To ask the Attorney-General if he will list all the bilateral and multilateral agreements directly or indirectly negotiated by his Department or a body acting on behalf of his Department with (a) Switzerland and (b) Liechtenstein.

No bilateral or multilateral agreements with either Switzerland or Liechtenstein have been negotiated directly or indirectly by departments for which I have responsibility.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list all the bilateral and multilateral agreements directly or indirectly negotiated by his Department or a body acting on behalf of his Department with (a) Switzerland and (b) Liechtenstein.

A complete list of all bilateral and multilateral agreements between the United Kingdom and Switzerland or Liechtenstein could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will ask the Law Commission to review the law on wheel clamping of vehicles on private land.

The Lord Chancellor has no plans at present to ask the Law Commission to review the law relating to wheel-clamping activities. The recent ruling of the High Court of Justiciary in Scotland will, however, be examined carefully by the Government with a view to ascertaining its possible relevance to the position in England and Wales.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps he is planning to take to tighten up procedures whereby a single parent is able to take a child out of the country without the express consent of the other parent.

The removal of a child will in most cases constitute an offence under the existing law. The Government have no current proposals for changes in the law in this field, but are willing to consider any suggestions that are made. In addition, the operation of the Children Act 1989 is being monitored so that any changes which might be of assistance may be identified in the light of experience.

To ask the Lord President of the Council when he expects to reply to the report of the Select Committee on Sittings of the House.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner).

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will set up a Select Committee on Lockerbie.

No. Lockerbie matters are regularly raised in the House and I see no need for such a Committee.

To ask the Lord President of the Council when he will lay the Top Salaries Review Body's report into Members' allowances before the House; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin).

To ask the Lord President of the Council who has been appointed as a consultant to his office for market testing.

There are no activities carried out in the Privy Council Office of a suitable nature, or of sufficient scale, for market testing.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to carry out new consultations with a view to revising the guidelines on compensation payments to owners of sites of special scientific interest.

Yes.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what account he has taken of the size of awards to landowners made in respect of sites of special scientific interest in the past when planning the total of future public spending on nature conservation.

Public expenditure plans for conservation are informed by the figures provided by English Nature in its corporate plan which takes account of the likely costs of payments to owners of SSSIs under management agreements.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent assessment he has made of the accuracy of the forecasts made by his consultants, Laurence Gould Associates, of the level of payments to landowners under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

We will take account of the Laurence Gould report, together with advice from English Nature, on the actual level of payments made to landowners in the forthcoming review of the financial guideline.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to extend and improve the effectiveness of the monitoring of air quality in urban areas.

Plans to expand the geographical coverage of the Department's urban air quality monitoring and the range of pollutants measures were announced in the White Paper "This Common Inheritance". The first phase of the expansion was implemented in January. Five new sites are now in operation: London Bloomsbury, Newcastle centre, Belfast centre, Birmingham centre, and Cardiff. Sites are to follow in Edinburgh, Bristol, Leeds and Liverpool.Each of these sites monitors SO

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table indicating for each urban development corporation (a) how much land each UDC has acquired in total, (b) how much land each UDC currently retains, (c) how much money each UDC has spent in land transactions, and (d) how much money each UDC has received from land transactions.

[holding answer 25 June 1992]: This information is shown in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the provisional cap on spending on North Warwickshire borough council takes into account all the individual circumstances of the council, including its RECHAR funding potential.

[holding answer 26 June 1992]: North Warwickshire borough council is not one of the authorities which have been designated for capping by my right hon. and learned Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what review the Local Government Commission will be conducting of the pattern of local government in London; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 26 June 1992]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 12 May, Official Report, column 59. We intend to ask the commission to look at cases for change to local government boundaries in London when it has completed its programme of structural reviews in the shire counties.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the number of local government officers who have been (a) disciplined and (b) dismissed for political activities in contravention of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

[holding answer 26 June 1992]: This information is not collected by my Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what monitoring is undertaken by his Department in respect of the political activities of local government officers in contravention of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

[holding answer 26 June 1992]: My Department does not monitor the relevant provisions of this Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about progress on Southwark council's bids under the city challenge scheme; and how many other councils have submitted applications.

