To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many civil servants taking early retirement or redundancy went into employment with a training and enterprise council since the abolition of the councils.

None. Training and enterprise councils have not been abolished.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what estimate has been made of the cost of the provision of divorce information as set out in the Green Paper entitled, "Mediation and the Ground for Divorce."

No decisions have been made about the proposals in the Government's consultation paper. When reponses to that paper have been fully considered, the Lord Chancellor will decide how best to proceed and relevant cost estimates will be prepared.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department with whom he has had consultations over the provision of divorce information as set out in the Green Paper, "Mediation and the Ground for Divorce."

Approximately 700 responses to the consultation paper have been received. Many of those responses referred to the provision of divorce information.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what training he intends to provide for those who will be responsible for the provision of divorce information and mediation under the proposals contained in the Green Paper, "Mediation and the Ground for Divorce."

No decisions have been made about the proposals in the consultation paper. It is therefore too early to decide what training might be required.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what estimate he has made of the cost of training mediators, pursuant to the proposals contained in the Green Paper, "Mediation and the Ground for Divorce."

Depending upon the decisions which are made about the proposals in the consultation paper, an assessment would be made of the cost of any additional training of mediators.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what discussions his Department has had with the Treasury about the cost of the provision of divorce information as set out in the Government's Green paper, "Mediation and the Ground for Divorce."

Discussions between the Lord Chancellor's Department and the Treasury take place in the usual way. No final conclusions have been reached.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if it is his policy that there should be a phased take-on of work for the mediation service, pursuant to the proposals contained in the Green Paper, "Mediation and the Ground for Divorce."

No decisions have been made about the proposals in the consultation paper. It is therefore too early to decide how they might be implemented.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department for how many solicitors' offices pre-contract audit for legal aid franchise has been completed; and how many of these solicitors' offices had passed their pre-contract audit, as of 13 May.

By 13 May, 312 pre-contract audits had been carried out. Of the 111 which have been determined, 99 had passed their pre-contract audit.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many solicitors had submitted and not withdrawn applications for legal aid franchises in each of the legal aid areas as of 13 May.

As of 13 May, 1,426 solicitors' offices had submitted and not withdrawn applications for legal aid franchises. The breakdown is as follows:

	Number
London	164
Brighton	105
Reading	182
Bristol	163
Cardiff	62
Birmingham	82
Manchester	96
Newcastle	57
Leeds	100
Nottingham	111
Cambridge	153
Chester	72
Liverpool	79

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many representations he has received from the Spelthorne constituency for and against the finalised proposals for M25 link roads.

This question relates to operational matters of the Highways Agency. I have asked the chief executive, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is his latest estimate for daily traffic flows on the M40 between (a) junctions 5 and 6 and (b) junction 6 (Lewknor) and Postcombe;(2) how many residential properties lie within 100 m, 200 m and 300 m of the M40 between junctions 5 and 6;(3) what is his Department's estimate of the cost of resurfacing the M40 between junction 6 (Lewknor), and Postcombe with porous asphalt;(4) how many residential properties lie within 100 m, 200 m and 300 m of the M40 between Lewknor, junction 6 and Postcombe;(5) what is his Department's estimate of the noise reduction which will be achieved for local residents of resurfacing the M40 between

These questions relate to operational matters of the Highway Agency. I have asked the chief executive, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department intends to change the signs on major roads to include metric distances.

We would consider such a change only if we were satisfied that the benefits would justify the substantial costs involved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made towards instituting a common appraisal method for road and rail investment.

The Department employs a wide range of appraisal procedures which reflect the many considerations that need to be taken into account, such as the importance of benefits to the wider community and the structure of management incentives. But the methods are applied in a way designed to ensure there is no bias in favour of any one mode.In urban areas the Department is developing the "package approach" to local transport funding. Under this approach the same multi-criteria framework is to be used by local authorities and the Department to assess the merits of all local transport investment proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the organisations eligible to apply for small bus permits.

An application for a small bus permit may be made by any body concerned with education, religion, recreation or social welfare or other activities of benefit to the community, provided that the use of a vehicle under a permit meets the requirements of section 19 of the Transport Act 1985. The Secretary of State has designated certain bodies to grant permits to themselves or their local organisations and these are listed in SI 1987 No. 1229—the section 19 Minibus (Designated Bodies) Order 1987—and the amendment to that order, SI 1990 No. 1708.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many small bus permits were issued in each of the last five years.

