To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what way the guidelines relating to all deliveries of defence equipment to Iran set by his predecessor on 29 October 1985 cover the export of civilian equipment which could be militarily useful.

Dual use goods and technologies which require a licence to be exported to Iran under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1991, as amended, fall to be considered under the guidelines.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which of the additional protocols to the Geneva convention on the laws of war have been signed and ratified by Her Majesty's Government; which have been signed but not ratified; which have not been signed; and if he will make a statement.

The United Kingdom signed both additional protocols on 8 June 1977. It has not yet ratified them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which parts of the charter of the United Nations have not yet been ratified by Her Majesty's Government.

The United Kingdom ratified the United Nations charter on 20 October 1945 without any reservations.

To ask the Secretary of Slate for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will propose a review of the role of the United Nations protection force to ensure, within its mandate, its maximum effectiveness in support of the relief effort in Bosnia.

The United Nations keeps the role and effectiveness of UNPROFOR in Bosnia-Herzegovina under constant review. The Secretary-General reports his findings and recommendations to the Security Council on a monthly basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what requests he has received from the Bosnian Government for assistance in establishing a diplomatic residency or office in Britain; and if he will make a statement.

We have received no request from the Bosnian authorities about the establishment of a diplomatic mission in the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Sudan in relation to the persecution of (a) Roman Catholics and (b) other Christians in that country.

We have made clear to the Sudanese Government both bilaterally and in international forums our abhorrence of the systematic abuses of human rights throughout Sudan, and the importance we attach to respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, freedom of religion among them. We co-sponsored the United Nations General Assembly resolution on the human rights situation in Sudan, adopted in the third committee on 4 December.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list current proscribed destinations under the COCOM rules; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Wareing) on 7 December, at column 463.There are currently 24 destinations proscribed under the Co-ordinating Committee on Multilateral Export Controls—COCOM—rules. These are:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Chinese Government over the abuse of human rights of prisoners in China's gaols; and if he will raise the matter at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

We have taken every opportunity this year as in past years to raise human rights issues with the Chinese authorities. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister did so most recently with Vice-Premier Zhu Rongji in November. My noble Friend Lord Howe and his delegation did so in great detail during their visit to China earlier this month. The delegation's discussions included the treatment of prisoners, and the programme included visits to places of detention. We and our EC partners co-sponsored a resolution on the situation in China, including Tibet, at this year's full session of the UN Commission on Human Rights. A "no action" motion prevented the resolution from coming to a vote.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to alter the number of grade of staff employed in posts overseas in support of the United Kingdom trade and commercial interests; and if he will make a statement.

There are at present no plans to alter the number of grades of staff employed in our commercial effort overseas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards efforts being made at the United Nations to seek an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on the legality of use and threat of use of nuclear weapons; and if he will make a statement.

The Government see no need for an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on the legal status of nuclear weapons. There is no treaty which outlaws nuclear weapons. On the contrary, the non-proliferation treaty explicitly recognises the possession of nuclear weapons by "nuclear-weapon States". The use of nuclear weapons would have to be judged as lawful or not in the light of the particular circumstances in which they were used. Since the use of nuclear weapons might according to the circumstances be lawful, the deterrent threat of their use must also be considered lawful.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish up-to-date figures recording the number of unpaid parking fines incurred by each diplomatic mission in London in the first six months of the current year; and if he will make a statement.

The information requested by my hon. Friend is given in the table. The table also includes those international organisations which incurred unpaid fines. The figures may be reduced by late payments.The total of 2,388 for the first six months of 1992 represents a 20 per cent. reduction from the figure of 3,000 for the same period in 1991. It compares with nearly 67,000 in the first six months of 1984 before publication of the 1985 White Paper. We welcome this further reduction in unpaid parking fines that has been achieved during 1992 and appreciate the co-operation of diplomatic missions since the introduction of the parking policy. We shall continue to monitor carefully the level of unpaid fines and bring pressure to bear on diplomatic missions to reduce this still further.

Unpaid parking fines
Diplomatic mission	January-June 1992	January-June 1991
Turkey	141	73
Saudi Arabia	126	89
Russia	124	167

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what diplomatic initiatives he proposes, as EC president, to complement and follow on from the military action in Somalia.

The European Council on 12 December issued a declaration supporting the Security Council resolution 794 and expressing the hope that its implementation will encourage national reconciliation. The EC has supported the United Nations proposals to seek reconciliation through local and regional consultations designed to build a framework for national reconciliation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the United Nations about its performance in Somalia.

My noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development visited New York last month to discuss with the Secretary-General and senior United Nations officials the progress of the relief effort in Somalia and plans for stepping up activities including the greater involvement of United Nations agencies. We have stressed the need for the United Nations to provide strong and effective co-ordination of relief operations in Somalia. We have participated in co-ordination conferences organised by the United Nations in Geneva in October and in Addis Ababa this month.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an assessment of the extent of homelessness in Stoke-on-Trent; and how many (a) families and (b) single people will benefit from the additional funding announced in the autumn statement.

An assessment is made on the basis of the local authority's own estimates contained in its housing strategy statement and statistical returns, together with the homeless indicator in the housing general needs index.This information is used to inform our decisions on the allocation of housing investment programme allocations to local authorities which will be announced later this month.The autumn statement made considerable additional resources available for the support of capital programmes which will directly benefit families and single people in housing need:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from Stoke-on-Trent representatives of the Churches National Housing Coalition; and if he will make a statement.

Ministerial colleagues and I received a number of written and oral representations when the Churches National Housing Coalition lobbied Parliament on 1 December.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much expenditure has been incurred on mandatory home improvement grants in the Hyndburn constituency in each of the financial years since the inception of the current scheme; and what is his estimate, based on recent trends, of the demand for expenditure during the financial year 1992–93.

The total expenditure on mandatory home improvement grants under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 reported by Hyndburn local authority—whose area is identical to the constituency—since the inception of the current renovation grants scheme is:

	£
1990–91	83,300
1991–92	1,333,500

The Department does not prepare forecasts of expenditure on home improvement grants by local authority area, but reported expenditure on mandatory home improvement grants in Hyndburn for the first six months of financial year 1992–93 is £911,300.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the viability and cost of technology to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power stations.

Improvements in the thermal efficiency of coal fired power stations will reduce the use of fuel per unit of energy produced. This also reduces carbon dioxide emissions per unit of energy. Most coal-fired power stations already incorporate many efficiency improvement measures.The gasification of coal and the burning of the gas in a combined cycle gas turbine plant can improve the thermal efficiency to about 45 per cent. from about 35 per cent. for a conventional power station. This technology is available and may be used in the longer term.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what progress he has made towards commencing his proposed inquiry into the construction industry; and which bodies he has invited to take part;(2) how much of the estimated sum required to be paid by participants taking part in the project to reduce conflict within the building industry has so far been raised; and if he will make a statement;(3) if he will give a breakdown of the cost involved in setting up the group to look at ways to reduce conflict within the building industry; and if he will make a statement.

Negotiations between the Department and the industry and client organisations are continuing. We hope to conclude these discussions shortly. The following organisations have been invited to take part in the proposed joint review: the Construction Industry Council, the Construction Industry Employers Council, the Confederation of Associations of Specialist Engineering Contractors, the Specialist Engineering Contractor's Group, the National Specialist Contractors Council and the British Property Federation. The estimated maximum budget for the review is £250,000, with half the cost to be met by the Government and half by the other sponsors.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution was made by Ministers and officials of his Department to the conference on European business and the environment held in Brussels at the end of November.

The Minister for the Environment and Countryside and I chaired the conference, and the Minister for Trade and I addressed it. This very successful United Kingdom presidency event highlighted the important role of business in improving Europe's environment. It was arranged in partnership with the European Commission, and a number of officials from my Department and the Department of Trade and Industry were involved in organising and participating in the event.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to receive the Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment's report on financial and civil liability; when he expects to respond to the House of Lords Select Committee on the European Communities' 1990 report on liability and environmental damage; what reports and proposals he expects to receive from the EC and the Council of Europe on liability for environmental damage; and if he will make a statement.

We expect to receive the Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment's report on civil liability shortly. I understand that the European Commission proposes to issue a consultation document on civil liability for environmental damage in the new year. It is not clear at this stage what effect this will have on the draft directive on civil liability for damage caused by waste, which was presented by the Commission in 1991. The Council of Europe has prepared a convention on civil liability on which the negotiations have recently been completed. I am not aware of any outstanding responses to the House of Lords Select Committee on European Affairs regarding liability for environmental damage.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assistance his Department is giving to the development of Foyer hostel schemes in England.

