To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether monitoring of gangmasters by his Department includes control of employment of illegal immigrants; and how many cases have been discovered in the last year.

The role of MAFF in monitoring aspects of gangmasters' activities is restricted to ensuring compliance with the terms of the Agricultural Wages Order made under the Agricultural Wages Act 1948.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if reports on aerial surveillance undertaken with satellite equipment in the years 1991–92 to establish the usage or non-usage of land are to be made publicly available.

The year 1991–92 was a trial year organised by the Commission. The ownership of the work resides with the Commission, and we understand that it does not intend to publish the results.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what organisations of persons are responsible for the surveillance of agricultural land for the purpose of determining usage in the United Kingdom and in the member states.

Each member state is responsible for undertaking the control measures within its territory for the checking of aid applications.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the arrangements for the surveillance of agricultural land for the purpose of determining usage are equally applied throughout the European Community.

The EC regulations governing the integrated administration and control system (IACS) require all member states. without differentiation, to carry out administrative checks on aid applications, supplemented by on-farm checks on a sample of holdings.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which member states of the EEC completed the process of obtaining IACS information by 16 May.

The EC regulation governing the integrated administration and control system (IACS) provided for all member states to set a deadline of no later than 15 May for receipt of the completed IACS applications this year. Where applications are received after the deadline, the farmers will have their aid payments reduced under a formula set out in the relevant EC regulation. These same rules apply, of course, in all 12 member states. We do not have information on the number of applications received after 15 May in each member state.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent it is possible to link the amounts and scale of set-aside payments to environmental and social improvements involving (a) management of hedgerows, (b) protection of unsprayed headland, (c) reductions in the use of nitrogen, (d) the planting of trees, (e) the creation of wildlife habitats, (f) attractive landscapes and (g) the provision of new footpaths and bridlepaths; and if she will make a statement.

The EC rules of the arable area payments scheme require member states to apply appropriate environmmental measures to set-aside land. The United Kingdom rules for set-aside include the maintenance of hedgerows and other environmental features and restrictions on the use of sprays and fertilisers. We expect to introduce non-rotational set-aside later this year which will allow greater opportunity for the creation of wildlife habitats and we are pressing strongly for the Community rules to encourage tree planting on set-aside land. There is at present no scope under EC rules to vary the set-aside payment. However, under the agri-environment programme we are considering a voluntary scheme to make additional payments to farmers who provide public access on suitable set-aside land.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps the Government are taking to ensure that there are suitable vaccines to treat viral haemorrhagic disease.

A product licence application for a rabbit viral haemorrhagic disease vaccine was submitted and subsequently withdrawn during 1992. Although officials in the veterinary medicines directorate are actively pursuing discussions with that applicant and with other pharmaceutical companies, no further application has been received. The decision on whether to submit an application is a commercial one for the companies concerned, bearing in mind the likely size of the market.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action she is taking to arrest and cure the outbreak of equine viral arteritis in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Spring) on 10 June at columns 307–8.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what experiments are being conducted by her Department into the use of ammonium ferric hexacyanoferrate in order to fix caesium-l37 from the Chernobyl radioactive fall-out in the soil and to prevent its take-up by growing plants.

Studies to evaluate the potential of a number of chemical treatments, including ammonium ferric hexacyanoferrate, for reducing radiocaesium in the vegetation of upland pastures are being carried out on two sites, one in Cumbria and one in Wales, as part of the Department's programme of post-Chernobyl research and development.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Luxembourg on 14 June.

I represented the United Kingdom at the meeting of the Agriculture Council on 14 June.The Council formally adopted the legal texts implementing the package of farm prices and related measures which it had agreed at its May meeting.The Council also discussed a number of other proposed measures, without reaching agreement. These included a proposal on the definition and designation of butter and other fats, which I criticised as being unnecessarily elaborate and prescriptive; and a proposed directive on minced meat and other meat preparations, on which my main aim is to avoid excessively strict criteria that would put at risk traditional British products. The Council will have to return to these proposals at a later meeting.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what action he proposes to take on Law Commission report 192, "Grounds for Divorce."

