To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what effect he expects his decision to withdraw central support for the children's play and recreation unit to have on research currently being undertaken in Nottingham; and if he will make a statement.

The Sports Council will be taking over direct responsibility for a number of the play unit's functions after 31 March 1993. I am not aware that this will effect any research currently being undertaken in Nottingham.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the representations he has received concerning future funding for the children's play and recreation unit.

Between 3 December 1992, when I made my announcement about future funding for the national children's play and recreation unit (Official Report, column 325) and 15 January 1993, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and I have received 21 letters from hon. Members, 20 from local authorities, 24 from voluntary sector play organisations, eight from other organisations and nine from members of the public.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what money will be available from grant aid through the Sports Council in 1993–94 for children's play.

The Sports Council has agreed to allocate £220,000 to children's play in 1993–94. Further discussions are now taking place between my Department and the council on this basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what discussions he has had to ensure that there is a national strategy for children's play.

None. Decisions on play provision are best taken at local level.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to commission research on a national lottery in addition to the GAH consultants' report.

Item	To whom allocated	Conditions/wishes expressed
Hambledon cricket club minute and account books	Hampshire record office	Unconditional
Sculpture by Henry Moore	Leeds city art gallery	Conditional
Collection of eight contemporary paintings consisting of: "Bomb Store" by David Bomberg	Tate gallery	Wish

I have no plans at the present time to commission further research.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what advice he has sought about the risks to the health of persons under the age of 18 years of (a) weight lifting and (b) weight training;(2) if he will discuss with the chairman of the Sports Council the risks to the health of persons under the age of 18 years of

I meet the chairman of the Sports Council from time to time to discuss issues of mutual interest and look to the council for advice on all sports-related issues. The council's advice is that both weight lifting and weight training are acceptable for those under 18 provided that they are carried out in a controlled environment under the supervision of suitably qualified coaches.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 11 January, Official Report, column 539, what discussions he has had with the English tourist board and the East Midlands tourist board to ensure there are sufficient reserves available to bring economic regeneration to coalfield areas.

Discussions are currently in progress between my Department and the English tourist board on the criteria for the allocation of funds to the regional tourist boards.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the allocations made to public institutions in the United Kingdom during the half year ended 31 December 1992 of individual works of art and museum objects pre-eminent for national, scientific, historic or artistic interest which have been accepted in satisfaction of inheritance tax, together with information, where applicable, as to conditions or wishes expressed in the matter of allocation by testators or executors; if he will list the works of art and museum objects which are still awaiting allocation with the respective dates of their acceptance in satisfaction of inheritance tax; and if a press notice will be issued by his Department in the event of any information being given in his reply which has not been previously announced.

The information that the hon. Member requests is as follows;

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what were the attendance figures for 1992 reported by the national museums and galleries in England for which he is responsible, broken down into the individual institutions, but including their outstations, with the figures in each case of the percentage increase or decrease on the attendance figures for 1991.

The estimated number of visitors during 1992 to the 11 national museums and galleries for which I am responsible are as follows:

	Estimated attendance in 1992	Percentage change from in 1991 estimated attendance
British museum	6,725,192	+4.0
Imperial war museum	1,140,883	+9.2
National gallery	4,300,000	No change
National maritime museum	530,000	–8.5
National museums and galleries on Merseyside	1,207,000	–2.9
National portrait gallery	796,000	–8.2
Natural history museum	1,267,000	–15.5
Science museum	2,579,000	+2.1
Tate gallery	2,150,711	–11.7
Victoria and Albert museum	1,526,199	+9.9
Wallace collection	200,000	+42.7
Total	22,421,985	+4.6

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the organisations who have expressed an interest in tendering for the franchise to run the national lottery to date.

This information is commercially confidential.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what tender criteria will be used to award the licence to run the national lottery.

The licence to run the national lottery will be awarded by the director general of the national lottery. The director general, once appointed, will decide the criteria for awarding the licence, in line with his overriding duties under the legislation.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which are the three legal aid area boards with the highest and lowest grant rates in percentage terms in respect of legal aid applications made to magistrates courts by defendants charged with (a) causing actual bodily harm, (b) shoplifting, (c) drink-driving, (d) criminal damage and (e) possession of an offensive weapon; and what was the percentage in each case.

