To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether it is the policy of his Department to mark property with an indelible mark or similar means of identification.

DES property is not indelibly marked, but an inventory of serial numbers is maintained for such items as personal computers and printers, television receivers and video recorders.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what actions have been taken since the appointment of a Minister in his Department to consider the environmental implications of his Department's policies; and if he will make a statement.

There are four major areas of education policy interest in the Government's White Paper, "This Common Inheritance", which the Department is taking forward. Those are: environmental education in the school curriculum which has been identified as a cross-curricular theme in the national curriculum: guidance has been issued to all schools in England on this aspect of their work; the built and external environment for education; further and higher education provision relevant to the environment; and the establishment of a new environment unit within the further and higher education sector to support post-experience environmental training geared to the specific needs of employers and their employees. Our departmental report, published last month, records, with a reference to the White Paper, "This Common Inheritance", that about half publicly funded environmental research is financed from the science budget. The Department also has a strategy which is designed to achieve savings of 15 percent. in the total energy bill, for the premises it occupies on the Government estate, over a five-year period.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average effect on public expenditure involved when (a) a primary school and (b) a secondary school opts out of local education authority control.

In terms of the annual maintenance grant (AMG) for grant-maintained schools the average effect should be broadly neutral. A GM school's AMG reflects what it would have received for direct costs from its maintaining authority. It includes an additional amount in respect of LEA central costs and of LEA subsidies for school meals; these are costs previously incurred centrally by the LEA.Transitional grants, special purpose grants (SPG) and capital grants reflect the particular circumstances of individual schools. It is not possible to construct a meaningful average public expenditure figure. Some grants replace benefits or services which LEA-maintained schools are eligible to receive in another way. For example, SPG(V) is paid to GM schools as they are liable to VAT whereas LEAs are not so liable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what he estimates as the cost of implementing the draft directive on the protection of pregnant women at work; and what this figure is as a percentage of the national payroll.

It is estimated that implementing the maternity pay provisions of the draft directive would cost up to £500 million per annum. This would be the equivalent of 0·2 per cent. of the national payroll. It is not yet possible to estimate the cost of the other provisions of the directive because it is not clear how many women would be affected by them, but the additional cost would be considerable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether it is the policy of his Department to mark property with an indelible mark or similar means of identification.

My Department is conscious of the need to safeguard government property and has recently investigated measures to prevent theft of information technology and other vulnerable equipment.Currently, equipment is recorded by serial number when purchased. A periodic equipment census is then performed where records of equipment held are compared with those of equipment purchased. Any irregularities are then taken up with the last recorded holder of the machine.Schemes currently being considered to supplement this operation include:

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what actions have been taken since the appointment of a Minister in his Department to consider the environmental implications of his Department's policies; and if he will make a statement.

My Department, like all the others, has been active in implementing and developing the commitments made in the Environment White Paper, "This Common Inheritance", since its publication in September. Our departmental report published on 13 February, copies of which have been placed in the House of Commons Library, recorded progress with a wide range of initiatives, reflecting the White Paper's comprehensive review of policy affecting the environment. These include progress in health and safety, tourism and training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he plans to give financial assistance to the Discover Britain in 1991 campaign.

[holding answer 28 February 1991]: My noble Friend Viscount Ullswater announced on 26 February that, following discussions with my Department, the English tourist board, working closely with the British Tourist Authority, will be launching next month a campaign to ensure that United Kingdom residents are aware of the opportunities to take a holiday in the United Kingdom. £800,000 has been allocated by the boards to this campaign. The other three national tourist boards in the United Kingdom will also be fully involved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated saving in public expenditure of the recommended abolition of regular watchkeeping by auxiliary coastguards at the Gwennap Head (Land's End), St. Ives and the Lizard lookouts.

The review of the coastguard sector organisation and auxiliary service is a consultative document, not a statement of intent, and recommends that the case for retaining fixed lookouts should be re-examined.In the event of a total abolition of the fixed lookouts at Gwennap Head, St. Ives and the Lizard it is estimated that total savings in public expenditure would be of the order of £38,000 per annum. Against this would need to be offset the costs of providing observations from coast response vehicles in "casualty watch" situations which it is envisaged would be an ongoing requirement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the reduction in the total number of auxiliary coastguards if the recommendations of the review of the auxiliary coastguard service are implemented in full.

