring system, is used in (a) Manchester's and (b) other British hospitals in making priority decisions about the use of current resources for such treatment; if his Department has given or will be giving any instructions about use of the system in National Health Service hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

The decision on whether a patient requires intensive care is a matter for the clinician responsible for that case. We have no plans to issue instructions on the clinical criteria which should be used.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the regional health authorities in rank order according to the number of trained midwives per 100,000 women of child-bearing age.

[holding answer 8 May 1990]: The requested information is shown in the table.Health authorities will have regard to a number of different factors in setting staffing levels for their maternity services. The number of women of child-bearing age is not in itself particularly meaningful for this purpose, given that age distributions and fertility rates within that group will vary in different places.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action has been taken to promote the development in the United Kingdom of conductive education as practised at the Peto institute.

I have been asked to reply.I announced in the House in December 1989 details of our proposal to create a formal link with the Peto institute. We have agreed to provide a total of £5 million from Government funds over four financial years towards the capital costs of the new international institute projected by the Hungarian Government, subject to satisfactory progress with construction and conclusion of an agreement covering access for United Kingdom children and trainee conductors. Discussions to conclude this agreement will take place shortly.Access for British trainee conductors will be particularly important for the long-term future of conductive education in this country. The Foundation for Conductive Education in Birmingham was formed to establish conductive education in the United Kingdom and has signed a long-term agreement to bring conductive education to this country, under Hungarian direction. To ensure that trainee conductors receive the maximum support for and benefit from their training, the Government are providing more than £92,000 over three years for the foundation to employ a tutor in Budapest.To help parents who are considering taking a disabled child to the Peto institute in Budapest, we are funding the production by the foundation of a guide offering information about conductive education itself and the financial and other implications of visiting Hungary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to provide an incentive to absent parents to provide maintenance for their children who are living on benefits.

Absent parents, like all parents, have a clear legal responsibility to maintain their families wherever they can afford to, but in far too many cases that responsibility has not been fulfilled. No maintenance is paid for over three quarters of lone-parent families receiving income support. Income support for lone-parent families cost £1·9 billion in 1989–90.As already announced, the Government are reviewing the maintenance system to see what changes need to be made to the way maintenance is awarded, and collected. A survey is under way to provide full and up-to-date information as a basis for deciding the best way forward. We are also examining systems in use in other countries to see what lessons can be learnt. We aim to bring forward proposals later this year.In the shorter term we have taken action to improve the payment of maintenance under the current system. This includes a new clause introduced to the current Social Security Bill, under which DSS will be able to enforce a lone parent's maintenance order for her when payments are not being made in full, if she is claiming income support. This will ensure that prompt action is taken in all cases and will reduce the chance of the absent parent getting into the habit of non-payment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he is now in a position to announce help for those hostels which currently do not receive direct payments of income support for service charges.

I am pleased to announce that from 21 May all hostels and nightshelters may receive direct payments of income support for service charges, including meals, from the outset of a claimant's residence.This will safeguard the interests of those hostels which have experienced difficulty collecting service charges from residents. This will still allow those hostels which do not wish to take advantage of the direct payment arrangements to encourage their residents to take responsibility for managing their own finances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his detailed timetable for the construction of the A6 (M) Stockport north-south bypass.

We expect to publish supplementary orders and a compulsory purchase order in autumn next year. Progress after that depends upon how much objection there is to them. A public inquiry will be necessary if there are unresolved objections. I am writing to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new sets of traffic lights have been installed in the Greater London area in the past two years.

Traffic lights have been installed at approximately 300 new sites in the past two years, of which about half were new pelican crossings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy concerning the access of disabled people and their cars to pedestrian-only areas; and if he will make a statement.

The Department's policy towards the access of orange badge holders' vehicles to pedestrian zones is set out in local transport note 1/87 "Getting the Right Balance".Orange badge holders' vehicles should not normally need to be exempted from access restrictions if a sufficient number of convenient parking places can be provided. If this is not possible, there may be a case for allowing some form of access for disabled people's vehicles.The guidance stresses the importance of consultation with organisations representing people with disabilities when zones are being planned.A copy of local transport note 1/87 has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many disabled orange badge holders there are in Derbyshire.

The number is 26,942 at 31 March 1989, the latest date for which figures are available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those councils which ban vehicles belonging to disabled orange badge holders from pedestrian-only areas.