The information is not available in the form requested. Between April 1991 and March 1992, the area committees of the Legal Aid Board with the highest approval rates in respect of criminal legal aid were: East Midlands (91.7 per cent.), South Western (82.1 per cent.) and North Western (70.7 per cent.). The three area committees with the lowest approval rates were: Northern (46.5 per cent.), Merseyside (47 per cent.) and West Midlands (49.4 per cent.). Renewed applications may also be made to the courts. The area committees deal only with applications which have previously been rejected by the courts. Statistics reflecting the nature of the offence are not kept.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many complaints the Lord Chancellor has received from students who have been failed on the Bar vocational course; and if he will make a statement.

As of 11 January 1992 the Lord Chancellor had received four representations from students.The Lord Chancellor takes a keen interest in legal education and equality of opportunity in the profession. However, the independence of the legal profession precludes him from intervening in the administration of the Bar vocational examination by the Council for Legal Education. The Commission for Racial Equality is shortly to conduct an investigation into the results, with which the Council for Legal Education will be co-operating fully. In addition, the Lord Chancellor's advisory committee on legal education and conduct, which is a statutory body independent of the Lord Chancellor's Department, has received 17 representations and will be addressing this question as part of its review of legal education.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what review the Lord Chancellor has undertaken of the number of complaints from students dissatisfied with the way the Council of Legal Education has been conducting the course and its assessment procedures.

The legal profession is independent of Government and it would therefore not be appropriate for the Lord Chancellor to conduct any such review.The Lord Chancellor's advisory committee on legal education and conduct, which was established by the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 as an independent body, has a duty to assist in the maintenance and development of standards in legal education, and has to have regard to the desirability of equality of opportunity when doing so. The committee is obliged under the Act to keep legal education and training under review; it launched a major review on 25 November 1992, which will address this question among others. However, the statutory independence of the committee precludes the Lord Chancellor from directing how it should discharge its duties.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 19 January.

This morning I 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 Prime Minister if he will list all the staff of his Office and their grades.

[holding answer 18 January 1993]: The information is as follows:

• Principal private secretary (Grade 3)
• Private secretary—overseas affairs (Grade 3)
• Chief press secretary (Grade 3)

8 Special advisers

To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received on the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill.

I have received a number of representations since the Bill was published on 5 November.The Bill will increase the rights of trade union members, enhance the rights of individual employees, provide new protection for the community against the effects of unlawful industrial action, and improve the operation of the labour market.

To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will make a statement on Government support for electrical engineering;(2) what steps the Government have taken to reward excellence in the field of electrical engineering.

My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has set up sectoral divisions, including electrical engineering, leading to a closer dialogue to promote the recognition and importance of electrical engineering within the United Kingdom economy. The Government acknowledge the importance of electrical engineering and fully support the industry through a range of assistance that includes overseas trade, research and development, regional support and promoting awareness.Excellence in the industry is acknowledged through the Queen's awards including those for technology and exports, where electrical engineering is well represented. Additionally there are, of course, a number of people of eminence in the field of electrical engineering whose achievements have been recognised in the usual ways.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what checks are make by the prison service on identity, name and address of people visiting convicted prisoners; how it establishes the purpose of each visit; and how it records this information.

The procedures in respect of visits to convicted prisoners are laid down in prison service standing order 5, a copy of which is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on advertising electoral registration in North Tyneside, Wansbeck and Blyth Valley in each year since 1990, and how much will be spent in the current year.

The amount spent by the Government on electoral registration advertising in England and Wales in each year since 1990 was as follows. Figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000.

Electoral registration advertising
Year	£'000
1990	923,000
1991	627,000
1992	617,000

The proportion of this total spent in each individual district council area is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The 1993 budget figure is not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will sanction a further arms amnesty in Hampshire on the lines of the one held in 1988 to cover firearms, knives and other weapons.

Firearms amnesties require the agreement of the Attorney-General not to bring prosecutions for certain offences. They are, therefore, exceptional events which are held only on a national basis.No such agreement is required in respect of knives and other offensive weapons. It is, therefore, open to individual police forces to hold a campaign for the surrender of such items at any time.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now reply to the letter sent to his Minister of State on 9 November 1992 by the hon. Member for Gower regarding a constituent residing in Gorseinon, Swansea.

I wrote to the hon. Member on 12 January.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he received the decision of the European Parliamentary Commission on electoral systems: and if he will make a statement.

I have received no such decision.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each police authority the approved establishment and budget for 1992–93 and for 1993–94.

