To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the information available to him on the range of charges levied by local authorities on couples wishing to adopt from abroad.

This information is not held centrally. The Department has advised local authorities that there is no objection to prospective adopters being asked to meet such charges as the authorities consider reasonable for work associated with intercountry adoption.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much general practitioners in the United Kingdom have been overpaid under their last year's contract; what is the average overpayment per general practitioner; how much has been reclaimed; how much has been written off; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Warrington South (Mr. Butler) on 7 November at columns 259–60.In 1990–91 estimated gross payments to GPs in Great Britain, under the terms of their contract, exceeded the intended level by approximately £178 million. The average overpayment per GP was £5,951.As an interim measure, an amount of £7·5 million—£250 per GP—was reclaimed from GPs' remuneration in 1991–92, in accordance with the recommendations of the Doctors and Dentists Review Body in its 21st report.The Government decided this autumn to waive recovery of £63 million of the overpayment, or £2,100 per GP, which was attributable to special factors unique to the first year of the new GP contract. Further decisions will be taken on the handling of the remaining sum in 1992, when we have further information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all the non-executive directors of the Freeman hospital trust and the Northumbria ambulance services trust, and give the remuneration presently received by them.

The non-executive directors of the Freeman hospital trust are:

• Mr. Richard Middleton
• Mrs. Marion Border
• Miss Hilary Goodworth
• Mr. John Ward
• Dr. Roger Freeman

The non-executive directors of the Northumbria ambulance services trust are:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date the services of the chief executive of the Northern regional health authority ceased.

Mr. Douglas Hague stood down from the post of chief executive of Northern regional health authority on 13 November 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the present non-executive directors of the Northern regional health authority; what recent resignations or new appointments have been made and when they became effective; and what remunerations are currently received by non-executive directors.

The non-executive members of the Northern regional health authority are:

• Mr. Tony Brown
• Professor Michael Rawlins
• Mr. Peter Reay
• Mr. Roger Spoor

There has been one vacancy since 31 October when Mrs. Anne Galbraith resigned her position to become chairman of the Royal Victoria infirmary and associated hospitals NHS trust on 1 November 1991.All non-executive members receive £5,000 per annum.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were committed under the terms of the Mental Health Act 1983 to care in mental health hospitals in Liverpool during each of the past five years.

The latest figures of patients formally admitted to NHS hospitals and units in Liverpool district health authority under the terms of the Mental Health Act 1983 are shown in the table.

Year	Formal admissions Liverpool DHA
1987–88	129
1988–89	141
1989–90	162

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the percentages from each ethnic group of patients committed under the terms of the Mental Health Act 1983.

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to St. Thomas's hospital to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

I understand that under procedures agreed by the Services Committee, arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 10 to 14 February 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many schemes his Department runs to provide help or finance for small firms; and if he will list them.

The Department supports a link line telephone service which provides guidance to small firms wishing to know how to do business with the national health service, and has published a guide "Businesslinks: A suppliers' guide", which was revised in January 1991, a copy of which is available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the Piper B platform to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

I understand that, under the procedures agreed by the Services Committee, arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 20 January to Friday 24 January.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made of the studies carried out by National Power and PowerGen by Mr. G. H. Hadley on orimulsion; and if he will make a statement.

None. The type and quantity of fuel used by the electricity companies is an operational matter for the companies concerned, subject to emission limits imposed by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has on the level of subsidy being offered to the United Kingdom generators by the Venezuelan Government in relation to sales of orimulsion fuel oil; and if he will make a statement.

We have no evidence of any subsidies being offered by the Venezuelan Government in relation to sales of orimulsion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps have been taken to develop and encourage schemes for home energy labelling; and if he will make a statement.

Home energy labelling tells householders, Iandlords and those responsible for housing stock how energy efficient their housing is. The Government have been considering how to promote the take-up of energy labelling in the United Kingdom and how best to ensure that the existence of different labelling schemes does not confuse the consumer.With the co-operation of the National Energy Foundation and MVM Starpoint, two organisations at the forefront of home energy labelling, the Government have decided to introduce a standard assessment procedure—SAP—for rating the energy performance of homes. This will provide consumers with a reference point and so enable them to make comparisons between labels, such as those issued on the MVM Starpoint scheme and the national home energy rating—NHER—scheme. Like MVM Starpoint and NHER labels, the Government's procedure is based on the Building Research Establishment's domestic energy model. It will be published as a BRE paper.The Government will require any labelling scheme wishing to use the SAP to meet certain quality standards. They will therefore only authorise organisations to use the SAP only if they undertake to:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if the European bats agreement is now binding on local planning authorities in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

It is hoped that the agreement on the conservation of bats in Europe, which was signed by the United Kingdom earlier this month, will come into force next year. The agreement will be binding, on the national Governments who are parties to it and not on local authorities. The United Kingdom already meets its potential obligations through the provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which apply where relevant to local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has any plans for new political initiatives in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

I have plans for several new such initiatives for Wales which I shall announce at the appropriate time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the cost of publishing "The Rural Initiative"; and how many copies were printed.

