To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the role of magistrates in enforcing the Dangerous Dogs Acts.

We continue to keep under review all aspects of the working of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration has been given to the use of the so-called truth drug in criminal investigations within the United Kingdom.

In the Government's view, it is unlikely that evidence obtained using "truth drugs" would be admissible in English or Welsh courts. There are no plans to use such drugs in criminal investigations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the outstanding grant applications in Bradford under the victim support scheme; when a decision is to be taken on each application; and if he will make a statement.

I understand from the national office of Victim Support that the Bradford victim support scheme made an application to the local funding panel earlier this month for a third salary grant but that the panel has not yet considered it.The Government greatly appreciate the excellent work done by local victim support schemes and provide substantial funding for this purpose. Home Office grant to Victim Support this year will amount to £8·4 million. This is 15 per cent. more than last year's grant to the organisation, which itself was 28 per cent. more than the previous year's.The grant is paid to Victim Support's national office and is allocated to local schemes and branches by the Victim Support local funding panel. This is independent of both local schemes and the Home Office. The panel considers applications from local schemes in accordance with criteria agreed annually between the Home Office and Victim Support.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the report of the Sheehy inquiry will he made available.

The report of Sir Patrick Sheehy's inquiry into police responsibilities and rewards is being published today. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House. I and the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland are most grateful to Sir Patrick and his team for their work. Before reaching any conclusions on their recommendations, we shall want to have the views of the police and other interests. We have invited written comments on the report by the end of September, but we shall, of course, be glad to have earlier views on all or any parts of the report from all those with an interest in its contents.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his Department's policy on the purchase and use of (a) recycled paper, (b) low-energy light bulbs, (c) tropical hardwoods, (d) peat and (e) cars with catalytic converters.

In line with our aim of securing best value for money at the least possible cost to the environment, the Department's policy on the purchase and use of the products listed is as summarised below.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Ravensbourne may expect a reply to his letter of 8 March, acknowledged under the reference 06624/93, on the subject of police resources in Bromley; and if he will explain the reason for the delay which has occurred in respect of this correspondence.

A reply was sent on Wednesday 23 June.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when a chairman will be appointed to the Animal Procedures Committee.

My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to be in a position to make an announcement shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will make it his policy to keep figures for murders in which race has been a factor.

There are no plans to record information on murder in this way.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Ms Ruddock) on 23 March, Official Report, column 529, if the figure for racially motivated incidents in 1992 is now available.

The only information currently available relates to the number of reported racial incidents which are shown in the following table. These 1992 figures were provided in the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Walthamstow (Mr. Gerrard) on 26 April, columns 266–67, except that the Kent figure for 1992 has now been corrected.

Reported racial incidents
Forces	1992
Avon and Somerset	98
Bedfordshire	57
Cambridgeshire	110
Cheshire	29
City of London	0
Cleveland	73
Cumbria	13
Derbyshire	60
Devon and Cornwall	7
Dorset	10
Durham	40
Dyfed Powys	0
Essex	80
Gloucestershire	33
Greater Manchester	401
Gwent	31
Hampshire	139
Hertfordshire	106
Humberside	68
Kent	56
Lancashire	231
Leicestershire	338
Lincolnshire	5
Merseyside	134
Norfolk	30
North Wales	4
North Yorkshire	22
Northamptonshire	120
Northumbria	349
Nottinghamshire	222
South Wales	311
South Yorkshire	151
Staffordshire	95
Suffolk	55
Surrey	61
Sussex	98
Thames Valley	195
Warwickshire	35
West Mercia	19
West Midlands	379
West Yorkshire	218
Wiltshire	24
Provincial total	4,507
Metropolitan police	3,227
England and Wales total	7,734

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what consultation he is undertaking with regard to possible changes in the criminal injuries compensation scheme; and if he will make a statement;(2) what representations he has received regarding the criminal injuries compensation scheme this year; and if he will make a statement.

The Government announced last November their intention to replace the present criminal injuries compensation scheme with a tariff scheme in 1994. The aim is to offer a better, more straightforward service to claimants. Details of the new scheme will be set out in a White Paper later this year.No formal consultation exercise is being undertaken, but as my hon. Friend the Member for Fylde (Mr. Jack) explained to the House on 18 March, column 508, we will listen carefully to what people have to say about our proposals. We have already received helpful comments from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board and the national charity, Victim Support.We receive a steady stream of correspondence from hon. Members and members of the public about various aspects of the current scheme.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the cost of the Office of Parliamentary Counsel in each of the last five years.

The cost of the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel in each of the last five years was:

£
1988–89	1,898,000
1989–90	2,126,000
1990–91	2,303,000
1991–92	2,729,000
1992–93	2,763,000

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the total amount of compensation the state paid out on all charters; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his answer, 10 May 1993, c. 307–81]: I would like to correct the figure for British Rail compensation given in my answer of 10 May, Official Report, columns 307–8. That figure—£1 million—was based on information from British Rail which it has now revised. The final amount of compensation paid out in the first year of British Rail's passengers charter is £1·9 million. All other figures quoted in my original answer are correct.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees the question of a further tranche of funding for the programme for national persecutees by the German Government.

We have requested details of this programme from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as the information is available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which conference on security and co-operation in Europe mechanisms have been used to resolve the ethnic conflict in (a) Azerbaijan, (b) Bosnia-Herzegovina, (c) Croatia, (d) Georgia, (e) Moldavia. (f) Tajikistan and (g) Uzbekistan; and if he will make a statement.