The decision to ban vehicles displaying an orange badge from pedestrian zones is primarily for individual local authorities to take. Information on the number of local authorities which have implemented such a ban is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to amend the orange badge scheme for disabled drivers.

Revised regulations governing the scheme were issued for consultation on 9 April. The changes are designed to clarify the eligibility criteria for badges, curb abuse and tailor the parking concessions provided under the scheme more closely to the needs of severely disabled people.Major organisations representing disabled people, the local authority associations and the police are being consulted on the detailed changes to the statutory regulations.A copy has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what Government financial support has been allocated to British Rail provincial and its predecessors in actual terms and real terms in (a) 1975–76, (b) 1980–81, (c) 1985–86, (d) 1988–89, (e) 1989–90 and (f) 1990–91 projected.

Figures for Government support paid to the British Railways Board, including public service obligation grant under EC regulation 1191/69 and section 3 of the Railways Act 1974, and level crossings grant under EC regulation 1192/69, are given in the table. Final claims have not yet been agreed for the years 1988–89 and 1989–90.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to bring into force the Parking Act 1989.

The Parking Act 1989 is being brought into force by commencement order today. It paves the way for a wider range of parking equipment to be approved for use by local authorities in parking places under their control. In particular "cashless" systems—which offer advantages in security, flexibility and convenience—will be able to be approved for off-street use. An explanatory circular (DTp 2/90 WO 21/90) has been issued to local authorities and is available from Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the present inquiry on the proposed east London river crossing to be concluded.

The public inquiries into certain design changes on this scheme do not start until 3 July. They are being held concurrently with an inquiry into planning applications for the further development of London City airport. I cannot speculate how long these concurrent inquiries will last.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the change in employment in docks since the abolition of the dock labour scheme.

At the time of abolition there were 9,223 registered dock workers. To date, 4,734 redundancies have been notified to this Department under the compensation payments scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies his Department has undertaken into the feasibility of through trains from Heathrow and Gatwick airports to Manchester and Birmingham airports.

None. This is for British Rail and airport operators to initiate.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what financial support was given in real terms to industry in rural areas in (a) 1979 and (b) 1989.

Most Government schemes for financial assistance to industry provide assistance for urban and rural areas alike. Where there are special rural problems in England, the Rural Development Commission, which is grant-aided by my Department, can provide assistance with both economic and social development. The commission's total gross expenditure at 1989–90 prices was £36·6 million in the financial year 1978–79 and £37·2 million in 1989–90.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when there will be a Government response to the Audit Commission document, "Urban Regeneration and Economic Development."

I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all those properties vested in the London residuary body, with a voluntary organisation or organisations in occupation, which have been transferred to the relevant borough council; and if he will give the estimated market value and the consideration paid for transfer in each case.

The London residuary body has disposed of interests in the following properties occupied by voluntary organisations to the relevant borough councils. Sales at less than the estimated market value at the time of disposal are subject to clawback provisions and to covenants as to use.

Address	Estimated market value £	Consideration paid £
13–15 Stockwell road, SW9	350,000	1
5–5A Westminster Bridge road, SE1	2,000,000	1
286 Camden road, N7	240,000	1
Palingswick House, King street, W6	2,000,000	1
80 York way, N1	2,000,000	1
Rio Cinema, 103 Kingsland Road, E8	100,000	1
65 Bell road, Hounslow	140,000	140,000
177 Abbey street, SE1	225,000	224,000
153 Hammersmith road, W14	325,000	325,000

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply of 25 April, Official Report, column 322, (1) whether the incentive to which he referred for waste collection authorities which recycle waste, will apply to a mechanised recycling plant receiving mixed domestic waste;(2) what steps he proposes to take to ensure that the introduction of financial credits for waste collection authorities will be used for diverting waste from landfill, rather than as a means for funding source separation and that schemes which subsequently result in a higher percentage of waste diverted from landfill, but that do not require source separation, will not be disadvantaged by the support offered through public expenditure;(3) what steps he proposes to take to ensure that recycling initiatives, such as financial credits from one public body to another, designed to promote source separation of waste, will not be allowed to disadvantage market-led and funded schemes for waste reclamation and recycling.