The rural initiative publication cost £18,444. A total of 1,750 copies were printed in English and 750 copies in Welsh. Printers and designers were selected as a result of competitive tendering.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has completed his consideration of his 1992–93 housing revenue account subsidy proposals; and when he expects to make his subsidy determinations.

The housing revenue account subsidy determinations for 1992–93 have been made today following consideration of the responses to consultation. I am placing copies of the determinations in the Library of the House.For rent guidelines the proposal for an average increase of £2·14 is confirmed. As usual, guideline increases for individual authorities vary according to the capital value of their stock.For management and maintenance allowances, the proposed average increase from £712 per dwelling in the current year to £766 per dwelling in 1992–93, an average increase of 7·5 per cent., is similarly confirmed. Under targeting arrangements, increases for individual authorities take account of the condition of their housing stock.The rent guidelines and management and maintenance allowances are the assumptions to be made for subsidy purposes. It is for councils to set their own rents and to decide how much to spend on managing and repairing their housing stock within their legal obligations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the differences in percentage terms between the outright annuality anomaly for 31 March 1976 and 31 March to 1 April 1991 for (a) a brigadier's pension, (b) an air commodore's pension, (c) a senior naval captain's pension; and what steps he intends taking to remove these anomalies.

Scales of retired pay for brigadiers, air commodores and senior naval captains are the same. For officers in those ranks retiring on the maximum point on the scale, which is achieved by 34 years reckonable service, the retired pay currently received expressed as a percentage of the rate awarded for retirement on 1st April 1991 is as follows:

• 90·3 per cent, where retired pay first came into payment on 31 March 1976.
• 84·7 per cent, where retired pay first came into payment on 31 March 1991.

Initial awards of retired pay are derived from rates of military salary in force at the date of retirement. They are subsequently increased through index-linking arrangements which take into account movements in the retail prices index. The Ministry of Defence has no plans to adjust rates of retired pay previously awarded in accordance with normal rules, other than through the normal index-linking arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been paid in each of the last five years to the Duchy of Cornwall for permission to use land in the Dartmoor national park for military use.

The information is commercially confidential between the Duchy of Cornwall and the Ministry of Defence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what grants were paid to Dartmoor hill farmers in each of the last five years as compensation for restricted grazing as a result of live firing in the National Park.

Compensation is paid to registered commoners. Over the last five years the amounts approved for payment as a result of live firing are as follows:

Year	£
1987	81,576
1988	81,101
1989	81,101
1990	91,668
1991	91,668

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how long the 24 houses between 2 and 48 Nyland road, Swindon, have been empty.

The Ministry of Defence houses in Nyland road have been vacant since they were handed back to the Ministry of Defence by the United States Air Force. The houses were handed back in three stages in December 1990 and in April and September 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will enter into a management agreement with a housing association or the local authority to use the 24 empty houses in Nyland road, Swindon, for rented accommodation;(2) if he will transfer immediately the ownership of the 24 houses between 2 and 48 Nyland road, Swindon, to a housing association or local authority.

No. A number of the houses are being retained for use by the Ministry of Defence and will be occupied in January 1992. Those houses which are surplus are to be offered for sale through the scheme to sell surplus married quarters at a discount to service personnel.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to introduce opportunities for the employment of women in the Royal Marines; and if he will make a statement.

It is intended to extend the employment of women in the armed forces to include service in the Royal Marine band service. The recruiting process will be started shortly with a view to receiving the first female recruits at the Royal Marine school of music in the autumn of 1992. Women will serve on the same terms and conditions as male bandsmen. They will receive the same training, including weapons training, and will be expected to achieve the same standards as their male counterparts. Studies into the feasibility of women serving in the corps as commandos are continuing.

To ask the Attorney-General what consideration has been given to the prosecution of Arrow, publishers of "Juliette", by the Marquis de Sade, under the Obscene Publications Act 1959; and if he will make a statement.

The question of prosecution is a matter for the acting Director of Public Prosecutions and is at present under consideration by him.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors he takes into account when allocating resources to individual police authorities; and how these factors apply to the Northumbria police authority.

