To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many justices of the peace are aged (a) under 30 years, (b) under 40 years, (c) under 50 years, (d) under 60 years (e) over 60 years.

This information can be supplied only at disproportionate cost. The aim of the advisory committees which advise the Lord Chancellor and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on the appointment of justices of the peace is to find as many candidates as possible under the age of 55, and particularly those in their 30s and 40s, in order to maintain a balanced age structure.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make it his policy to propose amendments to current legislation in order to secure that any commitment to buy or sell a house made orally, or in writing, is legally enforceable in England and Wales.

The law already allows any house buyer and seller to enter into a binding contract once the terms of that contract have been agreed. The Government do not propose to alter the legal requirement that contracts for the sale or other disposition of an interest in land shall be made in writing.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he expects to publish his Department's proposals for the reorganisation of the magistrates courts service in outer London; and if he will make a statement.

A consultation paper on the future geographical and structural organisation of the magistrates' courts service in the Greater London area will be published by my Department next month. decisions will be made following the three-month consultation period in the light of responses received.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has received for removing the necessity for defendants to be represented at unopposed adjournment hearings in the magistrates courts; and what estimate he has made of the savings that might thereby be achieved.

The Law Society has made such a proposal. The Lord Chancellor will be considering how best to take it forward. Estimates of the likely financial effect will be produced in the course of that consideration.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans the Lord Chancellor's Department has to promote the development of law centres.

Law centres are primarily a local service and as such their development is primarily a local concern. However, the Legal Aid Board and the Law Centres Federation have recently established a working party to examine ways in which new arrangements could be made for the payment of legal aid work by law centres and other agencies which employ solicitors involved in providing advice, assistance and representation.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the amount of legal aid paid out in North Yorkshire for each of the last four years; and if he will give the number of cases supported in each of those years.

I refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave to the hon. Member for York (Mr. Bayley), on 20 January, at columns 261–62. North Yorkshire is covered by two Legal Aid Board area offices at Newcastle-upon-Tyne and at Leeds. It is not possible to distinguish between assisted persons residing in North Yorkshire and other areas served by those offices.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has received for cost penalties to be imposed on legal aid matrimonial litigants when their non-co-operation has led to delays occasioning increased costs; and what estimate he has made of the savings that might thereby be achieved.

The Law Society has made such a proposal, which it acknowledges needs further thought. Estimates of the likely financial effect will be produced in due course.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has received to limit the availability of legal aid for the costs of (a) counsel being attended by a solicitors' representative and (b) two counsel when a QC is assigned; and what estimate he has made of the savings that might thereby be achieved.

The Law Society has made such proposals, though they have been under consideration in the efficiency commission for some time and it has hitherto been difficult to secure any restraint on costs as a result. The Lord Chancellor will be considering how best to take these proposals forward. Estimates of the likely financial effect will be produced in the course of that consideration.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals his Department has received for fees for legal work to remain at the levels set in April 1992; and what estimate he has made of the savings that might thereby be achieved.

Both the General Council of the Bar and the Law Society have proposed that the statutory rates for legal aid work in 1993–94 should remain at 1992–93 levels. This proposal formed part of a series of measures put forward by the professions as an alternative to measures to control legal aid expenditure announced by the Lord Chancellor. However, as the Lord Chancellor had not intended to propose an uprating for 1993–94 the professions' proposal would not achieve any savings other than those already considered by the Lord Chancellor.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review rules of evidence procedures, exchange of statutory requirements and court procedures in order to provide better protection of witnesses who are called to aid the prosecution of violent offenders.

A number of safeguards have been introduced to protect victims and other witnesses from intimidation or fear of intimidation. These include measures to prevent an individual's address appearing as a matter of course on witness statements; to delay, except in certain circumstances, disclosure of the address until the start of summary trial, full committal or Crown court trial; to allow child witnesses to give evidence in certain cases by closed-circuit television and to allow a video recording of an earlier investigative interview with a child witness to be accepted as evidence in chief; and to provide anonymity for victims of rape and other specified sexual offences. The operation of these, and other, safeguards is kept under general review, but we have no present plans for a more formal exercise.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what figures he has on the level of offenders re-offending while on bail, for the latest convenient period.

