To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many zoos are licensed in England and Wales under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981; if he will publish a list of these zoos; and if he will make a statement.

Zoo licences are issued by local authorities. The information they have supplied to my Department indicates that 284 zoos are currently licensed in England under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981. The corresponding information for zoos in Wales is held by the Welsh Office. I have placed a list of zoos licensed in England under the 1981 Act in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make further statements on the measures which he has taken to reduce homelessness.

We have spent £311 million on a two-year programme to help homeless families in the pressure areas of London and the south-east. We also plan to spend £96 million over three years to create 900 new hostel spaces and 2,500 places in permanent accommodation for single homeless people in London and £20 million on grants to organisations helping homeless people all over the country. In addition, development of low-cost housing is rising substantially as a result of increases in public expenditure through the Housing Corporation to more than £2 billion a year by 1993–94 and housing associations' ability to attract private finance. The deregulation of the private rented sector has also led to a welcome increase in private investment in rented housing.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what effect planning policy guidance note 7 has on the Government's policy of protecting the countryside for its own sakeg as set out in circular 16/87.

Planning policy guidance note 7 reaffirms the Government's policy that the countryside should be protected for its own sake. It states that the planning system helps to integrate development necessary to sustain the rural economy with protection of the countryside for the sake of its beauty, the diversity of its landscape, the wealth of its natural resources and its ecological, agricultural and recreational value. Planning policy guidance note 7 cancels DOE circular 16/87.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recommendations he has received from the chairman of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee on the European Commission's proposals for measures accompanying the reform of the common agricultural policy, particularly the agri-environment action programme, COM 91 415.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recommendations he has received from the chairman of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee on the European Commission's proposals for reforming the common agricultural policy, COM 91 258.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on (a) the seminar hosted by Her Majesty's Government on 5 February on the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development and (b) the reception given to his presentation to the final preparation committee meeting for UNCED in New York on 2 March.

On 5 March my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister met representatives of leading environment, development and business organisations who made presentations on their objectives for UNCED. This was followed by a general discussion. The speech which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment gave to the meeting of the UNCED preparatory committee on 2 March was very well received.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the latest figures available, stating whether they are final outturns, provisional outturns or budget figures, for 1988–89 to 1991–92 on the statistical basis of table 1—summary of gross expenditure and income, excluding double counting of flows—table 2 —capital and revenue expenditure by service—table 3—local authority income by source—and table 4—general fund revenue account by service—of "Local Government Financial Statistics, England".

The information for 1988–89 is published in "Local Government Financial Statistics England No. 2 1990" which is in the Library of the House. The information for later years cannot be provided in this form as detailed gross expenditure and income figures on all accounts are not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will obtain for his departmental library copies of the documents (a) "Environmentally Sound Management of Toxic Chemicals and Prevention of Illegal International Traffic in Toxic and Dangerous Products and Wastes", (b) "Environmentally Sound Management of Hazardous Wastes" and (c) "Safe and Environmentally Sound Management of Radioactive Waste" which were submitted for consideration to the final preparatory committee meeting for UNCED in March.

My Department already has copies of the documents.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which contractors have been appointed to work in Bushy park to maintain trees, shrubs, grass and clearance of waste; what conditions are in the contract in relation to trees and shrubs; how long is the contract; what sanctions exist to uphold quality of work; and if he will set out, in relation to the 18 former park employees, other than the gamekeeper, how many applied for interview with the contractor and how many are employed.

Glendale Industries Ltd. has been appointed to carry out the garden and landscape maintenance work in Bushy park for a period of four years. Thirteen former parks staff applied and were interviewed for jobs with Glendale, of whom nine were successful.The contract specification sets down in detail all the planting and maintenance duties required of the contractor for Bushy park, including maintenance of trees and shrubs. The work will be instructed and closely monitored by the Department's site supervisors, and will be approved for payment only if it has been completed to the high standards that we have specified.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give an estimate of annual United Kingdom emissions of nitrous oxide broken down by source; and of the relative global warming effect of nitrous oxide in comparison with other United Kingdom emissions of gases with global warming potential.

