Written Answers

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Written Answers To Questions

Tuesday 11 May 1993

Lord Chancellor's Department

Bailiffs

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make it his policy to impose restrictions on the current powers granted to bailiffs to sell off stock cheaply in order to meet debts.

The Lord Chancellor is presently reviewing the organisation and management of those empowered to remove and sell goods to meet the payment of debts. A consultation paper was issued on 4 August 1992, which canvassed, inter alia, whether changes are necessary to the law governing the sale of goods seized in payment of debt. Following the consultation, officials are preparing advice on the subject for the Lord Chancellor to consider.

Small Claims Courts

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what consideration he is giving to altering the upper limit of claims in the small claims court; and if he will make a statement.

We are keeping the small claims limit under review and plan to raise it as soon as practicable. However, we have not at this stage finalised the level to which it will he raised, nor the date on which this will take place.The level was last increased to £1,000 in 1991. Any further increase may capture cases of greater complexity than those for which the procedure was designed. We are concerned to have appropriate procedures in place to deal with such cases before raising the small claims limit further.

Home Department

Prison Education Staff

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 30 March to the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Ms Ruddock), Official Report, column 113, what further consideration he has given to the consequences for the tendering out of the prison education service of the acquired rights directive.

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the prison service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Harry Green way, dated 8 May 1993:

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking what further consideration has been given to the consequences for the competitive tendering of prison education of the Acquired Rights Directive.

At those establishments where final decisions have not already been taken about who is to be the future provider of education services, the Prison Service will invite all the tenderers originally invited to bid to submit further bids on the basis that the European Community Acquired Rights Directive and the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 will apply. This is without prejudice to whether or not an appeal is lodged against the High Court judgment in the case of Kenny and Woodroff v. South Manchester College.

European Parliament Elections

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 22 April, Official Report, columns 181–82, if he expects that EC nationals resident in the United Kingdom will generally have the right to vote in the 1994 European Parliament elections.

Yes.

Hosni E Farhat

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has regarding the resignation or early retirement of any of the police officers involved in the conviction of Hosni E. Farhat.

None. This is a matter for the chief constable of Hampshire constabulary.

Immigration (Police Questioning)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were stopped and questioned by the Metropolitan police for immigration matters during the last 12 months for which figures are available.

This information is not available.

Violence (Mobile Telephones)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the police forces which are experimenting with the use of mobile telephones to deter domestic and racial violence; when the trial in West Yorkshire is to be evaluated; and if he will make a statement.

This information is not collected centrally, but those conducting experiments with mobile phones and alarms include: Leicester, Bradford, Islington and Wandsworth safer cities projects and the Merseyside, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and the Metropolitan police forces.The experiment in Leeds was evaluated internally in October 1992 and has now been extended across the West Yorkshire force.

Police Manpower

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the level of police personnel in 1963 and 1993, in the United Kingdom, the west midlands and Solihull including the level of civilian posts; how many uniformed police were on the beat; and if he will make a statement.

In 1963 there were 80,251 police officers and 13,579 civilian staff in England and Wales. Information for 1963 in respect of the West Midlands and Solihull is not available.Current figures are given in the table. As data on deployment are collected annually, the figures are for December 1992.

	England and Wales	West Midlands Police	¹Solihull
Police strength	128,045	6,952	²125
Beat/patrol	53,994	3,496	³21–25
Civilian staff	49,162	2,471	22
¹ Figures are for the Solihull Sub-division, provided by the West Midlands Police.
² Total number of officers available to the sub-division.
³ Officers available at any one time for beat and patrol. Number of officers varies depending upon shift arrangements.

Wolds And Lindholme Prisons

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents and disturbances took place between April 1992 and April 1993 at (a) HM prison Wolds and (b) HM prison Lindholme.

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the prison service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Michael Clapham, dated 10 May 1993:

HM PRISONS WOLDS AND LINDHOLME

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of incidents and disturbances which have taken place between April 1992 and April 1993 at (a) HM Prison Wolds and (b) HM Prison Lindholme.

There have been a total of 95 reported incidents at Wolds Remand Prison and 463 at HMP Lindholme in the period 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993.

Notifiable offences recorded by the police by offence group
England and Wales 1992
Offence group	1st quarter	2nd quarter	3rd quarter	4th quarter	Total
	Number of offences
Violence against the person	45,520	53,408	53,093	49,758	201,779
Sexual offences	7,190	7,396	7,795	7,147	29,528
Robbery	12,007	12,448	13,598	14,841	52,894
Burglary	345,866	312,277	314,756	382,375	1,355,274
Theft and handling stolen goods	701,678	713,588	704,551	724,731	2,844,548
Fraud and forgery	42,425	42,859	42,662	40,654	168,600
Criminal damage	223,759	220,469	212,087	246,195	902,510
Other offences	9,856	9,670	10,264	9,593	39,383
Total	1,388,301	1,372,115	1,358,806	1,475,294	5,594,516
	Percentage change from corresponding period of previous year
Violence against the person	9	11	2	3	6
Sexual offences	8	-3	-4	1	—
Robbery	25	16	15	13	17
Burglary	16	7	9	13	11
Theft and handling stolen goods	8	2	—	3	3
Fraud and forgery	3	-3	-5	-8	-4
Criminal damage	14	3	8	14	10
Other offences	21	13	15	7	14
Total	11	3	3	7	6

During this period, the average daily population of Wolds, a secure modern prison building, was 190. Lindholme, a medium secure prison, (formerly RAF accommodation), with an open prison facility had an average daily population of 644. The figures given include failure to return from home leave, absconding, surrender by a prisoner and recapture of a prisoner. These will be much higher for Lindholme, since Wolds prisoners are remand prisoners who are not granted home leave, and because Wolds does not have an open prison facility.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the ratio of staff to prisoners at (a) HM prison Wolds and (b) HM prison Lindholme.

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the prison service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Michael Clapham, dated 8 May 1993:

HM PRISONS WOLDS AND LINDHOLME

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the ratio of staff to prisoners at (a) HM Prison Wolds and (b) HM Prison Lindholme

The ratio of staff to prisoners at Wolds Remand Prison on 31 March 1993 was 1:1·520. For HM Prison Lindholme the figure for the same day was 1:1·518.

Crime Statistics

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing (a) the total number of recorded crimes in 1992, (b) the number of crimes committed in each category in England and Wales for each quarter of 1992 and (c) the percentage increase that each figure represents over the equivalent quarter in 1991.

The required information is given in the table.

Fire Services

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by each fire service the standard spending assessment for 1993–94.

The table sets out the fire and civil defence element of each English fire authority's standard spending assessment for 1993–94. There is no separately identifiable fire and civil defence element of Welsh fire authorities' standard spending assessments.

Fire and civil defence elements of English fire authorities' standard spending assessments for 1993–94
	£ million
Avon	20·473
Bedfordshire	11·073
Berkshire	16·601
Buckinghamshire	12·360
Cambridgeshire	12·039
Cheshire	20·103
Cleveland	19·464
Cornwall	7·181
Cumbria	8·753
Derbyshire	17·067
Devon	19·557
Dorset	12·063
Durham	12·973
East Sussex	14·891
Essex	31·445
Gloucestershire	9·605
Hampshire	31·585
Hereford and Worcester	12·116
Hertfordshire	20·328
Humberside	21·322
Isle of Wight	2·229
Kent	30·998
Lancashire	32·276
Leicestershire	16·924
Lincolnshire	9·583
Norfolk	13·010
Northamptonshire	11·260
Northumberland	5·823
North Yorkshire	12·001
Nottinghamshire	21·087
Oxfordshire	11·284
Shropshire	7·839
Somerset	7·693
Staffordshire	19·345
Suffolk	11·023
Surrey	22·133
Warwickshire	8·993
West Sussex	14·836
Wiltshire	10·054
London	242·568
Greater Manchester	70·787
Merseyside	47·118
South Yorkshire	28·117
Tyne and Wear	34·449
West Midlands	67·514
West Yorkshire	49·002
Isles of Scilly	0·053

River Safety

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department is taking to publish an account of progress in the implementation of recommendations made after major disasters as recommended in the Hayes report on river safety.

There are no plans to publish such an account. Efforts are concentrated on disseminating lessons learnt from disasters through incorporation into suitable guidance.

Mr A Ali

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letters to him of 14 January, 19 February and 6 April with regard to Mr. A. Ali, of 39 Brynton road, sent to him by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton.

My right hon. and learned Friend replied to the right hon. Member on 10 May 1993.

Bail

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what mechanism courts enforce conditions attaching to the grant of bail; which body holds the passport of an accused person where this has been required to be surrendered under bail conditions; and if he will make a statement.

The courts have wide discretion over the conditions which they may impose on a defendant to whom they have granted bail. Enforcement of any such conditions will depend upon the nature of the condition, but in the case of conditions requiring the person concerned to report to a police station, enforcement is for the police.A person who has been granted bail may be arrested by the police without warrant if they have reasonable grounds for believing that he has broken, or is likely to break, bail conditions. Where the court has ordered the surrender of a passport as a condition of bail, the passport is obtained and kept by the police.

Uranium

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what current legislation in the United Kingdom a person can be prosecuted for allegedly trafficking in uranium; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.Export of uranium in various forms from the United Kingdom without a licence is prohibited under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1992 as amended. Import into the United Kingdom of various forms of uranium from non-EC sources without a licence is prohibited under the Import of Goods (Control) Order 1954 as amended. In addition there are controls in the legislation implementing sanctions resolutions of the United Nations. Full details of the controlled items and exceptions to the controls are given in the respective orders. Her Majesty's Customs and Excise enforce import and export restrictions and prosecute breaches under the provisions of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979. Any information about possible breaches of the controls should be reported to them.

Environment

Sellafield

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which stacks at BNFL Sellafield are included in emissions. authorisations as (a) schedule 1 stacks and (b) schedule 2 stacks.

The schedule 1 stacks are the B204, B6 Vessel Vent and B230 stacks. The schedule 2 stacks are the B6 Cell Vent, B38 third extension, B355 and B389 stacks.

All figures in Mbq.
	Alpha	Beta	Sr90	Ru106	II29	II37	Cs137	Pu Alpha	Pu24	Am241-Cm242	R3	C14	Kr35
B204
1988	376	969	25	415	16,233	1,312	52	260	2,154	65		1·3E + 06
1989	263	1,781	35	691	19,131	1,171	70	230	1,464	54		2·7E + 06
1990	193	1,525	28	359	2,395	373	55	134	874	30	5·9E + 08	3·7E + 06	3·8E + 10
1991	159	1,433	32	264	6,099	975	62	127	659	28	6·2E + 08	5·5E + 06	4·5E + 10
1992	113	1,127	17	263	8,721	1,163	34	89	390	19	3·2E + 08	2·2E + 06	2·7E + 10
B6 Vessel Vent
1988	30	269	11		1,854	18	31	2	20	2	1·8E + 08	2·0E + 06	3·9E + 10
1989	6	48	2		117	2	4	1	8	0	1·8E + 08	1·1E + 06	5·2E + 10
1990
1991
1992
B230
1988	53	986	24				61	33	229	13
1989	70	1,709	30				66	38	222	22
1990	70	1,944	31				78	42	374	21
1991	115	1,953	30				70	62	648	35
1992	56	1,832	24				32	39	282	14
¹ Discharges from the B6 vessel vent were diverted to B204 from April 1989 onwards, to allow decommissioning work to proceed on the B6 Stacks.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the annual authorised limits for radioactive emissions from (a) schedule 1 stacks and (b) schedule 2 stacks at BNFL Sellafield.

The annual authorised limits for schedule 1 and schedule 2 stacks at BNFL Sellafield are listed in the table:

Nuclide	Schedule 1	Schedule 2
	(gigabecquerels)	(gigabecquerels)
Alpha	4·3	5
Beta	58	62
Am-241 & Cm-242	0·9	3·5
Cs 137	4	22
C-14	30,000	—
I-129	47	41
I-131	140	64
Kr-85	1 × 10⁸	—
Pu-alpha	3·1	0·19
Pu-241	36·6	7·4
Ru-106	9	60
Sr-90	3·5	5·4
H-3	1.1 × 10⁶	—

Water

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of (a) social and economic factors, (b) the proportion of the nation's designated bathing waters located and (c) recent and projected rises in average water bills in the different regions

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the emissions from each schedule 1 stack at BNFL Sellafield for each year since records are available.

The emissions for each schedule 1 stack are given in the table. Where there are no entries for particular radionuclides this reflects the fact that there was no potential for these radionuclides to be released from these stacks.in determining policy over the funding of implementation of the EC's bathing waters, urban waste waters and shellfish waters directives.

The arrangements for the funding of the water industry under the legislation of 1989 took into account the varying purposes of capital expenditure in different areas. Water charges are controlled under statute by the Director General of Water Services and inter alia allow for the cost of meeting obligations under EC directives.

Landfill Sites (Methane Gas)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an assessment of the current emissions of methyl gas from landfill sites and its implications for global warming.

Only a very rough estimate of methane emissions from landfill sites has been possible in the past because of considerable uncertainties in the basic information used to calculate a national figure. My Department has accordingly commissioned research by the energy technology support unit of DTI. Based on this research, our best estimate for methane emissions from landfill in the United Kingdom is approximately 2 million tonnes per annum, but with a possible range between 0·6 and 5 million tonnes per annum. These estimates will be revised and updated as more information on the factors affecting methane generation from landfill is obtained.Methane is the second most significant anthropogenic greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide. The Government are aiming to publish a national programme to meet the United Nations climate change convention commitment to return emissions of all greenhouse gases to their 1980 levels by the year 2000.

National Parks

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now intends to bring forward legislation to provide for all national parks to be administered by independent boards.

Our policy statement on the national parks, published in January 1992, promised legislation to create independent authorities for the eight national parks in England and Wales currently run as county council committees. We fully recognise the importance of this legislation and we intend to bring it forward at the earliest opportunity.

Toxic Waste

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment. pursuant to his oral answer of 28 April, Official Report, column 950, which developed countries currently cannot economically make provision for their own recycling of toxic waste.

This information is not available. However, during negotiations on the EC waste shipments regulation not all member states welcomed as much as the United Kingdom the provisions relating to national self-sufficiency. The final text therefore enables member states to ban imports for disposal from other member states and EFTA countries unless the state of origin produces such a small quantity of hazardous waste that it would be unecononic to provide new specialised disposal facilities.

Coastal Protection

To ask the Secretary of State For the Environment what plans he has to create a coastal protection and planning unit as recommended by the Environment Select Committee in its second report of 1991–92, (HC 17).

The Government in their response of July 1992 to the report of the Environment Select Committee on coastal zone protection and planning explained that coastal policy in the United Kingdom has, since 1991, been co-ordinated at official level through an interdepartmental group. The secretariat for this group is within the Department of the Environment. It would not be appropriate for the group to take on major executive functions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to review current legislation for coastal zone activities.

The Government in their response of July 1992 to the report of the Environment Select Committee on coastal zone protection and planning undertook to review legislation controlling development below the low water mark; management of activities such as recreation in coastal waters; and the regulation of marine aggregates dredging. The results of these reviews will be available later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for a national coastal strategy and for consolidating legislation and regulations to give effect to coastal zone management.

The Government in their response of July 1992 to the report of the Environment Select Committee on coastal zone protection and planning stated its commitment to further the management of the coastal zone within a clear framework of national policy. Recent initiatives include planning guidance for the coast, support for heritage coasts, and a substantial programme of investment to improve the quality of coastal waters. Further work is under way on a national strategy for flood and coastal defence, reviews of the control of development below the low water mark and of marine aggregates extraction, and implementation of the EC habitats directive.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for the Environmental Protection Agency to be given responsibility and powers to integrate and monitor coastal activities to ensure prudent coastal management.

The Government have no such plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those powers and functions which are under consideration for local authorities' jurisdiction to extend below the low water mark.

The Government stated in their response of July 1992 to the report of the Environment Select Committee on coastal zone protection and planning that they are not persuaded that extension of local authority planning powers is necessarily the most effective approach to the control of development below the low water mark. The Government are currently reviewing controls over development in this area, including construction projects, oil and gas exploitation, marine aggregates extraction and disposal at sea.

Social Services, Greenwich

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will name the parliamentary under secretaries and the Ministers of State responsible for advising the successive Secretaries of State for the Environment since 1981 on the social service standard spending assessment for Greenwich.

Standard spending assessments were introduced for the first time in the financial year 1990–91. The current and previous Parliamentary Under-Secretaries and Ministers of State responsible for advising on these assessments are:

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Mr. Christopher Chope
Rt. Hon. Virginia Bottomley
Mr. Patrick Nicholls
Rt. Hon. Baroness Blatch
Mr. Robert Key
Mr. Robin Squire

Minister of State

Rt. Hon. Michael Howard
Rt. Hon. John Gummer
Rt. Hon. David Hunt
Rt. Hon. Michael Portillo
Mr. John Redwood

Housing, Solihull

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the criteria used to calculate the land requirement for housing up to the year 2011 in the unitary development plan for Solihull.

The Solihull unitary development plan incorporates a housing land requirement to 2001 as approved in "Strategic Guidance for the West Midlands", Planning Policy Guidance Note 10. Provision for the period beyond 2001 is for the local authority to determine in the light of the inspector's recommendations on its unitary development plan and national policy set down in Planning Policy Guidance Note 2 (Green Belts).

Green Housekeeping

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will indicate the reasons why his Department's policy statement on green housekeeping implies that (a) some use of hardwoods and (b) some use of peat, may continue.

Our policy is to specify only the use of hardwoods which come from sustainably managed sources. We do not in practice envisage making exceptions for such hardwoods, or for peat substitutes. In principle, however, they might need to be allowed for, in some possible circumstances and situations, if there were no practicable alternatives.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will indicate the reasons why his Department's policy statement on green housekeeping regards a ceiling of 70 to 75 per cent. as the current practicable limit for the purchase of recycled paper.

Our policy is to keep the use of non-recycled paper to a minimum but some printing processes require its use to operate effectively. The target figure of 70 to 75 per cent. use of recycled paper will be revised as appropriate to take account of developments in printing and paper technologies.

Ofwat

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what, for each of the last two years and for the current year, is the total operational cost of the Office of Water Services.

Details of OFWAT's costs for 1991–92 and its budget for 1992–93 are contained in the director general's "Annual Report 1991", a copy of which is in the Library. The report records that in 1991–92 OFWAT's budget was £6·29 million, and for 1992–93 £7·52 million. £9·7 million has been voted in estimates—class VII, vote 9—to cover the expenditure of OFWAT for 1993–94.

Spending Assessment, Greenwich

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the answer from the Secretary of State for Health on 4 May, how much more money would be received by Greenwich council from taxpayers through central Government grant if the standard spending assessment for 1993–94 were increased by the figure indicated by the social factor information now available from the 1991 census.

My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, Official Report, 4 May 1993, col 45, indicated that the percentage increase in the standard spending assessment for personal social services for Greenwich, if information on social factors from the 1991 census information were to be included, would be 9·8 per cent. The equivalent increase for the total standard spending assessment would be 4·7 per cent, amounting to some £9 million. This is also broadly the amount by which the level of revenue support grant would increase. The current review of standard spending assessments will involve a number of further changes and may result in a different outcome for 1994–95 when it is completed later this year.

Environment Week

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what support his Department plans to give to Environment Week, sponsored by the Civic Trust, 22 to 31 May.

BT environment week aims to encourage local initiatives in the voluntary sector. My Department funds a number of organisations which will participate in events during the week. I plan to open an exhibition on 21 May by the Penrith Civic Society, which will run throughout the week and to visit a rural action scheme project on 25 May.

Mobile Homes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations have taken place between officials of his Department and selected interested organisations in respect of a mobile park home owner's charter; and if he will take steps to ensure that any such charter reflects the interests of residents of mobile park homes as well as site owners.

A charter was issued by the Confederation of Park Homes Industry last December. A copy of the draft charter was also sent by my Department to the chairmen of the Association of Park Home Owners and the National Association of Park Home Residents. My officials will meet both of these organisations later this month. Later they will meet COPHI. My Department has monitored the responses from residents and their associations throughout the consultation exercise and will seek to ensure that all reasonable points are met as far as possible.

British Waterways Board

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to privatise the British Waterways Board; what estimate of asset proceeds he has made; and if he will make a statement.

There are no plans to privatise the British Waterways Board.

Urban Development Corporations

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the present salary and the value of other emoluments expenses and awards, including pension contributions, of the chairs of each of the urban development corporations.

