To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many foreign fishing vessels are currently applying to be registered as British.

Twelve.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement regarding his plans for the widening of the M25.

Name of appointee	Body to which appointed and remuneration		Period of the appointment
Mr. A. H. C. Broadbent1	Dover Harbour Board		1 May 1992–30 April 1995
Mr. A. Worthington	Deputy Traffic Commissioner	—£172 per day	18 May 1992–17 May 1994
Mrs. M. Kendrick1	Acting Conservator of the River Mersey	—£8,223 pa	1 June 1992–31 May 1993
Mr. K. Brown1	London Transport	—£9,150 pa	29 June 1992–28 June 1994
Mrs. H. Robinson1	London Transport	—£9,150 pa	29 June 1992–28 June 1994
Mrs. M. K. Davies	Port of Tyne Authority		1 July 1992–30 June 1995
Mr. R. D. Peters	Dover Harbour Board		27 July 1992–30 April 1993
Sir Peter Baldwin1	Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (unpaid)		1 August 1992–31 July 1993
Mr. J. S. Fair1	Dundee Port Authority		1 September 1992–31 December 1994
Mr. B. G. Duncan1	Dundee Port Authority		1 September 1992–31 December 1994
Dr. A. K. Watkins	London Transport	—£100,000 pa	1 October 1992–30 September 1997
Mr. M. J. Bealing	Ipswich Port Authority		1 October 1992–30 June 1994
Mr. J. Stephenson1	Deputy Traffic Commissioner	—£172 per day	1 October 1992–31 March 1994
Mr. R. W. A. Cake	Poole Harbour Commission		1 November 1992–31 October 1995
1 Reappointments.

Remuneration of port authority appointees is a matter for the authorities themselves. It is not considered practicable or appropriate to list the many and varied qualifications of individual appointees, but my right hon. Friend will have satisfied himself as to their relevance before making the appointments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on his Department's study into the widening of the M27.

Final decisions on the timing of an invitation to consultants to submit bids to undertake this commission have yet to be taken.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what level of consultation he has undertaken with representatives of emergency services and trades unions concerning European harmonisation governing labelling and safety codes of dangerous substances;(2) what response he has given to proposals for European harmonisation of United Kingdom hazchem regulations;

Implementation of the general strategy announced on 6 September 1991 is continuing. Announcements of progress with the development of individual schemes for widening the existing carriageway to dual four-lane standard within existing boundaries are made at appropriate stages. Proposals for link roads between junctions 12 and 15 are the subject of public consultation. Decisions on the need for and feasibility of supplementary carriageways on other sections of the route remain to be taken when the studies are completed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all the names of public appointments that he has made, giving the period for which the appointment was made, relevant qualifications of the appointees and what remuneration each currently receives.

Details of public appointments made by my right hon. Friend since 10 April 1992 are set out in the table.(3) what meetings he has had with emergency services' chief officers concerning EEC directives for harmonising current regulations governing the carriage of dangerous goods by road and rail;(4) if he will make a statement on the implications of the new European agreement concerning the movement of dangerous substances;(5) what response he has made to concerns expressed by the Fire Brigades Union regarding the replacement of the United Kingdom hazchem system with ADR;(6) if European harmonisation of hazchem will exclude current domestic safety codes and procedures for the protection of fire brigade personnel and the general public;(7) if ADR will be achieved without undermining the current system of labelling dangerous substances within the United Kingdom;(8) if the introduction of ADR, as a replacement of the United Kingdom hazchem system, satifies current safety criteria for civilian evacuation;(9) what effect ADR introduction will have on risk minimisation within the operation of emergency services.

There are no EC directives requiring the harmonisation of road and rail regulation for the transport of dangerous goods. However, our intention is that United Kingdom regulations for the domestic transport of dangerous goods by road will be harmonised with the European agreement concerning the international carriage of dangerous goods by road—ADR—from 1 January 1995. This should result in no lowering of existing safety standards. The regulations will be drafted by the Health and Safety Executive which will consult all interested parties.As a result of representations from the Fire Brigades Union and others, the United Kingdom is currently negotiating the inclusion of United Kingdom emergency action codes in the hazard warning panel requirements of ADR for road tankers carrying dangerous goods. These codes give an immediate indication to the emergency services of how they should react at the scene of an incident and whether evacuation of people nearby is advisable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, as part of his quality of service objectives, he will require the publication of the responses of all bodies consulted in the preparation of the travellers charter.

The Central Transport Consultative Committee, the statutory consumer body which represents the users of British Rail services, were consulted in the course of the preparation of the passengers charter. Its comments on the charter are summarised in the committee's annual report for 1991–92, published on 4 August. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of his consultations concerning implementation of the Transport and Works Act 1992 in so far as they relate to preserved railways.

We have consulted widely on all the rules, regulations and orders needed to implement part I of the Transport and Works Act. The many responses received, including those from the railway preservation movement, have been taken into account in finalising subordinate legislation.Schedule 7 of the Applications and Objections Procedure Rules will set out the table of fees for applications for orders under part I. The proposed fees for transport projects, such as preserved railways, which do not involve the compulsory acquisition of land are:

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if, as part of his quality of service objectives, he will require the publication of all reports relating to the numbers of people eligible for legal aid commissioned since 1985 using public money.

Estimates of numbers of people eligible for civil legal aid were contained in the document "Review of Financial Conditions for Legal Aid: Eligibility for Civil Legal Aid: a Consultation Paper" which was issued in June 1991. There is no fixed upper financial eligibility limit for criminal legal aid.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the totals of individuals in each relevant category in the past year for which figures are available who have used their right to appeal against refusal in cases for which the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Bill would require a mandatory refusal.