The number of small bus permits issued in each of the last five years is given in the table:

Year	Number of permits
1989	4,800
1990	6,230
1991	7,275
1992	5,780
1993	4,775

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on cycling policy during National Bike Week.

I have today released a new statement of our cycling policy which has been developed in consultation with other Government Departments. In it the Government recognise the need for us as a nation to take full account of the benefits which cycling offers.A change of perceptions is needed. More local authorities should consider cycling from the outset in planning and traffic management. Secure cycle parking should be more widely available near offices, shopping centres and public transport stations. Employers should make available cycle parking, and changing and showering facilities. Cycling should be more widely seen as a sensible means of transport, offering a realistic alternative to the car for local journeys.We intend to work with other organisations to create the conditions in which more people will choose to cycle.Copies of the statement have been placed in the Library, and are being sent to all local authorities.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what instructions are given to security staff in his departmental offices in London for dealing with (a) those sleeping rough in departmental doorways and (b) beggars in the vicinity; and how many problems have been experienced with each category in the last three months.

If members of the public are found to be blocking emergency exits or their activities restrict access to departmental buildings, the security guards ask them to move. If any problems arise the police are called. My Department does not keep a separate record of incidents relating to beggars or people sleeping rough.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the value of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority's nuclear decommissioning liabilities.

When the UKAEA last estimated its decommissioning liabilities in 1990 the estimate was of the order of £3 billion to £4 billion, undiscounted, including liabilities for fuels and wastes. This estimate was based largely on preliminary technical assessments. The estimate has now been updated by a much more detailed and systematic review which started several years ago and which has looked individually at each of the UKAEA's many facilities.The UKAEA's new central estimate of the cost of decommissioning facilities on its own sites is £6 billion. It also has estimated liabilities of £2 billion for fuels and wastes, and for decommissioning and waste management on BNFL sites—therefore, a total liability of £8 billion. These estimates are undiscounted, in 1993–94 prices. Discounted at 2 per cent. for comparison with figures published by other nuclear businesses, the total estimated cost is £5 billion.The increase reflects the more systematic review, together with the inclusion in the new estimate of the costs of infrastructure, of care and maintenance where final decommissioning is deferred, and of programme management and supporting research.Most of the expenditure will not arise until well into the future, with final decommissioning of some facilities taking place in the middle of next century or even later. Because of the unique nature of many of the UKAEA's individual facilities, the cost estimate remains subject to considerable uncertainty. The UKAEA believes that around its total central estimate of £8 billion, the total cost could lie in the range £6 billion to £12 billion.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade which companies have been disallowed from bidding for British Coal; and if he will make a statement.

The identify of those parties which have, or have not, pre-qualified for the sales process of British Coal Corporation is commercially confidential. A statement will not be made.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what instructions are given to security staff in his departmental offices in London for dealing with (a) those sleeping rough in departmental doorways and (b) beggars in the vicinity; and how many problems have been experienced with each category in the last three months.

My Department has not issued any instructions to its security staff for dealing with those sleeping rough in doorways or beggars. Security guards are instructed to keep all exits clear in case of fire. The Department has not experienced any problems with rough sleepers or beggars.

To ask the Secretary of state for the Environment what minimum standards for heating residential accommodation are issued which must be adhered to by local authorities, housing associations and private developers.

When new residential accommodation is constructed in England and Wales, local authorities, housing associations and private developers are required to comply with the building regulations. The regulations contain no specific minimum standards for heating, but part L of those regulations sets requirements for the conservation of fuel and power which include provisions for insulation of the building elements and adequate heating controls. The Government are proposing to lay before Parliament shortly revised regulations which strengthen the requirements of part L.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the result of the public inquiry into the application by Safeway to build an edge-of-town superstore in Hailsham, Sussex.

It is hoped to issue the decision shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Environment Council on 8 and 9 June.

