To ask the Prime Minister which Government Departments have been and continue to be involved in discussions over the negotiation, ratification and implementation of the convention on biological diversity.

The Government Departments mainly involved include the Department of the Environment, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office—including the Overseas Development Administration—Her Majesty's Treasury, the Northern Ireland Office, the Scottish Office, the Welsh Office, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Law Officers' Department, the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Decisions on these matters are taken collectively.

To ask the Prime Minister from what month or quarter he estimates the economic recovery began; and if he will set out the evidence from output and trade statistics underlying his estimate.

[holding answer 17 May 1993]: It is always difficult to pinpoint economic turning points accurately until some time after they have occurred. But total output has been rising since last summer, and there have been encouraging signs—in figures for gross domestic product, manufacturing output, retail sales and exports —that recovery is under way across a broad front.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of jobs that will be created by the Birmingham northern relief road during construction in toll operation and in motorway service areas.

The concessionaire, Midland Expressway Ltd., estimates that the road will generate well over 500 on-site jobs during each year of construction; 220 to 270 full-time jobs when the road is operating at capacity; and the equivalent of a further 200 to 250 full-time jobs when the motorway service area opens.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many copies of his Department's joint report with the Department of the Environment on reducing transport emissions through planning, published this year, have been published; at what cost; and to whom it has been distributed.

The report for this research, "Reducing Transport Emissions through Planning", was published on 20 April by HMSO, price £12 (ISBN 0–11–752785–8). HMSO printed 1,300 copies. The Departments of the Environment and of Transport have bought copies for their own use and a limited number of complimentary copies have been sent to key bodies, such as the local authority associations. Members of the public can buy the report directly from HMSO, through their agents or through good booksellers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has recently received regarding the hazards posed by the transport of plutonium.

During this year, my Department has received a variety of letters from hon. Members and others, together with parliamentary questions from both Houses, about the transport of plutonium.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the status of the M3 extension through Twyford Down, and the planned timetable; if the extension is currently on schedule; and if contracts include penalty clauses for a time delay.

The main works for the construction of the Bar End to Compton section of the M3 have been in progress since October 1992 and are due for completion in autumn 1994. A three-week extension of time has been granted to the contractor in respect of difficulties with the appointment of a steel work subcontractor for the Shawford railway bridge. The contract includes the normal provision for liquidated damages if the works are completed later than the contract completion date.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what effect his recent circular 2/93 on transport policies and programme submissions has on (a) the threshold for highway schemes to qualify for TSG, (b) from minor schemes costing under £2 million and (c) from road safety schemes.

The circular explains that from 1994–95 the threshold for construction and improvement schemes to be accepted for TSG will be £2 million. Schemes costing under £2 million, including road safety measures, will be supported with credit approvals only.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what consideration he has given to the potential for cost-saving advantages of funding more community mediation services as an alternative to litigation or, when the offence has arisen from an interpersonal dispute, to prosecution.

The Lord Chancellor is in favour of disputants resorting to mediation or other private dispute resolution processes where they do not need the compulsion, certainty or finality that only the court can provide. We are currently reviewing the ways in which the tangible benefits of alternative dispute resolution might be harnessed to contribute to our programme of reducing delay, cost and complexity in civil litigation.The potential of schemes involving mediation between offenders and victims to contribute to the process of cautioning as an alternative to prosecution is being considered by the Home Office.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement outlining the basis on which the Lord Chancellor visited northern Cyprus; and whom he met.

The Lord Chancellor visited Cyprus from 1 to 8 May where he was attending the 10th Commonwealth law conference and on 6 May attended a function at the British high commission in northern Nicosia to which the high commissioner had invited lawyers from northern Cyprus. While in northern Cyprus, the Lord Chancellor had an opportunity to speak to Mr. Denktash, leader of the Turkish Cypriots, and to put to him the British Government's serious concern about the arrival of Mr. Asil Nadir in northern Cyprus.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to complete the restructuring of the British Antarctic Survey; and if he will make a statement.

As part of the allocations of the science budget announced on 10 February, some £4 million over three years up to 1995–96 has been allocated to the Natural Environment Research Council towards the completion of the restructuring of the British Antarctic Survey's facilities in Antarctica. This will increase the opportunities for visiting scientists from our higher education institutions and will facilitate international collaboration.Over the past decade, the survey has undertaken a major capital replacement programme. It has rebuilt the Halley station as a centre for geospace and atmospheric research, including ozone destruction. It has replaced one of its two ships by a purpose-built dual research and logistics vessel, the RRS James Clark Ross, and it has greatly enhanced the air facilities at its Rothera station by the construction of a hard airstrip, the purchase of two further Twin Otters and a longer range DHC7 aircraft, which will improve access at the start of the Antarctic season.It will now consolidate its marine biology work from the RRS James Clark Ross and at Rothera, where new facilities will be built for biological research. Automated data collection systems will be developed and introduced to Faraday, which will remain as an unmanned station from 1995–96, and to the Signy station, where the present outdated accommodation will be replaced with modern facilities to support biological research during the austral summer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to introduce a witness protection scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Arrangements for the safety and protection of Crown witnesses, in selected cases, are operational matters for the Chief Constable of the RUC. The RUC has had a witness protection scheme since the early 1980s.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish details of the amount of financial support granted by (a) each education and library board and (b) each health and social services board in Northern Ireland to pre-school playgroups in their respective areas; and what is the value of this funding expressed as an amount per pupil enrolled per session provided for a year.

