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Written Answers

Volume 224: debated on Monday 10 May 1993

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Written Answers To Questions

Monday 10 May 1993

Prime Minister

Political Parties (Funding)

To ask The Prime Minister whether the Government will introduce legislation whereby political parties represented in the House will have to declare all moneys received from overseas.

Friends Of Bosnia

To ask The Prime Minister what representations he has received from the organisation Friends of Bosnia in Liverpool; what reply he has sent; and if he will make a statement.

Bogus Marriages

To ask The Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the number of undetected bogus marriages taking place in the United Kingdom; and if he will appoint a senior Cabinet Minister to co-ordiinate an investigation into the abuse of the marriage laws, the extent to which this is facilitating illegal overstaying, circumvention of the immigration laws and the acquisition of British citizenship; and if he will make a statement.

No realistic estimate can be made of the number of undetected bogus marriages, but superintendent registrars are alert to the need to report to the Registrar General where they have reason to believe that a marriage has been arranged solely for the purpose of circumventing immigration controls. Where this also involved a lawful impediment to the marriage, the superintendent registrar would not proceed with the ceremony.Where the Registrar General believes that a marriage is prima facie one of convenience, the facts are passed to the Home Office to take whatever action is necessary to enforce the immigration law.These arrangements will be kept under review, but I doubt whether an investigation of the kind suggested would increase their effectiveness. I shall, however, draw to the attention of my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health the information that my hon. Friend has sent me.

Employment

Employment Service

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the Employment Service annual performance agreement for 1993–94 will be published.

I have today placed copies of the Employment Service annual performance agreement for 1993–94 in the Library.

May Day

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what consultations she has held with the representatives of diary and calendar printers about the proposed abolition of the May day bank holiday; what consideration was given to their views; if her proposed change in the date of the bank holiday will take place in 1994; and if she will make a statement.

The Department published a consultation document on the May day bank holiday on 1 December. Responses to the consultation document were received from a wide range of organisations, including some from within the dairy and calendar industry.An announcement on the future of the May day bank holiday will be made shortly.

Terms And Conditions Of Employment

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps she will take to ensure that employees receive a written statement of terms and conditions of employment.

The Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill, currently before Parliament, significantly enhances the statutory right to a written statement of main terms and conditions of employment, reducing from 13 weeks to two months the period within which it must be provided and extending entitlement to employees working between eight and 16 hours a week, who have hitherto had to complete five years continuous service in order to qualify.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals she will bring forward to protect employees of under two years standing whose employers have not issued a written statement of terms and conditions of employment and persistently fail to provide one.

Employees who have not received a written statement to which they are entitled under the provisions of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 may refer the matter to an industrial tribunal.Clause 28 of the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill, currently before Parliament, introduces a new provision making it automatically unfair for an employer to dismiss an employee, regardless of length of service or hours of work, for having sought in good faith to exercise a statutory employment protection right, including the right to a written statement.

Departmental Staff

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will publish the numbers and percentages of her staff in grades one to five who each have (a) arts degrees, (b) science degrees, (c) technical degrees, (d) who are qualified accountants, (e) have post-graduate qualifications in management and (f) who were educated in (i) local authority and (ii) private schools.

The percentage of staff who have degrees are listed in the following table:

  • Grade 1—total staff in post = 1
  • No degrees held
  • Grade 2—total staff in post = 3
  • 100 per cent. of Grade 2s have a degree in science
  • 33 per cent of Grade 2s have a degree in arts
  • Grade 3—total staff in post = 17
  • 35 per cent. of Grade 3s have a degree in science
  • 24 per cent. of Grade 3s have a degree in arts
  • 5 per cent. of Grade 3s have a qualification in management
  • Grade 4—total staff in post =8
  • 50 per cent. of Grade 4s have a degree in science
  • 25 per cent. of Grade 4s have a degree in arts
  • 37 per cent. of Grade 4s have a qualification in management
  • Grade 5—total staff in post = 89
  • 29 per cent. of Grade 5s have a degree in science
  • 22 per cent. of Grade 5s have a degree in arts
  • 10 per cent. of Grade 5s have a qualification in management
  • 1 per cent. of Grade 5s are qualified accountants.

Laboratory Technicians

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many grades of laboratory technician are registered in the United Kingdom; and how many are designated as medical laboratory scientific officers.

Oil And Gas

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is her estimate of the number of people employed in (a) onshore and (b) offshore oil and gas related activity in (i) 1991 and (ii) 1992; and what is her estimate of the total at the latest available date.

There are no separate figures for onshore and offshore oil and gas related activity. The available information is as follows:

Employees in employment: Great Britain
February 1991February 1992February 1993
Extraction of mineral oil and natural gas150,000n/an/a
Mineral oil processing18,00017,00016,000
Public gas supply78,00078,00075,000
1 The latest estimate available is taken from the September 1991 census of employment.

Working Hours

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is her estimate of the average number of hours per week worked by people in full-time employment inclusive of any overtime.

Estimates from the Labour Force Survey show that in autumn 1992 (September—November), people in full-time employment worked on average 45 hours per week including overtime (not seasonally adjusted).

Small Business Support Schemes

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what studies her Department has undertaken of the effectiveness of small business support schemes delivered by training and enterprise councils; and if she will make a statement.

The Department currently has responsibility for the business start-up scheme (BSUS), (formerly enterprise allowance), which assists unemployed people to set up a business. The following studies have been carried out on the effectiveness of BSUS since training and enterprise councils (TECs) took over responsibility for its delivery:

"Enterprise Allowance Scheme: Evaluation of Development Projects", PIEDA, 1992.
"Enterprise Allowance/Business Start Up: A Survey of TEC Schemes", IFF Research Ltd., 1992.
The Department regularly carries out evaluation of all its major programmes, including the BSUS, and will continue to do so.A number of other small business support measures run by TECs are now the responsibility of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Labour Statistics

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will give for each travel-to-work area and jobcentre area in Scotland the absolute change in the numbers of unemployed claimants between February and March and, for the same period, the numbers of claimants, (i) obtaining paid employments, (ii) entering into Government training schemes, (iii) being transferred to other benefits, (iv) being removed from the claimant count for reasons other than entering employment, (v) failing the actively seeking work test and (vi) having benefit disqualified.

Statistical information is not routinely collected on the reasons why people cease to claim unemployment related benefits.Figures on the net monthly changes in total claimant unemployment and the flows in and out of claimant unemployment for each parliamentary constituency, local authority area, travel-to-work area, and jobcentre area in Scotland can be obtained from the NOM IS database in the Library.

Duchy Of Lancaster

Market Testing

31.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what discussions he has held with Civil Service unions concerning the impact of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 on the policy of market testing civil service jobs.

My ministerial colleagues and I have meetings with the civil service unions from time to time to discuss the range of Government policies.

38.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether his Department will issue up-to-date figures for savings achieved by market testing of Government services.

In previous years, savings arising from market testing have typically been around 25 per cent. of the original cost even where the activity has remained in-house. Savings from the programme for the period ending on 30 September 1993 are not yet available. When they are, I am sure that they will show significant savings in costs and improvements in quality, such as reliability and timeliness.

Citizens Charters

37.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a further statement on the workings of the citizens charters.

Since my right hon. Friend's statement to the House on 25 November 1992 the citizens charter has brought about further significant achievements. These include three new and one revised charter, the announcement of a complaints adjudicator for the Inland Revenue, and the launch of the second charter mark scheme. We shall publish a further White Paper in due course to record achievements across all public services.

Public Servants (Freemasons)

39.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he has taken to require declarations of interest by public servants who are freemasons.

As I said in reply to the hon. Member on 29 March at col. 14, an amendment to the civil service code is to be published shortly. The amendment will remind civil servants that freemasonry is among the possible sources of conflicts of interest which should be reported if and when they occur. A copy of the amendment will be placed in the Library of the House when published.

Hall I'th Wood Museum, Bolton

40.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to visit Hall I'th Wood Museum, Bolton, to discuss measures to increase awareness of science amongst the public; and if he will make a statement.

As my hon. Friend knows, I visited his constituency on 30 March this year. I am very happy to discuss with him measures to increase the public understanding of science.

Cost (rounded to nearest £000)FromTo
BR passengers charter1,000·0May 1992May 1993
London Underground Limited customers charter41·0August 1992January 1993
Benefits Agency customer charter1,058·0April 1992September 1992
Jobseekers charter89·0April 1992March 1993
Contributions Agency employers and contributors charters63·0April 1992March 1993
Northern Ireland Railways passengers charter0·4November 1992April 1993
Travellers charter9·0January 1992March 1993
Total2,260·4
In addition to this, in the financial year 1992–93 the Inland Revenue paid £389,000 in compensations for

Science White Paper

41.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what consultations he has undertaken on his proposed White Paper on science.

I have consulted working scientists and industry, professional bodies, research charities and many others in order to prepare for the forthcoming White Paper on science and technology. I have published over 250 of the written submissions I have received.

Fourth Framework Programme

42.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how he will secure the maximum opportunity for United Kingdom interests within the fourth framework programme.

United Kingdom research teams take an active part in EC programmes, and in negotiating the fourth framework programme we shall aim to ensure that it reflects United Kingdom research needs. We shall also advertise the opportunities to carry out research under EC programmes as widely as possible throughout the United Kingdom science and technology community.

Small Firms

43.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the Government intend to introduce a citizens charter for small firms.

No. When service providers publish a charter they should set out standards of service to meet the needs of all the various users. Of course these include small firms, to which the Government attach great importance.

Research Councils

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many of the research councils have now issued their corporate plans 1993.

All five of the research councils have issued their corporate plans 1993.

Charters (Compensation)

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the total amount of compensation the state paid out on all charters; and if he will make a statement.

The total amount of compensation paid out by organisations which have charters is set out as follows:

"serious error" as defined in the code of practice "Mistakes by the Inland Revenue". Customs and Excise has paid £315,000 in ex-gratia payments.

Office Of Science And Technology

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will provide figures for expenditure for the Office of Science and Technology for (a) technology transfer and (b) industrial innovation (i) for the past five years and (ii) as projected for the next three years.

The table lists the expenditure by the Office of Science and Technology for the "technology transfer" component of the primary purpose classification of research and development, as defined in the 1992 edition of the Annual Review of Government Funded Research and Development. Information is not available under the heading "industrial innovation" as there is, as yet, no accepted standard definition of the term. The table lists the Office's expenditure under the primary purpose category "technology support", which includes strategic and applied research and pre-competitive schemes such as LINK.

YearTechnology transfer £ millionTechnology support £ million
1988–894·91
1989–904·0209·0
1990–914·6238·0
1991–926·1243·9
1992–936·8289·6
1993–948·7326·9
1994–958·9347·2
1995–969·1358·1

1 Note: The primary purpose classifications were changed between 1988–89 and 1989–90 with the introduction of a new class "technology support", but did not affect "technology transfer".