The Lord Chancellor is considering the Law Commission's recommendations for reform of divorce law. His review of these matters is not yet complete and he has no immediate plans for legislation.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what talks he has had with his European Community and G7 counterparts about the future of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to review the administration of divorce law.

The Lord Chancellor is considering divorce law reform as part of the rolling programme of review of family law and business. His review of these matters, including the administration of divorce law, is not yet complete.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will immediately take steps to secure a significantly reduced rate of interest payable by those owing statutory charges under the legal aid scheme.

The Lord Chancellor will shortly be laying before Parliament a statutory instrument designed to reduce the rate of simple interest levied on postponed payment of the statutory charge from 10·5 per cent. to 8 per cent.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the buildings currently owned or rented by his Department, together with (a) the estimated value, (b) the annual rent and (c) the annual maintenance cost of each building in the current financial year.

The Treasury does not own any property. All Treasury accommodation is on the common user estate, which is owned by the Crown and administered by Property Holdings. The present value of the common user estate is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.The accommodation charges and contributions towards maintenance which the Treasury pays to Property Holdings and the Treasury's own maintenance costs in respect of buildings occupied by the Treasury are given in the table:

In the short period since becoming Chancellor and, subsequently, United Kingdom Governor of the EBRD, I have had no talks with European Community or G7 partners about the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. However, my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development has had contacts with her counterparts in other countries. My senior officials have had a number of contacts as well.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the amount of the public sector pensions payable in each of as many future years as are available, assuming annual inflation at the current rate of 2 per cent.;(2) if he will list for as many of the forthcoming years as are available the percentage of forecast gross domestic product that will be allocated to public sector pensions.

The most recent estimates of public sector pension scheme liabilities and the costs of public service pension scheme benefits were contained in the answers given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security on 7 June at column 140 and by me on 8 June at column 200.Projections of those estimates for future years are not available and would require a substantial amount of actuarial calculation. However, many of the public service pension schemes are approaching maturity in pension terms. Accordingly, it is not expected that there will be an increasing demand on the economy in real terms. In the longer term, with the reduction in the number of employees in the public sector, it is to be expected that public sector pension costs will reduce in real terms.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if student accommodation which is (a) institutionally-owned or (b) institutionally-managed will be classified as domestic for VAT purposes;(2) whether institutionally-owned and institutionally-managed student accommodation will be exempt from paying VAT on fuel bills.

Student accommodation which is institutionally owned or institutionally managed is classified as domestic for VAT purposes. Such accom-modation will not be exempt from VAT on fuel bills.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many copies of his Department's publication "Summaries of Companies" included in the HM Treasury index of management consultants dated May 1993, have been published; at what cost; to whom it has been distributed; and what criteria were used in deciding (a) to whom it has been sent and (b) which data were included in the report.

About 100 copies of this reference book are produced for internal use at a cost of £7·17 each. The book, which is not published, is produced as an aid to those senior staff in Departments and agencies who are considering the hire and use of consultants.It contains summary information on the firms on the Treasury's index of management consultants.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now review the case for the introduction of a negative income tax.

We have no plans to introduce a negative income tax. The reforms of the social security system in the 1980s improved the interaction between tax and benefit systems. We keep both systems under review.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the change in revenue in a full year of replacing the present rates and thresholds of income tax with a structure in which (a) the first £2,500 incurred tax at 20 per cent., (b) £2,500 to £30,000 at 25 per cent., (c) £30,000 to £60,000 at 40 per cent., (d) £60,000 to £100,000 at 50 per cent. and (e) over £100,000 at 60 per cent., while retaining the existing levels of personal allowances.

The estimated revenue yield in a full year at 1993–94 income levels from imposition of the specified regime is £570 million.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Inland Revenue will obtain a copy of the book, details of which have been submitted to him.

