To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the weather minima for low-flying training below 250 ft in the United Kingdom.

The weather minima for all military low flying training in the United Kingdom low flying system are as follows:

(a) All aircraft flying in the system faster than 140 kts must maintain 5 km visibility, 1500 m horizontal and 500 ft vertical separation from cloud.

(b) Aircraft, other than helicopters, flying at 140 kts or slower must maintain either 5 km visibility, 1500 m horizontal and 500 ft vertical separation from cloud or 2 km visibility, clear of cloud and in sight of the surface.

(c) Helicopters flying at 140 kts or slower must maintain either 5 km visibility, 1500 m horizontal and 500 ft vertical separation from cloud or keep clear of cloud and keep in sight of the surface.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many movements into low-flying areas at less than 250 ft above ground level were authorised in each year since 1987.

The number of movements authorised for flying below 250 ft in the three United Kingdom tactical areas each year since 1987 are as follows:

Year	Number
1987	1,386
1988	2,115
1989	2,694
1990	6,027
1991	1,814
1992	3,220

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the military low level training sorties flown over the United Kingdom in each year since 1987 included authorisation to fly at (a) 200 ft above ground and (b) 100 ft above ground level.

Figures for low-flying sorties that have been flown below 250 ft are not available. The proportion of low-flying training movements authorised for flying below 250 ft, for each year since 1987, is given in the table. Such flights may be authorised down to a minimum level of 100 ft but records do not distinguish between levels within the 250 ft to 100 ft band.

Year	Per cent.
1987	0.43
1988	0.69
1989	0.88
1990	1.92

Year	Per cent.
1991	0.72
1992	1.15

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Air Force fast jet pilots are currently qualified to fly at 100 ft above ground level.

The information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated final value of the A1-Yamamah arms contract with Saudi Arabia.

Al-Yamamah is a continuing programme, with no specified end point, so it is not possible to estimate its final value. Purchases by the Saudi Arabian Government under the agreement are, of course, a matter for them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which AWE sites are covered in his evidence to the Select Committee on Defence, in the answer on page 66 of HC 237 of Session 1989–90.

The AWE sites are covered in evidence given to the Defence Select Committee in report HC 237 1989–90 were AWE Aldermaston, AWE Burghfield, AWE Cardiff and AWE Foulness.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many United Kingdom nuclear tests are scheduled to take place before September 1996.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins) on 12 November 1992, Official Report, column 881.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will seek a meeting with the Spanish ambassador regarding the position of British children abducted to Spain.

Spain is a signatory to both the Hague and European conventions on child abduction. Since central authorities remain in close contact with each other, there are no plans for such a meeting at this time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects to lay before the House revised student loans regulations, and if he will give details of the new loan rates for 1993–94.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education together with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland have laid the Education (Student Loans) Regulations 1993 before Parliament today.The loans regulations provide for the new higher rates of loan. For the academic year beginning in September 1993 the maximum rates of loan in the United Kingdom will be as follows:

Loan rates 1993–94	Full year rate (£)	Final year rate (£)
Students living away from parents home:
In London	940	685
Elsewhere	800	585
Students living at parents home	640	470

Apart from technical amendments, the one change to the loans scheme included in the regulations this year provides for students following two-year degree courses, and one accelerated three-year course, to claim the full-year rate of loan if their final year lasts for 40 weeks or more.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a further statement on the measures which he has introduced and is intending to introduce to increase developer contributions to road improvements.

My right hon. Friend published a consultation document last August following an efficiency scrutiny report on developers' contributions to highway works. This set out proposals to facilitate developments that otherwise may be postponed or prevented because of inadequate road capacity. The responses to the consultation document are still being examined. A further statement will be made once that examination has been concluded.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 28 April, Official Report, column 401, if he will name the firm of consulting engineers appointed as the Government's agent.

G. Maunsell and Partners.

Quarterly Attenders—April 1986 to March 1993
	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91	1991–92	1992–93
April	290,351	281,871	257,328	206,921	135,321	87,060	59,113
May	286,833	270,723	249,148	191,929	123,922	80,125	54,406
June	290,295	270,862	250,646	188,289	120,040	78,713	53,670
July	292,012	269,103	248,932	183,614	115,573	75,696	52,748
August	290,824	264,811	245,031	177,210	110,581	72,766	50,330
September	295,138	266,475	245,460	170,150	107,917	70,736	49,732
October	295,275	266,066	241,580	159,927	104,956	69,464	48,672

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the overall average period of service in one episode of employment;(2) how many

The information available for both questions, from the labour force survey, is given in the tables:

Persons in employment by sex and industry. Autumn 1992 Great Britain (not seasonally adjusted) Numbers of persons in employment (thousands)
	All industries	Manufacturing industry	Retail trade
Men	13,779	3,754	1,114
Women	11,188	1,462	1,699
All persons	24,967	5,217	2,813

As a proportion of all in employment (per cent.)
Men	55.2	15.0	4.5
Women	44.8	5.6	6.8
All persons	100.0	20.6	11.3

Average length of time in current employment (years)
Men	9	9	7
Women	6	7	5
All persons	8	9	6

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployed people were quarterly attenders in each month since January 1981; and if she will make a statement.

Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to her answer of 21 April, Official Report, column 130, on the careers guidance diploma, how many students are studying part-time; and what are the figures for Scotland.

Further to my reply to the hon. Member of 21 April 1993, column 130, I have obtained from the local government management board the following information:

Number of students in United Kingdom currently studying part-time for Part 1 of the Diploma in Careers guidance, 90.

