To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many category A prisoners there are currently in England and Wales.

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 what change there has been in the amount of mail received by his office from hon. Members regarding law and order issues during 1993; and what steps he is taking to avoid excessive delays in replying.

In the first six months of this year my office received 1,624 letters from hon. Members on law and order matters, compared with 414 in the same period in 1992—an increase of 392 per cent. A monthly comparison is set out in the table.I very much regret the time taken to reply to some hon. Members' letters. A number of measures have been put in hand to reduce delays. Most notably, additional staff have been allocated to the division principally responsible for assisting in the preparation of replies. Every effort will be made to see that all outstanding correspondence from Members is answered as expeditiously as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applicants from overseas have been (a) granted political asylum, (b) granted exceptional leave to remain and (c) refused permission to stay since April 1992.

There is no provision to grant asylum to a person not in the United Kingdom. Information on the outcome of entry clearance applications made abroad for the purpose of seeking asylum here is not separately identifiable in the statistics.In the period April to December 1992 a total of 490 grants of settlement-including dependants—were made to south—east Asian refugees, who form a distinct group dealt with under a specific programme. This information since December 1992 is not yet available.Information on all decisions made in the period 1 April 1992 to 30 June 1993 on applications for asylum in the United Kingdom is given in the following table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many remand prisoners have been held on remand in custody for more than 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

The latest available provisional data are for 30 June 1993. On that date there were about 200 untried prisoners and 100 convicted unsentenced prisoners in Prison Service establishments who had first been remanded in custody over 12 months earlier. Not all of these defendants will have been in continuous prison custody since their first remand. This period excludes any time spent in non-Prison Service establishments—eg police cells—before reception on remand into a Prison Service establishment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders aged 15, 16 or 17 years have received a sentence of detention under section 53(2) of the Children and Young Persons Act since 1983; and if he will break down their offences into categories.

Information for 1983 to 1991 is given in the table. 1992 data will not be available until the autumn.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now ask the Charity Commissioners to consider exercising their temporary protective powers under section 8 of the Charities Act 1992 in respect of the trustees of the Fellowship Charitable Foundation.

I understand that the Charity Commissioners are already considering which of their powers, if any, they should exercise in respect of the Fellowship Charitable Foundation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce a decision on the future of Manchester prison (Strangeways).

The prisons board met yesterday to consider the report of the panel which evaluated the bids for the management of Her Majesty's prison Manchester. It decided to accept the majority recommendation of the evaluation panel that the preferred service provider should be the in-house team. In the face of fierce competition. the in-house hid offers the best value for money and will set new standards for the operation of established local prisons. Subject to the conclusion of a satisfactory service level agreement, the team now faces the challenge of delivering its promise of a safe, purposeful and open regime, with active prisoner and community involvement. Performance against these commitments will be closely controlled on a basis comparable to private sector contracts.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will lay before Parliament the fourth annual report of the Firearms Consultative Committee.

I have placed a copy of the annual report of the Firearms Consultative Committee in the Library of both Houses today.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will estimate the average cost to the public sector of divorce for a couple with two children where (a) the parties receive legal aid. (b) one or both parties are rehoused in public housing and (c) the party given custody of the children receives state benefit.

It is not possible to estimate the average cost in such a case because eligibility for legal aid, public housing and state benefits depends on a number of factors but particularly the income of the husband and wife at the time of separation. However, the average cost of a legally aided divorce in the county courts in 1992–93 was £1,514.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was Her Majesty's Government's policy position on the draft code of practice for the maritime transport of radioactive materials discussed at the International Maritime Organisation's marine environment protection committee meeting on 5 to 9 July.

Her Majesty's Government's policy is to support the decision of the International Maritime Organisation's maritime safety committee to approve the code of practice for adoption by the 18th assembly of the IMO.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all the British Rail stations in each parliamentary constituency which are (a) wholly or (b) partially unstaffed, indicating those which became unstaffed within the past year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were the contributions to (a) capital investment and (b) revenue of British Rail by each of the passenger transport authorities in each of the past five years.

The information is as follows:

The information is not readily available in the form required. However, as at 14 July, of the 2,551 stations on the British Rail network, 977 were wholly unstaffed. Because of the variation in the number of hours for which stations are open, it would be difficult to define partially staffed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to the safety and security implications of airline passengers using telecommunications technology while airborne; and if he will make a statement.