The information requested is set out in the table. Information on 1993–94 budgets is not available.

Force	1992–93 Budget £ million1	1992–93 Establishment2	1993–94 Establishment3
Avon and Somerset	123.553	3,087	3,087
Bedfordshire	43.516	1,178	1,178
Cambridgeshire	51.376	1,241	1,241
Cheshire	73.382	1,920	1,920
City of London	46.947	798	798
Cleveland	60.198	1,502	1,502
Cumbria	47.500	1,187	1,187
Derbyshire	73.728	1,850	1,850
Devon and Cornwall	131.068	2,928	2,928
Dorset	56.191	1,302	1,302
Durham	52.995	1,389	1,389
Dyfed Powys	39.814	969	969
Essex	126.716	2,950	2,950
Gloucestershire	48.794	1,184	1,184
Greater Manchester	291.000	7,077	7,077
Gwent	38.580	1,010	1,010
Hampshire	129.300	3,269	3,269
Hertfordshire	69.516	1,684	1,684
Humberside	84.500	2,034	2,034
Kent	136.394	3,096	43,136
Lancashire	128.200	3,229	3,229
Leicestershire	73.000	1,853	1,853
Lincolnshire	48.312	1,206	1,206
Merseyside	188.595	4,706	4,706
Metropolitan	1,488.974	28,260	528,293
Norfolk	59.668	1,446	1,446
Northamptonshire	52.009	1,190	1,190
Northumbria	148.250	3,613	3,613
North Wales	55.943	1,369	1,369
North Yorkshire	58.572	1,418	1,418
Nottinghamshire	91.045	2,344	2,344
South Wales	129.381	3,168	3,168
South Yorkshire	120.500	3,031	3,031
Staffordshire	87.549	2,215	2,215
Suffolk	51.114	1,233	1,233
Surrey	71.055	1,673	1,673
Sussex	118.674	3,014	3,014
Thames Valley	168.930	3,812	3,812
Warwickshire	42.000	1,020	1,020
West Mercia	84.687	2,053	2,053
West Midlands	284.917	6,977	6,977
West Yorkshire	218.326	5,295	5,295
Wiltshire	50.313	1,181	1,181
1 Estimated revenue budget for 1992–93.
2 Approved establishment at 31 October 1992.
3 Approved establishment at 1 April 1993.
4 The 1993–94 approved establishment for the Kent constabulary includes 40 reimbursed posts for the channel tunnel which came into effect on 1 January 1993.
5 The 1993–94 approved establishment for the Metropolitan police includes additional posts resulting from planning in the 1991 public expenditure survey.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the contracts awarded by his Department to KPMG Management Consultants over the past 12 months.

KPMG Management Consultants have been awarded one contract by my Department over the past 12 months—it is a contract to review the work and organisation of the Police National Computer Organisation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proportion of those entitled to apply for temporary transfers from prisons in Britain to Northern Ireland have actually applied, distinguishing between (a) loyalist prisoners, (b) republican prisoners, (c) men and (d) women;(2) how many applications have been received for transfers from prisons in Britain to Northern Ireland, from

Revised criteria governing transfers between United Kingdom jurisdictions were announced on 23 November 1992. It is open to any prisoner to make a request for such a transfer; 39 male and two female prisoners who were previously known to have expressed an interest in transferring to Northern Ireland have been specifically invited to submit requests for transfer under these criteria.

Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
Financial year	Awards made	Compensation paid (at actual prices) (£ million)	GDP deflator	Compensation paid (at 1979–80 prices) (£ million)	Compensation paid (at 1992–93 prices) (£ million)
1979–80	17,460	15·737	43·174	15·737	37·999
1980–81	20,138	21·462	51·089	18·137	43·794
1981–82	17,350	21·977	56·022	16·937	40·896
1982–83	19,733	29·445	60·013	21·183	51·150
1983–84	21,133	32·821	62·791	22·567	54·492
1984–85	19,771	35·293	65·976	23·095	55·767
1985–86	22,534	41·560	69·577	25·789	62·271
1986–87	21,925	48·242	71·816	29·002	70·029
1987–88	20,991	52·043	75·763	29·657	71·611
1988–89	27,752	69·381	81·279	36·854	88·989
1989–90	27,926	72·722	86·622	36·246	87·521
1990–91	35,190	109·330	93·537	50·464	121·852
1991–92	39,249	143·660	100	62·024	149·766
1992–93			104·250
TOTALS	311,152	693·673		387·691	936·138

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress on transferring responsibility for firearms and shotgun licensing to a national firearms control board.