Provisional estimates made by Warren Spring Laboratory for my Department are as follows:

United Kingdom emissions of nitrous oxide—provisional estimates for 1990 (thousands of tonnes per year)
Source	Emission	Per cent.
Production of adipic acid for nylon manufacture	90	57
Emissions from soil	65	41
Road transport	3	2
Other fuel combustion	2	1
Total	160	100

These estimates are very uncertain, but they suggest a direct global warming effect equivalent to about 7 per cent. of that from current United Kingdom emissions of carbon dioxide.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward proposals to amend the Water Act 1989 to enable the Director General of Water Services to ensure that the water companies follow a least-cost policy in respect of their environmental obligations; and if he will make a statement.

Under the Water Industry Act 1991, a consolidating measure, the Director General of Water Services already has a duty to promote economy and efficiency on the part of a water, or water and sewerage, company in carrying out its functions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to issue tax amending orders for the advertising of planning applications before 20 March; and if he will make a statement.

The need for local planning authorities to publicise planning applications under the Planning and Compensation Act 1991 will not require the issue of tax amending orders.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps have been taken to implement the provisions of the Planning and Compensation Act 1991 in England and Wales; which provisions are not yet in force; and when it is proposed to implement them.

In the eight months since it received Royal Assent on 25 July 1991, almost all the major provisions of the Planning and Compensation Act 1991 have been brought into effect in England and Wales in four commencement orders. The main compensation pro-visions, together with a number of the planning and development control measures, came into operation two months after Royal Assent on 25 September 1991. The Act provided for home loss payments improvements to be backdated to 16 November 1990. The bulk of the enforcement provisions commenced on 2 January 1992, and the new development plans system became operative on 10 February 1992. A direction relating to publicity for, and notification of departures from development plans came into force on 28 February.Where appropriate, advice and policy guidance for local authorities and other agencies, and existing advice, has been brought up to date to reflect the provisions of the 1991 Act as follows:

DOE Circ 14/91	August 1991	Planning and Compensation Act 1991
DOE Circ 15/91	September 1991	Land Compensation and Compulsory Purchase.
MPG8	September 1991	Interim Development Order Permissions (IDOs) Statutory Provisions and Procedures.
DOE Circ 16/91	October 1991	Planning Obligations.
DOE Circ 23/91	December 1991	Awards of Costs in Planning Proceedings Following Late Cancellation of an Inquiry or Hearing.
DOE Circ 18/91	December 1991	New Development Plans System: Transitional Arrangements (England and Wales).
DOE Circ 21/91	December 1991	Implementation of the Main Enforcement Provisions.
PPG 18	December 1991	Enforcing Planning Control.
PPG7	January 1992	The Countryside and the Rural Economy.
PPG 12	February 1992	Development Plans and Regional Planning Guidance.
MPG9	March 1992	Interim Development Order Permissions (IDOs) Conditions.
PPG1	March 1992	General Policy and Principles.
PPG3	March 1992	Housing.
PPG 19	March 1992	Outdoor Advertisement Control.
DOE Circ 5/92	March 1992	Town and Country Planning Control of Advertisement Regulations 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes he proposes to make to the test of resources for house renovation grants to take account of the new disability living allowance and disability working allowance.

My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales and I have today given to local housing authorities advance notice of amendments to the test of resources applied to applicants for house renovation grants including those to help provide facilities for disabled people. These regulations under part VIII of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 come into force on 6 April. They introduce disability living allowance and disability working allowance as qualifying conditions for a number of premiums used to calculate the applicable amount in the test of resources. Disability living allowance will replace the current mobility allowance and, where the disability arose before age 65, attendance allowance. As with the two allowances it replaces, this new allowance will be disregarded in full as income in the test.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the number and type of notifiable pollution incidents in (a) Cornwall and (b) Cumbria in each year since 1979; what companies or organisations were involved; and what has been done to restore the ecological balance of the environment in each county.

[holding answer 24 January 1992]: I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of British Rail's reorganisation known as "Organising for Quality".

Substantial progress has been made with the implementation of this reorganisation. The process will be substantially completed on 6 April 1992 with the abolition of the railway regions. The British Railways Board has recently submitted a report on this reorganisation, which I have accepted. I have today laid this report before both Houses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes the vehicle inspectorate is proposing to make to vehicle testing fees.

On 9 March, I laid before the House a draft order which contains the fees which the vehicle inspectorate proposes to charge from 30 March. The fees will need to be reviewed again later to take account of the incorporation into the heavy goods vehicle test from I September of measured checks of smoke emission. I have also asked that we should seek views on a revised structure for fees which reflect more closely the increased costs to the inspectorate of vehicles with a higher number of axles. Consultation on these matters will take place in the summer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the level of capital expenditure by London Underground during each of the last five years; and what is the planned level for 1992–93 and 1993–94.