My Department's assistance for the development of foyer hostel schemes is channelled through the Housing Corporation, in the same way as for other housing association schemes. The corporation is providing revenue support to five pilot projects based around existing YMCA hostels in Nottingham, Norwich, St. Helens, Romford and Wimbledon. It will also be providing capital funding for two new-build foyer schemes in Birmingham and London; and 20 bed spaces at the London scheme will attract revenue support through special needs management allowance. Agreement in principle has been given to capital funding for a third project in Salford.In addition, my Department has seconded an official to the Foyer Federation for Youth—FFY—a limited company established to promote the growth of foyers in this country; and the head of the Department's homelessness policy division attends meetings of the FFY board as an observer.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what guidance he has issued to the Local Government Commission in relation to the public analyst service;(2) what representations he has received about the future of local authority scientific services or about the public analyst service in regard to the work of the Local Government Commission and future reorganisation of local government; and if he will make a statement;(3) what guidance he has issued to the Local Government Commission in relation to the provision of local authority scientific services.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what guidance he has issued to the Local Government Commission in relation to the public analyst service;(2) what guidance he has issued to the Local Government Commission in relation to the provision of local authority scientific services.

In response to the 1991 consultation paper on local government structure, representations were received from the Association of Public Analysts as well as from other organisations such as the Institute of Environmental Health Officers and the Society of County Trading Standards Officers.The policy guidance issued to the Local Government Commission emphasises the importance of regulatory and enforcement functions of local authorities. We have also issued to the commission a new comprehensive descriptive list of all local government functions, which is publicly available. This contains chapters on environmental protection, environmental health and consumer protection.The commission must ensure that all functions, particularly those which involve protecting all aspects of the local environment, will be satisfactorily performed by any new authority it recommends.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the implication for the appeal mechanisms in force under the public registers provisions within integrated pollution control of the incorporation into United Kingdom law of EC directive 90/3B/EEC on the freedom of access to environmental information in 1993.

None. At present information may be withheld from the integrated pollution control—IPC—public register only on grounds of commercial confidentiality or national security. The EC directive on freedom of access to information on the environment contains similar exemptions. As the existing provisions under IPC and the requirements of the directive are compatible, the appeals mechanism for the exclusion of information from public registers will not be affected by incorporation of the directive into United Kingdom law.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department now proposes to publish the proposed planning policy guidance notes made arising from the revision of his Department circular 8/87.

A draft for consultation will be published in the new year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent information he has received from Her Majesty's chief inspector of pollution in respect of the application by British Nuclear Fuels for authorisation to operate the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield.

The chief inspector of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution informed me when he and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food proposed to go out to public consultation on their proposed new draft authorisations for British Nuclear Fuels' Sellafield site.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will fund a pilot project to enable Stoke-on-Trent city council to introduce organic waste collection; if he will make a statement.

We have made £15 million in supplementary credit approvals—SCAs—available for local authority recycling investment in England in 1993–94, as part of our environmental partnership scheme. The Department invited applications from Stoke-on-Trent city council and other English local authorities for these SCAs on 17 November 1992. A copy of the letter making the invitation has been placed in the Library. We will consider any application from the city council, along with applications from other authorities, against the criteria set out in that letter.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much derelict land grant was paid in each of the last five years with respect to reclamation schemes in the borough of Thamesdown; and which were the schemes.

Derelict land grant expenditure in the borough of Thamesdown in the last five years is shown in the table. All the expenditure relates to a scheme to reclaim former quarry land at Queens park, Swindon for public open space.

	Expenditure £
1987–88	512,015
1988–89	401,545
1989–90	96,927

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the sums spent from Government funds in each of the past five years on the refurbishment of the Customs House building in Dundee, formerly occupied by Customs and Excise.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer about the cost of restoration work given to him by my right hon. Friend the Paymaster General on 14 December Official Report, column 62. All Customs and Excise expenditure was in the financial year 1990–91.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice and assistance from his Department's funds he has been able to extend to Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council, owners of Shrewsbury castle, following bomb damage in August.

Neither my Department nor the Department of National Heritage has received any request for advice or assistance from Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council in respect of the bomb damage to Shrewsbury castle in August.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the report "Chlorinated Organic Pollutants in Fish from the North-East Irish Sea", which his Department has partly funded.

