To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will ensure that, in murder cases where hon. Members have raised the conviction with members of the Government, transcripts or notes of the trial are retained longer than the five year norm provided that the hon. Member is still seeking a review of the case, regardless of whether it has gone to appeal.

If an hon. Member seeks a review of a murder case, he, or others, may purchase any transcript required within the five-year period. On request, the Department will supply details of the contractor responsible for keeping the particular record.Applications for leave to appeal are required to be lodged within 28 days and reasons to justify any extension of time are required. If there has been an application for leave to appeal, transcript relevant to the grounds of appeal will have been obtained and will be retained indefinitely in appeals against a murder conviction. The Royal Commission on criminal justice made no recommendation to extend the five-year period for the keeping of a verbatim record and I see no case to do so.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what arrangements are made for the storage of transcripts or notes of the trials in murder cases which have gone to appeal.

The verbatim record is kept for five years after it was taken, regardless of whether there is an appeal. Transcripts are not automatically produced for cost reasons, but may be purchased if required within the five-year period.If there is an appeal against a murder conviction, any transcripts purchased by the Court of Appeal and the documents provided by the Crown court to the Court of Appeal are retained indefinitely by arrangement with the Public Record Office.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make it his policy, in circumstances in which the Home Office has requested from an hon. Member representing the interests of a convicted murderer a statement concerning that case, to provide the hon. Member on request with a transcript of the relevant portions of the trial including the summings up by counsel for the defence, the prosecution and the trial judge.

Verbatim records of murder trials are retained for five years. If a transcript is required by an hon. Member, the Home Office, or another organisation or person, it must be purchased within the five-year period. The contractor responsible for keeping the records will be required to meet any such request. It would not be appropriate for my Department to meet the costs of such transcription.A verbatim record of the evidence and a trial judge's summing up is always taken, but prosecution and defence closing speeches are not matters of evidence or law which a jury are required to have regard to. A record of these may not be available as there is no requirement to record them.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the rank of the officer or officers of the City of London police who on or about 1 April 1992 prepared letters purporting to have been written, respectively by the right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Sir D. Steel) and Mr. D. W. Freeman in connection with a case under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office; what disciplinary proceedings have been taken; and if he will make a statement.

These are matters for the Commissioner of Police for the City of London.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers in each police force in the United Kingdom have had to retire from their jobs as a result of injuries caused by assault in each year since 1979.

The information requested is not held centrally for police forces in England and Wales. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland that this is also the case for Scotland. If individual forces were able to provide the information requested, it could be collected only at disproportionate cost.I understand from my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland that his Department holds information about retirements from the Royal Ulster Constabulary from which the information requested could be extracted in respect of former RUC police officers. If my hon. Friend writes to him, he will provide the information.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he expects the recommendation in his White Paper that civilian staff employed for police purposes should be employed by the chief constable to work in practice.

It is too early to say how the detailed arrangements for the employment of civilian staff in the police service will be managed. Civilian staff have an increasingly important part to play in the provision of a good quality police service. It therefore seems appropriate, and in the interests of all those working in the police service, that the civilian staff should be directly employed by the chief constable.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish his plans to reform Sunday trading law in England and Wales.

We intend to lay before Parliament next week and publish on 13 July a draft Sunday trading Bill together with a covering text describing the options for reform.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what ways United Kingdom legislation will have to be changed to implement the resolution on family reunification adopted by the Ministers responsible for immigration at their meeting in Copenhagen on 1 and 2 June; and what cost implications this will have.

There will be no need to amend primary legislation to implement the resolution on family reunification.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the international conventions and fundamental provisions in national legislation which the Ministers responsible for immigration indicated would be taken into account in their resolution on family reunification at their meeting in Copenhagen on 1 and 2 June; and which of these obligations are relevant to the implementation of this resolution in United Kingdom law.