Such figures are not held centrally. Our research indicates that although the absolute number of offences committed by people on bail has risen by about 26,000 between 1985 and 1990, as the number of people granted bail has increased, the proportion of those found guilty of offences committed while they were on bail has remained at about 10 to 12 per cent.—"Offending whilst on bail: a survey of recent studies", Home Office research and planning unit paper 65, February 1992.The incidence of offending on bail is a matter of concern and work is in hand to tackle the problem. This includes action research which is being undertaken in five areas and is designed to identify the scope for improving the bail decision-taking process, and thus minimising the risk of offending on bail.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what asssessment he has made of the effects of reductions in funding of Leicestershire police force on the number of posts and the level of overtime; and what representations he has received on the subject.

The force is currently holding 29 vacancies against an authorised establishment of 1,853. Overtime levels have been reduced as part of measures to keep within budgetary constraints. No representations have been received on this subject.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the prisoners transferred between 1982 and 1992 from prisons in Northern Ireland to prisons in Great Britain were convicted of scheduled offences.

Information on the nature of the offences of prisoners transferred between United Kindom jurisdictions is not held centrally.I will write to the hon. Gentleman with the information requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when an application for entry clearance made on 2 July 1992 to the Islamabad high commission can be processed; what is the average waiting time for an interview with the immigration service; and how long the average waiting time is for the report to be sent to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and for a decision to be made.

Where the entry clearance officer refers an application for inquiries in the United Kingdom by the immigration service, these inquiries should normally be completed within three months of receipt. If the hon. Member is concerned about the time taken to deal with any individual case, I shall be willing to look into it.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the new United States Administration concerning inquiries undertaken by his Department over whether Mr. Clinton had applied for United Kingdom citizenship.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can report progress on his plans for the independent review of prisoners' complaints.

I am pleased to announce that I have now agreed arrangements to appoint a prisons ombudsman to consider grievances from prisoners who have failed to obtain satisfaction from the present internal complaints system. He or she will have a wide remit to consider issues affecting individual prisoners. It will extend to grievances relating to contracted out prisons. It will not include complaints about non-prison bodies—the courts, the police and the Parole Board for example.The prisons ombudsman will be able to consider the merits of cases as well as the procedures involved. He or she will make recommendations to the chief executive of the Prison Service, and to myself as necessary. The ombudsman will publish an annual report which will be laid before the House.I will look to the prisons ombudsman to maintain good liaison with Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons and with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration. The rights of prisoners to approach the latter through a Member of Parliament will of course be unaffected by this new appointment. The post will be publicly advertised shortly. My aim is to announce an appointment in the spring in order to have the new office operating and considering grievances by the end of this year.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what analysis he has made of the benefits arising out of the operation of the scheme that gives tax relief for mortgage interest payments and of whether this represents value for the revenue forgone when compared with the cost of a scheme of universal housing benefits.

We keep the costs and benefits of all tax reliefs under continuous review. Mortgage interest relief helps some 9.8 million borrowers to buy their own homes, and is estimated to cost £5.2 billion in 1992–93.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the tax revenue implications of the target to reduce the consumption of cigarettes by at least 40 per cent. by the year 2000 in the Department of Health White Paper, "Health of the Nation".

As part of the "Health of the Nation" commitment to reduce the consumption of cigarettes, the Government have undertaken at least to maintain the real level of taxes on tobacco products. A 40 per cent. fall in consumption of tobacco products would produce a 40 per cent. fall in the tobacco excise duty base. For the present real level of excise duties on tobacco products, this would represent an annual loss to the Exchequer of around £2.4 billion, in 1992–93 prices.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer at what rate he intends to tax the national lottery.

My right hon. Friend will make an announcement about the rate in due course.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects purdah to commence for Treasury Ministers in advance of the autumn Budget.

I shall be deciding that in due course.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the income to the Treasury in each of the last five years as a result of VAT levied on registered charities.

Information about the amount of VAT borne by charities is not collated centrally, but it is estimated that charities now pay up to £250 million in VAT each year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those countries, for each of the last 10 years, where International Monetary Fund conditionality has been imposed for receipt of United Kingdom unilateral aid.