I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance is given to chief constables on cautioning or arresting young people caught taking away other people's motor vehicles; and what guidance is given to magistrates concerning sentencing policy for these offences.

Guidance on the decision to caution is contained in Home Office circular 59/1990, a copy of which is in the Library. There is no guidance about the exercise of the power of arrest.Within the statutory powers provided by Parliament, sentencing in individual cases is for the courts to decide.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what initiatives he plans in sentencing policy related to young offenders and (a) car crime and (b) house breaking.

Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for the courts within the powers given by Parliament. The Aggravated Vehicle-Taking Bill now before Parliament strengthens courts' powers to deal with the unauthorised taking of motor vehicles where there is dangerous driving, damage or injury. Courts have the power to impose a custodial sentence of up to 14 years on offenders convicted of domestic burglary.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been admitted for settlement in the United Kingdom for each year since 1979 from (a) India, (b) Pakistan and (c) Bangladesh.

The number of citizens of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom in the years 1979–90 is published in tables 22 and 14, respectively, of the 1987 and 1990 volumes of the annual Home Office Command Paper "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom"—Cm 415 and Cm 1571). Copies of these publications are in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he is able to give on the cost of Metropolitan police security operations around the Palace of Westminster, parliamentary outbuildings and Departments of state located in and around Whitehall.

It is not the practice to give details of security costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list, for each county, the statutory harbour undertakings which are required by section 42(2)(b) of the Harbours Act 1964 to send him a copy of their annual accounts, stating in each case, the names of the harbour or harbours covered by the undertaking, and the financial year for which accounts were most recently submitted.

I am writing to the hon. Lady with this information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce his decision on the recommendation put to him by the board of Tees and Hartlepool port authority concerning the sale of its undertaking.

Under the provisions of the Ports Act 1991, it was for the THPA board to arrange for the sale of shares in its successor company and to recommend to me which bid should be preferred, having regard to the provisions of the Act and objectives of the sale which were agreed with me.The agreed objectives included encouraging disposal to managers and staff of the whole or a substantial part of the equity share capital; seeking best open market price subject to the other objectives; continuing operation of the Port in ways which are beneficial to the local economy; maintenance of a viable and competitive port operation; maintenance of the port as a separate entity with day to day management and control located in Teesside; use of THPA's assets for the development of the port business and for the promotion of developments which are locally beneficial.My Department and its advisers kept closely in touch with the THPA board as it carried out the sale process. I am satisfied that the board discharged its responsibilities in a fair and proper manner. In particular, I am satisfied that it considered carefully each of the bids in relation to the agreed objectives of sale.The key issues which the board included in its evaluation were: independence, long-term stability, benefit to the community, contribution to the port, credibility, acceptability, employee participation and price. Having thoroughly scrutinised all the bids, the THPA board concluded that the bid by Teesside Holdings Limited, although not the largest in monetary terms, was the most consistent with the authority's privatisation objectives and, taken overall, the most beneficial to the port, its employees and the Teesside community generally. As regards employee participation, the Teesside Holdings bid includes provision for 475,000 shares to be reserved for THPA employees, who will receive one free share for every share subscribed for—that is, 5 per cent. of the proposed equity share capital. Accordingly, the THPA board has recommended to me that its successor company should be sold to Teesside Holdings Limited.I have considered the THPA recommendation carefully. In particular, I have noted that the price of £180 million offered by Teesside Holdings is at the top end of the range of an independent valuation carried out by THPA prior to the sale. I have also noted the THPA board's view that the Teesside Holdings' bid makes the most convincing plans for a prosperous and growing future for the port, including specific capital expenditure proposals. The bid is also considered to demonstrate the greatest commitment to the long-term development and stability of the authority's undertaking for the benefit of Teesside.I am satisfied that the THPA board's recommendation best meets the agreed objectives of the sale. I have therefore written to the chairman of THPA to say that I am minded to give my formal consent to the sale of the authority's undertaking to Teesside Holdings Limited as soon as I am able to do so. This will be possible only after the scheme of transfer submitted by the authority under section 9(1) of the Ports Act 1991 and the order providing for a levy on disposals of land to be made under section 17 of the Act have come into effect. The latter is subject to an affirmative resolution of the House and is expected to be debated immediately after the Christmas recess.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the operation and management of the RMS St. Helena with particular reference to the proposed working conditions of the officers and ratings.

The working conditions of the officers and ratings of the RMS St. Helena are properly the concern of the managers—the St. Helena Shipping Company Limited. They are currently negotiating new terms in line with current practices throughout the shipping industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many schemes his Department runs to provide help or finance for small firms; and if he will list them.