It is not possible to provide an exhaustive list of all the international conventions which the United Kingdom has ratified or the provisions in domestic legislation which might be relevant. However, the following are likely to be applicable:

International Conventions

(a) The United Nations Convention on Human Rights;

(b) The European Convention on Human Rights;

(c) The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child;

(d) The European Convention on the Adoption of Children;

(e) The United Nations Convention on Refugees.

2. Domestic legislation

(a) The Immigration Act, 1971;

(b) The Marriage Act, 1949;

(c) The Children Act, 1989;

(d) The Adoption Act, 1976, together with the equivalent Act and Order for Scotland and Northern Ireland;

(e) The Family Law Reform Act, 1987.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures will be taken against those veterinary surgeons who continue to dock the tails of dogs; and if he will make a statement.

It is a matter for the royal college to determine what controls to impose over veterinary surgeons.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate for each year since 1967 the number of times a week people drive motor vehicles after consuming more than the legal limit for alcohol for drivers and the number of related deaths each year.

Such estimates are not available. However, the average weekly number of screening breath tests in England and Wales for the years 1968 to 1992 and the number of fatalities per year involving illegal alcohol levels are as follows:

	Average number of screening breath tests per week	Annual number of fatalities in accidents involving illegal alcohol levels1
1968	980	—
1969	1,130	—
1970	1,400	—
1971	1,860	—
1972	2,310	—
1973	2,540	—
1974	2,380	—
1975	2,580	—
1976	2,580	—
1977	2,520	—
1978	2,730	—
1979	3,150	1,790
1980	3,460	1,570
1981	3,400	1,540
1982	3,980	1,670
1983	4,630	1,200
1984	4,000	1,280
1985	4,810	1,130
1986	5,830	1,060
1987	7,690	980
1988	8,520	840
1989	10,400	870
1990	11,480	800
1991	10,810	700
1992	10,210	—

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review United Kingdom legislation on treason.

The Government have no such plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the former Members of this House who have been appointed since 1988 by his Department to quasi autonomous non-governmental organisations; and if he will list in each case the title of the post, the salary, the duration of the appointment, and the party which the former hon. Member represented.

The following former Members have been appointed to Home Office non-departmental public bodies:

• David Bellotti
• Trustee of the Community Development Foundation
• Expenses only
• Appointed January 1992 for 3 years
• Liberal Democrat
• Right hon. Lord Carlisle of Bucklow, QC
• Chairman of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
• Salary £31,350
• Appointed 1 March 1989 until 31 March 1995
• Conservative
• John Cartwright
• Member of the Police Complaints Authority
• Salary £38,020
• Appointed for 3 years from October 1992
• SDP
• Sheila Faith
• Member of the Parole Board
• Fee Paid; £139 per attendance
• Appointed 1 June 1991 for 3 years
• Conservative
• Ben Ford
• Member of the Firearms Consultative Committee
• Expenses only
• Appointed 1989 for 2 years
• Labour
• Lord Kimball
• Chairman of the Firearms Consultative Committee
• Expenses only
• Appointed for 5 years from 1989
• Conservative
• Anna McCurley
• Member of the Horserace Betting Levy Board
• Salary £11,640
• Appointed 1988 for 3 years extended until 1994
• Conservative
• Michael Meadowcroft
• Trustee of the Community Development Foundation
• Expenses only
• Appointed 1986, extended until 1994
• Liberal
• Norman Miscampbell, QC
• Member of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
• Fee £246 per day
• Appointed 22 March 1993 until 31 March 1995
• Conservative
• Lord Wyatt of Weeford
• Chairman of the Horserace Totalisator-Board
• Salary £90,918
• Appointed 1976; reappointed 1993 for 2 years
• Labour

Information in respect of the parole local review committees is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information in respect of the Fire Services Examination Board is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current standard hourly rate for prison security guards.

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

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the former Members of this House who have been appointed by his Department to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations; and if he will list in each case the title of the post, the salary, the duration of the appointment, and the party which the former hon. Member represented.