The review of the coastguard sector organisation and auxiliary service was accepted as a consultative document not a statement of intent. Local coastguard senior management is holding discussions with local interests and staff about the implications of the review's recommendations in each region. No decisions will be taken until these implications have been fully assessed and full account has been taken of local circumstances and conditions.It is therefore not yet possible to estimate what, if any, reduction there might be to the total number of auxiliary coastguards as a result of the implementation of the review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what regulations govern the licensing of minicabs and their drivers.

I assume that the hon. Member's question relates to the position in London. All London's minicabs and their drivers must operate within general motor vehicle regulations and traffic law. No specific licensing system is applicable to this group.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, consequent to his permission to London Regional Transport to increase its borrowing powers, what increase, or reduction, in services planned by that body will be in operation subsequent to the new financial arrangement.

On 14 February, my right hon. and learned Friend announced an increase of £62·55 million in London Transport's external finance limit for the current financial year. This will be achieved by the payment to London Transport of additional grant, not by an increase in borrowing powers. Of the £62·55 million additional grant, £55 million is needed in order to allow London Transport to meet its cash requirements for the remainder of the current financial year. The increase will allow London Transport to maintain present service levels during the remainder of this financial year. The announcement has no implications, favourable or adverse, for service levels in the coming financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, pursuant to his announcement of Wednesday 20 February of an investigation into incidents on the Central line of London Underground on Tuesday 19 February, he will seek and make it his policy to publish particulars concerning (a) the number of staff rostered and on duty, respectively, at platform level at Bethnal Green and Liverpool Street stations, respectively, at the commencement of the incident and (b) any changes in the arrangements for the overhaul and maintenance of Central line rolling stock that has occurred since 1984.

London Underground is undertaking an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incidents on the Central Line of 19 February. The Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate will consider the report when it is received and, subject to its findings, make any necessary recommendations. As far as rolling stock is concerned, day-to-day maintenance is an operational matter for the Underground. Current rolling stock will all be replaced by 85 brand new trains as part of the ongoing modernisation of the Central line, with the first of the trains due in service early next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research is being carried out into the fitting of air bags in cars to protect drivers and passengers involved in accidents; and if he will make a statement.

Research into air bags has been carried out for many years by the motor industry. By comparison with seat belts, air bags are expensive and are effective in protecting drivers and passengers only in certain types of accident. They should be regarded as a supplement and not an alternative to seat belts. Their safety potential is greater in the United States than here because seat belts are less widely worn there. Nevertheless, in view of their growing popularity in the United States and their apparent effectiveness in certain accidents, I have commissioned research to monitor these developments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with British Rail concerning disruption to services due to bomb scares.

My right hon. and learned Friend most recently discussed these matters with the chairmen of British Rail and London Transport, together with the chief constable of the British Transport Police on 27 February.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to require all new bicycles sold to be equipped with lights.

I have no such plans. Regulations already require cyclists to use good quality front and rear lights at night. Lights must be maintained in good working order and switched on between sunset and sunrise. The real problem is that too many cyclists fail to do this. This problem would not be addressed by requirements relating to sale of new bicycles. It is important for cyclists to see and be seen.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what actions have been taken since the appointment of a Minister in his Department to consider the environmental implications of his Department's policies; and if he will make a statement.

The Department makes every effort to identify and evaluate the environmental implications of transport policy decisions. There is a substantial programme of research and data collection to improve understanding of the problems.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a list of the equipment stolen from his Department in the last three years for which information is available; and what was the approximate value of each item.

Pursuant to the answer given on 11 February, details of equipment stolen from the Department in the last three financial years are set out in the tables.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which Minister in his Department attended the July 1990 TCS board meeting.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for the Crown Suppliers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much estate action funding has been made available for improvements on the Angell Town estate, Brixton, for the current year; and whether expenditure of those funds will be concluded in the current financial year.

