To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many individual movements of plutonium were involved in post-irradiation examination experiments at Berkeley nuclear laboratories and Winfrith nuclear research establishment to which reference is made in note (2) to section A of his departmental press release P/93/51 of 4 February on annual plutonium production and stockpile figures.

Dispatches for post-irradiation examination involve movements of spent fuel, details of which are an operational matter for the owner of the fuel in question.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will bring forward proposals to place a duty on those importing technology into the United Kingdom to provide environmental impact information as part of the import licensing procedure.

No.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what were the import, export, balance of payments and import penetration figures for tractors and earth-moving equipment since 1987.

Information on trade in, and sales of, earth-moving equipment is regularly published in the Central Statistical Office's business monitor PAS3254, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. However, because product sales information is collected only from large firms, it is not comparable with the trade data and reliable import penetration figures cannot therefore be derived.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the annual production of anthracite in each year since 1985; and what has been the cost of its production in 1992 prices.

The annual production of anthracite in the United Kingdom since 1985 was:

	Thousand tonnes
1985	2,142
1986	1,985
1987	2,091
1988	1,798
1989	2,060

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the average cost of British Coal's production in each year since 1985 in 1992 prices.

Information on British Coal's production costs are published in British Coal Corporation's report and accounts. Figures in 1992 prices are as follows:

Financial year	Cost per tonne2
	Deep-mined	Opencast
11985–86	66·95	40·85
1986–87	57·52	37·48
1987–88	56·07	35·70
1988–89	48·91	33·75
1989–90	50·59	33·99
1990–91	45·45	35·09
31991–92	42·13	33·99
1 Figures for 1985–86 exclude release of 1984–85 provisions for strike recovery costs.
2 Cash figures adjusted to 1992 price levels by excluding the effect of general inflation as measured by the GDP deflator.
3 The GDP deflator for 1992 has been estimated.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the estimated percentage market share of British Coal in (a) the industrial steam coal market, (b) the domestic coal market, and (c) the market for electricity generation in Britain during 1992.

British Coal's percentage shares of the respective coal markets during 1992 are estimated at 85 per cent. for electricity generation, 45 per cent. for industrial steam coal and 75 per cent. for domestic coal.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much coal has been produced by the private sector of (a) opencast and (b) deep mined, annually since 1987; and what proportion of private sector production was sold to (i) the power generators, (ii) industrial users, (iii) the domestic home market and (iv) abroad.

The amount of opencast and deep-mined coal produced by private sector licensed mines since 1987 was:

Thousand tonnes
	Opencast	Deep mined
1987	1,155	855
1988	1,130	875
1989	1,093	1,013
1990	1,109	1,006
1991	1,987	1,102
11992	2,592	1,099
1 Provisional.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total tonnage of coal used for electricity generation in Britain in each year since 1987; and how much of this was obtained from (a) opencast coal mining, (b) Britain's deep mines and (c) imports of foreign coal.

The amounts of coal used for electricity generation from 1987 were:

Million tonnes
	Major generating companies				Other generating companies1	Overall total
	Open-cast	Deep mined	Imports	Total
1987	12·2	67·8	1·4	81·4	6·6	88·0
1988	10·2	65·2	2·0	77·4	6·9	84·2
1989	10·0	65·3	2·0	77·3	5·3	82·6
1990	11·3	62·4	4·7	78·4	6·1	84·5
1991	11·9	61·9	7·3	81·1	2·9	84·0
19922	10·3	57·1	7·6	75·0	4·0	79·0
1 Information on the source of coal used by other generating companies is not collected centrally.
2 Provisional.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the annual change in labour productivity, output per man shift, in British Coal's deep mine pits since 1985.

The annual change in labour productivity, as measured by average output per man shift worked, in British Coal's deep mines since 1985 are as follows:

	Percentage change over previous year	Output per manshift, tonnes
1985	11	2·49
1986	27	3·15
1987	14	3·59
1988	11	3·97
1989	9	4·33
1990	5	4·53
1991	13	5·11
11992	18	6·01
1 Provisional.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what were the estimated annual tonnages of British Coal exports to (a) France, (b) Germany, (c) Ireland, (d) Spain, (e) the European Community total and (f) total world wide during 1990, 1991 and 1992.

The figures requested are given in the table:

Thousand tonnes
	1990	1991	19921
France	276	327	155
Germany	282	274	63
Ireland	198	154	107

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will request Her Majesty's chief inspector of nuclear installations to investigate the problems discovered in the status nuclear safety computer system developed for Nuclear Electric's Magnox plants.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 10 March 1993, Official Report, column 582.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a list of the contracts by AEA Technology (a) completed and (b) currently under negotiation with foreign companies or other nuclear organisations for the reprocessing or storage of materials, test reactor and research reactor nuclear fuels at Dounreay; and what is the total value of this business to AEA Technology to date.

These are commercial matters for the AEA.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when his Department commenced formal discussions with the European Commission on the question of support for renewable energy beyond 1998.

My Department first raised this matter with the Commission in autumn 1991.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much subsidy was given to companies producing bio-diesel fuel in the United Kingdom in the last year; what information he has as to subsidies given by other EC Governments to companies producing bio-diesel fuel; and if he will make a statement.

The United Kingdom Presidency of the European Community secured agreement to directive 92/81/EEC on the harmonisation of the structures of excise duties on mineral oils on 19 October 1992. This directive provides that member states may apply total or partial exemptions or reductions in the rate of duty to mineral oils used under fiscal control, inter alia, in the field of pilot projects for the technological development of more environmentally friendly products and in particular in relation to fuels from renewable resources. No such exemptions have so far been granted in the United Kingdom and data concerning other member states are not recorded in the United Kingdom.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what payments have been made since 1990 on imports of electricity from France as an equivalent to the fossil fuel levy.

This is a commercial matter for those regional electricity companies that have contracts requiring them to make such payments to Electricité de France.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what specific contributions the United Kingdom has made to discussions in the OECD joint sessions of trade and environment experts; what further contributions are planned; and what plans exist for the issue of guidelines on the use of trade and environment policies.

[holding answer 9 March 1993]: The United Kingdom participates actively in the work of the OECD trade and environment group, in close collaboration with the European Commission and other EC member states. The Government attach high priority to the development of criteria, including possible OECD guidelines, to govern the proper use of trade measures for environmental purposes. The Government are therefore committed to bringing this work to a positive conclusion as soon as possible. It is not yet possible, however, to say when guidelines might be issued.As this work has developed, the United Kingdom has tabled a number of informal analytical papers dealing with detailed technical questions.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will carry out an examination of the effect on the United Kingdom textile industry of the double pricing by overseas countries of raw materials such as cotton and cashmere; if he will consider the compatibility of such measures with GATT; what remedies exist to protect the United Kingdom industry from their effect; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 8 March 1993]: Although double pricing of raw materials is incompatible with GATT rules, developing countries which are GATT members are allowed derogations from the rules. Since many of the countries which practice double pricing fall into this category, it is not possible to take action against them. However, the draft GATT Uruguay round textiles agreement contains provisions which, if implemented, will make it easier to act against any member country on this issue. Remedies under GATT are available only if the country practising double pricing is a GATT member. If not, a remedy may be sought bilaterally through the appropriate mechanisms of any bilateral agreement that exists between the country concerned and the European Community.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of total funding for health and social care during the 1993–94 financial year is to be spent on community care; which Department is responsible for deciding the provision for community care; and if he will make a statement.

Community care expenditure is not separately identified within the 1993–94 provision of £1,318 million for the health and personal social services in Northern Ireland. However, this total includes £29·452 million from which the management executive of the Department of Health and Social Services will make available the necessary funds to health and social services boards for their new community care responsibilities from 1 April 1993.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funds have been allocated to Northern Ireland for health and social care for the financial years 1993–94 and 1995–96; and if he will break the figures down by (a) health board, (b) county and (c) the proportion to be spent on (i) health and social care and (ii) community care.

Expenditure on the health and personal social services in Northern Ireland is estimated at £1,318 million for 1993–94 with planned expenditure rising to £1,504 million in 1995–96.Expenditure on the health and personal social services cannot be attributed by county and community care expenditure is not separately identified within the HPSS programme resources. However, the totals above include £29·452 milllion in 1993–94 and £105·152 million in 1995–96 for the new community care responsibilities from 1 April 1993.The breakdown of 1995–96 planned expenditure has not yet been determined but in terms of the initial 1993–94 revenue budgets for the health and social services boards the provision for hospital, community health and personal social services expenditure and the amount subsumed therein for their new community care responsibilities is shown in the following table:

£ millions
Health and social services board	Revenue budget	New community care responsiblities
Northern	195·872	6·957
Southern	155·688	5·414
Eastern	374·781	12·089
Western	141·267	4·932
Total	867·608	29·392

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what options his Department has considered for reforming existing Northern Ireland legislation on (a) mental health and (b) care of children, in connection with the creation of community care trusts; and if he will make a statement.

The Government intend to publish a proposal for legislation later this year which will enable boards to delegate certain statutory functions to health and social services trusts.In bringing forward new legislation, the Government's objectives are to enable as many units as possible to take advantage of the significant benefits that trust status offers, whilst also preserving the integrated structure of the health and social services in Northern Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the application of the Social Security Revaluation of Earnings Factors (Northern Ireland) Order 1992 as it applies to additional pension paid with invalidity benefit.

The policy intention has been that the Revaluation Order should apply to additional pensions paid with invalidity benefit. Legal advice is that provisions enacted in the Social Security (Northern Ireland) Order 1990, and carried forward into the Contributions and Benefits (Northern Ireland) Act 1992, have not given full effect to this. This means an estimated £228,000 paid between April 1992 and April 1993 will have been paid on a basis which is incorrect on the strict interpretation of the law. We intend to continue payments on an extra-statutory basis to ensure that claimants receive a level of benefits in line with the policy intention. Appropriate primary authority will be obtained in due course. The total amount paid on this basis, initially estimated at a cost of £20,000 (rounded) per month, will be reported in a note to the Department of Health and Social Services appropriation account.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 to the market testing of public services in Northern Ireland.

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has today placed in the Library guidance on the implications for market testing of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations. I hope that all those engaged in market testing, including contractors, will consider the guidance helpful.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what arrangements he has made to review the operation of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991.

Viscount Colville of Culross, QC has accepted my invitation to prepare a report on the operation in 1992 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991. As with previous reviews, the intention is that the report should enable both Houses of Parliament to discharge effectively their responsibility to scrutinise the operation of the Act on the occasion of the annual debates on the continuance orders, and to determine whether any of the Act's temporary provisions could be allowed to lapse.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 4 March, Official Report, column 247, whether employees of the health and social security boards can define themselves as British or United Kingdom citizens.

[holding answer 9 March 1993]: There is no provision for employees of the health and social services boards to indicate whether they are British or United Kingdom citizens.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many requests have been made to the Royal Ulster Constabulary in each of the past three years for the disclosure of original interview notes in cases where criminal charges have been brought; in how many instances these requests have been denied; and for what reasons.

[holding answer 5 March 1993]: This is a matter for the chief constable. However, I understand that statistical records on the number of requests for access to original interview notes are not maintained by the Royal Ulster Constabulary and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have had their period of detention under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts extended pending the results of forensic tests.

[holding answer 3 March 1993]: I consider each application to extend the 48-hour period for which a person may be detained under section 14 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 very carefully, and I take into account all the relevant circumstances of each case, which frequently include the need for further forensic work. It would only be possible to provide details of these cases at disproportionate cost. It is worthy of note that, in his most recent report on the operation of the Act in 1992, Lord Colville who looked at all the extension order files was able to conclude that

"the proper criteria are being carefully observed in considering whether extensions should be granted".

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many legal aid certificates have been issued for (a) criminal cases and (b) civil cases in each of the last 10 years.

The number of criminal legal aid orders and civil legal aid certificates issued for each of the last 10 years is given in the table.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary Lord Chancellor's Department how many legal aid certificates have been issued for (a) criminal cases and (b) civil cases in each of the last 24 months.

Table (a) gives numbers of legal aid certificates issued in civil cases in each month from January 1991 to February 1993. Statistics for the issue of legal aid orders in criminal cases are collected quarterly, and the numbers of such orders issued during each quarter in 1991 and 1992 are shown in table (b).

Table (a)
Month	Number of civil legal aid certificates issued
1991
January	28,937
February	26,165
March	25,365
April	25,191
May	31,257
June	28,959
July	22,151
August	31,264
September	26,967
October	31,658
November	31,648
December	24,820
1992
January	33,287
February	30,632
March	35,679
April	32,249
May	26,896
June	34,166
July	39,099
August	31,852
September	35,594
October	36,868
November	39,439
December	31,210
1993
January	33,906
February	36,704

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on how his Department takes account of the family perspective and the life cycle in the targets, activities and statistics of his Department.

One of the Departments' aims is to establish a single body of family law applied within a unified jurisdictional structure by specialist courts and supported by appropriate services. As an employer, the Department seeks to support those with dependant carer responsibilities by offering a range of flexible working conditions, including job-sharing, working at home and term-time working.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department in which publication, speech or statement his Department has described how it takes account of the family perspective and the life cycle in the targets, activities and statistics of his Department.

The Department's strategic plan, which is to be published on 22 April, includes a description of the developments and initiatives in the fields of family law and departmental personnel policy. The plan will set out objectives and targets relating to both of these areas. "Judicial Statistics" and the "Court Service Annual Report" are the principal publications giving statistical information about the Department. Both publications are produced in July each year and placed in the Libraries.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will take action to ensure that the Parliament and courts of the United Kingdom have sole right to decide whether violent or pornographic television programmes may be received on television sets in the United Kingdom.

Responsibility for television programmes originating in the United Kingdom falls to the independent regulatory authorities—the BBC governors, the Independent Television Commission and the Welsh Fourth Channel Authority (S4C). It is for these bodies to ensure that nothing is included in programmes which is likely to encourage or incite to crime or lead to disorder or be offensive to public feeling. Broadcasts originating elsewhere in the EC must meet the standards set out in the EC Television Without Frontiers Directive (89/552/EEC), and any action which the Government take in relation to such broadcasts must he in accordance with our international obligations.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what estimate has been made of the number of unlicensed television sets in use in (a) Belfast, (b) Londonderry and (c) the remainder of Northern Ireland in each of the past five years; and how many households have been prosecuted for use of an unlicensed television;(2) what estimate has been made of the number of unlicensed television sets in use in

Under section 180 and schedule 18 of the Broadcasting Act 1990, responsibility for administration of the television licensing system, including enforcement of the licensing requirement, passed to the BBC with effect from 1 April 1991. I understand from the BBC that statistics for estimated television licence evasion and prosecution rates in Northern Ireland are not broken down by area. Estimated evasion and actual prosecution rates for the financial years 1988–89 to 1992–93 for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are given in the table. The number of evaders is based on a percentage evasion rate applied to the total number of licences in force.

	Estimated Number of evaders	Prosecutions
1 April 1988 to 31 March 1989
England	1,291,642	153,219
Scotland	146,216	9,062
Wales	84,024	10,568
Northern Ireland	158,147	967
1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990
England	1,190,241	149,724
Scotland	143,056	9,686
Wales	82,205	11,094
Northern Ireland	144,447	1,868
1 April 1990 to 31 March 1991
England	1,318,517	159,131
Scotland	155,351	11,275
Wales	94,894	10,283
Northern Ireland	150.265	2,032
1 April 1991 to 31 March 1992
England	1,337,908	182,869
Scotland	146,173	12,791
Wales	97,088	10,898
Northern Ireland	129,829	2,508
1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993
England	1,381,430	166,206
Scotland	147,392	11,082
Wales	96,274	11,605
Northern Ireland	137,743	1,634

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much was spent on official entertainment in his Department in 1991–92 and 1992–93 to date.

[holding answer 10 March 1993]: My Department was formed in April 1992 and has incurred expenditure of £23,260 to date on official entertainment. A comparable figure for 1991–92 is not available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list all those services or functions that have been contracted out from his Department since November 1991 without market testing an in-house bid against external competition, with, in each instance the successful contractor and the reasons for the decision to exclude an in-house bid.

The Civil Service college has contracted out the distribution of the college prospectus to JBS Mailing Services, without in-house comparison. The service represented a small part of the activities of several in-house units and it was considered unproductive to continue with this arrangement.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will issue guidance on the application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 to the Government's market testing initiative.

The 1991 White Paper "Competing for Quality" set out the Government's plans for achieving more effective competition, and thereby better value for money, through an expanded market testing programme in central Government. Department's current market testing targets for the period up to September 1993 cover work costing about £1·5 billion and employing 44,000 staff. This work will be offered to outside contractors, for the most part in competition with the in-house teams currently providing the service.I am today placing in the Library guidance on the implications for market testing of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981. In some cases where work is awarded to an outside contractor following market testing that may constitute the transfer of an undertaking in the terms of the regulations. If so, the regulations provide that the new employer takes over responsibility for the employment contracts of the employees, who would transfer on their previous terms and conditions of service. The guidance sets out circumstances in which the regulations are, and are not, likely to apply, and explains their effect where they do. It is intended for information only, to help those engaged in market testing, including potential contractors, to understand the issues involved. It is not designed as a complete statement of the law, and does not obviate the need for legal advice to be taken. My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment, for Scotland, for Wales, for Northern Ireland and for Health are making separate statements on the application of the regulations to their areas of responsibility.The guidance makes clear that, as has been the case for over 10 years, contracting out is not affected by the regulations unless it involves enough of the elements of the original operation; such as premises, staff, good will or customer base, to constitute the transfer of a going concern. Whether this applies in any particular case will depend on the nature of the work awarded and the contractors' own proposals for carrying it out.The Government intend that market testing should proceed without delay. The Government look to bidders, both external and in-house, to put forward innovative proposals for carrying out the work. Bidders will be given access to information about the numbers of posts in the in-house operation, and the terms and conditions of service which attach to the posts, where they need it in order to submit a bid based on a proposal to which the Regulations might apply.The Government will specify requirements for services being market tested in terms of the outputs to be delivered rather than the structure or methods used to deliver them, and without prejudging whether or not the regulations will apply. Where the regulations would not otherwise apply, it would be inconsistent with our policy to seek to require contractors to adopt particular employment terms and conditions or use particular employees to do the work. It would also be inconsistent with our policy to reorganise in-house operations prior to market testing with the purpose of bringing any subsequent transfer within the scope of the regulations or to dictate the contractor's organisational structure except for reasons strictly related to the performance of the service in question. Bids will be evaluated against the specification on the basis of quality and value for money.Departments will take account of the costs of redundancies, if any, involved in the respective tender proposals. Some contractors have expressed concern about the possible additional costs involved in a tender proposal falling within the scope of the Regulations compared with a proposal which does not do so. Whilst the basic cost of the former may be higher, the latter is more likely to involve redundancy or redeployment costs which would be taken into account in comparing the respective tender bids. Genuinely innovative proposals should still enable contractors to offer good value for money to Departments, whether or not the regulations apply.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish the cruise programme of Research Vessels Services (Barry) for 1993–94; and how the programme will be funded.

As in previous years, the cruise programme of Research Vessels Services for 1993–94 will be funded from the science Vote, supplemented by commissioned research and charter income.I have placed copies of the cruise programme for 1993–94 in the Library.

To ask the Attorney-General how many charges for assaults on police officers in 1992 were reduced by the Crown prosecution service from the original to a lesser charge.

The information sought by the hon. Member is not centrally recorded and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Attorney-General on how many occasions in the past five years (a) a magistrates court, (b) a crown court, (c) a high court, (d) a court of appeal and (e) the House of Lords requested the European Court of Justice to provide a ruling as provided in article 177 of the treaty of Rome.

A magistrates court has requested the European Court of Justice to provide a ruling under article 177 of the treaty on nine occasions in the past five years. A Crown Court has sought a ruling on four occasions, the High Court on 22 occasions, the Court of Appeal on 10 occasions and the House of Lords on five occasions during that period.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 2.4 February, Official Report, column 601, on the United Kingdom's contribution to the International Development Association, if he will set out the United Kingdom's contribution in constant 1992 prices.

The information requested is set out in the table.

United Kingdom contributions to IDA replenishments
	£ million Cash	£ million 1992 prices
Replenishments
IDA 1	47	532
Supplementary	34	334
IDA 2	56	510
Supplementary	43	330
IDA 3	128	896
IDA 4	206	1,045
IDA 5	475	1,485
IDA 6	555	1,132
Special contribution	105	174
IDA 7	402	634
IDA 8	524	721
IDA 9	619	645
IDA 101	620	603
1 Proposed contribution.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which United Kingdom representatives attended the donors conference convened by the United Nations held in Phnom Penh on 25 February; what issues were raised; what further funding Her Majesty's Government have committed to Cambodia; and if he will make a statement.

The donor meeting in Phnom Penh on 25 February, called to review progress and enable co-ordination, was attended by the United Kingdon head of mission in Phnom Penh and his deputy. The meeting focused on the need for donors to accelerate aid expenditure and to give attention to the geographical and sectoral distribution of their programmes and the particular needs of the health and education sectors.We announced further assistance for repatriation (£400,000 through UNHCR), food aid (£100,000 through the World Food Programme), human rights education (£71,000) and well-drilling (£90,000). The latter will cover schemes in areas controlled by all three factions participating n the peace process.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has held with United Nations bodies, the OECD and the EC with a view to rationalising the accounts required by donor countries of recipient countries in their use of food aid.

We have regular discussions on the uses of food aid with our EC partners and with other members of the world food programme. We are always ready to discuss specific problems that may arise in accounting for United Kingdom food aid with the organisation through which the aid is channeled.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Kenyan Government on financial assistance to help with the Somali refugees in Kenya; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development discussed the burden imposed on Kenya by Somali refugees with President Moi last September. It was also raised when Baroness Chalker visited Kenya in February. In 1992, we provided almost £2·5 million, including 5,000 tonnes of food, for projects in northern Kenya to help refugees from Somalia, Ethiopia and Sudan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the proposals for security assurances tabled by the delegation of the Nigerian Government at the fourth review conference of the treaty on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

We have noted the proposals tabled by the Nigerian Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what security assurances have been given by Her Majesty's Government to non-nuclear weapon states.

Non-nuclear weapon states (NNWS) which are parties to the non-proliferation treaty (NPT) benefit from both our positive security assurance (PSA) and our negative security assurance (NSA). NNWS, not party to the NPT but party to other similar internationally binding commitments are also covered by our NSA.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial, military and other support Her Majesty's Government have provided for the UNTAC in Cambodia.

As well as our assessed contribution to the UNTAC budget (6·102 per cent. of the estimated $1·69 billion costs, ie $103 million), we have provided 122 personnel to UNTAC's military component. We will also be providing a number of polling station officers for the elections due to take place in May.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will recommend to the United Nations Security Council a strengthening of the UNTAC mandate; what progress has been made in planning development assistance for Cambodia following elections; and which sectors have been prioritised.

We have no plans to propose a change to UNTAC's mandate. UNTAC has made considerable progress towards implementing the Paris agreements under difficult circumstances. Elections are planned for May; electoral registration has been completed, with 4·6 million Cambodians registered to vote; and more than 320,000 refugees have returned to Cambodia. The international community has pledged some $880 million to Cambodia, within which the United Kingdom has pledged some $30 million, to be used for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Cambodia. There is continuing co-ordination between donors who have agreed that in allocating resources priority will be given to the health and education sectors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Minister of State's meeting with representatives of the PLO; and what assurances were sought from the PLO concerning the abandonment of the Intifada.

Faisal Husseini, head of the Palestinian negotiating team, called on me on 9 March, accompanied by two PLO officials. I explained the importance of an early resumption of the peace process. I told Mr. Husseini that we recognised the need for Israeli moves to lighten the weight of the occupation, but that it would be an enormous help if the Palestinian leadership were able to take steps to reduce violence by Palestinians.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is (a) the amount of grant in aid and (b) the total budget at 1993 of the Welsh Development Agency at 1993 prices in each year since 1987–88; and what amount is planned for each year until 1996–97.

Figures for the period 1987–88 to 1993–94 are set out in the table:

	Grant in aid 1993–94 prices3£ million	Total gross budget 1993–94 prices3£ million
1987–88	73·9	139·4
1988–89	81·6	151·7
1989–90	86·3	165·0
1990–91	93·0	170·9
1991–92	93·4	169·6
1992–931	80·6	171·3
1993–942	59·6	171·4
1 Forecast outturn.
2 Plans.
3 1993–94 prices derived using latest GDP deflator.

Total budgets and grant in aid for the years 1994–95 to 1996–97 will be decided during the course of future public expenditure surveys, although indicative levels of central Government expenditure cash plans are shown in "The Government Expenditure Plans 1993–94 to 1995–96-A Report by the Welsh Office", a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce the results of the Radiological Protection Board survey of Wales.

The results of the next phase of the survey of radon levels in Wales are expected in spring 1994.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received regarding ReChem International Ltd. in Pontypool; and if he will make a statement.

Over the last year, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales has received a petition and a number of letters from the residents of the Pontypool area about various issues relevant to ReChem International Ltd. The three main themes have been the company's plans to build a new (replacement) incinerator at its Pontypool site; the question of environmental pollution and the import of toxic waste. The first of these issues is currently the subject of an application to Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution. The second is being addressed in the major study the Welsh Office has commissioned from the university of East Anglia, and which is now drawing to a close. As regards the third, the Government is committed to the principle of self-sufficiency in waste disposal within the international community, which is incorporated in the European Community Waste Shipment Regulation, agreed at Council on 20 October 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of spending in maintained schools has been met by the Welsh Office in (a) each of the last five years and (b) 1978–79.

Local authority schools are funded through the annual local government revenue and capital settlements. Resources provided by the Welsh Office are not hypothecated to particular services. For 1993–94 Government plans will provide local authorities with 90 per cent. central Government support for revenue expenditure, including loan charges. Grant maintained schools are fully funded by the Welsh Office but are free to generate additional income.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many places for children with special educational needs are purchased in non-maintained and independent special schools by local education authorities (a) in total and (b) in each local education authority.

Information on the number of places purchased for children with special educational needs in non-maintained and independent special schools is not available centrally. Information relating to the number of pupils with statements of special educational needs, by local education authority and place of education, is given in table 12·01 of "Statistics of Education and Training in Wales: Schools No. 1 1993".

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the budget for the Health Promotion Authority for Wales in 1993–94.

Subject to parliamentary approval, in 1993–94 £3,619,000 will be made available to the Health Promotion Authority for Wales including £384,000 for new projects, £20,000 to fund the authority's capital expenditure and £126,000 for the authority's life education centres project. The allocation will be conditional upon satisfactory completion of annual performance review. It represents a further and substantial commitment of resources to the authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will issue guidance to contractors and public authorities on the application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 to the market testing of public services in Wales.

My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster—has today placed in the Library of the House guidance on the implications for market testing of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations.I hope that all those engaged in market testing, including contractors, will find the guidance helpful.

To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had with members of the United States Congress on his recent visit to Washington about Matrix Churchill.

None.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 11 March.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 11 March.

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

To ask the Prime Minister if it is now his policy that the Lord Mayor of the City of London corporation will no longer be recommended automatically for a knighthood.

[holding answer 10 March 1993]: Yes.

To ask the Prime Minister how many hon. Members have received knighthoods since 1979.

[holding answer 10 March 1993]: One hundred and seven Members of Parliament have received knighthoods since May 1979.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 1 March, Official Report, column 19, if he will give examples of areas where the prerogative powers residing in the Crown are not exercisable by Ministers.

[holding answer 9 March 1993]: There is a variety of situations in which the Queen may exercise the prerogative directly or on the basis of advice, including the advice of Ministers. These include the Dissolution of Parliament and certain appointments—for example, those of Ministers, the Archbishop of Canterbury, other ecclesiastical appointments, lords lieutenant and certain other office holders. In the matter of honours, the Queen would normally make appointments herself in the Order of the Garter, the Order of the Thistle, the Order of Merit and in the Royal Victorian Order, but for the rest would receive recommendations from her Ministers here and in the Commonwealth.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his Government's policy on the level of support and encouragement which should be given to British manufacturers.

[holding answer 9 March 1993]: The Government's commitment to industry is at the heart of our policies, where it will remain. I refer my hon. Friend to the detailed answers that he received from my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment on 26 January at column 659, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Industry on 27 January at columns, 735–36, and my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary on 29 January at column 894 for details of specific measures that the Government have recently taken.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the extent of the devaluation of the pound sterling against (a) the deutschmark, (b) the US dollar and (c) the basket of international currencies since the close of trading in London on Tuesday 15 September 1992 on the latest available figures.

Between the close of business in London on 15 September 1992 and opening 8 March 1993 the £ sterling has declined against the deutschmark by 13·9 per cent., against the dollar by 23·6 per cent. and against its exchange rate index by 13·5 per cent.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost of carrying out the valuation of properties in Wales for the council tax; and if he will make a statement.

The cost of the valuation banding of domestic properties in Wales was £2,899,149.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with representatives of charities and voluntary bodies on the possible imposition of VAT on their activities.

[pursuant to the answer, 4 March 1993, Official Report, c. 242]: While neither the Economic Secretary nor the Chancellor of the Exchequer has had recent discussions with representatives of charities and voluntary bodies about VAT, I met representatives of the Charities Tax Reform Group for a general discussion on 3 March 1993.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the organisations which are currently involved with Her Majesty's Government's working group into the Ruddy duck problem; what preliminary conclusions have been reached by the group; and if he will make a statement.

The working group referred to by the hon. Member is drawing up a strategy to control the Ruddy duck, an introduced species, which has spread from Britain to mainland Europe and is hybridising with and putting at risk the survival of the globally threatened White-headed duck.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what levels of high-level ozone were recorded at Lerwick during the week 22 to 28 February, and what was the degree of deviation from normal recorded levels.

Dobson spectrophotometer measurements of total ozone at Lerwick for the week 22 to 28 February were:

Date (1993)	Ozone Dobson units
22 February	230
23 February	256
24 February	1 no data
25 February	1 no data
26 February	351
27 February	362
28 February	312
1 Due to weather conditions.

The average February measurement over the period 1981 to 1992 is 365 DU. The monthly average for February 1993 was 286 DU, just outside the range of previous February monthly averages which is 290 to 466 DU.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many local authorities show a negative housing entitlement under the Government's housing subsidy scheme;

Housing revenue account (HRA) subsidy is distributed on the basis of each local housing authority's need to spend relative to other authorities. This involves making sensible assumptions about each authority's income and expenditure, with HRA subsidy making up any shortfall between those assumptions. If an authority's rental and other income is assumed to exceed its housing expenditure, it is required to make a contribution towards its rent rebate expenditure. If an authority's assumed income exceeds all of its housing expenditure and its rent rebate expenditure, it must transfer the surplus to its general fund.On the basis of provisional claim forms from authorities in respect of the current financial year, 273 authorities are assumed to have a negative housing entitlement, and therefore make contributions to their rent rebates expenditure; 22 of those authorities are not claiming HRA subsidy and anticipate making contributions to their general funds. On the basis of final claim forms received for 1991–92, 18 authorities received no HRA subsidy and made contributions to their general funds. Information for 1993–94 is not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average rent for a three-bedroomed council house in (a) an authority that does not receive housing subsidy and (b) in an area where housing subsidy is paid.

The Department does not collect information on rents for local authority dwellings of different sizes.The average weekly unrebated rent for all English authorities is £30·70. There are considerable variations in local authority rents in different areas due to the varying nature of the dwelling stock and its age. In the current financial year, 1992–93, the average weekly unrebated rent for all council dwellings in those authorities which make a contribution towards rent rebate expenditure is £30·37. The average rent in the authorities which receive full HRA subsidy is £31·03.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the self-build projects which will benefit from loans or grants from the Housing Corporation for the building of houses in England in the current financial year.

The details of individual schemes are a matter for the Housing Corporation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 19 January, Official Report, column 162, which Government Department holds information on how many completed self-build units are achieved in the United Kingdom each year; and if there are any comparable figures available to illustrate how the United Kingdom compares with other European countries.

The Department of the Environment collects a range of house-building data but this does not separately distinguish self-build activity. Information on completions of self-build housing is not collected by any other Government Department. Comparable official figures for other European countries are not known, nor is any unofficial source for such figures known.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many properties were purchased under the housing market package from the Ministry of Defence.

Sixty six properties have been purchased from the Ministry of Defence under the housing market package, and approvals have been granted for a further 12.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements he has made to consult business, voluntary groups, local authorities and others with interests and expertise in transport and the environment concerning the United Kingdom's report to the Sustainable Development Commission.

The Government are committed to widespread consultation in the preparation of the United Kingdom report to the Sustainable Development Commission. We have written to more than 150 organisations and individuals inviting views of submissions, and welcome the views of anyone who would like to contribute. We will be holding a seminar at Green college, Oxford, this month to discuss the key issues, and we will continue consultation through further meetings and correspondence throughout the year. Organisations with an interest in transport are being fully involved in all these consultations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what evidence his Department has of the extent of overcrowding in (a) owner-occupied properties and (b) low-cost home ownership schemes.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for housing and planning on 8 February 1993, Official Report, column 519, to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Dr. Jones).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 2 March, Official Report, column 219, if he will give the dates between which all the stated Ministers held their appointments.

The dates between which the stated Ministers held their appointments are:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what investigation he has made into the causes of the change in the numbers of households recorded as homeless at home after acceptance by local authorities in England as homeless under part III of the Housing Act 1985.

Local authorities report the number of households for whom they accept responsibility to secure permanent accommodation under the homelessness provisions of the Housing Act 1985 in their quarterly P1(E) return.In the second quarter of 1991 the return was revised to identify households who after acceptance remain temporarily in their existing accommodation until permanent accommodation can be found. Latest estimates of such "homeless at home" households at the end of each quarter are as follows:

	"Homeless at Home" households
Q2 1991	110,020
Q3 1991	19,970
Q4 1991	18,700
Q1 1992	18,460
Q2 1992	111,080
Q3 1992	10,670
1 Estimates for these quarters have been revised since first published.

The variations between quarters in these estimates are likely to represent both seasonal and other fluctuations in homeless acceptances and in the availability of permanent rehousing.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment hat been made of the drop-out rate for schemes to promote increased residential use in town centres where the living over the shop database information has not been utilised.

The flats over shops scheme is based on competitive bids submitted by local authorities. This Department does not monitor whether bids have been compiled using the local knowledge and experiences of authorities and their housing association partners or from information supplied by the living over the shop project or any other agency active in the field.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been allocated to promote the "living over the shop" project within his Department.

Taking into account moneys provisionally allocated for 1993–94, some £113,075 has been made available by this Department and the Housing Corporation in support of the "living over the shop" project. The project has also received resources from other funding agencies and from its own income generation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many properties have been made available as a result of the flats over shops initiative; and if he will make a statement about its future; (2) what representations he has received about the flats over shops initiative;

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the value of the applications for funds in each (a) local authority and (b) region under the flats over shops initiative for England in 1992–93.(2) how many properties have been made available as a result of the flats over shops initiative; and if he will make a statement about its future.(3) what representations he has received about the flats over shops initiative.

For 1992–93 we received applications worth over £41 million for the £5 million worth of supplementary credit approvals available under the flats over shops initiative. A list of all applications has been placed in the Library. The number of properties made available will not be clear until all end of year claims have been made. An announcement has already been made about the future of this scheme with 132 authorities receiving a share of the £10 million available in 1993–94. A further £10 million will be allocated for 1994–95. We are pleased with the progress made to date under this promotion scheme in an area which we believe has significant potential. We shall continue to review its development in the light of experiences to date and to this end have been in discussion with a wide range of interested parties.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was his Department's (a) publicity expenditure for each year from 1979 to 1992, (b) current outturn estimate for publicity expenditure for 1992–93 and (c) budgeted publicity expenditure for 1993–94.

The information in respect of publicity expenditure and associated staff costs for my Department including agencies is:

	£ million
1985–86	3·5
1986–87	4·2
1987–88	4·8
1988–89	6·9
1989–90	31·5
1990–91	7·5
1991–92	8·1
1992–93	118·3
1 Estimate.

Information relating to financial years 1979–80 to 1984–85 inclusive is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.The budgets for publicity expenditure for 1993–94 are not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, when he will take his capping decisions for 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend intends to take his capping decisions for 1993–94 once he has considered all the budget information which authorities are required to submit to him no later than 16 March 1993.However, on the basis of the information currently available to him it remains my right hon. and learned Friend's firm intention to adopt as the capping criteria for 1993–94 the provisional criteria which he announced on 26 November 1992. It is now open to any authority which has budgeted above the limit implied by those provisional criteria to set a new lower budget within that limit.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 to compulsory competitive tendering.

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has today issued and placed in the Library guidance on the implcations of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) ("TUPE") Regulations 1981 for the market testing of public services.The principal provision of the TUPE Regulations is that where a "relevant transfer of an undertaking" has taken place, the new employer takes over responsibility for the employment contracts of the employees, who would transfer on their previous terms and conditions of service.My right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General, in a statement to the Standing Committee on the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill on 21 January, set out the principles regarding the "transfer of an undertaking" as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) on what basis he calculates and allocates the numbers of new-build residential properties for which local authorities are asked to make provision within their local plans; and if he will make a statement;(2) what consultations he has with

[holding answer 10 March 1993]: Local plans have to be prepared by non-metropolitan districts and national parks in general conformity with structure plans. Their housing policies and proposals have to conform with the structure plan's housing allocation for each district. Structure plans are prepared by the county councils, having regard to the indicative housing allocations for each county contained in the Secretary of State's regional guidance where this has been published. All current county structure plans were approved by the Secretary of State, although revised arrangements will apply under the 1991 Act in respect of future reviews.In drawing up regional guidance, the Secretary of State takes into account advice provided by local authority regional groupings. Both this advice and the subsequent draft guidance are subject to full public consultation.The statutory procedures for drawing up and adopting development plans require full public consultation. They also provide an opportunity for objections to be made and for the issues and to be debated at an examination-in-public (EIP) before policies are adopted.In Cheshire the structure plans allocation for each district between 1986 and 2001, to be taken into account in local plan preparation, is:

District	Number
Warrington	about 12,000
Halton	about 7,400
Ellesmere Port and Neston	about 3,600
Vale Royal	about 8,000
Macclesfield	about 7,600
Chester	about 6,100
Crewe and Nantwich	about 8,000
Congleton	about 6,000

This total includes both new units and conversions of existing buildings.Because the structure plans have been prepared to cover different time scales, we cannot provide comparable data for other areas.I will provide similar information for other counties if my hon. Friend would care to write to me.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much was spent on official entertainment in his Department in 1991–92 and 1992–93 to date.

[holding answer 10 March 1993]: Total expenditure by my Department (including the Building Research Establishment Agency, the Planning Inspectorate Agency, the Buying Agency and the Queen Elizabeth II Agency) was £0·096 million in 1991–92 and is estimated to be £0·122 million in 1992–93.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many members of the public were visiting Sellafield during the period of the recent radioactive leak; and whether they were examined to determine their contact with any radioactive material or informed of possible risks to their health or welfare.

[holding answer 2 March 1993]: I have been asked to reply.The actual number of visitors at Sellafield is a matter for British Nuclear Fuels plc as operators of the site. The higher than normal discharges of radioactivity during the week ending on 13 February resulted in doses through inhalation to the most exposed persons of about 1 microsievert. The dose to a member of the public visiting Sellafield at the time would have been less than this and less than the dose received from background radiation during a visit to Cornwall for a comparable period. The very low levels of radioactivity involved meant that no special arrangements were appropriate for visitors. Radiation alarms are in place at Sellafield and appropriate action would have been taken if necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what education alternatives are available to pupils who have been permanently excluded from schools.

Once a pupil has been permanently excluded from a school, it is open to the parents to seek a place for their child at another school within a reasonable distance from their home. In most instances a school would not be able to refuse to admit the child unless by so doing it would exceed its standard number. LEAs also have the power under section 56 of the Education Act 1944 to provide education otherwise than at school where necessary to meet a pupil's needs. It is also open to the LEA to consider whether the child has special educational needs which call for the authority to determine the special educational provision that should be made for him.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of single-teacher classes in (a) Birmingham and (b) England comprised more than 30 children in each year since 1979.

The information requested is shown in the table.