The information requested is as follows:

London Underground investment £ million 1990–91 prices
	£ million
1987–88	259
1988–89	234
1989–90	328
1990–91	459
1991–92	1353
1992–93–94	2—
1 Forecast outturn.
1 Estimated combined total for these years—over £2 billion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will extend the time period for consultation on his proposals for an M I /M62 link in west Yorkshire to enable the proposals to be exhibited in the Horbury area of Wakefield.

Special arrangements have already been operated for people in the Horbury area. Nevertheless. I am arranging for additional exhibitions of the MI/M62 link road proposals to be held next week both in the Horbury and Thornhill Lees areas, subject to the availability of suitable venues.There seems no case for extending the consultation period which does not expire until I May, but any comments received after that date will still be taken into account.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the projected date for announcing the preferred route for the proposed MI/M62 motorway link in west Yorkshire.

No date has been set for announcing the outcome of the public consultation, into the options for a proposed link between the M1 south-west of Wakefield and the M62 east of Huddersfield, which started on 27 February 1992. This is because it is impossible to anticipate at this stage how long it will take to assess fully the large number of responses we expect to receive from the public and representative bodies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those initial response teams he expects to be operating on 1 April without official vehicles.

On 1 April 1992 there will be a total of 65 initial response teams.Initial response teams operating without official vehicles are listed below. These stations have not previously operated with an official vehicle, prior to redesignation as IRTs. The implementation period for the review is four years, and alterations to the current plan could occur over this period, should circumstances change significantly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the current responsibilities of Her Majesty's coastguard; and if he will implement the sector review in accordance with the definition contained in paragraph 2.12 of that report.

I would refer the hon. Member to the written reply I gave to the hon. Member for St. Ives (Mr. Harris) on the same subject on 9 March 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what preventive and educational measures are required by Her Majesty's coastguard of sector officers; and what proportion of their time they are required to spend on education and preventive work.

Her Majesty's coastguard sector officers are primarily responsible for the management, training and operational efficiency of the several auxiliary coastguard companies within their sectors, including maintenance of buildings and equipment.As part of their workload, sector officers will provide both solicited and unsolicited safety and educational advice in the course of their duties, including presentations at local schools, local public events, yachting and other organisations which use the sea, as well as routine daily contact with the general public. This is done in concert with the auxiliary coastguard companies under their charge. There is no requirement for a specific number of hours per month to be spent on this aspect of work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of his study of auxiliary operations room assistance; what are the cost implications of employing administrative assistants to replace auxiliary coastguards; and when the recommendations will be implemented.

The recommendation that a separate study of auxiliary operations room assistance be undertaken formed part of the long-term aims of the coastal review. Although some preliminary work was put in hand it was considered that this item was secondary in importance to other recommendations contained in the review, and no conclusions have yet been reached.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration has been given to increasing the total amount of money allocated to the Government assistance for training scheme for the shipping industry; and if he will make a statement.

In accordance with Treasury guidelines, a policy review of the Government assistance for training scheme was conducted last year by my Department. This review highlighted GAFT's success in revitalising cadet recruitment. It did not identify an immediate need to increase the target of 500 cadets per annum for which the scheme has been designed although it acknowledged the possibility of reviewing the GAFT budget to coincide with future public expenditure surveys.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what directions he has given to the London traffic director concerning cycles.

The Secretary of State's draft traffic management and parking guidance which he issued for consultation on 11 March sets out his aims for cycling in London and possible measures to assist cyclists in relation to red routes. It will be for the London traffic director and the London local authorities to have regard to the final guidance when meeting their respective traffic management responsibilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the budget for cycle schemes within the traffic division for 1992–93; and what is the proportion of the total budget for the traffic division of cycle schemes.

The traffic policy division of the Department of Transport has no executive responsibilities for providing cycling facilities, and so has no budget for cycle schemes. Cycle schemes are funded from other budgets as is the work on the 1,000-mile cycle route for London.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what specific schemes are planned (a) within the Department's bypass scheme and (b) within the Department's trunk road programme for cycling.

The answer is:

a) The Department's bypass demonstration project was launched earlier this year. Work is being undertaken with the local authorities in six towns. It will implement measures such as traffic calming, traffic management and environmental improvements so as to show how the fullest possible benefits to the local community can be realised. The schemes are likely to include improved provision for cyclists, pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.