Of these, the number studying in Scotland, 5.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what consultations she undertook prior to turning the post of chair of the Health and Safety Executive from a full-time position to a part-time one; and what impact she estimates this will have on the work of the Health and Safety Executive.

The decision to make the next chair of the Health and Safety Commission a part-time appointment reflects the loading of the post in current circumstances. Those circumstances include the strengthening of the senior management structure of the Health and Safety Executive last year, when a second full-time deputy director general was appointed to work with the existing full-time director general and deputy. The work of the Health and Safety Commission and Executive remains unchanged.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current number of job vacancies in the Greater Manchester area.

In March 1993, the latest date for which figures are available, the number of unfilled vacancies in jobcentres covering the Greater Manchester area was 4,840. This figure has not been seasonally adjusted.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make a statement on the importance and on the future role of the Health and Safety Executive.

The future role of the Health and Safety Executive will be to continue its good work in promoting health and safety in the workplace while ensuring businesses are not burdened with unnecessary bureaucracy.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 2 April, Official Report, column 480, to what extent he is currently underfunding the deficit.

The Government are pursuing their full fund policy, as set out in the "Financial and Budget Report 1993–94".

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which other European Community Governments make use of advances from their central banks similar to the ways and means advances to Her Majesty's Government from the Bank of England.

The public sector in most other European Community countries makes use of advances from its central bank. Details are given in the 1992 annual report of the committee of governors of the central banks of the member states of the European Economic Community. A copy of this document is available in the Library.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 2 April, Official Report, columns 480–81 on ways and means advances, if he will give the actual advances from the Bank of England outstanding at the last working day of the last six financial years and the interest rate payable at that time on such advances.

The information is as follows:

Financial year	Level of Ways and Means1 advances outstanding from the Bank of England	Interest1
	£ million	percentage
1987–88	4,638	8.375
1988–89	6,256	12.875
1989–90	5,963	14.875
1990–91	6,918	12.875
1991–92	7,187	10.375
21992–93	3,062	5.875
1 Level of Ways and Means, rounded to the nearest million, and interest payable as at the last working day of each financial year.
2 (Provisional).

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 2 April, Official Report, column 481, on ways and means advances, why interest is paid on such advances; and what proposals he has to arrange for the Bank of England not to charge such interest.

Interest is payable to the Bank of England on ways and means advances, and payable by the Bank of England on deposits when the national loans fund is in surplus. It is appropriate for national loans fund borrowing from, and lending to, the Bank of England to be at interest.There are no proposals to change the arrangements for charging interest.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will table a new statutory instrument to replace the Industrial and Provident Societies (Increase in Shareholding Limit) Order 1981 (SI, 1981, No. 395) in order to increase the current £10,000 limit on shareholdings in industrial and provident societies; and if he will make a statement.

I have no immediate plans to do so, although the Treasury keeps the limit on shareholdings in industrial and provident societies under review at all times.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy that, where the owner of conditionally exempt property is required to sell part of it under the provisions of the Housing and Urban Development Bill, there should be no review of the designation of the whole of the property.

Where there is a disposal of part of a property which is conditionally exempt from inheritance tax, the conditional exemption designation of the whole property is reviewed. If the disposal has not materially affected the heritage entity, the designation for the remainder remains in force and the inheritance tax charge is limited to the part disposal.Following consideration of representations received, the Government propose that, where a part disposal results solely from leasehold enfranchisement under the Housing and Urban Development Bill, or the Leasehold Reform Act 1967, and there is no breach of undertakings in respect of the retained property, there should be no review of designation of the retained property. In these circumstances, the inheritance tax charge will be limited to the part disposal.A new clause to the Finance (No. 2) Bill 1993 will be tabled shortly on this proposal.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the projects funded by the Overseas Development Association for Indonesia; to what extent Indonesia's human rights record has affected the level of aid that it receives; and what representations have been made to Indonesia on human rights matters.

There are two main elements of ODA's aid programme for Indonesia—projects supported under the aid and trade provision, essentially through the concessional loan arrangements signed since 1986, and technical co-operation projects funded on a grant basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (l) what information he has received from the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the United Nations Fund for Population Activities on the activities of the Chinese Family Planning Association and the Chinese State Family Planning Commission; and if he will make a statement;(2) what discussions he has held with the IPPF and UNFPA concerning coercive population control in China; and if he will make a statement;(3) further to his answer of 26 April,

[holding answer 4 May 1993]: The Overseas Development Administration receives various information from, and is in regular consultation with, IPPF and UNFPA about China's population programme and the technical and financial assistance they provide to China's Family Planning Association and State Family Planning Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account he takes in making grants to the population control work of IPPF and UNFPA of Chinese state laws prescribing mandatory abortifacient contraception, sterilisation and abortion.

[holding answer 4 May 1993]: ODA provides grants to IPPF and UNFPA in support of their worldwide activities. ODA, IPPF and UNFPA all believe that women and men should be able to choose whether to have, or not to have, children without any form of coercion.The British Government attach importance to China adopting powerful directives from the centre to eliminate coercive practices and human rights violations in its population programme. IPPF and UNFPA endorse this view and are in regular dialogue with the Chinese Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will announce Her Majesty's Government's policy on the recognition of Eritrea following its referendum result.

We warmly welcome the outcome of the referendum on Eritrea's status. United Nations observers have confirmed their satisfaction with the process. This opens the way for recognition of Eritrea.The Eritreans have announced that their independence will be formally declared on 24 May. Accordingly, we plan to announce our decision on diplomatic recognition on that occasion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations were made to Malawi about human rights in Malawi during the recent United Kingdom presidency of the EC.