The CSCE committee of senior officials (CSO) dispatched fact-finding missions to Azerbaijan in February and March 1992 to report on the situation in and around Nagorno-Karabakh. In March 1992, the CSCE council provided for negotiations among the interested parties on a ceasefire and a settlement to the conflict, which have come to be known as the "Minsk Process". The CSCE recently secured agreement from all parties to a ceasefire monitoring mission. Negotiations continue in order to secure its deployment.In 1991, the CSCE mandated the European Community to lead the search for a solution to the problems in former Yugoslavia. The CSO has also sent rapporteur missions to investigate human rights abuses.The CSO has had a resident mission in Georgia since December 1992 to promote negotiations between conflicting parties in south Ossetia. A similar mission went to Moldova in April 1993 to assist in negotiations on the status of the Trans-Dniester area and the withdrawal of Russian troops.In Tajikistan a CSCE representative has been appointed to liaise with the United Nations and to recommend future action by CSCE. No special measures have been taken in respect of Uzbekistan. The chairman-in-office visited it during a tour of the five central Asian states and the CSO is now acting on several recommendations designed to achieve closer integration of these countries in the activities of CSCE.The CSCE should continue these and other efforts to prevent conflict by monitoring human rights and undertaking preventive diplomacy. The high commissioner on national minorities also plays an important role by identifying and seeking to defuse ethnic tensions which may develop into conflict.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to appropriate authorities in Belgrade about the treatment of parliamentarians during and after the public demonstrations in Belgrade on 1 and 2 June; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has urged President Milosevic to release Mr. and Mrs. Draskovic and meanwhile to ensure they are given proper medical treatment and access to visitors. Her Majesty's embassy in Belgrade continues to monitor the situation closely. We welcome the intervention with the President of the upper House of the Yugoslav Federal Parliament, Mr. Radulovic, by the hon. Gentleman and my right hon. Friend the Member for Arundel (Sir M. Marshall) on 21 June. We shall continue to keep up the pressure both bilaterally and through international organisations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals his Department has for strengthening the nuclear nonproliferation safeguards regime operated by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

We are playing a full and active part in the consideration of recent proposals for the further strengthening of the international safeguards regime administered by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). We have agreed with European Community partners to provide the IAEA with information, on a voluntary basis, on imports and exports from the Community of certain nuclear materials and equipment not covered by existing agreements. This offer was referred to in the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Energy on 24 June to a question from the hon. Member for Langbaurgh (Mr. Bates), Official Report, column 266.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received regarding the shooting of Munir Abu-Nijmeh and Ismail Abu-Nijmeh on the Jerusalem/Ramaldah road on 31 May.

One member of the Abu Nijmah family was shot dead and another injured, reportedly by an Israeli citizen, following a traffic dispute involving two vehicles on a main road on the outskirts of Jerusalem. It is our understanding that the matter is under investigation by the Israeli police and that there may be criminal charges.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, further to his letter to the hon. Member for Bradford, West, dated 5 March, concerning Mr. Sheik Riaz Ahmed, who was refused entry into France in December 1992, when he expects to receive a reply from the French authorities; when he expects to write again to the hon. Member for Bradford, West; and if he will make a statement.

The British embassy at Paris sent a formal note to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 17 March to seek a satisfactory explanation as to why Mr. Ahmed was refused entry to France and raising the question of compensation. I will write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as I have a report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received about the circumstances in which Mr. Graham Noble, of Brighton, was arrested and detained by Serbs in the Krajina; what charges have been laid against him; what access the British ambassador in Zagreb has been allowed to Mr. Noble; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Noble was detained near Otocac in Croatia on 6 June and is being held in Knin. The Serbs say they are investigating his activities; we understand that no formal charges have so far been made against him. Her Majesty's ambassador in Zagreb has visited Knin but has not been allowed access to Mr. Noble. The ambassador continues to press for access; Her Majesty's embassy in Belgrade has asked the authorities there to use their influence with the Krajina Serbs to assist in this. The International Committee of the Red Cross is in touch with Her Majesty's embassy in Zagreb about Mr. Noble. Its representative in Knin has reported that Mr. Noble is in good health and is being well treated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to appropriate authorities about the cases of missing persons arising from the abduction of wounded patients from hospitals in Vukovar in 1991; what progress has been made in securing the names of those abducted; what undertakings have been sought about the return of those abducted and about the return of the bodies of those who have died; and if he will make a statement.

On 17 to 19 December 1992 an international forensic team, working for the United Nations Commission of Experts, conducted a preliminary site exploration of a mass grave 6 km south-east of Vukovar. The team's findings were consistent with eye-witness testimony which alleges that the grave contains the bodies of patients and medical staff members of Vukovar hospital who disappeared during an evacuation of 20 November 1991. The commission plans to carry out a further investigation of the site but does not intend to attempt identification, exhumation and return of all the bodies. This is a matter for the Croatian authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the nationality and description of those vessels reported to the United Nations as attempting to breach the embargo on the former Yugoslavia in the Adriatic and on the Danube.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for East Lothian (Mr. Home Robertson) on 23 April 1993, Official Report, columns 244–45. We now know that the Condor I and Mys Khnistalnyy breached sanctions in early April. Five barges have also been intercepted: Vihac, Kumanovo, Orasac, Velebit and Kaimakalan. All these vessels have been reported to the United Nations Sanctions Committee for investigation. No vessels have been reported to the United Nations for breaching the blockade since April.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of Burma concerning the imprisonment of opposition leaders; and if he will make a statement.