[holding answer 11 January 1993]: It is not possible to list all those occasions on which individual British aid commitments were made in association with International Monetary Fund reform programmes. But British balance of payments aid is usually provided only to countries that have programmes of structural adjustment agreed with the International Monetary Fund and the World bank in place. In doing so, we often act in concert with other donors. The objective is to enable recipients to purchase urgently needed imports to sustain or improve production and assist economic recovery. Commitments of such aid in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available were made to the following countries:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from Arab countries neighbouring Iraq about the recent bombing raids.

We have received no formal representations from Arab countries neighbouring Iraq about the recent bombing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the nuclear installations declared by Iraq to the International Atomic Energy Agency up to July 1990 and those subsequently identified by United Nations inspectors.

[holding answer 25 January 1993]: Parts of Iraq's principal nuclear site, Tuwaitha, were declared to the IAEA before July 1990. These facilities were covered by a safeguards agreement.Details of nuclear installations subsequently identified by United Nations inspectors are contained in the reports of inspections carried out by the IAEA under the terms of Security Council resolution 687. Copies of these reports have been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will support the claim of the Japanese Labour Camp Survivors Association for compensation from the Japanese Government.

Her Majesty's Government sympathise deeply with those who suffered so dreadfully as prisoners of war of the Japanese during the second world war. We owe a great debt of gratitude to them. However, the question of compensation was settled in the 1951 peace treaty with Japan.Although the Government could not directly associate itself with the private attempts of groups to obtain further compensation, we would not, of course, impede or obstruct these attempts, with whose aims we sympathise.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many additional entry clearance officer posts it is planned to create in Dhaka in 1993 and 1994.

Entry clearance staffing at posts abroad is based on current and forecast demand for entry clearances. We review such staffing at all posts during the first quarter of each year, and in the case of larger posts such as Dhaka, at quarterly intervals thereafter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the present waiting time for first interview for the four categories of applicants in Dhaka, Bangladesh; and what were the waiting times for the same categories one year and two years earlier.

The waiting time in months for first interview waiting times at the end of 1992, 1991 and 1990 were:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current entry clearance officer staffing at the British high commission in Dhaka; and what is the full staffing complement.

The ideal entry clearance officer establishment in Dhaka is 12; there are currently 12 in post.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many entry clearance officers in Dhaka are immigration officers on secondment from the immigration service.

There are currently eight immigration officers on secondment as entry clearance officers in Dhaka.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of the decision at the last Budget to widen the tax differential between diesel and other fuels on the use of (a) diesel fuel and (b) diesel vehicles.

At the last Budget the duties on diesel fuel and unleaded petrol were both increased in line with inflation—4.5 per cent.—while the duty on leaded petrol was increased by an extra 3 per cent. It is too early to assess the impact of the changes in duty. However, the number and proportion of cars and light vans using diesel fuel have increased rapidly over the last 10 years and this trend is expected to continue.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what review he carried out of the night restrictions which currently apply at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports; and whether he will make a statement.

The current night restrictions were set in 1988 for a five year period. They end this year and if the current regime is not extended or replaced there will be no night restrictions. I have therefore carried out a wide-ranging review.I have taken the opportunity to include Stansted in the review so that local people there should have the same level of protection against aircraft noise at night as people living around the other two airports.The proposals maintain the policy of continuing to protect local communities from excessive exposure to aircraft noise at night without imposing unnecessary restrictions on the airline industry.The aviation industry makes an important contribution to the economy of the south-east and to the United Kingdom as a whole. It is important for us to make reasonable provision for this—otherwise airlines and airports abroad will seize the business and the prosperity that goes with it. Equally, it is important that those who live around our airports should be able to enjoy a good night's sleep.Our proposals for a new regime of night restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted are set out in a consultation paper, issued today. The proposals seek to give more flexibility to airlines but have been designed expressly to favour movements by the quieter types.We are asking for comments on the proposals to be with us by Friday 30 April.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the outcome of the joint meeting of Transport and Environment Ministers in Brussels on 25 January.