The responsibility for the safety regulation of civil aviation rests with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).It has been found that transmissions from portable telephones may cause interference with an aircraft's own electronic sySterns. Earlier this month the CAA issued an updated aeronautical information circular giving guidance on this matter to air operators, pilots, flight crew and all concerned with the operation of the aircraft. They were advised that the use of portable telephones in aircraft is not permitted, and that they should require passengers to switch them off.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average cost charged to a magistrate's court of a printout by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency of a driver's licence history needed to assist in sentencing.

DVLA does not charge courts for driver licence printouts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to meet the president of the Institution of Civil Engineers to discuss the reorganisation of urban public transport.

My right hon. Friend has no current plans to meet the president of the Institution of Civil Engineers, but Ministers do have regular contact with the institution.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for providing funding for Network SouthEast to lease new trains.

In last year's autumn statement an additional £150 million was made available to British Rail specifically to allow it to lease new rolling stock. New outer suburban trains for Network SouthEast are one of two options being considered by British Rail. It is expected to take a decision later in the summer. Whatever the outcome, I shall be looking to support further leasing deals, provided that they comply with Treasury guidelines.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list, by year for the last five years, and by county, the number of tonnes of special waste production in the waste category of (a) neutral metal bearing, (b) neutral-inorganic, (c) neutral-organic, (d) neutral-oily (1–15 per cent.), (e) mineral oil and <20 per cent. others, (f) mineral oil and >20 per cent. others, (g) oil + <20 per cent. water >85 per cent., (h) grease/fat/wax/vegetable oil, (i) tars/phenols, (j) solvents-non halogen, (k) solvents-halogenated,(l) solvents-mixed (including water) and (m) solvents-S non halogen;(2) if he will list, by year for the last five years. and by county, the number of tonnes of special waste production in the waste categories of

The information is not currently available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list those local authorities in England with over 60 per cent. of their properties in bands A and B combined, for council tax purposes; and if he will give the relevant percentage in each case;(2) if he will list those local authorities in England with 50 per cent. or more properties in band A for council tax purposes; and if he will give the relevant percentage in each case.

I am arranging for the information to be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the reason for the United Kingdom request for an exception for 15 years to the prohibition on the sea disposal of low and intermediate-level radioactive substances, under the convention for the protection of the marine environment of the north-east Atlantic.

The convention provides no such exception: it provides that, after a 15-year moratorium which starts this year, France and the United Kingdom will each have the option to resume sea disposal of low and intermediate-level radioactive waste. The reason for preserving this option is that sea disposal may be the best practicable environmental option for certain categories of radioactive waste. It would be wrong to close off that option.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make it his policy during the further consultation period on the discharge licences for Sellafield that developed countries should aim for self-sufficiency in dealing with radioactive wastes.

[holding answer 14 July 1993]: It is for countries to decide their own policy in dealing with radioactive waste in the light of their international obligations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will release to all consultees as part of the further consultation period announced for the thermal oxide reprocessing plant project on 28 June, the 20-year forward look review commissioned from the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee.

No. The Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee's review of the radioactive waste disposal issues which are likely to arise over the next 20 years has not been completed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to consult over the issue of substitution of nuclear waste in contracts between British Nuclear Fuels and other Governments utilities, with particular reference to the issues raised by Professor Knill of RAWMAC.

We require further information from the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee before its advice on waste substitution can be considered properly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which organisations in the United Kingdom would have the technical capacity to construct or run a dry store capable of taking spent advanced gas-cooled reactor fuel.

I have been asked to reply.This is a matter for the organisations concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has received from the Government of Taiwan as to the proportion of the toxic waste exported in 1992 to Taiwan from the United Kingdom that has been (a) separated and recycled and (b) directly disposed of.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will introduce amending legislation to amend regulation 16(1) of the Community Charges (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1989 to enable the collection of community charge arrears by way of attachment of earnings orders or deductions from income support in conjunction with postponed warrants of commitment to prison under regulation 41 of those same regulations.