[holding answer 26 June 1992]: Fifty-four local authorities, including the London borough of Southwark, have submitted bids in the current round of city challenge. All the bids have been assessed against the aims and criteria set out in the published bidding guidance. Ministers from the Department of the Environment have considered the bids and reports of the regional presentations to officials and have met each bidding authority. The successful authorities will be announced by the end of July 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what income was derived from rates on empty properties in the most recent period of 12 months;

[holding answer 26 June 1992]: We have no plans to change the law governing the rating of empty property. Empty property benefits from local services and it is right that it should contribute to the costs incurred by local authorities. Property, whether occupied or not, is rateable if it is capable of beneficial occupation. If owners judge it commercially advantageous to render property unusable, that is a matter for them.We are aware that five unoccupied properties in the City of London have been made unusable by their owners in order to avoid rates liability. We estimate the loss of rate yield at about £3 million. This has to be set against an estimated total rate income in England from empty property in 1992–93 of some £600 million.We are already providing £1.25 billion of help to businesses over the next three years under the Non-Domestic Rating Act 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what measures and aid his Department will make available to enable disabled people to take part in sporting activities.

In 1991–92, nearly £1 million was spent by the Sports Council on promoting sport for people with disabilities. The council is also working closely with the disability sports organisations and the governing bodies of sport on the implementation of the recommendations of the ministerial review report on sport for people with disabilities, "Building on Ability". I shall be attending the paralympics in Spain in September.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make it his policy to ensure that the headquarters and the base of operations of Channel 5 is located some distance from London.

No. The location of Channel 5's headquarters and base of operations will be a matter for the licensee to decide.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what representations he has received from (a) the public and (b) the Zoological Society in respect of the recent announcement of the likely closure of London zoo;(2) if he will provide such assistance, advice and resources to the Zoological Society as are required to safeguard the future of animals in the event of London zoo being closed.

[holding answer 26 June 1992]: My right hon. and learned Friend and I have discussed with the Zoological Society of London the consequences of the society's decision to close London zoo. We have made it clear that no more taxpayers' money can be given to the zoo, but that we stand by the offer made last year to relieve the society of some of its obligations as lessees.The Department has received several letters from members of the public.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the level of Her Majesty's Government's bilateral aid to Botswana.

Gross British bilateral aid, including Commonwealth Development Corporation investments, to Botswana was provisionally estimated to be £12.18 million in 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement concerning the progress of Overseas Development Administration projects to protect the health of the Yanomami tribe.

In 1990 we provided through Oxfam a grant of £90,000 to the Campaign for the Creation of a Yanomami Park, a Brazilian non-governmental organisation, to fund the provision of equipment, salaries, communication and travel costs for a health care project in the Demini area of what is now Yanomami national park. The agreed activities have been successfully completed.We have this year agreed a second grant through Oxfam, of £175,000, for a new phase of the project which will, among other things, help to support a team of medical staff in the reserve and establish a second health post in addition to that presently operating at Demini.We have also indicated to the Brazilian authorities our willingness to consider support for government work to provide health services to the Yanomami.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will outline the Government's latest plans to assist in the reduction of third world debt for 1992–93.

Agreement to begin implementing the Prime Minister's Trinidad terms initiative to relieve the burden of official debt on the poorest countries was achieved in December. Seven countries have already benefited and we expect many more to do so over coming months. As these new agreements take effect, we can expect a significant reduction in repayments due to government creditors. None the less, the Government continue to press for even greater relief for the poorest, most indebted countries carrying out economic reform.The Government have strongly supported and provided their share of resources needed to implement a 1989 agreement, known as the Brady plan, to help deal with the problem of commercial debt. Deals involving the effective cancellation of substantial portions of bank debts have been agreed, or are being negotiated, with most of the largest debtors. Most recently, Argentina agreed a deal which will involve an effective reduction of its $25 billion long-term debt to banks by around a third. Brazil is currently negotiating a similar deal with its commercial creditors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of the know-how fund for central and eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union; and if he will give details on the specific projects so far approved this year for each eligible country.

The know-how fund for central and eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union is going extremely well. Some £82 million has now been spent or committed to well over 400 projects. Other western Governments are using our know-how fund as a model for their own.A list of the activities approved since the beginning of 1992 under the know-how fund has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state the performance targets for the Overseas Development Administration's natural resources institute in 1992–93.

NRI's performance targets for 1992–93 are to break even on full economic costs; to achieve an efficiency gain of at least 1.5 per cent.; and to continue to expand the share of work undertaken for non-ODA clients.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the actual and potential fishing rights surrounding (a) Diego Garcia and (b) other British Indian ocean territories.