The United Kingdom supported calls for an early meeting of EC Ministers to consider the implications of the oil pollution incidents at La Coruna and on Shetland and took a leading part in the proceedings. The United Kingdom was represented by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, my noble Friend the Minister for Shipping and myself.Prior to the meeting, the United Kingdom circulated a report on the Shetland oil spill. I am placing copies of this report in the Library. In it we drew attention to the work we have set in hand following this incident, including the accident investigation by the marine accident investigation board, the inquiry under Lord Donaldson of Lymington and the ecological steering group being set up in Scotland. We called for concerted action at national, European and global levels, emphasising the importance of the international Maritime Organisation—IMO—and by flag states throughout the world if real improvements in ship safety and pollution prevention are to be secured. We suggested early ratification by member states of the protocols to the international liability and fund conventions agreed at the diplomatic conference in London last year which provide for increased compensation amounts, and ratification of the salvage convention; and we encouraged early adoption of the EC directive concerning requirements for vessels carrying dangerous or polluting goods which was agreed last month during the United Kingdom presidency. We also suggested urgent examination of other possible measures including additional guidance to tanker operators and masters, routing measures, extension of radar coverage and vessel traffic service schemes, the role of salvage tugs and further port state control action.The Council commended the United Kingdom on its prompt and effective response to the Braer incident. It recognised that further concerted action at national and Community level and in the IMO is essential to minimise threats to the marine and coastal environments from oil and hazardous cargoes. It urges the Community and member states to support the on-going work in IMO relevant to this objective. The United Kingdom has been urging the Commission to bring forward as a matter of urgency its communication "A Common Policy for Safe Seas". This now now expected to issue next month. The full text of the Council conclusions will be placed in the Library when it is available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to ensure that the existing level of car parking spaces are maintained at railway stations following their sale, franchise or vesting in Railtrack.

Where stations are being managed by franchisees, any conditions about the level of car parking spaces could be imposed through the franchise contract. Otherwise, car parking arrangements will be subject to the general oversight of the independent regulator.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy that charges for car parking spaces at railway stations should not rise above the equivalent, in real terms, of charges as at February, following either their sale, franchise or vesting in Railtrack.

Where stations are being managed by franchisees, any restrictions on car park charges could be imposed through the franchise contract. Otherwise, car parking charges will be subject to the general oversight of the independent regulator.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list the location of track, stations and ticket offices owned or managed by Briitsh Rail which provide facilities to London Underground on an agency basis;(2) if he will list the location of track, stations and ticket offices owned or managed by London Underground which provide facilities to British Rail on an agency basis.

I understand that the information requested is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what subsidy the Government propose to make to InterCity rail services following rail privatisation or franchising.

Any subsidy required will be determined by competitive bidding for a franchise.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what subsidy the Government propose to make to Railtrack in respect of track, tunnels and bridges which are used by InterCity rail services following rail privatisation or franchising.

We shall expect Railtrack to recover its economic costs in providing and maintaining the railway infrastructure from the track access charges it will levy on future rail service operators. Operators awarded franchises may require a subsidy as a condition of operating their services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make it his policy that InterCity executive rail services are maintained for each route now existing north of Glasgow and Edinburgh following franchising or privatisation;(2) if he will make it his policy that InterCity executive rail services are maintained in respect of the whole of the west coast route from London to Glasgow, via Preston.

Under our rail privatisation proposals, it will be for the franchising director to decide the precise specification of all services, including current InterCity services, to be offered for franchising in line with the guidance given to him by the Secretary of State. As we made clear in the consultation document "The Franchising of Passenger Rail Services" published in October, objectives for the franchising director will include basing the pattern of services to be provided on BR's existing service levels.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive and publish the consultant's report on the proposal to build the M12 or upgrade the existing A12; and if he will make a statement.

We expect to receive a report from our consultant this summer. The report will provide information about route options on which we hope to consult the public in late 1993. Information about the scheme studies will be available for inspection during the consultation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make an announcement following the simultaneous inquiries into the improvements of the A11 to Abington and the A505/A11 and A604 junction; and when he expects work to commence.

