To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement of the achievements of his Department since October 1990.

My Department has continued to ensure that Britain's growing transport needs are met with regard to safety, efficiency and with proper respect for the environment.Serious road casualties have continued to fall. In particular, road deaths in the year ending June 1991 were at their lowest level since 1948, despite a ninefold increase in the volume of traffic in the intervening period. We are continuing to promote greater transport safety through regulation, publicity and investment. The Road Traffic Act has reformed road traffic law in the light of the North report and will ensure that bad driving and drink driving are properly punished. The law on the wearing of seat belts has been extended to passengers travelling in the rear seats of cars. We have enhanced our road safety publicity campaigns under the "Safety on the Move" umbrella, notably on drinking and driving and child road safety. For the first time, expenditure of over £30 million was specifically earmarked in the 1991–92 transport supplementary grant settlement for low-cost safety schemes.Increasing sums are also being spent on improving the safety of public transport. British Rail plans to spend over £200 million on specific safety measures during the current year and London Underground plans to spend over £80 million this year on further safety improvements. We have helped to secure international agreement at the International Maritime Organisation to improvements in standards for ro-ro ferries, oil tankers and bulk carriers. Under the powers in the Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990, measures have been introduced for the first time for the security of passenger shipping. Existing aviation security measures have been strengthened and new ones are being developed. A new transport security division has been created within the Department, with enhanced resources.Significant progress has been made towards the reduction of pollution from motor vehicles. Agreement has been reached in Brussels on substantially tougher emission standards for both cars and lorries. Since 1 November, thme annual MOT test has included a test on vehicle emissions.Investment in transport infrastructure by both the public and private sectors is at historically high levels. The electrification of British Rail's east coast main line, at a cost of some £450 million, was completed in June 1991. British Rail invested more than £800 million in total in 1990–91—the highest in real terms in a single year since the transition from steam to diesel in the 1960s—and is expected to invest over £1 billion in the current year. London Underground investment, currently running at about £450 million a year, is also at record levels. The increased EFLs for 1992–93 announced in the autumn statement—£2,040 million for BR and £1,210 million for LT—are further evidence of the Government's commitment to the railways.Provision for national trunk roads and motorways is being maintained at over £2 billion a year and has been more than doubled since 1988–89. The opening of the M40 extension to Birmingham in January 1991, and of the M20 between Maidstone and Ashford in May 1991, closed important gaps in the English motorway network. Since October 1990, we have opened over 150 miles of new or improved trunk roads, including 15 new bypasses.We have continued to take steps to encourage an enhanced role for the private sector in the provision of transport infrastructure. The new Queen Elizabeth II bridge between Dartford and Thurrock was financed and constructed entirely by the private sector. The New Roads and Street Works Act has introduced new procedures for the authorisation of privately financed roads. We have announced our choice of concessionaire for the Birmingham northern relief road.To encourage private sector participation in the railways, I have written to the chairman of British Rail asking BR to respond positively to reasonable proposals from the private sector to run new passenger and freight services, to charge fairly for the use of railway facilities and to allow private operators to use their own locomotives and train crew if they wish.We have secured the passage of legislation to enable trust ports to move into the private sector and a number of them are now seeking to do so.The Government have remained at the forefront of moves to liberalise the provision of air transport services, both within the European Community and through bilateral arrangements with other countries around the world. Since March 1991, airlines have been better able to match services at Heathrow to the needs of passengers, following our removal of most of the traffic distribution rules governing access to the airport.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 12 November, Official Report, column 426–27, if he will list the number of days on which portions of the carriageways of the A45 between Bury St. Edmunds and Newmarket and Bury St. Edmunds and Stowmarket have been closed for purposes of routine maintenance and work by public utilities.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what investigations he or the transport and road research laboratory, made of the cases where a blind spot in a rear view mirror has (a) caused or (b) was a potential factor in any road accident.

It is only possible to identify the rear-view mirror blind spot reliably as being a contributory factor to an accident when vehicles are reversing. A Transport and Road Research Laboratory study of such accidents involving fatalities and serious injuries shows that a majority are caused by error or negligence, but that rear view blind spots are also a factor in most cases.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement indicating the frequency of surveys undertaken on the wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery close to the Isle of Sheppey; what are the current measures being taken to protect the wreck; and if he has any plans to review the policy of maintaining these measures and otherwise leaving the wreck undisturbed.

The site of this dangerous wreck is designated as a prohibited area under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973. It has been clearly marked as such on charts, and by notices attached to the wreck. A notice to mariners has also been issued designating the site as a foul area where trespassers are liable to prosecution.A number of surveys have been carried out in the wreck. Following expert advice, the last two surveys have been at roughly five-year intervals. As my hon. Friend is aware, the most recent survey was completed by September this year and I hope to make a statement as soon as we have reached conclusions about the findings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding the placing of roadside advertisements with the slogan "road ahead flooded"; and if he will make a statement.

I have received a copy of a complaint made to the Advertising Standards Authority about this advertisement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he is making to the European Commission's Transport Commissioner Karel van Miert to block a French Government subsidy of £200 million to Air France.

No formal representations were invited on this particular issue and I made none; but I continue to press the Commissioner for a report which he has promised on the whole issue of state aids in air transport.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether any assistance was given to Vale Royal Porcelain Ltd., when the company moved from Stoke on Trent to Wrexham; and whether the company is currently in receipt of grant aid or other assistance from his Department.

The company was entitled to and received regional development grant.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he carries out of the financial viability of companies before providing them with relocation assistance.