The Inland Revenue gathers information, including published material, which may be relevant to the correct assessment of tax liabilities. Because of its duty of confidentiality the Inland Revenue is not able to comment on its dealings with particular taxpayers.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the mechanisms by which the Inland Revenue checks on companies' compliance with requirements on valuation of overseas assets.

The Inland Revenue uses considerable resources on the technical review and investigation of company accounts. The largest companies and those whose affairs are particularly complex are dealt with in offices which specialise in such cases, which have enough staff to review their tax affairs in depth, and which are headed by some of the Department's most senior inspectors. Reviews cover all aspects of companies' accounts and expert advice is available to the inspectors from head office specialists in international issues.Investments overseas will be monitored as part of this process of review and the valuation of assets abroad will be considered in so far as it may have a bearing on United Kingdom tax liabilities.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) local authorities, (b) voluntary organisations and (c) universities are paying value added tax on courses of further education for adults; and if he will list the liable courses.

The information is not centrally available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The subject matter of courses is only one of a number of factors affecting VAT liability and each case is determined on its own facts.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the terms of reference of the review that Customs and Excise are currently undertaking into value added tax in the education and training sector; when the review is due to be completed; and if he will list those bodies being consulted as part of the review process.

Customs and Excise is carrying out an internal review to examine whether, within the constraints of European Community VAT legislation, there is scope for simplification and rationalisation of the current VAT reliefs for education and training services. Customs expect to be reporting to Ministers in two to three months. If changes in law or administration are considered appropriate, those likely to be affected will be consulted before final proposals are brought forward.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue was obtained from VAT charges on courses of (a) education, (b) training, (c) sports activity and (d) leisure activity in each year since 1987; and how much it costs each year to administer the collection of these charges.

This information is not centrally available and it would not be possible to provide an estimate without disproportionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the cost of tax relief for BES in the years 1992–93 and 1993–94 for schemes involving private housing where individuals obtain loans connected with the shareholdings they acquire through BES;(2) if he will estimate the total cost of tax relief for business expansion schemes in the years 1992–93 and 1993–94, with the cost in each year of relief involving private rented housing.

[holding answer 14 June 1993]: The provisional estimate of the total cost of income tax relief for 1992–93 is £380 million. The cost for 1993–94 will depend on the levels of business expansion scheme investments and is very tentatively estimated at about £180 million. It is not possible at present to provide a reliable subdivision of these estimates by type of investment, though information published in the specialist press about loan-linked investments in 1992–93 imply that these may amount to some £250 million of revenue cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list, for each enterprise zone and former enterprise zone, the number of industrial building allowance trusts accepted for capital allowance purposes; and what is the square footage of (a) industrial and (b) commercial floor space covered in each IBA trust.

I have been asked to reply. Neither my own Department nor Inland Revenue maintains such records and the information could be secured only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met representatives of the National Association of Probation Officers; what matters were discussed; and if he will make a statement.

Neither my right hon. and learned Friend nor I have yet met representatives of the National Association of Probation Officers. I hope to do so before too long.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost incurred as a result of the decision to investigate the performance and record of the Corrections Corporation of America.

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.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce proposals to regulate private wheel clamping.

A public consultation exercise on this issue has recently been completed and we are now analysing the very many responses. We will announce our conclusions as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the reported number of assaults on police officers serving in each of the Metropolitan police divisions during the course of their police duties during 1992.

The information requested is contained in the table:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of (a) men and (b) women convicted of assaults on police officers in each of the Metropolitan police divisions during 1992; and what penalties were imposed of (a) imprisonment, (b) fines and (c) probation.

Information for 1991, the last available year, is contained in the following table:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of days lost by (a) men and (b) women police officers serving in each of the Metropolitan police divisions as a result of physical assault on them during the course of their police duties during the year 1992.

The numbers of days lost per division of the Metropolitan police due to assaults are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from Mr. Tim O'Malley concerning the Carl Bridgewater case; and if he will make a statement.