The Department of Transport provides guidance on transport matters to any business requiring it, whatever its size. Such financial assistance as the Department provides to businesses, for example towards the costs of transporting goods by rail rather than by unsuitable roads, under section 8 of the Railways Act 1974, is available to eligible businesses whatever the size of the company.The Department's procurement unit encourages small firms to supply the Department, mainly through the pamphlet "Selling to the Department of Transport". The Department selectively vets the suitability of individual companies in accordance with the Department's particular needs, not the size of the company.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects (a) Acer Consultants to deliver their report on a hypothetical Exeter northern bypass to his Department and (b) when he expects it to commence Ministerial consideration.

[holding answer 12 December 1991]: I hope to receive the report on whether there is a need for a bypass to the north and west of Exeter in January 1992 and to give it consideration then.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he proposes to withdraw his 200 notification requirement on the planning authority for land charges searches in relation to properties between junctions 3 and 5 of the M20, following his announcement of the line of his Department's widening scheme.

[holding answer 13 December 1991]: Pursuant to an agreement between themselves and the Law Society, local authorities will be required to reveal the existence of the proposals for widening M20 between junctions 3 and 5 in response to searches by prospective purchasers of properties within 200 m of the scheme until such time as the widening is implemented.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will undertake to conduct a full environmental impact assessment of the proposed routes for improvement of the A27; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 17 December 1991]: Public consultation is taking place at present on the Lewes-Polegate section of the A27. Consideration of the environmental effects of this road scheme has been a continuous process throughout the planning and design stages. An appraisal of environmental effects of all the A27 consultation routes is outlined in the consultation brochure and at the local consultation exhibitions. Further detailed environmental appraisal will be carried out as the proposals develop.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the revenue yield to the Exchequer of duties and taxes on spirits in the last financial year.

The revenue yield in 1990–91 was estimated to be £2·4 billion, of which duties accounted for £1·7 billion and VAT accounted for £0·7 billion.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the yield received by Her Majesty's Government from oil and from gas production in the United Kingdom in each year since 1979 both in terms of actual amounts and by current valuation.

Annual revenues to the Exchequer from the North sea, at current prices and at 1991–92 prices, have been as follows:

£ million
	Current prices	1991–92 prices1
1979–80	2,313	5,349
1980–81	3,743	7,305
1981–82	6,492	11,564
1982–83	7,822	13,007
1983–84	8,798	13,973
1984–85	12,035	18,197
1985–86	11,348	16,276
1986–87	4,783	6,630
1987–88	4,618	6,076
1988–89	3,168	3,880
1989–90	2,368	2,729
1990–91	2,498	2,673
21991–92	1,200	1,200
1 By reference to movements in the GDP market prices implied deflator.
2 Forecast.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to relocate part of Her Majesty's Treasury out of central London.

The Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency—the Government centre for information systems—is part of HM Treasury and is currently located partly in central London and partly in Norwich. I have decided that, with the exception of a small London base, it should be wholly located in Norwich. The move will involve a little over 200 posts and will be phased over the next three years; I expect the greater part to take place in 1993–94.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table giving business investment measured in current prices as a percentage of gross domestic product, measured in current prices for each year since 1974, including quarterly figures since 1988, and the average for periods 1974 to 1979 and 1979 to 1990.

[holding answer 16 December 1991]: The latest estimates are available on the CSO database which may be accessed through the House of Commons Library. Business investment is defined as private sector and public corporations gross domestic fixed capital formation, excluding purchases less sales of land and existing buildings and private sector investment in dwellings. The database identifier formula for business investment at current prices is DECR minus (GGAG + DFHV + AAUC + AAUG + DEET). The identifier for gross domestic product at current market prices is CAOB.

To ask the Minister for the Arts when he received a copy of the Arts Council directory on arts and disability; and if he will make a statement.

I received a copy of the arts and disability directory when it was issued by the Arts Council. I warmly welcome this initiative and commend the directory to individuals and organisations seeking information or wishing to extend their work in this important area of arts and disability.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received a copy of the recent study entitled "The Potential Socio-Economic Effects of Climate Change", produced by the environmental change unit of Oxford University.

Yes.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the London Docklands development corporation about provision of sporting and leisure facilities within the LDDC area.

The promotion of facilities for sport and leisure forms part of the LDDC's agreed strategic aim to improve the social infrastructure of London docklands. The development programmes relating to this aim are set out in the 1991 corporate plan which I discussed with the corporation earlier this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide funds for ex-service housing associations and other bodies to help meet the demand for additional houses from the service men and women leaving the armed forces as a result of "Options for Change".