I refer the hon. Lady to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 19 November 1991. Similar procedures operate in my Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he intends to take to improve the teaching of mathematics in primary schools.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is in the process of implementing a national curriculum for mathematics in primary schools. The curriculum is aimed at improving standards, including basic mthematical skills. Pupils between the ages of five and nine are currently being taught the curriculum and from August 1993 it will apply to all primary school pupils.The results of the first national curriculum tests for mathematics of seven-year-olds show that 74 per cent. of pupils have reached the expected standard (level 2) or higher. These results are encouraging but there is scope for further improving basic mathematical skills. Advice has been sought from the School Examinations and Assessment Council on the detail of the results. Once this is available my right hon. Friend and I will decide what further guidance teachers might require.Copies of the bulletin giving details of the test results have been sent to all primary school headteachers and directors of education so that they can make their own comparisons of performance and to ensure that standards in their schools are kept under regular review.Her Majesty's inspectorate (Wales), as part of its ongoing programme of inspection of individual schools, will look closely at the standards of teaching in mathematics. Where the inspectorate report unacceptably low standards the local education authority will be asked about the improvements it proposes to make.Grant support will continue to be made available to assist local education authorities in 1992–93 to provide training and support to teachers implementing the national curriculum, including the mathematics curriculum.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to ensure that each secondary school in Wales has a full-time careers teacher.

It is for local education authorities and schools to decide whether to appoint careers teachers to secondary schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children sat the language assessment for key stage 1 in the standard assesment tasks (a) in English and (b) in Welsh in each of the local education authority areas in Wales.

The information requested is as follows:

Local Education Authority	Number of pupils assessed in the subjects of:
	English	1Welsh
Clwyd	4,079	514
Dyfed	2,441	1,625
Gwent	5,375	132
Gwynedd	400	2,267
Mid Glamorgan	6,369	813
Powys	1,211	167
South Glamorgan	4,804	297
West Glamorgan	4,084	403
Wales	28,763	6,218
1 The assessment of Welsh in 1991 was not a statutory requirement and was tested on a pilot basis only.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children sat the language standard assessment task at key stage 1 in the current year in (a) English and (b) Welsh at each individual primary school in Dyfed.

My right hon. Friend has given an undertaking to headteachers, local education authorities and teachers' unions that no data collected on the national curriculum key stage 1 assessments for 1991 will be published by the Department at individual school level.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the cost involved in centrally collecting information of the numbers of people in arrears for the poll tax for 1990–91.

We have not estimated the cost involved in centrally collecting information on the numbers of people in arrears for community charge. The department collects information from charging authorities on the amounts of community charge received and outstanding.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he considered that the proposed Cardiff bay barrage required an environment impact assessment to be carried out in accordance with articles 5 to 10 of European Council directive 85/337/EEC.

The directive indicates that it is not applied to "projects the details of which are adopted by specific acts of national legislation, since the objectives of this directive, including that of supplying information, are achieved through the legislative process". However, in accordance with Standing Orders, an environmental statement has been supplied and published, and while article 7 is not considered to be relevant in this case, it is clearly right that in its consideration of the Bill, Parliament should assess the environmental effects of the project in accordance with the provisions of the directive identified in the question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to meet other EC partners to discuss an arms embargo on the sale of all arms and military equipment to Indonesia.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now review his policy on the introduction of an embargo on the sales of arms and military equipment to Indonesia.

No. Our policy remains as stated by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in his answer of 18 March.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on how each EC Government and national assembly plan to implement and approve the legislation to enact treaty provisions on political, economic and monetary union.

Article 236 of the treaty of Rome requires that any amendments to the treaty be ratified by all member states in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements. These vary between member states and in many cases will depend on the content of the new treaties agreed at Maastricht.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he has taken concerning the continental shelf around the Falkland Islands; and if he will make a statement.

The question of oil in the south Atlantic, specifically in the continental shelf off Patagonia and around the Falkland Islands, has been receiving increasing attention in recent years. Her Majesty's Government have been in contact with the Falkland Islands Government on the matter.Having considered proposals by the Falkland Islands Government, my right hon. Friend has instructed the Governor of the Falkland Islands to take the necessary legislative measures to provide for the exercise of the Crown's rights over the sea bed and the sub-soil of the continental shelf around the Falkland Island's.In addition, an ordinance known as the Continental Shelf Bill 1991, will be laid before the Legislative Council of the Falkland Islands. Upon entry into force, this would allow seismic surveying to take place under licence in designated areas of the continental shelf.Officials from the British and Argentine Governments will meet shortly to explore the scope for co-operation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those topics and areas for discussion concerning Hong Kong at meetings of the Joint Liaison Group upon which there will be prior consultation with LEGCO.

[holding answer 21 November 1991]: Under the terms of the joint declarations the proceedings of the joint liaison group (the main role of which is to conduct consultations on the implementation of the joint declaration and to discuss matters relating to the smooth transfer of government in 1997) are confidential unless the two sides agree otherwise. The joint declaration stipulates that the JLG shall play no part in the administration of Hong Kong before or after 1997. The implementation in Hong Kong of some agreements reached in the JLG requires new legislation or the provision of funds by the Legislative Council. The Hong Kong Government wish to build up a co-operative partnership with the council, and intend to provide members with all the information and explanations that they need to assess the Administration's policies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations were made to the Government of Kenya about the recent suppression of dissidents.

Her Majesty's Government have constantly stressed the need to respect freedom of expression and the importance of outlets for legitimate dissent in Kenya. Immediately news of the arrest of the dissidents was received in London on 15 November, the Kenyan deputy high commissioner was summoned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and told of our concern. Parallel action was taken by our high commission in Nairobi. We hope that those arrested will be released immediately so that progress can be made on President Moi's expressed willingness to move towards multi-party democracy.

To ask the Attorney-General what estimate of eligibility on income grounds, by reference to a percentage of households and population, is made in relation to green form legal advice for 1979, 1989 and 1990 using the same methodology as adopted to produce the estimates for civil legal aid set out in table 3 of annex A to the consultation paper on eligibility for legal aid published in June 1991 by the Lord Chancellor's Department.

No estimates have been made of eligibility for green form legal advice and assistance. Eligibility for legal advice and assistance will be considered at a later stage of the Lord Chancellor's review of financial conditions for legal aid.

