To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the current proposals on the Multilateral Trade Organisation being negotiated at the GATT talks.

Yes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the Government's position on the current proposals for the Multilateral Trade Organisation being discussed at the general agreement on tariffs and trade talks.

The Government support the establishment of the proposed Multilateral Trade Organisation (MTO). This is intended to provide a vehicle for the effective implementation of the results of the Uruguay round, and an institutional framework for the conduct of future trade negotiations. The Government have consistently endorsed the idea that the round should be a single package, with participants required to accept the results of the negotiations in their entirety. The proposed MTO agreement will be the means to implement the total package.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guarantee has been provided to the Government of Belize that Britain will safeguard Belize's territorial integrity in the event of external aggression.

We have made it clear to the Belize Government that we are fully prepared to play our part in any consultations leading to an appropriate response should the security of Belize be threatened in the future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries which are subject to a United Kingdom arms embargo (a) as part of or (b) independently of (i) United Nations or (ii) EC policy.

We observe arms embargoes imposed by the United Nations on the following countries: Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Liberia, Haiti, South Africa and the former Republic of Yugoslavia. We also observe arms embargoes imposed by the European Union on China, Syria, Burma and Zaire and by the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe on Armenia and Azerbaijan. In addition, as a matter of declared national policy we refuse to supply arms to Argentina, Iran and Israel.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list by year and by date for the last 10 years and for the current year to date the occasions when a Minister from his Department has visited (a) the headquarters of MI6 and (b) GCHQ, Cheltenham; and what were the subjects discussed on each occasion;(2) when he next expects to make a visit to

Contacts with the agencies are close and frequent and Ministers visit periodically. I do not propose to provide full details of dates or subjects discussed or to give advance notice of such visits. I last visited the headquarters of GCHQ on 25 January 1991 and of SIS on 1 July 1993. The most recent FCO ministerial visit to GCHQ was by my right hon. and noble Friend the Baroness Chalker of Wallasey on 28 September 1993 and to SIS by my right hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on 21 October 1993.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the cost, by location, of bomb-proofing the Department's premises.

On security grounds, I do not propose to give this information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the arms embargo against Israel was defined; what items it included; and if he will set out the precise terms and date of each change in his policy on applying the embargo since 1982.

We announced in June 1982, following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, that we would withhold approval of licences for the export to Israel of all British military equipment until further notice. In 1983 it was decided to allow the export of electronic and other small non-lethal components, provided that they did not form part of equipment due to be put into immediate service with the Israeli forces in Lebanon.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes have been made to the list of posts abroad designated to accept entry clearance applications.

There are three significant changes to the list. Since 17 November the consulate-general in St. Petersburg has provided an entry clearance service, for the present to residents of its consular district only. In early December, the embassy in Tallinn will accept applications from residents in Estonia. In Cameroon we have centralised our visa operation in Yaounde; Douala no longer accepts applications.I am placing copies of the revised list in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the United Kingdom is to contribute to the cost of sewage treatment and other anti-beach pollution measures in other European Union member states; what contribution it is to receive from the EU towards the cost of similar measures in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.The cohesion fund assists the poorest member states to improve their transport and environment infrastructure including sewerage systems. We contribute only 5 per cent. of the cohesion fund, substantially less than France, Germany or Spain. We benefit from the EC structural funds and expect to receive about £10 billion from 1994–99. Investments in sewerage improvements can be supported by these funds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list policy and legislative changes which have been introduced by successive British Governments to comply with the international covenant on civil and political rights since it came into force on 23 March 1976; whether the Government intend to allow citizens of the United Kingdom to petition the United Nations Human Rights Committee by ratifying the optional protocol to the international covenant on civil and political rights; and what are the reasons for his decision.

I have been asked to reply.Comprehensive accounts of the action taken by successive Governments to comply with the international covenant on civil and political rights (ICCPR) are provided in the periodic reports which are submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Committee every five years, copies of which are in the Library.The United Kingdom has accepted the right of individual petition under the European convention on human rights since 1966. The Government do not believe that becoming a party to the optional protocol to the ICCPR would enhance the protection of human rights in the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes Her Majesty's Government have made in its policy regarding arms and military sales to Nigeria following the recent military coup.

All aspects of our policy towards Nigeria are currently under review. We shall announce the outcome shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Chad.

Our relations with Chad are cordial, but not substantial. United Kingdom exports to Chad in 1992 were £1·36 million. There is no bilateral aid programme, but we contribute to European Community aid programmes, which amount to over 10 million ECU this year. Diplomatic relations are covered by Her Majesty's Ambassador in Yaoundé, Cameroon, on a non-resident basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Britain's role in the monitoring of elections in South Africa in 1994; and in what ways the Government are contributing to a fair and democratic transition in that country.

We intend to play a full part in helping to ensure that the South African elections are free and fair. We are discussing with the European Community, Commonwealth and United Nations the best ways in which to assist. The precise details of South Africa's election monitoring needs are unlikely to become clear until the Independent Election Commission has been established. This is expected shortly.Our entire aid programme which is currently over E11·5 million a year plus a similar sum as a share of EC aid, is designed to support the transition to a democratic and non-racial society in South Africa.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to encourage the use of British stonemasons and woodcarvers in the restoration of Windsor castle.

Management of the restoration of Windsor castle is the responsibility of the Royal household and so, therefore, is the selection of craftsmen. However, there is no reason to suppose that the craftsmen used will not be British.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will seek to provide funds to the National Trust, the English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish Heritages and the Churches to recruit and train apprentices in stonemasonary and woodcarving and to employ them subsequently.

I have no plans to provide specific funding on the lines proposed. English Heritage has recently established its own training centre for conservation skills at Fort Brockhurst, Hampshire. My Department also part-funds the conference on training in architectural conservation (COTAC), which aims to ensure that formal training and practical experience in conservation skills is available to all sectors of the construction industry, and works through a national network of training institutions to achieve this. Funding for such activities in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friends.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations the Lord Chancellor has received concerning the appointment of chief justices' clerks.

One hundred and twenty responses were received to a consultation paper on the role of chief justices' clerks, issued in February 1993. In addition, 10 magistrates and other interested persons have made written representations directly to the Lord Chancellor or his Department on the subject of chief justices' clerks, and 62 hon. Members have received representations which have been conveyed to me on behalf of the Lord Chancellor.The Lord Chancellor attended the annual general meeting of the Magistrates' Association on 9 October where he discussed various aspects of the White Paper. He also received written representations from the association following this meeting.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list, for the last 12 months and by individual Crown court, (a) the occasions of scheduled individual sittings of separate courts within a Crown court complex that have been unable to sit due to the absence of a judge or recorder, (b) the specific reason for each cancellation (c) the date of the maximum number of cancellations occurring on any single day and (d) the estimated cost to public funds on that day.

The information requested is unavailable and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Lord President of the Council when he expects to put proposals before the House to implement the report of the Select Committees on Sittings of the House.

As I indicated in the debate on the Address on 25 November, I am continuing to seek agreement on a balanced package of measures that can be brought before the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the modernisation of the west coast main line infrastructure.

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his Budget statement that the Government have decided that the modernisation of the west main line will be taken forward as a privately managed and financed investment as part of the private finance initiative. The investment made by the private sector will be additional to the investment which Railtrack will be able to fund under the public expenditure plans announced in the Budget.Principles for using private sector management and finance have been agreed between the Department of Transport and Railtrack following a study carried out by Hambros Bank Ltd. Under these:Railtrack will be responsible for project definition and will draw up performance standards for the line in association with the private sector. Railtrack will be inviting expressions of interest in the next few days.Once the new performance standards have been set, a competition will be held in late 1994 to select a private sector consortium to modernise the line and to maintain it for a defined period. The responsibility for project management and design will also rest with the successful consortium.The successful consortium will be remunerated by service payments from Railtrack during the contract period. These payments will be subject to penalties and bonuses linked to the performance of the consortium in meeting the new performance standards and the consequential impact this will have on revenue losses and gains on the line.The new standards will stipulate minimum performance criteria. Where commercially justified, the InterCity west coast franchisee (and, possibly, other train operators) will be able to contract for linespeed and other improvements in exchange for increased access payments.To facilitate this the InterCity west coast franchise will be let at the earliest practicable date.The principles have been devised to transfer risks out of the public sector to those who can control them best. The risk that the infrastructure fails to perform to specification will be transferred to the private sector consortium. That consortium will also bear revenue risk insofar as it is affected by the performance of the infrastructure. The bulk of the remainder of the revenue risk will be transferred to the train operating companies and the providers of private sector funds.This approach will bring together private and public sector expertise to modernise the line in a way which will ensure that its full potential is realised without the capital cost coming out of public funds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the cost to his Department in respect of the demonstration on 6 November opposing the M11 link at George Green, Wanstead; and if he will make a statement.

Cost will arise directly from the destruction of a fence and damage to other works and from the need to reinstate them and prevent recurrence of the damage. Indirectly costs will arise from delay to the contractor's programme. The works have yet to be reinstated. No claims have been received from the contractor, and so the amount of cost which may be borne by the Department is unknown. We intend to make further progress with the work as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the advantages he expects to arise from the M11 link at George Green, Wanstead; and if he will make a statement.

The link road will relieve existing unsuitable roads of through traffic between the M11/North Circular road at Redbridge and the A102(M) Eastway approach to Blackwall tunnel at Hackney Marsh. The amenities of George Green, Wanstead, will be improved by the removal of this traffic from adjacent local roads and maintained by the provision of a tunnel for the link road. Some disruption is, however, unavoidable while the tunnel is constructed by the cut-and-cover method. The works have begun on site and are programmed to take four years to complete.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many incidents of violent crime and sexual assault were recorded at British Rail stations in each year since 1990; what were the figures for Network SouthEast; and how many of these incidents occurred when a station was unstaffed.

The tables show the recorded incidents of violent crime and sexual assault at British Rail stations since 1990. Figures for incidents occurring at unstaffed stations are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

All British Rail stations
	1990	1991	1992	11993
Crimes of violence	1,630	1,584	1,586	1,212
Sexual offences (excluding indecent exposure)	556	474	437	352
1 January to September 1993.

Network SouthEast
	1990	1991	1992	11993
Crimes of violence	n/a	713	692	502
Sexual offences (excluding indecent exposure)	n/a	269	219	205
1 January to September 1993.

n/a—not available

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated net cost to public funds of railway privatisation.

It is impossible to estimate the net effect of privatisation at this stage because the process will take some years to complete. Nevertheless, for any given level of public funding key factors such as investment and quality of service are expected to improve as a result of greater efficiency from increasing private sector management and competition.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the local authority areas by political control which operate concessionary travel schemes for pensioners.

According to a survey of local authorities done by the Department of Transport in 1992, there were concessionary fare schemes for pensioners in 96 per cent. of districts in Great Britain, some operated by district councils and some by county councils or passenger transport executives. In London the scheme is funded by the boroughs.It is therefore less cumbersome to list the small number of local authorities that had no schemes for pensioners. These were: Caradon, Carrick, Eden, Hambleton, Kennet, Kerrier, North Cornwall, Orkney Islands, Penwith, Rhuddlan, Salisbury, Scarborough, South Holland, Stratford-on-Avon, West Somerset, Woodspring.Of the 16 authorities listed, most of those in England and Wales not covered by a scheme were rural areas served by little public transport. Some of those authorities do support voluntary organisations which provide community transport or social car schemes. In Scotland, Orkney Island Council does not provide a formal concessionary fare scheme, but a subsidy is provided for inter-island air and sea travel.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many applications were received annually for exemption from vehicle excise duty on the ground of disability, from 1988 to 1992 inclusive; and how many of these were (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful.

The Benefits Agency deals with applications for certificates of entitlement for exemption from vehicle excise duty (VED), because exemption is linked to certain Benefits Agency allowances, chiefly the higher rate of the mobility component of disability living allowance. In 1988, 320,000 people received exemption from VED on the grounds of disability, in 1989 350,000, in 1990 375,000, in 1991 420,000,and in 1992 465,000. No figures for unsuccessful applications for exemption certificates are available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total cost of exemptions from vehicle excise duty in 1992.

In 1992, 465,000 people were issued with exempt vehicle excise duty (VED) discs on the grounds of disability. The value of those discs was £57 million. 425,000 other vehicles (such as emergency vehicles) were also exempt from VED in 1992. Had they been required to pay VED, the revenue raised would have been at least £47 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he will take to compensate disabled persons, following the abolition of exemption from vehicle excise duty for persons with mobility problems.

There are no plans to introduce compensation. The Government introduced provisions to ensure that those disabled people benefiting from the exemption at the time of its repeal on 13 October 1993 (approximately 20,000) will continue to benefit from the exemption for as long as their disability remains. The repeal does not affect entitlement to exemption from vehicle excise duty granted under the war pensioners mobility supplement or the higher rate mobility component of DLA. Some 400,000 people currently benefit from exemption through this route.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what penalties have been incurred by Balfour Beatty, the contractors, for the widening of the M20 at Maidstone, for late completion of the contract; and if he will make a statement;(2) what assessment he has made of whether the reasons so far published for delays in completion of the M20 widening contract around Maidstone are complete; and if he will carry out an investigation into them.

The contract contains provisions for payment of liquidated damages if the contractor overruns the final contract completion date, This will be determined by the engineer to the contract when all the relevant facts of this complex issue are known to him and have been fully assessed. It is too early to say what penalties will be imposed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what improvements to large goods vehicles' mirrors he plans to reduce the risk of accident to cyclists and others caused by left turning lorries' blind spot.

None. The Government have already amended national regulations to require close proximity mirrors on goods vehicles weighing over 12 tonnes and first used from 1 October 1988. These mirrors are specifically designed to provide the drivers of such lorries with improved vision to the side of their vehicles and make them more aware of cyclists and other road users.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the types of vehicle required to have tachographs; what information such equipment records; and what is the penalty for operating such vehicles with the equipment disconnected or non operational.

EC regulations require the fitment of tachographs to most heavy goods vehicles over 3½ tonnes, to domestic passenger carrying vehicles with more than 17 seats unless on regular scheduled services and to vehicles with 10 or more seats on international journeys within the European Community.The tachograph records the driver's activities (driving, rest and periods of other work) as well as vehicle speed and time. The resultant records allow retrospective checking by enforcement authorities. The maximum penalties for producing a false tachograph chart by tampering with the device are, on summary indictment, a fine of £5,000 and, on conviction on indictment, two years imprisonment. Convictions may be taken into account by Licensing Authorities in deciding whether to grant or renew an operator's licence or an HGV/PCV driver's licence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will require all heavy goods vehicles to display the name, address and telephone number of the user of the vehicle for each journey; and if he will apply the same requirements to hired vehicles.

I do not propose to extend the requirements already laid down in the goods vehicle operator licensing provisions. These apply to users of heavy goods vehicles, including hired vehicles, over 3·5 tonnes and require that a vehicle specified on an operator licence display a disc showing the name of the licensed operator, a trading name if applicable, the registration number of the vehicle and the type of licence held by the operator.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1)if he will review his Department's policy regarding 60 mph repeater speed limit signs on the A361 north Devon link road;(2) if he will review the overtaking arrangements on the A361 north Devon link road;(3) if he will make a statement about the upgrading of parts or all of the A361 north Devon link road to dual carriageway;(4) if he will review the lighting arrangements at, and layout of, junctions on the A361 north Devon link road;(5) if he will arrange for an official from his Department to visit north Devon and meet representatives of the local county, district and parish councils, and other concerned parties, to discuss safety of the A361 north Devon link road.

A number of accident reduction measures have already been implemented. Officials of the Department's South West regional office have arranged urgent discussions with our agent authority, Devon county council, and the police on possible further measures. This will include consideration of some of the suggestions put forward by the hon. Member.I will write to the hon. Member as soon as I have the outcome of the discussions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations have been made to him about the successors to 125 diesel locomotives for operating the InterCity service of the Great Western network; and if he will make a statement on the implications of the Railways Act 1993 for this particular service.

I have received a number of representations about replacing the fleet of 125 diesel locomotives currently in use on the Great Western main line with electric traction. There are no plans to electrify the line at present, but this does not rule it out as an option when the existing diesel fleet reaches the end of its economic life.Under the franchising proposals in the Railways Act, services on the Great Western main line will be among the first to be transferred to private sector operators. To this end, British Rail will begin shadow running from next April.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many speed restrictions apply to the Great Western railway network west of Reading; what stretches of line they apply to; whether they are caused by deficiencies in track maintenance; and if he will make a statement.

This information is not held by the Department. These are operational matters for British Rail.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding London Underground has received over the past 10 years; what assessment he has made of the amount of money which will need to be invested in the underground to bring its services to a reasonable standard; and what assessment he has made of whether safety work on the Underground is being delayed because of lack of investment.

The Government do not fund London Underground Ltd. (LUL) directly, but makes an annual grant to LUL's parent body, London Transport (LT). London Transport's grant settlement for the three years from 1994–95 was announced on 30 November, and it is currently in the process of allocating this settlement between its subsidiaries. Decisions on the need for and the timing of investment projects are for LUL to make, but safety remains a key priority, and there is no question of it being jeopardised. The amounts LUL has spent on investment over the last 10 years are shown in the table.

LUL investment 1984–85—1993–94
£ million 1993–94 prices
Year	LUL (CORE)	JLE	Crossrail	Total
1984–85	188	0	0	188
1985–86	206	0	0	206
1986–87	253	0	0	253
1987–88	298	0	0	298
1988–89	269	0	0	269
1989–90	376	0	0	376
1990–91	470	45	6	521

	Pay	Non-pay	Accommodation	Administrative capital
	£ million	£ million	£ million	£ million
Construction programme division OUs	18·255	2·567	3·712	0·392
Network management and maintenance OUs	16·588	3·822	4·290	0·380
London regional office	6·756	0·333	1·648	0·052
HQ directorates	23·492	3·971	6·064	11·800
1 The administrative capital figure for HQ directorates includes the IT budget of El·5 million which is held centrally for use throughout highways safety and traffic command.

Budgets for individual operating units (OUs) are not now monitored centrally as the directors in charge of the construction programme divisions, network management divisions, London regional office and HQ directorates have discretion to switch funds between OUs in the interests of efficient administration. The figures shown vary during the course of the year as directors switch funding into or out of other budgets.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library the reports produced by Coopers and Lybrand and other consultants on access charging prices for Railtrack.

No. The reports contain commercially confidential information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Northern line on the London Underground is due to be modernised.

Decisions on the implementation of capital investment projects, such as the modernisation of the Northern line, are for London Transport and London Underground Ltd. to make. However, I understand that the Northern line is the next line due to be modernised after the Central line, which is on schedule for completion in 1995.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the current year's contribution to site costs and overheads at each operating unit of (a) the construction programme, (b) the network management and maintenance units, (c) the London regional office and (d) the headquarters directorates of his Department.

The figures below relate to the highways safety and traffic command of the Department of Transport, excluding the traffic area offices. The current pay, non-pay, accommodation and administrative capital budgets are:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the chairman of British Rail about its finance and the running of trains without WC facilities; and what provisions of the passengers charter apply to these facilities.

[holding answer 30 November 1993]: The provision and cleaning of toilet facilities on trains is an operational matter for the board. Although the passengers charter does not refer specifically to this aspect of service, the provision of clean toilets on longer distance services is an important aspect of BR's commitment to provide a high quality of service. For this reason, BR regularly monitors customer satisfaction with this aspect of its service.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to issue new guidance to the Local Government Commission for its work on reorganising the structure of local government in England.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State issued revised policy guidance to the Local Government Commission on 2 November. We published revised procedure guidance on 22 November and directed the commission to begin on 13 December all its remaining shire reviews, including that of Cumbria.Copies of both sets of guidance have been placed in the House Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the cost to local authorities in England of preparing for local government reforms.

I have made no such estimate.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom Ecolabelling Board.

The United Kingdom Ecolabelling Board awarded the first European Community ecolabels to a British manufacturer, Hoover Ltd, for three washing machines in its New Wave Range on 25 November.The board, which has recently been strengthened by the appointment of two environmental experts, continues to play a leading role within Europe in the development of ecolabelling.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he intends taking to help the construction industry counter the problems posed by the present regulations on contaminated land.

There are no regulations. The Government are reviewing policy and contributing about £1·5 million a year towards research into decontamination and building on contaminated land.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to improve energy efficiency standards in buildings.

In recent years the budget for my Department's Energy Efficiency Office (EEO) has substantially increased, and for 1994–95 will be over £100 million, over 17 times the real level of expenditure in 1979–80. Much of this will relate to buildings.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will convene a full and independent public inquiry into the commissioning of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant; and if he will make a statement.

Responses to the consultation are still being assessed. When they have all been carefully considered, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and I will decide whether to afford a hearing or inquiry and, if we decide not to do so, will take final decisions on the authorisations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the criteria that will be used for the classification of the Solent in respect of estuarine status for use under the urban waste water treatment directive.

The two different bases used for defining the outer limits of estuaries in the United Kingdom were set out in draft guidance to accompany draft implementing regulations for the directive. Both drafts were issued for public consultation in April of this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he expects a change in the classification of the Solent for the purposes of water quality.

I shall be announcing my decision on the classification of the Solent for the purposes of the UWWTD in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further steps he is taking to help council tenants to buy their houses.

We introduced our new rent to mortgage scheme on 11 October. This will extend new opportunity of home ownership to council tenants who are financially secure, but cannot quite afford to buy their homes outright. My right hon. Friend also announced yesterday a £30 million boost to the cash incentive scheme, which helps council tenants to buy their own home in the private sector. Similar grants are also available to housing association tenants.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many homes have been sold under right-to-buy legislation.

In England, a total of 1·17 million homes have been sold under the right to buy. The figure for Great Britain as a whole is almost 1·5 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 10 local councils which charged the highest rate of council tax this year.

The 10 local councils in England with the highest headline band C council taxes are:

Authority	£
Newcastle upon Tyne	704
Greenwich	696
Manchester	656
Haringey	646
Liverpool	645
Harlow	644
Camden	638
North Tynside	628
Salford	628
Derwentside	626

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals against council tax valuation there have been since the original council tax valuations took place, (a) in total (b) by local authority and (c) by standard region; and what was the average cost of processing those appeals in the financial year in which they occurred.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave her on 25 November, at columns 190–205.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce changes to, and the level of, standard spending assessments.

My right hon. Friend will make a statement to the House shortly on the provisional revenue support grant settlement for 1994–95, including details of proposals for standard spending assessments.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent he is taking into account local opinion in determining the future of local government in Suffolk.

The Local Government Commission will begin its review of local government in Suffolk on 13 December. The commission must take into consideration all relevant representations made to it. We shall take local views fully into account when considering the commission's recommendations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek powers to strengthen the regulations for the importation of hazardous waste.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is considering the need for additional provisions to implement the EC Waste Shipments Regulation.

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

The following 23 councils have transferred all or most of their housing stock to housing associations:

• Breckland DC
• Broadland DC
• London Borough of Bromley
• Chiltern DC
• Christchurch BC
• East Cambridgeshire DC
• East Dorset DC
• Hambleton DC
• Medina BC
• Mid Sussex DC
• Newbury DC
• North Bedfordshire DC
• Rochester upon Medway City C
• Ryedale DC
• Sevenoaks DC
• South Buckinghamshire DC
• South Wight BC
• Suffolk Coastal DC
• Surrey Heath BC

• Swale BC
• Tonbridge and Mailing BC
• Tunbridge Wells BC
• West Dorset DC

A further eight councils on the 1993–94 disposals programme have won tenant support for transfer and are expected to submit applications for permission to transfer by March next year.I am also pleased that the public expenditure provision for housing announced yesterday will enable the programme to be expanded in future. Fourteen authorities have applied for inclusion in next year's programme and I hope to announce the successful applicants in the next couple of weeks.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of homeless families in the west midlands.

In the 12 months ending June 1993 the number of households for which local authorities in the west midlands accepted responsibility for securing permanent accommodation under the provisions of part III of the Housing Act 1985 was 17,570. This is some 300 (1·7 per cent.) less than the number accepted in the previous year ending June 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the total number of households (a) applying and (b) accepted by each of the London boroughs as homeless under the provisions of part III of the Housing Act 1985 in each year from 1979; and how many homeless households were accommodated in (i) bed and breakfast hotels and (ii) other temporary accommodation at the end of each of those years.

I have today placed in the Library a table giving the numbers of households which each local authority in England reported as having accepted responsibility to secure permanent accommodation under the homelessness provisions of the Housing Act 1985 in the years 1979 to 1992.Information on applications, for 1991 and 1992 only (this was not collected prior to 1991), and the numbers of households in the various types of temporary accommodation at the end of the year reported by London boroughs can be found in the following editions of "Local Housing Statistics: England and Wales".

Year	Table number	Edition number
1979	14	54
1980	13	62
1981	7	63
1982	9	66
1983	12	70
1984	12	74
1985	9(b)	78
1986	9(b)	82
1987	9(b)	86
1988	9(b)	90
1989	9(b)	94
1990	9(b)	98
1991	9(b)	102
1992	8(b)	106

Copies of all these publications are in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution he is making to the Government's review of social security spending.

Ministers and officials in the Departments of the Environment and of Social Security are in regular contact about issues of mutual interest. A formal working group has been established to discuss matters relating to housing and benefits policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he has given to the Local Government Commission about the review of local government in North Yorkshire.

The review of local government in Humberside, Lincolnshire and North Yorkshire is being conducted in accordance with the original policy and procedure guidance which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State issued to the commission in July 1992. Copies are in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he has taken within his Department to support his sponsorship of the construction industry.

A new construction sponsorship directorate has been set up within the Department of the Environment with the aim of helping all sectors of the United Kingdom construction industry to succeed in their domestic, European and world markets. It is the advocate within Government and the European Union for the industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next intends to meet the Association of Metropolitan Authorities to discuss derelict land grants.

I have no immediate plans to meet the AMA but if it has specific concerns about derelict land grants, I am happy to take note of them.Responsibility for the derelict land grant programme will pass next spring to English Partnerships, about which the AMA has been fully consulted.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the use of powers of local authorities to restrict traders' rights to protect their premises in conservation areas.

Installation of shutters or other security devices which would materially affect the external appearance of a commercial building in a conservation area requires planning permission. In considering applications for planning permission, local planning authorities—or on appeal the Secretary of State—must take into account appropriate local plan policies and other material considerations. In the case of applications relating to a building in a conservation area, security considerations have to be balanced against the statutory requirement to have special regard to the desirability of preserving or enhancing the character or appearance of the area.My Department's draft circular "Planning and Crime Prevention", currently subject to public consultation, encourages planning authorities to adopt a sympathetic approach where the security of listed buildings and buildings in conservation areas is concerned and to explore with applicants the scope for a mutually acceptable solution to their requirements. A copy of the draft circular is available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next plans to meet Sir John Banham to discuss the progress of the Local Government Commission.

I am next scheduled to meet Sir John Banham on Tuesday 18 January.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the provision made in calculating standard spending assessments and grant distribution to London authorities to reflect expenditure on concessionary fare schemes; and if he will make a statement.

As part of the review of standard spending assessments for 1994–95 we have considered carefully the case for including specific provision for spending on concessionary fares in London. My right hon. Friend will announce his proposals for SSAs shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received in relation to the calculation of the standard spending assessment for Bury Metro; and if he will make a statement.

We have received representations from the metropolitan borough of Bury on a number of standard spending assessment issues and on the assessment for education in particular. My right hon. Friend will announce his proposals for SSAs for 1994–95 shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to boost the private rented sector.

We have already taken action to boost the private rented sector by introducing deregulation measures in the Housing Act 1988 to encourage landlords to bring their property on to the market. Landlords are now able to let property under assured and assured shorthold tenancies and charge market rents.Specific initiatives launched last year include the rent-a-room scheme, under which householders no longer have to pay tax on rent from a lodger in their home if the gross amount of the rent is no more than £3,250, the flats-over-shops scheme, under which £25 million is being made available through local authorities over three years to bring flats over shops back into residential use, and, the housing associations as managing agents scheme, which allows housing associations to act as an intermediary between potential private landlords and tenants in order to encourage more empty property to be let.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the average rent for (a) council tenancies, (b) housing association assured tenancies, (c) housing association fair rent tenancies and (d) other regulated tenancies in each of the London boroughs in each appropriate year since 1979; and if he will express the increases as an index, taking 1979 as 100, to compare with the increase in (i) average earnings and (ii) the retail prices index over the same period.

I have placed today in the Library tables showing for each London borough (a) the average local authority weekly unrebated rent, (b) the mean housing association annual registered fair rent, and (c) the mean annual registered fair rent for private tenancies, for each financial year from 1988–89 to 1992–93. The rents are also expressed as an index with 1988–89 equal to 100. The tables include a comparison between average rent indices for Greater London, male earnings, and retail prices. The information for London boroughs could be provided for the years before 1988–89 only at disproportionate cost.Reliable information on average rents for housing association assured tenancies is not held centrally.Information on local authority rents for Greater London from 1979 to 1989 is available in the publication "Housing and Construction Statistics 1979–89". Information on rents for housing association fair rent and other regulated tenancies for the same period can be found in the publication "Statistical Note for Rent Officers: Statistics of Rent Registrations by Rent Registration Area and Rent Assessment Committee Determinations by Panel Area".From 1990, information on registered fair rents can be found in the publication "Rent Officer Statistics". Information on new lettings by registered housing associations can be found in the National Federation of Housing Associations quarterly bulletin; and information on rents for the whole housing association stock can be found in the report "Housing Associations in 1992" published by the Housing Corporation.Copies of all these publications are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will undertake a review of the fees structure relating to planning applications for agricultural buildings to bring the fees charged more closely into line with the overall cost of each project.

No. The purpose of planning application fees is to cover local authorities' costs in determining planning applications. They are not related to project costs. There is no evidence that the fees payable in respect of agricultural buildings are too high.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether the public inquiry into the Wing bypass will now be reopened;(2) what information was given to the public inquiry into the Wing bypass regarding the full implications of the TERN decision for the route;(3) what assessment he has made regarding the adequacy of the information about the adoption of the A418 as a trans-European route by TERN that was made available to the public in the course of consultations about this route.

We are currently considering the inspector's report on the planning applications by Buckinghamshire county council for the Wing bypass. Those applications were called in by the Secretary of State for his own determination and a public local inquiry held. A post-inquiry statement on behalf of Sir Evelyn de Rothschild has been received, which raises, inter alia, the proposed inclusion of the Wing bypass as a route within the Trans-European Route Network (TERN). We have referred that statement to the parties involved with the inquiry into the Wing bypass to give them an opportunity to comment.We have no proposals to reopen the inquiry into the Wing bypass at the present time. We will consider, in the light of the comments received on the statement made on behalf of Sir Evelyn de Rothschild, both whether the status of the Wing bypass within TERN is material, and, if so, whether we have sufficient information on it to reach a conclusion.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list by valuation tribunal the targets set for (a) 1990–91, (b) 1991–92 and (c) 1992–93; and whether they were short of or exceeded their targets;(2) if he will list by valuation tribunal the targets set for 1994–95;(3) if he will list by valuation tribunal the targets set for 1993–94; and whether they are currently

Valuation tribunals are independent judicial bodies. The president of each tribunal has the statutory responsibility for making the necessary arrangements for the hearing of appeals or their disposal by written representations. There is no requirement on tribunals to seek to decide specified numbers of cases within given periods, and the numbers actually decided depend on a range of factors, many of which are outside presidents' control. My Department now discusses each year with national representatives of the tribunal service and with the Valuation Office Agency the number of cases in each major category which could realistically be expected to be settled nationally over the coming year, and the resources that would be required to bring this about. Indicative figures are issued to each tribunal office to show the rate of progress locally that would be consistent with these national expectations, and staff complements for each office are determined in the light of these. The figures do not, however, have the status of formal targets. This process has not yet been completed for 1994–95.For 1992–93, the first year of this procedure, the number of non-domestic rating appeals resolved nationally by the Valuation Office Agency and the tribunal service in England was 336,900, compared with an expected 290,000. Progress in 1993–94 has been encouraging to date.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of the housing investment programme bids his Department has authorised in respect of each local authority in England over the last three years in relation to their bid; and what is the cash figure in each case.

A table setting out information on housing investment programme (HIP) bids, allocations, and allocations expressed as a percentage of bids, for each authority in England over the last three years, has been placed in the Library of the House.The levels of local authorities' bids for housing investment programme resources reflect, in part, the competition for these resources and therefore often exceed the amount of resources likely to be available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information his Department has on (a) the homeless figure, (b) the general waiting list figures and (c) the sheltered housing waiting list figures for each local authority in England over the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Raynsford) earlier today for the numbers of households reported by individual local authorities in England as accepted for permanent rehousing under the homeless provisions of the Housing Act 1985.

Capital receipts from the sale of council dwellings in London (excluding lending for council house purchase)
£ thousand
Local authority	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91	1991–92	1992–93
Barking and Dagenham	41,176	29,829	12,251	10,062	6,298
Barnet	21,183	16,156	8,934	6,122	4,153
Bexley	10,313	8,866	4,931	3,203	3,705
Brent	7,868	17,699	19,991	7,437	6,024
Bromley	28,091	14,778	6,556	7,491	110,805
Camden	0	0	31	13,293	n/a
City of London	2,599	2,492	872	615	410
Croydon	27,012	18,405	8,726	16,250	5,249
Ealing	17,150	21,958	16,746	12,270	9,032
Enfield	31,648	26,928	13,222	8,419	5,011
Greenwich	22,951	31,780	15,500	10,007	8,487
Hackney	9,349	28,210	0	14,917	7,900
Hammersmith and Fulham	15,838	10,681	13,706	6,357	3,670
Haringey	19,816	26,695	16,715	10,070	6,913
Harrow	11,876	7,396	4,471	4,272	3,562
Havering	17,136	15,366	6,971	3,565	3,926
Hillingdon	23,116	16,440	14,279	9,783	13,393
Hounslow	16,869	20,164	19,981	0	8,194
Islington	24,239	0	29,546	15,934	11,384
Kensington and Chelsea	6,369	8,012	7,208	4,419	3,545
Kingston upon Thames	6,196	7,247	3,650	3,153	2,310
Lambeth	12,774	13,956	30,247	20,376	10,656
Lewisham	21,312	40,300	25,563	12,887	10,437
Merton	16,124	15,705	8,091	4,969	4,130
Newham	20,850	24,694	17,414	8,506	4,745
Redbridge	6,930	12,272	9,364	3,999	3,357
Richmond upon Thames	12,516	8,729	5,230	5,171	3,395
Southwark	31,354	37,644	0	12,706	8,801
Sutton	13,164	9,266	6,297	4,170	3,029
Tower Hamlets	25,536	54,597	,496	12,783	12,002
Waltham Forest	13,801	17,002	7,706	5,195	3,659

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the value of the capital receipts accumulated by each local authority in England (a) for the last three years and (b) the total of such resources available in each local authority for use if such use were to be permitted.

I have arranged for information on the value of usable capital receipts held by each local authority at 31 March in each of the last three years to be placed in the Library of the House. Local authorities may use all of these receipts.Local authorities are not required separately to identify the reserved part of capital receipts from other amounts set aside as provision for credit liabilities (PCL). No separate figures are available for the unapplied balance of PCL which has originated from set aside capital receipts.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the capital receipts income for each of the London borough councils from the sale of council housing in each of the last five years.

The information requested, as reported by each of the London borough councils, is as follows. The figures exclude the element of lending by he local authorities for council house purchase.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to increase home insulation schemes.

I am delighted to announce that my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor was able to announce on 30 November an extra £35 million per year for the home energy efficiency scheme. This will be targeted on pensioners and disabled people and will provide grants for more than 200,000 extra households per year throughout the United Kingdom, bringing the total number of households receiving grants to almost half a million a year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those local authorities in England and Wales which are debt-free for the purposes of the capital control system.

Information received from local authorities indicates that the English authorities listed below were debt-free for capital control purposes at 30 September 1993. Information from Welsh authorities is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

• Barking and Dagenham
• Bedford
• Bracknell
• Breckland
• Broadland
• City of London
• Chiltern
• Christchurch
• Corby
• Devon and Cornwall Police Authority
• Dorset CC
• East Cambridgeshire
• Lincolnshire CC
• Medina
• Mid Sussex
• Newbury
• Ryedale
• Sevenoaks
• South Bucks
• South Wight
• St Edmundsbury
• Suffolk Coastal
• Swale
• Tunbridge Wells
• West Sussex CC

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the findings of MORI polls carried out during the Local Government Commission's public consultation exercise on proposals for the reorganisation of local government in Avon, Gloucestershire and Somerset; and if he will make a statement.

This is a matter for the Local Government Commission. However, I understand that it will be publishing the results of the MORI polls in Avon, Gloucestershire and Somerset shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish the Local Government Commission's final recommendations for Avon, Gloucestershire and Somerset, following the public consultation exercise carried out earlier this year; and if he will make a statement.

The Local Government Commission is currently drawing up its final recommendations to my right hon. Friend on local government structure in Avon, Gloucestershire and Somerset. It is due to complete this final report by 23 January 1994.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date the United Kingdom will conform to the EC conditions on the use of domestic smokeless coal; and if he will make a statement.

There are no EC conditions on the use of domestic smokeless coal.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will a statement on the proposals to erect a multi-screen cinema on the old sewage works at Braunston, Leicestershire; and if he will call in the proposals.

These proposals form an application for planning consent for reserved matters made to Blaby district council. The council resolved to grant outline planning permission in 1991, subject to the completion of a planning agreement covering highway works. An acceptable use of the land has therefore been established and the circumstances do not justify the unusual step of calling in this application.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average unrebated rate-community charge-council tax in (a) local authority and (b) housing association tenancies in each year since 1978 at current prices, at constant April 1993 prices, and using an index with 1978=100.

This answer can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is calling to enforce the construction products directive.

The directive was implemented by the Construction Products Regulations in December 1991. In Great Britain enforcement of the legislation is the responsibility of trading standards officers and in Northern Ireland of environmental health officers. Provision for the additional costs falling on local authorities has been made in the appropriate local authority spending assessments since 1991–92. The Department is working with the European Commission and other member states to complete the technical development of the directive as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to improve the administration of the Notting Hill housing trust; and if he will make a statement.

The statutory responsibility for the regulation of registered housing associations rests with the Housing Corporation, which monitors associations' performance to ensure they are effectively managed. If my hon. Friend has specific concerns about the management of an individual association, it would be appropriate for these to be referred to the Housing Corporation to consider.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to pass the proceeds from the sale of county hall and other ex-GLC property and assets to the London boroughs; how much money is expected to be involved; and if he will make a statement.

The distribution of such proceeds is a matter not for my right hon. Friend but for the London residuary body. The riverside building has been sold to the Shirayama Corporation, but the residuary body is still seeking to dispose of the remaining buildings on the county hall site. Certain moneys are to be distributed by 31 December 1993 to the City of London and the London boroughs under the terms of an order which my right hon. Friend has laid before Parliament. The total sum involved will become clear when the distribution is made.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to strengthen the Department's building regulations advisory committee with a technical and commercial expert in thermal insulation to keep under close specialist review carbon dioxide emissions.

None. Expertise on thermal insulation matters was increased earlier this year with the appointment to the committee of Professor Pat O'Sullivan of University College, London.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration his Department is giving in respect of the council tax valuation category for internal drainage boards in respect of intensive livestock units; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.Following representations from the National Farmers Union and the British Poultry Federation, the Ministry issued a consultation paper on 15 October seeking views from a range of interested parties on proposals to abate the drainage rates payable by certain intensive livestock and glasshouse enterprises. Responses were requested by 22 November and a decision as to whether to proceed with the proposals will be made shortly in the light of those responses.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration his Department is giving in respect of the council tax valuation category for internal drainage boards to changing intensive livestock units from paying the internal drainage boards' valuation rate to a business rate; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply. The Government has no plans to do this.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many additional resources will be made available for city pride.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) on Thursday 25 November at column 187.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will announce the results of this year's bathing water quality monitoring; and if he will make a statement.

The monitoring carried out during the 1993 season shows that 80 per cent. of the 457 identified bathing waters in the United Kingdom met the mandatory coliform bacteria standards of the EC bathing water directive. This compares with 79 per cent. in 1992 and 76 per cent. in 1991.Rain influences results, but in spite of poor weather in many places during the bathing season this year overall compliance has improved.This slow but steady increase is a satisfying indication that the works being undertaken to improve bathing water quality are having the desired effect. Some waters which invariably failed in previous seasons are now up to standard.The main results for the United Kingdom are summarised with details for English and Welsh bathing waters. This information will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses today and will be supplemented by a report with more detailed results in due course.

Bathing waters survey 1993 results for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (Compliance with Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC): Coliform Standards)
	Pass		Fail		Total
	1993	1992	1993	1992	1993	1992
England and Wales
NRA Regions
Northumbrian1	25	20	9	14	34	34
Yorkshire1	21	20	1	2	22	22
Anglian	28	31	5	2	33	33
Thames	3	3	0	0	3	3
Southern	58	51	9	16	67	67
Wessex1	35	36	7	3	42	39
South West1	107	117	26	17	133	134
North West	13	I1	20	22	33	33
Welsh	42	39	9	12	51	51
Total	332	328	86	88	418	416

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what further action he intends to take to improve exports of heavy electrical products.

Substantial new measures to help exporters have already been introduced this year. ECGD support has been extended and premia reduced. The Overseas Projects Board has set up a number of sectoral working groups, including one on power, to help improve the United Kingdom's share of major products overseas. The Department is already supporting exporters of heavy electrical products through its export services. Sixty additional staff have been assigned to export promotion and 100 export promoters are being seconded from the private sector. There are no plans to introduce further help, but, as always, we would be happy to consider any requests from the industry for such help.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many complaints the Insolvency Service agency received about its work in 1991, 1992 and so far in 1993.

The Insolvency Service's chief executive has received four complaints following introduction by the agency in February 1993 of a formal procedure under this Government's citizens charter initiative. The agency does not keep any other record specifically relating to complaints, but receives a range of correspondence relating to official receivers and insolvency practitioners. This correspondence should be considered in the context of the 8,368 companies wound up compulsorily and 22,632 individuals entering bankruptcy in 1991, 9,734 liquidations and 32,106 bankruptcies in 1992, and 7,004 liquidations and 26,627 bankruptcies to 31 October 1993.Mr. Peter Joyce, the agency's chief executive, answered letters about the administration of insolvencies which did not arise out of the published standard but sometimes contained criticism of the service, totalling 26 in 1991, 85 in 1992 and 49 to 31 October 1993.In addition, I and my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade have responded to letters from hon. Members concerning specific insolvencies totalling 399 in 1991, 355 in 1992 and 314 to 31 October 1993. Officials have answered on our behalf 207 letters in 1992 and 147 to 31 October 1993. Information on how many of these letters contained criticism of the service could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.No central record is kept of complaints made direct to official receivers.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will give details of all machinery and equipment currently earmarked for removal from Silverdale colliery, North Staffordshire, to the Nottinghamshire coalfield; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will list the machinery and equipment at Silverdale colliery on 20 November.

The deployment of machinery and equipment is a matter for British Coal.