The present salaries of the UDC chairmen are as follows:—

UDC	Salary (£)
Birmingham Heartlands	25,315
Black Country	25,315
Bristol	18,990
Central Manchester	18,990
Leeds	18,990
London Docklands	37,795
Merseyside	18,990
Plymouth	25,315
Sheffield	18,990
Teesside	25,315
Trafford Park	37,975
Tyne & Wear	18,990

There are no other emoluments, awards, or pension contributions. Chairmen entitled to pensions are required to contribute at the appropriate rate.Travel and subsistence expenses are payable in accordance with rates agreed by the Department.

Homelessness

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what figures he has for the average length of stay per homeless household living in temporary accommodation before being offered permanent housing by the responsible local authority.

The information is not available centrally and my Department has no estimates.

Halons

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to nominate candidates for essential use of halons under the Montreal protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer for continued production in 1994.

The Government are committed to keeping extra production for "essential uses" to a minimum. In order to be considered for extra production after phaseout, applications must meet a number of strict criteria agreed by parties to the Montreal protocol at their meeting in Copenhagen last year. These criteria include that the use is essential to protect health, safety or critical to the functioning of society; that there are no technically or economically feasible alternatives; and that there is insufficient supply of banked or recycled material available.The Government have scrutinised all nominations made to them for continued production of halons in 1994 and consider that six uses meet all the criteria at this time. These are:

(i) the use of halon 1211 in civil aircraft cockpits and passenger cabins;

(ii) the use of halon 1301 in the cargo compartments of civil aircraft;

(iii) the use of halon 1301 in civil aircraft engine nacelles;

(iv) the use of halon 1211 on civil airport rescue arid fire fighting vehicles;

(v) the use of halon 1301 in the engine compartments of the class 92 and 373 locomotives;

(vi) the use of halon 1301 in various applications in existing installations in the offshore oil and gas industry including control rooms, diver support areas and radio rooms.

We shall be proposing that the parties to the Montreal protocol agree that production should be allowed in 1994 for these six uses. This is likely to involve new production of some 30 tonnes of halons for United Kingdom uses in 1994 compared with a total estimated United Kingdom consumption of some 1,500 tonnes in 1990.

There are a few other uses which might fulfil some but not all of the criteria—because of the efforts of those concerned to bank and recycle halons they do not need new production in 1994. I hope that the efforts of the Halon Users' National Consortium will soon show that sufficient quantities of recycled material are available to meet all continuing needs.

We shall be considering what nominations, if any, we put forward for continued production in 1995 later this year.

Ozone Levels

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest information he has on levels of stratospheric ozone over the United Kingdom.

Measurements of stratospheric ozone made at Camborne and Lerwick during April 1993 show levels of total column ozone between 8 per cent. and 11 per cent. below the long-term April average. Although the ozone levels reman lower than the long-term average, the April values can be compared with decreases of 10 per cent. to 13 per cent. observed in March and over 20 per cent. seen in February. Individual daily measurements during April were consistently low, but were within the range of previously measured values.The Department's stratospheric ozone review group will include the latest interpretation of the ozone measurements made during 1992–93 in their next report which is due to be published in the autumn.

Street Lighting

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for increasing the resources available to council authorities for the improvement of street lighting.

I have been asked to reply.It is for local authorities to decide the appropriate level of expenditure on street lighting according to their own priorities. There are no plans to specify particular amounts for this type of expenditure.

Transport

Consultants

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to ensure that the relevant local highway authorities are invited to submit proposals to undertake the work carried out by consultants on the maintenance and management of trunk roads and motorways in a form which can be compared with bids from the private sector.

It is our policy in selecting maintenance agents to ensure that we secure maximum value for money in terms of the quality and efficiency of the services provided. In making arrangements for the replacement in due course of existing consultants' commissions we are committed to evaluating the quality and cost of the services available from local authorities and private sector consultants. The form and timing of this evaluation is still being considered.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will carry out an assessment of the performance of consultants carrying out agency responsibilities for the maintenance and management of trunk roads and motorways in comparison with local authority agents; if he will consult the local authority associations on the basis of the comparison; and if he will publish the results.

All consultants employed by the Department as maintenance agents are subject to performance assessment. My officials have agreed performance indicators with representatives of the local authority associations, which will facilitate comparisons of performance by different agents, and. these are now being used on a trial basis to assess the 1992–93 performance of a number of agents throughout the country. Any decision on publication of the results of comparisons will be taken in consultation with the local authority associations when the results are available.

Transport Supplementary Grant

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each local highway authority in England the percentage of its total bid for transport supplementary grant for 1993–94 included in its 1992 transport policy and programme which was accepted by the Government for grant.

The information is given in the table.

Transport supplementary grant for local highway authorities in England Percentage of total bid for transport supplementary grant for 1993–94 made in 1992 T P P submission accepted for grant
	Per cent.
London boroughs
City of London	51·1
Barking and Dagenham	47·4
Barnet	70·4
Bexley	86·9
Brent	42·3
Bromley	87·2
Camden	58·1
Croydon	82·1
Ealing	56·1
Enfield	58·0
Greenwich	52·7
Hackney	49·4
Hammersmith and Fulham	37·8
Haringey	52·2
Harrow	93·0
Havering	80·1
Hillingdon	81·7
Hounslow	59·9
Islington	40·3
Kensington and Chelsea	75·2
Kingston upon Thames	43·1
Lambeth	29·5
Lewisham	90·1
Merton	69·0
Newham	78·8
Redbridge	54·2
Richmond upon Thames	66·2
Southwark	92·9
Sutton	39·7
Tower Hamlets	70·0
Waltham Forest	74·4

	Per cent.
Wandsworth	60·5
Westminster	63·2
Metropolitan Boroughs
Bolton	61·3
Bury	59·0
Manchester	72·6
Oldham	62·5
Rochdale	70·1
Salford	21·5
Stockport	71·7
Tameside	57·5
Trafford	73·9
Wigan	39·4
Knowsley	95·1
Liverpool	66·0
St. Helens	57·8
Sefton	54·4
Wirral	78·0
Barnsley	76·7
Doncaster	64·8
Rotherham	68·7
Sheffield	85·8
Gateshead	54·7
Newcastle upon Tyne	67·5
North Tyneside	40·9
South Tyneside	69·7
Sunderland	50·7
Birmingham	83·3
Coventry	90·6
Dudley	65·9
Sandwell	40·6
Solihull	88·4
Walsall	90·0
Wolverhampton	76·4
Bradford	56·7
Calderdale	38·8
Kirklees	78·6
Leeds	61·4
Wakefield	58·7
Shire Counties
Avon	71·6
Bedfordshire	46·9
Berkshire	41·5
Buckinghamshire	65·6
Cambridgeshire	39·7
Cheshire	76·9
Cleveland	79·3
Cornwall	68·6
Cumbria	56·5
Derbyshire	82·1
Devon	52·4
Dorset	58·0
Durham	78·4
East Sussex	43·6
Essex	65·0
Gloucestershire	65·7
Hampshire	82·9
Hereford and Worcester	46·6
Hertfordshire	82·6
Humberside	84·5
Isle of Wight	71·6
Kent	72·9
Lancashire	53·1
Leicestershire	51·0
Lincolnshire	53·8
Norfolk	42·1
Northamptonshire	52·0
Northumberland	81·0
North Yorkshire	76·4
Nottinghamshire	68·9
Oxfordshire	67·5
Shropshire	41·1
Somerset	84·6
Staffordshire	57·7
Suffolk	36·3
Surrey	64·6

	Per cent.
Warwickshire	49·2
West Sussex	58·5
Wiltshire	51·8

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each local highway authority in England the percentage of its bids for 1993–94 made in its 1992 transport policy and programme submission accepted for transport supplementary grant for (a) major road

Percentage of 1992 TPP bids accepted for transport supplementary grant for 1993–94
Authority	Major road schemes	Minor works on local safety schemes	Structural maintenance on principal roads	Assessment, strengthening and other structural maintenance of bridges
	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.
City of London	0·0	48·1	No bid	88·8
Barking and Dagenham	22·7	80·6	80·9	82·3
Barnet	No bid	56·3	70·0	96·3
Bexley	91·6	72·1	68·0	90·0
Brent	0·0	42·4	70·0	62·3
Bromley	94·6	91·8	70·0	69·0
Camden	No bid	51·6	73·7	62·4
Croydon	100·0	58·3	69·9	69·8
Ealing	100·0	54·7	70·0	99·2
Enfield	53·8	90·5	69·9	62·4
Greenwich	0·0	59·5	69·8	87·7
Hackney	100·0	44·9	20·2	90·2
Hammersmith and Fulham	No bid	18·7	70·0	69·2
Haringey	28·5	73·0	89·6	86·3
Harrow	93·3	92·0	No bid	90·0
Havering	No bid	46·5	69·8	84·4
Hillingdon	99·5	41·8	70·8	69·2
Hounslow	84·7	17·4	69·6	87·1
Islington	No bid	20·0	69·5	88·4
Kensington and Chelsea	100·0	57·1	No bid	90·0
Kingston upon Thames	56·5	51·6	60·9	70·2
Lambeth	No bid	50·8	23·7	18·4
Lewisham	100·0	77·5	23·8	61·3
Merton	64·1	84·8	70·0	62·5
Newham	79·9	37·2	70·0	97·9
Redbridge	No bid	51·4	70·1	62·5
Richmond upon Thames	No bid	55·0	51·9	96·6
Southwark	100·0	41·4	No bid	71·4
Sutton	26·3	54·2	43·1	80·0
Tower Hamlets	0·0	13·3	93·5	63·7
Waltham Forest	95·0	39·6	70·3	66·7
Wandsworth	31·1	62·0	50·3	88·1
Westminster	49·3	78·4	70·1	63·5
Bolton	83·4	51·4	88·3	50·8
Bury	0·0	83·6	70·0	95·0
Manchester	71·4	70·5	70·0	87·1
Oldham	76·3	57·2	77·9	80·3
Rochdale	No bid	88·0	63·0	92·3
Salford	0·6	64·7	70·5	93·9
Stockport	100·0	56·4	63·6	91·0
Tameside	58·8	81·3	69·6	62·3
Trafford	81·5	63·1	69·2	96·3
Wigan	25·6	31·3	63·9	76·8
Knowsley	99·3	62·8	90·5	83·2
Liverpool	69·4	32·0	100·0	85·4
St. Helens	56·4	100·0	70·5	76·8
Sefton	0·0	83·5	70·5	77·2
Wirral	100·0	81·4	70·6	90·3
Barnsley	87·9	56·5	70·6	83·0
Doncaster	56·1	56·8	79·3	94·9
Rotherham	76·8	18·5	84·6	77·3
Sheffield	100·0	57·1	83·2	90·7
Gateshead	78·7	62·9	100·0	75·2
Newcastle upon Tyne	91·3	52·0	41·1	68·3
North Tyneside	0·0	11·1	70·0	55·9

schemes, (b) minor works on local safety schemes, (c) structural maintenance on roads, (d) bus priority measures and (e) structural maintenance on bridges.

All available information on transport supplementary grant for the categories listed is given in the table. It is not possible to give figures for bus priority measures. Most bids for such schemes under the transport supplementary grant system are included as part of "other minor works". Allocations under that category are not given for specific types of scheme. The answer to the related question on bus priority measures indicates total credit approvals issued to local authorities for that purpose.

Authority	Major road schemes	Minor works on local safely schemes	Structural maintenance on principal roads	Assessment, strengthening and other structural maintenance of bridges
	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.
South Tyneside	96·5	61·8	70·1	55·4
Sunderland	50·7	31·5	77·2	64·0
Birmingham	90·4	66·3	73·2	70·6
Coventry	97·1	64·2	69·9	85·2
Dudley	70·0	49·2	70·0	50·1
Sandwell	0·0	27·4	69·7	77·2
Solihull	97·4	71·0	75·0	71·9
Walsall	98·0	57·1	70·0	58·2
Wolverhampton	89·2	62·3	70·4	59·4
Bradford	51·9	39·4	70·0	63·0
Calderdale	0·0	65·3	74·4	69·9
Kirklees	95·3	69·9	86·9	62·4
Leeds	68·2	42·9	73·1	89·8
Wakefield	0·0	46·5	66·6	88·8
Avon	77·5	36·7	66·0	87·5
Bedfordshire	10·8	27·8	100·0	94·2
Berkshire	37·7	30·6	64·7	77·7
Buckinghamshire	38·4	88·5	79·8	79·5
Cambridgeshire	19·4	38·0	72·7	69·0
Cheshire	79·1	82·7	70·9	93·0
Cleveland	92·2	55·8	78·1	88·8
Cornwall	75·6	49·0	70·0	75·3
Cumbria	64·6	91·1	70·0	60·9
Derbyshire	100·0	30·0	69·9	83·4
Devon	43·7	60·9	62·1	71·5
Dorset	53·9	54·6	64·8	77·3
Durham	97·6	54·0	55·2	75·0
East Sussex	36·0	68·2	61·8	91·5
Essex	62·3	56·3	71·8	66·7
Gloucestershire	72·3	28·2	74·9	87·2
Hampshire	88·8	65·6	65·4	57·4
Hereford and Worcester	32·7	29·0	70·0	66·4
Hertfordshire	91·8	52·0	70·0	82·1
Humberside	95·5	69·4	73·9	81·7
Isle of Wight	No bid	88·0	80·0	62·3
Kent	84·0	15·7	64·5	77·3
Lancashire	47·7	64·8	67·6	69·4
Leicestershire	57·7	45·3	78·0	73·2
Lincolnshire	38·8	16·1	87·6	76·1
Norfolk	22·6	26·8	65·1	85·1
Northamptonshire	40·6	40·0	68·2	73·6
Northumberland	88·8	61·3	73·7	87·0
North Yorkshire	79·4	54·9	70·0	78·0
Nottinghamshire	71·2	73·7	66·1	72·9
Oxfordshire	100·0	10·1	84·4	85·1
Shropshire	17·2	56·7	70·0	76·8
Somerset	94·1	54·5	66·2	80·6
Staffordshire	54·1	68·5	75·8	87·6
Suffolk	3·8	70·4	64·0	72·4
Surrey	74·5	27·0	54·5	76·0
Warwickshire	29·5	32·2	70·0	71·2
West Sussex	83·1	26·5	61·8	95·9
Wiltshire	46·8	51·7	58·5	86·0

Bus Priority Measures

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each local highway authority in England the bids for 1993–94 made in its 1992 transport policy and programme for grant or credit approval for bus priority measures and the grant or borrowing consent awarded in each of those areas.

The information requested is shown in the table. Details of the proportion of their transport supplementary grant allocation that local authorities allocate to bus priority measures are not available.

Bus Priority Measures 1993–94
£ thousands
	TPP bids	Supplementary Credit Approvals allocated
Shire counties
Avon	2,207	1,525
Bedfordshire	200	0
Berkshire	2,305	200
Cambridgeshire	195	120
Cheshire	650	¹625
Cleveland	1,875	600
Cumbria	25	0
Derbyshire	123	0
Devon	445	250
Durham	300	50

	TPP bids	Supplementary Credit Approvals allocated
East Sussex	1,100	125
Essex	226	130
Gloucestershire	448	70
Hampshire	300	170
Humberside	130	0
Isle of Wight	50	0
Kent	1,577	500
Lancashire	807	580
Leicestershire	775	0
Norfolk	3,152	3,000
North Yorkshire	20	0
Northamptonshire	250	100
Nottinghamshire	1,634	175
Oxfordshire	675	50
Shropshire	343	50
Staffordshire	100	0
Suffolk	2,438	100
Surrey	1,029	240
West Sussex	1,000	0
Wiltshire	664	140
Total Shires	25,043	8,800
Metropolitan districts
Barnsley	115	0
Birmingham	500	400
Bolton	100	0
Bradford	1,668	0
Bury	50	40
Coventry	353	250
Doncaster	60	50
Dudley	200	75
Gateshead	773	75
Kirklees	140	0
Knowsley	450	250
Leeds	1,199	450
Liverpool	400	300
Manchester	1,330	750
Newcastle	100	100
Oldham	62	40
Rochdale	15	0
St. Helens	40	0
Salford	125	75
Sheffield	1,675	200
Solihull	50	50
Stockport	130	30
Sunderland	10	0
Tameside	57	0
Trafford	20	10
Wakefield	86	0
Walsall	100	0
Wigan	25	0
Wirral	380	30
Total Districts	10,213	3,175
London boroughs
Camden	100	50
Ealing	1,294	548
Hammersmith	1,474	600
Haringey	825	75
Hillingdon	777	752
Hounslow	1,192	250
Kensington	175	50
Lambeth	401	124
Lewisham	100	0
Newham	106	106
Richmond	45	45
Sutton	200	0
Tower Hamlets	600	600
Waltham Forest	150	0
Wandsworth	100	100
Total London	7,539	3,300

TPP bids

Supplementary Credit Approvals allocated

Totals

42,795

15,275

¹ Part SCA and part Transport Supplementary Grant. Authorities which did not bid are not listed.

Cycles (Warning Devices)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the requirements for pedal cycles to carry audible warning devices such as bells; if he will review the present requirements; and if he will make a statement.

Pedal cycles are not required at present to be fitted with audible warning devices such as bells. We are currently considering updating the Pedal Bicycles (Safety) Regulations and the Pedal Cycles (Construction and Use) Regulations with a view to incorporating into them the latest British standard on the construction of pedal cycles. We shall be taking the opportunity at the same time to review the position on the compulsory fitting and use of bells.

London Regional Transport

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to privatise London Regional Transport; what estimate of asset proceeds he has made; and if he will make a statement.

Plans for the privatisation of the London Buses Ltd. subsidiaries are well under way. However, I have no plans at present to privatise the remaining parts of London Regional Transport and have therefore made no estimate of the potential sale proceeds.

River Safety

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has undertaken since July 1992 into improving safety and rescue standards on rivers and inland waters; and what methods were used in such research as recommended by the Hayes report on river safety.

Research carried out since July 1992 includes projects dealing with the safety of control systems on high speed craft, damage and impact stability of high-speed passenger craft, and the applicability of safety assessment techniques to passenger vessels.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to publish an account of progress in the implementation of recommendations made after major disasters recommended in the Hayes report on river safety.

A summary of progress on the implementation of the Hayes report recommendations will be published next month.Progress on the recommendations of the Hidden report was described in the answer of my hon. Friend the Minister for Public Transport on 12 November 1992, column

964.

I reported progress on the Fennel report on 7 December, column 464.

Marine Safety Committees

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 7 July 1992, Official Report, column 102, if he will list the titles of all the district marine safety committees and their sub-committees that have been established; and if he would further state for each such committee and sub-committee (a) its composition, (b) its terms of reference and (c) the dates on which it has met.

I will write to the hon. Member with this information.

Private Aircraft

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what records are kept of flights made by private aircraft from United Kingdom airports and airfields; what requirements exist on pilots to register proposed flight paths and names and numbers of passengers; and in what respects these requirements and records are different for flights going overseas from internal flights.

Civil aviation legislation does not formally require official records of flights made by private aircraft to be kept by airports. However, most airports or airfields do maintain logbooks. In addition, under the terms of article 23 of the Air Navigation Order 1989 any member of the flight crew of an aircraft is required to maintain personal flying logbooks, in which they are required to record a variety of information, including the date and the places at which the crew member embarked on and disembarked from the aircraft at the end of each flight.Under the rules of the air the commander of an aircraft arriving at or departing from an aerodrome in the United Kingdom shall take all reasonable steps to ensure upon landing or prior to departure, as the case may be, that notice of that event is given to the person in charge of the aerodrome, or to the air traffic control unit or aerodrome flight information unit at the aerodrome. This is known as booking-in or out, but names of passengers are not included. He is also required to file a flight plan for air traffic control purposes when the aircraft is expected to fly in controlled airspace under instrument flight rules.When intending to cross an international flight information region boundary all aircraft pilots are required to file a flight plan and provide information identifying the type of the aircraft, the destination and the number of individuals on board the aircraft. A flight plan is also required if the total weight of the aircraft exceeds 5,700 kg and its intended destination is more than 40 km from the point of departure. This information is required primarily for potential search and rescue purposes and again the names of the passengers are not included.

Twyford Down (Private Detectives)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, (1) pursuant to his answer of 25 February, Official Report, columns 699–700, what is the total sum of moneys paid to Brays Detective Agency (Southampton) Ltd. by his Department since February 1992;

(2) pursuant to his answer of 12 March, Official Report, column 772 on how many people papers have been served by Brays Detective Agency in connection with Twyford Down.

[holding answers 10 May 1993]: As at end April, Bray's Detective Agency (Southampton) had been paid approximately £35,000. Following my answer of 12 March, Official Report, column 772, the agency had served papers on an additional three individuals.

A30

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to be able to publish the detailed design and construction timetable for the new separated junction at Kennards house on the A30 near Launceston.

[holding answer 10 May 1993]: We are making good progress with the initial preparation of this scheme and aim to consult the public on our proposals during the summer.Progress thereafter will depend on public reaction to our consultation proposals and to the subsequent statutory orders.

Marine Accident Investigation Branch

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in what circumstances he is able to order an MAIB inquiry under section 33(7) of the Merchant Shipping Act 1988.

[holding answer 10 May 1993]: The Merchant Shipping Act 1988 does not provide any limitation on the functions that may be conferred on the chief inspector of marine accidents, or other inspectors, in addition to the basic functions of investigating casualties to ships, or other incidents involving ships. However, such action would be taken only where it is considered appropriate and after careful consideration had been given to all the prevailing circumstances. Such consideration would include taking into account investigations either planned or in progress by other competent authorities or administrations.

Duchy Of Lancaster

Ec Research Ministers

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the meeting of European research Ministers on 29 April.

A policy debate was held on the fourth EC research and development framework programme, on the basis of the Commission's new working document. There was broad agreement on the structure of the framework and on the need to ensure proper dissemination and exploitation of EC research: further discussion will take place on content and financing before the next Council of Ministers on 30 June. Conclusions were also agreed on space, which underlined the need for closer links between the EC and the European Space Agency.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Mr A Nadir

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken to apply to the Turkish authorities for Mr. A. Nadir to be placed under British jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement.

We have an extradition treaty with the Republic of Cyprus, but the writ of the 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.

Overseas Development

Aid Projects

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what current United Kingdom Government financial aid projects for Kenya are due for renewal funding during this year; and if a decision will be made on this issue.

Decisions on a number of development projects will be required during the course of the year; these will be reached at the appropriate time taking account of all relevant factors.

Sub-Saharan Africa

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the United Kingdom Government have to increase the aid to sub-Saharan Africa; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 10 February, at column 665.

Narmada Dam, India

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on future funding of the Narmada dam project in India (a) bilaterally and (b) through the World bank.

The Government of India asked the World bank to cancel the outstanding balance, some $170 million, of the bank's loan for the Sardar Sarovar dam project in the Narmada valley, India. Various studies agreed between the Government of India and the World bank, initiated prior to the cancellation of the loan and financed with United Kingdom grants, will be completed.

Africa

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the World bank to redesign the operation of its structural adjustment programmes in Africa; and if he will make a statement.

We and other aid donors are involved in a continuing dialogue with World bank staff, both in the board and informally, and with representatives of developing countries, about the approach to be taken to structural adjustment. All parties agree that the essential aim is sustainable, broad-based development. The approach taken continues to evolve in the light of experience.

Health

Extra-Contractual Referrals

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will consider holding centrally information on health authorities which place limitations on extra-contractual referrals.

No. The management of the extra-contractual referral process is the responsibility of district health authorities as agreed with regional health authorities. The majority of ECR requests are approved, as the grounds on which an ECR can be refused are very limited and purchasers are expected to respect the referring clinician's judgment. It would not be appropriate to collect this information centrally.

Nhs (Equal Opportunities)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will require national health service trusts and health authorities to carry out equal opportunities monitoring of job applications and to publish the results.

National health service trusts and health authorities are expected to have an equal opportunities policy, together with mechanisms for monitoring its implementation. They are specifically expected, by the end of 1994, to monitor applicants for medical interviews on the basis of race, gender and speciality. They are also expected to monitor the selection and interview processes for nurse managers as part of "Opportunity 2000".In addition, we have set up a working group on ethnic minority employment in the NHS which will consider, among other issues, advice on good practice in recruitment and selection.

Azt

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many yellow card reports of adverse reactions to AZT have been made by doctors dispensing and prescribing the drug.

Eighty-three. A report of a suspected reaction in association with a drug does not necessarily mean that the drug caused the effect reported.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library all the research data and compiled statistics on adverse reactions and side effects of AZT; if she will list these adverse reactions and side effects; and if she will make a statement.

Research data on the adverse effects of AZT submitted to the Medicines Control Agency in support of the product licence applications is confidential under section 118 of the Medicines Act, 1968. Information on the adverse effects of AZT is available in standard reference books and medical and scientific publications in the public domain. Information is also given in the data sheet for the product, produced by the manufacturer and authorised by the licensing authority, a copy of which will be placed in the Library.The most serious adverse reactions associated with AZT are disorders affecting the blood including anaemia and neutropenia. Other adverse effects reported include nausea, anorexia, abdominal pain, headache, rash, fever, muscle pain, insomnia and malaise.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost to the national health service, including the salaries of doctors, the use of other ancillary drug treatments, beds and administration, of the Concorde trials.

The costs of the Concorde trial were met by the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant-in-aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will place in the Library the research data which compares mortality rates between those AIDS patients given AZT and those AIDS patients not given AZT; and if she will publish full details of mortality rates for both the AZT group and the placebo control group during the Concorde trials;(2) what assessment she has made of the development of cancers in the trial subjects who took AZT for the duration of the Concorde trial;(3) what assessment her Department has made of the numbers and characteristics of patients who

(a) suffered adverse reactions to AZT during the Concorde trial and (b) had to cease taking the drug because of the severity of the adverse reactions.

Preliminary results of the Concorde trial involving AZT were published in a letter in the Lancet on 3 April. We are still awaiting the full report of the trial which has not yet been analysed by the investigators. As soon as the full report and raw data are received, these will be carefully analysed by the Department and the Medicines Control Agency. Advice on the licensing implications will be sought from the Committee on Safety of Medicines.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much time was spent in deliberations by the Committee on the Safety of Medicines to decide whether to license AZT; if she will list the names of members of the particular committee who were to present at specific hearings on the licensing of AZT; and if she will place in the Library the minutes of these meetings.

AZT was licensed in 1987 by the Licensing Authority following full consideration by the Committee on Safety of Medicines and its sub-committees. The advice of the CSM has also been sought for subsequent variations to the original licence. The deliberations of the CSM are confidential and records are not kept of how much time the CSM or its sub-committees spend on any particular item on their agendas.A list of members of the CSM and its sub-committees for 1987 is published in the CSM's annual report, copies of which are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish details of the ongoing studies in Britain using AZT on asymptomatic subjects, and of research studies into AZT conducted since 1988, which have been notified to her Department.

Three trials organised by the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant-in-aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, have involved asymptomatic patients using AZT:

Concorde—comparing immediate treatment with AZT to deferred treatment once symptoms have developed.

Delta—comparing AZT monotherapy with combination therapy using AZT and dideoxyinosine (ddl) or dideoxycytidine (ddC) in patients with CD4 counts between 350 and 50 per cumm. A minority of the patients in this trial will be asymptomatic. This trial is ongoing.

Pental—evaluating the early use of AZT in asymptomatic children with HIV infection born to HIV antibody-positive mothers. This trial is ongoing.

All three are international multicentre trials.There is no requirement to notify the Department centrally of ongoing clinical trials funded from other sources.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions of AZT were issued to asymptomatic individuals in each month since April 1988.

This information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will review the complaint made in 1992 by the film company Meditel to the Medicines Control Agency, relating to advertising claims by the Wellcome Foundation in relation to AZT;(2) what action was taken by the Medicines Control Agency and her Department in respect of the complaint made by Meditel in 1992 against the Wellcome Foundation; and if she will make a statement.

The Medicines Control Agency examined the complaint and reviewed promotional material for AZT at the time. Action was not taken against the Wellcome Foundation. There is no reason to review the complaint now.

Cannabis

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she will commission research into the effects, consequences and benefits of the medical use of cannabis as a muscle relaxant and treatment for nausea.

We have no plans to commission such research.

Hiv And Aids

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish a list and description, together with the source, of all the non-pharmaceutical forms of treatment for HIV and AIDS upon which there has been correspondence with her Department since 1987; what encouragement she has given to the testing of non-pharmaceutical regimes in the cases of asymptomatic antibody positive subjects; and if she will make a statement.

This information is not available.The clinical trials supported as part of the Government's commitment to HIV and AIDS research are organised by the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant-in-aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. The M RC has convened an AIDS therapeutic trials committee, which includes patient representatives, to formulate a strategy for clinical trials.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much her Department has spent since 1987 on treatments for HIV management, AIDS and AIDS management, manufactured by companies other than the Wellcome Foundation; and if she will list those companies and the products used.

This information is not available. The Department allocates money to health authorities to purchase services for people with HIV/AIDS. These allocations cover the costs of prescribing a range of drug treatments, but it is for individual clinicians to determine what treatment is appropriate for each patient.

Vaccines

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the adequacy of levels of supply to the Greater Manchester area of the MMR and meningitis vaccines; and if she will make a statement.

The Department of Health is aware that there is presently some shortfall in the availability of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine due to an interruption to supply between 19 April and 7 May, caused by a change from the company which packages the vaccine for distribution in the United Kingdom. The Department wrote to all district immunisation co-ordinators early in April advising them of this interruption and advising that further substantial quantities would become available immediately after 7 May. This vaccine is now being made available to health authorities and any shortfalls will be made good.There is no shortage of the haemophilus influenzae b (Hib) vaccine; all orders for the vaccine placed this year have been met in full and large stocks are available for requisition.

Suicides

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many suicides recorded in England and Wales in the past five years have been attributed to causes related to suffering from low frequency tinnitus and hum; and how many patients are currently receiving therapy for the conditions through the NHS.

The Department of Health has no information on the reasons for individual people's suicides. A diagnosis of tinnitus was recorded against an estimated 500 patient episodes of treatment in the hospital episode system in England during 1989–90, the latest year for which figures are available. The ninth edition of the international classification of diseases, on which the 1989–90 data are coded, does not distinguish between low frequency and other varieties of tinnitus.

Children In Care

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have run away while in care in children's homes in the last year for which figures are available; and if she will list the relevant local authorities.

The latest available information is shown in the table.

Children in care who had absconded from residential accommodation for more than one week at 31 March 1991
Local authority	Number of children
Avon	4
Barnsley	4
Berkshire	5
Birmingham	14
Bolton	1
Bradford	1
Brent	3
Coventry	2
Croydon	1
Devon	2
Doncaster	1
Dorset	1
Dudley^*	1
Durham	6
Ealing	1
Essex	8
Greenwich	1
Hackney	1
Hammersmith	1
Hampshire	5
Haringey	1
Hertfordshire	1
Hounslow	3
Islington^*	7
Kensington	2
Kent^*	2
Knowsley	4
Lambeth	5
Lancashire	5
Leicestershire	1
Lewisham	5
Liverpool	2
Manchester	2
Newcastle upon Tyne	1
Newham	1
Northamptonshire	5
Nottinghamshire	3
Redbridge	2
Salford	4
Shropshire	1
Southwark^*	4
St. Helens	1
Sunderland	3
Surrey	1
Tameside	2
Trafford	10
Walsall	2
Wandsworth	2
Westminster	1
Wigan	3
Wiltshire	1
Wolverhampton	2

Local authority

Number of children

Total

152

Note: For authorities not making a return for 1991, data from the most recent return have been quoted. (These authorities have been indicated with an asterisk ^* .)

Secure Units

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies she is undertaking into the provision of secure units by the private sector.

	Full-time	Three-quarter time	Half-time	Job-share	Total
Male	18,694	235	173	134	19,236
Female	5,112	904	395	321	6,732
Total	23,806	1,139	568	455	25,968
Figures refer to general practitioners in England at 1 October 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners there were in Greater London in (a) October 1978, (b) October 1983, (c) October 1988 and (d) at the latest convenient date.

At 1 October 1978 there were 3,509 general medical practitioners in Greater London. The corresponding figures at 1 October 1983, 1 October 1988 and I October 1992, the latest date for which figures are available, were 3,659, 3,843 and 3,810.

Eye Tests

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to provide free NHS eye tests to all deaf and hard of hearing people; and if she will make it her policy to subsidise the cost of glasses for this group of people.

There are no plans to extend the rules of entitlement to free national health service sight tests and to vouchers to cover the costs of glasses to this group.

Nursing And Midwifery

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account she took, in her decision to relocate the English National Board of Nursing and Midwifery from Sheffield to London, of the 1989 review by Peat Marwick McLintock, particularly the recommendations contained in pages 91 and 95; if she will re-examine her decision; and if she will make a statement.

The English National Board for Nursing Midwifery and Health Visiting has not made a decision on relocation from Sheffield to London.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 2 March that she planned to amend regulations to enable the private and voluntary sectors to provide secure accommodation. We propose to issue a consultation document shortly setting out options for taking this work forward.

General Practitioners

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give a breakdown for the most recently available year of the numbers of general practitioners distinguishing between (a) female and male and (b) part-time and full-time general practitioners; and if he will make a statement.

The information is shown in the table.

Junior Doctors And Dentists

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in reducing the hours of junior hospital doctors and dentists; and if she will make a statement.

Preliminary analysis of regional task force returns indicates that, at 1 April, the number of junior doctors and dentists contracted for more than 83 hours a week had fallen very substantially since September 1990. I hope to announce detailed results shortly.

Mr Mohammed Saeed

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library a copy of her Departmental inquiry, into the case of Mohammed Saeed, or the main recommendations thereof.

I shall be writing to the hon. Member shortly about the circumstances of the case in response to his letter of 5 May to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. A copy of my reply will be placed in the Library.

Pharmacies

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pharmacies dispensed less than (a) 1,000 prescriptions per month and (b) 2,000 prescriptions per month in each of the family health services authority areas in England and Wales in the latest period for which figures are available; and how many of these were classified as essential pharmacies.

This information is shown in the table and was derived from the Chemists Particulars 1991–92 provided by the Prescription Pricing Authority.

Code	FHSAs	Number of pharmacies less than 2,000 per month	Number of pharmacies less than 1,000 per month	Number of essential small pharmacy schemes in 31 March 1992
321	Cleveland	12	2	2
322	Cumbria	30	5	6
323	Durham	19	4	3
324	Northumberland	30	0	3
325	Gateshead	10	1	0
326	Newcastle	14	1	1
327	North Tyneside	13	2	0
328	South Tyneside	8	0	1
329	Sunderland	9	0	0
341	Humberside	33	1	2
342	North Yorkshire	29	1	3
343	Bradford	23	6	3
344	Calderdale	14	1	0
345	Kirklees	17	1	0
346	Leeds	36	5	1
347	Wakefield	5	0	1
361	Derbyshire	41	3	3
362	Leicestershire	69	10	7
363	Lincolnshire	11	1	1
364	Nottinghamshire	44	8	4
365	Barnsley	6	1	0
366	Doncaster	2	0	0
367	Rotherham	10	2	1
368	Sheffield	21	1	0
381	Cambridgeshire	25	2	1
382	Norfolk	19	4	2
383	Suffolk	25	5	7
401	Bedfordshire	18	4	1
402	Hertfordshire	96	19	10
403	Barnet	45	6	1
404	Brent and Harrow	85	17	0
405	Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow	106	23	0
406	Hillingdon	32	8	2
407	Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster	139	88	0
421	Essex	72	10	11
422	Barking and Havering	24	4	0
423	Camden and Islington	76	33	0
424	City and East London	66	18	0
425	Enfield and Haringey	47	5	0
426	Redbridge and Waltham Forest	33	5	0
441	East Sussex	43	5	4
442	Kent	54	6	7
443	Greenwich and Bexley	37	6	0
444	Bromley	18	1	0
445	Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham	79	19	0
461	Surrey	69	8	2
462	West Sussex	27	4	1
463	Croydon	37	5	0
464	Kingston and Richmond	44	7	0
465	Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth	71	11	0
481	Dorset	28	6	4
482	Hampshire	63	9	0
483	Wiltshire	21	1	2
484	Isle of Wight	6	1	0
301	Berkshire	31	2	0
502	Buckinghamshire	28	3	4
503	Northamptonshire	29	7	3
504	Oxfordshire	33	6	6
521	Avon	52	6	3
522	Cornwall and Isles of Scilly	29	7	4
523	Devon	43	8	6
524	Gloucestershire	30	5	3
525	Somerset	18	1	3
541	Hereford and Worcester	29	5	3
542	Shropshire	20	2	1
543	Staffordshire	41	8	3
544	Warwickshire	20	4	3
545	Birmingham	53	4	0
546	Coventry	22	4	0
547	Dudley	6	1	0
548	Sandwell	8	1	1
549	Solihull	9	1	2
551	Walsall	10	0	0
552	Wolverhampton	9	2	0

Code	FHSAs	Number of pharmacies less than 2,000 per month	Number of pharmacies less than 1,000 per month	Number of essential small pharmacy schemes in 31 March 1992
561	Cheshire	35	6	0
562	Liverpool	18	2	0
563	St. Helens and Knowsley	3	0	0
564	Sefton	7	0	0
565	Wirral	16	0	0
581	Lancashire	69	8	5
582	Bolton	5	1	0
583	Bury	6	3	0
584	Manchester	17	3	0
585	Oldham	7	0	1
586	Rochdale	3	0	0
587	Salford	6	0	0
588	Stockport	14	1	0
589	Tameside	10	2	2
591	Trafford	14	0	0
592	Wigan	6	0	0
ENGLAND TOTAL		2,767	499	150

To qualify for payment under the Essential Small Pharmacy Scheme a pharmacy must dispense between 6,000 and 17,200 prescriptions per year and be more than two kilometres from the next pharmacy.

Code	FHSAs	No. of Pharmacies Less than 2,000 per month	No. of Pharmacies Less than 1,000 per month	No. of Essential Small Pharmacy Schemes in 31 March 1992
601	Clwyd	14	4	4
602	Dyfed	29	10	9
603	Gwent	13	1	0
604	Gwynedd	17	4	0
605	Mid Glamorgan	23	0	0
606	Powys	6	1	3
607	South Glamorgan	20	0	1
608	West Glamorgan	23	8	1
WALES TOTAL		145	28	18

To qualify for payment under the Essential Small Pharmacy Scheme a pharmacy must dispense between 6,000 and 17,200 prescriptions per year and be more than two kilometres from the next pharmacy.

Imigran

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total amount spent by the NHS on prescription of the drug Imigran in (a) 1991 and (b) 1992; and what was the average cost of a single prescription.

Information on individual national health service prescribed drugs is not provided for reasons of confidentiality.

Nhs Salaries

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage the wages of (a) nurses and midwives, (b) ancillary staff and (c) administration and management staff in the national health service were as a portion of total revenue spending for the years 1979 to 1992 inclusive.

[holding answer 26 April 1993]: Percentage figures for hospital and community health services in England for the years requested are shown in table 1. Those for 1991–92 are provisional.While total HCHS salaries and wages costs for 1991–92 increased on 1990–91, they represent a reduced proportion of the total HCHS revenue expenditure incurred by health authorities in that year. Table 2 shows the cost of the staff groups requested as percentages of the total annual HCHS salaries and wages costs. The figures for 1991–92 are provisional.

Table 1
HCHS: Salaries and Wages costs as a proportion of total revenue expenditure—percentage figures
	Nursing and Midwifery staff per cent	Ancillary staff per cent	Administrative and Clerical staff per cent	General and Senior managers per cent	All other staff per cent	Total Salaries and Wages per cent
1979–80	30·92	13·48	9·13	0·00	21·34	74·87
1980–31	33·32	12·47	8·77	0·00	21·59	76·14
1981–82	32·91	12·04	8·69	0·00	21·40	75·03
1982–83	33·19	11·56	8·29	0·00	21·63	74·67
1983–84	32·79	11·26	8·23	0·00	22·08	74·36
1984–85	33·22	10·26	8·32	0·00	22·41	74·20
1985–86	33·41	9·39	7·93	0·11	23·21	74·05
1986–87	33·88	8·30	7·90	0·25	24·16	74·49
1987–88	34·77	7·38	7·85	0·26	24·83	75·09
1988–89	36·92	6·69	7·80	0·24	24·50	76·16
1989–90	36·05	6·26	7·65	1·17	24·42	75·55
1990–91	35·75	5·88	8·07	1·71	24·81	76·22
1991–92	30·72	4·80	7·36	2·04	22·01	66·92

Table 2
HCHS: Analysis of total salaries and wages costs—percentage figures
	Nursing and midwiferv staff	Ancillary staff	Administrative and clerical staff	General and senior managers	All other staff	Total salaries and wages
	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.	Per cent.
1979–80	41·30	18·01	12·19	0·00	28·50	100·00
1980–81	43·75	16·38	11·51	0·00	28·36	100·00
1981–82	43·86	16·04	11·58	0·00	28·52	100·00
1982–83	44·45	15·48	11·10	0·00	28·96	100·00
1983–84	44·10	15·15	11·07	0·00	29·69	100·00
1984–85	44·76	13·83	11·21	0·00	30·20	100·00
1985–86	45·12	12·68	10·70	0·15	31·35	100·00
1986–87	45·48	11·14	10·61	0·33	32·43	100·00
1987–88	46·30	9·83	10·45	0·35	33·07	100·00
1988–89	48·48	8·79	10·24	0·32	32·17	100·00
1989–90	47·72	8·29	10·13	1·55	32·32	100·00
1990–91	46·90	7·71	10·59	2·24	32·55	100·00
1991–92	45·90	7·17	11·00	3·05	32·88	100·00

Source:

Annual accounts (1982–83 to 1990–91) and financial returns (1991–92) of regional and district health authorities in England and those of the special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals. Annual accounts of area health and other predecessor authorities (1979–80 to 1981–82). Annual fiscal returns of the first wave NHS trusts (1991–92).