With our European Community partners we have repeatedly urged the Burmese authorities, bliaterally and in the relevant international bodies, to release unconditionally all political detainees, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of Kuwait concerning human rights; and if he will make a statement.

Since the liberation of Kuwait, we have made repeated representations to the Kuwaitis about the need to respect human rights. There have been welcome improvements in Kuwait in this regard.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral answer of 16 June, Official Report, column 853, what meetings United Kingdom representatives have held with United Nations officials concerning the proposed referendum in the Western Sahara; and if he will make a statement.

British representatives are in contact regularly with United Nations officials in Western Sahara. The Secretary-General has just been to Western Sahara and we await his report to the Security Council on his visit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of Turkey concerning the treatment of Kurdish people; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by the then Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Watford, (Mr. Garel-Jones), to the hon. Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon) on 28 April, Official Report, column 440.We welcome the new Turkish Prime Minister's commitment to the free expression of different ethnic, cultural and linguistic characteristics.We frequently make clear to the Turkish Government the importance we attach to combating terrorism within a legal framework and with full respect for human rights.We regret the decision by the Kurdistan Workers Party to end the ceasefire and condemn the recent upsurge of violence in southeast Turkey, the attacks on hotels in Antalya and the actions against Turkish diplomatic and other premises in Western Europe.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions are being taken by Her Majesty's Government's representative to monitor the ceasefire and preparations for elections in El Salvador; and if he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's ambassador in San Salvador is in close contact with ONUSAL, the United Nations observer mission which has been monitoring implemention of all aspects of the peace agreement signed on 16 January 1992. ONUSAL's mandate has now been enlarged to include supervision of preparations for the March 1994 elections.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is his estimate of the numbers and financial value of overseas visitors to the United Kingdom for 1990, 1991 and 1992; and if he will make a statement.

Information on this topic is regularly published in Business Monitor MQ6 "Overseas Travel and Tourism," which is available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 14 June, Official Report, column 460, what is the relationship between local authorities, police authorities and the Football Licensing Authority in determining the safe capacity of standing terraces in the second and third divisions of the Football League.

The vast majority of second and third division football grounds are designated under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975. It is the responsibility of the local authority to issue a safety certificate for such grounds, in consultation with the police and fire authorities. This sets out how many spectators may safely be admitted to each part of the ground. The terms and conditions of safety certificates are for local authorities to determine, although they are expected to take account of the advice contained in the Government's "Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds". The guide covers all aspects of sports ground safety, including the calculation of the safe capacity of terracing.The Football Licensing Authority was established under the Football Spectators Act 1989. Under section 13 of the 1989 Act, the FLA is charged with keeping under review the discharge by local authorities of their safety certification functions under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 in relation to sports grounds at which designated football matches are played. Specifically, the authority may, after due consultation, require a certifying authority to include in any safety certificate such terms and conditions as the FLA may specify in writing.Following the review of the Government's all-seater policy last summer, football clubs in the second and third divisions of the Football League were permitted to retain some standing accommodation, provided it was safe. The FLA subsequently commissioned a report on safe terracing by the Football Stadia Advisory Design Council. This document, which was published at the end of March, augments the advice already available to clubs in the "Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds". The FLA will, if necessary, use its powers under the Football Spectators Act to ensure that retained terracing meets the necessary safety standard and that the permitted capacities are set at a safe level.We are consulting the FLA about the extent to which clubs will be required to upgrade their terracing in line with the recommendations of the Football Stadia Advisory Design Council's report. My right hon. Friend expects to make an announcement shortly.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met representatives of the Federation of Master Builders to discuss ways of assisting the construction industry.

My right hon. and learned Friend intends to meet regularly representatives from all sectors of industry. He has no plans at present to meet the Federation of Master Builders.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total amount of pension fund surplus represented by (a)employer/employee contribution holidays, (b) improved benefits and (c) taxable refunds to the employer in each year since 1986; and what proportion of surplus reduction is represented by each method.

Information is not available in the form requested. The tables below give information on large self-administered pension funds reporting to the Inland Revenue on proposed action to remove surpluses following the provisions in the Finance Act 1986, and on total refunds to employers from occupational pension schemes.

Large Self Administered Schemes, bv method of reduction of Surplus. 1987–88 to 1992–931
£ million
Method of reduction	Amount of reduction	Proportion of surplus reduction Per cent.
Contributions holiday (employer)	7,932	38
Contributions holiday (employee)	155	1
Contributions reduction (employer)	3,169	15
Contributions reduction (employee)	566	3
Refund to employer2	1,174	6
Increase in benefits	7,471	36
New benefits	106	1
Total	20,574
1The figures shown represent the total to be eliminated by each method. Some of the planned reductions are timed to fall in years subsequent to 1992–93. Amounts are based on the actuary's estimated reduction for each category.
2 The figures for refunds to employers exclude amounts paid over by schemes reported to be wound up in each year.

Refunds to the employer from all occupational pension schemes Schemes reporting in refunds
£ million
1987–88	85
1988–89	208
1989–90	380
1990–91	578
1991–92	403
1992–93	235

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the former head of Inland Revenue special office 2; and on what date he was last performing his official duties.