I expect the announcement to be made in the next few weeks. Further progress will depend on the nature of the decisions, completion of the necessary statutory procedures and the availability of funds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects work to resume on the A11 improvement between Newmarket and Four Westways.

The work of dualling the A11 between Newmarket and Four Wentways was halted when the contractor, Lilley Construction Limited, went into administrative receivership. The receiver has received a number of offers from interested firms to complete the work. Until those negotiations are complete it is too soon to say when work can resume. The contractual completion date of the end of 1993 can still be met.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will initiate a study of the operation of the railways run by the British Railways Board to identify those services or operations which can be made more effective or efficient consequent to the enactment of the Railways Bill.

All passenger and freight services should be capable of more effective or efficient operation as a result of our reform proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will identify those requirements for transport by rail, by general character, or on specific routes, currently provided by the British Railways Board that will be capable of being provided under the provisions of the Railways Bill, indicating in each case if they would be capable of realising a commercial return or he a charge on public funds.

All rail services currently provided by the British Railways Board could be provided under the provisions of the Railways Bill. The competitive tendering process will determine the amount of subsidy, if any, required for any franchise service. Freight services will be provided on a commercial basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if loans from the European investment bank will count towards the £400 million private sector contribution required for the Jubilee line extension.

It will be for the administrators of Olympia and York to determine sources of finance to enable them to make the agreed contribution.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what method he expects to allocate passenger rolling stock maintenance and stabling depots which are compatible with competitive services on the routes currently served by the respective depots.

Where the depot concerned is dedicated to a passenger service which is to be let as a single franchise, the depot will usually be leased for the period of the franchise to the incoming franchisee. Where one franchisee will be the predominant user of the depot, he will usually acquire the lease subject to conditions requiring him to make facilities available to other operators. In some cases, it may be feasible to divide a depot into separate parts for use by different operators, or to lease a depot to a third party maintenance operator.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he has taken to develop a post-school education strategy aimed at promoting socially responsible parenthood as recommended in the Elton report on discipline in schools.

This is an issue to which further and higher education institutions should give consideration in their overall provision for students.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of how many local education authorities and schools in each of these LEAs communicate with parents in languages other than English or Welsh in accordance with the recommendations of the Elton report.

None. It is for local education authorities and schools to consider the need for communication with parents in languages other than English or Welsh in the light of local needs and circumstances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many local education authorities provide lunch-time supervision; what percentage of schools in each local education authority provide such supervision; how much is spent; and what assessment he has made of the extent to which this supervision meets the standards expected by his Department.

Arrangements for lunchtime supervision are the responsibility of local education authorities and the governing bodies of those schools with delegated budgets. Information about these arrangements is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what plans he has to propose greater use of specific subject teaching;(2) if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of teaching in relation to the time spent on various aspects of the curriculum;(3) what measures he proposes to achieve a match of work to pupil's needs;(4) if he will make a statement concerning the primary school curriculum and teaching methods;(5) if he will make a greater use of specialist teaching; and if he will make a statement;(6) what plans he has to introduce setting in schools; and if he will make a statement.(7) if he will make a statement on whole-class teaching.

In February of last year I launched a debate on primary education in Wales with the publication of a report by Her Majesty's inspectorate on classroom organisation and teaching methods. That report addressed, among other things, issues concerned with whole class and specialist teaching, classroom management and teaching methods appropriate to the needs of individual pupils and the national curriculum.The debate was taken forward by the Curriculum Council for Wales, CCW. Following a series of seminars attended by teachers throughout Wales, the Curriculum Council for Wales published in November a guidance document "Aspects of Primary Education in Wales". The document has been issued to all Welsh primary schools. I also sent a copy to all hon. Members in Wales. Further guidance is being prepared by the council on aspects of planning and managing the primary curriculum including teaching methods and the use of specialist staff. Schools will need to consider all this advice carefully and ensure that it is taken into account so that they can implement the national curriculum successfully.It is obviously important that we should keep under review how this is being taken forward to schools and provide further guidance as necessary. I have therefore asked Her Majesty's chief inspector for Wales to include, as part of his programme of work in 1993–94, a further investigation into primary education teaching methods and practices and report to me by April 1994. I have placed a copy of my letter in the Library of the House. I will consider whether further action is necessary in the light of that report. I also intend to ask the Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales which, subject to parliamentary approval, will succeed the Curriculum Council for Wales, to take part with the Schools Curriculum and Assessment Authority in the rolling review of national curriculum subjects which was announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education on 18 January.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what new guidance he proposes to issue concerning primary education in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply my right hon. Friend the Minister of State gave to the hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside (Mr. Jones) on 28 January.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to produce an annual policy paper on land use and infrastructure planning in Wales.

