To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the initiatives launched and outcome of the Partnerships for Change conference held in Manchester on 20 to 22 September; and if he will place in the Library a copy of his speech made to the conference.

We are preparing a Partnerships in Practice guide to reflect the exchange of experience which took place at the Partnerships for Change conference and to draw out lessons about achieving sustainable development through partnership. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has arranged for a copy of his speech to the conference to be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representation Her Majesty's Government had at the symposium on the environmental benefits of energy conservation organised by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe in Moscow on 20 to 24 September.

Four representatives from the United Kingdom energy efficiency industry were present at the symposium in Moscow on 20 to 24 September. There was no official from Her Majesty's Government present, but officials from the Energy Efficiency Office, who have regularly attended steering committee meetings of the UNECE, kept in touch with the United Kingdom industry representatives.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what matters were discussed and what decisions taken at the Environment Council meeting in Luxembourg on 5 October; and if he will indicate the policy proposals put forward by the United Kingdom and the votes taken on each proposal.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Windsor and Maidenhead (Mr. Trend).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to meet the Engineering Employers Federation to discuss environmental management strategies.

None, but my officials are in regular contact with the federation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what meetings he has had in 1993 with the Environmental Auditors Registration Association; and what further meetings are planned with the EARA and the Institute of Environmental Assessment.

None, but my officials are in regular contact with both organisations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the Advisory Service for Leaseholders seeking to enfranchise or extend their lease under the provisions of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993, to come into operation.

The leasehold reform co-ordinating committee has now submitted firm proposals to me for a Leasehold Enfranchisement Advisory Service for England and Wales and I am urgently considering its request for Government financial assistance. I therefore hope to be able to make an announcement about the commencement of this service very shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made towards establishing the transport and security services division of his Department as an executive agency.

I am pleased to announce that the agency, which will be called Security Facilities Executive (SAFE), was established on 15 October 1993. It incorporates all the functions carried out by transport and security services division (TSSD) which comprised custody services, Government car service, interdispatch service, security furniture services and special services group. The divisional director, John King, has been appointed the chief executive following an open competition.The aim and objectives of the agency are set our in a framework document, copies of which will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. By setting demanding and realistic targets each year, I will be encouraging SAFE to maintain and improve its existing standards of performance. I am confident that the agency will rise to the challenge and continue to enhance the value for money that it offers whilst maintaining its enviable standards of excellence.For 1993–94, the following have been set for the agency:

Category	Measure	Target
Financial	Outturn on the vote	A surplus of £1.8 million
	Outturn on net running costs	A deficit of £1.1 million
	Outturn on cost recovery in accruals terms	99 per cent.
Efficiency	Unit costs	No increase in real terms
Quality of Service	Regular customer surveys	Average rating of "good" or higher
Environment	Vehicle fuel efficiency	Annual average of 24 miles per gallon

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made as to the proportion of (a) plastics, (b) paper, (c) steel and (d) glass produced each year since 1980, which has subsequently been recycled.

[holding answer 18 October 1993]: The following table, drawn mainly from the Department of the Environment's "Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics", shows the known amounts recycled since 1980 (as a percentage of consumption):

per cent
	Plastics	Paper and Board	Steel Cans	Glass
1980	1—	29	—	2
1981	1—	28	—	3
1982	1—	27	—	4
1983	1—	25	—	7
1984	1—	26	—	9
1985	1—	27	—	13
1986	1—	27	—	12
1987	1—	26	—	14
1988	1—	26	8	16
1989	1—	27	8	17
1990	2	31	9	20
1991	5	32	10	21
1992	6	32	12	26
1 Not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures are being taken by his Department to encourage the use of reduced quantities of (a) metals, (b) plastic and (c) paper in packaging; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 18 October 1993]: Over the past two years the Government have been conducting intensive discussions with a range of industries, including the packaging industry, to see what measures can be taken to reduce unnecessary packaging and improve the recycling rates of different packaging materials.On 27 July we invited all sections of the packaging industry—manufacturers and fillers of packaging and retailers—to draw up a plan for raising current levels of recovery to between 50 and 75 per cent. by the year 2000.We are asking these businesses collectively to take their share of responsibility for what happens to packaging once it has served its original purpose, while at the same time minimising the use of packaging wherever possible and encouraging reuse wherever practicable.We have set five objectives which any industry plan must meet:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when Her Majesty's Government intend to publish a response to the water regulator Ian Byatt's paper "Paying For Quality"; and if he will make a statement.