A letter from Mr. O'Malley dated 21 September 1992 which expressed doubts about the safety of the convictions in this case was considered as part of the review, the conclusions of which my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr. Clarke) announced on 3 February 1993. I received a further letter from Mr. O'Malley on 6 June, which I will consider together with other additional representations that I have recently received about this case.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of vacancies at probation or bail hostels covering the Greater London area on 31 May.

As at 31 May 1993 there were a total of 117 vacancies at approved probation/bail and bail hostels in the Greater London area.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether in-house bids will be permitted for the running of new prisons.

The current policy is not to invite in-house bids for the management of new prisons. In the case of Doncaster, which is the last of the current prison building programme, the prison board decided that it did not wish to make an in-house bid and that there was, therefore, no reason to change the current policy. This is to enable the prison service to focus its resources on developing the best possible bids for existing establish-ments. No decision has been made about the policy on in-house bids for any new prisons which might be built in the future.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the performance targets for the prison service for the year 1993–94.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the then Home Secretary, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr. Clarke), to my right hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler) on 1 April 1993 at column 387.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether all staff will have the right to transfer to the new employer if the contract for Manchester prison is awarded to an outside tenderer; and what will be the position of any employees who decline to be transferred.

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.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many written replies the chief executive of the prison service issued in response to parliamentary questions during the period 1 April to 28 April; and what was the approximate cost of each letter.

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.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will make available to hon. Members a copy of the report published at the meeting of EC Home Affairs Ministers in Copenhagen on 1 June which details levels of persecution in states throughout the world; and what plans he has to use the report as a guideline for immigration officials as to which countries can be deemed safe for the return of asylum seekers.

Ministers took note at the meeting in Copenhagen on 1 June of a report from the Centre for Information, Discussion and Exchange on Asylum (CIREA). I am placing a copy in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the procedures when intimate and strip searches take place of juveniles held in police custody so as to ensure that either a parent, relative or friend is present; and if he will make a statement.

We shall shortly be seeking the views of the Association of Chief Police Officers on a number of issues relating to the conduct of intimate and strip searches.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department is proposing to take to ensure farmers and gangmasters do not employ non-EC persons who do not possess a work permit.

'The immigration service works closely with the police arid other agencies to detect and deal with people committing offences under the immigration laws, including those working without authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now reply to the letters of 5 April, 21 April and 6 May sent to his predecessor by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Gallagher, an inmate at Lancaster prison.

I understand that the director general of the prison service replied on 14 June to the right hon. Member's letter of 5 April about Mr. Gallagher's treatment in prison. As my right hon. and learned Friend's assistant private secretary explained in her letter of 9 June, we are making some inquiries in order to be in a position to send a substantive reply to the right hon. Member's letters of 21 April and 6 May about the safety of Mr. Gallagher's conviction.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates he has received of the numbers of ex-detainees in the former Yugoslavia eligible for admission to the United Kingdom, with their dependants, under the scheme he announced last November.

Placement under the scheme that I announced last November is dependent on nomination by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. A number of other countries are running similar programmes and I understand that nearly all ex-detainees currently in UNHCR's care in Croatia have now been placed. The International Committee of the Red Cross is currently visiting some 2,400 detainees in Bosnia whose release it hopes to negotiate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will outline the nature of the discussions being held between his Department and the receiver of Swan Hunter as to the completion of the three frigates building at the yard; and whether it is his preferred solution for the frigates to be completed at the yard subject to the satisfactory conclusion of the negotiations with the receiver.

Completion of the three type 23 Frigates on Tyneside would be my preferred solution, provided that a satisfactory agreement can be reached with the receiver. The details of the current negotiations are commercially confidential; they include financial and contractual matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the release of further documents relating to the wartime Nazi occupation of the Channel Islands; and what inspection of these documents has been undertaken by representatives of the German authorities.