During our presidency, the EC made two demarches to the Malawian Government about human rights. On 4 August a demarche expressed concern at the re-arrest of Chakufwa Chihana following his earlier release on bail. On 20 October, a further demarche detailed EC member states' continued concerns over human rights and in particular called for greater police accountability and freedom of expression, both of which the EC consider to be prerequisites for the lifting of the restrictions on non-humanitarian aid to the country, imposed by donors in May 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce the Government's proposals on Sunday trading in the next session of Parliament; and if he will present a Bill before Christmas 1993.

We shall make available a draft Bill together with a text explaining the effects of its provisions before the summer recess. The Bill will be ready for introduction early next Session, when parliamentary time allows. Details of Bills for introduction in the next Session will be given in the Queen's Speech.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) thefts of a motor vehicle and (b) thefts from a motor vehicle were committed in the Greater Manchester area in each year since 1987.

The information requested is published annually in table 3.1 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, Supplementary Volume 3", copies of which are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 22 October 1992, Official Report, column 372, if he is now able to provide information on the proportion of primates used in British research which are (a) wild caught, (b) captive bred outside the United Kingdom and (c) captive bred in the United Kingdom.

The Home Office scientific procedures inspectorate has, since the answer of 22 October 1992, completed a survey of the holding of larger primates in 1992. This indicated that the proportion of captive-bred larger primates held, though not necessarily used, is now 80 per cent.The breakdown by species in 1992 was as follows:

Species	Number held	Number captive bred	Percentage captive bred
Cynomolgus	2,689	2,143	79.7
Rhesus	919	878	95.5
Baboon	175	0	0
Stump/Pigtail	81	79	97.5
Others	6	6	100

It is not possible, from the information available, to distinguish between those animals which were captive-bred in the United Kingdom and those which were captive-bred elsewhere.No precise information is available in respect of smaller primates, although it is believed that the great majority of those used will have been captive-bred in this country.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes involving the use of replica firearms have been committed in each police authority area in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years.

Figures for offences involving imitation firearms in England and Wales are set out in the table. These figures include replica firearms and all other types of imitation firearms, including toys.Figures for Scotland are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and figures for Northern Ireland are a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Notifiable offences recorded by the police in which imitation firearms were reported to have been used in England and Wales
Police force	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991
Avon and Somerset	—	4	1	9	7
Bedfordshire	2	3	7	3	5
Cambridgeshire	2	1	4	10	5
Cheshire	—	2	3	8	13
Cleveland	1	—	1	—	1
Cumbria	—	2	2	6	5
Derbyshire	3	4	2	4	5
Devon and Cornwall	7	4	9	4	8
Dorset	1	1	5	2	2
Durham	1	3	—	1	6
Essex	5	16	7	12	11
Gloucestershire	—	—	—	—	3
Greater Manchester	13	20	21	22	22
Hampshire	12	7	17	19	21
Hertfordshire	3	2	5	2	7

Police force	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991
Humberside	6	6	9	—	14
Kent	10	12	11	8	7
Lancashire	4	—	—	7	9
Leicestershire	9	4	10	11	11
Lincolnshire	1	—	—	—	—
London, City of	6	1	5	1	1
Merseyside	13	17	12	23	10
Metropolitan	95	87	107	108	112
Norfolk	2	2	2	1	1
Northamptonshire	3	2	1	1	4
Northumbria	5	4	9	17	21
North Yorkshire	1	—	2	2	3
Nottinghamshire	7	5	5	8	10
South Yorkshire	4	6	11	10	17
Staffordshire	1	2	2	3	2
Suffolk	3	5	2	2	7
Surrey	2	3	4	4	2
Sussex	9	8	12	18	17
Thames Valley	6	13	14	28	28
Warwickshire	—	4	2	1	3
West Mercia	4	3	4	2	2
West Midlands	19	23	27	25	41
West Yorkshire	13	13	15	13	15
Wiltshire	—	—	2	3	—
Dyfed Powys	1	1	1	1	2
Gwent	2	—	3	11	1
North Wales	—	2	6	3	11
South Wales	1	3	3	7	9
England and Wales	277	295	365	420	481

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent on war crimes investigations since enactment of the War Crimes Act 1991; and with what results.

Expenditure so far incurred under the War Crimes Act 1991 is estimated at £3.21 million. Investigations have been undertaken into over 350 allegations and inquiries are still continuing in 75 cases. As yet, no prosecutions have been started under the Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out for each police authority in England for the most recent three years for which figures are available (a) the number of recorded crimes, (b) the ratio of recorded crimes to population, (c) the number of cleared up crimes and (d) the ratio of crimes cleared up to crimes committed; and if he will give the corresponding figures for 1978–79.

The information requested is supplied in the following tables. The number of crimes committed is not available, so the number of crimes recorded is used in the clear-up ratio.