No former Members of this House have been appointed by my right hon. Friend to the non-departmental public bodies for which he has had responsibility since the creation of his Department in April 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures are being taken to improve the services offered by major United Kingdom international airports; and if he will make a statement.

The Government believe that increasing the scope for airport operators to respond to commercial pressures offers the best route for improving the services offered at all airports. This underlies the Government's policy of encouraging increased private sector involvement in the ownership and management of local authority-owned airports.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers used (a) Gatwick airport and (b) Heathrow airport in each year since 1979.

The numbers of passengers at (a) Gatwick airport and (b) Heathrow airport are shown in the table.

Terminal passengers at Heathrow and Gatwick 1979–92
Year	Gatwick (000)	Heathrow (000)
1979	8,965	27,979
1980	9,703	27,484
1981	10,725	26,411
1982	11,155	26,406
1983	12,471	26,767
1984	13,953	29,164
1985	14,885	31,310
1986	16,309	31,310
1987	19,381	34,743
1988	20,744	37,510
1989	21,149	39,587
1990	21,043	42,635
1991	18,690	40,245
1992	19,842	44,964

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people flying in private aeroplanes have been killed in aviation accidents in United Kingdom air space in each year since 1987.

The Civil Aviation Authority's safety data analysis unit advises me that the number of people flying in private aeroplanes that have been killed in aviation accidents in United Kingdom airspace since 1987 are as follows:

Year	Number of Fatal Accidents	Fatalities
		Passengers	Crew
1987	24	23	24
1988	10	6	9
1989	19	4	19
1990	19	13	19
1991	17	4	18
1992	16	10	14

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the total receipts from the privatisation of trust ports to date.

The total receipts to the Exchequer from the five ports privatised last year under the Ports Act 1991 was £169 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce the timetable for privatisation of the next wave of trust ports.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 12 March, Official Report, column 769. The power that the Secretary of State has under the Ports Act 1991, to require the larger trust ports. with a turnover above a specified threshold, to privatise themselves, will become available after 24 July 1993. The Secretary of State expects to make an announcement as soon as he has completed his consideration on the way in which he should use his power of compulsion.All trust ports can use the Act at any time to take action to privatise themselves. Five have already done so, we hope more will follow.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those trust ports with whom he has discussed privatisation.

The Secretary of State has not yet decided which trust ports he will formally consult, under the terms of the Ports Act 1991, in respect of his power to require privatisation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) merchant ships and (b) British-owned merchant ships have been victims of piracy or other attacks in the last five years.

Shipowners, flag states and coastal states are encouraged to report incidents of piracy and armed robbery against vessels to the International Maritime Organisation. When we are advised of incidents involving British ships we report them to IMO. However, there is no requirement in international law to report attacks and masters and shipowners can he reluctant to do so. As a result, records are incomplete.Full information in the form requested is not available. The table, however, gives an indication of trends during the past five years on incidents of piracy affecting tankers.

Year	All flags	UK flags
1988	5	0
1989	3	0
1990	3	0
1991	36	2
1992	22	0

The Government are concerned about the under reporting of attacks. We have produced comprehensive advice in "Merchant Shipping Notice M1517" urging mariners to report any attack or attempted attack to the flag and coastal states concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will hold talks with the National Union of Marine, Aviation and Shipping Transport Officers about providing armed escorts for all British or commonwealth vessels passing through the South China sea.

We are willing to consider any representations from NUMAST and other shipping interests. We treat the problems in the South China sea very seriously indeed and hope that the matter can be solved through multilateral and bilateral co-operation. At the present time, we do not believe there is a need for armed escorts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport at how many points between Morpeth and the Scottish border the A 1 is currently reduced to one-way operation by temporary traffic lights; how many of these interruptions result from works which will result in improvement to dual carriageway status; and which of these interruptions will continue through the Scottish and English bank holiday weekends.

