To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what plans he has to take forward equal opportunities for women in the civil service.

I have, today, launched a new programme for action to achieve equality of opportunity for women in the civil service. This builds on the very considerable progress achieved under the programme of action launched in 1984. Departments and agencies will use the new programme to develop action plans which will ensure that the civil service continues to be a leading equal opportunities employer.

To ask the Minister for the Arts how much is received in public sector grants by (a) Dartington arts unit and (b) Exeter and Devon arts centre, in each of the past three years; what information he has on the proportion which public sector grants formed of the annual turnover in each case; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 19 February 1992]: The information available is as follows:

Darlington Arts Society
	1989 £	1990 £	1991 £
South West Arts	10,660	10,875	11,750

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many residential properties owned by his Department are (a) empty, (b) for sale on the open market, (c) intended for sale on the open market and (d) for sale to housing associations, in terms of numbers and percentages of stock.

The Department's portfolio is constantly changing as a consequence of properties being acquired or demolished for road schemes, or being disposed of as surplus to requirements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he has had with bus drivers concerning safety of drivers, passengers and pedestrians.

The safety of bus drivers and passengers is considered regularly by the standing panel on assaults on bus staff—STAB—which includes representatives of the bus industry, the unions and Government Departments. STAB's remit includes all forms of crime on buses including vandalism and attacks on passengers.At a local level the traffic commissioner has powers to attach conditions to an operator's licence if a local service has been operated in a manner dangerous to the public. The traffic commissioner may also suspend or revoke a PSV driver's licence if the driver has been convicted of dangerous driving.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what new measures he will introduce to improve bus road safety; and if he will make a statement.

Buses are the safest form of road passenger transport in this country. Regulations covering the safety of buses are kept under continuous review and can be amended as the need becomes apparent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will issue guidance notes on the operational responsibilities of British ferry operators for ferry services marketed and advertised by them, but operated by a foreign company.

The responsibility for safe operation of a ship is prescribed in section 31 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1988. No guidance notes are planned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on the ratification of maritime conventions Nos. (a) 163, (b) 164, (c) 165, (d) 166, (e) 173 and (f) 176.

The Government stated their views on ILO conventions Nos. 163, 164, 165 and 166 in Command 658 dated April 1989 and indicated that they do not propose to ratify conventions 163, 165 and 166. Now that the syllabi for the necessary training courses in medical skills promulgated by the International Maritime Organisation, the International Labour Organisation and the World Health Organisation have been reduced to performance criteria on which colleges and other bodies can base their instruction, the Department will shortly be going to a second round of consultation on how the United Kingdom should meet its obligations under article 9.2 of convention No. 164—health protection and medical care (seafarers)—and so proceed to ratification.The latest convention to be adopted by the ILO and therefore available for ratification is No. 172.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy on maintaining competition in containerised cargo handling facilities on the River Thames, east of Tower bridge.

Any potential concerns about competition in the provision of such facilities would be a matter for consideration by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the reply to the request for an investigation into the sailing of the Princess Maria Esmeralda on Sunday 21 July 1991.

I will summarise that reply. This Belgian flag ship was sailing from a Belgian port under the sole jurisdiction of the Belgian authorities. The Department has now notified them of the reported incident. However, departmental marine surveyors have inspected the vessel and advise that the upper stern door can be left open without compromising the ship's safety. They also advise that the lower door is recessed into the stern and can appear from a distance to be open while actually closed and weathertight.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to the credit rating of Maritime Transport Services Ltd. which is bidding for the port of Tilbury; and if he will make a statement.

It is for the Port of London authority to consider all relevant factors in assessing the bids for the port of Tilbury and in making its recommendation to my right hon. and learned Friend concerning the sale of the port.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many employees there were in the bus industry in 1985–86 and 1990–91.

The numbers of staff employed in the bus industry in Great Britain in 1985–86 and 1990–91 were:

1985–86	174,200—annual average.
1990–91	155,500—end of year.

The figures include all platform, maintenance and administrative staff employed by the bus industry. They also include working proprietors and the full-time equivalent of part-time public service vehicle staff.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will introduce changes to housing benefit and mortgage interest benefit to permit people paying part-rent part-mortgage to qualify for housing benefit and income support assistance.

The current regulations already make provision for such arrangements.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 5 March.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has received from English Nature concerning the conservation of the remaining vegetated areas of Thorne and Hatfield moors, including the effect of the continued extraction of peat from the other areas; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Dagenham (Mr. Gould) on 27 February 1992, Official Report, column 561. English Nature will be producing management plans for the vegetated areas of these sites. High water tables will be maintained by a programme of controlled blocking of drains. Detailed monitoring of the effects will take place against recent baseline studies. English Nature will also be producing after-use plans for the areas where peat extraction is to continue.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the most up-to-date figures recorded by his Department for the numbers of people sleeping rough in the Greater London area.

The number of persons found sleeping rough at pre-identified sites in Greater London on census night—21 to 22 April 1991—was published by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in the 1991 census preliminary report for England and Wales "Supplementary Monitor on People sleeping rough". A copy is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many hedgehog ladders and toad tunnels have been constructed or funded by his Department since 1979.