[holding answer 24 June 1992]: On 1 October 1991 Her Majesty's Government declared a 200-mile fisheries conservation and management zone around the British Indian ocean territory. We aim to play a full part in the sensible management and conservation of fishing stocks in that area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to increase medical, financial and technological aid to Russia; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 25 June 1992]: Bilateral technical assistance to the former Soviet Union, including Russia, is provided through a know-how fund totalling £50 million. A further major contribution is made through our 18 per cent. share of the 450 mecu annual European Commission technical assistance programme, and we have also given £1 million to projects under the auspices of the European bank for reconstruction and development.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster who has been appointed as a consultant to his Department for market testing.

In line with the proposals in the "Competing for Quality" White Paper, Ernst and Young was employed to assist in the preparation of my Department's market-testing programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civil servants there are in the Northern Ireland Office; and how many are based in (a) London and (b) Northern Ireland, indicating in each case the number that are members of the Northern Ireland civil service.

As at 1 May 1992 there were 1,535 staff in the Northern Ireland Office. The breakdown between the home civil service and the Northern Ireland civil service and the two locations is as follows:

	Civil Service
	Home	Northern Ireland
London	102	3
Northern Ireland	103	1,327
	205	1,330

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who has been appointed as a consultant to his Department for market testing.

Michael Willacy Associates.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what targets have been set for the Training and Employment Agency for Northern Ireland for the period 1992 to 1995.

The following are the targets which have been set for the Training and Employment Agency for the period 1992–95:

1. To increase the number of companies developing their management and work force skills from 125 at April 1992 to 225 by March 1993 and to 500 by March 1995.

To increase by 10 per cent per year the proportion of potential entrants into employment with high levels of attainment as measured by qualification.

3. In 1992–93 to place 30,000 people into jobs and 15,500 people into training and other agency schemes.

4. To provide every inward-investment company referred to the agency by the Industrial Development Board with relevant information, advice and customised training.

5. To maintain customer satisfaction levels and where possible increase them.

6. To reduce administration costs by at least 2 per cent. yearly.

7. To establish by March 1993 an initial baseline of unit costs for agency programmes on a full economic cost basis.

8. To meet for the agency the national Investors in People standard by 31 March 1994.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list those local education authorities which provide discretionary awards to cover (a) one-year postgraduate law courses and (b) two-year postgraduate courses for non-law graduates; if he will list the average award made by those local education authorities in terms of maintenance grants and tuition fees; and if he will make a statement.

These data are not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools, and of what type, had (a) voted for and (b) voted against applying for grant-maintained status in the period (i) 1988 to 9 April 1992 and (ii) since 9 April; and how many schools of each type have notified his Department of their intention to ballot on grant-maintained status.

The information requested by the hon. Member follows:

Ballots on grant-maintained status
	(a) in favour	(b) against
(i) 1988–9 April 1992
Primary Schools	90	27
of which
County	63	21
Voluntary Aided	13	1
Voluntary Controlled	14	5
Special Agreement	0	0
Secondary Schools	262	81
of which
County	205	69
Voluntary Aided	29	8
Voluntary Controlled	26	3
Special Agreement	2	1
Total	352	108
(ii) 9 April 1992–29 June 1992
Primary Schools	6	3
of which
County	6	2
Voluntary Aided	0	0
Voluntary Controlled	0	1
Special Agreement	0	0
Secondary Schools of	18	2
which

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to dispose of the site of the former Fitzherbert school, Brighton; what is the current valuation of the site; what is the total expenditure by his Department on the site to date; and if he will make a statement.

The CTC trust has been actively marketing the site of the former Fitzherbert school in Brighton, and is engaged in current negotiations to sell it. The total costs of maintaining the site to the end of May 1992 are £183,000. In view of the current negotiations, it would not be appropriate to give a detailed valuation of the site.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what plans he has to cease funding of the GEST—grants for education support and training—and LEATGS—local education authority training grants scheme—programmes from April 1993;(2) when he intends to consult the local authority associations, as required under section 3(5) of the Grants and Awards Act 1984, on changes to the GEST and LEATGS programmes.

We have no plans to cease funding the programme of grants for education support and training, which includes education support grants and LEA training grants. My right hon. Friend will be writing shortly to the local authority associations with his proposals for the 1993–94 GEST programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education who has been appointed as a consultant to his Department for market testing.

KPMG Management Consulting Ltd. was appointed in March 1992 to advise on the scope for market testing within the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what further measures he is taking to help parents who are in dispute with authorities over their child's special educational needs; and if he will make a statement.