Education and library boards do not provide financial support for pre-school playgroups. In 1991–92, the latest financial year for which figures are available, the amount of grant aid provided by each health and social services board to registered playgroups in their respective areas was as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many NHS hospital doctors and consultants are currently under suspension pending inquiries and disciplinary action.

This information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Select Committee recommendations have been made about his Department since April 1989; and how many of them have been accepted.

I refer the hon. Member to the "Sessional Information Digest", a copy of which is held in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on future testing and assessment of pupils in Northern Ireland schools.

The Northern Ireland Schools Examination and Assessment Council (NISEAC) is currently undertaking an evaluation of the pilot key stage 2 and key stage 3 assessments which took place recently. I have asked the council to let me have, by the end of May, preliminary advice on the main changes which will need to be made to the assessment arrangements next year. I have already given a firm commitment to respond to the findings of the evaluation and to make whatever changes I consider are necessary to make the arrangements workable and manageable. An announcement about the arrangements for next year will be made before the end of June.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what discussions he has had on the plans for the closure of the Jubilee maternity hospital with (a) the Royal College of Midwives, (b) Belfast city council, (c) the National Childbirth Trust, (d) the Christian Churches in Northern Ireland, (e) the medical, nursing and ancillary staff of the hospital, (f) local Members of Parliament, (g) pregnant mothers and (h) representatives of the welfare organisations serving police and military personnel;(2) what recent meetings he has held with representatives of the Jubilee Action Group; and if he will make a statement.

None at this time. The Eastern health and social services board, in whose area the Jubilee maternity hospital is located, is currently engaged in the process of determining its strategy for acute services within the framework set in the Department of Health and Social Services' regional strategy. That process has involved the board in widespread consultation on its "Statement of Intent for general (Acute) Hospital Services within the Eastern Board Area". The consultation period ended on 14 May 1993 and the board, having regard to the comment and representations made during the consultative exercise, is expected to reach its decisions by September 1993. These decisions will, of course, be subject to ministerial endorsement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many babies are currently delivered annually in the Jubilee maternity hospital; and what percentage of all hospital deliveries in Northen Ireland is represented by this figure.

Of the 25,960 hospital deliveries in Northern Ireland in 1991–92—including live and still births—2,869 were at the Jubilee maternity hospital, representing 11 per cent. of the total.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consideration was given to issues of (a) security of access and (b) public transport accessibility by the Eastern health board in assessing the future of the Jubilee maternity hospital; and if he will make a statement.

The board has recently concluded a consultation process on its plans for acute hospital services and has not yet completed its deliberations. It will be some time before it is in a position to submit its conclusions to my noble Friend the Earl of Arran for endorsement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many letters he has so far received concerning the future of the Jubliee maternity hospital; and how many of those letters supported (a) retention and (b) closure of this facility.

My right hon. and learned Friend has so far received 138 letters concerning the future of the Jubilee maternity hospital, most of which supported the retention of the hospital.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the members of the Eastern health board.

The current members of the Eastern health and social services board are as follows:

• Chairman
• N. G. D. Ferguson
• Non-Executive Members
• J. C. Morton
• D. J. McGuinness
• Mrs. G. Loughran
• Mrs. J. Ferguson
• Prof. R. W. Stout
• P. J. McLachlan
• Executive Members
• P. Kinder—Chief Executive
• Miss A. Paisley—Director of Finance
• Ms A. Lynch—Director of Planning
• E. McCullough—Director of Operations
• B. Moore—Director of Social Services.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who is responsible for the provision and maintenance of radio hearing aids for (a) pre-school children, (b) children at school and (c) students in further and higher education in Northern Ireland.

The education and library boards.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the effect since 13 January 1987 in terms of the retail prices index of (i) privatisation, (ii) intervention by Government to raise the rate of return on sales and capital in the public sector and (iii) increases in indirect taxation excluding rates etc., and (iv) reduction of subsidies.

It is not possible properly to isolate such effects.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the likely change in the price of foreign holidays in 1993 and 1994 as a result of the fall in nominal exchange rates since September 1992; and if he will exclude such changes from the retail prices index.

An assessment of the effects of depreciation on all prices was built into my right hon. Friend's Budget forecast for underlying inflation. Changes in the price of foreign holidays have been included in the retail prices index from January this year, as recommended by the RPI Advisory Committee.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing for each year since 1970 and this year to date (a) the nominal and real rate of interest and (b) the change in the nominal and real rate of exchange based on relative unit values for manufactures based on the second half of 1973 = 100.

Nominal rates of interest are published in the Central Statistical Office's "Economic Trends", table 41. There is no unique definition of real interest rates. For example, calculations based on yields on index-linked gilts are published montly in CSO's "Financial Statistics", table 13.4; alternative measures of real interest rates may be derived from nominal interest rates and the various price indices published in, for example, "Economic Trends". The sterling—nominal—exchange rate index is published in "Financial Statistics", table 13.1. Finally, calculations of United Kingdom relative manufacturers' exports prices, based on unit value indices, are published in "Economic Trends", table 25.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether domestic holidays are included under other recreations in the retail price index in table 18.2 of the "Monthly Digest of Statistics"; and if he will publish separate figures for the increase in the price of domestic holidays to enable a comparison to be drawn with the newly published figures for foreign holidays.

At present, no index measuring price changes in domestic holidays is compiled. However, the Retail Prices Index Advisory Committee has recommended—Cm 2142, paragraph 122—that such an index, be developed as soon as practicable.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many illegal weapons purchased through mail order catalogues have been seized by HM Customs and Excise in each of the last 10 years.

Customs records of total seizures do not specify those which relate to items purchased through mail order catalogues.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provision is being made for the payment of improved death gratuities and dependants' benefits to beneficiaries under the European Parliament (United Kingdom Representatives) Pension Scheme.

Parliamentary approval will be sought later this year in an order under the European Parliament (Pay and Pensions) Act 1979 to changes to the European Parliament (United Kingdom Representatives) Pension Scheme. These changes will bring the scheme's provisions for death gratuities and dependants' benefits into line with those introduced for the parliamentary contributory pension fund by the Parliamentary Pensions (Amendment) Regulations 1991. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £1,100 will be met from repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund. Once the order has been approved, the Contingencies Fund will be repaid upon approval of the Contingencies Fund repayment vote in 1994–95.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations were made by Her Majesty's Government to the Croat Government following the attack by Croat forces on UN-protected Serbian positions in Krajina in January; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Wareing) on 9 February, Official Report, column 545.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the President of Croatia in relation to reports of forcible detention of Muslim civilians by Croat forces near Mostar.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him by the Minister of State, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Grantham (Mr. Hogg), on 17 May, Official Report, column 43.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's ambassador to Zagreb has been instructed to draw to the attention of the President of Croatia the establishment of a war crimes tribunal; and if Her Majesty's Government will make similar representations to the leader of the Bosnian Croats, Mr. Mate Boban.

No such instructions have been given. We welcome the UN Secretary-General's draft for the statute of such an international tribunal.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what requirements will be imposed on the (a) Serbian, (b) Montenegrin and (c) Yugoslav Governments as a requirement for the removal of economic sanctions.

The sanctions imposed under United Nations Security Council resolutions 757, 30 May 1992; 787, 16 November 1992; and 820, 17 April 1993, apply to Serbia and Montenegro which together constitute the so-called "Federal Republic of Yugoslavia".The measures adopted in these resolutions will apply until the UN Security Council decides that the authorities in Serbia and Montenegro have taken effective measures to fulfil the requirements laid down in UNSCR 752, which was adopted on 15 May 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the German Foreign Minister, Herr Klaus Kinkel, about Croatian aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina; and if he will make a statement.

The Croat/Muslim clashes in central Bosnia were discussed at the meeting of EC Foreign Ministers on 10 May. All partners expressed their concern over the renewed fighting between Bosnian Croats and Muslims in Mostar and agreed that the EC presidency should send a firm protest to President Tudjman of Croatia. Mr. Kinkel undertook to reinforce this message when he met President Tudjman on 14 May.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now urge his counterparts at the United Nations to consider a full range of economic and diplomatic sanctions against the Republic of Croatia in the event that Croat aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina continues.

The EC presidency sent a message to President Tudjman on 12 May making clear that unless Croatia used all its influence to stop the fighting between Croats and Muslims in central Bosnia, stronger measures would be considered.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals for military intervention in the former Yugoslavia have been discussed with the United States State Department since 8 May; and if he will make a statement.

We are in regular contact with the United States Government on developments within the former Yugoslavia. We are agreed that the first objective must be to induce the parties to accept a lasting ceasefire and a negotiated settlement. We have taken a number of measures in the United Nations to maximise pressure on the parties, without excluding the possibility of stronger measures. No decision has been taken on the steps which might be taken if the Serbs continue to reject the will of the international community.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Croatian Government regarding the disruption of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees effort following Muslim-Croat fighting around the British Army base at Vitez.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Minister of State, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Grantham, to the hon. Member for Blackpool, North (Mr. Elletson) on 17 May, Official Report, column 43.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions took place at the last meeting of EC Foreign Ministers of the official visit to the Republic of Croatia on 14 May by the German Foreign Minister, Herr Klaus Kinkel.

Mr. Kinkel made it clear at the meeting of EC Foreign Ministers on 10 May that he would use his visit to Zagreb to press President Tudjman to use his influence to end the fighting between Croats and Muslims in Mostar and to reinforce the message to be sent by the EC presidency on this.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government's representative to the United Nations Security Council will propose the establishment of safe havens in areas populated by the indigenous Serb community in the Republic of Croatia, following Croat Army attacks against these areas in January.

There have been four United Nations protected areas (UNPAs) in Croatia since February 1992. There are no plans to designate safe areas in Croatia like those established in Bosnia by United Nations Security Council resolution 824. The co-chairmen of the international conference on the former Yugoslavia have brokered negotiations to establish a ceasefire following the Croatian army attacks in January, but the Krajina Serbs have so far failed to ratify the resulting agreement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Croatian President following reports by the EC special envoy Jose Maria Mendiluce on the forecast of future numbers of Muslims who would be forced to move as a result of Croatian aggression; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him by the Minister of State, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Grantham, on 17 May, Official Report, column 43. We have made no specific representations on the comments by UNHCR special representative Mr. Mendiluce.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate has been made of the numbers of regular Croatian troops currently within the state of Bosnia-Herzegovina; and if he will make a statement.