The Government wish to encourage all environmentally beneficial and cost-effective methods of recycling domestic waste and avoiding disposal to landfill. The proposal for recycling credits, which we hope will be the subject of an amendment to be brought forward to the Environmental Protection Bill, is not intended to favour one recycling method over another. It will simply seek to ensure that the benefits of landfill avoidance feed through as financial incentives to those responsible for diverting domestic waste to recycling, whether in the public sector or not.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what encouragement is being given to local authorities that wish to increase the level of recycled waste.

The provisions of the Environmental Protection Bill will require every local authority involved in waste collection or disposal to make plans that will give priority to the recycling of waste wherever practicable. Other provisions of the Bill will allow them to specify environmentally favourable options for waste disposal, such as recycling, even if they are not the cheapest in purely financial terms and will require waste disposal authorities to pass to collection authorities the savings that accrue because refuse has been recycled rather than passed to them for disposal. The Bill will also strengthen the existing powers of local authorities to arrange recycling schemes for their localities.The Government are also working with local authorities to develop projects such as recycling city in Sheffield and Cardiff and similar plans in other areas which can, when fully evaluated, be used as models for future schemes. We shall be providing comprehensive advice to local authorities to assist them in the production of recycling plans and the development of recycling projects.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what steps he is taking to take account of the views of environmental groups in respect of emissions from chipboard factories; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will make it his policy to set an emission limit of just particles from timber dryers at 25 mg per cubic metre in respect of chipboard factories; and if he will make a statement.

Chipboard factories will come under the new and more rigorous controls provided by part I of the Environmental Protection Bill. Operators of chipboard factories will be required to use the best available techniques not entailing excessive cost (BATNEEC) to minimise emissions and their potential for harming the environment.Guidance will be issued on appropriate air pollution controls for these processes and it is intended that this will contain a limit for emissions of particulate matter which is achievable using BATNEEC. Bodies representing relevant interests, including environmental ones, will be given the opportunity to comment on the draft guidance before it is issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are his estimates of the numbers of individuals disqualified from political activities as a result of the Local Government and Housing Act.

On the basis of the lists received from 428 out of the 491 authorities concerned, I understand that some 32,000 holders of local authority posts in England have been included in lists under section 2 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 as subject to political restrictions. This figure does not include all posts of chief executive, monitoring officer, chief officer and deputy chief officer, whose posts are subject to the political restrictions but are not necessarily included in the lists under the 1989 Act.Local government officers whose posts are in these lists, other than the holders of the specific posts I have mentioned, have the right to exemption if the independent adjudicator considers that their posts do not meet the statutory criteria.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last made a statement regarding wild geese management.

My right hon. Friend has made no recent statement on this subject. Various steps have been taken to control wild geese where necessary including scaring and limited shooting.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what level of investment is planned over the next five years to improve standards of drinking water.

Water undertakers in England and Wales will be spending £1·8 billion, at November 1989 prices, up to the end of 1995 to remedy current situations of non-compliance with the EC drinking water directive.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the practicality of sterilising sewage outfalls by the process of infusing hydrogen peroxide.

My Department has received information on the use of hydrogen peroxide as a disinfectant from Interox Chemicals Ltd. which markets the "Oxymaster" range of disinfectants based on peracetic acid.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further measures he intends to take to reduce the problems caused by dogs; and if he will make a statement.

We remain committed to the package of measures outlined in the consultation paper "Action on Dogs" which we issued last year. These include duties on local authorities to deal with strays and to enforce the existing requirement that dogs should wear a collar and identification tag. We are discussing with the RSPCA and others how this package might be strengthened in some respect. We intend to legislate at a convenient opportunity.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many grades of unleaded petrol are now marketed; and what guidance is given to drivers as to which grade will not prove harmful to their cars, where these are converted for unleaded petrol use.

Two grades of unleaded petrol are being marketed—95 octane "Premium" and 97/98 octane "Super" or "Super Plus". The vast majority of new cars can use 95 octane and from 1 October this year all new cars will be required to be able to do so. Super unleaded is being marketed for a relatively small number of cars that cannot be, or are not, tuned for 95 octane. Any car that is tuned for 95 octane can use the super fuel but will show no advantage for the extra expense. The Department has issued guidance on which existing cars can use 95 octane unleaded, and information is also being disseminated by the motor and petrol trades. Any motorist who does not find unequivocal guidance in his car manual or from one of the other sources should consult his dealer or other qualified person.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish the draft modifications to the Cleveland structure plan; what are the reasons for the delay; and what assessment he has made of the damage to development prospects in the area arising from such delay.