The Immigration and Asylum Appeal Bill does not require mandatory refusal of any immigration-related applications. It follows that in the last year no appeals can have been lodged on any such refusals.Clause 10 of the Bill removes the right of appeal in those cases where dismissal of the appeal is mandatory. No separate records are kept of such mandatory dismissals and details of such cases could only be obtained at disproportionate expense.Clause 9 of the Bill, however, removes existing rights of appeal against refusal of entry clearance in the case of visitors, short-term and prospective students and their dependents. In the year ending 30 September 1992 there were a total of 12,643 appeals registered against refusal of entry clearance for temporary purposes of all kinds except those by husbands, wives and financé(e)s. No breakdown is made of the types of appeal falling within this category, but by applying proportions obtained from a sample of cases approximately 9,607 visit visa and 1,712 student visa appeals were included in the total.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what guidance the Judicial Studies Board will be offering to judges and magistrates on the interpretation of sections 1, 2 and 3 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991.

The Judicial Studies Board has already issued guidance on the Criminal Justice Act 1991 to both the professional and the lay judiciary. Judges of the Court of Appeal and the High Court were given a briefing in the Lord Chief Justice's court. Judges, recorders and assistant recorders sitting in Crown courts received an 81-page guide to the sentencing provisions of the Act as part of the "Crown Court Bench Book on Sentencing" and attended conferences at which there were lectures and discussion on the Act. The board produced an 18-page introduction to the Act and a copy of this document was sent to each magistrate. A comprehensive training pack was also produced to assist those, usually the justices clerks, who train the magistrates.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has for reforming the law relating to the defence of duress in criminal cases; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.We have no proposals for reforming this area of the criminal law.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 29 October.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 29 October.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many convicted prisoners and how many remand prisoners are currently being held in police cells in England; and how many of these are in the north-west region;(2) what steps he is taking to ease the problem arising from holding convicted and remand prisoners in police cells; and when he expects a reduction in the numbers of such prisoners;(3) what steps he has taken to alleviate problems caused to families and legal representatives in gaining access to prisoners held in police cells; and if he will make a statement.

On 26 October, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 497 prisoners in police cells in England. Of these 346 were in police cells in the north-west, as shown in the table.

Police force	Number of prisoners in police cells on 26 October 1992
Cheshire	1
Cumbria	1
Greater Manchester	233
Lancashire	37
Merseyshire	74
Total	346

Information collected centrally does not differentiate between remand and convicted prisoners, but surveys have confirmed that most such prisoners are on remand. There has been a very substantial reduction in the number of prisoners being held in police cells. On 31 March, 1,882 prisoners were held in this way in England and Wales as a whole. The total number on 26 October was 524. A new joint initiative involving close co-operation between the police and prison service management has proven to be very effective in achieving reductions in police cell use against the background of a fall in the total population in custody.The police are aware of the importance of legal and family visits for prisoners in police cells. The vast majority of legal visits take place without difficulty, although practical constraints may arise at individual police stations from time to time. Liaison prison governors are available to advise the police. Facilities for family visits at some police stations are limited, and there may also be special security considerations which have to be taken into account. Guidance to the police provides that preference should be given to unconvicted prisoners to receive visits more frequently than convicted prisoners if a choice has to be made.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, following the retrial and subsequent release of Kiranjit Ahluwalia, he will arrange for a similar process to apply in the cases of women victims of domestic violence currently in prison for killing their partner; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that Mrs. Ahluwalia was released following a retrial ordered by the Court of Appeal as a result of her original appeal to that court.My right hon. and learned Friend had no involvement with any of these proceedings. He is always ready to consider representations that in a particular case there has been a miscarriage of justice, and to take such action as may be appropriate including, where something new appears to touch the safety of a conviction, using his power under section 17(1)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will apply the code of practice for the Housing and Care of Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 to breeding establishments;(2) if he will bring forward proposals for stricter controls of the standards for the housing and care of animals in breeding, supply and research establishments.

We have no current plans for amending the Home Office code of practice for the housing and care of animals used in scientific procedures or for applying the code as it stands to breeding and supplying establishments. However, we are considering whether the guidelines issued by the Laboratory Animal Breeders Association, currently used by the Home Office inspectorate in respect of breeding and supplying establishments should, updated as necessary, be given a more formal basis in the context of the operation of the 1986 Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the rights of appeal which apply to visitors, settlers and asylum seekers to the United Kingdom and other categories of applicant; and what information he has on the comparable provisions in each EC country;(2) if he will list the current rights of appeal which apply to visitors, settlers, asylum seekers and other immigration and nationality department categories; and what changes he proposes.

Part II of the Immigration Act 1971 confers rights of appeal against virtually all categories of adverse immigration decisions. The main rights of appeal which apply to visitors and persons seeking to settle in the United Kingdom are against refusal of an entry clearance at a British post abroad; refusal of leave to enter at a United Kingdom port—a person refused leave to enter is not entitled to appeal until he has left the United Kingdom unless he holds a current entry clearance or work permit—and refusal to vary a person's limited leave in the United Kingdom—provided that the application was made during the currency of the limited leave. The rights of appeal available to asylum seekers currently depend on their immigration status at the time of their application.The Asylum and Immigration Appeals Bill contains provisions that would give unsuccessful asylum seekers specific new rights of appeal to a special adjudicator, exercisable while in the United Kingdom. The Bill also provides that persons seeking entry as visitors, students enrolled on courses of six months or less, and prospective students would no longer be entitled to appeal against a refusal of entry clearance, or against the refusal of leave to enter if they do not hold an entry clearance; and that persons refused entry clearance, leave to enter or a variation of leave on the grounds that they do not meet certain mandatory requirements of the immigration rules would also no longer be entitled to appeal.The Bill does not affect the rights of appeal of persons refused entry clearance for settlement, or in categories leading to settlement; of persons refused leave to enter when in possession of an entry clearance or work permit; or of illegal entrants or persons subject to deportation decisions.Rights of appeal in other member states of the European Community are a matter for the Governments concerned. I understand, however, that no other member state has a specialised system of immigration appeals.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Mr. Aame-Diga Aakpa's file has been located; and when the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford can expect to receive a reply to her letter of 8 October 1991.

Mr. Aakpa's file has not yet been located. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as it is possible to take a decision.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to give a DNA profile the same status as a fingerprint for the purpose of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984; and what response he intends to make to the comments made by the registrar in his annual report on DNA profiles.

The Royal Commission on criminal justice has been asked to examine the issues surrounding the collection, storage and use of DNA material obtained by the police during the course of an investigation. My right hon. and learned Friend will consider the need for legislation in the light of the royal commission's recommendations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 30 June, Official Report, column 524, to the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden), how many spouses have been admitted to the United Kingdom under the primary purpose rule.

The available information is the number of persons accepted for settlement as a spouse under the immigration rules, given in table 3 of the Home Office statistical bulletin issue 29/92 "Control of Immigration: Statistics—First and Second Quarters 1992", a copy of which is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of state for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to draw on the successful elements of the 20 drug prevention projects currently sponsored by his Department under the drug prevention initiative in order to make adequate provision of such services in each town and city in England and Wales which has a drugs problem.

The work of the 20 local drugs prevention teams and of the central drugs prevention unit is being evaluated. Given the innovative nature of this work, it is at present too early to consider a possible broadening of the drugs prevention initiative.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional resources his Department has provided for the probation service in England and Wales and to each probation committee to meet the costs of new responsibilities under the Criminal Justice Act 1991.

The Home Office annual report published in February set out the actual and projected resources for the Probation Service in England and Wales as follows:

	1990–91 (actual)	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94	1994–95
Central Government support (£ million)	228	272	290	314	338
Total staff provision	12,851	13,641	14,234	14,713	15,100

Resources, which are now subject to cash limits, are allocated to the 55 individual probation areas through an agreed formula and the overall increase of 25.7 per cent. for 1992–93, compared with 1990–91 outturn, was not spread evenly because the allocation formula adjusted the proportion of national provision allocated to each area according to objective indicators of need and work load. The lowest increase was 20.8 per cent. while the highest was 30.3 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many additional prisoners will be supervised on licence as a result of changes contained in the Criminal Justice Act 1991.

We are expecting a gradual build-up of cases as offenders are sentenced and released from prisons under the Act and a corresponding decrease in the numbers released under the former parole arrangements. Current best estimates are that when the transitional period comes to an end in 1996, some 5,500 more ex-prisoners will be supervised on licence. Extra probation officer resources have been provided to allow for the increased caseload and to enable longer and more intense periods of supervision with offenders on licence. The numbers under voluntary supervision are expected to fall sharply.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will conduct a national survey into the accessibility of polling stations to disabled people with the aim of identifying problems which they encounter;(2) if he will take steps to ensure that all electors who wish to vote at their polling stations have the ability to do so.

A national survey would not be a good use of our resources in this area, which are better directed towards providing financial support. Councils have a statutory obligation to designate as polling places, wherever practicable, only places which are accessible to disabled people. We have provided guidance for returning officers to remind them of their obligations, and shall continue to do so. It is our long-term aim that all polling stations should he accessible to disabled electors but, where it is not possible to use a building affording easy access, we make grants available towards the cost of providing temporary ramps.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what local government funding is earmarked for the implementation of the Representation of the People Act 1983 towards disabled persons access to the voting system.

Details of local authority spending on access for the disabled to the electoral process are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been undertaken to identify the number of disabled people who failed to vote in the 1992 general election; and if he will conduct an inquiry into potential obstructions presented to the disabled at polling stations and by alternative voting methods.

Information on the number of electors who are disabled is not collected centrally. We are conducting a full review of electoral law and practice in the light of experience at the general election in April. That review will include all aspects of access for disabled people to the electoral process.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to review the postal vote system;(2) if he will simplify postal vote application forms and review the timetable for postal voting.

A full review of all aspects of postal voting procedures is being conducted in the light of experience at the general election. We have held preliminary meetings with the political parties and the local authority associations. A working group of Home Office officials and local authority representatives to look at absent voting arrangements will begin work shortly. Another working group will look at forms.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he will ensure that disabled voters have equal privacy to able-bodied voters when exercising their right to vote at polling stations.

Returning officers are required to provide each polling station with a sufficient number of compartments in which electors can vote screened from observation. A number of manufacturers provide compartments or polling screens which are suitable for people in wheelchairs. We provide 80 per cent. grants towards the purchase of special polling screens.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what expenditure was devoted to publicising the right of elderly and disabled people to obtain a postal or proxy vote, during the last available financial year.

We spent £ 11,210 in 1991–92 on a poster and leaflet campaign to let elderly and disabled people know about their right to an absent vote. In the period leading up to the general election we also spent about £ 1.5 million on television and newspaper advertising to tell people how to obtain an absent vote.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many disabled people are reliant on the postal vote system.

Information on the number of disabled people on the postal voters list is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many electors, in the 1992 general election, voted by postal vote; and how many persons lost their vote due to late return of ballot papers.

Information on the number of people voting by post will be published in the "Return of the Expenses of each Candidate at the General Election" later this year. Information on the number of postal ballot papers returned after the close of the poll is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the number of disabled persons voting at national and local elections has altered since the 1979 general election.

Information on the number of disabled people voting at national and local government elections is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have applied for asylum; how many have had their applications accepted; how many have been granted exceptional leave to remain; and how many have been returned to safe third countries, giving the figures in each case since 1985, by year.

Information on asylum applications and decisions in 1985–90 is given in table 1.2 of Home

1. Summary Tables
Table 1.2 Applications received for asylum in the United Kingdom, decisions and percentages, 1981 to 1991
	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	11989	1 21990	1 21991
Excluding dependants
Applications received3	—	—	—	2,905	4,389	4,266	4,256	3,998	11,640	22,000	44,840
Decisions
Total	—	—	—	1,431	2,635	2,983	2,432	2,702	6,955	4,015	4,685
Grants of asylum4	—	—	—	453	574	348	266	628	2,210	900	420
Grants of exceptional leave	—	—	—	631	1,559	2,102	1,531	1,578	3,860	2,400	1,860
Refusals5	—	—	—	347	502	533	636	496	890	710	2,410
Percentage of total decisions
Total	—	—	—	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100
Grant of asylum	—	—	—	32	22	12	11	23	32	22	9
Grants of exceptional leave	—	—	—	44	59	70	63	58	55	60	40
Refusals5	—	—	—	24	19	18	26	18	13	18	51
Applications withdrawn	—	—	—	175	201	164	200	281	350	360	500
Including dependants6
Applications received3	2,425	4,223	4,296	4,171	6,156	5,714	5,863	5,739	16,776	30,315	—
Decisions
Total	2,358	2,942	2,950	2,011	3,802	4,045	3,479	3,888	10,270	6,265	—
Grants of asylum4	1,473	1,727	1,185	689	915	543	464	975	3,335	1,510	—
Grants of exceptional leave	278	311	939	802	2,156	2,815	2,229	2,289	5,840	3,900	—
Refusals5	607	904	826	520	731	687	786	624	1,095	850	—
Percentage of total decisions
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	—
Grants of asylum	62	59	40	34	24	13	13	25	32	24	—
Grants of exceptional leave	12	11	32	40	57	70	64	59	57	62	—
Refusals5	26	31	28	26	19	17	23	16	11	14	—
Applications withdrawn	211	234	217	227	261	209	252	360	435	405	—
1 Provisional figures rounded to the nearest 5, percentages rounded to the nearest whole per cent.
21990 figures may understate and 1991 decision figures are likely to be incomplete because of delays in recording.
3See footnotes 2 and 3 to Table 2.1.
4Excluding South East Asian refugees: see Tables 3.1 and 9.1.
5Includes refusals on third country grounds, and those under paragraph 101 of the Immigration Rules: see footnote 1 to Table 3.3.
6Including dependants who applied with the principal applicant and those who arrived subsequently but before the principal application was decided.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances he uses his discretion to allow asylum applications in the country of the applicant; and if he will make a statement.

The 1951 convention relating to the status of refugees defines a refugee as someone who, owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion is outside the country of his nationality and is unable, or owing to such a fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country. Where a person falls within this definition and has such close ties with the United Kingdom as to make it the most appropriate country of refuge for them, we are prepared to grant entry clearance for the purpose of their applying for asylum in the United Kingdom. Entry clearance for this purpose would not normally be granted to a person who remained within their own country and did not, therefore, fall within the definition of a refugee.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what dates he visited Colombia; and if he will make a statement.

The visit between 8 and 11 September took place in an itinerary over 6 to 14 September which also included Venezuela and Peru.It was principally concerned with drugs and had three main objectives: to see local problems at first hand; to explore the scope for further effective bilateral co-operation; and to consider the implications for policy in the United Kingdom.In each of the three countries, I discussed with the President and senior Ministers the many aspects, domestic and international, of the drugs problem. In Colombia, I was able to see for myself some of the valuable results of our programme of assistance to the Colombian Government in their fight against drugs. In Peru, in addition to drugs issues, I took the opportunity to raise other matters such as human rights and the forthcoming elections.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what salary, per diem, or other emoluments the chairman and other members of the inquiry into the role of the police officer will be entitled to receive as a consequence of the membership of the inquiry committee.

The chairman and other members of the inquiry into police responsibilities and rewards are entitled to receive fees in accordance with the appropriate daily rate set by HM Treasury. But the chairman and each of the members of the inquiry have waived their entitlement to remuneration.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many short-term and would-be students refused (a) entry clearance and (b) entry to the United Kingdom, by country, have lodged appeals against refusal in each quarter since January 1991; and in each category how many such appeals were (i) withdrawn, (ii) granted and (iii) dismissed;(2) how many visitors refused

This subject is a matter for the Lord Chancellor's Department; my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has put to the European Commission for amending the common travel area between the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom under the single market from next year; whether EC nationals will be required to show their passports and to submit to spot checks prior to entry into Great Britain; whether all travellers from the Republic of Ireland into the United Kingdom will be required to carry passports; and if he will make a statement.

We have made no proposals for amending the common travel area arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of the consultations on changes to the law on squatting; and when he expects to introduce legislation to change the law.

As my hon. Friend knows, the Government have a commitment to strengthen and improve the law against squatting, and the Home Office published a consultation paper on this subject last October. We are still considering the best way forward in the light of the responses received and we will announce our conclusions in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the paid employments of members of the Sheehy committee of inquiry into the role of the police officer.

Sir Patrick Sheehy, chairman of the inquiry into police responsibilities and rewards, is chairman of BAT Industries. The other members of the inquiry are Mr. John Bullock, joint senior partner of Coopers Lybrand, Professor Colin Campbell, vice-chancellor of the University of Nottingham, Mr. Eric Caines, director of personnel for the national health service and Sir Paul Fox, lately managing director of BBC Television.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make an order under section 16 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 to incorporate Herefordshire college of art and design into the new further education sector on 1 April 1993.

Herefordshire college of art and design will be among the colleges joining the new further education sector on 1 April 1993. A corporation will be established for the college by means of an order under section 16 of the Further and Higher Education Act as soon as possible. A draft order was issued for consultation on 26 October.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to offer financial compensation to farmers who are actively involved in improving public footpaths through their land.

Responsibility for the maintenance of public rights of way rests with county highway authoriies, not with my right hon. Friend. Farmers have certain duties in relation to the maintenance of paths which cross their land and are entitled to grant assistance from the highways authorities for fulfilling part of those duties. The Countryside Council for Wales is, however, piloting projects in Wales which include an incentive payment to farmers to undertake maintenance of footpaths where it is in the public interest and it is cost effective to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received from district councils in Wales to date concerning the proposed changes in education; and how many representations (a) expressed objection to the extension of grant-maintained status for schools and (b) expressed objections to changes proposed for the Welsh Joint Education Committee.

Representations have been received from 12 district councils and from the Council of Welsh Districts. Of these, five commented on our proposals for grant-maintained status and three referred to the proposals relating to the Welsh Joint Education Committee.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list the training providers within each training and enterprise council in Wales, indicating the number of training places offered, and the number of disabled trainees currently granted placement;(2) if he will list the large company unit schemes offering training within each training and enterprise council area in Wales indicating the number of trainees on each scheme, and the proportion of disabled trainees on each scheme.

The information requested is not available centrally. Local training provision is the responsibility of individual training and enterprise councils which are under contract to make sufficient suitable places available to meet the demand from disabled persons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the total numbers of disabled trainees currently on (a) employer led training schemes and (b) voluntary sector training schemes within each training and enterprise council area in Wales.

This information is not collected centrally. The type of training provision made available locally is the responsibility of individual training and enterprise councils.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the total number of trainees on youth training schemes within each training and enterprise council in Wales; how many disabled trainees there are within each area; and if he will indicate the numbers of disabled trainees according to training occupational classification.

The number of trainees on youth training at 13 September in each TEC area in Wales is set out in the table.Information on the numbers of disabled young people in training and their occupational routes is not collected separately but over the six months to September, 1.2 per cent. of those commencing youth training were disabled.

Numbers on youth training on 13 September 1992
TEC	Number in training
Gwent	2,456
Mid Glamorgan	2,548
South Glamorgan	1,685
North East Wales	1,355
North West Wales	1,851
Powys	533
West Wales	3,803
WALES	14,231

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of the 1989–90 and the 1990–91 trainee intake on to youth training placements within each training and enterprise council area in Wales are currently in full-time employment; and what proportion of disabled trainees over the same period are currently in full-time employment.

The information as requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set out the basis of his policy to support differential funding for different sectors of the education service in Wales.

The Government's policies for the support of the education service are set out in the joint Department for Education and Welsh Office education White Paper, "Choice and Diversity: A New Framework for Schools", Cm. 2021, published on 28 July, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 19 October, Official Report, column 150, what consultations he has had with the South Glamorgan health authority concerning the suspension of redundancy notice consultations to in-house catering; when he expects to confirm decisions on the legal issues raised between the health authority and the catering workers' trades unions; and if he will make a statement.

South Glamorgan health authority has asked the Department for its views on the legal issues arising and these are now under consideration. A reply will be sent as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 19 October, Official Report, column 150, what guidance was given by his Department to Gardner Merchant by way of clarification of tender procedures and on the minimum service standards relative to previously achieved standards required to comply with (a) the terms of the contract and (b) relevant European Community law.

The Department gave guidance on two specific points only in clarification of tender procedures—first, that the authority had amortised redundancy costs over the period of the contract in accordance with current guidelines; secondly, that information provided to all contractors must be accurate and current and sufficient to enable the submission of realistic tenders, that is, that all necessary details should be made readily available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will conduct a review into the supply and cost of low vision aids to visually impaired children and the provision of training on the use of aids within health authorities in Wales.

At present, my right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will issue guidelines to social services departments in Wales concerning advising parents of visually impaired children on adequate lighting provision in the home.

General guidance on services for people with disabilities was issued in 1990. It specifically mentioned the possible need to advise the visually disabled, or their carers, about lighting equipment. Local authority social services departments' rehabilitation officers are available to provide advise about lighting requirements appropriate to the individual circumstances of those who are visually impaired.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the local authorities in Wales which have appointed a social services officer with specific responsibility for visually impaired people.

All social services authorities in Wales have such officers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what efforts are currently undertaken by his Department to ensure that health authorities are fulfilling their statutory responsibility of providing information to parents of a visually impaired child concerning possible sources of assistance from other statutory agencies and voluntary organisations.

Existing guidance on services for people with disabilities draws attention to their information needs. It encourages the training of staff to gve clear and accurate advice on how services provided by other agencies can be obtained. It is for health authorities where appropriate to reflect that guidance in their local strategies for health which are submitted to the Department for approval.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will issue guidelines to health authorities in Wales on the issuing of information, medical advice, and counselling to parents following the discovery of visual impairment in their child.

General guidance on services for people with disabilities was issued in 1990, as was the report of the working group on co-ordinating services for visually handicapped people. In 1991, the Welsh Health Planning Forum issued advice to the NHS in Wales on physical and sensory disability in the form of a protocol on health gain.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of new build local authority and housing association dwellings have been built to appropriate standards for people with disabilities in Wales in each year between 1979 and 1991.

The percentage of new local authority and housing association dwellings built for people who are chronically sick or disabled is shown in the table. Figures for 1979 are not available.

Year	Percentage
1980	0.7
1981	1.2
1982	3.0
1983	7.6
1984	7.2
1985	4.8
1986	6.7
1987	21.8
1988	6.5
1989	1.9

Year	Percentage
1990	3.8
1991	4.1

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what aspects of responsibility currently held by local education authorities in Wales will be transferred to the proposed funding agency.

Details of the duties of the proposed Schools Funding Council for Wales are contained in the White Paper "Choice and Diversity: A New Framework for Schools", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to protect the right of free speech in relation to employees of the national health service concerning the quality of patient care; and if he will make a statement.

The Department has recently issued, for consultation, draft guidance which clarifies the rights and duties of NHS employees in raising matters of concern about patient services and the responsibilities of local management. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the local authorities in Wales whose draft community care plans include references to services for multiple-disabled people.

Although all local authorities' social care plans include services for physically and/or sensorially disabled people, only West Glamorgan makes specific reference to people with multiple disabilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set out the evidence on which he based the proposals set out in the White Paper, "Choice and Diversity: A New Framework for Schools", that a greater quality of educational provision in Wales will result from a greater diversity of type of school.

The reforms that we have already implemented—more parental choice, rigorous testing, external inspection of standards in schools, local management of schools, grant-maintained schools, and the national curriculum—are helping to shape a more open, a more responsive, and a more demanding system of education. The White Paper seeks to build on these solid foundations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what new central powers he will gain over the direct control of schools when the new arrangements for education governance are in place.

The White Paper, "Choice and Diversity: A New Framework for Schools" is not about increasing the powers of the Secretary of State but about rationalising certain arrangements to ensure best use of limited resources for the benefit of children and the education service generally. There are no proposals to give the Secretary of State new powers with regard to direct control of schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate his Department has made of the percentage of components purchased by electronics companies in Wales which are produced in Wales; and what information he has in respect of individual companies.

This information is not collated by my Department. Information held on individual companies is commercially confidential.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the number of nurses who have achieved state registered nursing qualifications in 1992 to the latest available date within the Merthyr Tydfil and Cynon health district; and how many have been employed by the health districts.

So far this year, 38 student nurses from the Merthyr Tydfil and Cynon Valley health district have qualified. Of these, 26 have subsequently been employed by the Mid Glamorgan health authority; information about the remainder is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated cost of (a) a visit by a health visitor to administer insulin to a diabetic and (b) self-administration using a Novopen, including the cost of the Novo needle.

Information on the cost of a visit by a health visitor is not held centrally. The cost of a Novopen and needle is commercial-in-confidence. However, many diabetics use disposable syringes to inject themselves with insulin and these are already prescribable. The use of injection pens and needles entails a real additional cost to the taxpayer. This factor has to be taken into account when considering whether to authorise their prescribing by general practitioners.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make it his policy that Novo needles shall be available on prescription for people who suffer from diabetes and require insulin treatment.

We are continuing to consider the case for authorising general practitioners to prescribe both insulin injection pens and needles, and a final decision will be reached bearing in mind all other priorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will set out in detail the costs of establishing the new unitary councils in the areas of (a) personnel including recruitment and relocation, (b) property costs, (c) transference to new information technology systems and (d) shadow councils and extra election costs;(2) if he will set out in detail the one-off costs of setting up the new unitary councils in the Principality.

I have engaged Touche Ross management consultants to advise me on the nature and magnitude of transitional costs which might arise in moving to a structure of unitary authorities in Wales. I will publish the consultants' report when it is available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency concerning the earliest likely date on which permanent employment on the Deeside industrial park will reach 10,000.

I regularly meet the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency to discuss a wide range of issues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received in relation to the proposed Severn bridge toll increase in January 1993 (a) generally and (b) in relation to future validity of books of season tickets available for sale at the present time.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what duties of policy co-ordination he has given to the relevant training and enterprise councils in Wales in relation to job creation in the areas affected by proposed pit closures.

I have agreed with the chairmen of the TECs affected by coal closures that they should produce action plans or contingency plans as appropriate and that these plans should cover not only labour market issues but, in conjunction with the Welsh Development Agency, proposals for job creation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the Association of Welsh Training and Enterprise Councils in relation to funding earmarked for additional training and enterprise operations in areas affected by proposed pit closures in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

I met the chairmen of Mid Glamorgan, West Wales and North East Wales TECs on 19 October 1992 to discuss the situation regarding colliery closures. I have informed the chairmen that £ 4.8 million is being made available over the next 18 months for retraining and other services and support for enterprise in the areas affected.I am awaiting proposals from the chairmen on the most effective use of these resources.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his statement on 21 October, Official Report, columns 527–28, in relation to the closure of Shotton steelworks heavy end in 1980, what is his most up to date estimate of the numbers of people employed in premises at the Deeside industrial park in each year since 1985, the numbers permanently employed at British Steel Corporation Shotton (a) prior to the 1980 heavy end closure announcement, (b) in 1985, (c) 1990 and (d) at the most recent convenient date; and if he will make a statement.