The report "Chlorinated Organic Pollutants in Fish from the North East Irish Sea" was prepared under a sub-contract by the department of the environment and evolutionary biology of the university of Liverpool, as part of a DOE research contract with WRc plc for a study of the sources and fates of synthetic organics. The main contract final report is on sale through the Foundation for Water Research, and is available in the DOE library. The sub-contract report is also available to the public in the DOE library. Copies of both reports have been deposited in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the procedure for local authorities in appealing against their standard spending assessments; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend announced his proposals for standard spending assessments for 1993–94 on 26 November 1992. There is now a period of consultation until 31 December 1992 during which local authorities and Members of Parliament may make written representations about any aspects of SSAs. We will also try to satisfy as many requests for meetings as is practical during this period. All representations will be carefully considered before decisions are announced in January 1993.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the local authority associations on changes to the criteria for standard spending assessments for 1993–94.

[holding answer. 9 December 1992]: The proposals which were announced on 26 November as part of the provisional revenue support grant settlement followed extensive discussion with the local authority associations about the methodology for standard spending assessments. We are now in the middle of a period of formal consultation on these proposals which continues until 31 December. So far we have received a letter from the chairman of the London Boroughs Association setting out a number of areas of concern to London boroughs and requesting a meeting. We have also received a letter from the Association of County Councils expressing concern at the provision for spending on the fire service within SSAs for 1993–94. All representations from the associations and individual local authorities will be carefully considered before final decisions are reached in the new year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the proposed increases in standard spending assessment and revenue support grant for 1993–94 over 1992–93 for Brighton, Blackpool and Southend-on-Sea; and Dorset, Sussex, Lancashire and Essex;(2) what is his proposed increase in standard spending assessment and revenue support grant for Bournemouth for 1993–94 over 1992–93; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 10 December 1992]: The proposed increase in SSA between 1992–93 and 1993–94 for the authorities requested is shown in the table. The 1992–93 figures used in making the comparisons have been adjusted for major changes in function, mainly the transfer of further education, so that they are comparable with the 1993–94 figures.Under the community charge system revenue support grant—RSG—is paid into collection funds. In shire areas there is no separate grant towards county and district level services. The distribution of RSG depends, among other factors, on the amount which could be raised from relevant adults in the area and the income from non-domestic rates—NDR—which is distributed in line with relevant adults. Under the council tax, RSG will be paid to all tiers of authorities and will depend, among other factors, on the income which could be raised from the taxbase of equivalent dwellings. The income from the NDR will depend on resident population. It is thus not possible to provide the grant figures requested on a comparable basis.

Increase in provisional 1993–94 SSA over adjusted 1992–93 SSA
Local authority	£ million
Bournemouth	0.080
Brighton	1.880
Blackpool	1.447
Southend-on-Sea	-0.728
Dorset	12.376

Local authority	£ million
East Sussex	27.575
West Sussex	14.503
Lancashire	17.808
Essex	34.806

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new homes will be provided by Rotherham borough council in 1993–94; what is the total provision from central funds which will be received by the authority in support of capital expenditure on housing; and what capital expenditure he expects the authority to incur next year.

[holding answer 14 December 1992]: The level of housing capital expenditure in Rotherham in 1993–94 is a matter for the borough council to decide in the light of the available resources. The authority's proposed programme for housing capital expenditure in 1993–94, included in its housing investment programme—HIP—submission, contains no expenditure on new housebuilding by the council. Details of local authority HIP allocations for 1993–94 will be announced later this week.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will make it his policy to enable local authorities to charge business rates on those properties rented exclusively to students and whose occupants are exempt from council tax;(2) what estimate he has made of the loss in revenue arising from the exemption of students from council tax liability in respect of

[holding answer 14 December 1992]: Halls of residence and student-only dwellings have been exempted from the council tax because most students are not eligible to claim council tax benefit. The imposition of business rates on such properties would result in higher rents for students. The Government do not intend to take such a step.Local authorities will be compensated for the revenue forgone as a result of this exemption through the revenue support grant system. No local authority will therefore be financially penalised for the presence in its area of students.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research has been undertaken to date by his Department in developing a standard method of measuring noise levels from moving vehicles.

As the matter is within the remit of the Secretary of State for Transport, I have been asked to reply. A new vehicle type-approval test was established in the 1960s, as since then the United Kingdom has applied relevant EC directives which are subject to it. More recently, the Department of Transport has been carrying out research concerning the noise generated by tyre/road interaction and supporting the work of an International Standards Organisation (ISO) working group looking at traffic noise. This group is evolving a Transport Research Laboratory system for assessing road traffic noise into an International standard. When this is completed, we anticipate that the United Kingdom system will be universally acknowledged and will provide a uniform measure for this environmental nuisance.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the welfare of caged chipmunks for sale in pet shops; and if he will make a statement.

