To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer of 6 May,Official Report, columns 666–67, which client departments have received advice from the Treasury Solicitor's Department; and what has been the cost to each department of such advice.

The following charges have been invoiced as at 13 May 1994 to client departments by the Treasury Solicitor's Department for legal services provided in connection with the Scott inquiry:

	£
Foreign and Commonwealth Office	49,702.83
Department of Trade and Industry	85,193.39

In addition, the Treasury Solicitor's Department has submitted invoices to the Ministry of Defence which I understand are under consideration by it.The Treasury Solicitor in the normal course of his duties has given legal advice to the Cabinet Secretary for which no charge falls to be made.

To ask the Attorney-General how many employees have worked on a full or part-time basis with the Scott inquiry liaison unit set up within his Department; when the unit was established; and when its work will be completed.

There are no Scott inquiry liaison units in my Departments. Liaison is undertaken by staff in my Departments as part of their normal duties.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the recent Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development Operation Lifeline Sudan sub-committee talks in Nairobi to increase access for aid in Sudan; and what progress was made in gaining access by international aid agencies to the Nuba mountains.

The IGADD-OLS sub-committee on relief access met from 6 to 9 May in Nairobi, without agreement. Informal discussions are continuing.No progress has been made on the Nuba mountains since my answer on 10 May at column

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his assessment of the present military situation in Sudan; and how this is affecting the delivery of aid by international relief organisations.

The conflict in the south is continuing but may be curtailed by the recent onset of the rainy season. The security situation in parts of Equatoria and Upper Nile has caused the temporary withdrawal of some relief staff. Relief deliveries have also been affected. The Government of Sudan refused clearance to six air-supplied destinations in April and four in May.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current estimate of the number of refugees from Rwanda now in neighbouring countries; and what is being done by the European Union and Her Majesty's Government to increase the levels of support.

According to reports of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees there are about 250,000 Rwandan refugees in Tanzania, 47,000 in Burundi, 8,000 in Uganda and 10,000 in Zaire. I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 10 May at column 81 about support to these refugees by Her Majesty's Government and the European Union.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much assistance his Department has pledged for Rwanda since the beginning of April; and if he will make a statement.

Since 6 April 1994, Britain has committed £3.35 million bilaterally of humanitarian assistance for Rwandans fleeing the violence.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 26 April, Official Report, column 104, regarding the making and terminating of appointments by regulatory authorities, if Ofwat is required to operate under the terms of the civil service management code in relation to staff appointments and dismissals.

This is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 26 April. Official Report, column 104, who is responsible for the appointment of the Director General of Ofwat.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales are jointly responsible for the appointment of the Director General of Ofwat.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what arrangements have been made for meeting the residual obligations of British Coal; what level of financial resources has been set aside to meet these obligations; and if he will make a statement.

Residual obligations remaining temporarily with British Coal after privatisation would be funded principally by residual payments grant under the provisions of clause 18 of the Coal Industry Bill currently before Parliament. Estimates will be put before Parliament in due course.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how he proposes to ensure that the consultation process on the future of the gas industry will include adequate consideration of energy efficiency.

The consultation document, "Competition and Choice in the Gas Market", contains a chapter on the efficient use of gas. Views have been invited over the coming weeks.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the objectives of the Director General of Ofgas; and what importance is assigned to the promotion of energy efficiency.

The duties of the Director General of Gas Supply are set out in section 4 of the Gas Act 1986. They include, as one of her several secondary duties, a requirement to exercise her functions in the manner that she considers is best calculated to promote the efficient use of gas supplied through pipes.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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; how many were referred on to an agency chief executive; and, in each case, what percentage of the total number of questions asked this constituted.

Between November 1992 and March 1993, 11 out of 1,265 written questions to Treasury Ministers—0.9 per cent.—were not answered substantively because the information requested was not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. During the same period two questions—0.2 per cent.—were referred to agency chief executives for reply.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the present relationship between the International Monetary Fund and Sudan; and what are the IMF's major grounds for concern about Sudan's financial position and conduct.