In February 1990, Lambeth council was invited to work up further details of a proposed scheme on this estate. Estate action resources of some £2·9 million

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if any request has been received for technical assistance from the German Government to help the clean-up of defunct uranium mines.

I have been asked to reply. We have received no such approach.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the change in the level of aid to Peru since the election of President Fujimori.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what was the total of aid flows from the United Kingdom to the Andean group of countries in each of the last five years;(2) what percentage of United Kingdom aid flowing to the Andean group of countries is linked to income-generation projects;(3) what percentage of United Kingdom aid flowing to South American countries is linked to income-generation projects.

Details of total United Kingdom aid flows to the countries of the Andean Pact including Peru, in the last five years for which figures are available, are given in the following table:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the amounts of special financial assistance provided to the London borough of Greenwich for housing and other urban problems during each of the most recent five years.

In addition to the resources made available to the council from its housing investment (HIP) allocation and capital receipts, the London borough of Greenwich has received resources under the Department's specific housing and inner city programmes for each of the most recent five years as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of United Kingdom aid flowing to South America is linked to environmental projects.

Information on aid flows is not available in the form requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of United Kingdom aid flowing to Peru is linked to (a) environmental projects and (b) income-generation projects.

Aid statistics do not separately identify environmental or income-generating projects. The current programme of bilateral assistance to Peru includes support to veterinary services in the south of the country, with the aim of increasing the income of livestock owners. Allocations to this project constitute approximately 25 per cent. of bilateral funds. There are no environmental projects in the current bilateral programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total level of aid which flowed via the European Commission to (a) South American countries, (b) the Andean group of countries and (c) Peru in each of the last five years.

Total net official development assistance through the European Commission for the five year period up to 1988, the latest year for which figures are available, was as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what emergency aid the United Kingdom Government are providing to Peru to combat the outbreak of cholera.

In response to a request from the Peruvian Government, the Overseas Development Administration made an immediate cash contribution of US$20,000 through the Pan American Health Organisation which is co-ordinating the relief response.In addition, we are providing US$140,000 as Britain's share of the European Community's emergency aid.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions have been taken since the appointment of a Minister to consider the environmental implications of the Overseas Development Administration's policies; and if he will make a statement.

A wide variety of work is under way to implement the commitments set out in the White Paper, "This Common Inheritance" published in September 1990. The FCO departmental report published earlier this month described some of this activity.For example, in November 1990, the Government announced a new public expenditure sub-programme, separate from the budget for aid for developing countries, on global environmental assistance. From this we have pledged £40·3 million to the core fund of the global environment facility to be established under the leadership of the World bank, UNDP and UNEP. We have approved a number of new forestry projects. The strategic studies on ODA's role in the conservation of biological diversity referred to in the White Paper are now complete and will be discussed in a workshop in ODA on 8 March. We are discussing finance for studies on the impacts of climate change with the Government's of Kenya and Ghana. We have held a number of training seminars on environmental issues for ODA staff, and more are planned. We are working on a revision of ODA's manual on environmental appraisal, first published in 1988. We continue to work closely with other development agencies, including the multilateral agencies, as well as with our partners in developing countries, to improve the environmental sustainability of all aid-financed activities.These examples are illustrative of our activities. I will describe our actions following up the White Paper in more detail when I address the Royal Geographical Society on 30 April, and copies of my speech will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Attorney-General what actions have been taken since the appointment of a Minister in the Lord Chancellor's Department to consider the environmental implications of his Department's policies; and if he will make a statement.

There is no separate Minister with responsibility for the environmental implications of the Lord Chancellor's policies: that rests with the Lord Chancellor himself. In following up the policies and initiatives set out in the Environment White Paper, the Lord Chancellor is particularly concerned to take forward the Department's action plan to help achieve the Government's target of a 15 per cent. cut in energy bills over the next five years; to contribute to the conservation of the heritage, particularly by preserving the fabric of courts designated as listed buildings; and to make use of the "Environmental Action Guide" issued by the Department of the Environment to assist managers in assessing the environmental aspects of their operations and establishing what can be done to improve them.

To ask the Attorney-General what actions have been taken since the appointment of a Minister in his Department to consider the environmental implications of his Department's policies; and if he will make a statement.

It is in the nature of the work of the legal secretariat to the Law Officers, the Treasury Solicitor's Department, the Crown prosecution service and Serious Fraud Office that it does not have a direct impact on the environment and the principal environmental concerns will be with the administration and running of those Departments.All the Departments will be making use of the "Environmental Action Guide" issued by the Department of the Environment, and a number of steps have already been taken to promote good environmental practice.The legal secretariat to the Law Officers, the Serious Fraud Office and the Treasury Solicitor's Department now use recycled paper for internal communications and for correspondence and the use of such paper is being considered in the Crown prosecution service.All new vehicles used by the Crown prosecution service under a contract hire scheme use unleaded fuel while others have been converted wherever this is technically possible. The Serious Fraud Office has obtained an undertaking from suppliers that any wooden furniture supplied is made from readily renewable sources of wood.All the Departments are giving consideration to the use of low-energy light bulbs wherever practicable.

To ask the Prime Minister what communication his Office has had with the electricity distribution companies or their representatives in the last three months; and on what subjects.

None, so far as I am aware.

To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations have been received by Her Majesty's Government from the international secretariat committee of nuclear-free local authorities.

None, so far as I am aware.

To ask the Prime Minister what parliamentary approval was given in principle to extra-statutory spending on cold weather payments.

Some cold weather payments will be of an extra-statutory nature, while others will be ex-gratia payments. Under the rules in "Government Accounting", the Treasury's guide to accounting and financial procedures in Government, they are reported as special payments.Transactions of a kind which Parliament cannot be supposed to have contemplated when Supply was granted (which will include special payments) are required to be drawn to the attention of Parliament in the relevant account when more than £100,000 in aggregate is paid out.

To ask the Prime Minister what subjects he intends to discuss during his forthcoming meeting with President Gorbachev.

There will be no fixed agenda for the meeting, which is expected to cover a range of topics of mutual interest, including the middle east, European security, and British-Soviet bilateral relations.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy during his forthcoming meeting with President Gorbachev to raise the matter of a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty.

I have no plans to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health for each health authority covering the Kent area (1) what is the most recent figure for the number of people on the day patient waiting list;(2) what was the number of people on the in-patient waiting list in

The information requested and the latest information available at March 1990 is given in the table. It is the time patients wait which is important, not total numbers on the list. In the 12 months to March 1990, the number of patients waiting over a year for in-patient treatment in South East Thames as a whole fell by 1 per cent. The number of day cases waiting over a year fell by 4 per cent. in the same period. Since 1979 the region has increased the number of in-patients treated by 23 per cent. and the number of day cases by 96 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will issue a circular to health authorities and hospital trusts reviewing the procedures involved in still-birth cases, what information he has on burials being refused to still-born children where certificates of death have been withheld; how many still-births and miscarriages occurred in the United Kingdom in the last 12 months; and what plans he has to introduce legislation to change the definition of still birth and the present gestational upper limits of still-birth definition.

Detailed guidance on procedures in respect of still-born babies is contained in circulars DS 211/75, HN(76)18 and HN(85)31, copies of which are available in the Library.Information about burials of still-born children and the number of miscarriages is not collected centrally. A total of 3,688 stillbirths occurred in the United Kingdom in 1989, the latest year for which figures are available.As soon as a suitable legislative opportunity arises, the Government will seek Parliament's agreement to amend the definition of still-birth to include babies born dead after the 24th week of gestation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what level of charges are imposed on local authorities who submit samples of food to the public health laboratory service for analysis.

At present laboratories of the public health laboratory service analyse a limited number of food samples for local authorities free of charge. There are plans to put this arrangement on to a contractual basis in future in English laboratories, and contracts will show the charges to be applied for any work which may be required above an agreed minimum. Such charges will reflect the cost to the laboratories of the additional work. Corresponding arrangements in Wales are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on mortality resulting from concentrations of benzene in the air.