Although there have been numerous reports of regular Croatian troops in Bosnia, we have no specific information on their numbers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of Croatia to dismantle the self-appointed Croat state of Herceg-Bosnia in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The London conference made it clear in its statement of principles that we upheld the fundamental obligation to respect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states in the region. The Vance-Owen peace plan—which the Croats have accepted—insists that Croat areas in Bosnia should remain part of the sovereign Bosnian state. We reflect this in all our contacts with the Croatian Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the illegal supply of arms to the Bosnian Croats from the Republic of Croatia; and if he will put forward proposals to seal the border between Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

We are aware of numerous reports of arms supplies to the Bosnian Croats from the Republic of Croatia. We have pressed the Croatian Government to cease military support for the Bosnian Croats and to exert their influence to bring the fighting to an end.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what pressure Her Majesty's Government have put on the Croat Government to withdraw their forces from Bosnia-Herzegovina; what efforts Her Majesty's Government have made to persuade the Croat Government to stop supplying the republic they have declared there; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him by the Minister of State, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Grantham, on 17 May, Official Report, column 43.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to recall Her Majesty's ambassador to Zagreb in the light of Croat aggression against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

We have no such plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list visa requirements for Croat citizens entering the United Kingdom; and what plans he has to review them in the event of changes in United Kingdom-Croat relations.

I have been asked to reply.Nationals of Croatia are not subject to a United Kingdom visa requirement, and there are no present plans to impose such a requirement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will provide a comprehensive list of all the names and nationalities of the top officials of all the bodies, committees, ad hoc groups and structures of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe.

The CSCE internal address list which I have placed in the Library of the House lists on pages 57 to 80 the names of the officials who staff the CSCE institutions. Meetings of participating states, whether of the Council of Ministers, Committee of Senior Officials or ad hoc groups formed to deal with a specific task, are chaired by the Chairman-in-Office, currently Sweden.The Council of Ministers has appointed a Secretary-General, Mr. Wilhelm Hoynck. He will take office in Vienna in June.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the dates of establishment, and of winding up if applicable, of all the bodies, committees, ad hoc groups and structures of the institutions of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Details have been placed in the Library of the House giving the dates of establishment of CSCE institutions, secretariats, steering and ad hoc groups.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will provide a complete list of addresses of all the offices of the various structures of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe.

I have placed in the Library of the House a copy of the CSCE internal address list. Pages 57 to 80 include a full list of addresses of CSCE institutions and offices.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will assign a member of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office human rights department to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office consular section to monitor the abuse of human rights outside the United Kingdom in consular and legal matters.

The consular department consults the human rights policy department as a matter of course for advice on cases where the human rights of British individuals are in question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the French authorities concerning the absence of access to legal representation for Raymond Bickley since his imprisonment in December.

After learning that Mr. Bickley's court-appointed lawyer did not attend with him the examining magistrate's hearing on 30 March, Her Majesty's consul-general in Paris wrote to the batonnier, equivalent to the president of the local bar, expressing concern. The batonnier asked the lawyer to visit Mr. Bickley immediately, and undertook to act on any complaint from Mr. Bickley that his defence had suffered as a result of the lawyer's non-attendance at the hearing. The batonnier will report again to the consul-general.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council held on 10 to 11 May.

I attended the Foreign Affairs Council on 10 May with the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Watford (Mr. Garel-Jones). The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Grantham (Mr. Hogg), represented the United Kingdom on 11 May.The Council approved the EC/United States agreement on Government procurement reached on 19 April. The Council also agreed a resolution on trade and the environment proposed by the Danish presidency in advance of the OECD ministerial meeting on 2 June.Lord Owen briefed Ministers on recent developments in the former Yugoslavia. They agreed on the importance of continued support for the Vance-Owen peace plan. The Twelve should maintain pressure for the closure of the Serb/Bosnia border and be ready to contribute to international monitoring of it. Other options should not be excluded. Ministers also agreed on the crucial importance of rigorous implementation of the sanctions regime.The Council agreed that the presidency should discuss with the European Parliament arrangements for an inter-institutional meeting on 7 June, with the aim of concluding an inter-institutional agreement on subsidiarity and of agreeing arrangements for the European parliamentary ombudsman. The Council also agreed that a paper presented by the Commission on access to information held by the Community institutions was a good basis for further work. It asked the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) to take this forward.Over lunch, Ministers discussed progress in the enlargement negotiations with Austria, Finland, Norway and Sweden.The Commission reported on the latest round of negotiations, held in St. Petersburg on 6 and 7 May, for a partnership and co-operation agreement with Russia.The Council discussed the Commission's paper for the Copenhagen European Council on strengthening relations with the central European associate countries. There will be further discussion at the Foreign Affairs Council on 8 June.An EC/GCC ministerial meeting was held in the margins of the Council on 11 May.No formal votes were taken at the Council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his statement of 11 May, Official Report, column 651, what investigations were carried out into the abortive costs involved in the changes to the system of testing announced in his statement; what is the total cost; and what are the projected costs of external marking by external examiners of the tests of 11 and 14-year-olds.

The cost of developing and distributing the non-mandatory tests for seven-year-olds in technology, history and geography is estimated at £1·7 million. The cost to date of development of history and geography tests for 14-year-olds is estimated at some £300,000. This expenditure has not been wasted. There will be a continuing obligation on schools to teach technology, history and geography at key stage I and to teach history and geography at key stage 3. It will continue to be good practice for teachers to assess pupils' progress against the national targets in these subjects.The non-mandatory tests in technology, history and geography which have already been delivered to primary schools are explicitly designed to support and inform teachers' own assessments. The work to date on history and geography tests for 14-year-olds will inform guidance to teachers on making their own assessments of pupils' progress and may contribute to the work of devising new tests in future. Lessons learnt from experience gained will be taken into account in Sir Ron Dearing's review of the curriculum and assessment framework.My right hon. Friend has asked Sir Ron Dearing to advise on the merits of external marking of tests for 11 and 14-year-olds, including the costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education who is responsible for the provision and maintenance of radio hearing aids for (a) pre-school children, (b) children at school and (c) students in further and higher education.

Where a radio hearing aid is specified as special educational provision in the statement of special educational need of a pre-school child or a child attending a school, it is the duty of the responsible local education authority to arrange for the provision and maintenance of such aids.The Further Education Funding Council and local education authorities are under duties to secure further education provision for students with learning difficulties and disabilities. These duties require them to take account of students' additional learning support needs.Within higher education, it is for individual higher education institutions to consider the arrangements necessary to meet the additional learning support needs of such students. Eligible students in higher education may be entitled to three disabled students allowances as part of their mandatory award, including up to £3,325 for specialist equipment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what progress he is making in developing national vocational qualifications for those working within the field of education;(2) if he will publish the report of the task group of Department for Education officials and representatives of employer and employee interests within education, which met last year to recommend an education lead body for teacher training; and if he will publish his response;(3) what lead bodies he has set up to look at the adoption of NVQs within education.

My right hon. Friend and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment are considering developing NVQs in the education sector and relevant lead body arrangements. They will shortly be consulting and taking into account recent developments in further education and training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) if he will list the criteria used to assess and select candidates to become school inspectors under the new schools inspection regime; and if he will make a statement;(2) how many people from non-educational backgrounds have been selected to go forward as lay inspectors; and if he will make a statement.

The selection of candidates for training as school inspectors under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 is a matter for the Office for Standards in Education.I have asked Professor Sutherland to write to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the cost per pack of the information pack "Testing: The Facts"; how many have been circulated and to whom; and what was the total cost of production and distribution.

The cost of each pack was £1. About 3,600 have been distributed to date to the following:

• all Members of Parliament for England;
• the 1,000 top companies;
• Church leaders;
• training and enterprise councils;
• regional chairmen of the CBI and Institute of Directors;
• chambers of commerce;
• regional directors of the Department of Trade and Industry and the Employment Department;
• trade unions;
• the national press;
• Vice Chancellors; and
• heads of information of Government Departments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what qualifications the hon. Robin Gibson Watt has which are relevant to his recent appointment to the board of the Development Board for Rural Wales.

I give full consideration to all relevant factors in determining appointments for which I have responsibility.I have every confidence that the hon. Robin Gibson Watt will make a valuable contribution to the work of the board during his term of office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many names he has on the list of potential nominees for places on non-departmental public bodies in Wales; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will publish the list of potential nominees for appointment to non-departmental public bodies in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

There are currently 2,851 names on the Department's register of candidates for public appointment, which is confidential.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the total number of registered drug addicts in each local authority area in Wales in each year from 1987 onwards.

The numbers of drug addicts notified by medical practitioners to the chief medical officer at the Home Office are given in "Statistics of Drug Addicts Notified to the Home Office, UK, 1991" which is held in the Library of the House. Figures for each district health authority in Wales from 1987 to 1991 are found in table A8 of the "Area Tables" supplement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has concerning the use of designer drugs within schools in each local education authority area in Wales.

This information is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what efforts are currently made by his Department to collect information on the numbers of unregistered drug addicts in Wales.

The Welsh drug misuse database was set up in 1991 to provide regular national and local profiles on those drug users in contact with various services. Some of those drug users will be registered on the addicts index while others will be unregistered.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how much has been spent by the national health service in Wales in meeting claims for medical negligence in each year from 1987;(2) how much has been spent by each district health authority in Wales on litigation cases in each year from 1987; and how much was paid by each district health authority in litigation during claims for compensation on the grounds of medical negligence affecting children born with disabilities.

This information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the current position on plans for the improvement of the A494 Bala to Corwen road, between Merlyn Gwyn and Glanrafon; and if he will make a statement.

A topographical survey has been completed and route improvement options identified; the environmental impact of each option will be investigated. Construction work could start before April 1996 subject to the satisfactory completion of engineering design, statutory procedures and the availability of resources.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales who is responsible for the provision and maintenance of radio hearing aids for (a) pre-school children, (b) children at school and (c) students in further and higher education in Wales.

Local education authorities have a duty to arrange for the provision and maintenance of radio hearing aids for children in school or pre-school who have statements of special educational needs which specify such an aid as educational provision.The Further Education Funding Council and local education authorities are under duties to secure further education provision for students with learning difficulties and disabilities. These duties require them to take account of students' additional learning support needs.It is for individual higher education institutions to consider the arrangements necessary to meet the additional learning support needs of students in higher education. Eligible students in higher education may be entitled to three disabled students allowances as part of their mandatory award, including up to £3,325 for specialist equipment.

To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the Heart of England Wood Carvers to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 14 to 18 June.

To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what (a) building, (b) fire and (c) health and safety regulations apply to the Palace of Westminster; which regulations in each category would apply to the Palace of Westminster if not for Crown immunity; and which officials are responsible for enforcement of each category of regulation.

I have been asked to reply.It is the policy of the Commission, notwithstanding immunities and exemptions provided for in legislation, to apply the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 and all other relevant statutory provisions throughout the parliamentary estate, whether part of the Palace of Westminster or not. With regard to:

To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he will estimate in relation to the Palace of Westminster how many (i) employees and (ii) members of the public are in the Palace of Westminster on weekdays when the House is sitting.

I shall write to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what investigations his Department has been subject by the Data Protection Registrar in relation to a suspected breach of a data protection principle; if he will summarise the nature of each complaint and state when the complaint was made; and what remedial action was taken by his Department to ensure future compliance with the principle subject to the investigation.

