To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make representations to the European Community to secure that the European directive on packaging and packaging waste is amended (a) to include reference to measures to encourage the use of reusable packaging, (b) to delete arbitrary assertions of equivalence and to secure that priority is given to source reduction, reuse and recycling in that order and (c) to ensure that consumer information and labelling distin-guishes packaging for which there is an established recycling route;(2) if he will make representations to the European Community to secure the inclusion of a timetable for the reduction of waste at source within the European directive on packaging and packaging waste;(3) if he will make representations to the European Community to ensure that those parts of the proposed directive on packaging and packaging waste setting standards for packaging systems are also applied to packaging exported from member states to non-EC countries;(4) if he will make representations to the European Community to secure that information submitted under article 8 and annex III of the European directive on packaging and packaging waste includes information on toxic substances;(5) if he will make representations to the European Community to secure that the European directive on packaging and packaging waste is amended to include

The Government support the proposed directive as a means of harmonising the basis on which member states take measures relating to packaging and packaging waste, in order to avoid distortion to competition and restrictions to trade. We also see the proposal as environmentally beneficial. We have argued strongly for the directive to establish broad targets which are both realistic and challenging and for it to contain sufficient flexibility for individual member states to choose the waste management option which makes most sense in the light of local circumstance.The directive proposed by the Commission establishes an overall target for the recovery of waste packaging and sets out specific targets for material recycling. The Government accept the concept of a waste management hierarchy which covers reduction, re-use, recycling and energy recovery and final disposal, in that order, but do not believe that it makes environmental or economic sense to impose it rigidly in all cases. There will be some circumstances where the economic and environmental considerations point to an option towards the bottom of the hierarchy. We therefore oppose the incorporation of a rigid hierarchy in the directive and the inclusion of specific targets or timetables for individual aspects of the hierarchy. These could prevent the choice of the most appropriate option in individual cases. We believe that it would be more sensible to adopt a general target for recovery and allow local decisions on what constitutes the best combination of management options in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity.The proposed directive also establishes a regime of essential requirements with which packaging must conform and ensures free circulation for packaging which conforms with the requirements. It requires the creation of mechanisms to ensure that suitable information is provided so that consumers and producers can contribute to the attainment of its objectives and to assist in compliance monitoring. We believe that it is essential for those mechanisms, relating either to the marking of packaging material to the provision of information to consumers, or to providing data for monitoring performance against the directive's objectives, to be as simple and clear as possible. They should take into account other national or EC legislation dealing, for example, with safety, performance or quality issues. Furthermore these requirements should be established in a manner which facilitates trade within the European Community and with other countries and takes account of the need for standards to be set in a world-wide context.We believe that the pragmatic approach we have adopted during the negotiation of the directive has support among many of our EC partners and that many of our concerns are being taken on board. There remain significant difficulties with the amended proposal and we will be continuing to press for further changes before we can consider the text to be acceptable; we do, however, believe that the negotiations are going in the right direction and that we now have the foundations for a successful outcome.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans the Government have to make all providers of social housing statutorily responsible for providing accommodation for the homeless; and if he will make a statement.

In a reply to the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Raynsford) on 21 October, Official Report, column 281, I said that the Government propose to reform the homelessness legislation. We will be consulting about our proposals in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the anti-pollution equipment that is installed at the (a) Ince, Merseyside and,(b) Richborough, Kent power stations.

Both power stations are currently fitted with electrostatic precipitators to reduce emissions of par-ticulate matter to atmosphere. In respect of other emissions, the authorisations recently issued by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution require the operator to provide, by 1 April 1994, an improvement plan using BATNEEC—best available techniques not entailing excessive cost—to bring the stations up to the standards appropriate for new plant.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he is giving under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to rescinding the order to burn orimulsion at the (a) Ince, Merseyside and (b) Richborough, Kent power stations; and if he will make a statement.

Part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires the inclusion of conditions in authorisations designed to prevent or minimise pollution of the environment and prohibits HMIP from granting an authorisation unless it is satisfied that an operator will be able to comply with such conditions.Authorisations allowing the burning of orimulsion at these power stations were issued by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution on 30 July 1993. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no reason to believe that they were not granted in accordance with the requirements of the Act and has no plans therefore to direct that they should be revoked.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of how far the duties and powers of the Director General of Gas Supply are sufficient duties to enable the post to assist the Government fully in achieving their declared international commitments on carbon emission reductions.

Using his existing powers as prescribed by the Gas Act 1986, the Director General of Gas Supply has introduced changes to the gas supply tariff formula—the "E factor"—which have already permitted funding of two initial energy efficiency schemes of Energy Saving Trust. The trust's target of achieving, through energy efficiency measures, annual fuel savings equivalent to 2.5 million tonnes carbon emissions by 2000 will form an important part of the Government's national programme on CO₂ emissions.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those councils whose tenants have voted in favour of a new approved landlord from the private sector; what is the number and value of the properties; and if he will make a statement.

The tenants of 30 local authorities have voted in favour of the large scale voluntary transfer of the ownership of all or most of their council's housing stock to registered housing associations. Of these, the following 23 councils have already transferred all or most of their stock:

	Number of dwellings transferred	Transfer price £ million
Breckland DC	6,781	60.2
Broadland DC	3,721	25.1
London Borough of Bromley	12,393	117.6
Chiltern DC	4,650	32.9
Christchurch DC	1,621	15.4
East Cambridgeshire DC	4,266	31.5

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 25 October, Official Report, column 414, whether the Local Government Commission requested at any stage a variation in his direction on the North Yorkshire review to include the West Craven area of Lancashire.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects that elections will be held for the new unitary authorities in Avon.

Decisions about the implementation date for any changes to local government structure in Avon are dependent on the nature of the Local Government Commission's final recommendations for the area. We expect the Commission to make its final report on Avon, Gloucestershire and Somerset to my right hon. Friend in January 1994.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to change his Department's cash limits and running costs limit for 1993–94.

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the following changes will be made:

(i) the cash limit for Class VII, Vote 5 (Central Environmental Services etc.) will be increased by £663,000 from £390,673,000 to £391,336,000. The increase provides for the transfer of responsibility for the Oslo Commission from MAFF to DoE, for additional resources for the Environmental Action Fund, for additional grant in aid for the United Kingdom Ecolabelling Board, for additional provision for Energy Efficiency, and for additional expenditure on the Environmental Protection research programme;

(ii) the cash limit for Class VII, Vote 8 (Revenue Support Grant, payments of non-domestic rates, Valuation Office Services, etc., England) will be decreased by £54,000 from £28,808,833,000 to £28,808,779,000. This reflects the transfer of savings from the Valuation Tribunals subhead to Class VII, Vote 12, subhead D1: Emergency financial assistance to local authorities;

(iii) The DoE/UA non-voted cash limit will be increased by £33,765,000 from £962,907,000 to £996,672,000. Capital End-Year Flexibility take up of £28,255,000 will fund Docklancls Light Railway, deferred Local Authority claims for City Challenge and other deferred claims for Derelict Land Grant. Increases totalling £47,814,000 are necessary to establish the Urban Regeneration Agency, to cover additional expenditure on the Manchester Olympic Bid and for Urban Development Corporations to carry out redevelopment and reclamation work.

These increases will be offset by savings, transfers, and retained PES and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes he proposes to make to the cash limit on the sale of the PSA Businesses vote in 1993–94.

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class VII, vote 13 will be increased by £38,950,000 from £401,000 to £39,351,000. The increase will not constitute a claim on the Reserve as it will be netted off the proceeds from the Government's privatisation programme.The provision is sought mainly to fund the subscription of shares and other expenses in connection with the sale of the five building management businesses to the private sector during September and October 1993; partly offset by an increase in receipts representing that part of the proceeds of sale payable in 1993–94.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what amendments Her Majesty's Government have proposed to the draft proposal of the European Commission for a Council directive on the landfill of waste.

The draft proposal for a Council directive on the landfill of waste was introduced by the European Commission in May 1991. An amended proposal was produced in June this year following the European Parliament's opinion. The present proposal was drawn up before the principle of subsidiarity was strengthened in the Maastricht treaty and endorsed at the Edinburgh Council and is very detailed and prescriptive. That principle requires that Community legislation deals only with issues that can be better attained at the level of the Community than at the level of individual member states. Accordingly the proposed directive fails the subsidiarity test.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the European Community directive on the landfill of waste will be implemented.

The Belgian presidency of the European Community is giving priority to the draft proposal for a Council directive on the landfill of waste. Considerable negotiations lie ahead and it is not yet clear when Council will be able to agree a common position. The present draft requires member states to take the necessary steps to comply with the directive within one year of its notification.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what he currently considers to be the best environmental disposal option for large items of bulky decommissioning waste such as nuclear submarine reactor compartments.

The Government's position was set out in the White Paper, "This Common Inheritance" (Cm. 1200). This said that the Government had not ruled out sea disposal for large items such as boilers, but would keep under review whether this disposal option needed to be maintained. Decommissioning wastes from nuclear-propelled submarines are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research has been carried out into methane migration at (a) open and (b) closed waste rubbish tips (i) in England and Wales, (ii) the London borough of Havering, (iii) the borough of Thurrock and (iv) the district of Basildon.

Work on the phenomenon of methane migration from landfill sites has been an integral part of the Department's controlled waste management and contami-nated land research programmes for many years. Projects have ranged from theoretical modelling, through laboratory work, to site monitoring and investigation. The aim of this work is to provide an improved understanding of landfill gas generation and migration as support for the Department's technical guidance on best practice for gas monitoring and control. None of the research work has been carried out at sites in Havering, Thurrock and Basildon.Research on methane is also carried out in a programme of work managed by the Construction Industry Research and Information Association jointly funded by the Department and industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many housing association properties have been built in each local authority area in Lancashire over the last three years for (a) general need and (b) sheltered housing; and how many properties have been acquired by housing associations and renovated for renting over the same period.

[holding answer 22 October 1993]: Estimates of the total numbers of housing association housebuilding completions within each local authority area in Lancashire are shown in the publication "Local Housing Statistics", table 1. Figures for 1990 are in issue No. 101 and for 1991 and 1992 are in issue No. 105.The Department collects information about specialised housing for the elderly, including sheltered dwellings. Figures of sheltered housebuilding completions for housing associations within individual local authority areas are also shown in "Local Housing Statistics". Annual data for 1990 and 1991 are in issues Nos. 99 (table 10) and 102 (table 11) respectively. Figures for 1992 are to be published shortly in issue No. 106.Figures for numbers of housing association dwellings which were renovated with local authority loans are shown in "Local Housing Statistics". Figures for 1990 are in issue No. 101 (table 4) and for 1991 and 1992 in issue No. 105 (table 3). The figures for dwellings renovated with funding from the Housing Corporation are not readily available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the sums committed by (a) county councils and (b) other local authorities in England and Wales on representations about the proposed reform of local government.

[holding answer 29 October 1993]: This is a matter for authorities themselves; we have no information on which to base an estimate for England. Local government reorganisation in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with British Coal and the National Rivers Authority about pollution from abandoned coal mines.

[holding answer 29 October 1993]: There have been discussions and exchanges of information between my officials and those of the NRA, and between the chairman of the NRA and myself. It is for British Coal in consultation with the NRA to assess any environmental effects of pollution from abandoned mines.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the new draft mineral planning guidance note 3.

[holding answer 29 October 1993]: I intend to publish the new draft minerals planning guidance note 3 for public consultation as soon as possible.

To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the decision not to prosecute the person caught plundering an archaeological site west of Bedford in June this year.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has no knowledge of any case in 1993 in which the CPS has been asked to consider the prosecution of any person for any offence under the Theft Act 1968 or under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 in respect of theft from, or damage to, an archaeological site. A case of this nature which the hon. and learned Member may have in mind was considered in 1991, but no sufficient admissible and reliable evidence was available to found a prosecution.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received regarding the risks of transporting nuclear materials by air, land or sea.

During this month my Department has received two questions and three letters from Members of the House of Commons, and four letters from other bodies on the transport of radioactive materials.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many representations he has received in relation to his proposals for the M62 relief road; and how many such representations have been in favour and how many against.

On 29 October 732 completed comment sheets, 175 letters and 650 printed pro-formas had been received so far. Most expressed concern about the proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will hold a public inquiry into all methods of reducing traffic congestion on the M62 motorway.

If the scheme goes ahead following the public consultation a public inquiry would be held at which alternative solutions would be debated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many years after completion of the proposed M62 relief road it is expected that traffic flows will have reached capacity levels on (a) the proposed M62 relief road and (b) the M62 motorway.

I expect the design capacity of the M62 motorway to be reached again 15 years after the opening of the relief road. It will be some years after that before the relief road reaches its design capacity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what economic appraisal he has made of the proposed M62 relief road using the cost-benefit technique COBA9; and if he will publish the appraisal during the public consultation process ending in February 1994.

The Department used its standard methodology to produce an economic appraisal for the relief road. This was published as part of the documents available at the consultation exhibition.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average daily traffic flow on the M62 motorway at junction 17.

A total of 123,400 vehicles per day based on 1992 figures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what average daily traffic flow is forecast for the M62 in the opening year of the proposed M62 relief road.

Average daily traffic flow forecast for M62, between junctions 15 and 17, in the opening year of the relief road is:

• low growth—105,600 vehicles per day
• high growth—126,000 vehicles per day

To ask the Secretary of Stale for Transport to what extent the public and elected representatives at local and national level have been consulted over the traffic congestion on the M62 motorway and on possible methods of reducing that congestion other than the proposed M62 relief road.

Local authorities and others were consulted last year on options for improving transport links across the Pennines. The Options, identified in a study commissioned from consultants, were published in the document "Trans-Pennine Study: Strategy Report".

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what average daily traffic flow is forecast for the proposed M62 relief road in the opening year.

Average daily traffic flow forecast for opening year is:—

	Vehicles per day
Low growth	63,000
High growth	75,200

To ask the Secretary of Stale for Transport if he will make a statement on (a) the certification requirements and (b) the pilot qualification requirements for persons seeking to operate former military fast jet aircraft on the United Kingdom civil register.

Aircraft certification requirements and pilot qualification requirements are matters for the Civil Aviation Authority in the first instance. I have therefore passed the hon. Member's question to the chairman of the authority and asked him to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all accidents to civil-registered former military fast jet aircraft on the United Kingdom register, since 1980, giving in each case an indication of the number of injuries or fatalities and the cause of the accidents.

The records of the Civil Aviation Authority's safety data and analysis unit show that since 1980 there has only been one accident involving a civil registered former military fast jet aircraft on the United Kingdom register. This accident was that which occurred on 11 June 1993 to a Hawker Hunter T7, near Sheffield.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the accident to a civil-registered Hunter T7 aircraft in the Peak district on 13 June.

The accident in which a Hawker Hunter T7 crashed in open country northwest of Sheffield, Yorkshire, occurred on 11 June 1993. The only fatality was that of the pilot who died in the crash. My Department's air accident investigation branch carried out a field investigation and has produced a report of this incident. Its analysis suggests that there had been no failure of the aircraft or its systems to explain the accident. There was, however, bad weather on the route of the flight.A copy of the AAIB's report (AAIB Bulletin No. 10/93 —Ref: EW/C93/6/4) is held in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list each of the current road improvement programmes covering the Greater London area that qualify for Government funding.

The Government are responsible for funding the trunk road improvement programme and provide support for local authority road improvement programmes of more than local significance.In addition, the Traffic Director for London receives Government funding for the development of the priority (red) route initiative.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will undertake a study of delays to traffic on the M25 motorway (a) distinguishing the causes of all delays over a period of at least three months and (b) indicating approximate vehicle or person-hours occasioned by each cause of delay.

We carry out continuous monitoring of traffic flows and delays on the M25. This information contributes to cost benefit assessments of improvements to the route.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has about the proposed corridor linking Harwich with Fishguard to be funded in part by the European Community; and whether this will involve the lengthening or enhancing of the M50.

A route between Harwich and Fishguard forms part of the trans-European road network that has now been agreed within the European Community. The M50 is not part of this route, but it is part of the M4—A449 — A40—M50—M5 TERN route between South Wales and the west midlands. Its inclusion in the network does not involve any lengthening or enhancement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will update the answer to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms Harman) of 25 February, Official Report, columns 692–93, relating to unleaded fuel and catalytic converters.

All new cars manufactured since 1 October 1990 have had to be capable of running on unleaded petrol. Of the 1.927 million tonnes of petrol sold in the month of September 1993 53.7 per cent. was unleaded. The number and proportion of older cars converted to use unleaded petrol is unknown. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders estimates that there are some 2.5 to 3 million cars that cannot be converted out of a total petrol car fleet of some 21 million. Since 31 December 1992 nearly all new petrol-engined cars have been fitted with catalysts. The total number of catalyst car sales to the end of September 1993 was approximately 2.31 million or some 10 per cent. of the total car fleet. The number of car owners who have had a catalyst fitted to their vehicle is unknown, but is estimated to be negligible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the number and location of vehicle exhaust emissions testing points in Wales.

Statutory in-service emission checks on HGVs and PSVs are carried out at the eight vehicle inspectorate testing stations in Wales and at 17 testing stations which are designated for the purposes of testing PSVs. Statutory in-service emission checks on other classes of vehicle are carried out at all 1,132 MOT testing stations in Wales. I will write to the hon. Member with details of the locations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposal has been submitted to his Department for the opening of passenger stations on the east coast main line in Berwickshire.

None, but such proposals would not necessarily need the approval of my Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what geological surveys were made in relation to the site of the Thurrock service area serving the M25 prior to its construction; and to what extent methane or similar gases were found on the site or in the immediate location.

The Department was aware that part of the Thurrock motorway service area site had previously been used for landfill waste and studies carried out before bids were invited for its development confirmed the presence of both methane and carbon dioxide. Further studies were carried out by the selected developer before construction began to determine the best method of treatment.The Department took expert advice, and consulted the relevant authorities, before approving the landfill gas control system and the associated monitoring equipment now installed at the site. The safety of service area users is of paramount importance and the control and monitoring procedures are therefore subject to regular review. I am satisfied that these arrangements provide adequate protection for MSA staff and users.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that the right of London's taxis to ply freely for hire at railway stations serving London commuters will be maintained following rail privatisation.

Following privatisation, British Rail stations will be owned by the new body, Railtrack, which will remain in the public sector for some time. There are no plans to change the Act of 1907 which gives taxis free access to stations within the Metropolitan police district, but this is one of the topics discussed in the consultation paper on the future of taxi and private hire services which was published on 27 October.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when it is intended work should start on the Dobwalls bypass section of the A38 trunk road improvement between Liskeard and Bodmin; and if he will make a statement.

Construction of the A38 Liskeard to Bodmin improvement scheme, including a bypass for Dobwalls, could start in the latter part of the decade, depending upon satisfactory completion of the statutory procedures and the availability of funds at the time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if it is his intention to give further consideration to a route option through the Glynn valley as part of the consultation procedures for the A38 trunk road improvement between Liskeard and Bodmin; and if he will make a statement.

We are considering all the responses to the supplementary public consultation on this scheme, including suggestions for an alternative route through the Glynn valley. We hope to announce the preferred solution shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many civil servants are working in his Department's offices at 2 Marsham street.

According to the Department's com-puterised staff record, 1,352 Department of Transport staff are currently employed in 2 Marsham street.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons in England and Wales that are now being considered by his Department for possible privatisation.

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 (1) if he will make a statement on the role of voluntary family support groups in respect of the enhancement of family-prisoner links and the successful resettlement of prisoners on release;(2) how much money and what proportion of the prison service budget was allocated in

Responsibility for these matters has been delegated to the Director General of the prison service who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many lifetime driving bans were imposed by the courts in the years 1991 and 1992; and for what offences.

The information required is published in "Offences relating to motor vehicles England and Wales 1991 Supplementary tables", tables 13 and 14. A copy of this publication can be found in the Library.The figures for 1992 are not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recorded incidents of hit and run offences involving injury or death occurred in 1991 and 1992; and in how many cases the driver was not subsequently traced.

The information requested is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have been transferred (a) temporarily and (b) permanently from prisons in England and Wales to prisons in Scotland in each of the past three years.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many pregnant women were on remand or serving prison sentences in each year since 1987.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women gave birth while serving a prison sentence or on remand in each of the past five years.

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 analysis of the relationship between crime levels and unemployment underlay the statement in his consultation paper, "Disclosure of Criminal Records for Employment Vetting Purposes," on the relative likelihood of reoffending by (a) an ex-offender with suitable work and (b) one who is unemployed.

The relevant passage says only that commonsense suggests that an ex-offender with suitable work is less likely to re-offend than one who is unemployed. It did not derive from any general analysis of a possible link between levels of crime and unemployment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing the times of sunrise and sunset on 21 December and on the first day of each month in 1994 in (a) Lerwick, (b) Thurso, (c) Stornoway, (d) Inverness, (e) Aberdeen, (f) Dundee, (g) Glasgow, (h) Edinburgh and (i) Stranraer, respectively, under (i) the present arrangements of British summer time and Greenwich mean time and (ii) under BST plus one hour and GMT plus one hour.

The information requested is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take early action to strengthen the powers of the police and local authorities to prevent or deal with the nuisance and damage arising from unlawful use of motor cycles or other motor vehicles on recreation grounds in public open spaces.

My right hon. and learned Friend is satisfied that there are sufficient byelaw-making and enforcement powers available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has had from the area criminal justice liaison committee for Mid, South and West Glamorgan, Dyfed and Gwent in relation to secure accommodation for young offenders and remandees.

No such representations have been made directly to the Home Office; but on two occasions—at the end of 1992 and in August 1993—concern about the lack of secure accommodation for juveniles was expressed, respectively by the secretary and chairman of the area committee, in letters to the secretariat of the national Criminal Justice Consultative Council. These concerns were brought to the attention of Government Departments and replies to these letters were sent respectively from the Home Office and the Welsh Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date he issued invitations to tender for the secure training centre or centres in Wales; if he will list the principal elements in the specification; what consultations he has had with regard to the drawing up of these specifications; and if he will make a statement.

Invitations to tender have not yet been issued in relation to any particular site. The time at which any such invitation can be issued will be dependent upon the progress made by the Bill which will be necessary to implement the Government's proposal to introduce secure training orders. Draft specifications for secure training centres were issued on 30 July to potential providers covering separately design and construction, and regime. These specifications were produced with the intention of indicating the likely requirements and to enable those with expertise or experience in dealing with persistent juvenile offenders to offer informed comments. The specifications were drawn up in close consultation with the Department of Health and social services inspectorate and endorsed by an interdepartmental steering group with representation from the Home Office, Department of Health, social services inspectorate, Department for Education, Lord Chancellor's Department, Treasury and Welsh Office. The content of the specifications was also informed by views submitted as part of an earlier consultation exercise about the scope of the new secure training order.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing for each of the prisons referred to in his answer of 19 October, Official Report, column 214,(a) the date on which the possibility of a new prison was announced by a Minister, (b) the date on which a commitment was announced by a Minister, (c) the date on which the general location was made public, (d) the dates on which planning permission was given in outline and in detail, (e) the date on which a contract was let, (f) the date on which work started on site, (g) the date of completion, (h) the date on which the prison started to accept prisoners, with estimated dates when the relevant stage has not yet been reached and (i) the number of prisoners for which the prison was designed.

The information requested is not readily available and can be obtained only at dispropor-tionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reduction in (a) local government and (b) central Government costs would result from public sector employees being required to obtain contributory private pensions in respect of benefits above (i) twice the average weekly wage, (ii) thrice the average weekly wage and (iii) the earnings cap for tax relief operating for private sector pensions, if pension benefits were no longer paid for by the public sector above those levels.

If the earnings on which public service pension scheme benefits are based were limited as described, the Government Actuary's Department estimates that the annual savings to central Government would be as follows:

Limit on earnings	£ million
Twice the average weekly wage	175
Thrice the average weekly wage	43
Earnings cap for tax relief introduced in the Finance Act 1989	11

These estimates assume that all future accruals of pension benefit would be subject to the limitations but that benefits accrued to date would not be so affected.Data needed to prepare corresponding estimates of the savings for local government is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications have been made since 1 January to establish new banks.

The Bank of England has received five such applications this year. Three related to the establishment of new entities; the other two came from overseas banks which required new authorisations for their presence in the United Kingdom: one because of a merger; the other following a group restructuring.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on proposals to assist the creditors of (a) Mount bank and (b) Equatorial bank.

Mount Banking Corporation and Equatorial bank are both in administration. A partial distribution has already been made to Mount's creditors and the administrators of both banks propose to make further distributions. The deposit protection fund has been activated in both cases and payments have begun to be made to depositors.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the answer of 22 April, Official Report, columns 172–74 to provide similar estimates of the burden of direct and indirect taxes for 1994–95 based on the assumption of statutory indexation and including measures already announced in the 1993 Budget.

The available information is contained in the answer which I gave to the hon. Member on 22 April 1993, Official Report, columns 176–78.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 19 April, Official Report, columns 6–7, if he will publish estimates for 1994–95 based on the assumption of statutory indexation and including measures already announced in the 1993 Budget.

Latest estimates of the annual change in income tax liability in 1994–95, assuming statutory indexation and inclusion of measures already announced, are in the table. The 1978–79 income tax regime has been indexed to 1994–95 levels by reference to the statutory formula and allowing for independent taxation.For the purposes of these calculations the indexed regime of 1978–79 is applied directly to the income base of 1994–95. In practice, retention of the regime indexed as appropriate, for the intervening years would have led to changes in the income base.

Average reduction in income tax per individual1 in 1994–95 compared with the 1978–79 indexed regime
Range of individual's income in 1994–95	Number of individuals 1994–951	Total reduction	Average reduction
(£)	(million)	(£ million)	(£ per annum)
Under 5,000	3.1	420	140
5,000 to 10,000	8.2	3,100	380
10,000 to 15,000	6.1	4,200	700
15,000 to 20,000	4.0	4,100	1,020
20,000 to 30,000	3.3	5,100	1,510
30,000 to 50,000	1.5	3,400	2,240
50,000 to 80,000	0.33	2,400	7,250
Over 80,000	0.19	9,000	47,300
Total	26.6	31,700	1,190
1 Individuals liable to income tax under the 1978–79 indexed regime.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what work his Department has done on the cost to public funds of annuality.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer keeps this under review. We are anxious in this, as in all areas of public spending, to prevent inefficiency.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what response he has made to the report by Ernst and Young entitled, "Literacy, Education and Training: Their Impact on the United Kingdom Economy", a copy of which has been sent to him: and if he will make a statement.

I have read this report with interest. It would not be appropriate to comment further in advance of my right hon. and learned Friend's Budget statement.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received opposing tax increases in the Budget on beer and tobacco; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has received a number of such representations in recent weeks, all of which are considered carefully. It would not be appropriate to comment further in advance of the Budget.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the status in England and Wales of banknotes in pounds sterling issued at Belfast, Edinburgh and Glasgow; and if he will make a statement.

Banknotes isued by the commercial issuing banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland may be used in transactions anywhere in the United Kingdom so long as both parties to the transaction agree that they are acceptable.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes there will be to the Central Statistical Office's cash or running costs limits for 1993–94.

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XVII, vote 14 will be increased by £850,000 from £42,701,000 to £43,551,000 and the running costs limit by £317,000 to £42,211,000. These increases reflect the take up of both running costs and capital end year flexibility entitlements, and a transfer from Cabinet Office: Other Services (£155,000), class XIX, vote 1. The increase will be charged to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes there will be to the Treasury's cash and running costs limits for 1993–94.

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessasry supplementary estimates, two changes are proposed:

(a) the cash limit for class XVII, vote 1 1993–94 will be increased by a token £1,000 from £76,467,000 to £76,468,000. The net increase is required to meet the gross costs, estimated to be £400,000 in connection with the privatisation of Forward: Civil Service Catering. These gross costs have been offset by increased appropriations-in-aid.

(b) the cash limit for class XVII, vote 3 1993–94 will be increased by a £258,000 to £259,000 and the net running costs limit for Forward from zero to £258,000. This increase is required to meet an underpayment by Forward of PAYE contributions to the Inland Revenue in respect of prior year payments to casual employees.

This increase will be fully offset by a reduction in the Bank of England's non-voted cash limit to £87 996 million and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to discuss with the European Commission and member states the level of implementation of EC public procurement directive (90/521/EEC) by other member states; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. and learned Member to the replies which my hon. Friend the Minister for Trade gave to the hon. Member for Stafford (Mr. Cash) on 21 October, Official Report, cols. 301–2.

To ask the the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants are working in his Department's offices in Parliament street.