Notes to the tables

1. HCHS salaries and wages costs cover those incurred within the total expenditure of the health authorities (and the NHS trusts) including the management and provision of hospital, community health, patient transport (ie ambulance), blood transfusion and other services.

2. The figure for total: HCHS revenue expenditure used for 1991–92 is not comparable with earlier years as it shows health authorities primarily as purchasers rather than providers of health care and includes charges for the use of capital assets. The total expenditure of NHS trusts was excluded as this is reflected in the health authorities total expenditure through health care and related services purchased.

3. General and senior managers comprises a separate pay category which was established until 1986. Its adoption throughout the NHS occurred over a period of some years and its numbers include many employees re-classified from other pay groups including senior nursing staff.

4. The figures for "all other staff" included medical, dental, ambulance, maintenance and professional and technical staff together with the total costs of all categories of non-NHS (agency, etc) staff. The figures for some financial years may not add across exactly because of roundings.

5. The tables exclude salaries and wages costs incurred by family health services authorities and special health authorities providing central services to the NHS. However, the figures for administrative and clerical staff for the years prior to 1985–86 cover those staff employed by family practitioners committees whose costs were included with those of area health authorities and were not separately identified.

Trade And Industry

Citylink (Takeover)

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what consideration is being given to the competition implications of the takeover of Citylink by National Express;(2) if he will refer the takeover of Citylink by National Express to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

The Director General of Fair Trading is currently making inquiries into this merger. If he considers that it may qualify for investigation under section 64 of the Fair Trading Act 1973, he will advise my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade accordingly. My right hon. Friend shall decide whether or not to make a reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission once he has received the Director General's advice.

Textiles

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has made to the South Korean Government concerning import tariffs on British textiles.

I expressed the Government's strong concern about proposed increases in import tariffs on textiles when I met Korean Ministers during my recent visit to Korea.

Serb-Based Holiday Companies

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many Serb-based holiday companies trading in London are being investigated by his Department.

There are 36 companies in the United Kingdom which are "persons connected with Serbia and Montenegro" for the purposes of United Kingdom sanctions legislation; one of these is a holiday company. My officials have been in touch with them a number of times to ensure they are aware of the impact United Kingdom sanctions may have on them.

Indonesia

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the current levels of exports to Indonesia; what they have been over the last five years; what are the current levels of imports from Indonesia; and what have they been over the last five years.

Information on the topic is regularly published in Business Monitors MM20 and MA20, "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom", copies of which are available in the Library.

Pensions And Benefits

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he has taken to assess the effect on sub-post offices of the plans to encourage payment of pensions and benefits through banks and building societies; and if he will make a statement.

The option to have pensions and child benefit paid into a suitable bank or building society account has been available for a number of years, and will be extended to a range of other benefits in line with the commitment in the citizens charter. My Department considered with Post Office Counters Ltd. last autumn the likely impact that encouragement of this method of payment might have on the sub-office network and concluded that it would not have a significant effect on total business.

Coal Privatisation

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of asset proceeds from the privatisation of British Coal; and if he will make a statement.

My Department is currently considering the possible option for the privatisation of British Coal. It would be premature to estimate the proceeds of privatisation at this stage.

"The Prospects For Coal"

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he intends to publish his first annual energy report as outlined in "The Prospects for Coal."

The first report will be published as soon as possible after the end of the year.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the energy advisory panel of independent experts as outlined in "The Prospects for Coal" will meet; if he will name the members of the panel and outline the panel's terms of reference; and if he will make a statement.

I shall make an announcement in due course.

Terrorism Damage (Reinsurance)

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make available details of the arrangements under which the Government will undertake the reinsurance of risks relating to damage caused by terrorism.

Yes. An explanatory summary of the arrangements envisaged, describing the essential features of the agreement to be entered into, was placed in the Library of the House and copies made available in the Vote Office this morning.

Offshore Oil And Gas

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many bids were received in respect of the 14th round of oil and gas licences applications; and of these how many are subject to contracts between the operator and his Department.

[holding answer 10 May 1993]: A total of 97 applications were received in respect of blocks offered in the 14th offshore oil and gas licensing round. Licences have been awarded for three of these applications. Work obligations were attached to all of these licences. Other awards under the 14th round are expected to be announced at the end of this month.

Post Office Review

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether the continuation of the period of advice by his appointed advisers on the Post Office review into the 1993–94 financial year required the extension or renewal of their contracts;(2) whether his advisers on the Post Office review were appointed after a process of' competitive tendering.

[holding answer 10 May 1993]: Yes.

National Finance

Vat

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement concerning irrecoverable VAT paid by charities for goods and services.

There are already a number of VAT reliefs on specific goods and services which are worth some £150 million a year to charities. The Government believe that the best way to help charities through the tax system is by measures to encourage charitable giving rather than by refunding VAT on general goods and services. The amount individuals and companies donate is a better measure of the worth of charities than what they spend on standard rated goods and services.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has held with charities on the effect of charging VAT on domestic fuel and power on charities.

[holding answer 7 May 1993]: I have received a number of representations from charities on this issue and met the Charities Tax Reform Group on 6 May 1993.

British Telecom

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provision will be made in the prospectus for the British Telecom share sale for a statement (a) as to BT foreign investment strategy and (b) on how redundancies will be funded.

The prospectus for the Government's BT3 share sale will contain all material information about BT's business and its financial position at the time of publication.

Petroleum Revenue Tax

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the revenue from (a) corporation tax and (b) petroleum revenue tax from oil and gas fields in each year from 1983 to 1992–93.

[holding answer 10 May 1993]: Revenues raised from United Kingdom oil and gas production by corporation tax and petroleum revenue tax are as follows:

£ million
Year	¹Corporation tax	Petroleum revenue tax
1983–84	877	6,017
1984–85	2,432	7,177
1985–86	2,916	6,375
1986–87	2,676	1,188
1987–88	1,318	2,296
1988–89	1,230	1,371
1989–90	743	1,050
1990–91	971	860
1991–92	647	-216
1992–93	670	54
¹Before ACT set-off.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the number of oil fields which were subject to the payment of petroleum revenue tax in each year from 1983 to 1992–93 as compared to the total number of oil fields in production during the same period.

[holding answer 10 May 1993]: The numbers of oil and gas fields with a liability to petroleum revenue tax and the total number of fields in production since 1984 have been as follows:

	Number of fields with PRT liability	Number of fields in production
1984	15	35
1985	16	42
1986	17	49

	Number of fields with PRT liability	Number of fields in production
1987	17	55
1988	15	62
1989	16	72
1990	20	81
1991	20	82
1992	17	94

The information on fields with liabilities is not available for 1983, when 32 fields were in production.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the number of oil fields that would be subject to the payment of petroleum revenue tax in each year between 1993–94 and 1997–98.

[holding answer 10 May 1993]: The number of oil and gas fields with a liability to petroleum revenue tax in 1993 is estimated to be approximately 20. Forecasts are not made for future years.

Alcohol

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action has been taken against the individuals discovered abusing the indicative levels for alcohol by trying to commercialise their purchases.

During the quarter ending 31 March, there were 230 detections of tobacco and alcohol illegally offered or intended for sale in the United Kingdom. The following action has been taken:

Action	Number of Cases
Arrest and charge	11
Reported for prosecution or compounding	116
Seizures of goods only	103

Thirty-four vehicles were also seized. All detections have been included even where the quantities involved were less than the indicative levels, which are only a guide. Separate figures to exclude those cases involving tobacco goods only are not readily available.

Ring-Fenced Revenue Accounts

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to treat investment from ring-fenced revenue accounts financed from local resources as outside the remit of the public sector borrowing requirement.

No. By definition the public sector borrowing requirement measures borrowing by the whole of the public sector, including local authorities.

Balance Of Trade

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking to improve Britain's balance of trade; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 6 May 1993]: The Government can best assist traders by keeping inflation low. Inflation rates this year are the lowest for over 25 years. Interest rates are the lowest in the European Community.

In his Budget my right hon. Friend the Chancellor further improved the assistance available to exporters from the ECGD by cutting premiums for 1993–94 by 71 per cent. on 1992–93 levels; increasing cover in high exposure markets by £1,300 million over the next three years; and by relaxing restrictions for export credits on some high growth markets.

Prime Minister

Policy Unit

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the committees and review groups on which members of his policy unit currently sit, or have sat since he took office, giving in each case the purpose of the committee or group and the name of the policy unit member.

Members of the policy unit attend a wide range of committees as required.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the names of, and posts held by, members of his policy unit; and if he will give their biographical details.

The members of my policy unit are as follows:

Head of Unit

Sarah Hogg

Deputy Head of Unit

Nick True
Damian Green
Dominic Morris
Lucy Neville-Rolfe
David Poole
Katharine Ramsay
Alan Rosling
Jill Rutter

It is not my practice to provide biographical details.

Russia (Nuclear Safety)

To ask the Prime Minister if he will discuss British-Russian co-operation on nuclear safety with President Yeltsin; and if he will make a statement.

I have no plans to meet with President Yeltsin specifically to discuss nuclear safety issues. However, if the opportunity arises, I will emphasise our concern about nuclear safety in Russia and our wish for continuing co-operation in this area.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the projects, and the funding committed thereto, by the European Community and the United Kingdom to assist Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan in respect of the storage and disarmament of nuclear material and facilities.

The Government have made a commitment to supply Russia with nuclear weapons transport vehicles and special containers to help with the dismantlement of that country's surplus nuclear warheads; the total programme is expected to cost over £30 million. We have no such programmes of assistance for Belarussia, Ukraine or Kazakhstan. The European Community has not committed funding to any of these states for this purpose.

Engagements

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 11 May.

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

Unitary Taxation

To ask the Prime Minister what response he has received from President Clinton to his letter about unitary taxation and the Barclays bank litigation; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

[holding answer 10 May 1993]: President Clinton and his colleagues have made it clear to us that the United States Administration fully recognise the importance that the Government attach to this issue, the strength of feeling in the United Kingdom and the risk of retaliatory action by the United Kingdom if a satisfactory solution is not forthcoming. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor reinforced these points in recent discussions with Secretary Bentsen and others in the United States Administration. They have assured us that they are very keen to find a solution to this problem that is acceptable.

Education

Nursery Education

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to increase the account taken in standard spending assessments of nursery education.

At national level, local authority grant settlements have reflected the general increase over the years in the number of under-fives in school. The under-fives element of each authority's SSA is based on the number of three and four-year-olds resident in the authority. It is for each authority to decide how to allocate resources between its various services, including under-fives education which authorities provide under discretionary powers.

Grant-Maintained Schools

14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children are currently being educated in local education authority or grant-maintained selective schools in England; and if he will make a statement.

Approximately 105,000 children are currently being educated in local authority grammar schools or grant-maintained grammar schools in England.

School Buildings, Liverpool

15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assistance he has given to local authorities to meet the cost of refurbishment of the older school buildings in Liverpool.

Capital support for maintained schools in the area of Liverpool local education authority, including voluntary aided and special agreement schools, amounts to over £8 million in 1993–94.

Teaching (European Dimension)

16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the procedures to be followed in adjusting secondary school teaching to have a more European dimension.

There are no specific procedures. The content of teaching and the organisation of education systems are and will remain the responsibility of the individual member states within the European Community.

Education Quality

17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he next plans to meet organisations representing parents to discuss improving the quality of education.

My right hon. Friend met the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations, which is said to represent the views of some 7·5 million parents, on Monday 26 April. At that meeting, I am pleased to say, the NCPTA confirmed their support in principle for the national curriculum together with its associated testing arrangements. He also met a delegation from Parents' initiative a few weeks ago and gave a speech at the annual conference of the Campaign for Real Education on April 17. All these occasions allowed him to speak with parents and to seek their views on issues.

Parental Choice

18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to make parental choice in education easier to exercise.

The policy of more open enrolment has increased parental choice by requiring maintained schools to admit up to their physical capacity. All parents now have the right to say which school they prefer their children to attend. The Government are continuing their drive to make more information about schools publicly available. This will enhance choice by helping parents to make wise decisions about their children's education.

Testing

19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he next plans to meet organisations representing teachers to discuss testing.

On the subject of testing, teachers have been invited to make their views known to Sir Ron Dearing, the chairman-designate of the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority, who is conducting a review of the national curriculum and assessment.

21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received recently on the implementation of testing in schools; and if he will make a statement.

Since the beginning of the year the Department has received around 6,500 letters from teachers, parents, governors and others about testing in schools. In addition, my right hon. Friend has met parents, teachers in staff-rooms, governors and organisations at conferences. He has met national representatives of the teachers' associations on 19 occasions and delegations from all six teacher unions. He has also visited 37 schools since he took office in April 1992.

22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to overcome problems in the testing of school pupils; and what assessment he has made of the relative effectiveness of United Kingdom testing and methods existing in other countries.

My right hon. Friend has asked Sir Ron Dearing to conduct a wide-ranging review of the manageability of the national curriculum and the associated testing and assessment framework. A great deal of information is already available about testing in other countries, including a recent report from the National Institute for Economic and Social Research which found that the higher standards achieved by pupils in the middle to lower ability range in France, Germany and Japan was attributable to the existence in these countries of long-standing national curricula reinforced by regular assessment and reporting.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to use the power to surcharge under the Local Government Finance Act 1982 to ensure that governors and teachers implement testing in schools.

Sections 19 and 20 of the Local Government Finance Act 1982 set out the power to seek restitution from those concerned where public funds have been spent improperly or have not been properly accounted for. Action under these sections falls to the auditor appointed under the Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what study he has made of testing of pupils in other countries.

A great deal of information is available, from Ofsted and other sources, about testing arrangements in other countries. It shows that tests are well-established in most of our main competitor countries. For example:

—The findings of the HMI report on "Aspects of Primary Education in France" in 1991 indicated that the French National Curriculum has long stressed the importance of basic literacy and numeracy for primary schools and that pupils' attainments in reading, writing and mathematics were assesed at the ages of 8 and 11 entirely through paper and pencil tests;

—a report published earlier this year by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research found that the higher standards achieved by pupils in the middle to lower ability range in France, Germany and Japan were mainly attributable to the existence of long-standing national curricula in these countries, "reinforced through regular assessment and reporting".

Illiteracy

20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is his current estimate of the number of adults in England and Wales who may be defined as functionally illiterate.

The Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit, which advises the Government, estimates that 4 million adults in England and Wales have real difficulty with everyday tasks involving reading, writing and spelling and that a further 1·5 million have difficulty with numerical skills. Such people are often described as being "functionally illiterate".

National Curriculum

23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what further plans he has to meet organisations representing teachers to discuss the implementation of the national curriculum.

None. Teacher associations should make their views known to Sir Ron Dearing, the chairman-designate of the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority, who is conducting a review of the national curriculum and assessment.

28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he next expects to meet representatives of the Professional Association of Teachers to discuss the national curriculum.

My right hon. Friend has no plans for such a meeting. The Professional Association of Teachers has been invited to make its views known to Sir Ron Dearing, the chairman designate of the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority, who is conducting a review of the national curriculum and assessment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to hold further discussions with parent governors and teachers on the national curriculum.

All interested parties should make their views known to Sir Ron Dearing, the chairman-designate of the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority, who is conducting a review of the national curriculum and assessment.

Vocational Education

24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on vocational education.

Vocational education is of key importance to achieving the national education and training targets, and hence ensuring a proficient and competitive work force. From next September the new general national vocational qualifications will be widely available and will provide a third pathway to qualification, alongside NVQs and A-levels. We want GNVQs in at least two subjects to be available in more than 1,500 schools and colleages and one in four 16-year-olds starting GNVQ courses by 1996. In the longer term I hope that around half our 16 and 17-year-olds will take these important new qualifications.

Teachers (Workload)

25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to reduce the workload of middle-school teachers in the current year.

My right hon. Friend has frequently placed on record his appreciation of the commitment shown by teachers in implementing the Government's reforms. It is in response to the concern of some teachers that the incremental growth of the national curriculum over several years has led to over-elaboration that my right hon. Friend has asked Sir Ron Dearing to review the curriculum and assessment framework.

English

26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions he has had with employers regarding the need for 16-year-olds with a competent command of English.

My right hon. Friend has had no formal discussions recently, but he has noted the concerns of employers about basic literacy and numeracy standards identified in recent reports by the Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit. He is well aware how important it is to employers—and to our ability to compete as a nation—that school and college leavers joining the work force should be fully competent in their use of the English language.This Government are determined to ensure that all school pupils learn to communicate effectively in spoken and written English. That is why our proposals to revise the requirements for national curriculum English were announced last month. The aim is to streamline and strengthen the present curriculum by defining clearly the essential skills which English teaching should promote.The National Curriculum Council is now conducting the statutory consultation on those proposals, which will give all parties the opportunity to offer their views. Copies of the proposals will be sent by the NCC to the CBI and other employers' organisations.

Grant-Maintained Schools

27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will visit Hendon grant-maintained school to discuss grant-maintained schools.

My right hon. Friend has not received an invitation to visit Hendon school. If he receives such an invitation, he would be very happy to consider it.

Disruptive Pupils

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proposals he has to provide additional resources for schools to enable them to provide for disruptive pupils who may otherwise be expelled.

Under the "Reducing Truancy" category of the Government's grants for education support and training scheme for 1993–1994, local education authorities could bid for support to enhance the provision made for their most difficult pupils. A number of the approved projects include such a component.

Teacher Morale

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to improve teacher morale.

The Government recognise the need to maintain teacher morale and are committed to ensuring that teaching is viewed as an attractive profession. Current recruitment is buoyant; vacancies are low; fewer than 1 per cent. leave the profession each year for paid employment outside education. The restructuring of teachers' pay in the coming September will give classroom teachers the prospect of earning up to £30,441 a year.

Teachers (Administration)

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proposals he has to reduce the administrative burden on teachers to enable them to spend more time teaching.

While the Department wishes teachers to use their time effectively, the division of teachers' directed time between teaching and other duties is a matter for determination at school level.

School Hours

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from (a) parent governors and (b) teachers regarding the length of the school day or week.

My right hon. Friend has received written representations about the length of the school day from 14 parents, two governors and three teachers in the past 12 months. Letters received from governors and teachers have generally been concerned with the procedures required to change the length of the school day; and letters from parents with the desirability of a longer school day.

Education Reform

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the national curriculum, testing in schools and the workload of teachers.

My right hon. Friend has asked Sir Ron Dearing to conduct a wide-ranging review of the manageability of the national curriculum and the associated testing and assessment framework. The review will consider the need for slimming down the curriculum and for simplifying the testing arrangements. The aim is that early results from the review will inform the testing arrangements in 1994.

Mandatory Awards

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what support will be given in mandatory awards to students in the academic year 1993–94.

We propose the following increases in support for mandatory award holders from England and Wales, subject to parliamentary approval of the regulations to be laid in due course. Taken together with the increased rates of student loans which I announced on Friday 7 May, Official Report, col. 254–55, they will enable the average student support to rise by 2·75 per cent. in the academic year 1993–94, thereby maintaining its value in real terms. We will increase the supplementary allowances payable as part of the mandatory award by 2·75 per cent. We will also adjust the parental and spouse contribution scales so that the assessed contribution from a parent or spouse whose residual income rises in line with average earnings will continue to fall in real terms. The main rates of maintenance grant will be held at 1992–93 levels.I am placing in the Library details of the rates of grant, the supplementary allowances and the parental and spouse contribution rules.

Scotland

Gp Fund Holders

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will describe the financial policies by which non-fund-holding practices obtain or employ (a) drugs, medicines and listed appliances, (b) goods and services, (c) services carried out by a member of the practice such as those listed in schedule 3 to S.I. 1993 No. 488 (S.53), (d) employees of members of the practice employed to provide treatment or manage/administer the practice and (e) purchase of materials, equipment, or improvement of the premises.

The costs incurred by non-fund-holding practices under these headings are met by the health board either from within their financial allocations or in the case of drugs, medicines and listed appliances by drawing on NHS resources held centrally.Those services listed in schedule 3 to S.I. No. 488 (S.53) cannot be carried out by a member of a non-fund-holding practice, but instead may be obtained by referral to a provider unit with the costs being met by the health board.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy to ensure that non-fund-holding practices will be able to offer services in every respect equal to those that become fund-holding practices.

All the patient care services currently included within the scope of the GP fund-holding scheme are also available to non-fund-holding practices. GP fund holders have the flexibility to use their fund to provide these services or purchase them from other providers for the benefit of their patients. The Government's framework for the GP fund-holding scheme seeks to maintain a proper balance between providing GP fund holders with an appropriate degree of flexibility in the use of their fund and preserving the principle of equity of access to health care for all NHS patients. GP fund holders, in providing care themselves or in setting contracts with other providers, will be able to develop improved standards in the quality of care for their patients provided as a consequence they do not directly disadvantage NHS patients from other practices.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the average outturn surplus at the end of the first year of operation of fund-holding practices.

During 1991–92, their first operational year, GP fund holders in Scotland by careful management of their funds achieved average savings, following audit, of around 4 per cent. A proportion of these savings was returned to the health boards, leaving fund-holder practices with total savings of £190,000. These savings may only be applied in accordance with regulations, and with health board agreement, for the benefit of the fund-holders' patients and do not represent income for the GPs and practices involved.

Nicotine Replacement Patches

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when nicotine replacement patches will be available on NHS prescriptions in Scotland; and for what reasons they are not yet available on prescription through the NHS.

Only one nicotine patch has been prohibited from NHS prescription on the expert advice of the Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances. The committee advised that the manufacturer had failed to demonstrate to it that nicotine patches had a significant therapeutic use in general medical practice in helping patients to stop smoking. Other, more recently introduced patches which have yet to be considered by the committee remain prescribable meantime but doctors who do so may have their prescribing challenged by their health board.

Nursing

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will set out the reasons for inclusion of paragraph (e) of the schedule to S.I. 1993 No. 637 (S.83); and if he will take account of reasons for dismissal other than redundancy which are no reflection on the suitability of a candidate for membership of the National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland.

The power of the Secretary of State to appoint and dismiss members of the board in accordance with the National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland Order 1993 (S.I. 1993 No. 637) is an important safeguard in relation to the proper conduct of the National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland. The schedule to the order sets out the various circumstances, including dismissal from paid employment other than by reason of redundancy, which disqualifies persons from appointment as members of the board. The Secretary of State does, however, have the power under article 9(3) of the order to waive the disqualification: his exercise of such a power will depend on the facts and circumstances of each individual case.

National Panel Of Specialists

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the National Panel of Specialists, and the advisory appointments committee drawn from its membership, will be required to include a proportion of suitably qualified women.

The National Panel of Specialists constituted under the National Health Service (Appointment of Consultants) (Scotland) Regulations 1993 contains a proportion of women consultants which is roughly comparable to the national ratio of female to male consultants in Scotland; the figures are 15·7 per cent. and 16·5 per cent. respectively. All members of the panel must be suitably qualified consultants. The membership of advisory appointments committees appointed by local NHS-employing authorities to consider candidates for consultant appointments in the NHS is also governed by the 1993 regulations. Each committee must include two members of the national panel from the relevant specialty or sub-specialty in which the consultant vacancy has occurred. The appointment of members to individual AACs is a matter for NHS-employing authorities who should ensure that the membership of these committees meets the statutory requirements.

Tenants

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps in the case of any landlords who have collected poll tax from tenants, and who now should collect a lesser sum as council tax, ensure that such tenants are made aware of the reduction they are due.

The Secretary of State has no powers to direct landlords in this way and has no plans to take such powers. There will be very few situations where landlords paid the community charge in respect of a property and where they are now liable to pay council tax. Landlords can decide to recoup the council tax where they are liable, but tenants with assured or short assured tenancies who pay rent weekly are entitled to have details of the council tax element given in their rent book.

Council Tax

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of persons in Scotland he estimates is paying higher levels of council tax than the previous community charge.

Using information from the family expenditure survey, it is estimated that about 40 per cent. of households in Scotland face higher bills for council tax in 1993–94 than their combined household community charge bills in 1992–93. This estimate is based on a 0·1 per cent. sample of Scottish households and is therefore subject to sampling error. The estimate takes into account the effects of the community charge reduction scheme in reducing personal community charge bills but makes no allowance for the effect of community charge or council tax benefit.

Maternity Services

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the hospitals in Scotland which had consultant obstetric and/or general practitioner maternity beds in 1991–92 and 1992–93, with the numbers of beds of each type in each hospital in each year.

The information requested is shown in the table.

National health service hospitals in Scotland Average available staffed beds in obstetricsspecialties: By specialty and hospital
Years ending 31 March 1992 and 31 December 1992
	31 March 1992		31 December 1992
	Specialist obstetrics	GP obstetrics	Specialist obstetrics	GP obstetrics
All hospitals	1,746	178	1,695	162
Aberdeen Maternity Hospital	121	—	146	—
Arbroath Infirmary	—	9	—	9
Ayshire Central and Maternity Hospital	142	—	141	—
Balfour Hospital	—	8	—	8
Belford Hospital	—	6	—	6
Bellshill Maternity Hospital	114	—	104	—
Borders General Hospital	28	—	28	—
Caithness General Hospital	15	—	15	—
Calton Hospital	—	7	—	6
Chalmers Hospital	—	10	—	10
Cresswell Maternity Hospital	43	—	44	—
Daliburgh Hospital	—	3	—	4
Dalrymple Hospital	—	8	—	8
Davidson Cottage Hospital	—	2	—	2
Dunfermline Maternity Hospital	38	—	38	—
Dunoon and District General Hospital	—	8	—	8
Eastern General Hospital	50	—	50	—
Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary	50	—	50	—
Forth Park Hospital	88	—	88	—
Fraserburgh Hospital	—	8	—	8
Fyfe Jamieson Maternity Home	—	8	—	8
Gilbert Bain Hospital	—	10	—	10
Glasgow Royal Maternity Hospital	96	—	98	—
Insch and District War Memorial Hospital	—	4	—	4
Islay Hospital	—	3	—	2
Isle of Arran War Memorial Hospital	—	4	—	3
Jubilee Hospital	—	7	—	7
Kincardine O'Neil War Memorial Hospital	—	6	—	5
Lady Margaret Hospital	—	—	—	—
Law Hospital	—	—	3	—
Leanchoil Hospital	—	6	—	5
Lewis Hospital	13	—	10	—
Mackinnon Memorial Hospital	—	1	—	1
Maryhill Maternity Ward	—	13	—	13
Mid Argyll Hospital	—	3	—	2
Montrose Royal Infirmary	—	7	—	7
Ninewells Hospital	104	—	100	—
Oban Maternity Hospital	—	6	—	6
Perth Royal Infirmary	35	—	35	—
Peterhead Cottage Hospital	—	10	—	7
Portree Hospital	—	1	—	1
Queen Mother's Hospital	93	—	89	—
Raigmore Hospital	72	—	72	—
Rankin Memorial Hospital	38	—	36	—
Royal Alexandra Hospital	75	—	76	—
Rutherglen Maternity Hospital	82	—	82	—
Seafield Hospital	—	6	—	6
Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion	141	—	135	—
Southern General Hospital	56	—	60	—
St. John's Hospital at Howden	46	—	44	—
Stirling Royal Infirmary	52	—	50	—
Stobhill Hospital	43	—	17	—
Summerfield Maternity Hospital	22	—	—	—
Thornyflat Maternity Hospital	—	9	—	—
Town and County Hospital Nairn	4	—	—	—
Turner Memorial Hospital	—	3	—	3
Vale of Leven District General Hospital	36	—	36	—
Victoria Hospital	—	3	—	3

	31 March 1992		31 December 1992
	Specialist obstetrics	GP obstetrics	Specialist obstetrics	GP obstetrics
Western Isles Hospital	—	—	4	—
William Smellie Maternity Hospital	50	—	47	—

Prisons Inspectorate

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the role of Her Majesty's prisons inspectorate for Scotland.

The prisons inspectorate was established in its present form following the publication in 1979 of the report by the committee of inquiry into the United Kingdom prison services which recommended that there should be a systtem of inspection of the prison service distanced as far as might be practicable from the prison departments. Subsequently, the post of Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons for Scotland was approved and the inspectorate commenced operations on 1 January 1981.HMCIP's main statutory responsibility is the regular inspection of individual establishments. In carrying out this function matters which are inspected and reported on include physical conditions, quality of prisoner regimes, morale of staff and prisoners, facilities and amenities available to staff and prisoners, questions of humanity and propriety and the general efficiency and effectiveness of the establishment. Within the Scottish prison service there are 19 separate penal establishments, two of which contain special units, and it is the aim of the inspectorate to carry out a full inspection of each of these establishments once every three and a half years. Each inspection lasts for up to two weeks, depending on the size and complexity of the establishment, following which a detailed report is prepared. In addition, a one-day inspection, which may be unannounced, is undertaken annually at each establishment not being formally inspected.Other areas of responsibility of HMCIP include the triennial inspection of legalised police cells, which are in locations distant from prisons proper, the undertaking of periodic thematic studies which focus attention on specific areas or aspects of the prison service and the production of an annual report.The Government's White Paper on the citizens charter set out the role which inspectorates should play and I am satisfied that the prisons inspectorate are applying the key principles of that role.

Independence

HMCIP is appointed by the Crown under section 7 of the Prisons (Scotland) Act 1989 and since the establishment of the present inspectorate in 1981 all three post-holders have been lay appointments, that is, individuals who have had no previous connection with the prison service. I intend to continue to make lay appointments to the post. In undertaking the duties of the post, HMCIP is supported by two senior prison governors who provide professional advice and guidance during the conduct of inspections and the preparation of reports. Although these officers may have future career enhancement within the service which they are inspecting, they will continue to be formally seconded to the inspectorate for the duration of their posting there. The inspectorate team is completed by an administrative civil servant who acts as staff officer.

The inspectorate determines its own programme for the inspection year and submits it to me for approval. During any inspection the inspectors have free access to any part of the establishment or to any individual therein. Reports are prepared without consultation with, or direct contribution from, the Scottish prison service and are submitted directly to me. HMCIP has no direct input to the policy or management of the Scottish prison service although recommendations in reports may have implications for either or both. Whether invited or not, HMCIP may from time to time offer comment on actual or potential developments.

Lay involvement

Lay involvement in the oversight of prisons has been separately provided for, since the last century, by the statutory appointment of visiting committees for each establishment, members of which are statutorily nominated in the case of young offenders institutions by the Secretary of State and in the case of adult prisons by local authorities. These committees act as independent observers on my behalf and have the absolute right to visit the appropriate prison whenever they wish. Their main functions are to pay frequent visits to the prison, to hear any complaints which may be made by the prisoners and to report to me any matter which they consider it expedient to report. As part of every full inspection HMCIP invariably seeks a meeting with representatives of the local visiting committee and records their views on the establishment in the final report.

HMCIP may co-opt additional lay members on to the inspection team to deal with specific issues relating to individual establishments, if necessary.

Openness

The inspectorate has published its annual inspection programme for 1993–94 and will continue to do so for future years. Arrangements are always made to meet groups of prisoners and staff during each full inspection and arrangements are now also being made to give prisoners' visitors an opportunity to meet the inspectors and, alternatively or additionally, to submit comments orally or in writing.

All the inspectorate's reports are submitted directly to me and are published in full, save occasionally as regards parts of reports which HMCIP has indicated should not be published as touching on confidential matters involving security. When published, they are invariably accompanied by my formal response. These arrangements cover not only the reports of the regular inspections of individual establishments but any thematic study reports and in particular HMCIP's annual report, publication of which is statutorily required. It is for HMCIP to decide whether to hold a press conference on the publication of reports and no restrictions are placed on discussions with the media on matters relating to inspections. All the inspectorate's reports are available publicly—a charge now being made only in the case of the annual report.

Resources

HMCIP has no role in the allocation of resources to the Scottish prison service or among individual establishments, except insofar as recommendations may lead to a re-assessment of priorities. While the inspectorate's overriding statutory commitment is to comment on the acceptability of conditions, all reports take into account the need for cost efficiency and effectiveness.

Health (Private Services)

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (I) what plans he has to permit private health care companies or private hospitals to run national health service wards or specialist units; and if he will make a statement;(2) what is his policy on partnership deals with the private sector to run either hospital units or departments within units.

[holding answer 4 May 1993]: Following my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer's statement to the House on 12 November, the Government have been encouraging the participation of private sector interests in the provision of public services. I welcome the utilisation of private finance in the national health service where this would provide improved standards of health care for patients or an opportunity for cost savings to be allocated to other health care projects. It is for individual health bodies to consider specific projects.

Opencast Mining

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place in the Library the letter of 2 April on Scottish Office guidance on opencast coal production from M. T. Affolter of Scottish Office Environment Department to David Jarman of West Lothian district council.

[holding answer 10 May 1993]: Arrangements will be made for a copy of the Department's letter to Mr. Jarman to be placed in the Library as soon as possible.

School Transport

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will increase resources available to education authorities in Scotland to enable more flexible school transport in rural areas.

[holding answer 10 May 1993]: It is for local authorities themselves to determine the level of expenditure on school transport in the light of their overall spending priorities and taking into account local needs. In distributing Government support to local authorities through aggregate external finance, account is taken of the differing population settlement patterns in rural areas.

Manufacturing Jobs

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many manufacturing jobs there were in Scotland in December 1979 and December 1992; what was the proportion of manufacturing jobs as a percentage of the total number of jobs in each of those years; and if he will make a statement about the future of manufacturing industry.

[holding answer 10 May 19931: The figures showing the number of manufacturing jobs in Scotland in December 1979 and December 1992, and the proportion of manufacturing jobs as a percentage of the total number of jobs in these years are set out in the table. These are taken from the "Civilian Workforce in Employment Estimates" compiled by the Employment Department.

	December
	1979	1992
Total employees in employment (thousands)	2,094	1,967
Employees in manufacturing (thousands)	596	348
Manufacturing as a percentage of total employers	28·5 per cent.	17·7 per cent.

Scottish Enterprise
Members	Occupation	Salary from 1 April 1993
		(£)
Chairman (part-time)
Professor Donald Iain MacKay, MA, FRSE	Chairman, PIEDA plc	47,552
Deputy Chairman
Ronald Garrick, CBE	Managing Director and Chief Executive, the Weir Group	10,545
Members
Professor Andrew Bain	Visiting Professor in Economics, Glasgow University	7,030
Tom Farmer, CBE	Chairman and Chief Executive, Kwik-Fit	7,030
Charles Gray, JP	President, COSLA	7,030
Sir Graham Hills	Former Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde; Scottish Governor of the BBC	7,030
Glenda Hogarth-Coull, MBE	Managing Director, Hogarth Safety Wear	7,030
Barbara Kelly, CBE	Member, Equal Opportunities Commission; Chair, Training 2000	7,030
Cameron McLatchie OBE	Chairman and Chief Executive British Polythene Industries plc	7,030
Professor John Caiman Shaw, CBE	Deputy Governor, Bank of Scotland; Chairman, Scottish Higher Education Funding Council	7,030
Yvonne Strachan	Chairwoman, Scottish Convention of Women; Scottish Women's Organiser, TGWU	7,030
Chief Executive (ex-officio member)
Crawford Beveridge		93,732

Despite reductions in Scottish manufacturing employment since 1979, output in this sector has increased. This has been achieved by substantial productivity increases. Future manufacturing success will be determined by the ability of Scotland's producers to compete in domestic and overseas markets.

The Government's objective is to provide an overall economic framework in which Scottish manufacturers can flourish. This strategy is succeeding. The latest business survey evidence reveals that Scottish manufacturing firms expect an increase in total new orders, the volume of output and exported goods in forthcoming months.

Appointments

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise and for each of the local enterprise companies the names of the chairman and board members, their occupations or professions and their allowances, salaries or other remuneration payable.

[holding answer 10 May 19931: The names, occupations and current salaries of the chairmen and board members of Scottish Enterprise and of Highlands and Islands Enterprise are as follows:

Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Members	Occupation	Salary from 1 April 1993
		(£)
Chairman (part-time)
A. Fraser Morrison, CBE	Chairman and Managing Director, Morrison Construction Group	26,762
Members (part-time)
John A. D. Harrison, OBE	Chairman, Johnston's of Elgin	7,030
Dr. James Hunter	Journalist;	7,030
	Adviser to the Crofters Union;
	Member, Board of Trustees, John Muir Trust
Angus S. MacDonald, CBE	Farmer;	7,030
	Director, Grampian Television
Valerie MacIver	Chair, Highland Regional Council Education Committee;	7,030
	Member, Ross and Cromarty District Council;
	Member, Cromarty Firth Port Authority
John D. M. Robertson, CBE	Chairman, Robertson Group of Companies;	7,030
	Chairman, Orkney Health Board;
	Chairman, Highland Health Board
Peter Timms, MBE	Managing Director, Flexible Technology, Bute	7,030
John Angus Mackay	Director, Gaelic Television Committee;	7,030
	Member, Scottish Arts Council
Chief Executive (ex-officio member)
Iain A. Robertson		58,580

Chairmen and board members of the local enterprise companies are not appointed by my right hon. Friend. Their names are listed in their respective annual reports and accounts which are available from the local enterprise companies themselves. The contracts between Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the local enterprise companies in their respective areas prohibit the payment to local enterprise companies chairmen or board members of any remuneration from

	Occupation/ Profession	Annual remuneration
		(£)
ABERDEEN ROYAL HOSPITALS NHS TRUST
Chairman:
Mr. A. Bryan Broomfield	Managing Director	19,285
Non-executive directors:
Professor Graeme Catto	University Professor	5,000
Professor Michael Meston	University Professor	5,000
Mr. Harold Tocher	Retired Banker	5,000
Dr. Fiona Lyle	Retired General Practitioner	5,000
Mrs. Ann D. Scott	Tax Partner	5,000
AYRSHIRE AND ARRAN COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE NHS TRUST
Chairman:
Mrs. Aileen K. Bates	Former Nurse Teacher	17,145
Non-executive directors:
Mr. Ian Allison	Chartered Accountant	5,000
Mr. David Gall	Retired Policeman	5,000
Mr. Robert Johnston	Solicitor	5,000
Dr. Susan Kinnaird	Auditor	5,000
Mr. W. Scott McConnell	Retail Pharmacist	5,000
CAITHNESS AND SUTHERLAND NHS TRUST
Chairman:
Mr. George Bruce	Former Company Manager	15,125
Non-executive directors:
Mr. John Gunn	Chartered Accountant	5,000

payments made by Scottish Enterprise or Highlands and Islands Enterprise; however, out-of-pocket expenses may be reimbursed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each of the hospital trusts the names of the board members, their occupations or professions and any allowances or remuneration payable.