1978
Police force areas	Offences recorded1 1978	Offences per 100 000 population	Offences cleared up21978	Percentage cleared up
Avon and Somerset	53,071	3,981	22,339	42
Bedfordshire	24,506	4,954	11,221	46
Cambridgeshire	28,317	4,966	15,571	55
Cheshire	26,436	2,874	15,547	59
Cleveland	33,222	5,847	18,143	55
Cumbria	18,498	3,916	9,999	54
Derbyshire	35,759	3,990	16,042	45
Devon and Cornwall	41,941	3,073	19,149	46

Police force areas	Offences recorded1 1978	Offences per l00.000 population	Offences cleared up2 1978	Percentage cleared up
Dorset	24,608	4,196	11,614	47
Durham	25,863	4,283	13,212	51
Essex	50,262	3,679	21,871	44
Gloucestershire	16,120	3,255	8,225	51
Greater Manchester	151,192	5,676	69,183	46
Hampshire	62,750	4,003	28,681	46
Hertfordshire	35,649	4,434	18,156	51
Humberside	42,773	5,062	19,416	45
Kent	52,602	3,630	21,136	40
Lancashire	48,984	3,577	26,933	55
Leicestershire	29,254	3,511	16,591	57
Lincolnshire	16,436	3,101	9,434	57
City of London	5,886	3—	1,379	23
Merseyside	106,083	6,864	45,301	43
Metropolitan Police District	533,025	7,203	114,214	21
Norfolk	22,245	3,272	10,950	49
Northamptonshire	21,959	4,252	11,020	50
Northumbria	92,352	6,350	47,382	51
North Yorkshire	21,605	3,267	11,294	52
Nottinghamshire	68,903	7,076	34,066	49
South Yorkshire	53,040	4,067	28,235	53
Staffordshire	33,927	3,403	18,556	55
Suffolk	17,640	2,976	9,730	55
Surrey	24,732	3,409	12,154	49
Sussex	43,988	3,420	24,729	56
Thames Valley	71,681	4,124	30,531	43
Warwickshire	13,440	2,863	6,210	46
West.Mercia	31,816	3,260	15,384	48
West Midlands	151,685	5,594	52,039	34
West Yorkshire	122,874	5,942	60,250	49
Wiltshire	20,125	3,899	8,814	44
Dyfed-Powys	10,794	2,504	6,924	64
Gwent	18,810	4,295	11,139	59
North Wales	23,520	3,865	13,564	58
South Wales	67,384	5,222	31,325	46
Total	2,395,757	4,878	997,653	42
1 Excluding criminal damage £20 and under.
2 Excluding criminal damage £20 and under.
3 Included in the Metropolitan Police District.

1979
Police force areas	Offences recorded1 1979	Offences per 100 000 population	Offences cleared up2 1979	Percentage cleared up
Avon and Somerset	48,443	3,616	21,010	43
Bedfordshire	26,403	5,293	12,752	48
Cambridgeshire	23,461	4,050	10,967	47
Cheshire	28,285	3,053	16,524	58
Cleveland	32,802	5,769	16,671	51
Cumbria	18,130	3,858	10,132	56
Derbyshire	35,160	3,914	17,688	50
Devon and Cornwall	41,231	3,006	19,001	46
Dorset	22,278	3,769	10,359	46
Durham	25,033	4,150	12,942	52
Essex	51,077	3,708	21,488	42
Gloucestershire	15,385	3,095	7,910	51
Greater Manchester	160,268	6,052	72,843	45
Hampshire	62,062	3,941	28,255	46
Hertfordshire	35,815	4,430	19,296	54
Humberside	44,502	5,238	19,926	45
Kent	50,959	3,500	25,469	50
Lancashire	51,735	3,777	28,791	56
Leicestershire	28,984	3,466	15,541	54
Lincolnshire	16,229	3,040	9,703	60
City of London	6,663	3	1,375	3
Merseyside	104,369	6,814	44,351	42
Metropolitan Police District	524,138	7,123	108,907	21
Norfolk	21,161	3,083	9,983	47
Northamptonshire	21,568	4,122	10,262	48
Northumbria	93,832	6,490	49,359	53
North Yorkshire	20,260	3,055	10,342	51
Nottinghamshire	69,879	7,174	35,340	51
South Yorkshire	52,767	4,055	27,055	51
Staffordshire	35,718	3,572	18,232	51
Suffolk	18,804	3,147	10,625	57
Surrey	25,407	3,505	11,856	47

Police force areas	Offences recorded1 1979	Offences per 100.000 population	Offences cleared up2 1979	Percentage cleared up
Sussex	45,962	3,540	24,562	53
Thames Valley	71,778	4,079	32,194	45
Warwickshire	13,156	2,806	6,080	46
West Mercia	31,125	3,152	15,264	49
West Midlands	147,080	5,455	54,702	37
West Yorkshire	118,418	5,737	43,702	37
Wiltshire	18,871	3,654	7,882	42
Dyfed-Powys	10,525	2,432	6,575	62
Gwent	18,814	4,316	11,204	60
North Wales	22,395	3,663	13,269	59
South Wales	65,734	5,077	30,294	46
Total	2,376,666	4,833	980,683	41
1Excluding criminal damage £20 and under.
2 Excluding criminal damage £20 and under.
3 Included in the Metropolitan Police District.