The majority of MOD documents relating to the wartime Nazi occupation of the Channel Islands are already in the public domain. The German authorities are examining all MOD documents relating to this matter. When they have completed this task, those files currently closed will be opened for public inspection at the Public Record Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost of moving the Upholder class of submarine from Gosport to Devonport.

A total of £100,000 has been spent so far, and a further sum is contractually committed. No more expenditure will be approved until a decision has been taken on the future of the Upholder class.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what targets he has set for the Defence Research Agency in 1993–94.

The targets recently set for the Defence Research Agency in 1993–94 and subsequent years are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what timescale he has for the return to service of HMS Sovereign, of what other vessels the officer in command of HMS Sovereign is also in command; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his answer, 8 June 1993, col. 225–26.]: The answer I gave on 8 June should have read as follows:HMS Sovereign is expected to return to service in 1995. The refitting officer in command of HMS Sovereign is also in command of HMS Revenge, which is in the process of being decommissioned.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how his Department will be participating at the Copenhagen European conference in June on labelling products; and which United Kingdom good practices in the labelling of products he will submit to the European Commission study of this issue.

My Department was represented by an official from consumer affairs division. The conduct of the study is a matter for the European Commission but we understand that it will be identifying priorities, and considering how best to bring consumer and trade interests together to assist in the process. My Department will aim to keep in touch with developments, co-operate fully in this work and ensure the European Commission is aware of current United Kingdom practices.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures he proposes to take to help increase the trading prospects of developing countries; and if he will make a statement.

The Government will continue to support strenuously the European Community's efforts, particularly in the current GATT Uruguay round negotiations, to create open trading conditions which will increase the trading prospects of all countries, including developing nations. An OECD study suggested that annual income gains to the developing world as a whole from a Uruguay round agreement could be in excess of $US 90 billion, once all the effects have worked through. Under its generalised system of preferences (GSP) scheme the European Community allows preferential access to most of the manufactured products from developing countries. The GSP provides especially generous treatment for the least developed nations. The trade provisions of the Lomé convention also provide unlimited duty free access (subject to rules of origin) to Community markets for all industrial products (except rum), and free or concessionary access for a wide range of agricultural products, from the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states. Lomé beneficiaries financed from the European development fund (EDF) can also write into their national indicative programmes requirements for technical and structural adjustment aid which will benefit their export regimes.The United Kingdom also actively participates in the United Nations conference on trade and development (UNCTAD) and other relevant international forums which encourage developing countries in their own efforts towards sustained economic development.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many people are employed by OFFER; what is their function; and what is the annual cost.

Total staff in post at the Office of Electricity Regulation (OFFER) in December 1992 was 224. This figure includes staff working on consumer and public affairs, legal and technical matters, administration and in the regional offices. The duties of the Director General of Electricity Supply, who heads OFFER, include the regulation of the electricity market and the protection of consumers. The cost of running OFFER in the financial year ending March 1992 was £10·5 million. OFFER's costs are recovered from annual fees paid by licensees.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures are being taken to ensure that those companies which receive the right to drill offshore under the 14th round of oil and gas licensing do so in an environmentally responsible manner; and if he will make a statement.

Special conditions to protect wildlife and the environment are attached to licence awards. These conditions are agreed with other Government Departments and the Joint Nature Conservancy Committee (JNCC).

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what changes to gasoline composition have occurred in the United Kingdom since 1970;(2) what is the level of aromatic hydrocarbons in the super premium unleaded grade and the unleaded premium grade of gasoline in the United Kingdom.

The information is not held centrally.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from the civil service unions about the work of the deregulation unit.

I am not aware of any such representations.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to publish his Department's report into the collapse of the British and Commonwealth Company.

Inspectors were appointed on 15 June 1990 under section 432 of the Companies Act 1985 to investigate and report on the affairs of Atlantic Computers plc and Atlantic Computer Systems plc, both major companies in the British and Commonwealth group. The inspectors are in the final stages of their investigations but they have not yet submitted their report; I will consider publication when it is received.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement outlining his Department's responsibilities in respect of investigating companies' compliance with United Kingdom accounting requirements on valuation of overseas assets.