The A1 is currently reduced to one-way operation by temporary traffic signals at the following five locations:

• Bockenfield, south of Felton;
• Brownieside, north of Alnwich;
• Detchant, north of Belford;
• Scremerston, south of Berwick; and
• Marshall Meadows, north of Berwick.

Of these, the works at Brownieside and Marshall Meadows will result in improvement to dual carriageway status.Traffic signals will continue to operate at Bockenfield, Brownieside and Detchant for the Scottish bank holiday weekend. Arrangements have been made to remove all traffic signals for the English bank holiday weekend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what proposals he is considering in respect of an alternative public transport service between Epping and Ongar should London Transport close this part of the Central line; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will make a statement on the current situation in respect of the Central line service between Epping and Ongar.

On 5 May 1993, London Underground Ltd. published notice of its intention to seek closure of the Central line between Epping and Ongar. Due to the Secretary of State's quasi-judicial role in the closure proceedings, it would not be appropriate for me to make any comments on the subject at this stage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passenger miles were travelled by bus in Dorset in each year since 1988–89.

[holding answer 7 July 1993]: The Department does not collect information on passenger mileage from operators. National estimates are imputed from the passenger journey information collected in a survey and national estimates of average journey cost. The survey samples are selected to be representative at the national level and could not be used to produce county information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the administration costs of the severe hardship payments.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about social security fraud in Blackpool.

The administration of benefit fraud is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend and a copy will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total cost of child benefit in each year since 1979 with the figures adjusted for inflation.

The information is in the table.

Child benefit expenditure
	Cash (£ million)	1992–93 prices (£ million)
11978–79	2,296	6,479
1979–80	2,787	6,762
1980–81	2,944	6,036
1981–82	3,372	6,305
1982–83	3,660	6,389
1983–84	3,988	6,653
1984–85	4,276	6,793
1985–86	4,468	6,727
1986–87	4,513	6,579
1987–88	4,598	6,357
1988–89	4,515	5,821
1989–90	4,537	5,489
1990–91	4,591	5,133
1991–92	5,189	5,423
1992–93	5,767	5,767
1 Figures include cost of Child Tax Allowance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide statistics similar to table A3, page 63, of the "Households Below Average Income Statistical Analysis" 1979, 1990–91, to include the top 40 per cent., 30 per cent., 20 per cent. and 10 per cent. of income distribution for 1979, 1988–89 and 1990–91, for income before housing costs and income after housing costs.

The information is in the tables.

Share of total income (per cent.) (including self-employed)
	1979	1988–89	1990–91
Income before housing costs
Top 40 per cent.	58	63	64
Top 30 per cent.	47	52	53
Top 20 per cent.	35	40	41
Top 10 per cent.	21	25	26

Percentage change 1979 to 1990–91 in real income by decile group.
Decile Group Median
Including self-employed	Decile 6	Decile 7	Decile 8	Decile 9	Decile 10
Income before housing costs	27	31	36	43	58
Income after housing costs	28	33	38	45	62

Decile Group Median
Excluding self-employed	Decile 6	Decile 7	Decile 8	Decile 9	Decile 10
Income before housing costs	27	30	36	43	56
Income after housing costs	28	33	38	44	61

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will respond to the report by the Social Security Select Committee's third report on the delivery of disability living allowance and disability working allowance.

The Government's response—Cm 2282—is published today. Copies have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest available information for the district covering Stockport and nationally on the number and applications for crisis loans dealt with by social fund officers because of re-alignment of unemployment benefit.

The administration of the social fund is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide similar statistics to table A1, page 60, of "Households Below Average Income" 1979, 1990–91, to include decile 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 including the self-employed, before housing costs and after housing costs, and excluding self-employed before housing costs and after housing costs.