I represented the United Kingdom at the Environment Council held in Luxembourg on 8 and 9 June. The Council reached a common position on the draft directive on the landfill of waste by a majority vote with Belgium and France voting against. The agreed text is considerably more flexible than the original Commission proposal and is in line with the United Kingdom's position on subsidiarity. It would allow us to continue to operate our waste disposal sites where we mix domestic waste with other wastes, as long as we maintain stringent controls and monitoring.The Council discussed climate change issues, including the Commission's proposed carbon/energy tax. The Council agreed to renew the mandate of the working group established at the last Environment Council and requested the group to report to the next ECOFIN and Environment Councils. Council conclusions were also agreed on the Commission White Paper on "Growth, Competitiveness and Employment", focusing on the environmental aspects of trans-European networks and an approach to sustainable economic development which respected environmental needs. The Council had a wide-ranging discussion on points arising from the May session of the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development and considered various ways to enhance its next session.A common position was agreed unanimously on the proposed regulation on substances that deplete the ozone layer, based on the text which had been agreed politically last December. The Council also agreed the arrangements for the signature by the Community of the sulphur dioxide protocol. The Council noted progress on the proposed directive on integrated pollution control. My proposal for a Council statement condemning the illegal trade in tiger and rhinoceros products was agreed unanimously.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations she has received on discrepancy of treatment of English and Welsh farmers under the arable area aid scheme; and if she will make a statement.

Since the beginning of the year my right hon. Friend has received 12 representations on Welsh regionalisation arrangements from Members of the House and from farming organisations. These have suggested that area payments to Welsh arable farmers should be at the same level as those to English farmers. Arable area payments are based on historic average cereal yields, as required by EC legislation, and these are lower in Wales than in England.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the Government's policy on the planned restrictions on naturally occurring phosphates in wholemeal flour and milk products contained in the proposed EC directive on food additives.

The Government share industry's concerns that the current text of the proposed directive on food additives other than colours and sweeteners does not take proper account of the fact that phosphates occur naturally in many foods, including flour and milk. We have therefore been pressing for an amendment to the text. The EC Council of Ministers and the European Commission have agreed to find a solution to this problem before the directive is implemented.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions she has had with the Dairy Trade Federation on the timetable for the implementation of the new milk marketing scheme; and if she will make a statement.

The Dairy Trade Federation raised the issue of the timing of the end of the milk marketing scheme when my right hon. Friend the Minister met them on 23 May.My right hon. Friend has announced her and the Secretary of State for Wales's decision to approve the milk marketing board's reorganisation scheme with modifications. Under the approved scheme vesting day will be 1 November 1994.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the agricultural land area (a) inside and (b) outside the less-favoured areas in England is rented.

I regret that the information is not available.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the average age of farmers is in (a) the English less-favoured areas and (b) the equivalent of the less-favoured areas in each EC member state.

The farm structure survey contains information on the age of the holder of the farm by age band. The table provides estimates of the average age of holder based on analysis of this age band data for farms which are classified as being wholly or mainly in the less favoured areas.

Estimated average age of holder of farms wholly or mainly in the less-favoured areas in 19871
Member state	Estimated average age of holder
Belgium	50
Germany	48
Greece	56
Spain	56
France	52
Ireland	54
Italy	56
Luxembourg	51
Portugal	57
United Kingdom (1990)	53
England (1990)	52
1 The holder of the farm is the person legally or economically responsible for the holding.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the ratio of tenant farmers to owner-occupier farmers (a) inside and (b) outside the English less-favoured areas.

The table shows the proportion of holdings in England which are wholly owner occupied, rented or are partly owner and partly rented for those holdings which are wholly or mainly in the less favoured area or wholly or mainly outside the LFA.

Proportion of holdings in England by type of tenure
	Wholly owner occupied Percentage	Wholly rented Percentage	Part owned and part rented Percentage
Holdings wholly or mainly in the LFA	60.3	18.1	21.6
Holdings wholly or mainly outside the LFA	63.7	15.6	20.7

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many visits to overseas exhibitions have been undertaken by Ministers in her Department so far this year.

MAFF Ministers have this year undertaken visits to the ISM sweets and biscuits fair in Cologne; the Salon International de 1'Agriculture in Paris; and the Agro-Expo exhibition in Beijing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he plans to have, and when, with his partners in the European Union and the United Nations on steps to combat Iranian terrorism.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Nottingham, South (Mr. Simpson) on 24 May, column 112.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will arrange for all British and locally employed staff at British posts overseas who come into contact with the public to wear identity badges.