No. My right hon. Friend publishes policies on land use and infrastructure in a range of documents, including planning policy guidance notes and circulars. These documents are regularly reviewed and updated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the companies within Wales which have (a) already been accredited and (b) pledged to work towards the targets outlined in the investors in people programme.

Nine companies have achieved the investors in people standard and 106 are committed to working towards it, but lists of individual companies are not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to adopt a target of increasing productivity rates in Wales by at least 5 per cent. in each year for the forthcoming decade.

I intend to continue the policies that have created the framework within which manufacturing productivity in Wales has risen from 7 per cent. below the United Kingdom average, in 1980, to 6 per cent. above the United Kingdom average, in 1990. Over this same period, United Kingdom manufacturing productivity itself grew faster than in any other country in the G7, including Japan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money has been allocated by the Welsh Development Agency in 1992–93 to its rural affairs division for expenditure in the west Wales task force area; and how much is planned to be spent in 1993–94.

It is estimated that WDA expenditure within the task force area in 1992–93 will be £1·7 million. For 1993–94, I announced earlier this week that the agency will spend a total of £3·7 million on its urban and rural activities. The agency will also administer a £250,000 programme under the EC Leader scheme in south Pembrokeshire.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total planned expenditure by the Welsh Development Agency on its rural affairs division programme in 1992–93; and what is the planned expenditure for 1993–94.

The WDA's rural affairs division is expected to spend £4·55 million in 1992–93, and the allocation for 1993–94 is £6 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the planned expenditure by his Department on the rural initiative in Wales and each of the counties in Wales for 1993–94.

The budget provision of the rural initiative capital grants scheme in 1993–94 is £6·6 million. The 297 bids submitted by local authorities throughout Wales under the 1993–94 round are currently being assessed. I will make an announcement in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the expenditure on the rural initiative programme in Wales in 1992–93 in each of the counties of Wales and in total.

Expenditure in the current year on projects approved under the 1992–93 round of the rural initiative capital grants scheme is not yet complete. The round has an allocation of £6 million shared as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the pay review of the general manager and senior manager grades of NHS trusts in Wales, announced in the letter of 25 November 1992, from the Director of

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for alignment of the eastern boundary of the Wales region of the Environment Protection Agency in Wales in the area of nonconformity of the National Rivers Authority water catchment area boundary with that of other statutory environmental protection agencies; and if he will make a statement.

The Government have already said that there will need to be an appropriate presence by the agency in Wales. No decisions have been taken on the detailed regional structure of the agency, including its relationship to the England/Wales border.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a breakdown of the valleys programme spending by sub-programme for each year since 1988–89.

The table sets out the information requested.NHS Wales, to the chairmen of NHS trusts in Wales to be completed; how the current public sector pay policy will affect its implementation in 1993; and if he will make a statement.

The review of the pay arrangements, for NHS general and senior managers is ongoing and is expected to be completed later this year. Any implementation of possible changes during the period of the current public sector pay policy would be subject to the overall limits on wage settlements for this group.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will announce his decision on the 1993–94 local government settlement and relevant notional amounts.

I have given careful consideration to the representations I have received on my provisional settlement proposals. I have also chaired two meetings of the Welsh Consultative Council on Local Government Finance at which settlement issues were discussed.I acknowledge that my plans for 1993–94 will mean local authorities in Wales having to make hard budgeting decisions and rigorously pursuing efficiency savings. Having taken account of all the representations made to me on the settlement, I remain of the view that my proposals represent the most that the country and local taxpayers can afford in the present economic circumstances. I have therefore decided to set total standard spending—TSS—at £2,599.8 million and aggregate external finance—AEF—at £2,344.2 million for 1993–94. Both TSS and AEF will include the additional resources of £1.6 million that I announced to the House on 14 December 1992 to take account of changes in the independent living fund arrangements.AEF will comprise £1,669.3 million in revenue support grant, £470.2 million in distributable non-domestic rates, and £204.7 million in specific and supplementary grants. My decisions are, of course, subject to the approval of the House.The TSS I have announced for 1993–94 represents an increase of 3.1 per cent. on 1992–93 plus an additional £35·9 million for care in the community. It means an increase of almost 29 per cent. for the three financial years since 1990–91. My plans mean that 90 per cent. of all local authority revenue expenditure in Wales would be met by central Government and should ensure a reasonable level of council tax for local taxpayers in Wales.I trust that local authorities will budget prudently and play their part in restraining public expenditure.On the matter of notional amounts in lieu of budgets for 1992–93 I have considered all the representations made to me by local authorities and have made amendments to the provisional figures issued in December where I have considered it appropriate to do so. My Department has today written to all local authorities informing them of their standard spending assessments for 1993–94 and their notional amounts. I have placed details of the figures in the Library of the House.I propose to lay the Local Government Finance Report (Wales) 1993–94 and the Limitation of Council Tax and Precepts (Relevant Notional Amounts) Report (Wales) 1993–94 before the House, for its approval, early next week.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps will be taken to ring fence money for residential alcohol projects in Wales.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 January 1993, c. 364]: Unfortunately, owing to a typing error, a word was omitted from the answer. The correct answer is as follows. Resources being transferred for residential facilities under the care in the community arrangements will not be ring fenced. The Department will continue to support individual projects aimed at combating alcohol misuse.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of children under five years received nursery education (a) in 1979 and (b) in 1992.

In January 1979, 18 per cent. of three and four-year-olds were in maintained nursery schools or nursery classes in maintained primary schools in England. In January 1991, the latest year for which information on participation rates is available, the proportion was 25 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the number of three and four-year-olds in each local authority who were attending a primary school in January 1992.

The numbers of three and four-year-olds in nursery classes and infant classes in maintained primary schools in each local education authority in England in January 1992 are shown in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he has included places located within (a) temporary or mobile classrooms, (b) other temporary accommodation and (c) laboratories or workshops in the figures he has published for each local education authority concerning surplus places in schools.

The survey of school capacity, carried out during the 1990–91 academic year, measured surplus places in schools using the more open enrolment formula promulgated for primary and secondary schools in, respectively, circulars 6/91 and 11/88, both of which are available in the Library. The formula for primary schools contained in circular 6/91 took account of both permanent and temporary accommodation, including mobiles. Workshops or laboratories deemed by the admissions authority to be unsuitable for general teaching purposes were omitted. The formula for secondary schools contained in circular 11/88 took account of all available teaching space, whether permanent or temporary, including mobile classrooms. Laboratories and workshops were also included, but the formula allowed each workplace in such rooms to be a greater area than in a general teaching space in recognition of the additional space requirements of practical subjects.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what evidence he has about the buying of books by grant-maintained schools following the grant of grant-maintained status.

The results of surveys of grant-maintained schools conducted by the grant-maintained schools centre suggest that schools are able to spend substantially more on books following incorporation. The annual report of HM senior chief inspector of schools, "Education in England 1990–91" referred to the improved book stock in many grant-maintained schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what level he has decided for the annual maintenance grant payable to grant-maintained schools (a) in Cambridgeshire and (b) elsewhere; and if he will make a statement.

The consultation period on the proposals for calculating annual maintenance grant for grant-maintained schools in 1993–94 closed on 7 January. We are now considering the responses received and will make our final decisions as soon as possible. I will write to my hon. Friend when the decisions are announced.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from the headmaster of George Dixon school in Birmingham about the benefits of grant-maintained status for black pupils at inner city schools; what response he has made; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received no such representations from the headmaster of George Dixon school in Birmingham. The advantages of grant-maintained status are becoming increasingly obvious as more schools opt for the autonomy it brings, as evident not least, from schools which have become grant-maintained in Birmingham. Pupils from all ethnic and social backgrounds in inner city schools can and do benefit from their schools becoming grant-maintained.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many Roman Catholic schools have (a) been approved for grant-maintained status, (b) applied for such status and (c) expressed interest in such status.