The Government have decided to establish a new independent special educational needs tribunal as part of their package of legislative reforms on SEN announced by my noble Friend the Minister of State in another place on 11 June. The tribunal would replace the jurisdiction of both the Secretary of State and appeals committees to hear appeals under the Education Act 1981. The tribunal will give parents quicker redress, a more open and independent hearing, and a simplified structure in line with the parents charter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the average cost of providing a school place at primary, secondary and comprehensive schools when new buildings are constructed.

The information requested is not immediately available. I shall write to my hon. Friend when it is.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will set out the occasions in the last Session of Parliament on which Ministers have stated the Government's policy on whether a legislative approach is the right way to deal with discrimination against people with disabilities; which Minister has the principal responsibility in this matter; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's view was stated principally on 31 January during Second Reading of the Civil Rights (Disabled Persons) Bill by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Social Security and Disabled People at column 1251.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the monitoring of hon. Members by the security services.

The policy remains as stated in 1966 by the then Prime Minister, the Lord Wilson of Rievaulx, and as applied by successive Governments since. In answers to questions on 17 November 1966, Lord Wilson said that he had given instructions that there was to be no tapping of the telephones of Members of Parliament, that remained the policy of the Government and that, if there was a development which required a change in the general policy, he would, at such moment as seemed compatible with the security of the country, on his own initiative make a statement in the House about it. The Government regard this undertaking as still applying to both postal and telephone interception.

To ask the Prime Minister what attempts will be made by Her Majesty's Government to encourage sufficient states to sign the Rio treaties on climate change and biodiversity respectively to permit the consequent entering into force of the treaties.

By the end of the Earth summit, 153 states and the EC had signed the conventions on climate change and biodiversity. For the conventions to enter into force. 50 states, in the case of climate change, and 30 states, in the case of biodiversity, must ratify them.I have written to the leaders of all EC and Group of Seven countries about the need to maintain the momentum generated by the summit and I have proposed that they draw up a plan of action to include the prompt implementation of both conventions.

To ask the Prime Minister whether, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) of 13 May, Official Report, column 106, concerning documents relating to the wartime Nazi occupation of the Channel Islands, he has completed his inquiries; and whether he will make a statement.

The current review of the documents to which the hon. and learned Member refers is proceeding. Considerable work is involved. I will write to him as soon as inquiries have been completed.

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

[holding answer 26 June 1992]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 13 March 1992 at column 687. We are in contact with Sir Geoffrey Howe and the Chinese authorities over detailed arrangements, including timing, composition and itinerary.

To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the extent to which the difficulties experienced by young people in obtaining suitable training, to which he referred in his letter of 4 June to the general secretary of the TUC, have now been removed, and of the adequacy of the measures taken to prevent hardship to young people experiencing such difficulties now or in the future.

[holding answer 25 June 1992]: The Government are using the contractual relationship with training and enterprise councils to ensure that the difficulties experienced by a minority of young people are addressed urgently. Every TEC is contractually obliged to meet the forecast covered by the Government's youth training guarantee. The Government are committed to seeing that the guarantee is met.The severe hardship provision of income support provides a safety net of benefit for those young people seeking work or a YT place who are at risk of hardship.

'To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what representations he has received concerning a reduction in the number of self-regulatory organisations;(2) whether he has considered the Clucas report on financial services; and if he will make a statement.

Matters relating to the recognition of self-regulating organisations under the Financial Services Act 1986 are primarily for the Securities and Investments Board.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what appraisal he has made of the advantages and disadvantages of a single regulatory body to oversee financial services;(2) what appraisal he has made of the advantages and disadvantages of a single regulatory body to oversee wholesale investment markets.

Responsibility for the regulation of financial services passed to me on 7 June 1992. No changes are planned as a result of the transfer, but I shall, of course, keep the effectiveness of the regulatory system under review.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which revenue collection body in the United Kingdom would be responsible for collecting a carbon tax; and if he will make a statement.

On the basis of the proposals put forward by the European Commission and described in explanatory memorandum 8918/91 dated 4 December 1991, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise would be responsible for collecting the revenues associated with a carbon tax in the United Kingdom.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on the price of a litre of petrol of the proposed carbon tax, introduced at $3 a barrel of oil, rising to $10 a barrel.

A carbon/energy tax of $3 per barrel of oil would add around 1p to the price of a litre of petrol. A tax of $10 per barrel would add around 3.5p per litre. The actual impact of the tax on the retail price of petrol would depend on many factors, including the price of oil, which may be influenced by a carbon tax.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the reasons underlying his statement of 11 June, Official Report, column 432, that 2 per cent. inflation was probably the equivalent of price stability.