A company's compliance with the United Kingdom accounting requirements on the valuation of overseas assets is a matter for the directors and auditors. Where evidence was presented suggesting that without good reason the relevant statutory accounting requirements had not been applied, appropriate inquiries would be considered in the normal way.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 8 June, if he will list the exclusive supply agreements in the brewing industry which have received exemption from article 85 of the treaty of Rome.

[holding answer 11 June 1993]: Since 1983, supply agreements operated by the brewing industry have been able to gain automatic exemption from article 85 of the treaty of Rome by complying with the provisions of EC regulation 1984/83. There is no record of agreements which have benefited from this block exemption because no Commission decision is necessary for the exemption to apply. In addition, some agreements in the brewing industry will have been given individual exemption from article 85 by the EC Commission. Details of these individual exemptions are published in the official journal of the European Communities, but a record of them is not kept by the United Kingdom Government and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the level of exports from Britain to Saudi Arabia in each of the last five years; and what information he has on the proportion of such exports which were on commission.

[holding answer 14 June 1993]: This information is regularly published in "Business Monitors" MA20 and MM20, "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom", copies of which are available in the Library.Information on the proportion of exports on commission is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he is able to indicate the nature of the review which is presently taking place of the law relating to charities in Northern Ireland; how long the review has been in progress; and by what means he intends to introduce legislation to deal with the issue.

The review is an internal one involving the relevant Departments and has been in progress since March 1992. The law and administration of charities is quite different in Northern Ireland compared with the position in Great Britain and the main thrust of the review is to examine those aspects of the reforms to charity law and administration in Great Britain which may have implications for Northern Ireland. If it is decided to introduce new legislation, it is likely to be in the form of a Northern Ireland charities Order in Council under the Northern Ireland Act 1974.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to honour the commitments in the 1991 White Paper "Privatisation of Northern Ireland Electricity" concerning provisions for existing employees to obtain a direct stake in the industry and concerning parallel provisions for shares for former NIE employees and those persons who transferred to successor generating companies to NIE.

The objective behind any employee share purchase is to give employees the opportunity to obtain a direct stake in the company in which they are employed. This is the objective lying behind the special arrangements offered to employees of NIE for the purchase of shares in NIE. Former employees of NIE are entitled to register and apply for shares in the flotation and benefit from the incentives offered, which are enhanced for customers. Those employees who transferred to successor generating companies may also be able to participate in any share incentive schemes made available by their new employers.

To ask the Lord President of the Council, pursuant to his answer of 5 February, Official Report, column 27, what further developments have taken place regarding the provision of a live feed of the Chamber of the House to hon. Members' offices.

There is little that I can usefully add to my earlier reply to the hon. Member. Proposals for the establishment of a parliamentary data and video network, on which the clean feed from the Chamber would be carried, are still under consideration by the Information Committee. I understand that the Committee hopes to be able to report to the House by the end of the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what efforts are being made to improve standards of spelling in schools.

We are seeking to raise standards in all the basic language skills, including spelling, through the development of national curriculum English. Our proposals for revising the English Order, currently the subject of extensive consultation, give a strengthened emphasis to accurate spelling as one of the writing skills essential for the effective communication of meaning. To emphasise the importance of these skills, 5 per cent. of the marks in all GCSE written examinations are now allocated to spelling, punctuation and grammar.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to review testing procedures for schools or to change the role of the new curriculum and advisory body in this area; and if he will make a statement.

I have 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 prospective remit of the new Schools Curriculum and Assessment Authority is laid out in section 232 of the Education Bill currently before Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement about the current situation regarding school tests.