No information is available on the number of hedgehog ladders constructed since 1979. Five toad tunnel systems, incorporating 11 tunnels, and financed wholly or partly by central or local government, have been constructed since 1979.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will favourably consider the application for funding for the Blackie Great Georges project, Liverpool 1, under the city challenge scheme later in the current month.

Under the city challenge management arrangements, it will be for Liverpool's city challenge executive committee in the first instance to decide whether to include particular projects within the five-year programme. Any project with a grant requirement of £500,000 or more will additionally require detailed appraisal by my Department, and will be considered on its merits on receipt.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what amount has been given by his Department for city challenge; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 3 March 1992.]: A sum of £82·5 million per year for up to five years from 1992–93 has been allocated from the Department's inner-city and housing programmes to fund the 11 first-round "pacemaker" city challenge action plans. Up to £150 million per year is being made available for city challenge for up to five years from 1993–94 for those successful in the second round.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of his development action plan for the phasing out of PCBs by 1999;(2) what action he has taken to implement the decision of the third North sea conference of March 1990 to phase out and destroy all PCBs by 1999, in 1990–91 and 1991–92; and what is planned for each year to 1999;(3) how many full and part-time posts are contributing to the phasing out of PCBs by 1999; and if he will give the job specification and location of each post;(4) if he will give an estimate of the number of tonnes of PCBs in the United Kingdom still awaiting disposal and details of targets set for the disposal of PCBs in the United Kingdom;(5) if he will give details of all existing incinerators, and those in respect of which planning applications

It is intended to produce a plan in accordance with the decision of the third North sea conference. A copy will be placed in the Library when available. Work is currently directed to refining the assessment of the types and quantities of PCBs known to exist and the available incineration capacity. New treatment techniques and alternative disposal options to incineration for particular PCB arisings are being appraised.A revision of waste management paper No. 6 containing technical guidance on the treatment and disposals of PCB wastes is in preparation for publication in March 1993.Planning for phase-out involves a co-operative effort between my Department and other Government Departments. I cannot therefore be precise about numbers and locations of individual posts.The remaining PCBs in the United Kingdom are mainly associated with electrical equipment, much of which will be disposed of with its PCB content. Accurate figures are not available, but it is estimated that about 20,000 tonnes of contaminated plant requires disposal, of which about half are PCBs.There are two merchant incinerators available for the disposal of special wastes including solid and liquid PCBs; the Rechem plant at Pontypool and a plant at Ellesmere Port operated by Cleanaway. Plant capacity for PCB destruction cannot be stated in absolute terms since it is dependent upon the chlorine content and the physical form of the waste. It is not known if any proposed plant at the planning application stage is to be used for PCBs.Levels of PCBs in United Kingdom coastal waters are normally so low as to be beyond the limits of detection. However, since PCBs are known to accumulate in living tissue, government monitoring programmes concentrate on levels of PCBs in fish. Results of these programmes are regularly published by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in the acquatic environment monitoring reports. Control measures taken by the Government have been effective in reducing peak levels of PCBs to considerably below those that were found in the 1970s. The levels are below those that would cause harm to human consumers and there is no reason to believe that they threaten fish health.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what official statistics are kept on employment in the area covered by the Leeds development corporation.

This is primarily a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Employment. I understand that employment statistics for development corporation areas are not compiled. Official statistics for employees in employment are made available for local authority wards and aggregations of them. The area covered by Leeds development corporation does not coincide with ward boundaries.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about financing for the British Waterways Board.

I am pleased to announce that we have increased the external finance limit for the British Waterways Board to £51·7 million for 1991–92. This is enabling the board to spend an additional sum of up to £3 million on canal maintenance. The increase is being financed through expenditure savings identified elsewhere within the Department, and will not add to the planned total of public expenditure.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress is being made towards implementing the EC eco-labelling scheme.

The United Kingdom is playing a leading role in preparing for the launch of the European scheme. We are developing criteria on a wider range of products than any other country and we are making a significant contribution to putting in place the necessary European administrative arrangements for the operation of the scheme.Nationally, we are required by the eco-labelling regulation to designate a competent body for the scheme. We have decided that a dedicated non-departmental public body would be the most suitable organisation to take on this role in the United Kingdom. In reaching this decision, we took account of the National Advisory Group on Eco-Labelling's advice that the body should be official, independent and at arm's length from ministerial control. This should demonstrate the authority and impartiality of the body and promote the credibility of the scheme. We will introduce legislation to establish this body when parliamentary time permits. Until then, it will operate in an advisory capacity.I am pleased to announce that Dr. Elizabeth Nelson has agreed to chair the United Kingdom eco-labelling body. Dr Nelson is presently chairman of Addison Group Consultancy plc and the Taylor Nelson Group Ltd., but has indicated that she intends to step down later in the year. She has extensive business experience, and particular expertise in the fields of marketing and market research, which she will be able to contribute to the development of the eco-labelling scheme in the United Kingdom and across the European Community. We will be announcing the names of the other members of the board of the eco-labelling body in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects to complete the sale of Northern Ireland Electricity power stations.