Full information is not collected centrally. Aggregated figures for voluntary aided, voluntary controlled and special agreement schools are as follows: 97 are operating or have been approved for grant-maintained status; 43 more have published proposals which are before the Secretary of State for his consideration; 28 have voted yes in parental ballots but not yet published proposals; 23 have ballots pending. Of the 97 operating or approved for grant-maintained status, 20 are Roman Catholic.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he will announce the appointment of the chairman and chief executive of the Schools Curriculum and Assessment Authority.

My right hon. Friend hopes soon to announce his choice for the chairmanship of the Schools Curriculum and Assessment Authority. The selection of the chief officer will follow. Both appointments will be subject to the passage of the Education Bill now before Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish details of the supplementary credit approval granted to Lancashire county council in respect of St. Mary's Church of England primary school, Rawtenstall; and if he will make a statement.

A supplementary credit approval of £76,000 was issued to Lancashire county council in 1991 in recognition of its expenditure needs at St. Mary's Church of England primary school, Rawtenstall. A further £906,000 within annual capital guidelines was allocated in 1992–93, followed by £556,000 for 1993–94, making a total sum of £1,538,000. These resources were allocated in respect of St. Mary's in response to a delegation to the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Mr. Fallon, from representatives of the school expressing concern about the state of the building. The allocation given was in line with the authority's cash bid. I am very concerned that the resources we have allocated have not so far been used for the urgent purpose of rebuilding the school.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects to make a decision on the request from Charlesworth primary school and St. John's Church of England primary school, Charlesworth, to merge.

My right hon. Friend hopes to announce a decision shortly.

To ask the Prime Minister if his inquiries into regulation as a burden on business will extend to (a) the rules which require a business person to be or remain outside the United Kingdom in order to obtain leave to set up a business in the United Kingdom and (b) the removal of rights of appeal from business visitors refused leave to do business in the United Kingdom.

I have been asked to reply.As announced by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs, on 12 January 1993,

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 28 January.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 28 January.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is making official visits to India, Saudi Arabia and Oman. I am pleased to advise the House that following discussions with the Sultan of Oman, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced that Oman is to purchase the Challenger 2 as its new main battle tank, together with its armoured repair and recovery vehicle. I am sure the whole House will want to join me in congratulating Vickers Defence Systems on this well-deserved success, which is the first export order for the Challenger 2.

To ask the Prime Minister how many letters he received from individuals concerned that third world needs would not be discussed at the Edinburgh summit.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister received a number of representations. Issues of major concern to developing countries were discussed, including the need for a successful conclusion to the GATT negotiations and for renewed growth in the economies of the European Community. Both of these would help to increase the export earnings of many developing countries significantly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the cost to the national health service, per patient per night, for each of the five regions in Northumberland, during the last five years, of patients staying at least one night in hospital.

Information in the precise form requested is not collected centrally. Information derived from annual financial returns submitted to the Department by the Northumberland district health authority is shown in the table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her estimate of the number of cases of peripheral vascular disease, leading to amputation, that were caused by smoking.

This information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies have been sponsored by her Department on modifications introduced in melatonin production in human cells arising from exposure to electromagnetic radiation.

No such studies have been sponsored by the Department. However, the National Radiological Protection Board's advisory group on non-ionising radiation proposes to monitor any developments in this area in the light of recent work carried out in the United States.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what follow-up studies concerned with physical complications associated with abortion have been undertaken or funded by her Department;(2) what information she has regarding abortion as a cause of

The Department has funded a major long-term study of the short and long-term sequelae of abortion. This has been undertaken by the Manchester research unit of the Royal College of General Practitioners.In an article published in the "British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, October 1991", volume 98, pages 1015–24, the researchers concluded that

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultant cancer physicians are employed by the national health service; if she will list their location by hospital and region; and what is their average salary.

The medical and dental census records the following number of consultant medical oncologists and radiotherapists and general surgeons in England in whole-time equivalents, as at 30 September 1991: