To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what were the costs to the public purse of the abandoned case at Winchester Crown court in respect of conspiracy to defraud Wessex regional health authority.

I am not able to state the amount of the costs to the public purse as a re-trial was ordered by the trial judge and accurate figures will not be available until the case has been concluded and the bills of costs determined. In any event, not all these costs will have been wasted, as much of the preparation work by solicitors and counsel will not need repeating.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the 1993–94 expenditure on the permanent bureau of the Hague Conference on Private International Law; and how many staff are employed and paid under this expenditure vote.

The United Kingdom's expenditure on the permanent bureau of the Hague Conference in 1993–94 amounted in total to £55,931·03—Dfl. 158,115.73. This amount was paid as a lump sum contribution in August 1993 and represents the United Kingdom's contribution towards the permanent bureau's total budget of Dfl. 2,317,418 for 1993–94.There are currently 12 permanent staff employed by the bureau. The latest available figures show that the total salary bill for the financial year 1 July 1992 to 30 June 1993 was Dfl. 1,452,348.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many (a) men and (b) women from an ethnic community were members of a juvenile court magistrates' panel for courts covering the Greater London area as of 20 April.

Information is available only in respect of the Inner London Commission area in which there are currently 10 men and nine women from the ethnic minority community sitting as members of the youth court panel, formerly the juvenile court panel.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what analysis has been reached by his Department of the responses received to the consultation paper on the organisation and management of civil enforcement agents.

The response to the public consultation was positive; the vast majority of consultees were pleased that the issues had been raised and agreed that the law should be simplified and procedural changes made to rule out abuses which might occur under the present system. A wide variety of views were received on the options set out in the consultation paper. The options are still being considered by the Lord Chancellor who will want to discuss his proposals with Government colleagues before making any further announcements.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will introduce a limitation on the amount of legal aid available to persons accused of fraud.

I am examining the provision of criminal legal aid as a whole as part of the fundamental review of my Department's expenditure currently under way. But any changes that may be made will need to take account of the presumption of innocence.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are the final expenditure figures for legal aid for 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.

Final figures are not yet available. However, provisional outturn figures show that the net cost of legal aid in 1993–94 was £1,210 million compared to a provision of £1,283 million. This represents an increase of £117 million on the previous year. Of the £73 million underspend against provision in 1993–94, £39 million related to criminal legal aid where the number of bills paid fell short of expectations, reflecting the fall in business in the criminal courts. Most of the remaining shortfall, £27 million, related to civil legal aid.Payments to the legal aid fund, particularly in respect of costs and damages recovered, amounted to £21 million more than anticipated, which we believe is mainly because of speedier settlements resulting from the transfer of business from the High Court to the county court following from the civil justice review. In addition, the number of civil bills paid were some 3 per cent. lower than expected, resulting in a reduction in expenditure of around £6 million. The remainder of the shortfall was due to green form expenditure being some 2 per cent. lower than estimated and the number of assistance by way of representation bills being some 30 per cent. lower than expected, resulting in shortfalls in expenditure of £3 million and £4 million respectively.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are the key performance targets for Her Majesty's Land Registry and the Public Record Office executive agencies for 1994–95.

The tables set out the key performance targets that the Lord Chancellor has set for Her Majesty's Land Registry and for the Public Record Office.

To ask the Prime Minister what was the involvement of the Cabinet Office in the appointment of Lowe Bell Communications as consultants to the D-day Commemoration.

None.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Heywood and Middleton (Mr. Callaghan) of 26 April, at column 101, concerning the actions and plans of Her Majesty's Government to fight drug addiction and related crime, what powers the Government possess to stop and search all cargo or persons wishing to enter the United Kingdom.

Her Majesty's Customs and Excise has powers to stop and search persons, vessels, aircraft, vehicles and their cargo, wishing to enter the United Kingdom, in respect of prohibited goods, including drugs and firearms. As a contribution to the fight against drug addiction and related crime, Customs uses these powers to combat the smuggling of prohibited goods.

To ask the Prime Minister what representations were made to him by the Royal British Legion to receive a deputation of war widows to discuss the Government's decision to reverse a decision of the High Court by amending the Service Pensions Order to restrict the pension entitlement of widows or ex-service men; what reply he made; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 28 April 1994]: As far as I am aware, none.

To ask the Prime Minister what direct consultations Ministers had with (a) the Royal British Legion and (b) the Normandy Veterans Association about the Government's decision to reverse a decision of the High Court by amending the Service Pensions Order to restrict the pension entitlement of ex-service personnel and war widows; and if he will now himself directly consult the two organisations on the Government's decision.

[holding answer 28 April 1994]: The customary mechanism for consultation on proposed changes to war pensions legislation is through the statutory Central Advisory Committee on War Pensions. The committee includes representatives of several ex-service organisations, including two members each from the Royal British Legion and the Royal British Legion (Scotland).The Minister with special responsibility for war pensions at the Department of Social Security, my noble Friend, Lord Astor, consulted the committee on the recent proposals to amend legislation following a decision of the High Court which suggested that the law did not clearly reflect long-standing policy. We always consider, as we did on this occasion, any other points made by any individual or organisation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) members of the public and (b) organisations have sought a reference back to the boundary commission's revised proposals for South Yorkshire in respect of the boundaries for Barnsley, East and Mexborough, and Don Valley constituencies; and on what date he hopes a decision will be announced.

I understand that the parliamentary boundary commission for England has received representations concerning the revised recommendations for South Yorkshire in respect of the boundaries for Barnsley, East and Mexborough, and Don Valley constituences from 144 members of the public and from 17 organisations. These were evenly divided between representations in support of the commission's revised recommendations and those which objected to them. A further 1,249 signatures were put to petitions relating to the recommendations. A news release announcing a decision in respect of the boundaries of the Barnsley, East and Mexborough, and Don Valley constituencies will be issued in May 1994.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to ensure that investigations into fraud in the EC are made immediately and publicly and that individuals are brought to account.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. and learned Friend gave on 4 March 1994 to a question from my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Burton (Sir I. Lawrence) at column 934.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, (1) pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Mr. Evans) of 21 April, Official Report, column 1034, if he will list any family relationship of the victims of the first and second murder to the murderer;(2) how many convicted murderers released from prison since 1979 killed again; and if he will list the nature of the second conviction and any family relationship of the victims of the first murder and the second killing to the offender.

Nine murderers released from prison on life licence since 1979 have been convicted of a further killing. Seven were convicted of murder on the second occasion and two of manslaughter. Another murderer released on life licence committed suicide while awaiting trial for a second murder.In the cases of the seven double murderers, there were four where none of the victims were related to the offender. In one case, the victims of the first and second murders were members of the offender's family, his wife and sister respectively. In one case, the victim of the first murder was the father of the offender. In the remaining case, the victim of the second murder was the female partner of the offender.The two released murderers convicted of manslaughter killed people unrelated to them.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek a report into the transportation and general treatment of circus animals; and if he will make a statement.

Circus animals are protected against unnecessary suffering by the Protection of Animals Act 1911, and by the Welfare of Animals During Transport Order 1992 and other legislation governing the importation and transport of animals. Additionally, the Performing Animals (Regulation) Act 1925 provides for the registration of trainers and the inspection of premises by local authorities. I have received no evidence to suggest that these provisions provide inadequate safeguards for circus animals.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons in England and Wales at which physical restraints have been used on (a) men and (b) women inmates and the number of times such restraints were used in each establishment during 1993.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all deaths that have occurred in 1992 and, if available, in 1993, of persons detained in prison department establishments, stating in each case the age and sex of the inmates and cause of death, the inquest verdict, whether the inmate was sentenced or on remand, the establishment where the inmate was detained, whether death occurred there or in an outside hospital and, where the death occurred within the prison, whether the inmate was segregated either in the hospital wing or in the punishment block.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to raise the fee for firearms and shotgun certificates.

The fees for the grant and renewal of firearm and shotgun certificates are currently under review. In reviewing fee levels we are taking into account the 1991 report of the Home Office working group on the administration of the firearms licensing system. This identified models of best practice for police forces in administering the licensing system. The result of the subsequent costing exercise, undertaken by the consultants Ernst and Young, will also be taken into account.An announcement will be made as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will construct a table showing the cost in each police force area of issuing a firearms or shotgun certificate.

This information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to ensure that the treatment of detainees is not in breach of any convention which has been ratified by the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list total numbers of convicted and remand prisoners held in police cells in Greater Manchester since 1 January; and how much they have cost.

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

The Government are committed to their obligations under the 1951 United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees, and the protocol to that convention, and are satisfied that United Kingdom legislation and practice do not breach these or other relevant international obligations.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of applicants for asylum in each month of 1993; and what proportion was refused in each case.

Information for 1993 on the number of applications received for asylum in the United Kingdom and decisions made, is given in the table.A total of £21,633 has been paid to Greater Manchester Police Authority. Further invoices, totalling some £488,000, have recently been received and are under consideration.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visas have been granted to Iraqi business men in each month since the conclusion of the Gulf war.

I have been asked to reply.I regret that the information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.Statistics of visas granted are recorded on the basis of the categories of visas issued at each post and not by the nationality of the applicant. In addition, visiting business men are granted a "visit" visa. There are no sub-divisions within this category.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent the principle of police primacy was maintained throughout exercise Diver Mist.

I have been asked to reply.The principle that the police co-ordinate the activities of all those responding at and around the scene, as described in the Home Office publication "Dealing with Disaster", was maintained in full throughout exercise Diver Mist.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he will be discussing with his European partners the implications of the EC proposals to harmonise the plugs and sockets of electrical appliances throughout the EC.

There is no such proposal. If one were to be put forward we would consider it.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the dangers there are for United Kingdom consumers in any transitional period from the harmonisation of electric plugs and sockets; and what steps he is taking to ensure that the safety of consumers in the United Kingdom is not compromised.

CENELEC—the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation—the relevant standards-making body, has not published a standard for a harmonised European plug and socket system against which an accurate assessment could be made. In considering whether any change to our present standards might be desirable at some future date, full account will be taken of consumer safety issues. There is no EC proposal for harmonisation.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the outcome of the meeting of the EC Industry Council held in Luxembourg on 22 April.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the Industry Council meeting in Luxembourg held on Friday 22 April.

The main item on the agenda of the Industry Council held on 22 April was steel. Commissioner Van Miert gave an interim report, in advance of the full report expected on 1 May, on monitoring of the conditions attaching to the six state aid cases agreed by the Council last December—Ilva, Ekostahl, Freital, Siderurgia Nacional, CSI and Sidenor. I was supported by several other member states in underlining the importance the United Kingdom attaches to rigorous monitoring to ensure that the conditions agreed by the December Council are met.Commissioner Bangemann gave a report on progress towards restructuring of the EC steel industry. There was agreement to prolong until the autumn the support measures—which include enhanced European Coal and Steel Community social aid, market monitoring, a more liberal approach to mergers and joint ventures, and external measures—agreed in February last year. I suggested additional references in the conclusions agreed by the Council to the importance of monitoring of the steel state aid cases and these were accepted.The Council reached a satisfactory agreement to reduce steadily ECSC lending activities in the run-up to the expiry of the treaty of Paris in 2002. Importantly, it also ensures progress towards phasing out of the ECSC levy before 2002. The agreement by the Council allowed certain loan applications, which have been blocked pending resolution of this issue, to be approved.There was a wide-ranging debate on industrial competitiveness in the context of the follow-up to the Delors White Paper on growth, competitiveness and employment published last December. I underlined the importance of increased labour market flexibility and reduced labour costs as a means of improving competitiveness, as well as the need to minimise the burden of regulation on business.The Council agreed conclusions on the textile and clothing industries and a resolution on the automobile industry.Commissioner Vanni d'Archirafi presented an outline of an integrated programme for small and medium-sized enterprises which sets out areas for joint action with member states and a two-pronged Community contribution relating to improving the environment for SMEs, and some support measures. I reminded the Commission that the main responsibility for SME policy lies with member states but I undertook to consider the proposals when they are spelt out in greater detail. I was able to welcome the importance the Commission was now attaching to deregulation.To end the Council there was a brief discussion of the Commission's annual report on competition. No votes were taken.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether operational budgets and targets have been agreed for (a) AEA Technology, (b) the national environmental technology centre, (c) the national physical laboratory, (d) the Laboratory of the Government Chemist and (e) the national engineering laboratory for 1994–95; and how those budgets and targets have changed from those for 1993–94.

AEA Technology and the national environmental technology centre are part of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority: they are not set separate budgets and targets by my Department. The UKAEA has been set a negative external financing limit of £8.8 million for 1994–95. Other financial targets have yet to be set. In 1993–94, the UKAEA was set a negative external financing limit of £2·1 million; it was also set a 12·1 per cent. average annual return on net assets employed. Its internal budgets are commercially sensitive and are not published.In the light of the restructuring of the national physical laboratory, the Laboratory of the Government Chemist and the national engineering laboratory to match the downturn in forecast work load, the laboratories' budgets and targets for 1994–95 are still being finalised. A comparison with the budgets and targets that were set for 1993–94 cannot therefore be provided.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he proposes to implement his consultants' recommendation that an overall steering committee and project manager should be appointed for the DTI laboratories.

Yes.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether primary legislation would be required to fully privatise the laboratory of the Government Chemist; and in what form the post of the Government Chemist would survive after privatisation.

No primary legislation is required to privatise LGC. The post of Government Chemist will continue.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many responses he received to his consultation document on the directive on unfair terms in contracts; and when he proposes to finalise his conclusions, and place legislation before Parliament.

I have received 89 such responses. It is intended to lay regulations implementing the EC Directive on Unfair Contract Terms in Consumer Contracts before Parliament in time for them to enter into force, subject to parliamentary approval, by 31 December 1994.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a table showing the total number of applications, the number of successful projects, the number of participating companies and the total sum committed in (a) SMART and (b) SPUR awards; and if he will provide a regional breakdown.

The number of applications, the number of successful projects and the sum committed between 1 April 1993 and 31 March 1994 under the small firms merit award for research and technology—SMART —and support for products under research—SPURschemes are shown in the tables. Both schemes offer support to single businesses and the number of successful projects is the number of participating companies.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 4 March, Official Report, columns 891–92, what was the number of responses and applications to (a) the 1994 SMART—small firms merit award for research and technology—scheme and (b) the 1994 Queen's awards.

I hope to be able to announce shortly the number of responses and applications to the 1994 SMART scheme. For the 1994 Queen's awards there were 10,733 inquiries and 1,682 applications.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of Sir Frank Layfield's recommendations from the Sizewell B inquiry were accepted by the then Department of Energy.

I refer the hon. Member to the decision letter of 12 March 1987, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will bring forward legislation to allow deposits in excess of 10 per cent. of the actual purchase price to be charged for goods or services only in circumstances where the seller secures those deposits by means of insurance, bonding or by using a trust account, in a similar way to that required for package holidays by the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992, SI 1992, No. 3288, but with improved provision for enforcement.

No. Such regulation would be bureaucratic and expensive, and would, through its adverse effect on the cashflow of businesses, be likely to put up prices. This would not be in the long-term interests of the consumer.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish the criteria, and procedure of review, to be used to devise the map which will determine the three categories of land use, as specified in the Coal Authority explanatory note.

I intend to make available in due course a draft map of the coalfields indicating the areas in which the terms for access by the coalbed methane industry will be judged. The criteria for delineating the areas will form part of the consultation exercise.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade,what plans he has to harmonise the regulatory framework for seismic testing to identify (a) coal deposits and (b) coalbed methane.

I have no plans to harmonise the regulations for seismic testing at this stage. It is important that the regulatory framework for each activity reflects the needs of the relevant industry. Seismic testing to identify coalbed methane is subject to the Petroleum (Production) Regulations. Under the regulatory regime for the privatised coal industry, those wishing to explore for coal will require the consent of the owner of the coal, which would in most cases be the Coal Authority, to enter that coal. A draft model Coal Authority exploration licence, which indicates the form it is envisaged that licence will take, has been made available for consultation to all interested parties.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what commitments those companies which are granted methane drainage licences will be required to fulfil in relation to the commencement of mining the coal.

Methane drainage licences are granted to enable those engaged in mining the coal to drain methane in order to make mines safe. There are no commitments in relation to the commencement of coal mining, as the sole purpose of this licence is safety.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what date he secured a report from the gas regulator concerning arrangements which may affect the price of gas in certain areas.

The Director General of Gas Supply has no duty to report to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on gas pricing issues. However, as the President announced on 21 December 1993 the DTI and Ofgas are jointly preparing a consultation paper on the regulation of gas supply after the ending of the statutory monopoly. I expect that this will be published soon.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what examination he has made of the basis for the figures in the first issue of the Eurostat newsletter "EDICOM/INTRASTAT" for the trade balance between the United Kingdom and France, Germany and Italy shown in the list for the United Kingdom and for each of those countries;(2) what assessment he has made of recent Eurostat returns in assessing the accuracy of United Kingdom returns of the trade deficit between the United Kingdom and France, Italy and Germany.

I have been asked to reply.I refer to the answer given by the Paymaster General to the hon. Member on 26 April, 1994

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans there are to close to the public any of the palaces of the Historic Royal Palaces Agency; for what purpose; and for how long.

The 1994–97 corporate plan of the Historic Royal Palaces, which is currently being considered by Ministers, proposes the closure of the state apartments and royal ceremonial dress collection at Kensington palace temporarily for a period of about 18 months, starting no later than autumn 1995, to allow the complete refurbishment, re-presentation and re-interpretation of these parts of the palace, including the updating of fire and security precautions.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage for how many regular publications he was responsible in 1993–94; what was their circulation; and how many were obtainable by subscription.

The Department publishes an annual expenditure plans report, which is a sale publication via Her Majesty's Stationery Office. A short guidebook "A Guide to the Department and its Sponsored Bodies" is updated and distributed free of charge at intervals—circulation 2,500 copies. A number of other annual reports are published each year and the most recent issues of these are:

"Report by the Secretary of State for National Heritage on Library and Information Matters during 1993" (HMSO, HoC 339, £7·10 net).

"Treasure Trove Reviewing Committee Annual Reports 1991–92 and 1992–93".

"Export of Works of Art 1992–93, Thirty-ninth Report of the Reviewing Committee appointed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in December 1952" (HMSO, Cm 2355, £14·45 net).

"Report by the Secretary of State for National Heritage on the Public Lending Right Scheme 1992–93" (HMSO, HoC 61, £7·65 net).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue guidance to the Local Government Commission indicating the evidence he will expect to be put forward in any recommendation for a new unitary local authority of effective arrangements for the provision of personal social services within a new authority and for the co-ordination of such services with health services.