A court will normally postpone a warrant of commitment under regulation 41(3)(b) of the Community Charge (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1989 on condition that a debtor repays a specified sum each week. The weekly payment will be decided by the court following an examination of the debtor's means. It would not therefore be appropriate for a further statutory deduction to be allowed from the debtor's income to recover that debt.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will introduce amending legislation to enable community charge charging authorities to apply to the magistrates courts to vary the order of that court if both charging authority and the debtor are agreed on a payment arrangement.

We do not think that is necessary. Under the law as it stands there is nothing to prevent a debtor from paying an authority more than the amount specified in the court order if he agrees to do so. It would not be appropriate for the debtor to pay less than the amount specified in the order as this is the amount that the court has decided he should pay, following an examination of his means.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the Government's objectives in reducing housing association grant; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's objective in reducing average housing association grant rates is to maximise the proportion of private finance in new housing association schemes, and thereby maximise the number of new homes that housing associations are able to provide from the available public resources. This will ensure that more people now living in unacceptable conditions can be housed satisfactorily.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the Government's proposals to set up a housing association ombudsman.

The Housing Corporation circulated proposals in a consultation document earlier this year and have received a range of comments and suggestions. The Environment Select Committee has also recently reported its views on this subject. These comments are currently being considered and I hope that a revised set of proposals will be issued shortly, dealing both with the establishment of an ombudsman service for housing association tenants and with improved arrangements for the handling of tenants' complaints by associations themselves.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of housing association tenants were in receipt of housing benefit in each year since 1988.

Reliable information is not available for all housing association tenants covering the period 1988–1992.The information set out in the table covers permanent lettings by housing associations in the years 1990–1992, and shows the proportion of households assessed by housing officers as qualifying for housing benefit in each year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the average income levels of housing association tenants in each year since 1988.

Reliable information is not available for all housing association tenants covering the period 1988–1992.The information set out in the table covers permanent lettings by housing associations in the years 1990–1992, and shows the average net weekly household income of new tenants who took up a housing association tenancy and of existing tenants who moved within a housing association.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to respond to the recommendations regarding housing association grant made by the Environment Select Committee in its second report of Session 1992–93 (HC466) on the Housing Corporation; and what account will be taken of those recommendations in relevant decisions taken by his Department before publication of his response to the Select Committee report.

We are examining the recommendations of the Environment Select Committee report on the Housing Corporation and will make a formal response when the House reassembles after the summer recess. However, where operational decisions are needed sooner, we may provide an interim response on particular issues.In taking decisions about the level of housing association grant in 1994–95, Ministers will consider all available evidence, including the Select Committee's recommendations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his current estimate of the amounts of capital receipts received by local authorities since November 1992 and which are available to authorities for capital spending under the terms of the autumn statement; and what was his original estimate.

Estimates of local authorities' capital receipts are based on information provided by local authorities. At the time of the autumn statement, it was estimated that English local authorities would receive some £2·2 billion of capital receipts in 1992–93. On the basis of more recent information from local authorities, a revised estimate of £2·1 billion was made in April this year. No separate estimates of receipts have been made for the period between 13 November 1992 and the end of the financial year, during which virtually all of the receipts received will have been available for capital spending as a result of the temporary relaxation in the capital receipts rules announced in the autumn statement. Provisional outturn information for receipts which local authorities obtained between 13 November 1992 and 31 March 1993 will be published in due course, once returns from local authorities have been received and processed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what evaluation he has made of the effect of the alterations since 1 April in the disregard rules for calculation of entitlement to disabled facilities grants; what consultations he has had with the representatives of people with disabilities on the effects of the alterations; and if he will make a statement.

These changes were designed to provide more help to grant applicants on low incomes and less to the better-off. It is too soon to assess their precise effects. Disability organisations were consulted on the changes prior to their introduction. They will have an opportunity to provide views on this as part of the Department's current consultation exercise on the future of private housing renewal programmes.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the principal changes in the disregards for the purposes of calculating the entitlement to disabled facilities grants since 1 April.

The information requested is contained in the Housing Renovation etc Grants (Reduction of Grant) (Amendment) Regulations 1993 (SI 1993 No. 551) and Department of the Environment circular 7/93, copies of which are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conclusions he has reached as a result of the consultation carried out by his Department on recent rent increases for regulated tenancies.