[holding answer 10 May 1993]: The information requested is as follows:

	Occupation/ Profession	Annual remuneration
		(£)
Rev. Alexander Murray	Minister	5,000
Dr. Elizabeth MacKenzie	Retired General Practitioner	5,000
Mr. John Rosie	Technical Assistant	5,000
Ms Wilma Taylor	Retired Nurse	5,000
DUNDEE TEACHING HOSPITALS NHS TRUST
Chairman:
Mr. J. Stuart Fair	Solicitor	19,285
Non-executive directors:
Mrs. Maureen Cane	Retired University Lecturer	5,000
Mr. Gordon Lowden	Chartered Accountant	5,000
Mr. Robert Lyon	University Senior Lecturer	5,000
Mrs. Jacqueline Wood	Housewife	5,000
Professor Heather Dick	University Professor	5,000
GRAMPIAN HEALTH CARE NHS TRUST
Chairman:
Dr. Alexander J. Taylor	Retired General Practitioner	19,285
Non-executive directors:
Mr. Marcus Humphrey	Farmer	5,000
Mr. Thomas Murison	Managing Director	5,000
Mr. George Robb	Company Director	5,000
Mrs. Joan Catto	Solicitor	5,000
Mr. Hance Fullerton	Chief Executive	5,000
MONKLANDS AND BELLSHILL NHS TRUST
Chairman:
Dr. George Bell	Retired General Practitioner	19,285
Non-executive directors:
Mrs. Ann Irvine	Sales Consultant	5,000
Mr. Donald MacDonald	Executive Director	5,000
Dr. Michael Moore	University Reader	5,000
Mrs. Alison Morrison	Veterinary Surgeon	5,000
Mr. William Huggins	Retired Finance Director	5,000
MORAY HEALTH SERVICES NHS TRUST
Chairman:
Mr. James Snedden	Retired Banker	17,145
Non-executive directors:
Mrs. Marjory Adams	Teacher	5,000
Mr. Russell Anderson	Fanner	5,000
Mrs. Lydia King	Retired Teacher	5,000
Mr. William Phillips	Chartered Accountant	5,000
Mr. James Royan	Master Butcher	5,000
NORTH AYRSHIRE AND ARRAN NHS TRUST
Chairman:
Mr. William Ritchie	Retired Civil Engineer	19,285
Non-executive directors:
Mrs. Angela Dunbar	School Attendance Officer	5,000
Mrs. Kim Donald	Company Secretary	5,000
Mr. James Grier	Retired Banker	5,000
Mr. Alan Stewart	Solicitor	5,000
Mr. Keith Tulloch	Chartered Accountant	5,000
RAIGMORE HOSPITAL NHS TRUST
Chairman:
Mr. James Kyle	Retired Surgeon	17,145
Non-executive directors:
Mr. James Gray	Retired Health Board Treasurer	5,000
Mrs. Flora Hunt	Solicitor	5,000
Mr. Alexander Morrison	Master Baker	5,000
Professor George McNicol	Retired University Vice-Chancellor	5,000
Mrs. Judith Robertson	Housewife	5,000
ROYAL ALEXANDRA HOSPITAL NHS TRUST
Chairman:
Mr. Tom Gibson	former Hospice Director	17,145

	Occupation/Profession	Annual remuneration
		(£)
Non-executive directors:
Mrs. Audrey Burns	Housewife	5,000
Mr. Allan Durward	Retired Chief Executive	5,000
Mrs. Marion Ford	Housewife	5,000
Mr. Alec Macdonald Gaunt	Retired Commandant, Erskine Hospital	5,000
Mr. George Murray	Retired Locomotive Driver	5,000
ROYAL SCOTTISH NATIONAL HOSPITAL AND COMMUNITY NHS TRUST
Chairman:
Mr. Adrian D. Ward	Solicitor	17,145
Non-executive directors:
Mr. William Hughes	Company Chairman	5,000
Ms Valerie Smart	Chartered Accountant	5,000
Professor Averil Stewart	College Professor	5,000
Mr. David Tarr	Chief Scientific Engineer	5,000
Dr. Peter Williams	Senior Engineer	5,000
SOUTH AYRSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS TRUST
Chairman:
Mr. J. Douglas Brown	Retired Surgeon	17,145
Non-executive directors:
Mr. William M. Mowatt	Chartered Accountant	5,000
Mr. Harold J. Currie	Business Consultant	5,000
Mr. Graeme McKinstry	Solicitor	5,000
Mrs. Anne Wilson	Housewife	5,000
Mrs. Dorothy McLellan	Housewife	5,000
SOUTHERN GENERAL HOSPITAL NHS TRUST
Chairman:
Mr. Andrew Garland	Partner, Construction Company	19,285
Non-executive directors:
Mr. Robert McEwan	Retired Director, Scottish Development Agency	5,000
Mrs. Ann Moore	Solicitor	5,000
Mrs. Agnes Stewart	Tax Adviser	5,000
Mr. Henry Tankel	Retired Surgeon	5,000
Mrs. Susan Bell	Company Director	5,000
STIRLING ROYAL INFIRMARY NHS TRUST
Chairman:
Mr. George B. McKelvie	Retired Surgeon	17,145
Non-executive directors:
Mrs. Agnes Bowie	Company Director	5,000
Mr. Graham Houston	Head of Industrial Society	5,000
Mrs. Doris Littlejohn	President, Industrial Tribunals	5,000
Mr. Graeme Simmers	Retired Company Chairman	5,000
Mrs. Anne Walker	University Research Fellow	5,000
VICTORIA INFIRMAR NHS TRUST
Chairman:
Dr. John L. C. Dall	Retired Physician	19,285
Non-executive directors:
Dr. Robert Colville	Retired General Practitioner	5,000
Mrs. Danielle Glasser	Solicitor	5,000
Mrs. Lorna Howieson	Pharmacist	5,000
Mrs. Alison Gilchrist	Company Director	5,000
Mr. Desmond O'Brien	Chartered Accountant	5,000
WEST LOTHIAN NHS TRUST
Chairman:
Mr. Robert S. Watt	Chairman of Livingston Development Corporation	19,285
Non-executive directors:
Mr. Thomas Bennie	Retired Banker	5,000
Mr. Jack Cunningham	Retired Trade Union Secretary	5,000
Mrs. Irene Douglas	Company Accountant	5,000
Mr. Peter Johnston	School Teacher	5,000
Mrs. Carole Stevenson	Housewife	5,000

	Occupation/Profession	Annual remuneration
		(£)
YORKHILL NHS TRUST
Chairman:
Mrs. Joan Cameron	Housewife	19,285
Non-executive directors:
Dr. John Davidson	Retired Consultant Radiologist	5,000
Mrs. Margaret Hall	Solicitor	5,000
Mr. Ronald Cleland	Partner, Recruitment Consultancy	5,000
Mrs. Gwendoline Garner	Field Worker, Action for Sick Children	5,000
Mrs. Sally Kuenssberg	Children's Panel Training Organiser	5,000

Executive directors are appointed directly by trust boards, which also determine their salaries.

In addition to the remuneration payable, the chairmen and non-executive directors are entitled to claim travelling and subsistence allowances at rates set for members of public bodies.

	Occupation/ profession	Annual remuneration
		(£)
ARGYLL AND CLYDE HEALTH BOARD
Chairman:
Mr. R. R. Reid	Farmer	17,700
Non-executive members:
Mr. M. D. Jones	Company Director	5,000
Mrs. E. S. Lander	Company Director	5,000
Mrs. J. C. Le Roux	Housewife	5,000
Dr. J. Moffat	Retired Consultant Psychiatrist	5,000
Mrs. S. Nelson	Primary School Teacher	5,000
Mr. C. H. Parker	Company Director	5,000
Executive members:
Mr. I. C. Smith	General Manager	—
Dr. A. A. Reid	Director of Public Health	—
AYRSHIRE AND ARRAN HEALTH BOARD
Chairman:
Mr. J. W. G. Donaldson	Electrical Engineer	14,835
Non-executive members:
Dr. K. G. Fegan	General Medical Practitioner	5,000
Mr. J. H. Greene	Solicitor	5,000
Miss M. W. Grosset	Company Secretary	5,000
Miss K. A Paterson	Retired Nurse	5,000
Mrs. E. Reid	Health Carer	5,000
Mr. W. Young	Company Director	5,000
Executive members:
Mr. J. M. Eckford	General Manager	—
Mr. N. R. Lammie	Director of Finance	—
Mrs. M. Durie	Director of Quality and Service Development/Chief Area Nursing Officer	—
Dr. A. D. W. Walker	Director of Health Planning and Public Health	—
BORDERS HEALTH BOARD
Chairman:
Mr. D. A. G. Kilshaw	Solicitor	11,960
Non-executive members:
Rev. A. Bennett	Minister	5,000
Miss M. Marshall	Chartered Secretary	5,000
Mr. J. P. Metcalfe	Retired Company Chairman	5,000
Dr. A. G. Paton	Retired General Practitioner	5,000
Lady Sanderson	Business Consultant	5,000
Mr. H. S. U. Steven	NFU Secretary	5,000

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each of the health boards the names of the chairman and board members, their occupations or professions and their level of allowances or remuneration payable.

[holding answer 10 May 1993]: The information requested is as follows:

	Occupation/profession	Annual remuneration
		(£)
Executive members:
Mr. D. A. Peters	General Manager	—
Dr. I. A. McDonald	Director of Public Health	—
Mr. J. S. Wilson	Director of Finance	—
Mrs. A. Weston	Director of Quality Assurance/Chief Area Nursing Officer	—
DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY HEALTH BOARD
Chairman:
Mr. J. A. McIntyre	Farmer	11,960
Non-executive members:
Mrs. V. M. I. Jardine, Paterson	Housewife	5,000
Mr. H. S. McFadzean	Farmer	5,000
Dr. J. R. C. Stubbs	Retired Anaesthetist	5,000
Mrs. M. J. Thomson	Former Member, South of Scotland Electricity Board	5,000
Mrs. J. D. Tulloch	Company Director	5,000
Dr. A. P. D. Wilkinson	General Practitioner	5,000
Executive members:
Mr. D. J. Banks	General Manager	—
Mr. D. McEachran	Director of Finance	—
Mr. P. J. Kelly	Director of Quality/Chief Area Nursing Officer	—
Mr. P. Milligan	Director of Contracts and Planning	—
Dr. I. MacLean	Director of Public Health	—
FIFE HEALTH BOARD
Chairman:
Mr. R. Baker	Company Director	14,835
Non-executive members:
Mrs. S. L. Aitken	Housewife	5,000
Dr. A. C. A. Alexander	General Practitioner	5,000
Mr. F. J. R. Craig	Company Director	5,000
Mrs. M. Steedman	Retired Headmistress	5,000
Mrs. C. Stenhouse	Housewife	5,000
Mr. G. M. Thomson	Chartered Accountant	5,000
Executive members:
Dr. I. S. Jones	Director of Public Health	—
Mr. M. D. Murray	Director of Finance	—
Mrs. J. Edey	Director of Strategic Planning and Contracts	—
FORTH VALLEY HEALTH BOARD
Chairman:
Mrs. J. I. D. Isbister	Mental Welfare Commissioner	14,835
Non-executive members:
Mr. E. T. M. Bell-Scott	Solicitor	5,000
Mr. K. Harding	Newsagent	5,000
Dr. G. B. Hastings	Unit Director, Strathclyde University	5,000
Mr. P. A. Joynson	Chartered Surveyor	5,000
Mrs. K. A. Smith	Emergency Services Organiser, WRVS	5,000
Mr. C. S. R. Stroyan	Solicitor	5,000
Executive members:
Dr. D. C. Moir	Director of Public Health	—
Mr. D. F. Hird	Director of Finance	—
GRAMPIAN HEALTH BOARD
Chairman:
Dr. C. A. MacLeod	Company Chairman	20,180
Non-executive members:
Mr. J. K. O. Arbuthnott	Estate Owner/Manager	5,000
Mrs. C. A. Ferguson	Housewife/Farmer	5,000
Mr. G. McLellan	Senior Executive	5,000
Professor D. Ogston	University Professor	5,000
Mrs. M. E. L. Park	Solicitor	5,000
Mrs. J. G. A. Wisely	Housewife	5,000
Executive members:
Mr. F. Hartnett	General Manager	—

	Occupation/profession	Annual remuneration
		(£)
Mr. A. J. Cumming	Director of Finance	—
Dr. H. R. M. Wilson	Director of Contracts	—
Ms H. Blumer	Director of Planning	—
Dr. G. Paterson	Director of Public Health	—
GREATER GLASGOW HEALTH BOARD
Chairman:
Mr. W. S. Fyfe	Company Chairman	25,140
Non-executive members:
Rev. R. D. M. Campbell	Minister	5,000
Mr. P. W. Hoist	Company Director	5,000
Professor R. M. Mackie	University Professor	5,000
Mr. W. C. McCreath	Solicitor	5,000
Mrs. J. Mackenzie	Housewife	5,000
Mr. P. H. L. I. Runciman	Retired Company Chairman	5,000
Mr. A. Scobbie	Managing Director	5,000
Executive members:
Mr. L. E. Peterken	General Manager	—
Dr. G. D. Forwell	Director of Public Health	—
Mr. C. M. Gordon	Director of Finance	—
Mr. T. A. Divers	Director of Planning and Contracts	—
HIGHLAND HEALTH BOARD
Chairman:
Mr. J. D. M. Robertson	Company Chairman	14,835
Non-executive members:
Mr. J. G. Ligertwood	Retired Bank Manager	5,000
Dr. D. J. MacDonald	Retired General Practitioner	5,000
Mr. D. J. Mackay	Chief Executive	5,000
Mrs. A. MacPherson	Farm Business Partner	5,000
Mr. C. Neilson	Retail Businessman	5,000
Mrs. C. Thomson	Company Director	5,000
Executive members:
Mr. R. R. W. Stewart	General Manager	—
Dr. G. V. Stone	Director of Public Health	—
Mr. M. Iredale	Director of Finance	—
Mr. D. T. Wright	Director of Quality Assurance/Chief Area Nursing Officer	—
LANARKSHIRE HEALTH BOARD
Chairman:
Mr. I. L. Livingstone	Solicitor	17,700
Non-executive members:
Dr. W. Criggie	General Practitioner	5,000
Mrs. A. S. Hinshalwood	Housewife	5,000
Mrs. M. Melvin	Teacher	5,000
Mr. D. A. Millar	Business Consultant	5,000
Mr. J. P. Robinson	Retired Colliery Official	5,000
Mr. J. Thomson	Director, Voluntary Organisation	5,000
Executive members:
Mr. F. Clark	General Manager	—
Dr. J. B. P. Ferguson	Director of Public Health	—
Mr. M. Docherty	Director of Finance	—
Mr. B. Gill	Director of Corporate Planning and Estates	—
Miss E. Hastings	Director of Quality Assurance/Chief Area Nursing Officer	—
LOTHIAN HEALTH BOARD
Chairman:
Dr. J. W. Baynham	Company Director	22,660
Non-executive members:
Professor R. C. B. Aitken	University Professor	5,000
Mrs. G. Barton	Housewife	5,000
Mr. J. A. Campbell	Chartered Surveyor	5,000
Mr. R. Findlay	Chief Executive, Radio Forth	5,000
Mrs. M. B. M. Knox	Housewife	5,000
Mr. G. S. Millar	Community Pharmacist	5,000

	Occupation/profession	Annual remuneration
		(£)
Executive members:
Mr. J. Lusby	General Manager	—
Dr. H. Zealley	Director of Public Health	—
Mr. P. Wilson	Director of Operations	—
Dr. L. Burley	Director of Planning and Development	—
ORKNEY HEALTH BOARD
Chairman:
Mr. J. Leslie	Pharmacist	7,200
Non-executive members:
Mr. J. Flett	Solicitor	2,000
Mr. E. M. Gibson	Retired Assistant Headteacher	2,000
Captain M. Gunn	Ships Master	2,000
Mrs. E. B. Kerr	Housewife	2,000
Mr. J. Rendall	Sub-Postmaster/Postman	2,000
Dr. J. S. Walker	General Practitioner	2,000
Executive members:
Mr. R. Allan	Director of Finance	—
SHETLAND HEALTH BOARD
Chairman:
Mrs. F. B. Grains	Housewife	7,200
Non-executive members:
Mrs. M. U. Colligan	Retired Teacher	2,000
Squadron Leader B. P. Gregson	Local Government Officer	2,000
Dr. M. D. Hunter	General Practitioner	2,000
Mr. R. L. Johnson	Retired Businessman	2,000
Mrs. T. A. Leslie	Teaching Auxiliary	2,000
Mr. J. Telford	Chartered Accountant	2,000
Executive members:
Mr. B. Atherton	General Manager	—
Dr. D. Cox	Director of Public Health	—
Mr. D. P. P. Eva	Director of Finance	—
Mrs. M. Henderson	Director of Contracts and Standards/ Chief Area Nursing Officer	—
TAYSIDE HEALTH BOARD
Chairman:
Mr. J. C. MacFarlane	Retired Company Director	20,180
Non-executive members:
Rev. K. Campbell	Minister	5,000
Mr. D. W. M. Davidson	Pharmacist	5,000
Mrs. V. Joiner	Company Director	5,000
Mr. H. C. Nicoll	Retired Local Government Officer	5,000
Professor R. E. Olver	University Professor	5,000
Mr. I. Sandison	Retired Company Director	5,000
Executive members:
Dr. R. C. Graham	General Manager	—
Dr. L. Cameron	Director of Public Health	—
Mr. J. R. Hudson	Director of Finance	—
Miss E. Edwards	Chief Area Nursing officer/Director of Quality	—
WESTERN ISLES HEALTH BOARD
Chairman:
Mr. A. Matheson	Pharmacist	7,200
Non-executive members:
Dr. S. M. Brydon	General Practitioner	2,000
Mr. J. A. Harrison	Deputy Head Teacher	2,000
Mr. A. W. Hay	Retired Sales Director	2,000
Mrs. C. R. MacAskill	Housewife	2,000
Mrs. F. M. T. MacDonald	Solicitor	2,000
Mr. M. MacLennan	Building Society Manager	2,000
Executive members:
Mr. G. Stobbs	Director of Finance and Contracts	—

Executive members are employees of health boards and receive no additional remuneration for board membership. In addition to the remuneration indicated above, non-executive members are entitled to claim travelling and subsistence allowances at rates set for members of public bodies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list (a) the public bodies for which he is responsible, (b) their overall expenditure in 1992–93 for the most recent year for which figures are available, (c) the total number of people appointed to these bodies, (d) the number of males and females and (e) the total sum paid in allowances or salaries or other types of remuneration.

[holding answer 10 May 1993]: I refer the hon. Member to the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 1992" which was published on 29 January 1993 and a copy of which is available in the Library. This publication includes information on expenditure, membership and remuneration for the bodies for which I am responsible.

Nhs Funding

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the criteria used to assess whether or not a service should receive NHS funding.

[holding answer 10 May 1993]: Section 1 of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 provides that it shall continue to be the duty of the Secretary of State to promote in Scotland a comprehensive and integrated health service designed to secure improvement in the physical and mental health of the people of Scotland, and the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness. Within that framework health boards are responsible for assessing the health needs of the population in their areas and for determining their own priorities for purchasing or providing services to meet these needs from the general resources allocated to them. Central funding is now authorised only where it is necessary to facilitate the introduction and orderly provision and development of new high-cost, low-throughput priority services with good success rates, such as heart or liver transplantation.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Whaling

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals are being put forward by Her Majesty's Government to the 45th meeting of the International Whaling Commission in Kyoto, Japan from 10 to 14 May; and what are his objectives for the meeting.

The Government's primary objective is to secure a continuation of the present international moratorium on commercial whaling. We have made it very clear that we cannot even contemplate the lifting of the present moratorium until we are satisfied about the state of stocks; have full agreement on effective measures for their management, including a transparent and rigorous means for enforcement and inspection; and have humane methods of killing whales.At the IWC meeting, we shall be looking for positive responses to the United Kingdom resolutions, adopted at last year's meeting. on an 11-point action plan for future work on humane killing and on the concerns we highlighted relating to the Faroese pilot whaling drive fishery. We will be pressing for progress on considering the French proposal for an Antarctic whale sanctuary and on pursuing the United Kingdom resolution, adopted last year, on environmental threats to whales in the Antarctic and elsewhere. We shall continue to oppose "scientific" whaling that fails to meet two important pre-conditions: the IWC must be satisfied that the stocks of whales involved are in good condition and that the research is essential in providing information which cannot be obtained by non-lethal means. We aim to pursue improved protection, under IWC auspices, for small cetaceans. And we are producing a paper for discussion at the meeting that seeks IWC support for our proposals to encourage the growth and proper regulation of whale watching as a non-lethal and non-damaging means of exploiting whale resources.

Minimum Sugar Requirement

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the Government intend to abolish the minimum sugar requirement; and whether they intend to introduce a maximum caffeine limit in soft drinks.

The Government have today laid before Parliament regulations revoking the requirement in the Soft Drinks Regulations 1964 and the parallel regulations in Scotland, for a minimum amount of sugar to be added during the manufacture of soft drinks. Given current dietary advice on reducing sugar intake, it is clearly sensible to remove this statutory limit. It is also a step in the direction of deregulation, in that it would leave manufacturers free to decide themselves whether or not sugar should be added during the manufacture of soft drinks. We are looking at the remainder of the regulations as part of the Government's deregulation exercise.We have decided, at this stage, not to introduce a maximum caffeine limit for soft drinks. I have asked the Food Advisory Committee to review its 1988 recommendation about the need for such a limit, as there appears to have been no reported adverse affects on young children following the introduction of high-caffeine soft drinks. Also, any restriction would have only a limited effect as it could not apply to soft drinks manufactured and imported from other EC member states. I want to be sure that there is a real need for any limit before proceeding in this direction.

Wales

Tourism

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish figures showing the percentage of British domestic non-business visitors to Wales staying in (a) licensed hotels, (b) unlicensed hotels/guest houses/bed and breakfast, (c) holiday camps, (d) camping, (e) touring caravan, (f) static caravan, (g) rented property, (h) second home and (i) other in each year from 1985 onwards.

The information requested is given in the following table:

Second home3244224

Other 202930262629

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish figures showing the percentage of British domestic non-business visitors to Wales staying in (a) licensed hotels, (b) unlicensed hotels/guest houses/bed and breakfast, (c) holiday camps, (d) camping, accommodation,(e) touring caravan, (f) static caravan, (g) rented property, (h) second home and (i) other in each year from 1985 onwards; and if he will break the figures down to include (i) all overseas visitors, (ii) European visitors and (iii) visitors from the rest of the world.

The information requested that is available is given in the following table:

Overseas visitors to Wales
1991¹
	Percentage
Licensed hotels	21
Unlicensed hotels/ guest houses/ bed and breakfast	29
Camping	5

Location of holidays by domestic (United Kingdom) visitors to Wales¹
Percentage
	1985	1986	1987	1988	1990	1991
Seaside	49	48	34	47	54	61
Small town	6	9	8	7	16	13
Large city/large town	4	5	10	12	8	9
Countryside/village	33	31	43	27	26	21
Not specified	8	8	6	9	—	—
¹ Information is not available for 1989.

Source:

1985 British Home Tourism Survey

1986–88 British Tourism Survey (monthly)

1990–91 United Kingdom Tourism Survey

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish figures showing the mode of transport used by British domestic tourists visiting Wales, showing the

Mode of transport used by British domestic tourists visiting Wales
percentage
	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991
Car	78	72	80	83	81	83	85
Scheduled bus/coach	4	4	4	3	5	4	3
Coach tour	3	6	5	2	4	3	3
Train	6	6	5	6	6	5	4
Other	9	12	6	6	4	5	5

Source:

1985 British Home Tourism Survey

1986–88 British Tourism Survey (Monthly)

1990–91 United Kingdom Tourism Survey

	Percentage
Touring caravan	1
Static caravan	1
Rented property	2
Other	41
¹ Information is not available for previous years.

Source; Overseas Visitor Survey.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish figures showing the location of holidays undertaken by British domestic tourists in Wales in each year from 1985 onwards indicating the percentage staying (a) at the seaside, (b) in a small town, (c) in a large town, (d) in the countryside and (e) unspecified.

The information requested is given in the following table:percentage travelling

(a) by car, (b) by scheduled bus/coach (c) by coach tour, (d) by train and (e) other in each year since 1985.

The information requested is given in the following table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish figures showing the distribution of British domestic tourists in Wales in each year since 1985 indicating (a) the number of trips, (b) the number of nights stayed and (c) the amount spent in (i) north Wales, (ii) mid-Wales, (iii) south Wales and (iv) Wales, unspecified.

The information requested is in the following table:

Domestic tourists in Wales
Millions
	Trips	Nights	Amount spent
			(£)
1985
North Wales	4·3	21·0	194
Mid Wales	2·0	9·0	96
South Wales	4·7	20·0	210
1986
North Wales	4·4	24·0	177
Mid Wales	2·4	12·0	121
South Wales	5·2	24·0	202
1987
North Wales	4·0	18·0	216
Mid Wales	1·7	9·5	123
South Wales	5·6	22·5	246
1988
North Wales	3·5	19·0	256
Mid Wales	1·9	8·0	100

Accommodation used by British domestic tourists in Wales—All tourism trips
Percentage
	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991
Hotels/guest houses/bed and breakfasts	18	20	15	23	16	21	17
Self catering	12	9	7	7	7	13	11
Holiday camps	4	3	2	4	3	3	4
Other	66	68	76	66	74	63	68

Source:

1985 British Home Tourism Survey

1986–88 British Tourism Survey (monthly)

1989–91 United Kingdom Tourism Survey

Athrawon Bro Teachers

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement outlining the effect of the proposed unitary authorities in Wales upon the deployment of Athrawon Bro teachers.

Responsibility for the development of teams of mobile teachers or expert advisers concerned with teaching Welsh as a second language in junior schools would be a matter for the new authorities. It would thus be for the shadow authorities to consider and set out their proposals for such teachers in their service delivery plans.

Maternity Services

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the hospitals in Wales which had consultant obstetric and/or general practitioner maternity beds in 1991–92 and 1992–93, with the numbers of beds of each type in each hospital in each year.

	Trips	Nights	Amount spent
			(£)
South Wales	5·6	23·0	269
1989
North Wales	3·3	16·5	433
Mid Wales	1·3	6·1	123
South Wales	4·9	20·5	430
1990
North Wales	3·0	15·0	364
Mid Wales	1·6	7·2	157
South Wales	3·8	14·7	377
1991
North Wales	3·2	15·9	425
Mid Wales	1·4	6·7	145
South Wales	4·2	17·7	430

Source:

1985 British Home Tourism Survey.

1986–1988 British Tourism Survey (Monthly).

1989–1991 United Kingdom Tourism Survey.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of British domestic tourists in Wales in each year since 1985 used (a) hotels/guest houses/bed and breakfast, (b) self-catering, (c) holiday camp and (d) other accommodation.

The information requested is given in the following table:

The information for 1991–92 is given in the following table. Information for 1992–93 is not yet available.

	Average daily available beds
Hospital	Obstetric	General practioner maternity
Clwyd:
H M Stanley	51·0	—
Ysbyty Maelor	49·5	—
Llangollen	—	4·5
Catherine Gladstone	—	8·0
Chirk Community	—	3·0
East Dyfed:
West Wales General	32·0	—
Bronglais	16·0	—
Gwent:
Nevill Hall	46·0	10·0
Royal Gwent	80·8	9·0
Gwynedd
St. Davids	61·0	—
Bryn Beryl	—	5·0
Dollgellau and Barmouth	—	7·0
Tywyn and District	—	2·3

	Average daily available beds
Hospital	Obstetric	General practioner maternity
Mid Glamorgan:
Prince Charles	29·9	—
Aberdare	15·2	3·8
Merthyr General	12·5	—
Princess of Wales	38·0	—
Caerphilly District Miners	41·0	—
East Glamorgan	52·9	—
Pembrokeshire:
Withybush	31·5	8·4
Powys:
Llandrindod Wells	—	4·0
Llanidloes	—	4·2
Montgomery County Infirmary	—	4·0
Victoria Memorial	—	8·0
Bro Ddyfi	—	2·0
Knighton	—	2·0
Breconshire War Memorial	—	6·0
Builth Cottage	—	3·0
South Glamorgan:
University Hospital of Wales	71·0	—
Llandough	65·5	—
West Glamorgan:
Singleton	74·0	—
Morriston	10·1	—
Gorseinon	6·0	—
Neath General	38·5	—

Wales Council For The Disabled

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met officials from the Wales Council for the Disabled; what was discussed; and when he next expects to meet the council.

I have not yet met Wales Council for the Disabled, but my officials have very close contact with the organisation, which receives substantial support from the Welsh Office—for example, grant aid of £315,000 in 1992–93.

Nhs Trusts

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary was invited to meet the staff side officers of the Joint Staff Consultative Council for the Welsh health service to discuss industrial relations in some NHS trusts; what was his response; and if he will make a statement.

A meeting was proposed in a letter dated 6 April. NHS trusts have operational freedom to manage their own affairs, including the conduct of industrial relations with staff interests. The matters raised should be discussed with the NHS trusts concerned and a meeting with me would not be helpful. My private secretary replied accordingly on 28 April.

Agriculture

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of Welsh gross domestic product is currently provided by Welsh agriculture.

Provisional figures for 1991 show that agriculture, forestry and fishing accounted for 2·1 per cent. of Welsh gross domestic product.

Doctors' Hours Of Work

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 28 April, Official Report, column 413, over what period of time the maximum average of 83 hours of work per week by junior doctors is calculated; and what consultations he has had with health authorities and NHS trusts as to whether any junior doctor is working, on average, above 83 hours per week in breach of contract.

The average weekly hours of duty for junior doctors is calculated over their normal rostered duty period. Health authorities and NHS trusts have recently been asked to report on the hours of duty of all for junior doctors

Welsh Language

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the forms and publications that have been produced by his Department for General publication within the last six months indicating which of these have been produced in the Welsh language or bilingually in Welsh and English.

Comprehensive information in the form requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Aggregates Industry

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent representations he has received regarding plans by the aggregates industry in Wales to expand their activities.

In response to my Department's recent public consultation on the draft revision of minerals planning guidance note 6 "Guidelines for Aggregates Provision in England and Wales", comments were received from 20 bodies, including local authority, conservation and industry interests.

Prince Of Wales Orthopaedic Hospital

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the south Glamorgan health authority in relation to the closure of St. Fagan's ward at the Prince of Wales orphopaedic hospital, Rhydlafar.

This is a matter for the health authority. I am not aware of any plans to decommission St. Fagan's ward.

Dentists

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) whether Powys family health services authority has applied to his Department for authority to employ salaried dentists in the Builth Wells area;(2) what action he is taking to secure the availability of national health service dental treatment for patients in areas of South Powys not covered by dentists in Brecon and Hay-on-Wye.

The responsibility for administering NHS general dental services in South Powys rests with the Powys family health services authority. The authority applied to the Department on 5 May for permission to employ a salaried dentist in Builth Wells and the application is being given urgent and careful consideration. In the meantime, the authority is able to help any patient in its area experiencing difficulty in obtaining NHS dental treatment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of dentists in Wales who have informed their local family health services authority that they will no longer treat NHS patients in each of the eight FHSAs since April 1992.

This information is not available centrally in the form requested. Fortnightly returns from family health services authorities in Wales indicate that, as a direct result of the new fee scale introduced on 8 July 1992, 29 general dental practitioners gave written notice to have their names removed from FHSA dental lists from 1 August 1992 to 23 April 1993. The figures are as follows, alongside the number of dentists joining the lists in the same period.

FHSA	Number of dentists leaving dental lists as a direct result of new fee scale	Number of dentists joining dental lists
Clwyd	10	11
Dyfed	1	6
Gwent	10	17
Gwynedd	1	5
Mid Glamorgan	7	8
Powys	0	2
South Glamorgan	0	10
West Glamorgan	0	0
Total	29	59

The information given in these fortnightly returns was intended for general managerial purposes and is not statistically validated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many salaried dentists posts are currently vacant in Wales;(2) how many salaried dentists posts he has approved since April 1992.

Approval has been given for Dyfed and Gwynedd family health services authorities to employ a total of six whole-time-equivalent salaried dentists. Both authorities are in the process of identifying suitable applicants and premises.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of independent dentists carrying out NHS work in Wales in April 1992 and April 1993 in each of the eight FHSAs.

The information as at 31 March 1992 is given in the following table. Information as at 31 March 1993 is not yet available.

General dental practitioners carrying out NHS work as at 31 March 1992
	Number
Clwyd	116
Dyfed	101
Gwent	134

	Number
Gwynedd	65
Mid Glamorgan	140
Powys	34
South Glamorgan	131
West Glamorgan	132

I will write to the hon. Member as soon as figures for 1993 become available.

Cancer Services

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the numbers of cancer registrations in Wales for each of the last five years available; and if he will make a statement.

The latest registration figures for all malignant neoplasms from the Welsh cancer registry are published by the Welsh Office in "Health and Personal Social Services for Wales, No. 19, 1992", available in the Library of the House. These data represent the most reliable published information on cancer registrations.The following table shows the number of such registrations and the year-on-year percentage difference.

Year	Registration of all malignant neoplasms	Change of previous year per cent.
1984	14,480	+3·2
1985	14,899	+2·9
1986	14,635	-1·8
1987	15,345	+4·9
1988	16,217	+5·7

These statistics make no allowance for changes in the age and sex composition of the population. Cancers are more naturally prevalent among the elderly, who form an increasing proportion in the population. Aside from such demographic considerations, increases in the numbers of cancer registrations may be due to earlier diagnosis, more complete reporting of diagnosed cases to the cancer registry, or a real increase in the incidence of cancer.Figures are also published by OPCS in its document "Cancer Statistics—Registrations". These differ from those shown in the table. For example, OPCS figures under-record Welsh registrations for 1986 and slightly over-record those for 1987. Differences in the two published sources arise because it has not been possible for OPCS to take on all revisions to the Welsh cancer registry data in time for inclusion in their annual publications. These revisions arise from routine validation and from several substantial data quality improvements made by the Welsh cancer registry staff.

Part-Time Workers

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) women and (b) men are in part-time work in Wales; and what proportion of part-time workers are aged between 50 and 65 years.

Estimates from the labour force survey in autumn 1992 show that the numbers of part-time women and men in employment are 258,000 and 48,000 respectively. Of these, 21 per cent. of women and 25 per cent. of men are aged between 50 and 65 years.

Part-time work is defined to be that in which staff are contracted to work basic usual hours of up to 30 hours per week.

Disability Living Allowance

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) men and (b) women in Wales receive disability living allowance; how many in each case are aged between 50 and 65 years; and what percentage of the total Welsh population receives disability living allowance.

This information is not yet available separately for Wales.

Economically Inactive People

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in each (a) district and (b) county in Wales are economically inactive; and what is the total number of people in Wales who are economically inactive.

In the 1991 census the definition of economically inactive includes all those retired, permanently sick, students without a job in the week before the census and other inactive.The information requested is given in the following table:

	Residents aged 16 or over economically inactive
Alyn and Deeside	21,547
Colwyn	22,437
Delyn	21,450
Glyndwr	14,539
Rhuddlan	21,874
Wrexham Maelor	38,075
CLWYD	139,922
Carmarthen	19,821
Ceredigion	23,709
Dinefwr	15,188
Llanelli	30,082
Preseli Pembrokeshire	24,482
South Pembrokeshire	15,489
DYFED	128,771
Blaenau Gwent	29,014
Islwyn	23,159
Monmouth	24,694
Newport	43,991
Torfaen	30,684
GWENT	151,542
Aberconwy	20,497
Arfon	18,598
Dwyfor	10,774
Meirionnydd	12,218
Ynys Mon—Isle of Anglesey	25,079
GWYNEDD	87,166
Cynon Valley	24,882
Merthyr Tydfil	22,448
Ogwr	46,664
Rhondda	31,673
Rhymney Valley	36,131
Taff-Ely	30,084
MID GLAMORGAN	191,882
Brecknock	14,572
Montgomeryshire	16,950
Radnor	8,158
POWYS	39,680

	Residents aged 16 or over economically inactive
Cardiff	91,533
Vale of Glamorgan	36,785
SOUTH GLAMORGAN	128,318
Lliw Valley	22,645
Neath	24,865
Port Talbot	20,278
Swansea	67,136
WEST GLAMORGAN	134,924
TOTAL WALES	1,002,205

Training Schemes

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) male and (b) female 16 to 19-year-olds in Wales are on (i) employment training schemes or (ii) youth training schemes; and what is the proportion of 16 to 19-year-olds on those schemes as a percentage of the total Welsh population.

The information is not available in the form requested. A breakdown by male and female participation can be drawn from the 1991 census, which recorded residents who were on Government schemes but did not identify type of scheme. Based upon individual household members' assessments of their employment position there were 7,413 males and 4,250 females aged 16 to 19 on a Government scheme. The total of 11,663 represented 7·7 per cent. of the population of that age.

Social Security

Disability Allowances

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many residents of Derbyshire are claimants of (a) attendance allowance (i) at higher rate and (ii) at lower rate, (b) disability living allowance (Mobility) (i) at higher rate and (ii) at lower rate, (c) disability living allowance (care) (i) at higher rate, (ii) at middle rate and (iii) at lower rate, (d) disability working allowance and (e) family credit.

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

Benefits (Automatic Credit Transfer)

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list, by parliamentary constituency, the number of recipients of pensions and benefits paid through a(a) sub-post offices, (b) main post offices and (c) automatic credit transfer;(2) what discussions he has had with representatives of banks and building societies about the transfer of benefits and pensions payments to automatic credit transfer; and if he will make a statement;(3) how much his Department has budgeted during 1993–94 for research, piloting, changes to form design and to leaflets, and to other information available from the Benefits Agency seeking to persuade recipients of pensions and benefits to switch to payment by automatic credit transfer; and if he will make a statement;(4) what discussions he has had with

(a) Post Office Counters Ltd. and (b) trade unions representing post office workers about the transfer of benefits and pensions payments to automtic credit transfer; and if he will make a statement;

(5) pursuant to his answer of 26 April, Official Report, column 313, on payment of benefits by automated credit transfer, whether he has estimated how many of the pension and benefit recipients currently paid through sub and main post offices hold bank or building society accounts; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in the uprating statement on 12 November proposals to extend the payment of benefits by automated credit transfer (ACT). Budgets for 1993–94 include £3·5 million to encourage existing customers to select payment by ACT. In 1991 it was estimated that of those paid through the Post Office, 65 per cent. held bank or building society accounts. Details, by parliamentary constituency, of the number of recipients of pensions and benefits paid through sub-post offices, main post offices and ACT are not available.Officials have held discussions with representatives of banks and building societies regarding technical matters arising from the extension of ACT to other benefits, as announced in the citizens charter. Post Office Counters Ltd. was aware of our proposals to encourage the use of ACT. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security has not met representatives of POCL or of post office workers, but he would consider positively any request for such a meeting.

Disabled People

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations he has received from the National Federation of Housing Associations regarding plans by the Housing Agency to increase rents for disabled people living in housing association homes.

So far as I am aware, the Department has received no representations on this subject.

Regulations

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library a list of all the regulations for which his Department is currently responsible, with a descriptive title for each individual regulation.

[pursuant to her reply, 8 February 1993, c. 499–500]: "The Law Relating to Child Support" is available in the Library.

Employment

Training

83.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment in what circumstances European Community nationals may count periods of unemployment in which they were in receipt of benefit in another EC country towards the qualifying period of unemployment for eligibility for training for work, learning for work and the community action programme; and if she will make a statement.

A person must register with the employment service in this country as unemployed for at least 26 weeks in order to qualify for training for work. Detailed eligibility rules for learning for work and community action have yet to be finalised.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were on the employment training scheme in each month since April 1992.

The information requested is given in the following table:

Employment training number in training (Great Britain) April 1992 to March 1993
Month	Number
April	140,000
May	130,000
June	127,000
July	120,000
August	113,000
September	113,000
October	122,000
November	129,000
December	129,000
January	129,000
February	134,000
March	135,000

Source: Employment Service.

Footnote: Includes those with employed status.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people (a) entered and (b) left youth training in each month since April 1992.

The information requested is given in the following table:

Youth training (including youth credits) starts and leavers (Great Britain) April 1992 to February 1993
Month	Starts	Leavers
April	12,000	16,000
May	12,000	16,000
June	28,000	27,000
July	37,000	35,000
August	28,000	30,000
September	34,000	38,000
October	35,000	26,000
November	22,000	18,000
December	18,000	17,000
January	11,000	12,000
February	19,000	17,000

Source:

OSMOSIS, Scottish and Welsh Management Information Systems

Footnotes:

Figures are provisional

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people (a) entered and (b) left employment training in each month since 1992.

The information requested is given in the following table:

Employment Training Starts and leavers (Great Britain)
April 1992 to February 1993
Month	Starts	Leavers
April	18,000	24,000
May	21,000	22,000
June	19,000	24,000
July	21,000	26,000
August	19,000	22,000
September	22,000	23,000
October	33,000	24,000
November	26,000	21,000
December	24,000	21,000
January	12,000	15,000
February	27,000	23,000

Source: OSMOSIS, Scottish and Welsh Management Information Systems.

Note: Figures are provisional.

European Social Affairs Council

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals were put forward by Her Majesty's Government, and what decisions taken, at the European Social Affairs Council meeting on unemployment, held in Nyborg on 3 and 4 May.