To ask the Attorney-General what is the current timetable for the review of legal aid announced by the Lord Chancellor on 13 November 1989; by what date under this timetable the review team intends to respond to submissions to its consultation on civil legal aid eligibility released in November 1991; what further consultations on what subjects are planned by the review team; and by what date the review team currently intends to complete its tasks.

Responses to the consultation paper on non-matrimonial civil legal aid are now being considered and proposals will be issued in the first half of 1992. It is expected that a consultation paper on the financial conditions for legal aid in criminal proceedings will be published in the summer of 1992 and that the review team will then begin work on legal aid for matrimonial and family matters and legal advice and assistance with the aim of completing its work in 1993.

To ask the Attorney-General what plans the Government have to establish further commercial courts outside London.

The commercial court sits at the Royal Courts of Justice in London to hear disputes, mainly arising from the international commercial activities of the City of London.Commercial lists have been established at Manchester and Liverpool comprising general commercial business cases. Further such lists in other parts of the country will be considered should local business communities demonstrate a need.

To ask the Attorney-General what percentage of county courts and district registries now have user committees.

Of 288 county courts and combined court centres (including part-time caller offices), 112 (39 per cent.) are at present covered by court user committees. Plans are in hand to cover a further 23 courts, bringing the percentage to 47 per cent.Of 24 district registries, 13 (54 per cent.) are covered by court user committees. The percentage will increase to 75 per cent. when five further district registries are covered in the near future.

To ask the Attorney-General if he will place in the Library a copy of the judgment R. v. Bristol City Council and Another, ex-parte Willsman and Another 17 October 1991.

I have, as requested, arranged for a copy of the judgment R v. Bristol City Council and Another, ex-parte Willsman and Another, 17 October 1991, to be placed in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the statutory provisions which set out the circumstances in which a person serving overseas with the United Kingdom armed forces or a member of the family of such an individual may raise a civil action in an English court concerning a criminal offence committed in a place outwith the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

By virtue of the Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982, which gives effect to the Brussels convention on jurisdiction and the enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters, persons in another EC member state, including members of our armed forces, may sue in an English court in respect of any wrongful act done to them, whether or not it constituted a criminal offence, if the defendant is domiciled in England and Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the current targets for his Department's offices in Wales for meeting (a) delivery and (b) accuracy of benefits administered.

The setting of targets for district offices is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants applied for grants or loans under the social fund during the financial year 1990–91 in each of the benefit offices in Wales; how many applications were turned down and for what reason; what was the average size of the grant, crisis loan or budgetary loan in the year; and if he will provide comparable figures for the first six months of 1991–92.

I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, that the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the proposal to close the Neath branch of the Benefits Agency.

The operation of the network of Benefits Agency district offices is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

Crime, Population and Police Manpower, by English Police Authority
1990 (except where stated)
Police force	Population mid-year 1989	Police manpower	Arrests (all offences)	Arrests per police officer	Recorded crime2	Crimes per police officer	Crimes per 1,000 population	Crimes not cleared-up 1,000 population
Avon and Somerset	1,413,700	3,127	42,421	14	127,052	41	90	63
Bedfordshire	531,168	1,092	17,705	16	53,701	49	101	77
Cambridgeshire	655,047	1,211	18,389	15	44,565	37	68	42
Cheshire	958,562	1,937	27,823	14	55,462	29	58	27
Cleveland	552,836	1,516	26,584	18	73,878	49	134	96
Cumbria	491,627	1,217	19,479	16	33,344	27	68	37
Derbyshire	929,401	1,786	23,079	13	60,421	34	65	41
Devon and Cornwall	1,493,970	2,914	31,404	11	92,127	32	62	41
Dorset	656,827	1,308	17,487	13	47,912	37	73	47
Durham	596,928	1,401	25,965	19	54,406	39	91	56
Essex	1,464,129	2,940	39,990	14	95,924	33	66	46
Gloucestershire	529,494	1,179	17,043	14	42,394	36	80	53
Greater Manchester	2,582,384	7,134	116,678	16	338,591	47	131	82

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update his answer of 20 March 1990, Official Report, column 597, on the gross cost of uprating the retirement pension by average earnings in each year since 1980–81 at 1991 prices.

[holding answer 5 November 1991]: The information is given in the table, based on 1991–92 prices.It is only possible to estimate the net cost for the current year, 1991–92, in which it would have been £4·43 billion allowing for a reduction of £0·28 billion of income support; £0·26 billion of community charge benefit; and £0·72 billion of housing benefit.

Estimated extra cost of retirement pension with upratings in line with average earnings1
Financial year	Gross cost (£ billion)2
1980–81	0·13
1981–82	0·51
1982–83	0·64
1983–84	0·72
1984–85	1·37
1985–86	1·53
1986–87	2·41
1987–88	3·56
1988–89	4·35
1989–90	5·20
1990–91	5·65
1991–92	5·69
1 Actual average earnings, whole economy.
2 1991–92 prices.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by English police authority (a) the population covered by that authority, (b) the police force establishment of that authority, (c) the police force establishment of that authority, (d) the number of arrests per officer, (e) the total number of reported crimes, (f) the number of crime per officer, (g)the total number of crimes per 1,000 population and (h) the total number of unsolved crimes per 1,000 population.

The information requested is provided for 1990 in the table.

