To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make a statement on the Church Commissioners' proposals to reduce the funding support for parishes over the next five years.

The Commissioners are currently discussing with dioceses what action will be needed over the next few years to correct the over-distribution of Commissioners' funds in previous years and to bring their income and expenditure into balance. This is likely to involve a mixture of reductions in allocations and the transfer to dioceses of responsibility for some categories of expenditure. The mission and ministry of the Church will depend increasingly on the giving of church members.

To ask the Attorney-General how many cases are actively under consideration for possible prosecution under the War Crimes Act 1991; and if he will make a statement.

The Metropolitan police war crimes unit has submitted interim reports to the DPP in 10 cases. Inquiries into those 10 cases are still being actively pursued. The inquiries are not yet complete and the question of a possible prosecution cannot be considered until they are concluded.

To ask the Attorney-General what consideration has been given to the case of Siemion Serafimowicz by the Director of Public Prosecutions; and if he will make a statement.

The police are actively inquiring into allegations against Siemion Serafimowicz and as soon as those inquiries are completed, the question of any possible prosecution will be considered by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

To ask the Attorney-General what consideration is being given to launching a prosecution in respect of the murder of members of the family of Mrs. Lubov Voronovich; and if he will make a statement.

The Metropolitan police war crimes unit is actively pursuing inquiries in respect of this and a number of other allegations. When those inquiries are complete, the Director of Public Prosecutions will consider whether prosecutions should follow.

To ask the Attorney-General when he expects the Director of Public Prosecutions to make a decision in respect of the complaint of alleged treason by Mr. Rodney Atkinson; how long the DPP has now been considering the complaint; and if he will make a statement.

Complaints of alleged treason made by Mr. Rodney Atkinson and Mr. Norris McWhirter were referred to the Crown Prosecution Service by the clerk to the justices at Hexham, Northumberland, on 9 September 1993. The Crown Prosecution Service wrote to the clerk to the justices on 22 October 1993 stating that, although it was entirely appropriate for the clerk to have referred the matter to the Crown Prosecution Service, the complaints themselves were misconceived and totally without foundation.

To ask the Attorney-General how many prosecutions for incitement to racial hatred under the Public Order Act 1986 he has authorised in each year since 1987; and on how many occasions the prosecution was successful.

Since 1987, the Law Officers have consented to the prosecution of offences contrary to part III of the Public Order Act 1986 in respect of the following numbers of persons:

Year	Number
1987	0
1988	2
1989	1
1990	2
1991	3
1992	3
1993	2

Seven cases resulted in a finding of guilty and one of acquittal. In addition, one defendant was bound over, one died before trial and one case was discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service. Prosecutions have been started, but have not been concluded, in two cases.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration has been given to ending the right to anonymity of victims in rape trials; what current provisions govern this right; and if he will make a statement.

Anonymity for complainants in rape trials is governed by the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1976.The Government are committed to ensuring that victims of all sexual offences are encouraged to report these crimes and are well treated by the criminal justice system when they do so. In 1992, the Government supported private Member's legislation—now the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992—which extended the right to anonymity to victims of all sexual offences.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people have been tried on

Males tried at the Crown Court and found guilty at all courts of rape offences by type of offence and type of court 1985 to 19921
England and Wales
				Found guilty
Class	Year/Description	Act and section	Tried at the Crown Court	Magistrates' courts	Crown Court	All courts
	1985
19.02	Man having unlawful sexual intercourse with a woman who is a defective	Sexual Offences Act 1956 section 7 as amended by Mental Health Act 1959 section 127	4	—	4	4
19.03	Male member of staff of hospital or mental nursing home having unlawful sexual intercourse with a female patient	Mental Health Act 1959 section 128(l)(a)	—	—	—	—
19.04	Man having unlawful sexual intercourse with mentally disordered female patient who is subject to his care	Mental Health Act 1959 section 128(1)(b)	1	—	1	1
19.05	Rape	Sexual Offences Act 1956 section 1	474	1	338	339
19.06	Attempted rape	Sexual Offences Act 1956 section 1	86	7	75	82
	Total		565	8	418	426
	1986
19.02	Man having unlawful sexual intercourse with a woman who is a defective	Sexual Offences Act 1956 section 7 as amended by Mental Health Act 1959 section 127	7	—	6	6
19.03	Male member of staff of hospital or mental nursing home having unlawful sexual intercourse with a female patient	Mental Health Act 1959 section 128(l)(a)	—	—	—	—
19.04	Man having unlawful sexual intercourse with mentally disordered female patient who is subject to his care	Mental Health Act 1959 section 128(l)(b)	—	—	—	—
19.05	Rape	Sexual Offences Act 1956 section 1	503	—	329	329
19.06	Attempted rape	Sexual Offences Act 1956 section 1	80	2	63	65
	Total		590	2	398	400
	1987
19.02	Man having unlawful sexual intercourse with a woman who is a defective	Sexual Offences Act 1956 section 7 as amended by Mental Health Act 1959 section 127	5	—	5	5
19.03	Male member of staff of hospital or mental nursing home having unlawful sexual intercourse with a female patient	Mental Health Act 1959 section 128(l)(a)	—	—	—	—
19.04	Man having unlawful sexual intercourse with mentally disordered female patient who is subject to his care	Mental Health Act 1959 section 128(1 )(b)	1	—	1	1
19.05	Rape	Sexual Offences Act 1956 section 1	551	2	347	349
19.06	Attempted rape	Sexual Offences Act 1956 section 1	89	—	70	70
	Total		646	2	423	425
	1988
19.02	Man having unlawful sexual intercourse with a woman who is a defective	Sexual Offences Act 1956 section 7 as amended by Mental Health Act 1959 section 127	7	—	6	6