It is hoped to publish the Secretary of State's proposed modifications to the Cleveland structure plan in June. It has not been possible to do so earlier because of the need to resolve some complex issues raised in the report of the panel which conducted the examination in public. I am not aware of any damage to development prospects in Cleveland as a result of this timetable. Local planning authorities have continued to carry out their functions and, where appropriate, have taken the new structure plan into account as a material consideration in reaching their decisions. Similarly, recent appeal decisions issued by the Secretary of State have had regard to the emerging structure plan.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Linlithgow of 26 February, Official Report, columns 21–22, whether he will seek to recover the operating costs of the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976, as he is empowered to do under section 1(5) of that Act.

Section 1(5) of the 1976 Act empowers the Secretary of State to charge for the issue of a licence under the Act. He has no plans to invoke those powers at present.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Linlithgow of 26 February, Official Report, columns 21–22, (a) if he will publish the list provided by the Nature Conservancy Council in 1985 of species unlikely to survive in captivity, and therefore eligible for protection under section 3 (dd) of the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976 and (b) which of those listed species are still exempt from licensing under that Act or any other legislation and not restricted for import;(2) if he has conveniently available figures to show how many birds of species included in the Nature Conservancy Council's list of species unlikely to survive in captivity were recorded in Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's quarantine statistics as imported into the United Kingdom during 1988; and what was the average mortality suffered on arrival or in quarantine.

I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Linlithgow of 26 February, Official Report, columns 21–22, what action his Department takes to ensure that sufficient regard is taken of section 3(dd) of the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976, in consideration of its schedules and in the administration of licences.

In the light of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food quarantine statistics for 1988 we are considering whether, in view of section 3(dd), any further species should be brought within the control of the 1976 Act. Inclusion in the list provided by the Nature Conservancy Council of species which generally do not survive well in captivity except in specialist hands is a factor which is taken into account in deciding import applications for those species.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all aspects of governmental involvement with nuclear radiation; and if he will provide a breakdown of the allocation of responsibilities between the different Government Departments for radioactive materials and waste production, control and management.

The Secretary of State for the Environment is responsible for radioactive waste management strategy in England, and for the regulation of the use and the authorisation for disposal of radioactive substances under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960. Other Government Departments with responsibilities for radioactive materials include the Department of Energy; Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; Ministry of Defence; Department of Health; Welsh Office; Scottish Office; Northern Ireland Office; Department of Transport; Department of Employment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress Leeds development corporation has made to date; and if he will make a statement.

Leeds development corporation was established less than two years ago and it has already done much to stimulate the regeneration of its area.Since designation there has been nearly £60 million of private sector investment, more than 1·5 million sq ft of industrial and commercial floor space completed and 105 dwellings completed or under construction. Further developments are in the pipeline. This has created over 1,300 construction and 5,200 permanent jobs.Three major joint development competitions have been launched in partnership with Leeds city council, British Waterways and British Gas. These will provide housing and community facilities and industrial and commercial developments. The corporation is giving high priority to minimise disruption to existing businesses and finding alternative premises where necessary. It is assisting businesses to improve their premises and thereby safeguard existing jobs.The corporation is improving the environment and has planted 150,000 trees and shrubs. It is working jointly with Leeds city council, British Waterways and the Government's Leeds/Bradford city action team to enhance the potential of the River Aire and the Leeds/Liverpool canal.I congratulate Leeds development corporation—and those organisations with which it is working—on creating exciting new opportunities for the people of Leeds.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many privately owned Woolaway houses, qualifying for assistance with repair, remain unrepaired (a) nationally and (b) in Bristol.