Information on employment numbers at Deeside industrial park is not collected by my Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received, and what consultations he has had, concerning the funding of the annual maintenance costs of the Butetown link road.

No such representations have been received.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps he has taken to ascertain that Longford hall, Stretford is being maintained in a way which does not prejudice its status as a listed building; when a physical inspection of this property was last conducted; and what were the conclusions.

Officials of the Departments concerned have been in regular touch with the owners, Trafford metropolitan borough council, about the state of the building. I understand that, pending decisions on the building's long term future, the council has authorised the carrying out of repairs, and tenders are due to be submitted by 30 October.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will publish a table setting out for the period since 9 April (a) each tender issued by his Department for projects requiring the supply of (i) computer hardware and (ii) computer software, (b) a description of the services required, (c) the number of companies who were invited to tender, (d) the number of companies who submitted a hid without prior invitation by his Department, (e) which company was awarded the contract, (f) the value of each contract and (g) the length of period over which the contract will run.

[holding answer 27 October 1992]: The information requested is as follows:(a) My Department has not yet issued any significant tenders for the supply of computer hardware and software. However, it has advertised a single major requirement in the Official Journal of the European Communities and is currently evaluating proposals. It has also purchased a number of personal computers to meet urgent interim needs.(b) The services required are: (i) the supply, configuration, installation, imple-mentation and maintenance of hardware and software to support the office-based functions of the Department;

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will estimate the level of (a) satisfied and (b) unsatisfied unstimulated demand for gambling.

I have been asked to reply.Net consumer expenditure—estimated at about £ 3 billion in 1991–92—provides the best indication of the level of satisfied demand for gambling. By its nature, it is not possible to estimate the level of any unsatisfied demand.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all the names of public appointments that he has made, giving the period for which the appointment was made, relevant qualifications of the appointees and what remuneration each currently receives.

The information is not held centrally in the form requested. However, summary details of appoint-ments made by my right hon. Friend the Minister, including details of remuneration, are contained in "Public Bodies" published annually by the Cabinet Office. A copy of the 1991 edition is available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce legislation to ensure that all food which contains items that have been genetically engineered are so labelled; and if he will make a statement.

Not at present. The Food Advisory Committee—FAC—which is one of the Government's committees of independent advisers, considers the need for special labelling of foods produced using genetic modification on a case-by-case basis taking account of advice from the advisory committee on novel foods and processes and the committee on toxicity of chemicals in food, consumer products and the environment.The FAC committee has developed a set of guidelines for the labelling of food produced using genetic modification that are used to assist it in deciding whether special labelling is required. These guidelines are currently being reviewed by the committee and the results of this review will be made public.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the exact ages in years and months of BSE-infected cattle, both clinically diagnosed and confirmed histologically, in the period 1 June to 30 September.

During the period 1 June to 30 September 1992, a total of 12,528 cattle were slaughtered or died while clinically suspected of having BSE. Of these, 8,621 have been confirmed at histopathological post-mortem exami-nation and the results of 2,334 are not yet available. The dates of birth and dates of clinical onset of disease of these animals are collected on-farm as part of the ongoing epidemiological study of the disease.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has concerning the tissues involved in the cow itself as the infective agent for BSE migrating from the intestine after ingestion to the brain.

More than 50 different tissues have been collected from confirmed cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathies and are being assayed for infectivity by mouse inoculation. Infectivity has so far been detected only in brain.The following tissues have given negative results:

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the amount of infective material required to be eaten to cause BSE in cattle.

A study is in progress to address this question.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on new types of BSE identified during the current year.

No new types of BSE have been identified in the current year following the histopathological examination that is applied to all confirmed cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has concerning the age at which BSE-infected cattle first show infectivity in the brain or in any other tissue.

A study is in progress to indicate when infectivity can be first detected in the brain and possibly in other tissues.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what requests have been received by the Agricultural Council of the European Community from the European Commission concerning its negotiating activities as representing the Community in the general agreement on tariffs and trade; what consultations the Commission has had with the Council on these matters; and what was the last date when they provided the Commission with a negotiating mandate.

The Agriculture Council regularly discusses the GATT negotiations. At the Council on 26 and 27 October, the Commission reported that it was continuing to work within guidelines approved by member states, including in particular those laid down by Heads of Government at Birmingham earlier in the month.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many countries place restrictions on imports of cattle, calves, or beef from the United Kingdom.

Certification of health status is a normal requirement for international trade in animals and animal products. Recommended standards are agreed by the Office International des Epizooties, which publishes the international health code.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on experiments designed to determine whether vertical transmission of the scrapie agent can occur in sheep.

Evidence published in the early 1970s confirmed that the foetal membranes collected from scrapie-affected ewes were capable of transmitting infection to sheep and goats following oral challenge. Observations of scrapie incidence in well recorded flocks demonstrate a strong familial pattern of cases in female lines.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions he has had with the EC Energy Commissioner in regard to the implications for European Community fuel supply and energy policy of his pit closure programme.

I have discussed this matter with Commissioner Cardoso e Cunha informally on several occasions.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received in regard to the extent to which British Coal has applied the citizens charter to its operations.