We have received no representations about the welfare of chipmunks sold as pets in pet shops. The welfare of animals sold as pets is protected by the Pet Animals Act 1951, as amended, which requires any person keeping a pet shop to be licensed by the local authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will publish tables, for 1991 and for 1990, showing the number of (a) young adults and (b) juveniles committing each category of offence and a breakdown showing the percentage under each category who were sentenced to each type of sentence or order;(2) if he will list for each category of offence the number of offences committed by

[holding answer 14 December 1992]: Information on convictions and cautions within police force areas by age and offence group, is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" supplementary tables volume 3.Figures showing the number of offenders cautioned and convicted by type of sentence given, age and offence group is also published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" supplementary tables volumes 1, 2 and 3. Copies of all the publications referred to above are available in the Libarary.The 1991 volumes will be published in the new year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is to be taken on licensing irregularities in the animal procedure carried out in the current year at Hazelton UK in respect of its use of primates.

Two, unrelated, technical irregularities in blood sampling in rats and monkeys, discovered in March and May of 1992, were dealt with at the time by the inspector.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department's inspectors responsible for sanctioning the conditions at Shamrock (GB) Ltd. and Hazelton United Kingdom retain responsibility for implementing improved conditions.

Yes.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 December, Official Report, column 215, if he will make a statement on the quality of his Department's previous inspections at Shamrock (GB) Ltd. and Hazelton United Kingdom institutions.

Shamrock (GB) Ltd and Hazelton United Kingdom were inspected respectively four and nine times in 1991 and six and fourteen times in the period January to September 1992. It is difficult even for unannounced visits, however frequent, to detect the failures of care, handling and management which were revealed at Shamrock by the detailed investigation which was carried out following receipt of the allegations made by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection. None the less, the incident shows that the system is able to respond quickly to such allegations, and to take tough and effective action where necessary.I consider that the inspectors responsible for the two establishments acted conscientiously to ensure the well-being of the animals concerned. With hindsight, the programmes of cage replacement agreed at Shamrock and Hazelton seem over-generous and these have now been accelerated in the light of the findings of the investigation. Nevertheless, I am satisfied that the inspectors would have taken steps to require immediate improvements if it had ever become apparent that overt animal suffering was being caused by the caging in use.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department has taken itself or via the inspectorate of constabulary, to encourage any police force to seek to hold supernumerary posts in the coming year.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many supernumerary posts the Thames Valley police asked to be allowed to hold in 1992–93 and 1993–94; and how many have been permitted by his Department in each case.

I shall arrange for a written reply to be sent to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance was offered (a) by his Department and (b) by the inspectorate of constabulary on the criteria against which he would consider allowing police authorities to hold supernumerary posts in the coming year.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question by him on 14 December 1992, at column 6. Police authorities were informed of these criteria in March 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to make it an offence for a person deliberately to infect another with the HIV virus; and if he will make a statement.

I have considered this matter very carefully in the light of the concern which has been expressed, and have looked at the precedents in other countries. I have concluded, however, that there are difficulties both of principle and of practice in bringing this type of behaviour within the scope of the criminal law and I am not persuaded that these difficulties have been overcome in other jurisdictions. I, therefore, have no plans to introduce legislation to make the deliberate transmission of the HIV virus a criminal offence.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes have been made to the role of the category A committee for high-risk prisoners in the light of the security audit undertaken by Mr. Hadfield and Mr. Lakes.

In the light of the security audit undertaken last year by Mr. Hadfield and Mr. Lakes, it has been decided to change the procedures for reviewing the security status of category A prisoners. Security status will continue to be reviewed on conviction and at least annually there after, but referral to the category A committee will be limited to new cases and to those cases where recommendations have been made for a change to the security category either by the holding prison or by prison service headquarters.The category A committee comprises senior officials of the prison service, including governors and staff of prisons normally holding category A prisoners; a senior medical officer; and a senior police adviser. Its role is:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the percentage change since 1979 in (a) police manpower, (b) recorded crime and (c) population in Dorset; and if he will make a statement.

The requested information is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what sums were expended by his Department on European Drug Prevention Week additional to those already expended through other programmes; and for what purposes.