Most primary schools will have completed the tests of seven-year-olds. Fourteen-year-olds should have been sitting tests over the last week and a half. I deeply regret some teachers' boycott of these tests, which are necessary to monitor progress and raise standards.My right hon. Friend has asked Sir Ron Dearing to conduct a review of the national curriculum and assessment framework. He expects to have Sir Ron's recommendations in July.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will meet the representatives of teachers' organisations to discuss key stage testing.

My right hon. Friend has no plans for such a meeting. 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.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for developing access to graduate teaching qualifications.

The Department has discussed with the Higher Education Quality Council the provision of access courses for entry to initial teacher training. I understand that the council is planning to publish a list of such courses later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will set out his plans for promoting the advantages of grant-maintained status within the local education authorities' network of schools; and if he will make a statement.

By the end of May, 2·4 million of the Department's publications on self-governing status had been distributed, mainly in response to requests.The Department has also organised 16 regional conferences on "Going GM" and three further events are planned for later this term. Almost 3,000 headteachers and governors of LEA maintained schools have attended the conferences, representing around 1,700 schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is his estimate of the cost of the Funding Agency for schools in April 1996 (a) on the assumption that his targets for the number of schools opting for grant-maintained status is met and (b) on the assumption that the number of schools opting for grant-maintained status increases at the present annual rate.

Parents will decide through ballots how many schools become grant maintained. On current trends, most secondary schools and a significant minority of primary schools could be GM by April 1996. The running costs of the FAS will depend on a number of factors, including growth of the sector, but on this basis might be of the order of £20 million in 1996–97. Over time, we expect the establishment of the FAS to result in savings in DFE running costs and, as the FAS takes on responsibility for the provision of school places, to lead to a reduction in the central administration costs of LEAs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the current number of children in primary school education in England.

The latest available figure is for January 1992, when there were 4·1 million children in maintained primary schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he will make special provision for modernising Victorian schools in urban areas.

The Government already provide substantial capital resources for school buildings. LEAs can choose to use the resources available to them to give priority to modernising Victorian buildings if they wish. Capital bids from the governors of voluntary-aided and grant-maintained schools are considered on their merits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to meet local education authority representatives to discuss the accessibility of schools for children with physical disabilities.

Local education authorities and school governors may seek meetings with Ministers or officials to discuss general capital issues at any time. It is very likely that in some of these meetings the agenda will include access for disabled pupils.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the levels of achievement at A-level.

More people than ever before are taking A-levels, passing them and passing them well. They will continue to set a benchmark for academic achievement. They are a key part of our strategy to provide clear and attractive pathways to high levels of academic and vocational achievement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made as to the main factors influencing the length of time it takes local education authorities to produce statements of special educational needs.

The Audit Commission/HMI survey "Getting in on the Act" published in June 1992 looked carefully at the operation of procedures for making assessments and statements. Its conclusion was that a variety of factors could cause delay, but that lack of resources was not one of them.The Education Bill provides for regulations which will for the first time set statutory time limits for the assessment and statementing processes. The Bill also requires the Secretary of State to issue a code of practice which will guide LEAs in their operation of those processes. The Government's aim is to ensure that assessments are concluded—and, where necessary, statements produced —as quickly as is consistent with thoroughness.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he next intends to meet the Association of County Councils to discuss the provision of nursery education.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to meet the Association of County Councils to discuss this matter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to improve the quality of educational input in different forms of pre-school provision.

The Department has increased its grant to the Pre-school Playgroups Association for staff training and development from £179,000 in 1990–91 to £887,000 in 1993–94. It also supports training and development work undertaken by the British Association for Early Childhood Education and by the Early Childhood Unit of the National Children's Bureau.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pre-school education places were available in England at the latest available date; and what percentage that number is of the total number of children in the relevant age group.

Information on the number of education places is not available. In January 1992 there were nearly 630,000 pupils below compulsory school age in maintained nursery and primary schools in England of whom 330,000 were in nursery provision. The under-fives participation rates were 49 per cent. and 26 per cent. respectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is his estimate of the total sum needed on an annual basis to meet the current statutory requirements in respect of youth service provision.