1990
Police force areas	Offences recorded11990	Offences per 100.000 population	Offences cleared up2 1990	Percentage cleared up
Avon and Somerset	124,177	8,784	35,395	29
Bedfordshire	52,862	9,952	11,712	22
Cambridgeshire	44,035	6,722	16,546	38
Cheshire	51,627	5,386	25,667	50
Cleveland	70,622	12,774	17,351	25
Cumbria	31,922	6,493	13,855	43
Derbyshire	56,557	6,085	18,228	32
Devon and Cornwall	90,403	6,051	28,644	32
Dorset	47,282	7,199	16,637	35
Durham	49,957	8,369	16,818	34
Essex	93,544	6,389	26,868	29
Gloucestershire	41,772	7,889	13,819	33
Greater Manchester	312,332	12,095	100,074	32
Hampshire	116,773	6,966	37,253	32
Hertfordshire	45,166	5,373	13,324	30
Humberside	101,279	11,828	37,699	37
Kent	99,179	6,509	24,370	25
Lancashire	92,985	6,686	40,969	44
Leicestershire	71,981	8,070	25,820	36
Lincolnshire	38,034	6,481	16,449	43
City of London	7,072	3165,737	1,480	21
Merseyside	129,876	8,969	57,542	44
Metropolitan Police District	810,443	11,220	137,075	17
Norfolk	53,982	7,212	20,145	37
Northamptonshire	47,392	8,227	16,711	35
Northumbria	190,248	13,288	76,654	40
North Yorkshire	44,465	6,156	17,726	40
Nottinghamshire	128,548	12,667	44,711	35
South Yorkshire	102,161	7,888	45,450	44
Staffordshire	70,718	6,806	27,892	39
Suffolk	36,451	5,686	14,842	41
Surrey	41,681	5,604	11,050	27
Sussex	93,418	6,594	24,534	26
Thames Valley	145,977	7,446	38,175	26
Warwickshire	32,419	6,711	9,504	29
West Mercia	59,332	5,501	27,128	46
West Midlands	257,814	9,858	92,723	36
West Yorkshire	227,631	11,015	77,073	34
Wiltshire	32,449	5,811	14,196	44
Dyfed-Powys	19,568	4,169	9,835	50
Gwent	30,169	6,752	15,481	51
North Wales	36,153	5,546	14,629	40
South Wales	133,176	10,205	47,459	36
Total	4,363,632	8,630	1,379,423	32
1Excluding criminal damage £20 and under.
2 Excluding criminal damage £20 and under.
3 The City of London rate per 100,000 population figure is affected by the low resident population.

1991
Police force areas	Offences recorded1 1991	Offences per 100.000 population	Offences cleared up2 1991	Percentage cleared up
Avon and Somerset	151,071	10,662	35,575	24
Bedfordshire	56,597	10,569	10,948	19
Cambridgeshire	57,396	8,637	20,588	36
Cheshire	61,901	6,455	25,172	41
Cleveland	74,424	13,480	24,817	33
Cumbria	42,627	8,662	17,195	40
Derbyshire	71,853	7,701	20,065	28
Devon and Cornwall	106,926	7,138	31,019	29
Dorset	51,081	7,759	21,091	41
Durham	60,717	10,130	18,328	30
Essex	106,109	7,240	33,518	32
Gloucestershire	55,317	10,410	19,575	35
Greater Manchester	353,177	13,633	126,464	36
Hampshire	140,182	8,360	39,741	28
Hertfordshire	54,629	6,482	18,239	33
Humberside	116,115	13,515	36,648	32
Kent	134,197	8,797	30,608	23
Lancashire	106,045	7,600	42,563	40
Leicestershire	88,890	9,902	25,574	29
Lincolnshire	43,678	7,387	20,152	46
City of London	7,551	3191,213	1,526	20
Merseyside	143,247	9,922	63,804	45
Metropolitan Police District	883,934	12,175	149,016	17
Norfolk	63,575	8,469	23,281	37
Northamptonshire	57,756	9,956	17,782	31
Northumbria	208,888	14,589	73,796	35
North Yorkshire	49,869	6,865	18,015	36
Nottinghamshire	145,903	14,353	38,695	27
South Yorkshire	118,972	9,178	42,582	36
Staffordshire	84,296	8,100	31,534	37
Suffolk	39,175	6,085	14,626	37
Surrey	49,252	6,592	11,249	23
Sussex	110,931	7,828	25,077	23
Thames Valley	185,262	9,340	40,285	22
Warwickshire	40,091	8,307	9,641	24
West Mercia	71,420	6,605	25,232	35
West Midlands	294,704	11,271	90,344	31
West Yorkshire	288,745	13,948	79,663	28
Wiltshire	38,276	6,812	15,460	40
Dyfed-Powys	24,411	5,178	12,261	50
Gwent	37,222	8,317	17,487	47
North Wales	42,672	6,536	15,523	36
South Wales	156,259	11,932	44,731	29
Total	5,075,343	10,007	1,479,490	29
1Excluding criminal damage £20 and under.
2 Excluding criminal damage £20 and under.
3 The City of London rate per 100,000 population figure is affected by the low resident population.

1992
Police force areas	Offences recorded1 1992	Offences per 100,000 population	Offences cleared up2 1992	Percentage cleared up
Avon and Somerset	173,068	12,214	28,806	17
Bedfordshire	59,008	11,019	11,677	20
Cambridgeshire	65,406	9,843	17,498	27
Cheshire	76,183	7,944	21,899	29
Cleveland	80,111	14,510	25,245	32
Cumbria	43,007	8,739	15,749	37
Derbyshire	83,439	8,943	18,612	22
Devon and Cornwall	113,413	7,571	20,085	18
Dorset	51,767	7,864	16,512	32
Durham	62,107	10,362	18,761	30
Essex	112,883	7,703	32,409	29
Gloucestershire	60,102	11,310	14,275	24
Greater Manchester	366,538	14,149	129,338	35
Hampshire	149,806	8,934	39,154	26
Hertfordshire	58,289	6,916	14,904	26
Humberside	126,110	14,678	28,960	23
Kent	155,176	10,172	41,962	27
Lancashire	115,741	8,295	42,459	37
Leicestershire	96,419	10,741	28,631	30
Lincolnshire	47,956	8,110	18,514	39
City of London	6,755	3171,056	1,343	20
Merseyside	144,087	9,980	60,825	42

Police force areas	Offences recorded1 1992	Offences per 100,000 population	Offences cleared up2 1992	Percentage cleared up
Metropolitan Police District	890,847	12,270	142,746	16
Norfolk	66,638	8,877	22,519	34
Northamptonshire	58,871	10,148	17,797	30
Northumbria	203,836	14,236	34,797	17
North Yorkshire	52,869	7,278	17,247	33
Nottinghamshire	159,807	15,720	41,312	26
South Yorkshire	132,699	10,237	34,981	26
Staffordshire	96,988	9,319	29,445	30
Suffolk	43,846	6,811	17,086	39
Surrey	52,866	7,076	11,596	22
Sussex	117,778	8,311	26,935	23
Thames Valley	196,074	9,885	38,199	19
Warwickshire	44,630	9,247	10,451	23
West Mercia	77,489	7,166	26,345	34
West Midlands	321,407	12,293	85,305	27
West Yorkshire	300,738	14,528	75,243	25
Wiltshire	41,104	7,315	15,231	37
Dyfed-Powys	26,554	5,632	13,986	53
Gwent	39,994	8,937	17,677	44
North Wales	47,811	7,323	15,949	33
South Wales	163,270	12,467	48,399	30
Total	5,383,487	10,614	1,390,864	26
1 Excluding criminal damage 20 and under.
2 Excluding criminal damage 20 and under.
3 The City of London rate per 100,000 population figure is affected by the low resident population.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many proceedings have been taken against racist organisations or their members in each of the last six years.

Information recorded centrally only identifies the defendant by gender and "other"-public bodies, organisations, etcetera. The table shows the number of prosecutions under section 5A of the Public Order Act 1936 and part III of the Public Order Act 1986.

Number of defendants prosecuted at magistrates' court under section 5 A of the Public Order Act 1936 and part III of the Public Order Act 19861 1986–91 England and Wales
	Prosecutions
Year	Persons	Other
1986	4	—
1987	11	—
1988	22	—
1989	28	—
1990	45	—
1991	65	—
1 Came into force on 1 January 1987.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each passport issuing office the current waiting times for processing applications for passports.

I have asked the chief executive of the Passport Agency to reply and he will do so shortly. A copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many black youths and how many white youths died after a knife or other attack during the last five years in (a) south-east London, (b) the Metropolitan police district and (c) England, identifying where known if the killer or suspected assailant was (i) white and (ii) black.

This information is not available from the statistics collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions were brought by the police relating to animal welfare in 1991; and how many were successful.

[holding answer 4 May 1993]: The information is given in the table:

Number of prosecution brought by the police for offences relating to animal welfare by result, 1991
England and Wales
Offence	Police prosecutions	Convictions
Cruelty to animals	437	326
Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, Sec. 22(3) 23 and 25(3)	1	1
Protection of Animals Act, 1911 (as amended)	337	254
Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 Sec. 8	—	—
Performing Animals (Regulation) Act 1925	—	—
Protection of Animals (Cruelty to dogs) Act, 1933	10	7
Protection of Animals Act, 1934	1	1
Pet Animals Act, 1951	2	—
Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act, 1954	10	5
Animal Health Act, 1981, Sees. 40–42, 46, 49 and Orders under Sees. 8, 9, 37, 38, 39 and 43	24	19
Slaughterhouses Act 1974	—	—
Abandonment of Animals Act, 1960, Sec. 1	19	16
Animal Boarding Establishments Act, 1963	4	3
Riding Establishments Acts, 1964 and 1970	—	—

Offence	Police prosecutions	Convictions
Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1968, Sees. 1, 2 and 6	1	1
Badgers Act, 1973	19	12
Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981, Sec. 9	2	—
Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981, Sec. 11	4	4
Other	3	3
Diseases of Animals Act	47	31
Wild Birds Protection Acts	76	63

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) national health service hospital beds and (b) national health service private beds there were in each board area in each year since 1979.

[holding answer 30 April 1993]: Information detailing the number of available beds in each health and social services board since 1979 is shown in the table. Information on the number of health service private beds is not collected centrally.

	Eastern	Northern	Southern	Western
1979	8,728	2,454	2,662	3,280
1980	8,769	2,473	2,607	3,212
1981	8,801	2,485	2,597	3,140
1982	8,759	2,471	2,599	3,132
1983	8,751	2,519	2,606	3,100
1984	8,583	2,477	2,606	3,049
1985	8,441	2,508	2,608	3,038
1986	7,996	2,457	2,556	2,953
1987	7,728	2,373	2,432	2,877
1988–89	7,326	2,279	2,366	2,715
1989–90	7,058	2,149	2,294	2,653
1990–91	6,669	2,086	2,188	2,545
1991–92	6,207	1,984	2,095	2,314

Over the same period, the number of patients treated has increased from: 241,264 in 1979 to 278,960 in 1991–92.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what key targets have been set for his executive agencies for the current year.

I am responsible for six executive agencies; Chessington Computer Centre, Central Office of Information, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, Civil Service College, Civil Service Occupational Health Service and Recruitment and Assessment Services. I announced Chessington's targets for the current year when it was launched on 1 April 1993. For the others, I have set the following key targets for each agency for the current year.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what percentage of British domestic tourists in each year used (a) hotels/guest houses/bed and breakfast, (b) self-catering, (c) holiday camp and (d) other accommodation.