The additional Home Office expenditure on European Drug Prevention Week amounted to £393,000. The bulk was used by the 20 local drugs prevention teams set up under the drug prevention initiative, to produce over 220 events and projects across the country during the week, with the aim of further raising awareness a drug and solvent misuse. The remainder included funds spent on publicity and promotional material as well as organisation costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps the Charity Commission took in considering Royal Holloway and Bedford New college's proposal to sell pictures from its collection to (a) consider and take advice on surveys of the buildings and (b) consider the college's alternative plans for raising the money; if he will list those surveys commissioned or considered; and what information was received from the college on its financial needs;(2) what steps the Charity Commission took in considering Royal Holloway and Bedford New college's proposal to sell pictures from its collection to

The foundation deed of 11 October 1883 does not make provision as to any specific use for the pictures. The trusts relating to the pictures are contained in an indenture of 5 August 1881. I understand that the commissioners were asked to make a scheme to change the trusts of the 1881 deed to allow certain pictures to be sold for the purpose of providing a fund without which the main purpose of Thomas Holloway's Foundation could not be maintained.It was for the college to satisfy the commissioners that it had considered the options before it on the basis of proper advice. It was for the commissioners to satisfy themselves that the case was supported by appropriate evidence, not to seek independent advice.In reaching their decision the commissioners had before them evidence provided by the college both as to the state of the buildings, the estimated costs of repairs and the financial position of the college including evidence of efforts made to raise the necessary funds. They also had the evidence produced by the objectors to the scheme which was examined with equal care.The terms of the 1881 deed were considered very carefully on a number of occasions. Specifically the deed did not provide any educational use for the pictures. I understand that the commissioners' view was, therefore, that the integrity of the collection was not central to the consideration of this matter by the commissioners.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many asylum applications made by unaccompanied children under 16 years were determined

The available information relates to unaccompanied children applying at the ports since November 1990 and is given in tables A and B. Corresponding information for January to October 1990 is not available. The information in table A, for November 1990 to December 1991, is of children aged 16 or under: separate figures for those under 16 are not available. The information in table B, for January to November 1992, is of those under 16.Information on in-country application by unaccompanied children is not available in this form.As I indicated in my reply to the hon. Member for 25 November, columns

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many persons currently held on remand in gaols in England and Wales have been held for (a) up to six months, (b) exceeding six months but less than 12 months, (c) exceeding six months but less than 18 months, (d) exceeding 18 months but less than 24 months, (e) exceeding 24 months but less than 36 months and (f) more than 36 months;(2) what assessment he has made of the reasons for the delay in coming to trial for persons held on remand in gaols in England and Wales for periods exceeding 18 months; and to how many cases each reason applies.

[holding answer 2 December 1992]: The latest readily available information held currently is given in the table.

Population of untried and convicted unsentenced prisoners in prison service establishments in England and Wales on 30 June 19921: by length of time since first remand into a prison service establishment.
Length of time since first remanded into a prison service establishment2	Number of Prisoners3
Up to 6 months	8,160
Over 6 up to 12 months	1,190
Over 12 up to 18 months	170
Over 18 months up to 2 years	30
Over 2 up to 3 years	10
Over 3 years	—
All lengths	9,560
1Excludes 845 prisoners held in police cells.
2Excludes any time spent in non-prison service establishments before reception on remand into a prison service establishment; includes any subsequent time which may have been spent on bail.
3Provisional rounded estimates.

I regret that information on the reasons for delay in relation to individual persons who have been held for periods in excess of 18 months is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what inspection has been carried out into the fire regulations at Wellbury House; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 8 December 1992]: Wellbury House boarding school, Great Offley, was inspected by Hertfordshire fire and rescue service on 4 February 1992. Conditions were thought to be such that persons using the basement and upper floors would be at serious risk from a fire. A notice under section 10 of the Fire Precautions Act 1971 was duly issued the following day.The notice prohibited the use of the basement and upper floors pending work to remedy the deficiencies identified by the inspecting officer. I understand, however, that no such work has been done. The premises are therefore inspected each month to ensure that the prohibition notice is being observed.

To ask the Prime Minister what was the total expenditure for travel by Ministers on European Community business, divided into fares and subsistence for each parliamentary Session from and including 1987–88 to 1991–92 in (a) cash and (b) 1991–92 prices.

The information can be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the arrangements for ensuring that regional planning guidance issued by the Department of the Environment and regional briefs produced by the Department of Transport are each drafted with regard to the other.