I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's statements in the minutes of evidence taken before the Treasury and Civil Service Committee's inquiry into economic and monetary union. A limited degree of recorded inflation is compatible with the concept of price stability, reflecting a number of problems in measuring inflation, including those associated with new products and quality changes.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes have been made to Government policy in relation to retrospective tax legislation since 6 June 1991.

Government policy in relation to retrospective tax legislation has not changed since 6 June 1991.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what policy governs the Government's decision as to the timing of their retrospective measures.

The Government propose tax legislation that has retrospective effect only after very careful consideration of all the circumstances. Any such proposal is then announced at the earliest suitable opportunity.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether the protection in the Government policy in relation to retrospective tax legislation extends equally to taxpayers who have not themselves brought proceedings but (a) have entered into agreement with the Inland Revenue that the outcome of other proceedings of a private law nature shall be taken as determinative of their own dispute or (b) have formally endorsed other proceedings of a public law nature which as a matter of the law are taken as determinative of their own dispute, whether or not the Inland Revenue agrees;(2) if it is his policy that taxpayers in dispute with the Inland Revenue should obtain immunity from retrospective legislation as from some particular point in legal proceedings; and if he will specify from which point in legal proceedings such immunity should take effect.

Where, following a successful challenge in the courts, retrospective legislation is introduced to restore the previous understanding of the law, it has long been the Government's policy that the successful litigant should not be deprived of the benefit of the court judgment in his favour. Where other taxpayers have agreed with the Revenue that an action will be regarded as a test case and that they will also benefit from any decision against the Revenue, it is the Government's policy that those taxpayers should also not be affected by any retrospective amendment to the law.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if Government policy in relation to retrospective tax legislation prevents the Government from introducing new measures for a retrospective change in the law in its own favour.

Where it is discovered that the tax law does not have the effect that the Government and taxpayers generally thought it had, there are circumstances in which it is right to introduce legislation to restore the position retrospectively to what it was thought to be. This is done only in exceptional circumstances and where the Government consider such action is necessary to protect the interests of the general body of taxpayers.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if Government policy in relation to retrospective tax legislation applies to (a) public law proceedings, (b) private law proceedings, (c) appeals against assessment and (d) restitution claims.

The application of the Government's policy will depend on the precise circumstances of any particular proceedings.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has had since 1989 about the non-availability of mortgage interest tax relief for persons who are not in the mortgage interest relief at source scheme and whose income has fallen below the tax threshold; and if he will make a statement.

Treasury Ministers have received a few such representations.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the number of home buyers benefiting from the mortgage interest tax relief facility open to lenders to operate separate loan accounts for qualifying and non-qualifying parts of their loans; what is his estimate of the number of lenders operating such a facility; and what plans he has to encourage publicity for such arrangements.

These arrangements are for borrowers and lenders to agree between themselves. We have no estimates either of the number of lenders offering the facility or the number of borrowers taking advantage of it. Inland Revenue guidance notes to lenders in the MIRAS scheme remind them that they can operate separate loan accounts if they wish. In July, the Inland Revenue intends to publish a revised version of its leaflet aimed at borrowers, and this will refer to these arrangements.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assistance with housing costs is given to civil servants who are posted from one part of the United Kingdom to another.

Civil servants in mobile grades who are compulsorily transferred from one location to another and who, as a result, have to move house, are given a range of financial assistance with the costs of that move. This assistance includes help with legal and estate agents fees, removal costs and the interest cost of bridging loans, and also an advance of salary for the purchase of a home. Where staff are moving to an area where housing costs are higher they may also receive help with some of the additional mortgage costs. Staff may also receive help with temporary accommodation and paid leave to search for a home and supervise the removal. In addition, Departments have discretion to offer staff the services of a relocation company.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of rooms which will be brought into letting in consequence of the rent-a-room scheme, the average rents for such lettings, and the cost in revenue forgone as a result of the proposed exemption from income tax of the £3,250 received for such lettings (a) in 1992–93 and (b) in a full financial year; and if he will estimate the regional breakdown of such lettings.

We hope that many people will be encouraged to let rooms by the rent-a-room scheme. But it is not possible to make estimates of the actual number of new lettings which will be generated by the scheme. It follows that there is no information about the average rents of likely new lettings, nor their regional breakdown.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to require Inland Revenue not to tax bar staff on the value of employer-provided taxis home from work.