In August 1989, the registrar investigated a complaint which alleged improper use of agricultural census information to compile a list of growers required to pay the Horticultural Development Council levy. The registrar was satisfied that no census material or computerised information had been disclosed to the Horticultural Development Council and no remedial action was necessary.There have been no other complaints.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has made to the European Farm Commissioner to secure that the proposals set out by the Commission on potato production include a definition of new potatoes which will be applicable to potato producers in the United Kingdom.

The definition of new potatoes contained in the Commission proposal will apply to potato producers throughout the European Community.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made, or has been made by the relevant Commissioner or director general within the European Community, of the effects of export of subsidised meat to west Africa on pastural agriculture there.

I am aware of the concern the effect of Community beef exports on local cattle production in certain west African countries. The agricultural directorate-general of the European Commission is at present carrying out an assessment of this. We will seek an early indication of its findings.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many licences were issued for the import into the United Kingdom of captive-bred birds from Tanzania in each year since 1989;(2) how many

Information on the importation into the United Kingdom of captive birds from Tanzania is as follows:

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many IACS forms were received by 15 May; and what proportions of those were from (a) mostly arable and (b) mostly livestock farms.

We received about 155,000 IACS application forms in the United Kingdom by 15 May. We are not able to provide a breakdown between arable and livestock farms.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what proportion of IACS forms received were fully acceptable and will not involve any penalty for the farmer in whose name they were completed;(2) what proportion of forms completed by

We have not yet carried out the detailed checking of IACS that will determine whether the applications are fully acceptable, or whether penalties will have to be applied.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what period of time arable and livestock farmers had to complete their IACS forms.

Most farmers had a minimum of about six weeks between receiving the IACS documentation and the 15 May deadline for receipt of the completed applications.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to establishing new planning guidelines for waste-to-energy incineration plants to give due weight to their environmental and economic value.

In the White Paper "This Common Inheritance" the Government clearly stated that it would "promote the recycling of as much waste as possible, including the recovery of materials and energy".The environmental and economic implications of energy from waste, through incineration and other methods, are considered in waste management paper 1 "A Review of Options" and waste management paper 28 "Recycling". Guidance on the development control implications of various waste disposal options, including energy from waste incineration, will also be provided through a new planning policy guidance note on "Planning and Pollution Control" which is due for publication soon.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to the likely impact on United Kingdom waste disposal activity of reductions in existing incineration capacity, due to new EC emissions standards, after 1996.

The Department has been in close contact with local authorities which operate municipal waste incinerators about the action needed to meet the requirements of directive 89/429/EEC. Some incinerators will have to close because it will not be cost-effective for them to be upgraded in order to achieve the necessary standards, others are to be upgraded and new plants are to be built. The directive itself is not thought likely to have a significant effect on the proportion of waste disposed of by incineration.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from waste regulation authorities as a result of his recent announcement of an indefinite postponement in the introduction of a waste management licensing system.

I have received a joint representation on behalf of the Institute of Wastes Management, the National Association of Waste Disposal Contractors and certain bodies representative of waste regulators. I understand that the local authority associations concerned also wish to be associated with that. I hope to meet them soon. Officials have already commenced discussions on the matter with representatives of the local authority associations. As I said in my answer to the hon. Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans) of 29 April, Official Report, column 470, I shall give a revised date for waste management licensing as soon as I am in a position to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations have been made to his Department on the proposals for a possible landfill levy; and what assessment he has made of its effect on the environmental standards at waste management facilities.

[holding answer 17 May 1993]: The organisations listed below have commented on the report by consultants Coopers and Lybrand for my Department on "Landfill Costs and Prices: Correcting Possible Market Distortions", published in February 1993. We are still considering the report and responses to it.The new waste management licensing system which we are introducing under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 will ensure that high environmental standards are maintained at waste management facilities.The organisations who responded to the report are:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what prosecutions have taken place to date of companies failing to apply for authorisations under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, in the fields of (a) incineration, (b) glass and ceramic manufacture, (c) timber processing and (d) dye production.

Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has prosecuted one company for operating a timber treatment process without being authorised to do so under part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Information about prosecutions by local authorities under part I of the Act broken down by category of process regulated is not routinely collected and could be obtained now only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the level of awareness by companies of the duty of care requirements under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

The Government conducted a substantial publicity campaign on the duty of care on its introduction in April 1992. This was well received and more than a million copies of a free explanatory leaflet, which is still available, were distributed to trade associations and companies. The Department employed MORI to review the effectiveness of this and other publicity campaigns. The results of its survey, carried out in December 1992, showed overall high levels of awareness of information on the duty of care. It was clear that awareness was greater among waste disposers than among waste producers. Subsequently, companies have become more aware of the requirements on inquiry from their waste disposal contractors and local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he plans to put forward at the EC Environment Council meeting in Aarhus on 14 to 16 May.

The meeting in Aarhus, at which I represented the United Kingdom, was an informal Council. Ministers discussed three topics proposed by the Danish presidency: transport and the environment, the review of the structural funds regulations, and employment and the environment. No formal conclusions were adopted nor decisions taken.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department's Building Research Establishment published the report "An Interim Evaluation of the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme" prepared by N. A. Oseland and D. D. Ward; and what are its principal conclusions.

The report was placed in the Library of the House on 29 April 1993. The report concluded that improvements under the home energy efficiency scheme in 1991–92 gave mean potential fuel bill savings of £39 per annum, although 77 per cent. of the potential energy saving was taken as improved warmth. CO₂ levels were potentially reduced by an average of 0·7 tonnes per household per annum, although the actual saving was 0·14 tonnes.The study also found significant improvements in warmth and comfort, and a significant reduction in condensation problems. Two thirds of those interviewed would not have carried out the work without the HEES grant. Half paid no client contribution, 14 per cent. thought the work had been funded by their local authority. The quality of work was rated as "good", and 75 per cent. of recipients were positive about the scheme overall.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information the United Kingdom gave the European Commission in its preparation- of COM(93)88 Final on the third report from the Commission on the present situation and prospects for radioactive waste management in the European Community; and if he will make a statement on the implications for the United Kingdom management of radioactive waste of the Commission report.

The report updates and supplements the information presented in similar previous reports forwarded to the Council in 1983 and 1987. All the data relating to the United Kingdom were supplied by the relevant United Kingdom authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to publish the results of the predictive modelling exercise of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation in the United Kingdom conducted by his Department.

First results from the Department's prediction of stratospheric change project at the university of Cambridge are expected during 1994. Publication in the scientific literature will be encouraged, as it is for all the Department's research programmes. In addition, results will be available to the Department's stratospheric ozone review group and to the international scientific assessment of ozone depletion under the Montreal protocol.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the United Kingdom Government's policy on changing the EC standard of 50 mg/l for lead in drinking water to 10 mg/1.

We expect that the European Commission will wish to consider proposing a change to the current standard for lead in the drinking water directive of 50 micrograms per litre (µg/l) in the light of the revised guideline for lead of 10µg/l announced by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The United Kingdom will play its full part in discussion of proposals for a revised directive.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to undertake a census and research programme into the bottlenose dolphin population in United Kingdom waters.

The Government are financing several research projects intended to provide information on what further measures may be needed to conserve populations of small cetacean species present in the United Kingdom coastal waters, including bottlenose dolphins. But much of the fundamental work—including population surveys—needs to be undertaken on a European scale.On 6 November 1992, my colleague, Lord Strathclyde, announced that the Government would contribute £110,000 over two years towards the costs of an international survey of the populations of small cetaceans in the North sea. This will establish authoritative baseline information upon which further research and conservation efforts can be built.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received concerning the draft EC proposal for a regulation on substances that deplete the ozone layer.

My Department has received a number of representations about the draft proposal from the European Commission for a regulation, including ones from green groups and from industry. We have not yet received the draft proposal.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the joint DOE/Nirex United Kingdom radioactive inventory will be published; whether it will include full details of radioactive waste generated by the military nuclear programme; and if he will make a statement.

The 1991 United Kingdom radioactive waste inventory was published on 7 May 1993. It gives full details of radioactive waste arising in the United Kingdom, including Ministry of Defence sites. A copy of the inventory is in the House Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 10 May, Official Report, column 348, on the Fanfare for a New World concert, when the Merseyside development corporation met Janet and Nic Corke, representing creditors; what was discussed; and if he will make a statement.

A meeting was held with Merseyside development corporation on Tuesday 17 November 1992. This meeting was at the request of Mr. Corke, who asked for an informal discussion. Mrs. Corke informed the MDC of her concern with regard to the financial situation of the promoter of the Fanfare event and Mr. Corke explained the large financial losses incurred by himself which had affected his business adversely. While expressing sympathy, MDC stressed that it had no legal power to intervene in the situation. Neither Mr. Corke nor Mrs. Corke indicated they were representing the creditor as a body.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 10 May, Official Report, column 384, on the Fanfare for a New World concert, what was known about the proven track-record of Rod Gunner, associate producer of Fanfare for a New World; and if he will make a statement.

MDC was aware at an early stage that Mr. Gunner had been the director of a company which had previously suffered financial difficulties. In relation to the Fanfare event, however, Mr. Gunner was to act as technical producer only and without involvement in the financial affairs of Carroll Promotions Ltd. Inquiries had revealed that Mr. Gunner had a successful track record in technical matters and it was known that he had successfully produced the Symphony for a Spire attended by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales as well as a number of other complex outdoor events.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the scope and predicted magnitude of the additional administrative costs that will be incurred in implementing the European Commission proposal for a monitoring mechanism for Community carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, COM(93)125 as set out in the paragraph on financial implications of his departmental memorandum 5705/93 of 23 April on the Commission proposal.

Once adopted, the proposed Council decision would require member states to submit periodically to the Commission details of their greenhouse gas emissions and programmes for limiting these. Since the framework convention on climate change already contains similar requirements, this should not represent a significant additional administrative burden for the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom proposals to the matters discussed and decisions taken at the 14th session of the United Nations Commission on Human Settlements in Nairobi, 26 April to 5 May; and if he will place a copy of the conclusions in the Library.

The 14th session of the United Nations Commission on Human Settlements identified the issues to be taken up by the United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) to be held in June 1996 and provided guidance for member states to follow in their preparations for the Conference.The Commission adopted a resolution that recommended that Habitat II should focus on two major themes:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assistance United Kingdom experts have given the eastern Lander in Germany to improve the environmental standards of water systems in their region.

United Kingdom water companies and environmental consulting engineers are making major efforts to increase their business in the new Lander. To publicise this country's experience in the water industry and the role of private capital, the British Water Industries Group has held seminars in Halle, Dresden and Berlin. I found the interest in the British water industry very encouraging when I attended the Berlin seminar and in meetings with German Environment Ministers I have drawn their attention to the wide-ranging expertise the industry has to offer.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the methods adopted by the European Commission to assess compliance with EC environmental legislation; and if he will make a statement.