The officer concerned was suspended from duty on 11 September 1992. Investigations were commenced by the Metropolitan and City police company fraud department and these investigations are continuing.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will identify the functions and purposes of Inland Revenue special office 2, together with its staff establishment and annual cost in 1992–93.

Special office 2 is one of 10 offices in the Inland Revenue which specialise in the investigation of difficult or complex cases which are outside the scope of other parts of the Department, involving mainly avoidance and non-compliance where large amounts of tax are at stake. Special office 2 is based in London.For 1992–93, there were 15 staff and the cost of running the office was £685,000.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the rules governing VAT charges when a Government agency bids successfully to provide a commercial service to a Government Department.

Commercial services supplied by executive agencies to Government Departments are liable to VAT according to the normal rules.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Departments spent on legal advice regarding the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 for the market-testing programme.

[holding answer 29 June 1993]: The Chancellor's Departments have spent approximately £8,000 on such advice in connection with their 1992–93 market-testing programmes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his Department's policy on the purchase and use of (a) recycled paper, (b) low-energy light bulbs, (c) tropical hardwoods, (d) peat and (e) cars with catalytic converters.

The Northern Ireland position was set out in the Secretary of State's policy statement on green housekeeping, a copy of which has been placed in the Library. This has been circulated to all staff in the Northern Ireland civil service and in the Northern Ireland Office.The policy statement specifically refers to recycled paper. hardwoods and peat. Although not specifically mentioned, the use of low-energy light bulbs has been part of the energy conservation programme managed by the Department of the Environment and the Department of Economic Development. The position on cars is that for some years we have been specifying vehicles which are either diesel-powered or use lead-free petrol. Replacement cars are now specified with catalytic converters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what dates Ministers in his Department held a formal meeting with the Northern Ireland Airports Police Association during the past five years.

No such meetings of this nature have taken place during the period in question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he proposes to meet representatives of the Northern Ireland Airport Police Association to discuss the changes in their force's management, control and duties consequent to the proposed privatisation of Belfast international airport.

I plan to meet representatives of the Northern Ireland Airports Police Association to discuss such issues in the near future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much the market-testing programme has cost his Department since November 1992.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has to improve health protection and safety conditions in the workplace.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 7 June 1993, Official Report, column 98. The Health and Safety Commission's plan of work for 1993–94 and beyond, to which I referred, will be published on 6 July and a copy will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much his Department spent on legal advice regarding the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 for the market-testing programme.

[holding answer 29 June 1993]: Over the period of the market-testing programme announced in the White Paper, "Citizen's Charter: First Report 1992" (Cm 2102), advice on the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 has been sought from in-house legal advisers. It is not possible to identify these costs separately.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what consideration has been given by his Department to the provision of communication support in the workplace for deaf employees;(2) what action has been taken by his Department as a follow up to the "Evaluation of Special Schemes to Employment" report in October 1990.

[ holding answer 29 June 1993]: As a follow-up to the evaluation of special schemes report, which was published in October 1990, we have asked the Employment Service to introduce in April 1994 a new major programme called "Access to Work". This will offer people with disabilities a wider range of assistance than is currently available, including communication support for deaf people in the workplace. I believe "Access to Work" will provide more people with disabilities with the help to take up opportunities of employment. In addition, from 5 July 1993, unemployed deaf people will be able to get help towards the cost of communicators at job interviews. Trials of other forms of communicator support will be taking place in four locations in 1993 and lessons learned will be taken into account in "Access to Work". Further details on "Access to Work" were provided in the reply from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Clwyd, North-West (Mr. Richards) on 22 June, Official Report, columns 102–103.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 16 June, Official Report, column 583, how many representations on THORP he has received this year; and what proportion were (a) in favour of and (b) opposed to the plant.

I have nothing further to add to the reply I gave the hon. Member on 16 June, Official Report, column 583.

To ask the Prime Minister what account is taken in drawing up the Civil List of contributions to the cost of the royal household received from (a) the Isle of Man, (b) the Channel Islands and (c) other countries where the Queen is Head of State.

None, as no such contributions are received for Her Majesty's Civil List.

To ask the Prime Minister further to his answer of 5 May, Official Report, column 922, how many treaties, since 1 January 1979, have been debated by the House in advance of their ratification by Her Majesty's Government, and what is this figure as a percentage of total treaties ratified.

Her Majesty's Government have ratified 243 treaties since 1 January 1979. These have been laid before both Houses in the normal way. They cover a wide variety of subjects and fall to the appropriate Government Department to administer. The information sought is not centrally recorded and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what arrangements are made during the period in which notes, tapes or transcripts of murder trials are held, for their safe storage and preservation.

The Lord Chancellor's Department is responsible for ensuring that a verbatim record is taken of all trials in the Crown court, as required by rule 18 of the Criminal Appeal Rules 1968. The record is taken by shorthand and/or mechanical means. Under open tender contracts with the private sector which came into effect on 1 April 1993, the responsibility for the safe storage and preservation of such records is that of the contractor whose staff took the record. The contractor is bound by the contract to ensure that the record is kept for not less than five years and to provide transcripts requested during that period. Transcripts are not automatically produced for cost reasons in any category of cases, but these may be purchased by the Department or the public from the contractor concerned.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the number of requests made to each EC country in each of the last three years for the return of British children believed to have been abducted to the EC country in question.