I have considered carefully the representations from both landlords and tenants on this issue. Although generally no new regulated tenancies have been created since 15 January 1989, the Government gave an assurance at the time of the passing of the Housing Act 1988 that existing regulated tenants would not be subject to the new regime which that Act brought in. Registered rents for regulated tenancies have risen substantially in certain areas since 1989, but still remain well below market rents.Having carefully considered the representations received as a result of the recent consultation, I am not convinced that the public interest would be best served by altering the legislative balance which currently exists. To provide further legislative controls over rents would hinder efforts to promote the revival of the private rented sector. Housing benefit is available to meet the cost of reasonable increases in regulated rents for those on low incomes. Our objective in all sectors is to move towards personal subsidies rather than subsidies to bricks and mortar. Accordingly, the Government have no plans for further legislation on this sector.I am concerned, however, that there should be general consistency of approach through the country. I have no powers to issue guidance to either rent officers or rent assessment committees, but I plan to encourage greater exchange of information and views between them to encourage consistency.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further investigations have been made of dioxin contamination of soils and vegetation in Derbyshire.

I have today placed in the Library of the House a copy of the results of soil and vegetation sampling at Stanton-by-Dale and Staveley in Derbyshire. The results are in i he same range as the levels found in earlier samples taken at Staveley, announced on 31 March, Official Report, column 292.Concentrations of dioxins in soil and vegetation are reflected in concentrations in milk from the same area. Milk is the principle source of human exposure to dioxins. The concentrations of dioxins in milk produced in the Staveley area are within the normal range for milk in the United Kingdom. Because the levels of dioxins in vegetation and soil in the Stanton-by-Dale area are comparable to or less than the levels found in the Staveley area, there is no concern about the milk produced in the Stanton-by-Dale area.Sampling of emissions to the air from the foundry at Staveley reveal a very low level of dioxins, equivalent to one seventh of the guideline limit set by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution for new chemical incinerators. These results suggest that the gas cleaning plant at the Staveley foundry is very effective.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the Government's planning policy for farm-based fruit and vegetable packing operations.

Farm-based fruit and vegetable packing operations, including those packing the produce of other farms, can help bring necessary diversification to the rural economy and assist our farmers in competing effectively at home and abroad. The Government attach great importance to encouraging new sources of jobs and services in rural areas, and maintaining a strong agricultural and horticultural industry. Planning policy guidance note 7 advises that development which is necessary to sustain the rural economy should be properly integrated with the protection of the rural environment. Unless material considerations indicate otherwise, applications for farm-based packing operations must be determined in accordance with the development plan.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment his Department made prior to its decision to require BBC Radio WM to relinquish its medium-wave frequencies of the impact this would have on the ethnic minority broadcasting in the west midlands.

BBC Radio West Midlands simulcasts its services on both FM and AM, except for some 37 hours a week in the evenings, when it broadcasts its Asian programmes on AM. We appreciate that many Asian listeners would regret the loss of these programmes. That is why we have asked the BBC to look for ways of continuing to broadcast them after October 1994, when the Radio Authority will use the AM frequencies for a new local radio service in the west midlands.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the names and backgrounds of the chairman and members of the North West Council for Sport and Recreation.

[holding answer 12 July 1993]: The chairman, and those members whom I appoint, are currently as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the number of students receiving a student loan in further education and higher education.

Loans under the student loans scheme are not available to students in further education. The number of students in higher education who are in receipt of loans under the scheme is a matter for the Student Loans Company. I will ask the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students were studying at each university in the United Kingdom at the latest date for which figures are available; and what were the figures in (a) 1960, (b) 1970 and (c) 1980.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will update the table given in his answer of 28 June, Official Report, column 358, by listing by local education authority area and for each grant-maintained school the proposed final annual maintenance grant and the final AMG, where this has now been determined.

The numbers of students at universities in the academic year 1960–61, and corresponding data for these institutions in the academic years 1970–71, 1980–81 and 1991–92 are shown in the table. Figures for these institutions and those for universities established since 1960–61 are published in the Universities Statistical Record volume 1, and in Statistics of Education volume 6, copies of which are in the Library.

The information requested is given in the table.