Trade And Industry

Bnfl Contracts

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what financial safeguards exist to protect British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. in its contracts with Scottish Nuclear and Nuclear Electric.

Nuclear Reprocessing Contracts

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the role of his Department in the Nuclear Electric/Scottish Nuclear/BNFL discussions about reprocessing contracts at the thermal oxide reprocessing plant.

Civil Aviation Research

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish his Department's report, drawn up by its aviation committee, into future DTI funding for civil aviation research; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Minister for Industry gave to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins) on 4 May 1993, Official Report, column 5.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how long his Department has been in possession of its aviation committee's report into future DTI funding for civil aircraft research; and what action he has taken in light of its conclusions.

The national strategic technology acquisition plan for aeronautics was formally presented to my Department on 4 November 1992; the committee's proposals are being considered.

Betws Colliery

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he intends to allow the running of Betws colliery to be taken over by the private sector; and if he will make a statement.

British Coal is committed to offering to the private sector pits which it no longer wishes to operate, including Betws. The Government welcome this commitment.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent inquiries there have been from the private sector into the possibility of taking over the running of Betws colliery: and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade and I have recently had a number of discussions with representatives of the private mining sector about a range of matters.British Coal is, of course, committed to offering to the private sector pits which it no longer wishes to operate and is keen to begin this process as rapidly as possible.

Developmental Staff

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish the numbers and percentages of his staff in grades 1 to 5 who have (a) arts degrees, (b) science degrees, (c) technical degrees, (d) who are qualified accountants and (e) have postgraduate qualifications in management.

Of the 328 people in grades 1 to 5 who are on the permanent staff of the Department of Trade and Industry, 176 (54 per cent.) have arts degrees, 86 (26 per cent.) have science degrees and 21 (6 per cent.) have technical degrees. There are 10 qualified accountants and 10 whose records indicate postgraduate qualifications in management.

Offshore Oil And Gas

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many exploration and appointed oil and gas wells were drilled in the United Kingdom continental shelf fin 1992; and what is his estimate of the number to be drilled in (a) 1993, (b) 1994 and (c) 1995.

Seventy two explorations and 57 appraisal wells were drilled in 1992. My Department does not publish forecasts for the number of wells. It does, however, conduct regular surveys of company plans for drilling wells looking up to two years ahead. The results of the last survey were published in the August 1992 issues of "Energy Trends", a copy of which is in the Library.

Companies House

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will place a copy in the Library of the information letter on the stage 2 privatisation options exercise circulated to all members of the staff of Companies house in the last week of April; what date he has set for the completion of the stage 2 exercise; arid if he will make a statement.

I have placed in the Library a copy of the notice to staff requested by the hon. Member. The consultants have been asked to complete their report by the end of July.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the state of the British leather goods manufacturing industry.

[holding answer 6 may 1993]: The leather goods manufacturing industry (Standard Industrial Classification Group 442) had total United Kingdom sales of £213 million in 1991. Employment, in 1990, of 10,800 is concentrated largely in small units, three quarters of which have fewer 10 employees and none over a 100. International trade is significant: imports account for some 77 per cent of United Kingdom consumption and the United Kingdom industry exports 54 per cent. of its output. An ecouraging feature is that since 1986 exports have been growing more rapadily than imports—13 per cent. per annum and 8 per cent per annum respective respectively.

Next Steps Agencies

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those next steps agencies within his responsibility that he plans to privatise.

[holding answer 22 April 1993]: The prospects for privatising the agencies in my Department are kept continually under review. Since it was established in 1990 as an executive agency the National Engineering Laboratory has been working towards full commercial viability with a view to privatisation: it continues to work towards that objective. I announced a specific review of Companies House in July 1992, which is continuing. I have just announced a study on the long term future of the DTI laboratories: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans) on 4 May 1993, Official Report, column 4.

Overseas Development Administration

Population Programmes

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contributions for 1993 are being made to the International Planned Parenthood Federation, the United Nations Population Fund and the World Health Organisation human reproduction programme.

The information is as follows:

£ million
IPPF17·5
UNFPA17·0
WHO/HRP3·0
1 Core grant. Additional contributions for specific programme activities will also be made.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures the Government have taken to ensure that funding to the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the United Nations Population Fund is not used in coercive population control measures.

IPPF and UNFPA, like Her Majesty's Government, are firmly opposed to any population activities in which there is any element of coercion of individuals to practise family planning, or to accept any particular type of contraception. Their population programmes fully accord with the human rights principles set out in the world population plan of action.We examine annually with other donor Governments IPPF and UNFPA policies and programmes at the IPPF donors meeting and UNFPA Governing Council respectively. We are also in regular consultation with IPPF and UNFPA about their population activities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the total United Kingdom bilateral disbursements on population activities and to which countries for each of the years 1991 and 1992.

Total aid programme disbursements on population activities amounted to some £26·5 million in 1991 and £28 million in 1992, of which £7·2 million and £6·1 million respectively represented bilateral disbursements. This bilateral assistance was distributed as follows:

1991 £1992 £
Ethiopia37,2498,159
Ghana469,000771,918
Kenya606,8291,812,248
Malawi100,000185,932
Nigeria20,00047,490
Sierra Leone39,742
Tanzania101,207129,266
Uganda11,143105,874
Zambia3,28027,594
Bangladesh2,667,706586,254
India2,380,0731,629,931
Malaysia150,196100,245
Pakistan613,181208,979
Anguilla39,500
Madagascar2,631
Zimbabwe29,372
South Africa184,155
Nepal139,952
Fiji2,000
Vietnam147,351
Vanuatu13,126
Paraguay3,116
Occupied territories11,250
Caribbean6,650
1 South African non-governmental organisation.

Tree Planting

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking in response to the evaluation carried out at the request of the Overseas Development Administration of four tree-planting projects funded by British aid in Lesotho, Kenya, Ivory Coast and southern India.

These projects, started during the 1970s and early 1980s, were completed between 1987 and 1991. The evaluations were undertaken after their conclusion in order better to assess their overall impact. The lessons drawn from them have been carefully noted, both by Overseas Development Administration staff responsible for similar projects including any follow-on work in the four countries, and by the Commonwealth Development Corporation which co-financed the Cote d'Ivoire project. We are preparing formal written guidance, based on the findings and lessons of these and other forestry evaluations, for use in identifying, appraising, implementing and monitoring forestry projects.

Eritrea

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all current United Kingdom assistance to aid development projects in Eritrea and the cost in each case.

Past British aid to Eritrea has been included in the British aid programme to Ethiopia. This includes grants to NGOs working in Ethiopia and Eritrea, expected to total around £1 million in 1993–94. We recently made a contribution of over £250,000 towards the United Nations verification mission to the Eritrean referendum, including four observers and supporting equipment.We have been discussing with the Eritrean authorities a separate development aid programme for 1993–94, for which £500,000 has been allocated. This will include 17 United Kingdom training awards, costing £187,000; other elements will be agreed in the coming months.

Angola

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will review the levels of humanitarian aid to the civilian population of Angola.

[holding answer 30 April 1993]: The return to civil war in Angola has made it very difficult to assess need and deliver aid to the civilian population of Angola. We have provided some humanitarian relief already and are keen to do more where we are confident that it will reach its intended beneficiaries. We are monitoring the situation closely with international agencies and non-governmental organisations.

Scotland

War Crimes

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Crown Office has yet received a report about the Gecas case.

It is not the normal practice of my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate to disclose the names of individuals who may be under investigation or to comment on the stage that any particular inquiries may have reached.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is the total cost incurred in respect of war crime investigations in Scotland in each of the last five years;(2) how many prosecutions in respect of war crimes are being contemplated in respect of Scotland for the current year;(3) how many people in Scotland

(a) have been investigated over the last five years and (b) are currently being investigated in respect of alleged war crimes committed during the second world war.

The total cost incurred in respect of war crimes investigations in Scotland in 1991–92 was £267,520. For 1992–93 the latest available figures show that the cost was £352,966. Costs did not arise before those financial years.It has never been the practice of my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate or his predecessors to disclose, at the stage of investigations and before investigations are complete, whether or not prosecutions are being contemplated. In the course of the investigations conducted over the past two years allegations against 17 named individuals have been, or are being, considered and investigated in Scotland.

Local Government

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all the public Acts of Parliament passed since the general election of 1979 which have affected the duties, powers and responsibilities of local government in Scotland.

[holding answer 4 May 1993]: The list gives the most readily identifiable Acts passed since the general election of 1979 which are extant and affect the duties, powers and responsibilities of local government in Scotland.

  • Access to Personal Files Act 1987
  • Caravans (Standard Community Charge and Rating) Act 1991
  • Children Act 1989
  • Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991
  • Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982
  • Civil Protection in Peacetime Act 1986
  • Community Charges (General Reduction) Act 1991
  • Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989
  • Consumer Protection Act 1987
  • Estate Agents Act 1979
  • Deer (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 1982
  • Disabled Persons Act 1981
  • Estate Agents Act 1979
  • Education Schools Act 1992
  • Education (Scotland) Act 1980
  • Environmental Protection Act 1990
  • Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987
  • Food and Safety Act 1990
  • Foster Children (Scotland) Act 1984
  • Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992
  • Health and Local Services and Social Security Adjudications Act 1983
  • Housing Act 1988
  • Housing and Planning Act 1986
  • Housing Associations Act 1985
  • Housing (Scotland) Act 1987
  • Housing (Scotland) Act 1988
  • Local Authorities (Expenditure Powers) Act 1983
  • Local Government Act 1986
  • Local Government Act 1988
  • Local Government Act 1992
  • Local Government and Housing Act 1989
  • Local Government and Planning (Scotland) Act 1982
  • Local Government Finance Act 1988
  • Local Government Finance Act 1992
  • Local Government Finance and Valuation Act 1991
  • Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980
  • Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985
  • Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1981
  • Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984
  • Motor Cycle Noise Act 1987
  • National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990
  • Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act 1991
  • Planning and Compensation Act 1991
  • Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Act 1993
  • Property Misdescriptions Act 1991
  • Public Order Act 1986
  • Rating and Valuation (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 1984
  • Registered Establishments (Scotland) Act 1987
  • Rent (Scotland) Act 1984
  • Representation of the People Acts 1983, 1985, 1989 and 1990
  • Roads and Streets Act 1991
  • Roads (Scotland) Act 1984
  • School Boards (Scotland) Act 1980
  • Self-Governing Schools Etc (Scotland) Act 1989
  • Social Security Act 1986
  • Social Security Administration Act 1992
  • Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992
  • Social Security (Consequential Provisions) Act 1992
  • Solvent Abuse (Scotland) Act 1983
  • Telecommunications Act 1984
  • Town and Country Planning Act 1984
  • Town and Country Planning (Compensation) Act 1985
  • Town and Country Planning (Minerals) Act 1981
  • Transport Act 1985
  • Water Act 1989
Consultants in selected specialties By contract status and health board As at 30 September 1992
Specialty/contractScotlandArgyll and ClydeAyrshire and ArranBordersDumfries and GallowayFifeForth ValleyGrampian
Medical oncology
Whole-time50000002
Part-time70000000
Total120000002
Radiotherapy
Whole-time250000003
Part-time50000000
Total300000003
General surgery
Whole-time136128347811
Part-time170000003
Total153128347814

Notes:

(a) Whole-time includes maximum part-time appointments.