I have now reached contractual agreement for the sale of Ballylumford power station to British Gas, the sale of Kilroot and Belfast West power stations to a consortium of Applied Energy Services and Tractebel and the sale of Coolkeeragh power station to a management-employee team—MEBO.The contracts provide for total sale proceeds of £353 million subject to the normal audit of completion accounts; £132·4 million for Ballylumford, £214 million for Belfast West and Kilroot and £6·5 million for Coolkeeragh. In the later case, a five-year profit-sharing deal offers the possibility of up to a further £2 million. The terms of the sales and the relevant documents have been notified to the European Commission.The companies which are being sold will be created out of the single entity of Northern Ireland Electricity at 1 April 1992 and have no separate trading records. Because of this, provisions are being included to allow for further adjustments to the sale price, if necessary, for a 15-month period until after the first year's trading has been completed and audited. These provisions mostly relate to assurances given by Government as to station liabilities and information made available and are subject to rigorous de minimus levels and caps of £26 million for British Gas, £53·5 million for AES/Tractebel and £0·5 million for the management buy-out.Completion of each of the sales is subject to a number of conditions mainly in relation to satisfying terms for financing. The sales to MEBO and AES/Tractebel are project financed and will not be completed until the money is in place. While I am hopeful that this can be achieved by 31 March, I cannot guarantee that this will be so. An important provision in the contracts allows a period before completion during which the new owners can familiarise themselves with the operation of the stations.The sale of Ballylumford brings with it plans for the construction by British Gas of a gas pipeline to Northern Ireland and the conversion of that station to gas firing and 1 am pleased to announce that the European Commission has approved a grant of up to 90 million ecu towards these costs. Terms have been agreed, but British Gas has still to carry out a detailed undersea survey and complete negotiations with Bord Gáis Éireann in respect of the shared onshore pipeline in Scotland. The agreement allows for a reassessment of the gas pipeline proposals following completion of these. The pipeline has been sized so that it it can accommodate additional gas requirements for either future power generation or the development of a downstream market in Northern Ireland and I welcome the opportunities which these will present.I am convinced that the sale of power stations on the terms which I have agreed represents the best outcome for not only the taxpayer but energy users in Northern Ireland. A privatised industry represents the best means of securing maximum efficiency and will be more responsive to the needs of consumers. The provision of gas will give us not only access to a clean and cost effective fuel for electricity generation but the promise of an additional alternative fuel for industrial, commercial and domestic consumers in Northern Ireland in the years ahead.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been given in grants to the National Union of Students in higher education colleges in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

No Government grants are paid to the National Union of Students. The students' unions of the Queen's University of Belfast, the university of Ulster and St. Mary's college of education are affiliated to the National Union of Students. Payment to the National Union of Students by the students' unions of the two universities were as follows:

	Queen's University of £	University Ulster £
1986–87	24,600	19,494
1987–88	27,554	21,178
1988–89	28,576	15,740
1989–90	36,450	27,872
1990–91	42,265	36,723

Information on the amounts paid by the students' union of St. Mary's college is not readily available. Stranmillis college students' union is not affiliated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to secure and develop research activity within Northern Ireland universities for the future.

The Government recognise the value of the research done at Northern Ireland's two universities, particularly its importance to the strengthening of the local economy and are already providing public funding in excess of £30 million a year to support such research.The Department of Education for Northern Ireland is currently considering, in consultation with the universities, what arrangements for the funding of basic research

Number of awards
	Academic year
Education and library board	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91
Belfast	230	109	67	43	38
North Eastern	179	93	65	31	25
South Eastern	130	82	51	38	34
Southern	389	303	192	102	112
Western	575	398	171	91	144
Total number of awards	1,503	985	546	305	353

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will introduce a new scheme to provide compensation to innocent victims of violence where the level of compensation falls outside existing provision.

No. The existing criminal injuries compensation scheme in Northern Ireland provides fair and reasonable compensation to the innocent victims of violence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement outlining what plans there are to implement the recommendations of the Poswillo report on the use of general anaesthesia, sedation and resuscitation in dentistry in Northern Ireland; and what funds will be allocated to support their implementation.

The level of general anaesthesia in Northern Ireland is four times that in England and as a result the cost of implementing the Poswillo report in the Province will be relatively high. It has not been possible to earmark resources specifically for this purpose in 1992–93.The health and social services boards, however, will be asked to implement the recommendations of the report, as resources permit, giving priority to the hospital and community dental services. General dental practitioners will be invited to refer patients to the community dental service where appropriate, until resources become available for the requisite investment in the general dental service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many education maintenance allowances were awarded by each education and library board in Northern Ireland for each academic year since 1986–87; and what was the total value of such awards by board in each year.

The information is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of all changes to the value of education maintenance allowances and/or in the means test scales for education maintenance allowances since 1980 specifying the respective values and scales in each instance.