In our document "Water Charges: the Quality Framework", my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have today responded to the Director General of Water Services' request for our perspective on the policy context of the review of water company price limits which he intends to complete next summer.Our safety and environmental standards are already high, but it is right that where necessary they should be further improved to achieve sustainable use of our water. Our privatised companies are already investing £3 billion a year to this end. Their charges are low compared with elsewhere in Europe.Charges will have to rise to finance further improvements. But they must also be sustainable. We expect that the water companies will continue to make significant efficiency improvements, and the law requires the Director General to be rigorous in identifying the scope for reduced costs.But we must also strike the right balance between the pace of quality improvements and costs, so that people do not face excessive increases in bills in the short term. In Europe and at home, we have to ask whether our priorities are right, whether benefits justify costs, and whether today's consumers are being asked unnecessarily to pay for long-term benefits.For our part, we shall look hard at costs in deciding how and when we place further obligations on water companies. We propose to make it a duty for the Environment Agency to do this. Meanwhile we expect the National Rivers Authority and the drinking water inspectorate to do so when they are not legally precluded from taking costs into account.The Government are also inviting their EC partners to re-examine priorities, for example, in the detailed implementation of the urban waste water treatment directive, so as to focus on the most immediate environmental concerns. The European Commission has already begun a much-needed review of the drinking water directive and we welcome its assurance that its proposals will be fully costed in relation to the likely benefits.The Director General sought certainty about the obligations that water companies would have to meet in the period 1995–2005. Such certainty facilitates efficiency and cost-reduction. But it is not reasonable to expect society to place itself under a 10-year moratorium on health, safety and environmental improvements: if, for example, a serious risk to health comes to light, we could not take immediate action. But price limits do not need to take account of possible obligations which have not yet been decided upon.A copy of the response has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Gravesham (Mr. Arnold) of 24 February, Official Report, columns 657–58, if he will make a statement as to, which regiments and corps of the Army and squadrons of the RAF will be able to include the Gulf campaign in their battle honours.

Her Majesty the Queen has graciously approved the award of the theatre honour "Gulf 1991" and the battle honours "Wadi al Batin" and "Western Iraq" to the Army regiments and corps listed. Her Majesty has also approved the emblazonment of the theatre honour "Gulf 1991" on the colours, standards, or guidons of those regiments and corps awarded this honour.Her Majesty the Queen has also graciously approved the award of the battle honour "Gulf 1991" to the squadrons of the Royal Air Force listed. Squadrons which were involved in direct confrontation with the enemy and demonstrated gallantry and spirit under fire have been awarded the battle honour "Gulf 1991" with the right to emblazon the honour on their standards. Squadrons which operated in theatre and contributed to operations against the enemy have been awarded the battle honour "Gulf 1991" without the right to emblazon the honour on their standards.Her Majesty the Queen has also graciously approved the retrospective award of the theatre honour "Falkland Islands 1982" to the Army Air Corps for its part in the Falklands campaign.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has had from the chairman of the Greater Manchester passenger transport authority in regard to the Manchester airport rail link-southern spur; what reply he is sending; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement.

I have had a number of discussions with Councillor Clarke about the funding of this scheme. I understand that Manchester airport has now agreed to underwrite the expenditure needed for the scheme to go ahead.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the proposed M1/M62 link road.

Public consultation on proposals for an M1/M62 link road was held between February and June 1992. From the responses it became clear that earlier concern to achieve the economic benefits which were expected to derive from the introduction of a new road into the corridor was no longer a predominant local concern.At the same time I have been making it clear that the road programme should, wherever possible, be concentrated on widening and improving the existing network rather than building new motorways. Each scheme has to be judged on its merits but here there is opportunity to pursue a solution which avoids driving a new route through green fields.I have therefore decided not to proceed with development of plans for a new road but to investigate the possibilities for increasing the capacity of the relevant lengths of the two motorways.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when a start will be made on construction of the docklands light railway extension to Greenwich and Lewisham.

I have been asked to reply.The Department of the Environment is responsible for the docklands light railway. While the private sector has already shown a welcome interest in building and running the Lewisham extension, we must ensure that proposals are consistent with our manifesto pledge to consider the best means of privatising the DLR as a whole.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for each relevant tax year the revenue he has derived from VAT relating to (a) building repairs, (b) non-domestic building and (c) civil engineering projects, with any convenient breakdown into category; and what is his estimate in each case of the consequential increase in price to the immediate client or consumer, and the approximate and total effect of such charges on (i) the retail price index and (ii) the rate of inflation.

When the tax regime for construction, buildings and land was revised on 1 April 1989 the increase in revenue was calculated to be £310 million in 1989–90 and £400 million in 1990–91. Since then no further revenue calculations have been made. The assumption made at the time was that changes in VAT would have been fully passed on to clients. Since the clients affected by the tax changes were businesses the direct effect on the RPI and therefore on the rate of inflation would have been negligible and in any case is not possible to calculate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will meet the regional council directors of police and fire services to discuss the implications for police and fire services arising out of the reorganisation of Scottish local government; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 18 October 1993]: While my right hon. Friend has no immediate plans to meet officials of police and fire authorities to discuss the implications of local government reorganisation for these services, my noble and learned Friend the Minister of State has discussed the question of reorganisation with representatives of police authorities and forces at a meeting of the Police Advisory Board for Scotland. Scottish Office officials meet chief constables and firemasters regularly to discuss police and fire service matters. The existing number of police forces and fire brigades will be retained after reorganisation.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the guidelines or regulations applying to imports and exports of electro shock equipment.