My right hon. and learned Friend is in the process of consulting Ministerial colleagues about this and will make an announcement as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of persons currently residing in prisons in England and Wales are considered to have mental health problems.

Information is not available centrally in the form requested. However, the psychiatric profile study of the sentenced population carried out by Professor John Gunn and published in October 1992 estimated the prevalence of psychiatric disorders as 38.8 per cent. of which substance dependency or abuse accounted for 19.6 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many payments were made to individuals by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board for each year since 1979;(2) what was the total sum paid to victims of crime by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board for each year since 1979

The information requested is given in the table. It has been taken from CICB's published annual reports, copies of which are held in the Library of the House. Revaluation of the compensation paid in year to current and to 1979 prices has been made using the GDP deflator.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what disciplinary action has been taken against officials in his Department (a) generally and (b) in the press office for unauthorised disclosures to the press in the last 12 months.

No Home Office official, either generally or in the press office, has been subject to disciplinary action for unauthorised disclosures to the press in the last 12 months.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 December to the hon. Member for Sedgefield (Mr. Blair), Official Report, column 662–64, if he will make a statement on his review of the procedure for handling inquiries on individual citizenship applications.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Rochdale (Ms. Lynne) on 14 January at columns 793–94, to which I have nothing to add.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to extend the evening opening hours of licensed betting offices.

In October 1991, the Government issued a consultation document inviting the views of all interested parties on whether licensed betting offices should be open in the evening and, if so, at what times. Over 800 representations and a number of petitions have since been received. The views expressed fully reflected the arguments for and against evening opening. In the light of that consultation process, I have decided that evening opening should be allowed until 10 pm on Mondays to Saturdays between April and August inclusive.Government policy on gambling is that there should be adequate properly regulated facilities available for those who wish to gamble. It is clear that the growth in the number of evening horseraces has created increased consumer demand for evening opening of licensed betting offices during the summer months. In those circumstances, the Government believe that there are no public interest or policy reasons to object to evening opening.I know that many bookmakers, their staff and the greyhound racing industry are concerned about the effect which evening opening may have on them. I have taken account of those concerns and I believe that the approach now proposed achieves a sensible and reasonable balance between the various interests.My decision is broadly in line with the recommendations of the Home Affairs Select Committee of the House of Commons following its inquiries into the funding of horseracing and greyhound racing. However, as some horseraces are run after 9 pm and to allow time for payment of any winnings, I propose that the latest closing time should be 10 pm rather than the 9 pm recommended by the Committee. This will be a standard latest closing

Type of property	Number in MPS estate	Vacant	Percentage	Available for disposal	Percentage
Houses	1,271	68	5·3	45	3·5
Flats	1,215	196	16·0	151	12·4
Section houses	26	3	11·5	1	3·8
Bed spaces in section houses	2,981	714	23·9	373	12·5

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what income Her Majesty the Queen receives in right of her Duchy of Lancaster; whether it is liable to income tax; and if he will make a statement.

Payments are made to the Keeper of the Privy Purse from revenues of the Duchy of Lancaster for Her Majesty's use. The sovereign is entitled to these revenues in right of her Duchy of Lancaster.Payments to the privy purse are detailed in the Duchy accounts which are placed in the Library of the House. In time throughout April to August. A variable closing time, perhaps linked to the last horserace, would have created enforcement difficulties.The Government are committed to removing unnecessary regulations on business and extending consumer choice where possible. Evening opening represents a further important measure of deregulation and will give bookmakers greater freedom to adjust their opening hours to suit the needs of their customers.The opening hours of licensed betting offices are prescribed by regulation, subject to the negative resolution procedure. I have today laid an order before parliament which will permit evening opening with effect from 1 April 1993. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland will lay a similar order to permit the same evening opening hours in Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how observations from interested persons or organisations should be submitted for consideration by Lord Colville in his report on the operation in 1992 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989.

Written observations should be submitted to Lord Colville c/o Room 647, Home Office, 50 Queen Anne's Gate, London SW1H 9AT no later than Friday 5 February 1993.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 11 January, Official Report, column 601, if he will list the total number of residential properties owned by the Metropolitan police and the number, and percentage of the total of these which are empty.