I have no plans to do so. It is a general principle of the United Kingdom tax system that the cost of travel between home and work is a personal expense for which there is no tax relief. Where an employer meets such costs they are generally taxable. It would be inappropriate to single out bar staff for special treatment.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update, to take account of the 1992 Budget, the information on tax changes contained in his answer to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher), on 3 March, Official Report, columns 123–24.

[holding answer 26 June 1992]: Latest estimates of the annual change in income tax liability resulting from the changes in tax rates, allowances and thresholds announced in the 1992 Budget are in the table. The 1978–79 income tax regime has been indexed to 1992–93 levels by reference to the statutory formula, and allowing for independent taxation.For the purposes of these calculations the indexed regime of 1978–79 is applied directly to the income base of 1992–93. In practice, retention of the regime indexed as appropriate, for the intervening years would have led to changes in the income base.

Average reduction in income tax per individual1 in 1992–93 compared with the 1978–79 indexed regime
Range of individuals income in 1992–93	Number of individuals 1992–931	Total reduction	Average reduction
£	Million	£ million	£ per annum
Under 5,000	3.1	500	150
5,000 to 10,000	7.9	3,200	400
10,000 to 15,000	6.2	4,500	730
15,000 to 20,000	4.1	4,300	1,060
20,000 to 30,000	3.2	5,000	1,590
30,000 to 50,000	1.2	3,600	2,960
50,000 to 80,000	0.35	3,100	9,200
Over 80,000	0.15	7,200	46,000
TOTAL	26.2	31,400	1,200

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 22 June, Official Report, column 2, what was the cost to the Exchequer of the exemption from inheritance tax and capital transfer tax given to six landowners in Cumbria who agreed to maintain and preserve their property and provide reasonable public access to it for each year since the exemptions were granted.

[holding answer 26 June 1992]: Estimates of the cost of conditionally exempting land and buildings were given for the whole United Kingdom in my reply to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) on 2 June at column 399. These figures represented a broad judgment of the likely overall cost of the exemption and were subject to a large margin of error.Where exemption is given, it is not necessary to establish the value of individual properties, and so it is not possible to give equivalent estimates for the cost of exempting the small number of properties involved in Cumbria.In addition, the normal rules of confidentiality would prevent the disclosure of annual estimates for Cumbria, since these would enable the tax position of particular taxpayers to be identified.

To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what is his latest information on demand for nursery provision in the House.

To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what progress has been made towards the establishment of a day nursery in the Palace of Westminster.

To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what proposals there are for the introduction of crèche facilities for the use of the families of hon. Members and staff in the House.

To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what representations he has received regarding the setting up of a crèche in the Palace of Westminster.

In its report of last Session, "New Parliamentary Building (Phase 2) The Sketch Plan"—HC 269—I—the Accommodation and Works Committee foresaw no accommodation suitable for a child care facility becoming available in the phase 2 building and concluded:

"any crèche … would have to be located elsewhere in the parliamentary estate".

It was anticipated that other space, in some cases more appropriately located, could be found without undue delay in other buildings; and the Committee called upon its successor to take up the issue as a high priority. In accordance with a request from the Commission, it is expected that the Accommodation and Works Committee will continue to seek to identify an appropriate location for such a facility.Accommodation apart, responsibility for the provision of any child care facility falls to the Establishment Officers' Committee of the Board of Management and to the Administration Committee. Those two committees, the former acting on behalf of the Departments of the House and the latter on behalf of Members and their staff, continue to monitor developments in child care provision. They are advised by the Establishment Office, which keeps in touch with developments taking place in Whitehall, Westminster and elsewhere. A number of possible options in relation to the provision of child care facilities in the Westminster area have recently been proposed and are being investigated.Once the feasibility of providing such a service is known and its size, nature and location identified, a survey of potential demand will be conducted.

To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to his answer of 20 May, Official Report, column 144, if he has any proposals to establish a shop within the main building of the Palace of Westminster to sell stationery.

I am unable to add significantly to my earlier reply to which the hon. Member referred in his question. Until the phase 2 building is completed, accommodation within the main building will continue to be under great pressure and any proposal for new facilities would need to be carefully examined by the relevant Committee.

To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what representations he has received about facilities for visitors to the Palace of Westminster; and if he will make a statement.

No such representations have been received this Parliament, but I am aware of the representations made by the hon. Member and others in the previous Parliament. If he has any specific concern, he should in the first instant raise it with the Serjeant at Arms or the Director of Catering Services, or with the Chairman of the appropriate domestic Committee.