(b) Part-time includes clinical academic staff holding honorary appointments.

Consultants in selected specialties by contract status and health board as at 30 September 1992

Specialty/contract

Greater Glasgow

Highland

Lanarkshire

Lothian

Orkney

Shetland

Tayside

Western Isles

Medical oncology

Whole-time20010000
Part-time50020000
Total70030000

Radiotherapy

Whole-time112060030
Part-time20030000

  • Water (Fluoridation) Act 1985
  • Water (Scotland) Act 1980
  • Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
  • Zoo Licensing Act 1981

Cancer Screening

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many women were screened for breast and cervical cancer in each year since 1987 within (a) the Argyll and Clyde health board area, (b) the Greater Glasgow health board area and (c) Scotland as a whole; if he will estimate in each case the percentage of women in the age range from 20 to 60 years who availed themselves of these tests; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 6 May 1993]: The information requested is currently being compiled and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Medical Staff

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many consultant medical oncologists, radiotherapists and general surgeons are employed on (a) a full-time basis and (b) a part-time basis in each of the health boards.

[holding answer 6 May 1993]: The numbers of consultants in the specialties of medical oncology, radiotherapy and general surgery employed on a full-time basis and a part-time basis at 30 September 1992, the latest date for which information is available, are given in the following annex.

Specially/contract

Greater Glasgow

Highland

Lanarkshire

Lothian

Orkney

Shetland

Tayside

Western Isles

Total132090030

General surgery

Whole-time30813191291
Part-time80020031
Total388132112122

Note

(a) Whole-time includes maximum part-time appointments.

(b) Part-time includes clinical academic staff holding honorary appointment.

Cancer

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the seven most common malignant neoplasms amongst NHS patients; and what were the number of deaths brought about by each in the past five years.

[holding answer 6 May 1993]: The table gives the number of registrations of the seven most common cancers in men and women in Scotland in the period 1987–91 and the number of deaths from these forms of cancer in the same five-year period.

Numbers of registrations and deaths from the seven most common malignant neoplasms, by sex, Scotland 1987–91
Site of CancerNumber of registrationsNumber of deaths
Males
Trachea, bronchus and lung15,16313,869
Non-melanoma skin cancer9,560121
Prostate6,2043,112
Colon4,3632,466
Bladder4,2411,535
Stomach3,4062,603
Rectum2,5341,524
Females
Breast13,9136,379
Non-melanoma skin cancer9,202114
Trachea, bronchus and lung8,0787,131
Colon5,5633,273
Ovary2,7791,990
Stomach2,3701,915
Rectum2,2831,427

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Cyprus

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to meet Mr. Rauf Denktash, the leader of the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations are being made to Cyprus for Asil Nadir to be brought back to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

We have an extradition treaty with the Republic of Cyprus, but the writ of the lawful Government does not run in the north of the island.

Immediately after Nadir's abscondment, our high commissioner in Nicosia met Turkish Cypriot leader Mr. Denktash on 5 May to demand that Nadir be handed over to the British authorities.

On 7 May I summoned the Turkish ambassador to explain the anger felt in this country, and ask for Turkish assistance in ensuring Nadir's return.

The Turkish Cypriots should appreciate the damage it could do to their interests if they were to acquire a reputation as a refuge for fugitives from justice.

Libya

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Kingdom citizens are (a) currently serving sentences and (b) awaiting sentencing in Libyan prisons.

There are no British citizens serving sentences or awaiting sentences in Libyan prisons.

Departmental Staff

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the numbers and percentages of his staff in grades one to five who each have (a) arts degrees, (b) science degrees, (c) technical degrees, (d) who are qualified accountants, (e) have post-graduate qualifications in management and (f) who were educated in (i) local authority and (ii) private schools.

I shall write to the hon. Member with details as soon as they are available.

Lockerbie

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his response to the Libyan/Russian proposal at the United Nations for an international tribunal under United Nations auspices to try the two Libyans accused of the Lockerbie bombing.

Unpaid Parking Fines

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish figures recording the number of unpaid parking fines incurred by diplomatic missions in London during 1992.

The information requested by my hon. Friend is given in the table. The table also includes those international organisations which incurred unpaid fines. The figures may be reduced by late payments.

The total of 4,166 represents a 19 per cent. reduction from the same period in 1991 when 5,145 fines were incurred. This compares favourably with the same period in 1984 when almost 108,932 fines were recorded. We welcome this further reduction in unpaid parking fines and appreciate the cooperation of diplomatic missions and international organisations since the introduction of the parking policy. We shall continue to monitor carefully the level of unpaid fines and pressure diplomatic missions to reduce this still further.

Unpaid parking fines

Diplomatic mission

1992

1991

Turkey245130
Russia226363
France18295
Nigeria167159
China159140
Greece153150
United Arab Emirates12821
Saudi Arabia (1991 includes Libyan Interests Sec.)127200
Zambia11763
Cote D'Ivoire106121
Israel86204
Korea85116
Kuwait850
Tunisia8143
Thailand8072
Cameroon7038
Sudan70123
Poland69154
Egypt6878
India6673
Gambia6356
Romania6234
Cyprus6255
Uruguay6157
Hungary6068
Germany6065
Spain6045
Oman5952
Pakistan5797
Qatar5294
Morocco48117
Ghana4884
Libyan Interests Sec, Saudi Arabia44
Portugal4240
Bangladesh4149
Zimbabwe3838
Jordan3889
Mauritius3813
Angola3511
Algeria3411
Bulgaria3381
Gabon3225
Barbados2954
Malaysia2726
United States2617
Brazil2526
Italy2534
Brunei2430
Tanzania2347
Syria2216
Zaire207
Mexico196
Senegal192
Malawi1820
Bahrain1835
Finland1625
Venezuela1617
Lebanon149
Ethiopia1427
Japan1416
Ireland135
Yugoslavia1241
Iran1213

Diplomatic mission

1992

1991

Kenya126
Yemen1220
Jamaica1111
Nepal117
Iraqi Interest Section, Jordan1138
Cuba1113
Canada10135
Lesotho107
Philippines108
Paraguay106
Fiji910
Afghanistan90
Guyana716
Burma710
Guatemala727
Peru77
Uganda75
Sierra Leone628
Honduras59
Austria53
Malta52
Australia55
Chile57
Indonesia53
South Africa52
East Caribbean States513
Sweden48
Belgium46
Mongolia49
Liberia418
Former Czechoslovakia46
Panama314
Seychelles34
Sri Lanka33
Luxembourg32
Mozambique33
Lithuania2
Armenia2
Nicaragua21
Netherlands23
Colombia20
Denmark21
Switzerland22
Vietnam213
Trinidad and Tobago27
Norway24
Singapore13
Botswana11
Papua New Guinea12
Bahamas14
Iceland13
Costa Rica12
El Salvador10
New Zealand10
Togo (Embassy closed 30 September 1991)08
Somalia (Embassy closed 2 January 1992)05
Bolivia09
Swaziland01
Ecuador01
Dominica01
Benin01
Argentina01
Slovenia0
Latvia0
Ukraine0
Grenada00
Namibia0
Croatia0
Tonga00
Estonia0
Belize00
Antigua and Barbuda00

International organisations

Commonwealth Secretariat2826
EBRD8
INMARSAT73
African Development Bank5

Diplomatic mission

1992

1991

Coffee22
WEU10
IMO11
EC12
United Nations00
Sugar00
Cocoa0
4,1664,575

Diplomatic Immunity

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many serious offences were alleged to have been committed in 1992 by persons entitled to diplomatic immunity; and how many foreign diplomats were withdrawn from their posts in Britain in that year as a result of alleged offences.

Thirty-three alleged serious offences by persons entitled to diplomatic immunity were drawn to the attention of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1992, as against 40 the previous year. "Serious offences" are defined in accordance with the report to the Foreign Affairs Committee, "The Abuse of Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges (1985)" as offences falling into a category which would in certain circumstances attract a maximum penalty of six months or more imprisonment. The majority involved drinking and driving and shoplifting.Eight diplomats were withdrawn from their posts in Britain in 1992 following alleged offences, as against seven the previous year.

Overseas Trade Assistance

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further plans he has to increase the assistance available overseas to businesses seeking to increase trade in other countries; and if he will make a statement.

In consultation with the DTI (as our partners in Overseas Trade Services) we are constantly seeking ways to enhance the export services we offer to British industry.

Education

"How Is Your Child Doing At School?"

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish the total number of telephone calls and written requests for "How is Your Child Doing at School?"; and how many were distributed in each of the 10 languages listed in the advertisement on 27 April.

Responses to the first part of this campaign are still being compiled. My right hon. Friend will announce these in due course.

Grant-Maintained Schools

To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects to announce his decision following the consultations on the common funding formula for grant-maintained schools; and if he will make a statement.

We are currently considering the responses to the first consultation paper on the common funding formula (CFF). In the light of that consideration we intend to issue a second consultation paper early in the summer as a further move towards the introduction of the CFF in a small number of pilot areas from April 1994.

Neris Database

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the total public expenditure on the NERIS service; what circumstances have led to it being wound up; what implications there are for the delivery of the national curriculum; what action he is taking to salvage the NERIS database; and if he will make a statement.

From 1985–86—the first year of investment —to date, the total Government investment in NERIS from my Department and three others was £5 million. The purpose of this was to develop the database service to a position in which NERIS would be fully self-sufficient, serving schools and colleges across the United Kingdom. It failed to do that and the number of subscriptions declined substantially last year to a figure of only some 2,200. It was therefore decided that no further public investment could be justified. The NERIS Trust is currently considering winding-up procedures.

Disabled People

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what measures he intends to take to encourage people with disabilities to become teachers, nursery nurses or teachers' aides.

The Department is in consultation with disabled teachers' interest groups prior to the revision of the Department's circular 1/88 "Physical and Mental Fitness to Teach of Teachers and of Entrants to Teacher Training". This will continue to stress that disability in itself does not mean a person is medically unfit to teach, but that the paramount consideration should be the health and welfare of pupils. Applicants need to take into account that employment in these areas can also make significant demands on an individual's strength and stamina.

Special Schools (Tests)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent representations he has received from the National Association for Special Educational Needs regarding the implementation of the standard assessment tests for seven-year-olds in special schools.

There is no record of my right hon. Friend having received any representations in recent months from the National Association for Special Educational Needs on testing.We believe that children with special educational needs should follow the national curriculum and participate in its associated assessment arrangements wherever possible, so that they have access to the same education as other pupils. The School Examinations and Assessment Council has given guidance to schools about ways in which the tests for both seven and 14-year-olds might be modified or adapted for pupils with special needs, without compromising the results they yield, so that as wide a range of pupils as possible can benefit from them.