[holding answer 15 January 1993]: The information requested is contained in the table:the year to 29 September 1991 the sum of £3,100,000 was paid to the privy purse. Duchy accounts for 1992 will be in the Library by mid-February.Duchy revenues are not subject to income tax. On the tax question I have nothing to add to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 26 November 1992, at column 982.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps were taken under the rules relating to business appointments for former civil servants in connection with the appointment of Sir Charles Powell as a director of Jardine Matheson.

Staff at Sir Charles Powell's grade are required to seek approval for any paid outside appointment they wish to accept within two years of leaving the civil service. Applications are referred to the head of the home civil service, who advises the appropriate departmental Minister whether any conditions should be applied. Individual applications are treated in confidence.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated full-year revenue effect in 1992–93 and 1993–94 of (a) abolishing the upper earnings limit for employee's national insurance contributions, (b) allowing personal allowances against such contributions and (c) both (a) and (b).

The estimated effects in a full year are shown in the table. For (b) and (c) it has been assumed that the levels of earnings used to calculate National Insurance contributions are gross earnings less the personal allowance. For the 1993–94 calculations, personal allowances have been increased by the autumn statement assumption of 3·25 per cent. over 1992–93 levels. No account has been taken of possible behavioural changes which might result from the measures.

	Cost(—)/Yield(+)
	1992–93 £ million	1993–94 £ million
(a) Abolishing the upper earnings limit for employees national insurance contributions	2,700	2,900
(b) Allowing personal allowances against employees' national insurance contributions	–5,100	–5,300
(c) Part b with upper earnings limit for employee's national insurance contribution abolished	–3,500	–3,500

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the consumption and the revenue elasticities of duty on whisky and whiskey.

We do not have details of elasticities for individual spirits products. We estimate that the price elasticity of demand for spirits consumption is –1.1. The impact of changes in the duty rate on consumption, and hence revenue, will depend on the duty content of the retail price.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he plans to put forward at the ECOFIN Council in Brussels on 18 January.

The Council will discuss the economic situation in the Community as part of its regular exercises in multilateral surveillance and the package of measures to promote economic recovery which was agreed at the European Council in Edinburgh. I have no plans to put forward other proposals.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are employed by his Departments specifically to investigate avoidance of income tax.

In excess of 1,000 staff in the Inland Revenue are involved in the investigation of errors, differences of legal interpretation and avoidance which they discover in the tax returns and accounts of individuals and trusts. Information is not available about the proportion of their time which is spent specifically investigating avoidance of income tax. The figure given excludes those investigating tax evasion.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the Government's present policy with regard to the setting of pre-production expenses against tax liability as they are incurred; and what proposals he has to allow this in all areas of economic activity.

When calculating trading profits for tax purposes, revenue expenditure incurred in the five years before a trade commences is treated as if incurred when the trade starts, provided the expenditure would have qualified as a deduction had the trade commenced. Qualifying capital expenditure which is incurred for the purposes of a trade prior to its commencement is also deemed to have been incurred on the first day of trade.These are general rules which apply to all trades.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was (a) the total amount invested in the business expansion scheme for each year since the scheme's inception, (b) the amount invested in private rented housing, for each year since the scheme was extended to housing, (c) the total cost of tax relief for each year and (d) the amount of tax relief in respect of investment in private rented housing, for each year from 1988–89 to 1992–93.

The latest estimates for years up to 1991–92 were given in my reply on 21 October 1992, Official Report, columns 313–14. Estimates for 1992–93 are not yet available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement indicating the nature of the over-provision in respect of Wales indicated in footnote 2 to table 2B.3 and footnote 2 to table 2B.4 in the 1992 "Autumn Statement".

The sums relate to the correction of a miscalculation of housing revenue account subsidy for Wales in the 1991 public expenditure survey.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Government intend to tax invalidity benefits.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Garscadden (Mr. Dewar) on 19 October 1992, Official Report, col. 190.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated yield from taxing invalidity benefits.

Available information is given in my reply to the hon. Members for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) and for Glasgow, Garscadden (Mr. Dewar) on 27 October 1992, at column 572.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average value of the pound sterling in European currency units in each year since 1987.

[holding answer 15 January 1993]: The average annual value of the pound sterling in European currency units since 1987 is as follows:

	1ECU/£
1987	1·4200
1988	1·5060
1989	1·4886
1990	1·4000
1991	1·4284
1992	1·3620
1 Based on market exchange rates.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff were employed by his Department's press office in each year since 1979.

[holding answer 15 January 1993]: The number of press and public relations staff employed in my Department was as follows:

	Staff
1986–87	10
1987–88	10
1988–89	10
1989–90	10
1990–91	10
1991–92	9

Information for the years 1979–85 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been spent up to 31 December 1992 on preparation for privatisation of parts and the whole of the Inland Revenue's operation.

In the present financial year, the costs to date of market testing activities in the Inland Revenue are around £1.3 million. Estimates of the costs for earlier years are not readily available, but would be much smaller.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement outlining Her Majesty's Government's detailed plans for reform of the Inland Revenue and the time scale over which any changes are expected to occur.

[holding answer 18 January 1993]: The Revenue's change programme was first announced by the Chancellor in his statement of 6 March 1992 Official Report, column 323–25, and further details appeared in the Board of Inland Revenue's report for the year ending 31 March 1992 (Cm. 2086) and the first report of the citizens charter (Cm. 2101). The Revenue's management plan, due for publication in the spring, will set out the Department's main aims and objectives over the period to 1996–97.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate Her Majesty's Government have made of the reduction in the number of smaller and more rural Inland Revenue offices in the event of changes being made in the way the Inland Revenue conducts its duties.

[holding answer 18 January 1993]: The Inland Revenue is reviewing the organisation and structure of its local offices with the aim of increasing the quality of service to taxpayers and the efficiency of the operations. Any changes would take place over a number of years, following consultation with staff, and no estimate has yet been made of the number of smaller and more rural offices needed.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration has been given to the need to maintain the guarantee of confidentiality in the course of any changes in the way the work of the Inland Revenue is conducted.

[holding answer 18 January 1993]: We recognise the importance of this issue. If work is contracted out, there are two safeguards. The first is that all relevant contracts contain provisions obliging contractors to make all necessary arrangements to protect the privacy of personal information. The second is that contractors and their employees are subject, in the same way as Revenue employees, to the criminal sanctions—a fine, or imprisonment, or both—provided by section 182 of the Finance Act 1989, for unauthorised disclosure of personal tax information.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what representations he has received on the Government's intention to subject the work currently undertaken by the Inland Revenue to market testing;(2) what consultations he has had with interested parties regarding plans to introduce market testing to the work currently undertaken by the Inland Revenue.

[holding answer 18 January 1993]: We have received a number of representations about the market testing of services in the Inland Revenue; officials have held discussions with trade unions representing staff in the Department and with other interested parties.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement outlining the discretionary powers available to local Customs and Excise officers; and what steps he takes to monitor the differences in enforcement and interpretation of VAT rules from one part of the country to another.

[holding answer 18 January 1993]: Local VAT officers have certain limited discretionary powers in relation to tax control, compliance and debt management. These are contained primarily in the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979, the VAT Act 1983 and the Finance Act 1985.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the effect on the annual retail prices index of a standard rate of VAT imposed on (a) newspapers, books and periodicals, (b) children's clothes, (c) domestic fuel and (d) public transport.

[holding answer 18 January 1993]: The table gives our current estimate of the impact on the RPI of applying the standard rate of VAT to the categories outlined.

Category	Percentage increase in RPI
Newspapers, books and magazines	0·3
Children's clothes	0·2
Domestic fuel	0·8
Public transport	0·2

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he expects petroleum revenue tax to produce for the Exchequer in the current and each of the next three financial years; and if he will make it his policy to reduce it in cases where companies invest in refurbishment of existing offshore gas and oil installations in order to help the fabrication industry; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 18 January 1993]: The revenue raised by petroleum revenue tax in 1992–93 was estimated at £100 million in the autumn statement. It has been the practice to include outturn estimates, and a coming year petroleum revenue tax forecast, in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" issued on Budget day.The costs of refurbishing offshore installations in oil and gas fields would normally already qualify for immediate relief in full against petroleum revenue tax, where the field is within the charge to that tax.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the current conditions on which civil servants in his Department are granted salary advances to enable the purchase of bicycles for home-to-office travel; if he will make a statement on the current conditions in each agency of his Department; what plans he has to change the conditions; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 18 January 1993]: In common with other Departments, the Treasury has arrangements under which it can make interest free advances of salary of up to £100 to assist staff with the purchase of a bicycle for home-to-office travel. Advances are repayable over one year.It was announced on 16 December 1992,

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's guidance note on trade sales and management buy-outs within the public services.

[holding answer 18 January 1993]: No. The written guidance referred to is intended for internal use by Departments and vendor units engaged in, or considering, privatisation by trade sale.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average tax charge in the United Kingdom on a married man with two children with earnings in each of the decile groups in each financial year since 1986–87.

[holding answer 18 January 1993]: Information is available only for income tax. With the introduction of independent taxation in 1990–91, comparable figures are available for the years 1990–91 and 1991–92. Information for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost. In calculating decile groups it is appropriate to take account of the tax liability on total income for income tax purposes, not just earnings. Income tax liability is not affected by the number of children so the figures below include all married men who pay income tax.

Decile groups of taxpaying married men	Average income tax liability (£ per year)
Per cent.	1990–	1991–
Bottom 10	120	130
10 – 20	400	420
20 – 30	680	730
30 – 40	980	1,000
40 –50	1,300	1,400
50 – 60	1,600	1,700
60 – 70	2,000	2,200
70 – 80	2,600	2,800
80 – 90	3,600	3,900
Top 10	10,400	11,200
Average	3,200	3,500

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the link between education standard spending assessments and academic attainment.

My right hon. Friend has made no such assessment, since standard spending assessments are primarily a mechanism for distributing grant and local education authorities have discretion to order their spending priorities as they wish.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what level of funding, based on secondary education standard spending assessment, an 11 to 15, 1,000-pupil school would receive in (a) Wakefield, (b) Bradford, (c) Wandsworth and (d) Westminster.

Standard spending assessments are designed to reflect the varying costs, in different areas, of providing a standard level of service, taking account of different local circumstances. They are essentially a mechanism for distributing grant: decisions on spending priorities between education and other services and within education are for individual local authorities. The funding that a school receives thus largely depends on local decisions about priorities and also on the local authority's scheme for local management of schools. Moreover, the education elements of SSAs relate to all LEA functions, including central services and the maintenance of special schools. There is no separately identifiable element relating to the funding of ordinary schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the standard spending assessment per post-16 education student for each metropolitan authority in 1993–94.

From 1993–94 the education of most post-16 students will be the responsibility of the Further Education Funding Council. LEAs will continue to be responsible for pupils over 16 in schools and for certain kinds of further education for adults. There is no separately identifiable element in 1993–94 SSAs for further education for adults. The post-16 element of SSAs relates to 16-plus pupils in schools, including special schools and related central services and support functions such as home-to-school transport.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what research has been undertaken to date by his Department to evaluate the effect of the introduction of the local management of schools regime upon specialist educational provision for hearing-impaired children.

None. The purpose of local management of schools is to ensure that funds are allocated to schools on an objective basis, taking account of local circumstances. LMS does not qualify in any way the duties of LEAs or schools regarding pupils with special educational needs, including the hearing impaired.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many three and four-year-olds were in nursery education for each local education authority at the latest available date.

The number of three and four-year-olds attending maintained nursery schools or nursery classes in maintained primary schools in each local education authority in England in January 1992 is shown in the following table.

Pupils aged 3 and 4 in maintained nursery schools and classes in England—January 1992
LEA	Pupils
City	29
Camden	1,012
Greenwich	3,103

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what are the latest available figures for the expenditure per child under seven years by each education authority and grant-maintained schools in England.

Available expenditure data cover nursery and primary schools as a whole and cannot be disaggregated between particular age ranges. The table indicates each local education authority's average school-based funding per pupil in nursery and primary schools in 1990–91, the latest year for which information on actual expenditure by LEAs is available. There were no primary grant-maintained schools in 1990–91.

LEA	Net institutional funding per pupil (£)
City	1,950
Camden	1,710
Greenwich	1,720
Hackney	1,900
Hammersmith	1,970
Islington	1,770
Kensington	2,060
Lambeth	1,840
Lewisham	1,710
Southwark	1,850
Tower Hamlets	1,940
Wandsworth	1,820
Westminster	2,110
Barking	1,460
Barnet	1,550
Bexley	1,260
Brent	1,670
Bromley	1,410
Croydon	1,440
Ealing	1,690
Enfield	1,430
Haringey	1,840
Harrow	1,480