This information is not available in the form requested. We estimate that there are 1,007 owners of Woolaway houses in England and Wales eligible for assistance under the housing defects legislation. Of these, 291 have received assistance by way of repair, or have repairs under way. The equivalent figures for Bristol are 222 and 86, respectively. A further 53 Woolaway houses in Bristol have been repurchased, and all but 13 of the remaining 83 owners have now received offers of assistance from the council—67 by way of repair, and three by way of repurchase.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received following his call for an all out attack on excessive packaging at a packaging conference on 25 March; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 11 May 1990]: My right hon. Friend and other Ministers have received many representations in support of his call on 25 March for reductions in excessive packaging, and for an enhanced effort to promote recycling by manufacturers, retailers, local authorities, voluntary groups and Government Departments. We have also received representations from the packaging industry emphasising the economic and environmental advantages of well-designed packaging.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the estimated charge on the basis of current expenditure (a) per household and (b) per capita for each London borough if a system of local income tax were to be introduced.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the estimated charge on the basis of current expenditure (a) per household and (b) per capita for each English district if a system of local income tax were introduced.

I have no information on which to estimate the average amount which would be payable in any area under a system of local income tax either per household or per capita. Estimated local income tax rates which could have applied in each local authority area in 1990–91 were placed in the Library on 4 April.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what figure was allowed for in respect of the cost of repairing the roof of Shire hall, Reading, in setting the standard spending assessment for Berkshire county council; and what assessment was made of the likely effect on the level of the community charge in Windsor and Maidenhead.

[holding answer 18 April 1990]: No specific figure for this item of expenditure was allowed for in calculating the standard spending assessment for Berkshire county council.The SSA includes support for the costs of capital expenditure financed from credit approvals. But at the recommendation of the Association of County Councils, credit approvals for this type of expenditure are distributed on the basis of population rather than for particular projects.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the effect of the use by the Royal County of Berkshire of capital reserves to fund revenue expenditure on the community charge for Windsor and Maidenhead.

[holding answer 19 April 1990]: The precept which Berkshire county council has levied on Windsor and Maidenhead reflects the revenue which it has chosen to raise. That in turn reflects its general financial position, including the extent to which capital reserves may generate interest and the extent to which capital expenditure is being financed from revenue income.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 3 May to the hon. Member for Derbyshire North-East, Official Report, columns 617–18, about local government revenue, if he will list the equivalent percentage details for Wandsworth and Westminster councils.

The equivalent calculation cannot be made for individual authorities because some revenues are paid to charging authorities' collection funds on behalf of charging authorities and precepting authorities. The relevant amounts paid into Wandsworth's general fund and collection fund are given in the table. Complete information is not yet available for the city of Westminster.

Amounts to be paid into Wandsworth's General Fund and Collection Fund
	£000
General Fund
Specific and Supplementary grants (excluding community charge benefit and transitional relief)	34,717
Collection Fund
Government grants (including community charge benefit and transitional relief)	158,308
Business rates	60,386
Community charges (net of community charge benefit and transitional relief)	23,608

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the answer of 4 April, Official Report, column 669, if the source of the solvent affecting groundwater at the Blewbury borehole in south Oxfordshire has been identified.

[holding answer 15 May 1990]: No definite source of the carbon tetrachloride found in groundwater at the Blewbury borehole has yet been identified. Work is continuing in order to discover the origins of this contamination.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to amend the rents-to-mortgages scheme in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

Early experience of the rents-to-mortgages trial scheme for Scottish Homes and new town development corporation tenants indicates that it is enabling those who could not previously afford to buy their own homes to do so.I shall continue to monitor the trial scheme closely to see whether it fulfils its early promise and will make a further statement in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of water supplies in Scotland in breach of the 50 micrograms per litre limit of the amount of lead permitted; and if he will list the number of people covered by each water supply.

Water supplies in Scotland do not generally breach the 50 micrograms per litre standard for lead at the point of supply to the consumer. Breaches of the standard at consumers' taps are caused by pick-up of lead from pipes and plumbing systems, mostly within the consumer's property, after the water leaves the mains. Installation of water treatment is in progress in 26 supply areas where it is known that some tap samples fail to meet the standard set in the EC drinking water directive. It is estimated that about 37,000 people in these areas may be involved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases awaited determination by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in Scotland as of 31 March; and what is the average time between submission of the claim and the determination.

Separate details of the number of Scottish cases awaiting determination and of the average time taken by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board to resolve Scottish cases are not available. The criminal injuries compensation scheme administered by the board provides compensation for victims of crimes of violence throughout Great Britain. For information on a Great Britain basis such as the hon. Member seeks, I refer him to the answer given today to his question to my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department.