The information is in the tables.what is the latest available information for the district covering Stockport and nationally on the number of applications for crisis loans dealt with by Social Fund Officers because of re-alignment of unemployment benefit.I am unable to give the information you requested because the statistical information kept does not identify the individual benefits involved in such applications. I can, however, provide details of the number of crisis loans awarded to applicants whose benefit is paid in arrears. For the period 1 April 1993 to 30 May 1993 (latest available data) the figure for the Stockport District is 323. The national figure for the same period is 39,350.I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what deputations his Department has recently received from Burma; what trade matters were discussed; and what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards trade with Burma.

My Department has received no deputations from Burma recently. The Government's policy is to provide no specific encouragement to British firms to trade or invest in Burma in view of the current political and economic situation there. The United Kingdom does not sell arms to Burma and our aid programme, like that of other donors, has been suspended since 1988. British business visitors to Rangoon can of course look to our embassy there for advice and support. Firms seek advice on trading with Burma are always made aware of the Government's policy.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the names of individuals who (a) are spouses of hon. Members, (b) are members of the House of Lords, (c) are spouses of members of the House of Lords and (d) have been party candidates for Parliament, indicating for which party, who have been appointed by his Department since 1988 to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations giving, in each case, the title of the post, any salary payable, and the duration of the appointment.

My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade is responsible for a total of more than 800 public appointments. Of these:

(a) James Roe (spouse of Marion Roe, Conservative MP for Broxbourne) has been appointed as a reserve member of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission at a salary of £8,490 per annum for the period 1 February 1993 to 31 January 1996.

(b) Viscount Chelmsford has been appointed as a member of the Simpler Trade Procedures Board for the period 1 November 1992 to 31 October 1995. The post is unpaid.

(c) Lady Jane Forbes (spouse of Lord Forbes, KBE) was re-appointed as a member of the Post Office Users Council for Scotland for the period 1 October 1991 to 30 September 1995 and as a member of the Scottish Advisory Committee on Telecommunications for the period 1 October 1991 to 30 September 1993. Both appointments are unpaid.

We do not collect information on the political affiliations of those appointed or details of those who have been party candidates for Parliament.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the effects of the Beer Orders on the brewing industry and consumers.

There have been considerable changes in the brewing industry since the implementation of the orders. However, it is difficult to separate the effects of the orders from other developments within the industry, some of which are part of long term trends beginning before the Monopolies and Mergers Commission review.We believe that it is too soon to make an assessment of the impact of the orders. The overriding need now is for a period of stability for both brewers and tenants/lessees. The Agriculture Select Committee's report on the effects of the Beer Orders on the brewing industry and consumers supported this view.

To ask the President of the Board of 'Trade, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Norwich, North (Mr. Thompson) of 30 June, Official Report, columns 511–12, what were the voting figures for each decision taken at the European Community's Telecommunications Council held on 16 June; and if he will make it his policy to include in future statements on Council meetings information on whether formal votes were taken and which member states voted in favour, against or abstained on particular measures.

No formal votes were taken at the European Community's Telecommunications Council held on 16 June. I regret that this was not made clear in my answer of 30 June, in accordance with the undertaking given to the hon. Member that statements to the House following meetings of the Council of Ministers will either include details of the record of the vote whenever a formal vote is taken, or report that no formal votes were taken.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the civil nuclear sites in the United Kingdom, together with the expiry dates of their current operational site licences.

The table shows the civil nuclear sites in the United Kingdom, all of which are licensed by the Health and Safety Executive under the provisions of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965, as amended.A nuclear site licence is issued without limit of time, but may at any time be revoked by the Health and Safety Executive or surrendered by the licensee with the executive's agreement. The licensee continues to be responsible for the site, and subject to direction by the Health and Safety Executive, until in the opinion of the executive there has ceased to be any danger from ionising radiations from anything on the site, or until a new nuclear site licence is issued to some other person.