Surplus School Places

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Sir T. Arnold) of 30 April Official Report, column 555, if he will give the corresponding information on surplus school places for Cleveland.

On the basis of the survey of school capacity carried out by the Department we estimate that in Cleveland in 1991 there were some 11,181 primary and 10,676 secondary surplus places, representing, respectively, 17 per cent. and 23 per cent. of total capacity.

Tests (Advertising)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will provide a breakdown of the £750,000 her Department recently spent on advertising the Government's view on the testing of school children.

The campaign is providing information to parents about this summer's tests. It involves the production, printing and distribution of the leaflet -How is Your Child Doing at School?". The leaflet has been distributed to schools and its availability advertised in the national press. The total cost of the campaign has been estimated at £750,000 although the final cost will depend on the number of requests for further leaflets.

Nursery Schools

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list, for each Greater London borough, the percentages of children under five years old currently registered as attending local authority funded nursery schools; and if he will list for each of the boroughs what percentage of under fives attended maintained nursery schools in 1986, 1988, 1990 and 1992.

Participation rates for January 1992—the latest date for which information is available—are shown in the table. Because of recent revisions to the population estimates to take account of the provisional results of the 1991 national census of population, information is not available on a comprehensive basis for earlier years at individual authority level.

Estimated percentage of the local three- and four-year-old population attending maintained nursery schools in each education authority in the Greater London region. January 1992
Participation rates
Camden5
Greenwich10
Hackney3
Hammersmith and Fulham16
Islington6
Kensington and Chelsea9
Lambeth6
Lewisham3
Southwark7
Tower Hamlets11
Wandsworth3
Westminster15
Barkingn/a
Barnet6
Bexley3
Brent4
Bromleyn/a
Croydon5
Participation rates
Ealing8
Enfieldn/a
Haringey4
Harrown/a
Haveringn/a
Hillingdon2
Hounslown/a
Kingston upon Thames7
Mertonn/a
Newham12
Redbridgen/a
Richmond upon Thames2
Sutton5
Waltham Forest5
Greater London5

1 Includes City ILEA.

n/a = not applicable.

Wales

Badger Setts

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, further to his answer of 31 March, Official Report, column 270, what advice has been obtained before granting a licence to allow dogs to be entered into a badger sett; what criteria have been applied to determine whether, when and to whom such a licence should be granted; what measures have been taken to ensure that the minimum harm possible is suffered by dog and badger; and what are the conditions attached to the granting of any such licence.

Any licence application to permit the entry of dogs into badger setts would be judged on its merits, taking account of advice from wildlife experts from the Agricultural Development Advisory Service following a site visit. Conditions attached to a particular licence will reflect the circumstances of the case.

Local Government, Gower

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will visit West Cross in the Gower constituency to discuss factors affecting local government matters.

Employment Projects

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 4 May, Official Report, column 24, if he will specify the number of projects in each county corresponding to the jobs (a) created, (b) safeguarded and (c) the capital expenditure as arising from inward investment in 1992–93.

The county by county breakdown of inward investment projects recorded for Wales during 1992–93 is shown in the following table. The figures are based on information provided by the companies at the time the projects were recorded and have not been amended to take account of any subsequent development.

CountyNumber of projects
Clwyd40
Dyfed13
Gwent42
CountyNumber of projects
Gwynedd22
Powys22
Mid Glamorgan30
South Glamorgan21
West Glamorgan11
Total201

Health Service

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines he has issued to fund-holding general practitioners in respect of payment for patients referred to treatment centres for ophthalmic, general or orthopaedic surgery.

Under the guidance on treatment centres sent to all general practitioners and general practitioner fund holders, fund holders are eligible for a share of the centrally allocated places available to their district health authority. The cost of treatment for these places is funded centrally by the Welsh Office and there is no charge to general practitioner fund holders. In addition, health authorities and fund holders are free to make contracts with the centres for treatments over and above those funded by the Welsh Office.

National Finance

Local Tax Offices

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the closure of the Inland Revenue offices in Sittingbourne, Kent; what will be the cost of providing the service elsewhere, including location costs; and what is the financial saving on a year to year basis.

Ten representations expressing concern at the planned closure of the tax office in Sittingbourne, Kent have been received. The costs of providing the service elsewhere and the financial savings cannot be separately identified since the closure of the Sittingbourne office is a part of a larger reorganisation involving offices in Maidstone, Kent.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many local tax offices have been closed, or are planned to be closed, in 1992–93 and 1993–94, or any convenient period for which he has information; and what are the estimated savings arising nationally.

The Inland Revenue is engaged in a long-term programme to restructure its 766 local offices in order to improve taxpayer services, operational effectiveness, and cost efficiency. By March 1994,15 reorganisation schemes involving 71 existing offices will have taken place. Of these, 61 offices will cease to exist in their present form. The work carried out in those offices together with part of the work in 10 other offices will have been transferred to 31 newly created Revenue offices. Savings arising from the rationalisation of local office accommodation in these 15 schemes are expected to be of the order of £1·25 million a year in 1993–94 prices.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent the Inland Revenue takes into account the provisions of the citizens charter when contemplating the closure of local tax offices, with particular regard to the question of customer access for advice and help from officials.

The Inland Revenue is fully committed to achieving further improvements in taxpayer service, operational effectiveness and in cost efficiency. In locations where tax offices may be closed, the Department is investigating alternative ways of meeting taxpayers' needs. These objectives are in line with those of the citizens charter.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what process of consultation is followed when the Inland Revenue plan the closure of a local tax office; and what account is taken of representations from accountants, local companies and individual taxpayers.

The Inland Revenue has begun a long-term programme to restructure its local offices in order to improve taxpayer service, operational effectiveness, and cost efficiency. The results of major surveys to establish taxpayer and employer needs are informing this programme. Representations from accountants, companies, and taxpayers are considered, but it is not normally possible to carry out detailed advance consultation. Discussions with staff take place on the implications for them of a closure, and the arrangements necessary.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the policy of the Inland Revenue in respect of providing local offices at which taxpayers may have their affairs dealt with and may raise queries personally with the official dealing with their case.

The Inland Revenue has begun a long-term programme to restructure its local offices in order to improve taxpayer service, operational effectiveness and cost efficiency. The results of major surveys to establish taxpayer and employer needs are informing this programme. In some locations offices may be closed but where that happens the Department is investigating alternative ways of meeting taxpayers' needs.

Industrial Building Allowance Trusts

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his current estimate of the total tax receipts forgone in each enterprise zone arising from industrial building allowance trusts that have been approved.

Tax Deduction Certificates

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 23 April, Official Report, column 248, if he will list those representations received last year concerning the free provision of tax deduction certificates by banks.

It is not our practice to publish representations of this nature, but the number we have received is quite small.

Vat (Education)

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what forecast he has made of the revenue which would be raised by introducing a definition of education in schedule 6 to the Value Added Tax Act 1983 that excluded (a) music, (b) flower arranging and (c) domestic science, taught at adult education classes throughout the United Kingdom, from exemption;(2) what revenue he would expect to raise by applying a definition of "education" in schedule 6 to the Value Added Tax Act 1983 that excluded adult residential colleges from exemption.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance he has given to Customs and Excise in defining the terms and the scope of their investigations into the interpretation of the 6th VAT directive (77/388/EEC) with respect to education.

None. Customs and Excise is undertaking an internal review of the VAT exemptions available for educational services provided by fee-paying schools, universities and other businesses to see whether, within the constraints of EC agreements there is scope for simplification and rationalisation, and will report their conclusions to Ministers in due course.

Inheritance Tax Exemptions

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 17 December 1992, Official Report, columns 380–81, when the computerised register of objects granted conditional exemption from inheritance tax will be available for inspection.

The Inland Revenue has now completed the computerisation of the register of conditionally exempt works of art (often known as the "V&A list"). The new computerised register includes a search and retrieval facility which will enable an inquirer to identify, more easily, objects of particular interest and obtain a detailed printout.From today the computerised register can be consulted at the Victoria and Albert Museum (London), National Library of Scotland (Edinburgh), National Museum of Wales (Cardiff) and Ulster Museum (Belfast). Copies of the register in computer-readable format may also be purchased from the capital taxes office of the Inland Revenue for £10.The computerisation of this register and the other measures which I announced last year will make it easier for the public to enjoy the benefits of conditionally exempt property which Parliament intended.

Charities

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect on charities of the changes to the rate of advanced corporation tax announced in the Budget.

[holding answer 7 May 1993]: It is estimated that the tax credits payable to charities on dividends paid by United Kingdom companies will eventually be reduced by about £50 million a year. Under the Budget proposals for transitional payments to charities to ease the change to the new rate of tax credit, the cost will rise progressively to this level over the period 1993–94 to 1998–99. In 1993–94 the cost to charities is expected to be about £5 million, on the assumption that about half of tax credits are claimed in the same year in which the dividend is paid. Details of the forecast transitional payments are given in paragraph 5·10 of the 1993–94 Financial Statement and Budget Report.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Meat Processing

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to legislate to ensure that meat processing companies have to label meat according to where the meat originated, rather than where it was transformed into other products; and if he will make a statement.

We have no plans to do so.Rules on food labelling are harmonised at European Community level and already specifically require the place of origin to be given on food if its omission could mislead the consumer. Where a United Kingdom name is applied to imported products, then the place of origin is required to be given unless the product has undergone processing or treatment in the United Kingdom resulting in a substantial change. I consider that the present rules, together with the Government's initiatives to encourage retailers to provide this information where appropriate, provide sufficient information to enable consumers to make informed choices about the foods they buy.

Chernobyl

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action is being taken to help farmers still affected by the radioactive fall-out from the Chernobyl explosion; and if he will make a statement.

Help to farmers who are still subject to post-Chernobyl sheep restrictions centres on "mark and release" arrangements, which enable essential controls to be applied with minimal disruption to normal farming practices, and compensation payments which mitigate any adverse economic effects.In addition, we continue to pursue our scientific monitoring and research efforts which are designed to identify areas for early derestriction and to enable potential technical remedies to be evaluated.

Iacs Forms

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the deadlines set for the return of completed integrated administration and control system forms in (a) Greece, (b) Luxembourg, (c) Italy and (d) for livestock farmers in Ireland.

The deadline for IACS applications is 15 May in Greece, Luxembourg and Italy. The deadline is 14 May in Ireland, but farmers with permanent pasture only may submit the IACS application with their first livestock aid application after 14 May but not later than 1 July.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many representations he has received advocating an extension to the deadline for submitting completed integrated administration and control system forms.

We have received a significant number of representations pressing for an extension of the 15 May deadline. As we have previously made clear, however, the Commission have no proposals for an amendment to the EC Council regulation which lays down this date.

Comfrey

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the action group for the relief of pain and distress was consulted specifically about the toxicity of comfrey prior to the announcement of the decision, to ban the sale of comfrey products.

My hon. Friend the Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean) announced in March 1991 a full review of the safety and use of certain herbal substances, including comfrey. These substances had been removed from sale as medicines, for safety reasons, but could still be purchased as foods. A number of representations have been made in the years since that review was publicly announced. Comfrey was the first of these substances reviewed and the COT advice, together with that of the Food Advisory Committee, formed the basis for the action taken. That advice was unequivocal and there was no subsequent consultation prior to my announcement of 2 March 1993 of the voluntary withdrawal of certain comfrey products.

Sea Defences, Beesands

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the cost of the 50,000 tonnes of granite boulders which were brought in from Sweden and France as part of the sea defence scheme at Beesands, South Hams, Devon; and if the contract for the boulders was made available to British companies.

The supply, delivery and placement of granite boulders was part of a larger contract awarded by the National Rivers Authority for the construction of the Beesands sea defences. Because of the narrow lanes in the area concerned, it was a condition of the contract that most of the rock should be delivered by sea. Eight British companies submitted tenders to the National Rivers Authority, including Costains Civil Engineering Ltd., who were awarded the contract. As yet itemised final accounts are not available to the Ministry but the estimated cost of supplying, delivering and placing the boulders is £0·8 million out of a total scheme cost of some £1·8 million.

Farmers' Earnings

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how he measures the cash earnings of farmers.

Farmers' earnings may include income from both the farm business and other sources. Income from the farm is measured from sample surveys of the farm business and these also provide some information on non-farm incomes. Latest results from these surveys and the various definitions employed are published in Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom 1991–92.

National Heritage

News Reporting (Restrictions)

13.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proposals he has to review the laws which impose restrictions on news reporting.

I am not aware of any statutory restrictions on news reporting which do not bear equally on other forms of publication. Editors and journalists are subject to the law in the same way as any other individual.

Listed Buildings

14.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to review the operation of listed building procedures.

16.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement about the care of listed historic buildings.

This is primarily a matter for their owners. Local authorities have powers to take action where a building's preservation is in danger.

Cricket

15.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what support has been given to women's cricket through the Sports Council.

The Sports Council of Great Britain's grant aid to the Women's Cricket Association in 1992–93 was a total of £45,000. The Sports Council has also worked closely with the association to help it improve its future programmes and policies.

18.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proposals he has to promote cricket in schools and adequate provision for the funding of such a programme.

The Sports Council is providing £130,000 per year for 1992–93 and 1993–94 to enable the National Cricket Association to employ 10 part-time regional cricket development officers, one of whose tasks is to promote links between schools and local cricket clubs. The council also gives £16,000 a year to the English Schools Cricket Association. In addition, three awards totalling £117,000 have already been made by our new Sportsmatch scheme to projects which will benefit youth cricket.Responsibility for national curriculum physical education rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education.

Tourism

17.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to encourage local initiatives to increase tourism in England; and if he will make a statement.

The Government, through the English tourist board, has supported many local tourism initiatives in recent years, such as the one currently under way in my hon. Friend's constituency. The recent review of Government tourism policy concluded that domestic tourism funding should increasingly be targeted on specific local areas.

Bbc Enterprises

19.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the status and powers of BBC Enterprises.

BBC Enterprises Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the BBC, which has holdings in a number of other limited companies.

Water-Based Recreation (Safety)

20.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to meet the Association of District Councils and the Association of Metropolitan Authorities to discuss their role in the promotion and discussion of safety issues in connection with water-based recreation.

Visitor Bed Nights

21.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the latest figures on visitor bed nights in (a) England and (b) Dorset.

The latest available figures for visitor nights in Dorset and in England are from 1991:

million
England449·3
Dorset18·8
1991 was a generally disappointing year for the domestic tourism industry, largely because of exceptional factors such as the Gulf war. Full figures for 1992 are not yet available, but it is already clear that there was a significant recovery in the numbers of visitors, particularly those from overseas.

Windsor Castle

22.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much money has been raised from the public towards the restoration of Windsor castle; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that there is currently £25,000 in the independent trust fund established by Coutts and Company, Bankers.

Hall I'th Wood Museum, Bolton

23.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to visit Hall I'th Wood museum, Bolton, to discuss the promotion of museums dealing with the nation's industrial heritage; and if he will make a statement.

I have no plans to visit Hall l'th Wood museum, though I am aware of its importance as part of our heritage; 1993 is Industrial Heritage Year, and I am aware that many museums in the region with important collections will be participating in the associated promotional activities.

Creche Facilities (London)

24.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what survey he has carried out of the extent of creche facilities at the major London tourist attractions.

Goidelic And Brythonic Languages

25.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proposals he has to encourage the continuing use of place names that have their origins in the Goidelic and Brythonic families of languages.

None; this is primarily a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales, for Scotland and for Northern Ireland.

Media Ownership

26.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is his policy towards cross-ownership of the media.

To keep under review the ownership arrangements made under the provisions of the Broadcasting Act 1990.

English Heritage (London)

27.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what response his Department has made to the plans of English Heritage for London.

I refer to the reply that I gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler) on 23 April at columns 228–29.

Press Regulation

28.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he plans to make a further announcement on his policy in respect of the law on privacy of controls on the press; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on his policy on the future of the regulation of the press.

The Government will set out their views on press self-regulation in their response to the report of the National Heritage Select Committee on Privacy and Media Intrusion. The opportunity will be taken to report progress on those recommendations of Sir David Calcutt relating to the protection of privacy which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State indicated in his statement to the House on 14 January that the Government accepted.

Treasure Trove

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what legislation he is proposing in relation to treasure trove.

My right hon. Friend met the promoters of a proposed private Member's Bill earlier this year and indicated that in his view further consultations are needed, both within Government and beyond, before acceptable proposals for the reform of treasure trove legislation can be formulated. We have offered to assist with these consultation's as soon as resources permit.

Public Libraries

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proposals he has for the preservation and improvement of public libraries.

Following extensive consultation, I have drawn up the terms of reference for a fundamental review to assess the scope and value of public library services currently provided by local authorities in England and Wales; to draw up guidelines and a framework for local choice for what should constitute a "comprehensive and efficient service" provided by a modern public library system; to consider the desirability of any changes in the requirements of the Public Library and Museum Act 1964; and to identify key developments requiring national attention.

St Ethelburga's Church

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what provision is being made by Her Majesty's Government to assist in the repair and restoration of St. Ethelburga's church, damaged by the Bishopsgate bomb of 24 April, including the restitution of the interior murals; and if he will make a statement.

English Heritage is providing direct practical assistance in assessing the damage and advising the Church authorities on possible options. It is for the latter to make proposals for the treatment of the building and to consider how any work might be financed. The special arrangements made by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade with the insurance industry last year to ensure the continued availability of insurance cover against terrorist damage are also relevant to cases of this kind.

Defence

Empty Properties, Plymouth

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much it ks costing to provide security surveillance on the empty houses belonging to his Department in the vicinity of Mantle gardens, Barne Barton, Plymouth.

The security surveillance was arranged as a result of competitive tender and costs are commercial-in-confidence.

Home Department

Security

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of whether the liaison and co-operation between the security service, special branch arid the various police forces is working to the maximum efficiency.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to ensure that when warnings are given as to an imminent security threat the maximum information is given to the relevant police area.

I am satisfied that the current arrangements for disseminating information of this kind to the police, and within police forces, are working properly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make sufficient funds available to the City of London police to establish road blocks as and when required;(2) what plans he has to increase funding of anti-terrorism operations

(a) in general and (b) by the City of London police.

It is for the police authority to determine the level of funding for its police force. This then attracts specific grant of 51 per cent. from my Department in the normal way. Chief officers decide how to allocate the resources which are available to them. Whether and when road checks should be mounted under the powers available to the police is an operational decision for the chief officer.At a recent meeting with the Lord Mayor and the commissioner of the City of London police I informed them that I would consider sympathetically any application I received from them for additional police officer posts or for capital spending on closed-circuit television in the city.

Royal Commission On Criminal Justice

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Royal Commission on criminal justice to report.

We understand that the commission hopes to publish its report before the end of June.

Terrorism

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his plans for the future publication of statistics on the prevention of terrorism legislation in Great Britain.

My Department will continue to publish annually statistics on the operation of Prevention of Terrorism legislation in a Home Office Statistical Bulletin. The most recent publication, on 25 February 1993, included information for the whole of 1992. The next publication, due in February 1994, will contain statistics for the whole of 1993, including information about individual quarters during the year.Separate publication of quarterly figures will cease immediately. In 1979 the then Home Secretary undertook to publish quarterly bulletins following Lord Shackleton's 1978 review of the Prevention of Terrorism Acts. The picture was then very different: In 1979 more than 850 people were detained in Great Britain and 48 extension orders were made. In 1992 the figures were 160 and 17 respectively. I have, therefore, decided that separate publication of quarterly figures is no longer justified.No other bulletins on criminal statistics appear so frequently. Apart from the cost of producing the quarterly bulletins, there are sound statistical reasons for not publishing so often. The quarterly figures are unstable and there is considerable variation from quarter to quarter. It is therefore misleading to deduce trends based on the most recent quarter's data alone. Publication of all four quarters' data together, however, helps to put any variations in context. In previous quarterly statistical bulletins, the figures have had to be revised for annual publication, in the light of new information received. By ceasing quarterly publication, the figures will be more reliable on first presentation.

Prisoners (Mental Illness)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons within the prison system in the last year for which figures are available received care in long-term mental facilities within (a) one year, (b) two years and (c) three years of offending.

In 1992 the Secretary of State authorised the transfer of 611 mentally disordered prisoners to hospital under sections 47 and 48 of the Mental Health Act 1983 for appropriate medical treatment. The information held centrally does not show what periods of time these prisoners had spent in custody before transfer to hospital, nor how long they remained in hospital after being transferred.

Grants

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list each category of grant available from his Department to (a) local authorities, (b) voluntary organisations, (c) commercial organisations, (d) other organisations and (e) individuals in each of the past five years, the current year and projected for the 1994–95 financial year together with, for each year and in each case, (i) the date he published information or issued a circular providing detailed criteria (ii) the date the application form was made generally available (iii) the published closing date for applications (iv) any extended and final application date applied by his Department (v) the date of announcement of his decisions and (vi) the date in which detailed offers were sent out by his Department.

Excluding payments made under contract, financial provision is available in 1993–94 for grants to be made in connection with the following programmes:

  • Local authorities
  • Police services
  • Probation services
  • Emergency planning
  • Section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966
  • Safer Cities
  • Drug prevention
  • Probation and bail hostels
  • Voluntary organisations
  • Safer cities
  • Crime concern
  • Diversion from custody
  • Victims of crime
  • Immigration appeals assistance
  • Prisoners abroad
  • Probation and bail hostels
  • Marriage guidance
  • Reduction of racial disadvantage
  • Drug prevention
  • Refugees
  • Women's Royal Voluntary Service
  • National Council for Voluntary Organisations
  • Support to the voluntary sector including the promotion of voluntary activity and community development
  • Accident prevention
  • Information network focus on religious movements
  • Prison after-care and supervision
  • Repatriation of Commonwealth citizens
  • Resettlement of offenders
  • Commercial organisations
  • Safer cities
  • Other organisations
  • Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
  • Police Complaints Authority
  • Gaming Board
  • Commission for Racial Equality
  • Safer cities
  • Wartime broadcasting
  • Probation training
  • Probation and bail hostels
  • Ethnic minority grants to training and enterprise councils
  • Reduction of racial disadvantage
  • Animals research
  • Individuals
  • The Data Protection Registrar
Grants have been made in comparable categories over the past five years as well as in connection with:

BBC
Welsh Fourth Channel AuthorityResponsibility transferred to the Department of National Heritage in 1992–93
Broadcasting Complaints Commission
Broadcasting Standards Council
Football Licensing Authority
Equal Opportunities CommissionResponsibility transferred to the Employment Department in 1992–93
BBC
Warning and monitoring Arson prevention Up to 1992–93
Budgets for 1994–95 have not yet been settled.The criteria and information required before grants are approved are made available to applicant organisations in a variety of ways. The detailed information sought is not available centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Electoral Fraud

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has about how many votes were lost to their lawful recipients through electoral fraud in total in 1992; what percentage of these were due to misuse of proxy votes; and if he will make a statement.

Information about the number of voting offences is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans the Government have to review the format of the absent voter forms to prevent fraud by misappropriation of proxy votes; and what systems are in place to monitor the number of people claiming proxy votes in elections; and if he will make a statement;(2) how many voters by constituency voted by proxy in each of the last three general elections; and in each case what percentage difference this represented from 1979.

Information about the number of proxy voters is not collected centrally. Changes to absent voting applications forms are being considered by a working group of electoral registration officers and Home Office officials as part of our post-election review.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Government have to increase the penalties for electoral fraud where the offence involves the deprivation of the vote to an elector who by reason of age, disability, language difficulties or other reason is particularly vulnerable to such fraud.

Penalties for election offences are set out in the Representation of the People Acts 1983 and 1985. We have no plans for any change.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to investigate possible electoral fraud regarding proxy votes in Brighton; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the electoral registration officer in Brighton has investigated a number of complaints relating to proxy voting applications. One case was referred to the police who have decided that there was no evidence of any fraud.

Mr Leon Patterson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Greater Manchester police force concerning the death of Leon Patterson in custody in Stockport police station; and if he will make a statement on the action to be taken against the individual officers concerned.

Identity Cards

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department. what estimate he has for (a) the cost of and (b) the time scale necessary for introducing a national identity card.

[holding answer 6 May 1993]: In 1989 it was estimated that the cost (excluding initial capital costs) of issuing identity cards to all British citizens aged 12 or over could be around £350 million; and that the annual running costs of the system would probably be between £50 million and £100 million. The time scale necessary for introducing a card has not been estimated.

Social Security

Pensions (Payment Methods)

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what meetings he has held, and what plans he has for meetings, with representatives of sub-postmasters to discuss his plan to encourage the payment of pensions into bank or building society accounts, rather than at post offices.

We have had no meetings with representatives of sub-postmasters but would consider any request for such a meeting.

Unemployment Benefit

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total number of people receiving unemployment benefit in each month since May 1991.

Information is not available in the form requested. The total number of people receiving unemployment benefit at quarterly dates from May 1991 to November 1992 is in the table.

DateNumbers
9 May 1991555,300
8 August 1991608,400
14 November 1991626,400
13 February 1992694,700
14 May 1992668,700
13 August 1992642,300
12 November 1992654,400

Source: Quarterly Analysis of Unemployed Claimants.

Residential Homes

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to introduce regulations to extend the period for which residential allowance may remain in payment to people who are absent from residential care and nursing homes; and if he will make a statement.

On 2 April we announced that the rules affecting payment of residential allowance (RA) would be changed to extend the period for which the allowance may remain in payment to such people from six days to six weeks, where the person enters hospital, and three weeks for other absences.The regulations, introducing this change are being laid today.The main provisions are:

The amending regulations will apply to people who may already have been absent for more than six days and for whom RA has already stopped. For such people RA will be reinstated from the date the amendment comes into force and will continue in payment for a period up to six or three weeks (as appropriate) from that date. The necessary procedure are already in hand to identify such cases.
A resident may be absent for up to six weeks in hospital and/or up to three weeks elsewhere (eg six weeks in hospital and three weeks with relatives) before returning to the home. Different periods in hospital separated by 28 days or less will be treated as being one continuous period.
The new provisions will apply to permanent residents who have left the home temporarily.

Maternity Payments

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has for the future levels of maternity payments to women earning less than the national insurance threshold.

Women whose earnings are below the lower earnings limit for national insurance contributions do not qualify for maternity benefits. Without such a floor on entitlement, benefit payments could exceed earnings. The limit itself is regularly increased, but we have no plans to remove it.

Community Care Grants

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the levels of community care grants as a proportion of total social security expenditure for each year since 1988.

The information is in the table.

Expenditure on social security benefitsExpenditure on community care grantsExpenditure on community care grants as a proportion of benefit expenditure
Year£ million£ millionPer cent.
1988–8947,332400·08
1989–9050,100590·12
1990–9156,236670·12
1991–9265,336790·12
11992–9374,135900·12
1 Estimated outturn.

Source: Social Security Departmental Report—The Government's expenditure plans 1993–94 to 1995–96 (Cm. 2213).

Members' Correspondence

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of letters received from hon. Members he has referred to the chief executive of the Benefits Agency in the last 12 months.

Between 1 April 1992 and 31 March 1993 a total of 14,316 letters were received from hon. Members. Of these, 2,770–19 per cent.—were referred to Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency.

Departmental Staff

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the numbers and percentages of his staff in grades 1 to 5 who have (a) arts degrees, (b) science degrees, (c) technical degrees, (d) who are qualified accountants and (e) have post-graduate qualifications in management.

The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Disability Allowances

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims for disability working allowance have been successful; hclw many have been unsuccessful; and how many are pending.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will change the criteria by which claimants are eligible for disability working allowance so that take-up of the benefit can be improved; and if he will make a statement.

Further measures to encourage take-up were launched in April, including advertisements in the local press, mailings to advisers, and seminars for voluntary organisations. We have no plans to change the eligibility criteria.

Income Support (Under-25S)

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what policy considerations underlie the difference in income support for those aged 18 to 25 years and those over 25 years.

The levels of benefit for those aged 18 to 24 take account of the fact that a large majority of this group do not have the responsibility for running their own household; the lower rates also reflect the lower earnings expectations of this age group generally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many income support recipients are aged between 18 and 24 years; and how many receive the reduced £34·80 rate.

There are 810,000 recipients of income support aged 18 to 24. Of these, 520,000 receive the rate appropriate to a single claimant.

Source: Income Support Annual Statistical Enquiry, May 1991.

Notes:

1. All figures have been rounded to the nearest ten thousand.

2. The number of recipients at the given rate has been estimated. The actual rate for 1991 does not correspond to the rate mentioned in the question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which living expenses the income support personal allowance (a) of £34·80 and (b) for those aged over 25 years is intended to provide.

Income support rates are intended to cover all normal day to day living expenses. They do not include separate amounts for specific items of expenditure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants of income support in each Benefits Agency office having customers in Derbyshire, have arrangements for (a) direct payment of housing costs, (b) attachment of community charge, (c) direct repayments to the social fund, (d) direct payments to the electricity companies and (e) direct payments to British Gas; and what are the total counts of (a) to (e) for customers who are residents of Derbyshire.

The administration of Income Support and the Social Fund are matters for Mr. Michael Bichard the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.

Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Mrs. Margaret Beckett, dated 7 May 1993:

As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security, asking how many claimants of Income Support in each Benefits Agency office having customers in Derbyshire, have arrangements for (a) direct payment of housing costs, (b) attachment of community charge, (c) direct re-payments to the Social fund, (d) direct payments to the electricity companies and (e) direct payments to British Gas; and what are the total counts of (a) to (e) for customers who are residents of Derbyshire.

The complete range of information is not available except at a disproportionate cost. This is because statistics are not routinely collected to reflect the area of residence of customers with deductions. Statistics will shortly be available giving the numbers of benefit recipients whose mortgage interest is paid directly to their mortgage lender and I will be pleased to write to you further with this information when it is available. Statistics relating to Social Fund are only available on a District Office basis. These statistics show the number of loan applications for which a repayment was made during March 1993 and do not necessarily equate to the number of applicants. All the other figures show the position as at 28 February 1993.

I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this letter will appear in the official report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.

Appendix

Deduction arrangements in Derbyshire

Number

Derby (London road)

Water575
Rent445
Gas769
Electricity9
Community charge1,894
TOTAL3,692

Derby (Beeket street)

Water410
Rent210
Gas626
Electricity41
Community charge1,767
TOTAL3,045

Ilkeston office

Water217
Rent158
Gas674
Electricity43
Community charge1,548

Number

TOTAL2,640

Buxton office

Water46
Rent37
Gas86
Electricity5
Community charge208
TOTAL382

Chesterfield office

Water119
Rent737
Gas816
Electricity16
Community charge969
TOTAL2,657

Social Fund—repayments from income support

Number

Central Derbyshire district office2,572
South Derbyshire district office1,677
North Derbyshire district office2,027
Stockport district office2,286

Boarder Allowances

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received from organisations and individuals in support of implementing a boarder premium for homeless families living in temporary accommodation; and what plans he has to meet the London Homelessness Forum.

We receive representations on many aspects of social security, including a number about the benefit arrangements for people living in temporary accommodation. I shall be meeting the London Homelessness Forum on 13 May 1993.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many boarder claimants received the eating out allowance in 1988–89; and what was the annual cost.

No data are available on either cost or the number of boarders who received an additional allowance for meals.

Judicial Review

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications have been made in the past year for judicial review of social fund decisions, and what percentage were successful.

Pursuant to my reply of 14 April 1993 at column 668 the following information was incorrect:

"In 1992–93, five judicial review applications were made.
So far, two of these have been heard: neither was successful.
There have been 12·5 million applications for discretionary social fund payments since they became available in 1983: of these, only 25 have resulted in judicial review applications."
The correct information is as follows:

"In 1992–93 six judicial review applications were made. So far, two of these have been heard: neither was successful.
There have been over 12·5 million applications for discretionary social fund payments since they became available in 1988: of these, only 26 have resulted in judicial review applications."

Benefits (Automatic Credit Transfer)

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what estimates have been made about the amount of money which could be saved from the introduction of automatic credit transfer of benefit payments into claimants' bank accounts;(2) how many persons in receipt of social security benefits do not have a bank account.

The payment of social security benefits is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.

Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 7 May 1993:

As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking how many persons in receipt of social security benefits do not have bank accounts and what estimates have been made about the amount of money which could be saved from the introduction of automated credit transfer of benefit payments into claimants' bank accounts.