Information from 1985 to 1992—which is provisional—is given in the table. The 1993 data will not be available until the autumn of 1994.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of (a) rape and (b) attempted rape are recorded in (i) the most recent crime statistics for the current year and (ii) for each preceding year from 1985, inclusive.

Figures for attempted rape are included in the rape offence classification and are not separately available. There were 4,142 recorded rapes in England and Wales in 1992. Figures for 1985–91 are published in table 2.16 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1991", a copy of which is available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will name each voluntary organisation which assisted in the reception of Bosnian refugees in 1992; and how much grant each received.

In 1992, the Home Office funded the Refugee Council and the British Red Cross to provide reception arrangements for ex-detainees and other humanitarian cases, and their dependants, whom the Government brought here from the former Yugoslavia at the request of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. In 1992–93, grants of £476,000 and £86,000 were paid to the Refugee Council and British Red Cross, respectively for this purpose.A full list of organisations making their own arrangements to assist individuals from Bosnia is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultation took place with representatives of the ethnic minority communities in (a) Lancashire, (b) the north-west and (c) England before the Government decided to reduce the share of section 11 funding for projects funded jointly with local authorities from 75 to 57 per cent.

Decisions made in the public expenditure round reflect the general economic situation and consultation with particular interest groups would not be practicable in the course of that process. However, we have subsequently sought the views of all interested parties on how the available funding should be used in order to achieve maximum benefit for members of ethnic minorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the banks about the viability of smart card technology as a basis for a national identity card system.

My right hon. and learned Friend has had no such discussions with banks.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) 15 and 16-year-olds and (b) 17 to 21-year-olds were held under sentence or remand in gaols in England and Wales at the latest date available; and what were the corresponding numbers during each of the preceding 12 months.

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 much it has cost to set up the European police information centre; and what is the annual running cost.

Total capital costs have been £68,000. Running costs are expected to be £2,000 per annum.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what investigations have been carried out to ascertain the effectiveness of issuing the Metropolitan police and other forces with protective clothing.

The operational use of protective clothing is primarily a matter for chief officers of police. So far as I am aware no investigations into its effectiveness have been carried out by police forces. The police scientific development branch offers advice to chief constables on protective clothing which is based on trials. It has also partly completed a project to assemble information about public order injuries from which it will be possible to assess the effectiveness of protective equipment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will withdraw the passport of Siemion Serafimowicz.

Records relating to the issue and possession of a British passport are confidential. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on this particular case.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will give details of all complaints made by persons at Blakenhurst prison during the disturbances at that prison on 9 October;(2) what reports he has received concerning assaults on prisoners by prison officers in the segregation unit of Blakenhurst prison.

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 legal action is pending by prisoners at Blakenhurst prison against prison officers.

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 ask Her Majesty's chief inspectors of prisons to visit Blakenhurst prison and to report on the running of the prison.

Unless otherwise directed by the Secretary of State, it is for Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons to decide when he wishes to visit and report to the Secretary of State on the running of any prison.Each prison should be inspected about every five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pusuant to his reply of 21 October, Official Report, column 271–72, if he will specify the animals used to test impact consequences on aero-engines.

Ducks.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by police force area in England and Wales, reported racial incidents so far in 1993.

The information requested is not yet available. It is collated centrally on an annual basis and will be made available for the whole of 1993. All available earlier data have already been provided for years up to 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to implement the improvements to the administration and enforcement of the Data Protection Act 1984 recommended by the National Audit Office report on data protection controls and safeguards.

The recommendations in the National Audit Office report are primarily directed to the Data Protection Registrar. I understand that he is considering the implications of the report for the work of his office.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men and how many women have been killed as a result of racist attacks in England and Wales in each year since 1988.

The information requested is not available. The police are required to make returns of each known homicide to the Home Office, but are not specifically requested to note whether they consider the attack was a racist one.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many 15-year-olds categorised as a suicide risk were placed in a strip cell (a) 1992 and (b) 1993 to date;(2) how many 15-year-old inmates were categorised as a suicide risk in

[holding answers 19 October 1993]: 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 Environment how many representations he has received from local authorities concerning his review of standard spending assessments.

A total of 197 local authorities have responded to our invitation to make representations on the review of standard spending assessments for 1994–95.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the extent to which the current differential in grant and standard spending assessments between different authorities for primary and secondary education (a) are excessive or (b) relate accurately to the different needs of pupils in different authorities.

The standard spending assessment element for education is based on detailed research and analysis fully discussed with the local authority associations. Both the primary and secondary education assessments incorporate an index of additional educational need which is based on indicators reflecting the social and economic characteristics of the population of each authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the reasons underlying the range of standard spending assessments for other district level services.

The standard spending assessments of individual authorities for other district level services are based on the formula set out in the Local Government Finance Report for 1993–94, which was approved by the House in February. The formula reflects those social and demographic characteristics of each area considered to be relevant in the provision of this group of services.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current timetable for the review of standard spending assessments.

Work on the review of standard spending assessments for 1994–95 has now finished. My right hon. Friend will announce the outcome of the review later in the autumn as part of his proposals for revenue support grant for 1994–95. There will then be a period of consultation on those proposals, as in previous years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received concerning the private ownership of occupied sheltered housing; what help is available to those living in non-regulated/non-registered accommodation; and if he will set up an ombudsman scheme.

The Department has received written representations from elderly leaseholders—directly or through their residents' asociations and via hon. Members.All leaseholders are protected by the contractual terms of their lease which setout the rights and duties of landlords and tenants and the basis of the service charges. In addition, the existing legislation in the Landlord and Tenant Acts of 1985 and 1987 gives leaseholders additional statutory rights.This protection will be augmented by new provisions in the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993. Qualifying tenants may jointly purchase the freehold of their flats. It also enables the Secretary of State to approve codes of management practice governing property management and gives tenants the right to a management audit of their landlord by an independent accountant or surveyor.The Government are not persuaded of the case for an ombudsman scheme for privately owned sheltered housing, nor of the practicality of that approach.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the regional total of capital expenditure by the local authorities in England for (a) 1979–80, (b) 1982–83, (c) 1985–86 and (d) each year since 1988–89 for each standard English region;(2) what was the capital allocation for each local authority in England for

I will write to the hon. Member and put the replies in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the regional total of capital expenditure on housing by the local authorities in England for (a) 1979–80, (b) 1982–83, (c) 1985–86 and (d) each year since 1988–89 for each standard English region;(2) what was the capital expenditure on housing by each local authority in England for

I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the revenue support grant given to Barnet and Wandsworth in 1993–94; and what is the amount expressed relative to the respective populations.

The information requested is as follows.

Local authority	Revenue Support Grant,1993–94
	£ million	£ per head
Barnet	93·823	314·93
Wandsworth	160·203	619 18

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many cars there are in the Government car service; and how many (a) use lead free petrol, (b) are fitted with catalytic converters and (c) are electric powered.

There are currently 193 cars in the Government car service fleet; 181 use lead-free petrol and 144 are equipped with catalytic converters. With the exception of some vehicles which cannot be readily replaced, the entire GCS fleet will use unleaded petrol with catalytic converters by 1 April 1994.No electric-powered vehicles are currently in use by the GCS. Electric-powered vehicles were trialled, but were not found to be capable of the required operating range.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what quantities of plutonium-contaminated radioactive waste material is currently stored at the Drigg site; and what plans there are to remove this material to Sellafield.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much plutonium-contaminated material is currently being stored at Drigg low-level waste dump; whether this material is intended to be moved to Sellafielcl ; and to what extent the containers currently intended to be used for these transports comply with IAEA regulations.