Site	Applicant	Capacity	Date of consent
Charterhouse Street, London EC1	Citigen Ltd.	90 MW	26 February 1992
Spondon	Derwent Cogeneration Ltd. (formerly Courtaulds)	318 MW	10 March 1992
Medway	Medway Power Ltd.	450 or 660 MW	10 March 1992
Sutton Bridge	Independent Power Generators Ltd.	700 MW	11 March 1992

To ask the Prime Minister when the supplement to the ninth report of the Review Body for Nursing Staff, Midwives, Health Visitors and the Professions Allied to Medicine will be published.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research is being conducted by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory on cycles and cycle safety.

The Transport and Road Research Laboratory has begun to evaluate the effectiveness of current pedal cycle helmets in reducing head injuries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the decision announced by the European Commission and EURATOM on 4 March to prohibit the reopening of the MTR 1203 reprocessing plant at Dounreay until nuclear materials accountancy procedures have been satisfactorily approved.

The Commission decision of 4 March applied a "warning" to Dounreay. This requires Dounreay to rectify failures in the implementation of accounting and records systems before the plant resumes normal operations. To this end, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority is vigorously implementing the recommendations of its internal inquiry, and is consulting with the Commission as necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the licences he has issued for gas-fired power stations giving the location and date in each case.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 24 February at columns 398–400.Since then, four further section 36 consents have been granted, details of which are given herewith.

The review body's report, which deals with the pay of senior nurses and senior midwives, is being published today. The Government are grateful to the review body for the additional work it has undertaken to prepare this report.The report recommends that with effect from I September 1991 the senior nurse and senior midwife pay spine should be increased by approximately 6 per cent. to the level of the senior manager pay spine and that senior nurses should each receive a single non-superannuable cash payment of £300.The Government have accepted the review body's recommendations but have decided that the single cash payment should be superannuable, in order to comply with the provisions of the NHS superannuation regulations.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his plan to send a human rights fact-finding team to the People's Republic of China.

In January in New York I proposed to Premier Li Peng that a high-level delegation should visit China later this year to look into human rights issues. My right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Surrey, East (Sir G. Howe) has agreed to lead this mission, which will take place later this year.

To ask the Prime Minister whether he will make a statement on his approach to planning in the countryside in the light of the publication of the revised planning policy guidance note 7.

The Government are not, and never have been, in favour of uncontrolled development. Planning is essential. Our commitment to it was demonstrated through our introduction of the Planning and Compensation Act 1991, and the implementation of the plan-led system it provides for. We have made clear the role of the planning system in ensuring that development and growth are sustainable.Balanced decisions within the planning system require various points of view to be heard and weighed. The views of those who oppose development are often got across very effectively indeed to those taking planning decisions. But weight must also be given to the views of individuals submitting planning applications. For them, especially those in the farming community, success may make all the difference as to whether they can continue to live and work in the countryside. In my speech to the Oxford farming conference, I was speaking on behalf of those individuals—who sometimes feel that their voice counts for relatively little—when I encouraged planning authorities to balance the need to protect the countryside with the need for jobs and houses.This position is clearly set out in the revised planning policy guidance note 7 on the countryside and the rural economy. This note explains this Government's policy of encouraging rural enterprise, while ensuring that the environment is protected. It reminds planning authorities of the need for a balanced approach to rural development and conservation. The planning system helps to integrate development necessary to sustain the rural economy with protection of the countryside for the sake of its beauty, its diversity of landscape, its wealth of natural resources and its ecological, agricultural and recreational value. When paragraph 2.5 of the PPG says that "little weight" should normally be attached to the loss of lower grade agricultural land it means little weight in terms of agricultural value; other factors such as landscape and nature conservation need to be taken fully into account.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution the United Kingdom is making towards the development of southern African countries faced by severe drought.

We have substantial and continuing programmes of development aid for countries of the southern Africa region amounting to some £165 million in 1990. As my hon. Friend is aware, I announced a package of additional assistance last week in response to the drought comprising £2 ½ million of balance of payments support each for Zambia and Zimbabwe plus 15,000 tonnes of food aid for Mozambique and for Mozambican refugees. I am able to announce today a further £1 million in the form of a contribution to the world food programmes's targeted feeding programme for vulnerable groups in Malawi.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list by project the amount of know-how fund grant committed to date under the two schemes to encourage the establishment of British investment operations in central and eastern Europe, the Baltic states and the former Soviet Union; and if he will make a statement.