Police force	Population mid-year 1989	Police manpower	Arrests (all offences)	Arrests per police officer	Recorded crime2	Crimes per police officer	Crimes per 1,000 population	Crimes not cleared-up 1,000 population
Hampshire	1,676,412	3,230	63,171	20	120,329	37	72	47
Hertfordshire	840,560	1,689	22,648	13	46,339	27	55	38
Humberside	856,250	2,020	36,066	18	104,467	52	122	74
Kent	1,523,673	3,056	47,007	15	103,301	34	68	49
Lancashire	1,390,794	3,257	57,235	18	108,273	33	78	37
Leicestershire	891,926	1,817	24,949	14	72,784	40	82	52
Lincolnshire	586,855	1,236	21,474	17	39,187	32	67	37
City of London	4,267	815	4,809	6	7,100	9	3—	3—
Merseyside	1,447,983	4,771	69,207	14	139,208	29	96	50
Metropolitan Police District	7,223,077	28,278	1116,865	14	834,324	30	116	93
Norfolk	748,501	1,416	22,727	16	54,625	39	73	45
Northamptonshire	576,059	1,168	18,242	16	48,119	41	84	53
Northumbria	1,431,721	3,595	65,694	18	203,825	57	142	79
North Yorkshire	722,305	1,406	20,221	14	46,252	33	64	37
Nottinghamshire	1,014,822	2,377	45,468	19	133,166	56	131	83
South Yorkshire	1,295,191	3,031	43,979	15	107,314	35	83	44
Staffordshire	1,038,990	2,229	36,861	17	72,513	33	70	41
Suffolk	641,029	1,221	13,905	11	37,743	31	59	34
Surrey	743,803	1,690	20,920	12	42,579	25	57	41
Sussex	1,416,690	3,048	37,358	12	94,914	31	67	49
Thames Valley	1,960,401	3,765	59,098	16	148,025	39	76	55
Warwickshire	483,060	1,039	13,161	13	32,903	32	68	47
West Mercia	1,078,501	2,063	32,285	16	62,937	30	58	30
West Midlands	2,615,409	7,030	123,868	18	264,769	38	101	63
West Yorkshire	2,066,609	5,371	84,172	16	236,012	44	114	73
Wiltshire	558,395	1,193	14,507	12	33,578	28	60	33
1 Arrests figures on notifiable offences only.
2 Crime figures relate to notifiable offences recorded by the police.
3 Not applicable.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inmates would be accommodated by the cells which are not in use at London prisons due to work taking place on the installation of an internal sanitation system within those prisons.

On Tuesday 19 November there were 351 cells out of use in London local prisons and remand centres because of work to install integral sanitation. The certified normal accommodation for these cells is 351, but if they were to be used at previous levels of overcrowding some 412 prisoners would be accommodated.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures will be taken to ensure that private prison staff will be checked for suitability and be trained to the same standard as Her Majesty's prison service standards.

The Criminal Justice Act 1991 requires the director and other custodial staff of any contracted out prison to be certified by the Secretary of State as prisoner custody officers. The Act further provides that the Secretary of State may issue a certificate only if he is satisfied that they are fit and proper persons and have received training from the contractor to the approved standard.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the regulations in the code of practice for the housing and care of animals used in scientific procedures relating to the temperatures at which old and new world primates should be kept, to reflect the fact that these groups of primates include species which come from widely different climates.

The code of practice, which was based closely on guidelines produced by the Royal Society and the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, sets out optimal room temperature ranges for new world primates and old world primates used in scientific procedures. These temperature ranges are considered to meet the welfare needs of the animals and we have no plans to review them.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to whom prison-based special branch operations are accountable.

The direction and control of all police operations is a matter for the chief officer of the police force concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to review the nature of special branch operations in England and Wales, and in particular the accountability of such operations; and if he will make a statement.

I have no plans to do so. The conduct of police operations is a matter for the chief constable of the police force concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his Department's advertising campaign to encourage the registration of overseas voters, including the total amount spent so far and the number of overseas voters who have registered as a result.

No advertising or publicity to inform British citizens abroad of their voting rights was undertaken by the Home Office this year, apart from the updating of posters used in British diplomatic posts abroad at a cost of £1,400. We shall make known to the House in due course the number of overseas electors included on the draft electoral register for 1992–93.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what parts of Judge Tumim's report to him regarding the recent gaol escape from Brixton were not published; and if he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons advised me that for reasons of security he believed that much of his report could not be published, and that to publish it as it stood would endanger the remaining security at Brixton and the safety of individuals. I concurred with that view and published those parts which Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons considered could be published.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether the July 1991 Brixton escapees had or were made aware of any drawings or plans of the prison by any member of the prison staff;(2) who authorised the activities organised by Staffordshire police in Brixton gaol in late 1990 and early 1991.

The allegations on which the questions appear to be based fall to be considered by Mr. Colin Bailey, whose appointment was announced by the chief constable of Staffordshire on 20 November.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have now been taken to court and convicted for non-payment of the poll tax in England and Wales; how many have received prison sentences; how many have turned up on court to argue their cases; how many hours of court time have been involved and, based on the average cost per hour of a magistrates court, at what cost to public funds.

During the period 1 April 1990 to 30 September 1991 magistrates courts in England and Wales made 5·7 million community charge liability orders and issued 2,788 warrants committing non-payers to prison; 23,456 court sitting hours were devoted to community charge enforcement at an estimated cost of about £5 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the Lakes and Hadfield review of prison security.

As I indicated yesterday, my right hon. Friend has recently received from Chief Constable Hadfield and Mr. Lakes the report of their audit of custody arrangements for category A prisoners and of their inquiry into DOC1 division in prison service headquarters, and is considering it. He hopes to publish a summary in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the number of police officers deployed in the vicinity of Wandsworth gaol on 7 July.

I understand from the commissioner that two inspectors, two sergeants and 20 police constables were deployed in the vicinity of Wandsworth prison on 7 July 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of crimes which have occurred but which have not been reported to the police during the last 12 months.

[holding answer 21 November 1991]:The fourth British crime survey, fieldwork for which will be in early 1992, will provide an estimate for 1991. Some types of crime are not covered by the survey, such as those where the victim is an organisation or institution, rather than an individual.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to make representations to his opposite numbers in the EC to prevent pornographic material being transmitted from foreign-owned satellites and broadcast by cable into United Kingdom households; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 21 November 1991]:I have no such plans. The EC Directive on Transfrontier Broadcasting includes standards of taste and decency.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for each of the eight retail institutions undertaking the sale of BT shares the body which regulates their share-selling capacity.

The regulatory bodies that regulate the conduct of the selected retailers investment business are listed on page 47 of the prospectus for the British Telecommunications plc offer for sale which was published on 21 November. A copy has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions have taken place with volunteer drivers of the hospital car service in Devon regarding taxation of the hospital car service mileage allowance.