The information is as follows:

Academic year	Maximum allowance (£)	Means-test limits (£)
		Lower	Upper
Age 16
1980–81	380	1,670	2,980
1981–82	425	1,910	3,410
1982–83	445	2,080	3,715
1983–84 to 1989–90	390	2,485	3,925
1990–91	520	2,800	5,200
1991–92	551	3,080	5,720
Age 17
1980–81	430	1,670	3,140
1981–82	480	1,910	3,590
1982–83	500	2,080	3,915
1983–84 to 1989–90	475	2,485	4,165
1990–91	520	2,800	5,200
1991–92	551	3,080	5,720
Age 18
1980–81	510	1,670	3,470
1981–82	570	1,910	3,970
1982–83	595	2,080	4,325
1983–84 to 1989–90	494	2,485	4,645
1990–91	520	2,800	5,200
1991–92	551	3,080	5,720

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement detailing the progress of the review of the education maintenance allowance scheme by the Department of Education indicating the date of its initiation, consultation with education and library boards, unions or other interested bodies, the terms of the review and consultations and options identified and appraised.

The Department of Education for Northern Ireland initiated the review in 1988. It was

Offices	1988–89		1989–90		1990–91		1991–92
	Budget £	Staff	Budget £	Staff	Budget £	Staff	Budget £	Staff
Headquarters	1348,114	19	1390,356	20	1461,457	17	1449,475	14
Belfast Area 1	60,367	4	77,572	5	70,379	5	92,457	5
Belfast Area 2	53,802	4	58,853	4	56,914	6	95,250	6
Specialist Metrology	91,112	5	81,783	5	91,410	7	115,185	7

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the performance of the trading standards branch in Northern Ireland outlining the plans he has for expanding the service, enhancing its profile or increasing its responsibility or powers.

The trading standards branch of the Department of Economic Development performs a valuable service in promoting and maintaining standards of fair trading in Northern Ireland to the benefit of both consumers and reputable traders. Twenty-three trading standards officers and six enforcement officers are employed in the branch and a further three trading standards officers are undergoing training.Increased enforcement responsibilities will result from the implementation of European Community directives and national initiatives over the next three years. The need for additional resources will be kept under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the budget for the trading standards branch in the current year and each of the past three years specifying its distribution among offices and their respective staffing levels.

The information requested is set out in the table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the support provided for inventors in Northern Ireland who wish to develop their invention with a view to production in Northern Ireland, and on whether he has any plans to review the effectiveness of such support.

The Local Enterprise Development Unit acts as the initial source of advice and assistance to inventors seeking to develop their inventions either on their own or with suitable commercial partners.Inventors whose projects have technology as a key element will in future, be referred to the new industrial research and technology unit—IRTU—which was formally launched on 3 March 1992. The new organisation will concentrate the Government's research and development functions into a single unit and will provide single door access for individuals and companies to financial support and professional expertise for a wide range of innovatory projects. Advice is also available from the Industrial Science Centre on patents and support is given for initial patent searches.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many residential properties owned by his Department are (a) empty, (b) for sale on the open market, (c) intended for sale on the open market and (d) for sale to housing associations, in terms of numbers and percentage of stock.

My Department does not own any residential properties.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proposals he has for a further round of offshore licensing for the United Kingdom continental shelf.

Following the very successful 12th and frontier rounds announced two years ago, I am today announcing the 14th round of offshore licensing. Acreage in the round will be announced in three stages.Acreage announced today comprises all remaining unlicensed acreage in the main mature areas of the northern, central and southern North sea which can be released. Any finds in these areas will back up existing production plans.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many unregistered persons making or importing chargeable vehicles into Northern Ireland from the Irish Republic have paid car tax in each of the last three financial years and the current year; and what, in each year, has been (a) the number of chargeable vehicles imported in each year and (b) what sums of tax were collected in each year.

Information on importations by unregistered persons is not readily available. It could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many chargeable vehicles imported into Northern Ireland, in each of the last three years and the current financial year, from (a) the Irish Republic and (b) elsewhere, car tax was paid; and what in each year and case were the sums paid in total.

The number of chargeable vehicles imported into Northern Ireland in the last three years is as follows:

	From Irish Republic	From elsewhere
1988–89	3,215	712
1989–90	2,437	970
1990–91	2,002	1,195
1991–921	3,230	630
1 To end February.

The information on revenue could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the average annual rate of growth of gross domestic product (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in Scotland (i) excluding North sea oil and gas and (ii) including North sea oil and gas, over the periods 1964 to 1970, 1970 to 1980, 1974 to 1979, 1979 to 1991 or the most recent available figures, 1980 to 1990 and 1987 to 1991.

The latest information for the United Kingdom is as follows:

Annual average growth rates in Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
	Total GDP	GDP excluding oil and gas extraction
1964–70	2·7	2·7
1970–80	1·8	1·4
1974–79	2·0	1·3
1979–89	2·2	2·2
1979–91	1·7	1·7
1980–90	2·5	2·5
1987–91	1·2	1·6

Available estimates for Scotland are not fully comparable with those for the United Kingdom. Such data as are available are published in table 3·5 of the "Scottish Economic Bulletin", June 1991 edition, which is in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what growth in the number of passengers and in the number of vehicles, vessels and aircraft the board of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise estimates from (a) other European Community countries and (b) countries outside the European Community in the period up to 1993–94.