A survey undertaken in 1991 estimated that 30 per cent. of Social Security recipients did not have a bank or building society account.

Payment by automated credit transfer (ACT) has been available to many of our customers for several years. In line with a commitment made in the Citizens Charter, ACT is being made available for a wider range of benefits. The savings resulting from this extension will depend how many recipients select ACT as a method of payment. If all social security recipients were paid in this manner, this would lead to administrative savings of around £475m a year.

I hope you will find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.

Northern Ireland

British Council Initiatives

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what initiatives have been taken by the British Council to raise the profile of Northern Ireland abroad.

Since 1986 the British Council, with financial support from the Department of Education for Northern Ireland, has operated an annual programme of cultural events, study hours and exhibitions designed to raise the profile of Northern Ireland in the United States. In 1992–93, this was complemented by a similar programme in Europe.

Obscene Items

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total number of items seized on the grounds of obscenity by the Royal Ulster Constabulary in the latest year for which figures are available.

The question of whether an item is obscene is a matter for the courts. Police records indicate that, during the period 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993, a total of 690 pornographic tapes were seized by the RUC. Other pornographic items, such as magazines, may have been seized by police at local level but no central record is maintained of such seizures.

Health And Social Services Boards

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications have been lodged with the Office of Fair Employment and industrial

Applications to OFE/Tribunals from 1 May 1990 to 30 April 1993
Fair EmploymentSex DiscriminationTotal
Eastern Board
Number of applications433780
Gone to tribunal123
Pending201535
Withdrawn17926
Withdrawn following conciliated settlement51116
Northern Board
Number of applications151530
Gone to tribunal1404
Pending61117
Withdrawn549
Withdrawn following settlement or at hearing14014
Southern Board
Number of applications191029
Gone to tribunal7916
Pending7916
Withdrawn12113
Withdrawn following conciliated settlement000
Western Board
Number of applications20626
Gone to tribunal011
Pending617
Withdrawn13013
Withdrawn following conciliated settlement145
1 Figures included with numbers "gone to tribunal".

Environment

Enterprise Zones

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange for PA Cambridge Economic Consultants to publish an interim report on the costs and benefits of enterprise zones before the publication of its final evaluation exercise report in 1995.

An interim report has been commissioned and a final draft is being considered by my Department. No decision on publication has yet been made.

Recycling

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to publish a planning guidance note on the recycling of aggregate materials.

The potential for increasing the use of waste and recycled materials as aggregates is a factor considered in the consultation draft of Minerals Planning Guidance Note 6 ("Guidelines for Provision of Aggregates tribunals alleging sex or religious discrimination by each of the area health and social services boards in Northern Ireland; and how many, and for what reason, have not proceeded to a hearing by the tribunal over the last three years.

The requested information is given in the following table:in England and Wales"). Final guidance should be published in the summer. At present, I have no plans to issue separate guidance on recycling for aggregates.

Acidic Aerosols

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take immediate steps to monitor and control acidic aerosols.

Measurements of aerosol sulphate are made at 10 sites in the United Kingdom. We have no immediate plans to extend this monitoring to acid aerosols.

Public Bodies

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 28 April, Official Report, column 426, if he will list the public bodies to which he makes appointments and the number of people appointed to each.

The bodies, and the number of appointments, are as listed. Sixty-one of these posts are currently unfilled.

Name of body

Number of appointments

A Advisory
Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment20
Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment25
Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances11
Black Country Limestone Advisory Panel6
Building Regulations Advisory Committee16
Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council14
Property Advisory Group15
Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee21
Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution14
B Executive
Audit Commission17
British Board of Agrement17
Commission for the New Towns13
Countryside Commission11
English Nature14
Housing Action Trust Liverpool12
Housing Action Trust North Hull11
Housing Action Trust Waltham Forest11
Housing Corporation15
Joint Nature Conservation Committee4
Letchworth Garden City Corporation6
Local Government Commission15
London Pensions Fund Authority8
London Residuary Body4
National Rivers Authority12
Rural Development Commission8
United Kingdom Eco-Labelling Board15
Urban Development Corporation Birmingham Heartlands13
Urban Development Corporation, Black Country13
Urban Development Corporation, Bristol12
Urban Development Corporation, Central Manchester10
Urban Development Corporation, Leeds11
Urban Development Corporation, London Docklands13
Urban Development Corporation, Merseyside13
Urban Development Corporation, Plymouth12
Urban Development Corporation, Sheffield12
Urban Development Corporation, Teesside12
Urban Development Corporation, Trafford Park13
Urban Development Corporation, Tyne and Wear13
C Proposed Executive NDPBs
Housing Action Trust, Birmingham, Castlevale11
Housing Action Trust, Brent11
Housing Action Trust, Tower Hamlets11
D Nationalised Industry
British Waterways Board7
E Tribunal
Rent Assessment Panels (13)466

Council Tax

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many houses/dwellings are there in each council tax band in the Chelmsford parliamentary constituency; and how many people in each council tax band qualify for the 25 per cent. single person's discount.

Information for Chelmsford parliamentary constituency is not available. However, comparable information for the area of Chelmsford district council is available, as follows:

Council tax bandNumber of dwellingsNumber of single person discounts
A3,9802,430
B7,8904,150
C19,1105,210
D14,5102,770
E8,6601,240
F4,320490
G3,230370
H25030
Total61,96016,680

Notes:

Totals may not sum owing to rounding. The figures for numbers of dwellings reflect the valuation list sent to Chelmsford district council as at 1 December 1992. Estimates for the number of single person discounts are derived from the number of dwellings shown on the community charge register at 1 December 1992 as containing only one non-student chargepayer on 1 June 1992.

Fanfare For A New World Concert

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the circumstances which led to the staging of the Fanfare for a New World concert in Liverpool in 1992; on what basis a £2 shell company was appointed to oversee the event; what creditors are now seeking satisfaction from the Merseyside development corporation; and what representations he has received about the matter.

The Fanfare for a New World concert was an important element in the Grand Regatta Columbus celebrations held in Liverpool last summer. From the earliest stages of planning the grand regatta, it had been recognised that a major flagship event of this kind would help to attract visitors and media attention to the city.The Merseyside development corporation took the decisions to act as sponsors, rather than organisers, of the concert following approaches made to them by a private sector consortium. This consortium, who had worked for them in various capacities since 1986, included a well-known London-based opera impresario and the organiser of the successful Symphony for A Spire at Salisbury Cathedral. In the light of the proven track record of the members of this consortium, and following a thorough appraisal of the proposed budget, a legal agreement was drawn up which, among other things, set a maximum level of sponsorship for the event. This maximum level was increased shortly before the concert when the corporation was advised that further sponsorship from the private sector had not been secured at the expected level.I understand that the Merseyside development corporation has received no direct approaches from creditors. Apart from the hon. Member's question, the only representations that my right hon. and learned Friend has received are three further questions tabled by, and a letter from, the hon. Member for Liverpool, Walton (Mr. Kilfoyle).

Council Tax

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the average number of days it takes his Department to respond to a written request from an hon. Member or a member of the general public for copies of his Department's explanatory booklets on the council tax; and if he will make a statement;(2) what performance target he has set for his Department to respond to written requests from hon. Members and members of the general public for copies of his Department's explanatory booklets on the council tax.

[holding answer 7 May 1993]: The average number of days it takes my Department's contractor to respond to a written request from an hon. Member or a member of the general public is currently about 10 working days. This period allows for inward and outbound postal transit times.The performance target for response, be it to an hon. Member or a member of the public, is that a request be fulfilled as quickly as reasonably possible, while seeking value for money.

House Of Commons

Old Palace Yard

To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee when the agreement for use by the House of Commons of Old Palace Yard expires.

New accommodation to house the present occupants of 6–7 Old Palace Yard will become available from the end of October 1993 onwards. It is planned that this House will have vacated the building by March 1994.

To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee whether English Heritage was consulted about the works to be carried out at 7 Old Palace Yard; and if he will make a statement.

This is no longer a matter for this House. It is now one for the other place.

Transport

Departmental Staff

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the numbers and percentages of his staff in grades I to 5 who have (a) arts degrees, (b) science degrees, (c) technical degrees, (d) who are qualified accountants and (e) have post-graduate qualifications in management.

The information readily available from our manual staff records is as follows:

(a) (b) (c): 67 staff in my Department in grades 1 to 5 have an arts degree, representing 45 per cent. of the total in these grades.
Fifty-six staff in these grades have a science or technical degree, representing 37 per cent. of the total.
(d) Two persons in these grades are qualified accountants —1·3 per cent. of the total.
(e) No staff in these grades have postgraduate qualifications in management.

Motorcycles

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the proposed EC anti-tampering directive on motorbikes on (a) the cost of running a motorcycle, (b) the price of new bikes and (c) the United Kingdom's performance and racing industry;(2) if his Department will oppose the EC's proposed anti-tampering directive on motorbikes; and if he will make a statement.

The EC Commission has not yet presented a proposal for a directive to the Council of Ministers for consideration. It would be premature to take a view on the United Kingdom's approach and to make an assessment of the likely effects of the measure before they do so.

London And South-East

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the total amount of support given by his Department to (a) London Transport and (b) Network SouthEast for each year from 1982–83 to 1992–93, estimated, distinguishing between current and capital expenditure.

The information requested is as follows.

Government grant to London Transport and Network SouthEast:
London transport
£ million 1993–94 prices YearCapitalCurrentTotal
1982–831336216552
1983–841276296572
1984–851192236428
1985–86297187484
1986–8733394427
1987–8826965334
1988–8922228250
1989–9029158349
1990–9150294596
1991–92557130687
1992–932664241905
1 Grant paid by GLC.
2 Excludes DLR. In 1992–93 the Department of the Environment paid grant of £149 million for DLR.
Network SouthEast
£ million 1993–94 prices YearCapitalCurrentTotal
1987–88230
1988–89140
1989–9086
1990–91146
1991–92165190355
1992–93454121575
In addition to investment funded from Government support, both industries can also fund investment from their own resources. The figures for Network SouthEast show Public Service Obligation Grant to Network SouthEast from its creation in 1987–88. Due to accounting changes, no directly comparable figures for capital/current split are available before 1991–92.

Local Authority Buses

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce legislation to require local authorities to dispose of their interests in bus companies; and if he will make a statement.

I cannot, of course, anticipate what may be in the legislative programme for next session, but we do intend in this Parliament to fulfil our pledge given before the last General Election that we will take action to privatise the remaining local authority bus companies.Meanwhile, I am encouraged that there have been three sales in the last six months, Merseybus, Strathclyde and Preston Borough Transport, and I know that many other local authorities have expressed a desire to transfer their public transport companies to the private sector.

Local Authority Airports

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce legislation to require local authorities to dispose of their interests in airports; and if he will make a statement.