The position is that motor mileage allowances paid to volunteer drivers who use a car on health service business are liable to tax to the extent that the allowances exceed the costs of running and maintaining the car for the miles travelled for the health service and so result in a profit. Letters have been sent to individual drivers explaining the position and setting out arrangements which will enable drivers, if they wish, to read off the approximate profit figure, if any, from tables calculated by the Inland Revenue. Alternatively, drivers can calculate their taxable profits themselves by reference to the actual mileage payments they receive and their actual expenses.I understand that the Inland Revenue has not held any formal discussions with volunteer drivers in Devon on this matter, but the letters to which I have referred suggested that drivers should contact their tax offices if they were unclear about their tax position, and I am told that the Inland Revenue has responded to a number of such inquiries.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider building an exceptional depreciation allowance into the mileage rates applied to the voluntary drivers of the hospital car service.

The Inland Revenue's "tax-free" mileage rates already include an allowance for depreciation. These rates are used in a voluntary, administrative arrangement designed by the Inland Revenue to reduce record keeping for health authorities and volunteer drivers, but it is open to drivers to choose to have any profit element in their mileage allowances taxed on the strict statutory basis if they believe the Revenue's "tax-free" rates do not cover their expenses. However, in that case, drivers must keep records of all their motoring costs and miles driven, both privately and for the hospital car service, to enable the actual profit to be calculated and charged to tax in the normal way.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the net average annual financial contribution to the Exchequer, for the 10-year period before their privatisation, of each nationalised industry privatised over the last 10 years.

This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The information that is readily available, including information on the major nationalised industries' external financial requirements since 1978–79, is published in chapter 6 of the "Statistical Supplement to the 1990 Autumn Statement"—Cm. 1520.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made since his announcement of the introduction of monthly VAT returns for the largest VAT payers.

In his announcement on 21 October, at columns 317–18, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer advised that business representatives would be consulted on the details of this change.Customs and Excise has now produced a consultation paper, which has been issued initially to some 57 trade associations, representatives bodies and individual businesses, including the 17 members of the joint VAT consultation committee. A copy of the paper has been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what methods are being used to distribute a copy of the citizens charter to every home; what is the estimated cost of (a) preparing, (b) printing and (c) distributing it; how many copies have been printed; which commercial firms are being used for its distribution; by what process they were selected; which companies were appointed; and at what cost to public funds.

[holding answer 21 November 1991]:Neither the White Paper on the "Citizen's Charter" —Cm. 1599—nor the accompanying short guide is being distributed to every home. Cm. 1599 is available, priced £8.50, from HMSO. The short guide is available free of charge. Details of preparation, printing and distribution costs were given in the Prime Minister's replies to the hon. Members for Blackburn (Mr. Straw) and for the Wrekin (Mr. Grocott) on 25 July 1991, Official Report, columns 781–82.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many additional staff have been employed on the preparation of the text of the citizens charter; at what cost; and from which budget these costs have been met.

[holding answer 21 November 1991]:No additional staff were employed on the preparation of the text of the citizens charter. The work was done by civil servants from the central Departments as part of their normal duties.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost of producing the White Paper, "Competing for Quality"; and how much the Government expect to raise through sales of the White Paper.

[holding answer on 21 November 1991]:The cost of printing, publishing and distribution were borne by HMSO which aims to recover these costs from the anticipated sales revenue of around £30,000. In addition, design costs of £10,700 were borne by HM Treasury.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies his Department is carrying out on the occurrence of stress and burnout, or related psychosocial morbidity, amongst health workers involved in the management of people with HIV infection and disease; what information he has as to levels of staff turnover, absenteeism and illness amongst such workers; and if he will make a statement.

None. However, a research proposal dealing with this question is currently being considered by the Department. No information on the levels of staff turnover, absenteeism and illness specifically among such workers is held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the role of oilseed rape in the causation of asthma.

Some individuals may be allergic to the pollen and other products of oilseed rape, as they may be to other crops and plants. However, there is no conclusive evidence of a link between oilseed rape and increased incidence of asthma. The Government have given financial support to a project based at Aberdeen university which is looking at possible effects on public health caused by oilseed rape. It will be some time before the results of the study are known.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement after the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Baroness Hooper's meeting with dentists from Dorset, about the suspension of the national health service dental service for children;(2) what steps he intends to take to ensure the continuation of national health service dental services for children in Dorset.

There is no question of national health service dental services for children being suspended in Dorset or anywhere else. Dorset has the second highest level of children registered with a dentist in England.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to amend the health service superannuation scheme to enable part-time staff to receive on retirement a pension entitlement equivalent to that paid to someone with the same total number of years service who has achieved that service in full-time employment.

We have no plans to change the present arrangements. Pension benefits for full-time and part-time staff are calculated according to a common principle, which is standard pensions practice. Both are related to length of service and the amount of pay received at retirement. In practice, any part-time service is reduced to its equivalent full-time length and the pension calculated by reference to a notional whole-time rate of pay. To treat part-time officers as though they had worked full-time would be to credit them with service which had not been earned and for which no financial contribution had been made.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the role of the Scandinavian airline SAS or its subsidiary SSP in the planning, finance and operating of the proposed obstetric and gynaecology unit in Liverpool.

Employees of SAS assisted clinical staff to formulate ideas about the model of care they wish to adopt in the proposed new unit. Following this, they provided design advice. There are no further financial links nor any operational agreements between SAS and the district health authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department has issued any guidance superseding the "Maternity Care in Action" document's advice that every mother should be encouraged to have her baby in a maternity unit.

No. The Department's policy remains that, as unforeseen complications can occur in any birth, every mother should be encouraged to have her baby in a maternity unit where emergency facilities are readily available. However, women should be able to make an informed choice about where to have their baby and discuss the options available with their general practitioner, midwife and obstetrician. Advice is also contained in the pregnancy book.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy on home confinements.