I have been asked to reply.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish his response to the Wood report.

[holding answer 27 October 1993]: The Government have carefully considered the Wood report on the rating of plant and machinery, and industry's responses to it. The committee has produced a package of measures to update the law, to harmonise the rating systems, and to remove the substantial differences between the rules in the various parts of the United Kingdom.We have decided that the major recommendations of the report should be implemented throughout Great Britain for the 1995 rating revaluation of all non-domestic property. The main change to the committee's propoals will be to apply these rating rules whatever the valuation technique used.Implementation of the recommendations will involve replacing secondary legislation in England and Wales, and amending primary legislation in Scotland. The Government will consult interested people shortly on the way in which this will be done.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of reprocessed uranium have been returned to overseas customers with reprocessing contracts with British Nuclear Fuels plc to date; what quantities remain stored in the United Kingdom and at which locations; and what arrangements have been put in place for the future management of reprocessed uranium arising from foreign contracts.

Except for small quantities which have already been returned, uranium arising from reprocessing to date by British Nuclear Fuels plc of irradiated nuclear fuel on behalf of overseas customers is stored under international safeguards by the company at its various sites.Plans for the usage of current and future uranium from reprocessing are a commercial matter for British Nuclear Fuels plc and its customers. The new oxide fuels complex at Springfields has the capability to fabricate nuclear fuels using recycled uranium from the thermal oxide reprocessing plant.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will bring forward proposals to require (a) the nuclear installations inspectorate and (b) Nuclear Electric to publish data on routine radioactive combination caused by the decommissioning of the Berkeley nuclear power station.

No. Decommissioning of Berkeley nuclear power station is regulated by the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate by means of conditions attached to the nuclear site licence. These include the need for consideration of a safety case for decommissioning and arrangements for reporting incidents including those involving radioactive contamination. No significant radioactive contamination incidents have arisen during the decommissioning of Berkeley. Routine monitoring for contamination off site is carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and the data are published annually.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps are being taken to ensure that Companies House keeps the register of disqualified directors up to date.

The register of disqualified directors is maintained and updated by Companies House from information supplied to it on new disqualifications from the various courts throughout the country. The register currently contains the names of all those directors notified to Companies House by the courts.Companies House is working with the Lord Chancellor's Department to improve reporting by the courts.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will commission research into the arrangements for the supply and distribution of newspapers in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

No, my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has no plans to commission research into the arrangements for the supply and distribution of newspapers in Northern Ireland.On 19 August 1992 the Director General of Fair Trading referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission—MMC—the supply of newspapers from publishers to wholesalers and wholesalers to retailers in England and Wales. The MMC reported to the President of the Board of Trade on 30 July. Its recommendations are still under consideration and until the report is published it would be inappropriate for me to comment further.The terms of reference of the MMC's inquiry exclude Scotland and Northern Ireland, primarily because newspaper distribution arrangements there are different. However, the Office of Fair Trading continues to keep these markets under review and, when the MMC's report is published, will examine the general principles arising from its conclusions to see whether any action is warranted.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to seek to amend the United Kingdom's national legislation on prescribed quantities; and what action he proposes to make in relation to current EC legislation on prescribed quantities and unit pricing.

Under the existing national legislation certain pre-packed goods, including products such as biscuits, breakfast cereals, pasta and bread, must be produced in specified standard sizes. This restricts choice for the consumer—the standard sizes may not always suit their needs—and can impose an unnecessary burden on business.Accordingly, the Government are today issuing a consultation document to interested parties about abolishing these requirements where this would not conflict with mandatory EC legislation.With similar concerns in mind, the Government also propose to discuss with the European Commission ways of reducing the burden of the EC's legislation on standard sizes and on related unit pricing. This requires retailers to display the price per unit of measurement for certain categories of pre-packed goods where they are not made up in standard sizes.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade which areas he has proposed to the European Commission should be designated under objectives 2 and 5(b) of the European structural funds.

I placed in the Library of the House on 11 October a detailed list of the areas that have been proposed. In summary, the population coverage of the proposals is as follows:

'000s
	Objective 2	Objective 5(b)
Scotland and Wales	5,211	1,087
Northern England	9,866	409
English Midlands	4,822	415
Southern England	3,525	909
Gibraltar	30	—

The Government have taken careful account of the many representations received, a list of which I have also placed in the Library. Most of the current objective 2 and 5(b) areas, with the exception of the highlands and islands of Scotland and Merseyside, are included. These two areas, like Northern Ireland, have already been designated as objective 1 areas.A number of urban areas not previously designated, including parts of London, are included under the objective 2 criteria, which allow for the designation of urban areas with very high unemployment or industrial dereliction.The areas proposed under objective 5(b) represent a significant increase in the coverage of British rural areas. This is made possible both by the promotion of the highlands and islands to objective 1 and the increase in financial allocations agreed at the Edinburgh Council last December. A number of areas dependent on fishing have also been proposed under both objectives, as specifically provided for in the regulations agreed by the Council in July.Further detailed information about the extent of the proposed areas may be obtained from Mr. G. Roach in my Department—telephone 071–215 2659 or 2556.There will now be consultation between the Commission and the Government before the Commission publish its decision probably in early December. The Commission may want to reduce the coverage of the United Kingdom's and other member states' proposals to keep allocations across the Community as a whole to a reasonable limit.The Government's proposals are however realistic arid I look forward to the structural funds continuing to make a significant contribution to the economic development of the United Kingdom's priority industrial, urban and rural areas.The Government sent their proposals to Brussels on 6 October in order to meet the deadline set by the European Commission.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his Department's review of policy on section 43 of the Weights and Measures Act 1985 relating to froth on beer or cider.

My hon. Friend the Member for Gainsborough and Horncastle (Mr. Leigh) announced on 29 March, Official Report, columns 50–51 that, as part of the Government's deregulation initiative, the Department of Trade and Industry was reassessing the costs and benefits of the implementation of section 43 and that interested parties had been asked to provide information relevant to this reassessment.We have now completed our reassessment of the commencement order which was made last year and which would bring section 43 into force from next April. After reviewing the costs of complying with the order, and considering the views of consumers, enforcement authorities and business we have concluded that these costs are disproportionate to the consumer benefit. They would include the cost to licensees of replacing brim measure glasses with new lined glasses or installing meters. It was also clear from the consultations that in most cases the costs of extra beer would be passed on to the consumer, with price increases amounting to about 7p a pint in pubs now using brim measures.Accordingly, I have today revoked the commencement order thus allowing the continuation of the existing case law that a pint of beer may consist of liquid and a reasonable head. We will also bring forward, as soon as parliamentary time permits, legislation to repeal section 43.I understand that the Brewers' Society is issuing revised guidance to its members on the dispense of draught beer. It will say that a pint of draught beer with a head should contain a minimum of 95 per cent. liquid. This guidance is issued in conjunction with organisations representing licensees. Trading standards officers will be able to refer to the guidance in court cases about short measure and the courts can be expected to attach considerable weight to it.If customers are unhappy with the amount of liquid beer they have received they are already able to ask for, and should get, a top-up. The Brewers' Society's revised guidance will state that such requests should always be received with good grace.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what response he has made to the letter sent to him on 4 August by Professor Horlock in his capacity of chairman of the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Nuclear Installations on nuclear waste management in the United Kingdom.

[holding answer 27 October 1993]: I have sent a copy of Professor Horlock's letter of 4 August, and of my reply, to the hon. Member and have placed a copy of each in the Library of the House.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of reports from insolvency practitioners were rejected by the Insolvency Service in the latest available year; and if he will provide a breakdown of the numbers and percentages of rejected reports according to each principal reason for rejection.

[holding answer 27 October 1993]: The percentage of reports from insolvency practitioners rejected at the vetting stage during the 12 months to 30 September 1993 was 80.3 per cent.—3,345 reports.Of those reports, 70 per cent. identified elements of unfit conduct, but the case was not considered to be sufficiently serious or evidentially strong enough to justify proceeding in the public interest or there was clear mitigation or some other relevant factor; 24 per cent. were linked with one or more other companies/individuals subject to other insolvency procedures or proceedings; 5 per cent. were submitted with insufficient time remaining to prepare the evidence and with an insufficient basis to seek leave to extend the statutory time limit; and 1 per cent. where the whereabouts of the director were not known and service would be unlikely to be effected.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the cost for the current financial year of his Department having (a) premises and (b) personnel overseas; and what were the comparable figures for 12 months ago.

The expenditure by my Department on premises and personnel overseas is as follows:

	Current financial year (estimated) £	Previous financial year £
Premises1	10,044	7,323
Personnel2	1,037,086	956,991
Notes:
1 These costs relate to HMSO's recently opened European Sales Office in Germany.
2 These costs include the staffing of HMSO's European Sales Office (an estimated £43,551 in 1993 and £29,654 in 1992). The remainder covers the cost of British civil servants serving with European Community institutions in furtherance of the Government's initiative for wider representation in Europe.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what communications have taken place between his Department and the German authorities concerning the German experience of operating a computerised low flying management system.

My Department holds frequent discussions with the German authorities, at all levels. These cover a wide range of topics of mutual interest, and have included the German experience of operating a computerised low flying management system. The system in use in Germany is, however, somewhat different in scope and purpose to the automated low flying, flight planning, inquiry and notification system currently being developed for use in the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will declassify the RN manual BR4022 and the RAF manual AP 110A-0103-IAI, both relating to accident procedures, and subsequent amendments lists; and if he will make those documents available to civilian emergency services and local authorities with emergency planning responsibility.

No. The documents are already available to students on the relevant MOD training courses. Furthermore, the MOD document for local authorities and emergency services, issued in December 1992, gives appropriate guidance on contingency planning and the countermeasures that should be taken to protect the public.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will organise a nuclear weapon transport accident exercise in Scotland.

Officers from Scottish emergency services and local authorities already participate in the exercises that are an integral part of the MOD's regular nuclear accident response training courses. The MOD also conducts a programme of other nuclear accident response exercises with relevant authorities throughout the United Kingdom. A variety of scenarios are addressed in such exercises, including nuclear weapon transport accidents. An exercise addressing nuclear weapon contingency planning at Coulport was held earlier this year; a nuclear weapon transport exercise will be held in due course in Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on liaison arrangements and communications equipment which would be used between the RAF incident team and local civilian services and authorities in the event of a nuclear weapons accident in (a) Scotland and (b) other parts of the United Kingdom;(2) if he will make a statement on contingency planning for an accident involving a nuclear weapon transported by air over Scotland; and if such weapons are transported by air over Scotland.

Contingency plans for all forms of nuclear weapon transport are described in the MOD guidance document for local authorities and emergency services, issued in December 1992. A copy has already been placed in the Library.It is the long-standing policy of successive Governments to neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons at any particular place or time; this applies also to the routes that are used for their transportation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the maximum amount of time during which traffic on a public road might have to be stopped in a worst case scenario nuclear weapon transport accident.

The duration of traffic restrictions would clearly be entirely dependent on the specific circumstances of an accident.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will incorporate his Department's guidance to local authorities on response to nuclear weapon transport accidents into the nuclear accident procedures course.

The guidance document for local authorities and emergency services was issued in December 1992. It has already been incorporated into the nuclear accident procedures course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will extend the scope and participation of the nuclear accident procedures course to provide local authority input on the same basis as the special safety study period.

Local authority emergency planning officers already lecture to both courses, and equally organisers of both courses encourage constructive inputs from the officers and officials, whether from local authorities or elsewhere, who attend the courses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide for participation by health boards and regional health authorities in nuclear accident procedures courses and special safety study periods in future.

Officials from health boards and regional health authorities already attend both courses, and have done so for some years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 21 October, Official Report, column 328,if he will list the wheeled and tracked transport currently available to 5 Airborne Brigade, showing specifically the number of (a) six-wheeled buggies, (b) Land-Rovers, (c) light-wheeled tractors and (d) eager-beavers; if he has any plans to increase the on-ground mobility of the brigade; and if he will make a statement.

5 Airborne Brigade's current peacetime establishments for the vehicles listed are:

(a) All Terrain Mobile Platforms ("six wheeled buggies"): although 5 Airborne Brigade has no formal establishment for these vehicles, 39 are currently available for the Brigade's use.

(b) Trucks Utility Light/Medium ("Land Rovers")—663.

(c) Light Wheeled Tractors—13

(d) Rough Terrain Forklifts (formerly known as "Eager Beavers")—22.

In addition, 5 Airborne Brigade uses the following types of wheeled and tracked vehicles:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he proposes to take to commemorate the 50th anniversary in 1994 of the Normandy landings.

The Ministry of Defence has overall responsibility for organising the Government's participation in commemorative events marking the 50th anniverasary of the D-Day landings. An announcement of our plans will be made shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he proposes to take to commemorate the 50th anniversary in 1994 of the battle of Arnhem.

The anniversary of the battle of Arnhem is commemorated each year in the Netherlands. The British Government will be represented at an appropriate level at the 50th anniversary in 1994. In addition, the occasion will be marked by a parachute drop by members of 5 Airborne Brigade.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of ammunition and propellants supplied to the armed services are procured from foreign companies; how many of those foreign companies are incorporated in EC states; and what is the value of these contracts.

Less than 5 per cent. by value of our current contracts for ammunition and propellants have been placed directly with foreign companies. Four companies are involved, three of which are incorporated in EC states. The total value of the overseas contracts is £10 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total cost to date of the construction of a wartime command centre underneath the Ministry of Defence building in Whitehall.

The total cost to date of the construction and equipping of the command centre underneath the Ministry of Defence building in Whitehall is some £126 million, of which £66 million was for construction which has now been completed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's latest assessment of the improvements made to Russian anti-ballistic missile defences around Moscow since 1990 and of whether Russia is still acting in strict compliance with the terms of the 1972 anti-ballistic missile treaty.

The current Moscow ballistic missile defence system, which became operational in 1989, includes the Gazelle short-range and Gorgon long-range interceptors and conforms to the 1972 treaty and its protocols. This is a bilateral agreement between the US and Russia, and we are not aware of any compliance concerns at present.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's assessment of Russia's capability to counter ballistic missile attack in areas of its territory which lie outside the operational range of the anti-ballistic missile defences that it deploys around Moscow.

In accordance with the 1972 ABM treaty, there are no strategic missile defences deployed outside of the Moscow ABM system. Some Russian surface-to-air missiles do however have a capability against short-range tactical ballistic missiles, but these are assessed as ineffective against strategic missiles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if the requirement to test fire the United Kingdom's Trident D5 missiles will be significantly less than that for the Polaris missiles;(2) if the proportion of spare Trident missiles compared to the overall United Kingdom Trident missile buy will be significantly different from that of the United Kingdom's Polaris missile purchase.

There will be no spare Trident missiles. All will be deployed operationally, test fired or form part of a processing margin. The proportion of missiles in the second and third categories is expected to be significantly less than for Polaris.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Trident submarines will be capable of deploying a sub-strategic nuclear capability upon entering operational service.

Trident will be able to contribute to our sub-strategic capability on entering service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if Her Majesty's Government can deploy the Trident system as an effective minimum nuclear deterrent with the number of Trident D5 missiles that have already been purchased from the United States; and whether there is a continuing requirement to purchase further Trident D5 missiles from the United States.

The United Kingdom's Trident strategic nuclear deterrent is not yet ready for operational deployment. As previously announced, further Trident D5 missiles are planned to be purchased from the United States in due course to meet the overall requirements of the Trident programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral statement of 18 October, Official Report, columnns 34–25, if it is Her Majesty's Government's policy to deploy only Trident D5 missiles in the nuclear role when the WE177 eventually leaves service; and what are the implications of the decision for (a) the number of Trident D5 missiles required and (b) the overall number of nuclear warheads deployed by the United Kingdom.

On current plans, the Trident D5 missile will be the only United Kingdom nuclear system after the WE177 is eventually withdrawn for service. My right hon. and learned Friend's announcement on 18 October does not alter our previous commitment that each Trident submarine will carry no more than 128 warheads. It is not our practice to comment on future plans for the purchase of missiles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to place the order for the next batch of Trident D5 missiles from the United States.

It is not our practice to reveal our future missile procurement plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of Tornado GR1s are withheld from conventional military duties in order to fulfil the sub-strategic nuclear role.

None. All nuclear capable Tornado GR1s are dual-roled and would undertake conventional military duties in wartime until required to fulfil the sub-strategic nuclear role.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's latest assessment of (a) the nuclear weapon programmes of (i) Iran, (ii) Iraq, (iii) Libya and (iv) Syria and (b) the earliest date by which (1) Iran, (2) Libya and (3) Syria could develop a crude nuclear weapon and develop the means of delivering a nuclear warhead on a ballistic missile.

The UN inspection teams found incontrovertible evidence that Iraq was developing a crude nuclear weapon and there is concern that Iraq could reinstate its nuclear weapons programme if current UN sanctions were to be lifted. As states which are parties to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty—NPT—Iran, Libya and Syria have undertaken formal commitments not to acquire nuclear weapons which we expect them to honour in full. The experience with Iraq has demonstrated however that membership of the NPT alone is not a guarantee of non-proliferation. We therefore take every opportunity both bilaterally and in international fora to stress the significance we attach to all states which are parties to the NPT complying fully with their obligations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's latest assessment of the number of air-launched sub-strategic nuclear weapons currently deployed by Russia.

An assessment of the number of air-launched sub-strategic nuclear weapons currently deployed by Russia is complicated by the fact that many are being withdrawn from service and are earmarked for dismantlement. We estimate that a total of 11,000 to 12,000 sub-strategic warheads of all types remain, but it is likely that some are non-operational.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of staff of the DRA at the Woolwich Arsenal site are on paid leave; and if he will make a statement.

This is a matter delegated to the Defence Research Agency under its framework document. I have, therefore, asked the chief executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Kenyan Government on the problems now being faced in that country as a result of refugees crossing the border from Somalia to Kenya; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development discussed this issue recently with the Kenyan Foreign Minister. In 1992–23, we provided over £2.4 million via UN agencies and non-governmental organisations as aid to refugees in northern Kenya, over 85 per cent. of whom were Somalis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the factors underlying his decision to issue a ministerial directive to the accounting officer in his Department to incur expenditure on the Pergau hydro-electric project.

The accounting officer correctly carried out his responsibilities. I reached my decision against the wider background of Britain's interests in Malaysia. I had to take into account that an undertaking had been given at the highest level, and that we had made a formal offer of aid support for the Pergau project to the Malaysian Government. The Malaysians wanted to proceed. It would have been damaging to British companies and to British exports to Malaysia to renege on our undertaking. Later developments including the rapid expansion of our trade indicate that this was the right decision.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what considerations underlay his Department's decision to arrange for the loan agreement for the Pergau hydro-electric project to be made directly with Tenaga Nasional; and what consideration was given to arranging it with the Government of Malaysia.

The reasons for the loan agreement in respect of the Pergau project being with Tenaga Nasional rather than the Government of Malaysia are set out fully in paragraphs 40 to 42 of the National Audit Office report on the project, laid before the House on 22 October.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what options for financing the Pergau dam were considered; what was the cost of each; which was chosen; and what considerations underlay the choice.

I refer the right hon. Member to paragraphs 4, 5, 35–29 and 57 and appendix 2 of the National Audit Office report on the project, laid before the House on 22 October.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each individual scheme which received financial assistance under aid and trade provision since the programme began, in each case giving (a) the sum provided, (b) the date of project approval and (c) the project's location.

A list has been placed in the Library of the House. Central records on ATP projects include the dates of each formal ATP aid agreement concluded with an overseas government, but not the dates of approval of individual projects.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current relations between India and Her Majesty's Government.

Our relations with India are excellent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Governments of Pakistan and India regarding the situation in Kashmir.

We have regularly discussed the situation in Kashmir with the Governments of India and Pakistan, most recently at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Cyprus. We have encouraged both Governments to resolve their differences through bilateral dialogue.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the rental of hemicycles rented by the European Parliament in (a) Strasbourg, (b) Brussels and (c) Luxembourg; and how often each building will be used for a plenary session in 1993.

The EP is holding 11 plenary sessions in the hemicycle in Strasbourg in 1993, and has held two mini-plenary sessions in the new hemicycle in Brussels this year. It has held none in Luxembourg since 1981.The detailed appropriations given in section 1, chapter 20 of the "General Budget of the European Community", published in "Official Journal" No. L31, volume 36 of 8 February 1993, copies of which are available in the House, indicate operating expenditure, including rental of buildings, as follows:

Strasbourg:	Palais de 1'Europe:
	471,200 ecu (approximately £367,583)
Brussels:	D1:
	20,750,000 ecu (approximately £16,187,075)

I will write to my hon. Friend if more precise figures are available from the European Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 20 October, Official Report, column 242, if he will give details of the seizures in Hong Kong restaurants and shops of suspected endangered animals and animal products.

Seizures by the Hong Kong authorities over the past 12 months—1 August 1992 to 3 July 1993 —of suspected endangered animals and animal products from Hong Kong shops and restaurants were as follows:

Endangered Species
Pangolin	Scale	0.43 kg.
Musk	Pod	4 Nos.
	Grain	8 316 G
Rhinoceros	Medicine	4 small vials
Owl	Live	1 Hd.
Sea-Turtle	Stuffed	1 Hd.
	Scale	1 Pc.
Land-Tortoise	Live	3Hds.
Giant Salamander	Live	26 Hds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's Government plans to ratify the chemical weapons convention.