With effect from 1 January 1993, British posts overseas were instructed to ensure that, unless there are local security considerations—for example, for entry clearance officers—all staff who come into contact with the public identify themselves.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when a decision is to be taken on the application made to the United Kingdom post in Islamabad by Mrs. Noor Jahan, DOB: 1966; Ref: C1573 and her children to enter the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

In the absence of any information in London about applications from Mrs. Noor Jahan and her children, I have asked the entry clearance officer at the high commission in Islamabad to let me have a report. I shall arrange for the hon. Member to receive a substantive reply from the migration and visa correspondence unit of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the status and function of (a) Mr. Giles Chichester and (b) Mr. Michael Rogers in July 1993; what was the purpose of their visit by the United Kingdom mission in Geneva in July 1993; which officials they met; how many pages of cables, facsimile messages or reports he received from the United Kingdom mission in Geneva in relation to the visit; and if he will place those documents in the Library.

My Department has no record of a visit by either man to the United Kingdom's mission in Geneva in July 1993 or at any other time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which missions, other than those of the United Kingdom, were visited in Geneva in July 1993 by Mr. Giles Chichester; what was the purpose of the visits; and if he will make a statement.

My Department has no record of a visit by a Mr. Giles Chichester to any mission in Geneva, including the United Kingdom's, in July 1993 or at any other time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received from Uganda about the present circumstances of Richard Mukasa, recently in Campsfield house, Kidlington.

I have been asked to reply.We have no information about Mr. Mukasa's circumstances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what instructions are given to security staff in his departmental offices in London for dealing with (a) those sleeping rough in departmental doorways and (b) beggars in the vicinity; and how many problems have been experienced with each category in the last three months.

Responsibility for the security of the building occupied by the Northern Ireland Office in London lies with the major occupier, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has for a review of orthodontic services in Northern Ireland.

There are no plans, at present, to undertake a specific review of orthodontic services. The Department of Health and Social Services has however recently commissioned an oral health review group to carry out an analysis of oral health in Northern Ireland, and to make recommendations for improvement. These recommendations will take account of orthodontic needs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many clients were registered in Northern Ireland with general dental practitioners in each year since 1983.

The registration of patients with general dental practitioners was introduced in October 1990. The registration details from October 1990 onwards are set out in the table.

Year	Number of patients registered
1990	198,585
1991	788,496
1992	976,312
1993	1,010,180

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patients are waiting for orthodontic treatment in Northern Ireland.

Information on the total number of people waiting for orthodontic treatment in Northern Ireland is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many general dental practitioners in Northern Ireland received remuneration for NHS treatments in each year since 1983.

The information requested is set out as follows:

Year	Number of dentists
1983	377
1984	393
1985	421
1986	428
1987	438
1988	461
1989	483
1990	519
1991	517
1992	525
1993	551

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many general dental practitioners in Northern Ireland were registered with the Dental Practice Board in each year since 1983.

The equivalent body in Northern Ireland is the Northern Ireland Central Services Agency. The information requested is set out in the table:

Number of dentists on dental list at 1 July
Year	Number
1983	360
1984	379
1985	397
1986	414
1987	424
1988	447
1989	467
1990	491
1991	517
1992	525
1993	541

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the number of individuals who received private orthodontic treatments in Northern Ireland during the period from 1983 to 1993.

Information on private treatment is not held centrally and it is impossible to give a realistic estimate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many general dental practitioners qualified and took up national health service practice in Northern Ireland in each year since 1983.

The information is not available in the form requested. However, the number of dentists joining the dental list in Northern Ireland in each year since 1983 is set out in the table:

Year	Number of dentists joining dental list
1983	32
1984	33
1985	44

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many dental de-registrations there were in Northern Ireland in the period 1985 to 1993.

The registration of patients with general dental practitioners was introduced in October 1990. Since then a total of 2,340 patients have been de-registered.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many NHS episodes of orthodontic treatment there were for Northern Ireland for the period 1983 to 1993; and what was the cost of NHS orthodontic treatment for Northern Ireland for the same period.

The number of courses of orthodontic treatment in Northern Ireland from 1983 to 1993 is set out in the table. Information is not available for 1991 and 1992. Information on the cost of orthodontic treatment is not available prior to 1993. For 1993, the cost was £1,686,393.

Number of courses of orthodontic treatment
Year	Number
1983	13,380
1984	10,562
1985	9,671
1986	11,667
1987	5,842
1988	19,391
1989	22,692
1990	25,365
19911	n/a
19921	n/a
1993	17,464
1 Due to technical difficulties in dental information system, figures are not available for these years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what capital charges were levied on each regional adolescent psychiatric unit in the latest year for which figures are available.

There are no regional adolescent psychiatric units within Northern Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many beds designated specifically for adolescent psychiatry there were in Northern Ireland in each year since 1979 and at the latest available date.

In Northern Ireland in each year since 1981 to December 1993 the average number of available beds in the child and adolescent psychiatry speciality has been 20. Information on the child and adolescent psychiatry speciality was not collected separately prior to 1981.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children and teenagers suffering from serious mental illnesses were admitted to psychiatric hospitals in Northern Ireland in the period 1979 to 1993.

The information is not available in the form requested. The table provides information on the total number of children and teenagers with one or more admissions to mental illness hospitals/psychiatric units in Northern Ireland between 1989¹ and 1993.

Admissions of Children/Teenagers to Mental Illness Hospitals/Psychiatric Units in Northern Ireland
Year	Number
11989–90	144
1990–91	128
1991–92	143
1992–93	177
1 Data prior to 1989–90 is unavailable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the referral pattern for adolescent psychiatric services for Northern Ireland; and what was the regional breakdown of contractual referral for each health board for the period 1979 to 1993.

The table shows the pattern of out-patient referral attendances in the child and adolescent psychiatric specialty in Northern Ireland since 1981.

Hospitals located within health and social services boards
Year	Eastern	Northern	Southern	Western	Northern Ireland
1981 1	778	8	32	12	830
1982	937	6	35	2	980
1983	1,102	12	44	8	1,166
1984	1,024	11	37	2	1,074
1985	1,129	5	42	10	1,186
1986	1,059	8	22	4	1,093
1987	1,138	4	22	4	1,168
1988–892	498	—	32	—	530
1989–902	1,332	—	768	—	2,100
1990–91	886	147	469	—	1,502
1991–92	897	112	280	—	1,289
1992–93	999	138	302	—	1,439
1 Information on the child and adolescent psychiatric speciality was not collected separately prior to 1981.
2 The data quality is not reliable for these years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the most common forms of mental illness for children and teenagers; and what was their incidence in Northern Ireland in the period 1979 to 1993.

The table shows the six most common diagnoses for children and teenagers and the numbers discharged from mental illness hospitals/psychiatric units with these diagnoses during the period 1989 to 1993 ¹. Information on the incidence of these conditions is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nursing and para-medical staff in Northern Ireland are qualified in forensic psychiatry and working in (a) high security units and (b) admission wards in psychiatric hospitals mental health trusts.

There are no high security units or mental health trusts in Northern Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many forensic psychiatric patients have been treated in Northern Ireland in each year since 1985.

This information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many doctors are trained each year in forensic psychiatry; and how many qualified in forensic psychiatry are practising in the NHS in Northern Ireland.

During the period of higher specialist training, every junior doctor in psychiatry gets some training in forensic psychiatry and most undertake a six month period of training specifically in the sub-speciality. This enables all consultants to deal with routine forensic psychiatric cases which they may encounter in their day-to-day practice.There is one consultant forensic psychiatrist currently working 70 per cent. of his time in the Prison Service and 30 per cent. in one of the health and social services boards. A second consultant forensic psychiatrist will be working 50 per cent. in the Prison Service and 50 per cent. in another health and social services board.The intention is that each board will have a pool of knowledge so that all psychiatric patients who come before the courts will have access to forensic psychiatry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many extra-contractual referrals for individuals requiring specialist psychiatric services for deaf people were made in Northern Ireland in 1993–94.

None. Until April 1994 such services were designated as supra-regional and no charge was made.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the national referral patterns and regional referral patterns for all units providing psychiatric services for deaf people in Northern Ireland in each year since 1987.

Separate statistics to show the numbers of people referred for psychiatric services in Northern Ireland who are deaf are not routinely collected. Referral patterns cannot therefore be established.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the NHS ambulance services in Northern Ireland which have contracts with private sector health care providers.

The Eastern ambulance service HSS trust has just agreed a contract with a private clinic. The other three ambulance services in Northern Ireland have no contracts with the private health care sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many private patient journeys were undertaken by NHS patients in Northern Ireland for journeys to and from (a) nursing homes and (b) private hospitals in the period from 1985 to 1993; what ambulance charges were levied on these NHS patients and what was the total money earned from these charges for the same period.