As of 5 May, Sudan had arrears to the IMF amounting to SDR 1.177 billion or $1.664 billion. Sudan was declared ineligible to use the general resources of the fund on 3 February 1986, a declaration of non-cooperation was issued on 14 September 1990, its right to use special drawing rights other than for settling its arrears to the fund was suspended on 2 November 1990 and its voting rights were suspended as from 9 August 1993. The fund has initiated proceedings that could lead to compulsory withdrawal of Sudan from the fund.The fund took these measures as a result of Sudan's persistent failure to co-operate with the fund in addressing the problem of the arrears evidenced by failure to formulate appropriate economic adjustment measures and failure to agree a schedule of payment to the fund with a view to stabilising the arrears.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about holders of certificates of tax deposits disadvantaged by the introduction of independent taxation.

The Government have decided to provide compensation for certain holders of certificates of tax deposit—CTDs—disadvantaged by the introduction of independent taxation of husbands and wives in April 1990.The Government now propose that anyone who bought a CTD before 6 April 1990 and subsequently cashed it in to pay a spouse's tax liability may apply for a payment equivalent to the difference between the higher and lower interest rates. Effective immediately, anyone still holding a CTD bought before 6 April 1990 will be able to use it to pay his/her own or his/her spouse's liability and receive the higher rate of interest. Legislation to introduce these compensation payments will be included in the next Finance Bill.CTDs are typically purchased by people or companies in dispute with the Inland Revenue about their tax liabilities. CTD holders receive a higher rate of interest if they use the CTD to pay off their own tax liabilities, and a lower rate if they cash the CTD in instead.Before 6 April 1990, when independent taxation was introduced, a married couple was treated as single tax unit. So a CTD in one partner's name could be used to pay the tax liability of the couple. Once independent taxation was introduced, tax liabilities were separated. So a CTD in, say, the husband's name could not be used to pay the liability of his wife. Instead, he would have to cash in the CTD, receiving the lower rate of interest.The test of whether the CTD was cashed in to pay a spouse's liability will be whether any such payment was made within a month either side of the CTD being cashed in.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are his latest estimates of the costs to the Exchequer of local government reform in the United Kingdom.

[holding answer 12 May 1994]: The costs of local government reform in the United Kingdom as a whole will depend on the final structures adopted in England. Any costs should be more than offset by the on going savings that the new arrangements are expected to generate. The proportion of those costs and savings which will fall to the Exchequer will depend on the outcome of future public expenditure surveys.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what consultations he has had with the European Community concerning the directive proposing to abolish licence fees for television and radio.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the future role of section 11 grant in the Government's programme to combat racial inequality.

We continue to attach much importance to tackling the root causes of racial disadvantage—lack of English being a prime example—so that members of ethnic minorities can play a full part in the social and economic life of the country.We envisage that the particular needs of ethnic minorities in the future will be met either through section 11 funding or through wider regeneration programmes under the single regeneration budget.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what target figures he has for the (a) national and (b) regional areas to spend on section 11 related projects for 1995–96;(2) what is the planned level of expenditure in 1994–95 on section 11 grant to local authorities,

Current Home Office provision for the payment of section 11 grant to local authorities in 1994–95 is £46.6 million and the corresponding figure in 1995–96 is £41 million. It is not possible to give precise Home Office grant expenditure figures for 1994–9:5 as a whole, which will be affected by actual expenditure incurred by grant recipients. The following figures, broken down by regions, reflect budget allocations notified to local authorities in England in relation to their expenditure in 1994–95:

	£
London	13,947,117
South-East	5,231,780
Eastern	5,190,023
South-West	1,042,756
West Midlands	1,981,374
East Midlands	6,535,306
North-West	5,981,235
Merseyside	—
Yorkshire and Humberside	1,475,385
North-East	598,728

In addition, authorities in Wales have been notified of allocations amounting to £645,528.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment is made of the requirements of mentally disordered offenders in determining appropriate staffing levels for individual prisons;(2) what steps he takes to ensure that mentally disordered offenders awaiting transfer from prison to NHS establishments receive appropriate care and treatment prior to transfer;(3) what is his current estimate of the number of mentally disordered offenders within HM prison, Wakefield who are awaiting transfer to national health service facilities; and what is the maximum waiting period.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to respond to the references in the report of 10 May by Judge Stephen Tumin into the number of mentally disordered offenders within HM prison, Wakefield who would be more appropriately placed in national health service establishments.

It is Government policy that offenders who have mental disorders requiring in-patient care should receive it from the national health service. Every effort is made to ensure the swift transfer of such prisoners to appropriate outside hospitals. In England and Wales the number of Mental Health Act transfers to hospital has more than doubled from 325 in 1990 to 755 in 1993. We hope that this figure will continue to rise in future years, although any further increase in transfers will depend on sufficient capacity in outside hospitals.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the capital and revenue costs of security measures at Campsfield detention centre.

These costs are commercially confidential and it would not be proper to disclose them.

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will make the support and advice of Parliamentary Counsel available to all hon. Members.

The role of the Office of Parliamentary Counsel is to draft legislation at the request of Ministers. I have no plans to change this.

To ask the Lord President of the Council how many amendments for consideration at the report Stage of the Tobacco Advertising Bill have been drafted by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.

To ask the Lord President of the Council how many amendments for consideration at the report Stage of the Tobacco Advertising Bill have been drafted by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel; and on whose instructions such amendments were drafted.

None of the amendments for consideration at the Report stage of the Bill has been drafted by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel.

To ask the Lord President of the Council how many private members have had the support of Parliamentary Counsel in drafting amendments to other private Members' Bills since April 1992.

Parliamentary Counsel draft amendments on the instructions of Departments acting on the authority of Ministers. How many of these were subsequently tabled by private Members is not recorded.

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will give the business of the House for the week commencing 16 May.

The business for next week will be:MONDAY 16 MAY—There will be a debate on the European Union on a Motion for the Adjournment of the House.TUESDAY 17 MAY—Progress on remaining stages of the Local Government Etc. (Scotland) Bill.WEDNESDAY 18 MAY—Progress on remaining stages of the Local Government Etc. (Scotland) Bill.THURSDAY 19 MAY—Conclusion of remaining stages of the Local Government Etc. (Scotland) Bill.FRIDAY 20 MAY—Private Members' Bills.MONDAY 23 MAY—Motion on the Coal Industry (Restructuring Grants) Order.Motion on the Value Added Tax (Education) Order.Motion on the Railways Pension Scheme Order.Motion on the Railway Pensions (Protection and Designation of Schemes) Order.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will reconsider his decision not to extend the previous study regulation to one year; and if he will make a statement.

Mandatory awards for students underwrite one opportunity for personally eligible students to undertake a course of higher education. Under the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations, attendance of 20 weeks or less on one course with the benefit of an award is disregarded in deciding if a student is eligible for an award for a second course. My right hon. Friend has no plans to change these long-standing arrangements, which already allow attendance for more than half an academic year to be disregarded.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the level of funding by the Further and Higher Education Council to Doncaster college in 1993–94; and what is the planned level in 1994–95.

The Further Education Funding Council's allocations to Doncaster college for the 16-month period April 1993 to July 1994, the first financial year in the new FE sector, as given in its document "Funding Allocations 1993–94" are as follows:

	£
Recurrent funding	14,798,129
Capital equipment	351,000
Minor works	3,337,365

In addition, the college received £11,00 from the FEFC for the period April 1993 to March 1994 in respect of continuing PICKUP—professional industrial and commerial updating—activity.The FEFC is currently consulting colleges on their provisional allocations for the period August 1994 to July 1995. Final allocations will be announced in mid-June.The Higher Education Funding Council for England's funding for Doncaster college in the 1993–94 academic year is some £1.15 million. This includes £29,000 for a special initiative to provide new higher education courses in localities with limited current provision. The college will receive some £1.88 million in 1994–95 and may also submit proposals for further special initiative funding which, if successful, will provide additional funds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what loans or other special arrangements have been made for any grant-maintained school in deficit or with an expected deficit for the last financial year or the current financial year.

In the last financial year loans were made to three grant-maintained schools in accordance with the Education (Grant-maintained Schools) (Loans) Regulations 1993. On the basis of its monitoring, the Department is not aware of any grant-maintained school that had a cash deficit in 1993–94 or the previous financial year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the number of ex-service personnel who fought in either the Falklands or Gulf wars and are now in receipt of a war pension.

Records indicate that, of those ex-service personnel who fought in the Falklands conflict and who made claims for a war pension up to June 1991, 104 are now receiving a war disablement pension. No information is held about any who may have claimed since June 1991.Sixty-five war disablement pensions are in payment to ex-service personnel who fought in the Gulf war.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 7 February, Official Report, column 32 how many and what proportion of those claimants of invalidity benefit who receive an occupational pension had been receiving such pension payments for (a) up to six months, (b) up to one year, (c) up to two years and (d) more than two years; and if such pensions had been in payment to the claimant during (i) the first six months of incapacity, (ii) between six and 12 months of the start of the incapacity and (iii) only after the first year of incapacity.

This information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 8 February, Official Report, column 210, of the claimants of invalidity benefit also receiving an income from investment, what were the sources of this investment income; and of those with net earnings, how many and what proportion had payments from former employers, classified by type of employer payment.

The table shows the main sources of investment income with recipients as a proportion of all invalidity benefit recipients with investment income.Information is not available on the number and proportion of invalidity benefit recipients with net earnings who receive payments from former employers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people claiming incapacity benefit after April 1995 he estimates will also receive payments from occupational or private schemes for long-term incapacity.

We have no estimates of the number of people who will be claiming incapacity benefit after April 1995 who will also receive payments from an occupational or a private scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many invalid care allowance claimants have had payments of arrears of this benefit restricted to 12 months where an award of attendance allowance or disability living allowance to the person they are caring for has taken more than 12 months to determine;(2) if he will trawl all existing invalid care allowance claims and awards to identify cases where payment of arrears of invalid care allowance has been restricted to a period of 12 months where the time taken to determine the related attendance allowance or disability living allowance claim has taken more than 12 months; and if he will make payment of invalid care allowance or a compensation payment for the further back period;(3) if he will amend social security regulations to allow back payment of invalid care allowance for more than 12 months where a determination and award on a related claim for attendance allowance or disability living allowance has taken more than 12 months.

To date, 241 claimants have had their invalid care allowance arrears limited to the statutory 12 months due to delays by this Department in processing the related attendance allowance or disability living allowance claims. Such ICA claims were identified at the outset and all claimants have been, or will be, paid the equivalent of their ICA arrears in full by way of ex-gratia payments. Any similar claims will be dealt with in the same way.There are no plans to amend the relevant legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on what occasions Ministers from his Department have requested Parliamentary Counsel to assist in preparing amendments to private Members' Bills on behalf of other private members.

None. In the case of the Civil Rights (Disabled Persons) Bill, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State authorised officials to instruct Parliamentary Counsel to prepare amendments which were subsequently passed to private Members.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will next meet the European Commissioner for the Environment; and what items he will discuss.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will next meet the Commissioner at the informal Environment Council on 13 to 15 May. The Council will discuss tourism and the environment.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how consumer interests are represented on Ofwat's customer service committees.

[holding answer 11 May 1994]: Section 29 of the Water Industry Act 1991 places a duty on each customer service committee to keep under review, to consult and to make representations to companies allocated to the committee about all matters appearing to the committee to affect the interests of customers or potential customers of those companies; and to investigate any complaint made by a customer or potential customer relating to the carrying out of any of the functions of a water or sewerage undertaker.The CSCs report to the Director General of Water Services and advise him on issues which affect customers, to inform his decision making.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what (a) further Government grants and (b) supplementary credit approvals were allocated specifically for local authority housing investment in addition to the housing investment programme allocation in each local authority in each year since 1978–79.

[holding answer 15 April 1994]: Before the introduction of the present local authority capital finance system in April 1990, the allocation in-year of additional capital resources for housing investment was reflected in increases to housing investment programme allocations. Powers to issue supplementary credit approvals are contained in the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, and SCAs have therefore been issued only since 1990–91.Resources have been set aside since 1990–91 outside the envelope of the annual housing investment programme allocations for the following programmes of SCAs and capital grants for housing investment by local authorities:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much (a) further Government grants and (b) supplementary credit approvals were allocated specifically for local authority housing investment in addition to the housing investment programme allocation in each local authority for the years 1978–79, 1993–94 and 1994–95.

[holding answer 15 April 1994]: Before the introduction of the present local authority capital finance system in April 1990, the allocation in-year of additional capital resources for housing investment was reflected in increases to housing investment programme allocations.Powers to issue supplementary credit approvals are contained in the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, and SCAs have therefore been issued only since 1990–91. SCAs may be issued up to six months after the end of the financial year during which the relevant expenditure is defrayed, and the bulk of housing SCAs for 1993–94 will be issued in the coming months. No housing SCAs have yet been issued for 1994–95.Details of payments to local authorities in 1993–94 of capital grant which is outside the envelope of the annual housing investment programme allocations have been placed in the Library. No such grant has yet been paid in 1994–95.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those mineral waters produced in the United Kingdom that have been, or are to be, prohibited for public consumption under the EC drinking water directive 80/778; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.The provisions of EC directive 80/778 relating to the quality of water intended for human consumption do not apply to natural mineral waters approved under EC directive 80/777 on the approximation of the laws of the member states relating to the exploitation and marketing of natural mineral waters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total expenditure on the aborted personnel data processing system.

The total expenditure, excluding staff and training costs, on the Department's personnel data processing system was £2.43 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much was paid to McDonnell Douglas in respect of (a) project supplies, (b) software development, (c) computer hardware and (d) other items connected with the personnel data processing system.

The amount paid to McDonnell Douglas, in respect of the Department's personnel data processing system, were:

(a) Project supplies	£2,930
(b) Software development	£782,555
(c) Computer hardware	£625,202
(d) Other items	£351,714

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment 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.

The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much his Department has spent on contracts with private detective agencies since 1991; and if he will make a statement.

Fees for private detective agencies instructed by the Employment Service since 1991 amount to £175 plus VAT.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what further steps he is taking to request information from training and enterprise councils in relation to the numbers of secondees from his Department continuing to work for the same training and enterprise councils after having applied successfully under the voluntary early retirement scheme for early retirement (a) in England and (b) in Wales.

The Permanent Secretary has written to the chairman of every training and enterprise council in England and Wales to ensure that the Department's policy on this matter is fully understood and to seek their support and co-operation in implementing that policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of those unemployed for 12 months and more in May 1979; and what are the current figures.

[holding answer 12 May 1994]: The unadjusted number of United Kingdom claimants

Number of public bodies in Wales
	Executive	Advisory	Tribunals	NHS	Total
1978–79	16	12	3	9	40
1 April 1993	23	28	4	33	88

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what resources will be available to the new local authorities in Wales to carry out their statutory duty under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service;(2) what plans will be made to facilitate joint arrangements between the new local authorities to enable them to carry out their statutory responsibilities in relation to public libraries.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Ogmore (Mr. Powell) on 21 March at column 73.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Llwyd) of 4 May, Official Report, column 537, if he will name the individuals or bodies who made representations to him on the annexe on wind energy in planning policy guidance note 22.

The Wales Wind Energy Forum and the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the effect of the impending local government reforms on the local government superannuation scheme; and if he will make a statement.

The Welsh Office has recently consulted all Welsh local authorities, the two local authority associations and other interested organisations on proposals for the administration of superannuation funds under section 7 of the Superannuation Act 1972. The closing date for comments is 30 June.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many non-departmental public bodies or similar agencies to which holders of his office make appointments existed in 1979 and in 1993; and if he will list in cash and real terms the total administrative costs, the salaries of each appointed worker and the amount spent in implementing their statutory duties.

The information available is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he informed the district health authorities in Wales of their cash allocation for 1994–95.

My right hon. Friend announced the cash allocations to health authorities in Wales for 1994–95 on 16 March.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received from health authorities and trusts in Wales concerning the cash increase for 1994–95.

A number of trusts have made representations to the Welsh Office regarding the 1994–95 allocations to health authorities but none has related to the level of cash increase provided.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when his Department informed NHS trusts in Wales that they would be required to absorb the pay award to nurses, doctors and midwives in 1994–95.

Following the Government's acceptance of the recommendations of the review bodies on the 1994–95 pay increases to doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives and the profession supplementary to medicine, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health, in a press release on 3 February, made it clear that we looked to the NHS to fund this award through improved efficiency and productivity, allowing the extra money for the NHS announced in the Budget to go directly to patient services. This press release was circulated to NHS trusts in Wales and discussed with their chief executives at a meeting on 15 February.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received on job losses within the national health service in Wales in 1994–95.

The possibility of job losses has been raised in correspondence received by my right hon. Friend from the chairman of the NHS trust chairmen's group and from some individual trusts. No other representations have been received.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many radiation monitoring stations there are in Northern Ireland; what plans he has to establish further stations; and if he will make a statement.

The gamma dose rate in air is measured at 49 fixed coastal locations on a quarterly basis. This is in addition to the monitoring of locally caught seafood and sediments from the intertidal areas. The results of this monitoring show that radioactivity levels measured are of no radiological significance to the health of the Northern Ireland population and these results have been confirmed by monitoring undertaken by the Northern Ireland radiation monitoring committee, representing district councils in the Province. In recent years, joint surveys undertaken by my Department and colleagues in the Republic of Ireland, into radioactivity levels in Foyle and Carlingford loughs, also confirm that levels are very low. My Department's environmental monitoring programme is under continual review and we are committed to providing public reassurance and information in this way.In addition to these local measures, under RIMNET —the radiation incident monitoring network, designed to give early warning in the event of an overseas nuclear emergency—five continuous stations are operational in the Province.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department has spent on contracts with private detective agencies since 1991; and if he will make a statement.

Since 1991 Northern Ireland Civil Service Departments and the Northern Ireland Office have spent £25,017 on inquiries undertaken by private detective agencies as follows:

	£
Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland	19,401
Department of Economic Development	215,616
1 Investigations into the circumstances relating to persons claiming compensation against the Department as a result of alleged personal injuries through tripping incidents.
2 Investigations pertinent to economic development.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list by Her Majesty's prison and remand home/centre for the latest date he has figures available, the number of inmates whose place of residence is South Yorkshire; and what were the figures (a) 12 months and (b) 24 months ago.

There were no prisoners with a last known address in South Yorkshire being held in Her Majesty's prisons in Northern Ireland on 1 May 1994, 1993 or 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list by sex, and by year for the last 10 years, the average number of police officer days lost for reasons of sickness in each police division.

The available information is as follows:

Table 1—Average days lost per member
Year	Male	Female	Force	Day type
1984	n/a	n/a	14.37	Total
1985	n/a	n/a	14.94	Total
1986	n/a	n/a	16.71	Total
1987	n/a	n/a	16.77	Total
1988	n/a	n/a	19.00	Total
1989	18.95	31.98	19.79	Total
1990	19.27	33.11	20.19	Total
1991	13.71	23.61	14.40	Work
1992	13.70	21.06	14.49	Work
1993	13.80	18.93	14.16	Work

Table 2 Average Work Days Lost per Member
	Year
Police Division	1991	1992	1993
	1991	1992	1993
A	16·2	16·8	14·7
B	13·6	13·5	11·2
D	16·3	17·5	16·9
E	15·7	17·0	17·4
G	16·7	17·8	17·9
H	13·9	12·6	12·6
J	16·4	21·2	16·7
K	12·7	12·4	12·4
L	10·2	10·3	10·4
N	13·2	11·8	10·0
O	15·4	18·8	19·3
P	19·6	16·3	18·9

To ask the Prime Minister how many employees have worked on a full-time or part-time basis with the Scott inquiry liaison unit set up within the Cabinet Office; when the unit was established; and when its work will be completed.

The Scott inquiry unit in the Cabinet Office was established in December 1992 with three full-time members, increased to five in April 1993. I am unable at this stage to say when the work of the unit will be completed.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will reconsider his decision not to appoint a veterans' Minister.

[holding answer 9 May 1994]: Responsibility for matters affecting war veterans, their widows and dependants, forms part of the departmental remit of a number of Ministers, as appropriate. There are no plans to change this arrangement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) qualified national health service nurses and midwives, (b) unqualified national health service nursing staff and (c) nursing learners were employed in each regional health authority in each year since 1989 (i) in numbers and (ii) as a percentage of the total NHS nursing and midwifery staff.

The information requested will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by (a) regional health authorities, (b) district health authorities, (c) family health service authorities and (d) other health authorities on consultancies in the latest year for which figure are available.

Expenditure on consultants is included under the category "external contract staffing and consultancy services", and cannot be separately identified. This information is published in Health and Personal Social Services Statistics, copies of which are available in the Library. The figures could include non-clinical services provided by outside bodies in areas such as cleaning, accountancy and computer services.

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

National health service trust expenditure on consultancy services alone is not available centrally. The provisional aggregate figure for NHS trust spending on external contract staffing and consultancy services was £43 million in 1992–93, the latest year for which a figure is available. This expenditure relates to services purchased from other trusts, health authorities and the private sector and includes, for example, linen supplies, transport and computing services as well as consultancy services.The difference between the above figure and previous estimates is the result of further validation of source data by the NHS Executive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the charitable income of Great Ormond Street hospital in the last two years.

This is a matter for the Hospitals for Sick Children national health service trust. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman, Sir Brian Hill, for details.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children aged 15 years at 31 March 1991 were looked after by local authorities under care orders by placement.

There were 2,920 children aged 15 in the care of English local authorities at 31 March 1991 by placement. A breakdown of the forms of placement is shown in the table.

Children aged 15 under care orders in the care of local authorities at 31 March 1991 by placement
	Number
All children aged 15 under care orders	2,920
Foster placements	1,363
In lodgings, living independently or residential employment	3
In community homes provided under the Child Care Act 1980	775
In voluntary children's homes and hostels	48
In accommodation for children with special educational needs	117
Under charge and control of parent, guardian, relative or friend	452
Young offender institution or prison establishment	18
Other placements1	144
1 Other placements include: youth treatment centres, mother and baby homes, NHS or other establishments providing medical and/or nursing care, placed for adoption, children absent from agreed placement, and unspecified placements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many Medtronic pacing leads 4012 have been implanted into patients since 1987; and when the lead came on to the market in the United Kingdom;

According to the national pacemaker database, the number of patients implanted with the Medtronic 4012 lead model since 1987 is 1,037.The number of patient deaths since 1987, on a yearly basis has been:

	Number
1987	8
1988	11
1989	18
1990	31
1991	37
1992	37
1993	33

None of which was lead-related.These statistics include retrospective data since added to the NPD and updates information provided in the reply that I gave to the hon. Member on 21 March at columns

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what work previously done by health visitors is now being done by other staff; and which other staff are doing this work.

Many routine immunisations are now undertaken by practice nurses, freeing health visitors to target their skills more effectively. Among others, Strelley nurse development unit in Nottingham provides a fine example where health visitors are leading teams and managing patient care.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) student health visitors, (b) student district nurses, (c) student community psychiatric nurses and (d) school nurses in training there were in each of the last five years, by regional health authority.

The available information is included in the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting annual report 1992–93, copies of which are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of practice nurses, expressed as whole-time equivalents, employed in the NHS for each of the last five years, by regional health authority.

Between 1989 and 1993 the number of whole-time equivalent practice nurses in England increased by 107 per cent. from 4,629 to 9,606. The detailed information is shown in the table.

Numbers of whole-time equivalent practice nurses at 1 October
RHA	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993
Northern	282	427	502	549	548
Yorkshire	277	570	611	648	754
Trent	464	767	851	929	960
East Anglia	271	443	545	511	551
North West Thames	389	610	681	698	753

RHA	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993
North East Thames	279	536	642	701	755
South East Thames	360	657	627	651	740
South West Thames	276	488	545	558	560
Wessex	330	534	677	587	611
Oxford	339	449	492	535	577
South Western	462	683	707	760	739
West Midlands	487	751	827	914	1,020
Mersey	166	333	343	442	391
North Western	248	491	642	638	647

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she has yet responded to the request by West Lindsey NHS Trust to reduce the size of its trust board; what representations she has received from local nursing professional organisations in respect of the effect of such a reduction; what consideration she has given to the possible child protection implications of the reduction in nurse management; and how she will ensure that her Department's guidance on this issue is followed locally.

Ministers are considering whether to agree to the trust's request to reduce the number of its board members. Whatever the outcome of this consideration, the trust will continue to be required to appoint a registered nurse or registered midwife as an executive director under the National Health Service Trusts (Membership and Procedure) Regulations 1990. We expect all trusts to develop the role of nurse director in a way which will guarantee high standards of leadership and care.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Minister for Health's oral answer to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes) of 22 March, Official Report, column 125, and her written answer of 10 May, Official Report, column 90, what evidence has been drawn to her attention of the existence of a two-tier health system within the NHS.

A two-tier system does not operate in the national health service.Occasionally, information about alleged differentials in service provision is brought to my attention from both within and outside the NHS. Such claims are investigated; they have been shown to reflect different purchasing contracts not "two-tierism". Trusts are reminded of the agreement with the British Medical Association that they may not offer contracts to one purchaser which would thereby disadvantage the patients of another. They are expected to ensure that any services provided conform with this agreement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total cash allocation for regional health authorities in England in 1993–94 and in 1992–93.

The final cash limits—capital and revenue—for regional health authorities for 1992–93 and 1993–94 are shown in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will estimate expenditure on NHS trusts for 1994–95.

[holding answer 12 May 1994]: Expenditure by national health service purchasers for patient services provided by NHS trusts for 1994–95 is estimated at £17,058,059,000.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what satistics he has on the number of former parliamentary candidates who have been recruited to the permanent home civil service.

No such statistics are kept.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Civil Service Commission in relation to the recruitment of Mr. Paul Martin to the permanent home civil service, and in relation to the recruitment of former parliamentary candidates generally.

I have had no consultations with the First Civil Service Commissioner on this subject. There is no bar to the employment in the civil service of a person who, although previously politically active, takes a decision to seek a career in the service and is willing to abide by the rules on the political activities of serving civil servants once appointed.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidelines he has issued in relation to the recruitment of previous parliamentary candidates into the permanent home civil service; what proposals he has for maintenance of party political neutrality within the permanent home civil service in circumstances where previous parliamentary candidates have been recruited; and if he will make a statement.

The principle of selection on merit on the basis of fair and open competition precludes previous political activity being a consideration in civil service recruitment. The rules on political activities in the conduct chapter of the Civil Service Management Code, a copy of which is in the Library, apply to all staff according to the nature of their work. A recruit accepts those rules as a condition of service.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guidelines he has issued in relation to the treatment of references from party political or ministerial sources in relation to recruitment to the permanent home civil service.

No guidelines have been issued by my Department relating specifically to references from party political or ministerial sources in relation to recruitment to the permanent home civil service. Where references are sought, their purpose is to assist the selectors in assessing suitability for the grade or post concerned in relation to the qualities, experience and qualifications required.

To ask the the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on what date the application of Paul Martin for recruitment to the permanent home civil service was received by the Civil Service Commission; and on what

Real fares indices (1984–85 = 100)
	London Buses	London Underground	London Transport	Network SouthEast	British Rail
1984–85	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
1985–86	102.5	101.3	101.7	101.2	100.9
1986–87	105.2	103.8	104.1	104.9	105.1
1987–88	106.1	106.1	105.9	106.1	106.5
1988–89	111.0	110.5	110.1	107.1	107.7
1989–90	113.6	113.8	113.2	107.7	107.9
1990–91	114.2	115.4	114.4	108.2	108.4
1991–92	119.5	121.1	119.8	113.1	113.0
1992–93	124.9	126.5	125.2	118.1	117.2
1993–94	132.6	133.9	132.7	125.1	122.0

Actual fares indices (1984–85 = 100)
	London Buses	London Underground	London Transport	Network SouthEast	British Rail
1984–85	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
1985–86	108.6	107.2	107.7	107.2	106.9
1986–87	115.0	113.4	113.7	114.7	114.9
1987–88	120.6	120.6	120.3	120.6	121.1
1988–89	133.7	133.1	132.7	129.0	129.8
1989–90	147.5	147.8	147.1	140.0	140.1
1990–91	162.6	164.4	163.0	154.1	154.4
1991–92	178.2	180.7	178.8	168.8	168.7
1992–93	192.2	194.7	192.7	181.8	180.4
1993–94	207.6	209.6	207.7	195.8	191.0

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish an index showing the increase in child fares on (a) London buses, (b) London Underground, (c) all London transport, (d) Network SouthEast and (e) all British Rail, for each year since 1984–85 taking 1984–85 as the base and showing the increase in both actual and real terms.

The information available for London buses, London Underground and London Transport bus and underground services combined is shown in the tables. Comparable figures for British Rail and Network SouthEast are not readily available.

Mr. Martin submitted an application form for the administrative fast stream entry in September 1992, sat the qualifying test in October 1992, attended the civil service selection board in December 1992 and the final selection board in February 1993, and took up employment in the civil service in June 1993. References were taken up in November 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish an index showing the real increase in fares on (a) London buses, (b) London Underground, (c) all London transport, (d) Network SouthEast and (e) all British Rail in each year since 1984–85, taking 1984–85 as the base and showing the increase in both actual and real terms.

The information requested is given in the table.The figures shown in the tables are for child ordinary tickets only. They do not include the effect of changes in the price of child season tickets, travelcards and passes, as this information is not available.

Real fares indices for child ordinary tickets
(1984–5=100)
	London Buses	London Underground	London Transport
1984–85	100	100	100
1985–86	116	101	112
1986–87	112	103	109
1987–88	113	116	113
1988–89	129	123	128