List of nuclear licensed sites
Site	Operator
Berkeley Power Station	Nuclear Electric plc
Berkeley
Gloucestershire GL13 9PA
Bradwell Power Station	Nuclear Electric plc
Bradwell-on-Sea
Southminster
Essex CM 10 7HP
Dungeness Power Station	Nuclear Electric plc
Romney Marsh
Kent TN29 9PP
Hartlepool Power Station	Nuclear Electric plc
Tees Road
Hartlepool
Cleveland TS25 2BZ
Heysham Power Station	Nuclear Electric plc
Heysham
Morecambe
Lancashire LA3 2XQ
Hinkley Point Power Station	Nuclear Electric plc
Nr. Bridgwater
Somerset TA5 IND
Oldbury Power Station	Nuclear Electric plc
Oldbury-on-Severn
Avon BR 12 1RQ
Sizewell Power Station	Nuclear Electric plc
Leiston
Suffolk 1P16 4UE
Trawsfynydd Power Station	Nuclear Electric plc
Trawsfynydd
Blaenau Ffestiniog
Gwynedd LL41 4DJ
Wylfa Power Station	Nuclear Electric plc
Camaes Bay
Gwynedd LL67 0DH

Site	Operator
Capenhurst Works	British Nuclear Fuels plc
Capenhurst
Chester CH1 6ER
Capenhurst Works	Urenco (Capenhurst) Ltd.
Capenhurst
Chester CHI 6ER
Drigg Storage Site	British Nuclear Fuels plc
Drigg
Cumbria
Sellafield Works	British Nuclear Fuels plc
Seascale
Cumbria CA20 1PG
Springfields Works	British Nuclear Fuels plc
Salwick
Nr. Preston
Lancashire PR4 0XJ
Amersham International	Amersham International plc
White Lion Road
Amersham
Buckinghamshire HP7 9LL
Radiation Sources (Harwell)	Amersham International plc
Isotope Production Unit
Didcot
OxonOXll 0RA
Forrest Farm	Amersham International plc
Whitchurch
Cardiff CF4 7J2
AEA Technology	United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
Harwell Laboratory
Didcot
Oxfordshire OX 11 0RA
AEA Technology	United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
Winfrith Technology Centre
Dorchester
Dorset DT2 8DH
AEA Technology	United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
Springfields Works
Salwick
Nr. Preston
Lancashire
AEA Technology	United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
Windscale
Cumbria
TRIGA Reactor	ICI Chemicals and Polymers Ltd.
Billingham
Cleveland ST23 2JB
Rolls-Royce	Rolls-Royce
Raynesway
POBox31
Derbyshire DE2 8BJ
Manchester University	Manchester University
Research Reactor
Risley
Warrington
Cheshire WA3 6AT
University of London Reactor	Imperial College
Imperial College Field Station
Silwood Park
Ascot
Berkshire SL5 7PY

Site	Operator
Barrow Shipyard	Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd.
PO Box 6
Barrow in Furness
Lancashire LA 14 1AF
Devonport Royal Dockyard	Devonport Management Ltd.
Devonport
Plymouth PL1 4SR
2.SCOTLAND
Hunterston Power Station	Scottish Nuclear Ltd.
West Kilbride
Ayrshire KA23 9QT
Torness Power Station	Scottish Nuclear Ltd.
Dunbar
East Lothian EH42 1QZ
Chapelcross Works	British Nuclear Fuels plc
Annan
Dumfries and Galloway DG12 6RF
Scottish Universities	University of Glasgow
Research Reactor
East Kilbride
Nr. Glasgow G75 0QU
Rosyth Royal Dockyard	Babcock Thorn Ltd.
Rosyth
Fife KY11 2YD
AEA Technology	United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority
Dounreay
Thurso
Caithness KW14 7TZ

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish the residues specification issued to overseas customers for THORP, to which reference is made at page six of the report of the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee appended to the chairman of that Committee's reply of 10 October 1992 to the letter of 11 March 1992 from the Secretary of State.