The available information is contained in the following table:

Domestic tourists in the United Kingdom: Percentage figures for type of accommodation used are shown below:
Type of accommodation used	19892	19902	19912
	per cent	per cent	per cent
Hotels/motel/guest houses/ farmhouse/other private house/bed and breakfast1	27	27	24
Self-catering accommodation3	18	19	21
Holiday camp/village1	3	3	3
Other accommodation4	58	55	56

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his deregulatory review of existing controls on toxic and hazardous waste; and which bodies he is consulting as part of the review.

The Government are considering regulations which will implement directive 91/689/EEC on hazardous waste and which will replace the Control of Pollution (Special Waste) Regulations 1980. This will take account of deregulation, any views of the industry task forces and the need to avoid unnecessary controls.The directive requires agreement on a list of hazardous waste. Successive drafts of the list prepared by the European Commission have been circulated for comment to a wide range of representative bodies. Consultation on revisions to the regulations is planned for later in the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to issue discussion documents on the lines of his Department's publication "Climate Change: our National Programme for Carbon Dioxide Emissions" in relation to other greenhouse gases.

My right hon. and learned Friend has no such plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the increase in carbon emissions for every 1 per cent. decrease in the real cost of (a) gas and (b) electricity.

Decreases in the real cost of energy will tend to increase demand and hence lead to increased carbon emissions. It is difficult to give a rule of thumb estimate of the effect, since the price elasticity of demand varies significantly between sectors and depends both on the absolute level of prices and the magnitude of any change. Changes in the price of any one fuel may also affect demand for others. And the impact on carbon emissions of a change in demand for electricity will depend on how the change in demand affects the balance of fuels used in generation.As an illustration of the possible impact of energy price changes, the 17.5 per cent. increase in the price of energy to domestic sector users implied by the introduction of VAT is estimated to lead to a decrease in carbon emissions of approximately 1.5 million tonnes by the year 2000. An equivalent fall in energy prices to the domestic sector would have an approximately opposite effect.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce a landfill levy.

We are currently considering the responses to the report by Coopers and Lybrand into "Landfill Costs and Prices: Correcting Possible Market Distortions", published in February 1993. To assist with this, we have also commissioned a study assessing the environmental impact of landfill against other waste management options and I expect this to be completed shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on matters discussed and decisions taken at the second pan-European conference of Environment Ministers in Lucerne on 28 to 30 April; and what additional financial pledges were made by the United Kingdom to support decisions taken.

The main subject discussed at the "Environment for Europe" conference in Lucerne from 28 to 30 April was the environmental action programme for central and eastern Europe. This sets out a broad strategy for tackling the most immediate environmental problems in central and eastern Europe, based on a "three-legged" approach of policy reform, institutional strengthening and investments. The conference firmly supported the implementation of this strategy. It also endorsed the establishment of mechanisms to implement the EAP, including a framework to facilitate the project preparation and investment process, and a task force to co-ordinate efforts to support institutional and policy change.There was a progress report on the state of the environment in Europe report, which will serve as the basis of the further development of an environmental programme for Europe. The possible use of economic instruments was discussed, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development was asked to explore further ways to facilitate a wider use of such instruments.My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State gave the keynote address in the debate on monitoring, compliance and enforcement in environmental policy. Decisions in this area called for the extension of the OECD environmental performance reviews to Poland, Bulgaria and Belarus, for the work on integrated pollution prevention and control to be taken forward and for the elaboration of proposals to encourage public participation in environmental decision making.It was agreed that the next conference should take place at the invitation of the Government of Bulgaria in 1995. The follow-up work to the Lucerne conference and the preparation of the next conference will be co-ordinated within the UNECE framework.This was not a pledging conference.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals the United Kingdom intends to put forward to the first meeting of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development in New York in June.

Our aim is to ensure that the commission plays an effective role in promoting sustainable development throughout the world following the Earth summit in Rio. I have placed the text of a joint Indo-British action plan for the first meeting of the commission in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will set out the terms of the BNFL licence application for the thermel oxide reprocessing plant; what specific substances, types and volumes of waste are proposed to be discharged, giving the respective levels and life of radioactivity; and how the different waste products will be dealt with;(2) how the THORP licence, which has been applied for, differs from the existing licence in terms of the discharges it allows.

The information requested by the hon. Member is contained in the public consultation documents issued by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 16 November last year, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment If he will make a statement on the meeting of 25 February in Dublin of an all-party group from Dail Eireann with officials from his Department.

[holding answer 22 March 1993]: I have been asked to reply.I understand that the meeting on 25 February was between an all-party group of Members of the Dail Eireann and senior executives from British Nuclear Fuels plc who had been invited to answer questions on the company's activities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 16 March, Official Report, column 187, if he will now give the budgets for each training and enterprise council in Wales and the amounts in each case for (a) youth training and (b) adult training for 1993–94; and what is the change in cash and percentage terms: from the budgets for 1992–93.

The Welsh Office is currently finalising contracts with TECs for 1993–94 budgets and the information is not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how often decisions made by the NHBC were re-examined by his Department in each year since 1980.

The NHBC has been approved as an approved inspector only since 11 November 1985. Under sections 16(10) and 39 of the Building Act 1984 my right hon. Friend deals with determinations and appeals, but has no powers to intervene in individual cases dealt with by the NHBC acting in its capacity as an approved inspector. An approved inspector must carry out its duties in accordance with the Building (Approved Inspector etc.) Regulations 1985.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (I) if he will make a statement on his policy on skin diseases;(2) what measures he will take to improve awareness of the problems encountered by persons with skin disease;(3) if he will meet the National Eczema Society;(4) what is the annual amount of financial aid he gives to organisations in Wales devoted to assisting those who suffer skin diseases; and if he will make a statement.