It is for the European Commission to decide, within the framework of the relevant regulation or directive, how best to assess compliance with EC legislation. During our presidency the Commission agreed to present an annual report on implementation and enforcement to the Council of Environment Ministers; the first such report was produced in December. We continue to wish to see the European Environment Agency established as soon as possible and to press for the establishment of an audit inspectorate.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which European Community member states have a formal provision for consultation with other EC member states on trans-border impacts of environmental pollution.

Certain multilateral treaties and some Community directives on environmental issues contain provisions requiring formal consultation between the parties concerned where there are potential trans-border impacts. We do not hold records of bilateral arrangements between other member states.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what reports he has received from the district auditor concerning financial irregularities by the London borough of Bromley between 1988 and 1991; and if he will make a statement.

None. District auditors are independent of central Government; they make their reports to the bodies which they audit, and to the Audit Commission. I understand that the district auditor for Bromley is working closely with the police who are currently investigating an alleged fraud within the borough. He will decide what action he should take, if any, when the investigation is complete.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is Her Majesty's Government's current timetable for the United Kingdom ratification of the biological diversity convention agreed in Rio.

We are aiming to establish the basis for the ratification of the convention on biological diversity by the end of this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the ecological results of the 1992 International Oceanographic Council cruise in the Gulf.

The results of the cruise are summarised in the report of the United Nations Environmental Programme executive director to the governing council on 10 to 21 May 1993 (UNEP/GC 17/1/9: 26 April 1993).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the latest figures for homelessness in (a) the west midlands area and (b) the Coventry area.

Local authorities in England report the number of households for whom they accept responsibility to secure permanent accommodation under the homelessness provisions of the Housing Act 1985 in their quarterly PI return.The latest estimate for the west midlands appears in table 1 of "Households found accommodation under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 Housing Act 1985: England. Statistics for the fourth quarter 1992"; the latest reported figure for Coventry appears in the supplementary table of the same publication, a copy of which is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the (a) causes and (b) level of homelessness within ethnic minority communities.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 26 April 1993, Official Report, columns 317–18. Two current research projects—one on single homelessness and one on the causes of homelessness among ethnic minorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how far the review of the system of standard spending assessments calculation has progressed; and when the review of SSAs will be completed.

We have so far received replies from 112 local authorities responding to our invitation to make representations on the review of standard spending assessments and to provide evidence to support any proposed changes.There have been three meetings between my officials and representatives of the local authority associations to discuss technical issues.The review of SSAs will be completed in time for any changes to be incorporated in the revenue support grant settlement for 1994–95.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he took to satisfy himself that each authority to which he gave his approval on 20 April to proceed with stock transfer proposals could demonstrate that ultimately its proposal would be likely to be acceptable to the tenants affected.

In deciding on the likely acceptability of an authority's transfer proposals to tenants, I considered the evidence given by the authority in its application for the programme and also its record in tenant involvement and consultation. Where tenants of particular local authorities had written to express their views on the proposals, these were also taken into account. Stock transfers will, of course, only go ahead where the ballot shows the majority of tenants to be in support of the idea.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authorities have recently let, or propose to let, contracts for the management of part or all of their housing; and if he has been asked to give his consent as required by section 27 of the Housing Act 1985.

Apart from cases of delegation of housing management to tenant management organisations, there is no reason why the Department should be informed that a local authority is working towards letting a management agreement or contract. Before an authority enters into a management agreement, the Secretary of State's approval is required under section 27 of the Housing Act 1985. Wandsworth borough council has recently asked the Secretary of State to give his approval to a management agreement.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the Housing Corporation's latest estimate of the output from its approved development programme in 1992–93.

The Housing Corporation estimates that in the last financial year its approved development programme will have funded the provision of at least 60,000 new homes. Final figures will be available next month. Together with the 6,000 homes which the corporation estimates have been provided by local authority housing association grants, this means that public funds enabled housing associations to make an estimated 66,000 extra homes available to new tenants last year.I regret that in recent answers to the House and in the Adjournment debate on 26 April, my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning and I said that the Housing Corporation's estimate was 80,000 homes. The corporation has since informed me that in making this estimate it miscalculated the output from its programme. I am grateful for the opportunity to inform the House of this correction. I have written separately to the hon. Members concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress of the Project Rosemary in Liverpool.

[holding answer 17 May 1993]: Much has been achieved since the project began in 1990. The new women's hospital and Renshaw's factory expansion are the biggest developments of their type in inner Liverpool. Family housing for sale and rent is being built on four different sites, with local people closely involved in their layout and design. Eyesores are being removed and roads improved. The park at Crown street is soon to be extended and improved.As well as transforming the appearance of the area, new investment is being used to provide training opportunities, full-time jobs, and subcontracting work for local people and businesses. More will follow as the project proceeds.I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Dean of Liverpool on his enterprising role in initiating this considerable success story alongside the other agencies involved, especially Liverpool city council, the Liverpool area health authority and the Housing Corporation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to widen the scope of byelaws for the control of dogs in public places.

[holding answer 18 May 1993]: There are currently three main types of dog control byelaw—removal of dog mess, dogs on leads and dog bans—which local authorities can seek to apply to most types of public area, using a variety of enabling powers.Byelaws cannot be used to regulate matters which are addressed in primary legislation. Powers to control ferocious and dangerous dogs are already the subject of a number of statutes, including the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, which are the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to establish pilot schemes for the licensing of dogs.

[holding answer 18 May 1993]: None.