To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has identified a prospective purchaser for Forward: Civil Service Catering.

A number of offers were received from prospective purchasers on 17 January. I have considered these offers in consultation with KPMG Corporate Finance, the financial advisers to the privatisation, as a result of which detailed negotiations are under way with Sutcliffe Catering Group Ltd., a subsidiary of Granada Group plc, with the intention of reaching final agreement for an early completion of the sale to Sutcliffe of the business of Forward: Civil Service Catering.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much tax remained uncollected at the end of each fiscal year since 1978–79; and how much was written off in each of those years.

The amount of tax remaining uncollected at the end of the fiscal year and the amount of tax written off since 1978–79 are as follows:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many investigations were carried out for tax fraud in each year since 1978–79; and what was the success rate of those investigations.

Inland Revenue investigations into possible or actual tax fraud, and the percentage of those investigations which resulted in monetary settlements or recoveries of tax, are shown in the table.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the percentage of gross earnings going in (a) income tax, (b) national insurance contributions, (c) VAT, (d) other indirect taxes and (e) local taxes, of (i) a single person, (ii) a married couple who are both working and (iii) a married couple with two children on (1) 50 per cent., (2) 75 per cent., (3) 100 per cent., (4) 150 per cent., (5) 200 per cent., (6) 500 per cent. and (7) 1,000 per cent. of average earnings in each year since 1978–79 including estimates for 1994–95.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms Harman) on 19 January 1994 for the latest estimates of the burden of direct and indirect taxes for the years 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95. For earlier years I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Garscadden (Mr. Dewar) on 15 December 1992, Official Report, columns 120–26; to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Brown) on 17 December 1991, Official Report, columns 121–24 and on 8 January 1990, Official Report, columns 558–64 and to the information placed in the House of Commons Library as noted in the answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Griffiths) on 13 April 1989, Official Report, column 624.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update his answer to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Garscadden (Mr. Dewar) of 2 November 1993, Official Report, column 115, to take into account changes in the mortgage rate and further changes to the rate of relief announced in the autumn Budget, giving (a) numbers in receipt of MIRAS, (b) the average amount received and (c) the total cost (i) for 1994–95 and (ii) 1995–96, by income range as defined in the original question.

Estimates based on the conventional assumption that mortgage interest rates remain at their current levels are in the tables.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list, for each scheme operated by his Department under which loans are available, the objectives of the scheme, the number of unrecovered loans, the total value of unrecovered loans, the average number of unrecovered loans for each year since 1990, the average value of unrecovered loans for each year since 1990 and the annual cost of recovering loans.

The Treasury operates no such schemes.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will discuss with the European Commission the relationship in fiscal terms of implementation of the carbon dioxide energy tax as proposed by the European Commission White Paper on employment to the yield of VAT on household fuel; and if he will make a statement.

A Commission proposal for a tax on carbon/energy has been under discussion for some time, and was considered most recently at the ECOFIN Council in December 1993. The Government have made it clear that the United Kingdom does not need a carbon/energy tax to fulfil our obligation on CO₂ emissions under the United Nations convention on climate change, and could not agree to an EC-wide tax as proposed by the Commission.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a regional breakdown of the revenue forgone from relief for private medical insurance premiums in each of the last five years.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) of 6 December, Official Report, column 16, regarding the cost of tax relief on private medical insurance, how many people are in receipt of tax relief for private medical insurance in each region.

No information is available on the regional breakdown of the 350,000 people claiming tax relief on private medical insurance for those aged 60 or more each year since relief was first granted in 1990–91. Similarly, there is no information on the regional breakdown on the cost of the relief.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what circumstances all charges relating to the importation and possession of illegal drugs were withdrawn on 28 January 1993 against Mr. Brian Charrington.

Mr. Brian Charrington was arrested after consultation with the police and full consideration of the available evidence by lawyers acting for Customs and Excise. When additional evidence was forthcoming, further legal advice was sought. At this stage, it was concluded that there was no longer a realistic prospect of securing a conviction and the charges were withdrawn.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have been convicted of drug offences where evidence was given on behalf of the prosecution by Mr. Brian Charrington.

Brian Charrington has never given evidence to support a prosecution by Customs and Excise.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have been convicted of drug offences where assistance in the Customs and Excise investigation and detection was given by Brian Charrington.

It is not the policy of Customs and Excise to disclose sources of information. In the circumstances, I can neither confirm nor deny whether Brian Charrington has given assistance to Customs and Excise.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Ministers signed public immunity certificates in relation to Brian Charrington; and if he will make a statement as to the circumstances requiring such immunity.

No public immunity certificates have been signed by Ministers in relation to Brian Charrington.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were arrested following the interception early in 1992 by Customs and Excise of ingots stored in a warehouse in Stoke on Trent of 95 per cent. pure Colombian cocaine.

Twenty-six persons were arrested by Customs and Excise and police during the investigation that followed the discovery of 907 kg of cocaine concealed in a consignment of lead ingots imported from Venezuela.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Ministers signed public immunity certificates in relation to the case which led to the conviction of Joseph Kasser at Newcastle Crown court in January; and if he will make a statement as to the circumstances requiring such immunity.

No public immunity certificates were signed by Ministers in this case.

To ask the Prime Minister if a response has yet been made to the letter he received from Mr. Gerry Adams dated 7 January; and if he will make a statement.

I received an unsigned letter on Mr. Adams's headed notepaper, dated 7 January 1994., last week. I have placed in the Library a copy of that letter and of a reply from my private secretary which was sent on 20 January. Mr. Adams seeks to open issues for renegotiation by pointing back to a position which he asserts the Irish Government put forward in June last year.The joint declaration of 15 December was the result of many months of discussion between the United Kingdom and Irish Governments. It is a fair and balanced statement of constitutional principles and political realities, which safeguard the interests and aspirations of both sides of the community. As the Taoiseach and I have made clear, there can be no question of renegotiation of the joint declaration.

To ask the Prime Minister what are the implications of the Government"s "Back to Basics" policy for his office during 1994.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the scope and effectiveness of his "Back to Basics" social policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what working definition of "back to basics" he uses; and what he has done in the past three months to implement the policy.

"Back to basics" is intended to ensure that Government policies are based firmly on the common sense values of the British people and, in particular, that they encourage individual responsibility. The "back to basics" policy is especially important in such areas as education, law and order, and the provision of public services, but it applies across a range of other Government policies as well.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will set out the Departments to which the Paymaster-General has been attached since 1979.

The Departments to which the Paymaster-General has been attached are listed.

To ask the Prime Minister what are the procedures which apply in (a) the United Kingdom Parliament and (b) the European Parliament on the ratification of the Uruguay round of the GATT.

The Government intend to present a White Paper to Parliament on the results of the Uruguay round later this year. The agreements will also be laid before Parliament, as with other international agreements. The European Community decision approving the results of the round will also be subject to United Kingdom parliamentary scrutiny in the usual way. The European Parliament is likely to be consulted, but the procedure used will depend on the treaty provisions which apply.

To ask the Prime Minister whether he intends that all Secretaries of State should have a duty to comply with the requirements of the European Union directive 92/43 EEC on the conservation of natural habitats of wild fauna and flora; and if he will make a statement.

The Secretaries of State will have duties, both general and specific, as appropriate and commensurate with the requirements of the directive.

To ask the Prime Minister what steps the Government are taking to encourage and promote the International Year of the Family.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Eccles (Miss Lestor) on 6 December 1993, Official Report, columns 29–30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish for each service that has been market tested in his Department in 1993 (a) the cost of the testing process, including consultancy costs, (b) the result of the test, (c) the name of the successful contractor, (d) the value and duration of the contract, (e) the number of staff involved, (f) estimated annual cost reductions and (g) whether the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 were deemed to apply.

My Department is currently analysing the outcome of the 1992–93 "Competing for Quality" programme with the efficiency unit in the Cabinet Office. Much of the information requested in the question will, once it has been finalised, be published in aggregate form in the "Citizen's Charter Second Report". On an individual contract basis, much of the information is commercially confidential.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the cost of legal aid provided to persons accused of (a) fraud and (b) theft exceeding £100,000 in each year since 1980.

The information sought is not available in the form requested. It is not possible to identify individual cases involving fraud or theft exceeding £100,000. Information on legal aid expenditure by type of offence is only available for the last six years, and is set out for the more serious cases of theft and fraud prosecuted in the higher courts. It is not possible to break down legal aid expenditure in magistrates courts by type of offence.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the political balance of magistrates in (a) Barnsley, (b) Doncaster, (c) Rotherham, (d) Sheffield, (e) Humberside, (f) North Yorkshire and (g) West Yorkshire.

The political balance of magistrates in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, Sheffield, Humberside, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire on the latest information available is as follows:

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are the current statutory rights of holders of the title of lord of the manor; and if he will make a statement.

No rights are conferred by statute on any person holding the title of lord of the manor. Although certain pre-existing rights and liabilities were preserved by the Law of Property Act 1922, the nature of those rights and liabilities will depend in each case on the particular customs of the manor in question.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average wage of (a) a male and (b) a female working in London for each year from 1975.

The information requested is published in tables 110 and 113 of the new earnings survey part E reports for each of the years requested. Copies of these can be found in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the total budgets of the European Commission's training programmes of (a) CEDEFOP, (b) COMETT, (c) DELTA, (d) EUROTECNET, (e) FORCE, (f) IRIS, (g) PETRA and (h) TEMPUS in each year since their establishment; and what proportion of each was granted to (i) the northern region and (ii) the United Kingdom as a whole.

It would require disproportionate time and cost to collect the information on the total budgets of the various training programmes mentioned in each year since their establishment.It is not possible to calculate accurately what proportion of those programmes was allocated to the United Kingdom, or to individual regions in the United Kingdom.Where available for the programmes listed, total budgets for the preceding three years are provided in the table>:

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total budget awarded under the European social fund to the European Commission's vocational training initiatives of (a) EUROFORM, (b) HORIZON and (c) NOW in each year since their establishment; and what was the total budget of each awarded to (i) the northern region and (ii) the United Kingdom as a whole.

The total budget from the European social fund—ESF—for EUROFORM is £218 million, for HORIZON £211 million and for NOW £109 million. These are global amounts allocated by the European Commission for the period 1991 to 1993.The allocation in Great Britain for each initiative is £25·5 million for EUROFORM, £20 million for HORIZON and £6·3 million for NOW. The figures given relate to Great Britain. The ESF in Northern Ireland is administered separately by the Department of Economic Development.The grants awarded to projects in the northern region amount to £920,519 for EUROFORM, £1,119,442 for HORIZON and £697,505 for NOW.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer given to the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn) of 7 December, Official Report, column 212, if he will give a breakdown for the same periods as in that question of the total numbers of temporary and permanent vacancies for each region by industrial classification as employed by his Department.

Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals the Government have for (a) mobilising additional resources and (b) involving new donor agencies in this country and in other member states in the European Union to increase official development assistance on population projects.

We are continuing to encourage the mobilisation of additional resources for population in all appropriate international fora, including the European Community. We are making full use of the preparatory process for the international conference on population and development—taking place in Cairo in September 19942014;to encourage greater commitment to population issues.We are working with the European Commission to increase the support of other member states of the Community for population activities. We would greatly welcome the involvement of more United Kingdom non-governmental organisations in family planning and reproductive health programmes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government have for encouraging other member states in the European Union to start funding family planning and related projects as part of their development and co-operation budgets.

We are playing a leading role in pressing for concrete action to result from the 1992 EC resolution on population. Officials participate in regular expert meetings in Brussels to strengthen co-operation among member states and the Commission. We are also helping the Commission to organise a seminar for EC member states and senior Commission officials on 28 February.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will quantify the cost of the factors which led to an increase in the cost of cars for Ministers in her Department since 1990–91.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the second paragraph of the reply given on 20 January by the Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury (Mr. Baldry).

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes she intends to make to the compensation arrangements for bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

I am proposing to modity the BSE compensation arrangments from 1 April 1994. At present under the BSE Compensation Order 1990, the amount of compensation paid for an animal which is compulsorily slaughtered because it is suspected of having BSE is subject to a ceiling based on an average market price, calculated each month from actual market prices of commecial grade. Friesian cows and heifers in milk and in calf sold in specified markets. With an increasing proportion of older cattle being slaughtered as BSE suspects, we now need to reflect this in the calculation of the compensation price. I will, therefore, be consulting interested organisations on the proposed new arrangements whereby the price of older cattle being sold for slaughter rather than for breeding would be included in the calculation of the compensation ceiling.We propose to continue the arrangement whereby in the case of a slaughtered animal not confirmed for BSE the compensation paid would be subject to an enhanced ceiling. The new method of calculation would still result in a compensation price higher than the price the farmer would get for a dairy cow sold for meat so that farmers would not be discouraged from reporting all suspect BSE cases.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many calls have been received by the traffic cones hotline to date; and what action his Department has taken in response to those calls.

Since its introduction in June 1992 until 15 January 1994, 383 calls registered as formal inquiries have been received by the cones hotline. Inquiries which cannot be answered immediately have been followed up by the regional office responsible for the particular road scheme; and written replies have been sent, or for recent inquiries are in the process of being sent, to each caller. Until recently, other calls received by the hotline have not been recorded, but they are currently running at two to three times the number of formal inquiries about specific road works.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what financial commitment the Government are prepared to make to the channel tunnel rail link project; and if he will make a statement.

The Government are prepared to provide substantial financial support to the channel tunnel rail link. The precise amount required will be determined by the competition for a private sector promoter which was announced on 11 November 1993.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a full list of all organisations to which his Department sent, and from which it has received responses regarding the consultation paper on a new system for approving safety of railways and trams, together with the addresses of each such organisation.

[holding answer 18 January 1994]: My Department issued 59 copies of the consultation paper to transport operators, passenger transport executives, trade unions, and manufacturers and we received 15 responses. In addition, a further 25 inquiries were received leading to nine further representations. It is not our practice to identify those organisations or individuals who respond to consultation exercises.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a full list of all organisations to which his Department sent, and from which it has received responses, regarding the consultation letter on noise insulation regulations for new railways and other guided systems, together with the addresses of each such organisation.

[holding answer 18 January 1994]: My Department issued 42 copies of the consultation paper to transport operators, PTEs, trade unions, the police, magistrates and the medical profession and we received 27 responses. It is not our practice to identify those organisations or individuals who respond to consultation exercises.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a full list of all organisations to which his Department sent, and from which his Department has received responses, regarding the consultation paper on a bus strategy for London, together with the addresses of each such organisation.

[holding answer 18 January 1994]: In 1991 my Department issued some 2,500 copies of the consultation paper to: all London Members of Parliament; London local authorities; bus companies; trade unions; organisations representing business, freight transport operators, consumers, motorists, the disabled, public transport users; and individuals. We received 156 responses from organisations, and 49 responses from individuals. The consultation paper indicated that responses would be treated as public unless marked "confidential", and a list of those who had responded was deposited in the Library in July 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the responses in relation to the current consultation on the report of the RUCATSE—runway capacity in the south-east—working group, will be made public; and whether a summary of the responses will be published.

[holding answer 20 January 1994]: The individual responses to the consultation on the report of the RUCATSE working group will not be published by the Government, although it will, of course, be open to respondents to make public their responses if they wish to do so. When the Government make their own response to the consultation, they will make public a summary of the responses received.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what steps his Department is taking to discover the origin of oil which has recently polluted beaches in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire;(2) what steps his Department is taking to discover the exact nature and source of the pollution which has recently affected marine life and beaches at Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire.

[holding answers 20 January 1994]: A small area of oil pollution measuring 2 ft wide on Amroth beach, Carmarthen bay, was first reported to the Department of Transport's marine pollution control unit on 3 January. On 4 January oil pollution in the form of tarry lumps covering four to five miles was reported at Pendine beach and the following day a "slick" two miles long and 4 yd wide was reported on the sea close to Pendine beach. The MPCU arranged for its aerial surveillance aircraft to be diverted to the area. No oil was reported at sea, and no vessels were seen in the area. MPCU has discussed the incident with Dyfed county council, who took action to clean the affected beaches. Despite prompt action to discover the source of the pollution, it has not proved possible to identify the cause.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children aged three and four years were in receipt of nursery education; and what percentage of the total number of children in that age group that constituted (a) in England and Wales and (b) in each education authority in each year since 1978–79.

Information about the provision of nursery education in maintained nursery and primary schools in each local education authority in England in January 1993 is shown in the table. Similar information for years 1980 to 1992 is published in statistical bulletins, copies of which are available in the Library. National results for January 1979 are shown in statistical bulletin 5/81. Information for each LEA in January 1979 is not readily available. Information on schools in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what was (a) the lowest bid and (b) the highest bid from companies invited to tender for the running of parental ballots over proposals for schools to move to grant-maintained status;(2) whether he will list by registered name those companies invited to tender to conduct parental ballots over proposals for schools to move to grant-maintained status;(3) for what period Electoral Reform (Ballot Services) Ltd. has been contracted to run parental ballots over proposals for schools to move to grant-maintained status;(4) by what tendering process was Electoral Reform (Ballot Services) Ltd. appointed to conduct parental ballots over proposals for schools to move to grant-maintained status;(5) when he next intends to invite tenders for the running of parental ballots over proposals for schools to move to grant-maintained status;(6) what is the scale of charges made to his Department by Electoral Reform (Ballot Services) Ltd. for running parental ballots over proposals for schools to move to grant-maintained status.

The Education Reform Act 1988 gave parents the right to vote on whether their children's school should become grant maintained. The Electoral Reform Society's company, Electoral Reform (Ballot Services) Ltd., is the body currently prescribed in regulations to make the necessary arrangements for ballots of parents on the question of whether schools should apply for grant-maintained status. The Electoral Reform Society has had this function since 1988.Following implementation of the parts of the Education Act 1993 which streamline the arrangements for schools to acquire grant-maintained status, the Department is reviewing details of the balloting arrangements and considering seeking tenders for future contracts for balloting services.Charging arrangements between the Department and Electoral Reform (Ballot Services) Ltd. are commercial in confidence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish the information held by his Department on the typical cost to schools of holding parental ballots on proposals to move to grant-maintained status.

A small survey undertaken by the Department last year indicated that the governing body of an average-sized primary school typically spends approximately £900 and the governors of an average secondary school approximately £1,500 in the process of applying for grant-maintained status. Most of this is spent on providing information for parents, including in meeting the statutory requirement to place a summary statement about proposals to become GM in a local newspaper.From 1 January 1994, governing bodies of schools in the process of balloting for GM status or preparing statutory proposals may apply to the Department for a grant to help cover the expenses incurred.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what current financial difficulties prevent a purpose-built block to be built at the Bentley Drive primary school, Walsall to replace the mobile classrooms.

Decisions on capital spending at a county school such as this are entirely a matter for the Walsall local education authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students were recruited to courses of initial teacher training in 1993–94.

A survey undertaken by my Department shows that 29,266 students entered courses of initial teacher training in universities and colleges in England this autumn, some 5 per cent. above target. I have placed a copy of the survey report in the Library.Compared to 1992–93, recruitment to primary ITT courses fell by 5 per cent., to 15,775, and recruitment to secondary courses increased by 5 per cent., to 13,491. These figures reflect the pattern of intake targets for 1993–94 adopted by the Higher Education Funding Council for England—HEFCE—at the request of the Secretary of State.Of the main secondary shortage subjects, mathematics increased recruitment by 4 per cent. to 1,769, science by 10 per cent. to 2,373 and modern languages by 13 per cent. to 1,542. English, religious education and music also increased recruitment, but technology fell by 7 per cent. to 2,057.The survey did not cover distance learning PGCE courses at the Open university and ITT courses by consortia of schools and city technology colleges, which are being run for the first time this academic year. These courses are expected to recruit 1,220 and 220 students respectively, including 115 in technology under the CTC trust's smallpiece programme.Taken together, this means that overall intakes for each of the secondary shortage subjects—mathematics, science, modern languages and technology—are higher this academic year than in 1992–93.

To ask the Attorney-General what discussions he has had with Lloyd's about outstanding and impending compensation claims for asbestos pollution from companies; and what assessment he has made of the prospects for compensation claims for mesothelima.

I have been asked to reply.Underwriters at Lloyd's are required to maintain assets estimated to be sufficient to meet all liabilities arising from valid claims that may arise from current and past policies. In accordance with the Insurance Companies Act 1982, the adequacy of these reserves is certified annually by auditors, in accordance with rules approved by the Secretary of State. This process was successfully completed last summer for the year ended December 1992. The basis of reserving is reviewed annually, and it has recently been approved for the accounts to be submitted later this year.

:: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many tenant incentive schemes grants have gone to people moving to homes overseas;(2) if he will list by country to which they moved the number of tenant incentive grant schemes going to tenants who have bought properties overseas.

The information requested, based on returns to the Housing Corporation, for 1992–93 and 1993–94 to 17 January 1994 is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who are the members currently appointed to the Royal Commission on environmental pollution.

Current members of the Royal Commission on environmental pollution are:

• Sir John Houghton—Chairman
• Sir Geoffrey Allen
• Professor Henry Charnock
• Professor Dame Barbara E. Clayton
• Mr. Henry R. Fell
• Mr. Peter R. A. Jacques
• Professor John H. Lawton
• Professor R. B. Macrory
• Professor J. G. Morris
• Mr. Donald A. D. Reeve
• Emma Rothschild
• Professor Z. A. Silberston
• The Earl of Selborne

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of Government office accommodation in (a) the SW I postage district of London and (b) the remainder of the United Kingdom is now vacant; and what is the estimated annual net cost of these vacancies.

Office accommodation for general government use is managed on the common user estate. Including properties undergoing refurbishment, 5·8 per cent. is vacant in SW1 at an estimated cost in 1993–94 of £4·9 million. In the remainder of the United Kingdom, 9·6 per cent. is vacant at an estimated cost in 1993–94 of £51·9 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the extent to which the interest of consumers is being met by the National House Building Council; and if he will make a statement.

This is a matter for the council itself, which is an independent body. A number of consumer interest groups are represented on both the council and its standards committee and are therefore able to influence the standards set.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of the estate action schemes currently in operation which have projected spend estimates beyond 1995–96.

Of the estate action schemes given full approval on or before 4 January 1994, the following have projected spend estimates beyond 1995–96:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those tenants and residents associations which received grant to develop a tenant management organisation in 1992–93, showing for each (a) the value of the grant in 1992–93, (b) the aggregate value of any previous grants and the years in which they have