So far over £3 million has been committed to 150 successful applicants under the two schemes. The first scheme provides up to 50 per cent. grant towards the cost of pre-investment feasibility studies (PIFS) into proposed British investment operations; the second scheme finances, on a pump-priming basis, the costs of providing training in management and business skills to key indigenous personnel who will run British investment operations (the training for investment personnel scheme—TIPS). There has been a good response from a wide cross-section of British industry and service sector firms and organisations and the schemes appear to be achieving their aims. Forty-nine pre-investment feasibility studies supported by the know-how fund have so far been completed; in 35 of these, applicants have decided definitely to proceed with their investment; in a further five a final decision has not yet been taken.Information on the grant committed by project is as follows:

Pre-investmenl feasibility studies (PIFS) scheme
Proposed Investment Operation	Grant Approved £
Poland
Airport terminal	41,000
Bulk liquids storage terminal	12,500
Interpreter/translation service	2,946
Poultry breeding	14,350
Fuel efficiency etc instrumentation	13,383
Coffee production	21,725
Engineering consultancy	5,097
Bulk sugar terminal	50,000
Disposable medical equipment	43,996
Business/accountancy forms	11,775
Bulk liquid storage terminal	47,500
Carpet manufacture	50,000
Printing inks manufacture	20,215

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the assistance given by the United Kingdom to western Samoa.

We do not have a regular country aid programme for western Samoa, but have provided disaster relief after recent cyclones. This included £115,000 for emergency supplies, help with reconstruction and 1,125 tonnes of rice following cyclone Ofa in February 1990; and £120,000 for emergency supplies and other relief activities following cyclone Val in December 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on how the overseas aid criterion about good government is applied to the People's Republic of China.

£
Years	Youth Opportunities Programme	Youth Training Scheme	Community Programme	Job Training Scheme	Employment Training	Technical and Vocational Education Initiative	Local Collaborative Project1	Open Tech/Open Learning	Open College
1979–80
Cash	123	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Constant price	268	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1980–81
Cash	214	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Constant price	392	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1981–82
Cash	396	—	57	—	—	—	—	—	—
Constant price	662	—	145	—	—	—	—	—	—
1982–83
Cash	543	—	160	311	—	—	—	—	—
Constant price	849	—	251	486	—	—	—	—	—

In allocating aid we consider recipient countries' needs, their ability to use aid well, their economic and social policies, other good government considerations and the scope for supporting activities which promote better government. These considerations apply to China where our programme includes a project to improve investment appraisal methodology and introduce social and environmental analysis into project appraisal and United Kingdom training in a range of subjects including public administration and law. We also discuss human rights concerns frequently with the Chinese Government, including most recently during the Chinese Foreign Minister's meeting with the Secretary of State on 9 March.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment since 1979, what has been the annual expenditure on the programmes: (a) work experience on employers' premises, (b) youth opportunities programme, (c) youth training scheme, (d) community programme, (e) job training scheme, (f) employment training, (g) technical and vocational education initiative, (h) local collaborative programme and (i) open tech and open college, expressed (i) in cash terms, (ii) in constant 1991 prices and (iii) as a figure which indicates the amount of EC funding included in each programme.

The table shows expenditure for Great Britain at cash and constant 1990–91 prices in each year from 1979–80 to 1990–91 on youth opportunities programme (which includes work experience on employers premises), youth training scheme (which includes training credits), community programme, job training scheme (which includes new job training scheme), employment training (which includes the Gateshead garden festival), technical and vocational education initiative, local collaborative projects and open tech and the Open college. I will write to the hon. Member separately on the question of the EC funding.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons under 18 years are in full-time employment in the City of Durham constituency.

The 1981 census of population figures represents the latest available. In 1981 there were 2,413 16 to 19-year olds in full-time employment in the then City of Durham constituency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what response he proposes to make to the representation by the London East training and enterprise council in appendix 3 to his evidence to the Employment Committee on 27 November House of Commons Paper 92-i—on the non-fulfilment of the training guarantee for 16 and 17-year-olds mentioned in paragraph 3.8 of Cm 1810 "People, Jobs and Opportunity".

Our officials have been in regular contact with London East training and enterprise council (LETEC). As LETEC's evidence to the Employment Committee indicated, agreement was reached on two occasions on additional funds to enable LETEC to contract for more training places. The position on the supply of and demand for youth training continues to be closely monitored in east London as elsewhere. Under its contract with the TEC the Department stands ready to discuss any further measures that may be needed to ensure that the guarantee of the offer of a suitable training place to all unemployed 16 and 17-year-olds who want one is met.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of people benefiting from special employment and training measures at the latest available date in the constituency of Bury, North; and what is the average cost per person under each.

This Department has a number of employment and training measures in the Bury area but it is not possible to provide figures on a constituency basis, and data on different measures is collected on different bases.The total number of people who participated in employment service measures (restart and 13-week interviews of claimants, jobclub entrants, participants in restart courses, job review workshops and job search seminars) in the Bury area, in the period April 1991 to February 1992 inclusive was 3,501. In the period April 1991 to 7 February 1992, a total of 610 unemployed people in the Bolton and Bury area were also assisted by the job interview guarantee scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what response he expects to make to the representations made by young people from the Canning Town and Beckton area of east London in the course of the ministerial interview on 10 March concerning the lack of quality and effectiveness of his youth training scheme.

I had a constructive and positive meeting with these young people about a range of concerns going much wider than youth training. I invited them to write further to me through their Member of Parliament, and action will be taken in response.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training and enterprise councils in London have not yet signed their 1992–93 operating agreements.

As at 12 March none of the London training and enterprise councils had signed their 1992–93 operating agreements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated full cost of implementing all of the Social Security Advisory Committee's recommendations on the social fund in Northern Ireland in 1992.

The recommendations of the Social Security Advisory Committee would entail wide-ranging changes to the social fund and the full information needed to produce a reliable estimate of the cost is not readily available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the NHS management executive's efforts to canvass interest in general practitioner fund holding in Northern Ireland, detailing dates and venues of presentations to general practitioners or officials, names and roles of experts from Scotland, England or Wales brought over to advise interested parties and the scope of the activity of such consultants or advisers.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 19 February, Official Report, Vol. 204, column 211. Since then, the management executive has held one seminar, on 26 February 1992, for practices expressing an interest in becoming fund holders. Dr. John Steyn, a general practitioner fund holder from Scotland, and Mr. Mark Miller, a deputy director with the NHS management advisory service, spoke to the seminar about the preparatory period and the first year of fund holding.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether general medical practices which are granted fund holding status will have to specifically inform each patient of this fact and its consequences.

Practices which become fund holders are not required to inform their patients; however it is likely that fund-holding practices will wish to explain the details of the scheme to their patients and they will receive every encouragement to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he makes for each year since 1979 of (a) the total population of working age regardless of whether or not they were in work and (b) the percentage of the population which was not in work whether or not they were looking for work.

The information requested is as follows:

Population of working age in Northern Ireland percentage not in employment 1979–19911
Year	Population of working age (000s)2	Percentage not in employment3
1979	859	35·5
1981	874	38·8
1983	888	41·5
1984	898	41·5
1985	906	41·8
1986	915	40·1
1987	923	40·6
1988	927	38·6
1989	932	37·2
1990	938	36·2
1 Population of working age figures are general registrar's office mid-year estimates. The percentage not in employment is based on estimates from the labour force survey. This surve was not conducted in 1980 and 1982.
2 Men aged 16–64 and women aged 16–59.
3 Unemployed plus economically inactive as a percentage of population of working age.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the value of the contracts received by the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast in 1991 from Pacific Nuclear Transport Ltd. for modification of ships owned by PNTL.

This is a commercial matter between the Harland and Wolff group and Pacific Nuclear Transport Ltd. The hon. Member should address his inquiry to one of those companies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many road accidents in the Ards peninsular during the 24 hours of Tuesday 10 March were reported to the Royal Ulster Constabulary; how many involved injuries; at which locations did these injuries occur; from which locations other ambulances were required to attend each of these road accidents in which personal injuries were involved; and how long it took for the ambulance in each instance to deliver the injured persons to hospital from the time of the initial report of a need for an ambulance.