[holding answer 17 June 1993]: The figures requested are as follows:

	Requests for return
Country	1991	1992	11993
Belgium	1	0	0
Denmark	0	0	1
France	7	9	5
Germany	8	13	1
Greece	0	0	0
Ireland	0	13	5
Italy	0	0	0
Luxembourg	0	0	0
Netherlands	8	7	2
Portugal	2	0	0
Spain	7	12	5
1 Janurary-June

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the number of British children (a) abducted from Britain who are currently believed to be in each EC country and (b) abducted from Britain who have been returned from each EC country over the last three years.

[holding answer 17 June 1993]: The figures requested are as follows:

June 1990 to June 1993
Country children	(a) Number of children abducted	(b) Number of children returned
Belgium	3	1
Denmark	1	0
France	35	1
Germany	26	4
Greece	1—	1—
Ireland	26	3
Italy	1 —	1—
Luxembourg	1—	1—
Netherlands	26	4
Portugal	7	1
Spain	47	7
1 Figures not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what annual capital sums have been made available to St. Francis Xavier's college in Liverpool since it acquired grant-maintained status; what additional capital allocations have been made in each year; and for what reasons and purpose.

The following capital grants have been made:

Year and project description	Formula capital allocation £	Named capital allocation £
1990–91
Flat roof repairs	19,000	32,000
Furnish and equip Design and technology block		80,427
Removal of asbestos		188,724
1991–92
Laboratory refurbishments	28,1	201,372
1992–93
	30,28	nil
1993–94
New general and technical rooms	Not yet claimed	750,000
1 Emergency capital grant.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects to respond to the application for grant-maintained status for St. Peter's Roman Catholic school, Bournemouth.

My right hon. Friend expects shortly to announce his decision on this application.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much the market-testing programme has cost his Department since November 1992.

The cost of the programme—in direct staff costs and consultancy costs—has been some £188,000 since November 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the annual income available to a student in higher education receiving a full student grant and making full use of the student loan facility in each year since 1990.

The following resources have been available through the mandatory award and student loan to students studying away from the parental home:

Academic year	Grant £	Full-year loan £	Total £
1990–91	2,265	420	2,685
1991–92	2,265	580	2,845
1992–93	2,265	715	2,980
1993–94	2,265	800	3,065

Different rates of grant and loan apply to students living in the parental home or studying in London, and different rates of loan apply to the final year of most courses. The grants are means-tested, and additional allowances are available in certain circumstances.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 14 June, Official Report, column 405, when he expects to make an announcement regarding the light rail projects currently being considered by his Department.

The four light rail projects referred to in the reply of my right hon. Friend the Minister for Industry on 14 June are still being considered by my Department. For commercial reasons, I cannot disclose any information on individual projects supported. or being considered for support. by my Department. It is for the companies concerned to disseminate information as they see fit.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 22 June, Official Report, column 138, what inquiries he has made regarding imports into the United Kingdom of allegedly subsidised structural steel from other EC member states.

We have no evidence at present to suggest that structural steel producers in other EC member states are directly subsidised. Where we have evidence of illegal subsidisation we do not hesitate to press the European Commission to take action against those concerned, as we have done in the case of the Italian steel company, ILVA.Gathering the necessary evidence is difficult and we rely to a large extent on commercial sources. My officials have discussed this matter with the British Constructional Steelwork Association. If the association, its members or any other party can produce evidence to suggest that illegal subsidies are being paid to structural steel producers we will pursue the matter vigorously with the European Commission.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will take into account the level of public money invested in new and unoccupied industrial estates in current assisted areas when considering any change in status.

The criteria that have been used in the assisted areas map review were set out in the public consultation document issued last year. As we made clear, unemployment levels have been the main determinant, though a number of other relevant factors have also been taken into account. The availability of presently unoccupied, publicly funded industrial or commercial premises is not judged to be relevant in determining areas for inclusion in the assisted areas map.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade to what extent the subsidies to be made available to coal producers are available for extra sales to the non-electricity supply industry market.

As indicated in the White Paper "The Prospects for Coal", the subsidy is to be made available on genuinely additional sales for electricity generation. It is not available for coal sold into other markets.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what considerations were taken into account in deciding whether to appoint DTI inspectors under the Companies Acts in the cases of Maxwell Communications Corporation and Polly Peck International.

Inspectors have not been appointed into either Maxwell Communications Corporation or Polly Peck International. However, inspectors were appointed last June to investigate and report on the affairs and membership of Mirror Group Newspapers plc. The inspectors have been asked to look in particular at the offer for sale of the company shares.In deciding whether or not to appoint inspectors, consideration is given to the criteria laid down by statute —principally sections 432 and 442 of the Companies Act 1985—and to whether the appointment of inspectors would be in the public interest.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a further statement on nuclear reprocessing at Sellafield.

Nuclear reprocessing is a proven and safe technology for which there is a continuing demand. It is a commercial matter for the owners of the spent fuel to decide whether to reprocess or to seek alternative management options.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Telecommunications Council on 16 June.

The Council reached unanimous agreement on the framework of an action plan to help launch widescreen television services. The four-year plan will be for Community funds, together with funds from othere sources, to be used to partially offset the additional costs to broadcasters and programme producers of broadcasting TV services, including high definition TV services, in the widescreen format. The settlement represents a considerable negotiating success for the United Kingdom. The 850 mecu Community subsidy originally proposed has been reduced to 228 mecu — £160 million; broadcasters and programme makers may use technologies other than the analogue MAC standards, such as PA LPlus or fully digital technologies; and the United Kingdom secured a valuable commitment that United Kingdom-based companies contributing to the action plan will be given due recognition of this in future European collaborative research and development and standardisation activities into digital TV.The Council agreed a resolution on the Commission's review of the Community telecoms market. This states that voice telephony services will be liberalised by 1 January 1998, with an additional derogation period of no more than five years for Spain, Portugal, Greece and Ireland and, if justified, no more than two years for Luxembourg. The Commission will produce, by 1995, a green paper on liberalisation of network infrastructure. The United Kingdom and three other member states urged them also to carry out studies by the end of 1993 on network provision for corporate users. A common position was agreed in principle on the Council directive on the approximation of the laws of the member states concerning satellite earth station equipment modifying the scope of Council directive 91/263/EEC, establishing harmonised procedures for type approval. There was also a short debate on the Green Paper on Postal Services during which the Commission set out a timetable for future work in preparing draft directives. The Commission also briefly reported progress in preparing a Community programme for support of trans-European networks in the tele-communications field.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the future of the Patent Office.

Since its establishment as an executive agency of the DTI in 1990, and its subsequent move to trading fund status in 1991, the Patent Office has become a more commercially oriented organisation. I am now undertaking a review of its role to consider how best to build on this progress. Such reviews normally take place around three years after an agency has been established.The review will consider whether other forms of ownership and management might offer better value for money and enable the Patent Office to offer a better service to its customers. I will be asking independent consultants to assess the market in which the office operates; and to identify and consider as wide a range of options for its future as possible, including the possibility of putting some or all of it into the private sector, and of involving the private sector in running the office in ways which fall short of full privatisation. A number of consultancy firms have been invited to submit proposals. The chosen firm will be appointed shortly and will report later this year. I will report to the House on my conclusions.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the arrangements for providing export credit facilities to Russia.

I have been advised by the Export Credits Guarantee Department's accounting officer that in his view the risks involved in giving guarantees for exports and investment in Russia under sections 1(1) and 2 of the Export and Investment Guarantees Act 1991 do not meet ECGD's normal underwriting criteria. However, in view of the importance which the Government attach to encouraging trade with Russia, I have instructed him to make arrangements for such guarantees to be issued. These guarantees will be excluded from ECGD's break-even objective for new business.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on EUREKA and United Kingdom involvement in and support for the initiative.

EUREKA is a pan-European initiative to encourage industrial collaboration in research and development; membership currently comprises the 12 EC countries, six EFTA countries, Turkey, Hungary and the EC Commission. The EUREKA ministerial conference which I attended in Paris on 24 June 1993 agreed that Russia should be admitted as soon as the last.appropriate technical elements have been completed.Of the l93 new projects announced at the conference, 46 involved United Kingdom participants, a record number for the United Kingdom. In addition there were three new United Kingdom participations in previously announced projects. Thirty-one of the overall United Kingdom total went ahead without Government support demonstrating the awareness by United Kingdom organisations of the wider benefits of EUREKA. I congratulate all those United Kingdom organisations taking part in these and other EUREKA projects which demonstrate that the United Kingdom remains a strongly committed participant in the initiative.On 26 May 1993, my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade announced a refocusing of the Department's science and technology policy. As part of that refocusing, from I September 1993, the DTI will provide support for United Kingdom organisations to enable them to take part in feasibility studies and other consortium building activities to generate new EUREKA projects. From that date, firms' eligibility for support for the implementation phase of EUREKA projects will be confined to small and medium-sized enterprises of under 250 employees in accordance with the EC definition.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much his Department spent on legal advice regarding the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 for the market-testing programme.

[holding answer 29 June 1993]: During the period of the market-testing programme identified in the "Citizen's Charter" White Paper last November, the Department's solicitor has advised on this matter in the normal course of his duties. We are not able to distinguish the cost of advice on the particular issue in question from other advice on establishments and market testing issues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many and what proportion of people in receipt of invalidity benefit receive an additional pension; and if he will publish figures showing (a) the average weekly additional pension in payment and (b) the distribution of recipients rising in increments of £1, giving figures separately for men and women.

The latest information available is in the table.

	All persons	Males	Females
Number in receipt of IVB	1,306,000	976,000	330,000
Number where AP in payment	1,085,000	817,000	268,000
Percentage in receipt of AP	83·1	83·7	81·2
Average AP in payment	£11·08	£12·48	6·79
AP up to £1	147,000	97,000	49,000
AP £1·01 to £2	108,000	71,000	38,000
AP £2·01 to £3	81,000	53,000	28,000
AP £3·01 to £4	62,000	38,000	23,000
AP £4·01 to £5	44,000	30,000	14,000
AP £5·01 to £6	41,000	28,000	14,000
AP £6·01 to £7	37,000	25,000	12,000
AP £7·0l to £8	35,000	25,000	10,000
AP £8·01 to £9	34,000	23,000	11,000
AP £9·01 to £10	33,000	25,000	8,000
AP £10·01 to £11	29,000	21,000	7,000
AP £11·01 to £12	28,000	22,000	6,000
AP £12·01 to £13	27,000	22,000	5,000
AP £13·01 to £14	29,000	23,000	6,000
AP £14·01 to £15	25,000	21,000	4,000
AP £15·01 to £16	23,000	18,000	5,000
AP £16·01 to £17	22,000	20,000	2,000
AP £17·01 to £18	21,000	18,000	3,000
AP £18·01 to £19	22,000	20,000	2,000
AP £19·01 to £20	20,000	18,000	2,000
AP £20·01 to £21	15,000	14,000	1,000
AP £21·01 to £22	19,000	16,000	2,000
AP £22·01 to £23	17,000	15,000	1.000
AP £23·01 to £24	15,000	14,000	1,000
AP £24·01 to £25	16,000	15,000	1,000
AP £25·01 to £26	12,000	11,000	1,000
AP £26·01 to £27	13,000	12,000	1,000
AP £27·01 to £28	14,000	13,000	1,000
AP £28·01 to £29	12,000	11,000	1,000
AP £29·01 to £30	8,000	7,000	1,000
AP £30·01 to £31	10,000	10,000	1,000
AP £31·01 to £32	9,000	8,000	1,000
AP £32·01 to £33	8,000	7,000	1,000
AP £33·01 to £34	8,000	7,000	1,000
AP £34·01 to £35	4,000	3,000	*
AP £35·01 to £36	5,000	5,000	*
AP £36·01 to £37	5,000	4,000	1,000
AP £37·01 to £38	4,000	3,000	*
AP £38·01 to £39	5,000	4,000	*
AP £39·01 to £40	2,000	2,000	*
AP £40·01 to £41	3,000	3,000	*
AP £41·01 to £42	3,000	3,000	*
AP £42·01 to £43	3,000	2,000	*
AP £43·01 to £44	3,000	3,000	*
AP £44·01 to £45	1,000	1,000	*
AP £45·01 to £46	2,000	1,000	*

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will discuss with the trustees of the Independent Living (1993) Fund the quality of the data available to them about the circumstances of severely disabled people and projections of their needs in reaching their decision to exclude the terminally ill, and others whose conditions are not stable, from the scope of the fund; and if he will make a statement.

The decision that the trustees took was on a question of policy and was therefore their sole responsibility.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on how many occasions officials of his Department attended meetings of the board of trustees of the Independent Living (1993) Fund; and what role they played at these meetings.

Officials of my Department are invited to attend these meetings by the trustees. They attend as observers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether reviews of individual cases funded by the Independent Living (1993) Fund will take place on a six-monthly basis in line with the trustees' intention to arrange six-monthly packages of care with local authorities; and what assessment he has made of the administrative and financial implications of this.

Administrative issues, such as the review of cases, are matters for the trustees and director of the Independent Living (1993) Fund.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the insurance value of art works in Quarry house.

The Department is self-insuring which means that the art work in Quarry house has not been valued for insurance purposes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what response he has made to the National Housing and Town Planning Council publication, entitled "Making a Difference-Housing Benefit for Students"; and if he will make a statement;

I have received a number of representations from hon. Members and members of the public. I have seen the National Housing and Town Planning Council publication. In general, it is the educational maintenance system which is designed to provide support for students, not the social security system, and we have no plans to change this. Housing benefit is, however, available to vulnerable students such as lone parents, those who are disabled, and those with dependent children, not just during the summer vacation but throughout their course. In addition, non-student partners can claim on behalf of the couple if they satisfy the normal qualifying conditions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the next edition of the households below average income statistics will be published.

The new edition of the households below average income—H BA I—statistics covering the years 1979 to 1990–91, has been published today and copies have been placed in the Library.The figures show that average disposable household incomes have grown in real terms by 35 per cent. between 1979 and 1990–91. Increases were not confined to a few top earners, and there have been appreciable increases in average income for all family types and all economic status groups. Pensioners have done particularly well, with pensioner couples showing an increase in average income of 48 per cent. after housing costs.A complex picture emerges in the outcomes for the lower income groups. This is because of changes in the composition of the bottom 10 per cent. of income distribution, the particular point in the economic cycle captured by this edition, and the peculiarities in the way the incomes of the increasing number of self-employed are reported in the family expenditure survey from which this analysis is drawn. There are also strong indications that income results for the bottom 10 per cent. of the income distribution do not reflect their true standard of living. There has been a marked increase in their possession of consumer durables and three quarters of those who reported zero incomes spent more than the average for the population as a whole. The results shown in HBAI for the lowest income group cannot, therefore, be interpreted simply and should be treated with some caution.The new family resources survey, which is due to replace the family expenditure survey as the data source for HBAI, will place special emphasis on gathering information from households on low incomes and so should help to improve the reliability of the data.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what consideration he has given to the report of the Social Security Advisory Committee entitled "Paying for Care: Lessons from Europe"; and if he will make a statement on the report's findings.

The report provides interesting information about support provided for carers in other European countries. We will study it carefully as part of our ongoing consideration of provision for carers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 7 June, Official Report, column 8, how many claims for disability living allowance were received in 1992; what proportion were agreed to; and if he will make a statement.

A total of 705,000 claims to disability living allowance were received in 1992, these included new and top-up claims and transitional attendance allowance and mobility allowance cases. Virtually all these have since been cleared.Of the 553,000 claims cleared during the year 1992, 62 per cent. resulted in an award being made at the initial adjudication stage; this does not include transitional cases.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average level of pensioners' savings when they first apply for housing benefit; and what is the average expenditure of their savings before they qualify for such a benefit.

Average amount of pensioners' savings at time of successful claim for housing benefit is in the table.

	Overall £	In receipt of Income Support £	Not in receipt of Income Support £
All pensioners	880	260	1,280
Pensioners with any savings	1,900	730	2,290

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects his review of standard spending assessments to be concluded; and what consultation there will be with local authorities and hon. Members on the outcome of the review.

Our review of standard spending assessments will be completed in time for any changes to be incorporated in SSAs for 1994–95.We have invited local authorities' views and my officials are consulting the local authority associations.I shall consult in the usual way on my proposals for the rate support grant settlement for 1994–95 including SSAs, in the late autumn.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will next visit the Centre for Accessible Environments to discuss the built environment and problems facing people with a disability.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to visit the centre at present.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he plans to ratify the climate change convention discussed at the UN Conference on Environment and Development.

The United Kingdom has undertaken, along with our G7 and EC partners, to ratify the convention by the end of 1993.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce legislation to strengthen the powers of the Audit Commission.

The Audit Commission, and the auditors which it appoints, already has a wide range of powers under the Local Government Finance Act 1982 and the Local Government Act 1992. Nevertheless, if specific, soundly based measures to strengthen those powers were proposed, we would be willing to consider further legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he is making of the total cost to water companies of removing nitrates and fertilisers from public water supplies in pursuance of the European Community directive; and if he will make a statement.

Assessment of the financial impact of European directives and other obligations on water companies are carried out by the Director General of Water Services. I understand from him that to meet the costs of implementing the nitrate standards in the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations in England and Wales, water companies' capital expenditure programmes have included –74 million to the year 1991–92 and are at present forecast to require a further £120 million to the year 2000—at 1992–93 prices.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has held with the Director General of the Office of Water Services on the issue of compulsory water metering.

I have discussed a range of issues with the director general, including water metering. But it is for each water company to determine its method of charging, subject to the overriding requirement that they do not show undue preference to or unduly discriminate against any class or group of customers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with British Coal and the National Rivers Authority regarding pollution of the River Wear arising from pit closures in County Durham.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to him by my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) on 28 April 1993, Official Report, column 429.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what new measures he is considering to limit the effect of opencasting on communities and their environments; and if he will make a statement.

We have already announced the Government's intention to revise the planning guidelines on opencast coal. Following publication of the White Paper on the Government's coal review, we are proceeding as quickly as possible to public consultation. On 25 March, my right hon. and learned Friend the former Secretary of State issued interim planning guidance which will apply pending that revision.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he expects the Government's target of 153,000 housing association homes over the years 1992–93 to 1994–95 to be reached.

The Housing Corporation estimates that over the period 1992–93 to 1994–95 its capital programme will provide 170,000 housing association homes. This is considerably more than the 153,000 promised in our election manifesto.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the current administration of the national parks.

Our policy statement on the national parks, published in January 1992, promised legislation to create independent authorities to administer the eight national parks in England and Wales currently run as county council committees. We remain fully committed to this proposal; the legislation will be introduced as soon as time permits.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received proposing elimination of anomalies with band A in the new council tax provisions; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received some representations, but we are not persuaded that there is a case for changing the present arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received on the levels of disconnection of domestic water supplies to recover debt.

My right hon. Friend has received representations from a number of hon. Members and others, expressing concern about the number of domestic water supplies disconnected.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to review the powers available to district auditors to require the prompt attendance of witnesses and to avoid the destruction of documentary evidence relevant to their investigations.

Auditors already have extensive powers, set out in section 16 of the Local Government Finance Act 1982, to obtain documents and interview persons to enable them to carry out their audits. Nevertheless, I would be willing to consider specific, soundly based proposals to review those powers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to review the powers available to district auditors to require the prompt attendance of witnesses and presentation of evidence relevant to their investigations.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and Planning gave to the hon. Member for Nottingham, East (Mr. Heppell).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had this month with the Office of Water Services about the cost and method of charging for water.

I met Mr. Byatt on 22 June to discuss a wide variety of topics, including progress on his periodic review of limits on water charges to apply from 1 April 1995 and the Department's consultation document "Using Water Wisely", which addressed methods of charging for water.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the availability of accommodation for rent in the private sector.

Information from the housing trailer to the 1991 labour force survey indicates that around 1·8 million households were living in privately rented accommodation in England in 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for extending shared ownership in the social housing sector.

The Housing Corporation's plans provide for an increase in the resources devoted to shared ownership from £261 million this year to £330 million in 1995–96.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the financial methodology adopted by the Local Government Commission and its implications for decisions on future local government structures.

We have said that change to local government structure should be worth while and cost-effective over time. This does not mean that the cheapest option should be selected everywhere, or that all changes must be cheaper than the status quo. But costs should be assessed on a consistent basis, as our guidance to the commission makes clear. A methodology for financial appraisals has been developed by the commission's advisers, Ernst and Young, and I understand that they have invited comments on it. We will be examining this methodology to ensure that it is in accordance with our guidance.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the banquet the London Docklands development corporation held on 7 May.

I have received one letter.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the cost of the greenhouse programme.

A total of £60 million is being spent under the programme between 1991–92 and 1993–94.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to encourage more sales under right to buy.

The Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Bill will extend the opportunity of home ownership under the right to buy to a new group of tenants. Those who cannot afford to buy outright will be able to buy on rents-to-mortgage terms, paying no more in mortgage payments than they currently pay in rent.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authorities have sold off all their council housing stock.