The Government do not determine centrally how much should be spent on particular local government services. It is primarily for individual local authorities to decide how to discharge their duty to secure adequate provision out of the resources made available to them under revenue support grant.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received regarding the balance of funding between primary and secondary schools; and if he will make a statement.

We have received a number of recent representations from schools and hon. Members about primary and secondary school funding under local management of schools, including one from the North West Primary Heads Forum. We have made clear that this is a matter for individual local education authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from students on the further and higher education charters; and if he will make a statement.

We are currently consulting on the draft further and higher education charters. To date two representations have been received from students; from the University college London union and the other from the South East Wales Students Association.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to ensure that there will be continued provision of grammar school places.

The provision of school places to be filled on the basis of academic ability is a matter for local education authorities and governing bodies, taking account of local needs and the wishes of parents and the community. My right hon. Friend will continue to consider very carefully any proposals put to him for the introduction or cessation of selective admission arrangements which would amount to a significant change in the character of the school.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the adequacy of financial assistance to enable people to continue or re-enter education.

Most students on designated full-time and sandwich courses leading to a first degree or certain comparable qualifications are eligible for mandatory awards and student loans. Students on other courses can apply for a discretionary or postgraduate award. The Government have commissioned a survey of the income and expenditure of students on designated courses, and the Gulbenkian and Sir John Cass's Foundations are undertaking a study of the provision of discretionary awards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received about the basis for calculating grants for college fees at Oxford and Cambridge.

The Department has received representations from those acting on behalf of the colleges at Oxford and Cambridge, as part of the annual negotiations on the level of college fees.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy to ring-fence funding at local education authority level for (a) inter-school instrumental teaching, (b) orchestras, (c) choirs and (d) chamber music.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to change the current arrangements for funding school music at local education authority level. He considers it right that local authorities should determine the appropriate level of spending on music services in the light of their judgment of local needs and priorities and in the light of the demand from schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy to ensure that local education authorities have a continuing responsibility to provide outdoor education for pupils at all state sector schools in their area.

No. Where funds have been delegated to individual schools, it is their responsibility to determine—having regard to the requirements of the National Curriculum Order for Physical Education—the level of provision for outdoor education needed, and how it should be provided.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to alter the interpretation of significant change of character to increase the selection of pupils in (a) local authority maintained and (b) grant-maintained schools.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the percentage of acutely mentally ill statutorily detained in each of the last five years, by region and in London.

The latest available information is shown in the table.A change in the method of data collection following the Korner review in 1987 means that figures for years prior to 1987–88 are not directly comparable with later years.Precise figures for London are not readily available, but an approximation can be made by amalgamating the four Thames regions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds are currently available at (a) the Royal London hospital, (b) St. Bartholomew's hospital and (c) the London chest hospital.

The available information is at unit level only and details by specific site are not separately identifiable. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the respective national health service trust and health authorities for details.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many paediatric beds there are in each provider unit in the Thames regions.

The information is shown in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Doncaster health authority made an application for authority by statutory instrument to distribute trust charitable funds to health trusts; and what is the number of the relevant statutory instrument.

Doncaster health authority lodged a request to transfer charitable funds to the Doncaster Royal infirmary and Montague national health service trust on 24 May. The statutory instrument has not yet been made.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she is yet able to make a statement over the location of a new high-security unit in the Trent regional health authority area.

Rampton hospital already provides high security psychiatric services. There are no current plans for a further high security unit to be located in Trent region. I understand that Trent regional health authority is planning further development of its medium-secure service, but that no firm decision have been taken about this.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many single-handed general practitioner practices there are (a) in England and (b) in London; and what is their average patient holding.

The information is shown in the table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what would be the cost of exempting all recipients of disability working allowance from the payment of prescription charges;(2) how many recipients of disability working allowance qualify for free prescriptions on the ground of low income in the most recent 12-month period available;