The only export regulation for which I am responsible which applies to what might be regarded as "electro shock" equipment is the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1992. Under head 5001 (d) export without a licence is prohibited in respect of portable anti-riot devices for administering an electric shock or an incapacitating substance, and specialised components therefor. Under head 5001 (f) there is a similar prohibition in respect of riot control vehicles which have been specially designed or modified to be electrified to repel boarders. So far as imports are concerned, any weapon which is designed or adapted to emit an electric shock against another person would be regarded as a prohibited weapon under section 5(1) (b) of the Firearms Acts 1968–1992. Import of such weapons is restricted to those persons legally authorised to hold them in the United Kingdom.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what guidelines or regulations are applicable to exporters in respect of (a) manufacture and export of dum dum bullets, (b) export of tear gas, (c) design and construction of prisons for overseas Governments, (d) security equipment such as vehicles for overseas Governments and (e) Frag 12 exploding ammunition; and what particular guidance is given in respect of (i) Israel, (ii) other middle east Governments, (iii) Pakistan and (iv) Thailand.

Under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1992, the export to any destination of ammunition, tear gas and certain vehicles and related equipment for military or paramilitary police use is prohibited without a licence from the Secretary of State. I have no responsibility for regulations in respect of the design and construction of prisons for overseas Governments, other than where goods controlled by the order are to be exported from the United Kingdom as part of such projects. In terms of these export controls my Department gives no specific guidance in respect of the countries mentioned by the hon. Member: guidance in respect of weapons of mass destruction is available in a booklet "Non-Proliferation Controls", a copy of which is in the Library of both Houses. Each export licence application is considered on its merits.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what arrangements have been made to publish compliance cost assessments to show the cost impact on business of complying with proposals for legislation.

It has been the Government's standard practice since 1 April to prepare and publish compliance cost assessments (CCA) for all legislative proposals which impact on business. We have now agreed formal procedures with the House authorities for doing so as follows:

In the case of primary legislation the CCA will form part of the explanatory memorandum to the Bill.

In the case of statutory instruments laid in draft before the House the CCA will form part of the published text of the draft instrument as a separate annex.

In the case of statutory instruments made without having been laid in draft the CCA will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses when the instrument is laid after having been made and a note that a CCA is available and where it can be obtained from included in the explanatory note.

In the case of private Members' Bills, where the Government consider it is appropriate to prepare a CCA it will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

In the case of private Bills the Government are still considering how the system can be extended to such Bills.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out the arrangements he made for in-house bids for the market-testing programme at the Patent Office.

The terms of reference of the market test were set out in a notice to all staff on 6 November 1992, following consultation with the local trade unions. this drew specific attention to the opportunity for making in-house bids.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will enable denominations to dispose of redundant places of worship to suitable charities for less than full consideration.

My right hon. Friend has today made a direction to this effect under section 4(11) of the Redundant Churches and Other Religious Buildings Act 1969 in favour of the Friends of Friendless Churches. He made a similar direction in May in favour of the Historic Chapels Trust. Copies of the directions have been placed in the Library and I will arrange for this to be done also for any further such directions that he may make.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the annual report and accounts for the Veterinary Medicines Directorate is due to be published.

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate annual report and accounts for 1992–93 was published on 29 July 1993. Copies are available in the House Library.The report charts the continuing progress and success of the directorate as a next steps agency, and I would like to congratulate the chief executive and his staff on their considerable achievements during the year.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if land put into habitat creation schemes can count towards set-aside quotas.

Current EC rules for the arable area payments scheme do not allow land withdrawn from production under any other scheme to count towards a producer's set-aside obligation. However, we are pressing for the rules to be changed to allow arable land which is in future withdrawn from production under agri-environment or forestry schemes to count towards set-aside. This would include land entered into the proposed 20-year habitat scheme and the proposed new nitrate-sensitive areas scheme, as well as the farm woodland premium scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 16 July, Official Report, column 673, what steps he is taking to ensure that children from all inner London boroughs have equal access to the Centre for Young Musicians regardless of parental means.

The Department is supporting the central costs of the Centre for Young Musicians at a cost of £100,000 a year for the years 1993–1996. The issue of access is a matter for the centre, relevant local education authorities, self-governing schools and city technology colleges, and parents.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 19 October.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 19 October.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he received from Mr. Vuk Draskovic during their recent meeting on the question of (a) sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and (b) Kosovo and its status as part of Serbia; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I saw Mr. Draskovic during his visit. There was an exchange of views at both meetings about matters relating to the former Yugoslavia, including Kosovo and the effect of sanctions on Serbia and Montenegro.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what basis Her Majesty's Government issued an invitation to Mr. Vuk Draskovic to visit the United Kingdom recently; in what capacity Mr. Draskovic was invited; what was the cost to United Kingdom public expenditure of the visit; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Draskovic was invited to the United Kingdom in his capacity as leader of the Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO). This was an officially sponsored visit which included Mrs. Draskovic and his private secretary, who is also an SPO deputy. Costs for the visit, excluding air fares which are yet to be finalised, come to £5,688.26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how often the British embassy in Belgrade checks the purity of tap water; what is the reason for these checks; and if he will make a statement.

The British embassy in Belgrade does not carry out tests on the purity of tap water, but consults the Canadian and United States embassies, which co-ordinate purity reports from the local department of public health. On every occasion these reports have indicated that the water is drinkable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what precautions British citizens living in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia are advised to take to avoid hazards that arise out of the consumption of tap water contaminated as a result of the breakdown in purification processes.

None. The British embassy in Belgrade assesses that local water purification processes are functioning normally and has therefore issued no advice to British citizens.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans Her Majesty's Government have to invite elected members of the Opposition or Government of Yugoslavia to Britain in an official capacity.

We hope that the Montenegrin Foreign Minister, Mr. Miodrag Lekic, will pay a short visit to London on 24 and 25 October. There are no plans at present for further visits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the issues discussed and decisions taken at the Council of Europe Special Assembly held in Vienna in early October; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the United Kingdom submission to the Vienna meeting.

The agenda for the Council of Europe summit meeting in Vienna on 8 to 9 October had two broad themes: (I) The role of the Council of Europe in the new Europe and (II) action relating to the strengthening of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law.I shall arrange to place in the Library a copy of the speech made by my right honourable noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor who led the British delegation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on issues discussed and matters decided at the annual conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, in regard to nuclear safeguards and proliferation; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the United Kingdom documents submitted to the meeting.

The general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency had a wide-ranging agenda covering all its activities. The Conference passed resolutions on a number of matters relating to safeguards and non-proliferation including the implementation of the safeguards agreement between the agency and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolutions 687, 707 and 715 relating to Iraq. A copy of the statement delivered to the plenary by the United Kingdom representative has been deposited in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response Her Majesty's Government have made to the proposals put forward by President Clinton on 27 September concerning the halting by the acknowledged nuclear weapons states of further production and stockpiling of plutonium and highly enriched uranium for military purposes.

A preliminary meeting has been held at official level with the United States at which they set out their proposal. We shall naturally wish to consider very carefully the implications for our nuclear deterrent of the proposal for a cut-off convention. But we recognise the potentially valuable contribution which a multilateral convention prohibiting the production of plutonium and highly enriched uranium for explosive purposes could make to non-proliferation, and we will want to explore these potential benefits fully and positively in our approach to the issue. We are hopeful of being able to work towards a multilateral agreement of the kind proposed by the United States.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response Her Majesty's Government have made to the conduct by China of a nuclear test on 5 October.

The Chinese nuclear test on October 5 confirms our belief that the most effective way of restraining nuclear testing is through negotiated and verifiable agreement. We have made clear we do not believe the Chinese test necessarily clouds the prospect for a successful conclusion to comprehensive test ban negotiations, in which we shall seek to play a full and constructive part.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council held on 4 and 5 October.

I attended the Foreign Affairs Council on 4 October. My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs also attended.The Council discussed the Presidency's proposal for a new inter-institutional agreement (IIA) on budget discipline. After addressing the concerns of several delegations, they reached a favourable opinion on the text and joint declarations, and agreed further Council statements. The IIA will be submitted to ECOFIN for confirmation of the Council's agreement.The Council reached general agreement on detailed arrangements to allow citizens of the union living in a member state of which they are not a national to vote and stand in European elections under the same conditions as nationals of that member state. These arrangements will be finally approved once the Maastricht treaty enters into force.Sir Leon Brittan reported on his discussions in Washington on 27 September and on progress in the Uruguay round negotiations in Geneva. The Council discussed in detail a number of the non-agricultural dossiers in the negotiations, including textiles, subsidies, steel, civil aircraft, services, including audio-visual services, and the proposed Multilateral Trade Organisation. The Council agreed that the Commission's negotiating position took account of member states' concerns, and invited the Commission to continue with the negotiations. The Council also discussed the Community's trade policy instruments—the Commission is to make proposals for speeding up and making more transparent anti-dumping and countervailing procedures.Lord Owen and Mr. Stoltenberg briefed Ministers on latest developments in former Yugoslavia following the Bosnian Parliament's rejection of the peace plan. Ministers agreed that the EC should urge all the parties to return to the negotiating table, while preserving those elements of the peace plan already agreed. Ministers also discussed Community assistance to the middle east peace process, on the basis of Commission proposals for a package of medium-term assistance to the region and for an updated agreement with Israel. Ministers agreed that both proposals should be remitted for expert-level study.The Council discussed the Commission's opinions on the applications of Malta and Cyprus to join the Community. The Council broadly endorsed the opinions' conclusions, and in particular the Commission's plans to begin talks with Cyprus and Malta to help them prepare for accession negotiations.The Council again considered the draft regulation on dual-use goods—those goods which could have either a civilian or a military purpose. Ministers reiterated their wish to see progress made which accommodated member states' concerns, and asked officials to undertake further work.Ministers signed new association agreements with the Czech Republic and Slovakia. These replace the association agreement signed with the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic in December 1991.The situation in Russia was also discussed, and the Council issued a statement of support for President Yeltsin.The Commission presented a paper on the Community's future relations with Switzerland. It was agreed that this would be discussed at the next Foreign Affairs Council in November.Meetings were held with Austria, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The meeting registered agreement on a range of issues and took stock of progress so far. There will be further ministerial meetings with all four applicants next month.Ministers also confirmed their decision made informally in New York earlier in the week in response to Nelson Mandela's call for the easing of sanctions, to lift some sanctions against South Africa. The Community will keep remaining sanctions under review.The Commission formally presented to Ministers the first draft mandate for negotiations with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries on the mid-term review of the Lomé convention, which governs aid and trade with much of the developing world. The Community will consider its position over the next few months, before entering negotiations with the beneficiary countries in early 1994.The Council also approved the Commission's negotiating mandate for an EC trade and co-operation agreement with Vietnam.The Council agreed arrangements for publishing Council votes to follow up the Edinburgh European Council's decisions on openness. Specifically, the Council decided, by seven votes to five—United Kingdom, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg and the Netherlands—on a procedure which requires that decisions to publish are proposed by a member state and that a simple majority is required to block publication.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of people becoming unemployed return to employment within a month, three months, and six months, according to the latest available figures.

Of those becoming claimant unemployed about a quarter leave unemployment within a month, almost half within three months and nearly two thirds within six months. The majority leaving claimant unemployment go into jobs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of (a) men and (b) women registered as unemployed in the Greater London area on 1 October.

Claimant unemployment figures for 14 October will be published on 18 November.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the operation of jobplan workshops.

The jobplan programme was launched in March of this year. By the 24 September 131,842 people had completed a jobplan workshop. More than 90 per cent. are leaving with a positive course of action to follow.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people benefited from the enterprise allowance in 1992–93; and if he will make a statement.

The enterprise allowance scheme was replaced by the business start-up scheme in April 1991. In Great Britain, in 1992–93 some 41,000 people were helped to start a business.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to rationalise recruitment services in jobs in the public sector.

The Department has no plans for such rationalisation at present.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were employed in manufacturing industry in Wales in 1983 and at the latest available date.

There were 213,000 employees in employment in manufacturing industry in Wales in June 1983 and 203,000 in June 1993.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers in the east midlands earn half or less than half of the male median wage.

We estimate that there are about 288,000 such workers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what recent representations his Department has received on the EC proposals for a 48-hour week.

Since the Social Affairs Council reached a common position on the working time directive in June, my Department has received many representations welcoming the important improvements that we have secured, while supporting the Government's decision to challenge the basis of the directive in the European Court of Justice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to extend the jobclub scheme in the north West; and if he will make a statement.

There are currently 188 jobclubs in the North West. The number of people helped through jobclubs in the North West in 1992–93 was 31,530. There are 35,235 jobclub places available in 1993–94. Plans have not yet been made for 1994–95.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many casual workers he estimates there are in each of the standard regions of the United Kingdom.

The Labour Force Survey provides quarterly estimates of the numbers of employees in casual employment. The latest available figures are shown in the following table:

Number of employees in casual jobs Spring 1993 (not seasonally adjusted)
Thousands
Standard Regions	Casual employment
South East	95
Greater London	29
Rest of South East	67
East Anglia	12
South West	21
West Midlands	28
East Midlands	20
Yorks and Humberside	27
North West	23
North	14
Wales	15
Scotland	19
Northern Ireland	1—
United Kingdom	279
Source: Labour Force Survey.
1 Estimates below 10,000 not shown.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to increase employment in the Northern region.

The Department's aim is to promote a free and flexible labour market to encourage employment in the Northern region as elsewhere. The Employment Service and the five Northern training and enterprise councils deliver a wide range of employment, enterprise and training programmes to help unemployed people in the Northern region find the best and quickest route back to employment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress he has made on achieving equality of opportunity in employment regardless of gender or ethnic background.

The Government are committed to equality of opportunity. The best employers already recognise the case for employing a work force which reflects the composition of the wider community. The Department continues to encourage all employers to make full use of the skills and potential of all sections of the working population.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from trade unions concerning decisions of major firms to abrogate previous agreements.

The Government believe that employers must be free to decide, in the light of the circumstances and needs of their business, whether to bargain with a trade union. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received a number of representations on this subject. We remain convinced that the voluntary approach is best.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many 1993 school leavers within the Greater London area are currently unemployed; how many 1992 school leavers are still unemployed; and what percentage each represents of the total number of school leavers each year.

Information is available only for 1992 and shows that while 7 per cent. of 16 and 17-year-old school leavers in Greater London became unemployed, more than 90 per cent. went into further education or employment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a further statement on the implementation of training for work.

Training for work began on 29 March and was warmly welcomed by TECs for the flexibilities that it gives them in helping long-term unemployed people. The programme provides attractive training opportunities and at July there were 137,000 taking part.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many women workers in the west midlands earn half or less than half of the male median wage.

We estimate that there are around 245,000 such workers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the training for work programme; and if he will make a statement.

The national follow-up survey shows significant increases in the proportions of employment training leavers going into jobs and gaining qualifications. These improved results, together with the additional flexibilities we have built into training for work, show that our adult measures are effective.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the latest health and safety report on Sellafield.

The latest report published on health and safety at Sellafield was about an investigation into a higher than normal aerial discharge of radioactivity from the B204 ventilation stack. The report concludes that the potential doses to the public were very low.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has completed his review of the Employment Service's framework document; and if he will make a statement.

The Employment Service has been a next steps agency since 2 April 1990. My Department recently completed a review of the agency's existing framework document, in accordance with the Government's commitment to evaluate next steps agencies. The new framework document was published on 1 October and I placed copies in the Library on that date.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the EC Social Affairs Council held on 12 October.

I and the Minister of State for Employment attended the meeting of the Labour and Social Affairs Council on 12 October in Luxembourg.The main discussion took place on the draft directive on the protection of young workers. I made it clear that, while the United Kingdom already has strict regulation to protect the health and safety of young workers, the Government could not accept unnecessary restrictions which would prevent the continuation of well-established and harmless patterns of work for young people below minimum school leaving age such as paperboys and girls. Nor could we accept special restrictions on the working hours of 16 and 17-year-olds which were not related to genuine health and safety needs.In the event, the Council reached agreement at a political level on significant changes to the draft directive to reflect the United Kingdom's concerns. The United Kingdom Government will not be required to implement key parts of articles 8 and 9 of the draft directive dealing with daily and weekly hours of work, and restrictions on night work, for 16 and 17-year-olds for a period of four years after the directive is implemented—that is, a total of six years from final adoption. This exemption is renewable at the end of this period by a Council decision on the basis of a report from the Commission. The agreement reached also ensures that young people below school leaving age can continue, as now, to undertake light work such as newspaper deliveries from the age of 13.This settlement is a satisfactory one for the United Kingdom, reflecting recognition by the Community of our high standard of health and safety provision overseen by the Health and Safety Commission and our particular national traditions.The Council also discussed the draft directive on European Works Councils for which unanimity is required. We made it clear that the United Kingdom Government would, if necessary, vote against the text under discussion which is opposed by employers throughout Europe as being unnecessary, unworkable and damaging to European competitiveness. The Belgian Presidency noted that the draft directive would be taken forward by the other 11 member states under the social protocol provisions of the Maastricht treaty once these are in force.There was also a brief discussion on the draft directive on non-standard employment, which requires unanimity. It was apparent that a number of member states had problems with the existing text and the Presidency decided that further consideration needed to be given to the draft directive before it could be further considered by the Council.Finally, Commissioner Flynn made a brief presentation on the contents of his forthcoming Green Paper on the Future of European Social Policy and outlined a Commission proposal for a decision on a programme to combat social exclusion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further steps he will adopt to create equality of opportunity between the two main religious traditions in employment in the light of the report from the census 1991.

Equality of opportunity in employment is a central objective of the Fair Employment Act (NI) 1989 which established the Fair Employment Commission and the Fair Employment Tribunal. A comprehensive review of employment equality is to be undertaken in 1995 by the Central Community Relations Unit and the consultation process has already begun. It would be premature to draw firm conclusions on the findings of the religion report of the census 1991 which are still being analysed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total expenditure, less capital expenditure, of the Eastern health and social services board in each of the past five years; and what proportion of this expenditure was for management and administration in each year.

The information is as follows:

Year	Total revenue expenditure £	Administration as percentage of revenue expenditure
1987–88	391,887,667	4·76
1988–89	427,129,689	4·80
1989–90	451,324,493	5·15
1990–91	503,603,666	5·59
1991–92	539,250,381	6·55

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to improve the roads structure in the constituency of South Down with particular reference to the A class roads and the B8—Castlewellan to Newry road; and if he will make a statement.

In addition to a substantial programme of maintenance work, a number of minor improvement schemes will be completed on the A2, A22, A24, A25 and B8 during the 1993–94 and 1994–95 financial years. Work on the Church street-Scotch street scheme in Downpatrick is currently programmed to start in 1997–98 financial year subject to the completion of the statutory processes and the availability of the necessary funds.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes have been made to the written criteria for selecting prisoners for security category A since 1991; and on what grounds the criteria have been changed.

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 steps he proposes to take to establish a more austere regime in prisons.

The Prison Service remains committed to the policy on regimes set out in the White

Prison	Location	Date of opening	Estimated total cost (includes capital costs, claims and property services agency's resource costs) (£K)	Main construction contractor
Wayland	Thetford, Norfolk	January 1985	22,365	Carters of Norwich
Stocken	Oakham, Leicestershire	June 1985	17,182	Miller Construction
Thorn Cross	Warrington, Cheshire	July 1985	13,014	Shepherd Construction

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) where the six new prisons, recently announced at Blackpool, will be located;(2) what is his timetable for opening six new prisons; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

Responsibility for these matters 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 Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for implementing his proposal for parish constables; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

It is our intention that 20 pilot schemes should be up and running by Christmas. Costs in this financial year should be de minimis. No estimate can be made about future costs at this stage.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for the implementation of each of his 16 recommendations into cutting police paperwork.

My right hon. and learned Friend will publish the consultants' report and recommendations on 20 October. He is keen to see the recommendations in this area implemented as quickly as possible and expects to see substantial progress made in a matter of months. A fuller and more detailed timetable for implementation will require wider discussion between criminal justice system agencies.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for implementing his proposal for new rules on DNA samples; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

My right hon. and learned Friend intends to introduce legislation to implement these proposals as soon as a suitable opportunity arises. The timetable thereafter will depend upon the speed of progress which such legislation makes. It is too soon to offer reliable estimates of the costs and savings to which the proposals will give rise.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will give details of his plans to limit repeat cautioning; what rules will apply; what type of offences will be affected; and what criteria will govern decisions by the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to prosecution or caution;(2) what is his timetable for implementing his proposal on repeat cautioning and cautioning for indictable offences; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

I intend to publish supplementary guidance to the police later this month and to allow interested parties two months in which to comment on it. I shall send a copy of the draft guidance to the hon. Member.The guidance will leave the police with their existing discretion on whether to caution or prosecute, but it will strongly discourage, save in exceptional circumstances, the use of cautions for the most serious offences or for offenders who have been cautioned previously. In cases of doubt, it will continue to be open to the police to seek advice from the Crown Prosecution Service, whose decision whether prosecution is warranted will be governed by the code for Crown prosecutors.It is too soon to offer a reliable estimate of the cost implications of these changes.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is his timetable for implementing the proposal for police to be allowed to attach conditions to police bail; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95;(2) what is his timetable for implementing his proposal for automatic custody for anyone convicted of serious offences who is subsequently accused of the same category of crime; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95;

We intend to introduce legislation to implement these proposals as soon as a suitable opportunity arises. The timetable thereafter will depend upon the speed of progress which such legislation makes. It is too soon to offer a reliable estimate of the costs and savings to which the proposal will give rise.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish the White Paper on the criminal injuries compensation scheme.

It is intended that a White Paper setting out the Government's plans for the new tariff scheme will be published later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to announce the conclusions of the review on community sentences.

This review, originally expected to be concluded at the end of 1994—beginning of 1995, has been expedited for completion by summer 1994. In the meantime, further guidance will be issued to the probation service as and when conclusions are reached on significant matters which need not await full formal publication of the revised standards themselves.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to announce his decision on the next phase of the safer cities project; and how much it is intended to give to each of the cities named in the new phase.

Ten local authority areas have been shortlisted for the first group of new projects in the second phase of the safer cities programme:

• Blackburn
• Burnley
• Greenwich
• Lambeth
• Leeds
• Manchester
• Newcastle
• Merthyr Tydfil
• Plymouth
• Sheffield

We plan to set up at least six new projects before the end of 1993–94.Organisations with appropriate experience have been invited to bid to manage two or more of these projects. Tenders were invited in response to this invitation on 5 October and are currently being evaluated. My right hon. and learned Friend expects to be in a position to announce decisions about the areas chosen and the successful contractors to run the projects before the end of the year.The running costs of individual projects will be met by payments to contractors under the terms of the invitation to tender and are subject to the outcome of the evaluation. The size of the grant budget available to these projects for local crime prevention activity has not yet been determined.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for implementing his proposal for faster court proceedings for evicting squatters; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

I intend to introduce legislation to implement this proposal as soon as a suitable opportunity arises. The timetable thereafter will depend upon the speed of progress which such legislation makes. It is too soon to offer reliable estimates of the costs and savings to which the proposal will give rise.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is his timetable for implementing his proposal for a new offence of gathering information for terrorist purposes; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95;(2) what is his timetable for implementing his proposal for a new offence of possession in relation to terrorist activities; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

I intend to take the earliest legislative opportunity to create new offences of collecting information likely to be useful to terrorists and of possessing items intended for terrorist purposes. There are no resource implications for this financial year. Thereafter they are likely to be minimal.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for implementing each of the 11 recommendations of the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice on victims of crime; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.Mr. Maclean In its report the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice made 19 recommendations to help victims and other witnesses, 11 of which were specifically directed at government and have been accepted.Some of those recommendations relate to measures which are already in place or are being implemented, while others may require legislation. It is accordingly too soon to set a timetable for implementation or to offer reliable estimates of costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for ending the presumption in favour of bail for anyone accused of offending on bail; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

I intend to introduce legislation to implement a proposal removing the presumption of a right to bail for those charged with serious offences which appear to have been committed while on bail as soon as suitable opportunity arises. The timetable thereafter will depend on the speed of progress which such legislation makes. It is too soon to offer a reliable estimate of the costs and savings to which the proposal will give rise.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is his timetable for allowing retrials where juries have been nobbled; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95;(2) what is his timetable for implementing a new offence of witness intimidation; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95;(3) what is his timetable for barring those on bail from serving on juries; and what is his estimate of the cost of this proposal in this financial year and in 1994–95.

We intend to introduce legislation to implement these proposals as soon as a suitable opportunity arises. The timetable thereafter will depend upon the speed of progress which such legislation makes. It is too soon to offer reliable estimates of the costs and savings to which the proposals will give rise.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for abolishing the right to silence; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

We intend to introduce legislation to allow adverse inferences to be drawn from a suspect's silence as soon as an opportunity arises. The timetable thereafter will depend upon the speed of progress which such legislation makes. It is too soon to offer reliable estimates of any costs and savings to which this proposal may give rise.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many additional secure places he intends to provide (a) for 15 and 16-year-olds on remand in fulfilment of his predecessors promise in February 1991, (b) for 15 and 16-year-olds on remand in addition to (a),(c) for 15 and 16-year-olds sent to secure accommodation by a court following conviction, (d) for 10 to 14-year-olds on remand, (e) for 10 to 14-year-olds following conviction other than those sentenced to a secure training order and (f) for 12 to 14-year-olds made subject to a secure training order.

The provision of local authority secure accommodation is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health. A programme is currently under way to create an additional 60 to 65 places in local authority secure units. This represents the number of new places estimated to be necessary to end the remands of 15 and 16-year-old boys to Prison Service establishments. The estimate is being kept under review.Courts have no powers to send 15 or 16-year-old juveniles directly to local authority secure accommodation on conviction—although, if the appropriate criteria are met, they may send boys in this age group directly to young offender institutions run by the Prison Service, for whom no additional accommodation is presently required. Similarly, they have no powers to direct the removal of 10 to 14-year-olds to secure accommodation either on remand or following conviction.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will outline his job description for a parish constable; what qualifications will be required; and what is the proposed level of pay for the job.

Pilot schemes currently under development will be based on the two most common "blueprints" for parish constables which the publish have suggested. In the "parish special constable" scheme, the parish special constable, like other special constables, will have the power and authority of a police constable and will be expected to provide assistance to the regular police. He or she will be under the operational control of the chief constable, but the parish or local council—or councils, if groups of small parishes are involved—will be consulted on some of the constable's duties through a service agreement between the parish and the chief constable. At this stage we do not propose that the selection criteria, training arrangements and employment conditions of the parish special constables will differ from those already provided for special constables.In the "parish warden" scheme local parish or town councils will be asked to authorise a volunteer to assist both the community and the police by dispensing crime prevention advice, encouraging local watch schemes, and by acting as a channel for information, warnings and advice. The duties and qualifications of parish wardens will be resolved through discussion between the parish, the volunteer, and the local people.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for implementing his proposal for new stop and search powers for the police to stop terrorists; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

I intend to seek new powers for the police to stop and search vehicles for counter-terrorist purposes at the earliest legislative opportunity. There are no cost implications for this financial year. Thereafter they would depend upon how the powers were exercised by the police but are unlikely to be significant within the overall budget of police forces.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for the setting up of a Criminal Cases Review Authority; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

The Government have accepted the recommendation of the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice for the establishment of a Criminal Cases Review Authority. We have put in hand the detailed preparatory work which will be necessary before the new system can be put into place. At this stage, however, it is not possible to offer a precise timetable for the introduction of the new arrangements.The costs of a new authority are one of the matters which are still being considered and it would be premature to offer an estimate of the financial resources that might be required in a particular financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the type of condition he intends police may apply to police bail.

Under the Bail Act 1976 a court may attach conditions to the grant of bail if it considers that is necessary in order to ensure that, for example, a defendant surrenders to custody, does not commit an offence while on bail, and does not interfere with witnesses or otherwise obstruct the course of justice. I intend the police to be able to attach conditions for similar purposes to bail which they grant. I do not consider it appropriate to specify the precise nature of such conditions, which will vary according to the circumstances of the individual case.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for introducing urine testing for drugs in prison; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

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 plans he has to alter the ruling that people who have had previous convictions for unrelated matters can have their award for compensation from the criminal injuries compensation scheme reduced or refused.

Details of the rules of the new tariff scheme will be given in a White Paper to be published later in the year. It is expected that the basic rules for eligibility will remain largely as before.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for extending the Attorney-General's right of appeal for lenient sentences; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year and in 1994–95.

We shall lay the necessary order before Parliament at the earliest appropriate opportunity. Our preliminary estimate is that the number of additional cases likely to justify referral to the Court of Appeal, and any additional costs, will be low.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish the findings of research carried out for his Department by Sheffield university on drug use by young people.

We intend to publish the report by Sheffield university by the end of this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his timetable for implementing his proposal for new powers for the police to stop trespassers disrupting lawful activities; and what is his estimate of the cost in this financial year.

We intend to introduce legislation to implement these proposals as soon as a suitable opportunity arises. The timetable thereafter will depend upon the speed of progress which such legislation makes. It is too soon to offer reliable estimates of the costs and savings to which the proposals will give rise.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when, and through what process, he intends to abolish the judge's mandatory warning to juries in rape trials about the truthfulness of women; and from what date he intends the changes to apply.

We intend to introduce legislation to abolish this requirement as soon as a suitable opportunity arises. The commencement date will, of course, depend upon the progress which such legislation makes.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to grant British citizenship to the wives and widows of service men who served in the defence of Hong Kong during the second world war; and if he will make a statement.

I have no power to grant British citizenship to this group of people unless they meet the residence requirements of the British Nationality Act 1981 or quality under the Hong Kong selection scheme; and I do not think that I would be justified in bringing forward legislation to dispense with the normal statutory provisions in their case. The Government have on many occasions given an assurance that these wives and widows may come to the United Kingdom with a view to settlement at any time. I readily repeat that assurance. It would then be open to them to apply in the normal way to be registered or naturalised as British citizens when they met the statutory requirements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has as to the percentage of gross domestic product spent on pensions in each EC country.