Our policy on home confinements is set out in section 2 of the memorandum on "Delivery" submitted by the Department in evidence to the Select Committee on Health—inquiry into maternity and neonatal services. The memorandum is contained in the minutes of evidence given to the Select Committee on 3 July 1991, a copy of which has been placed in the Library, reference HC 430-V. Paragraph 2.6 of the memorandum says

"Although the demand for home births is not great, health authorities should ensure that there are policies agreed between the professionals to provide mothers who do decide to have their babies at home with adequate antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care and that these arrangements are well known locally."

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data are collected about the numbers of stasff made redundant each year in the national health service; if the figures are broken down by grade; and if he will make it his policy to publish them.

Data on redundancies in the national health service are not collected centrally, other than in respect of staff who are both over 50 years of age and have at least five years reckonable service for superannuation purposes. These data are not broken down by grade. The data are distributed within the national health service for internal management purposes. There are no plans for any wider publication.

To ask the Secretary of Health, pursuant to his answer, of 14 November, Official Report, column 656, to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill what action he intends to take against the British Pregnancy Advisory Service over its advertisements appearing in Cosmopolitan magazine, which circulates outside the United Kingdom.

I understand that the magazine in question is printed and published in the United Kingdom. As with other magazines in the United Kingdom base, a very small proportion of copies, in this case well under 10 per cent., are sent overseas. We are satisfied that the form of the advertisement in question is not directed at persons overseas. There has been a recent European court decision about the advertisement of abortion services and we shall be examining it to see if it has any implication for our condition of approval.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many men over 65 years and women aged over 60 years died in each month from July 1989 to the latest convenient date.

The information requested is given in the table.

Number of deaths for males aged 65 and over, and females aged 60 and over, by month of occurrence in England and Wales, July 1989 to December 1990
	Males 65 and over	Females 60 and over
1989
July	15,795	20,030
August	15,294	19,134
September	15,486	19,032
October	17,030	21,366
November	18,087	22,539
December	27,909	37,589
19901
January	21,021	27,281
February	17,186	21,292
March	18,044	21,967
April	17,162	21,544
May	17,000	20,788
June	16,149	19,937
July	16,123	20,068
August	15,447	19,545
September	15,671	19,058
October	16,935	20,755
November	17,165	21,117
December	20,517	25,432
1 1990 figures are provisional.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether general practitioners are required to provide their own medical defence insurance; and what allowance for the cost of their premiums is made in (i) the remuneration received by doctors and (ii) the way they are taxed.

[holding answer 15 November 1991]: General medical and general dental practitioners are not required by the Department to take out their own medical defence insurance, but would be expected to do so in their own interests. Subscriptions to medical defence organisations are taken into account along with other practice expenses when determining the provision to be made for expenses within the GP remuneration system, and are an allowable expense for taxation purposes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice the public health laboratory service has given on terrapin importation on health grounds; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 15 November 1991]: The public health laboratory service (PHLS) has advised that on the available evidence imported terrapins kept as pets do not pose a significant public health problem in England and Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions the occurrence of salmonellosis from pet terrapins in the United Kingdom has been identified by the public health laboratory service.

[holding answer 15 November 1991]: The public health laboratory service (PHLS) division of enteric pathogens, which receives laboratory isolates of salmonella from human and non-human sources for detailed identification, has in the past recorded family outbreaks of salmonellosis in households where the same serotype of salmonella has been identified from terrapin tank water. The most recent occasion on which this occurred was in 1979. Since 1979 to date, there have been three occasions (two in 1981 and one in 1982) where the same serotype has been identified in a sporadic case and in water taken from a terrapin tank.The PHLS communicable disease surveillance centre, which receives laboratory-confirmed reports of human infections, recorded in the period 1986–90 a total of 3,512 outbreaks of salmonellosis. Two of these outbreaks affected people in households where terrapins were kept as pets. However, as no microbiological evidence was reported, the presence of the terrapins could have been coincidental.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has received from the public health laboratory service concerning the implications for the United Kingdom of United States data for salmonellosis contamination from imported terrapins.

[holding answer 15 November 1991]: The following table shows the total number of laboratory confirmed infections of salmonella reported to the public health laboratory service (PHLS) communicable disease surveillance centre in 1989 and 1990, together with the number of reports received for those salmonella serotypes cited in the past in the United States as being associated with terrapins. The public health laboratory service advises that these serotypes are rare in the United Kingdom and, as can be seen from the table, their numbers declined between 1989 and 1990. Therefore given the available evidence it is difficult to conclude that United States data can be applied to the United Kingdom.

Laboratory reports to the public health laboratory services communicable disease surveillance centre of all and selected salmonellas in faeces (cases and excreters)
England and Wales 1989 and 1990
Salmonella serotype	Laboratory reports of faecal isolates to communicable disease surveillance centre
	1989	1990
All Salmonella	24,649	25,351
S.java	29	29
S.arizonae	8	5
S.poona	8	5

Salmonella serotype	Laboratory reports of faecal isolates to communicable disease surveillance centre
	1989	1990
S. litchfield	6	3
S. cubana	5	9
S. bispebjerg	1	0

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of people employed in bus manufacture for each year since 1980.

There are no separate estimates available for the bus manufacturing industry. The following tables give estimates of employees in employment for each year from 1980, for motor vehicles and their engines, motor vehicle bodies, trailers and caravans, in which bus manufacturing is included.

SIC groups 351–352
June	Great Britain unadjusted for seasonal variations Thousands
1980	230·3
1981	191·8
1982	166·3
1983	165·4
1984	157·3
1985	156·8
1986	155·5
1987	154·6
1988	162·9
1989	160·9
1990	153·7
1991	139·1

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers in the United Kingdom are paid below 68 per cent. of all full-timers' mean earnings; and how many of them are (a) women and (b) part-time workers.

From the 1991 new earnings survey (NES), it is estimated that 68 per cent. of average (mean) gross hourly earnings of all full-time employees in April 1991 was £4·76. It is further estimated, using the NES and estimates of the number of employees in employment, that a little over 9 million employees in Great Britain earned below this amount. A little under 6 million of these employees were women, and just over 4 million were part-time workers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated percentage of gross national product that will be spent on overseas aid for the planning years 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94, respectively.

The figure in the autumn statement for the aid budget in the current financial year is 0·30 per cent. of the estimate of GDP. Estimates for future years are not available.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his plans to set up a committee to create nutritional guidelines for school meals; what its term of reference and membership will be; and when it will be expected to report.

I have no plans to set up another committee. The matter is being considered already by the catering working group set up jointly by my Department, the Department of Health and the Health Education Authority. I am also expecting to meet representatives of the school meals campaign in the near future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the value in real terms of current crofting grant and loan support when set against a base line of 1979; and if he will make a statement.

Grant and loan support for crofters is available through the crofters building grants and loans scheme (CBGLS). In real terms since 1979, the maximum grant and loan available to eligible applicants has increased by 31 per cent. in the case of assistance for new housing and 13 per cent. for assistance towards improvement works.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the most recent approaches made by his Department to Sheriff Kearney in relation to the anticipated receipt and publication by his Department of the report into the operations of the social work department of Fife region, indicating the response and the number of days which the sheriff has taken to prepare and finish his report together with the costs of his Department and others involved.

Since May 1990 we have corresponded on a number of occasions with Sheriff Kearney about progress on his report and a likely completion date. In his most recent response last month he indicated that he was unable to give a firm date.The costs of the inquiry directly borne by the Scottish Office to date amount to some £600,000. I have no information on the costs incurred by others involved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current percentage level of take-up under the rural enterprise programme; and if he will make a statement.

Current estimates of expenditure in 1991–92 are still subject to uncertainty, but it seems likely that expenditure on the rural enterprise programme will be about £1·8 million, as against the Vote provision of £3 million. This is partly attributable to a delay in the EC Commission's approval of the programme and to the submission of more modest projects than expected. The extension of the REP's business development scheme to new areas, announced on 11 November, should ensure that available resources in future are fully utilised.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total cost of preparing business plans for directly managed unit and national health service trust status for Foresterhill hospital in Aberdeen; how much was met directly by Grampian health board; how much was met by the Scottish Home and Health Department; and how much was met by the university of Aberdeen.

[holding answer 18 November 1991]: As I made clear to the hon. Member on 8 February 1991 at column 288, the cost of preparing the business plan, from which experience other boards and units will benefit, was £156,000 of which £100,000 was met from additional funds held by my Department for this purpose, £41,000 by Grampian health board from resources provided to institute NHS reform and £15,000 from the university of Aberdeen.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total cost of the consultation exercise for the Foresterhill hospital national health service trust application; what cost fell directly to Grampian health board from its ordinary budget; how much additional funding was provided by the Scottish Home and Health Department; and if he will publish a detailed account of the expenditure, including printing and other expenses.

[holding answer 18 November 1991]: The total cost was £60,102·39. This covered the preparation, printing and distribution of the application documents as well as the leaflets prepared following a suggestion made to the trust sponsors at a meeting with Aberdeen district council. The costs were met from a specific allocation of £10,000 from my Department with the remainder funded from resources made available to the board to implement NHS reforms.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will announce his decision on the final location of the Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 19 November 1991]: The Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum is currently preparing an assessment of its accommodation needs, in accordance with arrangements agreed in March 1988. Meanwhile the Government's position remains as described in my letter of 17 March 1988 to the chairman of the governors of Northern college which stated that the location of the council's offices would be reviewed after three years and which expressed the expectation that the business of the council would then become centralised on the Dundee premises of the college. My right hon. Friend expects to receive the council's views shortly, and to make a decision on the matter at an early date thereafter.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress there has been in implementing the recommendations of the 1990 North sea conference.

In July last year we published a guidance note on how we intended to implement the measures agreed at the Third North Sea Conference which was held in the Hague in March 1990. We were the first North sea state to do so and I am pleased to be able to report good progress in taking forward these matters.Contaminants entering the North sea through rivers are the most significant pollutant. We are making good progress towards meeting agreed reductions of inputs of substances that are toxic, persistent and liable to bioaccumulate. We have completed this year our part of a comparative international data collection exercise on river inputs organised by the Paris Commission. This shows reductions between 1985 and 1990 in inputs to the North sea, through United Kingdom rivers, for example of 51 per cent. and 61 per cent. for mercury and cadmium and of 30 per cent for Lindane.The Hague declaration also seeks tighter controls on pesticides. The Government have substantially increased scientific resources available for evaluation of existing and new pesticides. Of the 18 pesticides listed in the declaration whose use must be strictly limited or banned, recent decisions on chlordane, mercury compounds and fluoroactive acid mean that 14 are no longer in use or are being phased out. Of the remaining four: atrazine is currently under review by the independent Advisory Committee on Pesticides; a European Community directive agreed last year bans the use of pentachlorophenol except by special authorisation for treatment of dry rot in timber, and in limited industrial applications where emissions are controlled; Quintozene and Chloropicrin are used in very small quantities but will be reviewed as part of the pesticide evaluation programme.Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been a particular concern in the marine environment especially in relation to marine mammals. The conference agreed to phase out remaining uses and carry out their destruction in an environmentally acceptable form by 1999. The Department of the Environment has been working with industry to assess totals of PCB waste arisings in different industrial sectors and to develop new guidance on their safe disposal. This should be issued for consultation as a draft waste management paper next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the total tabulated receipts from the disposal of properties so far in the current financial year by Harrogate borough council.

Harrogate borough council has reported the sale of 26 dwellings between April and September 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be able to announce standard spending assessments for local education, social services, and fire and police services.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the rate support grant and capping criteria for 1992–93; and if he will make a statement on the reason for the delay in making the announcement.

My right hon. Friend expects to make an announcement shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what increase of uniform business rate he proposes to make for 1992.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend on 6 November 1991 at column 158 to the hon. Member for Hyndburn (Mr. Hargreaves).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the number of homeless families living in bed-and-breakfast accommodation in England at the end of June, in each of the years 1985 to 1991, inclusive.

Estimates of the number of households who were being dealt with under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 Housing Act and temporarily placed in bed and breakfast accommodation are in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what further steps he is considering to help statutorily homeless familes; and if he will make a statement;(2) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness to date of his Department's homeless initiative to reduce the need for local authorities to use bed-and-breakfast hotels as temporary accommodation for homeless families;(3) how many of the additional units of accommodation to be provided under his Department's homelessness initiative will be local authority empty dwellings refurbished for letting to homeless families.

A total of £300 million has been made available to local authorities and housing associations in London and the south east in 1990–91 and 1991–92 to provide accommodation for homeless families. We expect these funds to produce some 16,000 homes if local authorities and housing associations achieve the outputs which they have told us they will. My Department considers that the outputs projected represent good value for money for the resources committed to the initiative.The extent to which the accommodation provided reduces the use of bed and breakfast by local authorities depends on a number of factors, including the level of homelessness acceptances and local authority management decisions. A condition of the allocation of resources under this initiative is that the properties provided should be used for homeless families.According to information reported by local authorities for 1990–91 and estimates for 1991–92, over 6,800 of the 16,000 homes made available through this initiative will be refurbished local authority voids.We have consulted the local authority associations, through the Housing Consultative Council, on a proposal that in the future allocation of capital resources for housing, the weightings given to homelessness and temporary accommodation should be significantly increased. Decisions will be announced soon.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of vacant local authority dwellings in England at 1 April in each of the years 1985 to 1990, inclusive, other than those which are awaiting or undergoing major works or awaiting sale or demolition.

The information derived from local authorities' annual housing investment programme returns is shown in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he has made on the east Thames corridor.

I have today appointed Llewelyn-Davies Planning to undertake the study into the development capacity of the east Thames corridor which I announced on 10 October. The broad terms of reference for that study have already been placed in the Library. I have also had a first meeting with the leaders of the local authorities in the corridor.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received following publication of his Department's consultative document, "The Role of Local Government".

[holding answer 21 November 1991]: A list of the respondents to the consultation paper "The Structure of Local Government in England" and copies of the responses were placed in the Library of the House on 14 October. The Department has received about 300 responses so far to the consultation paper "The Internal Management of Local Authorities in England". We have not published a consultation paper entitled "The Role of Local Government".

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received about the operation of the direct services organisation of Crawley borough council; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 21 November 1991]: Crawley borough council has made representations in response to notices served on it under section 13 of the Local Government Act 1988, in relation to its direct service organisation's failure to meet the specified financial objective in carrying out other catering work in 1989–90, and vehicle maintenance work and refuse collection in 1990–91. My right hon. Friend is considering these responses.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received following the publication of his Department's consultative document, "The Housing Revenue Account and Short Term Leasing".

[holding answer 21 November 1991]: My Department received some 60 responses to the consultation paper on short-term leasing issued on 3 May 1991, including 50 from local authorities or their associations. Following this consultation exercise, the Minister for Housing announced decisions on the future of short-term leasing in answer to a written parliamentary question on 23 May, including the decision in principle to make available a transitional specific grant. On 14 November my Department wrote to all local housing authorities seeking views on arrangements for the distribution of the specific grant.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements exist to enable any hon. Member to obtain copies of the Department of Trade and Industry inspectors' reports which have been given to trade associations but not published.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will provide a table showing the number of directors and auditors who have been disqualified following their criticism in the Department of Trade and Industry's inspectors' reports since 1985;(2) how many company directors and auditors have been disqualified from acting as directors and auditors, as a result of reports by the Department of Trade and Industry's inspectors.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins) on 1 November at columns 618–20.On 31 October 1991 a five-year disqualification order under section 8 of the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 was made against Mr. John Wallrock, who was criticised in the inspectors' report into Minet Holdings plc and WMD Underwriting Agencies Limited, which has been published.So far as I am aware, no auditor criticised in an inspector's report has been debarred from auditing as a result of information in that report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy that following the criticism of an auditing firm by Department of Trade and Industry inspectors, the standards of that firm would always be investigated.

Whenever an auditing firm is criticised in a report by Department of Trade and Industry inspectors, a copy of that report is disclosed to the relevant supervisory body. It is for that body to decide what action to take.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the differences between the investigations carried out by his Department and by the Serious Fraud Office.

Under the Companies Act, where there is good reason, the Department of Trade and Industry investigates complaints about companies: these inquiries are essentially fact-finding.The SFO is a criminal enforcement agency which investigates and prosecutes cases of suspected serious and complex criminal fraud whether or not they concern companies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the period within which the recognised supervisory bodies will be able to make at least one monitoring visit to the auditing firms.

The three Institutes of Chartered Accountants intend to conduct a routine monitoring visit each year to a fifth of their members who audit listed companies, together with a random sample of, initially, 150 other firms. The Chartered Association of Certified Accountants intends to conduct a routine monitoring visit at least once every five years to all individuals and firms registered with it, together with those registered with the Association of Authorised Public Accountants, under the terms of arrangements between those bodies. All the recognised supervisory bodies have also made provision for special monitoring visits in response to complaints. The bodies will, jointly with my Department, review the operation of the monitoring arrangements in 1993.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will provide a complete list of the bodies which he has recognised as supervisory bodies or qualifying bodies under the Companies Act 1989.

My right hon. Friend has approved, for the purposes of section 31(4) of the Companies Act 1989, qualifications offered by

• The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales;
• The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland;
• The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland; and The Chartered Association of Certified Accountants.

His present intention is that qualifications offered by those bodies should also be recognised under schedule 12 to that Act. He has recognised those bodies, together with the Association of Authorised Public Accountants, as supervisory bodies for the purposes of part II of that Act.