Whilst this information is not available in the format requested over the period 1987–88 to 1993–94 a total of 148 patient journeys were charged for. It is not possible to identify the numbers of private patient journeys undertaken to and from nursing homes and private hospitals. Consequently the charges levied and the total money earned is not available.Information was not collected prior to 1987–88.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many private ambulance contracts there were for Northern Ireland in the period 1985 to 1993.

Over the period 1985 to 1993 no private ambulance contracts were in place in Northern Ireland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many psychiatric patients have been contracted out for treatment to the private sector in Northern Ireland in each year since 1979.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many high security psychiatric patients were admitted to psychiatric wards in non high secure units in Northern Ireland for the period from 1985 to 1993.

None. Psychiatric patients who require treatment in high security hospitals are transferred to special hospitals in Scotland and England. Sixteen patients from Northern Ireland were admitted to special hospitals in Scotland and England in the period 1985 to 1993.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nursing and para-medical staff working in psychiatric wards in mental health trust hospitals in Northern Ireland have sustained non-accidental injuries from patients in each year since 1985.

This information is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications to the Independent Living (1993) Fund have been accepted.

I am informed by the Director of the Independent Living (1993) Fund that, as at 14 June, 585 applications to the fund have been accepted.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's policy for dealing with correspondence from right hon. and hon. Members regarding the Child Support Agency; what percentage of letters from right hon. and hon. Members he transferred for reply to the chief executive and other officials of the agency; what criteria he applies when deciding which letters are transferred and which warrant a ministerial reply; and if he will make a statement.

In the nine months from September 1993 to May 1994, of a total of 6,894 letters from right hon. and hon. Members on child support matters, 24 per cent. were referred for reply to the chief executive of the Child Support Agency. The criteria for selection of such letters has not changed since the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 9 February at column 365.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many letters he receives on average each month from right hon. and hon. Members relating to the operation of the Child Support Agency.

The number of letters received each month since September 1993 is in the table. The numbers have varied considerably from month to month.

	Number
September 1993	179
October 1993	534
November 1993	1,173
December 1993	846
January 1994	972
February 1994	1,072
March 1994	899
April 1994	692
May 1994	706
Total	6,894

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims were made for assistance from the social fund in the last year for which figures are available; how many were accepted and how many were refused.

Information for 1993–94 is in the table.

	Number
Applications	4,039,357
Awards	2,146,714
Refusals	1,705,834

The number of awards and refusals is less than the number of applications because of applications which were withdrawn by applicants; applications which had not been decided at the time of the count; and applications where the applicant did not subsequently respond.The figures do not include social fund cold weather payments as these are made automatically to those people who qualify.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answers of 20 May, Official Report, column 582, if he will publish a table setting out the principal components of (a) the £568 million spring supplementary estimate affecting cyclical social security spending, (b) the £274 million spring supplementary estimate affecting social security spending falling within the new control total and (c) the late-year reapportionment of social security spending from cyclical to new control total components; and if he will make a statement.

The principal components of the spring supplementary estimates for class XII, votes 1, 2 and 4 were presented and published on 15 February, reference HC199. This document is available in the Library.The apportionment of expenditure between cyclical and new control total is statistically determined and develops progressively over the accounting period. Hence the apportionment of the outturn expenditure is not yet finalised. We currently anticipate a switch of around £200 million from cyclical to new control total expenditure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assumptions about the real value of housing benefit and eligibility for housing benefit underlie the present public expenditure plans; and what plans he has to amend the assumptions as a result of the public expenditure review conducted within the Department of Social Security.

The assumptions which have been used to forecast housing benefit expenditure are set out in paragraphs 70 to 80 of the 1994 Social Security departmental report "The Government's expenditure plans 1994–95 to 1996–97". We have assumed that housing benefit will be uprated in April 1995 by 3.25 per cent. and in April 1996 by 3 per cent. the assumed values of the adjusted version of the retail prices index excluding housing costs; see paragraphs 61 and 74 of the report. The assumptions for real rent increases are given in paragraph 78 of the report—private rents increasing by 6.5 per cent. and local authority rent by 5 per cent., both in real terms. The forecasts have used the current rules for eligibility and include all changes to the eligibility rules announced last year. Future expenditure plans will be examined in the light of any changes arising out of the present review of housing benefit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the United Kingdom have been diagnosed as having AIDS dementia.

Up to the end of March 1994, 410 of a cumulative total of 9,025 AIDS cases reported in the United Kingdom had HIV encephalopathy at the time of their diagnosis. This may not have been the sole AIDS defining illness present at the time the case was reported to the communicable disease surveillance centre. An unknown number of persons diagnosed with AIDS go on to develop HIV encephalopathy at a later stage. The number of such cases would not be known to CDSC since reports give only those AIDS indicator diseases present at the time of the AIDS diagnosis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many bedspaces for people with AIDS there are currently (a) in London and (b) nationally for (i) respite care, (ii) residential care, (iii) nursing care, (iv) terminal care and (v) AIDS dementia care.

Information is not available centrally.Details of facilities for people with AIDS are contained in regions' AIDS (Control) Act reports, copies of which are available in the Library.Additionally, the 1994 directory of hospice and palliative care services, compiled by the hospice information service and published by the Cancer Relief Macmillan Fund, lists all available hospice and palliative care services in the United Kingdom. A number of these facilities now cater for people with AIDS-related illness and some have been established specifically for them. A copy of the directory is available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many bed spaces for people with AIDS are being developed (a) in London and (b) nationally for (i) respite care, (ii) residential care, (iii) nursing care, (iv) terminal care and (v) AIDS dementia; and what other services are currently available for people with AIDS dementia.

Information in the form requested is not available centrally.Regional and district health authorities plan all their services for people with HIV/AIDS in the light of identified need.The Department is currently funding a research project to identify the extent of need for services for people with AIDS dementia in the Thames area. The research findings are due to be reported early in 1995.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what training services are being provided for staff working with people with AIDS dementia, and by whom.

The Department makes available topsliced funding for HIV/AIDS prevention—£49.2 million in 1994–95—which includes provision for the training of a wide range of staff in the care of people with HIV disease.English National Board course 280 includes training for nurses on identification and responses to the psychiatric needs of people with HIV. The Bethlem royal hospital and the Maudsley hospital have developed a national course specifically for nurses working with people with AIDS dementia. The course was developed with Department of Health support and students from throughout the United Kingdom have attended. The educational pack on HIV for doctors, funded by the Department, contains a module on the needs of a person with AIDS-related psychiatric conditions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the per capita spending figures are for each regional health authority, district health authority and family health services authority for 1993–94 and 1994–95.

Information is not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has about the likely incidence of complications and death arising from the use of the morning-after pill; what plans she has to allow such pills to be available over the counter rather than on prescription; and if she will make a statement.

The emergency contraception pill is a combined oral contraceptive which contains higher doses of hormones than many oral contraceptive pills. It is used for only a short duration of time and doctors are advised not to prescribe it to women who may be at risk of thromboembolic disorders. No reports of deaths associated with the use of this product have been received by the Committee on Safety of Medicines and information on precautions and side-effects is contained in the product particulars authorised by the Medicines Control Agency.Applications for medicinal products to be reclassified to allow supply without prescription are normally made to the Medicines Control Agency by the company holding the licence for that product. Any change would be subject to advice from the relevant Medicines Act committee and the results of statutory consultation with all interested organisations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will list the NHS ambulance services which have contracts with private sector health care providers;(2) how many private ambulance contracts there were in the period 1985 to 1993.

The information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private patient journeys were undertaken by NHS patients in England and Wales for journeys to and from (a) nursing homes and (b) private hospitals in the period from 1985 to 1993; what ambulance charges were levied on these NHS patients; and what was the total money earned from these charges for the same period.

Information is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general dental practitioners qualified and took up NHS practice in each year since 1983.

The available information is shown in the table. In 1983, the report of the departmental study group on dental manpower recommended a reduction in undergraduate intake to dental schools and in 1987 a similar study recommended further manpower reductions.

Number of students obtaining first qualification (United Kingdom)
Year	Number1
1982–83	777
1983–84	786
1984–85	787
1985–86	728
1986–87	791
1987–88	750
1988–89	717
1989–90	695
1990–91	700
1991–92	643
1992–93	673

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what national guidelines exist for the assessment of orthodontic treatment need.

An index of treatment need can be used by orthodontic specialists.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many general dental practitioners were registered with the Dental Practice Board in each year since 1983;(2) how many general dental practitioners received remuneration for NHS treatments in each year since 1983.

The available information is shown in the table.

General Dental Services Number of general dental practitioners under contract to a family health services authority as at 30 September England
Year	Total12
1983	13,672
1984	14,066
1985	14,334
1986	14,516
1987	14,765
1988	15,070
1989	15,351
1990	15,480
1991	15,451
1992	15,411
1993	15,773

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is her estimate of the number of individuals who received private orthodontic treatments in England and Wales during the period from 1983 to 1993;

There are no plans for a central review of orthodontic services specifically. However, the system of dental remuneration is currently under review, following consultation on the Bloomfield report.We do not collect information on orthodontic treatment in the private sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients are waiting for orthodontic treatment.

Such information as is available is given in "Hospital Waiting List Statistics: England", copies of which are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors are trained each year in forensic psychiatry; and how many qualified in forensic psychiatry are practising in the national health service.

The total number of senior registrars and registrars training in forensic psychiatry as at 30 September 1992, the latest date for which figures are available, in England was 40. Approximately one quarter of these will complete training each year. The number of consultants qualified in forensic psychiatry at that time and practising in the national health service in England was 80.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many forensic psychiatric patients have been treated in each year since 1985.

Figures on finished consultant episodes relating to forensic psychiatry between 1988–1989 and 1991–92 for England are shown in the table. Comparable data for the years prior to 1988–89 are not available. These figures exclude patients treated in special hospitals and out-patients.

Forensic psychiatry (England—excluding special hospitals) Number of finished consultant episodes
Year	Number
1988–89	933
1989–90	1,020
1990–91	1,106
1991–92	1,458

Information about patients treated in special hospitals is not collected in the same form. The numbers of discharges, including deaths, from special hospitals in each year since 1985 were:

Year	Number
1985	234
1986	154
1987	175
1988	196
1989	212
1990	209
1991	189
1992	220
1993	264

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing and para-medical staff are qualified in forensic psychiatry and working in (a) high security units and (b) admission wards in psychiatric hospitals mental health trusts.

There is no specific qualification in forensic psychiatry for nursing and paramedical ward staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many psychiatric patients have been contracted out for treatment to the private sector in each year since 1979.

This is a matter for each health authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if it is normal practice for a psychiatric patient who is admitted to a ward and then subsequently transferred to another ward to be registered in both wards.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what circumstances it is the practice for newly admitted psychiatric patients to be admitted into the vacant beds of other psychiatric patients who are away or on leave for the weekend from their registered hospital.

Patients would be admitted in this way only if there were no other beds available in the hospital and when, in the clinical judgment of the consultant in consultation with the nurse in charge of the relevant ward, such action was appropriate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing and para-medical staff working in psychiatric wards in mental health trust hospitals have sustained non-accidental injuries from patients in each year since 1985.

This information will be held by individual hospitals and trusts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if it is normal practice to register the re-admission of a psychiatric patient on return to their mental health unit from a general hospital on receiving treatment for a physical condition.

Transfers between psychiatric and other units are recorded on the clinical notes, with registration taking place at the first admission to the psychiatric unit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many high security psychiatric patients were admitted to psychiatric wards in non-high secure units in England and Wales in the period from 1985 to 1993.

The assessment of whether a patient requires treatment in conditions of high security is made by an admissions panel at each of the three special hospitals. All patients assessed as requiring such treatment are admitted to the special hospital.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the national referral patterns and regional referral patterns for all units providing psychiatric services for deaf people in each year since 1987.

Referrals to units providing psychiatric services for deaf people are made by general practitioners and other professionals and are funded by district health authorities. They will hold their respective records on referrals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many extra-contractual referrals for individuals requiring specialist psychiatric services for deaf people were made in 1993–94.

A total of 2,776 occupied bed days and 143 day care sessions in 1993–94.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the national referral pattern for adolescent psychiatric services; and what was the regional breakdown of contractual referrals for each health region for the period 1979 to 1993.

Adolescent psychiatric services take place in a variety of settings from primary health care to highly specialised units. Most adolescents are seen by a multi-disciplinary team in a clinic or unit with only a very small minority being referred for specialist in-patient care.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the most common forms of mental illness for children and teenagers; and what was their incidence in the period 1979 to 1993.

:There are a wide range of mental health disorders with varying degrees of prevalence of which most are conduct and emotional disorders. Their prevalence range from 7 to 21 per cent. depending on such factors as the age of the child and whether the child is living in an urban or rural setting.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what capital charges were levied on each regional adolescent psychiatric unit in the latest year for which figures are available.