The European meeting held in Nyborg on 3 and 4 May was an informal meeting of EC Employment Ministers, not a Council meeting; I represented the United Kingdom. No decisions are taken at informal meetings of EC Ministers.There were discussions about employment in the Community and the social dialogue between employers and trades unions at European level; in addition, the Commission presented its plans for preparing a Green Paper on social policy.During the discussion on employment and the social dialogue, I stresed that Community action in the social affairs area needed to improve the working of the labour market and encourage the creation of jobs, and must not inhibit the competitiveness and flexibility of Community businesses. I also stated the Government's belief that Community resources, in particular the European social fund, should continue to be concentrated on programmes to help those at the greatest disadvantage in the labour market, especially the long-term unemployed.In this discussion, UNICE—the main European employers' association—made it clear that its priority, too, was the restoration of Community competitiveness, given recent indications that the EC is falling behind in world markets, and called for the abandonment of EC measures which it considered would damage jobs, including a number in the field of employment and industrial relations law.In accordance with the resolution adopted by the Council during the United Kingdom presidency, I expect that there will be a further discussion on employment and unemployment in the Community at the next Council meeting on 1 June. The Commission is likely to bring forward suggestions for the Council to consider then.

Unemployment Register

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people claiming unemployment benefit came off the register as a result of adjudication decisions and disallowances by type in each month from 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993.

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

Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Tony Lloyd, dated 11 May 1993:

As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question about how many people came off the register as a result of adjudication decisions and disallowances by type in each month from 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.

Unfortunately, I am not able to provide the information you have requested as not all clients notify my local offices of the reasons for stopping their claim. An adverse adjudication decision does not remove a person from the unemployed register. In certain circumstances, people whose claim for unemployment benefit is disallowed, continue to register as unemployed in order to receive other benefits such as Income Support and National Insurance contributions credits. If a person disagrees with an adjudication decision, they are advised to continue to register as unemployed to avoid the possibility of losing entitlement to benefit should their appeal to a Social Security Appeal Tribunal succeed.

Although information is not available in the format you requested, statistics on the volumes and types of adjudication decisions, nationally and by originating region, are collated and published quarterly. The reports, entitled "Analysis of Adjudication Officers' Decisions", have recently been revised to include the percentage of adverse decisions. At the time of writing, reports for the period up to and including September 1992 have been published and are available in the Library.

I am sorry I cannot be more helpful on this occasion.

As decided by the Administrative Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

Fraudulent Claims

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many claimants have been deemed to have made fraudulent unemployment benefits claims in each month since May 1991.

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

Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Tony Worthington, dated 11 May 1993:

As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question about the number of fraudulently made claims to unemployment benefits. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.

Unfortunately, the information you requested is not available in the required format. However, I have provided below the quarterly figures of the number of people who have voluntarily withdrawn their claims to benefit, or have started to declare part-time earnings not previously disclosed, as a direct result of an investigation by an Employment Service Inspector.

Quarterly periods	Withdrawn/modified claims
1 April 1991 to 30 June 1991	12,451
1 July 1991 to 31 September 1991	13,351
1 October 1991 to 31 December 1991	12,528
1 January 1992 to 31 March 1992	14,691
1 April 1992 to 30 June 1992	17,747
1 July 1992 to 31 September 1992	18,555
1 October 1992 to 31 December 1992	15,150
1 January 1993 to 31 March 1993	12,259

I hope this is helpful.

As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

Redundancies

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies were declared in each month since May 1991.

The available information is given in the following table. Estimates from the labour force survey give the numbers of redundancies in the three months prior to each survey. The LFS moved from an annual to a quarterly survey in spring 1992.

	Redundancies
Spring 1991	388,000
Spring 1992	322,000
Summer 1992	278,000
Autumn 1992	310,000

Claimants (Job Offers)

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployment benefit claimants have been deemed to have unreasonably turned down job offers in each month since May 1991.

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

Letter from M.E.G. Fogden to Mr. Tony Worthington, dated 11 May 1993.

As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question about the number of unemployment benefit claimants deemed to have unreasonably turned down job offers in each month since May 1991. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.

The information is not available on a monthly basis as requested but statistics are compiled quarterly. This information is available in a published document, the "Analysis of Adjudication Officers' Decisions", under the heading Refusal of Employment. Copies of this document can be obtained from the House of Commons Library.

As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

Employment Service

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress the employment service has made in each quarter in meeting the targets outlined in the 1992–93 agency agreement; and what were the (a) total unemployed job placings against profiled target, (b) long-term unemployed job placings, (c) people with disabilities job placings, (d) inner-city job placings, (e) employment training referral to start ratio, (f) actual number and proportion of new claims not pursued following initial contact and (g) number of people who withdrew their claim to benefit after contact with fraud investigators, for each quarter.

I am informed by the chief executive of the employment service that in the last quarter of 1992–93, ES placed a total of 324,400 unemployed people into jobs, bringing the total to 1,420,400 against an annual target of 1·425 million. Twenty-five per cent. of this quarter's placings were long-term claimants, 2·9 per cent. were people with disabilities and 35 per cent. were unemployed people in inner cities bringing the annual totals to 24 per cent., 2·8 per cent. and 34 per cent. against annual targets of 19 per cent., 2·5 per cent. and 36 per cent. respectively. The Employment Training/Employment Action referral to start ratio was 2·5: 1, resulting in a total of 2·6:1 against an annual target of 2·5: 1. New claims not pursued following initial contact in the final quarter were 107,798, 9 per cent. of initial inquiries, resulting in a total of 481,722 at the annual target level of 10 per cent. A total of 11,900 pepole withdrew their claim to benefit after contact with fraud investigators in the final quarter, bringing the total to 61,000 against an annual target of 58,000. For information on the employment service's performance for each of the first three quarters of 1992–93 I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave her on 28 October 1992, Official Report, columns 725–26, and on 9 December 1992, Official Report, columns 733–34, and the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Dorset, South (Mr. Bruce) on 16 February 1993, Official Report, column 185.

Employment Action

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were participating in employment action in each month since April 1992.

The information requested is given in the following table:

Employment action Participants receiving allowances (Great Britain)
April 1992 to March 1993
Month	Number
April	17,576
May	19,772
June	21,446
July	23,296
August	24,602
September	25,787
October	28,116
November	29,703
December	30,614
January	31,450

Month

Number

February

33,157

March

33,386

Source: Employment Service.

Restart

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployment benefit claimants have been placed on restart courses in each month since May 1991.

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

Letter from M.E.G. Fogden to Mr. Tony Worthington, dated 11 May 1993:

As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question about Restart Courses. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.

Restart Courses are short courses normally lasting for one week. They aim to help those people who have been unemployed for a long time and are having the most difficulty in getting back to work. They are not an alternative to regular job search or other employment or training programmes. Essentially, they provide people with the opportunity to explore all the options open to them and give them confidence to take the next step back to work.

Since 1990, people who have been unemployed for two years or more who refuse to take up a place on an Employment Department employment or training programme at their Restart interview, are asked to attend a Restart Course.

I have set out the information you have asked for in the table attached. You will see that we collect information about starters on Restart Courses on a quarterly basis. All those that attend Restart Courses are unemployed and claiming state benefit.

Starters and completers on restart courses April 1991 to March 1993
	1991–92 starters	1992–93 starters
April to June	38,651	26,440
July to September	36,805	28,577
October to December	29,229	32,300
January to March	29,155	37,388
Total	133,840	124,705

Labour Statistics

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of people in work in each month since May 1991.

The work force in employment is published on a quarterly basis only. The available information is as follows:

Workforce in employment in the United Kingdom seasonally adjusted
	(000's)
1991
March	26,336
June	26,044
September	25,845
December	25,681
1992
March	25,625
June	25,450
September	25,052
December	24,960

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people have been unemployed in Darlington in March, June, September and December in each of the last four years.

Claimant unemployment figures by age are produced quarterly for the months of January, April, July and October, and can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library. These figures are not adjusted for seasonality.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what levels of (a) total, (b) male, (c) female and (d) 16 to 25 years, unemployment was identified by the 1991 census.

The definition of unemployment used in the 1991 census of population differs from the claimant court definition and the internationally recognised ILO definition used in the labour force survey. It does not include an "actively seeking work" criterion. The information requested is as follows and relates to Great Britain:

	Number
(a) total:	2,484,509
(b) male:	1,710,891
(c) female:	773,618
(d) 16–24 years:	762,597

Unemployment Benefit

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many initial claimants of unemployment benefit were advised to claim other benefits instead in each month since April 1992; and what percentage of new claims this figure represents;(2) how many initial claims for unemployment benefit there were in each month since April 1992; and how many were successful.

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

Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Tony Lloyd, dated 11 May 1993:

As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Questions about how many initial claims for Unemployment Benefit there were in each month since April 1992 and how many were successful; and how many initial claimants were advised to claim other benefits instead and what percentage of new claims this figure represents. These are matters which fall within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency. As the questions you have asked are related, I have provided a table which incorporates both replies for ease of reference and clarity. I hope that this is acceptable.

The attached table shows, at Column 1, the total number of people who contacted my local offices in each calendar month since April 1992 with a view to making a new claim to Unemployment Benefit. Column 2 shows the actual number of new claims taken. The difference between the two figures represents claims which were not pursued. A claim not pursued occurs when a client decides, as a direct result of discussion with my local office people, not to pursue their claim for benefit. This may be for any of a wide variety of reasons; for example, my people may advise the clients that they do not appear to meet eligibility conditions. I should emphasise, however, our instructions are quite clear in stating that clients must never be told they cannot claim. A non

Month	1.	2.	3.	4.
	All possible claims (including claims not pursued)	Number of new claims taken	Starts on other benefits	Starts as per cent, of all possible claims
April 1992	356,514	321,634	744	0·2
May 1992	396,732	358,263	878	0·2
June 1992	370,878	329,123	909	0·3
July 1992	567,830	513,225	1,030	0·2
August 1992	400,250	359,541	869	0·2
September 1992	417,249	375,308	879	0·2
October 1992	526,380	477,277	1,067	0·2
November 1992	420,699	381,278	1,066	0·3
December 1992	353,733	320,750	705	0·2
January 1993	496,192	450,316	1,223	0·3
February 1993	359,232	325,712	833	0·2
March 1993	335,962	307,560	742	0·2

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many initial claims for unemployment benefit were refused under the actively seeking work provisions in each month since April 1992; and what percentage of new claims this represents.

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

Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Tony Lloyd, dated 11 May 1993:

As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question about the number of initial claims for unemployment benefit that were refused under the actively seeking work provision in each month since April 1992 and what percentage of new claims this represents. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.

This information is not available in the precise form requested. The information we collect in respect of adjudication activity refers to the total number of decisions given under each question and does not distinguish between initial claims and subsequent claims. These statistics are not available on a monthly basis, but are compiled quarterly. The information is available in a published document, the "Analysis of Adjudication Officers' Decisions", under the

pursuit case can only result from the client's own voluntary decision after the benefit conditions have been explained to them.

One of the reasons why a claim may not be pursued is that an adviser may identify that clients should be claiming a more appropriate benefit and advise them accordingly. Where appropriate, the adviser will contact other agencies, such as DSS, or help the client complete the necessary forms. Information on cases where the adviser has been actively involved in getting a client on to another benefit is collected centrally and is shown in column 3. This column only shows starts on other benefits. We do not hold information on how many clients are referred to an alternative benefit, but do not actually claim it.

The statistical months shown in the table can be either four or five weeks, which accounts for some of the fluctuations in them.

I hope this is helpful.

heading of Actively Seeking Employment. Copies of this document can be obtained from the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many initial claims for unemployment benefit were refused because of adjudication decisions and disallowances in each month since April 1992; if she will break down the figures by type of refusal; and if she will give the figures as a percentage of new claims.

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

Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Tony Lloyd, dated 11 May 1993:

As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question about the number of initial unemployment benefit claims disallowed monthly since April 1992. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.

This information is not available in the form you have requested. The information we collect in respect of adjudication activity does not distinguish between decisions given in respect of initial claims and those relating to subsequent claims. Adjudication statistics are not available on a monthly basis, as requested, but statistics are compiled quarterly. Information on the total number of decisions given, and the proportion disallowed, under each question is available in a published document, the "Analysis of Adjudication Officers' Decisions". Copies of this document can be obtained from the House of Commons Library.

Employment, Durham

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures for the Durham area for (a) average earnings, (b) average gross hourly earnings and (c) average weekly hours total for (i) all women, (ii) women part-time workers, (iii) women manual workers and (iv) women non-manual workers; and what are the comparable figures for men.

The available information for employees in the county of Durham is contained in the following table:

Average gross earnings and hours of employees on adult rates of pay whose pay was not affected by absence for the survey pay period: April 1992
	Average weekly earnings	Average hourly earnings	Average total hours
	£	£	£
All employees
Women	158·2	4·96	30·1
Manual women	117·3	4·04	29·9
Non-manual women	181·9	5·58	30·2
Men	293·7	6·99	41·4
Manual men	247·0	5·81	43·2
Non-manual men	347·4	8·90	38·8
Part-time employees
Women	79·3	4·12	18·4
Men	..	..	..

Source: New Earnings Survey: April 1992.

Note: ".." denotes sample number too low or standard error too large for reliable estimate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many 16 or 17-year-olds living in the Durham area are not in full-time education and (a) are on a youth training scheme or (b) are on a waiting list for a youth training scheme.

There are currently 791 young people from Durham city area on youth training, including a small number of 18-year-olds. Four 16 or 17-year-olds are presently on a waiting list for YT.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps are being taken to ensure high standards of off-the-job education for youth training trainees.

All youth training trainees have the opportunity to receive training which leads to an approved qualification at, or above, national vocational qualification level II—or, for young people who are endorsed as having special training needs, other appropriate outcomes. Each training and enterprise council is required to operate an effective quality assurance system for providers of off-the-job or on-the-job training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many 16 and 17-year-olds living in the Durham area have applied for youth training but not succeeded since 1990.

Figures show that since January 1990, 133 16 and l7-year-olds were submitted but did not start on youth training schemes in the Durham city area. Of these, 129 went into other training or education or found jobs. The destination of the remaining four young people is not known.

Private Residential Care

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information she has concerning levels of pay in the private residential care industry; and if she will make a statement.

None; pay in the private sector is a matter for employers and employees.

Health And Safety Representatives

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans she has to ensure that health and safety representatives are elected for each workplace; and if she will require employers to recognise such persons' rights and duties.

The Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977 allow recognised trade unions to appoint safety representatives, although in some cases the representatives are, in fact, elected. The regulations also give these safety representatives certain rights and duties. The Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill, which is currently before the House, contains a provision to further strengthen these rights by protecting safety representatives against being dismissed for carrying out their health and safety duties. I have no other plans to change the current arrangements.

Low Pay

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what definition of low pay is in use by her Department.

There is no official definition of what constitutes low pay.

River Safety

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps her Department is taking to publish an account of progress in the implementation of recommendations made after major disasters as recommended in the Hayes report on river safety.

The Health and Safety Commission and the Health and Safety Executive publish information about the implementation of such recommendations in various ways, including the Commission's annual report, other HSC/E publications and policy statements, and public conferences. In addition, progress is regularly reviewed, where appropriate, with the commission's industry advisory committees.

Defence

Sandown Class Vessels

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to invite tenders for a further batch of Sandown class mine counter-measure vessels.

We hope to be in a position to issue invitations to tender for a further batch of Sandown class single role minehunters before the summer recess.

United States (Aircraft Purchases)

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the value to the United Kingdom, in pounds sterling, of the offset arrangements linked to the purchase from the United States of the E-3D AWACS Sentry aircraft.

Boeing's performance against the AWACS offset requirement has been measured in United States dollars. Using an average exchange rate for the period in question, the value of contracts placed under the terms of the agreement is approximately £950 million.

Service hospital	County	Region	Number of beds¹
			1991²	1992²	1993²
Cambridge military hospital, Aldershot	Hampshire	Wessex	47	38	38
Princess Alexandra RAF hospital, Wroughton	Wiltshire	Wessex	16	25	—³
Princess Mary's RAF hospital, Halton	Bucks	Oxford	10	18	14
¹Only obstetric maternity beds are to be found in service hospitals.
²As at 31 March of the year in question.
²Obstetric services ceased on 1 May 1992.

Empty Properties, Biggin Hill

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many residential properties are empty at Biggin Hill; and for how long they have been empty.

As at 31 March 1993, the latest date for which figures are available, 81 service married quarters at Biggin Hill were empty as follows:

	Number
Under one year	54
Over one year	18
Over two years	9

Eight of these properties were allocated to service families who were due to move in shortly and the remaining 73 were in the process of being sold.

Air-To-Surface Missiles

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make an announcement about the development of medium air-to-surface missiles; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) on 20 April, Official Report, column 168.

Arms Exports

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish figures showing the total value of the United Kingdom's arms exports for each year since 1986; and what was the value of arms export sales to third-world countries in those years.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Montgomery (Mr. Carlile) on 23 February, Official Report, columns 577–78.

Mod Hospitals

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by country and region the Ministry of Defence hospitals in the United Kingdom which had consultant obstetric and/or general practitioner maternity beds in 1991–92 and 1992–93, with the numbers of beds of each type in each hospital in each year.

The information requested is as follows:

Weapon Development Programmes

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the international co-operative weapon development programmes the United Kingdom Government are engaged in, together with, in each case, the partner nation and the expenditure committed in 1992–93 and 1993–94.

I refer the hon. Member to the information contained in chapter 3, table 2 of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1992 (Cm 1981). The information on expenditure committed is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate time and cost.

Military Nuclear Sites

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the programmes, and the expenditure for them in 1992–93 and 1993–94, for (a) the clear-up of British military nuclear sites and materials and (b) participation in nuclear proliferation control efforts.

My Department attaches great importance to any clear-up programmes necessary, and deals with each situation as it arises. Details of each case are classified.The Government attach a high priority to pursuing effective measures to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. My Department is actively supporting the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in its efforts to seek an indefinite extension to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and is working to promote effective international controls on nuclear exports to help prevent proliferation. In order to assist with the safe and secure dismantlement of nuclear weapons in Russia, we are providing the Russian Federation with nuclear weapons transport vehicles, and special containers. Expenditure on this programme for 1992–93 was some £1,500,000; we estimate that expenditure for 1993–94 will be around £15,000,000. A number of personnel within my Department work on nuclear non-proliferation related matters; their costs are not separately identifiable.

Helicopter Carrier

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Tynemouth (Mr. Trotter), 29 March, Official Report column 16, whether he has now received full clarification from the tenderers of their bids for the amphibious helicopter carrier; when he expects his Department to complete the evaluation of bids; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his answer, 23 April 1993, col. 241]: I can now announce the results of the competition for the new helicopter carrier for the Royal Navy. Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd has won the competition by a very substantial margin of over £50 million. It will build the ship in conjunction with Kvaerner Govan on the Clyde. In reaching this decision, we took full account of wider factors such as the future of Swan Hunter Shipbuilders. The final judgment was made on our normal technical and value for money criteria.This order demonstrates the Government's commitment to improving our amphibious capability and will provide our forces with a vessel suitable for a variety of operations. The ship will provide accommodation for helicopters, men, guns, land vehicles and other equipment and a platform from which to mount a helicopter assault. The ship will also significantly improve our ability to provide humanitarian assistance around the world.

Volume 224: debated on Tuesday 11 May 1993

Written Answers To Questions

Lord Chancellor's Department

Bailiffs

Small Claims Courts

Home Department

Prison Education Staff

European Parliament Elections

Hosni E Farhat

Immigration (Police Questioning)

Violence (Mobile Telephones)

Police Manpower

Wolds And Lindholme Prisons

Crime Statistics

Fire Services

River Safety

Mr A Ali

Bail

Uranium

Environment

Sellafield

Water

Landfill Sites (Methane Gas)

National Parks

Toxic Waste

Coastal Protection

Social Services, Greenwich

Housing, Solihull

Green Housekeeping

Ofwat

Spending Assessment, Greenwich

Environment Week

Mobile Homes

British Waterways Board

Urban Development Corporations

Homelessness

Halons

Ozone Levels

Street Lighting

Transport

Consultants

Transport Supplementary Grant

Bus Priority Measures

Cycles (Warning Devices)

London Regional Transport

River Safety

Marine Safety Committees

Private Aircraft

Twyford Down (Private Detectives)

A30

Marine Accident Investigation Branch

Duchy Of Lancaster

Ec Research Ministers

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Mr A Nadir

Overseas Development

Aid Projects

Sub-Saharan Africa

Narmada Dam, India

Africa

Health

Extra-Contractual Referrals

Nhs (Equal Opportunities)

Azt

Cannabis

Hiv And Aids

Vaccines

Suicides

Children In Care

Secure Units

Eye Tests

Nursing And Midwifery

General Practitioners

Junior Doctors And Dentists

Mr Mohammed Saeed

Pharmacies

Imigran

Nhs Salaries

Trade And Industry