The Government are making available substantially increased resources for housing associations to provide for people in priority need. This programme will be of benefit to the generality of families in high need of subsidised rented housing, who may include some households leaving services accommodation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the projects and programmes that he has specifically targeted at the Meadow Well estate, North Shields, Tyne and Wear since 1979; and how he evaluates their outcome.

The local targeting of expenditure under the urban programme and estate action is primarily the responsibility of the local authorities which bid for and deliver these programmes.Since 1979, the Department has funded an annual urban programme in North Tyneside, for expenditure on projects related to the defined inner area, which includes the Meadow Well estate. In 1988 an estate action scheme was approved for part of the north Meadow Well. The authority has very recently been given the go-ahead to work up estate action proposals to the rest of north Meadow Well.In addition, the work of the Tyne and Wear development corporation includes activities of benefit to the Meadow Well estate.In each of these programmes the local authority, or the UDC respectively, are required to monitor projects, and sample monitoring of a selection of projects is carried out by the Department's regional office.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much was spent on advertising material to alert waste carriers to the requirement to register with waste regulation authorities; and if he will make a statement.

The Department of the Environment, in conjunction with the Scottish Office and the Welsh Office, issued a free explanatory leaflet entitled "If you carry waste, this will affect you". The cost of printing and distributing 250,000 copies of this leaflet was £17,751. A further 100,000 copies are being printed, at a cost of £2,109.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals against assessment of uniform business rate for 1990–91 are awaiting completion; if any extra staff have been employed to speed the progress of such appeals; and when he expects all appeals against assessment of uniform business rate for 1990–91 to be completed.

Ratepayers had six months from 1 April 1990 in which to make proposals to alter their 1990 rating assessments and valuation officers then had a further six months to settle the proposal before the matter became an appeal. Most proposals were not received as appeals to tribunals until the latter part of that financial year.At the end of September 1991, valuation and community charge tribunals in England had outstanding some 597,000 non-domestic rating appeals, following the clearance of 90,000. The tribunals have recruited extra staff and were provided with computer systems. Staffing levels are kept under review. The speed at which appeals are cleared is primarily a matter for the individual tribunals.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what aspects of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 will affect small firms; and when the regulations will come into effect.

Many aspects of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 will affect businesses, large and small; They include:

Part I

Integrated pollution control (applies to new processes and substantial changes to existing processes from 1 April 1991; being phased in for existing processes over five years).

Local authority air pollution control (the final stage of introduction is 1 April 1992; parts were introduced on 1 April and 1 October 1991).

Part II

New and extended controls on waste management (the duty of care together with associated Regulations and a Code of Practice come into force on 1 April 1992; we propose to bring into force other measures governing the collection, treatment and disposal of waste and the waste management licensing system by April 1992).

Part III

Statutory nuisance including emissions from premises of dust, smell, effluvia, noise and non-dark smoke which are prejudicial to health or a nuisance; improvement of existing legislation (came into force on 1 January 1991).

Part IV

Package of measures to deal with litter, including powers for local authorities to tackle litter problems caused by certain businesses (an order specifying types of firms affected came into effect on 1 July 1991).

Part V

Introduction of cost recovery for regulation of premises under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 (started from 1 April 1991).

Part VI

Genetically Modified Organisms (it is intended to make regulations that could come into force in 1992).

Part VIII

Miscellaneous; including the introduction of licensing for dumping waste at sea within UK Continental Shelf Limits; and, of greater relevance to small firms powers to make regulations prohibiting or restricting the importation, supply, use or storage of harmful substances or articles and to require their disposal, as well as to require manufacturers, importers or suppliers of chemicals specified in orders to provide information on their properties and use and to carry out testing to obtain such information.

The Department of the Environment has prepared a publication entitled "A Guide to the Environmental Protection Act 1990", which is available free to small firms and others.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list details, at 1991 prices, of expenditure by his Department on environmental research and protection for each available year since 1979–80.