This is a matter for the companies concerned.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade to whom each of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department is responsible: whether the public bodies or their members in each case are subject to (a) surcharge, (b) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (c) scrutiny by the Audit Commission or National Audit Office, (d) the statutory provisions for open government which apply to local authorities, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charters; and whether the chairpersons and members of the boards of each of these bodies are required to declare an interest.

[holding answer 6 July 1993]: All the executive NDPBs sponsored by the Department are accountable to DTI Ministers for their use of public funds and we are accountable to Parliament. The specific answers to the questions are:

(a) No.

(b) No.

(c) Yes, where the body receives grant or grant-in-aid.

(d) No.

(e) Yes, where appropriate.

(f) The citizens charter applies to all NDPBs which provide a public service.

The chairmen and members of the boards are expected to declare an interest where relevant.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to increase the science base funding for industry; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.As explained in the White Paper on science, engineering and technology, "Realising our Potential", the Government intend that decisions on priorities for support of the science and engineering base should be much more clearly related to meeting the country's needs and enhancing its wealth creating capacity. To this end: it is establishing a technology foresight capability; it is creating two new research councils to cover biotechnology and biological sciences, and engineering and physical sciences; it has provided all research councils with a mission statement which recognises the importance of research undertaken to meet the needs of users; and it is taking measures to improve the links between the councils and cognate Government Departments. Moreover, the LINK scheme will continue to be an important vehicle for the research councils collaboration with industry, and the Office of Science and Technology will now take lead responsibility for the scheme, with the LINK steering group reporting jointly to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the President of the Board of Trade.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the involvement of United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme, UNICEF, the World Health Organisation, the UNDCP and the Food and Agriculture Organisation in Burma.

The United Nations Under-Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs is involved in talks with the Burmese authorities about the return of the Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh'. The involvement of UN agencies in Burma is as follows.

UNDP: Since the 1992 Governing Council, all UNDP assistance in Burma has been targeted specifically at grassroots level. Projects are approved on a case-by-case basis by the UNDP Administrator, and funding is only being released on a strictly limited basis.

UNICEF: The programme in Burma concentrates on mother and child health care, basic education and access to safe drinking water.

WHO: The programme has been reduced since July 1992 in response to UNDP's directive to limit activities. It now concentrates on nursing training and AIDS.

UNDCP: A number of projects both in Burma and in the border areas of neighbouring states are funded to encourage the reduction of drug trafficking, and of demand, supply and abuse of drugs. Specific activities include the replacement of opium based economic activity by income substitution programmes, and demand reduction through community based education and training.

FAO: Activities in Burma are largely rural based agricultural projects, including research and training. Many are UNDP funded and fall within the restrictions placed on the UNDP programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what accountability there is for United Nations activity and that of related organisations for their work in Burma; and if he will place reports on this subject by such organisations in the Library.

The United Nations and related organisations operating in Burma are accountable, through their headquarters management, to their governing bodies. Members of these bodies, including the United Kingdom, monitor closely the activities of these organisations.There are no relevant reports which could be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what checks there have been to ensure that international aid to Burma has not been used for military purposes.

We have no evidence that international aid is being diverted for military purposes. The mandates of the United Nations, its funds and programmes and the specialised agencies in the economic and social fields preclude any assistance for military purposes. In the case of Burma, the work of the United Nations system is being scrutinised with special care to ensure that none of its assistance is diverted to military uses. The international financial institutions do not grant loans for military purposes, and carry out the normal financial and audit checks on the use of their funds.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the amounts remitted as a result of (a) hardship, (b) equity and (c) miscellaneous and the amounts written off as a result of (d) insolvency, (e) composition settlements and (f) taxpayer gone abroad or untraceable, for each of capital gains tax, schedule D tax, corporation tax, pay-as-you-earn and national insurance for each year since 1979 as cash figures and as a percentage of each tax collected.

The information requested is shown in the tables.The amounts of corporation tax remitted or written off as irrecoverable for the reasons outlined are as follows: