Written Answers

Written Answers To Questions

Thursday 5 May 1994

Defence

Homosexual Service Personnel

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many (a) men and (b) women were discharged from (i) the Royal Navy, (ii) the Army and (iii) the Royal Air Force in (A) 1992, (B) 1993 and (C) 1994 because they were homosexual; and in each case what proportion this was of the total discharged and what proportion of the total employed;(2) in which rank were each of the people discharged from

(a) the Royal Navy, (b) the Army and (c) the Royal Air Force because they were homosexual in each of the last five years.

My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence will write to the hon. Member.

Search And Rescue

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the military search and rescue missions flown from RAF Brawdy and RAF Valley between 0001 hours and 2350 hours on Tuesday 19 April including time of call and time of arrival on scene.

Neither the search and rescue helicopter flight at RAF Brawdy nor that at RAF Valley was called out on any military search and rescue missions on the day in question.

Oil And Gas Exploration

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what way his Department's operations in the Irish sea require drilling for oil and gas to be postponed until 1996–97; and what effect this has on military installations in Wales.

My Department has requested that oil and gas exploration in a small number of MOD ranges and exercise areas in the Irish sea be delayed until 1996–97 to enable defence activities to be rescheduled. It is too early to say what impact any subsequent exploitation activities may have on defence installations in Wales.

Services Review

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is yet in a position to give details of the full team which will conduct the independent review of service career and manpower structures and terms and conditions of service.

Further to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Wimbledon (Dr. Goodson-Wickes) on 30 March, Official Report, columns 752–53, which announced the appointment of Mr. Michael Bett, a former deputy chairman of British Telecom plc, to lead the independent team conducting this review, my right hon. and learned Friend has decided to appoint the following as team members: Mr. Anthony Vineall, who has had a career as a senior personnel executive with Unilever plc; Mr. Michael Garner, who was recently a director of TI Group plc; and Admiral Sir John Kerr, who retires shortly from the Royal Navy.

Treasury

Orimulsion

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if it is his policy under article 3(3) of directive 92/12/EEC to apply excise duty to orimulsion for electricity generation; and if he will make a statement;(2) if it is his policy to levy excise duty on orimulsion for electricity generation at the same rate as heavy fuel oil;(3) when he expects to lay regulations to apply excise duty to orimulsion.

Provision was made in the Finance Act 1993 to levy an excise duty on products falling within harmonised system heading 27.15. Following the recent decision of the harmonised systems committee of the Customs Co-operation Council, orimulsion no longer falls within this heading and no regulations will therefore be laid concerning it. We have no plans to use the provisions of article 3(3) of directive 92/12/EEC to impose excise duty on orimulsion.

Foreshore And Seabed Leases

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what directions he has given to the Crown Estate Commissioners under section 1(4) of the Crown Estate Act 1961 as to the charging of rents for the lease of foreshore and seabed.

[holding answer 4 May 1994]: I have given no directions.

Taxpayers

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many taxpayers paid as a maximum each rate of tax, including those paying no tax at all, for each year since 1970; and what percentage of total taxpayers each number represents.

[holding answer 20 April 1994]: Available information on income tax payers is given in the table. Estimates of taxpayers by marginal rate are not available for years prior to 1973–74.

Taxpayers ¹ by marginal rate: Numbers
(thousands)
Marginal rate ²	1973–74	1974–75	1975–76	1976–77	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84
20	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
25	—	—	—	—	—	3,120	2,670	—	—	—	—
30	19,300	—	—	—	—	—	18,300	20,200	19,700	19,800	19,400
33	—	19,600	—	—	—	17,500	—	—	—	—	—
34	—	—	19,500	—	19,600	—	—	—	—	—	—
35	—	—	—	19,800	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
38	—	175	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
40	114	—	324	338	374	235	302	334	445	435	355
43	—	200	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
45	70	—	378	444	221	158	168	216	305	245	245
48	—	96	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
50	44	—	161	194	110	86	108	129	170	155	140
53	—	72	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
55	56	—	99	106	71	84	43	52	75	65	55
58	—	74	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
60	33	—	115	103	95	54	53	65	95	83	65
63	—	44	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
65	28	—	58	76	51	45	—	—	—	—	—
68	—	36	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
70	19	—	48	57	30	32	—	—	—	—	—
73	—	25	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
75	18	—	34	42	41	36	—	—	—	—	—
83	—	26	29	36	41	33	—	—	—	—	—
Total	19,7,00	20,400	20,800	21,200	20,600	21,400	21,600	21,000	20,800	20,800	20,300
¹ Single people are married couples for years up to and including 1989–90; individuals from 1990–91.
² Tax rate applicable to earned income. This excludes any liability to the investment income surcharge for years up to 1983–84.

Taxpayers¹ by marginal rate: Numbers
(thousands)
Marginal rate	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91	1991–92	² 1992–93	² 1993–94
20	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	3,900	4,800
25	—	—	19,300	19,600	19,900	20,000	24,400	24,100	19,400	18,400
30	19,300	19,300	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
33	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
34	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
35	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
40	380	380	400	360	1,350	1,500	1,700	1,620	1,800	1,900
45	255	250	300	320	—	—	—	—	—	—
50	145	150	210	240	—	—	—	—	—	—
55	65	70	90	110	—	—	—	—	—	—
60	85	100	120	160	—	—	—	—	—	—
65	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
70	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
75	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
83	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Total	20,200	20,200	20,400	20,800	21,200	21,500	26,100	25,700	25,100	25,100
¹ Single people and married couples for years up to and including 1989–90; individuals from 1990–91.
¹ Provisional estimates projected from the 1991–92 Survey of Personal Incomes.

Taxpayers¹ by marginal rate: Percentages
(thousands)
Marginal rate ²	1973–74	1974–75	1975–76	1976–77	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84
20	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
25	—	—	—	—	—	15	12	—	—	—	—
30	98	—	—	—	—	—	85	96	95	95	96
33	—	96	—	—	—	82	—	—	—	—	—
34	—	—	94	—	95	—	—	—	—	—	—
35	—	—	—	93	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
38	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
40	1	—	2	2	2	1	1	2	2	2	2
43	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
45	—	—	2	2	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
48	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
50	—	—	1	1	1	—	1	1	1	1	1
53	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
55	—	—	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Marginal rate ²	1973–74	1974–75	1975–76	1976–77	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84
58	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
60	—	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
63	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
65	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
68	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
70	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
73	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
75	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
83	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100
¹ Single people and married couples for years up to and including 1989–90; individuals from 1990–91.
² Tax rate applicable to earned income. This excludes any liability to the investment income surcharge for years up to 1983–84.

Taxpayers¹ by marginal rate: Percentages
(thousands)
Marginal rate	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89	1989–90	1990–91	1991–92	1992–93 ²	1993–94 ²
20	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	16	19
25	—	—	95	94	94	93	93	94	77	73
30	96	96	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
33	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
34	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
35	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
40	2	2	2	2	6	7	7	6	7	8
45	1	1	1	2	—	—	—	—	—	—
50	1	1	1	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
55	—	—	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
60	—	—	1	1	—	—	—	—	—	—
65	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
70	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
75	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
83	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100
¹ Single people and married couples for years up to and including 1989–90; individuals from 1990–91.
² Provisional estimates projected from the 1991–92 Survey of Personal Incomes.

Transport

"Establishment News Ent/2/94"

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will define the term "financial area of work" as used in section 7(IV) of his Department's "Establishment News ENT/2/94".

The Department's redundancy arrangements for non-industrial staff—set out in ENT/2/94—contain no such reference. Section 7(iv) refers to

"the functional area of work".

This means an area of work identified by the particular function or type of work which is performed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the compliance, in respect of the overall approach to redundancies and the principal of how to handle them, of "Establishment News" ENT/2/94 with section 188 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1993 as amended by section 32 (2)(b) of the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Act 1993; and if he will make a statement.

The Department's redundancy arrangements for non-industrial staff—set out in ENT/2/94—contain an assurance that, in handling redundancy situations the Department or its agencies will act in accordance with statutory requirements as embodied in employment and other legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what reference to section 34(2)(b) of the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Act 1993 appears in "Establishment News" ENT/2/94.

The Department's redundancy arrangements—set out in ENT/2/94—contain an assurance that, in handling redundancy situations the Department or its agencies will act in accordance with statutory requirements as embodied in employment and other legislation. Since this assurance is all-embracing, no reference to particular sections of specific Acts is necessary.

British Transport Property (Trespass)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many hunts have been prosecuted for trespassing on British Transport property since 1990.

The BTP charged one person with trespass following an incident at Brent Knoll, Somerset on 9 November 1991 involving the Weston and Brean hunt. The case was heard at Bridgwater magistrates court on 11 May 1992 and the offender was given an absolute discharge.A second prosecution for trespass near Oxford in November 1993 involved the Bicester with Whaddon Chase hunt. Two charges of trespass were brought against a member of the hunt who was summoned to appear before Bicester magistrates on 24 January. The case was subsequently withdrawn by the Crown Prosecution Service in the public interest.

Parliamentary Questions

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many parliamentary questions, in the period November 1992 to March 1993, were answered with the response that the information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost; and how many were referred on to an agency chief executive.

The number of questions answered between November 1992 and March 1993 with a disproportionate cost reply was 13.The number of questions referred to an agency chief executive during the same period was two.

M11 Link

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many dwellings were demolished in the Wanstead area solely for the purpose of facilitating the construction of the M11 road link; how many dwellings were demolished for other purposes; with whose agreement and with whose authority demolition took place; what was the cost of rehousing those displaced and who funded that expenditure; in what locality those displaced were rehoused; and what other plans there are for the future use of the land now vacant consequent on demolition.

This question relates to operational matters of the Highways Agency. I have asked the agency's chief executive, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 4 May 1994:

As the question you tabled in the House about the demolition of dwellings in Wanstead for the A12 Hackney Wick to M11 Link Road relates to operational matters for the Highways Agency, I have been asked to reply to you direct.

The first of four main contracts for building the Link Road started in the Wanstead area last September. A total of 19 dwellings had to be demolished to make way for the construction. All were included in the made compulsory purchase Order for the scheme, together with other land and non-residential property needed in connection with the works. The only exception to this were areas of Epping Forest land, the acquisition of which was sanctioned by Act of Parliament. At the time of demolition, all the dwellings had been conveyed to the Secretary of State for Transport, many of them some considerable time ago under the provisions for planning blight. No dwellings in Wanstead have been demolished other than for the road; and no authority was needed for demolition beyond the statutory Orders for the new road.

For completeness, I should explain that up to 24 other dwellings in the Cambridge Park area of Wanstead had been demolished more than a decade ago: they had also been acquired under planning blight resulting from earlier proposals to widen this part of the A12.

Under the Land Compensation Act 1973, any responsibility for rehousing those displaced by compulsory purchase falls to the local housing authority. To date, no rehousing costs have been incurred by the Highways Agency, but the Act's provisions allow the relevant authority—for Wanstead, the London Borough of Redbridge—to make a claim in due course. Those rehoused were mostly tenants of either the Department, that Borough or a Housing Association. Some found alternative premises with the assistance of their landlords; others made their own arrangements. I am not privy to where they may have moved to.

You may wish to note that dwellings have also been demolished in the Leyton and Leytonstone areas either for works in advance of the further main contracts or in preparation for those contracts. In addition, two not strictly required for the works have had to come down for structural reasons. Other dwellings bought in connection with the road under planning blight or discretionary purchase provisions, but not needed for it, will ultimately be sold, as will any surplus non-residential property or marketable pockets of land.

Ship Registration

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with his European Union counterparts on the formation of a European Union ship register; and if he will make a statement.

The Commission first put forward proposals for an additional register for Community vessels in 1989. There have been various discussions between the Commission and member states since then and I understand that the Commission is now considering whether to make further formal proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the minimum number of nationals in its crew required for a ship to be registered under the national flag in each of the appropriate member states of the European Union.

The information that we have about other member states indicates that they require the following minimum numbers of nationals for vessels on their register:

Belgium—Master

Denmark—Master. On vessels 9000 grt or more—Master, plus three ratings

France—Master plus one officer

Germany—Master

Greece—All officers and 60 per cent. of total complement

Republic of Ireland—All crew above deckhands must have Irish certificate of competency or recognised equivalent

Italy—EU nationals only

Luxembourg—Master should be EC national

Netherlands—Master

Portuguese—All

Spain—Master and First Officer

The United Kingdom currently requires that the master, chief mate and chief engineer must be British, Irish or Commonwealth citizens.

Public Service Vehicles

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet the President of the Board of Trade to discuss the exclusion of the continuous operator licence proposal for public service vehicles and heavy goods vehicles from the Deregulation and Contracting Out Bill.

No. Continuous licences for operators of goods and public service vehicles would remove unnecessary bureaucratic procedures from the licensing systems and should remain part of the Bill. The proposal was debated at length during the Standing Committee's consideration of the Bill and the House will have the opportunity for further discussion on this topic during the remainder of the Bill's passage.

School Transport

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve safety standards on buses and coaches used to transport children to school; if he will specify the regulations which govern the transport of children to school; what proposals he has to amend these regulations; what plans he has to introduce a capping disregard for additional current expenditure in 1994–95 in respect of the additional cost to a council of dropping the three for two rule on dedicated school transport contract vehicles and requiring the fitting of seat belts on all contract minibuses and school minibuses; and if he will make a statement.

We are currently considering the full technical and cost implications of fitting seat belts to all seats in all minibuses and coaches. We hope to publish the conclusions shortly.My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education has advised me that school transport is governed by section 55 of the Education Act 1944 and there are no plans to amend this legislation.

	Independent consultant	Consultancy firm	Other	Total applications	Total applicants
1986	3	0	18	21	21
1987	7	1	14	22	21
1988	6	4	14	24	24
1989	6	3	18	27	24
1990	7	6	17	30	29
1991	15	4	9	28	21
1992	6	14	10	30	25
1993	7	7	15	29	28
1994	6	0	3	9	9
Total	63	39	118	220	202

Three of the cases shown were referred to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, in 1986, 1990 and 1991.All applications submitted have been approved.

Lowestoft Relief Road

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement clarifying the position on the Department's requirement of the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Howard, 4 Blackheath road, Lowestoft NR33 7JG, for the A12 relief road, Lowestoft; and what is their entitlement to compensation.

[holding answer 4 May 1994]: I have written to my hon. Friend in response to his letter of 26 April on behalf of his constituents, Mr. and Mrs. Howard of 4 Blackheath road, Lowestoft.

Northern Ireland

Photo-Chemical Oxidants

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action the Government will adopt as a result of the report from the photo-chemical oxidants review group in relation to pollution control measures; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has determined his principles for capping for 1994–95. These principles do not include any disregard in respect of expenditure on school transport.

Civil Servants (Business Appointments)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many civil servants in his Department applied in each year since 1986, through the business appointments system to take up an outside appointment (a) as an independent consultant, (b) with a firm of consultants and (c) in other employment; how many were referred to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments; and how many were granted.

[holding answer 3 May 1994]: Since 1986, the Department of Transport has received 220 separate applications from 202 civil servants under the business appointment rules system; 63 applications have been to seek work as independent consultants, 39 to join a firm of consultants, and 118 to undertake other types of work. On a year-by-year basis, the detail of the applications is as follows:

The publication of the report of the photochemical oxidants review group was announced by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Environment and Countryside on 19 April 1994. In his announcement, my hon. Friend referred to the pollution control measures taken by the Government and indicated that he shortly expects to receive recommendations from the expert panel on air quality standards on a standard for ozone based on effects on human health. The Government will be considering the need for further reductions of ozone precursors in the light of these recommendations and discussion at European and international level.Ozone is one of the pollutants monitored in Northern Ireland as part of the national urban air quality monitoring network. The results measured show that ozone levels in Northern Ireland are well within national and international standards and indeed, are among the lowest in the United Kingdom.

Training And Employment Agency

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what targets have been set for the Training and Employment Agency for Northern Ireland for the period 1944 to 1997.

The following targets have been set:

1. To increase the number of companies developing their management and work force skills through the company development programme from 300 at April 1994 to 350 by March 1995 and to maintain this number until March 1997.

2. To assess companies on the company development programme—CDP—against the national standard "Investors in People" and to encourage commitment to the standard from the wider private sector with the aim of having 120 organisations—including 70 CDP companies—receiving recognition by March 1997.

3. To offer every company referred to the agency by the Industrial Development Board relevant information, advice and customised training.

4. To increase the proportion of youth training programme leavers who achieve a full qualification at national vocational qualification level 2 or above from 20 per cent. in 1993–94 to 45 per cent. in 1996–97.

5. To increase the proportion of job training programme leavers who achieve a full qualification at national vocational qualification level 2 or above from 17 per cent. in 1993–94 to 30 per cent. in 1996–97.

6 To provide an average of 9,200 temporary employment places with training through the action for community employment—ACE—programme with the aim of placing 36 per cent. of ACE leavers in jobs, training or futher education within three months of leaving.

7 To place 33,000 people into jobs in 1994–95.

8 To maintain the high levels of customer satisfaction and where possible, increase them.

9 To reduce administration costs by more than 3 per cent. in 1994–95.

10 To have the agency meet the national "Investors in People" standard for employers by September 1995.

House Of Commons

Attendants

To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, how many attendants are currently employed in the House and its outbuildings; how many were employed in each of the last five years; what is the current ratio of attendants to other staff working in the House and its outbuildings, hon. Members, their staff and staff of the House; and what was the ratio for each of the last five years.

The numbers of attendants employed in the House and its outbuildings in the years requested are as follows:

	Number
1994	56
1993	56
1992	59
1991	¹57
1990	¹49
1989	¹49
¹ These figures are the staff complement. Actual numbers employed may have varied slightly from these figures.

It is not possible to make an exact calculation of the ratio of attendants to other occupants of the parliamentary buildings because no record is kept to identify which Members' staff work at Westminster on a regular basis.

Cleaners

To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Paisley, South (Mr. McMaster) of 20 April, Official Report, column 521, for what reasons the number of House of Commons cleaners is being reduced.

I have asked the Serjeant at Arms to write to the hon. Lady. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

Trade And Industry

Loans Guarantee Scheme

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the average processing time to approval of a guarantee under the small firms loans guarantee scheme; and how his Department finances the transaction costs in such approvals.

There is no information available on the time taken to process an application while with a lender. Once received by the DTI loan guarantee section, the average time taken to process an application in 1993–94 was 1.9 days.None of the lenders transaction costs are met by the DTI. The cost of the small team of DTI staff involved in processing applications is met from the Department's running costs.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many applications under the small firms loan guarantee scheme have been made in each financial year since 1990–91; how many have been approved; and what have been the sums guaranteed and the cost to his Department.

The number of applications made, guaranteed, their value and the net cost to the DTI in each year since 1990–91 is shown in the table:

	Applications received by DTI	Applications guaranteed	Sum guaranteed (£ million)	Net cost (£ million)
1990–91	3,676	3,387	84.56	16.5
1991–92	3,124	2,933	69.48	27.5
1992–93	2,408	2,342	52.35	19.2

Application figures for 1993–94 will be available shortly and are expected to show a significant increase in applications guaranteed. Fewer applications are guaranteed than are received. Rejections represent only a quarter of this difference. The rest is due to withdrawal by the borrower.

Guinness Plc

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he intends publishing the report drawn up by the inspectors from his Department into the affairs of Guinness plc following their appointment by his predecessor in December 1986.

The inspectors have not yet completed their inspection, which was recommenced after the conclusion of the Guinness criminal trials. When their report has been submitted, consideration will be given to its publication.

Cross-Media Ownership

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many of his staff are assigned to the current review of cross-media ownership; and what is the cost to his departmental budget of the cross-media ownership review.

A number of staff combine work on the review of the cross media ownership with other duties. At present it forms the main duty of two full-time members of staff and occupies a significant part of the time of three others. The cost this year of the individuals most involved, allowing for time spent on other duties, is likely to be around £184,000.

Nuclear Power

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the total sums of public money invested in the nuclear power industry since 1963 in cash terms and at 1993 prices; and what percentage of the United Kingdom's electricity is now produced by nuclear energy.

The main public sector companies in the nuclear power industry are Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear. An indication of past investment in these companies is provided by the gross value—before depreciation—of tangible fixed assets stated in their published accounts. At 31 March 1993, the historic cost value of these assets was about £10 billion and the current cost value was about £15 billion. In accordance with standard accounting conventions, asset values are stated at the lower of cost—replacement cost in the case of current cost accounts—or value to the business.In 1993 about 26 per cent. of electricity available from the United Kingdom public supply system was produced by nuclear power stations in the United Kingdom.

Source: Energy Trends, Tables 18 and 19.

Nuclear Review

To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Warley, West (Mr. Spellar) of 25 April, Official Report, column 7, if he will list the organisations or individuals that have made representations on the nuclear review; and what response he gave to these representations.

This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

British Coal

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many miners are currently employed by British Coal.

The number of wage earners on British Coal's colliery books at the end of March 1994 was 10,400.

Sustainable Development

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he will seek the advice of the panel on sustainable development, on the subject of the programme of work of the Trade and Environment Committee of the World Trade Organisation.

The members of the proposed World Trade Organisation have agreed that a work programme considering certain important trade and environment issues will be carried out by a committee of the WTO preparatory committee, and then almost certainly by a committee of the WTO itself. The Government will continue to take a close interest in this work.

Privatisation (Consultants)

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will estimate the cost of employing consultants in connection with privatisation programmes in which his Department and the Department of Energy have been engaged since 1980.

[holding answer 4 May 1994]: A reply would incur disproportionate cost in view of the number of privatisations since 1980.

Consumer Councils

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from Lady Wilcox, chairperson of the National Consumer Council for Great Britain, in relation to the proposed re-appointment of Miss Beata Brookes as chairperson of the Welsh Consumer Council; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 3 May 1994]: The views of the chairman of the National Consumer Council were sought on the reappointment of Miss Brookes as chairman of the Welsh Consumer Council and these were taken into consideration.

Public Utilities

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of the post-tax profits of the (a) gas, (b) electricity and (c) water privatised utilities was paid out in dividends in the last year for which figures are available.

I have been asked to reply.The table shows the percentage of post-tax profits paid out in dividends by the privatised companies in the industries concerned. All the data are for financial years ending 31 March 1993 with the exception of British Gas plc, whose data are for the year ending 31 December 1993.

Privatised utilities' dividends
Industry	Proportion of post-tax profits paid in dividends Per cent.
Gas	¹-117.2
Electricity (England and Wales)	33.6
Scottish Electricity companies	41.3
Water and Sewerage companies	32.2
¹ British Gas plc made a loss. Dividends paid from reserves.

Environment

Parliamentary Questions

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many parliamentary questions, in the period November 1992 to March 1993, were answered with the response that the information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost; and how many were referred on to an agency chief executive.

The number of answers given to parliamentary questions between November 1992 and March 1993 recorded in the POLIS database as including a reference to part or all of the information being available only at disproportionate cost or because the information was not held, collected or recorded centrally was 41 out of a total of 2,264 questions answered during this period. During the same period, seven questions were referred to an agency chief executive for reply.

Housing Renovation Grants

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will change the rules to enable an applicant's mortgage to be taken into consideration when assessing an application for a housing renovation grant.

We are currently reviewing the future of the private sector renewal programme following last year's consultation exercise and will announce the conclusions in due course.

Development Corporations

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of gross expenditure is to be spent on staff and administrative costs by (a) the Leeds development corporation and (b) the Central Manchester development corporation in 1994–95.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 27 April 1994, Official Report, column 206.

Beckenham Place

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department will determine the appeal on the planning application for the proposed development at Beckenham place, Beckenham, Kent; and if he will make a statement.

A decision on the proposals will be made soon.

Housing Associations

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much was allocated to living over the shop schemes under the flats over shops funding programme in 1993–94, how much has been spent; and what was the average length of lease obtained by housing associations involved in such schemes.

Ten million pounds was allocated to the flats over shops programme in 1993–94. Early indications are that 97 per cent. of this has been spent. However, we are unable to confirm this until the final claims for supplementary credit approvals—SCAs—have been received from local authorities. SCAs are issued retrospectively, following the receipt of a certified claim giving details of expenditure. Local authorities have six months following the end of the relevant financial year in which to submit claims. Data on the average length of lease obtained by housing associations in 1993–94 are not yet available. For the first year of the programme, 1992–93, an average lease length of 13 years was obtained.

Opencast Mining

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he has given in regard to the effect of opencast mining on greenfield sites, in regard to agricultural production and other matters, following the conclusion of such projects.

My Department has provided advice on how the quality of existing agricultural land should be taken into account in determining opencast mining proposals on greenfield sites in Mineral Planning Guidance Note 3—"Opencast Coal Mining", and Mineral Planning Guidance Note 7—"The Reclamation of Mineral Workings".MPG3 is being revised, a consultation draft was published in December and the comments are currently being considered. MPG7 also provides advice on mitigating any adverse effects of opencast working and of the standards to be achieved at the end of restoration and aftercare, following conclusion of working. The standards are defined either by the restoration of the pre-existing physical characteristics, or by "fitness for use", which determine agricultural production.

International Monetary Fund

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he was consulted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding trade and the environment before the Chancellor addressed the recent meeting of the interim committee of the International Monetary Fund.

The Government have set out their views on trade and the environment in "Sustainable Development, the United Kingdom Strategy", published in January.

Local Authority Services

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what action he has taken following the curtailing of local authorities' ability to charge for services as a result of the 1991 McCarthy and Stone judgment;(2) what progress has been made since the publication in 1986 of the Green Paper, "Paying for Local Government", to give local authorities powers to charge for providing services to individuals or companies.

Under section 150 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, the Secretary of State may make regulations providing that local authorities may charge for activities not already covered by a specific charging power or duty, with the exception of functions listed in section 152.Two new charging powers have been introduced under section 150—the Houses in Multiple Occupation (Charges for Registration Schemes) Regulations 1991 and the Local Authorities (Recovery of Costs for Public Path Orders) Regulations 1993. My right hon. Friend intends to make further regulations soon which would enable authorities to charge for dealing with supplementary land search inquiries in respect of proposed property transactions. We will consult the local authority associations shortly on a number of other proposals for regulations under section 150.

Special Grants

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what expenditure is planned for 1994–95 under the special grants programme.

In the current financial year—1994–95—the full allocation of £1.262 million is planned to be expended on the special grants programme.

Urban Regeneration

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all those community-led urban regeneration schemes assisted or funded from these programmes in the years 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94; and if he will make available in the Library a copy of the bidding guidance notes.

The information sought cannot be produced in the form specified. In previous years a number of Government Departments, in addition to the Department of the Environment, have contributed to community-led urban regeneration through different programmes. From 1 April 20 of these programmes have been included in the single regeneration budget. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Congleton (Mrs. Winterton) on 13 April 1994, Official Report, column 174.

Queen Elizabeth Ii Conference Centre

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what performance targets he has set the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre executive agency for 1994–95.

The agency's key target for 1994–95 is to reduce its net operating deficit—exclusive of rent¹—from an expected £0.711 million in 1993–94 to £0.382.The agency will also aim to increase total revenue from the centre's activities from an expected £5.129 million in 1993–94 to £5.616 million; to increase the number of calendar days with events at the centre from an expected 285 days or 78 per cent. in 1993–94 to 299 days or 82 per cent.

² ; and to improve its revenue to cost ratio from an expected 1:1.14 in 1993–94 to 1:1.07.

¹ An annual rent of £6.4 million was charged for the agency's occupation of the centre with effect from 1993–94.

² This target is based on an industry standard agreed by the International Congress and Convention Association. It compares with increasing overall occupancy for the main letting areas from an expected 41 per cent. in 1993–94 to 45 per cent. based on a previous measure which was unique to the centre.

Council Tax

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the maximum council tax chargeable by Liverpool city council; and what provisions exist for raising it.

[holding answer 3 May 1994]: Council taxes must be calculated and set in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and the relevant secondary legislation. Central Government have no direct control over the rate of council tax charged by an authority: capping constrains an authority's revenue budget rather than council taxes per se.

Urban Policies

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list every urban policy that has been instituted or operated from 1979, the date that each scheme began operating, where appropriate when they ceased operating and the funds available on an annual basis at current prices.

Economic, social and physical regeneration is supported through main programmes by several Government Departments and by targeted initiatives. My reply to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 25 April, Official Report, columns 36–37, contained detailed information about the latter programmes, including spending from 1981–82. For the urban programme, which began in 1979, the additional figures sought are £83 million for 1979–80 and £112 milion for 1980–81 in cash terms. All the programmes listed in the earlier reply have now been combined within the single regeneration budget from 1 April 1994.While not included in the earlier reply, enterprise zones, also a targeted urban initiative were launched in 1981. They offer a range of incentives to industrial and commercial firms in designated areas. These have not involved any direct expenditure, but an estimated £1.7 billion has been forgone in rates and taxes.

National Heritage

Cross-Media Ownership

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many of his staff are assigned to the current review of cross-media ownership; and what is the cost to his departmental budget of the cross-media ownership review.

Four staff are assigned full-time to the review, at a cost of £131,000. There is a budget of some £48,000 for the running costs of the review.

Millennium Commission

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the estimated cost for 1994–95 of the Millennium Commission; and how much will be spent on (a) salaries and expenses of staff and commissioners, (b) publicity and (c) administration.

The total estimated administration cost of the Millennium Commission for 1994–95 is £1,000,000, of which:

(a) Salary and staff costs are expected to be £285,000; and

(b) Publicity costs are expected to be £45,000.

Television Crime Reconstructions

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what further research his Department is planning into links between television programmes featuring crime reconstructions which are made purely for entertainment and women's fear of crime.

I would look to the broadcasting regulatory bodies to commission any further research they considered necessary. The Broadcasting Standards Council, which is funded by my Department, has commissioned work in this area in the past.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to monitor television programmes featuring crime reconstructions which are not made in order to apprehend criminals and to discuss these programmes and their effect on women's fear of crime with television companies.

Monitoring television programmes is the responsibility of the broadcasting regulatory authorities. I am meeting the chairmen of those bodies shortly to discuss concern about the portrayal of violence on television.

Executive Agencies

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what targets he has set for the executive agencies in his Department.

The following targets have been set for 1994–95:For the Historic Royal Palaces Agency:

Financial Targets:
Commercial surplus	£6 million
Call on the taxpayer	£8.9 million
Efficiency Target:
Savings on running costs	2 per cent.

Conservation Target:

To complete the fire prevention works planned for 1994–95 and the programme of works identified by the building condition surveys as being a priority for 1994–95; to undertake further detailed inspections of the specific areas identified by the surveys as being a priority for 1995–96.

Visitor Satisfaction Measures¹:
Value for money	0.7 to 1.0
Enjoyment	above 1.35
Helpful and friendly staff	above 1.35
² Visitor ratings are assessed from market research interviews with 900 visitors, undertaken by independent consultants each summer. 2.0 is Extremely Good; 1.5 is Very Good; 1.0 is Quite Good; 0 is OK; -1.0 is Quite Poor; -2.0 is Very Poor.

For the Royal Parks Agency:

Fabric:

(i) Prepare contract documents for the four grounds maintenance contracts which expire in March 1995, incorporating lessons from existing contracts. Let new contracts or extend existing ones.

(ii) Draw up and commence priority programme of works required to remove the six listed structures which are on the 'at risk' register.

(iii) Prepare detailed proposals for and consult all relevant parties about the pedestrianisation of the end of the Mall, with a view to commencing the project (if approved) in 1994–95.

(iv) Complete phase II of the Speakers Corner/Marble Arch competition (ie develop detailed designs from the six prize-winning sketch designs from phase I).

Financial:

(i) Increase income from £1.3 million to £1.8 million from sales, permits, fees, rents, licences, concessions and car-parking.

(ii) Achieve 1.5 per cent. improvement in running costs efficiency.

Park Users:

(i) Assess initial visitor survey results and achieve an overall quality rating of six marks out of 10 in response to the survey question "Overall, how would you rate the quality of this park?"

Education

Pupil Statistics

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils in primary schools, though not in designated nursery classes in January 1993, were born between 1 September 1986 and 31 August 1987, in each local education authority.

The number of pupils aged five at the beginning of the school year 1992–93 being taught in infant classes in maintained primary schools in each local education authority area in England is shown in the table.

Pupils aged 5 at 31 August 1992 in infant classes in maintained primary schools in each Local Education Authority in England. Position as at January 1993
LEA	Pupils
Corporation of London	26
Camden	1,465
Greenwich	2,924
Hackney	2,419
Hammersmith	1,292
Islington	2,106
Kensington and Chelsea	927
Lambeth	2,707
Lewisham	2,926
Southwark	3,086
Tower Hamlets	2,917
Wandsworth	2,329
Westminster	1,271
Barking	2,108
Barnet	3,312
Bexley	2,779
Brent	2,978
Bromley	3,247
Croydon	3,872
Ealing	3,543
Enfield	3,296
Haringey	2,512
Harrow	2,354
Havering	2,804
Hillingdon	2,792
Hounslow	2,595
Kingston upon Thames	1,416
Merton	1,927
Newham	3,610
Redbridge	2,788
Richmond upon Thames	1,561
Sutton	1,926
Waltham Forest	2,767
Birmingham	14,720
Coventry	4,213
Dudley	3,921
Sandwell	4,102
Solihull	2,611
Walsall	3,680
Wolverhampton	3,335
Knowsley	2,435
Liverpool	6,754
St. Helens	2,329
Sefton	3,606
Wirral	4,350
Bolton	3,550
Bury	2,335
Manchester	6,166
Oldham	3,252
Rochdale	2,985
Salford	3,028
Stockport	3,496
Tameside	3,105
Trafford	2,631
Wigan	4,091
Barnsley	2,887
Doncaster	4,180
Rotherham	3,418
Sheffield	6,112

LEA	Pupils
Bradford	7,022
Calderdale	2,654
Kirklees	5,098
Leeds	8,982
Wakefield	4,227
Gateshead	2,365
Nwewcastle upon Tyne	3,363
North Tyneside	2,521
South Tyneside	2,138
Sunderland	4,049
Isles of Scilly	16
Avon	11,407
Bedfordshire	7,450
Berkshire	9,355
Buckinghamshire	8,142
Cambridgeshire	8,475
Cheshire	12,123
Cleveland	8,224
Cornwall	5,612
Cumbria	5,788
Derbyshire	11,500
Devon	11,775
Dorset	6,952
Durham	7,471
East Sussex	7,483
Essex	18,641
Gloucestershire	6,390
Hampshire	19,396
Hereford and Worcester	7,935
Hertfordshire	12,039
Humberside	11,701
Isle of Wight	1,433
Kent	18,938
Lancashire	18,356
Leicestershire	11,663
Lincolnshire	6,881
Norfolk	8,592
North Yorkshire	8,386
Northamptonshire	7,807
Northumberland	3,742
Nottinghamshire	12,766
Oxfordshire	6,585
Shropshire	5,135
Somerset	5,432
Staffordshire	13,394
Suffolk	7,636
Surrey	10,394
Warwickshire	6,006
West Sussex	7,657
Wiltshire	7,395
ENGLAND	596,366

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many full-time equivalent pupils in non-designated nursery classes at the latest available date were born between (a) 1 September 1987 and 31 December 1987, (b) 1 January 1988 and 31 March 1988 and (c) 1 April 1988 and 31 August 1988.

The number of full-time equivalent pupils aged four at the beginning of the school year 1992–93 being taught in infant classes in maintained primary schools in England in January 1993 is shown in the table.

Pupils aged 4 on 31 August 1992 in infant classes in maintained primary schools in England January 1993
Date of Birth	FTE Pupils¹
1 September 1987–31 December 1987	200,782
1 January 1988–31 March 1988	146,100
1 April 1988–31 August 1988	155,592

¹ Part-time pupils count as 0.5.

School Governors

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information is available to his Department regarding the numbers of men and women governors of grant-maintained schools, by type of school and by category of governor; and how such information is collected.

The Department has no information on the numbers of men and women governors of grant-maintained schools.

Early Retirement

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the information he has available on expenditure in each local education authority on early retirement compensation in 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93.

Information on expenditure by each local education authority on early retirement compensation for the years 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93, is given in the following table.

Expenditure on Crombie and teacher premature retirement compensation payments
	1990–91 £000	1991–92 £000	1992–93 £000
Corporation of London	0	0	0
Camden	0	0	0
Greenwich	0	0	*23
Hackney	0	0	*21
Hammersmith	0	0	0
Islington	0	0	*15
Kensington and Chelsea	0	0	101
Lambeth	0	0	*20
Lewisham	0	0	0
Southwark	0	0	0
Tower Hamlets	0	0	*21
Wandsworth	0	0	0
Westminster	0	0	0
Barking	605	290	751
Barnet	1,344	1,425	1,475
Bexley	0	0	0
Brent	0	0	0
Bromley	981	586	551
Croydon	248	630	474
Ealing	861	479	636
Enfield	0	0	705
Haringey	474	541	*339
Harrow	353	534	*313
Havering	0	0	0
Hillingdon	0	1	0
Hounslow	11	208	*430
Kingston upon Thames	304	358	*231
Merton	0	0	*244
Newham	769	269	*425
Redbridge	288	387	405
Richmond upon Thames	0	0	0
Sutton	0	0	0
Waltham Forest	324	5	13
Birmingham	3,422	3,947	5,443
Coventry	12	2,982	*981
Dudley	884	851	791
Sandwell	0	0	0
Solihull	0	0	553
Walsall	0	643	1,567
Wolverhampton	94	195	326
Knowsley	0	957	945
Liverpool	2,727	3,780	3,058
St. Helens	953	1,126	*581

	1990–91 £000	1991–92 £000	1992–93 £000
Sefton	1,496	1,536	0
Wirral	231	182	97
Bolton	898	1,022	*687
Bury	848	1,031	*503
Manchester	2,144	2,815	4,400
Oldham	0	0	0
Rochdale	469	493	806
Salford	0	0	0
Stockport	512	447	547
Tameside	0	0	933
Trafford	0	0	*533
Wigan	1,377	1,681	1,999
Barnsley	200	532	35
Doncaster	0	379	0
Rotherham	203	271	0
Sheffield	40	0	0
Bradford	1,354	1,153	2,860
Calderdale	453	0	0
Kirklees	275	1,465	838
Leeds	0	0	3
Wakefield	1,228	1,389	*840
Gateshead	0	44	73
Newcastle upon Tyne	305	1,261	*1,608
North Tyneside	0	0	508
South Tyneside	0	0	0
Sunderland	364	470	397
Isles of Scilly	0	0	0
Avon	0	0	747
Bedfordshire	0	0	0
Berkshire	704	812	779
Buckinghamshire	249	265	1,105
Cambridgeshire	899	1,447	1,705
Cheshire	191	124	1,874
Cleveland	1,328	1,720	*696
Cornwall	0	0	0
Cumbria	0	0	0
Derbyshire	1,320	1,556	696
Devon	0	0	0
Dorset	782	1,183	1,443
Durham	-14	0	0
East Sussex	547	877	1,039
Essex	1,915	1,945	2,066
Gloucestershire	1,567	2,150	0
Hampshire	1,862	2,215	2,750
Hereford and Worcester	0	264	0
Hertfordshire	453	1,734	1,769
Humberside	726	759	854
Isle of Wight	94	108	124
Kent	314	151	223
Lancashire	4,374	4,804	*1,654
Leicestershire	1,267	2,075	2,275
Lincolnshire	968	148	126
Norfolk	1,200	196	0
North Yorkshire	0	0	0
Northamptonshire	111	128	494
Northumberland	0	0	0
Nottinghamshire	1,066	2,295	0
Oxfordshire	1,389	1,585	1,586
Shropshire	16	19	18
Somerset	0	0	0
Staffordshire	2,715	3,214	3,987
Suffolk	14	156	0
Surrey	0	0	2,791
Warwickshire	922	1,269	1,428
West Sussex	0	0	0
Wiltshire	0	0	872

Note:

1. Figures are derived from local education authorities' returns of their spending to the Department of the Environment.

2. The figures for 1992–93 include estimates of expenditure for LEAs marked ^"*" . The 1992–93 figures are subject to final checking by the Department of Environment and the Department for Education.

3. The quality of information recorded on returns from LEAs is partly dependant on the accounting practices adopted. These can differ considerably.

English Language Courses

To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many complaints he has received in the last 12 months about unfair competition between private and state-funded colleges that both teach English language courses to overseas students, but where the latter are in receipt of subsidies provided by the Further Education Funding Council in order to do so; and what information he has with regard to consequential job losses in the private sector resulting from this practice.

The Department has received six letters in the last 12 months on concerns about the sources of funding for English as a foreign language—EFL—courses in private and state-funded colleges. The Department holds no information on the number of staff employed in the delivery of EFL in the private sector.

Prime Minister

Convention On Human Rights

To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to incorporate the European convention on human rights into British law.

None.

Mobile Telephones And Pagers

To ask the Prime Minister how many (a) portable telephones, (b) pagers and electronic bleepers and (c) car telephones are currently used by his Department; what are the annual costs of operating this equipment; and to which personnel it is made available.

There are 14 portable telephones, 19 pagers and four car telephones currently in use in No. 10 Downing street. The annual cost of operating the equipment is approximately £12,800.The equipment is made available to those personnel who need to keep in contact with the office for purposes of official duty.

Cyprus

To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister of Turkey on the present United Nations-sponsored talks on Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

I discussed the United Nations-sponsored package of confidence-building measures with Mrs. Ciller in the margins of the NATO summit on 10 January. I sent her a message on 6 April urging her to encourage Mr. Denktash to adopt a more constructive approach to the negotiations on the package. The United Nations Secretary-General will shortly submit a report on the talks to the United Nations Security Council.

Engagements

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 5 May.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

Social Security

Child Support Agency

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when Mr. Croft, Ref. 353 IJOH1002188491, of Stockton-on-Tees will be officially notified by the Child Support Agency that his initial assessment has been withdrawn.

The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member.

Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Tim Devlin, dated 5 May 1994:

I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the interim child maintenance assessment made in respect of Mr. Stephen Croft by the Child Support Agency.

Mr. Croft was originally advised that an interim maintenance assessment would be made because insufficient information had been supplied to permit a full assessment. Following a telephone call to the Agency, a two week extension was agreed. Unfortunately at the expiry of the extension, the interim assessment was made despite the fact that the relevant information had been received in the meantime. When this error came to light, immediate action was taken to cancel the interim assessment, and Mr. Croft was notified of this on 29 April 1994.

I hope you will convey to Mr. Croft my sincere apologies for any anxiety or distress which the actions of the Agency may have caused. I hope you will also accept my assurance that I shall be keeping a close watch on the developments in this case.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what benefit savings the Child Support Agency achieved in 1993–94.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for the Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 3 May at columns 423–24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the first year of operation of the Child Support Agency.

It is too early to make a full assessment of the first year of operation of the Child Support Agency. This will be done when the annual report is available later this year. Meanwhile I meet regularly with the Child Support Agency chief executive and look carefully at all the representations that have been made, and we keep the Child Support Agency under constant review.

Pensions

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many and what percentage of those people retiring in the last year for which figures are available had a total pension income amounting to (a) 100 per cent. or more, (b) between 90 per cent. and 99 per cent., (c) between 80 per cent. and 89 per cent., (d) between 70 per cent. and 79 per cent., (e) between 60 per cent. and 69 per cent., (f) between 50 per cent. and 59 per cent., (g) between 40 per cent. and 49 per cent., (h) between 30 per cent. and 39 per cent., (i) between 20 per cent. and 29 per cent. and (j) 10 per cent. or less, of (i) their final salary and (ii) average earnings.

Information on pension income as a proportion of final salary is not available. Information on pension income in relation to average earnings is not available in precisely the form requested. Estimates, which relate to female pensioners aged 60 to 64 and to male pensioners aged 65 to 69, are in the tables.

Pension income of male pensioners aged 65 to 69 compared to average earnings
	Number (000's)	Percentage of male pensioners 65 to 69
0–10 per cent.	¹121	10
11–19 per cent.	308	25
20–29 per cent.	376	30
30–39 per cent.	¹140	11
40–59 per cent.	¹154	12
60 per cent. and over	139	11

Pension income of female pensioners aged 60 to 64 compared to average earnings
	Number (000's)	Percentage of female pensioners 60 to 64
0–10 per cent.	440	²31
11–19 per cent.	417	29
20–29 per cent.	271	19
30–39 per cent.	127	9
40 per cent. and over	177	12
¹ Denotes unreliably small sample size.
² This group includes married women whose husbands are aged less than 65 and who have no entitlement to a pension on their own National Insurance record.

Notes:

1. All figures are estimates and should be treated as such.

2. Figures are mean averages; they relate to individuals, not to pensioner units or households.

3. Estimates derive from the Family Expenditure Survey for the combined years 1990–91 and the Government Actuary's Department's Survey of Occupational Pension 1991.

4. Percentages may not sum due to rounding.

Operational Strategy

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much has been spent on consultants for operational strategy in each of the last five years.

The cost of consultancy services for the operational strategy over the five years ending 1992–93 was £191 million. Figures for 1993–94 are not yet available. Individual years' figures are in the table.

	£ million
1988–89	40·6
1989–90	31·2
1990–91	49·6
1991–92	37·5
1992–93	32·1

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current estimated total cost of operational strategy to 1998, in real terms; by how much this figure exceeds the initial estimated cost; and what percentage of the estimated cost is the cost of outside consultants.

The most recent—1993—estimated total cost in real terms of the operational strategy to 1998–99 is £2.6 billion, which includes an estimated £315 million—11.9 per cent.—for consultancy services.The total cost of the operational strategy was originally—1982—estimated at £713 million. The current estimated cost exceeds the initial estimate by £1.9 billion. The original specification did not embrace the substantial cost of subsequent changes in social security legislation, notably the 1988 social security reforms. Estimates of total savings over the period of the operational strategy have also been revised from an initial estimate of some £1.9 billion—1982—to £3.3 billion—1993.

Security

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the use of private detective agencies and security companies by his Department.

This Department and its executive agencies use private companies to carry out a range of activities. This is done as part of our continuing search for better value for money. The companies we use include a private firm to serve documents in connection with the collection of arrears of national insurance contributions and private security companies for the guarding of some of our sites countrywide.

Personnel Costs

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of Information Technology Services Agency's total personnel costs for software development has been spent on outside consultants in each of the last five years.

The costs for software development and continuing support for 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94 are in the table. This work is done using a mixture of civil servants and external contractors some of whom are supplied by consultancy firms. The information for 1989–90 and 1990–91 is not readily available.

£'000	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94
Total personnel costs for software development (millions)	58·7	73·1	69·7
Cost of consultants/contractors (millions)	38·5	45·5	43·4
Consultancy/contractors as a percentage of the total	65·6	62·2	62·3

Lone Parents

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost to the Exchequer of allowing single parents on income support to retain (a) £5, (b) £10 and (c) £15 of any maintenance payments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost to his Department in the form of reduced estimated savings of the introduction of a maintenance disregard of £15 for lone parents with care who are in receipt of income support.

It is estimated that the cost of £5, £10 and £15 child support maintenance disregards in income support would be approximately £145 million, £290 million and £435 million in the long run.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Council Of Ministers

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Stafford (Mr. Cash) of 26 April, Official Report, column 123, what is the scope of the safeguards to which he refers in regard to the disclosure of information by the Council of Ministers.

The code of conduct on access to information sets out a number of grounds on which access to documents can be refused. Copies of the code were placed in the Library of the House on 14 January.

Mr Van Den Broek

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 26 April, Official Report, column 125, relating to Mr. Van den Broek, if he will give reasons for his answer.

The suggestion of my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton, North was neither practical nor necessary.

Libya

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contacts his Department has with the Red Cross or the Red Crescent concerning the blockade on Libya and its effect on medical supplies.

We have had no contacts with the Red Cross or the Red Crescent concerning the blockade on Libya and its effect on medical supplies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from UNICEF concerning the sanctions on Libya and their effect on children; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has received no representations from UNICEF concerning the sanctions on Libya and their effects on children.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the United Nations Security Council has received from (a) UNICEF and (b) UNESCO concerning the effects of the United Nations sanctions on Libya.

We are aware of no representations which the Security Council has received from UNICEF or UNESCO concerning the effects of United Nations sanctions on Libya.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from UNESCO concerning the effect of sanctions on Libya; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has received no representations from UNESCO concerning the effect of sanctions on Libya.

Rwanda

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the withdrawal of United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda forces from Rwanda is planned to be a temporary measure; and if he will encourage the United Nations to draw up plans for a strengthened force and mandate to return at the earliest possible moment.

Security Council resolution 912 reduced the authorised size of UNAMIR, but stressed the Security Council's readiness to consider any recommendations which the Security General might make concerning the future force level and mandate of UNAMIR in light of developments.We support the United Nations' efforts to promote a ceasefire and to encourage the parties to resume the peace process.

Eu Common Foreign And Security Policy

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the items on the agenda at the EU common foreign and security policy working group meeting on 7 April.

The subject of anti-personnel landmines was one of a number of subjects discussed at the working group meeting on 7 April. However, the agendas of the meetings of this group are not published.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of statements made by, or on behalf of, Her Majesty's Government at the EU common foreign and security policy working group meeting on 7 April.

Copies of all agreed European Union common foreign and security policy statements are placed in the Libraries of both Houses. No such statements issued from this meeting.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which state raised the subject of anti-personnel mines at the EU common foreign and security policy working group meeting on 7 April; what proposals were made; and what was the response of Her Majesty's Government.

The presidency is responsible for preparing the agenda of these meetings. However, the issue of landmines is currently of common interest to all European Union member states.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the next meeting of the EU common foreign and security policy working group is scheduled.

Suicides in penal custody between January 1983 and December 1993
Date	Name	Age	Establishment	Sentence or remand	Determination
1983
16 January 1983	John Leinsler Stewart	34	Peterhead	6 years	Overdose
14 February 1983	William McGlinchey	20	Longriggend	Remand	Cell fire, asphyxiation

The date has not yet been arranged.

European Commission

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 26 April, Official Report, column 125, on the powers of the European Commission, in what way he wishes the Commission to become more accountable.

Powers exist to hold the European Commission to account, notably under articles 140, 143, 144 and 158 of the treaty of Rome. It is right that the Commission should be fully accountable for its actions and these treaty provisions need to be rigorously applied.

Scotland

Security

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the use of private detective agencies and security companies by his Department.

My Department has made limited use of private detective agencies when attempting to locate individuals or companies who have defaulted on the terms and conditions of regional assistance grants. In addition, private sector companies are contracted to provide security guarding services for various Scottish Office buildings and properties.

Prisons (Suicides)

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all the self-inflicted deaths that have occurred in Scottish prison establishments over the past 10 years, giving details of the name, age, status, offence and inquest verdict of each of the deceased and the names of the prisons in which the deaths occurred.

Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Scottish Prison Service under its chief executive, Mr. E. W. Frizzell. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from E. W. Frizzell to Mr. Tony Worthington, dated 5 May 1994:

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton has asked me to reply to your Question about self-inflicted deaths in Scottish penal establishments over the past 10 years, including details of the prisoners' name, age, status and offence and the outcome of the Fatal Accident Inquiry into each death.

The information requested is provided, save for the details of the prisoners' offence (or alleged offence): this information is not meanwhile available and I shall write to you again as soon as our researches are complete.

Date	Name	Age	Establishment	Sentence or remand	Determination
15 April 1983	Edward Witts Graham	23	Barlinnie	Remand	Hanging
6 July 1983	John Beagan	51	Edinburgh	Life	Hanging
14 August 1983	Robert King	18	Glenochil YOI	3 years	Hanging
28 August 1983	Thomas Mochar	26	Barlinnie	20 months	Hanging
1984
16 January 1984	Hugh Morrow	35	Barlinnie	Remand	Hanging
16 February 1984	William McDonald	16	Glenochil DC	Remand	Hanging
2 March 1984	Thomas William Kerr	39	Barlinnie	Remand	Hanging
27 September 1984	Martyn Liston	27	Edinburgh	Remand	Hanging
15 November 1984	Arthur Padden	48	Barlinnie	Remand	Inhalation of toxic fumes in cell fire
1985
26 January 1985	Kenneth Peter Isherwood	47	Perth	Remand	Hanging
18 February 1985	Angus Stewart Boyd	17	Glenochil DC	3 months	Hanging
24 February 1985	Robert Kelly	38	Barlinnie	Remand	Hanging
13 April 1985	Derek John Richard Harris	16	Glenochil YOI	3 months	Hanging
2 June 1985	John Stanley Buchanan	25	Barlinnie	6 years	Hanging
20 June 1985	John Joseph Sinclair	33	Barlinnie	5 years	Hanging
1986
16 February 1986	William Myles Moorehouse	25	Perth	5 years	Jumping
24 March 1986	Frank Lee	18	Edinburgh	Remand	Hanging
22 April 1986	Jack Blake	55	Barlinnie	Life	Jumping
11 June 1986	Jean Margaret McLean	27	Cornton Vale	Remand	Hanging
16 June 1986	Christopher Phillips	27	Barlinnie	18 months	Hanging
6 July 1986	John Hendry Swindle	22	Perth	3 years	Hanging
21 August 1986	Jarvis Torrance	50	Barlinnie	Remand	Hanging
1987
3 June 1987	Peter Barnes	26	Edinburgh	Remand	Hanging
1 August 1987	Terence Bryce	29	Barlinnie	6 months	Hanging
30 October 1987	Gerald Stafford	31	Barlinnie	Remand	Hanging
31 October 1987	Thomas William Kerr	17	Dumfries	Remand	Hanging
5 November 1987	John William Dwyer	34	Glenochil	Life	Hanging
28 December 1987	Kenneth Alexander Heron	21	Glenochil	4 years	Inhalation of vomit, asphyxia and solvent abuse
28 December 1987	Anthony Boyle	23	Barlinnie	Remand	Hanging
1988
30 January 1988	Hugh McGarvie	26	Barlinnie	3 months + 3 months c/c	Hanging
3 March 1988	Alexander Nicol	29	Barlinnie	3 months	Hanging
27 March 1988	George Smart	49	Barlinnie	Remand	Hanging
5 June 1988	Ian Barrie Connor	25	Barlinnie	Remand	Hanging
14 June 1988	Gordon McRae	27	Glenochil	3 years	Hanging
1 July 1988	Alan McGavin	24	Barlinnie	Life	Hanging
13 August 1988	John McLean	30	Barlinnie	Remand	Hanging
1989
7 February 1989	George Ferguson	39	Barlinnie	Remand	Self-inflicted wounds to left arm
5 March 1989	Martin McRae	31	Shotts	Life	Hanging
4 June 1989	James Welsh	59	Aberdeen	Remand	Hanging
14 July 1989	Derek Wood	26	Perth	9 years	Hanging
26 July 1989	Philip McVeigh	22	Shotts	2 years	Hanging
3 December 1989	William Diffin	18	Polmont	3 months	Hanging
1990
9 June 1990	Edward Ronald	30	Barlinnie	Remand	Hanging
31 July 1990	Robert Wilson Campbell	39	Barlinnie	Life	Hanging
26 September 1990	Archibald McCallum	25	Barlinnie	Remand	Self strangulation
1991
3 January 1991	Raymond Langlands	34	Perth	2 years	Hanging
25 January 1991	Thomas McDougall	27	Greenock	3 months	Hanging
28 July 1991	Thomas Hutchison	32	Barlinnie	60 days	Hanging
23 September 1991	Ernest M. S. Craig	19	Longriggend	Remand	Hanging
1992
11 February 1992	Steven Greig	19	Polmont	Remand	Hanging
27 February 1992	John Galbraith	31	Barlinnie	30 days	Hanging
22 March 1992	Peter Nichol Goldie	19	Polmont	5 months, 4 months, 3 months c/c	Hanging

Date	Name	Age	Establishment	Sentence or remand	Determination
15 June 1992	Richard Simon Lowe	26	Edinburgh	3 years	Hanging
9 July 1992	Syrup Metha Ullah	37	Edinburgh	5 years + 5 years c/c	Hanging
25 August 1992	Philip Goulding	31	Dumfries	Remand	Hanging
3 September 1992	William McLeod	28	Edinburgh	Remand	Hanging
18 October 1992	Anthony Shivers	25	Barlinnie	Remand	Hanging
2 November 1992	John Sime	45	Edinburgh	Remand	Hanging
1993
13 January 1993	Stewart Sawyers	23	Greenock	Remand	Hanging
7 April 1993	Robert Greer	28	Perth	Life	Hanging
22 August 1993	George Fleming	45	Edinburgh	Remand	Jumping
20 September 1993	Thomas Lafferty	21	Polmont	5 years	Hanging
17 December 1993	Gary McGonigle	23	Barlinnie	Remand	Hanging
c/c = Concurrent sentence.

Rent Registration Service

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in how many cases the rent review service was involved in the (a) private and (b) public sector as a result of an application for housing benefit in each of the last three years; and what are his comparable projections for the three years next.

The rent registration service makes determinations on rent levels at the request of local housing authorities, which have responsibility for administering the housing benefit scheme on behalf of the Department of Social Security. The number of such determinations, which relate to the private sector only, including housing associations, made for housing benefit purposes in each of the last three years is as follows:

	Number
1991	39,670
1992	45,690
1993	50,251

Projections for future years are not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many staff are employed by the rent review service in Scotland;(2) what is the present cost of running the rent review service in Scotland in each of the last five years in constant terms;(3) how many qualified surveyors or staff with a comparable technical qualification were employed by the rent review service in Scotland at the latest date for which figures are available.

The rent registration service in Scotland currently employes 51 staff of whom 24 undertake rent officer duties and 27 are support staff. None are qualified surveyors or staff with a comparable technical qualification.The costs, including accommodation and other overheads, of running the service in each of the last five years at constant 1993–94 prices, are as follows:

	£ million
1989–90	2·096
1990–91	1·946
1991–92	1·987

	£ million
1992–93	1·695
1993–94¹	1·728
¹ Provisional outturn.

Home Department

Talacre Beach, Clwyd

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to be able to agree the draft byelaws relating to Talacre beach, Clwyd, forwarded by Delyn borough council.

Home Office officials wrote to the Council on 2 February commenting on the latest draft of the byelaws. We expect to give provisional approval to the byelaws once the few remaining issues have been resolved.

Prison Staff Disputes

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many working days have been lost to the prison service in each of the last five years because of strike action taken by prison officers.

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

Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 5 May 1994:

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about strike action taken by prison officers.

No working days were lost as a result of strike action by prison officers during the last five years.

Just before this period, there was a ten day strike by prison officers at Wandsworth from 29 January to 8 February 1989, over the introduction of new shift systems. The figure for working days lost cannot be identified but the majority of prison officers (from a total of over 300 at the establishment at the time) were involved. The prison was managed by governor grades from Wandsworth and other Prison Service establishments, other managers, police officers and prison officers who refused to take industrial action.

The other serious dispute in recent years which resulted in strike action was at Holloway in July-September 1988, over staffing levels. The dispute ran for six weeks and over 7,000 working days were lost. The prison was run by governor grades and other staff who refused to strike.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many formally registered disputes there were in each of the last five years between the Prison Officers Association and the Prison Department; and how many of those disputes were resolved without recourse by the trade union side to industrial action.

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.

Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 5 May 1994:

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about formally registered disputes with the POA in each of the last five years, and how many were resolved without recourse to industrial action.

The number of disputes or failures to agree declared under the Cubbon formula arrangements, the Disputes Procedure which replaced the formula in October 1989, and the Industrial Relations Procedural Agreement, which was introduced in July 1993, are as follows:

In 1989/90, 61 disputes were declared at 46 establishments; 30 disputes were resolved in that year.

In 1990/91, 119 disputes were declared at 77 establishments; 91 disputes were resolved in that year.

In 1991/92, 130 disputes were declared at 61 establishments; 134 disputes were resolved in that year.

In 1992/93, 38 disputes were declared at 34 establishments; 76 were resolved in that year.

In 1993/94, 139 disputes (or failures to agree from 1 July 1993) were declared at 67 establishments; 88 disputes/failures to agree were resolved in that year.

The vast majority of disputes were resolved without recourse to industrial action, the aim of the procedure being to provide a mechanism to resolve disagreements through discussion as quickly as possible at the lowest appropriate level. No strike action has been taken during the last five years (the last strikes by prison officers were at Holloway in 1988 and Wandsworth in early 1989). Where industrial action took place it varied in nature from, for example, a refusal to supply payphone cards to inmates, to action restricting prisoner intake and leading to locking out in police cells.

In 1989/90 there were some episodes of less severe action, including at Canterbury, Lindholme and Wymott.

In 1990–91 industrial action took place at 12 establishments arising from local disputes and in some cases this resulted in prisoners being accommodated in police cells. Industrial action also took place at ten establishments arising from the April 1990 prison disturbances, where POA branches would not accept prisoners from outside their catchment areas.

In 1991/92 industrial action took place at 11 establishments in connection with the disputes. Action at Winchester carried over into the following year and ended in June 1992. There has been no subsequent industrial action associated with disputes or failures to agree at individual establishments. There was national action, amounting to a work to rule, from 5 November 1993, until the Home Secretary obtained an interlocutory injunction on 18 November, restraining the POA from pursuing further planned industrial action, namely 'locking out' prisoners.

The threatened action would have put 1,700 prisoners in police cells in a matter of 72 hours. The disruption to the prison system, the police, the courts, prisoners, their families and legal advisers would have been very considerable, and would have filled up almost all the available police cell capacity in an unmanageably brief period. The cost to the taxpayer would have been nearly one million pounds over those three days.

Prison Disturbances

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will detail the prison disturbances which have taken place over the last 10 years to include (a) the nature of the damage, (b) the number of staff and prisoners injured and (c) the overall cost of the disturbance.

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.

Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 5 May 1994:

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about prison disturbances over the past ten years.

Any action by two or more prisoners against the smooth running of a prison may be classed as a disturbance. Such disturbances may be either passive such as sitting down and refusing to leave the exercise yard, or active such as damaging the fabric of the prison and fighting staff.

The table below shows the number of disturbances since 1984.
Year	Number
¹1984–85	38
1985–86	38
1986–87	45
1987–88	42
1988–89	67
1989–90	67
1990–91	105
1992–93	142
1993–94	147
¹ For this year only the figures are for a 15 month period.

I will write to you again about the more serious disturbances once this information is available.

Camp Hill

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by how much he intends to cut staffing levels at Camp hill; and for what reason.

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.

Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Doug Hoyle, dated 5 May 1994:

The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about staffing levels at Camp Hill prison.

There are no plans to reduce overall staffing levels at Camp Hill but the governor is considering replacing some prison officers posts with prison auxiliaries.

Deportations (Private Security Firms)

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce independent monitoring of complaints about private security firms used in deportations.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to her earlier question on this subject on 9 February 1994 at column 264.

Police Redundancy

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce measures to require Metropolitan police officers with over 30 years' service, and who have previously refused to accept voluntary redundancy, to be made compulsorily redundant.

None at present.

Campsfield House

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans there are for Judge Stephen Tumim to inspect Campsfield house and to report to him.

My right hon. and learned Friend will be inviting Judge Tumim to inspect Campsfield house in due course as part of his future programme of inspections.

Duchy Of Lancaster

Departmental Publications

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster for how many regular publications he was responsible in 1993–94; what was their circulation; and how many were obtainable by subscription.

During the financial year 1993–94 the Cabinet Office, including the Office of Public Service and Science and its executive agencies, together with the Central Office of Information and HMSO, produced 17 annual and 16 other regular publications.I will write to my hon. Friend with details of the titles and print-runs of each publication. None of these publications is available by subscription.

Civil Service Year Book

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what procedures are followed for the authorisation of the front cover design of the "Civil Service Year Book".

Since 1922 the front cover designs of the "Civil Service Year Book" have been approved within the Cabinet Office.

Health

Junior Doctors

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many junior doctors applied for general practitioner training courses in each of the last five years; and of she will make a statement.

This information is not available centrally.

Family Planning Clinics

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women were seen at district health authority and trust family planning clinics in each of the last 10 years.

The numbers of women seen in England were as follows:

	Thousands
1983	1,448
1984	1,487
1985	1,454
1986	1,406
1987–88	1,319
1988–89	1,115
¹1989–90	1,116
¹1990–91	1,060
1991–92	1,046
1992–93	1,030
¹ Figures are estimates based on those districts providing data and relate to the number of first contacts.

Women can choose the source of their family planning advice and treatment. Guidance from the Department stresses the need for the balance of clinic and general practitioner provision to match identified local need; 98 per cent. of GPs provide contraceptive services and more than two thirds of women seeking family planning advice now see their own or another GP.

Prescription Charges

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to change prescription charges exemption arrangements.

None. The existing exemption arrangements for retirement pensioners, which are the most generous in Europe, were challenged in the High Court on 26 April 1994. The court has referred the matter to the European Court of Justice and we must await the conclusion of the judicial process. It remains the policy of this Government not to impose prescription charges on state pensioners.

Nurses And Midwives

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give details of the distribution of average gross weekly earnings per person for each of the national health service clinical nursing and midwifery grades, listing the percentage of each grade earning (a) under £140, (b) £150, (c) £160, (d) £170, (e) £180, (f) £190, (g) £200, (h) £210, (i) £220, (j) £230, (k) £240, (l) £250, (m) £275, (n) £300 and (o) those earning £300 and over in each year since 1989.

This information will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give details of the average gross weekly earnings and make-up of pay by type or allowance for each of the clincial grades for nursing and midwifery staff in each year since 1989.

The information will be placed in the Library. We have used full-time staff data.

Alzheimer's Disease

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions her Department has had with representatives of the pharmaceutical industry about research into new drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

As part of the day to day operations of the pharmaceutical price regulation scheme, manufacturers have kept officials in touch with progress on development and licensing of new drugs, including those for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Dentists, South Yorkshire

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists in practice in South Yorkshire take (a) NHS patients and (b) private patients only, but took NHS patients until 1990.

At September 1993 the number of dentists providing national health service general dental services in South Yorkshire, which includes the family health services authorities of Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield, was 481. The comparable number at 30 September 1990 was 444. Dentists are independent contractors who make their own decisions whether to accept patients under national health service arrangements.

Consultancies

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by general practitioner fundholders on consultancies in the latest year for which figures are available.

Such information is not available.

Nhs, London

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many inquiries her Department has received about the NHS in London in each of the last 12 months.

It is not possible to identify all inquiries about the national health service in London.

Nhs Trusts

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many former Conservative Members and agents have been appointed as chairpersons or members of the boards of National Health Service trusts; and if she will name them.

Those former Conservative Members currently serving on the boards of national health service trusts are listed:

Chairmen
Lord Hayhoe	Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Trust
Lord Jenkin of Roding	Forest Healthcare NHS Trust
Mr. J. Lee	Christie Hospital NHS Trust
Sir Timothy Raison	Aylesbury Vale Community Healthcare NHS Trust
Mr. A. R. Favell	Tameside and Glossop Acute Services NHS Trust
Non-executive directors
Sir Robert McCrindle	Havering Hospital NHS Trust
Sir David Price	Southampton University Hospital NHS Trust
Mrs. M. Hicks	South Warwickshire Mental Health Services NHS Trust

Information on people who may be political agents is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 16 December, Official Report, columns 814–15, whether she has given permission to more units to apply for national health service trust status.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has given permission for a further four applications for national health service trust status. This will bring the total number of directly managed units applying for NHS trust status in the fifth wave to 12. Two further applications for mergers of existing trusts will also be subject to public consultation. An amended list which updates information which my right hon. Friend gave the hon. Member for Windsor and Maidenhead (Mr. Trend) on 16 December 1993 at columns 814–15 has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the annual total cost of (a) remuneration and (b) expenses of members of the boards of NHS trusts.

This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health under what powers an NHS trust may make a payment to the NHS Trusts Federation by way of affiliation.

A national health service trust may subscribe to the NHS Trust Federation under the powers in paragraph 16 of schedule 2 to the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate her Department has made of the cost to NHS trusts of relaunching their corporate identities on becoming trusts.

No such estimate can be made from the information collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many first, second and third wave trusts failed to meet the targets of (a) earning a real return on capital of at least 6 per cent. and (b) remaining within external financial limits in 1991–92 and 1992–93.

The information is shown in the table. The majority of trusts had technical issues which affected their ability to meet their financial duties. This does not imply any failure in financial control. In a number of cases, the difference between actual financial performance and statutory target is deemed to be immaterial.

	1991–92	1992–93
First wave trusts
Failed to meet target of earning a real return on capital of at least 6 per cent.	10	24
Failed to meet target of remaining within external financial limits	8	12
Second wave trusts
Failed to meet target of earning a real return on capital of at least 6 per cent.	n/a	27
Failed to meet target of remaining written external financial limits	n/a	17
Third wave trusts
None operational in the years asked	n/a	n/a

Nhs Joint Ventures

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many joint ventures were entered into between the private sector and NHS bodies in each of the last five years; what was the cost or income to the NHS from these ventures; and what measures are taken by her Department to monitor such ventures.

Information in the form requested is not available centrally. I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 14 April at column 293 and on 3 May at columns 456–58, and the reply I gave the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms Harman) on 2 November 1993 at columns 171–72 for the available information on private finance schemes.The Department does not monitor private schemes centrally. However, we conducted a special exercise earlier this year to assess the progress of the private finance initiative and it is our intention to repeat this at some future date.

Nhs Contracts

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates her Department has made of the annual cost of negotiating and managing NHS contracts.

None.

Gp Fundholders

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total cost of allowances for computer equipment for (a) non-fundholding general practitioners and (b) fundholding general practitioners for 1992–93 and 1993–94.

The provisional total reimbursement to all general practitioners for computer equipment in 1992–93 and 1993–94 was £40.2 million and £36.5 million respectively. The apportionment of these costs between fundholders and other GPs is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current estimate of the additional audit cost incurred as a result of the introduction of general practitioner fundholding.

General practitioner fundholders fundholding accounts are independently audited each year by the Audit Commission. The total estimated costs in the 1993–94 audit year are about £1.3 million. This is under 0.1 per cent. of budgets set.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total cost of management allowances made to general practitioner practices which became fundholders on 1 April.

Management allowances are reimbursements against expenditure. Therefore, information for the 1993–94 financial year will not be available until after the year end.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total of budget underspends retained by fundholders in each region and district in 1992–93 and 1993–94.

Audited underspends are held by family health services authorities on behalf of general practitioner fundholders for up to four years for reinvestment in patient care. Final audited figures for 1992–93 and 1993–94 are not yet available.

Employment

Advertising

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 24 March, Official Report, column 368, by what date he intends to place each market research report in the Library.

Market research on a number of Employment Department campaigns has been conducted. The results will be available later in May. I will send a copy to the hon. Member at that time.

Health And Safety

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions have been brought by the Health and Safety Executive against (a) regions of the National Rivers Authority, (b) regional water companies, (c) regional electricity companies and (d) "next steps" agencies in each of the last five years.

The information available is as follows:

(a) Regions of the National Rivers Authority (NRA).

No informations were laid during the financial years 1989–90 to 1992–93—provisional.

(b) Regional Water Companies.

One information was laid in England and Wales during the five years 1988–89 to 1992–93—provisional. The regional water councils control the industry in Scotland.

(c) Regional Electricity Companies.

The number of informations laid in England and Wales is set out in the following table:

Year of hearing	Information laid
1988–89	1
1989–90	2
1990–91	1
1991–92	—
¹1992–93	9
¹ Provisional.

The information available for Scotland is as follows:

Year of hearing	Information laid
1988–89	—
1989–90	1
1990–91	—
1991–92	—
¹1992–93	—
¹ Provisional.

The figures for England and Wales relate only to electricity distribution; the Scottish figures concern power generation as well.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions have been brought by the Health and Safety Executive against (a) county councils and (b) district councils in England in each of the past five years.

The information available for local authorities in England is provided in the following table:

Year of hearing	Informations laid
1988–89	22
1989–90	21
1990–91	32
1991–92	21
¹1992–93	47
¹ Provisional

It would not be possible to identify figures separately for county and district councils except at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what research his Department has commissioned in the last two years on the relationship between working hours, rest breaks and accidents in the workplace.

No research on this specific topic has been commissioned by the Employment Department in the last two years.Professor J. M. Harrington of the University of Birmingham institute of occupational health was commissioned last year to identify and evaluate pertinent medical and scientific literature relating to the effect, if any, of hours of work on employees' health. The Health and Safety Executive has previously commissioned the study "Shiftwork, Health and Safety—an overview of the scientific literature 1978–1990", by Waterhouse, Folkard and Minors, 1992.

Sunday Working

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received regarding proposed changes in the ability of staff in (a) cinema retailing kiosks, bars or restaurants and (b) cinemas themselves, to work on Sunday.

The Cinema Exhibitors Association has sought guidance as to whether the employment measures of schedule 4 to the Sunday Trading Bill will extend to employees in cinemas selling refreshments and souvenirs.

Training Schemes

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list all Government-operated employment and training schemes and the cost of each scheme each year since 1987; the number of providers on each scheme; how much grant each provider has received each year since 1987, in total and each year; the average payment to the providers for each person engaged on the schemes; the average payment to providers on North Norfolk Action and the cost of providers in total for each of the workstart schemes and per person who has found full-time employment on each workstart scheme.

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.

Letter from A. G. Johnson to Sir Ralph Howell, dated 5 May 1994:

The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question about Government operated employment and training schemes. I am replying in absence of the Chief Executive.

The Government has operated a large number of employment and training schemes over the period covered by your question, and it has not been possible to assemble all the information required for the reply in the normal timescale. Mr. Fogden will write to you again shortly with all the details that are available, but our people have told me that some of the information that you require is not held centrally.

I am sorry that we cannot reply to your question as speedily as usual.

Pit Closures

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how the funds allocated to TECs in 1993–94 specifically for areas affected by pit closures were spent; how much remained unspent; and if the remaining funds can be spent in 1994–95.

Funds allocated to training and enterprise councils in 1993–94 for areas affected by pit closure were spent on additional training and enterprise measures in line with TEC plans.The full amount allocated to TECs in 1993–94 for coal special measures was not spent because of the uncertainty surrounding pit closure dates. Unspent funds from 1993–94 have been re-allocated for TEC coal special measures in 1994–95. Planned expenditure on coal special measures in 1994–95 is around £40 million.

Part-Time Work

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many part-time workers there were in each year since data was collected; and if he will also show these data reworked on a basis of full-time equivalents.

Information on part-time workers has been collected since 1984 and is shown in the following table. The Department does not make estimates of full-time equivalents.

Work Force in Employment: Great Britain Seasonally adjusted
	Part-time (thousands)
1984	5,282
1985	5,404
1986	5,566
1987	5,853
1988	6,047
1989	6,394
1990	6,642
1991	6,555
1992	6,599
1993	6,656

Labour Statistics

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the destination of those leaving the unemployment register, detailing specifically the numbers and proportions going into full-time work, part-time work, training, further education, on to another benefit or into inactivity, for as many years as the figures are available.

Information on the destinations of those leaving the claimant count is not routinely available. The Labour Force Survey in Spring 1993 showed that about two thirds of those who had left ILO unemployment in the previous 12 months had found employment during that period.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will show for each year since 1979 the numbers coming on to and leaving the unemployment register.

Information on the numbers of people joining and leaving the claimant unemployment count is available on a monthly basis from June 1983 onwards. Figures can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library.

Schools (Injuries)

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of serious injuries and fatalities by school in local education authority maintained schools in England and Wales investigated by the Health and Safety Executive in the last two years.

[holding answer 4 May 1994]: The information available is as follows:

Year	¹Fatal	²Major
1991–92	2	81
³1992–93	2	71

The names and locations of the schools where the fatalities occurred are listed in the table. Similar details for the investigated major injuries could be obtained and presented only at disproportionate cost.

1991–92

Ferryhill Comprehensive, Cambridgeshire
Millford Special School, Plymouth

1992–93

Coleman Primary School, Leicester
Brettenham Junior School, London

Notes to table:

¹ Fatal and major injuries to employees, self-employed people also members of the public—chiefly pupils—injured as a result of someone else's work activity.

² As defined under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985.

³ Provisional.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of serious injuries and fatalities in private or independent schools investigated by the Health and Safety Executive in the last two years; and if he will list the schools concerned.

[holding answer 4 May 1994]: The information available is as follows:

Year	¹Fatal	²Major
1991–92	2	17
³1992–93	—	14

The names and locations of the schools where the fatalities occurred are given in the table. Similar details for the investigated major injuries could be obtained and presented only at disproportionate cost.

Gresham's School, Holt, Norfolk

Macintrye Independent School, Wingrove, Buckinghamshire

Notes to table:

¹ Fatal and major injuries to employees, self-employed people also members of the public—chiefly pupils—injured as a result of someone else's work activity.

² As defined under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985.

³ Provisional.

Tupe Regulations

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what are the implications of the judgment of the European Court of Justice in the Schmidt case on Her Majesty's Government's implementation of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 and the 1993 guidance on TUPE;(2) what are the implications of the attitude of Her Majesty's Government to the European Court of Justice's decision in the Schmidt case for Her Majesty's Government's policy in respect of the Rask case.

United Kingdom courts and tribunals will take account, in appropriate cases, of the judgment in the Schmidt case, case C-392/92, and the existing case law of the Court, including the Rask judgment, in determining whether there has been a transfer of an undertaking. The Government are considering the implications of the judgment in relation to the guidance issued by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 11 March 1993, but the key requirement to look at each case on its own facts remains.

Labour Statistics

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will present in tabular form the size of the working population for each of the last 30 years; and if he will divide this data into male and female workers and further subdivide the total as to whether these people work full or part-time.

I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Habitat Conservation

6.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further plans she has to encourage the conservation of natural habitats.

We plan to increase the range of environmental schemes available to farmers and have also issued proposals to adjust ewe and beef premium payments to discourage overgrazing.

Deregulation

10.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals for deregulation she intends to introduce.

We are finalising our review of regulations based on public consultations. Our proposals—involving firm plans for simplification and revocation of regulations—are being published as they emerge.

17.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make a statement on the future of milk quotas.

The EC legislation provides for the milk quota system to continue until the year 2000. We will be pressing for the EU Council of Ministers to debate the future of milk quotas well in advance of that date. Our preference remains for artificial quota constraints to be replaced by a market-led system which would enable producers to plan their output according to the market and their business needs.

18.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make a statement on progress towards deciding the location of the European plant breeder rights office.

The United Kingdom has submitted a formal bid to locate the new office at Cambridge and we understand that six other member states have now submitted bids.A decision on the location of the office is expected to be taken at the June European Council.

Meat And Livestock Commission

19.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action she has taken to improve the marketing role of the Meat and Livestock Commission.

A review of the Meat and Livestock Commission was published on 1 March and included recommendations on the MLC's marketing work.I have asked for comments on the recommendations by 1 June.I will then consider what action to take.

Sheep

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when she is next due to attend the European Union Council of Ministers to discuss the future of the sheep sector.

The next meeting of the European Union Council of Agriculture Ministers is scheduled for 30 to 31 May. At that meeting my right hon. Friend expects to discuss the sheepmeat sector in the context of the debate on the Commission's proposals for prices and related measures in the 1994–95 marketing year.

Speedwell

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice her Department offers farmers and growers on the eradication of Veronica species, commonly known as Speedwell; and if she will make a statement.

This matter has been delegated to ADAS. I have asked the chief executive to reply to the hon. Gentleman direct.

Letter from Dr. J. M. Walsh to Mr. Gordon McMaster, dated 5 May 1994:

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has asked me to reply to your question concerning what advice the Department offers farmers and growers on the eradication of Veronica species, commonly known as Speedwell.

The genus Veronica includes a number of species of wild plant, two of which are common weeds of agricultural land. These two are:

Veronica persica ……… Common Field Speedwell

Veronica hederifolia ………… Ivy-leaved Speedwell

Speedwell is not an injurious weed as defined by the Weed Act 1959 and hence the Department is under no statutory/legal obligations with regard to its control.

ADAS, on behalf of MAFF implements a number of environmental schemes such as ESAs, and within the terms and conditions of the schemes provides husbandry advice to farmers. Such advice free at the point of delivery, i.e. to the farmer, may cover appropriate practical measures for the control of weed infestations.

ADAS independently of MAFF does of course offer a whole range of chargeable consultancy services to farmers and growers, and advice on the control or eradication of weeds would be provided where appropriate. There are no particular technical problems related to the control of Speedwell by herbicides.

Vessel Registrations

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the effect of EEC fishing permits will be on foreign vessels registered under the British flag; and whether they will qualify as British or home country vessels.

A Commission proposal for a framework regulation on fishing permits is currently being considered by member states. For the purpose of EU fisheries legislation, vessels flying a member state's flag are treated as vessels of that nation.

Security

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make a statement on the use of private detective agencies and security companies by her Department.

No use is made of private detective agencies. Private firms are employed to provide security guarding, details of which were given in my reply to the hon. Member for Walsall, South (Mr. George) on 25 April 1994, Official Report, columns 72–73.

Fishing Limitations

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals she has made to the Fisheries Commissioner for a European days at sea limitation; and if she will make a statement.

None.

State Veterinary Service

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what dates and at what ports the state veterinary service has undertaken blanket surveillance for 24 hour periods in each of the last five years.

Blanket surveillance for 24-hour periods was introduced in May 1993 and undertaken by the SVS at the ports of Hull, Harwich, Dover, Southampton, Portsmouth, Poole and Plymouth on the following dates:

1993

May 25–26
August 12–13
November 10–11
December 2–3

1994

January 4–5
February 9–10
February 21–22

March 18–19
March 28–29
April 12–13
April 28–29

On introduction of the single market from 1 January 1993 routine inspections at these ports were replaced by random surveillance which continues.

Supermarkets (Pricing)

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make a statement on the pricing of agricultural goods by supermarkets.

Food retailing is a fiercely competitive business: this is helping to keep retail food prices down.

Beekeepers

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps she is taking to improve the training of British beekeepers.

On 10 March I announced new arrangements to help beekeepers maintain a healthy bee population in England.

Food Safety Directorate

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations she has received concerning the work of the Food Safety Directorate; and if she will make a statement.

We receive many representations about the work of the Food Safety Directorate.

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current Government position with regard to BSE in the food chain.

Measures taken in the United Kingdom since BSE was identified protect public health irrespective of the progress of the epidemic, and have been endorsed by a wide range of independent experts in this country and international organisations. The chief medical officer has publicly stated that British beef can be safely eaten by everyone.

Milk Marketing

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when she expects to make a decision on the proposals for the future marketing of milk by Milk Marque.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for High Peak (Mr. Hendry).

Common Agricultural Policy

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reforms of the CAP are being promoted by Her Majesty's Government; and what reduction in the cost of the CAP such reforms would bring about.

I will continue to press for the reform process begun in 1992 to be extended to the unreformed sectors such as sugar, wine, olive oil and fruit and vegetables.I will also press for further reductions in support prices to the benefit of both taxpayers and consumers.

Fast Food

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment she has made of the benefits the development of fast food can bring to the British horticultural industry.

My hon. Friend is assessing this and other aspects of the fast food market as part of his discussions with the catering industry aimed at improving opportunities for the sales of British produced raw materials, including horticultural products. I am undertaking a similar project on the horticultural industry.

Sheep Disease

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what were the dates of entry to the United Kingdom and the route of each consignment of sheep where caseous lymphadenitis was present, the size of each consignment and the numbers of animals infected;(2) which consignments of sheep entering the United Kingdom from Poland and Spain since 1 January did not comply fully with the requirement to give 24 hours advance notice to the local animal health office; at what point the Ministry became aware of each consignment's arrival in the United Kingdom; and by whom and by what means this information was conveyed;(3) what assessment she has made of whether the procedures set out in directive 90/425/EEC, as amended by directive 92/60/EEC, were fully complied with in relation to each consignment of sheep imported from Poland and Spain subsequently found to be infected with caseous lymphadenitis.

[holding answer 28 April 1994]: Information on the dates of arrival, the country of origin and the routes taken by each consignment of sheep imported into the United Kingdom from Spain and Poland since 1 January 1994 is given in my reply of 13 April to the hon. Member for Dulwich (Ms Jowell), Official Report, column 180. Information on the size of each consignment, the numbers of carcasses from each consignment condemned at meat inspection due to internal evidence of caseous lymphadenitis, and whether advance notice was received in respect of each consignment is given in the table.Directive 90/425/EEC requires, inter alia, that the veterinary authorities in each member state ensure that only those animals which satisfy the animal health and welfare requirements for intra-Community trade are permitted to be exported to other member states and that all consignments are accompanied by the appropriate health certification or other documentation laid down in EC rules. The directive also requires that member state veterinary authorities send each other messages, via the ANIMO computer system, when an official export health certificate has been issued, so as to provide advance notification to an importing member state that a consignment of live animals is on its way. Directive 90/425/EEC does not apply to imports from Poland.

As far as the recent imports of sheep from Spain are concerned, after the initial consignment, the Ministry's chief veterinary officer wrote to his opposite number in Spain about a number of deficiencies in the documentation. Subsequent consignments have been accompanied by

Imports of sheep from Spain and Poland since 1 January 1994
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)
			Carcases condemned due to internal evidence of caseous lymphadenitis:
Date of arrival at slaughterhouse	Country of origin	Size of consignment	(a) Full	(b) Partial	Details of notification received
17 February 1994	Poland	289	Nil	Nil	<24 hours advance notification from slaughterhouse
8 March 1994	Poland	291	25	Nil	>24 hours advance notification from slaughterhouse
9 March 1994	Poland (via Belgium)	328	12	7	>24 hours advance notification from slaughterhouse
17 March 1994	Poland (via Belgium)	350	9	7	>24 hours advance notification from slaughterhouse
28 January 1994	Spain	243	Nil	Nil	>24 hours advance notification from slaughterhouse
15 February 1994	Spain	188	Nil	Nil	<24 hours advance notification from slaughterhouse
8 March 1994	Spain	290	8	19	<24 hours advance notification from slaughterhouse
23 March 1994	Spain	268	8	Nil	>24 hours advance notification from slaughterhouse

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food with what other sheep, or areas frequented by other animals which are not capable of being disinfected after contact, sheep from consignments infected by caseous lymphadenitis came into contact.

[holding answer 28 April 1994]: All consignments of sheep imported from Poland and Spain since 1 January 1994 were imported for slaughter and did not come into contact with other sheep until their arrival at the slaughterhouse in Birmingham. All lairage facilities in Great Britain in which any of the consignments were held en route to the slaughterhouse were required to be cleansed and disinfected after departure of the imported sheep.

Common Fisheries Policy

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what commitment has been made by the EU Council to confirm the full integration, by 1 January 1996 at the latest, of Spain and Portugal into the common fisheries policy.

[holding answer 3 May 1994]: The Council adopted a declaration in the context of the Norwegian enlargement negotiations which provides for the full integration of the fisheries arrangements in the act of accession of Spain and Portugal into the general rules of the common fisheries policy. To that end, the Council is required to adopt regulations before 1 January 1995, which will enter into force by 1 January 1996 at the latest.As I reported in my reply of 13 April to my hon. Friend the Member for Hertsmere (Mr. Clappison),

Official Report, column 183–84, the Fisheries Council on 12 April adopted a regulation which provides further that no changes can be made to the current rules governing Spanish and Portuguese fishing until the replacement arrangements have been set out and agreed by the Council.

satisfactory health certification. In addition, the Spanish authorities have given us prior notification that consignments were being despatched, as required under the provisions of directive 90/425/EEC.

Thames Cockle Fishery

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when there will be a public inquiry into the proposed regulating order for the Thames cockle fishery.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 December 1993, c. 1070]: Arrangements have now been made for a public inquiry to be held into the proposed regulating order for the Thames cockle fishery on 12 May 1994 at the civic centre, Southend on Sea.

Wales

Agricultural Workers

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish for each district council and county council areas, and for Wales as a whole, the number of (a) full-time farmers, (b) part-time farmers, (c) full-time agricultural tenants and (d) part-time agricultural tenants; and if he will make a statement.

The annual June agricultural census collects information on the numbers of farmers who work on holdings, including any partners or directors associated with those holdings. Data are not collected specifically in terms of agricultural tenants although information is available for those farmers, partners and directors who work on holdings where all the land is being rented and this category is included in the following tables.The figures for Wales as a whole and for the counties, shown in table 1, are from the 1993 census. The 1993 figures for district council areas are not yet available, however the equivalent results from the 1992 census are given in table 2.

Table 1 Farmers working on holdings Wales and by county June 1993
	All holdings¹ Farmers, partners and directors working:		Rented holdings¹ Farmers, partners and directors working:
County	full-time	part-time	full-time	part-time
Clwyd	3,028	1,348	440	161
Dyfed	8,344	3,755	813	286
Gwent	1,501	938	214	75
Gwynedd	3,455	1,714	638	245
Mid Glamorgan	649	397	85	50
Powys	4,870	1,888	555	212
South Glamorgan	393	225	105	60
West Glamorgan	586	388	54	26
Wales	22,826	10,653	2,904	1,115

Source: June agricultural and horticultural census, Welsh Office.

¹ Excluding minor holdings.

Table 2: Farmers working on holdings, by district, June 1992
	All holdings¹ Farmers, partners and directors working:		Rented holdings¹ Farmers, partners and directors working:
District area	Full-time	Part-time	Full-time	Part-time
Aberconwy	439	165	109	28
Alyn and Deeside	207	108	35	15
Arfon	349	266	53	32
Blaenau Gwent	65	60	9	6
Brecknock	1,274	477	178	51
Cardiff	67	31	19	²—
Carmarthen	2,181	939	197	57
Ceredigion	2,269	1,043	191	72
Colwyn	660	246	100	32
Cynon Valley	70	57	9	8
Delyn	424	228	77	25
Dinefwr	1,198	513	90	29
Dwyfor	789	352	119	56
Glyndwr	1,047	432	125	50
Islwyn	79	58	10	²—
Llanelli	297	154	38	20
Lliw Valley	210	145	33	9
Meirionnydd	842	319	116	58
Merthyr Tydfil	51	33	9	4
Monmouth	1,041	579	157	52
Montgomeryshire	2,288	872	258	121
Neath	86	74	5	9
Newport	198	99	17	4
Ogwr	217	114	36	14
Port Talbot	44	25	²—	²—
Preseli Pembrokeshire	1,799	684	193	61
Radnorshire	1,192	416	117	42
Rhondda	14	12	3	0
Rhuddlan	120	55	27	9
Rhymney Valley	146	81	15	8
South Pembrokeshire	547	254	116	28
Swansea	229	132	21	11
Taff-Ely	144	79	22	10
Torfaen	97	73	23	18
Vale of Glamorgan	305	172	61	32
Wrexham Maelor	521	262	83	39
Ynys Mon	950	552	235	86

Source: June Agricultural and Horticultural Census, Welsh Office.

¹ Excluding minor holdings.

² Data withheld to avoid disclosure of information relating to any particular land or business.

Security

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the use of private detective agencies and security companies by his Department.

Private inquiry agents have been used by the Welsh Office from time to time in cases of damage to trunk road furniture; personal injuries and medical negligence claims. Private security guards are employed to protect the Department's main offices at Cathays Park, Cardiff at night and at weekends.

Llandough Nhs Trust

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales under what powers he has requested the Llandough national health service trust to bid to provide community health services for the Vale of Glamorgan; what other organisations have been asked to make bids for the same services; if he will publish the terms of reference to the invitation to reply; and if he will make a statement.

Section 5 of the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 contains the power to make, and by implication to amend, an order establishing an NHS trust. A range of non-statutory guidance has been issued on trust-related matters, including the procedures to be followed prior to the submission of a formal proposal for NHS trust status.I have placed in the Library of the House a copy of the letter inviting Llandough Hospital NHS trust to prepare formal proposals to extend its current range of patient care to include community and mental health services for the Vale of Glamorgan. As can be seen, I have not given my final consent to the bid so far. No other health body in South Glamorgan has been asked to prepare such proposals for this area, though all expressions of interest have been taken into account.

Employment

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many times he has met the Wales TUC to discuss employment; and if he will make a statement.

Since taking office, I have had two meetings with the Wales TUC, when we discussed a range of economic issues.

Milk Marketing

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what objections he has received to the revised scheme of re-organisation in milk marketing that will delay the vesting day; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and I will consider all representations made to us during consultation on the Milk Marketing Board's scheme of re-organisation. We will make our decision on whether or not to approve the scheme as quickly as our responsibilities under the Agriculture Act 1993 allow. I am not aware of any reason why vesting should be delayed beyond 1 November 1994.

Volume 242: debated on Thursday 5 May 1994

Written Answers To Questions

Defence

Homosexual Service Personnel

Search And Rescue

Oil And Gas Exploration

Services Review

Treasury

Orimulsion

Foreshore And Seabed Leases

Taxpayers

Transport

"Establishment News Ent/2/94"

British Transport Property (Trespass)

Parliamentary Questions

M11 Link

Ship Registration

Public Service Vehicles

School Transport

Lowestoft Relief Road

Northern Ireland

Photo-Chemical Oxidants

Civil Servants (Business Appointments)

Training And Employment Agency

House Of Commons

Attendants

Cleaners

Trade And Industry

Loans Guarantee Scheme

Guinness Plc

Cross-Media Ownership

Nuclear Power

Nuclear Review

British Coal

Sustainable Development

Privatisation (Consultants)

Consumer Councils

Public Utilities

Environment

Parliamentary Questions

Housing Renovation Grants

Development Corporations

Beckenham Place

Housing Associations

Opencast Mining

International Monetary Fund

Local Authority Services

Special Grants

Urban Regeneration

Queen Elizabeth Ii Conference Centre

Council Tax

Urban Policies

National Heritage

Cross-Media Ownership

Millennium Commission

Television Crime Reconstructions

Executive Agencies

Education

Pupil Statistics

School Governors

Early Retirement

English Language Courses

Prime Minister

Convention On Human Rights

Mobile Telephones And Pagers

Cyprus

Engagements

Social Security

Child Support Agency

Pensions

Operational Strategy

Security

Personnel Costs

Lone Parents

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Council Of Ministers

Mr Van Den Broek

Libya

Rwanda