£ million
	Planning, local government and countryside	Environmental protection	Water	Radioactive waste	Total
1979–80	12·4	10·2	6·1	11·1	39·7
1980–81	10·7	7·0	8·6	18·0	44·2
1981–82	9·0	8·5	6·5	15·6	39·7
1982–83	6·7	7·4	5·9	13·3	33·3
1983–84	4·8	6·6	5·7	13·4	30·5
1984–85	4·6	5·6	5·0	12·8	27·9
1985–86	5·5	7·7	4·6	15·1	32·9
1986–87	4·7	9·3	4·6	14·2	32·8
1987–88	4·5	8·9	4·8	13·9	32·0
1988–89	4·7	10·7	7·0	11·0	33·5
1989–90	4·0	14·2	9·8	7·9	35·9
1990–91	4·9	20·4	4·5	8·6	38·4

Compiled figures for my Department's expenditure on environmental protection before 1985–86 are not readily available. Overall expenditure by my Department on environmental protection in 1991 prices from 1985–86 to 1990–91 is as follows. Details of this expenditure are given in figure 6, page 11 of the Department's 1991 annual report.

	£ million
1985–86	89·9
1986–87	118·3
1987–88	167·7
1988–89	73·3
1989–90	145·1
1990–91	218·5

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will lay before Parliament the new regulations on development plan procedure; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Wales today laid before Parliament the Town and Country Planning (Development Plan) Regulations 1991—SI 1991/2794. The Departments are also issuing today a circular describing the arrangements for handling the transition from the current development plans system to the new.The regulations take account of the responses made to the proposals issued for consultation in September. Overall, the response to our proposals has been positive, with those responding welcoming the standardisation and rationalisation of the different arrangements currently applying to different types of plan. A list of the responses to the proposals, and to the consultation draft planning policy guidance issued at the same time, will be placed in the Library of the House; copies of individual responses may be obtained through the Library.All the responses have been carefully considered. As a result, we have made some changes to the published proposals. The main changes are:

My Department's expenditure in 1991 prices on environmental research broken down by main policy areas since 1979–80 is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the results of testing for dioxins in emissions from the Coalite works, Bolsover, carried out by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution, will be available; and if he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution today released a report on its investigation into dioxins in emissions from the Coalite chemical works incinerator and the Coalite smokeless fuel plant.The maximum emission of dioxins to atmosphere, calculated on the basis of the measurements made, from the stack on the Coalite Chemicals incinerator was 18 nanogram/m

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish the study commissioned by the Departments of Trade and Industry and the Environment on the subject of deposit refund systems.

The study, carried out by the consultants Environmental Resources Limited, has been published today in a report entitled "Deposit Refund Systems for Beverage Containers and Batteries". Copies have been placed in the Library of the House. The report is available on sale from HMSO book shops.The Government had indicated in the last year's environmental White Paper that this work would be undertaken. The report's finding are now being considered, and will be taken into account during the further formulation of the Government's waste minimisation and recycling policy. We would welcome any comments that interested parties may have on the report.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the use of halons as fire-fighting chemicals in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

My Department considered a study, from C. S. Todd and Associates, on halon use in the United Kingdom, which is published today. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House. The report shows that consumption of halons has fallen by about 25 per cent. since 1986, and that most uses of halons, particularly in portable extinguishers, could be substituted now. It gives a clear indication to industry of the areas where more work is needed to find alternative means of fire protection.Halons have a very high ozone depletion potential, and therefore we have proposed to other European member states that production and supply of virgin halon should be phased out by 1 January 1995, subject to provisions for essential uses, when we revise the Montreal protocol next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will be replying to the European Commission's letter of 17 October 1991 alleging infraction of directive 85/337/EEC on environment assessment.

The United Kingdom responded on 17 December within the two months requested by the Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing for the years 1979–80 to 1991–92 for each service control total a comparison between actual local authority outturn expenditure and the relevant grant-related expenditure assessment or standard spending assessment.

[holding answer 12 December 1991]: The service expenditure control totals used in the rate support grant settlements from 1982–83 to 1989–90 are shown in the table. Information on expenditure control totals is not available for years prior to 1982–83.It is not possible to construct comparable figures for outturn expenditure on the basis of the available returns from local authorities.The standard spending assessment service control totals used in the 1990–91 and 1991–92 revenue support grant settlements together with budgeted expenditure by local authorities on these services are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many young people have been housed under the move-on programme.

[holding answer 16 December 1991]: A total of 1,550 people aged 16 to 25 moved on from hostels, shared housing, bed and breakfast or other similar temporary accommodation into permanent housing provided by housing associations between 1 July 1990 and 30 June 1991.Under my Department's rough sleepers initiative in central London, some 600 people aged 16 to 25 had been housed in hostels, flats and houses at the end of September 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce new standards for the maintenance of air pressure gauges on garage forecourts.

I have been asked to reply.My Department has no plans to introduce requirements relating to the maintenance of air pressure gauges on

Full time employees on adult rates whose pay was unaffected by absence and whose gross weekly earnings (excluding overtime) were below the folowing specified amounts
	April 1991
	£130	£140	£180	£190
	Numbers in sample	Numbers in sample	Numbers in sample	Numbers in sample	Total in sample
Greater Manchester
Manual men	153	230	600	716	1,741
Non manual men	73	103	280	325	1,916
All men	226	333	880	1,041	3,657
Manual women	163	211	318	332	386
Non-manual women	205	299	715	815	1,621
All women	368	510	1,033	1,147	1,007

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the information from the 1991 new earnings survey data on respectively, the numbers of full-time employees on adult rates in (a) greater Manchester, (b) Merseyside, (c) Cheshire, (d) Lancashire and (e) the north west region, whose weekly earnings excluding overtime were less than £185, less than £140 and less than £130 per week for (i) manual males, (ii) non-manual males, (iii) all full-time males, (iv) manual females, (v) non-manual females and (vi) all full-time females, giving the total sample size in each case.

The information available from the 1991 new earnings survey is given in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the information from the 1991 new earnings survey data on the numbers of part-time employees on adult rates in (a) greater Manchester, (b) Merseyside, (c) Cheshire, (d) Lancashire and (e) the north-west region whose hourly earnings excluding overtime were less than £5, less than £4·50, less than £4, less than £3·50 and less than £3 per

Part time employees on adult rates whose pay was unaffected by absence and whose gross hourly earnings (excluding overtime) were below the following specified amounts.
April 1991
	£3·00	£3·40	£3·60	£4·00	£4·50	£4·80	£5·40	Total in sample
	Numbers in sample	Numbers in sample	Numbers in sample	Numbers in sample	Numbers in sample	Numbers in sample	Numbers in sample
Greater Manchester
Manual women	92	204	237	298	341	350	361	373
Non-manual women	76	177	230	321	400	429	462	596
All women	168	381	467	619	741	779	823	969
Merseyside
Manual women	62	144	160	202	229	234	241	253
Non-manual women	40	106	122	157	203	224	249	326
All women	102	250	282	359	432	458	490	579
Cheshire
Manual women	53	89	100	123	131	138	144	153
All women	85	177	213	259	295	318	343	394
Non-manual women	32	88	113	136	164	180	199	241
Lancashire
Manual women	57	128	149	188	207	211	214	225
Non-manual women	53	115	134	166	203	220	258	333
All women	110	243	283	354	410	431	472	558

The information available from the 1991 new earnings survey is given in the table. The information is not available for part-time male employees.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he proposes to introduce legislation to implement the EC proposals under the social charter in addition to those which relate to the working hours of miners in British collieries following the proposed repeal of the Coal Mines Regulation Act 1908.

Matters relating to the repeal of the Coal Mines Regulation Act are for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy.Many of the proposals in the European Commission's social action programme are still being considered or have yet to be published. Where legislation is required to implement directives already agreed, proposals will be brought forward within the timetable for implementation set out in each proposal.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many schemes his Department runs to provide help or finance for small firms; and if he will list them.

The Department runs or supports three schemes providing help or advice for small firms as well as local schemes through training and enterprise councils. These are:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made since publication of the Government's White Paper in relation to the development of proposals for the introduction of competition in the supply of electricity; and if he will make a statement.

Proposals for the introduction of competition in the supply of electricity have now been drawn up. They provide for a staged transition from the present situation in which Northern Ireland Electricity enjoys a monopoly position, to the creation of a market in which generators and suppliers will be able to compete freely, with consumers benefiting from the resultant downward pressure on costs. Faster progress to full supply competition is prevented by the physical constraints of the Northern Ireland Electricity system.This transition is likely to be achieved in three distinct phases. In phase I, immediately following privatisation, authorised alternative suppliers—second tier suppliers—will be able go compete with NIE (Transmission, Distribution, Supply) in the supply of electricity to end users. This will allow consumers choice between suppliers or, in the case of large consumers, allow them to make arrangements to supply themselves under licence.Phase II will be an intermediate step and will establish a partial electricity trading system which will permit direct trade between some generators and suppliers. The Director General of Electricity Supply will be responsible for the development of this arrangement, in consultation with all interested parties, and, as a further spur to the growth of competition in supply, the Director General of Electricity Supply will have powers to cancel selected power purchase agreements between NIE (TDS) and the generators in tranches between November 1996 and 2010. Appropriate safeguards for NIE (TDS) and the generators will be incorporated in the licences.Phase III will achieve full supply competition in which generators and suppliers will be able to trade freely. thus allowing consumers to derive the maximum benefit from competition in this market. This will probably necessitate the introduction of some form of pooling and settlement arrangement. No date for achieving this has been set.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many arrests have been made in the Irish Republic in connection with Republican terrorist incidents with a cross-frontier element which have occurred in Northern Ireland since 1 January 1990; what charges have been brought; what convictions achieved; and if he will give details.