The board of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise does not produce authoritative statistics for passenger and transport movements. For its own planning purposes the Department estimates that the number of passengers from both European Community countries and from countries outside the European Community will increase by about 1·5 per cent. in 1992–93 and 4·1 per cent. in 1993–94.The number of transport units, including containers, is expected to increase by 1·6 per cent. in 1992–93 and 6·5 per cent. in 1993–94. The percentage increases are estimated to be broadly similar for EC and non-EC movements in each category.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the OECD figures for Government investment per worker in France, the United States of America and the United Kingdom.

In 1989 OECD figures show that general government investment per civilian employee was £868 in France, £436 in the United States of America and £342 in the United Kingdom.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the administrative costs of the British Telecom share offer; and if he will make a statement.

The costs to the Government in 1991–92 of the BT share offer are estimated to be as follows:

United Kingdom offers	£ million
Selling and other commissions	32·5
Marketing	17·2
Share Information Office	14·6
Prospectus production and distribution	6·6
Receiving and Agent Bank operations	23·8
Advisers' fees and expenses	6·4
Total (United Kingdom offers)	101·1
Overseas offers	3·9
Total (United Kingdom and Overseas offers)	105·0

These costs represent about 1·9 per cent. of the total proceeds due from the sale of shares to the Government, which are estimated at £5,403 million. The costs exclude stamp duty and VAT on services provided to the Government, which are not net costs to the Exchequer.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many residential properties owned by the Treasury are (a) empty, (b) for sale on the open market, (c) intended for sale on the open market and (d) for sale to housing associations, in terms of numbers and percentage of stock.

The Treasury does not own any property.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many residential properties owned by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise are (a) empty, (b) for sale on the open market, (c) intended for sale on the open market and (d) for sale to housing associations, in terms of numbers and percentage of stock.

Her Majesty's Customs and Excise does not currently own any residential properties.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of adults not in full-time education pay income tax at the rate of 40 per cent.

Latest estimates for 1991–92 are that 1.6 million individuals—some 31/4 per cent. of adults not in full-time education—are liable to income tax at the higher rate.I regret that no information on the educational status of these individuals is available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate, on the same basis as the ready reckoner published in the autumn statement, what is the effect on a one-earner, two-child family of spending in 1992–93 the same sum on (a) a 1p cut in the basic rate of income tax, (b) raising income tax thresholds above their indexed levels and (c) raising child benefits, assuming (i) no change in income support and family credit rates and (ii) corresponding changes in income support and family credit rates.

[holding answer 24 February 1992]: The cost in 1992–93 of (a) a 1p cut in the basic rate of income tax, is estimated to be £1,950 million, which would be worth roughly £2·50 a week to a married man on average male earnings, compared with statutory indexation.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make available notes on clauses for the Friendly Societies Bill prior to Second Reading.

Yes. Copies of notes on clauses are today being placed in the Vote Office and in the Libraries of the House for the convenience of Members.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will publish a table showing for 1990–91 and his estimate for the current financial year the number of males and females under pensionable age (a) with total incomes of more than £5,000 and less than £10,000 a year, the number assessed for tax and the amount of tax paid and (b) the number who earned more than £5,000 and less than £10,000 and the amount of national insurance contributions paid;(2) if he will publish a table showing for 1990–91 and his estimate for the current financial year

[holding answer 19 February 1992]: Estimates of total income for income tax purposes for taxpayers are available from projections of the 1989–90 survey of personal incomes. These are the basis of the following estimates of the number of taxpayers in the specified ranges and the corresponding tax liabilities.

1990–91 levels of income
Total income · per year	Number liable to income tax (million)	Tax liability ·(million)
Males aged under 65
1–5,000	0·7	200
5,000–10,000	3·4	2,900
Females aged under 65
1–5,000	1·7	400
5,000–10,000	3·8	3,400

1991–92 levels of income
Total income · per year	Number liable to income tax (million)	Tax liability ·(million)
Males aged under 65
1–5,000	0·6	100
5,000–10,000	3·1	2,500
Females aged under 65
1–5,000	1·3	300
5,000–10,000	3·8	3,200

The following tables are based on new earnings survey estimates of weekly earnings of employees and the corresponding employees's NIC liabilities.

1990–91 levels of earnings
Annual equivalent of weekly earning £	Number of individuals (million)	Number liable to National Insurance (million)	National Insurance liability £ million
Males under pensionable age
1,–5,000	1·2	0·4	100
5,000–10,000	2·4	2·4	1,300
Females under pensionable age
1,–5,000	4·1	1·9	300
5,000–10,000	3·7	3·7	1,700

1990–91 levels of earnings
Annual equivalent of weekly earning £	Number of individuals (million)	Number liable to National Insurance (million)	National Insurance liability £ million
Males under pensionable age
1–5,000	1·1	0·3	100
5,000–10,000	1·9	1·9	1,000
Females under pensionable age
1–5,000	3·8	1·5	200
5,000–10,000	3·4	3·4	1,500

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the amount of bilateral aid given by his Department to (a) the Albanian Government and (b) aid agencies and charities working in Albania since May 1991.

The information is as follows:

	£
(a) Nil
(b) British Red Cross	200,000
Feed The Children	180,000
Oxfam	35,000

A further £135,000 will be allocated shortly, bringing the total to £550,000. Feed the Children has also been given a quantity of Ministry of Defence medical supplies which were surplus to requirements in Germany.

Summary of Task Force Funding 1986–92
Task Force	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91	1991–92
Middlesbrough	710,315	1,104,937	867,204	711,314	1,181,240	1,125,379
Moss Side	187,690	528,770	873,575	2,323,469	2,024,551	1,093,333
Bristol	772,380	1,984,639	581,374	620·461	2,017,379	654,777
West London	187,300	869,231	959,947	462,926	1,296,688	1,486,922
North Peckham	470,620	981,696	1,275,092	883,365	1,249,183	1,825,618
Coventry	—	253,264	1,430,094	1,469,219	932,518	1,229,062
Nottingham	—	512,290	1,494,045	797,001	1,012,710	993,550
East Birmingham	—	—	330,335	1,366,680	1,025,743	951,237
Granby/Toxteth	—	—	—	576,335	1,441,605	1,518,053
Bradford	—	—	—	440,419	1,932,369	846,798
Deptford	—	—	—	205,708	1,663,991	989,005
Derby	—	—	—	—	218,830	961,811
Wirral	—	—	—	—	549,961	584,886
Hackney	—	—	—	—	—	25,950
Hull	—	—	—	—	—	115,670
South Tyneside	—	—	—	—	—	22,618

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a further statement about the work of the shipbuilding task force within his Department.

The objective of the shipbuilding task force remains as described in my reply to the hon. Lady on 20 March 1991, Official Report, columns 161–62.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many residential properties owned by his Department are (a) empty, (b) for sale on the open market, (c) intended for sale on the open market and (d) for sale to housing associations, in terms of numbers and percentage of stock.

My Department does not own any properties suitable for residential accommodation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list all those task forces currently in operation, giving dates for when they started, and projected dates for their wind-up and allocated funding for each year of their operation.

Inner-city task forces currently in operation are: Middlesbrough, Moss Side and Hulme (Manchester), Bristol, West London, North Peckham (opened in 1986); Foleshill and Hillfields (Coventry), Nottingham (1987); East Birmingham (1988); Granby/Toxteth (Liverpool), Bradford, Deptford (1989); Derby, Wirral (1990); Hull, Hackney, South Tyneside (1991).The task force initiative is a rolling programme. Decisions on which task forces are to close this year, and where new ones are to open, will take place in parallel with decisions on city challenge.Allocated funding for each task force currently open is given in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received regarding the National House Building Council 10-year warranty for new houses; and if he will make a statement.

A Monopolies and Mergers Commission —MMC—report on structural warranties for new homes was published in March last year. This recommended changes to the rules of the National House Building Council—NHBC—warranty scheme, to allow builders belonging to the scheme to place some of their new homes with a comparable alternative scheme. On publication my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry invited representations from interested parties on a number of alternative remedies. In response he received more than 100 letters from builders, trade associations and professional bodies, consumer organisations and members of the public, some supporting and some opposing changes to the NHBC scheme.The MMC report recognised that the NHBC had over a number of years made an impressive contribution to the improvement of housing standards and provision of safeguards for purchasers of new homes. However, it also found that competition had started to bring substantial benefits. Discussions with the NHBC and other interested parties have been continuing with a view to finding a solution which brings the benefits of increased competition without prejudicing consumer interests.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much regional assistance was provided under each scheme for the north-east of England in 1979, 1987 and the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

The table lists the amount of money spent on regional assistance in the north-east of England in the financial years 1979–80, 1987–88 and 1990–91, the latest year for which figures are available. Expenditure by calendar year is not readily available for some of the schemes.

£ million
	1979–80	1987–88	1990–91
Regional Selective Assistance	10·8	24·6	27·7
Regional Development Grants1	122·4	57·4	34·6
Regional Enterprise Grants2	—	—	2·4
English Estates3	12·5	21·5	18·3
1 Includes expenditure under both the original scheme which closed to new applications in November 1984 and the revised scheme which replaced it in 1984 and in turn was closed to new applications in March 1988.
2 Started in April 1988.
3 Expenditure on factory building in the assisted areas of the north-cast of England.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he intends to introduce section 43 of the Weights and Measures Act 1985 relating to beer or cider and foam; and if he will make a statement.

Following my Department's consultation with interested parties, I have today made a commencement order which provides that section 43 of the Weights and Measures Act 1985 will come into force on 1 April 1994.The lengthy implementation period will give publicans plenty of time to prepare and ensure that compliance costs are kept to a minimum. This law does not outlaw froth, but I strongly believe that consumers should get what they pay for, if a pint is ordered a pint of liquid beer is what they should get.I have just decided that brim-measure glasses should not be prohibited. Licensees will therefore still be able to use these glasses as long as they serve a full liquid pint of beer or cider.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many residential properties owned by his Department are (a) empty, (b) for sale on the open market, (c) intended for sale on the open market and (d) for sale to housing associations, in terms of numbers and percentage of stock.

This Department owns no residential property.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils in each local education authority are educated in maintained special schools outside their own local education authority area.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 28 February, Official Report, columns 619 to 21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) when he intends to close down the Council for National Academic Awards; and if he will make a statement;(2) what steps he has taken to ensure that all those students registered with the Council for National Academic Awards will be transferred to other degree awarding bodies by the date of closure of the Council for National Academic Awards without any change in conditions or fees payable by the student;(3) how he will ensure that a national network of peer review is maintained after the abolition of the Council for National Academic Awards.

My right hon. and learned Friend announced on 16 December 1991, Official Report, column 31, that the dissolution of the Council for National Academic Awards was likely to be at the end of March 1993. That remains the position. He also referred to the importance of arrangements being made for students to be able to continue on the course of study for which they enrolled, in the institution at which they enrolled and with the expectation of receiving a degree or other award at the end of that course of similar standing to the CNAA degree or award for which they initially registered. We remain confident that new validation agreements will be in place by the beginning of the 1992–93 academic year. On 15 January the Department wrote to all higher education institutions making it clear that students who had already paid a validation fee to the CNAA should not be charged a further fee by a new validating institution.The new quality assurance organisation being established collectively by the higher education institutions will be responsible for scrutinising institutions' quality control systems and validation agreements, and will take over some other activities of the CNAA. The way in which validation is carried out will be a matter for individual institutions, taking account of views expressed by the new organisation. As my right hon. and learned Friend's announcement on 16 December indicated, the Open university is intending to offer a validation service broadly on existing CNAA lines.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the per capita spending for primary and secondary school pupils in Northumberland, and the average per capita spending for all pupils, in 1979, 1987, and the latest year for which figures arc available; and if he will make a statement.

The latest year for which actual spending information is available is 1989–90. Average school-based expenditure figures per nursery, primary and secondary pupil in Northumberland and for England as a whole are shown in the table.The real-terms increases in per pupil spending between 1979–80 and 1989–90 were 41 per cent. in Northumberland and 44 per cent. for England. Most Government support for local authorities is by way of unhypothecated revenue support grant. It is then for each local authority to determine how to allocate its spending between schools and other services.

Net institutional expenditure1per pupil
	Northumberland		England average
Year	Cash £	1989–90 prices2£	Cash £	1989–90 prices2£
1979–80	515	1,030	515	1,030
1987–88	1,210	1,380	1,240	1,420
1989–90	1,450	1,450	1,485	1,485
1 Net institutional expenditure covers the direct costs in schools of salaries and wages, premises and certain supplies and services. It does not include the cost of school meals, home to school transport, LEA central administration, and financing costs of capital expenditure.
2 Figures for 1979–80 and 1987–88 have been repriced to 1989–90 prices using the GDP (Market Prices) Deflator index.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will list the number of primary and secondary teachers in Northumberland in 1979, 1987 and for the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will list the pupil-to-teacher ratio in primary and secondary schools in Northumberland, and the average ratio for all pupils in 1979, 1987 and for the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Information on the pupil-teacher ratios and the number of full-time equivalent teachers in maintained primary and secondary schools in Northumberland local education authority for the years 1979, 1987 and 1991 are given in the table.

Northumberland local education authority
Year	1Full-time equivalent teachers		2"Within school" pupil-teacher ratios		3Overall pupil-teacher ratios
	Primary	Secondary	Primary	Secondary
1979	926	1,770	23·4	17·5	18·3
1987	832	1,765	13·1	16·3	17·8
1991	830	1,684	23·5	16·7	17·4
1 Qualified teachers in schools only.
2 The "within schools" PTRs are calculated using full-time equivalent numbers of qualified teachers in schools and full-time equivalent pupil numbers.
3 The overall PTRs arc calculated using full-time equivalent pupil numbers and the full-time equivalent of all teachers employed by the LEA in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools. This

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he win list the schools in Kent whose applications for grant-maintained status (a) he has approved, (b) he has rejected and (c) he is still considering.

A total of 41 schools in Kent have published proposals for grant-maintained status to date. These are set out in the categories requested:

• Grant-maintained schools in Kent

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment he has made of the accuracy of the information imparted in sex education in schools for teenage girls.

The implementation of those aspects of sex education which are included in national curriculum science arc being monitored by Her Majesty's inspectorate and by local education authorities. The National Curriculum Council is also carrying out a detailed evaluation of how the core subjects are being delivered in the classroom. Beyond the statutory requirements of national curriculum science, schools' governing bodies are responsible for deciding whether any further sex education should be included in their schools' curriculum and, if they decide that additional sex education should be provided, for determining policy on its content and organisation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangments are made for the provision of school transport to those children entitled to free transport in (a) grant-maintained schools and (b) city technology colleges.

Local education authorities have a statutory duty to provide free transport for school pupils for whom they consider it necessary, including pupils who attend grant-maintained schools and city technology colleges. Information on local education authorities school transport arrangements is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangments are made for the provision of school meals to those children entitled to free meals in (a) grant-maintained schools and (b) city technology colleges.

Grant-maintained schools must provide a free school meal to any pupil who would be entitled to one in a local education authority-maintained school. Their annual maintenance grant makes provision for this.City technology colleges are independent institutions and it is for them to make arrangements to provide meals free of charge to those children entitled to free school meals. City technology colleges grant from the Department make provision for this.

To ask the Attorney-General how many complaints he has received about the charging for legal aid forms by magistrates courts; and if he will ensure that the legal aid application forms continue to be provided free of charge.

I have been asked to reply. I have received only very occasional complaints. However, the question of charging is currently being considered by an interdepartmental working group reviewing the operation of the legal aid scheme in the magistrates courts.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many residential properties owned by his Department are (a) empty, (b) for sale on the open market, (c) intended for sale on the open market and (d) for sale to housing associations, in terms of numbers and percentage of stock.

The latest available estimate of the information requested is:

(a)345 (12·5 per cent.) properties are empty, of which 210 (7·7 per cent.) are retained for redevelopment, security reasons, essential reallocation or demolition, and are therefore not available for disposal;

(b) 120 (4·3 per cent.) properties are on the open market, of which 85 are the subject of an agreed sale and are awaiting completion;

(c) 15 (0·5 per cent.) properties arc to be placed on the market for sale; and

(d) there are no special arrangements for sales to housing associations, but any properties on the market are available for purchase by housing associations if they consider them suitable.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will release from prison Karamjit Singh Chahal so that he may re-join his family in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to my written answer to him of 12 December 1991, Official Report, column 510. The decision to detain Mr. Chahal is regularly reviewed, but at the present time I see no grounds for his release.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from Amnesty International about the provisions of the Charities Bill.

My officials have had one meeting with representatives of Amnesty International. We have also received six letters from right hon. and hon. Members forwarding letters from their constituents. These representations all concern the system of exemption orders for public charitable collections created by clause 72 of the Bill.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time taken by the immigration and nationality department to determine an application for British nationality.

The average time taken for applications for British citizenship granted in February 1992 was 25 months.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many warehouse or rave parties are known by the police to have taken place in Gloucestershire in 1990 and 1991; and how many arrests were made in connection with these parties.

There were no warehouse or rave parties in Gloucestershire in 1990. In 1991 there were 16 such parties, resulting in 173 arrests.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment is made of the impact on legal aid expenditure of proposals to close magistrates courts.

Magistrates courts committees should take into account all relevant factors when deciding whether or not to close a courthouse including the possible impact upon legal aid expenditure. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 10 February, columns 344–45, to the hon. Member for Faversham (Mr. Moate).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive a report on a national emergency warning system.

My right hon. Friend expects to receive a report from officials shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken during the current session to strengthen the powers of the courts to punish offenders who have committed violent crimes against women.

There are high maximum penalties for the most serious violent crimes against women, as against any victim: life imprisonment is mandatory for murder and is the maximum penalty for manslaughter, rape and the most serious woundings. The courts' powers will be enhanced when the Criminal Justice Act 1991 comes into force in October. The Act enables courts to impose longer custodial sentences than justified by the seriousness of the offence upon violent or sexual offenders in order to protect the public from serious harm from them. The Act also gives courts power to order longer and more intensive supervision for sex offenders following their release from custody.

To ask the Secretary of State for Home Department what was the total number of registered drug addicts in each of the last 12 years.

The number of new addicts notified by doctors to the Home Office in each of the last 12 years is given in table 2 of the Home Office statistical bulletins "Statistics of the misuse of drugs: addicts notified to the Home Office, United Kingdom" for 1989 and 1990, copies of which are in the Library. The number of addicts renotified, which is available only for 1987 onwards, is given in table 1 of the 1990 publication.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders were prosecuted for offences relating to drugs in each of the last 12 years.

The information requested is contained in table 3.1 of the Home Office statistical bulletins "Statistics of the misuse of drugs: seizures and offenders dealt with, United Kingdom" for 1989 and 1990, copies of which are in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up a bail information project in Gloucester.

I understand that Gloucestershire probation service is conducting a feasibility study at Cheltenham and Gloucester magistrates courts and, depending on its outcome, may submit a bid for resources in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will undertake a review into the inquest system.

My right hon. Friend has no plans for such a review.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department estimates should be spent on a prisoner's diet per day at the Wolds remand centre.

No such estimate was made in the course of inviting tenders for the management of Wolds prison. The Department's interest will be in ensuring that the contractors comply with the dietary standards set out in the operational specifications for the prison, a copy of which was placed in the Library on 2 May 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people each year since 1985 have had convictions overturned because forensic evidence presented at trial has subsequently been reconsidered or challenged successfully.

I regret that the information requested is not recorded centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people each year since 1985 have had convictions for murder overturned.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton (Mr. Nicholson) on 23 January 1992, column 317.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his oral answer of 25 February, Official Report, column 821, when he expects to announce proposals for ensuring secure accommodation for juvenile offenders remanded on bail.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has established a national steering group, with representatives from central Government, the local authority associations, the police, the probation service, the Crown prosecution service and voluntary organisations to plan the provision of secure accommodation to replace prison custody for remanded juveniles. We are anxious that the work should be concluded as quickly as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those parts of his Department, including executive agencies, carrying out reviews over the last 12 months into the pay and grading of staff and the firm of consultants engaged, where appropriate.

The Forensic Science Service agency, assisted by PA Consulting Group, is carrying out a pay and grading review of scientific grades within the agency.