To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, how much paper he estimates is used in the Palace of Westminster each year; and what arrangements are made for its recycling.

It is not possible to make any sensible estimate of the amount of paper used in the Palace of Westminster each year. I understand that non-confidential waste paper is collected by a contractor for recycling.

To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many right hon. and hon. Members now have single offices in (a) the Palace and (b) other office buildings.

There are 238 Members with single rooms in the Palace and 171 Members with single rooms in the outbuildings.

To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what is the current situation in respect of the phase 2 development.

Progress is being made on the design of the building and negotiations are continuing on the issues raised by the Accommodation and Works Committee in its two reports. There is close contact with London Underground and the Department of Transport on the situation concerning the Jubilee line extension. The Accommodation and Works Committee is expected to give priority to the consideration of developments concerning phase 2 as soon as it meets.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what species of laboratory animals are being used for the toxicity of organophosphates at the chemical and biological defence establishment, Porton Down; and how many have been used in this research since 1989;(2) if he will list the types of nerve gases being tested on animals at the chemical and biological defence establishment, Porton Down; and what other research projects linked to nerve gases involving animals are also being conducted at this establishment;(3) how many non-human primates were used in nerve gas experiments at the chemical and biological defence establishment, Porton Down,

My right hon. and learned Friend is responsible for the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, under which the use of living animals in research may be authorised. It is not the practice to give details of research at individual establishments which we receive in the course of discharging that responsibility.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to ensure that the security services become subject to Parliament's scrutiny; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to a question from the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 13 May 1992, at column 103.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who has been appointed as a consultant to his Department for market testing.

The Department does not at present employ any consultants for market testing.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to monitor the exercising of proxy votes by the proprietors, management and staff of residential care or nursing homes on behalf of residents of such homes.

No one may vote as proxy at the same parliamentary election in any constituency, or at the same local government election in any electoral area, on behalf of more than two people to whom he or she is not closely related. Electoral registration officers will grant applications to vote by proxy only if they are satisfied that they meet the requirements set out in the Representation of the People Act 1985; and, where practicable, they must notify the elector that the application has been granted. The electoral registration officer is empowered to make inquiries at such times as he thinks fit to see whether there has been a material change in the circumstances of an elector who votes by proxy. Absent voting arrangements will be considered as part of our post-election review of electoral law.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will abolish the restricted policy on parole which applies to those sentenced to more than five years for an offence involving violence, sex, arson or drugs; and if he will make a statement.

I have recently completed a review of the operation of the restricted policy which applies to those sentenced to more than five years for an offence involving violence, sex, arson or drugs. This policy has the general effect of restricting parole eligibility to a few months at the end of sentence and was waived only in exceptional circumstances. The impending abolition of the policy was announced in the White Paper "Crime Justice and Protecting the Public", published in February 1990, which set out proposals for a wide change to new parole procedures in all cases to make sure that the length of sentence served would be more closely related to the length of sentence imposed by the court. I have decided that the restricted policy should now end for all prisoners. The Parole Board will, of course, continue to review each case carefully to ensure that full and proper account is taken of the need to protect the public in all its discussions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will set out the decisions he has taken following the expiry of the consultation period for his departmental paper on squatting; and if he will give the dates when these decisions were taken;(2) what progress is being made on his consultations on squatting; and whether he still proposes that squatting shall become a criminal offence.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Raynsford) on 17 June, at column 522.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have earned more than (a) £1,000, (b) £2,000 and (c) £5,000 in overtime carrying out duties for Operation Container.

The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of proxy vote applications registered in each constituency at the time of (a) the 1987 general election and (b) the 1992 general election.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes) on 12 May, at column 61.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about rail services to Grimsby and Cleethorpes.

I have already received a delegation of hon. Members; the House debated this matter on 17 June; and I shall be meeting the hon. Member shortly. I have also received four letters from members of the public.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the projected increase in car ownership in Greater London over the next five years.

Car ownership in London is forecast to increase by between 10 and 14 per cent. from 1991 to 1996.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish his White Paper on railway privatisation.

I hope to publish the White Paper on railway privatisation before the House rises for the summer recess.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will include protection for British Rail pensions and British Rail pensioner's concessionary travel entitlements in his proposals for rail privatisation.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport gave an assurance during the Second Reading debate on the British Coal and British Rail (Transfer Proposals) Bill on 18 May, Official Report, column 23, that the pension entitlements of existing contributors and past employees of the rail industry will be properly safeguarded on the privatisation of British Rail.I gave a similar assurance in respect of pensioners' concessionary travel entitlements during the Committee stage of that Bill on 16 June.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what budget provision exists for light rapid transit schemes in 1992–93; and what is planned for 1993–94.