[holding answer 17 December 1991]: This is a matter for the authorities in the Republic of Ireland. Records are not kept in a way which enables statistics of arrests, charges, and convictions in the Republic of Ireland to be linked meaningfully to terrorist incidents with cross-border element. However, statistics on extraterritorial prosecutions in the Republic, which involve a cross-border element in the sense that the offender has fled to the Republic, were given in replies by my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General to my hon. Friend the Member for Orpington (Mr. Stanbrook) on 19 December 1988, Official Report, column 94; to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, North (Mr. McNamara) on 14 May 1990, Official Report, column 280; and by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to my hon. Friend the Member for Orpington on 11 November 1991, Official Report, column 352 and 2 December 1991, Official Report, column 13.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the propositions in the social chapter of the treaty on European Union which (a) have not already been implemented in the United Kingdom and (b) would have to be implemented if the United Kingdom were a signatory to the social chapter; and what is his assessment of the effect on British industry of each of the propositions in (b).

The treaty on European union confirms that the social provisions chapter within the existing treaty of Rome will be maintained without change. The chapter contains no propositions, but establishes the basis upon which the Community may support member states in the pursuant of their objectives. It is, and will remain, the basis for the development of a sensible social dimension respecting national diversity and subsidiarity and consistent with the priority of employment creation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit Kashmir in the near future.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no plans to visit Kashmir.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to meet the President of Brazil to discuss relations with Brazil.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no such plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens remain unable to leave Abu Dhabi until they receive their passports.

Our embassy in Abu Dhabi knows of four such British passport holders. There may be others who have not informed the embassy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what specific plans he has for when the United Kingdom next has the presidency of the European Community; and if he will make a statement.

Detailed plans for the United Kingdom presidency will be made nearer the time in the light of progress during the Portuguese presidency. Among the issues likely to be at the top of the United Kingdom's agenda are completion of a liberal single market by the end of 1992 and preparations for the future enlargement of the Community. There will be a number of events connected with our presidency including a European organ festival in Bolton.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is currently taking to make clear Her Majesty's Government's position to Indonesia in respect of its occupation of East Timor.

The Indonesian authorities are well aware that we do not recognise their annexation of East Timor.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is now in a position to make a further statement on the incident at Santa Cruz cemetery, Dili, East Timor, on 12 November.

We have condemned the killings in Dili. We will discuss with our EC partners what further action, if any, might be appropriate when the contents of the report of the Indonesian national commission of inquiry are known.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to receive a report of the investigation into the recent killings in East Timor.

We expect the draft report to be available soon.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government has made in the United Nations about the situation in East Timor.

We continue to support the efforts of the UN Secretary-General to bring about a solution to the problem of East Timor.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advantages he expects to flow from the Maastricht summit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the discussions at Maastricht.

I refer my hon. Friends to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 11 December. In the ways which my right hon. Friend set out, the Maastricht agreement will equip the Community and its member states to work more closely together, organising each aspect of their work in the most effective way rather than forcing it into a single pattern. We believe that this will add to the strength of the work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Maastricht negotiations.

I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 11 December. The agreement reached at Maastricht is good for Britain and for Europe. It provides for strengthened intergovernmental co-operation in the field of foreign policy and in combating cross-border crime, drugs trafficking and in other areas of interior and justice policy. It will make the Community more efficient and accountable. The Community is now in good shape to face the challenges of the rest of the 1990s, including enlargement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next proposes to have discussions with his European Community partners concerning the development of common European Community foreign policies.

I meet my European Community partners regularly. The common foreign and security policy agreed at Maastricht will strengthen intergovernmental cooperation and joint action with our partners in agreed areas of policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on political and commercial relations with the Ukraine.

We are developing an active political and commercial relationship with Ukraine. A British official is based in Kiev to establish a permanent British mission. The British Council also is establishing a prescence. A senior Foreign Office official held talks in Kiev with the Ukrainian leadership on Saturday. Earlier this month a Ukrainian delegation visited Britain, including the deputy chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament and the chairman of the national bank. The know-how fund has sponsored a food distribution project and is looking at projects in banking and privatisation. There are several joint ventures and a number of British companies have offices in Ukraine.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to recognise Ukraine as an independent state.