I have received no specific representations on this point. British Coal aims to act in accordance with the principles of the citizens charter by providing all its customers with cost-effective, clean and convenient products and services.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what plans the Government have for the building of nuclear power stations in Britain which are able to use as fuel the plutonium recovered in reprocessing;

It is expected that the material will ultimately be burnt in reactors to generate electricity. This could involve fast reactors, as and when they are needed, or plutonium could be used as mixed oxide fuel in conventional reactors—especially light water reactors such as Sizewell B. Studies are continuing as to whether plutonium fuels could be used economically in advanced gas-cooled reactors. While it is not axiomatic that United Kingdom civil plutonium needs to be burnt in United Kingdom reactors, this material will be transferred overseas only if Her Majesty's Government are satisfied that it will not be misused. The conditions for this include the application of safeguards and assurances covering peaceful use, physical protection and controls on re-transfer.It is not envisaged that fast reactors will be needed for a number of years. Nuclear Electric will not be granted capital expenditure approval for any new nuclear power stations beyond Sizewell B pending the outcome of the 1994 review of the prospects for nuclear power.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the deep mine coal pits he and other Ministers in his Department visited during the recent parliamentary recess; and how many coal faces were visited in those pits.

My hon. Friend the Minister for Energy visited Whitemoor colliery on 17 July when he saw one production face and one development face. My right hon. and noble Friend Baroness Denton, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Consumer Affairs and Small Firms, visited Silverwood colliery on 28 August when she saw one production face.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will review urgently the use of orimulsion by PowerGen and proposed use of that fuel by National Power at Padiham and Peabroke for the generation of electricity; and if he will make a statement.

The use of orimulsion must meet the requirements set by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution. The review announced by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade will, in considering the energy policy implications of the prospects for the pits concerned, need to examine the economic implications of importing fuel for electricity generation.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations have been made by the European Commission to him concerning complaints of the dumping of Colombian coal in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Following the standard practice for anti-dumping complaints the Commission consulted member states including the United Kingdom as to whether they should open an investigation into British Coal's complaint, which concerns imports from Colombia, the United States and China. The Government have told the Commission that we have no objection to their doing so.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give figures for the average price of imported coal (a) prior to 15 September and (b) currently; and what is the percentage change.

The latest available information on the average price of imported coal is for August 1992, when the average price was £ 28.4 per tonne, including the cost of insurance and freight. Figures for September and October will not be available until the publication of the monthly overseas trade statistics by the Central Statistical Office on 12 November and 11 December respectively.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what level of VAT will be charged to customers of the Post Office's Parcelforce business following privatisation.

Following my right hon. Friend's announcement on 15 July of his intention to privatise Parcelforce, VAT is one of the many issues which is being looked at.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what amount his Department took into account of the likely effects of the loss of value added tax exempt status before announcing plans to privatise Parcelforce; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend's announcement to the House on 15 July was of his intention to privatise Parcelforce and took account of the key issues involved in that decision. Detailed work is now under way to establish the best way to privatise Parcelforce.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received on the competitive framework for Parcelforce following privatisation.

[holding answer 28 October 1992]: As would be expected with a planned privatisation, a number of interested parties have made their views known to the Department on a wide range of issues. All such points are being given full consideration in the current study into the method of timing of sale.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the average pension paid out by the miners pension fund; and if the Government will ensure that the surplus in that fund is used for the benefit of the miners.

These are matters for the trustees of the miners pension fund.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken, pursuant to his undertaking of 19 October, Official Report, column 236, to place in the public realm his memorandum of 9 June containing his response to the conclusions and recommendations in the report of the Fourth Select Committee on Energy (HC 113 of 1991–92) and the associated memorandum of the Director General of Electricity Supply.

[holding answer 26 October 1992]: These Memoranda are already in the public domain. They were announced by parliamentary question, placed in the Library of the House and released to the press on 9 June, and have been made available to the public on request by my Department and the Office of Electricity Regulation.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will arrange for consideration to be given to the potential for the sale and supply of United Kingdom coal to generate electricity in the Republic of Ireland and elsewhere in the European Community; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will undertake discussions with appropriate Ministers representing the Government of the Republic of Ireland regarding the sale and supply of United Kingdom coal to generate electricity in the Republic of Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 27 October 1992]: Sales of coal by British Coal are a matter for the corporation. I understand that British Coal exported some 175,000 tonnes of coal to Eire in 1991–92.

Project number	Type of services	Number of companies invited to tender	Company awarded contract	Duration of contract
1	Hardware	3	Satelcom UK Ltd	—
2	Software	2	Ingres Ltd	—
3	Hardware and software	3	Computacenter Ltd	—
4	Hardware and software	3	Computacenter Ltd	—
5	Hardware and software	4	Digital Equipment Company Ltd	—
6	Hardware and software	5	ESRI (UK)	—
7	Hardware	1	Satelcom UK Ltd	—
8	Software	2	Ingres Ltd	—
9	Hardware	1	Satelcom UK Ltd	—
10	Software	4	Not yet awarded	—
11	Software	9	Cedar Data PLC	—
12	Hardware and maintenance	4	Sequent UK	3 years maintenance
13	Hardware and software	6	Not yet awarded	—
14	Hardware and software	12	Not yet awarded	—
15	Hardware	5	4 GL Computing Ltd	—
16	Hardware, software and maintenance	3	Digital Equipment Company Ltd	3 years maintenance
17	Development of applications software	1	AMP Systems Ltd	12 months plus 6 years maintenance