There is no budget provision specifically reserved for light rail schemes. However, in 1992–93 we are providing resources of at least £50 million for such schemes. We plan to provide at least £53 million in 1993–94.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make an official visit to east London and Essex to study the current state of road and rail infrastructure.

I have no immediate plans to do so. I am, however, well aware of the situation concerning the improving state of road and rail infrastructure in east London and Essex. We are pressing ahead with investment in the area. The Queen Elizabeth II bridge at Dartford has relieved congestion on the M25 and we opened the new east London traffic control system last February. The modernisation of the Central line is now under way and work has started on resignalling of the Great Eastern line out of Liverpool Street station.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to meet the chairman of the British Rail board to discuss Network South East; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend and I meet the chairman of British Rail regularly to discuss current issues on Network SouthEast and on the railways as a whole.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the construction of the Carlisle bypass will start.

The proposals for the Carlisle southern bypass scheme are expected to be ready for a public consultation in spring 1993. It is too early to say when construction will start.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bypasses have been planned and built by this Department in the last five years; and how many more are in the final stages of planning.

Between 1987–88 and 1991–92 the Department completed the construction of 69 bypasses on national roads in England. At present, there are a further 28 bypasses under construction and 148 in preparation, of which 34 have passed the public inquiry stage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about transport for the disabled and his published guide "Door to Door"; and if he will make a statement.

We are in touch with a wide range of disability organisations, local authorities, transport operators and vehicle manufacturers on all matters relating to transport and disability. We work particularly closely with the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee which was set up under the Transport Act 1985 to offer advice to the Secretary of State in this area.The Department's disability unit has recently published its annual report which sets out our current initiatives in this area. I have sent copies to all Members of the House and I will ensure that further copies are placed in the Library."Door to Door", a guide to transport for people with disabilities, produced by my Department, is now in its third edition and a new fourth edition will be published later this summer. The publication offers advice on all aspects of personal mobility, public transport and specialist services for people with disabilities and provides useful contacts for further advice.As soon as the new edition is published, I will ensure that copies are placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he is taking to ensure that the natural environment is protected when new roads are built and existing roads improved.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Hexham (Mr. Atkinson).

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are his Department's current estimates of the percentage growth of traffic on London's roads by the year 2025.

The Department does not forecast traffic growth in London as a whole over this length of time. Specific forecasts are made for individual trunk road schemes. These are generally lower than the national road traffic forecasts, which cover the whole of Great Britain.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received about his proposals to reduce the speed of vehicles in villages.

A working group drawn from the County Surveyors Society, the Department of Transport, the Scottish Office and the Welsh Office has been considering a range of measures to constrain vehicle speeds through villages. A number of schemes to be introduced on main roads through villages will be monitored over the coming months to assess their effectiveness in keeping speeds down, and improving safety and the quality of life in rural communities.Earlier this month the working group published an interim report which has been circulated to county surveyors and others. The response so far has confirmed that there is widespread support for the steps being taken to tackle this problem.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received concerning the upgrading of the A1 north of Newcastle.

Since taking up office following the general election we have received a small number of representations about upgrading the A1 north of Newcastle.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about vehicles with blackened windows which prevent identification of the occupants; and if he will make a statement.

None. A legal requirement governing the level of light transmission for motor vehicle glass is specified in the Road Vehicle (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986. For vehicles first used from 1 June 1978 this is at least 70 per cent. transmittance with 75 per cent. transmittance for windscreens of vehicles first used from 1 April 1985. These limits effectively preclude the use of blackened glass.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his policy towards the Mersey tunnels' tolls.

We believe it is reasonable that tolls at estuarial crossings should where possible cover the costs and debts of those crossings. The application of that principle to the Mersey tunnels must take account of the relevant legislation, which gives the Merseyside passenger transport authority responsibility for the financial management of the tunnels and, hence, for proposing the level of tolls.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about quality of service objectives for London Transport's bus services.

My right hon. Friend has today written to the chairman of London Transport, setting new quality of service objectives for LT's bus services, including tendered routes, to be attained by the end of March 1994, with interim targets for March 1993. LT has made excellent progress in improving its bus service for passengers since the objectives were last set, in 1989. The new targets will build on this achievement and keep up momentum to improve performance still further in anticipation of deregulation.The new targets are as follows, with current targets also given for comparison.