The Government believe that privatisation would bring benefits to local authority airports. It is for the local authorities who own airports to decide whether to dispose of their interests, taking into account the needs of those who live in the areas concerned and the customers who use the airports. In taking those decisions they will be aware that if they wish to see their airports continue to develop, they will need to use internal resources or look to the private sector to fund major expenditure programmes, either through joint ventures or outright sale.

Buses And Trains (Elasticity Figures)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the patronage elasticity of bus mileage.

Available studies suggest that an elasticity of around 0·5 is typical. However, figures will vary widely between areas and according to the form the extra bus mileage takes; it might involve, for example, higher frequencies on existing routes or the introduction of new routes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the bus patronage elasticity of changes in the level and in the rate of growth of car ownership.

Available studies suggest that an aggregate elasticity of around —0·5 is typical. However, relationships in particular areas will differ according to individual circumstances and economic conditions. These overall relationships may not apply to short-term changes in car ownership.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the patronage elasticity of service frequency for buses and for trains.

For buses, available studies suggest a central range of 0·4 to 0·6, but estimates vary from 0·16 to 1–0. Figures will vary widely depending on factors such as the frequency of the current service. Peak period demand is likely to be more responsive to a change in frequency than is off peak demand.

For trains, I understand that British Rail does not normally use a standard service elasticity figure. In forecasting demand, service frequencies are considered along with journey time and other attributes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the price elasticity of bus fares.

Available studies suggest that an elasticity of —0·3 is typical, with a range of perhaps 0·1 to —0·6. Figures will vary depending on factors such as the purpose of the journey, its length, and the extent to which alternative transport is available.

Sunken Container Ships

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has received to date of the locations of sunken container ships that are floating submerged in the world's ocean waterways; what action he has taken to warn United Kingdom shipping companies and their ships masters of their reported whereabouts; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received no information of any such cases. However, masters have an international obligation to report the sighting of a dangerous derelict vessel or any other direct dangers to navigation to all ships in the vicinity and to the appropriate shore authority. Navigation warnings will be issued by the hydrographic office responsible for the area concerned.

Health

St Helier's Nhs Trust

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been treated in Sutton under the St. Helier's NHS trust since it was set up.

The only information available centrally is shown in the table.

Patients treated by the St. Helier NHS trust 1991–92
Number
Ordinary admissions20,986
Day cases4,643
Out-patients202,025

National Disability Information Project

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on progress made with the national disability information project; what applications for resource support have been received from federations of local information providers from the national disability information project fund; and what allocations of resources have been made.

We received 101 applications from federations to become pilot sites. 12 pilot sites were selected, with funding as follows:

1991–921992–931993–94
Berkshire18,40033,59036,400
Birmingham70,85062,50064,344
Devon26,10038,50051,000
1991–921992–931993–94
North East Yorkshire24,16159,69772,873
Gateshead48,00062,82067,380
Gloucestershire30,30138,10037,300
Kent64,00053,66065,000
Manchester19,93154,70070,000
Norfolk16,56549,63162,500
Oldham37,58956,11981,982
Southwark21,33849,28265,450
Walsall32,96346,85048,000
The project is being co-ordinated on the Department's behalf by the Policy Studies Institute (PSI). The PSI report that the pilots have made important developments in the dissemination of information to disabled people. A formal evaluation is being carried out by the Research Institute for Consumer Affairs, who will' report to the Department of Health after the project ends in 1994–95.

Nhs Security Review

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will publish the report of the recent review into security and crime prevention in the national health service.

We have today placed copies of the full report and executive summary in the Library.

Nurse-To-Bed Ratio

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 5 February, Official Report, column 381, how many (a) beds and (b) nurses were available in each year since 1979.

The information is shown in the table.

Total numbers of average available beds and nursing and midwifery staff in the NHS—England 1979–1990–91
YearsAverage available bedsNurses and midwives (excl agency) (whole-time equivalent)
1979361,670354,420
1980355,980365,900
1981351,500388,010
1982348,100394,040
1983343,090394,690
1984334,510393,740
1985325,490397,030
1986315,710397,240
1987–88297,340397,910
1988–89282,900397,840
1989–90270,310398,050
1990–91255,440395,360
1991–92242,360392,200
1. All figures are rounded to the nearest ten except for the 1980 nurses and midwives figure which is rounded to the nearest hundred.2. From 1987 onwards, the daily available beds figure is averaged over the year whereas the nurses and midwives figures are as at September of each year.3.

Source: Department of Health 1979–1986 return; 1987–88 —1990–91 KH03 return and Department of HealthNon-Medical Manpower Census.

Angiosarcoma Of The Liver

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the small area health statistics unit will complete its survey into the geographical incidence of angiosarcoma of the liver in Great Britain in relation to vinyl chloride plants.

The small area health statistics unit will complete its vinyl chloride study later this year.

Small Area Health Statistics Unit

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports from the small area health statistics unit have been published other than those relating to cancer.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins) on 8 February at column 74.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the annual budget for the small area health statistics unit for each year since 1987; what proportion of the annual budget for the small area health statistics unit is provided by her Department; how the remaining budget is provided; and how many small area health statistics unit investigations have resulted in prosecutions against employers.

The annual budgets for the small area health statistics unit (SAHSU) since 1987 and the proportions contributed by the sponsoring Departments are shown in the tables.

Contribution
Per cent.
Department of Health40
Department of the Environment33
Health and Safety Executive10
Scottish Office10
Welsh Office5
DHSS (NI)2
Financial YearBudget £'.000
1987–88188
1988–89310
1989–90350
1990–91417
1991–92517
1992–93538
We are not aware of any SAHSU investigations resulting in prosecutions against employers.

Air Pollution

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has available of mortality rates resulting from air pollution.

None. The recording of mortality statistics in the United Kingdom uses the International Classification of Diseases. This does not specify air pollution as a diagnosis.

Cancer

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she has conducted into socio-economic factors in cancers, by cancer type.

The Department does not conduct research specifically into socio-economic factors in cancers. The Department's estimated expenditure on research into cancer in the financial year 1992–93 is £4,188,733. Several of the projects being undertaken cover socio-economic factors as part of the wider research.

Notified cases of tuberculosis (TB) dysentery/viral hepatitis 1983–1992 for Southampton and Hampshire.
Southampton19831984198519861987198819891990199111992
TB (all forms)24162621212221212721
Dysentery (Amoebic and Bacillary)81134123718515
Viral Hepatitis (all forms)211387203826151114
Hampshire19831984198519861987198819891990199111992
TB (all forms)98639266627958506043
Dysentery (Amoebic and Bacillary)45583027486820272869
Viral Hepatitis (all forms)11969684986160103785349
11992 data is provisional.

Access To Health Records Act 1990

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to make regulations under sections 8(2), (3) and (10)(1) of the Access to Health Records Act 1990; and if she will make a statement.

There are no immediate plans to make such regulations. Any complaint that a hospital has not complied with the Act can be dealt with under the existing hospital complaints procedures. In all cases, complaints can be taken direct to the courts. We will, however, continue to keep the need for regulations under review.

Departmental Staff

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the numbers and percentages of her staff in grades one to five who have (a) arts degrees, (b) science

ArtsScienceArts and ScienceTechQualified Accountants
No.No.Per cent.No.Per cent.No.Per cent.No.Per cent.No.Per cent.
UG1150150
UG2480120
UG38381257150
UG47261867270
UG56027129581250310210

Laboratory Technicians

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if laboratory technicians working for national health service hospitals are designated as medical laboratory scientific officers; and if such persons are required to have MLSO training before they can apply for employment in the NHS as laboratory technicians.

Medical laboratory scientific officer (MLSO) is a term used to describe staff who perform a certain range of technical, analytical and investigative functions in national health service clinical laboratories. Pay and grading agreements of the NHS professional and technical staffs B Whitley council require staff discharging that range of MLSO functions to meet the qualification

Infections, Hampshire

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of (a) tuberculosis, (b) dysentery and (c) viral hepatitis were reported in (i) Southampton and (ii) Hampshire for each year since 1983.

(c) technical degrees, (d) who are qualified accountants and (e) have post-graduate qualifications in management.

The information is shown in the table.These figures exclude people seconded into the Department, which includes a number of experienced accountants and national health service managers. We do not collate centrally information on the numbers of staff who have post-graduate qualifications in management, but all members of staff in these grades attend in-house and external management courses, some of which lead to formal qualifications.The percentages in this table relate to all staff in the grade, not just those with recorded qualifications.and training requirements of and be registered as medical laboratory technicians under the Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act (1960).

Cataract Operations, Hull

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will now make it her policy to collect information about the current waiting time for cataract operations at the Hull royal infirmary.

No. Information on waiting times for ophthalmology treatment, which includes cataract operations, in district health authorities and national health service trusts is available routinely in "Hospital Waiting List Statistics: England", the latest edition of which is available in the Library.

Nhs Land

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the quantity and value of land held by the national health service in (a) 1990 and (b) the latest available date.

The area of land held by the national health service at 31 December 1989 was estimated at 16,719 hectares. The equivalent figure for I April 1992 (the latest available) is estimated to be 16,158 hectares.The total existing use value of NHS land and buildings as at 31 December 1989 was £23,447,056,000. The apportionment between land and building values at 31 December 1989 is not available from centrally held returns. The total existing use value of NHS land and buildings as at 1 April 1992 is estimated at £21,447,463,000, of which £5,755,453,;000 may be taken to relate to the landholding.

Qa Business Services

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings she has held, and what plans she has to hold meetings with representatives of former employees of Qa Business Services to discuss their loss of pension rights.

None. I have offered to meet the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Burden) and other hon. Members to hear representations on behalf of constituents affected by the collapse of Qa Business Services.

Purchasing Development

To ask the Secretary of State for Health who she intends to consult when considering the establishment of the national purchaser development team.

We are undertaking a series of meetings with all regional health authorities and the chairmen of district health authorities and family health services authorities to discuss progress on purchasing. We will consider what further action might be needed to support the development of purchasing in the light of these discussions.

Elderly Patients

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring of the work of general practitioners in respect of their care of over-75-year-old patients is being undertaken; and if she will make a statement.

Family health services authorities are responsible for monitoring of general practitioners locally, in respect of all services provided by GPs.In addition, the Department of Health has commissioned research from the centre for primary care research (CPCR) in Manchester into the operation of the 75+ health check.The Department also commissioned a survey from MORI into patients' reactions to the new GP contract. The MORI survey (conducted in 1991) found that almost four out of five of those 75+ patients offered a check-up took advantage of it and nine out of 10 of those who had a check-up found it useful.

Aids

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the total Government expenditure on HIV/AIDS medical research; and if she will provide an estimate of total expenditure from all sources on HIV/AIDS medical reseach.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 April 1993, c. 280]: The cumulative total of Government funding for AIDS medical research for the financial years 1986–87 to 1992–93 is £66,170,000. This represents the sum made available to the Medical Research Council (M RC) for a directed programme of AIDS research covering vaccine development and to improve our understa-nding of the natural history of the virus.