Two. The first occurred in Portaferry road, Cloghy, the second in Ballyvester road, Donaghadee. Both involved injuries. An ambulance from Bangor station attended the Cloghy accident. One hour and 47 minutes elapsed between the initial request for an ambulance and its arrival at the Ulster hospital. Twenty-two minutes were spent at the scene of the accident stabilising the casualty, and a further 52 minutes transporting him to hospital at a restricted speed necessitated by the nature and severity of his injuries. An ambulance from the Donaghadee area attended the second accident. Thirty-two minutes elapsed between the initial request for an ambulance and its arrival at the Ards hospital.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, persuant to his answer of 9 March 1992 Official Report, columns 399–400, on staff administering the social security programme, if he will give the answer per 1,000 claimants.

The information requested is as follows:

Year	Number of staff per 1,000 claimants
1984	3·8
1985	3·8
1986	3·8
1987	3·9
1988	3·9
1989	3·7
1990	3·6
1991–92	3·2

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what would have been the gross additional cost, in cash terms and at 1991–92 prices of uprating child benefit fully in line with inflation, assuming each child in the family receives the same rate, in April of each year from 1988 to 1992.

[holding answer 27 February 1992]: The information requested is set out.

	Additional Cost
	In Cash Terms	At 1991–92 Prices
	£million	£million
1988–89	7·3	9·0
1989–90	18·0	20·8
1990–91	32·8	35·1
1991–92	34·8	34·8
1992–93	30·3	29·0

To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will list the expenditure on books for public libraries in the United Kingdom for each year since 1981.

Public library statistics collected by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy and supplemented with material from local authorities will shortly be published by my Library and Information Services Council (England). They show expenditure on books as follows:

	£million
1981–82	44·0
1982–83	49·9
1983–84	54·3
1984–85	56·3
1985–86	60·7
1986–87	64·2
1987–88	68·2
1988–89	75·2
1989–90	81·4

To ask the Minister for the Arts by what percentage rise or fall attendances at public galleries charging for admission have changed since the charges were introduced.

The national galleries which I sponsor— the National gallery, the Tate gallery, the National Portrait gallery and the Wallace collection—do not charge for admission to their core collections. Information on charges and attendances relating to other public galleries is not held centrally.

To ask the Lord President of the Council what proportion of time (a) on the Floor of the House of Commons and (b) in Standing Committee, has been spent on matters under the auspices of the Department of the Environment in the current Session.

The total time spent on the Floor of the House this Session up to the adjournment of the House on Friday 6 March 1992 was 649 hours and 37 minutes.The amount of time spent on the Floor of the House on matters falling within the responsibilities of the Department of the Environment was 75 hours and 30 minutes, or 11–6 per cent. of total time on the floor.The total time spent in Standing Committees up to the adjournment of the House on Friday 6 March 1992 was 491 hours and 13 minutes.A total of 137 hours and 7 minutes were taken up by matters under the auspices of the Department of the Environment

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from local education authorities seeking approval for urgent building work for schools.

We have received representations from six local education authorities about urgent building work at schools since our announcement last December of the distribution of annual capital guidelines to LEAs and the voluntary-aided grant allocations for 1992–93.It is for LEAs to ensure that their schools are in a satisfactory condition. They do not need our approval to undertake building work they judge necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will reconsider the case of building work approved for St. Margaret Ward RC high school, Stoke-on-Trent.

Grant for capital expenditure and repairs at voluntary-aided schools for 1992–93 will increase by 15 per cent., compared with the current year, to £151 million. However, it is not possible to provide grant for all the projects submitted by local education authorities. Whilst my right hon. and learned Friend cannot reconsider his decision, it is open to Staffordshire county council to submit the project again next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the (a) pupil roll, (b) cost per pupil and (c) annual maintenance grant at Stratford school in each month since April 1990.

The school began to receive annual maintenance grant (AMG) only on being incorporated as grant maintained on 1 April 1991: it was funded until that date by Newham local education authority.The school's total AMG for the period 1 April 1991 to 31 March 1992, which has been paid in 12 instalments, £1,533,311. There were 574 pupils registered at the school in January 1992 as recorded on its annual departmental return: we do not collect monthly pupil data. The school's total AMG divided by 574 pupils produces a per pupil figure of £2,671.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received concerning the testing of performance levels of children with special education needs.

The Government's objective is that the national curriculum testing arrangements should be accessible to pupils with special educational needs. My right hon. and learned Friend and I receive many helpful representations from parents and teachers about how this objective can be met.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many letters he has recently received from (a) right hon. and hon. Members and (b) members of the public about GCSE coursework.

My right hon. and learned Friend has received 740 letters from Members of Parliament and 2,110 letters from members of the public about GCSE coursework.