Treatment of skin diseases is a matter for practitioners and for health authorities within their obligations to maximise health gain. The subject of skin diseases will be included in further advice to guide local strategies for health, to be published shortly.No direct grants are currently made to voluntary organisations specifically concerned with skin diseases. I am always prepared to consider requests for meetings from organisations such as the National Eczema Society.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many consultant dermatologists there are in each health district; and if he will make a statement.

The requested information is given in the following table:

	Consultant Dermatologists in Posts1
Clwyd	1.8
East Dyfed	1.8
Gwent	2.0
Gwynedd	1.1
Mid Glamorgan	2.0
Pembrokeshire	0.2
Powys	0.1
South Glamorgan	3.0
West Glamorgan	1.8
1 Whole-time equivalents of consultants in post as at 30 Septembei 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the percentage of referrals for new hospital out-patients in 1991–92 which related to skin diseases.

The available information relates to referrals for new hospital out-patients in the specialty of dermatology. There were 29,522 such referrals in 1991–92, which represented 5.3 per cent. of all referrals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many hearing aid clinics there are in each county in Wales; if he will list their locations; where residents in Clwyd travel to obtain advice and assistance concerning hearing aids and hearing difficulties; and if he will make a statement.

Information on the numbers and location of hearing aid clinics is not available centrally. The level of provision and location of clinics is a matter for the local health authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to establish a clinic for the giving of advice concerning hearing aids on Deeside, Clwyd.

This is a matter for the local health authority to consider.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if his Department was represented at the European Farm Commissioners meeting on 26 and 27 April.

Yes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many suicides on farms have occurred in Wales in each of the last five years.

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish figures showing the suicide rate amongst the working population in Wales by occupation in each of the last five years.

This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received advocating an extension of the deadline for submitting completed integrated administration and control system forms.

Several.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will require local authorities in Wales to make maps available to farmers to assist in the completion of the integrated administration and control system forms before 15 May.

The ability which local authorities have to allow farmers access to maps is constrained by the facilities they have for public viewing and the terms of any copyright agreement related to the maps in their possession. Given the urgent need which farmers have to obtain the information required to complete their integrated administration and control system forms, I have agreed with the Ordnance Survey that local authorities and other organisations which hold maps may be allowed to make them available for viewing and, provided that they adopt the appropriate commercial arrangements pertaining to copyright agreements, for sale also. Many organisations, including local authorities, have responded positively to a request to offer this facility to farmers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations his Department made to the European Commission concerning the deadline set for the submission of completed integrated administration and control system forms.

The deadline for the submission of applications has been set at 15 May in the governing EC regulation to allow sufficient time for field inspections to be undertaken to verify claims under the new arable aid and beef support regimes. At the Agriculture Council last week the Commission confirmed that the deadline cannot be extended.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals in regard to investment in the coal industry were put forward by the United Kingdom at the European Industry Council of Ministers meeting on the European Coal and Steel Community meeting in Brussels on 4 May.

No specific coal investment proposals were discussed at the European Industry Council of Ministers on 4 May.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what response he has made to the recommendations of the Monitoring Committee on Misleading Price Indications; and if he will publish their report.

My noble Friend the Minister for Consumer Affairs and Small Firms has considered the committee's recommendations. She has decided to continue to rely on the existing general provisions of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 rather than introduce a package of regulations dealing with various types of price comparison as the committee recommended. She intends in due course to consult on proposed revisions to the code of practice for traders on price indications. She expects to go to public consultation in the near future on regulations on price indications when tickets for theatres and other public events are resold by agents. Since the committee has discharged its remit, she has decided to stand it down.A copy of the committee's report will be placed in the Library.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much of the total exploration and appraisal expenditure on the United Kingdom continental shelf over the last three years was spent on (a) wells, (b) seismic, (c) overheads, (d) insurance and (e) other expenditure.

[holding answer 5 May 1993]: The Department of Trade and Industry collects only aggregate data on UKCS exploration and appraisal expenditure. These were published, in April 1993, in appendix 12 of my Department's report to Parliament, the "Development of the Oil and Gas Resources of the United Kingdom", the Brown Book, a copy of which is available in the Library. It is not possible to provide a breakdown of such expenditure into the categories requested using available data sources.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the latest information Her Majesty's Government have received from the Ukrainian, Russian and Belarus authorities in regard to the number of people who died as a result of the Chernobyl accident in April 1986.

I have been asked to reply.The Government have received no information directly on this subject. The Department is aware of a scientific article by llyin et al entitled "Radiocontamination patterns and possible health consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power station" published in the

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many chiropodists counted as full-time equivalent are employed by each health board; and how many are employed per 1,000 population.

The information requested is shown in the table. Due to the small number of staff employed, rates are shown per 100,000 population.

Health board chiropodists as at September 1992
	Whole-time equivalent	Rate per 100,000 population
Scotland	536.3	10.6
Argyll and Clyde	46.3	10.6
Ayrshire and Arran	59.6	16.0
Borders	13.7	13.2
Dumfries and Galloway	15.3	10.4
Fife	48.8	14.1
Forth Valley	26.8	9.9
Grampian	41.6	8.2
Greater Glasgow	89.3	9.8
Highland	17.0	8.3
Lanarkshire	52.7	9.5
Lothian	76.6	10.3
Orkney	1.0	5.1
Shetland	4.0	18.0
Tayside	40.2	10.3
Western Isles	3.4	11.3
State Hospital	0.1	—