None.Benzene is toxic at high doses and is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a human carcinogen. However, exposure of the general population to benzene—from all sources combined—is very low compared with that of the special occupational groups that have been studied and the health effects attributable to it are difficult to assess. It is therefore not possible, on present information, to attribute any specific excess mortality to environmental exposure to benzene.The Department of Health, in conjunction with several other Government Departments, is funding research by the Small Area Health Statistics Unit (SAHSU). SAHSU is an independent body based at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. It has built up a comprehensive database on the distribution of mortality (by specified cause) and on the incidence of cancer related to small areas of the country. It is currently undertaking studies of the incidence of mortality and cancer in the neighbourhood of industrial installations, including benzene works.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether it is the policy of his Department Ito mark property with an indelible mark or similar means of identification.

It is not the Department's present policy to mark property in this way. The matter is, however, currently under active consideration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account is taken by his Department of indices of deprivation (a) in allocating funds to regional health authorities and (b) in setting the guidelines for the allocation of funds by regional health authorities to district health authorities; what indices of deprivation are approved by his Department for this purpose; and how they are compiled.

The formula used for making allocations based on weighted capitation to RHAs makes no use of indices of deprivation. The formula does, however, use standardised mortality ratios as an indicator of the relative health of regional populations.We are currently analysing regional proposals for implementing weighted capitation at district level and will be drawing up a national policy on the formula to be used, including any factors for the weighting of deprivation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what actions have been taken since the appointment of a Minister in his Department to consider the environmental implications of his Department's policies; and if he will make a statement.

The Department, like all others, has been active in implementing and developing the commitments made in the Environment White Paper "This Common Inheritance", since its publication in September.The Department has an over riding responsibility to protect the health of the public and this spans a wide range of environmental issues. For a majority of such issues (eg air and water quality) the Department's primary function is to provide advice to Government on the implications for human health of actual or potential environmental hazards. The Department has specific responsibilities for the public health aspects of food safety and for matters concerning communicable diseases.In the national health service, both regional and district health authorities are well aware of their responsibilities to the environment. We attach particular importance to their meeting the requirements of environmental protection legislation and to energy conservation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 21 January, Official Report, column 79, on the number of eye tests in Trent region, if he will review his policy on the provision of national health service sight tests for all.

There are no plans to change the current policy for free national health service sight tests. We believe it is right that those people who can afford to do so should pay for their optical costs. Provision has been made for the more vulnerable groups in the community, such as children, those in receipt of income support or family credit and people with special medical needs to continue to receive free sight tests under the NHS.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the level of funding for capital expenditure for primary and secondary schools during each of the last five years.

Capital spending by county councils for education and other services is covered by the issue of credit approvals (formerly capital allocations) which convey permission to borrow. The majority of resources to individual councils are distributed by means of a formula and are not hypothecated to specific schemes or to particular services. At an all-Wales level the total assumed gross provision for capital spending on education was:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the level of hospital and community health services' expenditure on (a) staff now covered by pay review bodies, (b) other staff and (c) goods and services, in cash and constant prices, in each year since 1978–79.

[holding answer 28 January 1991]: Information derived from annual accounts submitted to the Department is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the progress of the priority estates project in Wales.

I was pleased to have had the opportunity of addressing the PEP conference, "Quality Matters", on 15 February to launch the report, "Locally Based Housing Services—Winning Customer Approval". I have placed copies in the Library of the House.The report reviews the entire PEP programme in Wales. It draws on key findings from previous reports, and especially from last year's surveys of PEP tenants' views about their homes and estates, and of the housing service they receive.PEP was intended to put tenants in the lead as regards decisions affecting their homes by decentralising local authorities' housing management and making it more customer-oriented. It has shown that decentralised management brings real improvement in performance; that tenants view localised services as providing good value for money; that targeting investment in response to tenants' wishes maximises its effect; and that tenant participation is an integral part of effect management.Several local authorities in the programme, and many others, too, have embarked upon wider centralisation of their housing management since PEP commenced. We estimate that up to 40 per cent. of council houses in Wales now receive a locally based housing service more or less along PEP lines.I commend the report to local authorities throughout Wales, as I am sure that they will find it valuable in pursuing further improvements in the management of their stock.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the (a) total and (b) per capita expenditure on capital projects wholly or partially financed by his Department in Clwyd and Gwynedd for the periods (i) 1974 to 1979 and (ii) 1979 to the present.

This information is not available except at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of Slate for Wales how much money has been spent on developing tertiary education by the local education authorities of Wales in each year from 1975 onwards.

The information requested is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the current numbers of surplus school pupil places in (a) the primary sector and (b) the secondary school sector in each local education authority district in Wales.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to the hon. Member for Gower (Mr. Wardell) on 18 February 1991 at cols. 43–44.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many fox destruction societies or clubs are registered with his Department; and what level of financial assistance they currently receive.

There are no fox destruction societies or clubs registered with the Welsh Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date he first discussed the construction of a new South Glamorgan TEC headquarters building at Dumballs road with the chairman of the TEC.

I have had no discussions with the chairman of the TEC on this subject.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide regional specialism funding to expand the number of in-patient children's beds at the Prince of Wales orthopaedic hospital, Rhydlafar, to meet the demand for leg-lengthening and analogous treatments.

There are no plans to provide central funding for these treatments, which will continue to be the responsibility of the district health authority under the new purchaser and provider functions which come into effect on 1 April 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of South Glamorgan health authority regarding the number of beds for the current intake of patients in the children's ward at the Prince of Wales Orthopaedic Hospital, Rhydlafar, Cardiff; and if he will make a statement.

None. This is a matter for South Glamorgan health authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what actions have been taken since the appointment of a Minister in his Department to consider the environmental implications of his Department's policies; and if he will make a statement.

The White Paper, "This Common Inheritance", is of special importance to Wales. That is why the White Paper has a special chapter on Wales and why I published a Welsh version of the abridged White Paper.Since its publication last September my Department, like all others, has been active in implementing and developing the commitments made in it. Our departmental report published on 15 February recorded progress with a wide range of initiatives, reflecting the White Paper's comprehensive review of policy affecting the environment. These included the two major initiatives by the Welsh Development Agency which I announced last September—"Landscape Wales" and "Urban Development Wales"—on which planned expenditure next year will be increased to £41 million as projected in the departmental report, and the 1991–92 urban programme package which I announced in December. This now stands at £6·6 million and will support many environmental improvements in the Principality.Other action I have taken to implement the principles of the White Paper include the publication of a design guide for roads in rural areas; the launch of an environmental competition for schools in Wales; and a conference on green belts in Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much money has been allocated by the United Kingdom Government towards energy conservation in each of the last 10 years.

Improvements in energy efficiency are promoted within a range of Government programmes. Information on some of these was given in the 1989 National Audit Office report, "National Energy Efficiency" (HC 547). It is not normally possible to attribute expenditure between the energy efficiency and other objectives of the programmes, and reliable estimates of total expenditure in each of the last 10 years is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the annual budget of the Energy Efficiency Office in each year since 1986.

Expenditure by the Energy Efficiency Office since 1986 is:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to report to Parliament on the outturn costs incurred in the privatisation of (a) the electricity distribution companies and (b) the electricity generating industry in England; and what is his latest estimate of (i) the pre-sale costs, including marketing and printing, and (ii) the direct sale costs, including stamp duty and underwriting fees, for each privatisation in each financial year.

The costs incurred in each preceding financial year, in connection with the privatisation of the electricity industry in England and Wales, are published each autumn in the appropriations accounts. As regards cost estimates, the Department had up until the end of March 1990 spent £18·7 million and has been granted provision through this year's supply estimates of a further £302·1 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give a detailed breakdown of his latest estimate of all costs incurred in the privatisation of the South Wales electricity board.

Costs incurred in the privatisation of the 12 regional electricity companies in England and Wales cannot meaningfully be broken down and attributed to individual companies in this way.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what actions have been taken since the appointment of a Minister in his Department to consider the environmental implications of his Department's policies; and if he will make a statement.

My Department, like all others, has been active in implementing and developing the commitments made in the Environment White Paper, "This Common Inheritance", since its publication in September 1990. Progress has been recorded in my Department's report "The Government's Expenditure Plans within the Energy Sector" (Cm. 1505), published on 7 February. Specific initiatives in the last few months include:

two meetings of my ministerial committee on energy efficiency, which is reviewing energy efficiency activities across Government and setting up a system for reporting energy efficiency improvements in the Government estate;

the launch of the home energy efficiency scheme for low-income households;

a long-term strategic review of the coal research and development programme, which includes research on cleaner coal combustion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when his Department first started excluding the costs of insurance premiums and freight from the cost of fuel imports in answering parliamentary questions.

It is appropriate, when directly comparing the values of fuel imports and exports, to exclude the costs of insurance and freight. Figures on fuel imports, both including and excluding the costs of insurance and freight, are published by the Central Statistical Office each month in the balance of payments press notice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the implications for the United Kingdom of the European energy charter adopted by the European Commission in February.

The Government support the objectives of the proposal for a European energy charter. The development and improved efficiency of the energy economies of eastern Europe and the Soviet Union are vital to their more general economic development; they are also important to the rest of Europe. There is a clear complementarity between the resources of the Soviet Union and the countries of eastern Europe and western technology, experience and finance. We hope that the charter will be of benefit to all signatories by creating an open and liberalised energy market throughout all of Europe, allowing for increased co-operation and trade. The paper which the European Commission has presented to member states suggests one possible way forward on the proposal; the initiative is still at an early stage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide a statistical breakdown of the characteristics of students in (a) higher education and (b) further education in Northern Ireland analysed by gender, aged over 25 years, country of origin and category of award for the past five years.

The information is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those bodies he consulted regarding the review of education maintenance allowances.

Other Government Departments and education and library boards were consulted in the course of the review, which also took into account representations received from other organisations and public representatives.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the expenditure on further education as a percentage of Northern Ireland gross domestic product for the past five years.

The percentage of gross domestic product at factor cost for recurrent expenditure on further education was:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those organisations which responded to the review of further education in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

The organisations which responded are listed below. Their views are being considered and an announcement on the way forward will be made in the early summer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number and value of discretionary awards awarded by each area board over the last five years.

The updated information is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the treatment of student union funds within the further education sector; and whether such funds will be delegated to colleges or treated as excepted items.

The question of the funding of student unions in further education colleges is a matter for education and library boards. Boards are currently in the process of preparing their schemes for local management of colleges and no decisions have yet been taken about whether this funding will be delegated to colleges or treated as an excepted item.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the recent decision to exclude modern language options in primary B.Ed courses in Northern Ireland.

At a time when a decline is expected in the demand for newly qualified primary teachers in Northern Ireland, the Department of Education has decided that teacher training institutions preparing such teachers should for the time being concentrate on those subjects that are compulsory for primary schools within the Northern Ireland common curriculum. Foreign languages are not part of the common curriculum at primary level and the Department has accordingly asked the institutions to cease offering such courses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consideration was given to recent reports from the modern languages committee and the House of Lords Select Committee on foreign language provision in the primary sector prior to the Department of Education's decision to exclude modern language options in primary B.Ed courses in Northern Ireland.

These reports have been considered by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science, who has not as a result altered his decision that foreign languages should not at present be part of the primary phases of the national curriculum in England and Wales. Consideration of these reports in Northern Ireland has also led to the conclusion that they do not provide a compelling reason for such a change in Northern Ireland, nor for a change in the decision about the subject content of teacher training courses for intending primary teachers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will review the recent decision to exclude French from primary B.Ed courses in colleges of education in Northern Ireland.

The Department of Education reviews the intakes to the teacher training institutions annually, with the aim of ensuring that the number of newly qualified teachers and their range of subject expertise will be sufficient to meet the future needs of schools in Northern Ireland. The 1991 intakes recently advised to institutions reflect the Department's estimate of what will be required in 1995: consideration of schools' likely needs in 1996 will take place later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will list those organisations consulted regarding the decision to exclude modern language options in primary B.Ed courses in Northern Ireland;(2) what consultations the Department of Education had on the inclusion of modern language teaching in primary B.Ed courses in colleges of education.

The decision is a logical consequence of the previous conclusion that such languages should not form part of the common curriculum for primary schools in Northern Ireland. A proposal to this effect was contained in the discussion document, "Education Reform in Northern Ireland—The Way Forward", published in 1988, in response to which comments from a very large number of individuals and organisations were received and considered.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to improve the conditions of custody of prisoner CJ0124.

I will write to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is the policy of his Department to mark property with an indelible mark or similar means of identification.

In some parts of the Department all items of electronic equipment are marked with an identification number and identifying mark; otherwise, records are kept of the manufacturer's serial number. Many other items of equipment carry identifying marks.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Iraqis, Palestinians and others are still detained without trial on security grounds; how many of these are claimed to be prisoners of war; by what legal authority the non-prisoners of war are held; in which prisons the latter are held; and how long the process of deciding whether the detainees should be released or expelled is expected to take.

On 27 February, 33 Iraqis, one Lebanese of Palestinian origin and one other were detained following service of notice to deport for reasons of national security and 32 Iraqis, believed to be serving members of Iraqi armed forces, were held in military custody as prisoners of war.The 35 detained under the Immigration Act 1971 are held on the authority of paragraph 2(2) or 2(3) of schedule 3 to the Act; 15 are detained in HM prison Full Sutton, 11 in Coldingley and nine in Wormwood Scrubs.All those held under immigration powers are scheduled to appear before the advisory panel by 1 March except for 10 who have requested that a hearing be deferred. If, after consideration of the advice, a deportation order is made, there is a 14-day period for lodging an appeal against removal to a specific destination.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many experiments or scientific procedures on living animals have been carried out by (a) Government Departments, (b) non-profit making organisations and (c) commercial concerns in each year since 1987;(2) how many experiments or scientific procedures on living animals were carried out at

The number of scientific procedures performed on living animals carried out in each category of designated place is given in table 22 of "Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain 1989" (Cm 1152), a copy of which is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many experiments or scientific procedures were carried out on each category of living animal in each year between 1987 and 1990.

The number of scientific procedures performed on each category of living animal is given in table 18 of "Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain 1989" (Cm 1152), a copy of which is in the Library. Figures for 1990 are not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many experiments or scientific procedures carried out on living animals were concerned with (a) diagnosis, (b) surgical technique, (c) safety, (d) production and (e) education in each year since 1987.

The number of scientific procedures performed on living animals in each of the categories requested is given in table 25 of "Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain 1989" (Cm 1152), a copy of which is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many LD50 tests have been instigated in each year since 1986.

The numbers of LD50 tests performed on living animals are given in table 14 of "Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain", 1987, 1988 and 1989 (Cm. 515, 743 and 1152 respectively), copies of which are in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions were undertaken in 1989 and 1990 into speeding by (a) heavy goods vehicles and (b) coaches.

The motoring offences information collected centrally does not include details of the type of vehicle involved.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what actions have been taken since the appointment of a Minister in his Department to consider the environmental implications of his Department's policies; and if he will make a statement.

My Department has had close regard to the commitments made in the Environment White Paper, "This Common Inheritance", since its publication in September, as they apply to relevant policies and practices. For example, the energy management group is actively pursuing a wide range of initiatives on the Home Office estate to achieve and, we hope, exceed the 15 per cent. energy savings target over the next five years. Trials are presently being conducted into the use of waste-derived fuel. We intend also to follow the guidance in the forthcoming "Environmental Action Guide". Crime prevention schemes in our safer cities programme have included some local environmental improvement work; some neighbourhood watch schemes involve local communities in litter clearance and graffiti removal. My Department was also closely involved in the production of the noise review working party report, published in October 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Maureen Amaker Mgbadike, Desiree Adina Caesar, Nana Adoma Frimpomaah and Abiodun Omolara Kafo, who escaped from East Sutton Park on 22 November 1987, 9 September and 21 September 1989 have since been recaptured.

No. These four women are still unlawfully at large.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 25 February to the right hon. Member for Swansea, West on recaptures of escapees, which of the escapees were on drug-related offences; which of the escapees were in debt to the courts; and which escapees' passports are in the possession of the Home Office.

The six women concerned had all been convicted of drug offences. None is known to have been in debt to the courts at the time of their escapes. Four passports are in the possession of the immigration service; one is held by the Customs and Excise Department; and one has been returned to the Jamaican High Commission.